Chapter 4
“This is bad…….”
Arai Shota, keenly aware of his mistake, ran a trembling hand over his deathly pale face.
He never imagined his little sister would get lost.
The result of his own carelessness and irresponsibility left Shota looking ready to cry.
When they left home, his mother had told him to look after his little sister. Shota had told her not to worry.
Yuki was mature for her age, and he would be especially careful, so nothing his mother was worried about would happen.
He'd boasted as much. That had been only a few hours ago.
‘What the hell is wrong with me?’
After talking so confidently―.
Shota bit his lip with a grimace, ashamed of how pathetic he was for failing to keep even one promise he'd made.
‘Calm down. First, I need to calm down.’
Despite telling himself that, his face was still deathly pale. Shota decided he first needed to ease the anxiety and guilt swelling inside him.
He had reason to feel guilty. He'd made a mistake. He needed to reflect on it. But not right now.
What he needed to do now was find his little sister, who had gotten lost. So Shota cooled his overheated head.
Then he calmly worked out what to do.
‘…Think. Think.’
Although she had somehow gotten lost, his little sister was smart for her age.
She would surely remember the advice he'd once given her: if she ever got lost, she should stay where she was and not go anywhere.
If so, searching along the route they'd taken should lead him to his little sister.
…It had to.
“Wait for me.”
Shota steeled himself, tense with resolve.
“Yuki. I'll find you soon.”
At last, he started walking again.
＊＊＊
“Found her.”
He'd found his little sister.
Shota let out a sigh of relief. His previously stiff expression brightened considerably, and the tension that had been binding him seemed to ease.
‘Thank goodness.’
His little sister really was smart. She remembered what he'd told her once and seemed to have been sitting nearby the whole time.
She must have been startled. She'd done well to hold on.
She might act mature, but she was still only a ten-year-old girl. She must have panicked when she realized she'd gotten lost. And she must have been scared, too.
‘I'm sorry.’
Because of his carelessness, his little sister had gone through a frightening experience. Even now, she must be trembling with fear and looking for him.
Shota didn't want to put his little sister through any more of that. So he decided to hurry over to her.
It was then.
“………?”
As he strode toward his little sister, his steps suddenly came to a halt. Someone unexpected had appeared in his widening field of view.
…Is that?
Yuki was chatting with someone sitting beside her. Judging by his little sister's expression, the person didn't seem suspicious.
Shota shifted his gaze a little farther to the side to get a better look at the mysterious figure.
“……Could that be?”
Silky silver hair shimmered as it swayed. Emerald eyes rippled in the light like polished jewels. Her skin was so pale that “milky white” seemed the perfect description. And finally, her lips were as red as if she'd spread raspberry juice over them.
The person in his sights was a familiar face.
That was why Shota was taken aback. The person keeping his little sister company while she was alone was Seio Academy's celebrity, ‘Takamine Nagi.’
Takamine Nagi.
Shota didn't know his classmate Takamine very well. That said, he wasn't any less familiar with her than most people.
Takamine's presence was so overwhelming that news about her reached him on its own, whether he wanted to hear it or not.
‘The Rejection Princess.’
Shota unwittingly murmured the phrase. It was the nickname Seio Academy students had given Takamine.
Shota knew how the nickname had come about. Since she was in his class, he'd often witnessed the incidents that had inadvertently led to it.
Objectively speaking, Takamine Nagi was beautiful. She had a beauty that inspired love in men and admiration in women.
So many people flocked around her like butterflies seeking honey. Each of them tried, in their own way, to make themselves part of Takamine's world.
They'd try all sorts of things: talking to her during breaks, inviting her to lunch, or asking her to hang out after school.
And Takamine mercilessly rejected every one of those offers, whether they came from men or women.
‘No. At least she treated the girls better.’
She'd at least smile at the girls, while she turned the men down with an outright cold expression.
Anyway,
Takamine, the Rejection Princess, was keeping his little sister company. And she was wearing fresh casual clothes instead of the uniform he saw every day.
“…….”
At first glance, they looked like two sisters getting along and chatting.
How had this situation come about? Shota started to wonder, then quickly gave up. Instead, he started walking again.
He decided it would be better to ask her directly.
“Yuki!”
He approached, waving and calling his little sister's name. Then,
“Huh? ………Takamine?”
He pretended to be surprised to see someone unexpected.
His conscience bothered him, but it was still better than letting them know he'd been watching them for a while.
Takamine turned at Shota's awkward act. Their eyes met, and
“……Hello, Arai-kun.”
Takamine raised a hand in greeting, her voice awkward. She looked as though she hadn't expected to run into a classmate either.
Shota looked at Takamine and thought,
‘She remembers my name.’
For some reason, Shota was happy about that.
＊＊＊
“You're late! You idiot brother!”
As I held his gaze, Arai—…no, Yuki, who'd been sitting beside me, suddenly jumped up and went over to Arai.
“What were you doing all this time!”
Though she scolded him, she clung tightly to Arai's hand. She'd acted like she was fine, but I guess she'd been scared after all.
“I'm sorry, Yuki. You were scared, weren't you? I'm sorry.”
“Hmph. I wasn't scared. That big sister who looks like Hina-chan kept me company in your place.”
Ugh.
I told her my name, but she still keeps calling me Hina-chan.
It's not even a difficult name.
Well, she's still little. Can't be helped.
“She looked like she was alone, so I kept her company.”
Arai seemed to be waiting for my answer, so I hurried to come up with something appropriate to say.
I put it vaguely to spare Yuki's feelings, but…
If he had any sense, he should get the idea.
“……Ah.”
Arai let out a low groan. Judging by his expression, he seemed to have figured out what I meant.
He didn't seem particularly oblivious.
“Thank you. ……Takamine. I owe you one!”
“It was nothing―― W-wait a second.”
He suddenly bowed at the waist to thank me. A textbook-perfect ninety-degree bow. Startled by the sight, I hurriedly waved my hands.
It was only natural; if he made such a big gesture, people around us would look. And we were in a crowded movie theater, of all places.
……Sigh. As if I needed proof he was the protagonist of a rom-com.
Faced with this hopeless situation, I couldn't help sighing.
“…C-could you get up? I think I've been thanked enough.”
Hey. Everyone's starting to stare. What are you going to do?
You might be used to people's attention because you're the protagonist.
I'm not. Having everyone look at me makes me uncomfortable.
“Big bro. She said get up.”
“Ow!”
Had she read my flustered expression? As I stood there not knowing what to do about Arai's sudden antics and everyone's stares,
Yuki suddenly smacked Shota on the back of the head.
Nice one, Yuki!
“Yuki! That hurt!”
“Then you shouldn't have done something worth getting hit for.”
With that, Yuki turned her gaze toward me. Arai noticed and turned to look at me, too.
Their gazes felt strangely burdensome.
“Ah. Sorry.”
“……It's okay.”
Perhaps Arai had finally noticed how uncomfortable I was. Looking embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head.
I wanted to say something to him. But I decided to hold back. I'd have plenty of dealings with him because of Kaede.
If things got awkward between us, it could throw off my plans.
“……Well, I'll be going.”
I stood up and brushed the dust off my clothes.
Yuki had found her big brother, so it was about time for me to take my leave.
“Big sis. You're leaving?”
“Yeah. I have to go. I've got things to do, too.”
I had to clean up the mess from this failed event.
Sigh.
Poor Kaede.
She must have figured out what was going on by now.
The movie wasn't the point; she wanted to meet Arai. She might leave the theater once she realized Arai wasn't coming.
So I had to hurry back and be there for a disappointed Kaede. I needed to comfort her right away.
“Well, if you have to, then you have to. Bye.”
“Yeah. Bye.”
Following Yuki's lead, I waved too. In the process, I met Arai's eyes. Judging by his expression, he seemed to have something to say.
“Takamine.”
“What?”
“………See you at school.”
I answered when he called my name, but what came back was rather underwhelming.
See you at school, huh.
What an obvious thing to say.
He'd said goodbye, so it'd be kind of rude to ignore him and leave.
I had no choice but to respond to his farewell.
“Yeah. See you tomorrow, Arai.”