"The stage is set."
"Wait, what?"
Yeah, I definitely said I’d "do something about it." But you know, I meant it in more of a "family meeting" kind of way. I didn't think he’d take me straight to face Nee-chan right then and there. Even if it was for her sake, I needed a moment to prepare myself.
I still couldn't quite believe that my sister had actually cried. The Nee-chan I knew would be more likely to say something cold-blooded like, "Wataru? There's no way you'll ever be popular. The Sajou family line ends with you," while ordering me to go out and buy her some Häagen-Dazs. This felt like the world was turning upside down.
According to Yuuki-senpai, the meeting place was the rooftop. He’d used his authority as Student Council President to unlock it and planned to lure Nee-chan out with some flimsy excuse. Kai-senpai and Hanawa-senpai were apparently handling the logistics... Wait, what about Todoroki-senpai? Is that guy even capable of reading human emotions well enough to escort a lady?
"...Haaah..."
I couldn't stop sighing.
Everything was moving too fast. Even if it wasn't a certainty, the prospect of having a dead-serious conversation with someone I had to see every day made the back of my neck prickle with discomfort.
I climbed the stairs past the third floor for the first time. The stairwell was dusty and silent; given the hour, it was eerily dim. Under normal circumstances, I would never have set foot here before graduation. And yet, there were clear footprints in the dust, showing someone had preceded me.
"Ugh..."
I didn't want to see a family member’s crying face, even if it belonged to my overbearing sister. Most high schoolers—especially the youngest child—probably wouldn't have to deal with that at this age. Just the thought of it made me feel nauseous.
—But even so, I couldn't just keep quiet after hearing that Nee-chan had been crying over something I didn't even know about.
I pushed open the rusted door. It let out a shrill, unpleasant screech that only added to my irritation. My head was filled with questions. Why was I still at school this late when I wasn't even in a club? Why was I in this situation? Why was I heading to the roof, a place I never intended to visit, for such a bizarre confrontation?
—I’d just have to ask her. I'd ask this sister of mine about the mysterious side of her I never knew existed.
"...Nee-chan."
"Eh...?"
Nee-chan was standing at the far end of the roof, looking as listless as ever. When I called out, she looked at me with a startled expression and reflexively took a step or two back.
"Huh...? Why is Wataru here...? Renji told me that Rin was calling for me..."
"Wait, what...?"
Ri—Rin...? Did she mean that Shinomiya Rin? Were they actually friends? Well, thinking about it, one was the Student Council Vice President and the other was the Disciplinary Committee President. It wasn't strange for them to know each other.
So Hanawa-senpai was the one who successfully lured her out. He did seem like the type who’d be the best at manipulating people. Honestly, he could’ve just failed for all I care...
"That was a lie from Senpai. So, Nee-chan. I heard you cried?"
"Ha...? What?!"
I didn't feel like wasting time with a preamble. I wanted to get this over with. When I went straight to the point, Nee-chan looked blank for a second, then suddenly started panicking. Seeing that reaction... so Yuuki-senpai wasn't lying after all.
"...Y-You...!!"
"Our Student Council President, who has a mouth lighter than a feather, tattled on you. I guess he felt guilty keeping it to himself."
"...!!"
Her brother had found out she cried. I wondered what was going through her head. Knowing how strong-willed she usually was, she probably wouldn't just admit it. But I didn't intend to just bow and scrape like I usually did.
"Hey, Nee-chan... what are my good points? Give me ten—no, five is fine. Just list them."
"Huh...? Why so sudden... my good points...?"
"Exactly what I said. My good points. If you’re worried enough to cry over me, you should be able to name a few."
"U-Um...!"
Nee-chan began to stammer and fidget, a complete reversal of her usual dominant attitude. There was no trace of her usual confidence. Seeing her like this made me feel strangely emboldened. Man... I was going to be terrified of the consequences later.
Nee-chan’s eyes darted around as she started counting on her fingers. It was painfully obvious that she was desperately trying to squeeze something—anything—out. I was already self-aware enough to know I didn't have many, and I wouldn't have minded if she couldn't think of any, but her reaction made me wonder why she’d even bothered crying in the first place.
"Fine, I get it."
"W-Wait a second...! This is... I mean...!"
"Okay, next. Ten of my normal points."
"Eh...?! Um—well—"
I wasn't trying to test her. I just wanted to know the reason.
She was worried about me? That the reason I gave up on the girl I liked was because of her? Being told something I didn't even believe myself—especially by her, of all people—was just annoying. More than anything, it wasn't like her.
"—Y-Your face!"
"Face."
"—Height! Personality! Physique! Intelligence! Financial power!"
"Financial power."
"—Hairstyle! Fashion sense! Stamina! Cleanliness! Body odor! Funniness! Little brother power!"
"..."
"—STR (Attack Power)! DEF (Defense)! SPD (Speed)! DEX (Dexterity)! LUK (Luck)!"
"Hey, that's cheating! Stop, that's enough! Seriously, stop it! Please stop!"
Wait a minute. Didn't she just list nearly twenty things? I didn't ask for that many. And that last part? Even I don’t know my own combat stats. What, does Nee-chan spend her life thinking about people in terms of RPG stats? Is she from some warrior race?
Once I managed to shut her up, Nee-chan was actually huffing and puffing... Wait, was the list of my "normalcy" so vast that it was physically exhausting to recite?
"See... you think so too, Nee-chan. That I’m just an ordinary guy."
"..."
"That’s right. I’m ordinary. It’s a fact I’ve accepted. You and Mom were just reflecting reality back to me all this time, weren't you? You didn't say anything wrong. Why are you worrying about me now? It’s not like you."
"..."
"Sure, I’ve given up on a lot of things. But that’s not because you or Mom made me realize it. It’s just that I stared at my own shitty, idiotic face in the mirror for too long and was forced to realize the truth, whether I liked it or not."
It was pathetic, but it was the truth. This was something I had started and ended entirely on my own. I didn't need Nee-chan nagging me about it, and I certainly didn't need her pity.
"...I was horrified."
"...Huh?"
"You said you gave up on the person you liked on the surface, but I thought maybe you couldn't actually let go. I saw another student fail and fall apart like that. So I thought the same thing might happen to you... and that maybe I had done something terrible to you..."
"...What are you even talking about?"
So what? To Nee-chan, everything I’d said until now sounded like a lie? What I told Natsukawa, and what I said in the Student Council Room? You thought I was some pathetic loser who was still hung up on Natsukawa and couldn't move on?
...Heh. What do you know, it’s just the usual.
"What are you saying? In the first place, it’s not like I’m trying to forget her. I still like her now, and I still have stupid, delusional thoughts about 'what if.' It’s just that, you know... I realized I’m hopelessly ordinary. I just decided I had to know my place."
"B-But, the reason you started thinking that way is... because I said too much after all...!"
If you’re aware of it, then just stop.
Why is she the one acting frustrated? What does she want from me? Should I go buy her a meat bun? Fine, I’ll buy you every single one in the convenience store...! Is two thousand yen enough for you?
"Like I said. That doesn't—"
"L-Listen."
"What is it?"
"I’ve said bad things about you, but I didn't mean them. Have some confidence. Even if you've accepted that you're just average, giving up on the girl you’ve liked for years is a waste."
"Huh...?"
Nee-chan spoke as if she were lecturing me. I couldn't believe my ears. After all this, she was coming out with these flimsy, apologetic excuses.
What the hell is this? Why are you saying this now? I already explained that you weren't wrong. So why are you going out of your way to deny everything? What was the point of everything we’ve been through?
"I’ll... I'll fix my behavior. I won't make fun of you anymore, and I won't be so unreasonable. There’s no need for you to belittle yourself so much—"
"Knock it off already, you shitty woman."
"Wh-What...?!"
I was more pissed off than I’d ever been in my life. Seriously, if she didn't shut up, I felt like I was going to lose it.
"Fix your behavior? What good is that going to do? You think if you stop bad-mouthing your brother and stop hitting him, I’ll suddenly gain confidence?"
"That’s not what I meant...!"
"Do you think you're reflecting? Are you planning to become a 'gentle sister' now? Who the hell is that supposed to be? I’ve never once had a 'kind' sister like that in my entire life."
"..."
The relationship we’ve built until now... sure, she was harsh, but it was honest. We were siblings, and that was enough. Are you telling me to throw away years of being blunt and unreserved with each other just for this fake pity? Don't screw with me.