CH 36

On the day I first encountered Riku and Kai, Nanase Natsume, the girl who had almost got attacked, suddenly appeared before me and my step sister. She was dressed very plainly and suspiciously.

Perhaps noticing my gaze, Nanase said to me with a grin, 

“Oh, this is my own incognito figure. You see, I’m quite conspicuous. That’s why I try to dress as plainly as possible in private. I even put on a hat or something.”

It’s true that she could be mistaken for a suspicious person. Her blonde hair is hidden and her face is not visible. Certainly, no one would like to go and talk to her. I mean, it would be crazy to come to a department store dressed like this.

When I was thinking about that, Nanase looked at me with a strange face……no, she was staring at us.

“Senpai, I underestimated you. I didn’t realize you had a girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend……ah, it’s not like that, and she’s not the kind of person who fits into that kind of framework……”

“You don’t have to say unnecessary things.”

She was drowning in sweets heaven just a few minutes ago, but now she is wearing the air of a dignified student council president. Or rather, she seems to be a little angry because of my unnecessary words…….

“Hm, you said she wasn’t your girlfriend. The two of you seemed to be on good terms, so I thought it was clear that she was.”

“On good terms you say……you’re tired……of life.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean exactly what it means.”

“Isn’t it too cruel !?”

For some reason Nanase and my step sister started staring at each other. Normally, this sort of thing would be done around a single man, but somehow the situation makes no sense. Or rather, I feel a different dimension of pressure regarding these two. Although it might be a one-way street mainly for my step sister.

Then, I, who was exhausted by the staring contest between the two of them, settled the situation and changed the location. If I had not moved, they would have continued to stare at each other in public without understanding the meaning. This would have made it pointless for Nanase to be incognito, and I had to take action because I didn’t want to get involved with her like that.

We left the department store earlier and are now in a little hall near the restrooms. In the space with vending machines and other equipment, My step sister began to introduce herselves once again.

And then.

“Eh…..Senpai’s sister……or rather, the student council president !?”

“…For you to realize this late, I guess I still have a long way to go, huh?”

“N-no. I don’t think so……maybe.”

“I didn’t miss that last bit, did I?”

As always, she’s a junior who has more unnecessary words than me. Or rather, if I think about it calmly now…

The last time I saw her, she was a junior who had just recently enrolled in school, I was currently struggling with a number of things, and my step sister was a senior who was already looking ahead to graduation. Including me, all the students of all grades are gathered in one place. It’s a very rare sight for me, so I feel strange. Perhaps it is because I have never had the opportunity to socialize with other students from other grades before.

While I was immersed in this strange feeling, my step sister turned to me and asked, 

“By the way, why do you know Nanase san? Don’t you know that she’s a popular model in school?”

“Senpai……no, it’s complicated, so Haruka senpai, you’ve finally started to remove yourself from the realm of humans, haven’t you? Well, running is……no, I’m pretty good at it.”

Nanase is puzzled by many things, but when she uses this kind of analogy, it’s a time for her to try to hide her own upset. That being said, I genuinely want to know how Nanase and I know each other…….no, I guess she wants to know.

(……For now)

If I talk honestly about that time, I’m sure there will be a tough interrogation waiting for me when I get home. I had to keep it quiet for the time being. I glanced at Nanase. She looked at me strangely and stared back at me.

I had a feeling that Nanase would be able to match me. I have a feeling that she will.

“… I just helped Nanase, who was lost, by showing her around the school. Isn’t that right, Nanase?”

“Ah……eh?”

“Right?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Thank you very much for your help.”

As I had expected, Nanase was able to adjust my story. As expected, she was upset because of my outlandish talk, but this was acceptable. My step sister also looked at me quizzically for a moment, but immediately exhaled in dismay.

“You’re doing amazing things when you find yourself in a situation like this. Compared to the last time you were on spring break, maybe this time it’s just a minor thing.”

“Oh, are you complimenting me?”

“I’m just stunned ! Why do you keep bringing this kind of incomprehensible things to my attention?”

No, I didn’t mean that I brought it up this time. But I think I can manage to cover up what happened that time. Well, this time it’s not my step sister’s but Nanase’s eyes that hurt.

“The two of you should be careful. Although things have gotten a little better, there are still students who do stupid things. I’m not saying you should always have your antennas up, but you should have that sense of urgency, right?”

[ [Yes.] ]

“……You really know what you’re doing, right? Huh, my stomach is starting to hurt a little…..I’m going to go buy a drink.”

Isn’t that stomachache probably caused by the sweets buffet just now? I was going to say so, but I’ll try not to say anything unnecessary so as not to anger my step sister any further.

Nanase responded in a similarly distracted manner as I did, but as soon as my step sister was gone, she poked me in the arm with her elbow.

“Um, Senpai. Did you by any chance not report anything about that time?”

“I just forgot. I mean, it’s not necessary anymore, is it?”

“Well, that’s true. Those two had already dropped out before I knew it. I thought it was Senpai who told the school something about it…..”

It seems that even Nanase, who is also a first-year student, does not know the details of the expulsion of those two students. I thought there might be some gossip about it, but when I asked her about it, she said there was no such rumor. Rather, it was so abrupt that most of the students did not understand the details of their expulsion.

If rumors are going to appear, it will probably be from now on. I heard that those two students were very violent even among the first-years, so it’s refreshing for me.

“Hee, do you have a strong sense of justice?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just that…..I can’t tolerate unreasonableness.”

“….So you do have a strong sense of justice.”

Even though she denied it, her expression was serious. I’m sure she’s been through a lot, given her more well-rounded appearance. But it’s still admirable that she’s able to maintain this cheerful personality.

(unreasonable……huh)

I, too, have been in irrational and unreasonable situations. However, when I look back on them, I realize that they were caused by my own thoughtless behavior, so I tilt my head back when asked if I hold a grudge against that guy. After all, in middle school, I was still immature in my ability to look ahead.

While I was thinking about this, my step sister came back after she finished buying drinks. But upon closer inspection, I noticed that she was holding three cans in her hands.

“Here, you guys, drink this and calm down. Well, you treated me earlier, and it looks like you’ve helped someone, so this is my reward for that. I’ll give Nanase san too……well, just in case.”

“Me too !? No, I’d appreciate it that you bought me something, but is it really okay?”

“… I just happen to have three coins.”

It’s clearly not a drink that can be bought for 100 yen, but it’s no exaggeration to say that she treats a junior with a cool face, who is almost a stranger, as expected of my step sister.

“Well, thank you very much…….oh, what’s this?”

“……No way !”

Nanase stared at the drink that my step sister bought with her eyes wide open, while I shuddered as I picked it up and looked at it.

The name of it is……

[Whole ! ! Drinkable Soft Ice Cream]

“Fufu, I’ve been into this lately. It’s refreshing and delicious.”

“……Refreshing? I mean, you just ate a bunch of sweets earlier, you know?

“?? What are you talking about? This is a drink……a drink.”

“……Ah, I see.”

My step sister who tilts a can of soft-serve ice cream that she drinks happily and deliciously. When I looked next to me, Nanase, who didn’t know anything, quickly adapted and opened the lid of the can. This girl also drank it with a delicious look.

(……I hope I don’t get diabetes.)

Then I made up my mind and sipped the liquid. Yes, as I expected, it was sweet. Or rather, I couldn’t taste anything other than sweetness.

(……Ugh.)

By the way, it took me almost 20 minutes to finish it.