I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life After Transferring, but I Fell into a Rom-Com Trap and a Hidden Battlefield No One Knows About

Chapter 43: The Matter of My Little Sister’s Prank Talk Being Bad for My Heart

I sat on the sandy beach, sipping the tea I had brought, quietly gazing out at the sea.

Everyone else had already gone down to the shore to catch fish, shrimp, and crabs, so I was the only one left under the parasol, lying back and enjoying this lively yet peaceful moment.

At first, I wasn’t too keen on coming on this trip, but this kind of laid-back feeling… I definitely wouldn’t get this at home.

Yeah… I guess this trip isn’t so bad after all.

“Hey, Onii-chan, look, look! I caught a bunch of crabs!”

Umika came running over, holding a blue bucket in both hands, her face beaming with excitement at her haul.

“Oh? That’s awesome. Let me see.”

“Hehe~ Make sure to admire my glorious catch, okay?”

She placed the bucket on the ground, and I cautiously peeked inside.

Whoa, it’s half-full of crabs. She actually caught this many? And they’re all still alive? She’s not worried about getting pinched by those claws?

“Well? Well? Pretty impressive, right?”

Umika puffed out her chest with pride.

“Well… yeah, I gotta admit, it’s pretty impressive.”

“Ehehe~”

Hearing my praise, she grinned happily. After a moment, she suddenly sat down next to me, a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Oh yeah, Onii-chan, last night, you were in the same room as Momiji-neesan, weren’t you?”

“Hm? Yeah, I was. Why?”

“Fufufu~”

Umika gave me a mischievous smirk, her eyes full of mischief.

This… this is bad. I know that look. She’s about to say something completely out of left field…

“You totally did this and that with Momiji-neesan last night, didn’t you?”

…She really just went there, huh?!

As she spoke, she nudged me with her elbow, her face all but screaming, C’mon, just confess already!

“Hah!?”

I nearly choked on my tea.

“No way in hell! Don’t look at me like that, you little brat!”

“Oh? So you’re saying nothing happened between you two?”

Umika narrowed her eyes, deepening her grin.

“You were alone together in the same room, right? You’re telling me you just slept?”

“Obviously! What the hell do you think was supposed to happen?! What’s going on inside that head of yours?!”

“Aww, c’mon, Onii-chan, don’t be so shy~ Momiji-neesan’s a total beauty, right? There’s no way you didn’t think something.”

“Keep talking nonsense and I’ll smack you.”

“Eek! So scary~!”

Umika exaggeratedly clutched her head in mock fear, but quickly started giggling again.

“But y’know, Onii-chan… you totally look nervous right now. Super suspicious.”

“Hah!? How the hell do I look nervous?!”

“Hmm~ you sure about that?”

She rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, she shot up to her feet, her face filled with determination.

“Alright then! I’ll just go ask Momiji-neesan directly!”

“Oi!!”

…This little brat…!

“Momiji-neesaaaan! Onii-chan last night—”

“You little—! Don’t say something stupid!!”

I jumped up in a panic, clamping a hand over her mouth as she struggled and laughed uncontrollably.

Haaah… Seriously, this kid…

“Quit messing around with jokes like that…”

“Ehehe~ It just sounded funny, that’s all! I wasn’t really gonna ask her.”

“You just shouted it at the top of your lungs!!”

“She’s too far away, she probably didn’t hear!”

“Just cut it out already. I swear, I’ll die on the spot if you keep this up.”

“Cheh! Onii-chan, you’re no fun…”

After that, Umika sat back down beside her bucket, and I returned to my spot, sipping my tea once more.

For a while, neither of us spoke, simply enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. But then, Umika shifted into a more laid-back posture, matching mine, and casually opened her mouth.

“By the way, what’s the deal with that tall guy from earlier? You two looked like rivals or something.”

“Him? Well… let’s just say he’s a pain in the ass. I don’t like him! I hate him!”

I kept my answer vague, avoiding any mention of Asakawa. The last thing I needed was for this conversation to go any further. Before Umika could react, I quickly changed the subject.

“Hey, Umika, aren’t you hungry? How about some takoyaki? Looks like they’re selling some over there.”

Takoyaki was Umika’s absolute favorite. This was the only way to divert her attention—otherwise, she’d definitely circle back to the previous topic.

The moment she heard “takoyaki,” her eyes lit up like stars, and her excitement skyrocketed.

“Really!? Where? Where is it!?”

“Over there. C’mon, I’ll treat you.”

“Yay~!”

And just like that, I successfully led Umika away to a food stall, buying some takoyaki and skillfully steering her focus elsewhere.