CH 35

“And~, we’re here!”

My mom said and turned off the car engine.

“Ren-kun’s parents house…”

“Ah, nothing will come out even if you look at it so seriously, okay?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Let’s just go inside.”

With that said, I took Kaede into the house first, a little nervous to open the front door of my parents’ house since I hadn’t been back in a while.

I exhaled and opened the front door with a clang and went inside.

“I’m home–“

“Sorry to bother you….”

There was a sight there that I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I was a little touched and stopped.

Noticing Kaede peering at me with a worried look on her face, I removed my shoes and opened the door to the living room.

“Well, you can go ahead and rummage around all you want.”

“Y-yeah…”

“Would you like something to drink? Even if I say that, All I have is tea.”

“No! It’s alright.”

“Tea, then?

“… yes.”

Kaede’s cheeks were blushing, as if she was nervous.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

As I was resting after a cup of tea, I noticed someone coming down the stairs with a loud thumping sound.

Hmm, now Dad was at work and hadn’t come home yet, Mom was still doing something outside, so there could be only one person upstairs.

“Ah, Onii-chan, you’re home!?”

The girl who arrived in front of me, holding a plastic tea bottle in her hand, was my real younger sister with short-cut black hair.

My sister noticed Kaede as she took a sip of tea and blew out the tea she was drinking.

“Huh!? Who’s that super beautiful girl?”

“Hmm? Ah, this is Kaede Shimizu, my classmate.”

Even after I explained it, she looked unconvinced. She furrowed her brow and stared at me.

“Onii-chan, no matter how embarrassed you are, you’re not a man if you don’t say ‘girlfriend’ here.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, there are certain circumstances.”

“Hmmm, considering you brought her here means you are going tell father about those “certain circumstances”, right?”

It was as she said, I came here to talk to Mom and Dad, because when I called my mom before, I also asked my Dad about her, So he was aware of it to some extent.

“You’re the only one who doesn’t know”

“Hah!? Why am I being left out!”

“Because you’re just a kid.”

“–You’re only a year older, though.”

“Shut up.”

I said, and as I was having the usual exchange with my sister that I used to have when I was at home, Kaede was giggling next to me with her hand over her mouth.

I was a little miffed when I saw Kaede laughing.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s nothing, I just thought you two are really close.”

“Not really….We’re not”

“It’s normal,” I added at the end, and Kaede said, “Yes, yes,” and just brushed it aside.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kaede Shimizu. I am indebted to your brother.”

“Y-You too, thanks for taking care of my Onii-chan. I am Hina Hayasaka.”

Kaede bowed beautifully, and Hina bowed along with her, but it was somewhat awkward.

After a while, Kaede and Hina became very close. They could almost pass as sisters, except for their hair.

(Not only that…. but their style…)

As I was thinking about this, Hina was staring at me.

“Onii-chan is thinking something nasty.”

“I am not.”

“Really now?”

Ji~~

I picked up my smartphone to run away from the stare of Hina.

Hina, still skeptical, or perhaps giving up after staring at me, popped her head in Kaede’s direction.

Seeing Kaede stroking her head, I felt a bit bothered.

(What am I… doing?)

As I was thinking about this, the front door opened with a bang and my mother, Reiko, returned from the car.

She opened the living room and was surprised to see Kaede and Hina, who had quickly become good friends, and looked at them with a smile on her face.

“Ara ara, They look like sisters”

“Really?!”

Hina looked very happy, and Kaede looked embarrassed but not uncomfortable.

“Well then, I’ll go shopping.”

“What? You should have gone earlier.”

When I asked her that, Mom smiled and said,

“Nothing, I just forgot earlier.”

“I see…”

That’s probably proof that she didn’t go shopping out of consideration for Kaede.

Hearing this, Kaede stood up and said,

“I’ll go with you.”

“It’s fine, leave it to mother today.”

After saying this, Mom touched Kaede’s shoulder and made her sit on the sofa again.

Kaede whispered “Mother…” in a low voice.

“I’m off then.”

Saying that, Mom went out again.