OniAi: Volume 2 Chapter 2.1

April 9th, 7:00 A.M.

The second day after the opening of school.

In the typical caretaker’s room of the students hostel, a typical breakfast scene…

“Onii-chan, did you not think that was completely overboard?!”

My sister set her breakfast aside and ignored it. She was fuming in anger.

“I timed myself! There should have been 5 seconds left, and that is plenty of time!”

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

“That was what happened, but Kaichou actually said: ‘Ah what a pity, you exceeded by just three seconds!’ She’d robbed me of my right with that unfair judgment! Can you allow such a barbaric act to happen?!”

“Even if you say that to me…”

To me, that was a great help from her, since I didn’t have to say things like ‘Today, Akiko is really cute to the max.’ in front of everybody.

After listening to the nonsensical talk from Nikaido-Kaichou yesterday, my sister rushed out of the room and really did bring back the red bean bun and milk as instructed.

Of course, as St. Ririana Academy doesn’t have places that sell those things. It seemed like my sister sprinted all the way to a nearby convenience store to buy them. That convenience store isn’t that far away, but it isn’t of a distance that my sister could get there and back within five minutes.

Ahhhhh really. My sister is wastefully over capable at things that aren’t really important.

“Up until today, I have always endured the tyranny of Kaichou. But this time around, I am really at my limit. I fervently object. No matter what, I will have to overturn the injustice of the century, regardless of the means.”

“Just forget about it. You don’t really have to be that persistent about it, right?”

“Please don’t worry. I have already employed a lawyer.”

“Cancel the services of that lawyer, immediately!”

“Onii-chan?! Whose side is Onii-chan on?! So you aren’t on my side but Nikaido-Kaichou’s?!”

“Why have things turned out like this? Also, as you dashed out of the room without clarifying anything, you’re at fault as well, you know? Kaichou actually timed you carefully. You said that ‘five seconds is plenty of time’, but ultimately that’s just by your own gut feeling. You didn’t actually check with a watch or something, right?”

“Forget it, we shall leave that aside.”

Upon seeing that things weren’t going well, my sister changed the subject immediately.

“Ultimately, it is Onii-chan’s fault, you know?”

“Why?”

“Is that not so? If Onii-chan said to me things like ‘Today, Akiko is really cute to the max.’ every single day, then I would not have fallen for that despicable trick of Kaichou’s, which resulted in me doing all that for nothing. Right?”

“You know what? What you’ve just said is what everyone else calls as a ‘shifting of responsibilities’.”

“No matter what, that is how it is. From today onward, please say to me ‘Today, Akiko is really cute to the max.’ seriously and frequently, alright? Once every five minutes.”

“That’s way too frequent. Oi.”

Whatever.

Things would get to nowhere if I were to just follow my sister’s the pace, so such things shall end here.

It was about time for me to talk about that.

Obviously, it’s about the thing that was proposed yesterday in the student council room.

“Hey, Akiko.”

“Ah, you want more? Please eat more. I am rather pleased with how the carrots turned out.”

“No, no. Not that. Today, after school…”

“Ah, there are things that need to be bought? If so, then a trip down to the convenience store will be necessary. The body wash that I am currently using is also slightly unsuitable for my skin.”

“No. It’s not about buying things either.”

If the face of my sister’s interruptions, I couldn’t help but gave a bitter smile,

“Today, I’ll be going somewhere after school. I’m sorry, but Akiko, can you go back home by yourself?”

“…”

“Akiko?”

“…”

“Oi? Akiko~? Are you listening?”

“… Eh? Ah, yes. Of course, I am listening?”

“Anything wrong? Your smile is slightly stiff.”

“Urm nothing. Please eat more. I am rather pleased with how the carrots turned out.”

“Mmm. Looks like you’re fine.”

Seems like the impact was so huge she’d traveled back in time.

“Today, I’ll be going somewhere after school. I’m sorry, but Akiko, can you go back home by yourself? That’s what I just said.”

“Alright… Eh? Eh?”

Finally, my sister had comprehended what I just said. Thanks to that, she temporarily went into a state of panic. But then, she immediately gave an expression that said, ‘Ahh, so that’s how it is’.

“You are joking right? Onii-chan is surprisingly mischievous.”

“Nope. That’s not a joke.”

“Eh? But if that is the case, then it would become like that right? Wouldn’t it become a state where I couldn’t go home with Onii-chan?”

“Mhmm. Indeed, it will become like that.”

“Ahaha. That sort of thing—. How can it be—?”

“Ahaha, that’s how it will be.”

“Ahaha.”

“Ahaha.”

“Aha… Ahaha…”

“Well, that’s how it is. Don’t go anywhere else, just return home directly after—”

“I Ob———ject!”

My sister raised her voice and stood up, as though she wanted to interrupt my words.

“I request an emergency family meeting!”

“Rejected.”

“You say you have somewhere to go, but where exactly is that place?!”

“It’s a secret.”

“Please bring me along!”

“No way, no way.”

“Onii-chan…”

The corners of my sister’s eyes began to gather tears,

“Onii-chan… Onii-chan has turned into a delinquent! Uwaaaa~!”

“Who’s the delinquent? It would be bad if someone heard that.”

“To actually leave your cute younger sister alone, what else could you be other than a delinquent!”

“Leaving you alone and whatever… That’s just me wanting you to go home by yourself, you know?”

“In any case! I will never agree to that!”

Well, I’d expected that.

Or I should say, my sister would need a trip to the psychiatrist if I heard her say things like ‘I understand, please be careful.’ or some such.

“I want to be together with Onii-chan at all times! It is much better to go home together with Onii-chan after school! If Onii-chan wishes to do as he pleases, by hook or by crook, then I have my own plans as well!”

“Wait, hold on. Calm down for a moment.”

“Everything will be fine! The lawyer that I am hiring is extremely good!”

“You’ll have to cancel your appointment with that lawyer properly, alright?”

Well well, I gave a sigh.

“In any case, listen to me first.”

“I’ll never listen to anything that the bad Onii-chan is about to say!”

“Akiko. This is my exam for you”

“Huh…? An exam?”

“During the six years where you were separated from me, you indeed followed my instructions to ‘be a good girl’.”

“Of course. I worked very hard in order to prepare myself for my reunion with Onii-chan at any moment.”

“Mmm, that’s right. I like that part of you the most.”

“R-Really?!”

“Yes. Really.”

“P-Please say it again!”

“You listened to me and grew up to be an outstanding girl. I really like that the most.”

“Ehehe… I-It is not really that great.”

My sister twisted her body about in embarrassment.

“B-But Onii-chan. If you love me that much, then we should be going home together—”

“But Akiko.”

I interrupted Akiko’s request,

“Being good at your studies, adept at housework, and a student council member… I really think that the current you is a good girl. Most importantly though, is the requirement that you listen to me obediently; that’s the biggest requirement of being a ‘good girl’, don’t you think?”

“Uhhh. T-That…”

“You’re an obedient girl who wouldn’t cause me to worry. Ever.”

Closing my eyes, I reminisced the days when we were still young. I said emotionally,

“Our parents were seldom at home, ever since we were sensible enough. Generally, I took care of just about everything in the house. Cleaning, washing, etc… Although I don’t know why, I was deeply trusted by our parents.”

“Mmm. That is quite true.”

My sister spoke in a tone as though she was looking through an old photo album,

“Even though we are twins, Onii-chan has always been much more capable at everything, compared to me. I have always been dependant on Onii-chan.”

“Well, we’ve had our shortcomings as well. But Akiko, the reason we held on and lived through it was in no small part due to you. Because you were very obedient to me. I think we wouldn’t have survived if you’d chosen not to listen to me. We were just two elementary school kids back then, and we were practically living by ourselves.”

“But that was because… That was because there was not anything I could do other than to listen to you. And for Onii-chan, I didn’t wish to add on to your worries. And so…”

“Akiko. You’re a dependable child. I believed that, even if I was separated from you temporarily, Akiko would manage just fine. That’s how much I believe in you. Your brother now wishes to see the proof of it.”

“Ughhhhhhhh~~~”

My sister stared at me in resentment, with an expression that said ‘Onii-chan you are mean’.

Not long after, she gave what seemed to be a sigh of resignation,

“… Since Onii-chan has put it like that, I would not be myself if I rejected it. I will endure it, just for today. I will do my best to let Onii-chan know that I will be alright, even if I am alone.”

“Mhmm. That’s my younger sister.”

… That’s how it was. I finally managed to placate Akiko.

Once again, I was thankful I didn’t tell her where I was about to go.

“In the next three days, you’re to visit the house of each of the student council members.”

I wouldn’t have any confidence about restraining her if my sister came to know about this.

Back to Chapter 1.5

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Forward to Chapter 2.2