When We Found Out We're Not Blood-Related, My Little Sister Became Seriously Love-Brained ~When a Little Sister Stops Being a Little Sister, the Ultimate Heroine Emerges!~

Chapter 24: Little Sister Wants to Drop Hints

Clackety-clack.

The scenery flows from left to right. Currently, I’m riding a train.

Thinking about it, since high school started, Suzune had morning practice, and we were on bad terms to begin with, so we’ve almost never gone to school together.

But now, Suzune is beside me.

When I looked, Suzune noticed my gaze and turned toward me.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, just thinking it’s nice. You see, we haven’t gone to school together much, right?”

(Actually, forget “much,” I think it was only for the entrance ceremony.)

“That’s… true.”

Suzune smiled. The scenery is reflected in her black eyes.

I feel like I’m being sucked in.

[Illustration: Suzune in uniform]

“Hey, isn’t that a Saginotani girl?”

Thinking they meant me, I turned around, but several high school boys were talking.

At the end of their gaze were two high school girls. Uniforms with ribbon ties featuring gold embroidery.

Faces I haven’t seen before, but girls from our high school.

“First years maybe? Saginotani has cute uniforms, right? They’re popular on SNS too, you know? Did you know?”

Suzune said that and took out her smartphone from her bag.

About the uniforms, of course I know. Because I check Suzune’s SNS one by one.

Private Saginotani Academy High School, the high school we attend. It’s a reasonably good prep school, but it’s a normal school where the only topic of conversation is that the uniforms are cute.

Suzune lightly bumped my shoulder and continued speaking.

“Club members maybe? It’s tough on a Sunday. Ah, or maybe cultural festival executive committee members? It’s coming up soon, right. Must be tough.”

“Wait, you did that last year too, right?”

“Ooh. You knew? I thought you weren’t interested in someone like me at all.”

“Of course I know.”

Well, I learned Suzune was an executive committee member from SNS too though.

Suzune gave me half-lidded eyes.

“Hmm. A person named ‘Yuunosuke’ has been visiting my profile page, I wonder who that is?”

(Crap, is it exposed?)

“W-who knows?”

I didn’t know viewing history remains just by looking.

“Well, I understand being curious about your little sister though. Since you’re a siscon brother.”

Suzune turned her smartphone screen toward me.

On the screen, a photo of Suzune standing with Kei is displayed.

A photo of the two drinking drinks in Harajuku or somewhere. Suzune there was the very picture of a sunny character (yang-kyu).

“You, posting something like this…”

Suzune grinned.

“Yuunosuke-kun, have you seen this maybe? How is it? Cute?”

“Showing your face isn’t very good, you know? Weird stalkers might attach themselves to you.”

“You won’t praise me?”

“Of course it’s because you’re cute. I don’t like it because I get jealous.”

“Fnyu.”

Suzune looked down and tightly gripped the strap.

(What was that? A weird sound effect came out of Suzune?)

With her free hand, Suzune poked my left arm.

“I’ll stop showing my face anymore… Since the stalker next to me says no.”

(Ahhh. Isn’t my jealousy totally exposed right now? Is the stalker me? I can’t deny it though!)

Somehow it became awkward, and silence arrived again.

Clackety-clack.

The scenery flows slowly. Eventually, green increased, and large fields came into view.

…Silence might not be bad either.

Ah, the talk about going to school was left hanging.

“About going to school earlier, once in a while—”

When I said that much, Suzune layered her words over mine.

“Let’s go together like before again. It’s difficult when there’s club activities, but when there isn’t.”

“But, there are almost no days without it, right?”

Scratching her head, Suzune laughed.

“Well, true. Yuu-kyun? Uu, it’s embarrassing after all. This.”

(Yuu-kyun revival at this point!?)

Suzune’s gaze hurts.

“That’s right. Suu-chan.”

Silence visited between the two.

We’re both holding straps with our opposite hands. With a distance different from usual, every time the train sways, our fingertips touch faintly.

“Somehow it’s embarrassing.”

Saying that, Suzune smoothly held my hand. There was the sensation of nails at my fingertips, and I was slightly more nervous than our usual hand-holding.

However, the current silence is comfortable. Even without conversation, it’s different from before.

“It’s been a long time since we came here.”

Suzune spun around at the shopping mall entrance.

“Ah, Yuuma, let’s take a photo together.”

Suzune linked arms with me and took a photo.

“Wait a sec. …Okay, posted.”

Suzune fiddled with her smartphone and showed me the screen.

The photo from just now was displayed there. You can tell arms are linked, but it’s adjusted well so my face doesn’t show.

“That’s skillful. But is it okay?”

“It’s fine. If I post hint photos, it’ll also work as man-repellent, right?”

“Is it like that?”

“It’s like that.”

Saying that, Suzune laughed.

(I’m glad I wore better clothes than usual.)

“Ah, Yuuma. There’s a jewelry shop over there.”

“Is it okay not to do shoes first?”

“It’s fine. Let’s look from the closer one!”

When we entered the shop, the interior was coordinated with chic colors based on brown, and expensive-looking accessories were lined up.

It’s a more proper shop than I thought.

Looking at the showcase, they also handle engagement rings and wedding rings, and the price range is high.

(It might be a bit out of reach.)

Suzune is looking at the rings with eyes like a newborn chick.

“Ah, this is cute.”

Suzune pointed at a ring.

The stone is small, and among these it looks affordable.

The ring had a simple explanation tag.

“Pt900 0.3ct Diamond”

Small gems are lined up on the ring’s edge.

The price is… one digit more than the amount I thought.

What should I do? It doesn’t seem like an atmosphere where I can say it’s over budget now.

For now, I’ll just ask to measure the size.

As Suzune and I were choosing rings in front of the showcase, a staff member called out to us.

“Are you looking for a present?”

It’s a lady with a kind voice.

“Um, that’s right, but I wanted to have the size measured. Ah, but, budget-wise it’s a bit tough. We might not be able to buy at this shop, is that okay?”

I’m saying something very selfish, aren’t I? Could it be she’ll get angry?

“Hmm. High schoolers maybe? This shop’s products are a bit expensive, right. Is the girl next to you your girlfriend?”

Then, suddenly, Suzune raised her hand.

“That’s right!”

(Ah, this girl asserted it again.)

“Sorry somehow.”

Then the lady started giggling.

“I’m sorry. You’re just too innocent.”

A waft of perfume scent came, and I raised my gaze. Then, she was a beautiful lady with dignified long slit eyes and hidden double eyelids.

“Eh, this person…”

Suzune pulled my sleeve.

Ah. I understand what she wants to say.

The person in front of us was the lady who was embracing Saitou at the shrine.

Chapter 25: Little Sister Likes Déjà Vu

“Um, it was the size, right? Could I borrow your finger for a moment?”

Saying that, the lady touched Suzune’s left ring finger.

“About size 8, maybe. Ah, left ring finger is fine, right?”

The lady’s tone was casual and close to informal speech, but strangely I didn’t get an unpleasant feeling. Rather, she felt like a neighborhood big sister, to the point of being nostalgic and comfortable.

Could it be I’ve met her somewhere?

However, looking at her name tag, it said “Saionji.” I don’t know anyone with a surname like Saionji.

—Just a misunderstanding.

The lady took out a tool with many rings attached from under the shelf and put it on Suzune’s finger.

“As I thought, it’s size 8.”

Apparently Suzune’s ring finger size is 8.

“Thank you very much.”

Suzune and I bowed.

“But, as I mentioned earlier, budget-wise it seems a bit impossible. Do you have anything a bit more affordable?”

When I said that, Saionji-san made an apologetic face.

“Sorry. Our shop focuses on ‘permanence’ because we’re bridal-main, so we don’t even handle vermeil.”

Vermeil?

I looked at Suzune’s face.

Then Saionji-san explained.

“Ah, vermeil is silver base plated with gold of 2.5μm (0.0025mm) or more thickness.”

“I see.”

“The price can be kept down, but it doesn’t fit our policy. That’s why our products have a slightly higher price range.”

As I thought.

It’s an expensive-looking shop.

“I’m sorry, even though you were kind to us.”

I bowed.

“It’s fine. Customers don’t come to a shop like this anyway.”

Saionji-san smiled.

Then another staff member came out from the back and said:

“Owner. About the ring I reported the other day, it doesn’t seem like it will make the delivery date… Ah, were you serving customers? I’m sorry.”

Owner?

Eh. She’s this young, but she’s the owner?

Saionji-san made a gesture to dismiss the staff member and returned to smiling.

“Big sister has taken a liking to you two. I have a good offer for you. Want to try it?”

They said on TV before that ‘good offer = scam’. There’s no merit in proposing a good offer to a high school couple at first glance.

Honestly, I only have a premonition of a scam.

It’s unfortunate, but let’s decline.

“I’m sorry. My dead grandmother’s will says not to take good offers.”

Then Suzune grabbed my sleeve.

“Big sister seems like a good person. Why don’t we just listen to the story?”

(Most scammers look like good people though.)

Seeing us like that, the lady nodded.

“Yep yep. At times like this, you should just listen to the story first, right? Boyfriend-kun.”

True. There’s no loss in just listening.

“I’m sorry. Big sister, please let us hear the story.”

“Ah, call me Saionji, no, Sarasa. Actually…”

The lady’s name seems to be Sarasa Saionji. She’s the owner-designer of this jewelry shop, and apparently all the jewelry here is designed by Saionji-san.

Saionji-san brought several photos and explained the contents of the ‘good offer’.

“So. You know how the age of adulthood was lowered a few years ago? We developed bridal products targeting young people too. But due to a mistake, we ended up short a few photos for the pamphlet, so we were looking for kids who could help out a bit.”

If that’s true, it’s exactly what we wished for. But part-time jobs aren’t allowed at our high school.

“But our high school…”

When I said that, Saionji-san layered her words over mine.

“But your school prohibits part-time jobs, right.”

Then Suzune entered the conversation.

“Sarasa-chan, you’re knowledgeable.”

Suddenly calling her by name and adding “chan”? It’s like Suzune, but her sunny-character aura is too dazzling.

And she holds no doubts about the fact that our high school was exposed.

(As expected of Suzune. Saginotani’s sunny-character queen.)

Well, being too suspicious is already a flaw. From my perspective, I’m honestly envious.

Saionji-san smiled.

“That’s because I’m a graduate too.”

(Seriously? Saitou is dating a beautiful alumna? Is that guy actually a god?)

Saionji-san continued the story.

“So, it’s not a part-time job but helping out. I’ll give it to you as thanks for that. What I’ll give you are pair rings. Since they’re for young people, the metal weight is modest, but they’re original platinum rings. How about it?”

Suzune tightly grabbed my sleeve.

I’m envious of honest Suzune.

So once in a while, maybe I’ll dive in too.

“Please do.”

When she heard my words, Saionji-san laughed.

“Being honest is good. Ah, there’s just one condition.”

“What condition?”

“I told you our policy focuses on permanence… genuine things that don’t change forever, right? So the kids in the pamphlet are all genuine couples dating seriously. The condition is that you two are a genuine couple with marriage in mind. How about it?”

I’m troubled even if asked that.

Far from marriage, we haven’t even become a proper couple yet.

I can’t lie, so I guess I have to decline.

It’s unfortunate but can’t be helped.

Then Suzune leaned forward significantly.

“We are seriously dating with marriage in mind!”

(Is this déjà vu? Too much sense of familiarity.)

Saionji-san gave her half-lidded eyes.

“Hmm. How serious?”

Suzune looked down and her voice became small.

“Serious enough… that I want his… Yuuma’s baby.”

Ah. My little sister messed up again.