I Was Reincarnated as a Mob in a Completed School Rom-Com Manga, and When I Tried My Best to Cheer Up the Broken Losing Heroines, I Realized I Had Surpassed the Original Story - 29

Chapter 29: Cultural Festival (Moe Kurosaki)

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The school festival had begun. The school I thought I knew so well was brilliantly decorated, wrapped in pleasant music and the laughter of the students. On this day that made everyone’s heart dance, I was probably the only one on the verge of tears.

“Onii-chan! Next I want takoyaki and crepes! And yakisoba for lunch too!”

“Have mercy on me, Moe. My remaining-funds-life is already at zero…”

No matter how much I shook my completely empty wallet, money wasn’t going to appear.

“Eehh!! Moe is still super hungry though!!”

My little sister, who had already dragged me to seven food stalls just this morning, puffed up in anger. I easily could have predicted this would happen, and even though I tried to hide from Moe and survive the day unnoticed, for some reason she still figured out where I was.

“Seriously, please give me a break… I’m starting to hate nurses…”

“No waaay~ Moe’s deep, deep emotional wounds aren’t something even a doctor can fix, you know.”

“Even if you say that, I can’t give you money I don’t have…”

“Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped. Then I guess I’ll just have to use the allowance Mom gave me for today…”

With a sigh, Moe pulled out two small envelopes from her pocket.

“Hah!? What’s that? I didn’t get anything!”

“Because Moe is holding onto Onii-chan’s share too.”

“Hey—give me that! I seriously have nothing left!”

“But if I hand it over, Onii-chan might abandon Moe and go somewhere else…”

That fragile expression made me remember something from long ago. Right, I think something similar happened when we were in elementary school…

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll absolutely stay by Moe’s side, so please!”

Moe’s face instantly lit up.

“Really!? If you lie, Moe will ignite into Moe-Flame-Fire, okay!?”

And that was how I finally secured some extra funds. Just then, a female student dressed in a cat-ear maid cosplay walked past me. Without thinking, my eyes followed her.

“R-right, didn’t you promise to stop by Nazuna’s class cosplay café?”

“Jiiiiii…………”

The look she gave me was as if she were staring at something filthy. It was definitely not the kind of expression a little sister should give her own brother, and the fact that she intentionally added a sound effect was concerning.

“W-what is it…?”

“Does Onii-chan really want to see Nazuna-senpai’s cosplay that badly? Or are you saying Moe’s date is boring!?”

“No, that’s not what I meant, but… Since I already promised her I would come, I should go…”

Moe let out an irritated sigh while glancing at her phone.

“Kirari already went. She’s been there since this morning, actually.”

As expected of Kirari… It was already noon, meaning she’d been occupying the place for nearly three hours.

“Her obsession with Nazuna is seriously incredible…”

“What about Onii-chan…?”

Moe looked up at me anxiously.

“About what…?”

“About Nazuna-senpai. What do you think of her…? You’re going on a date with her tomorrow, right…?”

“H-how do you know that!?”

“Nazuna-senpai happily told me yesterday…”

It wasn’t like I told Nazuna to keep it a secret, but having my little sister know details about my love life was still kind of embarrassing.

“I see… A-ah, they’re selling takoyaki over there.”

Trying to change the subject, I pointed toward a food stall, but Moe didn’t let her eyes leave me.

“Don’t dodge the question! How do you feel!?”

“About Nazuna… I think she’s an important friend…”

“Just that!?”

She leaned in close, raising her voice as if interrogating me. Deep wrinkles formed between her brows.

“W-what’s wrong with you? Why are you getting angry?”

“I’m not angry!!”

“You’re totally angry…”

“Then which do you like more, Moe or Nazuna-senpai!?”

Her loud voice made everyone around us turn to look.

“Huh!?”

“Just answer!!”

The courtyard buzzed anxiously as a sudden family drama unfolded. What kind of punishment game was this supposed to be? I had felt something was off with Moe recently, but… What exactly did my sister want from me?

“Moe, calm down…! Everyone is looking…!”

Even as I whispered to try and settle her anger, Moe refused to back down even a step.

“Onii-chan… Moe doesn’t like it unless she’s always number one for you…!!”

I didn’t want my little sister crying in public for everyone to see. So I grabbed Moe’s arm and ran with her behind the gym where no one would be around. Once we were in the shade, I sat down on the asphalt to catch my breath. Moe quietly crouched beside me.

“Onii-chan is stupid…”

“You know, I always thought that once I got to high school, normal siblings were supposed to grow distant.”

“I don’t know what normal is…”

Moe picked up a fallen stick and lazily traced circles into the hard ground. I regretted how little we had talked openly these past few weeks.

“You’re right… We don’t need to force ourselves to fit some common standard. There are lots of kinds of sibling relationships. And honestly, I also want to stay close with Moe like before. When you rely on me, even if I complain, it actually makes me happy…”

Moe stopped drawing and looked at me with flushed cheeks.

“Really…?”

“If you were upset because I acted cold toward you lately, I’m sorry. It wasn’t that I hated you… I was just embarrassed. I didn’t want you to think I was clingy or annoying…”

“It’s okay!? Moe doesn’t mind if Onii-chan being clingy or sticky at all!”

“We’re the only siblings we’ve got, after all…”

“Yeah…!”

My little sister’s innocent smile looked even more adorable than usual.

“Thanks for being born as my little sister, Moe.”

When I ruffled her hair, Moe closed her eyes happily and shook her head side to side, embarrassed but pleased.

“…R-really, Onii-chan, you’re such a hopeless Onii-chan. As a reward… Moe can wear a nurse cosplay for you next time?”

“What kind of reward is that…”

“Dunno~”

At my exasperated smile, Moe giggled. 

As her older brother, maybe Moe’s smile really is my top priority…

That was the thought that crossed my mind at that moment.

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