Boku wa tomodachi ga sukunai:Volume6 Birthday Party (With Kobato And Company)

Birthday Party (With Kobato And Company)

After going home with Kobato, putting the beef in the fridge, and changing my clothes, I got ready to go out again.

I was planning on buying some other sukiyaki ingredients besides the meat we already have.

"Kukuku... Sukiyaki... Kukuku... Uheheh."

Kobato had put the presents she got from everyone on top of the table, and was now swinging her legs as she sat in one of the chairs with a big grin on her face.

"Man do you look happy..."

I said, letting a wry smile slip out onto my face. Kobato went "Ehe~" and made a cute smile in response.

"Ku, ku, ku... Today's been a good day~"

...Well, if she's this happy about it, then I guess it was worth throwing her a birthday party.

I think I'll send Yozora and the rest of them a text about how happy Kobato is with their gifts later too.

I then left the house with such thoughts in my head, and reached the super market a short while later.

I wondered how much food I'd need to buy while throwing some vegetables and konjac into my basket.

There's no way the two of us would be able to eat all the meat Sena gave Kobato in a single night.

I guess I'll leave half of it in the fridge, and then use the leftovers from dinner tonight to make us some sukiyaki lunches... I can fill Maria's with a ton of meat too.

......Oh yeah, now that I think about it, Maria never did come, did she...

☺

After finishing my shopping and returning home, I noticed a scooter I'd never seen before lying against the wall around our house.

I figured it must've been a deliveryman or something, but I didn't see anyone like that as I walked up to the front door.

In fact, it wasn't anything close to a deliveryman.

"...What the heck are you doing?"

What I discovered in front of our mailbox near the front door, was a silver haired girl in a sister uniform hunched over like she was trying to curl up into a ball.

"Geh! Onii-chan! Why are you outside!?"

The suspicious girl twitched and jumped up.

It was the Neighbors Club's advisor, Maria Takayama...... 's older sister, Kate Takayama.

Today she had a silver egg-shaped pendant hanging down from her neck, instead of a cross.

"No, that's what I should be asking. What are you hiding over here for?"

I asked Kate with a look of suspicion.

She then straightened herself out, puffed out her chest with pride for some reason (without looking the least bit timid about having been discovered), and responded by saying,

"Isn't it obvious? I was just sneaking a peek at what was going on inside."

"...Did you think that was going to make me let you off the hook?"

"You won't? Onii-chan."

"I won't."

I immediately replied to Kate, who tried looking up at me with puppy dog eyes.

"To think my little sister attack would be ineffective... You aren't a real Onii-chan, are you...?"

"At the very least, I'm not yours."

I got a little dizzy from how ridiculous she was being, and let out a sigh.

"So, what'd you come here for?"

"Hrmmmm~"

Right as Kate opened her mouth to give me an answer,

"Onii-chan's back!?"

The front door flew open along with an energetic voice, and a girl who looked like a younger version of Kate came flying out at me.

"Oh, hey Maria. Didn't know you were here."

"Yeah, I came to play! Ahaha, I'm back, Onii-chan! I came back just like I said I would! Ahahaha~!"

As with nearly everything else, I have no idea what she finds so fun about this, but anyway, Maria hugged me with a big fat smile on her face.

This marks the second time Maria's come to our house, the first time being over our break after finals, meaning it hasn't even been a month since then.

"Did you have Kate take you here this time?"

"Yeah! That old hag is only useful for stuff like this, isn't she? Ahaha!"

Thunk.

Maria nodded with her face all smiles before Kate drove her fist into her head.

"!? !? !?"

Maria looked shocked, unsure of what had just happened, until she noticed her sister standing next to me, at which point she yelled,

"Gyaaaahhhh!? Why!? Why are you still here, old hag!? You said you'd go home soon! Why are you still here!?"

"I said I'd go home soon, but I never said exactly when 'soon' was, now did I?"

Kate gave a cool answer in response to Maria's screaming.

"Yeah, sure, you didn't say exactly! But you still said soon! I still think soon means you'll do something quick!"

"...Maria, 'soon' is much longer for adults."

"Ehhhh!?"

"For example, people often tell you 'We're having dinner soon,' right?"

Maria's eyes went wide after hearing that.

"Ahhh! They do! They do say that a lot! They always say I can't have snacks because we're eating soon, but we never eat soon at all..."

"See? You get it now, right?"

"Hrmmm, an adult's 'soon' is pretty vague, huh~"

The edges of Kate's mouth lifted up and formed a smile after having successfully convinced Maria.

"By the way, Maria-chan?"

"Gulp!"

Maria's face went stiff.

"Before I took you to Onii-chan's house, you said 'I will be forever grateful to you, Onee-sama,' did you not? But what was it you said just now? Hmm? I didn't quite catch it... Old...? Hag? I'm only useful for stuff like this...? Just what was it, I wonder~"

"U-umm... Umm, well... How should I say this..."

Kate questioned Maria with a smile on her face, causing Maria to look down at the ground. A cold sweat began to form on her face, and then——

"Umm... Uhh......... Shut up, you shitty old hag!!"

She yelled at the top of her lungs before turning around and sprinting into our house.

"She really is a hopeless little brat..."

I saw Kate sigh as she scratched her head, and said to her,

"But, you were so worried about that brat of a little sister that you'd hide out in front of someone's front door, weren't you?"

"Idi-... I-I wasn't worried about her!"

Said Kate, denying it as she blushed, not with her usual adult attitude, but with that of a simple girl who just can't seem to be honest.

"...So, you want me to let Maria stay here tonight?"

I asked, to which Kate shook her head.

"No. Tomorrow's a weekday and all, so I'll take her home tonight."

"Okay then."

"Anyway, there you have it."

"Ah, wait."

I called out to Kate who was about to leave.

I held up my shopping bag that had a few green onions sticking out of it, and said,

"You might as well have some sukiyaki with us too, since you came all the way out here."

"Sukiyaki!? You mean it!?"

I involuntarily let my gaze towards Kate turn into an affectionate one after seeing her eyes light up as she let out a shout of joy.

Kate's face went red again after noticing that, and she then said,

"I-it's not like I really want to eat sukiyaki that bad or anything though~ Actually, I'm bored of it~ I got bored of it like, two years ago~"

"I see. Well, I won't force you."

"OK, I lied! I want to eat some sukiyaki too!"

"........."

After seeing Kate energetically raise her hand and admit to her lie, I was convinced that she really is Maria's older sister.

☺

Thus, I invited Kate into our house.

"I'm home~... Hm, Kobato?"

Kobato was sitting on the sofa in the living room, hugging a stuffed animal with a dull look on her face.

"It was such a good day... and now it's poop-colored..."

"Ahaha! What are you talking about!? You're so stupid, poop vampire~!"

Maria was happily dancing about near Kobato.

"Fueehhh... An-chaaan..."

Kobato looked over at me with a face that looked like she was about to burst into tears.

Her gaze then shifted to the space behind me.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kate Takayama. I'm Maria's older sister, and, as you can see, one of the sisters working in the high school division of St. Chronica Academy."

"Auu..."

Kobato, always incredibly shy around strangers, was clearly nervous, and tightly hugged her stuffed animal before giving a faint nod.

Upon seeing Kate standing behind me, Maria went "Gyah!" and let out a brief scream before hiding behind one of the curtains.

Kate decided to ignore her, at least for the time being, and walked up to Kobato.

"So you're Onii-chan's real little sister, Kobato-chan?"

"...Onii... chan...?"

Kobato knit her brows.

"Ah, it's because Maria's always calling him Onii-chan. If he's Maria's older brother, then seeing as how I'm Maria's sister and younger than him, that makes him my Onii-chan too."

For some reason, Kobato's cheeks were twitching and she had a stern look on her face as she listened to Kate talk to her in a tender, amicable tone of voice.

"You're 14-years-old now, right, Kobato-chan? Then does that make me your older sister too? I hope we can get along, since we're both Onii-chan's little sisters and all~"

"Fungyahhhhh!!"

"Uoh!?"

Kobato roared all of a sudden, causing Kate to back off in shock.

Kobato ignored her, and briskly walked over to me.

"A-an-chan!!"

"Y-yeah?"

"An-chan, you're so-! Seriously! You're seriously, so-!! Why do you go and find all these other little sisters all the time!? An-chan ya' big idiot!!"

I wasn't sure how to respond to Kobato, who had just yelled at me with tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Hold on, they're the ones who started calling me that, I didn't really..."

"Uuuuuuu~~!!"

"Come on, calm down for a sec."

I patted Kobato on the head as she glared up at me.

"Nnn..."

She still seemed a little upset, but at least she had quieted down now.

"By the way, why did you come here all of a sudden, Maria?"

I asked Maria, who was hiding behind the curtains, causing her to nervously look over at her sister before coming out.

"That's, well... Muu..."

She glanced over at Kobato (I was still rubbing her head), and made a face that looked upset about something.

"It's 'cause I wanted to play with you, Onii-chan!"

"No it's not."

"Fgyah!"

Kate gently smacked Maria on the head.

"She said she had to talk to Kobato-chan. She went to the clubroom, but you guys had already gone home by then, so she had me take her here."

"Talk to Kobato?"

"Kukuku... Just what manner of business would a pawn of God have with me, the queen of the night...?"

Kate's eyes went wide after seeing Kobato switch into Leysis mode.

"Eh? What's wrong, Kobato-chan?"

"Don't worry about it. She does this every now and then."

"But, still..."

Kobato made a pleasant expression upon seeing Kate's confusion.

"...Ku, ku, ku... I doubt a fool such as yourself possesses the ability to discern the great waves of darkness hidden within me, Leysis vi Felicity Sumeragi..."

"Oh, I see, so she likes to play make-believe?"

I guess it's only natural coming from someone who works as a teacher, but she managed to diagnose Kobato in an instant.

"Ku... kuku... I don't know what you're talking about... My "Chaos Word" must have driven you insane..."

A cold sweat formed on Kobato's cheek as she tried to play it off.

Kate just ignored her and said to Maria,

"Come on, give Kobato-chan her present already."

""Present?""

Kobato and I both said at the same time.

"Fungyahhh!!"

Maria scrunched up her face and yelled.

"Ugahh! Why'd you say it out loud, stupid shitty old poop hag idiot!! You piece of poop!!"

"What's it matter? You're gonna give it to her eventually anyway."

"Uuuuu~~! You are seriously, geez! Poop! You poopy old hag!"

Maria glared at Kate unreservedly, and continued to insult her as she walked over to Kobato and I.

She then reached into the sleeve of her sister uniform, pulled something out, and held it out towards Kobato.

"Hn!"

It was a tiny paper bag with a ribbon tied to it.

"You better be thankful that I'm giving you this!"

Maria said with a small frown on her face. Her cheeks were a tad red.

Kobato looked surprised, and then looked back and forth between the present and me.

"Maria, is this a birthday present for Kobato?"

"Hnnn!"

Maria stuck out the paper bag even further, and shoved it into Kobato's hands.

Kobato timidly accepted the gift, and then stared at it.

"I never thought Maria'd get Kobato a present..."

I said, half out of surprise, and half out of happiness, causing Maria's face to go red.

"Birthdays are important, so I got something for you, even though you're a poop vampire!"

"...H-hmph..."

Kobato's face went red as well, unable to say anything back to Maria in her typical Leysis voice.

"How about you open it up?"

"OK..."

Kobato gently removed the sticker keeping the bag shut, and took out its contents.

The item that was inside the bag was a necklace with a cross on it.

It was the same as the one Maria's always got hanging around her neck.

"Mu..."

Kobato stared intently at the necklace.

"Mu... Muuu... Hohh..."

Kobato opened her eyes wide, and twitched her nose. I'm guessing she likes it.

"Are you sure about this, Maria? Wasn't it expensive?"

"The old hag bought it for me!"

When I looked over at Kate, she made a faint wry smile, and said,

"It wasn't that expensive, don't worry about it. By the way, the St. Chronica Academy store sells crosses, amulets, rosaries, and such at fairly affordable prices. Feel free to use it like you would a normal necklace."

Kate said, as though she were some kind of salesperson.

"I got it 'cause you're evil! You should always wear it so the holy power in it can turn you into a good girl like me!"

Maria said, puffing her chest out and smiling triumphantly.

"Kukuku... Foolish holy woman... A cross is but a decoration to a true ancestor such as myself... Hence, I will be fine, even if I were to wear it forever..."

"What!? At least repent a little bit, you damn poop vampire!"

Maria brandished her own cross and lunged at Kobato.

"Fungyahhhh!! Fghh... Ku... Kukuku... I am the Queen of the Great Darkness, Leysis vi Felicity Sumeragi... Even holy power is easily mastered by one such as I! Funyurahhh!"

Kobato took the cross she'd just received as a present and retaliated with it.

The corner of it hit Maria in the head, causing her to whine about it with tears in her eyes.

"Higyah!? T-that hurt! Why would you hit me with a cross!?"

"Yer' the one who did it first, ya' big idiot!"

"You always say it doesn't work on you so I thought it was OK!"

"Moron! Obviously it'd still work a little bit, ya' big idiot!"

"Really!? How dare you trick me!"

"Kukuku... Such a fool you are to be deceived by my brilliance so easily..."

"Alright, that's enough for now. It's almost time for dinner."

I pulled Kobato and Maria apart before they could begin their never-ending battle between light and darkness.

"Kukuku... I shall overlook your actions this time in deference to my clansman..."

"Dinner!? Onii-chan, what's for dinner tonight!?"

"...Kukuku... Our meal this evening will be the corpse of a black beast covered in blood... I will make an exception this once, and allow you to savor its taste as well..."

"Ugeh!? Why would you eat that!?"

"...You're not technically wrong, but stop describing it like that, Kobato."

I made a small frown and lightly tapped Kobato on the head.

"We're having sukiyaki tonight."

"Sukiyaki!? I know what sukiyaki is! It's that really tasty stuff, right!?"

"Yeah, look forward to it."

"O~K~!"

Maria's eyes were sparkling as I patted her on the head, and then said,

"Alright, guess I'll get started now."

"I-I'll help."

Kobato rarely offers to help on her own (I mean it, it's really rare. I think it's been about three years since the last time she did), so I was surprised to hear her say that.

"Hm... Alright, then wash the saucepan for me."

"OK!"

"Hey~ hey~, Onii-chan! I'll help too!"

Maria energetically raised her hand.

"I see. Alright, then set the table for me."

"OK!"

"...You never help me unless I ask you..."

Kate pursed her lips and mumbled something, but I didn't quite catch it.

"Ah, I know. Hey, Kobato."

"Hm?"

"Go thank Maria for the present."

"Ehhh..."

Kobato put on a face that quite clearly said she didn't want to do it, but still looked over at Maria, who was facing the other way, and lowered her head a bit.

"...T... thank... you..."

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"N-no, you moron!"

☺

We all gathered around the table after all the preparations for our sukiyaki were completed.

Kobato and Maria were both fighting over the meat just like last time.

"Chill out and eat like a normal person."

While she was looking over at Maria and talking, Kate had already stretched her arm out towards the saucepan, and was furiously snatching up meat with her chopsticks.

She had a smile on her face, but there was no trace of that in her eyes as she took care to monitor each piece of meat that was almost done boiling.

"You damn carnivores... There's plenty of meat to go around. Try actually enjoying the flavor while you eat it..."

As I tried to take the high road like that, the meat disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but vegetables and konjac.

"...I... hardly got to eat any meat..."

I said while hanging my head and nibbling on my green onions.

"Puahhh! That was good~!"

Maria made a satisfied-looking smile.

"Kuku... *burp*... Kuku.... Kukuku...!"

Kobato accidentally burped in the middle of her chuckling, and just kept on chuckling to try and hide it.

"I totally let the hunter blood in me take over there. It would've been even better with some brewskis though~ *BURP*"

"What the heck are you going on about? You're underage anyway."

I said, taken aback by Kate, who just let out a huge burp while slouching back in her chair like it was nothing.

"Come on you two, there's still tons of vegetables and mushrooms left here. Help us finish it all."

""Ehhh~""

Maria and Kobato both let out a voice full of displeasure.

"...If you don't eat it now, I'll use what's left over to make your lunches tomorrow. Are you fine with meatless sukiyaki for lunch?"

"Kukuku... No..."

"Sukiyaki without meat is like poop!"

The two of them hurriedly began scrambling to eat their vegetables.

But, they gave up just as quickly, and left the table to go laze on the sofa.

Shortly after, the two of them fell asleep.

"Come on, don't fall asleep right after you eat..."

Even Kate, who was still trying to help finish the food, said,

"Nnn... I can't eat anymore either... A glass of some cold, light-brown liquid would be nice though, *BURP*"

"We've got barley tea; hang on a sec."

"Grea~t."

I took a bottle of barley tea out of the fridge and poured it into a cup for her.

Upon turning around and looking at Kobato and Maria, who had been fending each other off with the chopsticks every now and then, I got the feeling that Kate was the one who ate the most tonight.

"Puahh! That's the stuff~!"

Kate gulped down the whole cup in one grand gesture, and then wiped the edge of her mouth with the palm of her hand. The way she acted was exactly like an old guy who just chugged down a beer.

"Ahh, I'm all sleepy after eating so much. I don't wanna go home now~ Onii-chan, can we stay over tonight?"

"I don't really mind if you do, but——"

I happened to remember something just then, so I asked her,

"Oh yeah, is that scooter sitting outside yours?"

"Yeeeeep~"

"Oh? So you've got a license and everything, huh."

"I just turned 16 at the end of last month. So, I went to a class and got one real quick."

A childish smile with a hint of pride rose to Kate's face.

She then thinned her eyes a bit, and said,

"I've always wanted... legs to take me far, far away."

I was captivated by that smile of hers that had such a mature air to it you'd never imagine it was coming from a girl one year younger than me.

"Hehe......... *BURP*"

...Such a waste. In many ways.

"By the way, Onii-chan."

Kate said, while grabbing the egg-shaped pendant hanging down from her neck, and gripping it strongly.

She then opened it up, revealing the transparent glass inside.

Behind the glass, was a brownish colored something.

"Here, look. This is what Maria gave me for my birthday last month."

Kate brought the pendant over to me.

Behind the glass was... umm, probably a... cicada's shell... I think? It looked like it was real, not something she made.

"...That's a cicada's shell... right?"

"Yeah, Maria gave it to me."

"Hmm... They sell some weird pendants nowadays."

I said while feeling a little surprised, to which Kate shook her head, and said,

"No no. Maria only gave me the cicada's shell. I had someone I know put it into a pendant for me later."

".........O-oh really..."

I gave a vague reaction, unsure of what exactly I should say at a time like this.

Kate saw that and made a smile that sort of looked like she was about to cry, and then looked over at Kobato lying on the couch before sighing lightly.

"...She gave her an actual pendant though~..."

"How should I say this... You've got it rough, don't you..."

"Yeah, I suppose. Nothing I can do about it though. I'm her big sister after all."

Kate said before letting out a lonely laugh.

☺

"Fnyahh~..."

After finishing dinner and spending about an hour lazing around watching TV with Kate, I did the dishes and got the bath ready, at which point Maria woke up. Kobato was still fast asleep though.

"Alright, guess we'll be going home now," said Kate.

"You're not gonna stay over?"

"Hmm... You sure you don't mind?"

"Don't sweat it. Besides, it's not safe out this late at night."

"You've got a point... I'm still not very used to driving around at night..."

Kate looked like she was thinking things over for a bit, and then said,

"OK, we'll take you up on your hospitality then. Maria, we're staying over at Onii-chan's place tonight."

No sooner had Maria heard Kate's words than she let out a shout of joy.

"Yayy~! I'm staying over at Onii-chan's place! I'm staying over at Onii-chan's place! I got to eat sukiyaki, and now I'm staying over at Onii-chan's place! What a great day! I'm gonna stay up late playing with Onii-chan! Ahaha!"

"Just so you know, I'm staying too."

"Uwaaaaahhh! My good day just turned poop-colored!"

Maria yelled while making a face that looked like （＞д＜）.

"You've gotta get up early tomorrow anyway. Hurry up and take your bath so you can go to sleep."

"Fine, but I wanna take a bath with Onii-chan then!"

"Dunce, I'm gonna take the chance to give you a good scrubbing. You better be thankful."

"UUUuuu~~!"

"Come on, let's go, Maria."

Kate began dragging Maria off to the bathroom.

"Ugyahhhh! Let go of me, you poopy old haggggg~!"

"You mean, 'Please let go of me, Onee-sama,' right?"

"Please let go of me, Onee-sama!"

"Nope ♥"

"Fungyahhhh!!"

I could hear Maria's screaming and whining all the way in the living room, even after the two of them disappeared into the bathroom.

"...Ah, oh yeah, they need a change of clothes..."

Maria will just have to use Kobato's pajamas like she did last time, and as for Kate... I guess she can use my school t-shirt for now.

I went and grabbed a track suit from my room upstairs, and upon returning to the first floor, I noticed that Kobato was no longer there.

Did she get up to go use the bathroom or something?

I headed for the changing room without paying it much mind, opened the door, and the instant that I did——

""Gyahhhhhhhhh!!"

The door to the bathroom flew open along with Kobato's scream, and a completely naked Kobato came flying out.

"Uoh!? Koba... to..."

Taken completely by surprise, my eyes wandered over to what was behind Kobato—— that is to say, the entrance to the bathroom.

Maria was sitting there on a bath stool, covered in bubbles, with only her face turned towards me.

And right next to her—— was Kate Takayama, completely naked.

She was facing me with a body towel and shower head that was still shooting out hot water in hand.

I'm guessing she was in the middle of rinsing Maria off.

Her silver hair was all wet, and the hot bath water was dripping off of her slightly flushed skin that was so white as to be near-transparent.

Her limbs and waist were thin, but not unhealthily so, and her breasts were of an exquisite size.

She is unparalleled in her beauty—— I doubt that anyone could object to describing her as such, for the naked girl standing before me had such perfect proportions it could almost be considered a miracle.

Kate stood frozen stiff with a shocked expression on her face for a short while, but soon after she covered her chest with one hand while blushing, and then directed an accusatory gaze at me.

"...You're so naughty, Onii-chan."

"I-I-I-I'm sorry!"

I hurriedly did an about face, and continued on, saying,

"I-I-I-I'll leave your c-change of clothes right here! I-i-i-it's a track suit! My track suit! I-I-I-I'll be going now!"

After stuttering over my words more times than I can count, I left the changing room as though running away.

☺

A short while later,

"...So, whaddaya have to say in your defense?"

"I'm sorry."

We were in the kitchen, standing in front of the fridge.

I bowed my head deeply to Kate, who had gotten out of the bath, and was now wearing my track suit.

Kate took a big gulp of her cola with one hand on her waist, and after going "Puahhh!" as she exhaled happily, she said,

"OK, I forgive you."

"What!? That's it!?"

She forgave me so easily I couldn't help but make a retort.

Kate made a wry smile, and explained,

"It's not like you peeked on purpose, right?"

"O-of course I didn't!"

"Thought so. There's no point in getting mad at you then."

She then took another gulp of her cola and let out a big burp.

"Besides, I like the way you're honest about it and don't try to make excuses. You could've said it was all Kobato-chan's fault, but you didn't."

By the way, Kobato was currently taking a bath, and Maria had passed out on the couch again right after she finished taking hers.

"...It's not like I'm trying to cover for her... I just felt like I did something bad to you..."

Kate giggled and made a tiny smile.

"You really are a good guy, aren't you, Onii-chan? I can see why Pegasus likes you."

"Huh? The chairman?"

I was a little confused about why she brought him up all of a sudden.

Pegasus—— Pegasus Kashiwazaki, is St. Chronica Academy's chairman, as well as Sena's father.

"Yeah. Chairman Pegasus Kashiwazaki. He talks about you a lot too. I hear he's called you over to his house a few times now."

"Well, yeah. He has... do you get along with him or something?"

"Pretty much. Pegasus is my fishing buddy."

"Fishing buddy?"

Kate smiled happily after hearing my question.

"Yeah. He likes fishing for salmon especially. We go out together when we have the time."

"You don't say... I never knew the chairman fished..."

I was pretty surprised. I'd always thought of him as the kind of guy who doesn't focus on anything other than his work.

"Salmon's good stuff ya' know~ I don't care what anyone says, it always tastes good when ya' eat it."

"Yeah, salmon is pretty good, isn't it..."

Now that I think about it, we had salted and grilled salmon that one time I ate at Sena's place. I wonder if the chairman caught that himself.

"By the way, do you fish, Onii-chan?"

"Hm, Dad took me a few times back when I was a kid."

Dad would always catch a ton while I never even got a single bite though, so I can't say I had much fun with it.

"I see~! Let's go together sometime then!"

"Alright... sure."

I gave my consent to Kate, who happily invited me along.

☺

It was early morning the next day.

I was seeing off Kate and Maria, who were heading back to the academy.

Kobato was still asleep in her room, and while Maria was up and walking around, it looked like she was still half-asleep. I'm still pretty tired myself, since I'm usually not even up this early.

"OK, see you later then, Onii-chan~"

"...Mnyah... Yeah... Bye bye, Onii-chan..."

"Yep. See you at school, 'kay?"

I said to Maria with a wry smile, as she gave me a sleepy wave with her helmet on.

"...Hahhh."

Kate looked back at me after mounting her scooter, and then made a smile that had a hint of sadness in it as she let out a sigh in the cold air.

"...?"

"It's nothin'. I was just thinking how nice it would've been... if you were really our older brother. Or maybe..."

Kate's cheeks went red in the middle of her talking.

"...Or maybe something even more than that... I think I'd actually kinda like that... No point in thinking about it when you've already got Sena though, I suppose."

"Huh?"

What does Sena have to do with anything?

Right before I could ask that, Kate hurriedly threw her helmet on.

She put Maria on the back seat, and then glanced my way and gave a little wave before stepping on the accelerator.

I was still suspicious of what she said, but I waved anyway, and watched as their scooter disappeared into the distance.

"Wow~" I said, accidentally letting a voice of admiration out.

I wish I had a scooter... Maybe I should get a bike license too...

I then walked back inside while entertaining such thoughts without a care in the world.

However, it would not be long until I knew the meaning behind the latter half of Kate's words—— before learning what it was she meant by "No point in thinking about it when you've already got Sena though, I suppose."

The End.

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