67. Sis’ Expectations
Convenience store ice coffee latte. A drink in which the milk and dark brown color of coffee creating a gradation, had been the reason for those thirsty under these recent hot summer heat and also Instagrammers, to scream in joy. And right now, I was trying to replicate that at home.
Checking the recipe online using my smartphone, I prepared a glass and got the ice ready. Then, I chanted the incantation.
“Come forth, Ice Meteor.”
CLINK!! CLINK!!
Ice, thrown with a super serious face, made a nice sound as it filled the glass. With a GaeBolg (straw) sticking out in the middle, I poured the Pure White Milk of the Beginning into the glass.
GLUG!! GLUG!! GLUG!!
Right after, I gently poured the hot coffee.
───Perfect.
It’s not that big of a gradation. Like water and oil, coffee and milk created a clear separation. It’s not even cafe latte, but just milk and coffee in the same glass. You bastards… since when your relationships became similar to that of sun and moon?
“Combine.”
I stirred around the floating ice, mixing the ingredients. Finally, I succeeded in replicating the convenience store ice caffè latte. Feeling like I was finally doing what people doing in summer holidays, my excitement grew. To celebrate this, I decided to take a picture using my smartphone. Then, using a cheap plastic cocktail stirrer to mix the ingredients once again, I ruined everything.
GRAB!!
And, a hand grabbed the glass.
“Thanks.”
“Big Sis, not now, please.” [TN : He’s using a way to call a respected older woman, like a boss/boss’ wife or even senior colleague]
“Make one for me, quick.”
“As you wish.”
Now that I made it once, it had become my specialty.
I repeated the same procedure, starting with an Ice Meteor, followed by the GaeBolg and Combine, only for me to look at my side, where I received a headshot from a gaze colder than ice.
“Here you go.”
“Mm.”
The reason I immediately listened to Sis’ orders without rebelling wasn’t because I was submissive toward her.
…That, was just a reflect……
──Right, it was just a reflex. Just like you would reflexively close your eyes if something blasted towards you, whenever Sis raised her chin with a demanding gesture, my body just moved naturally.
Oh my… that means, it’s been engraved in my soul, ain’t it…?
“You sure are taking it easy today. Even though, normally you’d be either at school or cram school, no?”
“So what? Am I not allowed to be home?”
“Oi, your leg. Seems 5 seconds away from kicking.”
What a fearful sister I have. And, her clothes are as crazy as always just because she’s at home. Are you some young lad out hunting insects? Are you even wearing something beneath that? No way, did she lose all her embarrassment at such an age…?
I feel like she might just grab her insect hunting net and rush out of the home.
As I was thinking that, I realized that she was practically staring at me, while stirring around her ice caffè latte with the straw.
“What are you looking at… So embarrassing.”
“You, the day after tomorrow, can you come to school and help the disciplinary committee?”
“Umm… can’t you maybe start from the very──Eh? Disciplinary committee?”
Why them? Sis is in the student council, right? Does she actually have control of the disciplinary committee as well? Also, why at school?
“The day after tomorrow? Why do I have to come to school…”
“6th of August, the third-years are at school, showing the potential new first-years how our school works.”
“Oh right, we had that…… So? What does that have to do with the disciplinary committee?”
Not to mention that things are 100% awkward between me and the dear disciplinary committee president right now. I really don’t want to work, and just want to keep spreading this radiance I hold right now. Also, I already declined the invitation to the disciplinary committee, can’t it be after this settle-down……?
“The trial visit. Disciplinary committee was given reigns on that.”
“Eh? Weren’t the teachers supposed to handle that?”
“The general framework, yeah. But, the students are the ones actually doing the work. This is what last year’s student council decided, and Rin got it all pushed on her.”
“What about the student council?”
“Already over capacity with many events. Anymore than that and our free time will have to carry-over.”
“That’s some awful carry-over.”
Things that couldn’t be done, still have to be carried forward huh? That sounds like hell. Rather than being the institution of students, the student council feels more like a normal company. There’s not even any employee welfare, that’s nasty……
“Why me…”
“I don’t want to keep my debt with that girl. Come on.”
Are you two actually friends? Well, at the very least I can’t see Sis doing much towards that friendship. Aahh, my chest hurts when I think that Shinomiya-senpai is the only one who thinks of them as friends… I wonder what they’re talking about if they’re alone… Now I’m a bit curious.
“Rin’s been constantly talking about you as of late, so do something about it.”
“Huh?”
“I’m saying, don’t just keep things bottled up. What kind of reaction should I have if a girl my age is close with my younger brother.”
“……”
……Am I just, subconsciously pushing it all off onto Sis? Being busy with all things must has her piling up frustration, and now, that unique senpai constantly talking heavy stuff to her. That must be bothersome. Also, I could faintly feel Shinomiya-senpai is actually quite sensitive when it comes to that.
…If I left this alone, I feel like it’d turn even more of a bother.
“Alright alright, I just have to help out, right? I’ll charge in like I was charging at an enemy.”
“Well, if it’s her, she’d be happy about that. I doubt she wants to be hated by you anyway.”
“Stop, it’ll just make things more awkward for me.”
“I mean, to Rin, you’re probably put between me and her.”
Eh, really? She’s not treating me this way because I’m your younger brother? Don’t tell me…… Nah, no way. You’re just trying to coax me, getting on my good terms and later have me treat you to something, right? But, well, when it comes to a man like me, one or two older girls are no… Wait, I’m not telling you anything. Damn, you almost get me there, you bastard.
Remember, I’m the king of failed love.
◆
“Ah, Shinomiya-senpai?”
「”Huh…? Eh, who…A man!? What about Kaede!?”」
“Sis is sleeping next to me.”
“Don’t go acting like a boyfriend.”
“Ears, my ears! You’re going to pull them off! For real!”
「”Eh, eeh!? Sajou!? Why are you……!?”」
After being asked by Sis to help Shinomiya-senpai, I gave my consent. At first, I was hesitant, wondering if some normal spec high school boy like me could even be of much help, but I decided to just believe in her judgement for now.
Then, I used Sis’ phone to give Shinomiya-senpai a call, which apparently surprised her quite a bit.
Is she really trained in Spiritual Arts? Ah───Sis? You know, my ears, made a sound just now.
“It’s been a while, Shinomiya-senpai. I wanted to talk with you about something, so I borrowed Sis’ phone. Ouch! Sis, it hurts!”
「”A-Ah……Is that so? Kaede, let him go. So, what did you want?”」
Thankfully, my ears were finally freed again. I seriously thought she would rip them off me. I was just joking around to lighten up the mood, but she really didn’t hold back at all.
My ears feel like they’re burning up. And now, you’re ignoring me…wait, my earlobes feel longer than before, or is that just me?
“The day after tomorrow, the middle school students are stopping by for a trial visit, right? Let me help you out, I mean, seems like Sis has caused you some problems.”
「”W-What, that’s what you were on about… Don’t worry about it, starting from this year, it’ll be the disciplinary committee’s work anyway.”」
Wha…what? She just kindly rejected my offer…?
Lady close friend is saying so, dear sister, what do you think about that? Personally speaking, we should just take her up on her kind words, and──Ah, you want me to do it anyway? And also do something with the awkwardness? Ahh, damn it. Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll do it.
Worry not, I’ve been reborn. Through talking with that university Onee-san over the past 10 days, I’ve acquired an ‘Adult’s Leisure’, you know! Once you go out into society, awkwardness is everywhere, rotting around. This much is nothing, I will overcome this, and become a true adult…!
“No need to hold back. Personally speaking, I’d like to meet Shinomiya-senpai as well.”
「”Wha───○▽※△☆□※◎★○───”」
H-Huh…? That’s not the reaction I expected? I was expecting something like Sasaki-san would say, like ‘Again with your jokes~’, or something like that. Not to mention that she was speaking so fast I couldn’t even pick up what she said.
Sis? What? Why are you giving me such a shocked reaction? As a member of society, even I, know that you have to do a bit of lip service. So, why are you that surprised? Eh, why do you look so astonished now?
Eh, wait, what was that loud crash just now?
“Umm…? I just heard something break, but… are you okay?”
「”Y-Yes… I’m fine──But more importantly! What are you blurting out like it’s nothing!”」
“Ah, well, don’t mind the silly joke of a lowly man like me. Rather than that, do you not have anything for me to do? Because of you, Shinomiya-senpai, everybody thinks of the disciplinary committee as a place for girls to gather, so you probably need some assistance when it comes to physical labor, right?”
Together with their usual duties, the student council is responsible for a lot of events. And the disciplinary committee must be in a similar situation. Means, that’s probably what I should look at the most, right?
「”Silly joke… you, really… Well, fine──Actually it’s not fine, but I’ll ignore it for now. I will at least praise you for your mindset of wanting to help us. If you are that adamant, then… That’s right, could you maybe help with the carrying? It’d be very reassuring.”」
“I see… That sounds like a man’s job.”
「”What, you don’t like it?”」
“Oh no, it’s fine. If it’s for Shinomiya-senpai, that much is nothing.”
It seems like my time to show the result of my book carrying part-time off has come… Bottled up things? What’s that? If this ‘Neo Me’ got serious, communicating with someone older than me is easy peasy!
Wait, looking at how it’s been going, nothing got bottled up after all? Do I still have to help the disciplinary committee…? Ah, I guess it’s more on the ‘debt’ end now. Sis sure is super serious when it comes to the weirdest things… I mean, she did lend me her first-year notes. Not bad. But it’s because I’ve nothing to offer at all, I can’t ever be a hottie… well, in the first place, my face is you-know, being nice or having something to offer, won’t change anything.
“Ahh, sh*t, we really are siblings…”
When I looked to my side, Sis was mumbling something to herself, scratching her head. No clue what she was on about, but apparently, she saw some resemblance between the two of us.
You don’t need to act so bothered by it……
「”Kaede! Kaede! Can I take it that we’re good now!?”」
“Yeah yeah, right, that’ll do, won’t it? Just do however you please. Jeez…”
Sis responded while stirring up the ice in her pseudo ice caffè latte, clearly bothered by the situation.
At the same time, Shinomiya-senpai seemed like she got the wrong idea about something. I didn’t expect them to have this kind of relationship, to be honest.
I feel like Shinomiya-senpai would be the one exhausted at Sis’ attitude…
But, you’re way too naive, Sis… That isn’t enough to show your older sister strength, Kaede Sajou! Lately, I’m always shown an even greater older sister strength! Compared to her fluffy (overwhelming) tolerance, yours is noth───
Ah, I’m sorry, don’t take the notes back, please.
TN: Join my discord channel if you want.
thx for the chap
Thanks for the chap