Chapter 7

The trip was fun. When I saw the blue sea in front of the hotel, my mood shot up. Naturally we stayed at suite rooms. I was in a suite with Oniisama, with separate bedrooms on either side of the living room. My parents went sunbathing on the beach and to beauty salons and stuff, and almost never went to the beach. Ridiculous. Going to the beach and not swimming? What on earth are you doing here!

At times like this I’m glad I have an older sibling. He can act as both my guardian as well as somebody I can drag to the beach as my playmate. I invited Oniisama to the beach from the very morning, and indulged myself in the sea. I did stuff like snorkeling, as well as clinging to Oniisama’s shoulders and swimming like a baby turtle. Oniisama is actually already in his second year of middle school, so he should have actually found it boring to play with his little sister though. Maybe he actually wanted to invite his close friends like Kaburagi Masaya did, but in that case I would be myself, so he probably held back. I got a little ahead of myself and started swimming boldly. Well, even professionals make mistakes, so I drowned a little, but Oniisama came to save me in a panic. That was a good memory too.

I did put on sunscreen, but I turned pitch black anyway, so Okaasama was like The Scream when she saw me.

After coming back from the trip and basking in the good memories, I also had more piano lessons and concentrated for the autumn recital, as well as other lessons as well, and also going to family gatherings and stuff too, and because each and every day just seemed to have something planned, I spent all my time busily, and before I knew it the holidays were almost over and the summer party was just ahead.

*imouto*

“Reika, are you ready?”

Having finished his preparations first, Oniisama waited for me by my room.

“Yeees!”

Today was my first summer party, so I was being escorted by Oniisama, a middle section Pivoine member. How rea.s.suring.

“Your dress is cute. It suits you well. Is that a real flower in your hair?”

Ehehe. Geez, Oniisama. What a silver tongue you have. I also quite like this dress. When I first saw this sherbet green flare dress in the shop, I was taken by it at a glance. It’s summer-ey, and really cute. I bought it before the trip so I thought “Isn’t my atmosphere kind of ephemeral? Muhuhu.” when it went with my pale skin, but because of this unexpected tan the image has gone a bit off. But still, isn’t this child-like healthiness also quite good? Okaasama had gone to buy this dress with me. She looked a little crestfallen when she saw me just now, but I’ll pretend I didn’t see that. I had my hair done at a salon, and in place of a hair accessory I had a fresh white flower placed in. Aah, I feel like a princess.

I’m really starting to feel like a stylish girl. Honestly, I can’t stop my smirking anymore, you know? I mean I’m wearing my favourite dress, and I’ll be going to the summer party! But this kind of smile isn’t very ladylike, so I need to be careful. Still, my cheek muscles won’t listen to me. -smirk smirk-

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes!”

A car was taking us all the way to the hotel venue, so I was fine even with these heeled sandals on. Aah, I’m so excited~

“Hey, hey, Oniisama. Won’t you tell me about the summer party?”

“Again? Didn’t I talk about it just recently? We’re almost there, so you can see it for yourself.”

Oniisama gave a wry smile, but I couldn’t help it. I just really want to know. I feel bad for making Oniisama have the same conversation over and over again though.

The meeting place was a hall on the first floor in a hotel in the middle of the city, and the room faced a private garden so you could relax on the terrace. According to Oniisama, there was a really pretty rose arch in that garden. “It’s a garden I think you’d like, Reika.” he said. The summer party usually began during the evening, but given how late the summer sun set, it was apparently possible to enjoy the garden in both the sunlight and the night lights.

“We must definitely go to the garden! Okay?”

“Yes, yes.”

The food is being served as stand-up buffet, but there are also tables and chairs for people who want to sit down and eat properly. But most people attended to socialise, so n.o.body actually sat down to eat a lot, Oniisama said. What a waste~ It’s cuisine from a high-cla.s.s restaurant too! When I was planning on going to a buffet in my past life I would fast all day so that I could eat to my heart’s content, too… I mean, in my mind ‘buffet = eat until you die!’ after all… Speaking of which, I often went with my friend to dessert buffets, didn’t I. Each time I went with the goal of conquering every dish they offered, but not once did I get around to them all, huh~ …I wonder if everybody is doing well…

“Reika?”

Hah-! No good, no good. I went into my own little world. I’d better make sure not to think about anything unnecessary.

“It’s exciting, isn’t it, Oniisama.”

After all, I’m Kisshouin Reika now.

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

In case you guys aren’t familiar with the imagery, something like a ‘baby turtle’ is basically a small thing on top of a bigger version of itself. This is because some species of turtle carry their baby/babies on their back. It’s really cute when there’s just one.

Ah, and 儚い美人 is a type of beauty in j.a.pan that’s delicate, very fair-skinned, slender like a willow, and generally softer in expression and more subdued in demeanour.