I’m slumped in the living room making sure to not drop the wet towel on my back.
「Oniichan, you’re all red. Didn’t you apply sunscreen on yourself?」
「I did but I still become like this.」
「It says it’s not good to make it last more than a year. Did you buy a new one?」
「No, I just took some stuff I found around.」
「That’s why you’re suffering. It says it tends to deteriorate with time so you should use a new one.」
Yuna showed me the screen of her cell phone. The screen shows the sun block product page of the manufacturer. It seems like technology is advancing every year and it is written that it is better to purchase the latest version.
I wondered what’s the manufacturing date of the one I brought. I don’t remember using it or buying one for the last few years so it should be older than that.
「I don’t even know how you were able to sleep last night like that.」
「I was so tired yesterday that the moment my body felt my bed, I already lost consciousness before I felt any pain.」
I took a shower after I came back yesterday and fell into my bed immediately after. And when I got rid of my tiredness, I was awakened by severe pain from my sunburned area.
「Heh, your phone just glowed.」
「Really? Get it for me.」
「Okay, it can’t be helped.」
I took my cell phone from Yuna and looked through the text messages thinking that it should be a spam.
「Who is it?」
「Why do you want to know who sent your oniichan a message? Maa, it’s not like it’s a secret.」
Yuna asks as she replaces the wet tower on my back and checks out some other good sunburn treatment.
I quickly reply to the text as if showing off my mobile phone skills, which has made a lot of progress in recent weeks, to Yuna.
「It’s from Mei. She’s going to take her little siblings to the amusement park so she’s asking me if I can go with them.」
「Oniichan, you’re really close to Mei-san’s family. You’re going to be the son in law soon.」
「Why do you think so?」
No, we’re definitely close. Somehow, I feel like her mother and all of her siblings that I’ve met like me.
「I’ve heard that it’s hard to get along with your partner’s family and you seem to have no problem with that. Maybe they want you to marry her.」
I can only repeat what I said and say “Why do you think so?” but she did not say anything else. It seems like Yuna deliberately guided the conversation in that direction and did not say anything else.
「Ah, by the way, Yuna is also invited. Do you want to go?」
「I’m an exam student. I will refrain.」
When I said “I’ll tell her”, Yuna said “oniichan will be leaving soon”.
I said “What do you mean leaving?”. I don’t think I can leave Yuna so I prefer her not saying something like that.
「Aren’t you going to leave the house after a year and a half, oniichan?」
「No, I’m still unsure. Who knows if it will only be within commuting distance from our house.」
To be honest, even if our family is reasonably well off, I don’t think it’s possible for us to maintain three houses: this one, the one our parents are living in, and the one I’ll use once I’ll live on my own. Fortunately, all the universities I’m aiming for are within easy commuting distance from here.
「But still, you know. We can’t stay like this forever, right?」
「Well, I guess so. You're right but we will always be brother and sister. I’ll always will your oniichan.」
「That should have been a cool line if you’re not like that.」
「It can’t be helped. It hurts.」
Maa, it’s true that she won’t feel the weight of my words while I’m lying down on the floor half naked with a wet towel on my back.
「But you’re right. Oniichan is oniichan. You’ve changed so much lately that I had a feeling that you’re going to disappear. At the very least, oniichan would never play until you’re like this.」
「What’s the matter? You usually tell me to be more of a high school student.」
Those words came out unexpectedly. I instinctively replied to her.
「That’s right but you know what? How do you think a parent would feel when her problem child grows up without her knowledge?」
「I don’t remember being raised by you.」
Rather than her, it is I, who is raising Yuna. But anyway, I understand what she’s trying to say. However, stop treating me like a problem child.
「You’re so twisted that I think you’ll be a bad influence on Mei-san’s younger siblings. That alone worries me a lot.」
「If being with me will negatively impact someone, Yuna should already be crazy.」
「Ah, yeah, that’s right. I’m already crazy so I guess it’s time for me to leave.」
「I’m sorry.」
I immediately apologized when Yuna tried to leave the room. I’m not sure if it’s my own fault but I feel like I’m being pushed around.
「I’m fine but reduce your twisted reasonings with me.」
「I’ll do my best.」
A half naked older brother being stepped on by his angry little sister while lying down on the floor of the living room. I literally have zero dignity as an older brother. If possible, I don’t want anyone to see us like this.
「I’m home!」
For some reason, mom came into the living room. She was dumbfounded seeing us like this. I couldn’t find the word to describe the awkward atmosphere in the living room. It’s one of the most awkward silences in the history of my life.
She said something about not being able to come over but, why is she here?