Why Is the Prettiest Girl in School Trying to Talk to a Loner Like Me during Lunch Break?

Chapter 33: Little Sister

“Onii-chan? Is someone there?”

“Oh, Andou-kun… you have a little sister!?”

“Yeah, she’s one year younger and a first-year at the same school. She’s in the tennis club, so she always comes home around this time because of practice.”

“Onii-chan? Where are you? Are you not here?”

“I’m here! Sorry, I’m using the living room to study for tests with a friend from class!”

(F-friend! Andou-kun just called me his friend, didn’t he? Andou-kun properly recognizes me as a ‘friend’!)

(Honestly, I think it’s questionable for someone like me to call Asakura-san a ‘friend,’ but we’ve already been to each other’s houses, so I hope Asakura-san thinks of me as a ‘friend’ at least a little…)

“……” Glance

(F-friends…) (Andou and Asakura)

“What? Onii-chan, you’re such a bad liar! There’s no way you’d be studying. Besides, you don’t have any friends!”

“……”

“Pfft!”

(That sister of mine…)

(O-oh no… I burst out laughing. Oh, footsteps are approaching this room. I wonder what Andou-kun’s little sister is like?)

“Onii-chan, I finally found you. So, who’s this friend—”

“H-hello. Um… I’m Asakura, Andou-kun’s friend.”

“—WHAT!? Ah, A-Asakura-senpai!? Eh! O-Onii-chan, what’s going on! Why is Asakura-senpai at our house? Your friend is— Wait! Could it be… kidnapping?”

“Hey, do you think I’m the kind of guy who can only bring Asakura-san home by kidnapping her?”

“Eh, do you have the courage to invite Asakura-senpai to our house?”

“……True.”

“Andou-kun, deny that!”

(That’s right, when I think about it, it’s incredibly unlikely for Asakura-san to be at my house. I guess my senses got numbed because I went to Asakura-san’s house before.)

“Wait, you said ‘Asakura-senpai,’ but how do you know Asakura-san? Are you acquainted with her?”

“Sigh, this is why my loner Onii-chan… When you say Asakura-senpai, normally there’s no one at our school who doesn’t know her, you know? Rather, from my perspective, it’s more mysterious that Onii-chan is with Asakura-senpai… Hey, is your friend really Asakura-senpai? Not a delusion?”

“Does the Asakura-san right in front of you look like a delusion I created?”

“I’m not a delusion. I’m real.”

“No, I’m not doubting Asakura-senpai here. What I mean is, isn’t Onii-chan thinking Asakura-senpai is his ‘friend’ the ‘delusion’? You know, like on TV? ‘Isn’t that just your imaginary person—'”

“Hey, stop it. That’s making me a bit anxious!”

“Andou-kun, don’t be anxious! We’re properly ‘friends,’ right!?”

(H-huh…? I thought it was absolutely impossible for Onii-chan to have a female friend, but… Asakura-senpai’s reaction… Eh, could it be?)

“I-I can’t believe it, but… Asakura-senpai, are you really friends with Onii-chan?”

“Y-yeah…”

“You’re not being threatened!? You’re not being paid!?”

“Hey, what do you think your brother is? You know better than anyone that I don’t have that kind of courage or money, right?”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“Wait! Where do I even start with this!? Andou-kun, properly acknowledge me as your ‘friend’ too!”

“Ah, yeah… Sorry, Asakura-san. Having a beautiful girl like you as my ‘friend’ is… I’m so happy it’s embarrassing.”

“W-wha! W-w-what are you s-saying! I-it’s not like I’m embarrassed about being ‘friends’ with Andou-kun or anything!”

“A-Asakura-san!”

“……” Stare

(I see, I see… At first I thought it was impossible, but Onii-chan is doing better than expected! Moreover, this is a super big catch that I’d definitely regret missing!)

“Besides, Onii-chan. If you’re studying, why not do it in your room instead of the living room? Why are you studying here?”

“Huh, what are you saying? Asakura-san is a girl, so my room is off-limits, right?”

“!”

“Sigh…”

(A g-girl! Andou-kun is treating me as a girl!)

(Onii-chan can invite her home but can’t invite her to his room…)

“Geez, Onii-chan, you idiot! Dummy! Blockhead! You light novel otaku!”

“Hold on! Why is my sister suddenly roasting me!? And being a light novel otaku has nothing to do with this!”

“This is why you’ll always be a ‘loner’ at heart… Since Asakura-senpai came all the way here, of course she’d want to see your room!”

“Wha!”

“Eh, is that true?”

(No! I’m thinking that but there’s no way I can say it!)

“T-that’s not—”

“Right? Asakura-senpai! You’d be curious about your classmate friend’s room, right?”

(Hm? Certainly, even if it’s not the opposite sex, it’s natural to be curious about a classmate’s room.)

“—true! I really want to see Andou-kun’s room!”

“WHAAAAAAT!?”

“See, Onii-chan! Now that you understand, hurry up and show her your room!”

“O-okay… Then, Asakura-san. Want to see my room?”

“Yes!”

“Please take your time~~”

“……” Glance

(I hope my feelings… aren’t obvious to his sister—)

(Fufufu, Asakura-senpai… Please take good care of my brother♪)

(Good, it doesn’t seem like she noticed!)

[Bonus Story] “Cookie”

“A-Andou-kun!”

“Hm? What is it, Asakura-san?”

“Um… Well— To-today! About today’s cooking class! H-how did it go for you?”

“Oh, today’s cinnamon cookie cooking class. Yeah, well, as a ‘loner,’ I was thrown into a group with boys I don’t usually interact with, and the atmosphere was super awkward, but other than that it went smoothly.”

“Andou-kun…”

“……”

(Hahaha… ‘Loner’ problems. Number 1: Sudden group assignments create awkward atmospheres. It happens!)

“T-that was unfortunate…”

“Yeah…”

(Wait, that’s not all! Get it together, me! My goal today is to give Andou-kun the ‘cinnamon cookies’ I made in cooking class! H-hmph! Just giving leftover cookies from cooking class to the boy next to me… W-when I think about it, it’s a ‘normal,’ ‘common’ action! I-it’s not like there’s any weird meaning or special feelings! That’s right… When I think about it calmly, I’m just sharing some ‘leftover cookies’! That’s all… No problem! N-nothing… Just that those ‘leftover cookies’ happen to be ‘heart-shaped,’ happen to have ‘chocolate mint topping on just one,’ and happen to be ‘wrapped in a cute pink bag’! Y-yeah! No problem at all!)

“A-Andou-kyun!”

“Hm? What is it, Asakura-san?”

“W-well… C-coo!”

“Coo…?”

“—!” Nod

(Give them! Give him the cookies!)

“There was a light novel called ‘Clione Accord,’ right? I was wondering if you’ve read it… ahaha~”

“Oh, that one! Of course I’ve read it! That one is—”

(Stupid meeeeeee! What am I chickening out fooooor! Ugh… Now I can’t bring it up again—)

“Oh! That’s right. Asakura-san, I have some leftover ‘cinnamon cookies’ from today, want some?”

“Huh!? Y-you’ll give them to me!? Moreover, cookies made by Andou-kun!”

“Eh, y-yeah… If you don’t like cookies, you don’t have to force yourself—”

“A-a-absolutely, I want them! Actually, despite how I look, I love cookies more than three meals a day!”

“I-is that so? Then, good. Here are the cookies I made.”

“Fwaaa! Andou-kun, thank you! I’ll treasure these cookies forever!”

“No, they’re food, so eat them instead of treasuring them, okay?”

(Asakura-san seems really happy… She must be on a diet and hungry.)

(Yesssssss! I-I can’t believe I got cookies from Andou-kun! I don’t really understand why, but I’m super lucky today! Oh, that’s right!)

“A-ahem… W-well. It would be bad if only I received something, so I’ll give you the cookies I ‘happened to have left over’ from cooking class as thanks♪”

“Eh, really? Wow! These cookies are amazing… Girls really put different effort into making sweets.”

“Y-yes…”

“Thank you, Asakura-san.”

“Yes, thank you too, Andou-kun.”

(Yes! I managed to give Andou-kun cookies! Ufufu~~ I wonder if Andou-kun will say my cookies are ‘delicious’♪)

(Yeah, I’ll give these cookies to my sister when I get home. She likes cute sweets like this!)

That night

“The cookies Andou-kun gave me taste better than the ones I made…” Defeated