Volume 7 - CH 2

Sasaki Emi wants to go Shopping

It’s been almost two years since I learned that my little sister, Hosokawa Seiko, is StarChild.

Today is March 31st, the last day I would be considered a middle schooler.

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It’s just a few more days until I start high school.

That’s why I have to enjoy my spring break to the fullest.

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In celebration of my high school entrance, my aunt bought me a smartphone. Honestly though, rather than using it to browse social media, I think it’s more suitable for gaming.

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“Hideyori-ku~n! I came to pla~y!”

“Wow, how’s this heroine so sexy? That chest and the description on her armpits are out of this world. Who’s this artist though? I’ve never heard of him before.”

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A few hours after my encounter with the real Akechi Hideyori in my dream, I shelved all my worries and started playing a Galge.

He probably won’t come out right away so it should be okay if I leave the matter alone for a while.

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“Rather, the animation is so smooth……….is this a God-tier game……? If a game like this exists then is there really a need to bother looking for real-life romance…..?”

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I was terrified at the dawn of the new era.

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“Hideyori-kun!”

“Woah, Emi!? When did you–!?”

“I’ve been here for a while already! You’re playing a dating sim again! And do bother with real-life romance too!”

“I, I was just joking…..Ha, Hahaha……”

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My aunt just let Emi come straight to my room again.

Seriously, no matter how many times I complained to her she would be like [Okay, I will be more careful next time].

I can’t trust her with my privacy anymore.

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Since it looks like Emi wants something from me, I put the console into sleep mode and turned to her.

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“If, if you’re worried about real romance then…….I can always give you advice you know? A, And if you don’t know who to date then……I don’t mind d, d, d, dating you either.”

“So the artist was Nekomata-san huh? I will have to check him out later. That was a masterpiece after all.”

“Hideyori-kun!”

“W, Woah!? Youreyesarepoppingoutyouknow. Don’t surprise me like that.”

“You’re speaking gibberish now………”

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I got startled by Emi’s voice.

Seriously, I can’t even take my time to look at the sauce?

Let’s find out more about Nekomata-san’s works later.

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“We’ll be considered high school students from tomorrow on right? Time sure flies doesn’t it.”

“Yeah.”

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It’s not that school is starting tomorrow but since the semester starts in April, we would be treated as high school students from next month onward.

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“It’s been 10 years since I first met Hideyori-kun too. A lot has happened doesn’t it.”

“Yeah, lots……..”

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I recall the time I first met Emi at the playground.

I must have been 4 or 5 back then so it’s been about 10 years already huh?

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During these 10 years, I have had many memories of Emi.

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Like when she tried to throw away my game when she first spotted me playing Galge.

When she walked in on me while I was respectfully watching the protagonist flirting with a heroine.

The time she almost called my aunt on me when I was giving her a 30-minute-long speech about a heroine.

When she suddenly showed up in my room when I was getting all excited about a [Otoko no Ko] character. (TLN: Feminine male character)

When I was sorting my Galge collection and she told me that it would be quicker to just throw them away.

And when she burst through the door when I was lowering my pants mid-game.

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A lot truly happened in the last 10 years………

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…….it kind of feels like I only recall the memories involving my Galges though.

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When I tried thinking about the memories concerning Emi, I do recall the time she got so excited playing on a swing.

It just happened that I recalled those Galges memories first okay?

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It’s just that there were so many Galges shenanigans with Emi that my brain sometimes categorizes it as Galges = Emi.

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“So, Hideyori-kun.”

“Hmm.”

“Juumonji-kun’s birthday is on April 4th right? Did you prepare a present for him?”

“Birthday present huh…… I let down my guard since I just bought Risa hers the other day so I still haven’t prepared any yet.”

“Hideyori-kun is the type that would prepare it at the last minute after all. C-O-I-N-C-I-D-E-N-T-A-L-L-Y, I also haven’t prepared any presents for Juumonji-kun yet.

“I see, I see.”

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So Emi is also the last-minute type like me huh?

Can’t be helped then. She needs to buy something for Takeru’s birthday after all.

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“Your feelings are well-received.”

“They are!?”

“You want to buy it together?”

“Yes! Let’s buy it together!”

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With that being the case, I handed my laptop to Emi.

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“…….? What do I do with this?”

“What? Of course, we’re looking for something on A**zon right? If we place the order today and select the quick-shipping option then it should arrive exactly on his birthday you know. Let’s look for something good together.”

“You idiot!”

“Eh?”

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Emi just called me an idiot. That gave me a stronger shock than I expected.

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“A mail order gift can’t properly convey your feelings right!? Something like this needs to be chosen with your own eyes, you know!”

“I mean, there are product reviews on A**zon though…………”

“That’s not it! It’s the feelings! You want your feelings to get through to the person who receives the present right!?”

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[Feeling] huh……

That’s a lesson from Tatsuyuki-san that I took to my heart.

In other words, picking a present for Takeru means that much to Emi huh?

I get it now…….

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If Emi and Takeru start dating, I plan to do my best to support them and see them off with a smile.

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…….even so, lately, I think that it would be kind of sad too.

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When I think about it, it felt like there’s a void in my heart.

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I have no idea what this feeling is.

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This must be [Loneliness].

I always jokingly complain about how Emi just barges into my house and ruins my private time but if she suddenly disappeared then of course I’d feel lonely.

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Like when your favorite game came to an end or when a manga you supported since chapter one got discontinued.

It’s that kind of feeling.

[Loneliness] truly is a painful thing………

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Like how I felt when I reincarnated as Akechi Hideyori, the moment when I realized that I would never see my parents and Kurusu-san again.

It’s the same feeling.

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“Can’t be helped, I will have to go shopping downtown then. Since Emi still hasn’t bought yours yet, do you want to go together?”

“Yes! Let’s go! We would get there around noon if we leave right now so let’s have lunch there together!”

“Sure. Let’s look for something delicious today then.”

“Yes! Just the two of us……..it’s like a d, d, d, date isn’t it.”

“Ah, wait a minute. I got a call.”

“Ha?”

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The moment I proposed we find something delicious to have for lunch, the phone my aunt bought me suddenly rang.

The caller was [Juumonji Risa].

I tapped the screen to answer the call.

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“Hello?”

[Hello……..Ah, good afternoon, Akechi-kun.]

“Yup, what’s up, Risa.”

[A, Actually……., you know that Nii-san’s birthday is coming up soon, yes?]

“Oh, nice timing.”

“……..I kinda get a bad feeling about this. Did you just say nice timing, Hideyori-kun………”

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I was just talking with Emi about that exact thing after all.

What does she want I wonder?

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[W, Would you like to buy a present for Nii-san together!?]

“Sure, I’m about to head out right now. We can have lunch together too. Let’s meet in front of the station at noon okay.”

[Yes! I will go get ready!]

“Hmm, well, of course, Risa is going to buy a present for her brother huh.”

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After I ended the call, I put down the phone.

Seriously, her timing was really good.

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“Hideyori-kun……”

“Emi? What’s wrong? You look like you’re in a bad mood you know?”

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Before I picked up the call, she looked very happy and excited but now she has become so sullen that I can feel a negative aura emanating from her.

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Did something happen while I was on the phone?

TLN: Emi, probably……