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Today Oniisama and I were going to a French restaurant for some duck.
It was a little late, but this was his White Day present to me.
Apparently the reason he had been so busy recently was because he was given responsibility for a major project.
He really had come back late every day, and even when he was home I often caught him in front of his PC.
It was rough being an adult, wasn’t it.
Anyway, since things were finally easing up on that end, tonight he was taking me to the dinner he had promised me.
It was the first time in a while that he had taken me out to eat. So happy.
I put a bit more care than usual into my curls tonight.
My dress was a new favourite as well.
With Oniisama escorting me, I felt like a princess~!
“Sorry that this took so long.”
“Please do not be! I know how busy you are with work, so please do not mind it.”
Beyond the candlelight, Oniisama smiled kindly in response.
“I do hope that you are not pushing yourself too hard though,” I said. “You must take care of your health, Oniisama.”
“Thanks. It’s just that this project had to succeed. Everyone knows I’m going to take over the company. If I didn’t get some achievements on my own, they’d look down on me for being a useless rich kid. I’m hoping that with this I’ve changed their minds across the board.”
“My!”
You’re so admirable, Oniisama!
Not just coasting on the fruits of your family, but working hard to make everybody accept you.
That was my prided Oniisama for you!
“I really respect you, Oniisama! As your younger sister I could scarcely be more proud!” I said with a clenched fist.
“You’re exaggerating,” he laughed between sips of wine.
“How is it, Oniisama? The wine today,” I clarified.
“I think you’d like it. It’s not too strong.”
Since he liked it, I had the sommelier take the label off for me.
I was collecting the labels of wines that my family enjoyed.
If my family hadn’t fallen into destitution by the time I was 20, I was planning on trying every one of them.
Oniisama said that the company was going well, so happy days of chugging expensive wines were soon to come.
My past life experience with alcohol was more or less limited to the sour I had at an izakaya.
That’s why I was really looking forward to this.
I wasn’t the best drunk in my last life, but I was pretty sure it would be fine this time around!
Hmm, but wow.
Mr. Duck was pretty delicious.
I opened wide for another bite.
“By the way, Reika, how have you and Kaburagi Masaya-kun been recently?”
Guhoh!
The duck was stuck in my throat!
I couldn’t do anything shameful in a place like this, so I tried my best to swallow it.
“Are you okay, Reika?”
“
Yes, Oniisama.”
As expected of Oniisama.
Cutting to the chase just as his opponent was about to inhale.
That shook me up.
His interrogation tactics were top notch.
“Even if you say ‘recently’, nothing in particular has changed
”
“Really? But at the flower-viewing party the two of you were pretty close, right?”
So he noticed

But we were mostly definitely not close!
“We do speak to each other, yes, but neither do we particularly like nor dislike each other,” I explained.
I didn’t have anything to feel guilty about, but it still felt a little awkward.
I pretended to concentrate on the food and avoided looking at him.
“I see,” he said. “Then what about Shuusuke-kun from the Enjou family?”
Guheh-!
“
Same as the above.”
Give me a break

I want to talk about Enjou even less

“He had a pretty girl with him that night. Do you know her?”
“I have heard that she is a relative of the Enjou family
”
“Oh? A relative, huh?”
Oniisama gave a meaningful smile.
Eh? What now
?
“Ah well, if anything happens, you let me know, alright?”
“Yes, Oniisama,” I nodded obediently.
“I’ve been pretty worried recently. You’re hiding so many things from me now.”
“Eh
!?”
I looked up in shock to find Oniisama smiling happily at me.
Oniisama, just how much do you already know
?
*
*
*
Today was Buddha’s Birthday.
At the temple I placed hydrangeas by the Buddha statue.
Lord Buddha.
I am a pious, and diligent buddhist.
Unlike the masses who are influenced by Western culture, I have never celebrated such heathen events as Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Today on your birthday, I have come to pay my respects to you.
Please, grant me a dreamy romance!
And also a peaceful year at school!
*
*
*
There was an excursion scheduled for 3rd years later on.
That’s why it was a big deal who ended up in your new classes.
When I nervously checked the class roster myself, somehow I managed to get both Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan in my class this year!
I don’t think this had happened since primary school!
“We’re in the same class, Reika-sama!”
“The three of us are going to have a great year!”
“I’m so happy! Please keep looking after me this year!”
We were all overjoyed.
Could this be the power of Lord Buddha at work!?
“But it’s a shame that Kaburagi-sama and Enjou-sama are in different classes this year, isn’t it~” Serika-chan said regretfully.
Kaburagi, Enjou, me, and Fellow Stalking Horse.
All of us were in different classes.
Maybe this was a deliberate move from the school with the power balance in mind.
It was going to be a rough excursion for whoever was in Kaburagi or Enjou’s classes, so I was really very lucky.
Could this be the power of Lord Buddha at work as well!?
Anyway, I ended up as class rep again.
It was pretty much custom by now, so I just stayed silent and accepted it.
My partner was Satomi-kun from my class in 1st Year.
I was pretty happy about that.
Since I already knew what kind of person he was, the job had just gotten easier.
“I’ll be in your care, Kisshouin-san,” he said.
“Likewise,” I replied.
There was one other person of note in my class.
Sitting in the classroom, looking towards us like he had seen the Four Horsemen, was Tagaki-kun.
In the end, Tagaki-kun had been terrified of me the entire Spring Holiday cram course.
I headed over to give him an extra gentle hello.
With Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan, the three of us surrounded the seated Tagaki-kun at his desk.
“Tagaki-kun, I have been entrusted with the role of class representative this year. I trust that you will cooperate with me, no?”
Hmm?
The plan was to speak to him kindly, so why did it come out like I was threatening him?
Um, Tagaki-kun’s complexion had turned from ashen to deathly white.
Serika-chan, Kikuno-chan, maybe if you could stop asking him ‘Capisce?’
Tagaki-kun, don’t cry?
*
*
After the opening ceremony finished, I headed to the Pivoine salon.
Greeting the new 1st years was one of the reasons, but another was a message I received last night from Kaburagi.
‘Went to the library with her today, but had an incident. Details tomorrow, so come to the salon!’
Ahhh geeez~
I guess I was stuck going along with his romance consultations again

Going back to the message though, Kaburagi had always been the type to immediately put my suggestions to action.
Would I call this being willing to learn, or being an idiot?
When I reached the salon, Kaburagi was already waiting for me.