Chapter 5 Reunion x Sisters
Support us by reading it at www.zetrotranslation.com
Translated by Devxtt
Edited by zirmir
“I’m Shigure Sato and I just transferred here from Shueikan High School in Fukuoka. I’m starting off a little later than you guys, but I’d be happy if you’d let me join. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
At the time of morning assembly.
Shigure stands in front of the classroom and greets everyone.
By the way, Shigure is wearing the Shueikan uniform with only the school emblem changed to Seiun.
I didn’t know this before and bought a standard school uniform. But it seems that a private school like Seiun doesn’t have such a strict dress code. So as long as it meets certain standards such as color, length, and school emblem, etc. You are free to dress accordingly.
Shigure saved her money by modifying her old uniform to meet these standards.
Come to think of it, yesterday she said that they used a balance boiler in her previous house.
There were only two members in her old house, mother and daughter. I guess their financial conditions were not really good.
Maybe that’s why she’s skilled in housework.
After the greetings, the teacher told her to take a seat next to me.
There was no mention of being a ‘step-brother’ at that time.
But the seats arrangement is based on the order of attendance.
I’m sure Shigure had told the teacher in advance.
“Sato-san, you were at Shueikan! Amazing!”
“I’m surprised you wanted to join Seiun. Seiun is also a respectable name in this area, but its brand value is completely different from that of a national class.”
“I would definitely stay at the Shueikan, even if I had to live on my own.”
It happened right after first period.
Shigure was immediately surrounded by her classmates, who were asking her several questions.
However, no one mentioned the relationship between me and Shigure.
Well, Sato is a common surname, so there’s no way to know.
The first thing that came was the story of Shigure’s former school.
Shueikan High School.
Even I, a resident of Kanagawa Prefecture, know this prestigious school in Kyushu.
It’s a national elite school that’s far better than Seiun, which is just a slightly popular school in Kanagawa.
There are many students who are conscious of their educational background, so they have no choice but to wonder what the famous schools in Japan are like.
But when it comes to the break after the third period, the topic of conversation shifts from their former school to their own.
In the meantime, a girl said:
“I feel like I’ve seen Shigure-chan before.”
“Yeah, me too. I wonder where?”
“I think there’s a girl in the drama club who looks like you, right?”
“Oh, yeah! That’s right! She played a minor role in last year’s school festival, an overactive but cute girl! That’s why I had a sense of déjà vu.”
Ugh, this is not good.
The topic immediately led to Haruka, who is a real double of Shigure.
When Shigure heard this, she smiled with a curious look on her face.
“…… H~e, that’s interesting I’d like to meet her. Do you know her classroom?”
”Ah, I don’t know that much. Does anyone know?”
“There aren’t many guys who take part in extracurricular activities.”
“And since the regular course is in the new building, you don’t have much contact with them unless you’ve known them since junior high school. But if you look at it carefully, it’s not so much a resemblance as it is a little……”
I listened to their conversation with a sense of urgency.
At this rate, the two of them are going to meet up sooner than I expected.
I still want to explain the situation to Haruka before they meet.
The policy of hiding the fact that we are brother and sister is something that Shigure has insisted on, so I don’t think that if the two of them see each other, she won’t tell Haruka about our relationship, but I can’t say for sure.
I don’t intend to hide it. But still, it’s not a good idea if Haruka found out that Shigure is living together with me.
I can’t follow her.
However, I’ve already sent a message to Haruka saying I want to meet her during lunch break.
There’s no point in panicking now.
Calm down.
I have to think about how I do this.
I’m trying to figure out a way to stop them from meeting.
『I have an urgent business and can’t meet at lunchtime. I’m sorry (><) 』
I received a message from Haruka.
Geez.
To be honest, I’m a little impatient.
But if it’s an urgent matter, it can’t be helped.
I know that Haruka is not the kind of girl who cancels an appointment for something trivial.
If Haruka says so, it must be really important.
I replied with a sticker saying that I understood and sigh.
I change my mind, saying it can’t be helped.
If this is the case, let’s talk to the other one first.
………Fourth period is over and it’s lunchtime.
As soon as the bell rings, I immediately leave my seat and head to the seat at the end of the window.
Hurry.
Yes, before the girls gathers to complete a barrier that repels the shady characters.
Then I call my friend Tomoe Wakabayashi, who sits in that seat with a sarcastic, well-defined face.
“Tomoe. Will you join me for lunch?”
“Hmm, okay. Then let’s call that Takeshi guy as well.”
“Yeah, please.”
XXX
Tomoe Wakabayashi. Takeshi Takeda.
They are my friends since junior high.
Takeshi Takeda is a second-year student in the regular course.
He’s over six feet tall and has well-developed muscles that you can see from his uniform.
He’s the ace of the weightlifting team and loves protein more than a three-course meal.*
[TN: A three-course meal primarily consists of an appetizer, main course, and dessert.]
According to the person himself, the reason why he started muscle training was to attract girls. He’s an otaku by nature, and as a result, he’s deviated from his original goal, and his body has gotten so huge that he’s rejected by girls.
My other friend is Tomoe Wakabayashi, who is in a second-year special course just like me.
He is tall with a model like body and bleached hair without being sarcastic.
You can see from the way he’s dressed that he’s very popular unlike us.
If you set him up alone in the roadside, the beetles(girls) will be swarming around the sap(Tomoe) in 10 minutes.
You will be able to observe a herd of girls like worms.
But if I don’t feel jealousy for this guy like I would have for Aizawa, who was proud of playing with girls in the class.
The reason is that Tomoe makes no distinction between men and women, does not separate the yin and yang, and enjoys being with anyone, and strives to make it enjoyable. If you ask me if I can live a sincere and honest life like him, but I can’t.
If people don’t like a guy like this, then there’s something wrong with the world.
That’s why I don’t feel jealous.
I have other friends, but usually, I hang out with these two guys.
In junior high or high school, they would often come over to my house to hang out until morning because their parents are on a business trip.
Since we are close friends, I can tell them about my relationship with Shigure.
So I invited them for lunch on the terrace outside the school cafeteria. Then I told them everything that had happened since I got home yesterday.
They listened in silence.
And when I finished saying everything, Tomoe said,
“…… tough.”
He looked up at the summer sky.
“Hiro, what did you do in your past life?”
“I want to learn that as well. But right now, you can’t just look up at the sky and curse the old me. I’m going to find a way to solve it peacefully. Fortunately or not, the only similarity is their face, and their personalities aren’t even close, so I’m sure I won’t get distracted next time.”
“It’s true that Haruka has a nice personality, unlike Shigure.”
“I understand it even though I’m hardly involved.”
“It’s frustrating that she looks like she’s having a lot of fun. She wasn’t just talking to the people around her. She was controlling them with her feigned innocence* like a cat.”
[TN: 猫かぶり(nekokaburi)- a wolf in sheep’s clothing]
He has the ability of keen observation.
I’m completely different, who was easily tricked by that two-faced cat.
“For now it would be best to keep the fact that you are brother and sister a secret. So, Shigure will adjust to this new environment. It’s easy to guess that you guys just started living together. That’s why I thought it would be best to keep quiet. That’s all I suggest.”
“Okay. I’ll do that. You guys please keep it a secret. Otherwise, I’ll end up as a side dish* for those bunch of assholes.”
[TN: ズリネタ]
“You should use a different word.”
“What wrong with it?”
“Side dish*? Oh, Side dish for Hiro’s Set Meal*? That looks good.”
[TN: オカズ(okazu)- slang/side dish.
定食 (teishoku)- A set meal, usually a tray with one or more main courses, along with a number of side dishes (salad, rice, pickles, soup, etc.). ]
“Stop! Don’t spread malicious memes!”
I shoved a fried fish into Tomoe’s mouth to silence him.
Tomoe chewed it deliciously and laughed, “Hiro doesn’t have a tolerance for off-colored humor.” and then asked with a serious expression.
“…… By the way, are you going to tell Haruka about this?”
To be honest, we aren’t open with our relationship.
It’s not that I’m hiding it.
It’s simply because of the slow progress that led us to just holding hands yesterday. That’s why the people around us are not aware of it.
But Tomoe and Takeshi both know about our relationship because they listen to my stories, worries, and slapsticks.
I know Tomoe is worried about me.
I have to return his favor.
“That’s right. It’s not nice to keep quiet. It’s not a good idea to keep secrets as lovers, right?”
“You should stop.”
But Tomoe denied with a stern tone.
‘’Wha, why? You may not know how it feel to live with a sister who looks like your girlfriend. But it’s better than keeping your mouth shut. And there’s no reason for me to hide it when I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“But that only makes things tougher for Hiro.”
.…Eh?
“What does that mean?”
“Haruka-chan is a good girl, so if you talk about it, she’ll accept that it’s not your fault. I’ll never blame Hiro. But I can’t stand it, I’m worried. A woman who lives with her lover. While she is at home alone, she stays with her lover all the time. I can’t stand that.”
“But we are brothers and sisters, our parents remarried.”
“I mean, it was only yesterday. Right? So you’re not in the clear yet. In fact, Hiro was with her yesterday, and I’m not even sure if you were excited, right?”
“That, it was …….”
He said, “You can’t have a relationship just because you’re finally holding hands. That’s painful.”
“……….”
After being told, I was shocked.
I insisted on showing that It wasn’t my fault, and never thought how Haruka would feel?
If I’m honest with Haruka about Shigure, I myself will be relieved of the guilt of hiding things from her. But then what? What about her feelings, now that she learned the truth?
Of course, I don’t want to prioritize Shigure over Haruka.
Of course, I don’t want to overlap Haruka with Shigure.
But even if I did, my feelings would only be for Haruka. I don’t have the slightest desire for Shigure.
But even if I don’t have the desire, would Haruka think that it’s a common matter.
‘Just believe in me and don’t worry.’
I don’t think we’ve reached that level of relationship yet.
“If you don’t want to lie, I won’t force you, but I think it’ll be too shocking to start at this stage. If there is a patient who is sick enough to have the surgery, the timing of the surgery should be determined by looking at the patient’s condition. There’s a right time for everything, isn’t there?”
“Sure, there might be….”
For Haruka, it might be best to keep it a secret from start to end.
But realistically, that’s difficult.
As our relationship progress, she will find out eventually.
“What do you think I should do, Tomoe?”
“…….For now, it’s definitely a good idea to talk to Shigure and ask her to keep a distance from you when at school. Then use that time to get closer to Haruka and prepare for her to confide in you.”
“How much do you mean by getting close to each other, specifically?”
“Shouldn’t you at least have sex with her?”
“At the very least?”
“I think it’s a dangerous story even if you go that far. The situation of Hiro. But what I can tell you is that you have to keep this a secret for at least a year until your dad comes back, no matter what. Sex will be hard, because you’re a guy who is disqualified from the start.”
Well, well, yeah. Se, se, se, se, se…….sex is out of the question, but I must keep this a secret until my dad comes back. The impression I get from the two of us living alone, and living with our parents is completely different.
I nodded my head and asked for an opinion from Takeshi, who has been looking at me with concern.
“What do you think, Takeshi?”
“……Can I give you my honest opinion?”
Oh, he’s so serious.
I can tell that he’s truly concerned about me.
I’ve got really good friends.
“Please. Say whatever comes to mind.”
“Okay. I think what you’re missing, Hiromichi, is, testosterone!”
…….Ha?
“Testosterone is a male hormone that causes muscle growth and makes the body more masculine. Not only it affect the body but also the mind, making it the source of action and determination. Therefore, if this hormone is lowered, one loses self-confidence. That’s the reason why Hiromichi is in such a pensive mood! Then there is only one solution! Muscle training. The more muscles you build, the more testosterone you’ll get! Muscle solves everything! Now drop your worries, Johnny, and pick up some dumbbells!”
Yup. I was wrong to ask muscle head Takeshi for relationship advice.
“But Hiro, aren’t they really too similar?”
“Yeah, I think so too. That’s what I think, as well.”
“No, it’s too small, Hiro. That’s the perception of being too small. At first, I thought they only looked like each other, but when I paid attention, I found out that the details of the body parts and the body shape are exactly the same. To be honest, it’s not like they’re just copying each other. Maybe those two people are…”
And that’s when Tomoe was about to say something, someone cut his line in a scary way.
‘’Ah, it’s Hiromichi-san!’’
“Sh, Shigure?”
The central figure of the topic came to our table.
“Why are you so surprised? We live next door, right. And You’re, a classmate of ours, aren’t you, Wakabayashi-san?”
“I don’t remember introducing myself, but you know me well.”
“You’re famous. All the girls in class were bragging about it. It’s like no guy in Shueikan is as good-looking as you……. and the big guy over there, how do you do? Can I ask your name?”
“Wah, me?”
At the time, Takeshi jumped up from his chair.
This guy is more sensitive to girls than I am, probably because of the excess of androgens.
“I’m Takeshi Takeda, a second-year student in the regular course! Nice to meet you!”
“I’m Shigure Sato, a second year student, special course, who transferred to school today. Thank you for your cooperation.”
“~~~~~hm”
Takeshi snorts and Shigure returns the call with a smile, a fake smile.
Then Takeshi whispered to Tomoe next to him.
“O, Oi Tomoe, you heard right. She asked for my name. I think she’s here for me, definitely.”
“What’s your problem, protein?”
“Oh, you’re all eating. I’m sorry for interrupting your lunch.”
“It’s fine. It’s lunch time. Do you want to have lunch, Shigure-chan? You can sit with us at this table if it’s okay.”
As he says this, Tomoe points to the one seat next to us.
Maybe he is trying to give me an opportunity to talk with Shigure.
But Shigure shook her head and said.
‘’No. I’m actually looking for someone. Ah yes. You’re a second year student in the regular course, right, Takeda-san? If that’s the case, I’d like to ask you, do you know a female student named Haruka Saikawa?”
‘’Shigure!’’
At that moment, a loud voice called Shigure. It’s the same voice I love.
No way!
I wanted to reflexively deny it, but I wasn’t wrong.
When I turned my attention to the voice, she was there, my girlfriend Haruka Saikawa, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily.
“Huh, huh. Shigure, is it really Shigure?”
“…….. Nee~san!”
“H~~! Si~~~Shigure~, Aaaaaaaa~~~”
Haruka hugged Shigure.
Embraced her tightly with all her strength.
And then they screamed and cried.
I just stared in confusion.
No, because…
How does Haruka know about Shigure?
No, more to the point.
What did Shigure call Haruka now?
Nee~san. She said Nee~san.
I’m standing there in confusion.
Shigure glanced at me and said,
”Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. Well, if you can see our face, you might guess, actually, me and my sister Haruka are twin sisters. We were separated when our parents divorced.”
X X X
“*Sob* I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I feel relieved after meeting you.”
“Un-yu(no), it’s fine. But I was surprised. I heard that there was a student who looked just like me, and I was looking for her to see if she might be, and she really is my Nee~san.”
“I heard a rumor that there was a new student who looked just like me. I looked for Shigure to see if she really is here. It really is Shigure. I have a lot to talk about, but seeing her face was enough to fill my heart. Un~~aaaaa.”
“Stop crying, Nee~san. You’re still a crybaby even after you grew up.”
“……Shigure…… glad you’re well!”
“Un. I’m glad you’re doing better as well.”
They share a tight embrace. …….Sisters.
When they were young, their parents divorced and the bond between them was torn apart.
Now they have miraculously met.
It’s really beautiful. It’s a beautiful scene.
I couldn’t see clearly because there are bubbles in my eyes.
“I can’t hold it…. and I don’t want to interrupt your family reunion, so I’ll leave you to it. Let’s go Takeshi. See you later, Hiro. Goodbye and good luck.”
“Wait. Wait, please. Don’t leave me alone, for Christ’s sake. A good-looking friend like you is the only reason I’m here. I’m in trouble and and in need for your advice. What should I do in this case? How should I the brother of her sister, suppose to interact with her in the future?”
“I don’t know. There’s a limit to how much trouble even a good-looking friend can handle. If you’re a hero, be a hero and deal with it by yourself. Don’t try to drag me into this filthy, sludge-filled mess of human interaction!”
“Stop screwing around and do your job! Hey, Takeshi, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Hmm. You two are quite similar. They look like twins.”
“Does he have any idea what’s going on here?”
“Huh? Isn’t that, Hi, Hiromichi-kun?”
It’s just a matter of time before she finds out that we’re staring at the beautiful reunion. While we guys are whispering to each other, Haruka’s eyes, which were fixed on Shigure, now they found me.
‘’Oh, Oshhh.”
“Oh My God. You can’t look at my face Hiromichi-kun. ….. Don’t look.”
She must be embarrassed to be seen crying.
Haruka blushes vaguely and hides behind Shigure.
Cute (escaping reality).
“Nee~san, are you acquainted with Hiromichi-san?”
“Yes. I know him, or rather, we are….. lovers.”
“Eh?”
Shigure screamed.
Like a chicken being strangled.
”Huh? How does Shigure know about Hiromichi-kun?”
And finally, the killing blow came!
A definitive, deadly question.
If I saw her making that nasty smile, I’d…
“……I’m in the same class as Hiromichi-san because I’m also a special student.”
“Wow, Shigure is in the special course too! That’s amazing. You’ve always been smart.”
Huh…?
Did you just cheat on me, Shigure?
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We need a sisters talk, so I’m going to borrow my Nee~san.”
“Thank you, Hiromichi-kun. And Sorry for today.”
“Oh, yeah, its……fine. This situation….what they are …….”
“Thank you. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
She walks with her inside the cafeteria, waving her hand.
I guess they want to talk while eating inside.
After this, I leaned back on my chair as if I were recoiling from the tension.
“I, at one point I wondered what just happened…….”
“Yeah, but you saw right. She’s a smart girl. And she’s not as bad as Hiro says. She knows exactly what line she shouldn’t cross.”
“……Yeah.”
“If you understand that much, I’m sure you’ll continue to read the atmosphere and keep your distance. If you cooperate, you could hide it for a long time, right?”
“………Oh.”
Honestly, Shigure saved me.
I was teased so much yesterday and today, I thought that if she knew I have a girlfriend who looked just like her, she would definitely tease me. It seems she wasn’t that bad of a person.
That’s good.
That’s a relief.
……..It’s just that.
After the relief, there’s a sickening muddiness in my chest that frightens me inexplicably.
Being honest about everything is not honesty.
I understand what Tomoe says.
Maybe being honest is only self-satisfying at times.
But ……….
Lying to Haruka.
And can I convince her, Shigure to lie?
…… That’s really all I want to know.
As a boyfriend and a brother, I really do……..
I’m unfaithful to my girlfriend and my sister. It feels uncomfortable.
Or is hiding this what makes being a man worthwhile?
I couldn’t figure it out.
Chapter 5 Reunion x Sisters
Support us by reading it at www.zetrotranslation.com
Translated by Devxtt
Edited by zirmir
“I’m Shigure Sato and I just transferred here from Shueikan High School in Fukuoka. I’m starting off a little later than you guys, but I’d be happy if you’d let me join. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
At the time of morning assembly.
Shigure stands in front of the classroom and greets everyone.
By the way, Shigure is wearing the Shueikan uniform with only the school emblem changed to Seiun.
I didn’t know this before and bought a standard school uniform. But it seems that a private school like Seiun doesn’t have such a strict dress code. So as long as it meets certain standards such as color, length, and school emblem, etc. You are free to dress accordingly.
Shigure saved her money by modifying her old uniform to meet these standards.
Come to think of it, yesterday she said that they used a balance boiler in her previous house.
There were only two members in her old house, mother and daughter. I guess their financial conditions were not really good.
Maybe that’s why she’s skilled in housework.
After the greetings, the teacher told her to take a seat next to me.
There was no mention of being a ‘step-brother’ at that time.
But the seats arrangement is based on the order of attendance.
I’m sure Shigure had told the teacher in advance.
“Sato-san, you were at Shueikan! Amazing!”
“I’m surprised you wanted to join Seiun. Seiun is also a respectable name in this area, but its brand value is completely different from that of a national class.”
“I would definitely stay at the Shueikan, even if I had to live on my own.”
It happened right after first period.
Shigure was immediately surrounded by her classmates, who were asking her several questions.
However, no one mentioned the relationship between me and Shigure.
Well, Sato is a common surname, so there’s no way to know.
The first thing that came was the story of Shigure’s former school.
Shueikan High School.
Even I, a resident of Kanagawa Prefecture, know this prestigious school in Kyushu.
It’s a national elite school that’s far better than Seiun, which is just a slightly popular school in Kanagawa.
There are many students who are conscious of their educational background, so they have no choice but to wonder what the famous schools in Japan are like.
But when it comes to the break after the third period, the topic of conversation shifts from their former school to their own.
In the meantime, a girl said:
“I feel like I’ve seen Shigure-chan before.”
“Yeah, me too. I wonder where?”
“I think there’s a girl in the drama club who looks like you, right?”
“Oh, yeah! That’s right! She played a minor role in last year’s school festival, an overactive but cute girl! That’s why I had a sense of déjà vu.”
Ugh, this is not good.
The topic immediately led to Haruka, who is a real double of Shigure.
When Shigure heard this, she smiled with a curious look on her face.
“…… H~e, that’s interesting I’d like to meet her. Do you know her classroom?”
”Ah, I don’t know that much. Does anyone know?”
“There aren’t many guys who take part in extracurricular activities.”
“And since the regular course is in the new building, you don’t have much contact with them unless you’ve known them since junior high school. But if you look at it carefully, it’s not so much a resemblance as it is a little……”
I listened to their conversation with a sense of urgency.
At this rate, the two of them are going to meet up sooner than I expected.
I still want to explain the situation to Haruka before they meet.
The policy of hiding the fact that we are brother and sister is something that Shigure has insisted on, so I don’t think that if the two of them see each other, she won’t tell Haruka about our relationship, but I can’t say for sure.
I don’t intend to hide it. But still, it’s not a good idea if Haruka found out that Shigure is living together with me.
I can’t follow her.
However, I’ve already sent a message to Haruka saying I want to meet her during lunch break.
There’s no point in panicking now.
Calm down.
I have to think about how I do this.
I’m trying to figure out a way to stop them from meeting.
『I have an urgent business and can’t meet at lunchtime. I’m sorry (><) 』
I received a message from Haruka.
Geez.
To be honest, I’m a little impatient.
But if it’s an urgent matter, it can’t be helped.
I know that Haruka is not the kind of girl who cancels an appointment for something trivial.
If Haruka says so, it must be really important.
I replied with a sticker saying that I understood and sigh.
I change my mind, saying it can’t be helped.
If this is the case, let’s talk to the other one first.
………Fourth period is over and it’s lunchtime.
As soon as the bell rings, I immediately leave my seat and head to the seat at the end of the window.
Hurry.
Yes, before the girls gathers to complete a barrier that repels the shady characters.
Then I call my friend Tomoe Wakabayashi, who sits in that seat with a sarcastic, well-defined face.
“Tomoe. Will you join me for lunch?”
“Hmm, okay. Then let’s call that Takeshi guy as well.”
“Yeah, please.”
XXX
Tomoe Wakabayashi. Takeshi Takeda.
They are my friends since junior high.
Takeshi Takeda is a second-year student in the regular course.
He’s over six feet tall and has well-developed muscles that you can see from his uniform.
He’s the ace of the weightlifting team and loves protein more than a three-course meal.*
[TN: A three-course meal primarily consists of an appetizer, main course, and dessert.]
According to the person himself, the reason why he started muscle training was to attract girls. He’s an otaku by nature, and as a result, he’s deviated from his original goal, and his body has gotten so huge that he’s rejected by girls.
My other friend is Tomoe Wakabayashi, who is in a second-year special course just like me.
He is tall with a model like body and bleached hair without being sarcastic.
You can see from the way he’s dressed that he’s very popular unlike us.
If you set him up alone in the roadside, the beetles(girls) will be swarming around the sap(Tomoe) in 10 minutes.
You will be able to observe a herd of girls like worms.
But if I don’t feel jealousy for this guy like I would have for Aizawa, who was proud of playing with girls in the class.
The reason is that Tomoe makes no distinction between men and women, does not separate the yin and yang, and enjoys being with anyone, and strives to make it enjoyable. If you ask me if I can live a sincere and honest life like him, but I can’t.
If people don’t like a guy like this, then there’s something wrong with the world.
That’s why I don’t feel jealous.
I have other friends, but usually, I hang out with these two guys.
In junior high or high school, they would often come over to my house to hang out until morning because their parents are on a business trip.
Since we are close friends, I can tell them about my relationship with Shigure.
So I invited them for lunch on the terrace outside the school cafeteria. Then I told them everything that had happened since I got home yesterday.
They listened in silence.
And when I finished saying everything, Tomoe said,
“…… tough.”
He looked up at the summer sky.
“Hiro, what did you do in your past life?”
“I want to learn that as well. But right now, you can’t just look up at the sky and curse the old me. I’m going to find a way to solve it peacefully. Fortunately or not, the only similarity is their face, and their personalities aren’t even close, so I’m sure I won’t get distracted next time.”
“It’s true that Haruka has a nice personality, unlike Shigure.”
“I understand it even though I’m hardly involved.”
“It’s frustrating that she looks like she’s having a lot of fun. She wasn’t just talking to the people around her. She was controlling them with her feigned innocence* like a cat.”
[TN: 猫かぶり(nekokaburi)- a wolf in sheep’s clothing]
He has the ability of keen observation.
I’m completely different, who was easily tricked by that two-faced cat.
“For now it would be best to keep the fact that you are brother and sister a secret. So, Shigure will adjust to this new environment. It’s easy to guess that you guys just started living together. That’s why I thought it would be best to keep quiet. That’s all I suggest.”
“Okay. I’ll do that. You guys please keep it a secret. Otherwise, I’ll end up as a side dish* for those bunch of assholes.”
[TN: ズリネタ]
“You should use a different word.”
“What wrong with it?”
“Side dish*? Oh, Side dish for Hiro’s Set Meal*? That looks good.”
[TN: オカズ(okazu)- slang/side dish.
定食 (teishoku)- A set meal, usually a tray with one or more main courses, along with a number of side dishes (salad, rice, pickles, soup, etc.). ]
“Stop! Don’t spread malicious memes!”
I shoved a fried fish into Tomoe’s mouth to silence him.
Tomoe chewed it deliciously and laughed, “Hiro doesn’t have a tolerance for off-colored humor.” and then asked with a serious expression.
“…… By the way, are you going to tell Haruka about this?”
To be honest, we aren’t open with our relationship.
It’s not that I’m hiding it.
It’s simply because of the slow progress that led us to just holding hands yesterday. That’s why the people around us are not aware of it.
But Tomoe and Takeshi both know about our relationship because they listen to my stories, worries, and slapsticks.
I know Tomoe is worried about me.
I have to return his favor.
“That’s right. It’s not nice to keep quiet. It’s not a good idea to keep secrets as lovers, right?”
“You should stop.”
But Tomoe denied with a stern tone.
‘’Wha, why? You may not know how it feel to live with a sister who looks like your girlfriend. But it’s better than keeping your mouth shut. And there’s no reason for me to hide it when I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“But that only makes things tougher for Hiro.”
.…Eh?
“What does that mean?”
“Haruka-chan is a good girl, so if you talk about it, she’ll accept that it’s not your fault. I’ll never blame Hiro. But I can’t stand it, I’m worried. A woman who lives with her lover. While she is at home alone, she stays with her lover all the time. I can’t stand that.”
“But we are brothers and sisters, our parents remarried.”
“I mean, it was only yesterday. Right? So you’re not in the clear yet. In fact, Hiro was with her yesterday, and I’m not even sure if you were excited, right?”
“That, it was …….”
He said, “You can’t have a relationship just because you’re finally holding hands. That’s painful.”
“……….”
After being told, I was shocked.
I insisted on showing that It wasn’t my fault, and never thought how Haruka would feel?
If I’m honest with Haruka about Shigure, I myself will be relieved of the guilt of hiding things from her. But then what? What about her feelings, now that she learned the truth?
Of course, I don’t want to prioritize Shigure over Haruka.
Of course, I don’t want to overlap Haruka with Shigure.
But even if I did, my feelings would only be for Haruka. I don’t have the slightest desire for Shigure.
But even if I don’t have the desire, would Haruka think that it’s a common matter.
‘Just believe in me and don’t worry.’
I don’t think we’ve reached that level of relationship yet.
“If you don’t want to lie, I won’t force you, but I think it’ll be too shocking to start at this stage. If there is a patient who is sick enough to have the surgery, the timing of the surgery should be determined by looking at the patient’s condition. There’s a right time for everything, isn’t there?”
“Sure, there might be….”
For Haruka, it might be best to keep it a secret from start to end.
But realistically, that’s difficult.
As our relationship progress, she will find out eventually.
“What do you think I should do, Tomoe?”
“…….For now, it’s definitely a good idea to talk to Shigure and ask her to keep a distance from you when at school. Then use that time to get closer to Haruka and prepare for her to confide in you.”
“How much do you mean by getting close to each other, specifically?”
“Shouldn’t you at least have sex with her?”
“At the very least?”
“I think it’s a dangerous story even if you go that far. The situation of Hiro. But what I can tell you is that you have to keep this a secret for at least a year until your dad comes back, no matter what. Sex will be hard, because you’re a guy who is disqualified from the start.”
Well, well, yeah. Se, se, se, se, se…….sex is out of the question, but I must keep this a secret until my dad comes back. The impression I get from the two of us living alone, and living with our parents is completely different.
I nodded my head and asked for an opinion from Takeshi, who has been looking at me with concern.
“What do you think, Takeshi?”
“……Can I give you my honest opinion?”
Oh, he’s so serious.
I can tell that he’s truly concerned about me.
I’ve got really good friends.
“Please. Say whatever comes to mind.”
“Okay. I think what you’re missing, Hiromichi, is, testosterone!”
…….Ha?
“Testosterone is a male hormone that causes muscle growth and makes the body more masculine. Not only it affect the body but also the mind, making it the source of action and determination. Therefore, if this hormone is lowered, one loses self-confidence. That’s the reason why Hiromichi is in such a pensive mood! Then there is only one solution! Muscle training. The more muscles you build, the more testosterone you’ll get! Muscle solves everything! Now drop your worries, Johnny, and pick up some dumbbells!”
Yup. I was wrong to ask muscle head Takeshi for relationship advice.
“But Hiro, aren’t they really too similar?”
“Yeah, I think so too. That’s what I think, as well.”
“No, it’s too small, Hiro. That’s the perception of being too small. At first, I thought they only looked like each other, but when I paid attention, I found out that the details of the body parts and the body shape are exactly the same. To be honest, it’s not like they’re just copying each other. Maybe those two people are…”
And that’s when Tomoe was about to say something, someone cut his line in a scary way.
‘’Ah, it’s Hiromichi-san!’’
“Sh, Shigure?”
The central figure of the topic came to our table.
“Why are you so surprised? We live next door, right. And You’re, a classmate of ours, aren’t you, Wakabayashi-san?”
“I don’t remember introducing myself, but you know me well.”
“You’re famous. All the girls in class were bragging about it. It’s like no guy in Shueikan is as good-looking as you……. and the big guy over there, how do you do? Can I ask your name?”
“Wah, me?”
At the time, Takeshi jumped up from his chair.
This guy is more sensitive to girls than I am, probably because of the excess of androgens.
“I’m Takeshi Takeda, a second-year student in the regular course! Nice to meet you!”
“I’m Shigure Sato, a second year student, special course, who transferred to school today. Thank you for your cooperation.”
“~~~~~hm”
Takeshi snorts and Shigure returns the call with a smile, a fake smile.
Then Takeshi whispered to Tomoe next to him.
“O, Oi Tomoe, you heard right. She asked for my name. I think she’s here for me, definitely.”
“What’s your problem, protein?”
“Oh, you’re all eating. I’m sorry for interrupting your lunch.”
“It’s fine. It’s lunch time. Do you want to have lunch, Shigure-chan? You can sit with us at this table if it’s okay.”
As he says this, Tomoe points to the one seat next to us.
Maybe he is trying to give me an opportunity to talk with Shigure.
But Shigure shook her head and said.
‘’No. I’m actually looking for someone. Ah yes. You’re a second year student in the regular course, right, Takeda-san? If that’s the case, I’d like to ask you, do you know a female student named Haruka Saikawa?”
‘’Shigure!’’
At that moment, a loud voice called Shigure. It’s the same voice I love.
No way!
I wanted to reflexively deny it, but I wasn’t wrong.
When I turned my attention to the voice, she was there, my girlfriend Haruka Saikawa, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily.
“Huh, huh. Shigure, is it really Shigure?”
“…….. Nee~san!”
“H~~! Si~~~Shigure~, Aaaaaaaa~~~”
Haruka hugged Shigure.
Embraced her tightly with all her strength.
And then they screamed and cried.
I just stared in confusion.
No, because…
How does Haruka know about Shigure?
No, more to the point.
What did Shigure call Haruka now?
Nee~san. She said Nee~san.
I’m standing there in confusion.
Shigure glanced at me and said,
”Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. Well, if you can see our face, you might guess, actually, me and my sister Haruka are twin sisters. We were separated when our parents divorced.”
X X X
“*Sob* I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I feel relieved after meeting you.”
“Un-yu(no), it’s fine. But I was surprised. I heard that there was a student who looked just like me, and I was looking for her to see if she might be, and she really is my Nee~san.”
“I heard a rumor that there was a new student who looked just like me. I looked for Shigure to see if she really is here. It really is Shigure. I have a lot to talk about, but seeing her face was enough to fill my heart. Un~~aaaaa.”
“Stop crying, Nee~san. You’re still a crybaby even after you grew up.”
“……Shigure…… glad you’re well!”
“Un. I’m glad you’re doing better as well.”
They share a tight embrace. …….Sisters.
When they were young, their parents divorced and the bond between them was torn apart.
Now they have miraculously met.
It’s really beautiful. It’s a beautiful scene.
I couldn’t see clearly because there are bubbles in my eyes.
“I can’t hold it…. and I don’t want to interrupt your family reunion, so I’ll leave you to it. Let’s go Takeshi. See you later, Hiro. Goodbye and good luck.”
“Wait. Wait, please. Don’t leave me alone, for Christ’s sake. A good-looking friend like you is the only reason I’m here. I’m in trouble and and in need for your advice. What should I do in this case? How should I the brother of her sister, suppose to interact with her in the future?”
“I don’t know. There’s a limit to how much trouble even a good-looking friend can handle. If you’re a hero, be a hero and deal with it by yourself. Don’t try to drag me into this filthy, sludge-filled mess of human interaction!”
“Stop screwing around and do your job! Hey, Takeshi, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Hmm. You two are quite similar. They look like twins.”
“Does he have any idea what’s going on here?”
“Huh? Isn’t that, Hi, Hiromichi-kun?”
It’s just a matter of time before she finds out that we’re staring at the beautiful reunion. While we guys are whispering to each other, Haruka’s eyes, which were fixed on Shigure, now they found me.
‘’Oh, Oshhh.”
“Oh My God. You can’t look at my face Hiromichi-kun. ….. Don’t look.”
She must be embarrassed to be seen crying.
Haruka blushes vaguely and hides behind Shigure.
Cute (escaping reality).
“Nee~san, are you acquainted with Hiromichi-san?”
“Yes. I know him, or rather, we are….. lovers.”
“Eh?”
Shigure screamed.
Like a chicken being strangled.
”Huh? How does Shigure know about Hiromichi-kun?”
And finally, the killing blow came!
A definitive, deadly question.
If I saw her making that nasty smile, I’d…
“……I’m in the same class as Hiromichi-san because I’m also a special student.”
“Wow, Shigure is in the special course too! That’s amazing. You’ve always been smart.”
Huh…?
Did you just cheat on me, Shigure?
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We need a sisters talk, so I’m going to borrow my Nee~san.”
“Thank you, Hiromichi-kun. And Sorry for today.”
“Oh, yeah, its……fine. This situation….what they are …….”
“Thank you. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
She walks with her inside the cafeteria, waving her hand.
I guess they want to talk while eating inside.
After this, I leaned back on my chair as if I were recoiling from the tension.
“I, at one point I wondered what just happened…….”
“Yeah, but you saw right. She’s a smart girl. And she’s not as bad as Hiro says. She knows exactly what line she shouldn’t cross.”
“……Yeah.”
“If you understand that much, I’m sure you’ll continue to read the atmosphere and keep your distance. If you cooperate, you could hide it for a long time, right?”
“………Oh.”
Honestly, Shigure saved me.
I was teased so much yesterday and today, I thought that if she knew I have a girlfriend who looked just like her, she would definitely tease me. It seems she wasn’t that bad of a person.
That’s good.
That’s a relief.
……..It’s just that.
After the relief, there’s a sickening muddiness in my chest that frightens me inexplicably.
Being honest about everything is not honesty.
I understand what Tomoe says.
Maybe being honest is only self-satisfying at times.
But ……….
Lying to Haruka.
And can I convince her, Shigure to lie?
…… That’s really all I want to know.
As a boyfriend and a brother, I really do……..
I’m unfaithful to my girlfriend and my sister. It feels uncomfortable.
Or is hiding this what makes being a man worthwhile?
I couldn’t figure it out.
