Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii

Chapter 3: Daily Attacks In the Library

Act 4(2)

I decided to go back home with Takinami-senpai on a whim.

Although it was too late since she already heard everything, I explained again the relationship surrounding me and the Hasumi family along the way since there was nothing to talk about.

“I see.”

Hearing my explanation, she seemed to understand and mysteriously nodded.

We talked while standing side by side, holding on to the train’s strap, and only whispered, considering the topic. In such a crowded train, you never know who’s listening.

“Say, are you by any chance staying at her house?”

“…”

I had kept that part of the conversation a secret, but she seemed to have caught on.

“Last time we went home together, you stopped at a different station.”

“As you have guessed. I’m currently staying at that person’s place.”

We were still whispering and avoided mentioning the name of the definitive person. Thanks to this, our conversation was all about “she” and “that person.”

“After my mother died, her father suggested to me to stay at his house. I thought it would make him feel better, so I decided to do so.”

“That’s very typical of you.”

Takinami-senpai laughed a little.

Respectively, we were considerate of each other’s feelings. Or, to put it in our own way, we’re reading the atmosphere.

“But she couldn’t accept me. Well, I guess that’s only natural. So I’ll leave when the semester ends and summer vacation begins.”

“Leave? Do you have a plan?”

“Fortunately, my grandparents called out to me.”

In these times where it wasn’t easy to add another family member to feed, they were probably half-serious about it. However, since I have nowhere else to turn to, I’d just have to take on their offer even if they were half-not-serious about it.

“Is it close?”

“Nah, it’s quite far.”

In fact, my grandparents came to the funeral by bullet train and stayed overnight at the funeral lodging facility to attend.

“Wait. Doesn’t that mean you’re gonna transfer school?”

“Well, I suppose it’s going to be that way.”

When Takinami-senpai asked me in a meek voice, I finally realized what that meant, albeit belatedly.

If I accept my grandparents’ offer, I will certainly have to transfer out of my current school. However, it was also not certain that I will be attending a new high school, so I am not sure if it can really be called a ‘transfer’ in the correct sense of the word.

“That’s, not good.”

“Not good? Why?”

When I asked, Takinami-senpai let out a sigh of exasperation.

“Listen, Shizuru. You may think I’m just a clingy girl, but I consider you a good friend before being a romantic interest, okay?”

She stated as if to remind him.

“And that friend is gonna be gone. Isn’t it normal to want to do something about it?”

“…My bad.”

Well, while I have no desire to be in a relationship because of my personality, I do think she was a senior whom I get along well with.

“I know how you feel, but don’t do anything stupid.”

“What do you mean?”

Takinami Senpai asked back.

“Like convincing ‘that’ person.”

When I responded to her, she let out a small “Oh,” as if she suddenly had an idea.

“I don’t think I need to do any convincing.”

“Why? That person clearly hates me.”

Convincing her to accept me should be the quickest way to break through the status quo at the moment.

“She doesn’t hate you. She said it herself.”

“That’s what I don’t understand, I should be hated.”

In fact, it shows in her attitude.

Hasumi-senpai doesn’t like me, and she doesn’t like me having fun with someone else, especially with a friend who is close to her. So she intervened between me and Shiiba-senpai, who trusted me as a member of the library committee, and she even came forward to Takinami-senpai and said she was my sister.

“Like I said, she’s got a lot on her mind.”

“…”

Is that really so?

I think that those who suddenly appear as their father’s illegitimate children and come to the house uninvited were easy targets of contempt and hatred.

“But I think I’d leave it to you to do something about it.”

“Leaving it to me? What do you mean? I’m not gonna do anything.”

After all, I was someone who shouldn’t be accepted.

“But she’s your sister, isn’t she? Are you really sure about keeping things this way?”

“…”

I think this is common for sisters and brothers who don’t understand each other. Especially if they are half-siblings and were not even informed of each other’s existence until recently.

But there was something in what she said that stirred something within me, and that’s why I kept quiet.

“Also I will miss you if you’re gonna be gone, Shizuru.”

When I looked sideways at Takinami-senpai, who was mumbling, I saw that she had her face straight ahead, her eyes fixed on the scenery flowing outside the car window.

“Well, putting aside how you feel, it’s not healthy to be in this state of incomprehension with a sister who is half, but not quite, blood related.”

Just as I replied, an announcement was made in the car.

Next was my station, which was a little closer these days.

§§§

“Why did you tell her yourself when you told me to keep quiet about it?”

“Shut up will you?”

When I asked, Hasumi-senpai replied sulkily.

The location was the living room.

After dinner.

Uncle came home early today, so the three of us ate together.

It was impossible to have a lively meal with such a mysterious composition of father and daughter plus a mistress’s child, and the conversation was in bits and pieces.

Even so, Hasumi-san was constantly speaking to me, and I could sense his desire to somehow make it easier for me to stay in the house.

Uncle was currently in the kitchen, in the middle of washing dishes. He said he would do it himself, and Hasumi-senpai left it to him without saying anything in particular. It seems that it was not her job because she was his daughter or she was a girl.

Hasumi-senpai was currently wearing long pants and a T-shirt today. The level of exposure may depend on whether or not her father was present.

Hasumi-senpai, who was sitting on the sofa with her elbows propped on the back of the sofa, turned around to face me.

“Do you think Takinami-san will spread it? I was being quite intense after all.”

She asked as she leaned forward.

If you’re so worried about it, you shouldn’t have poked and prodded from the start.

“Don’t worry. She’s not that kind of person.”

“Is that so? Thank goodness.”

She sunk into the sofa, patting her chest in relief.

“Rather, it’s the other people beside her who might.”

“Ugh…”

It seems that she wasn’t paying attention to it until I told her at this very moment, and Hasumi-senpai’s face turned blue.

“Well, fortunately, no one noticed us.”

“Th-that’s great to know…”

Her voice was shaking.

Does this person not realize that she was a celebrity? I don’t think this kind of good fortune would last long. One wrong move and it would be a catastrophe.

“Ah, right. I remember.”

She raised herself up.

“What do you mean, ‘We only talk over the counter’ you guys look like buddies.”

“Would you believe the truth if I told you?”

“Of course not.”

It was an immediate response, but I don’t feel particularly inclined to say anything back because I would feel the same way if I were in Hasumi-senpai’s shoes, or for that matter, as a third party to the situation.

“Eh, what? Are you guys dating?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

She has been courting me, but I have been rejecting her.

“Why don’t you go out with her? You’re a lucky guy, you might never get that again in your lifetime, you know.”

“That’s an awful thing to say.”

But she was right, so, once again, there was no room for argument.

“I have no intention of doing so at this time.”

“Why not?”

Hasumi-senpai curiously asked back. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of luck, and she probably doesn’t understand why I didn’t try to grab it.

As a matter of fact, I wonder how many boys would shake their heads if they were in my shoes. Unless you were a good-looking guy with a lot of confidence in yourself and others, you would only be put off by having a beautiful girl like Takinami Ruika next to you.

But in my case, it was for a much different reason.

“I’m―”

“You seem to be having a lot of fun talking. What are you guys talking about?”

It was Hasumi-san who unintentionally interrupted the conversation. He walked from the kitchen to the living room. He seemed to have left the washing up to the machine, and the dishwasher was running noisily on the other side.

Immediately after Hasumi-senpai’s huff, the expression on her face quickly faded.

“It’s nothing fun at all. It’s none of your business, dad.”

Then she got up from the couch.

“Thanks for washing up. I’m going back to my room.”

And so she slipped past uncle and went up the stairs leading to the second floor.

“What was that about?”

Uncle murmured as he watched his daughter’s back disappear.

What was that? It was obvious.

Hasumi-senpai’s natural friendliness made it easy for her to talk with most people and get them excited. Yes, even with me. But at times, she would come to her senses. Saying to herself, “Oh, I don’t have this kind of relationship with him.” and quickly switch her attitude.

I guess it must be complicated in her mind, because she can inadvertently talk well with someone she should hate.

“You and her are close in age, so I thought you would get along well.”

“…”

Hasumi-san may be smart enough to have become a doctor, but unfortunately, I must say that he was quite naive. Or was it that the perception of male parents toward their daughters is the same everywhere?

Thinking about it normally, I don’t think it would be a good idea for a high school girl to suddenly be made to live with a boy close to her age.

Hasumi-san seemed concerned about whether he was doing a good job as a father.