“Akira, as I thought, Makoto is acting cold towards me……”
His voice sounded lower than usual.
As I was loitering home, Haru-nii called me.
“Could you let me into your house? Akira, do you really have no idea?”
“Ehh!?”
I was lying down, but I jumped out of bed in spite of myself.
What……Isn’t this big trouble!
Not coming to my house equals to the both of them not being zealous.
My important nutrition source! The nutrients that are more important than the staple rice are gone!
I’m sure that there was something I was worried about.
It’s weird that he accepted President’s invitation……
I wonder if Haru-nii knows about it.
I was wondering if I should ask him or not. It’s more likely that he wouldn’t know, but if he knew, it’d become really troublesome so I’m scared to mention it.
“Could you help me ask him?”
“Ehh……?”
As a result, I wonder if he will listen and reply to me.
“I’m begging you.”
This is the first time Haru-nii has begged me for something so seriously.
If it’s for their happiness, I’d be glad to cooperate with you.
“I got it. I’ll ask him.”
”
”
“My bad. I’m saved.”
I hung up after listening to Haru-nii’s relieved voice.
“What should I ask him?”
Just how should I ask him about it?
It would be best if I could casually listen to him as he’s having a conversation, but I don’t think I have that kind of skill to do that.
I kind of got the gist of what I should ask him while thinking of trying to get the perfect timing.
While I was thinking about these things, I prepared myself.
The sun began to set and it started to get darker.
I was complaining that my stomach was getting empty and it was about time to eat dinner.
As I was thinking that it’s about time for big brother to come home soon, I heard the door open.
“I’m back.”
It seems like big brother’s back.
He seemed to have bought the ingredients for dinner. He had a big bag hung over his shoulder.
I peeped into big brother’s face, but he looked as beautiful as always. His expression didn’t look dark or anything. He did not seem to be in a bad mood.
I guess Haru-nii was mistaken after all.
In any case, let’s check once.
I put the bag on the kitchen table and talked to big brother, who was putting the ingredients in the refrigerator.
“Hey, big brother?”
“Hm?”
“Did you……fight with Haru-nii……somehow?”
The moment I mentioned Haru-nii, big brother stopped moving.
When I looked at his face, it was expressionless……no, his eyes look a little sharp?
He clearly couldn’t keep calm.
I felt my heart surge as I saw the obvious reaction of big brother.
This is bad, that face meant that he was hopeless.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen that expression that no one can make fun of.
“It’s true, I’m really angry,” and he finally admitted it.
Haru-nii’s intuition was true.
“Did Haruki say anything?”
“It’s not anything like that but……”
My heart started racing the moment big brother, who rarely got angry, was angry.
I definitely don’t want to unnecessarily offend him.
I want to stop talking, but I promised Haru-nii so I can’t just stop now.
I carefully opened my mouth and….
“Did something happen? I was thinking that I want both of you to make up and……”
I saw the wrinkles between big brother’s brows were getting deeper as he listened to me.
Ahh……This is bad.
“It’s none of Akira’s business.”
The words that cut me off were very cold.
Everything was cold, both in content and in language.
I feel like my heart is going to ache, and my whole face is going to be white.
But I want to fulfill the mission entrusted to me by Haru-nii, and I want both of them to return to usual as soon as possible.
I can’t go down easily.
“……Sorry. B-but-”
“I already said that it’s none of your business! Mind your own business!”
It was a strong tone filled with anger.
I wasn’t scared, but I was surprised and pressured by big brother’s impatience, my body jolted involuntarily.
We normally don’t quarrel, but it’s not like we never do.
But now it seems like he’s rejecting me, not fighting with me.
For me, my brother is not only an ‘older brother’, but also a mother, father, and a person who I love and respect more than anyone else.
Being treated so coldly by big brother made even a high schooler like me feel like crying pathetically.
“I’m, sorry……”
I dropped my shoulders and hung my head down.
I’m sorry Haru-nii, but it’s impossible to continue this conversation.
Moreover, it’ll be difficult to hold my tears in.
As I was thinking, “Let’s go back to my room to calm down.”――
“Makoto.”
When I look back in response to the voice I suddenly heard, I saw……
Haru-nii was standing there with a scary face.
“My bad. I came in without permission.”
He patted my head and walked by, approaching big brother.
I was happy that Haru-nii’s hand was gentle, but I didn’t know what to do because the air was so stuffy.
“I don’t think you needed to talk like that?”
“……Don’t enter however you like.”
They looked grim and glared at each other.
This is the first time I’ve seen them like this.
I could only nervously look at their faces.
“Akira said that because he was worried about us.”
“Isn’t it because you told him to?”
Big brother snorted and turned his back to Haru-nii.
Ahh, for big brother to speak so harshly……
“I don’t know what you came here for, but just hurry up and go home.”
“You……Why are you so irritated?”
Haru-nii’s voice started getting rough.
“You’re noisy. Leave me alone. Both of you should have a great time together.”
“Huhh? What are you saying? Actually, what’s up with your attitude recently? If you have something to say, say it clearly……”
“I said you’re noisy!”
Big brother raised his voice and interrupted Haru-nii.
I felt my heart shrink from big brother’s loud voice, and I shut my eyes in spite of myself.
There was silence between big brother and Haru-nii.
It looked like time had stopped, but Haru-nii let out a big sigh, and then time began to flow again.
“You, cool your head down a little. Akira, we’re going……Akira?”
I headed to my room without listening to the end of their conversation.
It’s impossible, it was so painful that I couldn’t listen anymore.
”
”
Honestly, I couldn’t bear to look at the two of them, who were once so close, glaring at each other.
I was so sad. I couldn’t bear the shock of having big brother reject me and seeing them fight.
As soon as I entered my room, I locked the door, took out my phone in a hurry, and called him.
It immediately connected to the latter.
“Why, what happened?”
“Natsuhi-senpai……”
The voice that sounded so cold felt warm like he was a different person today.
It attacked my tear gland, and made me want to cry even more.
“I feel like crying.”
“Huhh?”
I heard senpai sigh like he was surprised.
But it felt like there weren’t any thorns in it.
“……To me, it sounds like you’re already crying though.”
“It’s your imagination.”
I replied while sniffling.
I haven’t cried yet.
If I look down or blink, I’m out, but I’m still safe.
“So, what happened? Say everything you can.”
It felt like he was saying, “You don’t have to talk about things you don’t want to talk about, I’ll only ask what I can ask,” and the tears welled up.
Even though he was such a cold person.
Is this the creature called ‘ikemen’?
I’m really sorry that I said you were just an ‘ikemen A’ or a mob.
I told him about what had happened just now, while admiring Natsuhi-senpai’s potential.
Even though I was so emotionally confused that I couldn’t understand what I wanted to say because of my incoherence, Natsuhi-senpai listened to me with short grunts[1].
”
”
[1] Like short sounds of acknowledgement? Ex. “Mn”
I don’t know if I had conveyed it properly, but I felt a little better when I let out all the things that had accumulated in my chest.
I waited for Natsuhi-senpai to tell me what he thought, and he began speaking after a little silence.
“From what I’ve heard, I understood……”
“What did you understand!?”
“Ahh, the fact that you were a brocon that makes people disgusted.”
“Oi. Someone like you shouldn’t say that!”
“Don’t lump me together with you!”
I’m not denying that I’m a brocon.
But I don’t want to be called that by Natsuhi-senpai.
I thought I could get more accurate insights and advice, but it was different from what I had expected.
While hesitating whether to speak or not, Natsuhi-senpai slowly began to speak.
“Regarding your brother, he probably doesn’t want other people to know about their relationship. You might be worried, but you should leave it to Sakurai Haruki and watch over them silently.”
I was disappointed, but I guess I was too hasty. He gave a proper opinion about it.
It was very convincing.
“I see……”
That may be true.
Maybe it actually wasn’t any of my business.
Maybe as an outsider, I shouldn’t have said anything.
“You’re right, I’ll do that.”
“Ahh.”
My heart was much more at ease, and I let out a sigh of relief.
Let’s watch big brother and find the opportunity to make up with him.
“I’ll watch my brother and try to do something about it. I don’t think it’s going to be good if older brother gets involved in this current situation.”
“I’m leaving it to you!”
“Seriously……If my parents find out……especially my mother, it won’t be funny so I want him to stop soon.”
“Is that so?”
The circumstances of the Aogiri family……huh.
Sounds terrible.
He would have to think about what will happen from now on. It’s a serious problem so he would probably be really anxious.
“That person cares about his image. What will happen if he finds out? Well, we probably won’t be able to stay in this school anymore.”
“Eh, which means you would be changing schools?”
“Ahh, most likely overseas.”
“That far!?”
Since he didn’t appear in the game, I don’t know what kind of parents they are, but they created President and Natsuhi-senpai so they must be amazing people.
“Speaking of which, Natsuhi-senpai studied abroad, right? Did you do anything wrong?”
“You really……Well, I probably did, in a way. It’s true that going abroad to study wasn’t my intention.”
“So it’s like that……”
I guess all kinds of things happened.
I wonder if that’s why he’s unnecessarily worried about the President.
“Well, I can only do so much, but I’ll do my best.”
“Yes!”
It’s exactly what Natsuhi-senpai said.
I honestly can’t do much, but I will do what I can.
“……Are you okay already?”
A gentle voice came into my ear.
He seemed to have been worried.
It felt like he was purposely talking in a gentle and irresistible voice for some reason.
What terrifying ikemen power.
“Yes, thank you very much! Thanks to Natsuhi-senpai, the dam didn’t break! I knew it, what I should have is a friend who’s a brocon like me!”
“I said not to lump me together with you!”
“Hahaha!”
Unlike the time I called him, I was able to laugh when I hung up.
I really got better thanks to Natsuhi-senpai.
It’s a bit hard when I think of big brother, but I think I can manage it.
I want my big brothers to work hard and get back to the fun life I was watching.
“It’s okay, let’s do our best!”
I muttered unconsciously.
No, it might not be good to overwork yourself.
I might accidentally get involved unnecessarily like just now.
I thought, “Let’s do our best while consulting with ‘Boss Natsuhi’.”