“Hafu... I’m tired.”
“Me too~”
While I was studying in the living room, the two of them came down from their room just before noon.
“Oh, good work.”
“Huh, were you studying here, Onii?”
“I couldn’t concentrate upstairs because of your voices.”
“Uwaa, you can’t concentrate because you’re listening to the live conversation of active middle school girls? Onii, you’re creepy.”
“Senpai, you’re creepy~♪”
“That’s a terrible overinterpretation.”
If I were getting restless listening to my own sister and her best friend talking, I’d be nothing but a total pervert.
Since they came down, I paused my studies and brought out some grape juice from the fridge for them.
“Thanks, Onii~”
“Senpai, thank you very much!”
“Yeah, you’d better be grateful.”
The two of them sat side-by-side on the sofa, drinking the grape juice with relish.
Has it already been three years since I started seeing scenes like this? Time really flies.
“By the way, Senpai, can I ask you something?”
“What, about your studies?”
“Please give me a break on that... No, it’s about your Fated Person. You dodged the question back then, but I won’t let you escape today!”
“...!”
Again... this girl, Ryuya, and Neika too. Why is everyone so interested in someone else’s Fated Person?
I drained my glass of grape juice to hide my agitation and let out a sigh.
“Haa... Like I said, it has nothing to do with you—”
“It does.”
...Eh?
Not understanding what she meant, I looked at Noa.
She was staring at me with a gaze more serious than I had ever seen before.
“It does matter. Even to me.”
“...No, it doesn’t.”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I’m telling you, it does!”
It was a loud voice that was almost like a roar.
Overwhelmed by that voice, I involuntarily fell silent.
A deadlock that felt like tension continued.
Then, Kotono awkwardly raised her hand.
“Um~, Noa. I feel like it might be better if you don’t ask about Onii’s Fated Person too much...”
“Kotono, whose side are you on?!”
“Fueh...”
Kotono was on the verge of tears, not knowing what to do.
“...Noa. Don’t bully Kotono so much.”
“I’m not bullying her. It’s Senpai’s fault for staying silent.”
“...If I tell you, will you keep it a secret from everyone? And can you swear you won’t do anything to my Fated Person?”
“I won’t tell anyone. And I swear.”
Noa’s eyes looked straight into mine.
...Well, I know she’s not the kind of person who does bad things.
And she wouldn’t harm anyone. I know that better than anyone.
“...It’s Kuonji. Kuonji Riran. ...You’ve met her before, right?”
“————”
Her eyes widened, and then she immediately looked down.
I don’t know why this girl wanted to know about my Fated Person so badly.
Whether this was meaningful, or just simple curiosity.
While I was wondering what was on Noa’s mind—
“I see, so that’s how it is... Hmmm.”
“...Noa?”
What is she muttering about?
“Senpai!”
“Eh. W-What?”
Noa suddenly looked up. ...Why is she wearing a full-faced smile?
Noa stood up from the sofa and clung to my arm as usual.
“Se-n-pa-i♡”
“W-What’s with you all of a sudden?”
“...As I thought, no reaction.”
“Hey, where do you think you’re looking when you say that?”
Don’t stare, mainly at my lower body.
When I forcibly pulled her off, Noa crossed her arms and began to think.
She was always someone I couldn’t figure out, but today I understand what she’s thinking even less than usual.
“I see, I see. ...Senpai.”
“What is it this time...”
“To the current Senpai, what kind of existence am I?”
“A junior.”
“That’s dry.”
“Because you’re nothing more and nothing less than that.”
Strictly speaking, she’s a ‘precious junior,’ though.
“Then, if you had to say whether you like or hate me? Oh, no useless arguments. Please answer whether you like or hate me.”
“...Well, I like you... but.”
“Which means you don’t hate me?”
“I guess.”
“Ho ho, I see.”
No, really, what does she want to do?
“Time out! Kotono, come here.”
“Okay.”
“Senpai, wait here! Don’t go anywhere!”
With that, she grabbed Kotono’s arm and went up to the second floor.
I’ve never understood her since a long time ago... but today I understand her even less.
◆ Noa ◆
“Kotono, we’re starting an emergency meeting.”
“Aai~”
In Kotono’s room, I laid out a cushion and sat on the carpet.
Kotono sat on the bed, smirking as if she were watching something interesting.
“What is it?”
“No, it’s just that Noa really loves Onii as much as ever.”
Ugh... being told that directly makes me blush.
Yes, I love Akito-senpai.
Starting from that incident that happened when I was in my first year of middle school.
But that doesn’t matter right now.
The problem is the reality that Senpai is connected to that Kuonji Riran by the ‘Red Thread of Fate.’
“Kotono, is it true? That Akito-senpai and Kuonji-senpai are Fated Partners?”
“That’s right~ Riran-tan is also head-over-heels for Onii, after all~”
Kuh. It was true...! Of all people, it had to be that Kuonji-senpai...!
That night, in front of Senpai, I said Kuonji-senpai was famous for hating Akito-senpai, but that was a mistake.
The fact that Kuonji-senpai loves Akito-senpai is a fact that every student from the same middle school knows.
The only ones who don’t know are the people themselves.
Well, Akito-senpai is also a total dense-head.
Otherwise, there’s no way he wouldn’t notice my aggressive advances. Dummy, dummy.
Ryuya-senpai and Nei-chan-senpai are watching over them with amusement... but I can’t stand that.
Because I love Akito-senpai too.
Besides, from the looks of it, those two aren’t dating yet.
Then I still have a chance.
A chance to make Akito-senpai look my way.
A year from now, my own Fated Person might appear.
But the person I love right now is Akito-senpai.
My hero is Akito-senpai.
Just because we’re only one year apart in age, we can’t be together? Don’t mess with me.
What’s fate? What’s a Red Thread? I’ll cut through such a curse.
I will seize happiness with my own hands.