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 6: Precious Little Sister, Fixated on Baby Carriage

Chapter 6: Precious Little Sister, Fixated on Baby Carriage

—Three promises.

Holding hands is easy. What’s difficult is saying “cute” out loud. I can’t be honest and end up making light jokes instead.

On an evening without our parents, Suzune is unusually close. She seems to want to thank me, and though our eyes meet, words don’t follow. We go shopping for dinner. The warmth of her hand was just a little warmer than usual.

※

Recently, Suzune talks to me more casually than before.

Maybe it’s because our parents aren’t here today? I’ve been feeling Suzune’s glances for a while now. As I was playing games in the living room without minding it, Suzune sat down next to me.

“Hey. Are you free?”

“What? So suddenly.”

“No. Thanks for the other day.”

Suzune looked down and played with a bundle of her back hair.

“Huh?”

“I mean. The thing with Yamase-san.”

Apparently she feels indebted because I protected Suzune during that shopping trip the other day.

“Ah. Not really.”

“I want to thank you somehow.”

Suzune is earnest.

Once Suzune decides something, she doesn’t change it.

That’s probably why she’s good at both studying and sports.

“I did it because I wanted to.”

Well, meeting Yamase-san after summer vacation will be depressingly stomach-churning though.

“As I said, don’t seduce your little sister like that.”

Suzune said that, placed her hands on her knees, and looked down. She’s matching her fingertips together, moving them restlessly.

I’ve never intended to seduce her even once though.

“I really don’t care about it at all.”

Then Suzune sulked.

“You know. Right now, I’m wearing the underwear we bought together… do you want to see?”

Suzune pretended to lift her skirt.

Gulp.

I swallowed.

(W-well, she’s my little sister.)

The shadow of Suzune’s eyelashes falls on her glossy cheeks. The color of her skin on the inside of her knees where the sunlight doesn’t hit. As if being sucked in, my gaze turns that way.

There’s no way I’m not interested. But if I look, I feel like I’ll lose control of myself.

Because I’m her older brother.

For both our sakes, this is the only way.

“Not really.”

Suzune put strength into her mouth.

“Hmm, I see. So I’m just a little sister after all.”

I can see Suzune pursing her lips.

Even looking down, I can see her mouth. Really, what a troublesome little sister.

“Then how about you make dinner or something?”

Let’s give Suzune some kind of role.

“Yeah! I’ll do my best!”

Suzune smiled and energetically returned to her room.

Even though we’re the same age, Suzune is still my little sister.

※

As I was playing games, Suzune came running with quick steps. Apparently she was reviewing cooking in her room.

She has a large tote bag hanging from her shoulder.

What is she planning to buy in such large quantities?

“Come on, give me the bag. I’m coming too.”

When I snatched the tote bag from Suzune, Suzune smiled.

The two of us walk toward the supermarket.

On the way, we passed a couple pushing a baby carriage.

When I turned around at the scent like baby powder, Suzune was also following the baby with her eyes.

When the couple disappeared from view, Suzune peered at my face and held out her hand.

“Holding hands is… part of our promise.”

The finger that touched sank with a squish. At that softness, I scratched my nose.

“I’m just holding hands because it’s a promise, so I have no choice.”

Suzune said that and turned her face away.

Suzune’s nails are small and smooth.

Apparently she’s not wearing nail polish today.

Being like this reminds me of when she was small. My hands have gotten bigger since then, but Suzune’s hands are still small. We used to always hold hands like this in the past, but before I knew it, we fell apart.

I brought my face closer, as if drawn by our joined hands.

“Hm?”

Suzune asked.

“No, nothing. Just, I’m happy we made up, Suzune.”

“I see.”

Suzune smiled.

Should I ask while I’m at it?

“Hey. Suzune, you got cold toward me around the time you entered middle school, right? Is there some reason for that?”

Even though I asked myself, I was scared of the answer and my breathing became a bit rough.

“Huh. Why?”

“No, like if there’s something wrong with me, I want to be careful.”

I don’t want to be hated by Suzune again.

Then Suzune stopped walking and looked at my face. Then with both palms, she pinched and pulled both my cheeks.

“There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s because I… started to like you. The reason is that as a little sister I can’t become a girlfriend. I was sad and took it out on you. You know, various things. I’m sorry.”

Which means Suzune has liked me since middle school.

Seriously? Damn, my heart’s racing at this unexpected answer.

I shook my head.

No good. I need to get it together.

She’s family. We finally made up. Right now I want to treasure that kind of thing.

…Because I’m her older brother.

“No. It’s not something Suzune should apologize for. Listen, I’m not good at saying this, but Suzune is really important to me.”

Suzune stroked the hair hanging on her shoulders.

“Yeah. Even if that’s as a little sister… I’m really happy.”

Suzune rejoined our hands. She joins deeply, as if wrapping around the back of my hand.

Suzune’s body warmth gradually transmits to me.

“Ah, I forgot to mention, but those clothes are what we bought the other day, right? Thanks for wearing them.”

Suzune looked bashful.

“You noticed. I just like these clothes because they’re cute.”

Suzune is wearing the clothes we bought the other day. She said she’d wear clothes I like, and she really did.

Even though we’re just going to the supermarket. She put on makeup and changed clothes. A little sister who thinks of her older brother this much.

“That’s too precious.”

Damn, I said it without thinking.

Then Suzune started looking something up on her phone.

“AI-kun says ‘precious’ is a dead word. Even though we’re the same age, are you actually lying about your age?”

Suzune laughed heartily.

“No, it’s the correct usage. I don’t want you to throw existing words into the country of dead words without permission!”

…Sigh.

There’s no other girl who would work so hard to be cute with clothes for a guy she’s been with for 16 years.

If Suzune gets a serious boyfriend, how much will she devote herself? Just imagining that makes my chest feel restless.

I gripped Suzune’s hand again.

When Suzune peered at my face, she swept up the bangs hanging over her face.

“I only dress up for you. …Wanting the person you like to think you’re cute, that’s normal for girls, right?”

My little sister is truly precious.

※

—After this, we didn’t yet know that one small sake chocolate would melt the distance between us.