Chapter 128On That Day
I don't know what came over me that I got the two of them heated up. I wanted to call this a love letter, but I sank into my mysterious spirit and admitted that it was "just an ordinary message". "This is why I can't beat Big Sis," I thought to myself, currently tormented in mysterious helplessness. I felt like I had realized something that seeped into my bone marrow. Whatever you say, this is indeed a letter from Ichinose-san. (Recovery).
Ashida lost interest as if she turned her palm upside down and put on a serious face while saying "That's right", which, in my opinion, summarized all the scary things about girls. I'm sure, Ashida will absorb the bad parts of Natsukawa. Haha, I couldn't move.
During class, I managed to recover and immediately added Sasaki-san and Ichinose-san's accounts as friends on my messaging app. Sasaki-san's profile picture seemed to be a picture of her with four of her girl friends wearing junior high school uniforms. I was going to send something to them, but I decided against it for now, as I didn't want it to be a bad thing if my notification ring went off during class. Ichinose-san's profile picture seems to be a picture of her somewhat surprised, perhaps it's because Yuri-chan-senpai took the picture. That's good.
"Ichinose-san, I've added you as my friend. I sent you a sticker!"
"Oh...!"
When I told her about it during the lunch break, she looked rather happy. I'm happy too, Ichinose-san...! I'll probably send a lot of "Sajou says hello!" stickers. No, but I'm afraid she'll think that I'm heartbroken... ...I don't think I need to do it just yet.
Ichinose-san quickly took out her smartphone from her school bag and started turning on her smartphone. She was the type of person who always turned off her smartphone during class... ...The simple design of her smartphone, without chasing, was typical of Ichinose-san.
"Eh? Messages? Did you exchange messages with Sajou-kun!?"
"Oh. What? Shirai-san wants to exchange messages with me too.—"
"I-Ichinose-san! I was wondering if I could exchange messages with you too...!"
Hahaha, I guessed it. After all, she did share a class with Shirai-san through our class flow. Ichinose-san should also add her as a friend later. Yeah, Shirai-san and the others will do everything if she still doesn't want to. It was funny to see Okamocchan who looked frustrated because she was late.
"Hmm."
When I looked at my vibrating smartphone, I found that there was a cute bear sticker bowing in greeting included in the app by default. I felt as if I had been treated well by someone other than the one I knew. I was rather surprised.
I wondered if there was still a part of me that felt like a senpai at her part-time job, and I was happy to see Ichinose-san's friend list growing.
♦
As I was about to head to the Student Council Office, I thought to myself, why am I heading to the Student Council Office?
I thought about it for a while, and what came to mind was the super delicious lunch that Yuuki-senpai, the Student Council President, gave me. It's so strange, I feel like I'm being baited. I had no intention of joining the Student Council, but... why are my steps so light...? It's because I'm hungry.
"That's all I have left..."
I still can't believe it. Isn't it okay if Big Sis ends up dating Yuuki-senpai now? I can only see a good future for me. My appetite outweighed my inferiority complex. I salivate too much and don't have enough blood. I must eat.
"—Oh...! ...Eh!? Sajou!?"
"Mita-senpai."
On the way there, I found Mita-senpai — the Guardian of Inatomi-senpai, the Mascot of the Disciplinary Committee. The moment my eyes met hers, she was staring at the stairs and me in turn and was confused. What the hell is this? Could it be that she's spotted someone dangerous? A boy? Is it a boy? Did she have an appointment to meet a boy?
"Wh-Why are you here!?"
"No, I'm going to the Student Council Office... ...What's wrong with you? Why do you look like you're in a hurry?"
"Never mind what I'm doing, it's nothing, really... ...Hey, hurry up!?"
"Oh, isn't that Sajou?"
"Eh?"
Mita-senpai held both my arms and tried to make me turn around. As I tried to obey her earnestly, I found that Shinomiya-senpai, who was holding Inatomi-senpai's waist, suddenly appeared from the wall near the stairs. Her appearance was very playboy... ...Her face was as if she was implying that Inatomi-senpai was hers. Could it be that the word "Disciplinary" in the "Disciplinary Committee" meant something dangerous? Senpai was even more charming today than usual. She was very conspicuous.
"You're joining us too."
"Eh?"
Shinomiya-senpai suddenly walked towards me, she grabbed and pulled my arm firmly. No, wait a minute, I screamed like a little girl, but I was shameless.
I-I-I-I quickly adjusted my position and found myself on the opposite side of Inatomi-senpai, who was smiling bitterly at me. When I looked at my right arm, I found Shinomiya-senpai crossing her arms tightly around me. Eh? Really? I'm happy, but what does this mean? Oh no, that's the way I'm going?
"Um... ...Senpai? I'm on my way to the Student Council Office..."
"What...?"
Putting the joke aside, as I was about to leave for personal reasons, Shinomiya-senpai tightened her arm even more and stopped in her way. It was at that moment that I wondered what happened to her. Is it possible that Shinomiya-senpai is in a bad mood right now?
When I looked at Mita-senpai, she was holding her forehead as if to say "Oh, no!". Oh, I see — So, that's it, huh!? Eh? But is the situation that bad? Come to think of it, I was holding hands with a beautiful senpai of mine. Moreover, there are two other girls. While I am not a girl myself.
"What do you mean, Sajou? Are you planning to join the Student Council?"
I took my words back. It was indeed a bad situation. Eh? That's scary...! The three of them are glaring at me! Those three pairs of white eyes are scary!
"I-I'm not going to join them... ...I don't plan to join them."
"I see."
With that, she kept telling me to come with her and pulling on my arm, and it continued for three minutes. Before I knew it, I found myself standing in line at the ticket machine in the school cafeteria. Behind Shinomiya-senpai, who was holding Inatomi-senpai in front of her, I thought about what I was going to eat today. I think my stomach feels a little tight... ...Let's eat shrimp tempura, shrimp tempura.
While I was doing that, I sent a message to Big Sis.
[I was caught by Shinomiya-senpai. Therefore, I can't go today.]
[Huh? You can't get out of there?]
[She's in a bad mood.]
[Ah—, alright, then after school.]
Big Sis will keep me after school has been decided without hesitation. Strangely... ...Why do I dislike the idea of Yuuki-senpai's lunchbox untouched by me? My mind is already greasy. I thought I'd get caught with the potato chips and cola.
But I was surprised that Big Sis would give up her lunch break so easily. I wonder if Big Sis is weak if her opponent in this case is Shinomiya-senpai... This could be a good thing.
I picked up a set of tempura, then I followed Shinomiya-senpai. While we were looking for an empty table, a group of girls took the initiative to leave their table and they said, "Please, sit here!". They still had their lunch boxes, but I guess they hadn't finished eating them yet. Can I stay here? Won't the three of them mind? Won't Shinomiya-senpai's fans stab me in the back?
Inatomi-senpai and Shinomiya-senpai sat in front of and across from me. While I sat next to Mita-senpai. Unlike the last time I sat with the three of them before, I was constantly glared at by them, which made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy.
"...I'm sorry that we got you involved."
"No, you see... ...what's going on here?"
"That's..."
Mita-senpai apologized to me in a whisper, so I asked her back, and she looked down while using something as if she was having trouble saying it. I think this was indeed a situation that she couldn't say. I guess the God who didn't touch me doesn't have a curse on me, right...?
"By the way, Sajou-kun, why are you heading to the Student Council Office?"
"Hmm? Ah, lately, Big Sis has been calling me over there to help with some of her work."
"Even though you didn't join the Student Council?"
"Ugh, yeah..., ...um, Big Sis seems to be having a hard time without me."
"Hmm..."
That was supposed to be my answer to Inatomi-senpai's question, but now it turned into a conversation with Shinomiya-senpai. The pressure was amazing. Even though I was just responding, I felt like I was being treated in a very unreasonable way. It felt like I was talking to Big Sis. Even if I'm wrong, I can't say that I would trade my efforts for Yuuki-senpai's lunchbox.
You see, Shinomiya-senpai, it seems that you ate an ordinary udon while you were in a bad mood... ...If I were you, when I'm in a bad mood, I would probably immediately eat something delicious other than that udon. For example, curry with pork cutlet.
"—I'm very jealous of her."
"Eh?"
"I'm very jealous of Kaede. I want a little bro too."
"I see."
Don't I still not see anything she said? I still don't see anything she said. Stop responding reflexively, me. Eh? Do you want a little bro too? First of all, are you an only child, Senpai? Hmm, if you want to talk about it, you shouldn't talk about it with me, you should talk about it with your parents, Shinomiya-senpai... ...Well, if they keep trying, I think there's still a chance for it.
"Do you want to be my little bro for just this one day? Also, join the Disciplinary Committee."
"Eh?"
She said something out of the ordinary.
Eh? Shinomiya-senpai's little bro? Me? This is pretty serious, and I probably don't like the idea very much. I'm sure I won't be able to keep up with this for about half a day. I don't like the thought of being woken up at 4:30 a.m.
Yeah, wouldn't it be like that if I was asked to be Shinomiya-senpai's little bro? I'd have to come face-to-face with her bigoted grandpa, right? Oh no, I don't like that, I'll be asked to go with him to that strange and unpleasant place. And I don't want to be a member of the Disciplinary Committee.
"Oh—... ...Um... ...If you say it's okay, I'll do it."
"Understood."
What did I just say?
She said that she understands. What did I just say? Do I need Big Sis' permission to do it? It makes me feel like I'm the youngest child raising Big Sis' name in an emergency... ...I feel embarrassed, I don't want her to know about this. You're not going to ask her right away, are you? I think once she's in a good mood, she'll soon forget everything. If it's Big Sis, I'm sure she'll forget it soon, anyway...
"Here, Yuyu. Say 'A'."
"A-A...!"
That's so crazy.
No, I'm being serious. Shinomiya-senpai is amazing. Is she out of her control? It's like the regulars at a cabaret club that we see in TV dramas or movies. That Shinomiya-senpai is really in the middle of the room. She's wasting her charisma. Where did the usual Shinomiya-senpai go?
"..."
Mita-senpai gave me a sympathetic look. When I turned back to her, she looked at me with an apologetic gaze again. I don't remember her ever fighting this hard... ...I can't help but feel that Inatomi-senpai, who has always been restrained in some ways, is better than her. Today, even this Senpai was trying to be favored by Shinomiya-senpai. She is indeed the type of person who is good at getting along with others in this world.
I returned Mita-senpai's gaze in a low voice.
"No, it's okay. I'm used to this unreasonable feeling from Big Sis."
"I'm sorry... ...That's—"
"It's okay, it's okay. You don't need to tell everyone, I can understand it."
"No, even you won't be able to understand it all the time either, but—"
Shinomiya-senpai has grown up and become more and more extraordinary. She asked for permission from Big Sis. Udon is what she ate for lunch. Mita-senpai apologized to me. The reason why is that she can't talk about it. Inatomi-senpai was very worried. A thing that doesn't make sense and reminds me of Big Sis. This feels like déjà vu — Yeah.
"—Today was indeed a tough day for you, wasn't it?"
"It's creepy because you're so good at guessing it."
Author's Note: "I'm used to being your big sis."
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Read in other languages: