The Case Where I Found Out My Big Sister with a Brother Complex Was Actually My Stepsister, Tried to Hide It, but She Found Out Immediately and Became Uncontrollable - 22

Chapter 22: The Wish I Make on Tanabata

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“Tsunagi, do you have any wishes?”

Wishes… I think a lot of people would be confused if they were suddenly asked that out of the blue, but today was an exception. Because today was July 7th—in other words, it was the day of Tanabata.

“A wish… It’s a secret.”

“Tell me.”

Hasumi lightly tugged on my cheek. …That kinda hurt.

“O-okay, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!”

When I said that, Hasumi finally let go of my cheek. Since the cultural festival ended, Hasumi had changed a little. If I could be blunt, it seemed Hasumi had gotten more violent after the festival, but that wasn’t it at all. She had started to touch me more often too. Of course, in a purely physical, casual way.

It wasn’t like I disliked it, and she only did it within normal bounds of friendly communication, so it didn’t feel out of place at all. Most likely, the fact that we were practically pressed up against each other in the locker during the festival left a lasting effect on her. That must be why she had become more touchy feely with me.

“So, what’s your wish, Tsunagi?”

“My wish… It’s kind of a typical one, so I didn’t really want to say it, but… I guess it’s that I hope I can always have fun and stay close with my big sister and with you, Hasumi.”

“That’s not typical at all. I think it’s very you, Tsunag. It’s a wonderful wish indeed.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Do you have a wish, Hasumi?”

When I asked her that, Hasumi looked a bit torn.

Maybe her wish is something she finds hard to talk about.

“If it’s hard to say, you don’t have to force yourself.”

“It’s not that it’s hard to say… It’s just that my wish can only come true by betraying the feelings of someone important to me.”

Hasumi spoke with a sad expression that made it clear she was really struggling with something.

“If there’s something bothering you, I’m here to listen if you want.”

“No, it’s more like the kind of thing I’d talk to my female friends about… Besides…”

“Besides…?”

“If I were to talk to you about this…”

Hasumi stopped mid-sentence, as if she had second thoughts. If she were to talk to me about it…? While I was wondering what she meant, Hasumi added.

“Just so you know….” 

Hasumi trailed before continuing.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Tsunagi. That’s not why I’m not telling you. So please don’t misunderstand, okay?”

“I’d never think of it like that. I can tell you genuinely trust me, Hasumi.”

“Yeah… Thank you.”

We spent the rest of the break talking about other Tanabata stuff, and once school ended, I went home. And when I got home, I found a Tanabata bamboo decoration I didn’t recognize placed at the entrance.

“Welcome home, Tsumugu! Look! I actually bought this!”

“I didn’t notice… It wasn’t here this morning, right? Did you set it up after you got back?”

“Yeah! I rushed home and put it up as fast as I could! Doesn’t it feel totally like Tanabata now?”

“It really does. You’re amazing, Nee-san.”

When I said that, my sister smiled happily. …A Tanabata bamboo, huh.

“Since we already have a Tanabata bamboo,  how about we hang some wish strips on it?”

“Ah! I was thinking the same thing! I even got some strips ready!”

“Thanks, Nee-san.”

Then my big sister and I immediately sat at the table in the living room and began writing our wishes on the strips… I wrote what I had told Hasumi earlier.

 『I hope I can always have fun and stay close with Nee-san and Hasumi.』

“Tsumugu, you’re already done? I just have a bit left, so wait for me, okay?”

“Sure.”

After waiting about a minute, it looked like my big sister had finished writing her wish too, so we went together to hang our strips at the entrance.

“…Okay! Tsumugu, try hanging yours like this!”

My big sister hung her strip on the bamboo, and I hung mine next to hers in the same way.

“Can I see your wish, Tsumugu?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

After getting my permission, my big sister peeked at my wish strip.

“What a lovely wish~! It’s kind of similar to mine!”

“Really? Can I see yours too, Nee-san?”

“Of course!”

After getting her permission, I peeked at my big sister’s wish strip. What was written there was…

『I hope I can always get along well with Tsumugu.』

It really was similar to mine and at the same time, something crossed my mind.

“Nee-san’s wish is something I can make come true, so I’ll definitely… No, I’ll keep making it come true.”

“Really? Then maybe instead of hanging my wish on the bamboo, I should’ve hung it on you, Tsumugu~”

“That would be weird, Nee-san!”

My big sister let out a small laugh, then she added as if she had just remembered something:

“Oh right, dinner’s ready. Tsumugu, can you start dishing it out? I’ll be right there after this!”

“Got it.”

Just like she asked, I went into the living room and headed straight to the kitchen where the food was.

“Even if Tsumugu can make the wish on the front of the strip come true… If he saw the wish I wrote on the back… I wonder if he would still say the same thing?”

After I finished plating the food, my big sister came into the kitchen. She started plating her own,and then we ate dinner together. These ordinary moments with my big sister felt incredibly comforting to me. Just having this idyllic daily life was enough to make me feel like I didn’t need any other big wish.

『I hope I can be in a mutual, loving relationship with Tsumugu and live happily ever after with him.』

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