Water Hyacinth ③

“Ah, no, that’s not what I came here to say. …I’m sorry. I never thought I would feel this way myself.”

“…Did something bad happen?”

“Bad… yeah. I never thought I would think of it as bad, but facing it now, I really disliked it.”

I still couldn’t understand what she was talking about, but she seemed calmer than before.

“So, is that bad thing related to what you want to ask me?”

“…No, it’s not related, but speaking of which, Shiranui-kun, you were walking with a cute girl arm-in-arm just now, weren’t you? …Who was that?”

The topic suddenly changed.

“About that… Is that alright? If something’s bothering you, I can lend an ear…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Something bad happened, but it wasn’t a major issue. More importantly, who was that girl? I’m curious.”

“There’s nothing to be curious about. Her name is Shiranui Ayane. In short, she’s my little sister.”

“Li-little sister…?”

“I think I told you a long time ago that I have a sister. That was her.”

Well, it’s certainly not a big deal, and I’m not sure if Takamine-san remembers.

“Oh, she’s your sister… ahaha, I was surprised because you don’t look alike at all. She was quite a lovely girl.”

‘Quite a lovely girl’ and ‘don’t look alike at all’ sounded like an indirect way of saying my appearance was not something to be praised.

I interpreted it pessimistically because it was said by the person I admired.

Love, in my case, tends to polarize my thoughts into positive and negative, and then swing toward one side.

Sometimes I become pessimistic, and sometimes optimistic.

My thoughts lean toward the pessimistic side, but that’s probably due to my innate nature.

“I hear that often. Ayane and I aren’t blood-related. We’re what you call step-siblings.”

“Step? Eh, step-siblings?”

“That’s right. Our biological fathers and mothers are different, so we’re siblings with no blood ties.”

“Ha ha… that changes things… If she’s your step-sister, the meaning changes completely.”

Takamine-san spoke incomprehensible words again.

I couldn’t make out her expression in the darkness.

I wanted to know what kind of expression she was making now.

The sound of a launching firework whistled behind me.

And as if in response to my desire, the gunpowder blossomed.

A flash of light ran through the air, momentarily dispelling the darkness.

Her expression, which I couldn’t discern before, appeared.

“…?”

I did see her expression.

However, I couldn’t judge what emotion that expression conveyed, and as time passed after seeing her face, noise began to run across it.

By the time the dull roar of the fireworks was heard, delayed from the flash, half of her expression was a mystery.

“Fireworks… I see, is it that time already?”

“…”

No response was given.

“Shiranui-kun, when did you become siblings with your sister?”

Instead, a question was thrown back at me.

“…We became siblings when Ayane was starting to become aware of things, so it’s been about ten years.”

“Ten years… huh. If it was that long ago, then well, that makes sense…”

She started muttering to herself.

“…Speaking of which, you said you had something to talk about.”

“…Eh? Talk? …Oh, right, talk. No, it wasn’t anything important at all. Just things like if you were doing well, or if you had finished your summer homework.”

“Oh, so that’s what it was. I’m well, and while I haven’t finished my summer homework yet, I can see the end of it.”

“Seeing the end is the time when you’re most likely to let your guard down, isn’t it? Just because you can see the end doesn’t mean you should put it off until the last day, okay?”

She hit a nerve.

It was true that I had been planning to finish it all on the last day since I could see the end of it.

“Haha, as if I would do such a thing.”

“Liar. I hit a nerve, didn’t I? Shiranui-kun is so easy to read.”

“…Was it that obvious?”

“fufu, un. You were clearly flustered.”

I felt quite embarrassed because she saw right through me.

At the same time, I noticed she was almost back to her usual self, and I felt relieved.

“It’s already almost the end of summer, isn’t it?”

“Summer will continue a little longer. Summer vacation is ending, though.”

My impression was that the arrival of August meant the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

However, thinking about it, the temperature doesn’t immediately drop just because August has begun, the cicadas don’t stop chirping, and the leaves don’t turn red.

“…And school will start.”

She opened her mouth again.

“Let’s get along again in the second semester, Shiranui-kun.”

That’s right, it will start again.

The usual routine.

The occasional mixture of the extraordinary.

That secret after-school time.

“Ah, the same to you.”

Fireworks bloomed in the sky again.

“…Hey, Shiranui-kun, if—“

Boom.

The delayed roar snatched away Takamine-san’s words.

“Sorry, Takamine-san. I couldn’t hear what you said because of the fireworks.”

“…Ah, then could you pretend you didn’t hear it?”

“Ehhh, now I’m curious.”

“No way. I won’t tell you.”

She said it cutely, lovingly.

The weakness of being in love is a terrifying thing.

“Alright, I won’t press it. More importantly, can we head back now? I’ve kept my sister waiting for a while. You must be keeping Koiwai-san and Kiryuu-kun and the others waiting, too, Takamine-san?”

“…Ah, yeah. You’re right. Then let’s go together.”

The entrance to Hanekure Shrine was the same flight of stairs we climbed earlier.

So, that was the only way out, too.

Since we were both heading for the exit, it was natural to descend the stairs together, but I hadn’t thought about it at all, so I was a little taken aback by the invitation.

“A-ah.”

The shadow, which was only a silhouette, approached.

Only when she was life-sized could I finally discern her appearance.

It felt like a celebrity had stepped out of a TV screen.

My heart soared.

Her figure, wearing a yukata with her hair up, revealing her nape, gave a stronger impression of feminine allure than usual.

Our footsteps were sometimes in sync, sometimes out of sync, as we stepped onto the stairs.

“The rise of the steps are quite high, so be careful, Takamine-san.”

“Hmm, are you being considerate? Thank you, Shiranui-kun.”

She smiled.

I was happy, but I looked away.

So she wouldn’t notice my feelings.

“Speaking of which, you just said ‘rise of the steps’, didn’t you? You probably meant the height of the steps, but that’s the first time I’ve heard that word.”

“Was it an unusual word? I tend to remember only unnecessary words, being a bookworm.”

“But that’s a wonderful thing.”

I felt even better.

“Even if it’s flattery, I’m happy to hear it.”

“It’s not flattery.”

She said it clearly and strongly.

“I’ve never flattered Shiranui-kun even once. Not even about your novel. …I think Shiranui-kun undervalues himself too much.”

“Well, that’s just a trait I was born with…”

Even in this love, I myself started the fire but prepared the water, thinking it won’t be fulfilled.

“I think everyone would say your novel is amazing if they read it, too. Yeah, that’s right, we should let everyone read it.”

“I might have to ask you to spare me that. I’ve only shown it to Takamine-san…”

“Eeeh! Is that true?”

“Oh? Was that surprising? I thought I had mentioned it before.”

“Hmm~ I think you did, and I think you didn’t… So, you mean I’m the only one who has read Shiranui-kun’s novel?”

“That would be the case.”

“Oh, I see. …Then that’s better.”

“What is?”

“Oh, just talking to myself. Forget this, too.”

“Takamine-san, don’t you have too many things you want me to forget?”

“A maiden needs her secrets, you know?”

“Mine seems to be an open book, though.”

“Oh, are you referring to the summer homework thing just now? Like I said, Shiranui-kun, you’re a little easy to read.”

“I’m at a loss. I never thought I was such an easy-to-read person.”

“Being easy to read means I can get to know Shiranui-kun better, you know? It means we can become closer.”

“I don’t think I’m that approachable of a person, though.”

“I told you, Shiranui-kun, you undervalue yourself too much. That’s a bad habit of yours. I think you should fix it.”

“Hahaha… I’ll do my best.”

“But I’m glad we talked today, too. I got to know more about Shiranui-kun.”

“I’m an open book, after all.”

“Right. Things like undervaluing yourself, and referring to boys your age without an honorific.”

I remembered mentioning Kiryuu-kun.

“And also… Kya!”

Suddenly, she missed a step on the stone stairs.

I reacted instantly to the sudden event.

As a result, Takamine-san didn’t fall down the stairs, but I ended up in a position where I was holding her.

The characteristic warmth of a female body was transmitted through my hands and arms, and a sensual scent stimulated my brain through my nose.

What am I thinking about at a time like this…?

“A-are you alright, Takamine-san!?”

The time I spent thinking stupid things was brief.

The limit of how long I could support her due to the unfamiliar exertion quickly approached.

“I-I’m sorry, Shiranui-kun.”

She, too, started to regain her balance on her own as she found a stable footing.

“As long as you’re not hurt, that’s all that matters.”

“…Yes, I’m not hurt. But I learned one more thing about Shiranui-kun. Your manliness in a pinch, you know.”

“Don’t joke around. You almost got seriously hurt just now…”

“Yeees”

After that, we descended the stairs in silence.

“Well, let’s part ways around here.”

“Ah, you’re right.”

“Shiranui-kun.”

“?”

“See you later.”

“Yes, see you.”

It was a reluctant farewell, but we had to part ways here.

But we would meet again.

During that secret after-school time of ours.

Summer vacation has already ended.