Over coffee, the Class Representative and I chatted idly, mostly about what had been happening in the otherworld. Naturally, the conversation revolved around how Hina was spending her days there.
"Well... the more I hear, the more it sounds like fiction."
"Honestly, anyone would have a hard time believing it."
Even as I spoke the words, I couldn't help but think how outrageous the story was. I certainly wouldn't have believed it if I had only heard it from someone else.
"By the way, Class Representative..."
"I told you, I’m not the rep anymore. Just call me Akira."
"Then feel free to call me Kaito on your end too."
"Fine. So, what is it?"
He was right; we weren't in high school anymore, so sticking to his old title felt a bit stiff.
"Right. What are you doing these days, Akira?"
"Technically, I’m a medical student now."
"Heh, I should have guessed. So you’re aiming to be a doctor?"
Back in our school days, Akira had been the quintessential Class Representative—serious, diligent, and top of the class. This career path fit the image I had of him perfectly.
I sipped my canned coffee and mused over that until Akira broke the silence with a question of his own.
"Has Hina been causing you any trouble over there?"
"Not at all. She’s never been a bother. She’s bright, energetic, and a real mood-maker. She’s a great kid."
"Her lack of foresight and her childishness are problems, though..."
"You say that, but weren't you worried sick after hearing what happened to her?"
"...Well, to me, my sister went to her morning club activities and came home only to claim she’d been to anotherworld. At first, I was more worried about her sanity than anything else."
Come to think of it, since she had returned to the exact moment she was summoned, his reaction was only natural. Still, despite his bluntness, there was no doubt he cared deeply for his sister. He just wasn't very honest about it.
"She’s fully intent on going back to the otherworld again. Even my parents are talking about wanting to spend their retirement there."
"Ahaha, well, it really is a wonderful world."
"So I’ve gathered. Hearing it from Hina made me feel the same... but you can’t truly know a place until you see it for yourself."
"If you want, do you want to try visiting? I could probably make it happen if I asked."
In truth, I knew I could. If I asked Shiro-san or Eden-san, I could at least arrange a tour for him.
Akira looked contemplative for a moment, then gave a faint smile and shook his head.
"No, I’ll pass. I’m at an important stage in my own life right now. Besides, I do trust my sister. She can be childish, but she knows the difference between right and wrong."
"I see..."
"Plus, you’re there."
"Huh?"
"We were in the same class for three years, Kaito. I know you well enough. You had your lazy streaks, but you’re an altruistic guy at heart. You can't just leave someone in trouble alone."
He stopped there and tilted his head back to finish his coffee. He stood up, tossed the empty can into a nearby bin, and looked at me.
"I’m sorry to burden you, but please look after Hina. She looks cheerful, but she has a mentally fragile side. Keep an eye on her."
"Yeah. I don’t think you have to worry that much, but I understand."
I finished my own drink and stood up to throw my can away.
"Oh, one more thing, Kaito. If you ever make a move on her, make sure you report it to me properly. As her brother, I’d like to keep a firm grasp on that situation."
"What kind of idiot thing are you suddenly saying with such a serious face?"
"Heh. She’s easy to read, after all."
"Wait, what?"
"Nothing. I recall you can travel between the otherworld and here just like Hina can, right? In that case, show your face once in a while and tell me how she’s doing."
"Understood."
We shared a light smile and headed our separate ways. It seemed my personality wasn't as incompatible with Akira’s as I’d thought. I realized then that if we’d had the right catalyst, we might have become close friends back in high school.
Recalling that exchange, I let out an involuntary smile. Hina was peering curiously at me, so I spoke up.
"He told me to look after you. As your brother, he’s clearly worried about you."
"My brother was? He didn't look like that at all..."
"He said he was worried because you have a childish side."
"Ehh!? I’m a high schooler! I’m not that childish! Hmph!"
I suspected those kinds of reactions were exactly why he thought she was childish. It was quite heartwarming, really.
"Hahaha, is that so? I guess you're right. You’re reliable in your own way, Hina."
"Exactly! I am reliable! As expected, Kaito-senpai understands me."
"Oh, but he also mentioned being worried about your grades."
"Ugh... T-That’s different! My scores are always above the average! It’s just that my brother is way too smart. He acts like anything below a ninety is a disaster. I’m perfectly normal!"
"Ah, right. Akira’s grades really were incredible back then. He was great at sports too. He was the classic overachiever."
Hina grew interested in stories about Akira’s high school days, so I told her what I could remember as we enjoyed the rest of our lunch together.
Serious-senpai: "After everything, this actually turned into a good serious—"
Machina: "My children, are you doing well? It's Mother!"
Serious-senpai: "...Eh? Wait..."
Machina: "As a mother, I always want to answer the questions of My children! So, I’ve decided to collect questions from My children this time. Let’s see... I’ll take them until May 6th and answer them in the update on May 7th! Just one rule: I won't answer anything about the future, since that would be a spoiler!"
Serious-senpai: "You... You're—"
Machina: "Also, I won’t be able to answer every single one, so I’ll be picking a few. Please understand! Well then, I’ll be waiting for the questions from My children!"
Serious-senpai: "And I finally had a rare serious development! Why!?"