Rabu kome manga no sekai ni haitte shimattanode - V3 Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Beginning of Summer, Sei, and Rie

June had arrived, and the weather had grown hot enough that you could almost call it summer.

It wasn't a true midsummer day yet, but it was warm enough to walk around outside in a short-sleeved shirt without any issue.

And at school, the seasonal change of uniforms meant we were now in our summer wear.

Well, that just meant we left our blazers at home when we went to school.

But still… I glanced at Sei-chan, who was walking beside me.

Sei-chan, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a red necktie and a black school skirt that ended just above her knees.

…Yeah, summer uniforms are the best!

“What’s the matter? You’ve been staring at me.”

“Oh, I was just thinking that you look cute in your summer uniform, too.”

“…I see. Thank you.”

Perhaps having grown used to my compliments, Sei-chan thanked me without getting flustered.

But I could see her ears turning red, which was just as cute as ever.

“The skirt looks good on you, but do you ever wear skirts with your regular clothes, Sei-chan?”

“Almost never. I was forced to try one on when I went shopping with Shiho a while back, and she made me buy it on the spot, but that’s it.”

“Ah, I see.”

I think there was a scene like that in the original story.

Back then, I only saw Sei-chan’s casual skirt outfit on the page, but I’d love to see her wearing it in person with my own two eyes someday.

“Would it be possible for you to wear it on a date sometime?”

“Ugh… W-well, if you’re asking if it’s possible or impossible, I suppose it’s possible, but…”

“Well, I won’t force you. But someday.”

“R-right… Well, someday.”

Watching Sei-chan look a little embarrassed, I thought once again how cute she was as we walked to school.

During lunch break at school, the five of us gathered to eat as usual.

“Here, Yūichi. I made you lunch today, too.”

“Oh, thanks, Kaori.”

“I made some, too!”

“Thanks, Fujise. But isn’t it a lot of work for you to make this for me every day?”

“Not at all! If I think of it as training to be a good wife, this much is easy and fun!”

“Ara, Fujise-san, if you’re training to be a good wife, shouldn’t you be making lunch for your future husband instead of Yūichi? It’s not like you’ll ever be able to take Yūichi as your groom.”

“I’m always making it for my future husband, and he’s eating it right now, so it’s fine. Shouldn’t you be looking for your own future husband, Tōjōin-san? I don’t think you have a chance with Shigemoto-kun.”

“Fufufu…”

“Ahaha…”

“…Hey, I think this every time, but could you let me eat in peace for once?”

Yūichi really has it rough, being stuck in the middle of that exchange every day.

But then again, he’s liked by two of the most beautiful girls in school, so maybe it can’t be helped.

In front of them, Sei-chan and I were eating our lunches peacefully.

However, listening to the way Tōjōin-san spoke sometimes made me remember something.

“Yūichi, eat this, too. It’s my masterpiece. A dish made with high-grade meat that a commoner could never afford, so be sure to savor it.”

…That incident from the other day—Sei-chan’s café infiltration.

She had imitated Tōjōin-san’s catchphrase, and I couldn’t help but recall it.

If I let my guard down, the corners of my mouth would turn up in a grin… Sei-chan was so funny and cute back then.

“Oi, Hisamura, what are you smirking about?”

“Hm? It’s nothing, Shimada.”

“You sure? You were smirking during lunch the other day, too…”

Tōjōin-san was in a different class, so I only ever heard her way of speaking during lunch break.

That’s why I only remembered it during lunch, which made me laugh.

“It’s really nothing.”

“…Really?”

“…Well, there is something, but if I told you, there’s a high chance you’d get mad, Shimada.”

“I’d get mad? What is it? Now I’m even more curious.”

“Hmm, this isn’t really the place to talk about it…”

I lowered my voice slightly and checked to make sure no one around us was listening.

“I’ll tell you when we walk home together.”

“Ah, okay. You don’t have work today?”

“Nope, not today.”

“I see. Then let’s walk home together.”

Yes, I get to walk home with Sei-chan for the first time in a while.

But that means I have to tell her why I was smirking… She’s definitely going to get mad.

“By the way, final exams are coming up soon, aren’t they?”

Fujise, sitting in front of me, brought up the topic in the middle of our conversation.

“Ugh… I hate them. They’re so tough. I wish I could just play basketball all the time.”

“You’re not good at studying, are you, Shigemoto-kun?”

“It would be the best if school just got rid of studying.”

“I think that wouldn’t be a school anymore.”

Fujise has a point.

But I’m not great at studying either, though not as bad as Yūichi, so I kind of get how he feels.

“Ara, Yūichi. Next to you sits the smartest high school student in school—no, in the entire world, you know? I’ll be right by your side to teach you.”

She’s certainly the smartest in school, but in the world… I wonder.

I doubt she’s number one in the world, but number one in Japan seems plausible.

“I’m in your hands, Kaori-sama.”

“Yes, leave it to me. In return, I’ll want a reward.”

“Anything I can do.”

“Then how about a child with you?”

“Not possible.”

Her request for an insane reward is terrifying.

“Mmph, Shigemoto-kun, I’ll help you study, too!”

“Seriously? That would be a huge help.”

“Ara, Fujise-san. Are you saying you can teach Yūichi better than I, who gets perfect scores in every subject? Let me tell you, Yūichi is an even bigger idiot than you can imagine. With a mind like yours, can you really save him from failing?”

“I’m good at studying, too, and I like teaching! No matter how much of an idiot Shigemoto-kun is, I’ll make sure he learns it all!”

“Hey, you’re not wrong, but could you not fight while insulting me?”

It’s true that Yūichi is an idiot and would probably fail if he studied alone, but with Tōjōin-san and Fujise, he should be fine.

…I don’t think I’ll fail, but I’m only just barely above average, so I’m not one to talk.

But next to me is Sei-chan, who consistently ranks in the single digits for our grade.

Maybe I’ll ask her to study with me on the way home.

 

And so, after school, on the way home.

Once we were out of the school and in a place with few other students, Sei-chan and I met up.

“So, what was the reason you were laughing during lunch?”

“Ah, that… It’s because when I hear Tōjōin-san talk, I remember that time.”

“Hmph! Don’t remind me of that! It’s incredibly embarrassing!”

Sei-chan’s face turned bright red as she raised her voice slightly.

“Kuh, why did I have to imitate Tōjōin’s way of speaking, of all people…”

Right after that incident, Sei-chan would also remember what happened whenever she talked to Tōjōin-san and her face would turn red.

‘Shimada-san? Why does your face turn bright red whenever you speak to me? It’s not like I’d be happy if you fell for me, you know?’

‘That’s not it… Tōjōin, could you change the way you talk?’

‘Hah? What are you talking about?’

‘…No, it’s nothing. In that case, don’t talk to me for a while.’

‘I was only joking about you falling for me, so why am I suddenly being rejected?’

Remembering that conversation made me smirk again.

“Tsukasa… you were just remembering it again, weren’t you?”

“Fufu, sorry. I’ll try not to remember it anymore… well, that might be impossible, but I’ll try not to let you notice.”

“Ugh… Right. At the very least, I’m counting on you for that.”

I need to train my facial muscles so I don’t grin even when I remember.

As we were talking about that on our way home, someone called out to us from behind.

“Onii-chan, and Sei-san.”

“Oh, Rie. Are you heading home, too?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

My little sister, Rie, approached on her bicycle.

She was on duty today, so she had left for school before me instead of us going together.

“Want to walk home with us, Rie?”

“Is it okay?”

At my suggestion, Rie glanced over at Sei-chan.

“Of course it’s fine with me. I’d be happy to walk home with you, Rie.”

“…Okay, then I’ll join you.”

And so, Rie joined us, and the three of us headed home together.

I took the bicycle from Rie and walked, pushing it without riding.

The three of us sometimes walk to school together, but this might be the first time we’ve walked home together.

“Final exams are coming up soon. How are you doing with your studies, Rie?”

Sei-chan asked Rie.

“I’m not particularly good at it, so I’m just a little above average.”

“I think being above average is good enough.”

“That’s because you’re below average, Onii-chan.”

“Ugh… Hey, at least I don’t get failing grades.”

“That’s the bare minimum…”

Rie said, sounding a little exasperated.

She’s right, but there’s a certain protagonist in my class who’s a regular at barely avoiding failing grades.

“Hey, Sei-chan, could you help me study sometime?”

“Me? Of course, but I don’t think I’m a very good teacher.”

“Are you smart, Sei-san?”

“Sei-chan always gets a single-digit rank in our grade.”

“Eh, that’s amazing!?”

At Rie’s pure surprise and praise, Sei-chan smiled, looking tickled.

“Well, it’s not that I’m particularly good at studying, but I don’t dislike it. I just spend a lot of time on it.”

“No, no, that’s still amazing. Um, if it’s not a bother, could you help me study, too?”

“Yeah, of course.”

I didn’t expect Rie to join our study session with Sei-chan.

“So, where should we do it? A café?”

“But a café might be too noisy, and it might be hard to get a spot.”

“That’s true, what should we do?”

As Sei-chan and I were wondering, Rie said, “Ah,” as if she’d just thought of something.

“Then what about our house, Onii-chan?”

“Eh, our house?”

“Yeah, there’s no problem with that, right?”

“Um, well, I don’t think the house itself is a problem, but…”

That means Sei-chan would be coming to my house.

“Is a study session at our house okay with you, too, Sei-chan?”

“Ah, yeah. If it’s okay with you, then I’m fine with it.”

“I see… Yeah, let’s do that then.”

And so, it was decided that we would invite Sei-chan to our house for a study session.

…I’m starting to get nervous.

 

◇ ◇ ◇

 

It was decided they would have a study session, and she ended up going straight to Tsukasa’s house.

Sei was a little nervous and had become quiet.

(I-I can’t believe I’m going to Tsukasa’s house… Is it okay to go to your boyfriend’s house this soon after you start dating!? B-but his sister Rie is with us today…)

The decision had been made so quickly in the flow of conversation that she hadn’t had time to prepare herself mentally.

Before Sei could sort out her feelings, she arrived at Tsukasa and Rie’s house.

It was an ordinary, unremarkable single-family home, which was precisely why she could imagine the two of them living their daily lives there.

(Wait a minute. What if Tsukasa and Rie’s parents are home? I-in that case, I have to greet them properly… Sh-should I introduce myself as Tsukasa’s girlfriend? Ugh, do I really have to say such an embarrassing line…)

Sei’s face turned bright red as she panicked over these thoughts.

“My parents work late, so they won’t be home until night, Sei-chan.”

“Ah, I see. Okay.”

As if he had read her mind, Tsukasa’s words put her at ease.

Following Tsukasa and Rie, Sei entered the house and was led to the living room.

(So this is where Tsukasa always lives… The scent, it’s a little like Tsukasa’s…)

“Sei-chan, want something to drink?”

“Ah!? R-right, what do you have?”

“Tea, coffee, and orange juice, I think.”

“In that case, I’ll have orange juice, please.”

“Got it. Go ahead and have a seat.”

“Thank you, Tsukasa.”

Sei sat at the living room table, her face turning red again as she thought about her embarrassing thoughts.

(I-I need to try not to be so conscious of it. Right, I’ll just pretend I came to Rie’s house today, not Tsukasa’s.)

While Tsukasa was preparing the drinks, Rie sat down in front of Sei.

“Sei-san, thank you for doing this today.”

“Yeah, you too. I haven’t taught anyone much before, so I might be a bit clumsy.”

“No, I’m just happy to have you teach me. High school subjects are really difficult, and I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped on the midterms.”

“It’s true, everything feels a little more difficult than in middle school.”

As Sei and Rie talked, they spread their study materials out on the table.

Tsukasa brought the drinks over and sat down next to Sei.

The three of them opened their books to the subjects they wanted to study, and it seemed the session was about to begin… or so they thought.

A ringtone echoed from Tsukasa’s smartphone.

“Ah, sorry.”

Tsukasa took out his phone and was about to step away to answer it.

As he did, he glanced at the screen with a puzzled expression.

“From Tobise-san?”

With those words, he answered the phone and began to speak. “Hello?”

At the mention of a call from Tobise-san, Sei’s ears perked up.

Only Rie, who didn’t know the person, tilted her head in confusion.

“Who’s that on the phone with Onii-chan?”

“Someone named Tobise-san. She’s a senpai from his part-time job at the coffee shop.”

“Oh, I see. I didn’t know.”

After a little while, Tsukasa, still on the phone, turned to speak to Sei and Rie.

“Sei-chan, Rie, I have to go to work. It’s a last-minute shift.”

“Eh, why?”

“Tobise-san’s younger brother got sick, so she has to stay home and look after him and can’t come to work.”

According to Tsukasa, Tobise Marino had three younger siblings, and one of them, a kindergartener, had fallen ill, so she had to go pick him up and take care of him at home.

“I see. Well, that can’t be helped.”

As Sei said that, Tobise’s voice echoed from the other side of the phone.

‘Oh, is Sei-chan there, too? Did I interrupt your time together?’

“It’s not just the two of us; my little sister is here, too.”

‘Eh, you have a little sister, Tsukasa-kun? Wow, I’d love to meet her. So, were the three of you on a home date today?’

“A-a home date…”

For some reason, Rie reacted to those words, but Tsukasa continued the conversation.

“We were just having a study session at home. Anyway, it’s almost time for my shift, so I have to go, right?”

‘Oh, right! I’m so sorry, Tsukasa-kun. I’ll definitely make it up to you next time!’

“No, it’s fine. We have to help each other out in times like these.”

‘Thank you so much. And Sei-chan, I’m sorry for taking away your precious time with Tsukasa-kun.’

“No, I’m fine.”

After finishing the call with Tobise, Tsukasa got ready to go to his part-time job.

Sei and Rie walked him to the entrance to see him off.

“Sei-chan, I’m really sorry, especially since you came all the way over.”

“It’s not your fault, Tsukasa. And it’s not Tobise-san’s fault either. It just couldn’t be helped today.”

“Thanks. If you don’t mind, could you continue the study session with just Rie?”

“I'm fine with it, but is Rie okay?”

“Of course, as long as Sei-san is willing, I'd love to learn.”

Tsukasa had to leave for his part-time job, so Sei ended up staying behind to study with Rie.

“Thank you, Sei-chan.”

“Yeah, and Tsukasa, do your best at work.”

“Mm. Rie, make sure you study hard, okay?”

“I know. See you later, Onii-chan.”

“I'm off.”

Watching Tsukasa and Rie's usual exchange, Sei nervously followed suit.

“S-see you later, Tsukasa.”

“…Y-yeah, I'm off, Sei-chan.”

Sei and Tsukasa both blushed, looking embarrassed as they said it.

Then Tsukasa opened the door and left.

(Ugh, what was I supposed to do just now? Not saying anything would've been weird, but saying it was embarrassing… like we're more than lovers, like family, or even a married couple…)

After Tsukasa left, Sei squirmed a little at the thought.

Rie watched Sei from beside her with a slightly cold gaze.

“…Sei-san, are you okay?”

“Ah! Y-yeah, um, what do you mean?”

When Rie's voice snapped her back to reality, Sei desperately tried to play it off, but it was too late.

“…Never mind, it's nothing.”

“…Well, Rie, I appreciate your concern, but that reaction just makes me more embarrassed.”

“Isn't it Sei-san's fault for being all lovey-dovey even though I'm here?”

“I can't argue with that…”

Incidentally, Tsukasa, whose motivation skyrocketed after Sei's “see you later,” ended up being incredibly productive at his part-time job.

 

After Tsukasa left for his part-time job, Rie and Sei returned to the living room and started studying.

At first, an awkward atmosphere lingered from Sei and Tsukasa's earlier flirting, but it quickly dissipated once they began to study.

Both of them were very serious, and when it came to studying, they immediately focused.

They continued studying for a while, sitting across from each other, until Rie's hand stopped.

“…Sei-san, I don't quite understand this part.”

“Hm? Oh, where?”

Rie tried to turn her textbook around to show her, but Sei stood up.

“Tsukasa's gone now, so it'll be easier to teach you if we sit next to each other.”

“Ah, you're right. Please do.”

Sei moved next to Rie and pulled her chair even closer to look at the textbook.

“Ah, math. This part is a little tricky, indeed.”

“Were you bad at math too, Sei-san?”

“No, I don't have any subjects I'm particularly bad at. If I had to say, I prefer solving problems like in math over memorization-based subjects.”

“I-Is that so?”

Rie was a little taken aback by this completely different way of thinking.

And just like that, Sei taught her how to solve the math problem and even how to apply the concept.

“It's like this. Did you get it?”

“Yes, that was incredibly easy to understand. Thank you very much.”

Perhaps because Sei was such a good teacher, Rie understood immediately and was able to solve the problem.

“You're good at studying too, Sei-san. You're really amazing.”

“Like I said earlier, I'm not bad at it, I just have a lot of time to study. Anyone could do this much.”

“No, no, that's a bit of a stretch. And you're good at sports too, right, Sei-san?”

“Well, to some extent.”

“I know. I heard you were amazing at the ball game tournament the other day.”

The ball game tournament was held on different days for each grade, so it wasn't possible to watch the other grades compete.

And yet, Rie knew that Sei had been a star player at the tournament.

“Who did you hear that from… Ah, no, it was Tsukasa, wasn't it?”

“Yes, it was incredible. Onii-chan spent over an hour describing your performance.”

Rie recalled the incident, speaking with a slightly exasperated look on her face.

“S-Sorry about that, Rie.”

“No, it's not your fault, Sei-san. I was happy to hear about how well you did. Though Onii-chan might have talked a little too much.”

“Honestly, that Tsukasa…”

Sei also looked exasperated, but a small smile played on her lips.

“…You look kind of happy, don't you, Sei-san?”

“Eh? N-No, that's not true at all…”

As if she'd been hit where it hurt, Sei averted her gaze.

“You know, Sei-san, your emotions show on your face and in your attitude more than you'd think.”

“R-Really? You, on the other hand, seem like the type who doesn't show much, Rie. I think you're completely different from your brother, Tsukasa.”

“Onii-chan just shows too much.”

“That's true. Tsukasa is too open with his feelings, both in words and actions. I often have a hard time with that myself.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, for example…”

Sei began to recount an episode with Tsukasa.

But as the story went on, Rie's expression grew more and more clouded.

When she finished, Rie asked with a weary look on her face.

“…So, you're saying you were embarrassed when the elderly couple next to you at the café overheard Onii-chan praising you, calling you 'cute' over and over, and they looked at you with fond smiles?”

“Ah, that's right. I really wish he'd consider where we are.”

Sei's tone was slightly angry, but her cheeks were red and she looked happy somehow.

“…Eh, why did you just start bragging to me?”

“I-I wasn't bragging! If anything, I was trying to complain about Tsukasa…”

“If you seriously think that was a complaint, I think your head might be a little too full of pink clouds.”

“I-Is it that bad?!”

“But I can see why Onii-chan says you're so cute.”

“Ugh, I didn't mean for you to understand that…”

Sei's face turned an even deeper shade of red in her embarrassment.

The more Rie interacted with Sei, the more she realized what an adorable person she was.

(Onii-chan said Sei-san was popular with girls, too, and I can totally see why.)

Even from Rie's perspective, there were many things about her that would make her popular with other girls.

Of course, she was definitely popular with guys, too.

That was precisely why there was something Rie wanted to ask Sei.

“Sei-san, can I ask you a question?”

“Hm, what is it? Which subject is next…”

“What was it about Onii-chan that made you fall for him?”

“…Eh?!”

Sei, who had expected a question about their studies, cried out in surprise at the sudden question.

“W-Why are you asking something like that all of a sudden?”

“I'm sorry, I was just a little curious. You're so beautiful and cute, Sei-san, and you have a kind, cool personality. You're considerate and super popular, right?”

“W-Well, all that praise is a little embarrassing…”

“Doesn't Onii-chan praise you even more than that all the time?”

“…No comment.”

The fact that she refused to answer while her face was bright red was as good as an answer itself, but that wasn't important right now.

“Objectively speaking, I think you must be incredibly popular, Sei-san.”

“I wouldn't know about that myself…”

“Have you never been confessed to by guys many times?”

“Until Tsukasa, I'd never been confessed to by a guy even once.”

“By a guy?”

“…I've had it happen a few times with girls.”

“Is that so? That's amazing…”

She'd heard Sei was popular with girls, but she never imagined it was to the point of receiving serious confessions.

“Was Onii-chan the first person you dated?”

“Yeah. I've never confessed to anyone, and I've never accepted a confession from a girl, either.”

So the first person she ever dated was Rie's brother, Hisamura Tsukasa.

“Why did you start dating Onii-chan? When you'd never dated anyone before.”

“Ugh, you're going to ask so directly…?”

She was so charming, even to other girls, that she must have been popular with guys, too.

Her looks were outstanding, and her figure was incredible.

Sitting next to her, Rie realized that because they were wearing the same uniform, the difference in their chest sizes was stark.

(They're so big… No, it's not like I'm small, and I'm still growing, and my bra size just went up recently…)

The thought involuntarily crossed Rie's mind as she looked at Sei's chest beside her.

“So, why did you start dating Onii-chan? Honestly, Onii-chan isn't good-looking enough to be a match for you, and I think your friend Shigemoto-san has a better build.”

“…Rie, do you, um, hate Tsukasa?”

“Eh, me?”

“Yeah, I got that impression… No, I don't think it's strange. That's just how it is for siblings of that age.”

Sei, who also had an older brother, was about to say she understood how that felt, but…

“No, that's not it! I don't hate Onii-chan!”

“You don't?”

“No. If I hated him, I wouldn't study with him or walk to school with him.”

“…Fufu, I see. Well, I'm glad to hear that.”

“Ah… Um, yes.”

Having denied it so vehemently without thinking, it was now Rie's turn to blush.

Sei looked at Rie with a very fond smile.

“It's a wonderful thing for siblings to get along. Seeing you two together, it was silly of me to worry.”

“I-It's not like we're that close…”

“Fufu, is that so? If you say so, Rie, I won't argue.”

“Ugh…”

With Rie embarrassed and Sei smiling, the tables had suddenly turned.

But Rie hadn't gotten her answer yet, so she didn't give up.

“Anyway! Why did you start dating Onii-chan, Sei-san? What part of him did you fall for?”

“…You know Tsukasa's good points, Rie, so you should understand without me having to say it, right?”

“No, even if your opinion is exactly the same as mine, I want to hear it from your own mouth, Sei-san.”

“Ugh, I couldn't deflect it…”

Sei's attempt to make Rie blush and gloss over the topic had failed.

“What I fell for, huh… Being asked again like this, it's, um, embarrassing.”

“Don't you talk about things like this with other people? Shiho-san seems like she'd love to talk about romance.”

“I do talk about that stuff with Shiho, but she mostly talks about herself. Lately, since I started dating, she does, um, talk about me sometimes.”

“…Sei-san, you're so cute when you blush.”

“D-Don't you start saying the same things as Tsukasa, Rie.”

“Ah, so Onii-chan has said that to you.”

Having misspoken again, Sei, her cheeks flushed, changed the subject to cover her embarrassment.

“S-So, what I like about Tsukasa. Let's see… First, how straightforward he is.”

“Straightforward? In what way?”

“Like how he puts his feelings into words… Well, that's both a good thing and a bad thing.”

“It's a bad thing?”

“Yeah, because he says it without thinking about where we are. I'd be happy if he could tone that down a bit…”

“So you mean you get embarrassed, and you want him to say it when you're alone together instead of in front of other people.”

“T-That might be what it comes down to, but don't put everything into words!”

Sei couldn't help but shout her retort, but then she remembered her audience was Rie, not Shiho or Tōjōin, and she caught herself.

“Ah, sorry. For shouting all of a sudden.”

“No, it's okay. In fact, it makes me happy, like you feel comfortable enough to not hold back around me.”

“R-Really?”

At Sei's question, Rie nodded with a small smile.

“Yes. So, what else do you like about Onii-chan?”

“Y-You're still asking?”

“Of course, I've only heard one thing. Or is there only one?”

“That's not it… Another thing is that he's kind and considerate. He supports me when I'm pushing myself too hard, and he notices right away when something's wrong and shows his concern.”

“Has anything happened, for example? You only have to tell me what you're comfortable sharing.”

“The way you say that makes it sound like my interactions with Tsukasa are things I can't tell people.”

“No, if you're not embarrassed, you can tell me everything.”

“…That's a bit much, I'm afraid. Not that I think we're doing anything embarrassing.”

(Her face is red, she's clearly embarrassed… Sei-san is such a cute person.)

Rie thought to herself, but she didn't say it out loud.

“For example, on the way home after we went to that sports facility. I was pretty tired from moving around so much, and he was considerate enough to walk me all the way home. He'd also bought me a sports drink before I even noticed.”

“I see.”

“Ah, but he always walks me home. He says it's because he wants to be with me longer… N-Never mind what I just said.”

“No, I heard you. Just the usual bragging, I see.”

“Ugh…”

“It's okay, you can brag for now. In fact, that's what I'm here to listen to.”

“Even if you're okay with it, Rie, I'm not.”

Sei's face grew even redder, while Rie wore a slight smirk.

“Th-That's enough, right? Come on, this is a study session, so let's get back to studying.”

“I still haven't heard enough, but… okay. I'll ask you again if there's something else I don't understand.”

“Ah, if it's about that, I'll answer anything.”

“What if I ask you to brag some more?”

“I won't answer that.”

Rie looked a little disappointed at Sei's words, but she quickly returned to her studies.

Since they were both serious, once they decided to study, they focused in silence for a long time.

After a while, Rie stretched and glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Ah, it's already six-thirty.”

“It's that late? We must have been studying for quite a while.”

“We have. Onii-chan isn't back yet either… Oh, wait, I got a message. He says he's going to be late, so we should eat dinner without him.”

“I see. In that case, I should probably head home.”

“Eh? You're not eating with us?”

“Hm? With you?”

Sei tilted her head at Rie's words.

She had been about to go home and was clearing her textbooks from the table, but she stopped.

“Yes, I just assumed you'd be eating dinner with us.”

“That wasn't my plan… Just the two of us, me and you, Rie?”

“Yes. You don't want to?”

“Of course I don't mind, but are you sure it's okay?”

“I always make enough for two, and making enough for you and me today won't be any different.”

“I see. Are you going to cook now?”

“Yes, so you'll have to wait a little.”

“No, I'll help you cook then.”

“Eh, really?”

Sei smiled and nodded at Rie's question.

“Of course. It wouldn't be right for me to just wait, and if we cook together, we'll finish faster.”

“Thank you, Sei-san.”

“Thank you, too. Should we start now?”

“Let's… By the way, I have a slightly rude question.”

“What is it?”

“You can cook, right, Sei-san? I heard you were the one who taught Shiho-san how to cook, so I got a little worried…”

“…Yeah, well, I wasn't able to teach Shiho how to cook, but I'd like to think I'm better than average.”

“R-Right! I'm sorry for asking something like that.”

“No, it's fine. If you've seen Shiho's cooking, it's only natural you'd think that.”

As they were having this conversation, neither of them had any way of knowing that a certain culinarily challenged high school girl somewhere had just let out a cute sneeze.

The two of them stood in the kitchen and prepared to cook.

“Do you want an apron? I only have Onii-chan's.”

“I-I see. If there's an apron, I should probably wear it.”

“…Why are you so nervous?”

“I-I'm not!”

Rie put on the slightly cute, pink apron she always wore.

Sei put on the slightly large, black men's apron.

“It's a little too big, as expected.”

“It is. Should you take it off?”

“No, this is fine. Besides… this isn't, um, so bad either.”

“…Please stop getting all lovey-dovey when Onii-chan isn't even here.”

“I-I'm not getting lovey-dovey!”

Chatting like this, the two began to cook.

Tonight, they were making gyoza*.

As they chopped the ingredients, it was clear that both of them cooked often, as they skillfully sliced through one thing after another.

“You really can cook, Sei-san. I'm relieved.”

“I'm glad I could restore my honor.”

“It's not like you didn't have any honor to begin with.”

“I see. Then I'm glad I could prove that her case was beyond my help.”

“Yes, that person's cooking was, um, on another dimension.”

Somewhere, that same culinarily challenged girl sneezed again, despite being in the bath.

“Do you ever cook with Tsukasa?”

“I do. Onii-chan has been helping me cook a lot recently, too.”

“I see. Tsukasa worked in the kitchen at his part-time café job, so he must be a good cook.”

“Yes. You went to the café where Onii-chan works, right? What was it like?”

“…No, I haven't.”

“Huh? But you just said you went…”

“Y-You must have misheard me.”

Sei denied it, her face turning bright red as if she'd just remembered something incredibly embarrassing.

Rie found it strange, but she didn't press the issue and continued with the cooking.

A few dozen minutes later, the gyoza were done.

“Thanks to you, Sei-san, we finished really quickly.”

“No, it's thanks to your efficiency, Rie. It was very easy to work with you.”

They exchanged pleasantries, then looked at one another and laughed.

“Fuh, well then, shall we eat, Rie?”

“Fufu, yes, let's.”

They set the miso soup and salad they had made alongside the gyoza on the table and sat facing each other.

Putting their hands together and saying, “Let's eat,” the two began their meal.

“Mm, this is delicious. The flavor is a little different from how we make it at my house, but it's very good.”

“I'm glad. Mmm, they're cooked perfectly, too.”

“Yes, you're a good cook, Rie.”

“You were easy to cook with, too, Sei-san.”

The two ate their dinner, chatting very happily.

When they finished eating, they washed the dishes together.

“Thank you for helping me clean up, too.”

“You treated me to a meal, so it's only natural that I help.”

Sei held the sponge and washed the dishes, while Rie took the washed plates and dried them with a cloth.

“Doing this, it feels like we're family, or sisters.”

“Fufu, you're right. I don't have any younger siblings, so I'd be happy if you became my little sister, Rie.”

“…Sei-san, are you saying… that's what will eventually happen?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“That in the future, I'll become your sister-in-law?”

“Sister-in-law? What do you…!”

Sei seemed to realize what she was saying mid-sentence, and her face flushed bright red.

“N-No, that's not it! I didn't mean that you'd become my sister-in-law!”

“Oh, so you have no intention of marrying Onii-chan? You plan to break up with him someday?”

“I-I didn't say that! It's true that if Tsukasa and I keep dating, we might get married and become family, and you might become my sister-in-law, but…”

“Fufu, that's right.”

“Kuh, Rie, you shouldn't tease your senpai so much…”

Sei glared at Rie, her face beet red.

Rie just laughed cheerfully.

“Fufu, I'm sorry. I was just a little happy.”

“Happy? About what?”

“Being with you like this, Sei-san, it feels like I really have an Onee-chan.”

“…Are you trying to tease me again?”

“Not this time. It's not that I have any complaints about Onii-chan, but I've always wanted an Onee-chan.”

“Is that so?”

Rie nodded emphatically, then spoke, looking a little embarrassed.

“I don't particularly want a younger brother or sister, but there have been times I've thought it would be nice to have an Onee-chan. I've never told Onii-chan or my parents, because I thought they'd think I was just being needy.”

“I see. Fufu, well, I feel the same way.”

“You do?”

“Yes. It's the opposite of you, Rie, but my brother is quite a bit older than me, so I always wished I had a sibling closer to my age.”

As they washed the dishes, Sei and Rie looked at each other.

“So, if it's all right with you, Rie, I'd be happy if you thought of me as an older sister.”

“…Is that really okay?”

“Yes. I know it might be difficult right away, but I hope we can become as close as real sisters.”

“…Thank you, Sei-san.”

The two of them shared a very gentle smile and continued washing the dishes like family.

“So, that means you'll marry Onii-chan someday, right?”

“I-I didn't say that!”

“Then you'll break up someday…”

“That's not it either! Rie, this is our first promise as sisters. You must never, ever tell Tsukasa about this conversation. Especially the part about whether we'll get married and become family.”

“Fufu, I understand, Sei onee-chan.”

“O-Onee-chan!?”

After that, the two of them had a very enjoyable time together.

 

◇ ◇ ◇

 

I finished the temp shift I'd taken to cover for Tobise-san and was on my way home.

It was a last-minute shift, so I was a little tired, but I'd been so motivated today that even the manager praised me.

The reason for that, of course, was Sei-chan.

When I left for work, Sei-chan saw me off at the door.

‘S-see you later, Tsukasa.'

Even now, I can vividly recall the scene, her voice, everything.

It felt like we'd gone beyond being a couple and were more like newlyweds, and it made my heart pound.

Sei-chan looked nervous too, so maybe she was thinking the same thing.

…If I marry Sei-chan, will she see me off like that every day?

What kind of heaven would that be? The absolute best.

Lost in a little fantasy about married life with Sei-chan, I arrived home in no time.

It's already around eight p.m., so Sei-chan has probably gone home.

With that in mind, I opened the door and called out, “I'm home!”

Then I heard Rie's voice say, “Ah, welcome back!” followed by the pitter-patter of footsteps approaching the entryway.

It's rare for Rie to come greet me, I thought as I took off my shoes and stepped inside…

“Huh? Sei-chan?”

The one who came to greet me at the door was Sei-chan.

She had her hands behind her back, looking a little shy, and for some reason, she was wearing my apron.

“W-Welcome home, Tsukasa.”

“Ah, yeah… I'm home, Sei-chan.”

Not only did Sei-chan see me off, but she welcomed me home, too.

It was like the world I'd just been fantasizing about had become a reality. Is this the best or what?

“You're still here.”

“Ah, yes. I made dinner with Rie and she treated me.”

“I see. So that's why you're wearing my apron.”

“Right. I'm sorry for borrowing it without asking.”

“It's fine. Besides, I'm sure the apron is thrilled to be worn by you, Sei-chan.”

“Fuh, what's that supposed to mean?”

Sei-chan let out a small laugh. The apron suited her, giving her the air of a new bride.

…It really feels like we're married. This is too much happiness.

When we went into the living room, Rie was sitting on the sofa, also still in her apron.

“Welcome home, Onii-chan. How was Sei-san's welcome?”

“I'm home. It was the best. I wish she'd do it every day.”

“I'm the one who told Sei-san that you'd be happy if she greeted you.”

“Rie, are you a genius? I'll treat you to ice cream next time.”

“Make it the good, expensive kind, please.”

“What are you two talking about…?”

Sei-chan said, looking a little exasperated, while Rie grinned mischievously.

Somehow, it feels like Rie and Sei-chan have really hit it off.

I felt bad about leaving them to go to work, but seeing them like this, it seems everything was fine.

“I should be heading home soon. I ended up staying longer than I expected.”

Sei-chan said as she took off the apron.

“Well, it's late, so I'll walk you home.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“…Can I come, too?”

“You too, Rie?”

“Yeah. I want to talk with Sei-san a little more, or rather, I want to be with her a little longer…”

Rie said, looking a bit shy as she glanced at Sei-chan's face.

“Of course, I don't mind. I want to talk more with you too, Rie, and get to know you better.”

“Sei-san…”

Rie looked at Sei-chan with sparkling eyes.

Wait, could it be… Rie has fallen for Sei-chan?!

Sei-chan is the type of girl other girls fall for, so it wouldn't be strange if Rie fell for her.

Damn it, I hadn't considered that.

Is my own sister going to be my rival?

“Rie, you… you like Sei-chan, don't you?”

“? Yeah, I like her. I got to know a lot about her today, after all.”

Rie tilted her head quizzically, as if to say, “What kind of obvious question is that?”

Kuh, so Rie really does like Sei-chan…

But I'm already dating Sei-chan, so I've already won this match!

…I have, right? I'm fine, right?

“Rie, you should give up on Sei-chan. Or rather, please give up. I don't want to compete with you, for a lot of reasons.”

“Onii-chan, what are you talking about?”

“Tsukasa, I think you're misunderstanding something…”

For some reason, both Rie and Sei-chan were looking at me with exasperated expressions.

“The 'like' Rie feels is completely different from the 'like' you feel.”

“Huh? Is that so?”

“Of course, Onii-chan. I just mean that I admire Sei-san as a senpai, and as an older sister.”

“I see… Huh? What do you mean, 'older sister'?”

“R-Rie!”

The moment I asked, Sei-chan scurried over to Rie in a panic, and the two of them started whispering to each other.

“Rie, we promised not to talk about that…”

“I won't talk about marriage or becoming family, but isn't it okay to say I look up to you like a older sister?”

“But if you say that, Tsukasa will become conscious of it, won't he? The only way for you and I to become sisters is if Tsukasa and I get married…”

“Ah, you might be right.”

“Then I don't want Tsukasa to be conscious of it yet, so you can't say things like that.”

“You don't want him to be conscious of it yet.”

“Kuh, that was just a figure of speech…”

Sei-chan and Rie were talking with their heads close together, and I felt kind of left out.

I couldn't hear a word they were saying, either.

Just as I was thinking that, they pulled apart and let me back into the conversation.

“Onii-chan, forget what I just said.”

“Saying that just makes me more curious.”

“Just do it. If you don't forget, Sei-san will start to hate you.”

“I'll go get amnesia surgery.”

“I didn't say that, and you don't need surgery, Tsukasa!”

I didn't get it, but if they didn't want to talk about it, I decided not to worry about it.

 

After that, the three of us—me, Rie, and Sei-chan—walked together to take Sei-chan home.

It was June now, and the temperature at night was warm enough to go out in short sleeves.

Sei-chan was in the middle, talking nonstop with Rie, who was on her left.

“Do you ever wear skirts, Sei-san?”

“Only with my school uniform. I'm not that fond of them.”

“I'm sure they'd look great on you, though. You don't own any?”

“Well, I have one that Shiho made me buy when we went shopping.”

“I see. I'd love to see it sometime.”

“I'd like to see it, too.”

“Onii-chan, don't just jump into the conversation.”

“I'm feeling left out over here, little sister.”

I'm happy that Sei-chan and Rie have gotten along so well, but still.

And I also want to see Sei-chan in a skirt.

Actually, I think Sei-chan and I have had this conversation before.

Rie wants to see it too, so maybe our tastes really are similar since we're siblings.

As we continued toward Sei-chan's house, Rie seemed to spot something and stopped, saying, “Ah.”

“Come to think of it, the fireworks festival is soon. There's a poster up.”

In the direction Rie was looking, there was indeed a bulletin board with “Fireworks Festival” written on it.

The date was in the latter half of June, right around the time our school's final exams would be over.

“I couldn't go last year because of entrance exams, so I'd love to go this year.”

“That's right, you were studying for exams last year, Rie.”

“Yes. Oh, Sei-san, would you like to go to the fireworks festival with me?”

“Hm? Me?”

“Yes, if you'd like.”

“Rie, wait a minute!”

I couldn't hold back and raised my voice a little.

Sei-chan and Rie looked at me with wide, surprised eyes, but I continued.

“I understand wanting to go to the fireworks festival with Sei-chan. Because I want to go with her, too!”

“Oh, right. You and Sei-san are a couple, Onii-chan.”

“That's right! It's only natural that I'd want to go to the fireworks festival with my girlfriend, Sei-chan!”

“T-Tsukasa, I get it, so don't say embarrassing things so loudly…”

Sei-chan's face was red with embarrassment, but I absolutely would not yield on this point.

“I'm the one who's going to the fireworks festival with Sei-chan!”

“Muu… Then what if I come along, too?”

“Mmph, you mean the three of us? Me, you, and Sei-chan?”

“Yeah. I know I'd be in the way, but… what do you think?”

Rie asked, looking a little apologetic.

It's not that I want to exclude Rie.

I just want to go to the fireworks festival with Sei-chan.

And I don't think it would be a problem if Rie came along.

“Sei-chan, is it okay if Rie comes with us to the fireworks festival?”

“This is a bit sudden, but it seems it's already decided that we're going to the fireworks festival.”

“Huh? Wait, Sei-chan, do you have plans? If you do, I'll give up.”

“No, I don't have any. I was thinking that if I went to the fireworks festival this year, I'd go with you, Tsukasa.”

“Sei-chan…”

What a wonderful thing to say.

Perhaps aware that she'd said something a little embarrassing, Sei-chan glanced at me before turning to Rie as if to hide her blush.

“I'd be happy if you came with us too, Rie.”

“Are you sure? Won't I be in the way?”

“I won't think of you as being in the way. Like I said earlier, I want to get to know you better, Rie.”

“Sei-san…”

Rie looked at Sei-chan, her eyes moist with emotion.

Somehow, I feel like Rie and I are having almost the exact same reaction.

A fireworks festival, huh? If I can go with Sei-chan and Rie, it's bound to be fun.

…Hm? Fireworks… festival?

Wait a minute, a fireworks festival at this time of year… it feels familiar.

…Hah! I remember!

I'm in the world of the manga 'Ojōjama' right now.

This fireworks festival story arc happened in the 'Ojōjama' manga.

A slightly early fireworks festival in late June.

This is the fireworks festival hosted by the Tōjōin Group.

In other words, it's the fireworks festival that Tōjōin Kaori set up to get together with Shigemoto Yūichi.

The plot was… huh, what was it again?

I can't remember at all.

TN:- Gyoza* - It was Japanese-style dumplings made by wrapping a thin dough skin around a filling of minced pork, cabbage, garlic, chives, and seasonings.

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