This Strange World Needs a Kicking! Ch. 06

Ah, well, maybe they still had their pride as the house of Martin. He would have to figure out things without Milo's help. He didn't appear aware of the direness of the situation, and Sebastian believed that Mrs. Martin shouldn't be made to feel ashamed about their household's situation.

"Don't tell me," Milo said teasingly, "that now that you got yourself a boyfriend, you suddenly feel all responsible and grownup?"

"What boyfriend?"

Milo chuckled. "Me." He pointed at himself.

Well, he was a boy and a friend. Hardly a boy, though, Sebastian thought, while giving Milo another once-over.

"You are so totally undressing me with your eyes," Milo said in a funny voice and laughed. "Now let's go or we'll miss first period."

"Sure."

"Don't forget to grab your sandwich. And your sister."

"Do I have to?"

"She's a freshman at our school. Of course you do."

If that was what he had to do, he had no qualms with it. He put his uniform on, ignoring Milo's annoying whistles, and walked out of the room. Tani was already in the kitchen, wolfing down her sandwich.

"What took you so long?" she asked with suspicious eyes. "Don't tell me you two kissed all this time."

"No," Sebastian said sharply. "And a young lady like you shouldn't ask such questions."

Tani rolled her eyes. "Sure, grandpa."

Puzzled by her words, Sebastian hurried to correct her. "I am not your grandfather. I am your brother."

Tani stared over him at Milo. "Did he hit his head?"

"Not that I know of," came the reply.

"I didn't hit my head," Sebastian intervened sternly.

Tani shrugged. "Just my luck to have a weirdo for a brother. But, don't worry," he patted him on the shoulder, "you're my only brother, so I love you."

Sebastian stopped and looked at her.

"What?" she laughed. "You know I do."

"If your thirteen-year-old sister tells you that, you should believe it, man," Milo chimed in.

Love? That was a strange word to throw around.

"Now, tell me," Tani whispered, ignoring him completely, and her whole attention trained on Milo, "did you two, you know?"

"You're only thirteen. You're not allowed to know that." Milo took the liberty to pull Tani's pigtails upward, making her look like a rabbit.

"Almost fourteen," she objected and pulled her hair free from Milo's hands. "And it's not like I didn't know you two were suspicious."

"Suspicious? In what way?" Sebastian asked.

Tani rolled both her head and eyes to stare at him. "No girlfriends? Spending all your time together? And you're already eighteen? Bruh, that's pretty sus."

"For your information," Sebastian began, "until yesterday, we didn't even kiss."

Tani stared at him for a long moment and then began shouting. "I knew it! I knew something was up! You two were staring at each other with lovey-dovey eyes yesterday! Who's the seme? Who's the uke?" She turned around fast, looking at Milo, then at him, and then back at Milo.

"Man, are you spilling the beans to your sister like this?" Milo complained.

Sebastian looked around and saw no beans spilled. It was probably a way of saying that he shouldn't have told Tani about how they kissed.

"I didn't know it was a secret," he said primly.

"A secret?" Tani started again. "Don't you dare keep secrets from me!"

If only she knew who he truly was. That was quite an important secret her brother was keeping from her right now.

"Come on, my dudes," Milo said, grabbing him by the shoulder and taking Tani's hand. "We should get to school today."

"Why are you holding my sister's hand?" Sebastian asked.

Tani burst into laughter. "You're barely boyfriends for a day and he's jealous. Don't worry, big bro, I'd never steal your boyfriend. Sister honor."

That wasn't what he thought. It was just inappropriate for a girl her age - and a princess on top of everything - to hold hands so casually with a commoner.

But, as he had learned from his mistakes already, he chose to remain quiet.

TBC