Episode 10: “So, my stepsister’s been acting really strange lately…”

The air carried a crisp edge as we walked toward the academy, the kind of mid-September chill that made you second-guess your wardrobe choices. The seasonal shift hadn’t fully settled in, but at our school, uniform rules were lax. If it was cold, you’d toss on a blazer; if it was hot, you’d shed it.

Akira and I had been sporting our blazers since the second term kicked off, and as we joined the stream of students trudging from the station to the academy, I noticed the summer uniforms had vanished entirely.

“Feels like fall’s really settled in, huh?”

“Y-Yeah, I guess so…”

“Everyone’s rocking blazers like us now.”

“Maybe because it’s chilly?”

“Hey, Akira…”

“Aniki… I-I mean, Onii-chan… I, um, I really like this blazer. It’s super cute… right?”

“Uh, Akira, can we talk for a sec?”

“What’s up…?”

“…Why’ve you been acting so weird since this morning?”

“Huh!? What’re you talking about?”

“I mean, the way you’re talking…”

“Um, so, like, what do you mean…?”

Akira had been off lately—not just today, but for a while. And not in some quirky, endearing way either. Her speech was downright strange, like she was forcing herself into a role that didn’t fit.

“What’s with the ‘Ani… Onii-chan’ stuff? You were acting totally normal before, right?”

“…Don’t lie. Why’re you forcing this weird way of talking? And why’s your voice, like, a whole pitch higher?”

Akira let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping as the act crumbled. “You’ve been getting pretty chummy with Hinata-chan lately, huh, Aniki? Talking to her way more than when you’re with me, right?” Her tone was sharp now, the pretense gone.

“…Alright, let’s hear it.”

“Aniki, don’t you secretly wish you could date a girl like Hinata-chan?”

“Oh? And why do you think that?”

“Well… she’s all girly, and her mannerisms are cute, right?”

“What’s that got to do with your weird way of talking?”

“I just feel like one day you’re gonna stop paying attention to me altogether, and as your little sister, that makes me kinda lonely…”

“I see…” Relief washed over me. I’d been worried she was cracking under some kind of stress, but this? This was just Akira overthinking things. Still, she was way off the mark.

“Look, Akira, you’re completely misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding what?”

“Hinata-chan and I have always talked a lot. She’s Kousei’s little sister, and we’ve known each other for four years already.”

“So you’re saying you don’t, like, have a thing for her?”

“…Pretty much.” I hesitated for a split second, and she pounced.

“What’s with that pause!?”

“No, I mean, sure, I think she’s cute, but lately, things have been a bit…” I trailed off, unsure how to put it into words.

“Lately what?”

“Well… it’s like—”

The week started with a brisk Monday morning, the air still carrying that faint September chill as I made my way to the second-year classroom.

“Morning, Ryouta-senpai!”

“Oh, morning, Hinata-chan,”

It had been a while since we’d crossed paths like this. Lately, she’d been leaving early to meet up with Kousei partway to school, so our morning encounters had grown rare.

“I tried out a new scrunchie. What do you think?” She tilted her head slightly, showing off the scrunchie that neatly tied back her hair, a soft pop of color against her uniform.

“Oh, it looks really good on you.”

“Really? Thanks!”

“Uh, h-hey—” I started, but she was already bounding up the stairs, her energy leaving a faint echo in her wake. What was she even trying to do…?

“What’s up with Hinata-chan?” I muttered, half to myself, as I watched her disappear.

“Who knows? She’s an idiot,” Kousei said with a shrug, his tone as dismissive as ever.

But despite his nonchalance, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hinata’s actions carried some meaning I wasn’t quite grasping.

Tuesday’s lunch break brought another unexpected visit.

“Ryouta-senpai!” Hinata’s voice rang out, bright and unmistakable, as she appeared at the door of the second-year classroom.

“Yo, Hinata-chan. What’re you doing in the second-year room?”

“I wanted to give this to Onii-chan.”

“Hm? Thes are Kousei’s gym clothes?”

“I accidentally brought them. I was gonna change for PE, but the size was all wrong.”

“Got it. Here, Kousei.”

“Oh… whatever.”

Hinata gave me a quick wave, her smile as bright as ever. “See ya, Ryouta-senpai!”

“Y-Yeah, see ya…”

She’d come all the way here just to drop off Kousei’s gym clothes, apparently. But something about it felt… off.

“Hinata-chan barely even acknowledged you were there, huh?”

“That’s just how it always is.”

“But, like, we don’t have PE today, right? Did she really need to bring it back now…?”

“Like I said, she’s an idiot,” Kousei said, his tone flat, as if that single word explained everything.

His quick dismissal was questionable in itself, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was up. Maybe it was just my imagination, but…

Hinata’s odd behavior had been lingering in my mind, and when I brought it up to Akira, her expression darkened slightly.

“So… Aniki, you really haven’t noticed anything?”

“Noticed what?”

“I mean, Hinata-chan, she’s got a thing for you, like…”

“Like what?”

“Ugh… I mean, she…” She squirmed, clearly struggling to spit it out.

“What?”

“I’m saying Hinata-chan likes you!”

“Huh? How’d you jump to that from her actions?”

“Well, when you like someone, you wanna be around them as much as possible, right…?” Akira mumbled, her cheeks still burning as she avoided my gaze.

I understood what she was getting at, but I couldn’t let that slide. “There’s no way Hinata-chan would like me!” My voice came out sharper than I intended, and a faint pang of sadness hit me afterward.

“W-What’s with the sudden self-deprecation…? Why’re you so sure no one would like you?”

“I mean, come on, I don’t have a single quality that’d make someone fall for me.”

“Aniki, you’ve gotta love yourself a bit more…” Her disappointment was palpable now, her brows knitting together.

“Whether someone falls for you or not, you’ve got tons of good qualities,” she added, her tone softer.

“Like what?”

“Like… how kind you are?”

“Oh, here we go—the number-one most meaningless ‘thing you like about someone’!” I laughed, shaking my head.

“Huh?”

“Look, Akira, most guys are nice to girls in general.”

“What about Kousei-senpai?”

“That guy’s trash, so he doesn’t count. I’m talking about normal guys,” I said, waving off the mention of Kousei. No sympathy for someone who’d call a girl who likes him “annoying” without a second thought.

“Of all the guys who’ve approached you, Akira, has there ever been one who wasn’t nice?”

“Hmm… probably not?”

“Exactly. People are naturally nice to someone they like. So, inversely, you might think you could like someone who’s only nice to you—‘it’s a possibility,’ is what I’m saying.”

“Huh…?”

“But I know the truth. In the end, you only think someone’s kindness is great because you already like them,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “You don’t like someone because they’re kind, but because you already like them, their kindness feels special.”

Akira stared at me, her expression somewhere between impressed and unnerved. “…Got it. You’ve been Googling a lot about love, huh, Aniki?”

“Heh, caught me.”

“Also, you getting all passionate about love stuff is kinda cringe…”

“Oh, really? Well, it might be borrowed wisdom, but I believe it. I’m kinda interested in love, you know.”

“What? You’re interested!?” Her eyes widened, almost comically.

“Why’s that so shocking? I bet everyone’s Googled something about love at least once.”

“Have they…?”

“That’s just how it is. Anyway, back to the point, there’s no way Hinata-chan would fall for me.”

“You’re really sticking to that, huh?”

“So I’ve been thinking about Hinata-chan’s recent behavior, and my conclusion is—”

“…Conclusion?”

“—I’ve got no clue.”

“Ugh, hopeless…” Akira slumped dramatically, her shoulders sagging.

“I get what you’re saying, Aniki, but I think I’d like someone who’s kind.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I mean, not just anyone, but sometimes someone you thought was a total ‘no way’ suddenly seems kinda cool…”

“Oh? Like who?”

“Like… you, maybe?”

“Me!?”

“I-I mean, just as an example! You’re, like, super nice to me, right?”

“Am I? Nice, I mean?”

“Yeah, really… If you were as nice to Hinata-chan as you are to me, even if she doesn’t like you now, maybe she’d start to?”

“Nah, no way.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m only nice to you because it’s you.”

“—!?”

That was just how it was. She’s family, the only one I could be this at ease with. Being that way with Hinata—or anyone else—was unimaginable.

“So, Akira, I think Hinata-chan’s the ideal little sister, but you’re you. You don’t need to change how you talk or anything. You’re fine as you are. Perfect as you are.”

“O-Okay…”

“By the way, why’s your face all red?”

“It’s your fault, Aniki!”

With that, we headed to school together as usual, bickering and laughing, perfectly in sync.

＊　＊　＊

Lunch break was in full swing when Hinata appeared at the second-year classroom again, her presence catching me off guard.

“Ryouta-senpai, I kinda need to talk to you about something…”

“Talk? With me?”

“Y-Yes…”

“What’s up?”

“Um, it’s a bit hard to say here…” Her face flushed a faint red as she fidgeted with her hands near her stomach.

“Finally confessing, huh?” Kousei chimed in from the side.

“It’s not that! What do you mean ‘finally’!? Just shut up, Onii-chan!” Hinata snapped, her cheeks burning brighter as she glared at her brother.

After this morning’s conversation with Akira, my mind jumped to the possibility of a confession, and I braced myself for a moment. But Hinata’s quick denial eased that tension, though a strange twinge of disappointment flickered through me.

“Wanna move somewhere else to talk?”

“Y-Yes…”

We slipped into the quiet corner by the first-floor staircase, where unused desks and chairs were piled in a haphazard jumble. It was the sort of place students breezed through during lunch, but rarely lingered, leaving us free from prying ears.

“So, what’s this about?”

“It’s… about Akira-chan.”

“Akira? What about her?”

“She’s been acting… kind of strange lately.”

“Huh?” I blinked, the irony hitting me like a stray gust. I’d been thinking Hinata was the one acting off, and now here she was, confiding in me about Akira’s odd behavior.

Lately, it seemed like everyone around me was out of sorts—everyone except Kousei, probably, who was no doubt just being his usual, infuriating self today.

“What’s so strange about her?”

“She’s been spacing out in class a lot.”

“Hmm.” I tilted my head, unconvinced. At home, Akira was always sprawled out, lounging without a care in the world, so this didn’t strike me as particularly alarming.

“Uh, Ryouta-senpai, are you even taking this seriously?”

“Oh, I’m dead serious.”

“Okay, good…” Her voice softened, though the worry etched into her expression didn’t fade. “Anyway, she doesn’t seem to be focusing on her studies, so I was wondering if you knew anything.”

Her words jogged my memory, pulling me back to this morning’s conversation with Akira.

‘I mean, not just anyone, but sometimes someone you thought was a total “no way” suddenly seems kinda cool…’

—No way…

“Just to check, but…”

“What?”

“When you talk with Akira, does she ever mention any specific guys? You know, like crushes or anything?”

“Um, not really…”

“Come on, think hard.”

“Well… She talks about you a lot, Ryouta-senpai.”

So it’s probably not about a crush making her space out. I nodded to myself, mulling it over.

“Maybe it’s some kind of love trouble?”

“Nah, that’s pretty much impossible.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“The girl spends her weekdays holed up at home—either gaming with me, studying, or reading manga. Weekends? She’s just lazing around the house.” I shrugged. “Her phone’s mostly for gaming. She doesn’t constantly message anyone or grin at her screen—unless she pulls a rare item in a gacha game.”

“No guys in the picture, then?”

“Not just none—zero.” I counted off on my fingers for emphasis. “She occasionally talks to her dad from before, but other than that… nada, no way.”

“Is it really okay to be that sure…?”

“If she’s spacing out, it’s probably just, you know, fall. The sky’s clearer or something, and she’s lost in thought.”

“Huh…?”

“So I don’t think you need to worry too much.”

“I hope that’s the case…”

“If I notice anything weird at home, I’ll let you know. Thanks for always looking out for Akira, Hinata-chan.”

“No, no, that’s all from me then, Senpai—” Hinata returned a light bow and started up the stairs.

Left alone, I stood there, my thoughts drifting to Akira. …Akira, liking someone? The idea almost made me snort, but I couldn’t entirely dismiss it. It wasn’t completely impossible.

If so, who could it be?

Someone connected to Akira. A guy she couldn’t help but find cool… Kousei? Nah, no way. They barely interacted, and it was obvious she was a bit put off by him. Or could that be her feelings in disguise? I shook my head. No, probably not.

At her old school, she didn’t seem to hang out with guys much. Maybe someone she met online? That was a possibility…

Or maybe, unbeknownst to me, Akira had some guy she was close with.

Either way, I couldn’t stop wondering who Akira might have a crush on.

＊ ＊ ＊

That night, I found myself alone in my room, restless and unsettled. The cause? What had happened earlier—Akira might have a crush on someone. I mulled it over, but no answers came to mind. Guess I’d have to ask her subtly.

A knock sounded at the door, and Akira stepped into my room.

“Aniki, I came to return your manga.”

“Akira, wanna talk for a bit?”

“About what?”

“Do you… maybe have a crush on someone?”

“Wha—!? W-what!?”

Okay, that was way too direct—no subtlety whatsoever. But being vague could lead to misunderstandings, so this was probably the best approach with Akira.

“W-why are you asking something like that out of nowhere…?” As expected, her face flushed bright red.

So, Akira’s… no, hold on, it’s too early to jump to conclusions. I needed to fish for more details.

“So, is there someone or not?”

“Ugh…” Her reaction said it all—there was definitely someone.

“What’s he like? His face? Personality? Annual income?”

“Annual income? He doesn’t have one…”

So, a jobless guy, a NEET, or maybe a student who doesn’t work… That didn’t narrow it down at all.

“So, there is someone, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Got it. One more question: is this guy someone I know?”

“That’s… um…” Akira’s eyes darted around, avoiding a clear answer, her face radiating embarrassment. She was too shy to say it outright. It had to be someone close to me.

“Wait, Aniki, why’re you even asking this all of a sudden?”

“’Cause I’m curious.”

“Curious? Asking about something this personal just out of curiosity is kinda…”

“It’s not just curiosity. It’s because it’s about you.”

“Me? W-why…?”

“Why? Well, that’s—”

…Why, exactly?

Why did I care so much about Akira’s love life?

Now that I thought about it, I wasn’t usually this invested in other people’s romantic affairs.

Was it because Akira was family? My little sister? Or just a girl close to me…?

I didn’t know, but in moments like this, only one convenient phrase came to mind.

“—Because I’m your Aniki.”

“That’s not a real reason.” Akira’s exasperated look was entirely justified.

Yeah, fair enough. Poking into my little sister’s love life just because I was her “Aniki” might’ve been a bit much.

“…Alright, forget this whole conversation.”

“What!? You brought it up yourself!”

“Sorry about that. Anyway, I’m heading to bed, so you should get some sleep too, Akira.”

“Um… Aniki, about that…”

“What’s up?”

Akira’s face was already beet red.

She tugged the hem of her T-shirt up to her nose, her pale stomach peeking out above her shorts, flashing briefly before disappearing.

“Do you… really want to know who I like?”

“Y-yeah… You’ll tell me?”

“Yeah. But there’s one condition…”

“A condition?”

“More like… a request from me.”

Akira’s face flushed an even deeper red, and she looked up at me with pleading eyes.

“Aniki, tonight… can you—”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

But I heard it loud and clear.

“—sleep with me…?”

…Sleep with Akira?