Chapter 3: Misguided Brotherly Concern!

My paranoia was officially reaching critical levels. A week of Rina's increasingly bizarre excuses had turned my brain into a conspiracy-theory generator. The glitter, the paint smells, the sheer exhaustion-it just wasn't adding up to a simple cafe job.

"Dude, you've been staring at your sister's lunch schedule for ten minutes," Kenji said, snapping me out of my trance. We were on the school roof, the wind messing up my hair. "What's the big deal?"

"She's been coming home super late, saying she's working. But she looks like she's been fighting goblins in a glitter factory, not pouring coffee," I grumbled.

Kenji's eyes lit up with the kind of brilliant, idiotic idea only a best friend could have. "So why don't you just go visit her? Operation: Surprise Sister Support! You can see for yourself what's up. Plus, you get a discounted coffee out of it."

It was a simple, logical plan. So, naturally, I hadn't thought of it. My mind had been too busy concocting scenarios involving secret underground fight clubs.

"You're a genius, Kenji," I said, a new resolve hardening in my gut. "I'm going today."

"That's the spirit! Go be a good Onii-chan!"

After school, I gave Rina the slip, claiming I had to return some books to the library. Then I headed for Shibuya, to the "Café la Pivoine" she had told me about. My heart was doing a nervous tap-dance against my ribs. What if she really was in some kind of trouble? What if she wasn't there at all?

The cafe was exactly as trendy and floral-scented as I'd imagined. I scanned the staff, a blur of girls in pink, frilly aprons. No Rina.

My stomach sank. The lie theory was looking more and more likely. I took a deep breath and approached the counter, putting on my most charming, non-creepy-older-brother face.

"Excuse me," I said to a friendly-looking girl behind the register. "I'm looking for my sister, Rina Hinamata. Is she on shift?"

The girl smiled. "Oh, Rina-chan! You're her brother? You kind of look alike!"

My brain screeched to a halt. She works here? For real?

"Yeah, that's her," the girl continued, oblivious to my internal crisis. "But you just missed her. Her shift ended about an hour ago. She always takes the early block so she can leave by five."

"Five?" I repeated, dumbfounded. "She leaves at five?"

"Yep! Like clockwork. Did she forget something?"

"No, I... just wanted to say hi. Thanks."

I stumbled out of the cafe, my mind a complete mess. My entire conspiracy theory had just been blown to smithereens. She wasn't lying about the job. But she was definitely lying about something else.

If her shift ends at 5 PM, where in the world is she going until 9 or 10 PM? Why is she so exhausted?

A new, even more terrifying theory began to form, one that every overprotective older brother dreads. The pieces fit perfectly. The secretiveness. The late nights. The constant exhaustion. The weird excuses.

My sister has a secret boyfriend.

The thought hit me like a physical blow. Some smooth-talking, good-for-nothing punk was keeping my innocent little sister out all night! The glitter was probably from some tacky gift he gave her. The paint was... from art class with him? Okay, that part was weak, but the core theory was solid.

When I got home, I found her on the sofa, scrolling through her phone.

"Hey," I said, trying to keep my voice casual. "How was work?"

"Tiring," she mumbled, not looking up. "The usual."

"Yeah? Must have been a long shift," I pressed, setting my trap.

"The longest," she sighed dramatically.

Aha! "That's weird," I said, crossing my arms. "Because I stopped by Café la Pivoine today and they said your shift ended at five."

Rina froze. Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with panic. It was the face of someone caught red-handed. For a glorious second, I had her.

Then, her expression melted into a sheepish, embarrassed look. "Oh... you went there?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I, uh... I went to the library with Miki after work. We had a huge project to cram for. I guess I lost track of time. My brain is totally fried from studying."

She looked away, her cheeks a little pink. It was a perfect excuse. Plausible. Simple. And it played right into my secret boyfriend theory - obviously "studying with Miki" was code for "making out with Chad McJerkface behind the history section."

"Right. The library," I said, my voice flat. I had no proof, nothing to go on. She had an answer for everything. "Well, don't overdo it. You look exhausted."

"I won't, Onii-chan," she said, giving me a small, tired smile.

I walked to my room, defeated. The mystery wasn't solved. It had just changed. And frankly, the thought of some guy making my sister tired was way, way worse than a secret glitter-goblin fight club.