Chapter 2: Cute Younger Brother

When I arrived at school, my sister, being in a different grade, quickly distanced herself upon entering the school building ... though she seemed reluctant to part until the last moment, the barrier of grades made it inevitable.

As usual, I took my seat in my classroom after arriving.

"Good morning, Tsumugu."

Every day upon my arrival, there's a girl who consistently approaches me.

Her name is Sumire Hasumi, with bright chestnut hair gathered to the left, a stylish piercing in her right ear, and despite it being early spring, she wears a summer skirt, making it quite short.

Sumire, aiming for maximum fashion in the school, matched her appearance with her fashion sense.

"Why are you staring at me like that, frustrated?"

"Frustrated...!? No, I just thought your fashion is pushing the school rules to the limit even though we're inside."

As expected, she has a straightforward personality.

"Is it really pushing it? Does it suit me?"

If asked whether it suits her or not, there's no hesitation.

...However, there was one thing I thought, so I decided to convey that.

"It suits you, but..."

"But?"

"Just, it might be better not to go out at night dressed like that."

"...Well, I don't usually go out at night."

"Just wanted to mention it, sorry."

"No... Thanks for worrying."

Sumire averted her face, but I could imagine what expression she wore from her voice. Still, I didn't make the tactless move of peering into her face.

And after school, I've been invited by Sumire recently, and today too, so we finished our assignments together at a cafe before heading home.

"I'm back."

"Welcome back!"

As I entered the house, my sister, as always, quickly came to greet me at the entrance.

She was wearing an apron, probably in the middle of cooking.

"It was late again today. Anything happen?"

"Ah, today, I was studying with a friend at a cafe."

"Studying!? If it's studying, I could have helped you. Why didn't you tell me?"

Whether my sister was shocked that she wasn't relied upon or not, she visibly dropped her shoulders... To dispel that misunderstanding, I spoke up.

"It's not that I had things I didn't understand. I just wanted to do the assignments together. If there's anything I don't get, I'll rely on you right away, Nee-san."

"Oh, I see. Yeah! If there's anything you don't get, tell your sister! I'm still cooking, so go ahead and take a bath today!"

"Got it, thanks, Nee-san."

Smiling at me, my sister quickly returned to cooking... Lately, she has become very particular about emphasizing that she is my sister.

If it were just because she hasn't fully adapted to being an older sister, that would be fine, but there's something more ... something she seems to be reminding herself of—

"...Speculating is not good."

To avoid straying into strange thoughts about my sister's kindness, I followed her advice and decided to relax both my body and mind in the bath.

"Feels refreshing..."

I muttered while soaking in the bath.

Today, I bathed first, probably because we finished the assignments earlier. It was the right decision, considering I felt more fatigue than usual.

"Bath, huh?"

Until we entered junior high, my sister and I always bathed together. However, once we became junior high students, I stopped bathing with her.

If, by any chance, I were to bathe with my sister now ... just as I started thinking about that, I immersed my face in the bathwater, quickly lifted it, regulated my breathing, and muttered to myself.

"What am I thinking..."

To avoid further strange thoughts, I quickly got out of the bath.

"Welcome back! Dinner's ready!"

Holding a hairdryer, my sister came to the living room. She had already taken off her apron and changed into casual clothes.

"Thanks. I'll eat as soon as I dry my hair."

I sat on the sofa and was about to turn on the hairdryer when it suddenly disappeared from my hand.

"Huh?"

"I'll dry your hair for you!"

Although I was puzzled, my sister had somehow appeared behind me, holding the supposedly missing hairdryer.

Then, she turned it on and started drying my hair.

"Nee-san!? I can dry my own hair!"

"It's fine! Tsumugu will always be my cute little brother... Forever, my brother, okay?"

The sound of the hairdryer made the last part hard to hear, but my sister's expression seemed somewhat dark. Not wanting to escalate the situation, I decided to let my sister dry my hair ... and when my hair was finally dry.

"Thanks, Nee-san."

"No problem. I just wanted to do it... Sorry if I forced you to let me dry your hair."

"I don't mind. We're siblings, after all."

"Yeah."

Today, too, I enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by my sister, eating together in a cheerful atmosphere.