Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

In the cozy living room, Shido, wearing only a towel and dripping with irritation, locked eyes with Kotori. She sat there with white ribbon in her hair, a lollipop in hand, and a mischievous grin on her face.

She was clearly in her Imouto mode, an innocent facade that only fueled his exasperation.

"Kotori... do you know the price of playing with me?" Shido muttered flatly, his lips twitching as he eyed the culprit behind his earlier ordeal.

Instead of responding to his frustration, Kotori cheerfully greeted him. "Oh, welcome home, Onii-chan!" Her voice was saccharine, her expression radiant, and it almost made him falter.

Caught off guard, Shido replied instinctively. "Oh, I'm back."

It took him a moment to recover, and when he did, his expression hardened.

"Don't change the subject!"

Kotori tilted her head, her innocent facade unwavering. Shido then noted the white ribbon perched on her head, a sign of her sweet, little-sister mode. A smirk crept onto his face as an idea dawned on him. If she wanted to play games, he might as well raise the stakes.

Without another word, he closed the distance between them, stepping purposefully toward her. Kotori's demeanor shifted slightly, nervousness creeping into her wide eyes. She took a cautious step back.

"O-Onii-chan?" she stammered, clutching her lollipop tightly.

Shido's smirk deepened as he continued his approach. "What's wrong, Kotori? Scared?"

Before she could retort, her heel caught on the edge of the carpet, and she stumbled.

Shido reflexively darted forward to catch her, but instead of steadying herself, Kotori's panicked flailing pulled him down with her.

The two collapsed onto the floor in a tangled heap.

"Onii-chan, that hurts..." Kotori groaned, rubbing her sore backside.

"Hey! You're the one who dragged me down!" Shido retorted back, rubbing the back of his head.

It was then they both realized the proximity of their faces was barely an inch apart.

Kotori's breath hitched, her cheeks blooming a fiery red as her body tensed beneath Shido's.

Her soft frame pressed against him, and her usually sharp tongue was suddenly silent.

Shido, for his part, was taken aback by her reaction.

The faint scent of her hair and the warmth of her petite form caught him off guard, and for a brief second, he froze. Then, as the corners of his lips curled into a teasing grin, an idea struck him.

"Um... Onii-chan, could you please let go of me?"

Kotori whispered, her voice barely audible as she struggled to regain her composure.

But Shido, reveling in her rare flustered state, didn't release her.

Instead, he tightened his hold, enjoying her squirming. "Let go? Are you sure? After all, shouldn't a naughty little sister be punished for playing pranks?"

Kotori's blush deepened as his playful words sank in.

She couldn't meet his gaze.

Her heart raced in her chest, the rhythmic pounding echoing in her ears. "I... I was wrong..." she stuttered, her voice uncharacteristically meek.

Shido chuckled, leaning closer. "Oh, you're sorry now? In that case, are you ready for your punishment?"

Kotori's eyes widened. "Wh-what kind of punishment?" she asked hesitantly, her voice trembling.

Shido's grin turned downright devilish. "A punishment… for naughty little sisters." he teased, his face inching closer to hers.

Caught between embarrassment and panic, Kotori squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself, her lips trembling.

In her mind, she waged a war against herself.

'What's happening? What kind of punishment is this? W-wait... is he really going to—!'

For a moment, Shido hesitated whether to go through with his teasing. Kotori's flustered state was adorable, and he felt a strange satisfaction watching her squirm.

Just as he leaned in closer, about to deliver the final strike, reality came crashing down, literally.

Kotori's fist connected with his nose.

"ARGH!"

Shido yelped, recoiling in pain as he instinctively released her. He clutched his nose, eyes watering from the unexpected assault.

"You despicable lewd wolf in human skin!" Kotori screamed, her white ribbon now replaced by a black one, signaling her shift to Commander mode.

Her demeanor hardened instantly, and her previously timid posture was replaced by a commanding presence.

"Wh-what just happened...?" Shido muttered, still cradling his aching nose.

"I'll tell you what happened!" Kotori fumed, her voice dripping with coldness. "You dared to act like a degenerate toward me, your cute little sister!"

Before Shido could muster a reply, she grabbed the front of his towel and yanked him forward. "Do you think you can go unpunished after attempting such an atrocity?!"

"Wait, Kotori! It was a joke!" Shido pleaded, alarmed by the glint in her eyes.

"A joke? Do you think joking around like that gives you the right to—!"

She landed another solid punch on his shoulder.

"I will teach you a lesson, Onii-chan!" Kotori declared. With each word, her punches grew more intense. Shido stumbled back, clutching his arm and desperately trying to defend himself.

"Alright, alright! I surrender! Mercy!" he cried, waving his arms in defeat. "You're going to beat me up at this rate!"

Kotori finally stopped, her chest heaving as she stared down at him with narrowed eyes. Her gaze lingered for a moment before she huffed, spun on her heel, and stormed toward the couch.

Shido groaned, sprawled on the floor and nursing his bruised body. "Why do I feel like the victim here...?"

As Kotori reclaimed her spot on the couch, she picked up her lollipop and popped it back into her mouth. She looked back at Shido, who was slowly recovering from her beating.

"Hmph. Let this be a lesson, Onii-chan. Don't underestimate your adorable little sister." she said smugly, twirling the lollipop between her fingers.

Shido sat up, glaring at her. "Adorable? More like tyrannical."

A smug smile crept onto Kotori's lips. "Tyrannical or not, remember who holds the power here."

Shido sighed heavily. "You win this round, Kotori. But don't think I'll forget this…"

Kotori chuckled softly, her lollipop shifting from one cheek to the other as she savored her victory.

But deep down, as she replayed their earlier moment of closeness, a faint blush crept across her cheeks. She quickly shook the thought away, chastising herself for letting it linger.

Shido, on the other hand, vowed silently to never let Kotori catch him off guard again.

If there was one thing he learned, it was that his little sister was a force to be reckoned with, Imouto mode or not.

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Two chapters today.✨