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Chapter 20 – Stepsister, like a naughty kitten
「Than- Be carefu- See y–」
「「「Thank you very much!」」」
Homeroom ended with a greeting from the chairman
Immediately after that, I took my school bag that I had packed in advance and tried to quickly sneak out–aiming at the door.
「Kaito~ Let’s go home together, eh?」(Saijo)
As soon as I leave the classroom, I hear a voice.
—Yes, for some reason it was the voice of a blonde gal who had been following me since yesterday.
Saijo followed me during lunch break again today.
Thanks to that, I couldn’t eat lunch with Sakura-chan and I was exposed to the curious gazes of the other students.
Really…it’s so stressful…
That’s why I left the classroom immediately to avoid getting caught by Saijo when I left school, just like yesterday.
My aim was to reach the classroom of Sakura-chan, who was probably angry.
Why is that kid angry…?
Was It because I broke the promise to eat lunch together today…?
This was the exchange we had over SNS at that time.
『Sorry, I can’t eat lunch together with you for some reason. I’m really sorry』
—In response, she replied with this.
『Un, it’s okay (^_^) Nico』(TLN: Nico means smile)
….eh, then why is she angry?
Un, it doesn’t seem like she’s angry.
….however, Sakura-chan doesn’t usually use emoticons.
Also, next to the smiling face, there’s a『Nico』right?
This reminds me of something.
That’s right–Sakura-chan’s smile that she showed me yesterday when she was truly angry.
Why am I breaking my promise with Sakura-chan the day after promising never to break another promise with her!?
I mean, yesterday I should have known this would happen and declined to make a promise with Sakura-chan in the first place!
….I was too scared of Sakura-chan’s smile from back then and couldn’t afford to think about it.
For the time being, when I arrive at the meeting place I should immediately apologize and ask for forgiveness…
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But–it seems like reality was out of my expectations.
「O—onii-chan, I made you wait!」(Sakura)
With that said, Sakura-chan tottered over to me with a smile on her face.
That smile was an ordinary cute smile, without the sound effects from yesterday.
E, eh…?
Is she not angry?
That’s right….this kid is very kind.
She must have been angry yesterday because she was made to wait a long time and thought I was playing around with other girls.
But then, what’s with that emoticon?
W, well, there’s no need to care about that anymore.
If I think about it any further, I feel like I’ll sink into a bottomless swamp…
I firmly decide that and return a smile to Sakura-chan.
「No, I just arrived」(Kaito)
「I see, shall we go home?」(Sakura)
I started walking with Sakura-chan who answered my words with a smile–
「……..e, etto….Sakura-chan….?」(Kaito)
「What is it, onii-chan?」(Sakura)
Sakura-chan looks up at me with a smile, in contrast to my voice of bewilderment.
I ask Sakura-chan whilst looking at her right arm.
「Why are you hugging my arm….?」(Kaito)
That’s right, Sakura-chan was currently hugging my right arm. I was getting deja vu from yesterday.
Though it was slightly different compared to Saijo, the appearance of the small Sakura-chan hugging me can only been seen as a child being spoiled.
Also the feeling of my arm was–amazing….
No, I had the same feeling with Saijo.
However, Sakura-chan had an incomparable softness with a large surface area.
…..this is bad, I feel guilty.
Besides, if Momoi finds us like this, it could get dangerous…..
However I can’t unravel myself from Sakura-chan’s arm.
But it was for a different reason than the unreasonable blonde gal yesterday.
…….doesn’t that mean it’s because of my ulterior motives……?
Well it certainly feels great right?
Still there is strong sense of guilt, this must be the reason.
But–
I look towards Sakura-chan who was starting to answer my question.
Her reply was–
「Is it….not okay…..?」(Sakura)
—With a slightly shy smile, she responded in a way that was far out of my expectations.
——-Seriously so cute!!!!!!
「Not at all, keep going until your satisfied!」(Kaito)
I replied to Sakura-chan with a smile.
「Yatta~! Thank you, Onii-chan!」(Sakura)
Sakura-chan was all smiles as she rubbed her cheek on my arm.
I can’t do it, I can’t peel off my cute imouto who is clinging to me like this…
Or rather, whenever I’m around this kid she seems to destroy my reasoning.
She was too cute…
Because of that I was becoming the center of attention…..I have no choice but to give up…..
When I thought like this, my current situation almost seemed like a manga–
「Ah—Kaito! I finally found you!」(Saijo)
「—–!」(Kaito)
I look back at the person who had called out to me.
「Mou so cruel~ I was looking..for you…..」(Saijo)
When I looked back, it was Saijo in front of me.
Speaking of Saijo, when she saw Sakura-chan clinging to my arm, the light disappeared from her eyes.
「Cheating….?」(Saijo)
「How is it cheating!?」(Kaito)
I instinctively respond to Saijo’s words.
In what way was it cheating!?
No from our interactions before it’s normal for her to think that way.
I know already–I know it’s strange!
「That’s because, you have your arms linked with Momoi’s imouto」(Saijo)
With that said, Saijo points to Sakura-chan.
「No, aren’t you getting ahead of yourself!? First of all, what you said isn’t true! I’m not in a relationship with you! and I don’t feel that way with Sakura-chan either!」(Kaito)
To my words Saijo and for some reason Sakura as well, puffed up their cheeks.
….eh, Saijo aside, why Sakura-chan!?
I don’t understand why she’s acting like that, so I look towards her.
I noticed something.
Sakura-chan was currently acting extremely vigilant.
『….eh, what are you saying?』is that what she’s thinking?
Bad, I can’t think of any other words to describe this kid’s situation anymore…
Saying that, she looks like a kitten who’s trying to look intimidating by standing all the hair on her body upright.
I mean, who is this kid?
Where did the usual, friendly Sakura-chan go?
「Sa, Sakura-chan…?」(Kaito)
When I hesitantly called out to her, Sakura-chan asked me a question whilst looking at Saijo.
「Who is this person? A friend of Onii-chan?」(Sakura)
Her voice was nervous.
Eh….?
Is this different than being angry…?
Really, it seems like she’s wary of Saijo…..
Well it can’t be helped right?
Because Saijo looks like a blonde gal…. (TLN: So to clarify on blonde gal, it’s actually Gyaru but the literal meaning)
She also has a bad personality…
「Ah, me?」(Saijo)
Saijo responded to Sakura-chan’s words before me as I was lost in thought.
So she said–
「I’m Kaito’s girlfriend you know?」(Saijo)
—It was a bomb shell of a remark.
「You, how can you say that!? Didn’t I deny it earlier!?」(Kaito)
「I don’t know~ Isn’t a man with who means two different things when saying one cool~? 」(Saijo)
Saijo used my words against me.
「I see…you are Onii-chan’s girlfriend?」(Sakura)
「—!」(Kaito)
Sakura-chan who was looking at our exchange, looked on with a smile.
…..eh, Sakura-chan…?
Your Onii-chan denied that you know….?
Why do you believe the words of this blonde gal and not the words of your Onii-chan…?
Or rather, can you stop smiling like that? I can almost hear a『Gogogogogogo』in the background.
After being pressured by Sakura-chan who was smiling oddly the whole time, I went home with cold sweat flowing down my body.
—By the way speaking of Saijo, she seemed happy that Sakura-chan had believed her and went home alone with a smile on her face.