— "I wish you weren’t my brother."

Those words struck like a dagger through my heart.

— "...What?"

Realizing what she’d said, Alice scrambled to stand, knocking her knee against the table in her haste.

— "Ow!"

With only a small table, we often ate seated on the floor—like in some Asian traditions.

— "N-no, no, no, no, no... That’s not what I meant! I love that you’re my brother. I-I was trying to say—"

For the first time in her life, I saw Alice utterly flustered, tripping over her words.

— "??"

— "I-I... I phrased it wrong."

For a moment, I thought she might cry.

Confusion warred with relief inside me.

— "You scared me."

— "...Forgive me."

— "I thought you hated me too."

— "Never! How could I ever hate you? If anything, I love you too much."

The silence that followed was so thick it seemed to swallow the room whole.

— "..."

— "!?"

When she realized what she’d just admitted, Alice turned tomato-red and buried her face in her hands.

I smiled, more at ease now.

— "I love you too, Alice."

She peeked at me, shy.

But that gaze... it felt like she was seeing straight into my soul.

— "...You don’t understand."

— "Huh??"

Sliding her legs out from under the table, she crawled toward me with deliberate slowness.

Delicately, she tucked a strand of hair behind her left ear and bit her lower lip.

— "I don’t love you just as a sister..."

I was completely blindsided.

My body locked up.

I couldn’t move a single muscle.

— "..."

— "..."

And then, just when I thought nothing could shock me further... she kissed me.

— "..."

— "..."

A few seconds later, she pulled away.

We opened our eyes at the same time.

— "...Alice?"

— "This is what I want most in the world."

— "..."

— "My disgusting dream... is to belong to you."

— "..."

My gaze dropped to her reddened lips.

Then back to her eyes.

I raised a hand to her face, brushing my thumb lightly over her lower lip.

She exhaled—a soft, almost stifled moan.

Her arms slid around my neck as she settled onto my lap.

— "I’ve always listened to you... and I’d do anything you asked."

— "..."

— "So tell me to stop now... and we’ll pretend none of this happened."

I could feel her heartbeat racing.

Her eyes shone with a mix of anxiety and dread as she waited for my answer.

And I... I was in ecstasy.

My conscience screamed that this was exactly what she’d called it—repugnant.

But deep down, I’d always wanted it.

— "..."

— "..."

My fingers found her thighs, tracing every curve in a slow, deliberate exploration—from the firm muscle of her legs, up the rounded swell of her hips, until finally settling at her slender waist.

As my hands traveled higher, an unfamiliar expression crossed her face—lips parted, eyelids heavy with pleasure.

A shiver raced down my spine, turning desire into physical need.

I peeled off her shirt, revealing sky-blue lingerie that matched her eyes.

Her pale skin, flushed pink, was covered in goosebumps.

The sight of her near-naked body made me swallow hard.

It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

We locked eyes as her hands found the nape of my neck.

She leaned in slowly; our eyes fluttered shut, and our lips met again.

As the kiss deepened, her hands tugged at my shirt, yanking it off and tossing it aside.

I laid her down gently, her legs parting in an arch of surrender.

My lips trailed down her neck, drawing a shudder that made her eyes roll back.

I descended slowly, leaving a path of kisses to the valley between her breasts.

Her fingers tangled in my hair, guiding me lower—down, down, until my mouth met the edge of her panties.

Carefully, I hooked my fingers under the sides—a motion she anticipated, lifting her hips.

As I slid them down, her deft hands worked in sync, unhooking her bra in one fluid motion.

Our eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to stop.

— "..."

— "..."

She smiled—that smile only she could give.

And I realized then that I’d loved her as a woman, not a sister, for so long I couldn’t remember when it began.

— "I love you, Alice."

My words stunned her completely.

Her initial disbelief melted into something tender and sweet.

Tears welled in her eyes, shining like a collapsing galaxy.