"Why didn't you listen to me properly before dealing with Damian on your own?"
Annabelle stared at her grumbling brother for a moment before bluntly saying, "Look, Chris, that's exactly what I want to ask you… why didn't you shoot him immediately after you took out the pistol and aimed at him?"
"It was already agreed upon, that you would deal with him. We had already finished our discussion, so pulling the trigger in that moment wouldn't have caused any problems. Then why didn't you?"
'Why didn't I?' Christian knew the answer was simple, yet, strangely, saying it out loud felt difficult at this moment. "...I wanted to hear your opinion."
Hearing his response… the tone he used, the hesitation in his body language, Annabelle sighed. Then, in a serious tone, she said, "You're saying you wanted to hear my opinion? Well, that's exactly why I shot that trash."
Pausing briefly, she ignored Christian's narrowed eyes and continued in a stern voice, "Chris, be more assertive. If you want something done, then do it. Don't hesitate."
"Be it me, Eva, Nina, or Sophia, whoever it is that's going to live with you..."
Her voice, smooth as silk, cut through the air as she asked, "Where do you think your position is in this group?"
After a brief pause, her delicate hand suddenly, yet slowly, rose. Then, with a crisp snap of her fingers pointing directly upward, she declared, "It's at the top. So act like it."
"Be even more selfish!"
"I argue with Eva all the time, and there are moments when our opinions clash, when we each do things our own way. But if you were to give your word? Things would be different. Be it me or Eva… we would likely listen to you."
"So my actions are the result of you not exerting enough influence on me!"
She paused, her face turning red, as if even she felt embarrassed by her own words. But then, pushing through, she added, "I'm already dyed in your colors... but do it more!"
"You need to make it so I can't ignore what you say, not the other way around, where I'm always the one taking your thoughts into account."
"And just so you know, as your older sister, I'm not obligated to always listen to you..." Though she didn't pause, her gaze seemed to linger, as if longing for something, before she continued, "But as someone who's already starting to become something more than just an older sister to you, our dynamic is changing. So, it's up to you how things develop from here."
"Be more of a man of action instead of always saying you'll do this or that."
"My feelings aren't shallow enough to change just because of that, anyway."
'Actually… could I fall even harder?'
Lost in her own thoughts, Annabelle unknowingly blushed as she imagined herself being dominated by her brother in some way, a strange thrill running through her at the idea.
Meanwhile, Christian, completely oblivious to whatever was going through her head, simply stared at her with deadpan eyes. Ignoring the sudden shift in her expression, he arrived at his own conclusion.
His sister was changing; becoming more aggressive toward what she believed was right. And she didn't just want him to match her aggression… she wanted him to surpass it.
With all kinds of boundaries ceasing to exist between them, she was acting however she pleased.
Was it Eva's influence? Their surroundings? Or was it something within him… something that had rubbed off on her, infecting her in ways he couldn't quite grasp?
He couldn't know for sure.
But just as he wanted the weight of certain acts; like killing, to fall solely on him, she probably felt the same way.
Under normal circumstances, though, she would have taken a different approach… or at least, that's what he believed.
Then, was everything she said out of concern for him? Or had her feeling grown even more, beyond what was natural between siblings, to the point that they influenced her words?
Again, he couldn't be sure.
But even with everything she said, Christian knew his sister was still trying to be considerate of him… yet if he didn't feel that consideration, could it really be called that?
… In the end, none of it mattered anymore.
Because what truly rubbed him the wrong way… even if only a little, was something else entirely.
It was the way she phrased everything!
'Don't give me all that bullshit!'
'If I were more assertive, you'd just change your words and say I should take your position into account more when making decisions.' He was going to say that at first!
These kinds of speeches women gave, the ones he had heard about and now experienced firsthand… or maybe not for the first time, but the first time he understood the intention behind them, were just impossible.
They had no right answer.
No matter what he did, it would always feel like he was coming up short.
And not only that… all this confusing talk about "his woman" and "older sister."
'Like, really? Is there a need for it?'
'At the end of the day, the fact that you're my older sister—and mine—won't change anyway.'
'So just find a path in between and navigate your way through it.'
'Don't just change your perspective conveniently at every moment according to your needs!'
Instead of engaging in rhetorical speeches like that, Christian simply smiled at her and said, "Thank you for the meaningful lecture. I'll be sure to take it into account later when doing things."
He decided not to argue with her.
She wasn't the only one changing, after all.
He, too, was changing.
They say love takes many forms… and that was absolutely right.
His sister's way of loving was probably shielding him, enduring everything in his stead. But, if that was acceptable before… if he had been unbothered by it, it wasn't the same anymore.
Today's events were the best example of that.
But then… what about him?
… Christian gave up thinking after three seconds.
There was no need to complicate things.
No need to be restricted by a specific form or a specific appearance.
He just needed to keep going with what felt "right."
As Christian's earlier irritation faded, replaced by a sudden kind of peace, Annabelle, who had been expecting an argument, found herself wondering if she had just dug her own grave.
She wondered if her actions had been meaningless… if the act of killing was still not that significant, especially for them, now stepping into a world they hadn't even known existed.
… But even so, she still didn't want him to kill again. The one trained in essence today, and the previous assassin were already enough.
Moreover, both cases had been out of necessity, especially the first one, unlike Damian, who had no chance of resisting, who had been "defenseless" and "harmless."
If she could delay him from taking another life, even if just for a little while… why not?
Lost in her own thoughts, she absentmindedly finished erasing the last traces of his disguise from his face.
And then, suddenly… before she could react, her body moved.
Or rather, was moved.
She found herself in Christian's lap.
And before she could process anything else, his lips were already on hers.
He kissed her aggressively, as if venting his earlier frustration… and at the same time, abiding by her own advice!
And Annabelle immediately threw all her other thoughts aside, wrapping her arms around his neck and accepting his advances without hesitation.
Before they could take things further, a voice interrupted them.
… Nina, completely oblivious to the atmosphere, had spoken up.
And Christian, though annoyed, didn't say anything. He simply sighed and reluctantly pulled his hands, already inside Annabelle's clothes, away, leaving her breathless and slightly disheveled as she tried to gather herself.
By the time they were inside the airport, walking normally toward their departure gate, having already finished all the necessary procedures, Nina, who had been silent the whole way, suddenly spoke up.
"Are you two really siblings?"
Intrigued by her sudden interest, Christian instantly replied while naturally wrapping an arm around his sister's waist, "Step ones… Why? Does our relationship seem strange to you?"
As Christian stared at the flustered Nina, eagerly waiting for her response, Annabelle, without commenting on his hand, only adjusting her position slightly so it rested just right, suddenly interrupted.
"We are real siblings, and our relationship is the strange one, not you, anyway."
Against Annabelle's timely rescue, Nina sent her a thankful gaze before politely saying, "I don't mind either way."