Chapter 164: Playing an Eroge with Gabriel
It was already eight o'clock at night, and the faint hum of cicadas echoed outside the apartment. The warm air of early summer drifted through the slightly open window, bringing with it the scent of rain-soaked asphalt. Kouya sat on his chair after a long bath, towel draped over his shoulders, hair still damp. He powered on his computer, stretching lazily as the screen flickered to life.
Just as he was about to dive into a game, a familiar ping! sound broke the silence—the alert tone of his chat app.
He clicked it open and squinted. The sender was, unsurprisingly, the angelic freeloader next door.
Gabriel: "Hey, come to my room!"
Kouya: "Huh?"
"Come here already! I've got something super important to tell you."
"If it's that important, just come over and say it."
"I-I can't!" came another message, followed by a crying emoji clutching a tiny fist. "I promised Hinata I wouldn't go into your room again today! I can't break my sacred vow!"
Kouya stared blankly at the message, unimpressed. 'Of all people, you talk about vows? That's rich.'
"Even if I could come, I can't yet! It's not past midnight—it'd technically still be today!"
'Ah, right. Logic so dumb it circled back into genius. My bad for expecting anything normal.'
"Oh, and bring some snacks when you come. I'm out."
"Denied."
"You bastard! Don't forget your life sentence!"
...
Kouya sighed. The corners of his mouth twitched, but he still stood up and headed for her apartment. He knocked once.
The door immediately swung open. A wet head of golden hair peeked out.
"Come in, quick!" Gabriel hissed, glancing left and right as if hiding a state secret.
Kouya stepped in—and froze for a heartbeat.
Her damp hair clung to her neck and cheeks, water droplets glistening down like beads of light. Her face was faintly pink from the heat of her bath, eyes half-lidded with fatigue and just a hint of drowsy sweetness. She wore only a loose shirt that slid down one shoulder, exposing smooth white skin. Her long, slender legs glowed under the light, bare and dangerously distracting.
Of course, that illusion shattered the moment he looked around.
The floor was littered with snack wrappers and soda bottles. The bed was buried under crumpled clothes—and unless his eyes deceived him, there was definitely a pair of white, patterned panties sitting right on top of the pillow.
'Even fallen angels, apparently, don't fall into cleanliness.'
"What are you staring at!?" Gabriel yelped, face reddening as she clenched her little fist. "You wanna get punched into orbit!?"
'Sorry to say, but one—you couldn't do that if you tried. And two—you lost all right to threaten anyone the moment you left your underwear on display.'
Kouya sighed. "So what was so important you had to drag me here?"
Gabriel took the bag of snacks he brought, tore it open, and began munching without shame. "Those cookies you gave those brats earlier—where did you get them?"
"I made them."
Her jaw stopped mid-chew. "You? No way."
"I can because I'm strong."
"Strong my ass. Just because you're a gaming nerd doesn't mean you can bake too!" Gabriel puffed her cheeks, glaring in mock irritation. "Such a narcissist."
Kouya smirked. "Then next time, don't beg me to carry you in ranked."
Her pride cracked instantly. "I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Master Kouya, supreme deity of competitive play!"
"Good. Now I'll go enjoy my night in peace." He turned to leave.
"W-wait!" she called, springing up. Her face turned pink again, eyes darting to the floor. "The game I bought yesterday... I haven't played it yet! You have to play it with me!"
Kouya blinked. "...You're serious?"
'Playing an eroge with a girl? At night? In her room? What kind of forbidden doujin storyline is this?'
"D-Don't get the wrong idea!" Gabriel huffed, crossing her arms. "We bought it together, so it's perfectly normal to play together! Totally pure!" She nodded as if convincing herself. "Besides, if you try anything weird, I'll punch you through the ceiling."
She plopped onto the floor, sitting cross-legged like a lazy cat. Her loose shirt fell even lower on her shoulder as she picked up a controller and stretched out one smooth foot, nudging Kouya lightly. "Come on already. Play for a bit and then you can leave."
Kouya groaned but sat down beside her. He grabbed a chocolate stick, unwrapped it, and brought it to his mouth—
Crunch.
Gabriel leaned over and bit half of it clean off.
He stared at her, dumbfounded. "Are you... a hamster?"
She chewed smugly. "Food always tastes better when you steal it."
...
The game booted up with bright anime music. The title splashed across the screen: Even If She's My Little Sister, It's Okay If There's Love, Right?
Kouya's jaw dropped. "This is... a sister-con eroge!?"
The two sisters on-screen looked like they hadn't even hit middle school yet. 'Three years minimum, death sentence maximum.'
"Why are we playing this!?"
Gabriel tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm~ Because earlier you looked like you were good at handling little sisters. So this suits you, doesn't it?"
'Oh, she's doing this on purpose.'
'You smug little angelic troll. Just because you look cute doesn't mean I won't throw you out the window.'
Gabriel giggled. "Relax, think of it as practice for your harem or whatever."
"Practice your face on my fist maybe."
...
After twenty minutes, Kouya admitted the game was... well, beautifully made. The art had an ethereal softness—the sunset scenes were drenched in gold, the cicadas buzzing faintly in the background. The sound of footsteps on gravel, the rustle of skirts, the soft laughter of girls—all too real.
He wasn't sure if he liked it or hated it.
The game itself was tame—pure love, lighthearted dialogue, and the occasional dress-up sequence where the sisters giggled and blushed. A few harmless moans here and there, nothing more. Gabriel leaned forward with unholy focus, her brows furrowed, tongue sticking slightly out of her mouth as she pressed buttons.
"Ahhhh! This is a scam!" she suddenly shouted, slamming the controller down. "I'm suing the developers!"
Kouya blinked. "For what?"
"Look at them!" She pointed furiously at the screen. "They're supposed to be elementary schoolers! There's no way those exist at that age!"
He followed her gaze, then glanced back at her chest. 'Ah. So that's the issue.'
She noticed his look instantly.
Her aura darkened. "You... what's that look supposed to mean?"
He didn't even hesitate. "The look one gives a flat chest?"
Silence.
Then—vein pop.
"You... actually said it!" Gabriel's smile cracked. "I'll bite you to death, you bastard!"
She lunged like a wild animal, tackling him to the floor.
"Hey! Get off!" Kouya yelled, grabbing her wrists and flipping her easily, pinning her beneath him. Her golden hair fanned out against the carpet, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked.
The air thickened.
"W-what are you doing?" she stammered, her voice trembling. Her cheeks flamed red. "If you even think about it, I swear—!"
But Kouya only sighed and stood up, dusting off his hands. "White. Snoopy pattern."
Gabriel froze. Then—
"Shut up!" She yanked her shirt down over her thighs, face burning hotter than a furnace. "Get out! We're done! I said we're done!"
Kouya walked out calmly, leaving her sitting there like a broken robot.
Once the door clicked shut, she slowly touched her face. Her cheeks felt hot, her heart pounding so loud she could hear it.
"What the hell was that...?" she whispered. "No, no, no! Disgusting! Gross! I'm gonna ascend! I'm definitely gonna ascend this time!"
...
The night faded into quiet.
Morning came softly, sunlight spilling through the window blinds. Kouya got ready for school, his mind blank from lack of sleep. He opened his door—and stopped.
Someone was sitting on the floor beside his doorway.
A girl in a white dress, a ribbon tied neatly at her chest…