MCFW 58

Chapter – 58

A lot happened, but the girls’ school cultural festival had come to an end. Maybe because of that, everyone started cleaning up and putting things away. I, of course, wasn’t an exception and joined in the cleaning.

As I was helping, Takanashi-san spoke to me.

“Um… Kaede-kun.”
“What is it, Takanashi-san?”
“Thank you for helping out with so many things today.”
“Oh, no… It’s actually me who might have caused trouble…”
“Trouble? No, not at all… I can’t believe you not only helped at the café but also with cleaning… I don’t even know how to thank you—”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m kind of… a free person anyway.”

I said that with a smile. Even if I went home now, the only thing I’d do is make dinner and eat it, so helping out like this was no trouble at all.

“I heard from Nishida-san, but you’re really good at cooking and cleaning.”
“That’s not really true. I just make do with whatever ingredients I have.”
“Even so, I think it’s amazing. Kaede-kun… I wish I had a younger brother who could do all kinds of housework.”

Takanashi-san held my hand as she spoke, looking a little envious. I hadn’t forgotten, but all of Kana-neechan’s classmates were seniors, after all.

“Is that so?”
“If a girl cooks for herself, everyone says that… somehow, it encourages me,” she said with a smile.

Well, maybe Takanashi-san is right. Kana-neechan started cooking after seeing me handle housework. I’m probably better at cooking than her…

“Encouraging, huh?”
“Yeah. I have a brother too, but he’s not good at housework. So I can’t help but feel a little jealous.”
“I see…”

My brother isn’t exactly housework-savvy either. His cooking skills are practically lethal.

While I was thinking that, Kana-neechan called out to me.

“Hey, little brother.”
“Hm? What is it, Kana-neechan?”
“Well… I was thinking…”

Kana-neechan looked at me with an expression that clearly meant she wanted to go to my house. I could tell from her fidgety movements.

“…Alright. Then, shall we go home together today?”

I said that while looking at her face. She looked happy and replied, “Yes!” Surely, she wants to celebrate the success of the live performance.

Then Takanashi-san smiled and said:

“You two get along really well. Are you… a couple?”
“N-no… it’s not like that…”
“Well, it’s natural if you were a couple…”

Kana-neechan said that as if it were the most obvious thing. I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.

“Being a couple would be natural… I see,” Takanashi-san said, strangely satisfied. I hoped she wouldn’t take it too seriously. But I knew she was holding back something behind that smile.

“You’ll understand if you find a wonderful boyfriend too.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you being sarcastic?”

Kana-neechan said, and Takanashi-san pouted. Kana-neechan, in response, looked a little apologetic.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I just—”
“I know. What Nishida-san wants to say is, ‘Love is a wonderful thing,’ right?”
“Yeah… well, that’s true.”
“I get the feeling, but… I think I’ll be fine without it for a while.”

Takanashi-san said that with a wry smile. It seemed like she was avoiding men… I wondered what had happened.

“Why?”
“The guy my brother introduced… we didn’t share any hobbies, but he kept insisting anyway.”
“Ah… that’s a problem before even dating.”
“Exactly. I felt bad for my brother, but I had to decline. I told him, ‘I don’t want to date someone whose interests don’t match mine.’”
“I see… then that makes sense.”

Kana-neechan gave Takanashi-san a small, sympathetic smile. I understood; dating someone with completely different hobbies would just be painful. I, too, enjoy cooking, so it would be difficult to date someone who doesn’t share that hobby.

I kept quietly watching Takanashi-san, who was smiling wryly.

By the time the cultural festival events were mostly over, and only the final fireworks remained, Kana-neechan spoke to me again.

“Hey, little brother. If you want, dance with me.”
“Huh? Dance? What do you mean?”
“It’s the folk dance at the end of the festival. Do you already have plans to dance with someone else?”
“No, not really…”

Looking around, the female students were all dancing happily with the boys they had invited. Kana-neechan was probably motivated by the same reason.

“In that case, dance with me.”
“Eh… but…”

I was still in my maid outfit. And there’s the matter of Kana-neechan’s reputation…

“No matter what you’re wearing, you’re still my little brother. My feelings won’t change.”
“Kana-neechan…”
“Besides, do you know the legend in this girls’ school?”

A legend? I vaguely remember hearing something… or maybe not.

“No… I don’t know the details. What is it?”
“They say that couples who dance together at the cultural festival’s folk dance are destined to become lovers… Isn’t that wonderful?”

Kana-neechan said, looking enchanted. Even if she said that, I thought being a couple naturally happens if you’re dating.

“Really? That’s an interesting legend. But… becoming a couple? I don’t really feel it.”
“For girls, it’s a nice story. And if you say you don’t feel it while dating me, isn’t that rude?”
“Sorry…”
“No. I won’t forgive you.”

Kana-neechan pouted.

“What should I do to be forgiven?”
“If you dance with me, I might forgive you.”
“Eh… that means…”

Basically, I had no right to refuse.

“Is that really not possible?”

Kana-neechan asked, looking anxious. I couldn’t say no to a face like that.

“Of course it’s possible. If you’re okay with dancing with me, then I’m asking again.”
“Alright! Let’s do it!”

Kana-neechan grabbed my hand with a full smile and pulled me to where everyone was dancing. From the side, it might have looked like two girls dancing together (even though I’m a boy), but Kana-neechan didn’t care and danced with confidence.

“Hey… they’re dancing like girls together.”
“Dancing together like girls… is that okay?”

The girls watching started murmuring. Of course, we stood out. I felt nervous under the attention.

I expected teachers to intervene, but one of the female students said:

“It’s fine. Those two are okay.”

It was Nao-san. She smiled from a distance as she watched Kana-neechan and me dance.

Normally—well, if the timing had been a bit different—I might have been dancing with Nao-san. But I decided to leave it at that.

“Thank you, Nao-chan,” Kana-neechan said with a smile.