"Hello, you're early again."
When I called out to Kurusu in the classroom, she rushed over to me.
She looked at me, and it seemed that her eyes were shining with excitement.
It seemed like we were getting closer.
Well, now that she knows I don't have a girlfriend, she doesn't have to worry about it anymore, right?
I put my bag down on the table while I thought about it.
(...What are we going to do today? Cooking? Or practice speaking? I'll do my best. I'm really looking forward to it...)
"Well, I guess we'll just study today. If you've studied, maybe there'll be a chance for you to tutor the other students before the exam."
【Okay】 (I want to teach...I, as a teacher...fufufu)
"T-That's okay, right?"
【I'll do my best】 (...to study with Kaburagi-kun. This is an exciting moment for me as well. I'll be happy if this can go on forever)
She looked very happy from the bottom of her heart... even though her expression didn't change.
I smiled and turned away from her.
──Spring break has come, and I'm seeing Kurusu like this every day.
Our relationship is still the same as before, like teacher and student.
The only difference is that she doesn't think about it too much, and the time she spends writing on her tablet has been greatly reduced.
I think this is also proof that she has decided to rely on me without hesitation.
I'm glad to see this change, though...
The voice that pierced my heart sounded sharper and sharper, and various events that broke my heart continued to occur over the past few days.
【I'm happy to see you, but is it okay for you?】 (I'm happy to see him at school every day. But is it okay for him?)
"Happy, huh... How can you say it openly?"
【Fact】 (I decided to express my feelings without hesitation. I'm going to be careful to be blunt about it, because it will be more dangerous if I reveal it indirectly)
"I'm glad you can practice what you've learned, but..."
Even now, she always sits next to me like this, sometimes so close that our shoulders touch.
She always approaches me suddenly and it makes me feel a little confused...
Sometimes I wonder if she could be in love with me?
Sometimes I think about this possibility...
(...Studying. I want to be better than Kaburagi-kun. So let's get closer and not miss anything!)
Well, I won't misunderstand, because that's what she feels in her heart.
On the contrary, it makes me feel uncomfortable.
The distance between us could become a problem if I'm not careful, and there are so many gaps that make me worry.
I looked at Kurusu from the side and saw that she was preparing to open her textbook.
"I noticed that Kurusu seems to study a lot. You like it?"
【I like it now】
"Ah. Do you like it because you can finally understand things. For example, when we can solve puzzles, we enjoy it. The feeling of being superior, perhaps?"
【Not that】
"No, huh?"
【I enjoy studying with you】 (...I really want to show you that I can apply what you have taught me. I want Kaburagi-kun to praise me even more, so I'll always try my best... But I won't be able to tell you that)
"I-I see. You have a lot of ambition...,right."
I tried to smile as best I could, but this honest feeling of hers came over me and I bit my lip to bring myself back to reality.
...Her feelings are a lot more pure than I had imagined.
I'm ashamed of myself for thinking such a superior feeling...
I mean, she's just trying to be praised... her sincerity is too sweet.
【It doesn’t have to be every day】 (I'm really happy to talk to you, but... don't you want to play with your other friends too?)
"Yeah, it's no problem at all. My house is not far from the school, and even if I don't have anything to do with Kurusu, I'll still come to school."
【Really?】 (...Things to do at school. What's your business?)
"Because I can't concentrate on studying at home. I just want to try to get good grades to expand my opportunities in the future. Therefore, consulting with the teacher at school will benefit me."
【I see】 (...It's good that you keep trying. I'll learn from you...yes. Cheer up~)
"...Yep. That's it."
Then don't suddenly make such a cute inner voice and get excited.
It's not good for my heart every time she does it...
I sighed and opened the textbook I was going to use for today's material.
"Alright, let's get started. I'll do my best to teach you so that when we start as second year students, people will think, "Kurusu-san, you're so smart!".
Kurusu gave a thumbs up with a satisfied expression on her face, and in her heart she said, "Ei-o-ei-o" in a very silly voice to encourage herself.
After that, our interaction continued.
We stayed like this until the afternoon.
◇ ◇ ◇
"Luckily, I always have it with me."
I took my folding umbrella out of my bag and looked up at the sky where the raindrops were falling.
The sky should be dark at night, but the light reflecting off the rain curtain made the sky a little brighter.
I could only sigh and felt sad at the thought of going home under such circumstances.
I wanted to go home as soon as the rain stopped, but the sound of the last school bell seemed to want me to leave as soon as possible.
"Is Kurusu okay in the rain like this?"
My concern for the person who had just been with me suddenly surfaced in my mind.
Kurusu and I never walked home together.
We always walked home separately after practice.
I usually let Kurusu go home first while I returned the classroom key.
Kurusu didn't want to go home with me because she didn't want people to misunderstand her.
I didn't really care about rumors, but Kurusu was determined not to cause me any trouble, so she always left after thanking me.
Well, I won't force her to come home with me since she goes to school by train and her house is far away from here.
So we parted ways as usual today...
"...I have a bad feeling. Well, I hope it's just my feelings."
I muttered to myself, then left the school and walked alone in the night.
On my way back, I saw that many students were on their way home from their club activities, and their loud voices could be heard many times.
Not only the voices of people talking, but also the inner voices of people echoing in my ears like "I hate the rain~".
...All these sounds made my head hurt.
Being disturbed by such voices, I decided to take a less crowded road to go home.
It was a dark country road with only a few streetlights. I walked down the road.
"I don't usually go this way because it's far...but it has a different feel than during the day, I don't know if it would feel eerie now. Hahaha..."
My voice was drowned out by the sound of the rain, and the cold wind caressed my face.
The dark and empty street seemed to be starting to scare me.
Normally I don't find it frightening...
This is definitely not a place you'd want to walk through after watching a horror show the day before...
Well, I don't believe in ghosts, but it seems like the atmosphere is a bit strange today.
I thought I wouldn't be afraid, but as soon as I thought about it, all I could think about were horror stories.
I closed my eyes and when I opened them...then I saw,
"Huh. What the hell was I thinking? If it really existed, then I would believe that I could see it, for example, a figure with long hair and illuminated by a street lamp. Yes, then I would believe... Uh, what is it?"
Speak of the devil and it will appear. Words spoken in jest usually come true.
True to this superstition, I saw a figure under a large willow tree in the direction I was walking.
The figure looked faint, but its long hair was illuminated, and it looked as terrifying as I had imagined...
(...The rain doesn't seem to be stopping. I'll be in trouble if I get into the train soaking wet... What should I do?)
The fear I felt vanished in an instant when I heard that familiar voice.
Why...are you here?
Didn't you bring an umbrella?
I rushed over to Kurusu and hid her under my umbrella.
Kurusu rolled her eyes in surprise and looked at me.
She didn't say a word to me, probably because the rain made it difficult for her to take out her tablet.
"It's not safe to be here in the rain, is it?"
(It's okay. People just walk by me. They say, "Ghost! Ghost!" and run away, so...)
Kurusu shook her head, but she looked tired and weak.
"That's not okay at all, you know...? I mean, you should have told me that you forgot to bring an umbrella. It's raining so hard and it doesn't look like it's going to stop."
(...Because I couldn't wait to meet you, I forgot to bring my umbrella. But when I got to the station, I could wait for my clothes to dry)
"...Ugh, I have no choice. I'll take you to the station."
That's all I could say when I heard her voice.
She didn't seem to mind when I said it in a rather cold way to hide my embarrassment. She even thought, "That's very kind of you".
When I looked at Kurusu worriedly, our eyes met and she lowered her head as if she felt guilty.
"Really, just call me if you're in trouble. Well, luckily, I just happened to be passing by. Anyway, it's rural here, so the train will leave if we're even a little late. Don't try to wait for your clothes to dry there, or you'll catch cold."
(...It doesn't matter if I get home late. There's no one there. And even if I catch a cold...I'll be fine if I get some sleep)
"...Hmm?"
(Is something wrong with my answer?)
Kurusu tilted her head when I frowned.
Didn't she just say that no one was there?
Maybe I heard wrong...
I also looked at her face doubtfully.
(...Is there something on my face? I'm embarrassed if you keep looking at me like that...)
Even at such a time, that voice was still trying to shake my heart.
As usual, there was no expression on her face, but...something wasn't right.
Well, no matter what, we still have to go to the station.
"It's cold here, so let's go right now. To the station, right...?"
Her hand was so cold that I unconsciously looked at Kurusu's face.
She dropped her eyes to the ground without saying anything.
I could tell even without hearing her voice. When she shows that kind of attitude...
Looking closely at her face, she looked pale and tired, though I hadn't noticed it before due to the dark surroundings.
I quickly checked the time on my phone as my worries seemed to be coming to light.
"...21:00, huh? There's still a train to catch anyway."
But given her personality, I wasn't sure she'd get on the train in this drenched condition.
There's a good chance she'd have the stupid idea of waiting for her clothes to dry and staying until the next day because there were no more trains.
I'm sure her mind would go to the worst-case scenario, because she always thinks of others before herself.
Besides... if I hadn't misheard earlier that there was no one at her house, then her chances of making that decision would be even greater. I'd hate to leave her in such a situation without doing anything.
I couldn't just close my eyes when I realized all of this.
I still hoped that my prediction wouldn't come true. But it might be better for Kurusu if I took more care of her.
I also called my older sister with my cell phone and told her that I was bringing someone home.
"Kurusu. You'll get sick if I leave you here, so come with me. I won't argue with you."
(...Go to the station?)
Without waiting for Kurusu to answer, I kept walking and holding her hand.
She seemed so tired that I could feel that there was no strength in her hand.
She only grasped my hand lightly.
You really worry me all the time.
I muttered to myself as I walked in the rain.
My left shoulder, which wasn't protected by an umbrella, was soaked and I felt uncomfortable, but I had to keep walking.
When I started walking in a different direction from the station, she wondered, "Where are we going? Does Kaburagi-kun have other plans for me?”, she seemed to be getting a little anxious.
But it didn't seem like she suspected me enough to worry or panic.
──After about 40 minutes of walking, we arrived at our destination.
(...Where is this? Kaburagi-kun's house? But the sign says 'Mochizuki'...)
Kurusu stared at the house in front of her with a strange expression on her face.
The house looked like an old-fashioned one that was common in the countryside, but actually, the building looked quite new because the inside had been renovated.
However, the exterior of the house was unchanged, and the rain made the atmosphere even darker.
She must not be used to seeing an old-fashioned house like this. Kurusu also looked at the house carefully.
"Alright, let's go inside. I've already told her."
(Don't do that suddenly. I'll get you into trouble. If I can't go home, I can wait outside since it's school vacation)
Kurusu shook her head and refused to go inside.
But I can't ignore her because I know what she's thinking.
"No problem. If I leave you like this, you'll probably stay outside anyway. I don't want you to get sick... or maybe you already have a little cold".
(You noticed that, huh?)
"I can see it on your face. I know you're worried about just walking into a man's house."
She shook her head when I said that.
Then she stared at the entrance of the house.
(I'm not worried because this is Kaburagi-kun's house. But I am afraid...how should I greet them?)
"No, you must doubt me a little, right?"
(I don't have to doubt you)
"Eh─...well, you kept shaking your head."
I couldn't help but laugh at her attitude of trusting me.
Trust is hard...I mean, if you think about it calmly, this is the first time I've brought a girl home.
Just thinking about it, I suddenly felt embarrassed...
Suppressing my embarrassment, I opened the door of the house and tried to enter...────Ouch!
"Hey, playboy. Where have you been, huh... Are you ready to die? I mean, what was the point of your phone call earlier? Since when did you become such a brat," (I'm going to kill you... You got me worried, you know)
"Whoa~~...You're so scary~~"
An arm reached out from the door, grabbed my head, and shouted at me in a loud voice.
My elder sister had a gloomy expression and a loud voice, but in her heart she was worried about me.
Kurusu, who was standing behind her, froze when she saw a family interaction as soon as she entered the house. She blinked her big eyes several times and rubbed her eyes as if she couldn't believe what she had just seen.
Her reaction was a little over the top for someone who had just seen a family interaction.
Well, it was only natural for her to be surprised...
Because the one who greeted me was...Sayaka-sensei.
(Really...Kaburagi-kun and Sensei are dating? ...and they live together. Did I fall into their love nest?)
Well, I guess I made a big mistake and confused her.
I'll have to correct this misunderstanding later.
When you have a headache, you tend to think of strange things.
Then Sensei patted my shoulder with a wry smile on her face and said to me,
"Oi, Ritsu. I’m fine with this...but, is it okay?"
"It's fine, if I leave her outside, she'll definitely get sick later..."
"Hmm. Well, it seems like the right decision. You really are an honorable man."
"Shut up... Just please help me take care of this."
I scratched my head and turned to Kurusu.
"Then, you can borrow clothes and towels to your heart's content."
Kurusu, who looked surprised, hurriedly took out her tablet and started writing.
【Congratulations on your wedding】 (Kaburagi-kun said he doesn't have a girlfriend, which means he has a fiancée... and she's Mochizuki-sensei... I should congratulate him)
...Yes, she's already misunderstood a lot of things.
I sighed and brought Kurusu to my house for now.
◇ ◇ ◇
I heard the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom.
I tried not to pay attention to the sound by watching TV.
(...It's warm. So good)
But the sound of her heart, like the one I just heard, made me pay attention to her again, and I kept pinching my cheeks every time I heard it. This is the reaction of a healthy boy who inevitably has to test his self-control in front of his older sister.
...It was more exciting than I expected when a beautiful girl was in my bathtub.
I sighed and looked annoyed.
I guess I didn't manage to outwit her.
The person in front of me had a very evil look on her face.
"Oh no~ You brought her home so quickly. I'm impressed~"
"It's not like that. When we see someone in trouble in the rain like that, we want to help them, right...usually."
"Hahaha! Yes, yes, I know! You have a good reason for not leaving her, right? Well, at least you're lucky to have an understanding older sister."
"Huh. Don't mock me if you really understand..."
The elder sister in front of me let out a laugh that wasn't feminine at all while holding her stomach.
...Don't laugh so hard that you cry.
I can only complain in my heart.
──Sayaka Mochizuki, a nurse at the school, is my biological older sister, although we have different surnames due to our parents' divorce.
So, she understands and knows about my condition.
That's probably one of the reasons why I go to the school where she works.
She's been very kind to take care of me and drive me to school...but in return, I help her with her work at school.
"It seems like things have been going well since that day."
"Is that so?"
"Ah. I think Kurusu is more cheerful than before. And her communication has become smoother as well."
"Well, that's good to hear. It's the result of her hard work."
"Don't be so modest. Interpersonal skills like that don't develop without the help of others. Especially if she wasn't good at it to begin with, there will be limits to what she can do on her own."
"You should have understood what I meant", Sayaka continued.
"But still, she tried so hard. Because no matter what you say to someone who won't listen to you, it won't get through."
"Hmm, I see. Is it my imagination, or did that backfire on you?"
"Shut up──"
I know that.
But I've given up my honesty in the past.
The only time I was innocent and positive about the things I did and wasn't cynical was when I was a kid.
...It wasn't my choice.
I couldn't do anything about it.
When I started to grumble, Sayaka rubbed my head roughly.
My waxed hair stood up spectacularly.
"What the hell are you doing..."
"No no, I'm just trying to cheer you up."
"Stop it... I want you to think about what we're going to do next."
"Yes?"
"It looks like I'm going to ask you for a favor to bring Kurusu home, and there might be other things that only women can talk about, right?"
"Umm..."
Sayaka also tilted her head while looking at me from the side.
When I put a sullen expression on my face, the corners of my mouth lifted slightly, as if to show that I was indirectly thinking about something.
"Hasn't something changed in your heart? You seem to care so much about her."
"Well, it's only natural that I care."
"Okay, I'm relieved that you're still healthy. Well, I guess even a cynical guy like you can't resist a beautiful girl like her."
"You jump to conclusions so quickly. I'm not attracted to her attractiveness or anything like that."
"Ehh... You're a high school student, but you're so withered... Why don't you just let out your excess desire?"
"You shouldn't talk like that, Sensei..."
When I said that, Sayaka replied, "Of course!" while smiling happily.
She seemed to be very happy from earlier, judging by the way she moved her body from side to side while holding the pillow.
I don't know what made her so happy.
In her mind I could only hear, "You are young" and "It's nice to be young".
What does being young have to do with it?
For me, it's the same as always.
I move because I care. That's all.
I just do it a little more than usual. I just can't let it go a little more than usual.
But on second thought,
"...It might be true...that something has changed in my heart..."
"Fufufu..."
"What the heck? You're laughing strangely."
"Not really~ If it bothers you, just read my mind. Maybe you'll hear me saying nice things to you, right?"
"Yes, yes. Since Kurusu is here, I'll make dinner first."
I said, then got up and went to the kitchen.
I heard a voice from the bathroom saying, "Ah, the towel", so it's the right time.
I should get out of here now...because I don't want to run into her or anything.
"Yup, that's my little brother. You're so skilled."
"Well, I'm the one who takes care of the food. It's no different with an extra person."
"Fufufu! I see~"
"In return, please explain the misunderstanding. She always makes strange assumptions...and please give her a towel right away."
"Yes? Okay, I'll take care of everything..."
"That's right...I'm seriously asking you for a favor."
I turned and raised my hand.
(I'm glad you guys get along so well. I'm relieved to have you as your older sister)
I heard the voice behind me, but I pretended not to hear it and walked towards the kitchen.
TL: Retallia (JP-ID), Tanaka (ID-EN)
PF & ED: Retallia