Don’t Look Back, Megumi Kato [33]

"I'm home."

After escorting Megumi home, Izumi Yuu returned directly to his own house. As usual, he called out while changing his shoes in the dim entryway.

But today was different.

Normally, after his call, the girl upstairs would lightly knock on the floor in acknowledgment.

Today, however, the house remained eerily silent.

Only a faint sliver of light leaked out from the girl's bedroom upstairs, suggesting she was at least present—or had been there at some point that night.

[You realize the girl is intentionally ignoring your greeting, and anger boils within you. Sagiri-chan, you’re playing with fire! To assert your position in this household and teach her respect, you decide to storm her room immediately. You’ll punish her severely, forcing her to sob and beg forgiveness under your merciless lash. If she remains stubborn and refuses to repent, you'll teach her a harsh lesson with your iron whip!]

Oh, give it a rest already! Are you trying to make Sagiri-chan's anxiety worse and give her serious psychological issues?! Besides, we're step-siblings! How could I possibly do something so morally questionable!

Listening to the absurd suggestions from the shameless narration in his head, Izumi couldn't help rolling his eyes inwardly.

If he followed that advice, Sagiri would probably never forgive him for the rest of her life. She was already introverted due to past trauma—acting on that absurdity might push her into irreversible isolation!

Yet, the intrusive narrator had indeed pointed out something significant: Sagiri was clearly ignoring him on purpose.

Uh-oh, looks like Sagiri-chan is really mad at me this time. Realizing this, Izumi sighed bitterly.

Obviously, she'd gotten upset because he'd returned home so late. He had promised her he'd be home early but ended up spending the evening with another girl, coming home only after dark.

An overwhelming sense of guilt immediately washed over him.

I had fun flirting with Megumi while leaving Sagiri alone at home to starve. As an older brother, I’m awful!

Without hesitation, he headed straight for the kitchen and began preparing a lavish dinner for the sulking girl.

Fortunately, he'd anticipated this situation and stocked up on her favorite ingredients, sweets, and fruits.

Over the past six months, Izumi had worked incredibly hard to cater to Sagiri's picky palate.

She disliked greasy food, barely ate meat, despised carrots, and preferred lightly seasoned dishes. Cooking delicious meals without relying heavily on seasoning was immensely challenging.

Only after months of trial and error could Izumi create flavorful dishes using minimal spices. The difficulty of achieving this delicate balance couldn't be overstated—anyone could make fatty foods taste good, but preparing delicious yet mild dishes tested a chef’s true skill.

Half an hour later, Izumi carefully arranged three appetizing dishes on a tray:

Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried mushrooms with greens, and a colorful shrimp stir-fry.

Each dish was nutritious, light, and perfect for a growing girl. Knowing Sagiri hated carrots, he’d thoughtfully substituted them with celtuce in the shrimp dish.

He also included a slice of Sagiri’s favorite strawberry cake, some freshly cut melon slices, and a glass of papaya milk.

Admittedly, the papaya milk was Izumi's own idea, not Sagiri's preference.

Izumi knew an essential truth: cultivating a girl required starting young!

It wasn’t too late while Sagiri was still developing—unlike the hopeless blonde tsundere next door!

After preparing everything meticulously, Izumi carried the tray upstairs.

"Sagiri-chan, dinner’s ready," he called softly at her bedroom door.

A long silence followed.

Clearly, the girl was still sulking.

Two minutes passed without any sign she intended to open the door.

Izumi didn't press further, patiently waiting at the entrance. He knew he had to earn Sagiri's forgiveness, or their relationship might regress to where it had been half a year ago.

---

Inside the room, Sagiri sat pouting, her porcelain-doll face filled with displeasure.

"Hmph! Nii-san is such a dummy!"

He’d promised to come back early, yet he’d returned so late she’d almost starved.

"I won't forgive Nii-san so easily!" she muttered stubbornly, hearing Izumi call again without leaving. To express her dissatisfaction, Sagiri resolved to starve herself a bit longer.

However, Izumi was prepared. He gently placed the delicious-smelling dishes right by her door, allowing the enticing aroma to seep into her room.

"Grrrr…"

Her stomach, already empty and protesting, rumbled loudly at the scent, betraying her resolve.

It was as if her stomach cried out in protest: Why must I suffer because of your petty sibling squabble?!

Sagiri wanted to remain stubborn, but if she didn't open the door soon, Izumi would surely hear her growling belly—a humiliation she couldn’t bear.

Reluctantly, she opened the door.

"Sagiri-chan, here’s your dinner." Izumi smiled warmly, holding the tray out to her.

Sagiri accepted it carefully, mouth watering as the delicious scent intensified. She placed it cautiously on the nearby shelf.

Then, turning back to Izumi, she lowered her head, pouting adorably, and grumbled, "Hmph! Nii-san, you promised you'd come home early!"

"I’m really sorry! Something important came up and delayed me," Izumi quickly apologized, hands raised pleadingly. "I promise it won't happen again!"

"...Did Nii-san think about me at all?" Seeing Izumi's sincere expression, Sagiri softened slightly, timidly voicing her real concern.

"Of course—I was thinking about Sagiri-chan the whole time!" Izumi immediately reassured her.

"Good… I thought I was the only one secretly thinking about you," Sagiri whispered shyly, turning her face away so her quiet words couldn't be heard clearly.

"So… does that mean you've forgiven me, Sagiri-chan?" Izumi eagerly asked, relieved she seemed calmer.

Girls like Sagiri were always easiest to appease. A certain older senpai would never forgive so quickly!

"Hmm… wait—no!" Just as Sagiri was about to reluctantly forgive him, she suddenly frowned deeply. Her delicate nose sniffed sharply, and her expression darkened ominously. "Nii-san, you smell like another woman!!"

"Huh?!" Izumi froze instantly at Sagiri’s chilling words and expression.

Danger, Izumi Yuu! Danger!

---

This is a fan translation of 加藤惠别回头，我是伦也君 by 故人归 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!