Me who was the Older Brother, and the Girl who was my little sister. - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Suki

“Geez… Nii-san started doing funny things, so we went to bed late.”

“I apologized to you earlier while washing my face……. Sorry”

My sister and I washed our saliva-stained faces and went back to her room again. Looking back at my actions calmly, I thought I was crazy to spit on a younger girl, even if she was my sister.

　I’m supposed to be more of a gentleman than I usually am, so why did I do that?

　I racked my smart brain and speculated on the cause of this incident. And the conclusion drawn by the genius brain is── Tanaka’s fault.

If Tanaka hadn’t instilled something unnecessary into me at school, my precious little sister wouldn’t have been covered in my saliva… Unforgivable!

“Saki, I will scold Tanaka very hard on your behalf.”

“Who is this Tanaka?”

“He’s the root of evil because of which Saki was covered in saliva!”

“Nii-san really is a weirdo.”

My sister looked at me with a look of heartfelt pity. It was an act that showed no respect for the older brother, but I will forgive it for now. 

You, too, were a victim of the great evil that is Tanaka…

“Come on, let’s go to bed. Let’s get under the covers. We’re going to bed now. Hurry up and get in bed.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Let’s go to bed.”

My sister and I slept in one bed, under one big comforter, pillow to pillow, just like last night. But there was one more thing that was the same as last night.

That was……..

“Naa, Saki. Your hand is holding something precious to me…”

“Nii-san, do you know how to make a cat behave?”

“Eeh, ignore it?”

“Apparently, any cat becomes docile when you pick it up from the back of its neck.”

“Heh, I see. …… Is that relevant now?”

“No, not particularly.”

“Oi─────!”

Just as I was about to complain, I felt a jolt between my legs. Not pain, but tension. It was exquisite and if held any tighter, it would surely cause fainting in agony.

“Ara, you became quiet.”

“Oh, I’m not a cat, okay?”

“Fufu, if I don’t do this, Nii-san won’t behave himself.”

“I swear I’ll be quiet. Will you stop?”

“I won’t hurt you, so please bear with it.”

“Every dentist who told me that betrayed me.”

“I am not a dentist.”

“Ah, speaking of which!! Just now who said it’s not the same?!”

“Of course you are my beloved brother.”

She’s a blunt little sister. But it’s hard to get angry when someone says they love you. I felt like I’m being burned to a crisp, but I decided to remain silent. 

For some reason, this exchange feels like my parents’. If dad and mom argue, dad always shuts up in the end.

After that, Father said to me,『quarreling with a woman wouldn’t get you anywhere』, he complained to me. 

I’m feeling it right now. Dad.

As I closed my eyelids and concentrated on letting go of my consciousness, trying to sleep even though I was gripped between my legs, my sister spoke to me.

“Nee, Nii-san”

“I’m not home right now. Please come back tomorrow.”

“……”

Gyuu

“What? What is it?! You’re being unusually chatty today!”

“About yesterday… I lied.”

“What? What lie?”

“Fun things aren’t work.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. Honestly, I’m busy, and there are a lot of hardships.”

“…..I see.”

“What I enjoy… No, what I like—is you, Nii-san.”

“What is this now, I like Saki too.”

“──really?”

It’s too obvious and such things go without saying. I, and of course my parents, love Saki. I have known Saki since she was a baby and she is my precious sister like no one else. 

I didn’t think you’d doubt me… How disheartening. I confidently told my sister to clear her doubts.

“I’m a gentleman who never lies!”

“Lies.”

“I ain’t lying!”

“Yesterday, you said terrible things to me. You told me you wouldn’t talk to me.”

“It was a joke! I told you, I won’t do that!”

I didn’t think she’d hold a grudge that long.

It’s the kind of clichéd phrase you’d find in the top ten most common phrases in a children’s quarrel… I don’t know if that’s actually the case, but I’m a kid, so there’s no mistaking it. 

“Then. say it again.”

“Eeh?….It was a joke?”

“That’s not what I meant. I want you to look me in the eyes and say what you feel about me.” 

I could say it as many times as I want because it’s not a lie and I mean it, but it’s kind of embarrassing to say it again. I turned down my sister’s request with a light heart, just to hide my embarrassment.

“I-Idiot! Men don’t sell words that cheaply!” 

“ ──was it a lie, by any chance?”

“Hiiiiiiiiiiii!” 

My embarrassment apparently rubbed my little sister the wrong way. 

My sister’s pupils dilated so much that I couldn’t tell where she was looking as she questioned me in such a low tone that I wondered how she was getting it out of her small body. 

At this point, my vitals could take serious damage again. 

A man’s pride or a man’s symbol. I chose the latter. 

“Heh he he, I’m not lying. I love you little sister.”

“……”

Was I being a little too arrogant? 

My sister’s gaze was cold. But, the pupil size seemed to have returned to normal.

“Nii-san”

“Wha-What is it? I said it alright! I won’t say it again!” 

“──love you. I love you. I really love Nii-san.” 

My sister hugged me tightly as she said so. What was going on? She was being awfully chatty and spoiled today. 

“Stop it. You’re making me blush.”

“Nii-san, Nii-san!”

“O-Oi, don’t get too close. It’s sweltering.”

“Ya! I won’t let you go. Stay with me.”

“…Geez, what’s with you?”

“Promise me. Promise me we’ll always be together.”

“All right, all right, …… we’ll always be together. We’re family, after all.”

After that, my sister fell asleep, still hugging me. Even though we were warm in the same futon, it was too hot to sleep when we were attached to each other like this. 

However, when I tried to shake her off in secret, my sister pressed her body even closer to mine while she slept, entwining us. 

I had no choice but to stroke my sister’s head until she fell asleep, feeling hot and bothered.

The next morning, my sister must have woken up first, as I couldn’t see her. I took off my pajamas, which had become disgusting from my night sweats, and changed into them in my room.

 
And as I went straight down the stairs, I could smell the aroma from the dining table.

“Morning.”

 
“Ara, Morning. You’re early today.”

I heard my mother’s voice coming from the kitchen. When I looked over there, I saw my little sister standing on a stand alongside her mother, cooking something.
 

The clock on the wall still read 6:30.

“Huh? It’s still that time.”

“Why are you so sleepy? Saki is making breakfast for you today, so go wash your face.”

 
“What’s for breakfast today?”

 
“She’s making dashimaki tamago today. It’s harder than yesterday, so Saki-chan’s taking it seriously.“ (TL/n: Dashimaki tamago: rolled eggs)

 
“Heh, good luck with that─ Saki!”

 
I cheered her on, washed my face, and watched TV until the food was ready. From the kitchen comes the sound of my mother teaching her every step of the recipe. My sister was concentrating on cooking, not saying a word.

After a while, my dad woke up. Then, everyone was gathered and breakfast was on the table.

“Oh, dashimaki tamago today………..huh? …Wait, there’s quite a difference in how well it’s made.”

 
The eggs that were brought to my father’s place were burnt and you could tell from their appearance that they were dry. The ones at my sister and mother’s plate was a beautifully shaped, perfect dashi-maki egg. (TL/n: I feel bad for the dad)
 

And the one which was brought to me was…
 

“It’s kind of big”
 

It was not burnt, and the shape was normal, but it was clearly one or two rolls too big.
 

“Ha! I got it. Mine is the one Saki made and the other one is the one Mom made! How’s it going, Kosuke?This time, Saki’s cooking is mine!” (TL/n: facepalm)

“Dad’s is the first dashimaki tamago that Saki made. Kosuke’s is the second one.”

“Huh”

“The first one got burned in the process. I had no choice but to leave that one for my dad and use the leftover egg from the first one in the second one.”

“N-No way.”

 
“Isn’t that great, Dad? Saki-chan’s cooking is just what you wanted.”

“Mom….Kousuke…..”

I ignored my father, who looked at me dejectedly and enviously, and took a bite of the dashimaki tamago.

“Mogu mogu…… whoa, that’s delicious.” (sfx: munch munch)

“Saki, you worked so hard on this. Of course it does!”

“I will continue to cook for Nii-san.”
 

“Ara! Kousuke is so lucky!”

“KOUSUKE!”

My little sister suddenly declared. Mom was happy, and Dad screamed as if he’s filled with a grudge.
 

“Okay, now I’ll ask for something other than eggs.”

 
I didn’t really think much of it and made my next breakfast request.

 
A happy everyday life full of noise, peace, and family love.

We don’t realize how grateful we are for the mundane everyday until we lose it.

There is no life that is just ordinary.
 

How do you choose the changes that will inevitably come?
 

Life is a series of choices – that’s what great people in the past have said.

My first chance to make a choice in my life came when my sister grew up into a middle schooler.

_______________________________________________

TL: SHINIGAMI-san