(POV Chifuyu)
Chifuyu couldn’t believe it. Kaito-san… was actually a Loli…con? I couldn’t wrap my head around it. While it wouldn’t be fair to say that a hundred years of love had faded away, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being down. Is this what heartbreak feels like?
I tend to think negatively, but I know that changing my perspective could lead to positive outcomes. For example, If Natsu-nee could become a romantic interest, then maybe there was still a chance for Chifuyu. I believed that I might have a shot if Kaito-san liked girls like Natsu-nee, especially since Chifuyu and Natsu-nee had strikingly similar facial features… But maybe it was too late now.
My thoughts were all over the place, unable to come to a conclusion. Could someone as responsible as Kaito-san really have that kind of relationship with Natsu-nee? It didn’t seem like something Kaito-san would do. In the end, I didn’t know which path to take. I wanted to ask Natsu-nee about it, but Natsu-nee kept saying she would tell us later and never gave a detailed explanation.
Natsu-nee did share some information, but Chifuyu wanted to know more. I wished she could confirm if it was all a misunderstanding driven by my own emotions and desires. Like Ikkyu-san (anime character), I massaged my temples with my index fingers while I was lost in thought. Suddenly, Natsu-nee appeared right in front of me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, I’m bothered by what happened this morning…”
“Ah, I told you, I’ll explain when we have time.”
“Um, I still really want to know now.”
“Eh, not here… We’re in the classroom…”
Though I’ve forgotten how many times I asked, Chifuyu inquired again. Natsu-nee glanced around anxiously, forming a ‘no’ sign with her hand. Well, it’s true that it might not be appropriate to discuss it here.
“Ahh, you’re so curious… Fine, I’ll tell you when we get home today, so just wait.”
“I can’t wait; it’s bothering me so much.”
“Hmm. I want you to wait until then.”
“Ehh… Can’t we talk about it here?”
“No, we can’t. Wait until after school at least.”
Chifuyu had no choice but to back down after being firmly rejected. However, since the matter was about someone I liked, I couldn’t help but be curious. It would be strange to say I wasn’t bothered. But I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I could only let out a sigh of frustration. Natsu-nee patted my shoulder and smiled gently, telling me to be patient, then lightly waved and returned to her own seat.
When Chifuyu was considering heading back as well…
“Um, Chifuyu-san…”
“Pyay!”
“Eh? Ah, I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”
Startled by the sudden approach, Chifuyu let out a strange sound. When I turned to look, I saw Chika Hinobori, who had recently transferred and was still hard to see clearly due to the hair covering her eyes.
“N-No, I was not startled or anything.”
“That’s good to hear…”
“So, um, is there something you wanted from me…?”
“Oh, yeah. Chifuyu-san, you live next door to me, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right…”
“So, um, I was wondering…”
Chika-san hesitated for a moment. Ah, come to think of it, this person is my next-door neighbor. I only had the impression that both of her parents had attractive features. We haven’t talked much, so it’s a bit awkward. Maybe I feel more guarded because I can’t see her eyes. Kaito-san always looks at me when we talk, so it’s not the same.
But, Chika-san, I couldn’t see her eyes. Her lips were incredibly plump, her nose was high and pointed like an eagle’s beak, and her voice had a calmness, but there was an inner beauty with a strong presence to her. She didn’t seem like an ordinary girl.
“Um, that person… the man who lives with you, Chifuyu-san, what kind of person is he…?”
Why did she hold that in for so long? I thought as I saw her looking awkward, biting her lower lip slightly. Maybe she’s thinking it’s a complicated family situation?
“Uh, you mean Kaito-san…? Well, Kaito-san is… a gentleman?”
There were some suspicions of him being a perverted gentleman, but considering the time we had spent together, it was clear that he was just a very ordinary gentleman. I probably shouldn’t mention how he’s kind, has large palms, and how my heart flutters when he gently strokes my head… That’s way too embarrassing.
“Gentleman… Does he have any hobbies or something like that?”
“Kaito-san collects cooking plates and such occasionally. Recently, Haru-nee broke a plate, and he seemed to be really upset about it…”
“…What about his occupation? Can I ask that?”
“Ah, well, he works at the municipal office.”
“I see…”
Huh? I thought she would ask about the unusual relationship between Chifuyu and me, but why is she only interested in his personal matters?
“Now, getting to the main point… Do you know his contact information?”
“…”
Ehh, so this is the main point? Does that mean everything before was just uninteresting background talk? How is she going to use Kaito-san’s contact information? Well, considering we live together, it’s not surprising that I know it, but… uuu, I really don’t want to say it.
But, you know, that’s such a typical sentence that someone with ulterior motives would use! I didn’t want to complicate the situation any further, and I didn’t want to delay Chifuyu’s turn either. I also didn’t want my chance to get stolen when there was still hope.
“Uh, yeah, um, I don’t know…”
Oh no, I’m so sorry. I lied, I’m really sorry. But, you know, I think it’s not a good idea to exchange contact information with someone I barely know! Kaito-san also said not to follow strangers and stuff; this is like an application of that rule!
“Oh, I see… It’s surprising that some people don’t even know their own home address. So, does Kaito-san use ‘Rain’ then?”
Rain was an SNS (social networking service) that almost everyone used, but if I say he’s using it, will she insist on having his contact information?
“Ahh, um, h-he doesn’t use it, I guess? Kaito-san doesn’t have a smartphone… Yeah, he doesn’t have one…”
“From the generation of flip phones, huh? The service for those will end soon, though…”
Oh noooo, Chifuyu is definitely going to hell for this! Chifuyu’ll have her tongue pulled out by Lord Enma and be forced to do labor…
“Thank you for answering my questions.”
She said that and then left. Somehow, I felt a tremendous sense of guilt… I’ve decided to offer some of my snacks to Aki-nee as punishment for lying.
◆◆
(POV Chiharu)
During our physical education class, as usual, we were running on the school grounds with soccer as the chosen sport for the day. The class involved multiple teams playing against each other, and during the breaks between matches, we had some free time to spare while waiting for our turn.
Typically, I would have enjoyed watching Chiaki play, but on this particular day, my mind was preoccupied with Chinatsu’s situation, and I wasn’t in the mood for it. I really wanted to know the truth about what was going on with her, but she had asked me to wait until later to discuss it.
When I was feeling frustrated, I noticed Chinatsu and Chifuyu standing a little away from the others, having a private conversation. I decided to approach them.
“Haru, what’s going on?” Chinatsu asked.
“I, uh, just felt like coming over.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Um, about this morning…”
“You too? I thought we agreed to talk about it at home after school.”
“But, as your Onee-chan, I can’t just overlook your indecent relationship with Onii-san!”
“Indecent relationship…?”
“Yes, exactly!”
“What do you mean?”
“It means you have a naughty relationship.”
“What?! Who and who?”
“Onii-san and Chinatsu.”
“What are you talking about?! Kaito and I, having a naughty relationship… There’s no way we would do something like that!”
“But you were held in his arms, right?”
“Well, yes, but Aki always does that kind of thing with him; it doesn’t mean anything!”
“kyuu”
Upon hearing the shocking revelation, I felt my legs weaken, and I almost collapsed.
“Aki-nee is always doing that kind of thing…? What?! Nastu-nee, by hugging each other…. do you mean something like this?!”
As if struck by an idea, Chifuyu hugged Chinatsu. At that moment, a jolt of electricity seemed to course through my brain. Right! It doesn’t make sense for Chinatsu, who embodies pure innocence and naivety, to do something so perverted in the first place.
“That’s right. What else could it mean?” Chinatsu asked.
“I… I believed in you, Chinatsu.”
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“Ahh, Chifuyu is really embarrassed… If Kaito-san also found out about this misunderstanding, I’d never be able to become his bride…”
“You two seem exhausted… I don’t really understand what’s going on, but…”
Chinatsu looked at us with a somewhat sympathetic gaze and patted our shoulders lightly. Huh? But why was she almost completely naked? For a moment, I thought that if the two of them hugged while being completely naked, that would be considered an indecent act… Well, I guess I can find out after school anyway…
Ah, I feel really exhausted.
**************
TN: Truly throughout the chapters, I don’t know who to root for anymore…
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