Chapter 50 – Reaching the Mark

“I’m not sure about this one” I said.

“Just look at this, then it goes like this, and the result should be this” guided me Anna-nee.

“I know that, but what about this” I asked.

“Oh yeah, it wouldn’t be there for no reason” said Anna-nee.

“Hey, how long will this take?” asked an impatient Rina.

“Not much more, but for now I”m liking your results” I said.

“Hehe”

Rina had finally finished her homework, so I was evaluating her results. Anna-nee thought that it was too much for just me alone and offered help. Considering that it was enough homework for months she wasn’t wrong, so I really appreciated the help.

The three of us were in Rina’s room, me and Anna-nee sitting together in the table, evaluating her work, and Rina sitting in her bed waiting for our judgment.

Rina looked restless, barely able to suppress the need of walking around the room. It was to be expected. She had barely finished her homework in the deadline I’ve given her, so she certainly was anxious to know if she would earn her reward.

After some me and Anna-nee turned backwards, facing a very anxious looking Rina.

“Soooo...”

“From what I can see you manage to get it right at least 80% percent of-” I said.

“Yeah! I did, I did! I really did Onee-chan!” interrupted Rina, while throwing herself at Anna, hugging her and jumping excitedly nonstop.

“Wah-ah, okay Rina, try to calm down please!” said Anna, utterly flustered with the situation.

I could only look warmly at her, with a wry smile at her reaction.

Part of me was glad that she made it, since I didn’t liked when she got depressed like it was going to happen in case Yuria confiscated her things, but part of me could not help but wonder...

‘What the hell she wants me to do?!’

I’m certain that whatever she asked me wouldn’t be something completely absurd, but with that reaction it was impossible to for me to not get at least a bit apprehensive.

Rina finally calmed down enough to release Anna and turned back in my direction.

“Sooooo, you remember your promise, don’t you Onii-chan?” she asked.

She clearly was enjoying herself. I could see a glint of mischief in her eyes, probably from thinking whatever she wanted me to do.

“Of course I do” I said, without any hesitation.

“What is she talking about?” asked Anna-nee.

“Oh right, I never told you. I promised Rina that if she manage to get 70% of her homework right then I would something she asked, as long it isn’t too absurd” I explained.

“Really? You promised her that?” asked a surprised Anna-nee.

“I did. Now we only need to wait for a teacher to correct it” I said.

“Huh?”

Rina got a confused look on her, completely caught off guard by my remark.

Anna-nee on the other hand had a small smile on her face, noticing what I was going to do.

“What are you-” said Rina.

“Well obviously. We can’t risk having a wrong evaluation of Rina’s progress, can’t we?” interrupted Anna-nee.

“Now wait-” said Rina.

“And there’s that essay as well. I don’t know how the teacher will evaluate it, so anything I say about it would be just guess work right?” I said.

“Okay, that’s-” said Rina.

“And there’s also-” said Anna-nee again.

“ENOUGH!” shouted Rina.

Both me and Anna-nee stopped the teasing and looked back at Rina. She had a very pissed expression, obviously furious with our attitude.

But I did noticed the small hint of liquid in the very corner of her eyes.

‘Maybe I teased her a little too much’

“That’s enough! Stop trying to make wiggle out of it Onii-chan! You promised” said Rina.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry Rina, I was just playing” I surrendered, with my hands up and a defeated smile on my face.

“I’m sorry too Rina-chan” said Anna-nee as well.

I liked to tease Rina, but I also knew how to pick up the signs of when to stop.

Rina rubbed her eyes with one of her hands, probably feeling the little dots of water there and not wanting to let them drop.

“You made a promise to me Onii-chan” reminded me Rina.

“Yeah, I did. In all seriousness tough, we really should wait a teacher to evaluate your work” I said.

“Onii-chan-” protested Rina.

“I’m not saying that only them I will do what you ask me, it’s just a suggestion. If you really want then I can do whatever you ask right now” I said.

“Really?” asked Rina, probably just to be sure after what just happened.

“Really” I answered.

Rina started to think about my words, but it wasn’t long until she came to a decision.

“I think that I want to wait until after school starts again” said Rina.

“Okay then, we will wait” I said.

“Are you sure Rina-chan? Knowing you I was kinda expecting your request right now” said Anna-nee.

“Hm! I’m sure” nodded Rina “I don’t like the possibility, even if small, that I might have gained unfairly. Besides, this way I can have more time to think in what I will ask Onii-chan”

That answer was pretty much what I was expecting.

Despite her tendency to gloat and being pushy in challenging people in games Rina was surprisingly fair in regards to competition, especially about rewards. If she felt that her win was unfair then she would immediately consider herself the loser and give whatever prize was at stake, if there is one, to her adversary, even if she grumbles a lot afterwords.

Her behavior now probably came from the fact that, despite me and Anna-nee being smarter than her when it comes to school, only a teacher would be able to give a truly impartial grade. Rina probably thought that, even if it was small, there was a chance that a teacher might give her a score below to what I had agreed with her to be the minimum to win the bet, so she wanted to be absolutely sure that she deserved her victory.

It’s because I knew she would do that I made the suggestion. I didn’t minded much to do whatever she asked, because I knew it wouldn’t be nothing impossible or outrageous, but I knew that if she let herself be carried away for the moment Rina later feel guilty without reason, even if a teacher graded her homework above of the objective I gave her.

Basically it would be too much trouble if I let it alone.

“Okay, I’m getting tired so it’s time to go to bed” I said, while stretching myself.

“Yeah me too. I promised mom that I would go with her buy groceries tomorrow” said Anna-nee.

“Fiiiiinally, I can just relax, mom won’t take my phone anymore” said an obviously relieved Rina.

Both me Anna-nee laughed a little to Rina’s attitude. She was the perfect example of how people were growing dependant to their cellphones.

Rina showed us the way out of her bedroom, but before leaving I thought there was one last thing that I should do.

“Oh Rina, before I leave, there’s just one more thing” I said.

“Hm?”

“Since we will wait a little until the official result of your homework, I might as well give you a little reward now”

“Wha- Mn!”

Before she said anything I leaned forward, kissing her.

It was a simple kiss, just our lips touching, but it froze her on the spot immediately.

As I separate myself from her Rina’s face had an intense shade of red, a look of complete surprise on her as well.

“T-Taka-chan!” shouted Anna-nee.

"Yes?”

“Y-you can’t just kiss a girl like that, especially Rina!” admonished me Anna-nee.

“Really? Why not?” I asked, feigning confusion.

“A  k-kiss should be only w-with someone you l-l-love for start” said Anna, stuttering from the situation.

“Well then there’s no problem since I love Rina” I said.

“That’s not what-” said Anna-nee.

“Oh, I get it. You are waiting yours as well” I said.

“N-no, that’s- MN!”

Before she could say anything else I kissed Anna-nee as well.

It had being sometime that I did something that might make the two of the more concious of me, so I had thought that now might be as good time as any.

My kiss with Anna-nee was even shorter, just enough for me to catch her by surprise.

Both of the were looking at me with her faces covered in red, Anna-nee flapping her mouth trying to form words and Rina just looking at me with a look of someone that hadn’t processed anything after the kiss.

“Well, good night” I said.

And then I fled before they could say anything else.