Daniel's POV.
The moment I heard the gate click shut, I marched over to the table and confronted her. "What are you planning with my brother? Leave Romeo out of your madness!"
"Madness?" she shot back, not even looking up from her book. "Is studying for an exam considered madness now?"
"Don't lie to me. I know you're planning to use him for whatever scheme you've got cooking. You want to use him as your shield, don't you?"
At that, she finally dropped the act. She set her highlighter down, crossed her legs, and leaned back with an air of cold indifference.
"You know, I'm just being practical," she said sharply. "Since you don't want anything to do with me, I'll just go with your brother instead. He's much easier to talk to anyway."
I was floored. She was essentially admitting to using my brother as a shield for her family so she could continue her fujoshi lifestyle.
"You're insane. Do you really think you'll get away with this? I'm going to tell Romeo everything. I'll tell him about the mall and your 'partnership' talk."
She rested her chin on her hand, a bored look on her face, completely unfazed by my threat. "Do you really think your brother will believe your 'madness'? If anything, it'll just ruin your relationship with him. He'll just think you're jealous. Besides... your brother actually likes me. He's currently courting me."
She told me that Romeo had volunteered to tutor her because of his feelings for her, and since it was a golden opportunity to pass her exams, she wasn't about to let it slide.
"You're cold. I don't believe my brother would fall for someone like you. He has higher standards," I said, though my voice lacked conviction.
"Wait... did you use some kind of love potion on him?!" I added, my mind racing to anime tropes.
Lea burst into laughter at my reaction, the sound filling the small living room. Because she was a woman, I couldn't exactly do anything physical, no matter how much her laughing irritated me.
"Look, it doesn't matter how it happened," she said, her laughter dying down into a smirk. "All that matters is that he's useful to me now. He's smart, he's kind, and he makes a great study partner. What more could I want?"
"You're just going to break his heart," I whispered.
"Hearts mend, Daniel. But a failed board exam? That stays on your record," she replied, picking up her highlighter again.
I couldn't wrap my head around how her mind worked. Her smug expression made my skin crawl. It was clear as day: she wanted to wrap my brother around her little finger, and once she succeeded, he would be the one to suffer for her obsession.
I slammed my hand on the wooden table, the sharp crack echoing through the living room as a final warning. I needed her to understand: stay away from my brother. Romeo is a decent man with a bright future ahead of him in nursing; there is no way he'd find genuine happiness with a pint-sized, chaotic fujoshi like her.
"You haven't thought this through, Lea," I argued, my voice low and strained. "If that's the kind of 'convenience' setup you want, it won't be long before he grows tired of the act. It'll end in a total mess—a public breakup, a bitter divorce. Do you really want that?"
"Hahaha! Don't worry about that," she shot back, waving a hand dismissively. "My older brothers will handle things if he tries to bail. They're a bit... intense, being in the service and all, but they don't actually kill people. Usually."
The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water. I remembered now—her family was a literal clan of soldiers and police officers. Her brothers had been the notorious tough guys back in our school days, the kind people crossed the street to avoid. She wasn't just looking for a roommate; she was planning to trap my brother, keeping him clutched in her grasp with the threat of her family looming over him. I could see the miserable fate awaiting him: working double shifts at a hospital while she spent his salary Indulging in her yaoi fantasies.
"Later today, I'm going to accept his proposal to be my boyfriend. My plan is finally coming together! Bwahahaha!" she cackled, leaning back in her chair like a villain from a Sunday afternoon soap opera.
"Don't worry, he'll be happy in my family," she added, a predatory glint in her eyes as she leaned forward. "There are plenty of handsome guys there for him to... get along with. It'll be like one of my books come to life."
The woman sitting across from me was too clever for her own good. I felt a bead of sweat roll down my neck. Even if I told Romeo the truth right now, he'd probably just laugh it off, thinking I was being the "bitter older brother" trying to sabotage the woman he loved.
I usually stay out of his business, but can I really just turn a blind eye? I'm his kuya. For years, I failed him, losing myself in the glowing screens of anime and games while he did the heavy lifting at home. I've denied him so many favors and been so distant that it's as if he never had an older brother at all. Our relationship is a far cry from the bond other siblings share, and that's on me. I've let him down enough.
I have to save him. I have to find a way to stop this madness before the first "I love you" is even spoken. Don't hesitate, Daniel, I told myself, clutching the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. This is your responsibility as the eldest. Only you can do this.
"Fine. You win," I said, my voice dropping to a flat, dead-serious tone.
"Huh?" Her laughter died out, replaced by a look of genuine confusion.
"I'll do it. I'll be your husband. We'll live under one roof, and you'll leave Romeo alone."
The room fell deathly silent. The only sound was the distant hum of a tricycle passing by outside. Neither of us moved, staring at each other while our faces slowly turned a deep, embarrassed beet red.
"Let's get married!" I declared boldly, though my heart was trying to stage a breakout through my ribs.
"W-w-wha—? R-r-reall-really?" she stammered, her smug composure shattering instantly. She looked utterly bewildered, her mouth hanging slightly open.
Even Lea was shocked; she sat there frozen, speechless for once. It was an act of pure insanity—sacrificing my life for my brother's—but I couldn't let his future be ruined. Romeo has dreams to achieve, a career to build, unlike me, who has already hit rock bottom working a repetitive factory job. My future meant nothing compared to the success he could still find.
Tears pricked my eyes as the beautiful, stoic face of my waifu, Rem, flashed in my mind. Forgive me, Rem. I knew this was a betrayal of my 2D devotion, but I hoped she would understand from the Great Beyond. This wasn't out of selfish desire, but for the sake of my blood.