Volume 1 - CH 20

My Little Sister’s New Uniform is not Cute

‘Look, It’s my new uniform!’

A picture is shown next to the message.

Haruta taps on the photo to enlarge it.

It’s a selfie of Fuyu wearing a navy-blue one-piece school uniform with her long black hair tied back.

With a big smile, she is doing a peace sign next to her face.

“…Fuyu-chan, your appearance has changed quite a bit.”

“She looks like a countryside middle school student. Our middle school allow their students to have brown hair, but it seems that it is forbidden in her new school. I heard they made Fuyu dye her hair black. Look, there’s more.”

“Hmm…? Ah…”

Akiho sighs when she sees the second picture.

Fuyu is down on her hands and knees with a depressed look on her face.

And the message sent following the picture is—

‘Lame…the skirt is knee length…it is not cute at all…”

Even the text Fuyu sent sounds depressing.

Fuyu seems very happy in the first picture, but in the second picture she seems very depressed. That’s quite an emotional roller coaster.

“Fuyu-chan is a fashionable person after all. It’s like torture for her to wear such a lame uniform, I agree with Fuyu-chan it doesn’t look cute at all.”

“Moreover, I heard that her school is quite far from her house that she has to ride a bicycle to go there, and she needs to wear a helmet.”

“Ahh… I’ve seen such things on TV, but I didn’t think that’s actually real.”

“Looks like it.”

Haruta has never seen anyone wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle himself.

When Haruta heard so, he realized that his mother and sister has moved to a very rural area.

“I don’t think Fuyu-chan likes wearing a helmet either, her hair will get very messy.”

“Yeah, I think so as well. She used to brush her hair carefully every day before she went to school.”

“It seems that her long hair needs to be tied up. Looks like it will take some time for Fuyu-chan to get used to her new life.”

“She might not be able to get used to her new life…”

It takes nearly three hours by train from here to Fuyu’s new home.

Haruta’s sister and mother have moved somewhere really far away.

“I feel sorry for Fuyu-chan, but I’m glad you two are keeping in touch with each other.”

“What, you thought we are going to be separated and lose contact with each other? There are so many ways to keep in touch nowadays.”

Of course, Haruta was sad to say goodbye to Fuyu.

It seemed like a lifetime goodbye that Haruta didn’t even feel like going to school for a week.

But nevertheless, the fact that Haruta was able to get back on his feet and go back to school so quickly—

Was thanks to the photos and messages Fuyu sent to him.

Haruta finally realized that it wasn’t a lifetime goodbye.

‘Thank god we have smartphones these days.’

Haruta mumbled to himself.

They usually communicate using Line.

Fuyu sends her Onii-chan messages and photos every day.

Haruta only sends messages to Fuyu usually, but sometimes he takes selfies and sends them.

“But we haven’t done any video calls though.”

“Why?”

“I heard that the connection at Fuyu’s house is so bad that it lags really much. Fuyu doesn’t want me to see her in such a bad resolution.”

“Hmm, I guess there are still some places where the internet is so bad.”

When it comes to connection problem, there is nothing they can do.

“My little sister is doing well. Sorry if I worried you.”

“I’m not worried about you Sakuraba-kun. I’m worried about Fuyu-chan.”

“Is that so.”

It seems that before Haruta knew it, Fuyu and Akiho has become really close.

“I thought it was really strange. Sakuraba-kun, you didn’t seem depressed at all at school, it’s because Fuyu always sends pictures and messages to you, right?”

“Not all people have to know what’s happening with my life.”

Haruta is surprised at Tsukuyomi’s sensitivity.

Haruta only told their friends about his parents’ divorce, and his mother as well as his sister’s move.

The fact that his mother and sister is not his real family—is kept a secret.

It’s not something that Haruta can talk to people about.

However, the fact that the father takes care of the son, whereas the mother takes care of the daughter can’t be hidden.

Haruta just started high school, and it will be difficult for him to change schools, meanwhile his sister can just start studying for her entrance exam in her new school.

Haruta don’t think not anyone would be satisfied with that explanation, but what they think doesn’t matter to Haruta anyway.

If Haruta’s parents had just simply divorced, he wouldn’t be that shocked and depressed, but the reality is just very cruel.

Haruta wonders if Akiho also realizes it.

“I’ve seen quite a few siblings, but I’ve never seen a relationship like the one Sakuraba-kun and Fuyu-chan have. To be honest, I was a bit envious.”

“Didn’t you say you don’t admire us?”

“You remember the weirdest details, but I guess you can say I admire your relationship with Fuyu-chan, and it is mostly because of Fuyu-chan.”

“Fuyu?”

The traffic turns red and they stop.

Cars pass by one after another.

“Even though I’ve only met Fuyu-chan a few times. I can tell that Fuyu-chan is being loved so much by her brother, she is very cute and she smiles innocently. I really envy her.”

“…sorry, but Akiho is not my little sister, so I can’t love you.”

“Haha, hilarious.”

Akiho’s eyes are not smiling.

Haruta wasn’t trying to be funny, it seems that he has messed up big time.

“I said something really boring, didn’t I? The reality isn’t like a romance drama. Even if there are problems in my family, having them resolved won’t make me fall in love with Sakuraba-kun.”

“……”

Haruta remembered something he had heard before, there is something going on with Akiho’s family as well.

Akiho would be better if she has an older brother to face her problems with her.

“I don’t think I’m interested going out with you, Akiho.”

“Ah, I see. I got rejected quite often.”

“Fuyu has turned down a lot of people, you know?”

“Really? How many times has she turned down people?”

“About twice.”

“Is that a surprisingly large number?”

“Shut up.”

They joke around with each other while waiting for traffic.

Haruta thinks talking to Minami is pretty fun, but it seems that talking to Akiho is not bad either.

Haruta tries to be the same person he has always been, but there is still a heavy burden in his heart.

Haruta and Akiho continue to walk as they talk to each other.

It seems that Akiho watches quite a bit of non-music videos on U cube, she seems really excited when talking about U cube video recommendations.

Akiho recommends Haruta some funny and cute videos she watched the other day.

That is exactly the kind of video that Haruta wants to watch right now.

They walk for a while and—

“That apartment, that’s my house.”

“Ah, we’re here.”

It is a cozy three-story apartment.

“Do you want to come in? I don’t think my parents are home.”

“I’ll pass. I’m not so brazen to go into a girl’s house who is not my girlfriend.”

“So if I were your girlfriend, you would come inside?”

“……”

Akiho is not emotionally dead or expressionless.

But it’s just she is a difficult person to read emotionally.

Haruta is a straightforward type of person, so he can’t seem to read Akiho’s expressions.

“Now my image is back to a big guy who only talks to big people, right?”

“No, it’s not like your sister disappeared, you image hasn’t changed.”

“So you want to date my little sister?”

Hahaha, Haruta laughs.

Even though Haruta has only known Akiho since high school, she is one of the few friends Haruta has invited to his house.

“I’m not a cheap girl that would suddenly take my girlfriend home. People think I’m crazy when I play music—haven’t I told you before?”

“Yeah, you’ve told me. Okay then, see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“……!?”

Akiho suddenly jumped and puts her lips on Haruta’s.

Their lips met for a brief moment—

“I’m glad I didn’t miss the target, I don’t usually have much trouble kissing short guys, but kissing a big guy is really troublesome.”

“…I think you missed the target?”

Haruta thinks Akiho tried to kiss him on the cheek, but it landed on the lips—but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

No, Haruta can’t even think of a reason to be kissed on the cheek.

“A cute girl rewarded you for getting back on your feet. I didn’t kiss you just because you walk me home, my kiss isn’t that cheap.”

“…if you kissed every guy who was depressed, doesn’t that mean you’re cheap? Hojo was depressed because his volleyball team didn’t win the tournament, and you kissed him as well?”

“Hmm…”

“……”

Again, Akiho jumped and kissed Haruta on the lips.

“I kissed Hojo before, but in a different way, it was an indirect kiss.”

“I don’t think I’ll get another kiss this bad in my life…”

Akiho knows it’s a joke.

Also, Akiho is not the type to kiss anyone.

But still, being kissed by Akiho just now has left Haruta puzzled.

“I gave you a very generous reward, you should be grateful for it. So, Sakuraba-kun.”

“Hmm…?”

“Did you kiss Fuyu-chan?”

Haruta gets on his bicycle and turns around at once.

With his back to Akiho—

“I did.”

“I knew it.”

After a brief converstation, Haruta starts pedalling his bicycle.

Why did Akiho ask such question?

And why did Haruta answer so honestly?

It is dangerous to ride a bicycle with such thoughts in mind.

Haruta decides not to think about it and hurries home.