24th of April, Wednesday

Change. Different person. Dependent on text.

Mariko came over to my seat after the first period ended. It seemed like she regained her composure and was calm this morning.

She asked me to lend her my smartphone for a moment. She said something about a free calls application called STRING. It seemed to be very popular and people often talked about it. Not only calls could be made from it, but one also could chat and play games on it.

I wasn’t really interested in that, but my resistance has been overpowered by Mariko, and in the end I allowed her to install STRING.

Mariko explained to me how to operate the simple app. Apparently it was something made for groups of people.

Since I had no idea how convenient it is, Mariko made a group just for the two of us for the time being. Although we could just mail each other if it’s the two of us, STRING seemed to be something recommended for more users to speak with each other simultaneously.

If I were to make a group with little sisters, then even if something happened… even if we were scattered we would still be connected with each other. That’s what I vaguely thought.

After returning home I went to the Room 501. Wednesday is Sayuri’s day.

I pressed on the interphone’s button, and Sayuri immediately came out to meet me.

“Welcome back, Onii-sama.”

“I’m back… eh?”

I’ve been caught in the flow and said so. But this is Sayuri’s room and not mi… eh?

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Sayuri’s girly but simple attire has changed into something really glamorous.

Somehow, it felt really girly and light. It was so perfect it seemed like it came out straight out of a fashion magazine. Sayuri was wearing a fitting pale pink dress with floral design on it.

Moreover, her hair was longer now. It was a hairstyle that packed a plenty of semi-long atmosphere and gave her a slightly mature look.

“W-why a katsura?”

“This isn’t katsura, it’s a wig.”[1]

“Then, those clothes… what on earth.”

“Onii-sama, um… d-does it look good on me?”

I felt like it was unlike Sayuri.

Even so, if she asks me whether it looks good on her, I have to answer like this.

“Yeah, it does.”

“That’s great. I tried being bolder and I was worried that it might have been too flashy. Also, not just the outside but what’s under is cute as well?”

She squeezed the hem of the dress with one hand and started raising it.

“Wa-wait a moment!”

“Onii-sama needs to confirm it himself properly.”

“I can’t I won’t!”

“It can’t be that you don’t want to get aroused by your little sister’s underwear can it?”

“There’s something wrong with that question!”

I turned around on my heel. In front of me there was the front door.

“I’m going home.”

“Please wait Onii-sama. I do not mind being pushed down any time, but being being acted coldly towards is one thing I won’t stand.”

Sayuri was the same as ever. I reluctantly turned towards her and saw her drop her shoulders crestfallen.

“I don’t act coldly because I want to.”

“Why do you act that way then?”

“Listen Sayuri. Having a little sister show her older brother her panties is bad. In more than just one way.”

“The more risky the more exciting it is. Aah! How could I not notice. Onii-sama is the type that makes the other party excited by looking at them with cold gaze right? Oh well, that is also a way of showing affection. Please hurry up and look at me with contempt then.”

Sayuri looked up at me while still holding her head down.

What’s inside hasn’t changed… or rather, it got worse. However, judging just by her appearance she’s a completely different person.

Standing in front of me was a different Sayuri – Sayuri who’s not a younger sister. I might have not recognized her were we to pass by each other in the city.

I wondered if it was just because she changed the length of her hair. Earlier, the sibling relationship before has reset, and probably because of that I have this delusion.

“Don’t worry I won’t scorn you, I have no interests like that. Can I come in?”

“This room is Onii-sama’s as well, there’s no need for such confirmation. I’ll prepare tea immediately.”

Sayuri headed towards the living room at brisk pace. I made a loud sigh and took off my boots, the moment I entered the living room Kyuu-chan the Myna bird cried out.

『”Image change! Image change! As not to give off a feeling of a little sister I need to turn into a grown-up!”』

So that’s how it is. However, to suddenly grow up… speaking of which, Tomomi asked something about Murasaki-san and older girls…

When I comfortably sat settled down on sofa, Sayuri came back from the kitchen holding a tray on which were teacups and a teapot.

“It might be abrupt, but if it’s possible please get rid of any awareness you have about us being siblings. When it’s just the two of us then can I call you Yoichi-san, Yoichi-kun, or Yoichi-senpai…?”

After passing a cup of tea to me, she came up with a proposal.

“Sayuri is still… want me… umm…”

Confirming it is difficult. Asking my own little sister ‘Want to be my lover?’ is something hard.

I wondered if she still hasn’t given up.

“You don’t think… of wanting to be my… l-lover, do you?”

“Of course I do. On top of becoming Yoichi-san’s lover, I can do a little sister play making you my big brother.”

I don’t get it. What was Sayuri talking about? Currently I’m quite confused.

“Don’t just switch like that to calling me by my name! ‘Onii-sama’ is quite exaggerated but please continue calling me that.”

“I understand, Onii-sama. Ahh, despite being real siblings and becoming lovers we also do a sibling play, we truly are a pair of immoral siblings.”

“No, nonono. We’re not doing anything immoral! Where have these words came from.”

Sayuri made a pristine smile.

“I’m very good at collecting information from internet. Precisely because it is forbidden, love between siblings is blazing hot.”

“Just because that’s what was written on the internet doesn’t mean you can treat it as an established fact!”

“With that said… the tea will turn cold. Please drink Onii-sama. It’s a 100% ordinary tea.”

That lead up… I hope she didn’t put some kind of strange medicine inside… Hey, what am I suspecting my little sister of here.

I took a breath to calm down. It was the same tea Sayuri always brewed, there was a faintly sweet taste to it.

Once again I confirmed with her.

“Will you become my little sister?”

“I refuse. I will not settle for a simple relationship between elder brother and little sister, I will become a no less than a lover.”

So she’s fine with any relationship beyond that of lovers. But being a lover is included in all of those.

Selene wants to be independent.

Tomomi wants to be on equal footing with me.

And Sayuri wants to become my lover.

The reasons are different for all three of them, but they don’t want to be simple little sisters as they are now. I wonder about what to do for now.

“By the way Sayuri, how come you started wearing such kind of fashionable clothes?”

“It’s an image change. From a cute little sister, to a wonderful lover. I’m reborn like a butterfly from a chrysalis.”

I looked around the room. As if saying that she doesn’t mind me seeing them, the fashion magazines were cleanly lined up on the shelf. The colour in which the magazine names were written was mostly red. I was reminded of what I talked about with Mariko on the chat earlier.

“If you grow a bit more, you might become a model for these types of magazines.”

“Onii-sama’s such a smoothtalker. However, I will leave that kind of thing to Yuuki-san. What I want is strictly to become Onii-sama’s lover.”

That’s heavy. Please don’t stare at me with those glittering eyes.

“Why have you suddenly started giving out onee-san vibes? Tomomi’s influence?”

“I don’t really want to become like the oldest daughter. It’s just that if I had a little sister’s position, no matter what kind of approach were I to take I wouldn’t be able to make Onii-sama’s heart mine. ‘Is there not enough adult charm?’ kind of feeling.

“And so, you started studying fashion magazines which in the end resulted with that style… right.”

“Yes! Up until now I only wore plain clothes after all.”

As a girl, Sayuri tries very hard. That’s why I want to praise her for it. I want to but, praising her = acknowledge her = expansion of her lover logic and theory.

“I-I liked Sayuri as she was up until now as well.”

“Is that so? So did I took a wrong approach?”

“No, rather than wrong, the more variations you have available the more options you have to use.”

She let out a genuinely relieved breath.

“That’s great. On a side note, I thought it might not be to Onii-sama’s tastes and I have decided not to use a ‘gal’ approach.”

Uu… that’s a great judgement. Of course, I don’t mind them and I probably could happily chat with the gal-type girl’s, but honestly I’m not sure what should we talk about. I’m glad my little sister didn’t become a gal-type girl… hey, why am I explaining myself here.

“Did something happen Onii-sama?’

“No, not really… now then, what shall we do today?”

“It should be fine to continue what are we doing now?”

“About that, yesterday… I went to Murasaki-san’s room together with Tomomi.”

“Although there was no result.”

“Yeah. It’s very delicate but we managed to maintain the status quo. For now, there should be no movement until the weekend… but that’s just my wishful thinking.”

“Today’s the last day I can stay with Onii-sama alone together isn’t it? It’s the time given to us before we reluctantly part from each other isn’t it?”

Sayuri said something pessimistic with a smile on her face.

“You’re in awfully high spirits. Can it be that you’ve heard anything from Murasaki-san? Maybe there was an official notice of time extension?”

“No, there’s no such thing. We just obtained a way of contacting each other even if we scatter about everywhere.”

She picked up her smartphone and put it on the table.

“I’m not saying Onii-sama is too eager. But being unable to meet each other doesn’t mean we will die. Also… even if someone else will be added to documents, I will become the lover.”

And she smiled! What a dreadful girl!

Still, I was a bit relieved. Certainly I was doing my best, but it wasn’t as if I couldn’t do anything.

It’s not that I should be optimistic and don’t mind it at all, but I’ve been way too pessimistic.

Sayuri stared straight at me.

I wonder if she really wants to be my lover.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. It is something I decided for myself and only for my own sake.”

Why did she accent ‘for my own sake’.

It might be my imagination, but I had an idea.

It’s about Mika. If I asked she would probably deny it, but she’s probably worrying about Mika and trying to make me choose her… maybe.

If that’s the case, then Sayuri’s a splendid Onee-chan for her little sister.

I thought Sayuri was quite weak mentally, but she unexpectedly might be tougher than me.

“By the way, how do you know the negotiations with Murasaki-san didn’t go well?”

Sayuri’s serious expression froze.

“Did you hear from Tomomi?”

“T-th-there’s no way something like that occurred. I assumed that was the case because of Onii-sama’s expression as he started to talk about it.”

“O-ohh. I see. You’re good at guessing.”

She made a strange expression just for a moment, just what happened?

As I stared at her in suspicion, Sayuri impatiently started talking to cover it.

“Um, I apologize for changing the subject. But Onii-sama, can you tell me your plans for the next month?”

“That’s quite vague if you ask me for ‘plans’ isn’t it?”

“Rough plan is fine. Do you intend on doing something different than usual?”

“Hmm. The current situation is already different from usual… but don’t think there is any. I don’t have anything planned in particular. Of course, that is if the current situation will continue until next month.”

“Is that so…. I understand. Now, what do we do today? All we can do right now is to eat dinner.”

“Is there anything you want to do with me?”

As long as its within a range of things like lap pillow or a stroll together, I’ll do it any time.

“What I want…. to do with Onii-sama…”

Just now, did Sayuri soundly swallowed her saliva… or is it my imagination?

“D-don’t take it in a strange way!”

“What does it mean ‘strange way’?! Please tell me Onii-sama!”

“Don’t go jumping into the grave I dug for myself! Umm, then I’ll say what I want.”

“Y-yes. My heart is already prepared.”

Sayuri blushed, downcast her eyes and started to fidgeting, rubbing her knees against each other. O’ little sister, why do you go to such extremes.

I declared proudly.

“Studying!”

“That’s… the study of the night?”

“Ordinary studying. Honestly, keeping up with level of private school rich people go to is hard…”

“So that’s how it is. Then let’s study together. When Onii-sama becomes a third year, I will be a first year student. That would be wonderful wouldn’t it? Even if I’m adopted, I can become a scholarship student if I study and will be able to enter the dormitories. Attending school together with Onii-sama will be a lot of fun.”

Before that happens I might fail and drop out or repeat a grade… no, isn’t it convenient for Sayuri if I were to repeat a grade?!

After that I spent the time studying and reviewing until the night came. Sayuri’s really smart, she was able to understand the contents just by looking at the scattered textbooks I use.

Then she started preparing problems for me. Since she understood mathematics better than I do, she taught me in great detail.

Sayuri is… she has an incredible ability to extract the key points from the text and summarize them. It’s on a level where it could be called a talent.

Although I said before she was relying on manuals, but it’s more like she utilizes them. She might actually be able of doing amazing things.

As I thought so, it seemed like I’ve been worrying too much about her.

The dinner was Sayuri’s handmade cooking, Japanese cuisine which made me feel at peace.

We spoke about a lot of things as we ate a meal together.

I don’t know how the current situation will evolve, but Sayuri seems to be growing tomatoes for the summer. It seems like she’s continuing to nurture her kitchen garden.

After a break for a meal, we continued to review the studies. Originally I wasn’t good at studying and there is no way I would like something I’m bad at. But I was able to concentrate when studying with Sayuri and felt like my head was more willing to understand everything. Somehow, it was fun.

↑ An old-type wig once used by Geisha’s and the like.