Volu 5, Chapter 3: Kikyouin Sisters x Playing Siblings x?Hanafuda
When I looked into it, I found that, in the first place, Sesshouseki didn’t refer to a single large stone, but a wide array of fragnts of all shapes and sizes.
Upon her death, the nine-tailed fox shifted shape into a massive, toxic stone, severing the life of any living being that got close. The na Sesshouseki ca from the exceedingly brutal virulent nature of the stone. While it was feared by the people who lived around it, during the period of the northern and southern dynasties, a Soto Buddhist monk by the na of Gennou smashed the Sesshouseki, its destroyed fragnts dispersing all over Japan.
aning the item currently located near Nasu’s Yumoto Onsen was one of the fragnts.
(Note: Sesshouseki: lit. life destroying stone, killing stone)
(Note: Period of (Japanese) Northern and Southern Dynasties: 1336-1392)
That being the case, it’s not like the nine-tailed fox ever existed in the first place. That’s why that bit about toxicity was most likely inspired by the hydrogen sulfide, sulfuric dioxide, and other noxious gasses that break out in the vicinity of hot springs.
At present, it seems the Sesshouseki had beco a relatively popular tourist spot.
Among my friends, I did know one individual who had paid it a visit.
‘Hello, this is Kikyouin Yuzuki. Could you state your business?’
It was the self-proclaid onmyouji.
A few months ago, when I had only just t her, I heard she dropped by the Sesshouseki when she made a trip to the Tochigi Prefecture.
“Well, it’s nothing important, but,”
‘Then I’m hangin’ up.’
“Wait, wait! I’ve got business, loads of business!”
Good grief, Kikyouin-san’s as cold as ever. Recently, she finally unblocked , so I was sure our friendship was growing bit by bit.
“They were running it on the evening news yesterday,”
Once I had said that much,
‘Oh, are you talkin’ about how the Sesshouseki was stolen?’
Kikyouin-san took a shortcut to the answer. She was so perceptive I was mildly shocked.
“I’m surprised you could tell.”
‘Sothin’ ya’d call for, and it was on the news. Is there anythin’ else it could be?’
“No guarantee about that one. I might have just called because I wanted to hear your voice, you know?”
‘… So you wanna die?’
“I’m sorry.”
Scary. Sotis joking around is a life or death business.
“Well, if you know, that’s good. I had a hunch you’d be the type of person who’d like the Sesshouseki, rather, I thought you’d be interested, so I just kinda thought I’d tell you.”
‘Well thanks for the trouble. ‘n wait, it’s too late. I’ve already been moving from the crack of dawn. Right now, I’m just about standin’ right in front of it.’
“For reals!?”
Isn’t she a bit fast!? Isn’t she a bit too proactive!?
“W-why?”
‘Tamane-sama snapped for real. If it’s for Tamane-sama’s sake, there’s no way I wouldn’t move, see.’
Snapped for real?
Why’s that? Is Tama-chan one of those rock enthusiasts.
“No but still, that’s amazing. It happened yesterday morning, and you’re already in Tochigi.”
‘Not particularly. If Tamane-sama gets serious, that distance’s one bound and poof.’
A question marker hung over my head at that perplexing statent.
Umm… oh, I see. I’m sure she forcefully declared the grade-schooler Tama-chan as younger than that to get her on all the transportations systems for free.
Gosh darn, that’s underhanded.
I’ll have to start calling her Pay-no-in-san next ti onwards.
“You sure are Kikyou, Paynoin-san.”
I promptly got to it. One of those light slip-up jokes.
All of a sudden, I got the feeling a frigid malice was leaking through the phone’s receiver.
‘… You’re gettin’ carried away thinkin’ I can’t punch you across the phone, aren’t you.’
“No, not at all!”
Well, honestly, she’s right!
‘… You’d better watch your ox hour.’
(Note: Ox Hour, 2 a.m. on the pre-nurical zodiac based ti-scale)
What’s with that novel threat? Don’t tell she wants to watch my back at night?
While I was trembling in fear at her ox hour visit declaration,
‘Hmph. Soone like you should just get too scared to sleep at two at night, so your biological rhythm gets thrown way out of whack!’
Kikyouin-san’s aim was far pettier than I expected. Thanks to the long break, my biological rhythm was already all over the place. Though it’s gotten sowhat decent now that Kurisu-chan’s living with .
As I thought, she puts up a strong front, but Kikyouin-san’s really a kind person, or so I was nearly moved to tears when, ‘Oy, Yuzuki,’ I heard Tama-chan call Kikyouin-san from beyond the receiver.
‘Ah,Tamane-sama. Did you find sothin’?’
From there, Kikyouin-san abandoned and began conversing with Tama-chan.
‘The piece that was stolen was the one that served as—— core, it was ——’ ‘This was not the work of—— ordinary——’ ‘From analysis of the residual power, —— enemy is——’ ‘How they take our mother’s husk——’ ‘Tamamo no Mae’s long daughter—— spare no rc——’ I heard bits and pieces of Tama-chan’s voice, but I hadn’t the slightest idea what was being said.
All I could tell— her tone carried with it a fearso rage. As if she was desperately trying to contain her overflowing anger, forcefully maintaining a level cadence.
I couldn’t think of it as the voice of a nine-year-old little girl
Almost what a Youkai would howl—it was a sinister voice.
‘Hey, sorry but I’m hangin’ up. Got sothin’ to do.’
“Got it. By the way, when will you be back?”
‘Within the day.’
“It’s a day trip?”
‘Seems the one we’re after is in your direction. ‘Cya.’
The line was unempathetically cut.
I tucked the phone in my pocket and looked around.
I was currently in the yard of a Japanese-built house. A roof tiling that had completely fled out of sight nowadays. While it was narrow, a garden with an atmosphere to it. Near the tap lay a bucket and ladle to scatter water with.
A sowhat weathered detached house that’s construction easily dated back over fifty years ago.
I had gone outside to make a call, and once that was done, I returned through the porch.
In the tatami room, Nobuko-san and Kurisu-chan sat across from one another. There were cushions placed over the aged tatami, and on top of them, they amused themselves with a ga of Hanafuda.
Right, this was Nobuko-san’s house. Kurisu-chan was invited again, and today, I intruded along with her. I sat to the side of the two making serious faces, watching over their match.
What they were doing at the mont was apparently a ga for two called ‘Koi-koi’. While it did seem Kurisu-chan had learned all the rules last ti she ca around, I had barely any idea how to play with hanafuda cards.
I had hamred many a modern card-ga into my head, but hanafuda was beyond my reach.
It’s kinda that, you know.
In elentary school, maybe this is what those girls feel like, watching over the boys playing card gas. Or perhaps, that feeling when watching that certain sumr movie whose climax has them playing hanafuda in a virtual world.
You don’t know what they’re doing, but it kinda gets you heated. That sort of thing. And while I was thinking that, the match had ended.
“Who won, Kuria-chan?”
I couldn’t tell what happened, so I tried asking.
“It was my complete loss… onii-chan.”
So answered Kurisu-chan.
We had both changed what we called the other.
If you’re asking why it ca to this, the story rewinds to last night.
Kurisu-chan had just gotten out of the bath, and gazing at her mildly reddened cheeks, I want to touch them, I want to squish them up, I was thinking when, “… And that’s how it is. I’m counting on you.” Kurisu-chan sat beside on the sofa, lowering her head.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening at all, could you run that by again?”
When I replied honestly, Kurisu-chan’s shoulders dropped.
“God! You’d better listen this ti.”
“Sorry, sorry. I was just thinking a bit about the problems with annuity nowadays.”
I arbitrarily played it off and ford a firm expression.
“So what were we talking about again?”
“Please make it so I’m your little sister when we’re in front of Nobuko-san.”
Kurisu-chan’s expression turned especially serious on that one.
“Why?”
“Umm, last ti I went, I let it carelessly slip that we were living together… and from there, I kinda ended up explaining that we were brother and sister.”
“Oh, I see. If we’re not even related, it’d be strange for a man and woman of age to be living together, after all. But that being the case, it would be difficult to explain the situation you’re in, so…”
“That’s right”
“Because you’d have to start explaining from your exhibitionist tendencies.”
“That’s……… right.”
Kurisu-chan gave the sort of nod to kill her own emotion.
“That’s why I want you to call by na… please, just don’t call Kurisu.”
“……”
So that’s it.
In the end, that was her aim. I don’t know how much of the slipup story was true, but her deeper objective was to prevent from calling her ‘Kurisu-chan’ in front of Nobuko-san.
To conceal her surna.
To conceal her identity.
When I thought calling a girl by first na would be a considerable event… I never thought it would go down like this.
“Yeah. Got it.”
Without asking anything else, I took up her request.
“Then how ‘bout we practice a bit? Umm… K-Kuria-chan.”
“That’s .”
“… Haha, it’s kinda embarrassing.”
“Ahaha… you’re right.”
The two of us laughed bashfully. It was an awkward feeling words failed to describe.
“Then next up, Kurisu—I an Kuria-chan, it’s your turn.”
“Y-yes.”
Kurisu-chan took in a deep breath before looking up at .
*BREAK*
“Onii-chan…”
*BREAK*
“……”
Oh, I see.
The setting’s brother and sister, so it’s co to that.
Crap, she took by surprise.
Out of the bath, flushed face, moist hair, baggy clothing. Those upturned eyes that gazed into inquisitively.
And… Onii-chan.
Each and every component she was composed of launched an all-out assault on …!
“O-onii-chan, what’s wrong?”
“No… it’s nothing. I just felt like my entire body was tickled relentlessly…”
“Is that so.”
“… Alright. Kuria-chan. How about we try a different pattern?”
“A different, pattern?”
*BREAK*
[IMAGE]
*BREAK*
“That’s right. It’s not good to take up a challenge with a fixed perspective. Only on top of layered trial and error can we choose the most appropriate solution, or so I believe.”
“Oh I see.”
“Then try calling by sothing else!”
Kurisu-chan thought for a bit and raised her head.
“Onii-san.”
“It’s not bad, but not great…”
“Yeaaah. A bit iffy.”
“Ani-jya.”
“Not happening.”
“Nii-chan.”
“… Oh, that’s nice. Not half bad.”
“Nii-Nii.”
“Guuhah!”
My heart was shot through.
Nice. Splendid, Nii-nii!
… No, wait a second, I do get the feeling the simplest option of Onii-chan is still the best.
“Alright, Kuria-chan. Let’s narrow it down to Onii-chan and Nii-nii, and think about it from there.”
“… Sure. U-um, you don’t have to get so serious about it…”
“What are you talking about? A perfectionist such as myself would never permit such negligence.”
“… Never in my life have I ever considered you a perfectionist, senpai.”
“Hey now. It’s not senpai, is it?”
“Erk… O-onii-chan?”
“Or?”
“Nii-nii…?”
Good. I stuck up my finger and comnded her.
Now let’s spend ample ti thinking over which one to go with.
The night is still young.
*BREAK*
Flashback over.
After thinking and thinking, the conclusion was the nice-and-simple ‘Onii-chan’ after all… I get the feeling we started with a relatively serious conversation, but why did it co to this?
Well, whatever the case, that’s just how it is.
For a short while, Kurisu-chan’s designation would be ‘Kuria-chan’, and mine would be ‘Onii-chan’.
“I was no match for Nobuko-san. I’m still a greenhorn.”
Ca Kurisu-chan with a sad, yet sowhat festive smile. Seeing that, Nobuko-san also gave a delightful laugh.
“Girl, you’re weak because you’re still focusing on nothing but your own hand. ‘Koi-koi’ is the sa as Mahjong, you’ll lose if you only look at your hand.”
“Urk… I don’t really know mahjong, so even if you make the comparison… onii-chan, can you play mahjong?”
“No, I can’t either. I’ve only ever played donjara.”
(Note: Donjara is a kids’ version of Mahjong with ani characters or child-friendly pictures on the tiles)
“What’s this? Kids these days don’t even play mahjong with the family anymore? Mahjong and hanafuda are things your parents are supposed to teach you, right?”
Kurisu-chan and I exchanged a look and shook our heads.
“Good grief,” Nobuko-san shook her head and breathed a deep sigh.
Nowadays, I get the feeling gas with a strong gambling image like mahjong and hanafuda are dying out among the youth.
I’ll admit, mahjong’s getting popular again through manga and ani, but these days, the most I hear of hanafuda is so misc facts on TV like, ‘The word to ostracize cos from the fact the deer on the october card in hanafuda is turning its head away, deer and ten make ostracize’.
(Note: To ostracize is shikato, deer(shika) ten(tou))
“In our house, we’d all get around the kotatsu every New Years playing family mahjong. Grandpa, Tooru, Kanako and I, we’d watch the festive decorations, sitting around the table.”
Of course, the elderly woman cynically smiled.
“That all ca to a stop once Tooru disappeared.”
The air in the tatami room grew heavy in one fell swoop.
Mahjong is a table ga played with four.
You can’t… play with three.
One missing family mber, and the ga couldn’t be set up.
“Instead we played sanma. But I always like the normal four-person mahjong better.”
Apparently, mahjong played with three people is called sanma. There are even mahjong clubs out in the world that specialize in sanma.
“……”
So you can play with three.
You can set up the ga.
… I never should’ve tried to sound knowing and dramatic.
“Now then. Next up, I’ll teach the boy hanafuda.”
As she said that, Nobuko-san began dealing cards.
“Eh… I’m fine. I don’t know the rules.”
“Rules are supposed to be learned as you play. Isn’t that how life works? You learn society’s rules as you live them.”
The air was one where I had no choice but to accept it, I reluctantly joined the ga.
“Then I’ll go brew so tea.”
“Thank you, dear. Do you rember where it is?”
“Yes.”
With an energetic nod, Kurisu-chan left the tearoom.
I picked up the eight cards I’d been dealt, and tried going over the rules I knew in my head.
First off, there were forty eight cards in total.
The forty eight cards had twelve suits, represented by each month’s symbolic flower (pine, plum, sakura, wisteria, iris, peony, clover, silvergrass, chrysanthemum, maple, willow, paulownia) with four cards in each. The four cards in each month weren’t exactly the sa, there were variations with wild boars, and deer, with red and purple stripes and such, what’s more, the pattern changed the point value. ‘Koi-koi’ is a ga for making sets, so it starts with rembering the possible sets, and there are more then ten types of sets you can make. Like five light cards, or boar deer and butterfly, or field of flowers…
“……”
This ga is way too convoluted!
There are too many things you have to rember just to play it. I know I’m not one to say it, but if it’s this complex, there’s nothing we can do if it goes out of use.
These days, gas are often made easy to start. Though in exchange, once you get hooked, they’re a huge sink of ti and money.
“… That girl’s a good kid.”
As I was frantically trying to recall the rules, Nobuko-san spoke heartily.
“Honest and sensible, on top of that, her face isn’t bad. That one’s going to be a splendid wife soday.”
She had my vehent agreent. I nodded with incredible force.
“I’m proud to have her as my sister.”
There, Nobuko-san suddenly narrowed her eyes.
“… But, it sotis looks like that girl’s pushing herself.”
“Pushing, is it?”
“It’s different from playing the good kid. I wonder what it is… like she’s pushing herself to act out her perfect self.”
“……”
She had my vehent agreent. Thought I couldn’t nod this ti.
It looked like Nobuko-san had her own thoughts on Kurisu-chan as well. As expected of a blood relative, perhaps I should say?
“Well, when you get to my age, your personality starts twisting, and you can’t help but be suspicious like . When you spot a girl with great personality, you end up thinking there’s got to be sothing beneath it.”
Nobuko-san laughed cynically. I gazed at the door Kurisu-chan had left through, absentmindedly leaking words.
“… This house is quite big, isn’t it.”
It wasn’t two stories, but it was considerably vast, a Japanese-style detached residence. It seed there were a number of rooms that weren’t even in use. It wasn’t a house ant for one to live alone. It was a house to live with a family.
“Hn. You don’t have to dance around the subject. I may be alone, but I’m living life to the fullest.”
I thought I was taking a considerable detour, but Nobuko-san saw through it.
Hmm, casual tact is difficult.
“I hit up the mahjong club two to three tis a week.”
“… You commute to the mahjong club?”
“You can’t count on the country for anything. You’ve got to earn money with your own hands.”
What a gambling soul.
There should be a limit to standing sturdy.
“I go to the pachinko a lot too. That place is nice, always rowdy like a festival. The other day, I got along with the college student sitting next to .”
“You’re the active sort…”
She really is a lively old woman.
And while she denied famicon and Nintendo 64, a pachinko is fine…
Well, I’m sure this sort of pliability is the key to good health.
“When it cos to pachinko, that machine’s getting heated these days. Umm, what was it again, that, purple slender robot…?”
“……”
Nobuko, that’s no robot, that’s an Ultimate All-Purpose Humanoid Decisive Battle Weapon!
Like so, I thought I’d put in a sharp retort, but, “Hey, how long are you going to be yapping? You’ve got first move, hurry up,” she urged on, so I dove into hanafuda unretortable.
I gazed at my hand once more.
… Mn?
“Umm, Nobuko-san.”
“Yes, boy?”
“What was I supposed to do with this again?”
I said as, unstylish as it was, I exposed my own hand to her. While president Kaiba might shake in humiliation at another seeing his hand, I was no president, so no problem.
The hand I was dealt contained four pairs of cards from the sa month.
Seeing that, Nobuko-san opened her eyes wide.
“That’s kuttsuki, ain’t it?”
“Kuttsuki?”
“When the hand you’ve been dealt forms a set, it’s a special combination. A hand in Koi-koi that finishes up the match the mont you’re dealt the cards.”
“Ummm… you an”
“It’s like getting a Tenhou in Mahjong.”
“It’s like summoning Exodia in Yugioh.”
“……?”
“……?”
We both tilted our heads at the other’s comparison.
The hell’s a Tenhou?
Is that supposed to be amazing?
“Anyways, this match goes to you.”
Looks like I won.
Yeaah. I don’t really get the rules, so I don’t feel accomplished at all.
And it ended without understanding what was supposed to be fun about it.
“Kuku, ahahahah.”
While I couldn’t find it in to be delighted, Nobuko-san could no longer contain her laughter.
“To suddenly pull a kuttsuki in your first ever ga of Koi-koi…”
She looked straight at , speaking delightedly.
“I’m sure you’ll make it big soday.”
*BREAK*
Kurisu-chan’s business was over, so next ca my own.
Today again, I was to have a duel with Griel-kun.
“You’re really going to co along, Kurisu-chan?”
I asked Kurisu-chan walking beside .
“You can go ho ahead of . You’ve got a spare key, don’t you?”
“No, I’m here anyway, so I thought I’d try watching this duel thing.”
“Hmhmm.”
“I want to learn a thing or two from my big brother as well.”
To make sure the seams didn’t co apart before Nobuko-san, while we were living together, I proposed we keep our nas changed. That wasn’t my personal preference or anything. Perish the thought.
“Well then, I’ve got to do my best to show you how cool I can be.”
“Do your best, onii-chan.”
We arrived at Asahi Park.
But there wasn’t a single child in sight.
“Huh? He’s not here yet?”
The two of us wandered aimlessly around the park, but the kid in the black mantle was nowhere to be seen. The table we usually (though it’s only been two tis so far) conducted our duels at was vacant. All that was there was a single white paper. To make sure it wasn’t taken off by the wind, it was affixed with a single stone.
When I took it in hand and gazed at it,
*BREAK*
‘To Kagoshima,
I now must take on the fox and curse user, so today’s duel is on hold.
However, I will not allow you to get away with a win.
Tomorrow, sa ti, sa place again.’
*BREAK*
Was scrawled out in scribble-like penmanship.
At the end, sothing else was written in jumbled up bizarre lettering I couldn’t think of as coming from this world. I could guess the end portion was Griel-kun’s signature, but I couldn’t tell what country’s language it was supposed to be in.
He probably arbitrarily scribbled it. He’s a kid after all.
“Onii-chan, that’s…?”
“Yeah. Looks like it’s a letter for . Said he can’t co today.”
But Griel-kun sure thought up a roundabout excuse.
The fox and curse user?
He could’ve co out with sothing halfway more decent.
“Is that so? That’s unfortunate.”
“Nothing we can do about it.”
With nothing left to do in the park, we stepped back onto the road ho.
*BREAK*
“You can’t get back?”
While Kurisu-chan was taking a bath, a call ca in from Orino-san, who had gone off on a trip. Lounging around in a living room, I found myself repeating the question.
“What do you an you can’t get back, Orino-san?”
‘Ummm, it’s a long story, and I don’t really get it either, but… it kinda seems like the gate was closed down…’
“Gate?”
‘Yeah, umm… by gate… I an, yeah, there’s so sort of strike going on, and the public transportation’s all jumbled up, so I can’t get back.’
“That sounds terrible.”
It was rare in Japan, but apparently strikes are relatively common overseas.
For example, in Italy, I hear that strikes called sciopero often break out, and have beco a national speciality in a bad sense. When scioperos happen, the trains and all else shut down, and you can’t get anywhere, apparently. I guess the sa sort of strike’s going on in the country the movie club party ventured to.
“Specifically what are they striking about?”
‘I’ve only gotten hearsay, and I don’t really get it either, but… apparently, at present, one of the country’s bigshots went out, and that person caused a problem sowhere…’
“Hmm.”
‘That person is called the Devil’s child or sothing, and I heard sothing about so stone, but that’s about it. I still haven’t gathered much information…’
“Hmhmm.”
Said I.
“I don’t get it at all.”
‘Yeah… I don’t get it either. What should I do…’
Orino-san said in quite an unreliable voice.
Isn’t she a bit too cornered from a little strike? I thought, anyone would feel faint of heart in a foreign land. I can’t bla her if she took on an anxious attitude as if she’d been left behind in so other world.
“What about Saijou-kun? He was supposed to be the coordinator, wasn’t he?”
‘About that…’
Orino-san struggled to say the rest.
‘Saijou-kun, he disappeared…’
“Disappeared?”
‘…… Yeah. Left the mbers aside and went off sowhere… I don’t know what he was thinking, but—Saijou-kun had the eyes of soone backed into a corner……’
“……”
Saijou Mutsuki, whereabouts unknown.
A child had gone missing in a foreign land.
Normally, that might be a situation I should worry about, but, “As I thought, it was impossible for that kid to coordinate a trip,” I muttered.
Good grief. For all the high and mighty things he said, in the end, it seems like it all ca apart. Was he the sort to just throw it all out the window once a bit of an irregularity broke out?
‘… I think you’re a bit wrong there, but… yeah, let’s just go with that.’
Orino-san said and breathed a resigned sigh.
‘Anyways, right now, the remaining mbers have split up to search for a way to return, but I don’t know when exactly I’ll be getting back… so I thought I’d better report it to you.’
“Yeah?”
‘I might not make it in ti for the second sester…’
“What, really?”
There’s more than a week to the second sester.
No matter how big of a strike it is, don’t you think it’s dragging on too long?
‘Ah, but it really is just a possibility, that’s why, in the million to one chance I can’t get back, all the class work for the opening ceremony will be pushed onto you, so I had to make this call to apologize. Just in case.’
Consideration fitting of the earnest Orino-san.
Our class rep—Orino Shori. Vice rep—Kagoshima Akira.
Co to think of it, I’m vice rep, aren’t I? Thanks to sumr vacation, I’d completely forgotten. I got the feeling I just heard one of the initial settings from a manga that everyone had forgotten about.
“Yeah. Got it. Thanks for going to the trouble.”
‘Don’t ntion it.’
And there, it occurred to .
“Co to think of it, did you et the founder?”
The goal of this trip was, it’s core was there, so I’ve heard.
‘… Kagoshima-kun, why do you know about that?’
Orino-san asked in a grim voice.
“I heard it from Saijou-kun. He said the movie club’s founder was at the trip destination. That everyone was going to et that person, right?”
‘Saijou-kun did…? I see, so he told Kagoshima-kun that much…’
Orino-san ca to terms with it in a mutter to herself, and continued on.
‘We haven’t t that person yet. Everyone did try their best, though.’
“That’s a sha.”
It looks like Saijou-kun’s surprise ended incomplete.
‘Mn, huh…?’
“What’s wrong.”
‘Hold in a second… in that case, could it be the reason Saijou-kun left us behind was to-’
The mont Orino-san was about to say sothing that sounded like it was nearing the crux of the matter.
*BREAK*
“Onii-chaaan, the bath’s open.”
*BREAK*
The voice of an out-of-the-bath Kurisu-chan resounded its way to the living room.
Her voice really carries.
I could hear the sound of the dryer, so, she was most likely drying off her hair in another room. Therefore, she must have been wringing out her voice so as not to lose out to the hair dryer, but whatever the case, she was loud.
Loud enough to hear over the phone.
‘…………’
I heard silence. I know you’re not supposed to be able to hear silence, but I picked it up by instinct. At this very mont, Orino-san was keeping quiet with a straight look on her face.
Crap.
This is bad!
‘K-Kagoshima-kun…? W-what was that just now? I thought I just heard a cute, girly voice…?’
“Umm, uh…”
‘Onii-chan? The bath?’
Orino-san pinpoint caught only the critical words.
“O-oh, you’re joking, Orino-san. If soone’s calling onii-chan, then, of course, it must be my little”
‘You’re an only child, right?’
Why did she bring up sothing so inconsequential?
‘Umm… this is that, that, you know, that.’
‘That?’
She said, painstakingly urging on. Her level voice was contrarily terrifying.
“Umm… just over sumr vacation, I’m looking after one of the relative’s kids!”
‘A relative’s kid?’
“Right, right! My father’s little sister’s grandfather’s cousin’s niece’s nephew’s daughter, sowhere around there, and anyways, a distant, distant relative’s kid!”
‘If she’s your father’s little sister’s grandfather’s cousin’s niece’s nephew’s daughter, then I think the probability of her being younger than you is considerably low, you know?’
She calculated it!?
That’s right, Orino-san’s idiotically fast at calculations!
Almost like she’s a psychic who underwent special training!
That was also part of the initial setting!
“T-that’s well, there’re marriages with age differences, divorces, remarriages, we’ve all got a lot going on.”
‘Hmnnn.’
“So anyway, I’m looking after the kid. Hey hold your horses there, she’s just a younger relative, so none of those indecent things you’re imagining”
‘I’m not imagining anything indecent! Rather, why does everyone always think I am!?’
No, I an, Orino-san’s a closet pervert.
Everyone in the ComClub knows that.
‘Hmm. Well, it doesn’t really matter. Whatever you do to a relative’s kid doesn’t have anything to do with after all.’
She said, sulking in an easy-to-follow way.
“Yeah, anyways, that’s just how it is.”
I breathed out a relieved sigh.
In regards to Kurisu-chan, various circumstances were complicatedly intertwined, and at this point, it was difficult to explain. So covering it up like this was for the best.
Ah, but thank god. I sohow managed to play it—
*BREAK*
“Fufu. But it still feels rather strange to call you onii-chan, Kagoshima-senpai. Ah, but I-I don’t particularly hate it or anything.”
*BREAK*
………
Kurisu-chan. My cute, cute Kurisu-chan.
This is the first ti in my life I’ll insult you.
Are you an idiot?
‘K-kk-Kagoshima-kun…?’
Orino-san’s voice was clattering. Terror, unease, indignation, even across the phone, various emotions were intensely conveyed to .
‘That voice right there was Kurisu-chan, wasn’t it?’
“N-no…”
‘Why are you having Kurisu-chan call you onii-chan? What’s more, the bath…’
“Y-you’re wrong! There’s a very deep reason as to why Kuria-chan’s calling onii-chan and”
‘Kuria-chan…?’
Ah, snap.
‘When did you get around to calling Kurisu-chan by na?’
Crap. The habit I picked up to keep it together in front of Nobuko-san was completely turning on .
‘… Y-you’ve never even called by… ah, there was that one ti… but I get the feeling that one doesn’t count…’
Orino-san started mumbling to herself.
Did I ever call her by na before? Though if you’re talking about her little sister Oshiri-chan, for so reason, there was one ti she made call her Shiori.
‘Anyways, Kagoshima-kun, please explain the situation.’
At her tone that wouldn’t take no for an answer, I broke into a sloppy cold sweat.
*BREAK*
“I’ve gotten quite used to sleeping with you around, onii-chan. Fufufu, it really is like we’re m-married, isn’t it.”
*BREAK*
… I don’t want this anymore.
Am I paying the price for all the tis I teased Kurisu-chan in one lump sum?
Can’t we settle on instalnts, oh god in heaven?
‘Kago-’
“Orino-san! If I don’t hang up now, the fees will be crazy high! International calling is extrely expensive! Well then I’m sure you have it hard, but do your best! Bring back sothing coooool!”
I one-sidedly cut the call. And the power while I was at it.
I don’t know a thing.
Special technique: postpone the problem.
“Huh? Onii-chan, were you on the phone?”
Finally arriving in the living room, Kurisu-chan looked at blankly.
She made a truly innocent expression.
“Yeah, I was.”
“Oh, so you were. Then I’m really sorry for being loud.”
“Yeah. Seriously…”
*BREAK*
◇ ◇ ◇
*BREAK*
“Good grief. As always, it sounds fun around Akira. But Orino Shiori-san, no need to worry. You don’t have cultivate your imagination so. I’m sure that wimp Akira won’t do a thing.”
“!”
“Still this ti once more, the story’s going all over the place. Though I’m sure in the end, Akira himself will remain without a care in the world. Kagoshima Akira’s like a slick-polished gear without any teeth. Even if you put him in the center of the story, he’ll never sh with anyone. That’s precisely why, around him, the story spins emptily without any real operation.”
“Y-you’re—”
“It’s the second ti we’ve t like this. But last ti, thanks to a disturbance, we couldn’t sit down and talk, so this might as well be our first eting.”
“Kagoshima-kun’s… friend.”
“Right. I’m Akira’s childhood friend. Do you rember my na.”
“Shinose Kai-kun, aren’t you?”
“Correct. I’m glad you rembered. I’ve also properly rembered yours. You’re Orino Shiori-san.”
“… Correct.”
“Orino Shiori, eh? That’s a nice na. Do you know who gave it to you?”
“… I heard my mother was the one who nad .”
“Liar.”
“…”
“Just kidding. It’s a joke. Just wanted to try saying it. That’s why… you don’t need to be so scared. If you look at like I’m sort of monster, it stings a bit right here.”
“… Shinose-kun, why are you in a place like this?”
“I’m not supposed to be?”
“I an, this is”
“That doesn’t really matter, does it. What’s more important than anything right now, is how you’re going to return to your original world. Even you would be troubled if you were sealed in this world forever.”
“……”
“Do you want to send you back?”
“! You know sothing, don’t you!”
“It’s quite simple, really. To you, it must be cruelly so.”
“What do you… an by that…?”
“Orino-san. Would you, by any chance, like to follow without a word?”
“………”
“I understand that you’re wary. But I want you to believe in . I, a friend of Akira… and in Akira who trusts .”
“… Fine.”
“I know it’s tough. Thank you.”
“You really… really do know how to get back?”
“Yeah. I really do.”
“You’re not lying.”
“Swear to god.”
*BREAK*
◇ ◇ ◇
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