LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 19 - I'm your sister
One day at dinner, Mio, looking rather restless, let out a nervous voice.
“Tomorrow is the entrance ceremony. The thought of becoming a high schooler makes me feel strangely itchy.”
“I’m a little tingly on my feet, too.”
“It’s strange that Mio is going to be a highschooler, it’s like some kind of bad joke.”
“Aha, I think so too. Besides, it’s my high school debut, but it looks like I’m doing a gag that puts my body on the line!”
Mio shrugs her shoulders playfully, giggling softly.
When I thought about her becoming a high school student, I was deeply moved.
She can no longer be called a child, and unlike in middle school, she is no longer in compulsory education. The word “future” is now reality, and while I feel anxious and pressured as I have to look ahead to the path I’m taking, I’m also looking forward to encountering something sparkling and unknown.
As she rubs her injured left wrist and thinks about what’s to come, she suddenly hears Erika’s melancholic voice.
“I feel like I’m more anxious than the both of you.”
Erika played with her long, red hair with her fingertips.
It is true that since she was a child, Erika’s hair colour, which is different from that of others around her, had been the target of many criticisms. Even Shota has been through a lot. It is not hard to imagine that Erika must have had a hard time as well.
However, as if to do away with Erika’s worries, Mio spoke in a cheerful voice.
“I’m sure you will be fine. No one in high school would do such a thing. Right, Sho-chan?”
“Oh, I’m more likely to be made fun of for acting like a kid.”
“…I hope you’re right.”
“More than that, Eri-chan is pretty, so she should be more careful about being hit on.”
He frowned at Mio’s words. That was something Shota was also concerned about.
Even undermining Shota’s bias for Erika, Erika’s beauty stood out a head above those around her.
However, he didn’t know what to do. As Shota was deep in thought, Mio suddenly folded her arms around her in a theatrical manner, and let out a groan.
“I think there is a more dangerous matter to address at the moment.”
“A dangerous matter?”
“A young maiden is living in the house of a boy who is her classmate.”
“Bufu, buho, Urawaka, haha, hahahaha, that’s certainly true.”
“Isn’t it?”
Although I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that, It would certainly look abnormal from the outside.
Even though they had been together since childhood, and she had become accustomed to the Katsuragi family, and even if they feel uneasy without being by each other’s side, Mio is fundamentally still not part of the Katsuragi family. If this situation were found out, it surely wouldn’t be a positive for their public image.
“Hmm, I guess we should hide the fact that we’re living together.”
“That’s right. I don’t want to give any strange hints. Ah, but I get so excited thinking about starting my high school life with a secret like this!”
“Hmm.”
Afterwards, Shota returned to his room, laying on his bed while staring blankly at the ceiling.
A man and a woman of similar ages living under one roof.
Once again thinking about his current bizarre living circumstances, he looked at his situation objectively and realised he was not only living with one but two girls of similar ages.
His thoughts then drift to how living with Mio felt like second nature but with Erika, they weren’t used to living together yet.
(not my real sister huh?…)
Mio doesn’t know that yet.
She had not even had the chance to tell Shota, until a few days ago.
However, the colour of her hair indicates that she IS related to him, albeit tenuously.
Shota raised his eyebrows while plucking his bangs with his thumb and forefinger.
Something was nagging at the back of his chest.
This wasn’t his only problem to deal with.
Urging himself to get up, he went towards Erika’s room and knocked on her door.
“Erika, can I have a second?”
“Nii-san?…Wait a minute.”
Sounds of things being moved around could be heard through the door and after a moment, I got the go ahead to enter.
Erika’s room, which I haven’t been in since the day she came back here, still feels cold and empty, but a sweet, aromatic smell lingered, making me feel a little uncomfortable from how different it was from my own room. As my eyes wandered around the room, I spotted a smartphone connected to a charging cord and a note on the desk. Was she doing some kind of research?
As I was puzzling over such a thought, Erika looked into my face quizzically.
“Brother?”
“I was just thinking about it! I mean, our, you know, our blood relation, or rather, the fact that we haven’t told Mio yet.”
“…”
“…”
When I started talking about her, Erika’s expression gradually darkened and her eyebrows knitted together.
Shota’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as if he didn’t understand what caused that reaction. Is it because of something I said?
As thoughts like that swirled in his mind, Erika lowered her eyelashes and muttered in a despondent voice.
“I’m your sister though…”
“……ah”
Shota opens his eyes wide as his pupils shook.
Oh, what a stupid thing he said.
Seeing his sister’s face distorted with sadness, Shota felt guilty and ashamed of his own words, and smacked his own cheeks with both hands.
“N-nii-san!?”
“Ouch… I’m sorry, I said something strange. I’m your older brother and Erika is my younger sister, and we’ve always been like that.”
“Ah… hmm”
Saying that, Shota patted his sister’s head, and although Erika seemed embarrassed, her lips visibly loosened.