The Protagonist's Sister Loves Me, But She's Definitely a Yandere. - Chapter 30: An Ordinary Day of Investigation

Chapter 30: An Ordinary Day of Investigation

I started my investigation right away.

It was my way of pursuing that nagging feeling or trying to prove I was one step closer to the truth.

The conversation between Mimi and Kusunoki-senpai wasn’t exactly a calm one. But there were hints here and there that gave me a clue about what was going on. The phrase that stood out the most was:

“It’s up to you whether to use or destroy it.”

This kind of phrase is usually said when someone is sharing important information.

But… what kind of information?

If I connected it to Kusunoki-senpai, I figured it had to be related to Hinata somehow.

Of course, it could be something completely unrelated. But since Kusunoki-senpai clearly liked Hinata, it made sense.

What didn’t make sense, though, was why Mimi seemed to be helping Kusunoki-senpai. It was like giving your rival a helping hand.

There had to be a reason for that.

“…Who should I talk to about this?”

In front of me was the school ground.

Shouts from the soccer and baseball teams filled the air. It was peak club activity time.

Our school was known for its well-funded sports clubs. I wasn’t sure where the money came from, but the facilities here were impressive. My eyes drifted to the running track.

The faded red surface stretched out in a curve, lined with white stripes.

As someone in the “Go-Home Club,” I had no reason to be here after class. But today was different.

“…Hot.”

Using a half-hearted excuse, I slipped out of the committee meeting.

Even though it was already evening, the sun showed no sign of setting. My shadow stretched out long on the ground, and the faint scent of the rainy season still lingered in the air. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

I walked past the edge of the school ground and stood near the track. Members of the track team were running back and forth, and I followed them with my eyes.

As I was thinking about what to do next, a girl from the track team seemed to notice me standing there and walked over, curious.

“Are you thinking of joining the team? Or just here to watch?”

She looked like a track team member. I gave a vague response.

“Uh… actually, I just wanted to ask something. Is now a good time?”

If I mentioned a specific name out of nowhere, she might get suspicious about my connections. I decided to feel things out and carefully think through what I wanted to say.

Luckily, she didn’t seem to recognize me. Being Hinata’s and Runa’s childhood friend meant a lot of people at school knew my face, whether I liked it or not. I had become an unwilling advisor to many.

She nodded slightly in response to my question, sweat glistening on her skin.

“Yeah, it’s fine. But… the tournament’s coming up, so if you could keep it quick…”

“It won’t take long, I promise.”

If she was part of the track team, this conversation might connect the dots I needed. There were still plenty of mysteries, but this could be a major clue.

“…Is there someone named Kusunoki-senpai here?”

The name Kusunoki isn’t very common. In fact, it’s pretty rare. The girl from the track team seemed to understand who I meant immediately. At the same time, I thought, Yeah, that figures.

“Oh, you know Kisa? She hasn’t been coming to practice much lately. She’s super busy with the committee work… and student council stuff too.”

The girl started sharing personal details I hadn’t even asked for. A bit too loose-lipped, but it worked out well for me.

“Really!? I wanted to see Kusunoki-senpai run. She looks so cool when she does.”

“Right?! Wait, are you a fan of Kisa too? Some people really do get starstruck watching her.”

Track and field covers a lot of events – running, throwing, jumping. In my head, I imagined different events, each thought quickly coming and going. But it seemed Kusunoki-senpai focused on running.

I had a feeling that was the case, but it was still a gamble since I didn’t actually know what event she specialized in.

“So… is that all you wanted to talk about?”

The girl blinked, as if she just remembered something. She was definitely a third-year, and maybe even the team captain.

“Well, I’m interested in track and field, and I wanted to hear more about it from Kusunoki-senpai since I really admire her. But if she’s not here, I’ll come back another time. Sorry to bother you when you’re busy.”

I got the answers I needed.

Staying any longer was too risky. If Kusunoki-senpai happened to pass by, it’d be game over.

“Of course! You’re always welcome here. I’m the captain, so I can talk to the coach anytime. I could even show you around if you want!”

“Thanks a lot. But I don’t want to disturb your practice.”

She seemed a bit too talkative, but she had a bright, friendly personality. I felt a tiny pang of guilt for lying to someone like that, but I had my own goal. I apologized silently in my mind.

I was just about to end the conversation and turn away when her voice called out from behind me.

I stopped and glanced back.

“Oh, wait! Sorry, can I get your name? I’ll let Kisa know someone was asking for her!”

It was a reasonable request.

She looked puzzled when I hesitated. I let out a small, awkward sound.

“Uh… Sato. First-year.”

“Got it, Sato-kun! Oh, and by the way, isn’t it hot for a mask? Are you okay? Do you have a cold?”

“Yeah… My throat’s just a bit off.”

I fake-coughed for good measure.

Not many people wore masks in this kind of heat. But luckily, thanks to her friendly nature, she didn’t seem suspicious of my terrible acting.

“Come by again when you’re feeling better, okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Thanks for everything. See you.”

This time, I finally turned away for real.

After making sure the captain was heading back to practice, I took off my glasses. They weren’t prescription, just for show.

I ripped off the mask with a bit more force than needed, letting out the heat trapped inside.

The fake glasses were something I’d swiped from last year’s cultural festival supplies. Wearing a disguise like that made me anxious, but the worst part was dealing with the heat trapped by the mask. I took a deep breath.

“Man, it’s way too hot. But still…”

Resting for a moment in the shade, I nodded to myself.

Just as I suspected, Kusunoki-senpai was indeed part of the track team. Using a fake name turned out to be worth it.

––My thoughts started to shift.

After overhearing that conversation yesterday, I’d focused my attention on Mimi. She was part of Hinata’s group of admirers —one of the girls in his so-called harem.

What if she had been giving advice to Kusunoki-senpai?

In exchange, Kusunoki-senpai might be stalking me. But there were still things that didn’t add up.

If Mimi Ogawa was the stalker, then it wouldn’t make sense for her to be part of Hinata’s admirer group. In fact, she’d be more likely to be jealous of Runa, who’s the closest girl to Hinata.

I had three main theories in my mind:

-Runa is the stalker.

-Mimi Ogawa is working together with Kusunoki-senpai to stalk me.

-It could be a third party involved.

“…Wow. Really?”

Maybe it was inevitable.

––Mimi Ogawa confessed to Hinata Ichinose on the day of the sports festival.