CH 55

(POV Sakura)

(TN: Sakura is Chiharu’s friend from fourth grade.)

My name is Sakura Kitano. I was just an ordinary elementary school student. And today, like any other day, I spent it just like any ordinary elementary school student would.

After receiving my test back from the teacher in the usual manner, I checked my score. Hmm, 100 points. Well, that’s average, I suppose, 100 points.

“How did you do, Chiharu? I (Ore) got 100,” I said.

The way I usually refer to myself is “Ore”. Although I felt a little self-conscious using it, it was necessary to make an impression on others. If anyone ever laid a hand on my younger brothers, I’d swiftly teach them a lesson. That kind of thing.

“I got 100 too,” Chiharu replied.

“Well done,” I said.

“Really? Well, I put in quite a bit of effort this time, so I expected at least this,” Chiharu explained.

“Putting in effort for a summary test?” I asked.

“Um, well, it might be a bit different… I can’t say for certain.”

“Which is it then?”

“Well, if I explain in detail… I worked as hard as the author did in Kakukaku Shikajika (Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, which is a very popular autobiographical josei manga).”

“Oh, I see. That’s what you meant,”

Hmm, so you’re saying you worked hard with your sisters to improve their studies… That sounds nice. I’m envious.

But I see. So that’s how it is. That’s why there were two girls in the corner of the classroom, seemingly engaged in a heated battle.

“Aki, how many points did you get?”

“Well, you show me yours first.”

“I got around 86….I think.”

“Stop saying confusing things like that.”

“Alright then, let’s reveal our scores at the same time.”

“Okay.”

“On your mark… set… go!”

My best friend’s younger sisters, Chiaki and Chinatsu, were competing with each other for better scores. Normally, they would either feel disappointed or remain silent when they received their tests, but this time, they seemed to have confidence in their scores.

“Come on, show me yours!”

“You show me yours first!”

“Didn’t we promise to show them simultaneously?!”

“Chinatsu didn’t show hers either!”

They continued competing with each other without simultaneously revealing their scores.

And then…

“Chifuyu, what was your score?” Chiharu asked.

“Huh? Um, well, it’s 100…”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Oh, thank you.”

“I also got 100!”

“Oh, really… Congratulations.”

“Chifuyu, come over to Onee-chan.”

Chiharu was trying to deter the guys who were bothering her sister. She brought Chifuyu over to our side.

“Seriously, just because my Chifuyu is cute… But I guess it can’t be helped. With such a cute girl around.”

“Haha… It’s really embarrassing…”

“But it’s true. You need to be aware of that.”

“I-I see.”

Chiharu’s sister complex was something else and I’ve been aware of it for quite some time. It might be a good match for my brother complex… No, maybe it’s my defeat.

“Haru-nee, I’m going to break up the fight between Natsu-nee and Aki-nee. Sakura-san, let’s talk later.” Chifuyu said.

“Sure, take care.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Chifuyu went to stop her sisters’ quarrel. She possessed a remarkable ability to consider others’ perspectives, and it became clear to me why Chiharu held her in such high regard.

“She’s cute, isn’t she? My sister.”

“She’s definitely cute, but… Chiharu really is a sis-con, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s inevitable when they’re all so adorable.”

“Yeah…”

I’ve thought about it before. Chiharu hardly has any opinions of her own. Maybe I’ve missed or failed to understand them, but at least for now, I haven’t been able to sense them.

Before I knew it, I found myself asking, 

“Chiharu, why do you prioritize your sisters so much?”

She responded without hesitation, 

“Because my sisters are important to me, and it’s easy and fun.”

“Easy and fun … What do you mean?” 

I couldn’t help but ask again. I felt a sense of “disconnect” between us at that moment. I genuinely value my brothers, and I assume she genuinely cherishes her sisters. There is profound and immense love between my sibilings and me and her sibilings and her.

I understand that.

However, there was something different about the latter part of her statement. I believe it was the exact factor that made me feel like I was losing to her in terms of sibling affection. I sensed that there must be a reason for her to invest so much in it.

“What do you mean… It’s just as it sounds?”

“Sorry… I might not be able to understand it very well.”

“…I see. Maybe you’re right… But Sakura-san doesn’t need to know or understand this. It’s not necessary. It’s just the literal meaning of the words, and there’s no need to delve too deeply into it.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah.”

I had a sense that she was indirectly telling me not to ask any further. It felt like she wouldn’t respond even if I asked.

I couldn’t bring myself to push further. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if it was appropriate to delve into it. It seemed like my words reached her and yet didn’t reach her at the same time.

Suddenly, such thoughts crossed my mind.

“It feels like something is closing in… But at times like this, I want you to look at my adorable sisters,” she said.

“Yeah, you’re right,”

“Yeah, my sisters are truly cute. As long as my sisters are happy, that’s all that matters…”

As she said that, she smiled.

I couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of fear from her expression. I felt fear from her words. I couldn’t quite understand it, but I felt like I caught a glimpse of her turbulent, typhoon-like emotional storm.

From this point on, it surely wasn’t my place. I shouldn’t intrude, and it wasn’t for me to accomplish. Yes, I understood.

“Well, I also… I want my brothers to be happy,” I said.

“Yeah, exactly. I can relate to that.”

I decided to end the conversation there. As we were engaging in trivial talk, Nishida started to interact with Chiaki.

“Hey, what score did you get?”

“93.”

“What?! The idotic you got that much?”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, if you consistently review and study, and prepare before the test, this is pretty much normal, I’d say.”

“Aki, you’re getting too full of yourself. Don’t get carried away just because you beat me.”

“Seriously? You… didn’t cheat, did you?”

“I didn’t.”

Nishida… Oh, no, it was Nishino. He was being quite disrespectful. Well, his wild and slightly mischievous personality made him somewhat popular among the other girls in the class, to some extent.

Perhaps Chiaki doesn’t prefer that type of person, I think.

Personally, I felt that someone who was understanding and had a mature, older vibe would be appealing. Well, it’s just my intuition since I don’t really know.

It seems like Nishino feels a bit down because he’s not getting attention from Chiaki like before. Chiaki has been more indifferent recently. Well, it can’t be helped, I guess.

It’s just that Nishino doesn’t have the best demeanor, even though his looks aren’t bad. It’s like he’s clumsy or childish in his words and actions. It’s like there’s nothing substantial about him.

If I were to compare, it’s like a convenience store bento that has been visually enhanced. It looks good, tastes good, but it seems like it’s trying too hard… If he had more depth, he might be more appreciated and even have a chance with Chiaki…

Suddenly, the face of someone who had such depth came to mind.

It was Chiharu’s guardian who attended the class observation with Chiaki and the others before. That person seemed to have a lot of depth.

That person seemed to have a sense of depth, like a curry pot used for making school lunches. They also had a mature and stable vibe.

Speaking of depth and curry pots, well, Chiaki would be like a curry pot… No, why am I thinking such nonsensical things? Let’s stop. Maybe I’m just tired.

“Alright, everyone, sit down now that I’ve finished distributing the tests,” the teacher announced.

At the teacher’s order, we took our seats. Summer break was approaching. It would be sad not being able to see Chiharu and the others, but I thought it was also good that I would be able to share stories about my younger brothers again after the summer break.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

The transition between seasons occurred in the blink of an eye, and now summer had already arrived. The sweltering heat made the nights uncomfortably hot, compelling us to rely on the air conditioner for a comfortable sleep. 

In such times, what did people in the past who couldn’t rely on electricity do? They came up with various methods, like taking a bath, using wind chimes, or telling ghost stories.

The summer break had arrived, and right from its start, I was troubled.

“Hey, Kaito! I want to watch a scary story tonight!” Chiaki said.

“Um… well…”

“Come on, I want to see it!”

“Hmm…”

“Hey, hey, I really want to see it!”

Chiaki couldn’t contain her excitement to watch a horror story during summer. I had nothing to say about that. However, I knew all too well that if we watched it, she would be haunted by sleepless nights, and she wouldn’t even be able to go to the bathroom on her own at night.

“But won’t you have trouble sleeping at night?”

“Don’t worry! I’m the strongest! Nothing scares me!”

“I-I see.”

That’s what she always  says before watching. We’ve had instances where she couldn’t sleep after I told her ghost stories. Besides, if Chiaki watches it, all of her sisters will end up unable to sleep. Nothing can be done about that.

“Chifuyu… Aren’t you scared?”

“N-No! Chifuyu is not a child!”

“What about Chinatsu?”

“I’m not scared at all!”

Chifuyu was clearly scared but seemed to be forcing herself. Meanwhile, Chinatsu, like Chiaki, seemed eagerly interested before watching.

“What about Chiharu?”

“Uh, I’m definitely not scared or anything. I’m good with such things, actually. If my sisters are watching, I’m definitely watching too.”

“I-I see.”

If you’re scared, it’s okay to admit it.

“Fuyu, deep down, you’re really scared, aren’t you? I can see you trembling.” Chinatsu remarked

“I-I’m not trembling!” Chifuyu retorted.

“Oh, there, there. If anything happens, I’ll protect you.” Chinatsu said.

“I’d like it if you’d stop treating me like a child.”

“Chifuyu, if something happens, I’ll come to your rescue. Oh, look at you, toddling along.” Chiaki added.

“Stop treating me like a child… Chifuyu is getting a little annoyed!”

Chinatsu and Chiaki patted Chifuyu on the head, and she was slightly irritated. To Chinatsu and Chiaki, Chifuyu was nothing but adorable. They probably wanted to tease her a little because she looked cute.

“Okay, then, can I watch it?”

“Yeah!”

“Should I sleep upstairs? It seems like all four of you want to watch the scary stuff together. Watching with too many people might lessen the fear.”

“…Kaito, stay here and watch with us.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s watch together, Kaito. Yeah, that’s good. Let’s do that.”

I wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed like they wanted to watch it together with me. I could sense Chiaki’s true feelings of fear. If she said that, there was no way I could refuse.

I sat down on the sofa for the time being. Then Chiaki climbed onto my lap. Well, we were both in our pajamas after taking a bath.

I wonder if it’s common for girls to cling to their fathers after taking a bath. I’ve heard some children say they dislike their father’s scent or that they don’t want to get sticky after the bath. So, maybe not all children would stick to their fathers after taking a bath.

But Chiaki snuggled up to me. That meant my scent wasn’t unpleasant, and I didn’t have any aging odor! Well, I use that kind of shampoo, right? Besides, I don’t naturally have a strong odor or anything!

“Kaito, um, wrap your arms around me like a seatbelt.”

“Got it.”

“Yeah, just like this! This gives me a sense of reassurance!”

Ah, it appeared as though she was attempting to create a cover for herself, as the scary stories were quite unsettling. Just like individuals who envelop themselves in a cozy blanket while watching. 

“A-Aki-nee, that’s rather bold… Uuu.”

“Aki, that does seem like it would provide a sense of reassurance, indeed.”

“Onii-san, I’m envious… I wanted to be Chiaki’s seatbelt.”

The three of them displayed different reactions, while Chiaki seemed content with her position on my lap. I turned my attention towards the TV. The scary story was about to commence.

Suddenly, I noticed a shift in Chiaki’s weight as we waited. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact details, but it felt as though she had become slightly heavier.

“H-Hey, did something strange cross your mind, Kaito?”

“No, nothing of the sort.”

Women’s intuition, huh? She had picked up on it.

However, it wasn’t that I believed she had gained weight or anything. I simply thought she had grown and become healthier compared to when she first arrived in this house.

That was all that came to mind.

“Really? That’s good.”

Chiaki’s eyes, which had sharpened slightly, returned to their usual gentle expression. It was a relief. They say it’s scary when a beauty gets angry, and it might be true. Chiaki had a well-proportioned face, so her angry expression just now was a little intimidating.

I sat on the sofa with Chiaki on top of me. Chinatsu and Chifuyu were on either side of me, and Chiharu was seated next to Chinatsu. We were all huddled together closer than usual…

It was a situation where everyone was gathered in almost one spot. It wasn’t as simple as saying, “If it’s scary, just don’t watch.” Curiosity worked in that way.

While pondering such thoughts, the true scary story, which might have been based on a true incident, began.

“……”

Everyone concentrated, even though there was a sense of fear in their expressions.

Well, I guess I’ll watch too…

As I watched for a while, I realized, “Ah, something’s coming next. If the protagonist turn around, there will be something there.” It was like I could predict it.

“Uwaaah!”

“Eek!”

“Ahhh, it’s twirling around”

“…”

The four of them seemed incredibly scared. Chiaki clung to me from above my knees. Chifuyu held onto the hem of my pajamas. Chinatsu closed the distance between us even more, and Chiharu moved closer to Chinatsu.

I wonder what would happen if I suddenly let out a loud scream at this moment. I would probably be resented for a lifetime, so I shouldn’t do it.

After all the ups and downs, the broadcast came to an end.

“Well, well, it wasn’t that scary, was it? I wasn’t scared at all.” Chiaki said.

“That’s right, I wasn’t that frightened either.” Chinatsu remarked. 

“Same for Chifuyu.” Chifuyu nodded.

“Me too.” Chiharu added.

The competition to prove that the scary stories weren’t frightening had begun, igniting a playful rivalry. It was adorable to witness, but a lingering question remained: would they be able to sleep peacefully at night? Were they truly alright? 

“Well then, it’s late at night, so let’s all go to sleep. Staying up late is bad for the skin.”

Taking my suggestion seriously, the four of them swiftly prepared for sleep. They diligently unplugged unused electrical outlets and inspected the room for any potential fire hazards. They were truly meticulous in these matters. 

Furthermore, because they were girls after all, they cared about their skin and such. With a warm smile, they completed their pre-sleep routine, and the five of us made our way upstairs. 

And then I parted ways with the four of them at the entrance of their room.

“Well then, goodnight.”

As I said that, Chiaki grabbed hold of my hand.

“…Tonight, I’ll sleep with Kaito.”

“Eeeh!?”

Chifuyu let out a surprised voice.

“Kaito, I don’t think you’ll be able to sleep because you’re scared, so… Let’s sleep together,” Chiaki said.

“Uh… I mean, sure, but…” 

“I’m going to sleep with you. I’m worried about Kaito,” Chiaki insisted.

“I-f that’s the case, then Chifuyu too.”

“Hold on a moment. Sleeping with just Haru and me… It feels a bit… lonely, or maybe… scary,” Chinatsu hurried to say.

“Chinatsu is cute!” Chiharu said.

Unable to move due to Chiaki’s firm grip on my hand, I found myself unable to object. Besides, I couldn’t just leave this cute girl, who was frightened by ghosts and all, alone.

“Well then, shall we all sleep together? It might be a bit cramped, though…” I suggested.

“Oh! That’s a great idea! Let’s do it! Then show up to our chamber!” Chiaki exclaimed.

As I made that suggestion, Chiaki pulled me forcefully into the room. Once inside, we immediately began spreading out the futons, but this time we connected several of them to create one large sheet.

“Alright, Kaito, you’ll be in the middle! Haru will be next to me, and Chiaki will be next to Haru!” Chiaki firmly assigned positions. Perhaps she needed to be sandwiched between people she could feel safe with.

“And then, Chifuyu will be on the other side… and next to Chifuyu will be Natsu-nee;” 

Chifuyu specified, positioning herself to be beside me, and she further appointed Chinatsu to be beside her.

With the lights turned off, we all laid down.

Come to think of it, this might be the first time we’ve slept together like this. It’s a significant step to be able to sleep like this with all five of us. I recall how they were initially full of wariness… It feels like it was just yesterday.

I genuinely want to continue being together like this in the future.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I was roused from my sleep by someone shaking me. I could feel the gentle tremor and gradually opened my eyes. The morning felt drowsy, and through my hazy vision, I could make out Chifuyu standing beside me. 

“Kaito-san…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well…”

Chifuyu hesitated, her expression a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty. Perhaps she needed to use the bathroom. Considering she had watched something scary, it was understandable for her to hesitate. 

“Do you want to go to the bathroom?”

“Nn…”

Chifuyu nodded twice and silently slipped out, being cautious not to disturb her three sleeping sisters.

“I’m sorry…” 

“Don’t worry about it. It happens to everyone, especially children,” 

“Th-Thank you.”

I turned on the lights in the hallway and led Chifuyu to the bathroom. Once we arrived, Chifuyu went inside. Before closing the door, she turned to face me.

“Um, I’d like you to stay there…” 

“You don’t need to worry. I won’t go back to my room without you,” 

“Y-Yes…” 

Blushing with embarrassment, Chifuyu entered the bathroom, and after a short while, she came out looking equally bashful. She washed her hands in the restroom, and we returned to the room together before lying down side by side.

“Um, Kaito-san…” 

“What’s the matter?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for always being there… and I’m sorry for causing you trouble,” 

“Don’t worry too much about it. I enjoy having you and your sisters around,”

“…Well, you see, it’s been a year since Chifuyu came here, but I still don’t know much about you, Kaito-san. So, Chifuyu was wondering if you could tell me about yourself, just to me,” 

“Oh, uh… yeah, sure…” 

The way she phrased it made me feel a slight twinge of unease. Perhaps it was because I had a vague understanding of Chifuyu’s feelings myself. I knew that pretending not to notice wouldn’t be the best approach. However, I couldn’t think of any other way to handle it besides postponing.

“Well, it’s a promise, right? You’ll tell only Chifuyu about your secrets, Kaito-san…” she said.

“Y-Yeah, I understand,” 

“Great… Since it’s getting late, we’ll talk when things have settled down,” 

“Y-Yeah…”

“Then, Kaito-san, good night…”

“Good night…”

Chifuyu drifted back to sleep, wearing a contented expression. She must have fought off her drowsiness to have that conversation with me.

How should I confront Chifuyu’s feelings? Should I accept them, reject them, or continue postponing the discussion? Choosing the safe option and delaying things was perhaps a bad habit of mine.

…Postponing seemed to be the only choice available to me.

Feeling frustrated with myself, I closed my eyes.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Hey, Haru… Are you awake?”

“Yeah, I’m awake. What’s up?”

Chinatsu called out to me. It was late at night, and Onii-san and my sisters, Chiaki and Chifuyu, were sleeping peacefully, their gentle snores filling the room. Despite watching a horror movie, they seemed oddly relieved and slept soundly, which left me feeling a bit conflicted.

“What do you think about… those people?”

…Those people she mentioned were probably our parents. I could tell from Chinatsu’s tone of voice and the way she spoke, even without asking for details.

“I think they’re a bunch of jerks.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure Chiaki and Chifuyu feel the same way… But why are you asking about this?”

“It’s nothing. I was just curious.”

“Really?”

“…No, there’s something I had in mind.”

“What is it?”

“I won’t say. It’s just something that’s really bothersome to me.”

“I want to know.”

“Maybe next time.”

Chinatsu uttered those words and once again started making sleepy sounds. Perhaps she had something on her mind. I couldn’t quite grasp what it was, and I doubted Chiaki and Chifuyu would understand either.

Surely, it was something even Chiaki and Chifuyu couldn’t comprehend. There was nothing but hatred and fear involved, I presumed.

Even now, I couldn’t think of those bastards without feeling sheer hatred. Well, they were no longer around, so it didn’t really matter.

Since it didn’t matter, I decided to sleep for today. I closed my eyes.

At that moment, little did I know that Onii-san and Chinatsu would venture out together the next day.