Book 2: Chapter 24

“Netori…” I spoke the words.

I was sitting on my bed, a sheet wrapped around my body. Netori didn’t come. I remained sitting in the darkness alone. A grimace formed on my lips and I nodded to myself. Of course.

“Netorare.”

“Yes?” A girl appeared in the corner of my bed, sitting cross-legged with a gloating smile on her face.

I chuckled dryly. “I thought I smelled your stench.”

Her face suddenly went red. “St-stop smelling me, you perv!”

“What have you done with Netori?” I asked.

“Done?” Netorare tapped her finger on her lips. “Maybe she just gave up on a loser like you.”

“Loser, huh?” I leaned back, dwelling on her words.

Netorare nodded. “Right now, my boy Jack is bringing your sister into a mansion full of eager guys. They’ll do this to her and that to her. Give up. You have no power. You lose.”

So, that’s how it was. I hadn’t realized it before. I supposed I was just so worried about losing everything, that I didn’t see the truth that Netori wanted me to see. It wasn’t about losing or winning. It wasn’t about playing the game better, or having a higher level, or being the better man. It was all so simple, now that I saw it.

“Netorare…” I said, my head lowering down.

“Hmm?” She responded with a catlike grin.

“I was never going to win this. That’s what Jack said.”

“Yup…”

“That’s right…” a grin formed on my face. “But your fate is worse because you are always going to lose.”

Netorare blinked. “Eh?”

I threw off my blanket and stood up. As it flew to the side, I turned to Netorare, my eyes burning with fire. I was dressed in a full suit and tie, a bit fancy, it gave a vibe like I was a wealthy businessman or a millionaire. I had spent my entire check on this expensive suit. Perhaps it wasn’t a costume in the traditional sense, but it was the way I chose to dress tonight. I grabbed the fox mask which I had saved from my trip to the hot spring.

“Wh-what is this?” Netorare’s eyes widened.

I reached out and grabbed her hand and pulled her. She was light and hadn’t expected to be suddenly grabbed, so she floated into my arms with ease.

“I want you to watch as you lose everything to me,” I said, smiling down at her.

“I-impossible.” She said, unable to look away from my eyes.

I leaned close to her ear. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep what I take.”

My lips moved towards hers. Netorare’s eyes closed and her lips parted. It was mere millimeters before our lips touched when her eyes widened and she vanished from my arms. She appeared on the other side of the room, her face beat red and her body shaking.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Netorare cried shrilly, not able to meet my eyes.

“Just watch.” I grinned, putting on my mask and walking out the door.

As I walked out to the front of the house, a car drove up. I got in smoothly, and we took off. I wouldn’t be riding a bicycle tonight. The guy inside was wearing an outfit too. It was a grim reaper outfit, with a scythe in the back and his hood down. Comparatively, he looked like something from a cheap Halloween store, and my outfit looked strangely classy, like I belonged in the mansion we were heading to.

“Nice, where did you get the mask?” Derek said, glancing over at me.

“I stole it.” I chuckled.

“Alright, fine, don’t tell me.” Derek laughed nervously. “You know, crashing this party. Seniors will kick our asses if they find a couple of underclassmen there.”

“Possibly,” I responded calmly. “It’s too bad they’ll be too busy.”

“You, okay, man? You seem… I don’t know… different.”

“Heh… maybe I am.”

“So, your sister really did take off with that loser, Jack?”

“Just watch the show,” I responded. “It’s what I owe you for that information. You… inspired me.”

“Of course…” Derek laughed. “That’s what I’m good for. A regular muse.”

The remaining chat was light as we drove to the high-class area of town where many rich from overseas had built their pricey mansions. Most Japanese construction was intended to break down and be replaced in 15 years. It wasn’t uncommon for many homes to only last one generation. Only complexes and castles were built to last in Japan, yet the Americans seemed to want to build everything to last. I thought it silly that they spend so much effort and money-making buildings that can stand earthquakes and hurricanes, and then patching up all the damage until buildings were just patches on top of patches. Wouldn’t it be better to just build cheap, bulldoze the place, and then build again?

We approached a three-story mansion. The music was loud enough that neighbors would be complaining if the place didn’t have a yard that pushed the neighbors a football field away. There were cars everywhere, and there was nowhere to park close by.

“Drop me off at the front,” I said.

“Yeah, no problem.” Derek agreed. “Go protect your sister.”

I nodded and left the car slamming it shut and immediately half running up to the front door. There were people on the yard already drinking and dancing, and the music was playing over a system that permeated the entire house, the front yard, and the backyard. Except, Maria wouldn’t be in the front yard or the back yard. She’d be up in one of the bedrooms.

“Did you hear?” I overheard a voice as I slid into the mansion. “Upstairs, some slut is going to fuck every guy she sees.”

“What a skank!”

“You know what room?” I asked.

“Really? You’re going to fuck some skank?” The girl looked me up and down, and then suddenly she smiled flirtatiously. “Actually, why bother with her? My friend and I are free. How about you take us-“

“The room, please,” I spoke intently.

With a pout, they finally gave me the location and pointed me towards the stairway. With no time to rest, I took the stairs three at a time and pushed my way past drunk guys and tipsy women alike. Without pausing, I kicked open the door and walked into the room those two had indicated. In front of me was my sister. She was still clothed in her skanky cat outfit, but she was sitting on the floor. Her arms were wrapped around her chest defensively, and there were about a dozen guys all around her. Some had their dicks out.

Akiko was sitting in the corner, a camera in her hands as she recorded the thing. A few guys looked my direction, but most of them were intent on advancing on my sister. I took five smooth steps to Akiko’s side, grabbed the camera from her hands, and then slammed it against a wall, causing it to shatter into a dozen pieces.

“H-hey!” She cried out, but then she saw my masked face, her mouth fell open, shock apparent in her expression.

I spun away from Akiko and grabbed my sister. Without even a pause, I picked her up in both my arms, sweeping her up and away from the circle of men, and then headed for the door. It was done so smoothly that few even had time to react. People were left staring at each other in wonder as their sex toy was pulled away by a masked man in a suit.

“St-stop, who…” She struggled for a second, but then she looked at my mask carefully and gasped.

“B-brother?” Her face turned pink, “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you home,” I said simply as I carried her down the stairway.

“You… I said it already… there isn’t a choice…”

“That was my mistake in the first place.” I smiled guiltily. “I gave you a choice. When have I ever done that in our relationship.”

“Th-that…” Her pink face went red.

“Your mine, Maria. Not Jack’s. Not Ronnie’s. Mine… I was just too insecure to realize it. Well, I’m done with that shit. I don’t need to play games, because I steal what I want!”

“B-brother… you don’t understand.” Maria’s voice came out weak. “I can’t be with you. It’s not that simple.”

I finally put her down, we were in the front lawn now, just where the music was quiet enough that we could actually talk.

“It is that simple,” I responded back.

“Hakaru…” She looked up at me, her eyes watery. “Please… when you look at me that way, I can’t stop feeling-“

“Hey!” A voice screamed out, causing the crowd of people to turn and the buzz of conversation to die out. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The source of that voice was Jack, who was standing at the door. He jumped down the front steps and walked over with his chest puffed out.

“You’ve already lost! You want to die?” As he said this, other boys piled out from the door, all angry upperclassmen, and many who were in the room with my sister.

I let out a chuckle, noticing my only backup, Derek, running up, but when he saw the massive group of older guys, he immediately stopped and found a hiding spot to watch. So much for friendship. Well, it didn’t matter. He was just a tag along anyway.

“Here’s the thing, Jack.” I sighed. “You can’t lose if you don’t play by the other guy’s rules. It was your goddess who taught me that. After all the cheating you’ve done, that sort of lesson just came to me.”

“Who’s cheating?” Jack’s eyes flashed. “Maria! Walk back to me. Now!”

I used true feeling on her again, but I knew it didn’t matter. I had made my decision. She gave me one look, but it said everything I needed to see. She took one step forward towards Jack, and then I pulled her back into my arms.

“I can’t!” She cried out, tears falling down her eyes. “I have to go back to him!”

“Why?” I asked, looking at her determinedly.

“Because he’s blackmailing her.” A voice shot from the crowd.

A group of people parted, and Akiko walked out. She was wearing a sexy maid outfit, although it wasn’t at the level of Maria’s revealing attire. She had her arms crossed and a strange smirk on her face.

“Blackmail?” I blinked, shaking my head. “He plans to record all of that compromising stuff from Maria and show the whole school, what’s the point of blackmail, I don’t get-“

Maria leaned close to me, whispering in my ear. “It’s not blackmail of me, it’s blackmail of you! I don’t know how he got it, but he has images of the night we had sex. He told me ahead of time if I didn’t go through with it, he’d show our…our… incest to the world. Our parents, our family… you… I couldn’t…”

“Do you see?” Jack laughed. “So hand her over… or I’ll…”

I pulled Maria into a kiss.

“Mm!” Maria let out a cry as I kissed her roughly on the lips, my tongue conquering her mouth without hesitation.

Those that knew we were brother and sister looked on in shock.

I pulled back, Maria gasping. “Hey! Everyone! This is my sister! I fuck her!”

Maria let out a cry, trying to grab me and cover my mouth. I stopped her, grabbing her wrists as she stared at me helplessly.

“Brother… what are you doing?”

I looked at her with a smile. “I won’t be denied what I want anymore. I’ll take it, and I’ll deal with the consequences too. Watch.”

“B-brother…” the look she gave me was a very un-sisterly look.

“Just trust in your brother, okay?”

She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly, tears still falling down her face. “Okay…”

“You…” Jack’s entire body was shaking. “You…

“More like you!” Akiko declared. “Hey guys, do you know how many of your girlfriend’s he’s fucked? Find out!”

Akiko threw up a giant folder of papers and names came falling out. I recognized one paper that fell by my feet. It was a print out of one of the files from the folder I had gotten from Deacon. It was the same folder that I had credited to Derek. It was clear it had been Akiko who had given it to me.

“Akiko!” Jack shouted, seeing some of the papers. “What are you doing? Be a good little dog and get back inside!”

Akiko’s eyes narrowed. “I’m no dog… I’m a bitch, and I’ve never been your bitch, not since the beginning!”

“Wh-what?”

“That was your problem, Jack. You just couldn’t stop stroking your own cock. You talk too damn much. You told me everything!” She spun to the girls all around her. “You don’t need to be frightened anymore! Rise up, ladies. You know what he did. You know what he’s been doing!”

One guy behind Jack picked up a sheet from the floor, “H-hey, that’s my girlfriend!”

“He blackmailed me!” The girl on the paper suddenly shouted, tears in her eyes. “I wanted to tell you, but he said he’d ruin my life if I spoke.”

“He blackmailed me!”

“Me too!”

More shouts flooded across the party. More and more women came forth, especially those who had been forcefully outed by Akiko. Soon, people were screaming and someone threw something at Jack. The upperclassman at his back was now trying to distance themselves from him completely. Within a moment, the entire atmosphere had changed, with everyone looking at Jack with pure loathing.

“That’s the thing, Jack,” I spoke up, catching his attention. “You’re a one-trick pony. As soon as that trick is used up, you have nothing else. Let’s face it. You lost.”

Rage exploded on Jack’s face. “You… this is your fault. Akiko’s your spy!”

Akiko giggled, pulling her eyelid down and sticking her tongue out at Jack.

“I’ll kill you!” Jack screamed, running at me.

He was still several years older and quite a bit bigger. I had pushed him to the limit, and now that all of his strategies had failed, he was going to attack me physically. As the fist raced towards my face, a smirk appeared on my lips.