It’s A Bad Rumor

The next day.

When I arrived at school, I noticed many students giving me sidelong glances as we passed each other.

Not only that, but as I walked through the corridors, everyone seemed to be gossiping about me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.

Finally arriving at the classroom, Narahashi quickly ran up to me.

“Hey, Miyoshi! What’s going on with this?!”

“What do you mean, what’s going on… Eh?”

Narahashi showed me his phone screen.

There, displayed on it, was a photo of me and Yukine talking at the school gate.

“I had no idea! You’ve got such a cute girlfriend!”

“Well, you see…”

“And she’s calling you ‘Nii-san’ too! Damn you really have some outrageous preferences!”

“Wait Wait Wait!! hold on a second!! Seriously, if you put it like that, it makes me sound like some kind of pervert!”

“That’s because you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

If Narahashi was saying this, it meant rumors were circulating that I have a cute girlfriend who calls me ‘Nii-san’.

“…That is the worst. That other guy is especially messed up.”

Well, it’s no wonder people were giving me strange looks.

Narahashi grabbed my collar as if he’s about to explode.

“Don’t mess with me! I said let’s run the marathon of youth together, but you’re already crossing the finish line ahead of me, damn it!!”

“I haven’t crossed the finish line! Seriously, it’s all a misunderstanding!”

I shook off Narahashi’s arm.

“That’s, my little sister! She’s not my girlfriend, and I don’t make her call me ‘Nii-san’!”

“Little sister…?”

Narahashi froze, then suddenly seemed to realize something.

“You seriously pulled off a move like that…”

“I didn’t! I didn’t! She’s really my little sister!”

“Stop lying! You’re supposed to be an only child!”

“My parents got remarried recently! That’s how I got a sister! It’s true!”

“Stop lying! Are you the protagonist of a rom-com or something?!”

“It’s something that can happen in real life!!”

As we wrestled with each other, bickering, 

“Hey, you two. That’s enough,” 

Imari intervened and stopped us.

“Imari…”

“Narahashi-kun, what Miyoshi-kun is saying is true. That girl is Yuki-chan, Miyoshi’s sister. By marriage, though.”

“Seriously…”

Our classmates, who had been watching us, also murmured, “Seriously…” It seemed they trust what Imari said more than what I say.

As I looked at Imari with admiration and gratitude for stepping in, she cleared her throat.

“Well, I don’t know if Miyoshi-kun has that kind of taste, but he really loves his little sister.”

“Waiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!”

Imari flashed a mischievous smile. 

Lately, Imari’s personality seemed a bit wicked.

After that, the rumors somehow settled down, but now a new one emerged───I’m a siscon. (Tl/n: Not wrong)

After school.

Today, I’m heading to the bookstore where I work since I have a shift. 

Natsume has already replaced the manager and is working, and we’re tidying up the inventory in the quiet store.

“By the way, Kouta. I heard a rumor,”

“Oh, yeah?”

(I have a bad feeling…)

“There’s this guy named ‘Miyoshi’ at your high school, and apparently, he’s dating an incredibly beautiful girl, and she even calls him ‘Nii-san’ to satisfy his desires.”

“That rumor’s spreading too much!”

Certainly, if I were the one hearing that rumor, it would be tempting to spread it since it’s not something you hear every day. 

But I never expected it to spread to the neighboring high school.

“Oh, so you know about it! By the way, that perverted ‘Miyoshi’ guy’s first name is apparently ‘Kouta.'”

“You’re saying that as if you didn’t know!”

“So, it was Kouta after all… I see.”

“What’s there to see about it?”

“No, I just thought it seemed very Kouta-like.”

“It’s not very Kouta-like at all!”

For Natsume, is that how she perceives me, a pervert with such twisted preferences? If so, I’d like to correct that misconception immediately.

“Oh, really? That rumor is completely wrong. He doesn’t have a girlfriend; that’s his sister. She’s a new step-sister from remarriage.”

I explained, and Natsume’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Wow! Is that so? Well, that’s surprising in its own way.”

Natsume’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I’m so jealous! Loli… might be a word difficult to use for a girl, having such a cute little sister is incredibly enviable! What a feast for the eyes every day!”

“Indeed, you’re not wrong there.”

“Oh! I see, so that’s why Kouta didn’t waver even when I approached him!”

“That’s not the reason, though!”

“Not the reason? Then why didn’t you cooperate with me to create cute little girls?”

“Because it’s ethically wrong!”

“Ethics… I don’t really get it.”

“Please redo your compulsory education!!”

Natsume’s thoughts seemed to be all over the place. 

From my experience so far, perhaps beautiful girls have a screw or two loose in their head. 

Perhaps it’s just my surroundings that are like this.

As I sighed heavily, Natsume continued to wear her refreshing smile.

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind!”

“Not a chance in hell!”

Today, Natsume was as eccentric as ever, fully showcasing her quirky personality.