Chapter 82: Sixth Graders

(POV Chiharu)

The passing of the seasons was swift. The other day, the graduation ceremony was held, and finally, we too became sixth graders…

Not long ago, we were fourth graders… Now we are in sixth grade, and next year we will graduate from elementary school. While leisurely working on the spring break homework drills together in the living room, I let my thoughts drift into the future under the pleasant spring weather.

“Yes! Homework is done! Now, I’ll carefully select my King Koi’s hatchlings!”

Chinatsu finished her homework and dove onto the sofa. Following her, Chiaki and Chifuyu also took a break from their homework. Chiaki seemed busy, preparing and cooking various dishes in the kitchen and cleaning. She has been quite active lately… Although she still hasn’t finished her homework… Chifuyu, too, is doing various things, trying not to be outdone by Chiaki.

With Onii-san away at work…

somehow, I couldn’t help but feel like the only one with nothing to do… though watching the adorable Chinatsu was enough to fill my time… Perhaps I should strike up a conversation with her.

“Chinatsu, is the game fun?”

“Even though it was an ideal individual, its confidence trait was not good… It’s heartbreaking.”

I felt like she was about to burst into tears. It might be best not to disturb her right now; Chiaki and Chifuyu also seemed to be working hard on something right now, so I should also refrain from getting in their way…

Feeling a bit lonely, I decided to head to Onii-san’s room on the second floor to relax and catch some spring breeze. I opened the window and looked out from the balcony.

I haven’t really looked outside from here much before…

I observed busy-looking salarymen hurrying by and a woman holding hands with a child, probably a mother and her kid. Occasionally, it’s not a bad idea to just observe without thinking too much…

As I gazed for a while, a large truck stopped near our house. More accurately, it was near the neighboring house… come to think of it, isn’t that house vacant? A deliveryman got out of the truck with a white cat painted on it. They pressed the intercom and said something.

Then, a stern-looking woman and a man came out, one by one, from the neighboring house. And finally, a girl with beautiful chestnut-colored hair covering her eyes and forehead opened the door and came out. She appeared to be around the same age as us.

I wonder if they are our new neighbors. It might be impolite to stare, but I couldn’t help being curious. As the delivery person and the stern-looking couple were talking, the girl with her eyes hidden walked out of their property. She stepped onto the sidewalk and looked around nervously. Then, unexpectedly, after scanning the surroundings, she fixed her gaze directly in my direction.

I instinctively looked away and pretended to be nonchalant, gazing in a different direction.

Perhaps I made her curious by staring too much. If that’s the case, I should apologize… Yes, apologizing would be the right thing to do…

“Um… hello…”

While I was hesitating, she initiated the conversation. What should I do? At least I should respond with a greeting. I turned back towards her, bowed slightly, and replied,

“H-Hello…”

“Um, I just moved in next door today. Nice to meet you.”

“Ah, nice to meet you too…”

Somehow, this person had an incredibly calm and composed voice… Not low, but more like a soothing tone or something hard to describe.

“I’m sorry. I just started talking to you out of the blue…”

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I’m sorry for staring at you…”

“…? Staring…?”

Seeing the puzzled expression on her face, it seemed she hadn’t realized it. But in the next moment, as if all the mysteries had suddenly been solved, she continued speaking.

“I see… Well, don’t worry about it. It’s natural to be curious when someone new moves in next door.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Did she know? Or did she not? It felt like she suddenly discovered something she hadn’t known before, but maybe it was just my imagination.

“Don’t worry about it. Well then, we’ve exchanged greetings, so I’ll be on my way… Excuse me.”

“Oh, yes…”

The girl hurriedly entered the neighboring house. She was a peculiar one, as her expression remained unchanged while she spoke. It left me with a strange feeling…

Now that she had gone back to her home and I was also eager to see my adorable younger sisters, I decided to return as well.

I made my way back inside the house from the balcony and reunited with my cute sisters.

◆◆

(POV Chifuyu)

“Hey, Kaito. Are you feeling tired anywhere?”

Lately, the distance between them has been unusually close. The sense of closeness between Aki-nee and Kaito-san has been strangely shrinking. Aki-nee took another step closer to Kaito-san. I can’t understand why the distance between them is closing like this. it’s beyond me….

“I want to hear you vent about your work!”

“I don’t really have much to complain about…”

“Then let me press the acupressure point that relieves hand fatigue! Give me your hand!”

“Uh, thanks.”

I also can’t easily choose to touch his hand so casually; it’s too embarrassing. After all, revealing my blush and silly behavior to Kaito-san while grinning like an idiot is out of the question.

“Kaito, is there anything you want me to do?”

“Well… I mean, I don’t want you to do anything, but I have a question: are you doing your homework properly?’

“…I wasn’t asking about that. I mean what do you want me to do for you.”

“Huh? Oh, right…”

“I want to fulfill your wishes, Kaito! I want to become even more capable of supporting you! So, be selfish and tell me!”

“… S-such a kind child.”

Aki-nee bravely raised her voice and poured her heart out to Kaito-san, going all out to express her feelings.

Ah, if only Chifuyu could be like this too… Sometimes, I can’t help but wish that. Though our faces look similar, why is the impression so different? There, the smile she’s giving Kaito-san is as radiant as a sunflower, full of energy and vibrancy…

Even if I practice smiling in front of the mirror, I can’t match that radiance. No matter how much I think about it, if I don’t put it into words, if I don’t take action, it’s all meaningless. Even if I take a small step forward, Aki-nee always goes above and beyond.

I wonder what Aki-nee really thinks about Kaito-san.

“U-um, if you’re okay with it, I-I can wash your back in the b-bath…”

“Ah, no, Chiaki, that’s a bit too much.”

T-To actually suggests bathing together… her face is completely red though… I wonder if I could ever say something like that, even after ten years.

With a shy face, but expressing her feelings more than anyone else. That’s why she was closer to him than anyone else. Maybe if Chifuyu… confesses to Kaito-san… I can get closer to him more than Aki-nee…

Ah, but I’ve been struggling with this for a while now… There’s no way I can do it.

――I did write a confession letter though…

I feel like everything will fall apart if I give it to him…

But gradually, the anxiety intensifies. I’m certain Aki-nee likes Kaito-san. That became clear recently. Our hearts were pointing in the same direction…

“Today, I made stamina-boosting food for Kaito.”

“Amazing, I’m looking forward to it. Chiaki.”

As I sat on the sofa and watched Aki-nee happily chatting with Kaito-san, my heart tightened. They looked so good together…

Aki-nee’s gestures, voice, and heart… I feel like I can’t compete. I can only sense that I’m being robbed. But I don’t want to lose. I really, really don’t want to lose.

Next to Kaito-san… It has to be Chifuyu, no one else…

I don’t want to lose. So, I have to be more proactive… Honestly, I can’t let myself be swayed by love fortunes or compatibility tests. Uh, what if I do something like that and he gets turned off… What should I do…?

E-Eiiii! I’ve decided to be courageous!!

Chifuyu interlocked her arm with Kaito-san’s while feeling incredibly embarrassed.

“Ch-Chifuyu also made a dessert, Fruche, for you, Kaito-san!”

“Oh, really? I wanted something sweet, so I’m really happy.”

“T-Thank you…”

Haru-nee and Aki-nee were watching us with blinking eyes. Kaito-san seemed surprised because he was not used to such things. Natsu-nee, on the other hand, was completely absorbed in the game on the screen.

Kaito-san’s arm was muscular, quite different from Chifuyu’s delicate hand, making it feel reliable. I’ve never linked arms with anyone before, so it felt incredibly embarrassing, but I still felt a bit happy now that I have taken this step…

I wonder if things will turn out even better if I push further… While I was contemplating such things, I locked eyes with Aki-nee. Aki-nee frowned, showing a jealous expression.

“Mu, I’ll do the same.”

Chifuyu intertwined her left hand with Kaito-san, while Aki-nee did the same on the right as if we were competing to hold onto him. It might have just been my imagination, but it seemed like we were tugging at each other.

“I wish I could do that too…”

《《Haru-nee looked at the three of us with envy》》 Kaito-san appeared flustered as if it were his first time experiencing such attention. I had never seen him like this before, and it was quite refreshing and cute.

Finding another good point about him made me happy…

“Kyaaa! I did it! I caught a King Koi with 6V confidence! Hey, look at this, Kaito! Look!”

Suddenly, Natsu-nee, beaming with joy, climbed up Kaito-san’s thigh while holding her game console.

“Is that impressive…?”

“Yes, it is! Let’s share this excitement together!”

We struggled over the couch like a three-way tug of war.

“Chinatsu, I think Kaito is finding you heavy, so please get off,” Aki-nee said.

“Huh? I don’t think so. Right, Kaito? Oh, you don’t find me heavy, do you? Wait, now I’m getting a bit worried… Have I gained so much weight?”

“Kaito, just be honest,” Aki-nee added.

“…Uh, well, it’s not like I…”

“Lucky… Onii-san,”

The situation seemed to be getting chaotic, and I was worried that things wouldn’t settle down. It was turning into a fight between Aki-nee and Natsu-nee, and at times like these, it was best to let things play out without saying anything.

Inside the noisy household, I enjoyed the time we spent together, laughing and having fun.

But deep down, being alone with Kaito-san was the best… No, what am I thinking…

I tightly grasped the arm I had interlocked.

――This person, I will never let go of him, no matter what.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

After finishing work, I drove home and arrived at my house. These days, I hardly ever cooked dinner, so my thoughts during the drive shifted from what to make to what I could whip up—a happy dilemma indeed.

As I arrived home, I noticed the house next door, which had been vacant until now, had its lights on and a car parked outside. Perhaps someone had moved in.

I got out of the car and briefly glanced at the neighboring house, but my interest waned, and I turned my focus toward my own front door.

Then I heard the faint sound of someone running down the slightly darkened street.

“Oh, it’s been a while.”

I recognized the voice immediately. When I turned to look, I saw a short-haired girl with chestnut-colored hair covering her eyes. She had a young yet composed voice.

“You’re… Chika-chan, right?”

“You remembered my name. And you’re…. Just Kaito-san, right?”

“Ah, yeah… So, you’ve moved in, huh?”

It felt like my name might have been mistaken… No, maybe it was just my imagination.

“Yes, I just moved into this house today,”

She said, pointing to the house next to mine. My new neighbor, huh…. Like the protagonist of that Yuri game…

Well, that’s alright, I suppose. According to my knowledge, she used to move around a lot due to her parents’ work until high school. And this girl didn’t seem to have any special abilities. She was just from a family with strict parents, as far as the game was concerned.

“I see; well, this house is mine.”

“Huh? Is that so… Um, are you married?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Uh… Then, what about that girl… Oh, sorry for asking something weird all of a sudden.”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

She’s talking more than I expected. In the game, the protagonist barely spoke beyond the minimum required. There were some descriptions of conversations and family circumstances, but only occasional choices to make.

I wonder what this girl was doing outside at this time. She’s in a tracksuit and sweating, so maybe she was out running around here?

“It’s about time I headed back… I’m sorry for keeping you, especially when you must be tired from work.”

“It’s alright, I’m not that tired.”

“Is that so? Well then, since we’re neighbors now, let’s get along from now on, Kaito-san…”

“The feeling’s mutual. Nice to meet you.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Chika-chan bowed and went back to her own house.

After everything was settled, I started to feel surprised. The protagonist moving in next door… Maybe I should start calling her Chika-chan from now on. I’m sure there will be opportunities to meet her parents too.

Can I and the four of them get along well with her… Will it be alright with the four of them? What about me… I wonder. Will I get involved in more parent-teacher meetings and stuff? I’m worried about whether I’ll be able to handle it all. It’s another thing to think about.

For now, let’s go inside the house. They’re waiting for me while getting dinner ready. However, at that moment, I felt something…

――A new encounter means something is about to change.

*******************

TN: in a previous chapter, Kaito introduced himself as “Just Kaito” that’s why she called him that way.