The Guy Who Messed Up Is Gradually Doing His Best

“U-ugh, but it was so cool~ sniffle.”

“Geez, Karin-chan, you’re crying too much. Mai-chan, are you crying too? I get it. Actually, I ended up crying from being so moved too.”

“Y-yeah. I was really moved.”

I didn’t know my brother’s singing was this amazing. But, to be honest, I was happier to see him than anything else, and I couldn’t stop crying.

After my brother bows towards the venue, he waves his hand again.

——Ah!

My brother looked at me again. He even waved his hand shyly… Oh no, why is this happening? I should be happy, but tears are coming out again. I know the reason.

——Big brother, wait for me…

Because my older brothers got off the stage and disappeared into the back.

*****

“Hey, what are you going to do, Mai?”

“What do you mean by what to do?”

“Oh, I see. Mai just transferred here, so you don’t know. Our school is a private middle school, so we have a policy of actively encouraging participation in the high school cultural festival. Of course, it’s limited to those who want to. Depending on the high school, they sometimes hold open campus-like events and offer mock lectures for junior high school students. From the school’s perspective, if you can find a high school you want to aim for (and attend) early on, you’ll be more motivated to study. That’s why you’re encouraged to actively participate in the cultural festivals of high schools you’re interested in. The teachers will help by contacting the schools for you. So, we’ve been participating since we were first years, right, Takako?

“Haha, Karin-chan just wants to join the seniors’ cultural festival where you can have fun without worrying about schoolwork, right?”

“Ah, that’s true for Takako too, right? But Mai is going too, right? The Hikigaoka Academy Cultural Festival. Gouda-kun will probably be there.”

Upon saying that, Karin-chan showed me a bulletin board site.

【Ideal】 Thread discussing Gouda Taketo-kun Part 12 【Prince】

816: Anonymous-chan

Is it true that Taketo-kun is going to sing at the cultural festival? If anyone knows, I would like to get some information.

817: Anonymous-chan

Yeah, Taketo-kun is singing? If that’s true, I definitely can’t miss it.

818: Anonymous-chan

>>816

It’s true.

It seems that he’s going to participate as a vocalist in the band festival on the second day of the cultural festival at the same school as Taketo-kun.

819: Anonymous-chan

He, he came!

820: Anonymous-chan

Live singing by Taketo-kun.

821: Anonymous-chan

I’m going. I’ll definitely go even if I have to take the day off from work! When is the cultural festival? Please let me know the details.

822: Anonymous-chan

November ○△.

By the way, I’ve heard Taketo-kun’s live singing, and his cool voice has made my whole body tingle. Sensitive people should be careful. Some people might even soil their underwear, so it’s better to be prepared with a change of clothes.

823: Anonymous-chan

No way, Taketo-kun, you naughty boy.

824: Anonymous-chan

I’m going. I’m definitely taking a day off from work to go.

From there on, the expressions became more extreme, and Karin-chan, with her face turning bright red, hurriedly closed it.

“Th-this is how it is, Gouda-ku… I heard that Taketo-kun is going to sing at the band festival.”

“Oh, Karin-chan, you casually called Gouda-kun by his name again.”

“Wh-why are you getting mad? It’s not like it matters. Taketo-kun is Taketo-kun after all. Right, Mai? Hey, why are you mad, Mai?”

He’s my big brother, you know. It’s sad that I can’t just say, “Don’t call him by his name without permission.”

“Th-that’s not true!”

“Oh, I see. Mai was a fan of Taketo-kun too, right? Did you get jealous because I called him by his name first? Hehe, Mai, you’re so cute.”

“I-it’s not like that!”

“Well, well. It’s just a matter of Mai calling him ‘Taketo-kun,’ and for now, I’ll just sign up to participate in the cultural festival.”

——Taketo-kun, huh… heh. Even though he’s my big brother, it feels kind of strange.

*****

“I’m home~”

“Welcome back, Mom!”

“Oh? You’re in an unusually good mood today. Did something good happen at school?”

“Right? Hehe, actually…”

I told my mom that I would be participating in the Hikigaoka Academy cultural festival.

“It seems that parents can join too, so let’s go together, Mom!”

“…I’m so sorry, Mai. I absolutely can’t skip work that day. Could you cheer for my brother on my behalf?”

“I see… If it’s work, there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s a shame we can’t go together, but… Oh, Mom! I’ll film my brother singing with my phone!”

“Thank you, Mai. Thank you.”

After saying that, Mom hugged me tightly. That’s right. Mom really wanted to see big brother too, didn’t she?

Mom just changed jobs, so she probably can’t handle any extra requests.

*****

“Wow, the high school cultural festival is so lively! But aren’t there too many people?”

Karin-chan’s mother and Takako-chan’s mother both couldn’t make it due to work, so in the end, they took the school bus to Hikigaoka Academy.

I want to look around at various things, but since I’m here in an official absence, I should attend the mock lecture first.

There was a break in between, so it was about an hour and a half. The lecturer was the vice-principal of this academy, and the talk was so interesting that an hour and a half flew by.

“Mai-chan, let’s have that mini parfait next.”

“Mini parfait? Wow. That looks absolutely delicious.”

“Yeah, I thought so too. Karin-chan, aren’t you going to eat?”

“Eat, eat.”

While the three of us were enjoying mini parfaits, two high school girls sitting at the next table caught my ear. They were probably second-year students. I overheard their conversation.

“I heard Gouda is going to sing today, but is he doing it with Kazuya-sama in mind?”

“Maybe that’s it, right?”

“You’re an idiot. There’s no way he could sing like Kazuya-sama.”

“Because he’s an idiot, he probably doesn’t even understand his own abilities, right?”

Even though I was irritated by the conversation of the high school girl next door, I silently listened, and then she went somewhere, laughing vulgarly.

My brother who caused the controversy. I knew there would always be people criticizing him somewhere, I understood that, but when I actually saw it, I felt sad as if it were happening to me.

*****

Wiping away tears with my fingertips and searching for the gym exit,

——Those people… the ones we met at the mini parfait shop?

I noticed after the brothers got off the stage, that the high school girl we encountered before the live show was sitting down in a position where we could see her, her face bright red.

“Everyone’s looking over here. It’s just that my knees went weak from Taketo-sama’s handsome voice.”

“Yeah, yeah… It’s just that Taketo-sama’s cool voice was so pleasant, it made me numb. Anyway, I’m going over there.”

The two of them stand up unsteadily.

——Taketo-sama? These people are saying something completely different from what they said earlier.

At the same time, I thought that I remembered the content of the message board and felt my face flush hot.

Eek, eek!

Taketo-kun!

——Huh?

It was sudden.

Just when the venue started to get lively, big brother returned to the stage again.

It wasn’t just my brother; there were also cool older sisters in disguise as men.

But still, the older brother standing in the center is the coolest. As I admire his stance, he starts speaking to everyone.

“Would you mind taking a commemorative photo with us?”

Since the cultural festival committee members and the people wearing armbands are cooperating, was there some kind of request made?

After that, the people who wanted to take pictures went up to the stage where my brother was, and they took photos together in groups of ten or so.

Of course, it seems like the ones taking the photos are the students from the photography club, but more importantly, who are those people getting all chummy with my brother?

“Mai-chan, let’s go up next too.”

“Yeah.”

“Yay, a photo with Taketo-kun!”

We also waited our turn, feeling nervous, and then went up on stage.

When my older brother was really close and I was super nervous, suddenly he pulled me by the arm, I caught a whiff of his scent, and then he hugged me tightly.

“Mai, I’m really sorry for causing you so much trouble. I was really happy to see you today. And also, to mom…”

It was just for a moment, and I couldn’t hear what was said towards the end, but I can confidently say this: I’m glad I came.

When leaving the venue, I will receive the data from the photography club members and head home.

I was on edge until the very last minute before the school bus departed, but I’m glad I made it in time.

“Hey, hey, Mai-chan. Didn’t Taketo-kun hug you back then?”

“Huh? N-no way that could happen!”

“I see, that makes sense. It must have been a mistake after all.”

My brother’s school, the prestigious Hikigaoka Academy, has a high deviation value because it’s a prestigious institution.

Since I’m in the second year of junior high school, I’ll be taking the high school entrance exam the year after next, but I once again thought that if I were to advance, it would be nice to go to Hikigaoka Academy where my older brother is.