Cheating is the absolute worst. When everything finally comes to light, nobody ends up happy. It’s an ethical failure, and honestly, if you’re going to do it, you shouldn't have been in a relationship in the first place. If the person you're cheating with is friends with your partner, things are guaranteed to get even messier. The ways people get caught vary—peeking at a phone, a notification popping up on the lock screen, muttering a name in their sleep, being investigated due to suspicion, being tipped off by a friend... and so on.
"Ah... Sajou-sa—eh?"
And then there’s the "running into them" pattern. Ichinose-san, who had finished her shift after me and stepped out of the secondhand bookstore, turned her eyes toward me. Then, realizing there were others present, she shifted her gaze and froze.
The gazes of the Ichinose siblings crossed right through me. Ichinose-senpai was looking at his sister with a "finally found you" sort of expression. That was when it hit me. If I thought about it, this wasn't cheating or anything like that; it was just a reunion between siblings. In the first place, we weren't even dating, and our friendship was a bit questionable. Yeah, we were just a senior and a junior at a part-time job. In short, total strangers. So, would it be okay if I just made a break for it right now...?!
"........."
"Mina... so you were working part-time here. It seems Mom was helping you keep it a secret, too. It was quite a chore to find you myself."
Ichinose-senpai, breaking the silence, spoke to Ichinose-san in a gentle tone. If it were just that, he’d be nothing more than a kind older brother... but, well, maybe because of the scorching heat, he was sweating buckets. Combined with his bear-like build, the way he’d been lying in wait made him look incredibly suspicious, to the point where it felt like he was a predator.
No, I knew better, okay? I knew he was the sole male member of the Disciplinary Committee and a reliable guy. Even back when he helped me carry heavy stuff, he’d sweated a lot, but he’d also shown a powerful, dependable side. He was a respectable senior who was as kind as he was strong. Yeah, he had plenty of traits that would make him popular.
Huff... huff...
Please, I’m begging you, wipe your sweat. Why on earth did you decide to wear those clearly all-season jeans?!
That was the thing—a bear-like physique is probably popular because a large build makes one look reliable, and honestly, I used to be envious of it. But under the summer sun, that advantage turned into a massive liability. If this were winter and I wasn't here, I think this would have been a perfect situation.
"It looks like you just finished your shift? S-So... how about we go out to eat once in a—"
"Ya...!"
"Whoa-hey-whoa-wait!!?"
I, Sajou Wataru, had just experienced a girl who wasn't my relative hiding behind my back for the first time in my life. She was clutching my clothes. This was a completely different kind of tension than being grabbed by Nee-chan. I couldn't escape. I repeat, I could not escape. Faced with this, all I could do was shout...
"Mi—Mina...!"
"A-A-A-Also, Ichinose-senpai, it’s not what it looks like, okay?! Your sister and I are just a senior and a junior—well, I mean, we're classmates at school and the same age, but! The senior-junior thing is our relationship regarding our part-time job at this store! I would never, ever, behind the back of the senior who just helped me out the other day, get into that kind of relationship with his sister-mahen—ah, crap, I slipped into Kyoto dialect! Sorry, I just bit my tongue!"
"Sorry, Sajou-kun, but could you move aside for a moment?"
"Ah, yes—"
Wait, that's right. I couldn't move because she was clutching me from behind. Look, Ichinose-san, it’s your beloved brother, okay? He went through the trouble of coming to see you, so use this chance to make up—whoa-ho-hooo?! She was looking up at me with such teary eyes...! And she forgot to take out her hairpins again! Her eyes were so big!
...Wait, hold on a second. Whose side are you on, Sajou Wataru? Why did Ichinose-san hide behind me? She was supposed to love her brother, yet she was reacting like this. Even if I stepped aside and said, "Here you go," wouldn't that just lead to a disaster? Who was I supposed to be supporting? Besides, it was hot. It was seriously, miserably hot.
"...Um, why don't we move somewhere cool?"
"Sajou-kun, now isn't the—"
"To be blunt, talking here won't change anything. Besides, do you really want to keep your sister exposed to this heat?"
".....................I understand."
"Let's go. There’s a place we can settle down nearby."
At first, I thought about going to a family restaurant, but for various reasons, we decided on the eat-in space on the second floor of a convenience store. I was in luck; you only find convenience stores with this kind of layout near the station. I felt bad, but I had Ichinose-senpai go up first, while Ichinose-san and I followed. Leaving these siblings alone right now felt like it would be seriously bad vibes.
"—Senpai, for now, please use this."
"Ah, yeah... thank you. I'll pay you for it."
"...Yes. Ah, no, it's fine even if it's another day."
The amount of sweat was almost unbearable. It was midday and there were few people around, and since the salaryman types seemed to be focused on the smoking room in the corner, I let him boldly wipe himself down with the towel I’d just bought. Since sitting down would probably feel gross for him, I had Ichinose-san sit first, while I stayed standing, fanning myself and making small talk like "It's hot, isn't it?" to keep things from getting awkward. Man, the air conditioning was a lifesaver.
"I'm sorry, Sajou-kun... I, well, I was lacking a bit of composure."
"No, please don't let it bother you."
I wasn't used to honorifics, so I ended up with a weird phrasing. Even so, Ichinose-senpai was sincerely apologizing. While he probably felt bad, in his heart, he likely wanted to talk to Ichinose-san as soon as humanly possible.
As I was gauging Ichinose-senpai’s feelings, I made eye contact with Ichinose-san.
"Ah..."
She had taken her seat and was glancing at Ichinose-senpai with a look that said she didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do either...
Ichinose-senpai said he was okay now. His sweat had indeed receded, and he had returned to being a pleasant, bear-like person. Since the eat-in space only had two-person tables, I had him sit directly across from Ichinose-san. I swiped an empty chair and sat down next to the two of them. I didn't know what the conversation between these siblings was usually like, but I didn't feel like I could just leave them to it. Well... an outsider has their own way of behaving, so maybe I didn't need to be so reserved?
"The senior who took charge of the transport at school the other day... you really were dating her, weren't you?"
"...!"
Ichinose-senpai froze. No, no, why are you acting like you've been caught doing something scandalous? You two were totally flirting at school...! You weren't just dating, you were practically glued together—it was stifling (and I was jealous)! Since Ichinose-san saw the "scene," I thought it was a bit late to hide it. That intense display was basically a love scene. Jeez... I had to walk on eggshells.
"——That's right... Yuri-chan and I have been dating for over a month. From the looks of it, you heard about it from Mina?"
"Ah, no, well... yes."
I’d guessed from the atmosphere, but I could tell it hadn't come from Ichinose-senpai’s side. Yuri-chan-senpai probably fell for Ichinose-senpai because of a combination of factors. I could tell he was a good person just by interacting with him for a bit. She must have been completely won over by that goodness...
"Ichinose-san—ah, I mean, do you know the reason why your sister started her part-time job?"
"I haven't heard it directly from her, so I don't know for sure... but I have a general idea."
"...By any chance, have you two not been on speaking terms?"
"..."
Looks like I hit the mark. Apparently, Ichinose-san hadn't spoken to Ichinose-senpai ever since she started her job. I wondered if it was even possible to do that while living in the same house... her parents probably would've had something to say. Oh, wait, she said she kept the job a secret from her brother. Since Ichinose-senpai mentioned their mother didn't tell him, maybe she was being skillfully managed by their parent.
Recently, Ichinose-san had been in such high spirits that I hadn't considered for a second that things were like that at home.
"..."
Following Ichinose-senpai’s silence, I looked at Ichinose-san, only for her to abruptly turn her face away. It looked like Ichinose-senpai was actively trying to start a dialogue, so Ichinose-san was probably the one avoiding him. I mean, I understood how she felt. But this reaction felt like she was carrying some guilt. I’d seen that same look several times before, so I could tell. It must be beyond awkward. I wouldn't want to be in this position either.
"...Should I step out?"
"I'm sorry... I'll apologize for earlier, so could you please stay just for a little longer?"
...You got it.