Chapter 23The Benefits of Being "Ordinary"
"See you tomorrow."
"I see!"
I had no choice but to answer that. It's not that I was persuaded by the 'big one' earlier or anything like that. It's because, there are people who need my skill...! That's why, I'll help!
(TL Note: You're interested in that book, right?)
We parted ways in front of the Student Council Office and returned to our respective classes. I happened to go in the same direction as Kai-senpai, the second-year senpai who was also handsome and smart.
...To be honest, all the Student Council Officials are relatively tall, so I don't want to walk next to him...
"Wataru-san, you see... ...Kaede-san is worried about you, you know."
"...Pardon?"
Hearing him suddenly speak, I was startled for a moment. So I asked him once more, and I listened to his crazy words again.
Maybe it's just a hallucination, I'm sure that I'm already tired from overwork (*30 minutes).
"I'm in trouble when she asked me weird questions like, 'Is there something weird about boys that makes them so worried when they're in first-year of high school?'"
"I'm sure that you guys think it's about puberty issues, right?"
"I wondered who she was talking about. Back then, I wondered if she liked someone from the first-year. I didn't think it was about her little bro."
Oh, so is that why they all gathered in the morning? If that's the case, I can understand Todoroki-senpai's threatening gaze. And also, the reason Kai-senpai asked me in detail about the relationship between me and Big Sis. Did they think that I was their new love rival?
"And then she said, 'Is it possible that I'm not on time? Is it not my fault?'"
"Hey, hey, don't say that as if I'm dead. And there's no such thing as too late."
"But Kaede-san feels like that."
"Huh? What's wrong with Big Sis...?"
Something about puberty...? Actually, it might be true like that. From an objective point of view, high school boys are still childish, but as they look back at themselves, think about things, they may start to be satisfied with themselves, and start to think of themselves as adults.
But if you don't think about it that way, you'll suddenly be struck by the difference between the ideal world you aspire to and the reality in front of your eyes at any given moment, and you won't be able to move forward.
In my case, I'm already overwhelmed by that. I'm not desperate. I just feel ashamed of what I've done. Perhaps, thinking about this can also be called puberty.
But, did this happen because of Big Sis? ...Why would she think that? I don't know at all.
"But Kaede-san doesn't seem to be wrong. Of course, you seem to have given up somewhere."
"Please stop talking like an actor who has passed his 60th birthday*."
[TL Note: The reason for the 60th birthday is because this is the period of reflection in Japan which is also referred to as 'Kanreki'. It's an old custom so in modern society, sometimes they don't celebrate it.]
"Kaede-san said, 'We must have similar eyes,' but when I actually looked at them, you guys didn't even look alike. So, I was wondering if you were really her little bro or not."
"I thought from the start that there was nothing similar between the both of us."
When I was in elementary school, I saw Big Sis' behavior up close and thought, 'How come she has so many friends?' I thought that she might be tired of interacting with so many people. However, she used to say that it was like that even though she wasn't doing anything special... ...when I listened to that, I thought, 'Even though the two of us don't look alike, there's no doubt that we're biological siblings'.
Then I spent time without thinking about deep things and fell in love with Natsukawa for many years... ...If adolescence is when you worry about things, I think when I was in middle school, my head was full of Natsukawa and nothing else but her. Before I realized it, I was too obsessed with dreams and goals, so I didn't really think about anything other than her. So, my puberty might have been late...
Come to think of it, I guess I did have a brash personality when I was in elementary school. Maybe I saw more reality at that time than when I was in middle school in the past few years.
"If Big Sis said something about me again, please just say, 'He's just trying to look manly, that's all.'"
"That might be true. But yeah, there's nothing imprinted and similar between you and your big sis."
"Yeah, we do have similar DNA."
"That's a good way to say it..."
What if the DNA isn't similar either? If that's the case, our parents will definitely be different. If that's the case, it could also be said that I'm a follower of Big Sis, and I really hate being called that. No way, I'm sure the direction of the circle we have is the same...
"Yeah, this might be an important time for me. It's about the time when I start to wonder about things. Honestly, I want Big Sis to just let me be independent..."
"Fufu, but your big sis wants to keep you close to her. She doesn't want to ignore her little bro's changes in front of her eyes."
"Kai-senpai, don't you think it's better if she directs that awareness to you? As her little bro, from my point of view, she's too ignorant of handsome boys like you."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear that. I need to change my perception of you."
On the other hand, what about you so far? Also, can't you stop making a shadow on your face every time you mention Big Sis' name? Contrary to his gentle tone of voice, I can feel that there's a terrifying power following him.
Maybe this Kai-senpai is the type of person who would speak in a very loud tone when he's angry and explode into a fight in a matter of minutes... ...Let's stop saying bad things that can make him angry.
"Then, I'll go this way."
"Okay, see you soon."
We parted ways in front of the stairs. The air that floated after seeing the back of a handsome and intelligent boy made me get the illusion that I had a very intelligent conversation until a while ago. In addition, the mysterious superiority complex I had that I felt after I had a friendly conversation with a handsome boy, I don't know why I felt so.
As expected of a handsome boy, he has the power to save someone from something somewhere in this world.
"...Oh?"
I found that the classroom was crowded as I came to the front of my class, Class 1-C. Peeking out from the open entrance, I couldn't help but smile at the sight that was unusual these days.
...Good.
Several boys and girls surrounded Natsukawa's desk, at the back of the center of the classroom. The proportion of boys increased slightly from before... ...Yeah, I'm sure that this is the real idol quality of Natsukawa Aika. But if they want to touch her directly, watch out!!! Hey, Yamazaki...!
"Whoaー, is this really Natsukawa's little sis?"
"So cute!"
I think the topic was about Natsukawa's little sis. Natsukawa showed everyone the picture of her little sis that she saved on her smartphone and smiled with a shy smile... ...Yeah, she is indeed a goddess.
'By the way, well, she does have a little sis.', I suddenly thought very politely like Kai-senpai.
Her little sis was 3 years old when we were in middle school, so she must be 5 years old now. She'll be an elementary school student soon. Yeah, I really haven't seen or met her yet. Because when I tried to ask the question, Natsukawa-san made a scary face.
"Your little sis is really cute, isn't she...? I'm so jealous... ...Natsukawa-san, can't I go visit her?"
"Eh, Eh!? Y-You want to come... ...to my house...!?"
Oh...!?? It's Shirai-san, the gentle girl! She tried to approach Natsukawa more than I expected. Natsukawa looking confused is also good. Good, please keep pressing her, Shirai-san!.... ...Yeah, that's very good!
While I was being pleased with Natsukawa's appearance like that, I entered through the door at the back of the classroom with the same feeling as when our seat positions hadn't been changed. I guess it was conspicuous because there were several people near Natsukawa, so several students noticed me, and with the addition of Ashida and Natsukawa, our eyes met.
"Oh! Sajocchi! Look here, a photo of Aichi's beloved little sis! She's so cute, isn't she?!"
"Yeah, I know. She's so cute that I even kept it for myself."
"Sajocchi, I think there's something wrong with your brain..."
Ashida took the trouble to bring Natsukawa's smartphone to me, just to show me that photo. Yeah, without a doubt, she is indeed an angel. In the future, she'll probably be a beautiful girl comparable to Natsukawa. If I had a little sis her age, just holding her would take the edge off my day.
Hmm, by the way, will she be okay with this...? Natsukawa won't be angry, right?
"Well... ...Just now, we were all talking about visiting Aichi's house in the near future!"
"Seriously? My level's still not enough to go to that place."
"Hey, Natsukawa-san's house isn't a dungeon, you know..."
Sasaki from the Soccer Club made a 'tsukkomi' as if she was amazed... ...Not bad, huh... ...But, do the members of the Soccer Club often play that kind of game...? I can only picture them playing games like 'Winning Eleven'...
But still, they were all planning to go to Natsukawa's house, huh...?
"Is it okay if a large number of people like this want to visit?"
"Hmm...! I can't let my little sis get close to people like 'you'! I can't let bad influences get close to Airi!!!"
"Haha, I knew it..."
"Eh...?"
If I had a cute little sis, I would never let a boy get close to her either. Let alone someone like Yamazaki, Sasaki, and other boys like them, I wouldn't show them her photo either.
But, yeah, the only thing I have is a big sis... ...The 'luxury' of a little sis is too much for me, even a little bro would be fine. (*Luxury?)
...I heard that if you practice your 'big bro-type' stats, you'll become popular with girls who are 'little sis-type'. But in this case, I have to overcome the wall called 'True Big Bro'... ...Yeah, there's no easy way, and I'm not very brave either.
As I was thinking about stupid things, I remembered that I had to go to the Student Council Office for the next few days. Just thinking about it makes me feel tired... ...Let's just shut up and rest for a while, otherwise, especially with the level that seems that my life is not enough.
"Hey. Lunch break is over, go back to your seats."
"Ugh, the teacher is here."
"'Ugh' you say? What do you mean by 'Ugh', huh?"
Hasebe-sensei, who was teaching math, was looking at Ashida and Yamazaki, who were stuck in the middle of the classroom. I could feel that I was actually in a peaceful place just because I was outside the area. After all, it's better to stay in the corner to avoid trouble.
"Sajocchi, it's all because of you! I got scolded because of you!"
"Hey, hey, it's not my fault, don't just blame me."
"...Oh, that's right, Sajocchi."
"Hmm?"
"...Hmm, it's okay, then."
"...?"
I'm not sure, but I'm glad that I don't have to get involved in troublesome entanglements Ashida, you can finally read the atmosphere, huh...? That's good, just keep being like this from now on, and leave behind guys who like to sit in the corner like me. If you do that, I'll also become like 'Oguri Shun*'. (*Wish.)
(TL Note: 'Oguri Shun' is a male actor from Japan. Here the MC thinks that Ashida can't be like this forever, so he says something that's impossible for him too, I guess.)
As for Natsukawa, things are going according to what she expected and I feel relieved about it. The fact that changes around her can be seen means that she's behaving according to what I expected. If something out of control happens, I can leave it to 'someone' to handle it, like when that suspicious girl was standing in front of the Student Council Officials.
As for Big Sis, she seems to be worried about me, but I don't think there's anything wrong with me.
After all, the fact that I like living peacefully like this, means that I'm just an ordinary boy who doesn't like to stand out.
Author's Note: Do you know what that means...?
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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