Chastity Reversed: Part-Time Life by the All-Girls High School - Chapter 40: Weird Brother

Ever since that moment, Sora-nii had begun acting strange.

[Huh. That’s a beautiful and cute name. I think it’s nice.]

Because of the way he had insulted me so much before, I was bracing myself for more of the same treatment.

[Ah, sorry? If that upset you, I’ll apologize…]

Ever since then, he kept apologizing to me—nonstop.  

I couldn’t make sense of any of this.  

Honestly, if three typhoons didn’t show up tomorrow, it wouldn’t feel fair.  

“This house hasn’t changed at all…”  

Eventually, we arrived home. Sora-nii muttered this, looking off into the distance.  

“Well, anyway, just focus on resting, okay?”  

“Understood. I’m sorry for being a burden.”  

“! Uh, Sora… You don’t have to use formal speech, alright?”  

“That’s right.”  

“…I’m sorry. If it’s alright, I’d like to stick with this for now.”  

“No need to push yourself…”  

“O-okay, then.”

This wasn’t a normal conversation between parents and their child!  

What even was this atmosphere? Just being in the room was exhausting.  

Seriously, why was he using formal speech!?

“…Where’s my room?”  

“You’ll be sharing it with Akari.”  

“Huh? Oh, I guess it’s because the apartment layout hasn’t changed…”  

He murmured this as if suddenly realizing something.  

Yeah, this tiny apartment was way too cramped for a family of four. That was why Sora-nii and I shared a single room.  

[What? I’m on the phone here. Oh, sorry, it’s just my annoying little sister making noise.]

And yet…  

[Hey, clean that up for me.]

He threw his trash on my side of the room!  

[Turn off the lights? It’s only midnight, you ugly pest.]

Even though I had club activities early in the morning, he spent every day holed up in the room. He lounged around on the bed, glued to his phone.  

And, of course, there were always snacks in one hand. At this rate, he was bound to become a pig.  

I figured he’d just keep acting the same way, so—  

“Alright, I’m heading out for a run.”  

”What!?”

Where did he think he was going!?

☆  

Evening came.  

I’d been running nonstop for about an hour. The sky had started to darken.  

“Hah… hah… Ahhh, this is amazing.”  

The outdoors were the best.  

Exercise was the best.  

I couldn’t describe how liberating it was to escape from the suffocating atmosphere of that house.  

But this body was completely out of shape. It got tired so quickly.  

Even though this was all just a dream, exercise still felt rewarding.  

And with a body this out of shape, that just meant there was plenty of room for improvement.  

“I’m home.”  

“…W-welcome back.”  

“Oh, you made dinner?”  

“Of course, I did. You’re family, after all.”  

“…Right, I see. Thank you. I’ll dig in.”

Dad (or whoever he was) said this to me while washing the dishes.  

It looked like everyone else had already eaten.  

On the table meant for four people, a single plate of food sat waiting for me.  

The fact that I could eat alone was a blessing.  

Also, Dad (or fake Dad)—weren’t you terrible at doing the dishes? Now you’re handling them like a pro? Did you suddenly get into household chores?  

“This is so good. Even though it’s just a dream.”  

Meals after exercise were the best!  

I devoured it all in no time.  

“Sora… You’re actually not being picky about food?”  

“Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.”  

“…Oh, uh, y-you’re welcome.”  

I handed my plate to Fake Dad, who was now wiping down the dishes.  

Wow. Not a single plate broken. Incredible.  

“Do you want to take a bath?”  

“Oh, yeah. I think I will.”  

“Alright. Once Akari’s done—”  

“Hah… Oh.”  

“Oh.”  

It looked like she’d just finished.  

Akari stepped out of the bathroom, her face slightly red.  

I had guessed as much from the sound of the hairdryer.  

Her ponytail was undone, and her damp medium-length hair clung to her pajamas.  

But her hair was completely soaked!  

“Hey, you’ve got to dry your hair properly.”  

“Huh? What’s with you?”  

“Your hair’s still dripping wet.”  

“…S-shut up. What’s it to you?”  

“Come on, they say hair is a woman’s life, right?”  

“What? Are you joking? If anything, it’s a guy’s life that’s in his hair!”  

“What…?”  

I didn’t get it.  

There were all these little moments where I just didn’t understand this place.  

[Are you mocking me? ‘Beautiful?’ ‘Cute?’ Really?]

That earlier incident, too.  

It felt like something about this world’s common sense didn’t quite align with mine.  

“Ah, sorry. Did I mess up again?” 

“…It’s fine, whatever.”  

Akari turned her face away again.  

Honestly, though.  

Talking to her was actually easier because I had no sister in my original family.

She didn’t really feel like a sister to me.  

She was more like just a younger girl I happened to know. Kind of like a cousin, I guess?  

That was why I wanted to get along with her.  

She was probably the only person in this household who I could interact with “normally”.

“Still, no matter the gender, your hair gets damaged if you don’t take care of it. Especially since your hair is so pretty.”  

“…What a pain.”  

“Oh, want me to dry it for you?”  

“…Seriously, what’s up with you…?”  

“Well, I am your older brother, right?”  

“Fine…! If you’re going to do it, hurry up!”  

“Roger that.”

The two of us stood at the sink.  

There was a pretty expensive-looking hair-dryer there.  

Alright, now where was the comb… Oh, there it was.  

Wait, did this one belong to the old me? My name was written on it.  

Wow, the old me had good taste in products.  

“Alright, let’s do this.”  

“Okay.”  

Vwoooosh

I turned on the hairdryer.  

When I was little, my parents used to dry my hair for me.  

It felt nice, but by the time I hit elementary school, I got embarrassed and started doing it myself.  

“…Mm.”  

“Does it hurt?”  

“No…”  

Akari narrowed her eyes, looking relaxed, almost like she was enjoying it.  

“You really have to dry it properly.”  

“…I get it.”  

Although she was still a little standoffish toward me—  

“Does it itch anywhere?” (you know, the thing hair stylists always say)

“…Ha! What was that?”  

Oh, she smiled.  

She was… kind of adorable.  

If I had a sister, maybe this was what it would have been like?  

Ugh, gross.  

Was I so desperate for a little sister that I crafted this absurdly elaborate dream?  

Alright, I’d seen enough.  

Hurry up and let me wake up already!