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 5: Three Missions

—Apparently I have three missions today

① I choose Suzune’s full outfit, ② Don’t let go of hands while moving, ③ Properly put into words why things suit her.

I promised Suzune to complete these three missions.

Through the fitting room curtain, a sweet shampoo scent gently leaks out.

“Hey, not yet? …Can I come out?”

Only my heartbeat leaped out ahead of reason.

※

At the shopping mall, Suzune was in a good mood.

We ate ice cream together, ate crepes, and Suzune’s stomach still seemed to have room. I didn’t know Suzune liked sweet things this much.

Also, she said we only needed one ice cream and one crepe. So we ended up sharing half and half, but when I gave her half, she looked really happy.

…Suzune is surprisingly frugal, apparently.

Even though we’ve lived together for years, there’s so much I don’t know.

※

When we entered a clothing store, Suzune let go of my hand.

“So like. I want you to tell me what kind of clothes you like.”

“I don’t know anything about girls’ clothes though.”

Suzune glared at me.

“What about the promise?”

Right.

It was a promise that I’d choose.

But what should I do?

I’ve never chosen girls’ clothes before.

Honestly, I don’t really understand how to combine parts, so for now, should I just choose things I like individually?

Um, isn’t that gothic lolita dress-like thing good? Also, that headband. And those fishnet stockings with large holes.

This is getting fun.

“This one.”

When I picked out several items and brought them toward the fitting room, Suzune clicked her tongue.

(Why? Suzune was the one who said I should choose.)

“Seriously useless. I can’t wear these outside! …I’ll try things on, so choose from those.”

Saying that, Suzune returned to the sales floor.

But she came back right away.

Her cheeks are somehow red.

“It’s not that I’m denying your preferences or anything. How should I say this, these kinds of things are for after we’re more intimate, I’d wear them just for the two of us.”

After saying just that, Suzune scurried back to the sales floor with quick steps.

Suzune picked out some good-looking options and tried them on for me many times.

“How is it?”

She lifts both ends of her skirt and spins around like a noble lady.

“I don’t know.”

At my vague response, Suzune got annoyed.

“You’re way too uninterested in me. I should’ve kissed you the other day after all.”

Suzune is complaining about something.

“I really don’t know. Everything suits you too much.”

(Oh crap. My true feelings came out of my mouth.)

Maybe she’s put off?

When I looked at Suzune, she was gripping the fitting room curtain and looking down.

“Hmph. Even if you praise me that much, nothing’s gonna come out!”

Suzune said that and closed the curtain.

Looks like I made her angry.

I need to follow up later.

A clerk spoke to me.

“Your girlfriend really loves you!”

“Huh. Why do you say that?”

“Boys might not understand, but for girls, changing from top to bottom is actually quite a lot of work, you know? If you’re not careful, your hair gets messed up too.”

“Is that so?”

“Plus, she’s changing this many times. She wants her boyfriend to think she’s cute even a little. Look, check around you.”

Around us, many male customers were glancing this way.

“What are those people doing?”

Maybe because I’m mismatched with Suzune?

“They’re envious that you have such a cute girlfriend.”

The clerk said that and smiled.

…I see.

An introverted romance beginner like me is with a cute girl (who happens to be my little sister though). It’s like an underdog victory, and somehow it felt refreshing.

The clerk tilted her head.

“Oh? I’m sorry. Could it be you’re not her boyfriend?”

Normally I’d deny it immediately.

(Suzune’s not here, so it’s okay to show off a little, right?)

“…She’s my girlfriend.”

Before I knew it, I’d answered that.

Wait, what am I saying?

She’s my little sister. That’s impossible.

Ugh, reflect on this. Reflect!

※

Swish!

That was the sound of the fitting room curtain closing.

(Huh, it felt like a shadow moved through the gap in the curtain. Is it just my imagination?)

After that, Suzune didn’t ask about clothing preferences anymore. But that made me somehow concerned. After we finished buying clothes, I asked while walking.

“Hey. Was it okay not to get advice on clothing preferences?”

“Whatever. I can figure out the preferences of someone with a romance deviation value of 0 like you right away.”

(Huh? Even if you’re stupid, your deviation value doesn’t become 0.)

That’s a slightly annoying way to put it. She’s a secret romance beginner herself. She’s been quiet for a while now, is she in a bad mood?

“If you’re not feeling well, should we go home?”

Then Suzune glared at me.

“I’m not feeling bad, we haven’t finished our plans yet, we haven’t finished our promise yet, so let’s go to the next place!”

Where I was dragged to was a lingerie shop. The previous shop at least had some men’s items, but here there’s zero men’s lineup. It’s a complete male-forbidden sanctuary.

“Wait, this doesn’t count as clothes, right?”

Suzune raised her eyebrows.

“Huh? Are you stupid? Underwear is underwear. It’s wear, so obviously it counts as clothes.”

Now that she mentions it, I kind of feel that way.

Well, whatever.

Today is a day of atonement.

I’ll just keep serving until the princess is satisfied.

※

“Then I’ll be outside.”

“Hey. Wait.”

When I tried to evacuate, Suzune grabbed my wrist. Ugh… She’s strong.

“No, I can’t be here.”

I don’t want to.

Like getting reported as a suspicious person.

“Huh? You can’t choose if you’re not with me. You said you’d choose.”

Suzune became overtly displeased.

Then, unable to bear it, a clerk spoke to us.

“Customer. This is embarrassing for boys, so many men wait outside.”

Nice assist.

Beautiful clerk lady!

Looking alternately at me and the clerk, Suzune puffed up her cheeks.

And then she declared:

“This guy is my boyfriend so it’s fine!”

Big brother → You → This guy.

With the passage of time, the pronouns she uses for me seem to be ranking down…

“Huh? What are you saying?”

When I talked back, Suzune bared her fangs and went “Grrrr.” A beautiful girl’s angry face is scary.

“Huh? You said it too earlier. You happily, lewdly declared we’re lovers!”

Apparently my showing off at the previous store was overheard.

(I was definitely happy but I wasn’t lewd about it!? …Probably.)

“Y-yes!”

I no longer had the right to object.

And so I was forcibly taken to the male-forbidden area.

While Suzune was picking out underwear, I ended up waiting alone. Then unfamiliar girls would look at me, whisper something, and leave.

After a while, I noticed.

Within my field of vision, nobody picks up any products.

(This is uncomfortable.)

I see.

I finally understood why the clerk earlier recommended waiting outside the store.

Basically, if there’s a guy in the sales floor, things don’t sell.

(Ugh, I seriously want to disappear from this place.)

While being made to wait, my stomach started hurting, and I gradually got annoyed.

“Did you pick something too?”

Suzune apparently already chose some underwear and was holding a basket.

(Don’t I not need to be here? Plus, I was having such a hard time feeling uncomfortable, and she has such a carefree face.)

I want to get back at Suzune somehow.

I’ll choose risqué underwear and make her freak out.

I pointed.

Black ones with lace all the way down to the bottom, excessively adult-like. I designated super hard mode panties where you can’t tell why anyone would wear them.

Suzune picked them up and spread them out.

“What is this, whoa…”

Apparently she’s speechless.

Hehe. She’s freaking out.

Sister, hurry up and declare defeat.

As expected, Suzune turned red all the way to her chest and looked down.

(Wait, did I bully her too much?)

Suzune lightly clenched her right hand and put it to her mouth. She swayed her body left and right, nodding about something.

“I-I-If you really want these that much, it’s okay?”

Suzune said embarrassedly.

“Huh, you’re seriously buying those?”

Somehow the conversation seems to be progressing in an unexpected direction.

“If you chose them for me, there’s that promise too, so I was thinking I’d try them on at home and show you. …But these are a bit embarrassing.”

Could it be that my promise with Suzune ‘③ Properly put into words why things suit her’ applies to underwear too!?

If she shows me wearing those, this brother will get a nosebleed. So please don’t, okay?

I’d be satisfied if she freaks out and puts them back on the shelf.

“No, so. I was kidding or…”

By the time I said that, it was already too late.

My words apparently don’t reach her ears anymore. Suzune continued talking.

“Um. Sorry. You see. Unlike Kei and others, I haven’t prepared properly. Like, as is, I’d be so embarrassed I’d die. I need courage so it might be impossible right away.”

Suzune seemed to hesitate a bit, but put the underwear in the shopping basket.

“But I’ve decided, so I’ll do my best. If you really want these no matter what, I’ll do as onii-chan says… okay?”

(Why does the onii-chan call come back here? And she’s pointlessly earnest.)

Suzune has no ill intent. I understand that. Once Suzune decides something, she rarely changes it. I was the one who didn’t understand this girl.

And the onii-chan call would lead to an unexpected situation.

“Onii-chan? Siblings? Making your little sister wear these, this older sister can’t approve.”

The beautiful clerk lady looked at me like I was garbage, said that, and left toward the register with Suzune.

The female customers around are clearly put off too. Suzune, please don’t leave me alone. The brother who played a bad prank was in the wrong.

“This is too painful. Maybe I’ll wait outside.”

※

One of the female customers spoke to me.

“U-um. Shinomiya-kun?”

The voice belonged to Yamase-san, a classmate.

“Huh. Ah, Yamase-san?”

She’s not flashy but actually a cute hidden beauty, and I secretly admired Yamase-san.

From where was she watching?

If she saw everything, not just me but Suzune would be in trouble too. Like choosing underwear with her older brother—that’s career-ending stuff, right?

“Yeah. Shinomiya-kun, you have a crossdressing hobby?”

Good. She misunderstood in a weird way on her own. No, it’s not good at all, but at least it seems she didn’t see Suzune.

“No, that’s wro…”

I tried to deny it and stopped. If I deny it here, Suzune will be exposed. My little sister will get hurt. So I can’t deny it.

It’s an older brother’s duty to protect his little sister.

Watching my behavior, Yamase-san nodded.

“It’s okay. I’ll keep it secret from everyone. But Shinomiya-kun seems nice, so I actually thought he was pretty good.”

Yamase-san glanced at me.

“…But that’s a bit impossible.”

Saying that, Yamase-san left the store with a strained smile.

Apparently I got rejected without even confessing.

A gloomy virgin like me being liked by the girl I like—it’s a miracle that won’t happen twice. Why does it have to come at this timing?