2

Leandra stopped eating and turned to look at Leandro.

"Why?" she asked irritably, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Nothing. You look cute."

Leandra froze.

She could practically feel the heat rushing to her cheeks and ears.

Leandro secretly smiled to himself. He had finally figured something out. Complimenting his sister made her shy, and whenever she became flustered, that sharp tongue of hers seemed to lose its power.

"G-Get a grip on yourself or I'll poke your eyes out!" Leandra threatened before returning to her meal.

Leandro merely folded his arms and watched her with an amused smile. As she continued chewing, Leandra stole a few discreet glances at his arms.

She swallowed hard when she noticed how broad they had become, along with the prominent veins running across his hands. Even his wide shoulders seemed unfamiliar to her.

He really grew up well. She could finally understand why so many girls had fallen for him.

What irritated her, however, was how those shameless girls on campus would sometimes ask her to deliver their love letters to him. Whenever she received one of those letters, she would throw it straight into the trash. Why should she help those girls get closer to her brother?

"Are you okay?"

Leandro leaned forward slightly, bringing his face closer to hers.

"Is something bothering you?"

"H-Hey! Unfold your arms!"

"Huh?"

"I said, put your arms down, you idiot! Are you deaf?"

Leandro burst out laughing but obediently lowered his arms.

"H-Hey! Don't laugh like that! Why are you laughing like that?" she snapped, glaring at him.

She hated how pleasant his laughter sounded to her ears. So this is why so many girls like him.

"Ate, what's wrong with you?" Leandro asked between chuckles.

"Just do what I say! And another thing... Wear a jacket, too!"

"Huh?"

"It doesn't suit you, Lean. I promise!"

Leandro raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Just do it! Now leave me alone!"

With that, Leandra hurried upstairs.

Leandro remained where he was, utterly confused. He glanced down at himself and even examined his arms as though he might discover something wrong with them.

"What exactly is her problem?"

---

"Good morning!"

Leandro greeted Leandra cheerfully as she came downstairs with her bag.

"Don't talk to me. I'm not in the mood."

"You never are."

Leandra shot him a murderous glare before sitting down in the chair.

Leandro simply smiled at her.

She froze. Then she swallowed hard.

That smile, too!

There was a tiny dimple on his left cheek that made his smile even more distracting.

"Don't smile."

"Huh?"

"Don't smile like that when we're on campus."

"Why?"

"Just don't! Aish! It's too early for this. You're already getting on my nerves! Go away!"

Leandra stood up and was about to leave when Leandro gently caught her by the shoulder.

"Please have breakfast first. We still have time."

"O-Oh... Okay."

Wait. She agreed just like that? Leandro stared at her in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Leandra sat down again and found herself staring at his hands.

"Do you work out?" she asked suddenly.

"Why?"

"Because... Never mind."

Leandro smiled before turning off the stove. Once the fried rice was ready, he placed the pan on the table and served their breakfast.

"I've been an athlete for four years now. Everyone on our team works out."

"Oh..."

"Oh?" Leandro echoed teasingly.

Leandra ignored him for a moment before another question popped into her head.

"Why did you take so long in the bathtub last night? Was something bothering you?" Leandro asked.

"Huh? I thought you went to bed early last night."

"I did. But when I went to the bathroom, I saw you sleeping in the tub. I was about to wake you up because it's dangerous to fall asleep there, but then I saw your legs move. So I just waited outside to make sure you were okay."

"WHAT?!"

Leandra shot to her feet.

"Don't worry! I didn't see anything, I promise! T-The bubbles were covering you!"

"How dare you!"

"Ow!"

Leandro yelped when she smacked the back of his head.

"Get your act together! I'm your older sister! Your SISTER! I'm a girl, and you're a boy! Behave yourself, you idiot! Just because you've grown up doesn't mean you can act like a pervert!"

Leandra pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You're not a little boy anymore, Lean. You're a young man now, and you need to learn how to respect me! So tell me, were you peeking at me last night?"

"No."

"Good! Keep it that way. We're not little kids anymore, and things can't be the same as they used to be. I know you have your own private life. I'm not stupid! And boys your age can get carried away by temptation, so you need to learn some self-control. Don't tell me you're starting to look at your own sister in a strange way, too!"

Leandro listened to her entire lecture with a grin spreading across his face. Then he tilted his head.

"So... does that mean you do the same things I do?"

"Of cour-"

Leandra abruptly stopped.

"YOU IDIOT! OF COURSE NOT! Get your mind out of the gutter! Why do you always think of the most ridiculous things?"

Her cheeks turned bright red.

Leandro noticed immediately. And he smiled even wider.

Now he knows how to get her attention.

"Really? Are you sure? Because I can hear you sometimes."

"WHAT?! H-Hey! Y-You idiot! I don't do anything like that in my room!"

"I can hear you singing."

Leandra froze.

"YOU JERK!"

She punched him squarely on the forehead, nearly knocking him off balance.

"Ow!"

"You're unbelievable!"

She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the house.

Apparently, that wasn't enough to satisfy her anger, because she turned around, marched back inside, and smacked him with her bag before finally leaving.

Leandro chuckled.

"This is actually pretty fun," he murmured before beginning to clean up the kitchen.

---

Leandra sat on a bench at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive. She smiled faintly when a familiar group of girls and boys walked past her. They were friends she often saw on the bus.

She envied them. Not because they were close to one another, but because they could simply be friends without making everything so complicated.

Good grief. What am I even thinking?

She lightly smacked her forehead and shook her head. Unfortunately, the memories she wanted to forget refused to leave her alone.

Those nights when she had accidentally caught glimpses of Leandro in his room still occupied far too much space in her mind. She understood that he was no longer the same boy he used to be. So many things about him had changed, including his appearance. He had grown taller, broader, and more handsome. She knew it was natural for someone his age to become curious about their own body and feelings.

What she couldn't understand was why she had been so shaken by the realization that he had kept a photograph of her. Ever since that discovery, she hadn't known what to make of her own thoughts. Her feelings had begun to change, and she had desperately tried to convince herself that it was nothing more than confusion-a passing phase she would eventually get over. Perhaps she was simply longing for affection. Perhaps she was confusing unfamiliar feelings with something else. Whatever the reason, she had decided to move out before things became even more complicated.

"Leandra... Leandra... I'm coming..."

She repeatedly shook her head, trying to chase away the memory of that uncomfortable moment when she had accidentally seen him alone in his room, completely unaware that anyone might be nearby.

"Leandra!"

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

She jumped in fright at the sudden voice calling her name.

Leandra turned around, ready to unleash her irritation on whoever had disturbed her thoughts. But the words died on her lips. Leandro stood before her, smiling as though he hadn't done anything wrong.

Why does he have to look so annoyingly handsome?

He always looked good in his white school uniform, but today, with the jacket she had told him to wear, he looked even more mature.

"Are you not hot wearing that?" she asked, eyeing his jacket.

"Huh? Well... you told me to wear one, didn't you?"

Right. I did.

Leandra mentally cursed herself.

"Are you crazy? If I told you to kneel, would you do that, too?"

Leandro scratched the back of his head before grinning.

"Depends."

"Huh?"

Why has this idiot been acting like this since last night?

He was behaving as though they had suddenly become close again. Worse, he seemed to enjoy teasing her every chance he got.

What on earth has gotten into him?

"Leandra... Dad said-"

Leandra?

What the hell?

"Leandra? Seriously? Have you been possessed by some disrespectful ghost? Why are you calling me by my name as though I'm just some younger girl you know?"

Normally, Leandro would have been intimidated by her sharp tone. This time, however, he merely smirked.

He had discovered that teasing her made it difficult for her to maintain her usual angry composure. And he was beginning to enjoy that discovery.

He stepped closer and pulled his right hand out of his pocket.

"Huh?"

"Let's go, Leandra," he said with a smile as the bus pulled up in front of them.

Leandro started walking toward the bus but stopped when he realized she wasn't following.

Leandra let out an irritated sigh.

After the two friends ahead of them had boarded, she finally started walking. Before stepping onto the bus, however, she delivered a hard kick to the back of Leandro's thigh.

"Behave yourself, idiot."

Leandro groaned and bit his lip as he climbed aboard. When he sat beside her, Leandra glared at him.

She noticed the two friends in front of them exchanging curious glances in their direction.

"Go away. You're making me uncomfortable."

"Where am I supposed to sit? Besides, we're siblings. What's wrong with sitting together?"

"We haven't spent time together since you entered high school, so stop acting so familiar with me. I'm not used to this version of you."

"Leandra..."

She shot him another glare.

Instead of continuing their argument, Leandro pointed toward the couple sitting in front of them.

"Did you know those two are siblings?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's true. I heard Aling Jobi talking to Manong Banjo on the street. She was asking him for money to use as an allowance for her daughter."

He was referring to Melby, whose father was Manong Banjo, and Jona, whose mother was Aling Jobi.

"Idiot. Stop listening to the neighborhood gossips. They get half their information wrong."

"It's true. I've even seen them kissing behind Aling Jobi's house from my bedroom window."

"Don't you have anything better to do in your room than listen to our neighbors from your window and-"

Leandra suddenly stopped talking. Her face turned bright red as she quickly looked away and stared out the window.

Leandro's grin widened.

"-masturbate?" he finished innocently.

Leandra slowly turned her head toward him, one eyebrow raised.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Aren't you embarrassed? Behave yourself! There's someone sitting behind us!"

"Then why are you blushing? Unless you've been doing the same thing?"

What the fuck?!

Leandra's eyes widened, and her cheeks grew even hotter.

Leandro looked far too pleased with himself.

"YOU IDIOT," she whispered before driving her elbow into his stomach.

"Ow!" he groaned, though he was still laughing.

Leandra wanted nothing more than to throw him off the bus.

"But you know what's interesting?" Leandro continued, finally changing the subject. "He's in love with her."

"Poor them. Jona should stay away from him before something happens."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Are you stupid? They're a boy and a girl! What if Melby courts Jona and they end up together? It's impossible that nothing will ever happen between them."

"Oh..."

"Oh?"

"It depends on whether Melby knows how to control himself. He might not be able to resist his feelings if he falls deeply in love with her-"

"AH!"

Leandra smacked his arm.

"You idiot! Get away from me! Have some shame! You're talking about these things to your own sister! Since when did you become a neighborhood gossip?"

Leandro laughed.

Then, after a moment, his expression grew more serious.

"But honestly, even if Melby is kind and knows how to control himself, there may still come a day when he wants to take their relationship further. Especially if he loves Jona that much."

He paused, looking straight at Leandra.

"Because if I ever fall in love with someone, I know I won't give up easily, either."

Leandra went still. For a moment, she found herself staring into his serious, ocean-blue eyes. There was something different about the way he had said those words. Something that made her heart beat a little faster. Before she could figure out why, the bus stopped outside their school.

Leandra immediately stood up and delivered another hard kick to his leg.

"Stay away from me, and don't talk to me, you idiot!"