“Alright, that’s the end of today’s remedial class~ Goodbye~”

A collective “haaah” of sighs leaked out at Kato-sensei’s announcement.

This was day four. Three more days and I’d be free from remedial classes to enjoy summer vacation. Despite studying at school, I hadn’t made any progress on my homework. Come on, instead of giving us separate worksheets, just let us do our homework!!

“Thanks for coming to pick me up.”

“Mm, it’s nothing…”

By the fourth day, she wasn’t denying it as much anymore.

Mina was waiting for me at the school gate as usual. Even though I told her she didn’t need to come all the way here in this heat…

“It’s not like I’m bored because you’re not at home, or that I’m lonely or anything. Besides, it’s m-my choice!”

Since that was what she said, I had no choice.

“There’s a Saizeriya nearby. Want to grab something to eat before heading home?”

“Sure. Of course it’s your treat, big brother.”

“Yes, yes.”

Stopping somewhere after remedial classes in the afternoon had become our routine, though it was costing me quite a bit.

The family restaurant was crowded with young people who appeared to be students, likely because of summer vacation.

“What are you ordering?”

“The most expensive thing.”

“What, alcohol…? I don’t remember raising such a bad child!”

“I’m not just underage, I’m in middle school, so I obviously can’t drink alcohol. And I’m not a bad child…”

Yeah, you’re an angel.

“A-angel? Are you making fun of me?!”

Oops, it seemed I’d said that out loud.

Our sibling relationship remained as good as ever.

While I was in remedial classes, I couldn’t keep an eye on Isamu, Haruka, and Nanaka. Isamu and Haruka’s parents had won a hot springs trip or something, so they were probably off somewhere together, and wouldn’t run into Nanaka and Tatsu.

With the pool incident, where Haruka and Tatsu didn’t meet, the route had changed again. I think we’d avoided the normal route, but it would be troublesome if we went down one of the alternate routes.

And with me being mistaken as the NTR target, the future route was even more unclear.

But if I was paralleling Isamu’s position…

“Heheh… my dick is thicker and lasts longer than your boyfriend’s. Hey, cry a little more with a better voice, will you?” 

“…Stop it. I have… I have a boyfriend…” 

“Huh? Your boyfriend is obsessed with my sister, isn’t he? Let’s get along too, shall we…?”

That disgusting NTR scene. If the one being forcibly taken by Tatsu wasn’t Haruka, but—

“Big brother… big brother, help me…”

—If it was Mina.

“Ugh…”

Goosebumps rose on my skin. The space that had been comfortable with air conditioning now felt chilly. Just imagining it for a moment made me sick. If it wasn’t just imagination, my heart would probably shatter.

“Big brother?”

“Ah, yes, what is it?”

“I’ve decided what I’m eating, so here’s the menu.”

“Thank you.”

I took the menu from her. Our hands touched, and Mina activated her tsundere mode. My heart warmed at her usual behavior.

Mina. I’d definitely protect you.

“Phew, that was delicious.”

I finished the Milan-style doria and spicy chicken I had ordered.

“Dessert?”

“Hmm, what should I get? You can decide first.”

“Got it.”

While Mina was looking at the menu, I absentmindedly looked around since we were sitting by the window.

…Hm? Wait, was that…

“…Nanaka?”

In my line of sight was an intersection where Nanaka, dressed in casual clothes, was waiting for the light. But even when the signal turned green, she didn’t move. Instead, she seemed restless, as if waiting for something.

What was she doing…

“This Italian pudding looks delicious too… Are you listening, big brother?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, I’m listening properly.”

“O-kay. If you say so.”

As Mina shifted her gaze back to the menu, I glanced at Nanaka again.

Then our eyes met. She seemed flustered, looking around nervously… and then she ran.

Seriously, what was she doing…

“Sorry, Mina! I’m going outside for a bit! Wait here!”

“Huh? Big brother…!”

Leaving my belongings behind, I left the restaurant to chase after Nanaka.

“Huff, huff… Hey, Nanaka!”

She couldn’t outrun me, and I quickly caught up to her.

“Were you watching us from there?”

“S-so what if I was…?”

“…Stalker.”

“Like you’re one to talk!”

“Well, jokes aside… what did you want?”

Nanaka’s shoulders jerked nervously.

Hm? Could it be she came to tell me something…?

She was mumbling, seeming to have trouble speaking.

I didn’t want to leave Mina alone for too long, so I wanted to wrap this up quickly.

“If you have something to tell me, please say it. You’re a normal good person as long as you’re not involved in NTR. That means I trust you… probably.”

“What do you mean ‘probably’?”

She replied with a sidelong glance, but after hearing my words, she seemed to have made up her mind to speak.

Nanaka’s mouth opened.

“A-actually… he—”

.

.

“I wonder what that was about. Oh well.”

I knew big brother would say something like that.

That woman waiting at the traffic light. The person we’d met at the amusement park. Big brother’s schoolmate, his junior…

If she was nobody important, he wouldn’t have chased after her… so that person must be my brother’s…

While I was worrying, someone stopped in front of me.

“Found you.”

“…Huh?”

It sounded like he had been looking for me.

But I had never met the flashy man wearing sunglasses standing before me.

Chapter 30: The Worst Development

(Nanaka’s side)

—He’d been unusually quiet lately.

I cast suspicious eyes at my brother who was fiddling with his phone on the sofa.

He still came home late as usual… but recently, he had been bringing women home to have sex less frequently.

That was what should be normal. The fact that I found it strange showed how poisoned I had become.

Well, I wasn’t interested, so I took something ready to eat from the refrigerator. As I was about to leave the living room, passing behind my brother, I caught a glimpse of his phone screen.

“Wh–?!”

I looked for just an instant, then quickly looked away.

“Hm? What’s up, Nanaka?”

“N-nothing at all!!”

It was just for a moment… but the image remained clear in my memory.

On the screen was—that guy Shotaro’s girlfriend.

“A-actually… he—he’s targeting Mina-chan!”

(Mina’s side)

“Who are you?”

A man looking down at me with his hands in his pockets. Blonde hair, piercings, sunglasses… he looked exactly like a playboy, advertising “I’m a player!”

“Hey, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you goodbye.”

“Haha, you’re not taking the bait~ Come on, talk with your big brother a little more.”

“No, thank you. Who are you? Are you hitting on me, trying to seduce me, or planning something?”

“My name’s Seo Tatsu. Yeah, I approached you because you’re cute. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Hmm. From your response, you seem used to this kind of thing.”

“You’re the one with the practiced response. That prickly attitude is captivating.”

“I’m not happy to hear that from you.”

We stared at each other. I didn’t want to make eye contact with this guy.

I didn’t like saying it myself, but I believed that I was fairly good-looking. Therefore, I was used to dealing with people who used pickup lines… This guy seemed a bit troublesome.

Despite meeting me for the first time, he’d approached saying “Found you”, and then didn’t ask questions like “Are you alone?” or “Are you here with someone?”

This was…

“I have no intention of continuing this conversation with you, so please go away.”

“Oh come on~ Then I’ll just say what I want to say and leave.”

The playboy casually tried to sit across from me—in other words, in the seat my brother had been sitting in.

Stop, don’t sit in my brother’s seat—it’ll get dirty.

I did it reflexively.

“STOP!!!!!”

“!?”

I shouted and then realized what I’d done.

The restaurant customers turned to look at us, wondering what was happening.

“Mina!!!!!”

My brother returned with perfect timing. Behind him, I could clearly see Nanaka-san following discreetly.

…I’m glad I was able to buy time.

“Well, well… this is quite tough…”

The playboy muttered something with a wry smile.

Then my brother stepped in front of me protectively and confronted the playboy.

“Tatsu… what did you do to Mina…?”

“Hey, Shotaro. Nice weather today, isn’t it? What did I do to her? I was just talking to Shotaro’s acquaintance, that’s all.”

“…I don’t trust you. If you’re targeting Mina… I don’t know what I might do to you.”

“Whoa, scary, scary. You’re quite devoted to your girlfriend. Well, that’s natural. She’s an important person to you.”

“You…”

“But I’m not necessarily targeting her. Broaden your perspective. Well, see ya~”

Perhaps feeling uncomfortable, the playboy hastily left the restaurant.

“Shotaro’s acquaintance”.

I had never revealed Mina’s existence to Tatsu. And although Nanaka had met her at the amusement park, the fact that she came to warn me meant she didn’t tell him either.

That meant… Tatsu had investigated on his own. What Nanaka had said was true.

“A-actually… he—he’s targeting Mina-chan!”

Of all people, he was targeting Mina.

“Don’t involve your sister in her brother’s troubles.”

I shouldn’t have said that.

This was the worst… the worst possible development…