OniAi: Volume 2 Chapter 1.1

April 8th, 7:00 A.M.

Day After the Opening Ceremony

“Brother-complex is indeed inconvenient, but it is definitely not a curse!”

It was morning, at the dining table, in the caretaker’s room of the St. Liliana Academy’s students’ hostel.

My rather incompetent sister suddenly said that with her eyebrows arching up.

“Many have the misconception that having a brother-complex = having a curse. There are even some narrow minded people who firmly believe that brother-complex is some sort of mental illness. People that had committed such serious errors have repeatedly appeared, and that is the sad truth. But, even so, we should never give in. We should firmly maintain our stance, and fight against such prejudice to the end.”

“…”

Upon hearing my sister’s grand speech all of the sudden, I stopped my hands from eating breakfast.

“Well, I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, but I’ll just say this: brother-complex isn’t something that wonderful, alright? You can’t openly be in love.”

“Hmph. That is something that I already know… but Onii-chan is one of those pitiful people who are plagued by the sickness called common sense. That is probably the only weakness of my brother whom I am deeply in love with.”

“But if you’re a bro-con, you won’t be able to have healthy children, right? The fact is, the union of genes between two closely related relatives will result in hindering the development of future generations. That had been already proven by both history and science.”

“Yes, that! I was about to talk about that!”

“Stop waving your fist and chopsticks about. That’s rude.”

“It is this very taboo that makes such passionate love even more exciting!”

My sister ignored my reminders and continued on.

“I dare say this: brother-complex is a gift from god, an irreplaceable talent.”

“Aha.”

“Indeed, I have occasionally suffered from gratuitous criticisms due of the fact that I am a bro-con. There are occasions when I am treated unfairly by people subconsciously as well, and so I am unable to take revenge on them. I have to admit, this is something rather inconvenient in regards to my everyday life.”

“Rather than talking about all these things, why are you not eating? The food will become cold if you don’t eat it quickly, you know?”

“But, you can not say that it is a curse or anything! No one knows the sort of happiness I have been enjoying every day due to me loving Onii-chan a lot! As someone who treats my blood related brother as a member of the opposite sex and loves him deeply for that, they would have no idea what sort of glorious life I have been living!”

“… You know, it shouldn’t matter even if the opposite party isn’t me, right? The amount of happiness that you feel will be the same even if your other half isn’t blood related to you.”

“No, you are totally wrong! It is against morals, but that’s the perfect reason why we can savor absolute happiness! Also, would anyone find a romance enchanting if it was smooth sailing? The answer is no, absolutely no one!”

“Ara. This morning’s rice is really delicious.”

I’d realized this conversation won’t end anytime soon.

I ignored my sister’s speech, and changed the subject.

“Each and every grain of rice is plump and glossy. It’s obviously different from those of the past. Could it be that you’ve switched to another type of rice?”

“Please Onii-chan. This tactic will no longer work, you know?”

*Che che che*, my sister wiggled her index finger.

“Akiko has already experienced it personally, that skill that Onii-chan is proud of; which is to change the subject of the conversation. That is right, if you think that I will always fall for that, then you are terribly wrong.”

“Upon closer inspection, you’ve mixed various types of rice into this, right?”

“Huh!? You found out?!”

My sister showed an expression half in shock, and half in glee.

“I had planned to be secretive about it, but who would have thought that it would be found out that quickly… as expected from Onii-chan.”

“This is probably… some sort of inexpensive rice, right?”

“Ah, you are sharp. Yes, that is how it is. I used a type of plain, ordinary, rice that costs five hundred yen per kilogram.”

“Eh… Even so, this rice is really delicious.”

“Yes. Actually, it is not just the expensive types of rice that are delicious.”

“Uhuh. Meaning to say, it’s something like blending coffee, right?”

“As expected of Onii-chan. It is just as you have said.”

“I see. It’s no wonder I find the taste so intriguing. You’re really wonderful to be able to make 1 + 1 equal to 3 or even 4.”

“Ehehe. Thanks for your compliments.”

“Come to think of it, where did you learn such techniques from? Did the Arisugawa family actually teach you stuff like these as well?”

“No, how could that be? This was taught to me by the boss of the rice shop, whom I have gotten familiar with recently. Since the Arisugawa have their lofty reputations to uphold, they will only use organic rice of the highest quality. Actually, typical rice can be as delicious as this with just some effort put into it… those people’s minds are really rigid.”

“… Sigh, but I’m really sorry to have caused you to undergo such trouble.”

“Is anything wrong?”

“No, it’s just that our family budget is really tight. You learned techniques like these because you want to lessen the burden on us, even if it’s just a little. Isn’t that so? If only I could earn more money, then it would be easier for you as well.”

“Onii-chan, what are you saying? I am extremely satisfied with our current lifestyle, and I am quite grateful to Onii-chan for living together with me everyday. This is my responsibility as your wife, to be as thrifty as possible, so that we can work towards a better life. Onii-chan should focus on his work, while I focus on the housework; is that not wonderful?”

“Hmm I guess. Although I spotted a certain term that’s quite wrong. Well, so that’s how it is huh. I feel a lot better if you put it that way. You’re a really capable younger sister, Akiko.”

“Ehehe, thank you. Well, Onii-chan, please eat it before it gets cold. There is still more, you know?”

“Mmm. Since it’s so delicious, I’ll just eat a little more.”

“Alright, please eat to your heart’s content. Also, I spent extra effort on the miso soup as well, did you notice that?”

“Ohhh? What did you do?”

“Kuku. Please take a guess.”

“Uhh— Hmm… Since you’ve said so, the saltiness is slightly richer than usual… No, could the secret be in this rather dark color? Uhh— Hmm…”

…

……

………

“—Oh. It’s that time already?”

“Ah, it really is. We have chatted too much.”

“We’ll be late if we don’t pick up the pace.”

“It is alright, Onii-chan, please go to school first. I will go after clearing the dishes. It is my turn to be washing the dishes today.”

“Oh. I’m really sorry about that.”

“Do not put it to heart. I really want to go to school with Onii-chan together; but it would not do if we do not follow the rules.”

“Mmm yeah. That law abiding attitude of yours is really dependable.”

“No, it is nothing like that.”

“Mmm, Well then—”

I stood up from the short table, and checked my looks using the mirror on the floor.

The fact is, even now, my body is still not used to wearing St. Liliana Academy’s rather old fashioned uniform.

Today is my first day of work as a member of the student council. Even though being given the post of deputy assistant of secretary (errand boy) isn’t something out of my own will. It won’t do if someone like me, who just transferred into the school, played around with my duties. I’d be an utter embarrassment for my sister, who’s the secretary. As her elder brother, I don’t wish for anything like that to happen.

“Well, then, I’ll be leaving.”

“Alright. Be careful, Onii-chan.”

Opening the huge door of the wooden, seventy-year-old, shabby apartment, I was welcomed by the winds of late spring.

Today is a clear day that’s almost cloudless. The chance of rain is near 0%.

As for myself, Himenokouji Akito, who’s talking his first step into a new chapter of his life, this is definitely something good,

“Uhh, no— that is right!”

My sister ran up to me as I was walking out of the hostel. She was breathless.

“Hold on a second Onii-chan! I am not done with my speech!”

“Hmm? I listened to you talking quite a bit about the methods of mixing rice as well as the secret of the miso soup.”

“Not those things! It is the topic about how being a bro-con brings about inconveniences, but it is definitely not a curse!”

My sister just rushed onto the street while still wearing her apron, with her eyes becoming like an inverted triangle.

“Really… Onii-chan you are too much. You deliberately ran away from your cute sister, who was trying to tell you something important, by changing the subject. I said that I would not fall for it again, right?”

“Mmm, I guess you did say something like that. But you bit at my bait at almost full force, you know? Just now.”

“Ignore that for the moment!”

She pointed at me with a *swoosh*.

“Please listen to me carefully, because this is something important! You are to remain here and not move an inch until you have listened to everything that I have to say—”

“Well then, let’s just leave it at that. I’m short on time.”

“Wa—!? You are turning your back towards me and leaving in a hurry after saying that?! That is enough, there is no use in running. With my godly speed that can run fifty meters in a mere six seconds, it will be easy for me to catch up to Onii-chan—”

“Oh. Right, right. You’re to clear up the dishes immediately. No leaving them for later. Your Onii-chan dislikes children who don’t follow the rules, you know.”

“T-That is too much! You planned to trap me with that all along!? Onii-chan you are an idiot! You are mean!”

I pretended not to hear the protests of my sister. I increased the pace of my steps, and walked hurriedly.

… Well well.

I’ve a feeling today is going to be a rather messy day.

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