I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 53

Chapter 53: Advice for a First Love

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《Hiroko Anno’s POV》

At night, I couldn’t sleep, so I turned on only the kitchen light. The steam rising from the teacup slowly unraveled, and I felt like it touched the tight knot in my chest.

“Hiroko?”

“…Onee-chan.”

“What’s wrong? It’s the middle of the night.”

Tomorrow was the weekend, and we had no school, but inside my heart, I still had no idea how to close the distance that had opened between me and Mukei-kun.

“Can I talk a little?”

“Go ahead.”

When I sat at the table, Onee-chan sat across from me, pressing her hair with a towel.

“Ever since the cultural festival, everything started getting faster. I was happy that so many classmates talked to me, but I kept missing Sora-kun, and we had fewer chances to talk.”

Only when I put it into words did my anxiety take shape. My big sister didn’t rush me. She quietly slid a glass of barley tea in front of me.

“First love hurts, doesn’t it?”

Just that was enough to make the back of my eyes burn. She didn’t force denial or answers on me. I nodded and fidgeted with my hair.

“During the play, I understood every cue, every distance. I felt like I could understand everything Mukei-kun was thinking. But now, I don’t know where to stop or how close I’m allowed to get.”

“I see… Hiroko thought she and Mukei-kun were an unbeatable couple.”

“A c-couple!?!”

“Hehe. But the distance grew, and now you’re troubled.”

Onee-chan held up one finger.

“So, Hiroko, what do you want to do now?”

“What do I want to do?”

“Yeah. You’ve learned to talk with your classmates, and your world changed. But… Is that what you want?”

“What I want…”

She asked me, and I tried to think about it. But I didn’t know. What did I want? Onee-chan typed something into her phone memo and showed it to me.

『Thank you for helping me during the play. Would you like to have lunch together on the bench?』

Something inside my chest clicked into place.

“…C-can I really send something like that?”

“Well, Mukei-kun goes to the dojo right after school, right? So your only chance is lunchtime.”

I nodded and stared at the glow of the screen.

“And, Hiroko…”

Onee-chan wrapped her hands around the teacup.

“Don’t blame yourself. The reason you became popular is because you worked hard. It’s something to be happy about, something you can be proud of. And your loneliness is real, too. You don’t have to erase either feeling. You can carry both and still keep walking.”

As she said that, she brushed my bangs into place. The familiar gesture felt now like a signal urging me forward.

“…Hey, Onee-chan. I want to say to Sora-kun, ‘I want to talk with you, just the two of us.’ I want to say it properly.”

“Yeah, say it! You know, love is so, so difficult. It’s about building a relationship where both people can say how they feel. You hesitate, you hold back, you worry about the other person, and there are lots of things you can’t say. But the things you really want to say, you have to say them.”

She gently untangled my hair with her fingers as she spoke, then stroked my cheek.

“I have to say it?”

“That’s right. Practice relying on Mukei-kun. And practice saying no when other people rely on you too much. If you’re in trouble, lean on him. He seems good at that kind of thing.”

I couldn’t help laughing. Yes, he probably was good at things like that. Onee-chan spread three fingers wide.

“Sleep, water, sunlight. When your heart wavers, your body is the first to collapse. Don’t send the message on a sleepless night. Send it first thing in the morning or around lunchtime. Choose a time when your feelings are sorted out and you can be honest and be careful not to disturb his schedule.”

“…Okay. I’ll try.”

Whenever I struggled, Onee-chan always gave me advice.

“It’s fine. Hiroko, you really are changing. A little while ago, I think you would’ve said you could never do what I suggested.”

“U-um… I want to talk with Mukei-kun. So I’ll try.”

“Oh my gosh! You’re too cute, Hiroko!”

She hugged me tightly. The tightness in my chest gently unraveled.

『Thank you for helping me during the play. Can we talk on the bench?』

With the send button right in front of me, I lifted my gaze. Onee-chan told me “go” with her eyes. I gave a small nod and tapped my finger down. I would press send in the morning. As I stood up, her voice called after me.

“Hiroko. First love hurts, but it’s just as beautiful. Look at it properly, feel it properly. As long as you don’t run from it, you’ll be okay. Do your best.”

“…Thank you.”

When I turned around at the door, my big sister grinned and gave me a thumbs-up.

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