Chapter:04
After everyone had gone home, Kana-neechan came back to my room.
I was thinking of doing the homework that had been assigned by school, but since Kana-neechan was in my room, I couldn’t do it right now.
“──So. What exactly is this adult magazine? Could you answer that within the range you understand, little brother?”
Kana-neechan asked me that with a serious face.
I understood very well that Kana-neechan disliked perverted things more than anyone else.
“Well, even if you ask me what I know about it… The things I keep under my bed are usually just music magazines… I don’t usually keep that kind of thing. So even if you ask me what this is, I can’t answer you.”
I told her the truth.
I really didn’t know about anything else.
That’s why, when Nao-san looked under my bed and something like that came out, I was honestly shocked.
I think it’s probably my older brother’s doing, but that’s going too far even for a joke.
However, Kana-neechan didn’t seem to believe me at all.
“I see~ So you’re going to play dumb to the very end. Well, I guess it can’t be helped then.”
Saying that, Kana-neechan grabbed my arm, pulled me onto my bed, and pushed me down.
Kana-neechan was on top, and I was the one being pushed down.
“Kana-neechan!? What are you—”
“I told you before, didn’t I? I said you can’t date other girls. Having something like this is completely out of the question.”
“I told you, I don’t even know about that! And saying I can’t date anyone—that’s just something you decided on your own—”
“Yeah. I did say that on my own. Because it’s convenient for me that way.”
“What do you mean by that?”
I asked her that with a puzzled expression.
Then Kana-neechan said:
“This is what I mean.”
And she pressed her lips against mine.
It was so sudden that I blinked my eyes in surprise.
“Kana… neechan… What is this…?”
“Hmm? Just what it looks like. Or maybe… you don’t understand with just this?”
Kana-neechan smiled as she said that.
Even if she smiled like that at me, I honestly didn’t understand at all…
“Of course I don’t understand. Suddenly kissing me like that just leaves me confused.”
“I see. Just confused, huh… Well, that’s fair. It would be troubling if it was all of a sudden.”
Kana-neechan gave a wry smile and got up from the bed.
She seemed to have convinced herself of something, but I had no idea what she wanted to do.
Anyway, at least I was free now.
I got up from the bed and looked at Kana-neechan’s back as she turned away.
“Kana-neechan?”
“But this is how I feel. I’m sure it won’t ever change. I want to be in a band together with you.”
“You want to be in a band with me? If it’s about finding members, I don’t think it has to be me. Why are you so fixated on me?”
“It has to be you… I need you.”
“I’ll say this clearly, but I can’t replace my brother. I don’t have his skill or his guts… Everyone will just end up regretting it.”
“That’s fine. You’re not Ryuichi-san, so you don’t have to try that hard. You just have to do what only you can do.”
“What only I can do…”
Even if she says that, I can’t imagine it at all…
What could I possibly have that only I can do?
“The rest is up to you. Let’s give it a try.”
When Kana-neechan said that, I somehow felt like trying my best.
Well, besides my part-time job, there’s nothing else I’m working hard at.
Might as well try my best with the band Kana-neechan’s forming.
“Yeah. I’ll give it a try.”
“Really?”
“At least from what I can do, but if that’s okay—”
I said that with a slight, awkward smile.
Then Kana-neechan took my hand.
“Of course, that’s more than welcome! I knew you’d say that.”
“I see. You believed in me, huh? Then I’ll have to live up to your expectations even more.”
I didn’t know how far I could go, but I’d try as much as I could.
“Yeah. Let’s do our best.”
“Right.”
I answered her with a smile.
“──Well then, I should head home now.”
“In that case, I’ll walk you part of the way. …Though it’s so close that maybe I don’t need to.”
“No, that’s fine. Then I’ll take you up on your offer.”
Kana-neechan said that without hesitation.
Well, since we’re childhood friends, I guess that can’t be helped.
“Got it. I’ll change clothes, so could you wait outside for a bit?”
“Okay.”
Now that I think about it, I’ve been in my uniform this whole time.
Normally I’d have changed into my casual clothes by now.
My clothes are in the closet, so it’s easy to take them out.
After Kana-neechan left my room, I immediately changed into my casual clothes.
“Alright, that should do it──”
After finishing changing, I left the room right away.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go?”
“Wait a second. Before that, I have to thank your mother.”
Saying that, Kana-neechan went into the living room and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for the dinner. It was delicious.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Your mother’s always been a great help to us, after all.”
My mother said that with a smile.
Kana-neechan’s mother loves traveling and often brings us souvenirs.
If I remember right, Kana-neechan’s mother is a famous writer.
So she writes novels while doing housework at home, and on her days off she often goes out somewhere.
“I see. I’ll tell my mother that. I have something to do with your son, so I’ll be borrowing him for a while.”
“Go ahead, go ahead. Kaede’s always been timid and unreliable, but when it counts, he’s useful, so make sure to work him hard.”
“Hey, Mom, what are you saying?”
“I’m kidding, kidding. …More importantly, aren’t you walking Kana-chan home?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Anyway, I’m heading out for a bit.”
“Alright. Be careful.”
After my mom said that, Kana-neechan and I turned on our heels, left the living room, and headed to the entrance.
For now, I’ll walk her to the front of her house.
Thinking that, I walked beside Kana-neechan.
“It feels like it’s been a while,” she said, breaking the silence.
“What has?”
“Walking together like this. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Eh? …Has it?”
Kana-neechan’s house is really close, so even if we’re walking together, it doesn’t really feel like it’s been a long time.
“Yeah. It’s been a while since I’ve walked with you like this.”
“Now that you mention it, since starting high school, I haven’t really walked with you much…”
“This area has a boys’ school and a girls’ school, so we naturally lose contact.”
“I’ve also been busy with my part-time job.”
Today just happened to be a day without work, so we could all get together to practice our songs, but on workdays I probably won’t be able to practice much.
I think it’s the same for everyone.
“But from now on, we’ll have band activities, so we’ll have more opportunities to connect.”
──Opportunities to connect, huh.
Now that I think about it, I’ve never really had any reason to connect with Kana-neechan before.
Well-behaved, beautiful, and top of the class—she’s like a flower on a high peak, so it’s only natural that an ordinary guy like me wouldn’t have anything to do with her.
But since she’s my older childhood friend, she’s kind of like a big sister to me.
“Yeah. It’s a bit reassuring being with you, Kana-neechan──”
“See? Even though I look like this, I am your big sister figure, you know. You should rely on me a little.”
I’d rather not, honestly.
But if I said that straight out, she’d pout, so I decided not to say it.
“Y-Yeah. Maybe I’ll rely on you when the time comes.”
I said that with a wry smile.
Kana-neechan’s house wasn’t far; it didn’t take long to get there.
When we reached the gate in front of her house, I stopped walking.
It was already dark, and the streetlights were on.
At this hour, I’d heard suspicious people sometimes walked around, so I couldn’t let my guard down.
“──Well then, Kana-neechan. I’ll take my leave here.”
“Yeah. Thanks for walking me.”
“No need to thank me.”
“See you tomorrow, then.”
Kana-neechan said that, then quickly kissed me on the cheek and went inside her house.
Eh…?
Caught completely off guard, I stood there stunned for a while.
──Anyway, I should head home too. I still have homework to do.
I turned around and started walking back home.
Then my phone started to ring.
It wasn’t a call sound, so it must have been a message or something.
I quickly took my phone out of my jeans pocket and checked.
The sender’s name said “Nishida Kana.”
When I opened it, it said:
──Thanks for today. I’ll be counting on you again tomorrow.
Just from reading it, I could tell she sounded really happy.
I have work tomorrow, so I’ll be a bit late.
I immediately replied:
──I have a part-time job tomorrow, so I’ll be a little late.
Honestly, something like this could’ve just been said in person.
She must’ve felt embarrassed about kissing me.
Before long, a reply came back.
──Okay. I have work too, so practice will probably be later. Also──
Apparently, that wasn’t all she had to say.
Another message followed right after.
──Are you free this Sunday?
I frowned slightly at that message.
This Sunday, huh.
I guess I’m free, if you can call it that…
──I don’t have any particular plans. Why?
I sent that back.
Then Kana-neechan replied:
──How about going shopping together this Sunday?
Shopping, huh. Come to think of it, I haven’t gone shopping lately.
Might as well—it’s a good chance.
I sent my reply.
──Sure, I don’t mind. Where should we meet?
──Let’s meet at your house. That’s easiest.
──Got it. Then I’ll look forward to Sunday.
──Since it’s a special occasion, your big sister Kana will go with you.
So Kana-neechan’s coming along for shopping, not just going shopping.
I have a bad feeling about this.
I can’t even imagine what people will think, seeing me walking together with her.
…No, I’d rather not think about it.
But since it’s a rare chance, I might as well decide on a few places I want to go.
Putting my phone back into my jeans pocket, I started walking toward my house.
