Round 16: Make Him Say "Cute"
The crowd buzzed with excitement as Mei-chan—still sparkling scandalously in her scandalously short magical girl costume—twirled her microphone with a dramatic flair. Her exposed cleavage and ridiculously high skirt had become something of a distraction, and her grin only widened as the cameras kept clicking from the drooling audience.
"Ladies and perverts—uh, I mean participants—welcome to Round 16: Make Akashi-kun Say 'Cute!'" she declared with a wink that sent a wave of giggles through the crowd.
She spun around, sparkles trailing behind her as she pointed toward the stage. "The rules are simple. Make him say 'kawaii'. You don't win unless those lips speak the sacred word!"
Shin shifted awkwardly in his chair, Ai still cozily perched in his lap, arms looped around his neck. "...This feels dangerous," he muttered.
Suddenly, Ai tilted her head adorably, her long black hair cascading over her shoulder like soft silk. Her wide eyes blinked once, then twice—slow and deliberate—while she lifted one finger to her lips.
"Onii-chan~?" she said sweetly, her voice a soft chime of affection. "Is it okay if I stay here forever~?"
Shin's eyes widened. His breath hitched.
"K-Ka—ka…!"
A tiny stream of blood trickled from his nose.
"KAWAI!!" he burst out, flustered and helpless.
The crowd roared with thunderous excitement.
Mei-chan spun in delight, sparks flying from her mic. "INFINITE POINT! AI-CHAN JUST BROKE THE SYSTEM!!"
From somewhere in the crowd, a boy fell to his knees, hands clasped to the sky. "My soul just left my body!"
Another, weeping openly, cried out, "She tilted her head and I felt blessed!"
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Yuki stepped up next, clearly rattled from Ai's devastating display of cuteness. His cheeks were already flushed, his lips twitching nervously as he avoided eye contact with Shin.
"I'll show you who's…" he mumbled under his breath.
Pulling a pair of fuzzy cat ears from his pocket, he clipped them onto his head with shaking hands. He stepped forward into the spotlight, red-faced and trembling.
"Nyaa… I-It's not like I'm doing this for you or anything, b-baka…" he stammered.
Curling his hands into tiny paws, he gave a shy little hop, thighs squeezing together from sheer embarrassment. The crowd gasped as he hunched down slightly, clutching the hem of his shorts.
Shin's eyes were glued to him, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Yuki growled—no, meowed—cutely. "M-Maybe if you fed me… I'd p-purr or something…"
Shin slapped a hand over his mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. His cheeks were crimson.
"K-Kawai…" he whispered.
Mei-chan raised her scorecard triumphantly. "Point to the nyan-boy! That was some Grade-A tsundere service!"
A girl in the front row clutched her heart. "I want one of him. Where do I order?"
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Then came Aiko's turn.
She walked up calmly—no props, no tricks. Just a soft smile and her usual charm.
She stood still, placing her hands behind her back and tilting her head slightly. Her eyes found Shin's, soft and warm.
"Hey, Taa-Kun…" she said gently.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, revealing a quiet, sweet vulnerability.
"Do you remember when I made you those chocolate-covered strawberries and burned my finger, but I still smiled and said I didn't care because your smile was enough?"
Shin blinked, his expression faltering.
Aiko's blush deepened. "I've always liked seeing you happy. Even when you tease me."
She gave a tiny pout, turning one foot inward shyly, a perfect blend of innocence and nostalgia.
Shin's hand flew back to his face as he turned away slightly. "KAWAI…"
Mei-chan exploded with confetti, throwing her hands in the air. "TRIPLE POINT! AIKO WITH THAT CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FRIEND CHARM!!"
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Yuki: 15.4
Aiko: 17
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Now Shin sat amid a storm of affection—Ai snuggled warmly in his lap, Yuki red-faced and twitchy like a cat-boy, and Aiko looking radiant as ever. He looked like a man who had just weathered an emotional earthquake.
"…Why is this round harder than a math test?" he muttered.
Mei-chan spun once more, her skirt flying up in a way that earned a fresh set of nosebleeds from the male audience.
"Because love, my dear Akashi-kun," she said with a wink, "is the ultimate final exam."
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Sub-Round 17: Make Him Proud
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Mei-chan, ever radiant in her scandalously short magical girl outfit, raised her glittering microphone and struck a dramatic pose, her hair twirling with her as she spun to face the audience.
"Welcome, dear perverts and gentlefolk, to Sub-Round 17!" she declared with sparkling eyes. "Today's theme: Make Akashi-kun feel proud! Yes, it's time to stir those big brother feels, romantic awe, and heartfelt admiration!"
She pointed toward Shin, who sat centered on his chair like a king—though more flustered than regal. Ai was curled up contently in his lap, her small hands resting on his chest as she blinked at the announcement.
"...Proud?" she murmured, tilting her head.
Mei-chan gave her a wink. "Yes, Ai-chan~! Can you make your Onii-chan proud?"
Ai looked up at Shin, her soft black hair cascading over her shoulder, big, innocent eyes gazing into his.
"Onii-chan…" she said sweetly, holding his gaze. "Today at school, we had to write an essay about the person we admire most… and I wrote about you."
Shin blinked. His lips parted slightly.
She continued, softly and sincerely, "I told them that you always protect me, and that you gave up your dreams once to stay by my side when I was sick. I said… you're the strongest person I know. And I want to grow up to be like you."
There was a long, still moment.
Shin's arms instinctively wrapped tighter around her small frame. His eyes grew misty, but he blinked it away quickly, pressing his lips against her forehead.
"Ai…" he murmured. "I'm already proud of you."
From the commentary booth, Mei-chan was wiping away invisible tears. "ULTIMATE POINT!!! The sibling love is strong with this one!"
The crowd burst into claps, sniffles, and "aww"s. One of the boys held his heart and said, "I need to call my sister..."
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Yuki stepped forward next, determined despite his flushed cheeks. He cleared his throat, standing tall. "Shin," he said plainly, trying not to sound nervous.
Shin turned toward him, still gently rubbing Ai's back.
Yuki took a deep breath, then pulled out a sketchpad from behind his back. He flipped it open and showed Shin a series of sketches—beautiful, intricate, and clearly hours of work.
"They're designs… for a manga."
Shin blinked.
"I… want to bring it life. I really like that novel—" Yuki looked away, flustered.
Shin's mouth opened slightly. He reached out to gently run a finger over one of the panels. A small, warm smile bloomed on his lips.
"…Good, Yuki."
"Proud?" Yuki asked under his breath, eyes darting.
"Yeah," Shin said, more softly this time. "I'm proud of you."
From the sidelines, Mei-chan threw sparkles in the air. "POINT! Touching creativity and dere-dere artist boy wins again!"
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Then Aiko stepped forward. No sketchpad. No props. Just a small, confident smile.
"Taa-kun," she said.
Shin blinked, leaning forward slightly. "Haa-chan?"
"You probably don't remember," Aiko began, "but in second year, when I lost that speech contest… I cried in front of everyone."
Shin nodded slowly. "Yeah… You were so heartbroken."
Aiko smiled, warm and soft. "But you told me not to give up. You said it's not about one failure, but the courage to stand up again… and keep trying."
She held up her phone. "This is from last week. I gave another speech. This time… I won first place."
She handed it to Shin, showing a photo of her holding a certificate, eyes shining with pride. Shin's brows lifted, the corners of his mouth slowly curving upward.
"I wouldn't have made it without you, Taa-kun."
Shin stared at the photo, then looked up at her. "...Haa-chan. That's amazing."
She beamed. "You proud of me?"
He chuckled softly, reaching out to pat her head. "Of course I am."
Mei-chan pointed dramatically, her outfit somehow managing to shimmer even more than before. "POINT! Childhood friend power strikes again!"
The audience cheered, some holding up signs that said "TEAM HAA-CHAN" and "YUKI IS BEST BOY," while a few simply shouted, "AI-CHAN FOR THE WIN!!"
Shin sat there, his heart warm, surrounded by three people who genuinely cared about him. Ai snuggled into his chest, Yuki looked away with a pouty blush, and Aiko smiled proudly at the photo of her achievement in his hands.
Mei-chan stepped into the spotlight. "A round where everyone wins, and Shin gets a dose of warm fuzzies! But don't relax yet, because the next round… might turn the tables."
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Yuki: 16.4
Aiko: 18
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END OF CHAPTER : 21 : ROUND : 16-17 : MAKE SHINJI SAY CUTE OR MAKE HIM PROUD! PART : 9
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