Episode 6: “So, it turns out I was completely misunderstanding everything…”

Great misunderstandings sometimes carve their place in history.

Take, for instance, Columbus blazing his way in 1492, setting sail westward, certain he’d reach India.

Instead, he stumbled upon a new continent. Meeting the natives, he was convinced he’d found Asia, a belief he held until his death. Thus, the “West Indies” linger near Florida’s southern tip, far from the Asia he sought.

Or take the fall of the Berlin Wall, which I studied so much at cram school (19) that it made me want to puke (89).

[T/N: The numbers (19) and (89) most likely reference the year 1989, the year Berlin Wall fell. Though I’m still not sure what the author implied here lol]

During a press conference, East Germany’s Schabowski declared, “All East German citizens are permitted to leave the country.”

When reporters pressed, “When does this take effect?” he fumbled, “Right now!” Unbeknownst to him, he’d missed the meeting where the decision was made and blurted out the news a day early, revealing something the government hadn’t intended. The result?

Word spread like wildfire, crowds surged to the checkpoints, and the “Wall of Shame,” erected overnight, crumbled in an instant due to one man’s error.

This moment is often hailed as “the most wonderful misunderstanding in history.”

And speaking of misunderstandings etched into my personal history… there’s the “sibling mix-up” with Akira that came to light yesterday.

From the day I met Akira until yesterday, I genuinely thought my stepsister was my stepbrother.

I don’t even have the face to look at her.

If only I’d known sooner! I would have loved to know the truth

The next morning, just before noon, I slumped in the living room, venting to Dad and Miyuki-san.

“Man, I’m awful at history. I don’t get it at all. I think I scored a 2 in social studies back in middle school…”

Miyuki-san tilted her head, her expression as clueless as ever. “I’m no good at it either. Poor Columbus-san, with ‘bus’ in his name. But is Shabonsky-san into laundry or maybe baths?”

My attempt to tie this mess to history was a mistake from the start. Of course it went over their heads. I sighed, frustration mounting. “That’s not the point! It’s about Akira! Why didn’t you guys tell me clearly she was my sister?! And it’s Schabowski, not Shabonsky!”

I knew I was lashing out, but the anger and regret kept surging, one wave after another. “I’ve been treating Akira like a brother this whole time…”

The realization stung. It was too late for regrets, but treating her like a brother had led me to act in ways I couldn’t take back. My mind churned with guilt, but more than that, I was worried about Akira. How was she handling this?

“—Akira-san, are you… not my little brother, but my little sister…?”

Who in their right mind asks something like that after three whole weeks? Blurting out to a girl that you thought she was a boy—there’s no way that didn’t sting.

Akira said it was fine, but she’s got to be hurting, right? The thought gnawed at me, a mess of guilt and regret.

“Ugh, what a misunderstanding… I’m just worried I hurt her… I actually said, ‘You’re my sister?’”

“Oh my… I thought for sure Taichi-san had told you…”

“Ryouta, you’re kind of a letdown, huh?”

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from! And stop looking at me like I’m pathetic!”

“Na-na-na, clueless son!”

“Grrgh…”

“Now, now, calm down,” Miyuki-san said, her wry smile softening the tension.

“Akira’s still your sibling, right? From watching you two lately, I don’t think you need to stress so much, Ryouta-kun.”

No, I absolutely need to stress. I couldn’t say it out loud, but the weight of my mistake was crushing me.

“By the way, Ryouta-kun. How did you find out Akira was a girl?”

“Guh…!?”

“Yeah, Ryouta, how’d you figure it out?”

“Ugh…”

“Well, Ryouta-kun?”

“What’s the deal, Ryouta?”

Grilled by two smirking adults, my mind spun. I’d already messed up plenty, but could I really spill what happened yesterday? If I admitted, “I found out Akira had boobs when we bathed together,” I’d be kicked out of the house in a heartbeat. No way I was saying that.

As I scrambled for an excuse, a voice cut through the chaos.

“—What are you three talking about?”

Akira poked her head into the living room.

“Akira!?”

“Oh, uh… just getting a history lesson from Ryouta, yeah…” Dad said, his quick save almost convincing.

“Yeah, something about ‘dark history’?”

Miyuki-san!?

“N-no, just talking about Columbus discovering the New World and the Berlin Wall falling!”

“Huh? I don’t really get it, but—Aniki, you free right now?”

She grabbed my arm, and I flinched harder than I meant to. I never used to react like this.

“Huh? Me?”

“I’ve got something to talk about upstairs…”

“Oh, uh, sure…”

Akira tugged me out of the living room. As we left, I caught Miyuki-san’s subtle “Good luck” gesture and Dad’s mocking gaze, practically screaming, “Dumbass, dumbass.” Dad, you’re gonna pay for that later.

Still, Akira calling me up at this timing… it’s gotta be about yesterday, right? My stomach twisted as she led me away, the weight of our unspoken misunderstanding hanging heavy between us.

＊ ＊ ＊

Akira and I climbed the stairs to my room, the air thick with unspoken tension. She plopped onto my bed, casual as ever, while I sank into my desk chair, feeling out of place in my own space. It was our first face-to-face since last night’s bath, and the awkwardness clung to me like damp clothes.

“Akira, what’s this about? Is it—?”

“Did you tell those two about the bath thing?”

“Huh?”

“Did you tell them!?” Her cheeks flushed, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“I didn’t mention the bath… I just said I only found out you’re my sister…”

“…And?”

“I asked them what to do. I’m worried I hurt you.”

A heavy silence settled between us before Akira let out a massive sigh, her shoulders relaxing. “Phew, that’s a relief…”

“Huh?”

“Aniki, like I said yesterday, the bath thing is top secret. Got it?”

“Y-yeah…”

“And about what you’re worried about—I’m not that hung up on it.”

“Huh? But I thought you were my brother this whole time.”

“Eh, I’m fine with it.”

“You’re… fine?”

“I mean, I saw you naked before, so… we’re even, right?”

“Guh…!?” My face burned. That didn’t make us even at all…

“Plus, the way I say ‘boku’ and dress isn’t exactly girly, so it’s no wonder you got confused. And the bath thing—I agreed to it, so…”

“No, Akira, you didn’t do anything wrong! It’s weird that I didn’t notice after three weeks…”

“Well, true. You’re a bit weird, Aniki.” Her laugh was a mix of exasperation and amusement, no trace of malice in it.

That sound alone lifted a weight from my chest, like a fog clearing from my heart. I let out a quiet sigh, relief washing over me.

“Still, I’m sorry, Akira… I know it doesn’t erase everything, but if there’s anything I can do, just tell me.”

“…Then, can we just keep things like they were?”

“Like they were?”

“Y’know, playing games together, swapping manga, going shopping… like I’m your little brother.”

“That’s… yeah, if that’s all it takes…”

“And don’t start acting all distant just ’cause I’m a girl. I want things to stay the same.”

“The same?”

“You’re keeping your distance right now, aren’t you? Normally, you’d sit way closer to me.”

“That’s… uh…” I was at a loss for words.

Even in an era of gender neutrality, knowing someone’s gender shifts how you act. Some say assumptions breed bias, but I knew I’d end up treating Akira differently without meaning to. I’d be more careful—had to be. Keeping a certain distance, avoiding roughhousing on impulse… that sort of thing.

“—Keeping things the same might be tough. You’re my sister, and, well, a girl, so I’ll probably be more conscious of it…”

“Then—” Akira’s cheeks tinted slightly, and a small, determined smile curved her lips.

“—If we get even closer than before, maybe you’ll stop overthinking it?”

“Closer than before…? What do you mean?”

“Maybe you’re keeping your distance because you’re only half-sure I’m a girl?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…”

“Aniki, you said it yourself yesterday—”

(—I want to get even closer to you, Akira…)

“—Was that not how you really felt?”

“Ugh…” I could only groan, the words hitting like a boomerang I’d thrown myself.

“…No, I meant it.”

“You said it was okay to let my guard down, but was that only if I was your brother?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then it’s fine if I let my guard down with you as your sister, right?”

“W-well, yeah…” I stammered, feeling every word turn against me. Just how many traps had I set for myself?

“So, look at me properly as your sister, okay? Even if I seem like a brother sometimes.” Akira’s mischievous grin caught me off guard, and my face burned as my heart thumped loudly.

This was starting to feel dangerous. The more I saw her as my sister—as a girl—the cuter she seemed. If we kept getting closer like this, I couldn’t shake the fear our relationship might veer somewhere entirely different. I’m just overthinking this… right?

“Aniki, why’s your face so red?”

“N-no reason…”

“Are you embarrassed ’cause you realized I’m a girl?”

“I’m not embarrassed…”

“Be honest.”

“Just… go easy on me, please…” I pleaded, my face twisting awkwardly.

Akira burst out laughing, her voice bright and unrestrained. “So, Aniki, you’re gonna have to get used to having a sister!”

“Used to?”

“Aniki, come here.” She patted the bed beside her, beckoning me over.

I hesitated but rose from the chair, following her lead. Sitting to her left, the bed creaked under our weight. The awkwardness was suffocating. What’s she planning?

“Akira—”

“Hup!”

“Whoa! H-hey—!”

Before I could react, she pushed me down. Akira climbed on top, straddling my stomach, the bed groaning loudly under the shift.

“Ehehehe!”

“W-what are you doing, Akira?”

“So, Aniki, you embarrassed yet?”

“S-stop teasing me…”

“I’m not teasing! This is training.”

I glanced nervously toward the door, worried the creaking bed might carry downstairs to Dad and Miyuki-san. This position would be impossible to explain if they walked in. Thankfully, no footsteps echoed up the stairs.

Embarrassed, I turned my face toward the wall, but Akira’s weight on my stomach was undeniable, her warmth seeping faintly through my shirt. Shame hit me like a tidal wave.

“…Akira, what are you up to?”

“I told you, it’s training. To get you used to this so you don’t get embarrassed.”

“Training, huh…”

“Here we go—!”

To my horror, Akira started peeling off her baggy hoodie.

“Why are you stripping!?”

“Shhh! If you yell like that, Mom and the others will hear!”

Her stomach came into view—not the flabby gut I’d imagined, but a smooth, slender waist. She tossed the hoodie to the floor and looked down at me in just a tank top. From this angle, her narrow shoulders and distinctly feminine figure were undeniable proof of her gender. The sight of her modest chest stirred vivid memories of last night’s bath, the sensation against my back flashing through my mind.

This was bad. Really bad.

“…W-why’d you take it off…?”

“’Why? ’Cause I got hot.”

“Got hot, you say…”

“Yesterday, I was down to just a towel, so compared to that, this is still better, right?”

“No, that’s not the issue here!”

“Didn’t Aniki do something like this to me before?”

“Wait, are you talking about the first time we played Ensam 2?”

No way, I didn’t forcefully pin her down like this or anything. I didn’t even take my clothes off, for crying out loud.

“That was totally an accident…”

“But afterward, you teased me, didn’t you? You said—”

*(—You’ve got a pretty face, don’t you?)

“—Right?”

“Gah—!?”

The memory hit me so hard I nearly died of embarrassment.

“Remember now? And you acted all cool about it, didn’t you?”

“Huh…?”

“Aniki, close your eyes.”

“Akira, don’t tell me you’re…”

“Just shut up and do it… quick—!”

She reached out with both hands toward my cheeks. Resigned, I closed my eyes. And then—

“—Mmph!?”

Akira’s hands clamped onto my cheeks, squeezing them into a ridiculous, squished mess. It was exactly the payback I’d braced for—just like I’d done to her back then. Her eyes studied my distorted face, glinting with amusement.

“Ugh… It’s not quite what I was expecting…” she said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

I felt a pang of letdown too. A weird face getting weirder didn’t exactly double the effect. But beneath that, relief flooded through me. Halfway through, my mind had spiraled to something entirely different.

“…Akira, let go of my face already.”

She released me and slid off, sitting cross-legged on the bed. “So, how was it?”

“How was it, you ask? I’m feeling… kinda complicated about it…” I sat up, rubbing my cheeks, still warm from her grip. It was like being bewitched by a fox spirit—not earth-shattering, but disorienting.

Akira tilted her head, peering up at me through her lashes. “…Back then, I thought Aniki was gonna kiss me.”

“Guh—?!” My heart, just starting to calm, lurched into overdrive. “Why bring that up now?!”

“I mean, come on, the situation totally screamed that, right? ‘You’ve got a pretty face, now close your eyes.’ Aniki, are you secretly the domineering type or what?”

“—?! O-Okay, sure, I said that, but I didn’t mean it like that from the start!” I protested, my voice cracking. I’d only been messing with her because I thought she was my little brother. But then it hit me.

Hold on.

Back then, Akira couldn’t have known what I was planning. So why did she close her eyes? Why didn’t she push back harder? Why did her lips tilt… upward like that?

No way. That’s got to be my imagination running wild…

“Aniki, do you think I look pretty?”

“Uh… Well, I think anyone would say you do…”

“But what about you, Aniki?”

“I mean, like—” Our eyes locked. I braced for her usual mischievous grin, but instead, her gaze was soft, glistening, her cheeks faintly flushed. That expression—wistful, undeniably girlish—reminded me she was a girl.

It was like an optical illusion snapping into focus. Ever since I’d started seeing Akira as my sister, I couldn’t unsee it. Her earnest eyes pinned me, demanding honesty.

“…You’re…”

“Huh? What’d you say?”

“I said you’re pretty, okay…” I muttered, turning away, my face burning.

Akira’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. “I see,” she whispered softly.

“Wait, didn’t you say before that you wouldn’t care if I said it?” I shot back, grasping for some footing.

“No, I’m happy. Honestly, I was happy back then too…”

This was bad. Really bad. The air between us was shifting, charged with something that felt far from sibling-like.

“—And with that, here I go!”

Suddenly, Akira lunged, wrapping her arms around me from behind.

“Whoa!? What’re you doing, Akira!?”

“Aniki, give me a piggyback!”

“Why?!”

“It’s training, duh. If we stick close like this, you’ll get used to it in no time, right?”

“No, this is something you build up to step by step—!”

“Says the guy who skipped all the steps! What’s that about, huh?”

Things spiraled into chaos from there, but Miyuki-san’s voice cut through, calling, “Lunch is ready!” It was a lifeline, pulling me from the tense, tangled moment. Sure, it was better than an awkward standoff, but this situation was still a mess.

A new problem was definitely looming. I’d treat Akira like my little sister from now on, but her so-called “training”… could I handle it? I’d been tossing out giant boomerangs left and right, and now they were hurtling back. If they hit all at once, my sanity might crumble before I could build any defenses.

“Aaaagh…”

That night, I buried myself under the covers, writhing in embarrassment. Knowing Akira was sleeping in the next room, I had a sinking feeling I wouldn’t get much sleep tonight either…