[Warning 15+]
Author's Notes:
It's a bit on the shorter side, though.
It's a bit on the shorter side, though.
Part Four
"―From Now On, You Better Treat Me with That Same Energy, Too!"
Chapter 130
Give Haru-chan Some Support
"―From Now On, You Better Treat Me with That Same Energy, Too!"
Chapter 130
Give Haru-chan Some Support
The night had officially gotten late as heck.
After finishin' up the dishes with a hand from Haruki and the crew, Hayato peeked into the main room only to find a bunch of gentlemen totally wasted, passed out on the tatami and snorin' up a storm.
Well, since it's summer, they probably won't catch a cold or anythin'.
Besides, this kinda thing happens all the time. Let it out a long-*ss sigh and givin' an awkward grin, Hayato and the others finally cleared out of the Community Center.
"See ya, Haruki, and you too, Murao-san. Thanks for the help."
"G'night, Saki-chan, Haru-chan!"
"Yeah, see ya, Hayato, Hime-chan."
"Goodnight, Hime-chan... ...a-and Big Bro, too."
Since they were all headin' to different places, they split up right there at the center.
Both Hayato and Himeko started walkin' home, slowly pushin' their bikes along.
The moon and the starry sky, way brighter than back in the city, lit up the dirt paths of the Tsukinose Countryside.
Instead of the sound of cars buzzin' by, the deep-bass croaks of bullfrogs from the water served as the backtrack, layered with the chirps of crickets in the grass and owls up in the mountains, all singin' a summer night's tune in the countryside.
Hayato hasn't heard all that in a minute, and it felt super nostalgic yet totally fresh.
"Oh, cr*p. I totally forgot we got nothin'—like bread or whatever—for tomorrow mornin'."
"What? Are we skippin' breakfast?"
"Guess we'll just snack on those treats we bought at the station instead."
"Man, if we were back there, we could've just hit up a convenience store on the way home."
"Out here, the nearest 'convenience' store is across the mountain—takes like 30 minutes by car."
"Ugh, there's literally nothin' 'convenient' 'bout this place at all!"
"I mean, back there, you even got bakeries that open at the crack of dawn."
They kept tradin' complaints like that, crackin' up together.
But honestly, Tsukinose wasn't half bad after all.
A cool breeze, nothin' like the stiflin' heat back in the city, swept through and pushed the clouds along.
"Man~, today's meeting was a blast! Since both Saki-chan and Haru-chan were there and all!"
"...I had a pretty rough time, personally."
"Ahaha! But hey, it got everyone hyped up, so it's all good, right?"
"I was basically the local laughin' stock, you mean!"
"Sounds like somebody needs practice, big time."
"Maybe."
"...Anyway, 'bout Haru-chan... ...she was seriously incredible earlier, wasn't she?"
"Yeah, for sure... ...wait, Himeko?"
Out of nowhere, Himeko stopped in her tracks.
Himeko's voice sounded weirdly stiff.
It was obvious somethin' was off.
But it was too dark to really make out the look on Himeko's face.
"―Takura Mao. Someone brought up that name earlier, didn't they?"
"---!?"
"...So Big Bro, you knew all along."
"No, I mean..."
The words just wouldn't come out of Hayato's mouth.
It wasn't like he was tryin' to keep Himeko in the dark on purpose.
It was just such a sensitive topic for Haruki.
Even if Himeko's Hayato's little sis and grew up as a childhood buddy just like him, it wasn't the kinda thing he could just blabber about.
But that was just Hayato's side of the story.
From Himeko's POV, it was no different from bein' the only one left out of the loop.
Hayato scrambled to find the right words.
But everythin' bubblin' up in Hayato's chest felt like nothin' but a bunch of lame excuses.
"Haru-chan... ...I bet she only told you 'bout that 'cause it's you, Big Bro."
"Himeko...?"
But the tone of Himeko's voice that followed was super warm and full of affection.
Hayato's heart gave a heavy thud.
Under the starry country sky, the way Himeko gave that soft smile made her look way more grown-up than usual—a side of his little sis Hayato'd never seen before. He was totally thrown off by the change.
Now Hayato really didn't know what to say.
With Himeko lookin' at Hayato like she could see right through him, there was no way he could keep his cool.
Guess life in the city had ended up changin' Hayato's own little sis, too.
Ignorin' how rattled Hayato was, Himeko slowly started walkin' again.
Hayato hurried to catch up.
After walkin' in silence for a bit, Himeko let out a few words in a tone that sounded almost like she was givin' Hayato a lesson.
"Y'know, Haru-chan was basically like a boy when we were kids, right?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Always hangin' out with Big Bro, constantly gettin' Haru-chan's clothes covered in mud, and havin' scrapes and bruises all over the place."
"Well, we played just 'bout everywhere back then."
"But I bet it's 'cause you wanted Haru-chan to be that way, Big Bro. She... ...well, lookin' back, she might've actually been a girl through and through even back then."
"…Huh?"
This time, it was Hayato who stopped dead in his tracks.
Hayato didn't really get what Himeko was tryin' to say.
But Himeko had this look on her face like she'd finally figured everythin' out.
"That's why, Big Bro. You gotta step up and give Haru-chan some real support, okay?"
Himeko turned around as she said it, and the soft smile on her face was so gorgeous it was captivatin' even for his little sis, leavin' Hayato totally frozen.
And just like that, Hayato was left standin' all by his lonesome on the dark dirt path of the Tsukinose night.
"...I already know that, even if you don't tell me."
Hayato's mumble, which escaped his lips as he looked up at the sky, melted into the pitch-black night and was completely swept away by the wind howlin' down from the mountains.
Author's Notes:
I'm takin' part in the Melonbooks Summer Light Novel Fair right now.
I've also written some new stuff for the Sn*aker Bunko anthology, so make sure you guys check that out too.
Meow~.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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