CH 9

Chapter 9 – Questioned by the Younger Sister

Kotone-chan, who was embarrassed at first, is so cute. I think so from the bottom of my heart.

“……”

And yet, where’s her embarrassed expression? It’s as if her expression has slipped away.

It’s a bit unbelievable how much she’s changed. There she was, Kotone-chan, with a straight face even when I rubbed my eyes.

Is it my fault that I can’t fully grasp the situation? I have limited interpersonal experience, but I don’t think I made any blatant mistakes.

“My lunch has nothing to do with my mother or…my sister. I thought of it and I made it myself. It was all me…”

However, I feel like I’ve stepped on a landmine. The problem is that I don’t know what it is.

“I see. You worked hard for me.”

“That’s right, I woke up early and worked hard for Yuji-senpai.”

Kotone-chan made an angry face. Still, it’s more reassuring than her blank expression. I’ve learned the importance of emotions.

“Thanks. I honestly didn’t think I’d get to eat your homemade lunch, so I’m very touched.”

“Isn’t it exaggerated to say that you’re…touched?”

“Exaggerated, you say?”

She doesn’t understand. Kotone-chan doesn’t understand anything! A girlfriend’s homemade lunch is every boy’s dream!

Even more so if you’re an unpopular boy. I think it’s okay to be impressed. I don’t hold back on my facial expressions.

“It seems I have to teach you well, Kotone-chan. I’m going to teach you what a man’s dream is.”

“Eh? Y-Yuji-senpai?”

It was a relief to see her confused. Her blank expression had gone away. That doesn’t mean I’m going to cut corners, though.

I explained to her how much power her homemade lunch box had for boys. I ignored Kotone-chan’s dismay and said it out loud.

By the time my explanation was over, there were only a few minutes left of the lunch break. I talked too much…

“Well…then. I think it’s time to get back to the classroom.”

“U-Um…”

As I got up from the bench, Kotone-chan’s voice stopped me.

Her mouth was agape, as if she wanted to say something. I looked down at her and waited, and finally, she spoke.

“About Yuji-senpai and I dating… Should I not tell anyone?”?”

“Eh, is there someone you want to tell?”

“Eh?”

“What?”

…Hmm?

I feel like we’re not quite on the same page. Let me get this straight.

Kotone-chan and I started a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. She had a part-time job that was forbidden at school, and although it was a form of weakness on her part, she agreed to be my girlfriend.

However, Kotone-chan’s sister, Fujisaki-san, was getting suspicious. Mainly because of Ide, our relationship was not considered very good. Well, that’s true. But it would be very inconvenient for me if that fact spread.

So I sent a message to Kotone-chan, telling her to pretend to Fujisaki-san that she had made a lunch box for me as a thank-you for lending her my umbrella.

“You mean it bothers you to lie to Fujisaki-san?”

But that doesn’t mean she can’t tell the truth. Fujisaki-san would be very angry if she knew that her little sister was threatened to become someone’s girlfriend. If it’s just her anger, that is still fine, though.

“Lying is… Well, it’s about me and Yuji-senpai going out. Of course, I don’t want it to be said that I’m working part-time, so I’d like you to keep that part of it to yourself.”

“You want to announce to everyone that you’re my girlfriend?”

“Announcing it is…”

Kotone-chan is puzzled.

I feel bad for her, but do we have to tell anyone that we started dating in the first place?

Originally, I thought I would tell Ide just to show off, but… Well, it seemed like it would get across to Fujisaki-san in a strange way, so I had no choice but to give up on that as well.

But the only one who went out of his way to reveal that Kotone-chan and I were together was Ide. There is no one else who would want to reveal it, and I don’t see any benefit in doing so.

Seeing me thinking about it, Kotone-chan let out something like a sigh.

“I understand. Let’s discuss whether we should tell anyone or not later. But Yuji-senpai has no complaints about my behavior as his girlfriend, right?”

“…I have no complaints…”

There was some kind of compelling pressure. Is it just my imagination that I feel like the initiative is being taken?

“And one more thing…”

Kotone-chan continued… But it’s time we both go back to class, though…

“Yuji-senpai, do you…like my sister?”

“Huh?”

I was taken aback by the sudden direct attack. I mean, there was no context, was there?

Her sister. Kotone-chan’s big sister, which means Fujisaki Ayane.

My classmate and the idol of the school. She’s probably the most popular of all the students, both male and female. She is known as such a stunningly beautiful girl.

Many boys have fallen in love with Fujisaki-san. If you talk about love, she’s the girl whose name gets mentioned the most. I don’t get involved with many people, but I’ve heard of her, so there’s no doubt about it.

But I don’t understand why Kotone-chan’s asking me that now. All I know is that Kotone-chan is asking me seriously.

“I don’t like her.”

So I answered truthfully.

“……”

Even though I said that, it’s frustrating to see her look at me as if she doesn’t believe me.

But I guess it’s because she saw the seriousness on my face.

“…Really?”

“Really. If the meaning of liking is love, then I don’t have that kind of feeling towards Fujisaki-san.”

After staring at my face for a while, Kotone-chan nodded as if she believed me.

“Lunch break is almost over. If you don’t get back to class soon, you’ll be late for your next class.”

“Whose fault is it that we have to rush?”

“Tehee~”

Kotone-chan stuck out her tongue like a naughty girl. That was cute, so I’ll forgive her.

We split up and went to our separate classrooms.

—When asked if I like Fujisaki-san, it’s not a lie that I don’t like her right now.

However, the fact that I had confessed my feelings to Fujisaki-san and had deliberately kept it hidden was true.