The Protagonist's Sister Loves Me, But She's Definitely a Yandere. - Chapter 33: The Finish and the Collapse

Chapter 33: The Finish and the Collapse

Most of my role was behind-the-scenes work.

I didn’t do anything worth talking about as a participant. I wasn’t chosen for the relay or the three-legged race. I performed in a way that was just… average. Nothing special, but nothing terrible either.

(Well, that’s about what I expected.)

For the first years, Runa’s class had taken the lead. For the second years, it was my class, led by Hinata. By now, the staff handling the scores were probably scrambling to tally everything up. The Ichinose siblings, who showed off skills that rivaled the sports clubs, had managed to boost their already high popularity even further.

The scores would soon be finalized, and the results announced. One of the few perks of being on the event committee was getting a sneak peek at the scores before everyone else.

“Hinata-senpai was so cool! Seriously amazing!”

“And his sister, Runa, right? Those two are way too perfect. Maybe I should try asking her out.”

I’d heard comments like these —or just plain gossip— so many times today. It was funny seeing Hinata’s harem group jump in to protect him whenever a girl got too close. Meanwhile, Runa handled the boys’ attempts to talk to her with ease, slipping away effortlessly. Typical Runa.

And right now, she was—

“…Suu.”

Runa was using my shoulder as a pillow, wandering through dreamland. Her quiet breathing tickled me.

When I glanced at her, I noticed her soft, pink lips were slightly parted. H

er relaxed expression felt like a sign of trust, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. Even though she must be sweaty like me, the air around her carried a gentle citrus scent.

“Mmm.”

She shifted in her sleep, rolling over slightly as if she couldn’t get comfortable.

The weight on my shoulder increased, and at the same time, her exposed thighs and shoulders —the parts not covered by her gym uniform— came into view. It was impossible not to be reminded that she was a girl.

(Damn! This is bad for my heart.)

Guilt started creeping in, like I was betraying her trust. I quickly looked away. If she caught me staring, she’d probably kill me. I tried to calm myself down and push away the thoughts flooding my mind.

This closeness was a sign of trust. I couldn’t ruin it by turning into a wolf.

“…You sure look comfortable sleeping there.”

Either way, we had to get back soon.

People would start getting suspicious if we were gone too long. But a part of me didn’t want to move. Considering the stalker situation, there was a good chance we were being watched right now.

And if I thought about it… there was even the possibility that Runa was behind this whole mess.

“I really hope that’s not the case…”

I let out a breath, whispering words that barely counted as a voice. It was just a wish.

Runa’s performance during the sports festival had been incredible. Her running form in the relay was so flawless that even the track team had stopped to watch. That night, I thought I was chasing after Kusunoki’s sister… but was I wrong?

A little while ago, Runa and I were asked by the student council to carry some boxes.

Those boxes were still sitting at our feet. I knew we had to get back, but time kept slipping away. For some reason, I didn’t want this moment to end.

—Lend me your shoulder for a bit, Shin-nii.

When we were carrying the boxes and passed by a classroom, Runa had whispered this while stifling a yawn. I was about to tell her we didn’t have time.

But her face looked so tired.

She had been working hard as a festival committee member and competing as a participant. I could see how exhausted she was. For someone who rarely showed any weakness, it was unusual. I figured a short break couldn’t hurt —and, in the end, I got pulled along by Runa’s pace.

“Your hair’s tickling me.”

Her soft hair brushed against my neck.

Through my shirt, the classroom wall behind me felt cool.

We had pushed two chairs against the wall and sat next to each other.

A gentle breeze swayed the curtains, perfectly cooling our flushed cheeks.

“Shin-nii, you dummy.”

I thought she woke up. But she didn’t.

Runa’s eyes remained closed, and her long eyelashes just trembled slightly. It was probably sleep-talking. I smiled, figuring that even in her dreams, she was teasing and calling me names. She’d been doing that ever since we were kids, and nothing had changed.

—Please go out with me.

“…Ha?”

I heard unexpected words, and a dumbfounded sound slipped out of me.

When I glanced out the window, I saw a boy and a girl talking. The surprise caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but eavesdrop a little. Was this really a confession happening right now?

The girl looked shy, maybe even a little awkward. She seemed like she was on the verge of tears, yet hopeful at the same time. It was a face filled with determination.

The boy, on the other hand, scratched his cheek and smiled nervously.

I thought about leaving, but since Runa was still using my shoulder, I couldn’t move.

I didn’t want to wake her up either —she looked so peaceful, lost in her dreams. So, I stayed completely still, like a statue, trying to blend into the background.

—Yeah, I like you too.

I didn’t recognize the students outside. But the mood was obviously a happy one.

A successful confession. Their joyful voices reached my ears over and over.

I didn’t think I really understood what it felt like to like someone, let alone have any experience with romance. But I was still curious enough to let my imagination wander. So, in my mind, I decided to celebrate the birth of this new couple with a standing ovation.

“Love, huh… I guess it must be a nice thing.”

I figured confessing probably came with a lot of fear.

A success meant becoming a couple; a failure meant going back to being friends. That was the ideal outcome, but there were probably times when you couldn’t even stay friends and just drifted apart. Not that I’d know.

Loving someone, caring for someone, being by someone’s side.

Rika, Himeno-senpai, and probably Mimi were all acting on those feelings.

To me, Hinata didn’t seem like a great choice, but to them, he was a prize. I wouldn’t deny that. Feelings of love deserve to be respected.

But that doesn’t mean stalking is okay.

Doing things that make someone uncomfortable is a completely different story. If it’s something you wouldn’t want done to you, then you shouldn’t do it to others. I don’t think anyone would be happy about being stalked… or at least, I hope no one would be.

By the time the new couple outside had walked away, still excited and cheerful, the moment had passed.

“—Morning, Shin-nii.”

This time, her voice was clear and steady.

Runa lifted her head from my shoulder, adjusted her posture, and spoke. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, smiled softly, and let the sunlight wash over her face.

“You were the best pillow. Thanks.”

“Thanks for the… unique compliment, I guess.”

“What time is it? Are we in trouble if we don’t get back soon?”

The clock on the wall kept ticking forward. We weren’t in deep trouble, but there wasn’t much time to spare either. Considering we still had to carry those boxes, it was about time to stop slacking off.

I placed my hands on my knees, stood up, and picked up the boxes again.

“We’re still good on time. But we need to take these back.”

“Oh, right. I feel better after that nap, so I’ll carry the heavier one.”

“Idiot. Like I’d let you do that.”

We joked with each other as we left the classroom.

“Guess you were more tired than I thought. Sorry for not noticing.”

“…I guess I was trying harder than I realized. I just suddenly got super sleepy.”

“Can’t be helped. Unlike me, you were actually doing stuff during the festival.”

When I said that, Runa stuck her nose up proudly and replied, “That was just normal.”

Sometimes she had a sharp tongue, but getting praised always made her happy, just like when we were kids. She was surprisingly simple that way.

“…I hope the stalker didn’t see us.”

I said it without thinking, assuming Runa wasn’t the stalker. I wasn’t really expecting a reply, and I definitely didn’t intend to dig deeper into the conversation.

But Runa seemed to have something on her mind and decided to respond.

“I don’t care if they did.”

Runa spoke without hesitation.

Her words made my eyes go wide with surprise.

“I’m getting fed up. They just keep hiding in the shadows. I don’t know why they keep targeting Ogawa-san, but whoever they are, they’re not a good person. Don’t you think so too, Shin-nii?”

“…Yeah, I guess. But we still need to be careful.”

If Runa was the stalker… Could this serious look in her eyes and her clear frustration be just an act? If it was, then she deserved to be called an actress. But I couldn’t decide, so I gave a vague response.

“I hate people who don’t play fair more than anything else in the world!”

Runa had always been the type who couldn’t stand anything unfair.

She was strict with herself and kind yet firm with others. That was just who she was. In the past, she had shown clear dislike toward people who tried to get close to her through me.

If the stalker was really someone else…

“Just show yourself already!”

They probably had the worst possible match-up.

That’s what I thought.

“—Huh? Where’s Mimi?”

Someone muttered that. Their voice made me look around.

Sure enough, Mimi was nowhere to be seen. No one seemed to know where she had gone.

After the sports festival, the event committee and student council members gathered under a large tent on the field to go over the next steps. The sky was still a clear blue, and the sun kept blazing down. But tomorrow was the weekend. If we held out a bit longer, our well-deserved break was finally here.

Mimi didn’t seem like the kind of person who would just disappear for no reason.

I wasn’t the only one who thought that —worried whispers started spreading. It was a fair sign of how much everyone appreciated Mimi’s hard work in an unfamiliar environment.

“Sorry! I was just talking to someone!”

Mimi jogged over, breathing heavily as she joined the group.

She was panting hard. I’d noticed during the Borrowed Item Relay that she didn’t seem good at sports.

Thinking back, she always used to say she hated gym class in middle school. That pretty much ruled her out as the person who had chased me that night. If she was working with Kusunoki’s sister, then her athletic ability (or lack of it) didn’t really help with the mystery.

“Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine. We were all just getting worried about you.”

Someone else made a comment about the situation.

We were all event committee members —we’d shared this honestly boring, annoying, and tiring experience together. Mimi being late just added a lighthearted vibe to it all.

“…Sorry for being late.”

“It’s fine. We’re not that behind schedule anyway.”

“Guess you just got held up by someone, right?”

When I said that, Mimi gave a vague smile.

I thought she’d just nod honestly, but her reaction was different from what I expected. Well, whatever. Mimi might not be as popular as Runa, but she was still well-liked. It made sense that she’d spend time talking with friends.

At first glance, she looked like a troublemaker, but her polite manners showed that the bookish girl she’d been in middle school was still there.

Eventually, we were told where the post-event cleanup and the optional afterparty would be held. A map was shared in the group chat we’d made during our first meeting. I decided to skip the afterparty —I just wanted to go home.

“…So tired…”

A groan slipped out of me, half-mixed with a growl.

I carried chairs, moved desks, packed up supplies, and filed reports. As part of the public relations team, I also made sure to look after the guests properly.

I did all of this over and over until I finally finished my tasks. My job was done —freedom at last!

My whole body felt stiff and sore. When I twisted my back, my bones popped satisfyingly.

“…Runa, huh.”

Ever since the stalker started fixating on us, I’d been scared of my phone’s notification sound.

When I checked, it was a message from Runa: “I might take a bit longer. Wait for me by the school gate.”

Once we finished our tasks and reported back, we were free to leave. Some people rushed to the afterparty, others hurried home, and a few headed out to hang out with friends.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and with the sense of accomplishment from the sports festival, everyone on the committee looked cheerful and relieved.

But I wasn’t the type to get caught up in the mood or feel satisfied from work.

“Got it.”

I replied to Runa and headed toward the school gate, zoning out as I walked.

I noticed a lot of boy-girl pairs around me. I’d heard of the so-called “sports festival magic,” and maybe that’s what was happening now.

“…What is it this time?”

My phone buzzed again with another notification.

I glanced at the screen and raised an eyebrow. Knowing her, it was probably Mimi asking me to help with something. The message came with a cute, girly icon —maybe taken inside a store? It was edited just enough to make it look stylish.

It was Mimi.

“—”

But when I read the message, it was so shocking I couldn’t say a word.

“I got rejected.”

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