The Affection Multiplier - Chapter 141: A familiar face. (Patreon)

Everyone’s eyes are glued to the door, yet no one makes a move. Megan makes a head count and confirms that, yes, everyone really is here.

Who could it be!? No one else knows you live here. Well, save for… the headmistress and other teachers.

You swallow. Your chest feels cold and your hands start going numb. The faces of your girlfriends show similar fear, with the younger ones looking immediately at your teachers. You’re all thinking the same.

The only place to hide would be the bathroom. Yet… hiding might make things worse. Your mind is racing as you slowly stand up. The odious noise of that knock is heard again. Emma and Mia stand up as well.

“We should-” 

“Stay here.” You tell Mia, cutting her off. “Hiding would be worse. If it’s someone we know we’ll…” Think David, think! An excuse for two teachers to be on a room with four students…

…

…FINALS!

“…We’ll tell them we were studying for finals.” You tell them.

Their eyes widen and you can see relief in them. Mia nods firmly at you, her head already coming up with a speech to excuse themselves for being here.

Still, hopefully it’ll only be one of the neighbors you’ve never met asking for sugar or something.

You turn the door knob and open the door, which feels 10 times heavier than usual.

On the other side you see a man. A tall, handsome, short haired blonde man wearing a blue business suit with a red tie and a black leather bag hanging from his shoulder. You know this man. Of course you know this man.

WHAT THE HECK IS HE DOING HERE!?

“Brother!?” You ask, baffled to see him in front of you.

“So you DO live here! I thought the school was messing with me!” Your brother laughs. “How are you doing, Dave? Oh wow, did you start working out!? Look at you, my little brother!” He says, holding your shoulders and looking you up and down.

“W-Weren’t you in Japan working with dad?” You ask your obviously happy older brother.

“Yeah, but I had some things to do here, so I came back. Dad sent me to check on you, and by the looks of it I’d say you’re doing juuuust fine.” He says with a huge knowing grin, looking past you to the table full of girls.

“I… Uh… This…” Fucking shit. The headmistress might have been preferable to him. “Just… just come in.” You say, resigned, and he follows you inside your room with hands in his pockets, looking at everything with curiosity.

No, having him here is better than having anyone from the school. You just don’t want to explain things to your brother.

“W-Wait a minute! HE is your BROTHER!?” Emma asks, almost screaming and standing up from the table and slamming her hands on it.

Why does Emma recognize your bother?

“Oh? Excuse me, miss. Have we meeeeeeeeet…? Yes, yes we have!” Your brother realizes. “Holy shit, the world is a napkin! You’re the girl from yesterday!”

…excuse you?

“Oh my god!” He laughs, honestly amused. “You’re telling me your boyfriend is my little brother!? That’s amazing!”

Okay, so this dot goes here, that goes there and… yep, they’re all connected.

“Wait, he’s the guy who hit on you at the café!?” You ask, matching Emma’s volume.

All the girls save Emma look absolutely stunned. Too much is happening in too little time.

“Alright, this is fun, but let’s back up a bit, shall we?” Your brother says with a confident, amused smile. “Come on, Dave! Introduce me to the ladies!”

Urgh. As annoying as always. 

“This is my older brother, Jonathan Walker.”

“28 years old and currently single.” He adds, winking at the girls with that Casanova smile of his.

Okay, you know what? Just for that, “And these are my girlfriends, Emma, Mia, Emily, Megan and Sophia.” You weren’t going to introduce them as your girlfriends, but you know your brother well enough. If he dares put a single finger on any of them, he’s getting a kick in the nuts it, brother or not.

“I’d like to say a pleasure to meet you, but we’ve met already.” Emma says with arms crossed, a scowl and clearly annoyed. Funny. You don’t really get to see her annoyed very much.

The other girls, feeling the tension, just mutter quiet helloes.

“Come on, I flirt with you once and this is the treatment I get? Not fair, I tell you.” So he says, but your brother just shrugs it off.

“Dad does always says first impressions matter more than you think.” You remark offhandedly.

“Urgh. Hit me where it hurts, why don’t you?” He shakes his head. “Still, Dave, five girls? Really? You?” He asks with a huge grin.

God dammit. “Have you eaten?” You ask, dodging the inquiry.

“I was planning to take you out, but if you’re offering…”

You take your desk chair and set it at the head of the table, mostly to avoid having him beside any of the girls. Megan serves him a plate and he starts eating with the rest of you.

“So, my little brother has been treating you right, I hope? He’s a huge loser, but he’s honest, so please be patient with him.” Your brother grins as he says that.

“He’s been great.” Mia’s the first to speak. She’s calm, collected and serious as she usually is in front of everyone not in your immediate group. “He’s been nothing but a gentleman to all of us. Kind, respectful and loving. A beast in bed, too, if you were wondering.” She says before casually as she drinks some juice.

The rest of you either choke on your food or spit-take your drinks.

WHY WOULD SHE SAY THAT!?

Your brother just completely loses it and falls into a laughing fit.

“Alright, I get it! I wasn’t planning on making any moves on any of you anyway. I wouldn’t do that to my own brother.” He says, still laughing. 

“You’re Mia, right? I’m only asking because you’re his girlfriend, you know, but how old are you?”

Mia sighs, the aura of hostility seemingly vanishing now that her point came across clearly.

“32.” She answers, to which your brother whistles.

“I never knew you liked them older. Nice catch, Dave.” He compliments.

“She’s not a Pokémon, you know?”

“Still of serious nature.” He jokes, much to your surprise.

“Did you start playing again?”

“Had nothing to do on the plane here, so I’m emulating it on my phone.” He grins, yet immediately changes the subject back to the girls. “And what do you all do?”

“We go to the same school.” Emily answers, pointing to Sophia, Megan and herself.

“Alright, so preparing for college, huh? Be sure to use this time to think hard about what you want to do in the future. But you don’t need advice from a skirt-chaser like myself.” He jokes again, making your groan internally. “And you two?”

He looks at Emma and Mia, who look at you with a troubled expression. They’re silently asking, ‘can we trust him?’

You nod. Your brother is many things, annoying very much one of them, but he’s never once ratted you out to your father for any of your early screw ups. To your mother, yes, but she’s not the strict one in the family.

Accepting your decision, Emma speaks. “We’re both teachers at Hayes. I teach literature and Mia teaches English.”

Your brother blinks several times, processing Emma’s words before he turns to you.

“Your teachers? Really? I mean, as your brother AND as a man I’m proud of you, but you know what will happen if the school finds out, right? Not to mention that if word of it gets to dad, he’s gonna be pissed.”

“Don’t remind me…” You groan and massage the bridge of your nose. “Good thing I won’t see him again until I’m out of school.”

“Yeah… about that.” Jonathan clears his throat. “Dad wants you to go to Japan for your break.”

“Eh?” The five girls exclaim in unison.

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How do you react?