Volume 1 - CH 26

After shaking hands with president Kuonji, I was invited to walk into the office.

“Well, little bro, thank you once again for coming here. Welcome to the council! Feel free to make yourself at home!”

“Haah…”

The president motioned me to the reception couch. I followed suit and sat down, though, for some reason, my sister took a seat next to me. We were a bit too close, and she had one big grin on her face…

Seeing us, the prez said, “You guys are so close!” and pulled a chair for herself, adjusting her long black hair while sitting down. I couldn’t help but notice it was neatly done into a ponytail, and that it had a subtle blue gradient ending on the tips of her hair.

Noticing I was looking quite a bit, she turned her gaze to me. “Oh, this? My hair is so long it gets in the way when I sit down. That’s why I tie it up like this.”

“I see…”

“Anyway, how do it you like it here? How does it feel to be in the council office for the first time?”

“Yeah, um…”

I looked around the room. As expected of a school as prestigious as this, documents and supplies were neatly organized, showing the meticulous nature of the council members… Well, not all of them.

Why is that one area strangely cluttered…?

The desk at the end was littered with candy wrappers, empty boxes, and video game consoles. In its center lay a laptop, though it was a bit dusty as if it hasn’t been used for a while.

“I think it’s quite well-organized… But, um, what about that desk over there?”

“Hm? Ah, that one… Damnit, Nene! I always told you to keep your desk tidy! You can’t work under all that rubbish!”

The girl called Nene shrugged at the chairman’s words. She was the same student who collapsed on the ground just a few minutes prior. After that, she swayed her styled pink hair and said, “Sorry.”

I could see the president being a bit taken aback by that.

“Just clean that up later… Sorry about that, little bro. I was just a bit distraught there. She’s Nene Katsuragi a sophomore, and also our treasurer. She’s very talented, but as you can see, quite a slacker.”

“It’s fine, but what’s with the ‘little bro’?”

“I thought I should just call you that since you’re Shuri’s little bro. Something wrong with it?”

“Just use my name instead.”

“Hm, then I’ll just call you Tatsumi. You can call me Aoi as well.”

“Got it, Aoi-kaichou¹.”

As soon as I called her that, she gave me an annoyed smile. “You don’t need to add that honorific, I’m not good with formalities.”

“No, but…”

I was a bit hesitant to speak so closely with a senior, and before I could continue she interrupted me saying, “It’s okay. Shuri and Nene also do that with me. Masaya though, the vice-president, is a… well, he’s quite serious, so I didn’t force him to. However, since you’re her little bro, I wanna treat you as a friend.”

“Haah… Got it, Aoi-san.”

“Mhm, it’s fine now,” She nodded, satisfied.

Then, I asked her what’s been on my mind since I’ve been summoned here. “By the way, why did you call me here today Aoi-ka—I mean, Aoi-san?”

I still couldn’t get used to speaking informally with her…

Seeing me struggle like that, she answered with a giggle. “Fufu~ Take your time to get used to it, it’s a gradual thing. Well, the reason I called you here is that Shuri couldn’t stop telling me about you, so I got a bit curious.”

“What was she saying?”

“Oh, that she has a very talented lil’ bro. Well, after hearing all about you, I’d love to have you on the student council.”

“… Well, I can’t though.”

There’s no way I can serve as an officer here, so I just firmly refused it.

“Seems like that, huh?” Aoi said that with a small laugh.

But unlike her response, my sister looked at me with a flabbergasted expression, and she couldn’t help but close in the already small distance between us.

“Why?! You’re a smart guy, Tatsumi, so you can definitely join us here!”

“Well, I’m a wreck when it comes to socializing. It would be a nuisance to bring in someone this socially inept, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s…” She still refused to back down.

Why does she want me in the council so badly? Normally she’s a rather logical person, so her being quite passionate is quite unexpected.

Seeing us acting like this, Aoi intervened with a hand motion, trying to calm us down.

“Now now, you two, calm down a bit. Even if you keep going, you’ll just trouble him further, Shuri.”

“But…”

“Anyway, the reason we called him here wasn’t about the invitation. We can talk about it another time.”

“… Okay,” Shuri nodded reluctantly, but her gaze indicated she didn’t give up. I had an inkling she’d try to bring me here no matter how.

“You got it, sure, but could you let him go now?”

Our current position was quite awkward, with her almost on top of me. Rather, our faces were so close our lips almost touched.

“Yeah, that’s right! Please let go of me big sis—”

“—Why?”

“Huh?” Nene, Aoi, and I were all confused. I tried to follow up on the prez’s words, but Shuri just interrupted me with a questioning tone. She looked as though she really didn’t understand why I wanted her to let go of me.

That’s when a strange atmosphere was raised among the four of us. My sister was the only one who acted normally, but the rest was at a loss, me included.

“Well, oh, I can’t think rationally with you up on him like that, so I’d like you to go back to how you were sitting.”

“Ah, she’s right sis! Same with me.”

“Mu…”

She still didn’t get it, but at least she slowly backed away from me. Though, what the hell is going on lately? This kind of behavior never happened before. Did you have a change of heart or something…?

“You two really get along. I’m an only child, so I envy you.”

“No, that’s not…”

I tried to deny her words, remembering that fateful day, but before I could finish what I was saying, the prez started to blurt out some strange things.

“Well, why don’t you start calling me big sis Aoi, then?”

“… What?”

“Argh—?!”

Aoi gazed at me expectantly after asking such a thing. I’ve also noticed killing intent oozing from beside me, but that’s just my imagination, right? Actually, I don’t even wanna confirm it since I’m quite scared.

“… Yeah, it’s impossible, huh.”

“Ugh…”

She looked perplexed, even a bit depressed at my refusal. Do you wanna be called big sis that much? Feeling sorry, I call out to her hoping it’d be enough.

“No, um, that’s… It’s fine.”

“Really?!”

“Hey, wait a second Tatsumi!” My sister interrupted me.

The two of them cornered me. Why were they reacting so much to the way I call them? Regardless, I let them both calm down and then I cough, breaking the silence.

“Um… Big sis,” I finally said.

“…”

After that, I glanced at my sister and she was fuming. There was no need for her to be angry at something as small as this though. Meanwhile, Aoi couldn’t hold back her smile and held her arms to me.

“C’mon Tatsumi, call me that but with my name!” I swear I could see flowers swirling around her.

“Well, um… Hi, big sis Aoi.”

“Guh—!”

When I called her that, she froze while holding her chest. Her face was also flushed red, and I could see her grin uncontrollably

“Um, Aoi-san…?”

“S–Sorry, I just got a bit e–emotional…”

She was quite an exaggerated girl, well, and a bit naive if I might add? … However, nothing could’ve prepared me for the words she uttered next.

“Oh, I was so happy I came a bit…”

“… Huh?”

What the hell did she just say?!

She was blushing and wriggling her body.

“I’m sure I misheard it, but… What did you just say?” I asked her again just to make sure.

“Was it that hard to understand? I simply said I got wet. Wanna see it for yourself?”

“… I shouldn’t have asked.”

She grabbed the hem of her skirt and lifted it up a bit. Her face seemed to ask me “What do you think?”

I could see some kinda liquid dripping close to her thighs…

—?!?!?!

As soon as she flipped it open, I reflexively looked away.

I saw nothing! That was a mistake!

Contrary to my thoughts, I’ve actually seen it perfectly. The impact, however, was so great I wanted to escape from reality. I sighed deeply after all that, and—

Not you too, Aoi—!

I crouch down, holding my head in my hands. What is with all the people I meet being utter weirdos?! I’m starting to worry that I’m cursed or something!

Aoi, who had no way of knowing how I feel, peeked at me worriedly as I was crouching.

“What’s the matter, Tatsumi? You okay— Ah, I see… That’s how it is!”

“… What is?”

I know it’s probably… certainly not a good idea, but I’ll ask just in case. She answered my question with a laugh.

“Ha ha ha! You couldn’t stand up after seeing me! No, would it be better to say it stood up?”

“Haaaaaaah…” I sigh one of the deepest sighs I’ve ever sighed.

She said stuff a pervy old man would say, though I have to admit, hearing it all from a high school girl was kinda funny. You wouldn’t expect it, really.

Aoi looked at me with a weird expression then sigh. However, then Shuri, who watched that whole exchange, opened her mouth. She was at her wit’s end.

“Hey, Aoi! Why are you seducing Tatsumi!”

“Hm? I’m not though.”

“You are! Why did you show that kind of face to Tatsumi?!”

“I just couldn’t help it after he called me that. You’re the one who can hear that all day, right? I’m so jealous.”

“But I’m his real sister!”

“Hmm… You could lend him to me sometimes, though…”

“Hell no!”

The two continued to argue as I was left there, wondering where the hell did their original purpose of bringing me here went. While watching them arguing with cold eyes, I felt something tug the hem of my shirt.

Looking beside me, I saw Katsuragi-senpai there, the accountant.

“… What is it?”

Don’t tell me she’s gonna go sicko mode on me too… While I prayed it wouldn’t happen, she gave me a thumbs up and said with a giggle, “Pfft-–! Don’t mind it!”

Her smile was devious and annoying.