My Little Sister Suddenly Confessed to Me, but What Am I Supposed to Do by Dating My Little Sister? - Chapter 96 & 97 & 98

Chapter 96: Mitsuki Returns

The three of us headed into the living room. Mitsuki was still clinging to me, while Shiori was busy on her phone looking up information about monksho*d… Seriously, stop that.

“Um, Mitsuki-san, I’d be really happy if you could let go for a second…”

“No!”

“Come on, it makes it hard to talk…”

“We’re talking just fine right now, Niichama.”

“Well, I suppose so… Um, Shiori, where are you going?”

“…Onii-chan, it says you have to dig up the bulbs! Do we have a shovel in the house?”

This is bad. My sister has gone full yandere. Please, get away from the monksho*d topic. I purposefully didn’t name the plant earlier for this exact reason… It really was a nice hotel… (By the way, this is a true story… though you can find that plant growing just about anywhere if you look).

“I said stop itttt… And Mitsuki, please, just sit down for a second, okay?”

“Then, will you sleep with Mitsuki tonight?”

“That again? Look, let’s put that on the ‘to-be-negotiated’ list for now, please.”

“Hmm, fine then.”

With that, Mitsuki finally sat down—right next to me.

“Shiori, you sit too.”

“Ugh, that’s my spot…”

Shiori muttered as she sat down across from me and Mitsuki.

“So, Mitsuki, why are you here?”

She was still in her Gothic Lolita outfit. Did she really travel all this way dressed like that…?

“Well, you see… I just came…”

Mitsuki, the 9-year-old fourth grader, stared up at me with her finger in her mouth.

“No, I mean, I get that, but I’m surprised your mom and Yayoi-san okayed this.”

Unlike my mother, they shouldn’t be flighty enough to let a fourth grader go on a solo trip so easily…

“Um, well… I kind of just came in a burst of momentum… Hyu~ Hyu~”

Mitsuki turned away and started making a soundless whistling motion.

“Wait… did you come here without permission?”

“Yep!”

“You’re gonna get in so much trouble! Yayoi-san is terrifying when she’s mad!”

I’ve been scolded by her countless times since I was a kid; it’s a minor trauma for me. It’s not corporal punishment; she uses her full power as an author to tell endless, terrifying stories. The worst was her description of hell… the sheer force of it was ghastly.

“It’s okay. Niichama will persuade her for me, right?”

“Me? Why?”

“Because you were staying out without permission too, Niichama. Just you and Shiori-neechama~~”

Ah, she’s right. Now that I think about it, she was already here before we got back…

“You wouldn’t neglect the Mitsuki who covered for you with the adults and Yayoi-chama, would you~~?”

“Um, what did Mom say?”

Since she was in the house, she must have seen Mitsuki when she arrived.

“She just said, ‘Oh, Mitsuki-chan, welcome!’ and that was it…”

“She’s too easygoinggggg!”

Was she not thinking at all? It’s clearly weird for Mitsuki to arrive before us…

“I had an excuse ready about how you and Shiori-neechama had a place to stop by and sent me ahead, but as expected of Auntie, I didn’t need it at all…”

“Well… sorry for having a mother like that… But what do you mean you covered for us with Yayoi-san?”

“She mentioned last night that she wondered if you’d arrived yet, so I sent an email saying you seemed to have made it!”

…Wait a minute. An email last night? Which means…

“Mitsuki-san, did you know we were staying somewhere else for an extra night?”

“Yep! You said ‘one week’ but then tried to fake it by saying ‘this week,’ and you and Shiori-neechama looked so excited yet fidgety when you were leaving. I thought, ‘Oh, how nice, they’re going to stay somewhere together’~~”

This cousin of mine…

“Mitsuki… did you cry about being lonely knowing all that?”

Was that crying an act? If so, she’s too good…

“Ehhh, Niichama, that’s mean! I only realized for sure when you were actually leaving!”

“Ah, right. No matter how smart you are, you couldn’t have known just from the ‘one week’ slip-up.”

“Yeah. So… you’re going to tell me exactly where you went and what you did with Shiori-neechama, aren’t you?”

Mitsuki smiled and looked back and forth between me and my sister… This is dangerous.

“Ah, Mitsuki, I have to call Yayoi-san.”

I said that and stepped out into the hallway.

“Granny!”

‘It’s Yayoi-san! What is it?’

“Mitsuki is here…”

‘Ah, looks like she made it.’

“You knew…?”

‘She left a note in her room saying she was heading to your place.’

A runaway note… how old-fashioned.

“So, what should I do with her?”

‘Mitsuki went because she wanted to. Look after her for a while.’

“Granny, Mitsuki is still an elementary schooler! Are you really okay with her being here alone?”

‘It’s Yayoi-san! Mitsuki will be perfectly fine. Actually… I’m thinking of sending her to study abroad when she enters middle school.’

“Study abroad?”

‘Yes. Though she says she doesn’t want to go.’

“Then you shouldn’t force her…”

‘But right now, Mitsuki is hardly going to school at all.’

“Eh…? Why?”

‘She doesn’t quite fit in with her class. You understand that, don’t you, Yuu?’

Mitsuki had said something like that… that friends aren’t necessary and they don’t have any meaning…

“Is she being bullied?”

‘Hahaha! Do you think that girl would let herself be picked on? If anything, the people around her are afraid of her—including the teachers.’

“Afraid?”

‘Perhaps it’s a fear of the unknown. She can do anything so easily; her academics and her mental state aren’t at an elementary school level. She’s… special.’

“That’s…”

‘It stands out even more out here than it would in Tokyo. So, I’m thinking about a lot of things for her. Can you let her stay there for a while?’

“But even if you say that…”

‘I’ll talk to your mother. And I’ll refrain from asking too many questions about why you came home a day early.’

“!!!!!!”

‘Hahaha! Don’t underestimate me. I’ll have to hear some fun stories from you next time we meet. Anyway, my deadline is the day after tomorrow. I’ll leave the rest to you~~’

With that, Yayoi-san hung up in a hurry.

I mean, that’s scary… Yayoi-san’s stories are scary. Maybe I won’t go back for New Year’s…

When I finished the call and turned around, Mitsuki was there. She had been standing behind me the whole time.

“Niichama, what did Yayoi-chama say?”

Truancy… I never imagined Mitsuki was in that kind of situation.

“She told me to look after you. And… she knew we came home early.”

“I see. If only Mitsuki had been a bit smoother about it…”

“It’s impossible to fool Yayoi-san.”

Mitsuki and I laughed together.

But behind her smile… she’s only in fourth grade, yet knowing she’s probably been hurt in various ways behind that smile…

“Niichama…? Why are you crying?”

“No… it’s nothing. Mitsuki, you’re staying here for a while, right? Alright! Let’s make a room for you. We’re using one room for storage, so let’s clean it out.”

“Ehhh, I’m fine with your room, Niichama~~”

“No. Shiori and the ‘showdowns’ would just start all over again.”

“Ehhh, but I came here to settle things with Shiori-neechama~~”

Saying that, the three of us headed to the storage room to start cleaning and make a space for Mitsuki.

Chapter 97: The President Used to Be a Terrifying Presence

“Onii-chan, got a minute…?”

After the three of us finished tidying up a space for Mitsuki to sleep, I sent her off to take a bath.

As soon as I returned to my room, Shiori followed me in.

Naturally, Mitsuki is bathing alone.

She tried to pull me into the bathroom again, but I told her our house wasn’t big enough for two and shoved her in by herself.

“Onii-chan… is Mitsuki-chan… going to live here for good?”

Shiori had looked a bit displeased while we were cleaning, so I expected her to come and ask.

I explained to her almost exactly what Yayoi-san had told me…

“…………”

Shiori was speechless.

She seemed to be processing the idea that being “too capable” could lead to such unfair treatment and fear.

“That’s why I want at least us—her relatives, her family—to understand her and treat her with kindness.”

“If we ask her ‘when are you going back to Nagano?’, it’ll feel like we’re rejecting her too.”

“I don’t want her to feel that loneliness anymore. Plus, Mitsuki respects you, Shiori.”

“She’s happy there’s someone more capable than her; she feels like she isn’t alone.”

“So, I want you to treat her as family—and as a rival.”

When I said that, Shiori’s surprised expression softened into a smile.

“I’m sorry, Onii-chan. I’m hopeless, aren’t I…? You really are amazing…”

She gazed at me with such affection that I felt incredibly embarrassed.

“I honestly thought you were just such a lolicon that you had finally decided to ‘keep’ a fourth grader.”

I take it back!! That wasn’t a look of affection; it was a look of pity!!

“Sh-Shiori!! Take that back! You’re going to start the ‘loli rumors’ about me again!!”

“Ahaha, okay, I’ll correct myself. You aren’t a lolicon, Onii-chan. You’re a ‘lolicon with integrity.'”

“What does ‘integrity’ even mean in that context?!”

“Fufu. But really, you’re something else. Alright, I get it. Mitsuki-chan is my little sister now.”

“You have two sisters now, Onii-chan. Aren’t you lucky~~”

“I don’t know if ‘lucky’ is the word… and I’m not a lolicon…”

I’ve ended up with two incredibly high-maintenance sisters…

“I should follow your lead and be kind to my sister~~”

“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”

I don’t recall being particularly “kind” to Shiori consciously, though.

“But Onii-chan, no matter if it’s Mitsuki-chan or anyone else, I am absolutely not giving you up.”

“I can’t be ‘kind’ about that.”

Shiori gave me a defiant look… as usual, her love is heavy.

Just then, my phone—which I’d finally turned back on—chimed with a LINE notification.

The list of people who message me is short.

One of them was standing right in front of me, so that left… wait, Asami messages me sometimes…

“Ugh… it’s her…”

I looked at the screen and felt instantly drained.

“What’s wrong, Onii-chan? Who is it?”

Shiori looked worried.

It’s fine; she used to be scary, but now it’s almost fun in a weird way.

“Shiori, sorry, but could you look after Mitsuki tomorrow? I have to go out.”

If I don’t go meet her soon, it’ll just get more annoying…

The next day, at a certain coffee shop famous for serving beans with its drinks…

I’m too much of a timid citizen to ask for my beans if they forget them, though…

At the usual table in the back, sitting before me—oh! Long time no see, my favorite “plaything”…

I mean, the Student Council President.

It’s been so long I have to check my previous notes to remember her look.

Right… blonde hair? No, she stopped doing that.

She has long, wavy reddish hair. Her last name was… Nakagawa.

Her first name is Aoi—the one who should just marry a guy named Aoi and become “Aoi Aoi.”

“You… why are you explaining my appearance while looking right at me? And who are you explaining it to?!”

“Just to myself, mostly. Yes…”

The President is angry right off the bat. Classic.

“I’m starting to feel a serious urge to kill you… more importantly, what is the meaning of this?!”

She’s definitely pissed. That’s our President!!

It’s much better than her fake school smiles.

“Meaning of what?”

Usually, she calls me out only to ignore me and look at her phone until the order arrives.

But today she’s diving right in.

“The two people sitting on either side of you…!”

In a booth for four, two people were sitting pressed right up against me on both sides…

Since they’re both small, it wasn’t too cramped, but still.

Sitting by the window was Shiori.

“I just came along with my brother, so don’t mind me. Please, don’t let me hold you back. Go ahead and talk.”

Shiori explained with a smile, but her intonation felt sharper than usual—pure intimidation.

And sitting on the aisle side…

“Niichama, can I eat this Shiro*noir? Oh, but the shaved ice looks good too~~”

Mitsuki, the 4th grader, was cheering over the menu, completely ignoring the terrifying President.

“I can excuse your sister, but who is this brat? Your secret child?”

How old do you think I am…?

“She’s my cousin. She’s just visiting for summer vacation.”

“Hmph. Playing babysitter, are we? Good luck with that.”

Was that a sneer? She’s wrong! Mitsuki is the one “babysitting” me!

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Mitsuki crept in and said, “Ah, that’s wrong.”

I was so shocked I just let her help me!

A high schooler letting a 4th grader do his homework… how pathetic am I?

Anyway, knock first, Mitsuki… That’s a total “flag” in eroge…

No, don’t get the wrong idea! I don’t have a PC, so I’ve never played them!

I’ve just heard about them!

Anyway…

We ordered, and until the food arrived—well, it was just coffee for everyone except Mitsuki—we chatted.

Or rather, just Mitsuki and I chatted.

Shiori continued to glare at the President with a “smiling” face, and the President looked at her phone.

Once the orders arrived, Mitsuki began eating her shaved ice with a look of pure bliss.

She’s cute, I’ll give her that.

“So?”

I sipped my coffee, tossed a bean into my mouth, and prompted the President to tell me why she called me out.

“Right… Actually, I want you—no, you all—to join the Student Council.”

President Nakagawa Aoi said this with a tone that fluctuated between her “President” persona and her “Aoi” persona.

Ah, I have a feeling things are about to get troublesome again.

There’s still about half a month left of summer vacation…

It seems like having a peaceful time to read my books is going to be impossible.

Chapter 98: The President Used to Be a Terrifying Presence

“Ummm… why… so sudden?”

I was practically confessed to by the President… wait, no, I was just scouted for the Student Council.

I suppose after that volunteer work, Shiori’s competence became obvious, so it makes sense they’d want her. But for the President herself to come and ask…

“I simply realized that three people aren’t enough to handle things after that incident…”

Well, with a useless secretary and a vice-president who can’t talk back, I’m not surprised they’re struggling.

“I can understand wanting my sister, but there’s no merit in recruiting me.”

What’s the point of putting a talentless guy like me into a Student Council filled with girls?

“Technically, yes. But if you don’t join, your sister—who is glued to your side—won’t join either, right? Isn’t that so, Shiori-san?”

The President questioned her with a slightly snide tone.

“Yes! If Onii-chan doesn’t join, I won’t join either!”

Unphased by the sarcasm, Shiori gave a blunt confirmation.

“So I’m just her ‘plus-one’ package deal…?”

“No. To be honest, I want you to join as well.”

“And why is that?”

“Maybe because I’m starting to take an interest in you?”

I felt Shiori twitch through the chair next to me… This is bad…

Also, what’s with that confession-like talk? I didn’t sign up for this…

“Wha—! You have a boyfriend, don’t you?”

After showing off that intense love scene at the gondola, what is this woman saying?

“We broke up a long time ago. Did I not mention that?”

She hadn’t said it explicitly, but she had hinted at something like it…

“Changing them out like clothes… you sure are active… Madame President…”

I leaned back, crossed my arms, and spoke with a sigh. My words triggered an overreaction; the President stood up, her face flushed with anger.

“D-Don’t be so rude! I’m a virgin!!! …Ah…”

The moment the words left her mouth, she looked like she wanted to die. I didn’t really know how to respond to that information. “Unexpected”? “As I thought”? Neither felt right.

The President looked horrified that she’d said that in front of an elementary schooler. The air froze. Time stopped. And then…

“So coooold! My head is brain-freezing! Niichama, did you know? This is called an ‘ice cream headache,’ even though I’m eating shaved ice.”

Whether she missed the mood or read it perfectly, Mitsuki broke the silence by babbling about something completely unrelated.

Snapping back to reality, the President sat down and tried to calm herself with her coffee.

“Anyway… putting the President’s personal info aside, I have no intention of joining the Student Council.”

“Why?”

She crossed her legs and glared at me over her cup. Yeah, that’s more like her.

“Because there’s zero merit in it for me.”

“Recommendations for university and scholarships are prioritized for Student Council members. It’s not ‘zero merit’.”

At our school’s level, that doesn’t count for much. Besides…

“I haven’t even decided if I’m going to university yet… so for now, there’s no merit. Is that why you’re doing it, President?”

If you’re only doing council work for a recommendation, you’d be better off just studying.

“No…”

The President’s expression changed to one of deep, inexplicable uncertainty.

“Then why do it?”

I’d asked her this before—why she suppresses her true self to play this role.

“Th-that… I don’t want to say…”

Her hands were shaking slightly. She was hiding something, something she absolutely refused to put into words.

“Well, whatever the reason, if there’s no merit, I’m not joining.”

I finished my coffee in one gulp, signaling the end of the conversation.

“I see… I understand. But I really need you two to join. It would be for everyone’s benefit…”

As she stood up to leave, Shiori finally spoke.

“…Madame President, don’t forget to pay for your coffee.”

“……Ugh.”

Looking more frustrated than when I rejected her, she slammed some coins on the table and stormed out. Close call—she almost made me pay for her again. Good job, Shiori! I’ll give her a head-pat later.

As soon as we confirmed she was gone, Mitsuki spoke up.

“Shiori-neechama… is someone holding a grudge or a secret against that person?”

Mitsuki, who had been nibbling on her shaved ice, looked at the empty glass with a lonely expression while dropping this bombshell.

“Hmm, it feels less like a secret and more like a weakness~~”

Shiori replied as if she understood exactly what Mitsuki meant. Excuse me, but I have no idea what you two are talking about.

“Then why did she say she was interested in Niichama?”

“Huh?”

Wait, I thought that was a semi-confession. Was it not?

“Are you disappointed, Niichama?”

Mitsuki smirked. I’ll say it again: she’s in 4th grade. She’s not a little sister; she’s a big sister in disguise.

“Onii-chan, do you like that type? She’s pretty far… from ‘loli’.”

No, no, no, let’s move away from the “loli” talk… I mean, she’s not my “type,” but any guy would be happy to have a beautiful girl show interest.

“So it was an act?” I asked Mitsuki.

“It was an act in the sense that she was being forced to say it.”

Mitsuki licked her spoon, looking like a normal elementary schooler for a fleeting second.

“Forced to say it…?”

“Yeah, that’s how it felt. It’s probably that person…”

Shiori continued, and I felt completely left behind by their “cheat-level” intuition.

“That person?”

“Yeah… the Vice-President…”

Shiori had mentioned it before—that the President was dependent on the Vice-President.

“Hmm. So there’s someone like that. Shiori-neechama, tell me more later.”

“Sure. With Mitsuki-chan here, it’ll be easier to come up with a counter-strategy.”

Wait, what? A “counter-strategy”? Hello?

Mitsuki and Shiori started forming a tag-team plan right across from me while I remained totally ignored.

“It’s okay, Onii-chan. I will protect you… You won’t die, because I’ll protect you…”

Hey, don’t suddenly go “kuudere” on me and talk about not dying. It’s scary. Am I supposed to pilot a robot and fight now? Is the Student Council the enemy? Is this turning into a mecha series?

“Niichama, look forward to the ‘service, service’ next time!”

No, “service” from an elementary schooler will get me banned! Stop ittttt!!