63. The Second Invitation
“───Sajou-san, is that right? Wah, so you’re a student from Kouetsu High!”
“Eh? Ah, well. It’s close to my home, and it’ll help me go to university better.”
As the saying ‘seeing is believing’, and since I needed to bring my student ID for the contract at work anyway, I showed it to her.
I’m nobody suspicious, okay. Look, I’m even wearing a polo shirt.
Well, I can’t really say that because I was practically chasing after the girl I had feelings for, so I studied hard to get in.
Also, why are we three sitting down, with Kouta-kun in the middle? I don’t have any resistance towards older sisters that aren’t Sis, okay? Well, guess better than talking face-to-face…
“Kouetsu High is wonderful, isn’t it! The uniforms are cute, the plot is nice to look at, it really feels like a university!”
“Is…that so?”
“Yes!”
If she, a university girl, says so, then it must be true. Also, an Onee-san who gives so much motherly vibes getting this excited, is bad for my heart. That gap is just, enough to kill any virgin… Uhehehe…
L-let’s stop there and back to the topic── Let’s see, on one side of the courtyard, there’s so much grass… that said, no one sits there on the break. Even if someone went there, they’d always use the bench.
But, since she knows about my school, she must be a graduate, right? If so, then she must know some juicy hidden locations at the school… Personally, the pavilion deep in the trees behind the school is a not-so-well-known place, I think? Though now, that’s Aizawa and Arimura-senpai’s love nest.
“Kouta-kun’s sister── I mean, Sasaki-san, you seem like an adult, so I’m sure the university campus is perfect for you. I can see you sitting on the grass while reading a book.”
“N-No, that’s not…I’m not all that grown-up at all.”
“No no no, if you say that, then all the other girls around me are children.”
“T-Thank you very much… This is the first time somebody’s ever told me that. Well, I only grew a lot as of late… Until not too long ago, I really was still a child.”
“Haha, I can’t imagine that at all.”
What modesty. Maybe she was just matching my pace, but Sasaki-san’s tolerance sure was crazy. Just talking to her like this felt so comfortable.
Accepting everything I said as I mean it… awesome. Is this what they call ‘An adult’s composure’? I can’t come up with any other praise words.
And the way she’s flustered all the same is giving me super strong stimulation. Is she doing that on purpose…? Uhh, no, I don’t wanna believe that. Either way, she’s definitely popular, I’m sure.
Same as Natsukawa, she’s at the level beyond me. And definitely, the same type that will make me feel the sense of failure. I feel like I’ll just shorten my lifespan if I converse with her too much. Alright, this time for sure, before my bad side takes over, I’ll get out of here…
“─── Kouta-kun, have you calmed down now?”
“Ah, yeah… Thank you, Onii-san.” [TN : Onii-san, a way to call stranger older man, usually up till around late 20, early 30.]
“Next time, make sure to not go to such a location. Your Sister will just end up worried about you again.”
“Y-Yeah… I’m sorry.”
“Ah, no need to apologize. We’re talking next time, next time.”
That must have been the kindest voice I could have ever managed. Just like what an Onii-san should be.
I doubt I can ever act like this again. How was I acting before with Airi-chan? Just like an Onii-san, I mean, I was a horse. Or, a dog even.
Then, let this ‘gentle Onii-san’─── ‘gentle Onii-san’? Who’s that? Anyway, since it comes to this, better warn that Onee-san as well. She might not be aware of it, but she definitely stands out.
“Please be careful as well, Sasaki-san. Although the safety around here isn’t bad by any means, even for high school boys like me, you are exceptionally charming.”
“Eh……Ehh?”
“There’s also the chance that you might run into a grown man. Not to mention there being rather big and tall middle school students. I recommend you use places with a lot of people around, even if that means a little detour. I’d be happy if you would accept this meddlesome warning of an ordinary man like me.”
“Y-Yes… thank you very much……”
“Then, if you would excuse me.”
──So comfortable. I never would have imagined that talking with an older beauty like her would be this comfortable.
I see, this is the start of their way in life, the secret to success in life for women. Maybe introverted girls have it harder than boys after all? Being socially awkward must be rough in this era…
◆
Around a week has passed since I started working part-time. As I figured, not being able to meet the usual guys was pretty lonely after all. Quite melancholic, one might say… made me wonder if everyone else was feeling the same way.
Although waking up early was kind of hard, it was for my five─── No actually, barely three hours of work part-time job. And even if I had no motivation, at least the thought, ‘Not that long, let’s do it.’, came to my mind. After all, the second I got home, I just lay around on the sofa, enjoying an afternoon nap and playing until night.
“Haahhh〜…what a drag.”
As the examinee that she was, Sis had school during the day. Just thinking that I would end up the same way in two years, I felt my HP being chipped away at. For once, I could actually understand why she would say such a thing, being surrounded by hotties all day even during summer holidays.
“……You, knowing it’s the summer holidays, can’t believe you are up this early.”
“The early bird gets the money after all. With just five hours of work, I actually get money. Won’t get that at school, right…? Eat shit.”
“You’re pretty shitty, huh.”
“You shitty siblings over there, don’t use such dirty words.”
As Sis and I were insulting each other, my old man suddenly broke between us. He was in the middle of eating breakfast after all… Since he was tied to work until the evening, he must be annoyed to hear such a conversation happen in front of him.
Sis must have understood his feelings, since after being called ‘shitty’ by him, she didn’t talk back at all.
My old man must be the guy the most exhausted out of all of us. If I was in his position, I would definitely go bald.
“What was it? A used bookstore? Easy peasy.”
“Rather than a used bookstore, it’s more a personal hobby business. And that’s the point. Rather than some chain bookstore, once the work is over, the work’s over for good.”
“So the student council is a chain store.”
“As if.”
She’s getting crazy, huh? From what I heard, the preparations for the culture festival are up now, as well as the trial visit for the middle school students? [TN : Trial visit in here means, not only visiting for a school tour, but also trying how is it if the school accepted them.]
When I tried to ask what I was in my mind, Sis answered normally.
“Hah? Yeah… A selected group will be showing them around. Like hotties or cute girls.”
“I see, so that’s why you weren’t chosen, Sis.”
“Yeah yeah, right. I’m so glad I wasn’t born a beauty.”
Oi oi, she’s getting crazy for real, huh…? Or rather, she isn’t on drugs or something right…? I mean, she’s ignoring my insults like that…? Normally she’d prepare to do a rolling savate by now… Eh, what am I expecting? Wait a second… are we both just crazy?
Still, a selection of hotties and beauties, huh…
In my head, I immediately thought of that one coupling I saw just the other day.
I feel like they might be asked for that as the culture festival execution committee members anyway. Especially Natsukawa, there’s nobody above her. Huh? Sasaki? Who is that? If it’s Sasaki-san, of course, I know her. [TN : Sasaki (佐々木) in here is his male friend, Sasaki-san (笹木) in here is the university girl.]
“Aahhh…that reminds me, you were invited into the disciplinary committee, right?”
“Hm? How do you──ah, you’re friends with Shinomiya-senpai, right.”
If I remember correctly, Sis was Shinomiya-senpai’s gyaru friend back then. Or, not? Seriously, how did these two even meet each other…? I mean, they’re the exact opposite in personality.
“Friends──Well, something like that. More importantly, what’s your relationship with her? She suddenly asked me about you.”
“Nah, it’s not that big of a deal… She’s just interacting with me since I’m your younger brother. She even told me that in person.”
“Well, whatever the reason. You gonna join the disciplinary committee?”
“No way I would. No matter how you think, being there is too much for me.”
“Then join the student council.”
“…..Hah?”
What did she just say…? Student council? Not some random committee, but the student council of all places? That place is no doubt, heavy. Lots of events to take care of, definitely busy. Even the things you need to do daily seem to be troublesome….. strange, why the scene of that lively handsome Todoroki-senpai having fun suddenly came to my mind?
“…Why?”
“Rin also said it, but as expected, even I don’t want to leave the future to some random weird nobody.”
Are you some leader of a girls’ gang or something? I can softly hear ‘Best regard and good luck’ spoken in a sarcastic way in the end, you know. Why suddenly your gyaru side came out…? The stress must be that horrible, I guess? Crazy? Damn, let’s f*cking go! Go crazy! This is bad, why am I also like this… [TN : Explanation at the end.]
…Well, first of all, I’m just a nobody of this Sajou Family, what can someone ordinary like me offer?
“You’re good at organisational stuff, right. Yikes.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
‘Yeah’, my ass. Also, who were you responding to, old man? The ‘yikes’ part?
… This b*tch, did she tell him about me working part-time in middle school…? No way, right? I mean, what do you want, invite me or offend me? Also, what do you mean ‘good at organisational stuff’? Just call it my strong point.
“I was only asked to help the student council. Though I didn’t do much as of late.”
“You skipping?”
“I’m not even a member of the student council. Also, it’s summer holidays right now.”
“Then treat me to something with your salary.”
“Well… Treating you to some ice wouldn’t hurt.”
“Just wait for me, Haägen-Dazs.”
I could see that Sis must be having a lot of work to go through, so I thought I should show a bit of kindness here…Only for Sis to suddenly be unreasonable again.
…I’m pretty sure that her personality would be the same even if she wasn’t born as a girl.
“About student council, I’m being serious though. Give it some proper thought.”
“Huh? Sis, what are you───”
While I was dumbfounded, suddenly Sis left her used tableware on the table, pushing an unreasonable demand to me, and just like that, went up to the second floor.
Eh, you’re kidding me, right? You know I’m not like that.
That said, what annoyed me the most, was the fact that my old man continued his breakfast as if pretending he didn’t hear anything.
TN : An this ch is the end of vol 2 of the LN, though the LN has extra story after this. But it won’t be here.
Next, you can skip this. This is not important, just some info.
The word ‘Best regard and good luck’, (夜露死苦) is written with the kanji that have deliberately dark connotations: 夜 (“night”) + 露 (“dew”) + 死 (“death”) + 苦 (“suffering”). Usually used by yankees/gangsters, to be exact, it’s the word printed on the back of their clothes.
Also I wrote, ‘Damn, let’s f*cking go!’, but in Japanese it’s ‘アゲアゲまじ卍’, this is kind of a internet slang, it’s a mix of two internet slang, ‘アゲアゲ’ and ‘まじ卍’ not used by common people in daily life.
The first one, ‘アゲアゲ’ (Ageage), means, my tension is rising up, basically getting hyped up.
And the second one ‘まじ卍’ (Maji Manji), means, excited for some reason, whether good or bad. Mostly known by young people, like high schoolers or university students.
That being said, the first one was popular in 2000s, and the second one was popular only for quite a while around 2016-2019/2020? Then, after that barely seen on the internet. And this chapter of the series was posted in 2019. So if you use this now to speak with a Japanese, most likely you will get laughed at or they don’t understand what you’re talking about, or they’ll have trouble replying you. Unless you speak with those who grew up with that words.
And the English words I chose were the best words I could come up with to tell the vibe.
TN: Join my discord channel if you want.
Thank you for the chapter!