Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything.

Notes: No, I will not make any excuse to redeem myself…

Ok, I'll make this short. I did not come up with two other short stories so I decided to jump into the final chapter…

Thou Shalt Not Fall For Thy Own Sister

XIII: Finale

" Tanjoubi omedetou, nee-sama." It was Ren's voice that woke her up first thing in the morning, his smiling golden eyes lighting his features.

"Ren…"

"Congratulations, Jun, you've officially turned eighteen."

The older sibling sat on her bed, her head looking for a rather obvious explanation about what Ren was babbling about.

Oh…yeah…right…

It was her eighteenth birthday today. And to her, it seemed just yesterday that she was sixteen years old. Or maybe she enjoyed herself too much that she forgot how time flies fast.

Eighteen years, huh?

New age, new times, new responsibilities.

"Happy Birthday, Jun."

"Thanks Pai Lon."

By that time, Ren has begun his glaring assault on Pai Lon, his orbs burning holes into the dead man's head. Why does he always have to butt in whenever he starts a decent conversation with his sister?

Shrugging everything off his shoulders, the Chinese superstar focused all his attention to the birthday celebrator who still seemed to be sleeping as she dragged her feet to the bathroom and washed herself.

Jun didn't really love parties so, for her yearly anniversary no extravagant celebration was thrown. She simply cooked a special meal for everyone, after which, they just watched some of her favorite videos taken when she and her brother was younger. Of course, Pai Lon was there at all times but, seeing that his lady wanted to waste away with Ren, he left to give them some time alone.

Before the two noticed, the sky turned to the darkest shade of black and soon, dawn would be approaching. They did not want to end the night but they had no choice.

As what Ren always did by the end of the day, he 'escorted' his sister back to her room just to make sure that she'd be safe on her way. Just in case there would be a Jack the Ripper hiding inside her closet.

The younger Tao was about to go when Jun took in a sharp breath and called his name, sending a familiar chill down the boy's spine.

"Ne, Ren, do you know the meaning of the word 'eighteen' to us, daughters of the Tao?"

The spear-wielder knitted his eyebrows together. What was she talking about eighteen was an age of independence. It was freedom. To the Tao ladies it meant something else to uphold the Tao roots but…

"…no…you aren't…" Ren narrowed his eyes further.

No.

She can't.

She wasn't supposed to.

After all this time…?

Denial flooded all his train of thoughts, questions suffocating him with the answers.

"Ren, can we talk?"

Ren didn't speak. He just walked right in and sat on the edge of Jun's bed. There was something definitely coming and with the way things are going, it is not good.

"…do you remember Li?"

The boy objected fast, opening his mouth and racking his brain for anything foul and absurd he could say about the stupid Chinese they met years ago. Instead, he stammered a few words, sounding as if he was some lunatic on the loose.

"…Li isn't your…he wasn't…is he?" Confusion mixed in with all the other thoughts and even he himself found it hard to comprehend his own words.

Was he losing his mind? Tao Ren, losing his mind? Perhaps. Well, at least he was losing his mind over someone worth it. But back to the story.

Jun knew the way through her brother's warped maze which included how to shut him up when somebody is talking.

She pushed him slightly backwards so he'd remain sitting while she'd talk him in her own version of what happened years before.

"…okay, so now I know that you remember Li…And I'm sure you remember the little fight you initiated…"

"…that doesn't…"

"..shut up, Ren. Let me go on with my story. Anyway… you passed out, remember? Father talked with me Ren…. And I was confused and…look, it never really occurred to me that I could refuse the offer and… you were unconscious and…I didn't refuse, Ren. I just asked for time. Time until the proper age of marriage. But now… not that I've seen how you've grown…I…"

For a brief moment, Ren felt alive. So now, she wants to decline from her arranged marriage for him. For Ren. It was blissful. But blissful moments are not to last for long.

" You're too good for Li, nee-sama."

"Li is a nice guy, Ren. He's not the type to leave when you need him. And he's courteous and sweet and honest and… one day, you'll learn to like him…I just know…"

The boy did not know what to say.. He wanted to argue further but the proper words didn't make themselves known. Instead, he whispered the first three words he could gather.

"…I love you…"

Jun stared at him blankly. Then, her tears started gushing from her eyes.

Was she happy? Was she sad? What was she thinking? As much as he wanted to, Ren couldn't read her mind.

"I love you too, Ren. I was like a mother to you."

Ren wanted to cry. Why was she so…? Ren wanted to cry so badly that he didn't. He just cringed at his sister's interpretation of what he had said. Without thinking, he grabbed Jun by her forearm and pinned her under on the bed she owned. He kissed her passionately as if he wanted to devour her.

After realizing what he had done, the younger Tao blushed and pulled away.

"…I love you…"

Ren expected a blow, at least a slap, but it never came. All there was was silence.

Assuming that his sister didn't mind his behavior at all, he kissed her again, only this time, his kisses started trailing down the nape of her neck.

"Stop."

"…nee-sama…"

"Stop and I'll forget that this ever happened."

"…but-"

"I love you, Ren. Believe me, I do… but not the way you think you do me. Now, if you just stop kissing me that way you do, I will very much forgive you."

Damn.

"Do you like him that much? You like him so much that you'll pick that damned Li over your own brother? Over you own Ren!"

Tao Ren gave a defeated sigh and walked away, closing the door behind him.

That's it, his golden orbs flashed with what seemed to be an evil in disguise of the emotion what people called fury. He will hunt that bastard down even if it kills him.

The next day, without any delay and interruption, Tao Jun left for China.

owari