Volume 1 - CH 10

Volume 1, Chapter 10: Me Too

The day that followed your worst day was apparently even worse. When I opened my eyes, a melancholic mood washed over me. Today was Saturday, a day off. Thanks that, I was able to get a shift for my part-time job in the morning. The time was a little after 7 o'clock. My part-time job started at 9 o'clock. I should get ready and prepare.

I got off the bed as if to shake off this bad mood.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I had went down on so many time, Nana called out to me.

"Oh, g-good morning. Onii-chan."

...I wondered if she could please stop smiling like that. Obviously, that smile looked awkward. I felt kind of bad looking at it.

"Good morning to you, too."

I just returned a greeting as a response to her words.

"What's wrong? You're up so early."

I used to get up at around 9 o'clock on the weekends. But now that I had a part-time job, I couldn't afford to sleep that long.

"I have some business to attend to."

I briefly replied.

"I-is that so. Um...that business you have, I wonder if I can go along with you."

Why did she want to follow me? I didn't get it at all. It didn't matter to her what I was doing. Or was she up to something? I was seriously confused, and while I thought about the matter for a while, Nana opened her mouth.

"I-I guess it's no good."

...I wasn't trying to hide it, but I was kind of suspicious. I wondered why she was trying to close the distance between us after ignoring me for six months.

"...There isn't anything particularly interesting there, you know?"

"!!! It’s fine! I’m okay with it!"

Nana nodded happily for some reason. I really didn't know why.

"Then, I'm going to get ready, so please prepare as well, Nana-san."

"I got it!"

-------------------------------------------------------

"Um, what kind of place is this?"

Nana asked me about Shimazaki Bookstore when she knew about it.

"This is where I do my part-time job."

And so, I answered.

"...You really did get a part-time job."

"Yes, that business I had is the part-time job I have there, so you can spend some time around the area, or you can go home."

I told her so, but Nana didn't want to leave.

"...I'll wait."

"Are you sure? I'm going to work from morning until evening, you know?"

"I'll be fine. I'm going to wait for you."

There was nothing more I could say to her. Couldn't be helped, then.

"I understand. You can always leave first if you want to."

That was all I could tell her and I entered the store.

"Good morning."

"Ah, Tamaki-kun. Good morning."

I knew I mentioned that this part=time job had shifts, but there really was only me and Hasui-san. Which was why we usually work together. I wondered what she did before I arrived...

"Um, that person?"

Hasui-san looked behind me and asked. Oh, I hadn't introduced her yet.

"Ah, it's my sis...this person is a little sister, Nana-san."

"? Your sister?"

Hasui-san asked curiously.

"...Yes."

"That's right!"

Suddenly, Nana-san interrupted me by raising her voice. Nana-san kept her eyes on me. It seemed like she wanted to say something. But I didn't know what it was. I was definitely sure this would continue on in the future...

"I'm going to go and get ready."

I told Hasui-san that and went to the Backyard.

"Um..."

After Manato entered the Backyard, Aika talked to Nana.

"What is it?"

Nana responded.

"That, I have a question, but why did you follow Tamaki-kun to his part-time job?"

It was a question about her motive. Nana flinched when she was asked that.

"...That's right, huh. Actually, it didn't have to be his part-time job today. I heard Onii-cha, Onii-san was going somewhere, so I followed him."

"Why is that?"

Nana paused for a moment, and then continued her words again.

"...I, don't get along well with my brother right now. The reason was all on me, but I still followed him, hoping that I could find an opportunity to make up."

When Aika heard that, she expressed her honest opinion.

"You must really love you brother, huh."

Aika then muttered softly.

"What a nice family..."

However, Aika's voice was still heard by Nana.

A nice family, huh...

Nana smiled dryly at those words as she reminisced about the past.