CH 19

The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (2)

Onii-chan, for Mitsuki’s sake, will stick it out at work today too.

Finally off from work at 20:00, I exited from the florist Flower Orb’s backdoor and headed home.Theride home should take about 15 minutes on bicycle. Mitsuki should be preparing our meal around now.

Sure enough, Mitsuki joined the Swimming Club before Golden Week begun. I tried to advise her against spontaneously joining the Swimming Club but Mitsuki’s despondent look hurt my heart so much I was unable to do it.

It can’t be helped now that we’ve reached this stage. If she embarks on the Takayanagi route, I’ll protect her from Madoka’s bullying.

Ma, it seems Madoka has a weak constitution and will be in the hospital most of the time. Besides, Subaru also said that Madoka’s a university student, so it’s unlikely for she to come all the way to Izumino Gakuen just to bully Mitsuki.

To be thinking about Mitsuki from the beginning up until now, how much of a sis-con have I become? I could only give myself a wry smile.

Checking my phone, I saw that I received a mail[1] from Mitsuki. The sparkling contents were abundant with emojis, much like what high school girls would type.

Opening and viewing the mail, it says, “Thank you for your efforts at work, I’ve prepared your meal.” With my advice, Mitsuki’s skill in cooking rose noticeably. Currently, she’s a much better cook than me.

Next, I intend to help her better her studies. To that effect, I also have to do my best and study so that I can teach her.

It seems like at my own discretion, Mitsuki can be transformed into a sexy Mitsuki, an onee-san type Mitsuki, a spoiled Mitsuki, such varied forms. But I absolutely prefer the current kawaii, spoiled and slightly airheaded Mitsuki. Because the Mitsuki who follows behind Mako-chan is so cute that I’m at a loss.

Thinking of Mitsuki who smiled so carefreely while going, “I like Mako-chan very much!”, I grinned broadly and walked to the parking area for bicycles. As I retrieved the bicycle’s key from my pocket, I sensed someone’s presence.

“Excuse me, may I know how to get to Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital?”

The person who called out to me as I reached the bicycle area was a quiet and serious-looking young man.

Having gotten used to the glittering looks of otome game capturable characters, the young man’s face appeared plain to me.

But of course, even his picturesque mediocrity was definitely more ikemen compared to me.

His neatly-arranged black hair in a honor student-like haircut appeared dark purple when shone upon by the lamplight. As his eyes of the same colour was lowered, his long eyelashes casted shadows onto his white skin. His gaze was somehow unpleasant. It can be seen that those eyes contained some deep darkness.

I felt unsettled when his dark dead fish-like eyes were directed at me.

“Excuse me……?”

With an uneasy face, the youth inquired as I had been staring at him without speaking.

While it’s bad to doubt others too much, as the people I met up until now were all capturable characters, I’ve come to think of everyone who possess some special trait as capturable characters.

What about him? I don’t really see any special traits. He feels like the slightly cool guy who’s okay with being alone in class.

He’s wearing a black school uniform with a stand-up collar and there were two white lines on the cuffs. At the left side of the collar was a silver cross that flashed when it caught the light. This was the school uniform that students of the Private Atlas Academy wear.

Which means, this high school boy is a student of Private Atlas Academy like Subaru.

“Ah, sorry for that. The Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital……”

But his facial features look familiar somehow.

I thought that I’ve felt this prideful atmosphere somewhere, but perhaps it was my imagination. I was probably misled to feel this way because the current timing and situation made me uncomfortable.

Suppressing my uneasiness, I gestured while explaining the route to the hospital.

“Then, make a right turn at the convenience store in front of that, walk straight from there and you’ll reach the hospital. I’m sorry for my poor explanation. Do you understand?”

“Walk straight from there……”

With a stumped face, the youth repeated my instructions.

On top of being poor at directions, I’m also poor at explanations so perhaps it was difficult for him to understand.

“If you’re fine with it, I can guide you there.”

“Eh, that. It’s already late at night, I feel bad to trouble you.”

“It’s okay. Something must have happened for you to go all the way to the Hospital, right? If you’re fine with me, I can guide you there. I’m Sakurai Makoto. A 2nd year from Izumino Gakuen.”

From here, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital on foot. Even though it’s a large detour for me, I couldn’t possibly ignore someone who’s trying to go to the hospital.

Let’s message Mitsuki that I’ll be late. Even though I’m truly sorry to keep her waiting when she’d already prepared the food, she probably understands that there were unavoidable circumstances.

“Thank you very much. I’m Yukinoshita Ikuto. I’m a first year from the high school division of Private Atlas Academy.”

“Yukinoshita……?!”

Yukinoshita, he couldn’t possibly be Madoka’s younger brother? My eyes widened with shock.

At the same time, even as I was shocked, I was also convinced. Encountering him at such a timing did have that kind of feeling.

Now that I’m used to characters appearing all of a sudden, I can sense that something different is in the air.

To have been called out by Madoka’s younger brother earlier, no matter how established it’s been that I attract important characters, my luck was really too bad. Even though as much as possible I didn’t want to get involved with Madoka, if it’s already like this at the beginning then I’m starting to worry about the future.

This is the flag where I’ll end up getting involved, huh.

But, this Ikuto, he gives off the same unpleasant feeling as Madoka. Though from his facial features he appears like a serious and good child, I’m concerned about those dead fish eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

“Eh?! Iya, …… not really. Ah, etto, are you visiting someone in the hospital?”

He was probably suspicious about the me who was in such turmoil that I stiffened.

When Ikuto spoke to me with a perplexed look, my shoulder shook in surprise. I’ll be troubled if he distrusts me and tells Madoka about it.

“Yes, my nee-san was hospitalised. She’s already been in the hospital for about a month.”

By “nee-san”, he was referring to Madoka, right.

I just couldn’t think of Ikuto as an unpleasant child when he had on a face that seemed very concerned about Madoka. He gave the impression of a serious youth who cares for his elder sister.

”That’s worrying. I hope she gets better soon.”

To prevent him from noticing my uneasiness, I spoke cliche words which were at the tip of my tongue.

“That’s true. But even if I go and visit her, nee-san probably won’t be pleased and might feel that I’m in the way. But as expected, I still feel worried.”

“That’s not true. There’s no way she’ll be unhappy when her little brother visits her.”

“I wonder.”

With the ends of his eyebrows lowered, Ikuto gave a bitter smile.

“I’m sorry. I’ve let you hear a boring story. Sending me till here is enough.”

“Will you really be okay here? I can guide you till the hospital, you know.”

“Ie, till here is fine.”

Even though Ikuto said it’s fine here, by any standard it isn’t easy to find one’s way from here.

Half of the journey still remains before we can reach the hospital. From this half-baked place, one would definitely get lost if it’s one’s first time going to the hospital.

Since I’ve already brought him here, I might as well finish this. Even though I wanted to help him till the end, Ikuto just continued to repeat that it’s really fine. He’s already saying so to such degree, there’s no need for me to forcibly accompany him. I’ll obediently retreat.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, thank you very much. …… Makoto-san.”

The moment he called my name, the hair on my whole body felt like they were standing on their ends.

Startled, I lifted my head and looked at Ikuto intently. It’s that smile. It was a completely unclouded smile. But that smile left a strange feeling in my heart for some reason.

Was it my imagination?

Ah, come to think of it, why didn’t Ikuto know the way to the hospital?

Even if just temporary, it’s the hospital where his family member is staying at so he should at least know the way.

＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital, Building A 8th floor of the East ward, Room 801.

Yukinoshita Ikuto opened the door after knocking. There, his older sister Madoka, was gazing out the window as usual.

Compared to the serious-looking honor student-like Ikuto without any discerning trait, Madoka appeared like a prideful bisque doll with facial features arranged like that of an Ice Queen’s. If Ikuto’s features were also arranged, he would definitely have a cold and beautiful face like Madoka’s. After all, he also had more than enough of a queen’s temperament.

“Nee-san, how’s your condition?”

“It’s the worst. I feel terrible. It seems like two strange bugs are swarming around Yasuchika.”

“Are you talking about the Sakurai siblings? Nee-san, your tongue’s too sharp. Makoto-san felt like a good person. Without noticing my unnatural behaviour, he tried his hardest to show me the way.”

Madoka finally turned her gaze towards Ikuto.

Ikuto approached Madoka and sat on a chair. The honor student-like look Ikuto had on his face previously changed and he had a contemptuous expression. Suddenly snorting, he rested his chin on his hands.

“He felt like a typical softhearted person. Like a peaceful idiot who never did anything bad to anyone or betrayed anyone. Certainly, he’s the type nee-san hates.”

“It seems his imouto is like that too. The type of kawaii girl who makes one feels like protecting her.”

There was a deep hatred in the words Madoka spitted out.

“Don’t do something too bad, nee-san.”

“Sa, I can’t promise you that.”

Madoka who smiled while illuminated by the moonlight, truly appeared to be a queen of polished ice.