Episode 9: “So, I ended up having to protect my stepsister…”

A week had passed since the second semester began, and September brought a slight chill to the air. I’d expected to just laze around at home with Akira as usual, but somehow, we’d fallen into a surprisingly balanced routine. Gaming and manga were kept in moderation, and we even studied together.

It felt like quite a shift, honestly.

Part of it was probably the start of school, but spending time with Akira seemed to draw out a more responsible side in both of us. That said, when Akira slipped into her relaxed mode, she was as clingy as ever.

“Aniki, carry me on your back~”

“Sure thing. Where to, passenger?” I replied, humoring her as always.

“To the bath, pronto!”

“Got it!”

This kind of thing is still fine. I’ve gotten pretty used to her antics by now, and lately, I don’t even mind when she clings to me.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Thanks! Now wash my back!”

“…Please don’t say that. I’m begging you.”

“Hahaha, okay, I’ll call you when I’m done with my bath~”

At first, I’d wanted Akira to feel comfortable enough to let her guard down around me, but lately, I was the one who couldn’t afford to relax. She’d gotten bolder, exploiting every opening with the precision of a hit-and-run tactic in one of her games. She’d get close—too close sometimes—but always stopped short of crossing any line I’d truly resent.

It was hard to call it consideration, exactly, but she maintained a delicate balance, tiptoeing along the edge without overstepping. Still, familiarity was a dangerous thing. Before I knew it, Akira was practically glued to me, less like a little sister and more like an overly affectionate pet dog. Not that I had any strange hobbies like “keeping” my sister, of course.

For now, I couldn’t afford to show any weakness or let my guard down. Her surprise attacks could come at any moment, and as her big brother, I swore to myself I’d step up and stay ready.

＊　＊　＊

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and I was sprawled out in my room, engrossed in a light novel, when Miyuki-san’s voice broke through.

“Ryouta-kun, can you come downstairs for a sec~?”

Sighing, I marked my page and headed to the first floor. Sure enough, there was Miyuki-san—and beside her, a girl so stunning she could’ve passed for an idol straight out of a magazine.

“So? I got this from a friend who does costumes yesterday, but…”

“Huh? Wait, Akira…?”

The idol’s true identity was, of course, Akira.

She stood there in a white blouse with a wide neckline that bared her delicate collarbone, paired with a black skirt held up by suspenders, its hem teasingly above her knees. A touch of light makeup accentuated her features, giving her an almost ethereal glow.

What in the world…

“Hehe, what do you think? Cute, right? I tried a bit of makeup too.”

“Uh, yeah…” I managed, my gaze locked on her, words failing me. She looked so different, yet unmistakably Akira, and the sight had me completely off balance.

It was clearly her first time dressing up like this, and her usual confidence seemed to waver, her eyes searching mine for approval.

“Um, it’s really, uh…”

“…It doesn’t suit me, does it…?”

“No, it looks really good…” That was the best I could manage to squeeze out.

Cute, beautiful, lovely, elegant—none of them captured the way she looked. It was like an arrow had pierced straight through my chest, leaving my heart racing. My ears were probably burning bright red by now.

“R-Really…?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Oh my, you two are acting like a couple on their first date,” Miyuki-san teased, her grin wide and merciless.

“!?!”

Akira and I froze, our faces flaming with embarrassment as her words hung in the air, leaving us both utterly mortified.

＊　＊　＊

“…”

“…”

We were out for a walk. Akira and I strolled down the street, enveloped in silence.

Miyuki-san had urged us to go out since it was a special occasion, but my nerves left me clueless about our destination.

Akira’s face burned bright red, her gaze fixed downward as she walked beside me. The space between us felt wider than usual—close to her “borrowed cat mode,” yet subtly different.

As her big brother, I knew I should say something, but words eluded me. Then, Akira’s fingers suddenly clutched the hem of my shirt.

“Where are we going…?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“Then, I wanna go there…” She pointed toward a stylish café, its open terrace already occupied by a few young couples.

“S-Sure, I guess…” I stammered, glancing down at my casual clothes. I’d brought my wallet just in case, but stopping at a café hadn’t crossed my mind. A twinge of regret hit me for not dressing a bit nicer.

“I’ve wanted to check that place out for a while.”

“Got it. Let’s go in.”

We stepped inside and approached the counter, scanning the menu. I fumbled more than I’d like to admit, my hands clumsy with nerves. All around, I could feel eyes on Akira. Maybe I was just hyper-aware, but whispers like “That girl’s cute” or “She’s so pretty” seemed to echo too loudly in my ears, stirring a quiet unease in my chest.

I ordered an iced coffee, while Akira chose a café au lait. To escape the stares, we settled at a corner table with a sofa in the back and a wooden chair in front. Naturally, I moved toward the chair.

But as I was about to sit across from her, Akira patted the sofa beside her. “Aniki, over here. Come here…”

Her gesture beckoned me to sit next to her, and for reasons I couldn’t quite pin down, I hesitated. Still, I followed her lead and slid onto the sofa beside her. Together, we took in the café’s ambiance, our shoulders nearly brushing.

I sipped my iced coffee, the chill soothing my throat as I tried to steady my nerves. Then Akira’s soft voice broke the quiet.

“This kinda feels like I’m on a date with Aniki…”

The word “date” hit me like a jolt, unraveling my composure. “W-Wait, we’re siblings, so it’s not a date, right?” I blurted out, my voice betraying my panic.

“Yeah, but it kinda feels like it’s not just that…” she murmured, her words trailing off.

…This is really bad.

Every time I resolve to be a proper big brother, Akira nudges at the boundaries between us. The Akira sitting beside me now, so different from the one who lounges at home—knowing both sides of her leaves me at a loss for how to respond.

What I’ve learned since meeting Akira, from that first moment until today: I’m just a dense, indecisive, unreliable guy. That realization weighed on me, a vague anxiety pressing against my chest.

“Haah…”

“Aniki, something bothering you?”

“I was just thinking I need to get my act together…”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to become a big brother who can properly protect you, Akira.”

Even now, my heart wavers. Just seeing her like this, hearing her words, I’m shaken to my core. It’s proof I still lack the self-awareness to be the brother she deserves.

Wanting to cherish and protect Akira—is it because she’s my little sister, or because she’s a girl…? Even when I search my heart, no clear answer comes.

“Y-You don’t have to worry that much about protecting me, you know?” Akira says, her tone flustered. “I might lean on you sometimes, but I can’t keep relying on you forever…”

I’ve made her worry for no reason. She’s the one I’m supposed to shield, yet here I am, causing her unease.

I can’t keep being this dense, indecisive, unreliable big brother. But how do I change? I need something—anything—to spark that shift.

A trigger to finally set me on the right path.

＊　＊　＊

That realization hit me sooner than I’d anticipated.

A few days after hanging out with Akira, Kousei got summoned to the staff room for some reason, leaving me to walk home alone. Recently, Akira had been heading home with Hinata quite often.

I’d been keeping my distance from their growing friendship, choosing instead to walk with Kousei. But with him absent, I had no choice but to make the trek solo.

Beneath a sky heavy with clouds, I started my walk home, my thoughts inevitably drifting to Akira. She seemed to have settled into school life lately, no longer wearing that nervous expression she used to have.

She’d mentioned that Hinata’s support had helped her blend into the class more comfortably than before.

The buzz among the second-years about “the beautiful transfer student in first year” had finally quieted down. And after Kousei shot a glare at some third-years the other day, it seemed no one dared approach her anymore.

At this rate, Akira would probably be just fine on her own.

That’s what I told myself, letting my guard slip completely.

By the time I passed through the ticket gate at Arisu South Station, the air carried the heavy scent of impending rain.

Glancing up at the sky near the rotary, I saw ominous clouds gathering, their dark edges promising a downpour. The forecast had warned of rain from tonight into tomorrow, and though I’d assumed the evening would stay clear, I hadn’t brought an umbrella.

The sky looked ready to weep, urging me to quicken my pace homeward.

“No! Let go!”

“Just come on!”

Sudden, sharp voices cut through the air ahead—a familiar girl’s cry clashing with a low, gruff man’s demand.

“No! That hurts! Let go!”

“Shut up! Get in the car!”

My body surged forward before my mind could catch up. I rounded the corner in a rush, and there she was—Akira, struggling against a rough-looking middle-aged man. He gripped her arm tightly, trying to force her into a car parked along the road. The word “creep” flashed through my mind, igniting a fire in my veins.

“Akira!” I shouted, my voice tearing through the tension. My feet moved before I could even think about what I needed to do.

“Huh!? Aniki!?”

“Who’s this ‘Aniki’—”

My body burned with instinct, the world around me fading into a dull roar. “Let go of Akira!” I roared, seizing the man’s collar with all my strength.

“Who the hell are you?” he growled, his hand clamping onto my collar in return. His grip was iron, his sharp, intimidating eyes boring into me. I knew I stood no chance in a fight against him.

But I couldn’t back down—not here, not now—

“I’m Akira’s big brother!”

—Because I’m her big brother.

“Big brother…?” The man’s expression faltered, the moment freezing around us. We stood there, locked in place, each clutching the other’s collar.

“Pfft…” Suddenly, a loud guffaw broke from the man, shattering the tension.

“Dad! Aniki! Stop it already!” Akira’s exasperated voice cut through.

The man released my collar, his laughter softening into a grin. “Sorry, sorry. You’re Akira’s big brother, huh? I’m Himeno Takeru, her dad.”

“…Huh?”

I’m pretty sure I had the dumbest look on my face in the universe right then…

＊　＊　＊

Sitting on a park bench beneath a weathered roof, Takeru-san—Akira’s rough-around-the-edges father—seemed surprisingly upbeat despite the earlier chaos.

“Man, you just grabbed my collar like that!”

“I’m so sorry! I completely misunderstood!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You were just looking out for Akira.”

Even so, I couldn’t stop apologizing. I’d acted on impulse, driven by a total misreading of the situation.

It all started while I was still on the train. Apparently, Akira had gotten off earlier and was walking home when a group of sleazy guys started hitting on her. They were just trying their luck, nothing too serious, but then Takeru-san appeared.

“Hey, you punks, you got business with my daughter?”

Takeru-san, an actor known for playing gritty yakuza roles, had zero charm in the trendy sense. With his sharp eyes and rugged build, he was the kind of man who could make kids cry just by walking past. Getting stared down by someone like him? No surprise the guys turned tail and fled.

After they scattered, Akira pressed him on why he was there. Turns out, Takeru-san had been quietly keeping tabs on her, worried about how her new family was treating her. Typical parental concern—fear of mistreatment, fear she wasn’t fitting in. But when he saw those creeps harassing her, he stepped in to scare them off.

Akira reassured him she was fine, that she didn’t need him hovering. But seeing her swarmed by those guys had riled Takeru-san up. Then his eyes caught her skirt.

“What’s with that short skirt?!” he’d snapped. “No wonder guys keep coming after you!”

From there, he went off on a tangent. “I’ll buy you a new skirt! Get in the car!”

“No! That hurts! Let go!”

“Quit whining! Get in the car!”

That was the moment I’d charged in, completely clueless about the context, ready to play the hero.

Looking at him now, Takeru-san’s intimidating presence hit me hard. To think I’d grabbed this guy’s collar… My blood had been boiling back then, but now my legs were practically shaking.

Akira, though, had no such hesitation. “It’s your fault, Dad! Geez!” she snapped, smacking Takeru-san’s shoulder with unrestrained force.

“That was totally misleading! You could’ve gotten reported or something!”

Takeru-san scratched his head, wearing a sheepish “yeah, yeah” expression. “I know, I know, I messed up…”

“I keep telling you your whole vibe is misleading!”

“Alright, alright, my bad, okay?” He looked genuinely troubled as his daughter tore into him.

I tried to interject. “Akira, I was the one who messed up…”

“Aniki, you didn’t do anything wrong!”

“No, no, I rushed in without even asking what was going on—”

“That’s because I didn’t stop you—”

“No, Akira, you’re not at fault!”

“Aniki’s not half bad!”

Our bickering over who was to blame was cut short by a stifled “Pfft” of laughter.

Takeru-san was grinning ear to ear. “Man, you two really get along, huh?”

“Huh?” we both said in unison.

“Don’t worry about it, kid,” he said to me. “You just did what any big brother would do for Akira.”

“Right…” I mumbled, still processing. We’d made peace, but Akira’s expression suggested something was still gnawing at her.

“Don’t act all high and mighty—apologize properly, Dad! Or I’m done talking to you!”

“Uh, yeah… Sorry, kid, for making things confusing,” Takeru-san muttered, sulking in a way that clashed hilariously with his tough exterior. Despite his yakuza-actor aura, he wasn’t a bad guy at heart. Not the deadbeat I’d imagined, either. For Akira, he was a good dad—or at least, he tried to be in her eyes.

“By the way, kid,” he said, turning to me, “you called yourself Akira’s big brother. What’s your name?”

“Majima Ryouta.”

“Majima Ryouta, huh? That’s a good name.”

“Uh… thanks?” I had no clue what made it good, but the praise didn’t feel bad.

Takeru-san’s tone shifted, growing heavier. “So, kid, you’ve probably figured out I’m a pretty lousy dad, right?”

“Huh?”

“Just a washed-up actor who gets heated too fast and ends up hurting both Miyuki and Akira. I’m such a screw-up, I don’t even deserve to act like her dad.”

“That’s not—” I started, but stopped. I couldn’t outright deny it. He’d wrecked his family, and that was on him. No room for sympathy there—his own doing. But something told me that wasn’t the whole story. If he was the guy I’d heard about, why go out of his way to check on Akira? Miyuki-san had mentioned they split over a difference in values. So what were Takeru-san’s values?

I glanced at Akira. She was staring at her father’s face, her expression caught between wanting to speak and holding back.

Takeru-san continued, “Akira, you’ve got a pretty great big brother, don’t you? This guy’s definitely a good one. Looks like he’s settled right into that new family, huh? Puts my mind at ease.”

“Y-yeah…” Akira murmured, barely audible.

“But it’s got me thinking. Maybe it’s time I let go a bit.”

Akira’s eyes widened. “Huh?”

“I can’t keep meddling in your life forever. If I stick around, it’ll just make things tough for your new dad, right?”

What was he getting at? Seriously, what was he saying?

“Listen, kid, Akira might take after me with her sharp tongue and lack of charm—”

That’s not true, I thought. To me, someone who always looked up to my own little brother, Akira was like a little sister—genuinely adorable in her own way.

“—but even so, she’s my precious daughter.”

I got it. When it came to Akira, I was just as quick to lose my cool.

“So, I’m counting on you to look after her from here on out…” Takeru-san stood quietly from the bench and bowed deeply to me.

I froze. A grown man bowing to me like that—it was a first.

“So, Akira, you’ll be fine with this guy by your side.”

“Dad…” Akira’s voice wavered.

“Don’t go falling for some weirdo, okay? Find yourself a good guy like this big brother of yours. Got it?”

“Dad…?” Her tone was uncertain now.

Was he saying he was cutting ties with Akira for good?

“Alright, I’m heading out. You two take care—”

No way I could let him leave like this. Not if it meant splitting him and Akira apart. I had to say something, or they’d both be left with nothing but regrets—for Takeru-san, for Akira, nothing but regrets.

There was so much I wanted to say, but I didn’t know where to start. Did you know Akira still goes by Himeno at school? That she still thinks of you… The words caught in my throat, heavy and choking.

“Dad!” Akira shouted, but Takeru-san’s figure grew smaller as he walked away.

Neither of us could say anything. We stood frozen, wanting to chase after him but rooted in place. We both knew we couldn’t let him go like this.

So I did the only thing I could. “Huh? Wait, Aniki!?” Akira yelped as I grabbed her hand and ran to catch up with Takeru-san.

“Takeru-san!”

He stopped but didn’t turn, staying silent.

“I’m happier than I’ve ever been right now,” I said.

Akira let out a confused “Huh?” beside me, but I pressed on.

“Because you were there, Akira was born.”

“Aniki…”

“What I want to say most is that living with Akira makes me happier than anything,” I continued. But that happiness was something I’d found on my own. “But Akira’s happiness… it’s not just me. My family alone isn’t enough. No one can fill that role…”

There was something neither I nor Dad could give her, something not even Miyuki-san could provide—something Akira craved. Without it, she’d never be truly happy. I’d realized it a while ago, and today, watching Akira and Takeru-san, I knew for sure.

Why Akira kept her distance from others—

“It’s because you’re her dad that Akira can find her happiness!” Because more than anyone, she wanted to be close to you, Takeru-san…

(Hey, just so we’re clear, I’m not here for any cozy bonding stuff.)

Those words from the first day I met Akira. Looking back, they were probably her way of saying no one but Takeru-san could get close.

(It’s fine. I can handle it on my own. I don’t need to lean on anyone.)

I got it now. Sure, she’d softened, letting herself rely on me a bit, but before that, she’d resolved to live without needing him, even though deep down she was such a clingy kid.

(Maybe when I was little, washing Dad’s back…)

Akira’s heart had opened up a lot since we met. But I knew now I couldn’t take Takeru-san’s place. Neither could Dad.

(It’s kind of… like Dad’s back…)

“Kind of” meant it was just a substitute. Not the real thing.

(Dad, thank you…)

It was frustrating, but I couldn’t give Akira what she truly wanted—not the me I was now. That’s why I didn’t want her to lose it.

“I’ve always hated my mom for abandoning me. But Akira’s different. Even living apart, she really, truly loves you…”

What I didn’t have, what I’d been searching for—

“I’m honestly jealous of how much you mean to Akira… You’re connected by blood, you’re there for her, she relies on you. From the bottom of my heart, I…”

—That’s what a real family looked like.

That’s why I had to make it clear. “So, Takeru-san! Don’t abandon Akira!”

His shoulders trembled slightly, but he didn’t speak or turn around. He started walking away again, slowly.

Raindrops began to fall, darkening the ground little by little. The smell of rain grew stronger, and soon the downpour intensified, soaking my uniform.

Akira and I stood there, hands clasped, rooted to the spot, staring at Takeru-san’s retreating figure.

＊ ＊ ＊

After that, Akira and I walked home in silence, the weight of the day hanging heavy between us.

Dad and Miyuki-san were still out at work. I told Akira to take a bath first, then peeled off my soaked uniform and wiped myself down with a towel, my thoughts churning. I couldn’t figure out what to say to her. Maybe saying nothing was better.

I stewed in my regrets until Akira finished her bath. Then I took my own shower, letting the hot water wash over me, drowning in self-reproach. Maybe I’d said things I shouldn’t have. Meddling, self-satisfaction, self-loathing… Today was just an off day. Better to sleep it off early, I told myself as I stepped out of the bathroom.

A little while later, as I sat alone in my room, Akira appeared at the door. “Aniki, you got a sec?”

“Oh, yeah…” I had a feeling she’d show up.

I straightened up on the bed, and Akira sat beside me on my right, close enough that I could feel her presence. “You hungry?” I asked.

“Nah, not really…”

Silence stretched between us, filled only by the relentless pounding of rain against the window. It wasn’t quite a storm warning, but the downpour felt intense, almost urgent.

As we sat quietly, listening to the rain’s rhythm, Akira broke the silence. “Aniki, about today…” Her voice faltered, her gaze dropping as if the words were hard to find.

“Sorry,” I said, “I just… got carried away.”

“No, it’s not that…” She hesitated. “I wanted to tell you something…” With that, she gently leaned her head against my shoulder. “Aniki, thank you…”

“Huh?”

“You said all those things for me…”

“Oh, no, I just…” It was just meddling. Things I didn’t need to do, words I didn’t need to say. I was her brother—no, enough with the excuses. I’d been flailing, acting for one girl’s sake—Akira’s.

“Aniki, you think you did something unnecessary?”

“…Yeah. I thought it was for you, but it was probably just me being self-satisfied.”

“That’s not true,” she said softly. “Your kindness came through loud and clear.”

“If you say so…”

“And you were so cool today. I was happy you stood up to Dad for me…”

Her words only deepened my embarrassment, making me feel small and pathetic. I’d had so much I wanted to tell Takeru-san, but all that came out were my own feelings, my thanks, my pointless meddling. I hadn’t spoken for Akira—just blurted out what I wanted to say. That kind of thing could only trouble the person on the receiving end.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I had more I wanted to say, but…”

“That stuff you said? It was moving. The ‘happier than ever’ part…”

“Ugh… don’t bring that up…”

“I feel the same way. Meeting you, Aniki, has made me happier than ever.”

“Gah! Can we drop this already?”

“Not yet. Hear me out to the end.”

I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole—no, dig one and bury myself. My face burned; I could feel the heat creeping up my cheeks. Embarrassment and regret, always a package deal.

“Aniki, you knew I love Dad, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, kind of…”

“When I thought I might get abandoned by him again, I felt so lonely I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t say anything, and I was stuck—then you spoke up for me.”

“I see…”

“And, um, I got an email from Dad earlier.”

“Huh?”

“He said he got a call from his agency. He passed an audition he’d done a while back and landed a supporting role in a drama.”

“Whoa, that’s awesome! That’s great, right?”

“Yeah. And he said that once filming settles down, he wants to grab dinner together.”

“What? So that means—”

“Because you said everything I was feeling, I think Dad wants to see me again.”

“That’s… wow…” I let out a sigh, and the tension drained from my body. It hadn’t all been for nothing. Relief washed over me, warm and overwhelming.

“So, Aniki, close your eyes for a sec.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just do it.”

I closed my eyes, and the world went dark. The rain’s steady patter grew louder, and the sweet scent of Akira, fresh from her bath, filled the air, stronger now. I could sense her shifting closer, the bed creaking slightly under her weight. Her warmth drew nearer.

What, was she going to mess with me, make me pull a goofy face or something? I braced myself, half-expecting a prank.

But then her hand rested gently on my shoulder, and—

“—…Chu”

Something warm and soft brushed just beside my lips.

It hit me instantly—Akira’s lips.

My eyes snapped open, and I turned to her. Akira’s face was flushed, her hand covering her mouth.

“Akira, no way…”

“Yeah… I kissed you…”

“Kissed me?! What the heck was that?!”

“Um, I was really happy about today, but also a little mad. And, like, a statement?”

“Huh? Mad? What kind of statement?”

“…I never once thought of you as a replacement for Dad.”

“Huh?”

“You’re you, Aniki. Don’t get that wrong.”

“O-okay, got it. So, uh, the kiss—what was that about?”

“Just… a thank-you, I guess?”

“…What country’s custom is that?”

Akira’s lips curved into a small smile. “See ya,” she said, slipping out of the room.

Left alone, I flopped back onto the bed, staring at the blank ceiling. I’m not Takeru-san’s replacement. Aniki is Aniki, huh… If that’s the case, I’ve got to become an even more reliable big brother for Akira.

The faint warmth of her lips lingered just beside mine, refusing to fade. My head was spinning, overheating.

I almost wondered if I’d caught a cold from the rain.