I Love You So Much So Please Love More Than Just As A Girlfriend, Love Me As A Little Sister - Volume 1 Chapter 2: I Love Little Sisters, Not Gyarus

Volume 1 Chapter 2: I Love Little Sisters, Not Gyarus

“Yo…”

“Hey, Majima. Morning.”

“What’s up? You look half-dead already.”

Morning. As Keita sluggishly entered the classroom, his friends greeted him with their usual casual banter.

“What, you still hung up on that gacha disaster from the other day?”

“Cheer up, man. I’ll let you borrow my Mai-tan.”

“No, that’s not it…”

His lack of energy was because he’d barely slept, plagued by thoughts of yesterday.

It was only yesterday that Keita had started his bizarre Rental Onii-chan job and had an unexpected run-in with his classmate, Hatsuba Katase.

Things had ended in a whirlwind of chaos, but now that he was at school, he’d inevitably have to face Hatsuba, who was in his class.

What kind of face was he supposed to make after that? And how would Hatsuba react?

He’d been so caught up thinking about it that he couldn’t sleep, and before he knew it, morning had arrived.

For now, Hatsuba wasn’t in the classroom. But since they were in the same class, it was only a matter of time before she showed up.

(…Guess I’ll hit the bathroom for now.)

Honestly, he wasn’t ready to face her yet. His plan was to slip out until just before homeroom and figure out what to do during class.

…But just as he made that decision and headed for the door—

He opened it and came face-to-face with Hatsuba, who was walking in at the exact same moment.

“Ah…”

A small sound slipped from Hatsuba’s lips, as if by reflex.

(Oh no, right off the bat!?)

Completely caught off guard, Keita froze in place, panicking.

But he couldn’t just stand there forever. There were classmates around. He had to avoid looking suspicious.

“M-Morning… Katase.”

Stammering, he managed a greeting.

Hatsuba, who’d looked a bit tense, relaxed at his words, her face breaking into a bright, energetic grin.

And then, with a big cheerful smile, she said this.

“Yup! Morning, Onii-chan!”

(WHAAA?!?!?!)

Hatsuba’s voice echoed through the classroom, and the lively chatter instantly fell silent.

Keita was speechless, frozen. Hatsuba, realizing her blunder, turned pale, her expression screaming, Oh crap, oh crap, what do I do!?

“Huh? What? ‘Onii-chan’?”

“Was that Katase-san just now…? Wait, she said that to Majima?”

“Now that you mention it, Majima’s always going on about loving ‘little sisters’…”

The classmates buzzed, their stares piling on. Keita’s panic hit its peak—

“…Juuust kidding~! You’re into that kinda stuff, right, Majima? Always talking about little sisters and all! So, how was it? Thrilled? Did your heart skip a beat?”

The next moment, Hatsuba slapped Keita’s shoulder with a cheerful grin, laughing her usual bubbly laugh.

A wave of “Oh, that’s all?” washed over the classroom. Apparently, everyone assumed it was just Hatsuba teasing Keita, as usual.

Leaving the still-paralyzed Keita behind, Hatsuba casually joined her friends’ circle like nothing had happened.

And then, during the next break.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry, for real!!”

After quietly saying, “I need to talk with you,” Hatsuba dragged Keita to the end of the hallway.

In a secluded spot with little foot traffic, she clapped her hands together and bowed in apology.

“Sorry!? That was not planned, was it!? You nearly gave me a heart attack!!”

“I said I’m sorry! It just slipped out, like a habit!!”

“Habit!? You only called me that for a bit yesterday!”

Was she seriously saying that one short exchange was enough to ingrain “I’m Majima’s little sister!” into her brain? That’s ridiculous.

“Well… uh, it’s ‘cause I kept practicing in my head even after I left yesterday! So it just came out!”

“For real…?”

“I-I mean, if I’m gonna do it, I gotta go all out and have fun, right? I’m paying for it!”

Keita got what she meant, but practicing to call a mere classmate “Onii-chan”? That felt like veering way off the beaten path.

“A-Anyway, I’m really, really sorry, okay? I’d be, like, a total failure as a little sister if I stressed out my Onii-chan…”

“Nah. Accidentally calling your brother ‘Onii-chan’ in a situation where you shouldn’t? That’s totally a valid little sister trope. It’s peak little sister energy.”

Clumsy little sisters are justice. This will be on the test.

“Huh…? Oh, r-really…? Hehe.”

After a moment of surprise, Hatsuba broke into a soft, relieved giggle.

That smile was different from her usual confident demeanor… It was, to be specific, like the smile of a clingy little sister. Keita felt a tiny—just a tiny—flutter in his chest.

“But!! You absolutely can’t call me ‘Onii-chan’ at school anymore!! Yesterday was strictly for the job, and we’re just classmates, got it!?”

“I know, I know! I won’t say it anywhere but the shop!! Promise!!”

Raising one hand like she was swearing an oath, Hatsuba nodded vigorously.

“Oh, right… Um, so, Majima, are you working a shift today?”

“Huh?”

“Y’know… the ‘Onii-chan’ thing.”

Keita hesitated. He was scheduled to work, but… was it really okay to keep going with such a ridiculous job? Honestly, he was still pretty torn about it.

But before he could answer—

“I-I mean, it’s not like I’m insisting or anything…! Just, like… I’m planning to keep going to the shop, so knowing someone there would make me feel more at ease, y’know…?”

“What? You’re coming back today?”

“C-C’mon, what’s wrong with that…! I’m an only child, so… I’ve always kinda wanted an ‘Onii-chan’…”

Fidgeting restlessly, Hatsuba stared at Keita with an unusually vulnerable gaze.

Her uncharacteristically timid look, especially after that sisterly smile earlier, threw Keita off balance. It made him think—against his better judgment—that he wanted to do something for her.

“Well, the director told me to work ‘seven days a week,’ so I’m planning to go today…”

“For real!? That’s insanely shady!? Are you gonna be okay!?”

Hatsuba’s eyes went wide. Fair reaction.

But then she let out a small, relieved chuckle.

“Oh, but… that means I get to have you as my ‘Onii-chan’ again today, right?”

Her face looked so genuinely happy that Keita’s heart skipped another beat. …Even though he knew she was probably just setting him up to tease him again.

“Crap! I gotta go! Catch ya later, Majima! Um… see you after school!”

Flustered, Hatsuba hurried back to the classroom.

Keita watched her until she disappeared, then snapped back to reality.

(Wait. Does that mean… I’m gonna have to be Katase’s ‘Onii-chan’ again today…?)

◆◆◆

And so, after school.

“I’ve been waiting, Majima-kun! Your Onii-chan performance yesterday was absolutely splendid! My instincts were spot-on!”

Spotting Keita, Rei grabbed his hand with genuine delight, shaking it enthusiastically.

What a passionate welcome. But for some reason, it didn’t make him feel happy at all. If anything, it left him feeling hollow.

“Oh, no time for this! Hurry and get ready. Our Imouto-sama for today will be here soon. Come on, put on your training badge!”

As she spoke, Rei pinned the Onii-chan in Training badge to Keita’s chest. At the same moment, a knock echoed through the room.

Bursting through the door with energy was, unsurprisingly, Hatsuba.

“Hello! I’m ready for today! I even brought money this time!”

“Welcome, Imouto-sama. Go on, Majima-kun, the greeting!”

“Uh… Welcome back, My Sister.”

Still in her school uniform, clearly fresh from class, Hatsuba met Keita’s eyes and flashed a shy smile.

“Um… Here’s to today, okay? Onii-chan.”

“Y-Yeah…”

This was throwing him off in every possible way.

Then, Rei approached, carrying what looked like a booklet.

“Majima-kun, take this.”

“What’s this all of a sudden…? ‘Onii-chan Training Menu’?”

It seemed to be a manual of sorts, listing situations straight out of a rom-com light novel: Headpats, Hugs, Back-Scrubbing Together, and more.

“Uh, what’s this…?”

“As you can see, it’s a training manual for professional Onii-chans. I’ve compiled all the essential skills you’ll need to become a proper ‘Onii-chan,’ so use it as a reference. Think of it like cashier duties or stocking shelves at a convenience store job.”

“Professional Onii-chan…?”

Flipping to the first page, Keita was hit with an absurdly cryptic line: “Do you, as an ‘Onii-chan,’ swear to love, honor, and cherish your little sister in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty?”

“Uh, what’s this…?”

“As it says, it’s a record of the principles every Onii-chan should live by. It’s posted on the wall over there too, see?”

Following her gesture, Keita spotted a framed sign that read: “Thou shalt love thy little sister.”

“By the way, we’re currently holding the ‘Spring Hug Festival.’ With each rental, you get one free use of the paid ‘Front-Facing Hug’ option. Don’t forget!”

“What is this, a bread festival or something?!”

T/N: This line of the mc is mainly because of how absurdly promotional it sounds—like one of those famous “Yamazaki Bread Festivals” in Japan.

As Keita threw in a retort, Hatsuba leaned over, peeking at the manual. “What? What’s that?”

“H-Hey! Don’t just look without asking!”

“C’mon, I’m curious!”

“Ah, Imouto-sama, my apologies, but that’s for staff use only… Here’s the menu for Imouto-samas. Please choose your preferred course.”

“Whoa, there’s something like that?”

Delighted, Hatsuba took the menu from Rei. Unlike Keita’s manual, it looked like something you’d find at a family restaurant—a proper menu.

Peeking over, Keita saw course names like “Relaxing Room Course” and “Chill Living Room Course,” each paired with photos of different room setups.

From the descriptions, it seemed the room’s decor changed based on the chosen course, but…

“Uh, Director, can I ask something?”

“What is it?”

“This place doesn’t look anything like the rooms in the photos.”

“No worries. Those rooms are set up separately.”

With a confident smirk, Rei said, “Follow me,” and headed for the door. “Okaaay!” Hatsuba chirped, obediently trailing behind. Feeling a bad vibe, Keita reluctantly followed.

Exiting the room, Rei led them up a staircase to the next floor.

“This is the room for the ‘Relaxing Room Course,’ dubbed ‘Onii-chan’s Room.’ Go ahead and take a look!”

With that, Rei flung open the door.

Inside was a room straight out of a galge background—the quintessential “protagonist’s bedroom.”

A bed, a desk, a dresser. The bookshelf against the wall was stocked with light novels and manga. Honestly, it looked cozier than Keita’s actual room.

“Wow, this is awesome! They’ve got a place like this!?”

Hatsuba looked around with fascination.

“Whoa, tons of manga… Is your room like this too, Majima?”

“Well, I do have a decent manga collection, but…”

“Then maybe I wanna try this one today. Visiting my Onii-chan’s room has always been a dream of mine…”

Her oddly gleeful comment caught Keita off guard, making his heart skip a beat.

“…That’s the kinda vibe sisters have, right? Just trying to get into character, teehee!”

“I knew you’d say that!!”

Seeing her wink and stick out her tongue with a “Teehee,” Keita swore he’d never take her words at face value again.

He caught her muttering, “That was close…” under her breath, but he stubbornly ignored it. If he pressed her, she’d probably just hit him with another “Just kidding!” anyway.

“Understood. Then we’ll proceed with the ‘Relaxing Room Course’… Here are the optional add-ons for this course.”

Flipping the menu to the “Paid Options” page, Rei showed it to Hatsuba. This was starting to feel suspiciously like a hostess club… Not that Keita had ever been to one.

As Hatsuba scanned the menu, she suddenly spoke up.

“…Hey? Onii-chan, what kind of little sister would you like from this list?”

“Huh!? Me!?”

He hadn’t expected that question, and his voice cracked.

Hatsuba’s eyes widened as if she’d realized something, “Hah!”, her face turning red as she frantically backpedaled.

“N-No, wait! That’s not what I meant! I-I’m new to this little sister thing, so I don’t know what to pick! Like, I just wanted to hear the staff’s recommendation, y’know? That’s all! …It’s not like I was trying to figure out what Onii-chan’s into or anything, okay?”

Blushing slightly, Hatsuba glanced up at him with an almost coy look.

Keita’s heart skipped a beat—almost—but he caught himself. He wasn’t dumb enough to fall for the same trick twice in a row.

(Also, she’s totally settled into calling me ‘Onii-chan’ now…)

What’s scarier was that he was starting to get used to it. He could imagine them casually chatting in class like, “Onii-chaaan?” “What’s up, little sis?” He had to stay grounded or he’d lose himself.

“Onii-chan? What’s wrong?”

“Nah, nothing… You were asking about recommendations, right?”

But putting it into words was harder than he expected. To Keita, any little sister was adorable just by being a little sister! That was his core belief. He didn’t want to rank them or pick favorites.

Sensing his hesitation, Hatsuba chimed in with a suggestion.

“Like, maybe a sister from a manga you read recently that you really liked… Anything like that?”

“Recently, huh… Then it’d be Suzune from The One I Like Is My Little Sister! Shortened to SukiImo.”

“SukiImo… What’s Suzune like as a sister?”

“She’s a classic brocon sister. She loves her brother so much that she pushes past her embarrassment to make all these bold moves, and it’s super cute. Like, there’s this scene where she sneaks into his bed in her underwear, and the illustration is just perfect—”

“Huh? Sorry, I didn’t catch that. In her what?”

“Nothing, forget it!!!!”

That was close. He almost got labeled as a pervert who gets excited over little sister underwear.

“Hmm, so that’s a thing. Never heard of it, but is it a manga?”

“Nah, it’s a light novel.”

“Light novels… Um, are those, like, expensive…?”

“Huh? Nah, not really. They’re about the same as other light novels… Around six hundred yen per volume, I’d say.”

Sure, it stings a bit after blowing cash on gacha, but it’s not a huge expense.

“I see… Six hundred yen…”

Muttering to herself, Hatsuba seemed deep in thought.

Was she seriously thinking about buying it…? Keita wondered, but before he could dwell on it—

“Oh, we have that one on the shelf over there. Just the first volume, though.”

“What!? For real!?”

Hatsuba’s face lit up. Keita, too, blurted, “Seriously!?” and glanced at the bookshelf.

On closer inspection, every book on the shelf was little sister-centric titles. They were all ones Keita owned… In fact, it was almost an exact replica of his collection.

It felt like his personal bookshelf was being exposed, making him uneasy… And just as he thought that—

“By the way, I curated this lineup based on the ‘favorite little sister works’ you listed in your survey, Majima-kun.”

“What are you doing using that without permission!!”

Ignoring Keita’s shout, Hatsuba eagerly grabbed the copy of SukiImo.

“Whoa, so this is it. Looks easy to read with the pictures—”

Flipping it open, Hatsuba froze mid-sentence.

Curious, Keita peeked at the page—and went rigid too.

She’d opened to the frontispiece. There, in vivid color, was an illustration of the heroine lying in her brother’s bed… in her underwear.

A silent moment passed. Then, Hatsuba’s face exploded red with a BOOM!

“W-W-Wah…! A-A-Ah!?”

“W-Wait! Calm down, Katase!! I can explain!!”

Panicking, Keita snatched the book from her hands.

Hatsuba seemed to snap out of her panic, but her face stayed red as she stole awkward glances at Keita. In a small voice, she mumbled, “Onii-chan… Is this the kind of stuff you’re into…?”

“N-No!! That’s not it!! I’m not reading it for perverted reasons!! It’s just that the little sister’s pure devotion, working so hard for her brother, is what’s precious!!”

…Also.

(That’s kinda surprising.)

Keita had expected Hatsuba to tease him mercilessly, like, “Ohhh, so this is what you’re into, Majima? Heh heh!” as if she’d struck gold. She’d blushed bright red just from him calling her name yesterday, too. Maybe she was more innocent than he thought?

“…H-Hey? So, Onii-chan, you like little sisters like this Suzune girl, right?”

“W-Well… I wouldn’t say I dislike her…”

“Hmm…”

Fidgeting, glancing between Keita and the copy of SukiImo in his hands, Hatsuba seemed restless.

“…Um, Director? That menu earlier had something about ‘Sleeping Together,’ right? Can I request that…?”

“What!?”

“Understood. Please use that bed over there.”

“Hold on a sec!?”

Stunned, Keita looked at Hatsuba.

He braced for her to say “Just kidding!” or something, but instead, she sat on the bed, her face still flushed. She actually sat down.

“Come on, Onii-chan… Join me.”

“W-Wait, but…”

Was this okay? Sleeping together meant… getting in bed together, right?

“Come on, Majima-kun. Imouto-sama is waiting.”

“E-Even if you say that…”

“I get that it’s awkward with someone you know. But we’re charging her for this. We have to provide the service they paid for.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Hmm, no choice then. Any time wasted will be deducted from your bonus (SSR tickets)—”

“I’ll humbly provide the sleeping-together service!!”

Whoosh! Keita dove onto the bed.

“Uh, okay… You go first.”

“O-Okay… Thanks.”

Hatsuba hesitantly lifted the covers to slip in—but then, with a “Wait!?” she froze.

“N-No, hold on! Onii-chan, you get in first!”

“Huh? …Why?”

“Just do it! Go on, get in! Face that way and close your eyes!”

“But why!?”

Pushed by her insistent shoving, Keita climbed into the bed, still confused.

“M-Make sure you face that way, okay? Don’t look over here…!”

“Alright, alright…”

Feeling uneasy but remembering she was an “Imouto-sama” customer, he couldn’t push back too hard.

Obediently closing his eyes, he waited. After a moment, he heard rustling noises.

No, wait… Was that… the sound of clothes brushing together?

Just as he thought that, the bed creaked with a squeak. Someone—Hatsuba—was getting in.

“…Y-You can… look here now, Onii-chan…”

Hatsuba’s shy voice came from behind, so close it made Keita’s heart jump. Turning to face her—

Instantly.

(Wha…!?)

In the same bed, right before his eyes, Hatsuba lay… in her underwear.

The school uniform she’d been wearing was gone without a trace, leaving only her feminine, colorful underwear and the generous curves beneath, fully exposed.

“K-Katase!? W-What are you…!?”

“I’m not… Katase.”

Despite the situation, Hatsuba mumbled in a pouty tone.

“We’re… siblings, right, Onii-chan?”

“That’s… I mean, yeah, but this isn’t the time to—”

“Then… like yesterday, call me by my name…”

Saying it in a clingy, almost pleading tone, Hatsuba grabbed the front of Keita’s shirt.

…At the same time, her arm pressed against her chest, causing her ample curves to squish with a mnyuu. Keita frantically averted his gaze.

“Onii-chan…? Why… are you looking away…?”

“N-No, it’s just! Your outfit!”

“…It’s okay, you know?”

“Huh!?”

“If Onii-chan wants to look… you can look. I’m your little sister, so… I’ll do anything to make Onii-chan happy.”

Leaning closer, practically pressing her chest against him, Keita nearly spurted a nosebleed… but.

(No, wait!! Don’t fall for it, me!! This is Katase’s usual trick!! I’m not gonna keep falling for the same stupid move like an idiot!!)

This was classic Hatsuba. Acting all sweet and innocent, only to pounce with her signature “Just kidding~!” the moment he got flustered.

If that was her game, he couldn’t let her keep the upper hand. As an Onii-chan, he had to face his “little sister” with confidence and authority.

They were siblings right now, after all. An Onii-chan doesn’t get flustered sharing a bed with his little sister in her underwear. He doesn’t.

(I’ll do it! I’ll show you, Katase!! You think you can keep acting all smug? I’m not the same old me when I’m in this shop!!)

Steeling himself, Keita slowly turned to face her.

…But his mustered resolve crumbled instantly.

He’d expected Hatsuba to be smirking with her usual mischievous grin, but instead, her face was redder than he’d ever seen, almost to the point of tears, her brows furrowed in a shy, vulnerable expression. Yet she held his gaze, unmoving.

He hadn’t anticipated that kind of look.

The Hatsuba he knew was always infuriatingly confident, fearlessly pressing herself against him just to tease. She was the bold, untouchable type.

But this? This was exactly like… a cute little sister, pushing past her embarrassment to appeal to her beloved Onii-chan.

“H… Hatsuba?”

Thrown off by her unusual reaction, Keita called her name.

In that instant, Hatsuba froze as if a crack! had sounded.

Her face grew redder and redder until, finally—

“…Kyu.”

“W-Wait!? H-Hey, hang in there!! Hatsuba! Hatsuba!!”

Panicking, Keita leapt up as Hatsuba’s eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the bed.

◆◆◆

“You okay…?”

“Nn… Th-Thanks, Onii-chan…”

Now awake, Hatsuba sat beside Keita on the bed. Naturally, she was back in her school uniform.

(This is… so awkward…)

If he let his guard down, the image of Hatsuba from earlier would flash in his mind, making it impossible to look her in the eye.

He almost wished she’d tease him like usual to break the tension, but Hatsuba just sat there, face red, silently staring at the floor.

This was seriously throwing him off. For real.

To distract himself, he glanced at the wall clock. Their rental time was almost up.

(Oh, right…)

He suddenly remembered the “service” Rei had mentioned.

“Hey, uh… Hatsuba?”

“What?”

“No pressure if you don’t want to, but the boss said they’re holding some ‘Spring Hug Festival’ thing…”

He didn’t think Hatsuba would care, but he figured he’d mention it.

Hatsuba thought for a moment, then looked at him.

“…What about you, Onii-chan?”

“Huh?”

“Which would you prefer? A little sister who wants to be hugged, or one who doesn’t… Which one do you like, Onii-chan?”

Her eyes, slightly glistening, locked onto Keita’s.

“If Onii-chan says ‘do it’… I’ll do whatever you want. So… you decide, okay?”

“Wha—!?”

BOOM! Keita’s brain nearly exploded.

“W-Well, I think both are great, but… if I had to pick right now, clingy little sisters are kinda my vibe…!”

In his confusion, the first thing that popped into his head slipped out. Hatsuba nodded, murmuring, “I see…” For some reason, her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard.

“Okay… Please.”

“Huh!? For real!?”

Was this really okay? Hugging a female classmate, even if they were “siblings”?

“U-Um… I’ve gotta head out soon, so… it’d be nice if you could hurry up…”

“O-Okay… Here goes…”

Urged on by Hatsuba, Keita stood up.

Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her into an embrace.

(Whoa…)

It was his first time hugging a girl. Her body was unbelievably soft, warm, and smelled amazing.

Above all, as he held her close, Hatsuba’s chest pressed firmly against him. The unfamiliar sensation made his heart feel like it was about to explode.

“Kata—H-Hatsuba…?”

“W-What… Onii-chan?”

“Just… You’re not, like, uncomfortable with this, right? With me holding you like this…”

“It’s a little embarrassing, but… not at all. Because I… I really love you, Onii-chan.”

“Wha…!?”

He was so shocked he thought his heart might stop.

(N-No, wait, calm down…! It’s probably just her usual prank. Or she’s just really playing the sister role, that’s gotta be it…)

As Keita’s mind raced, Hatsuba gently pressed her forehead against his chest.

“…Ehehe.”

A clingy gesture.

Like siblings.

Or… maybe like a couple.

His heart was pounding so hard he didn’t know when to let go. Hatsuba didn’t pull away either, keeping her face buried in his chest.

For a moment, he wondered if they’d stay like this forever—but then an alarm went off.

The signal that their rental time was up. Keita flinched, instinctively pulling back—

“Sniff sniff… Hehe… I love you, Onii-chan…”

“Hatsuba!? What’s wrong with you!? You’re acting totally out of character!”

“Huh!? O-Oh, s-sorry…! I might’ve gotten too into the ‘little sister’ role!”

“What does that even mean!?”

Ignoring Keita’s retort, Hatsuba hurriedly started gathering her things.

“Well, Majima! Thanks for today! I’ll be back, so see ya!”

She left with those words trailing behind her.

◆◆◆

“Good work. Between yesterday and today, you’ve been quite the impressive ‘Onii-chan,’ haven’t you?”

“Uh… Thanks.”

After closing time, Keita was zoning out in the shop when Rei’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Yes, yes. Just as I thought. You’ve got real ‘Onii-chan’ potential. With this, SGO is bound to thrive even more!”

“Glad to hear it…”

“By the way, Majima-kun. There’s something I want to show you.”

Brushing off Keita’s half-hearted response, Rei fiddled with a tablet in her hand.

“What’s that?”

“Fufufu. Be thrilled, Majima-kun. This morning, we got the design draft for a new little sister character set to be implemented soon. It’s not finalized yet, but… I thought I’d give you a sneak peek.”

“For real!? Thank you!! That’s awesome!!”

Forgetting all the nonsense he’d been through, Keita raised both hands in excitement. This job was worth it! he thought, almost carefree.

“Of course, this info is still pre-release. Leaking it on social media could lead to legal trouble, so be careful. Though, as an Onii-chan, I trust you wouldn’t make such a mistake.”

“H-Haha, obviously not…”

Trembling with nervous tension, Keita took the tablet.

But all his stray thoughts vanished the moment he saw the “little sister” on the screen.

“Onii-chan, I love you!”

Her beaming smile seemed to say it loud and clear.

It was just an illustration. He didn’t know her personality, her voice, or anything else.

But that smile alone was enough for Keita to know.

He’d definitely fall in love with this “little sister.”

“Whoa, she’s amazing! So, what’s her character like?”

“That’s what I want you to help figure out, Majima-kun.”

“…Huh? Me?”

Blinking at the unexpected words, Keita saw Rei nod with a serious expression.

“I told you, didn’t I? The Rental Onii-chan service is like location scouting. By interacting with all kinds of ‘little sisters,’ we aim to discover more captivating character archetypes and situations. That’s the goal of this project.”

“Oh, so you actually meant to make a game…”

“Of course. I wouldn’t do something like this just for kicks.”

It didn’t exactly seem like a serious endeavor either, but Keita kept that to himself.

“Naturally, we’ll come up with ideas too, so it’s not all on you. But if you suggest something good, it could be adopted. So, what do you say? Want to take this chance to bring your ‘ideal little sister’ to life in SGO?”

Rei’s enthusiastic words sent Keita into deep thought.

(My ideal little sister, huh…)

For some reason, his mind drifted to Hatsuba—her actions today and from before.

“O-Onii-chan…!”

Her shy, almost clingy expression, so different from the confident girl he knew in class. Thinking back on it, Keita felt something new stirring inside him, something he’d never felt before.

Was it a protective “big brother” instinct? Or maybe—

(No, no, no!! The brother-sister thing is just for the job!! Katase and I are just classmates!!)

That was close. Shaking his head, Keita banished the dangerous thoughts.