As thoughts raced wildly through Christian's mind, and his heart pounding even faster, his eyes couldn't help but gravitate toward his sister's lips. Yet, in the end, she didn't kiss him. Instead, she parted her small lips and said softly, "You know what, Chris?"
Christian tilted his head slightly in response, hiding the flicker of disappointment inside him. He couldn't help but feel frustrated at the hopeful gesture she'd made, only to leave him hanging. Annabelle, seemingly unaware of his inner turmoil, was simply satisfied with the attention she had drawn and continued speaking.
"You are more important than anything, so don't be too hard on yourself."
"Don't work too hard."
Saying something she never thought she'd say to her notoriously lazy brother, Annabelle felt a little odd, but still, she continued.
"It's not like I'm telling you not to pursue the case of our parents."
"I'm just saying you should take your time."
Her gaze softened as she leaned in closer, and said. "Do you understand?"
'Is there really a need for this confusing position if you're not doing anything?'
Christian felt distracted by his sister's behaviors and couldn't help but feel a little odd about why she had suddenly brought up this subject when they were supposed to be going to sleep. Still, he tried to reply in his usual tone, doing his best to hide his growing frustration.
Seeing how his sister just nodded and smiled faintly before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly with her whole body, Christian felt it was almost certain now, she had realized something. Still, he continued to pretend like nothing was wrong since she hadn't asked anything directly.
What concerned him most, however, wasn't just her possible realization, it was the uncomfortable position they were in. If he really intended to sleep, he felt it would be impossible . After all, it wasn't just uncomfortable; it was undeniably arousing.
While Christian tried to gently move his sister, who now had her eyes closed, to the side, time seemed to drag on. Finally, after what felt like forever, his sister slowly released her grip on him.
He looked at her carefully and then, in a whisper, said, "Sis, are you awake?"
'Are you really going to leave it ?' Christian thought, knowing she was still awake. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should wait a bit longer. In the end, he decided against it.
He just lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead, whispering in a low voice, "I'm sorry."
As he began to lift himself, preparing to leave, his gaze landed once again on her soft, pink lips. Strangely, they looked even more inviting now, and he felt an undeniable pull to taste them. But, with great effort, he resisted the urge.
'When I come back, I will definitely get a taste,' he thought, his determination firm, before finally leaving the room.
Yet, as he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt. Knowing that his sister was pretending to sleep made him feel uneasy, and the weight of the situation lingered in his mind.
'Till when should I behave ?'
Christian thought, a sense of frustration creeping in. 'Should anything happen, would I always need to take this approach?'
He felt that he was not only making things uncomfortable for his sister but also for himself. As he tried to understand why he couldn't simply go back and casually tell her that he was going to take care of the assassin, he finally found the answer.
'Because I'm not confident enough.'
This time, it wasn't just about the level of strength, though. It was also about every circumstance surrounding the situation. Christian wasn't fully confident in everything; he felt there was room for error, whether it was in his judgment or something else.
He was naturally confident that he would defeat the assassin, but would it be an overwhelming victory? He couldn't be certain about that.
'Don't be too hard on yourself!'
As many thoughts swirled in his mind, Christian suddenly remembered what his sister had said, and he couldn't help but pause while changing his clothes.
'Maybe it's really like Sis said.'
'I only got the essence technique yesterday.'
'And I only learned about the situation of the other side of the world yesterday too.'
'Moreover, with the Idle System, I'm constantly advancing.'
'So, is there really a need to fall into this cycle of self-doubt?'
Christian, who had already finished changing his clothes and was now looking at the map on his phone with the mark indicating the assassin's current position, still unmoving, finally made a decision.
He would return to his room and simply tell his sister that he was going to take care of an assassin, as simple as that.
Even if he wasn't a hundred percent confident in everything, he still felt certain of his victory, after all.
Arriving in front of his room's door and opening it slowly, Christian wasn't sure whether he was hoping his sister was still awake or already asleep.
So, when his gaze fell on the bed and saw her sitting there, leaning against the headboard, Christian wasn't sure how to proceed. More than that, her posture, her knees drawn up, folded close to her chest, one arm casually resting on them while Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
When her eyes finally moved and met his, locking their gazes, he felt that despite the calmness in them, something in her silence seemed to carry a quiet protest.
So, after Christian walked over and arrived in front of her, he couldn't bring himself to sit, remaining standing instead.
He felt as if he were a criminal in a courtroom, with his sister as the judge. And because his charge was so severe, he wasn't even allowed to sit.
In the end, with the silence stretching on and knowing he might not have much time, he took the initiative and spoke in the calmest tone he could muster.