Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu Chapter 23

I return from Ze Tian Ji and A Mistaken Marriage Match with more Reika.

Just a note, but strictly speaking, if you’re being polite in Japanese, you refer to a person’s siblings etc. by honorific terms, e.g. oneesan, imouto-san, otousan, otouto-san etc.

The day of the school’s founding anniversary was met with clear blue skies. Perfect for a day at the amusement park. Being surrounded by three people who each sparkled in their own way, my mood was as good as it gets.

I wanted to get on as many rides as possible, so we arrived just before it opened. The first rides were naturally the famous rollercoasters. You have to get on the most popular ones before the place gets packed, right? Apparently some rich kids will hire somebody to stand in line for them, but we lined up ourselves. Getting somebody to line up for you feels kind of unfair, and it would make all the other visitors unhappy, right? It was tiring standing there the whole time, but if you spend the time chatting, it’s fun too, isn’t it!

Both the middle schoolers and high schoolers at Suiran share the same Pivoine, so although they weren’t particularly close, apparently the three of them had spoken a few times before. Aira-sama was happily listening to Imari-sama talk about high school. Thank goodness. Since she didn’t know them very well, I was worried about whether Aira-sama would be bored. If she’s having fun, then I’m happy too.

The other guests lined up occasionally glance our way. Aahh, I see. They can’t help themselves because these three are so sparkly, right? I know how they feel. The three being looked at didn’t seem to enjoy it very much. Please just think of it as providing entertainment for everybody else bored in the line, and allow it. Having a look around, I found that it was mostly groups of friends, but there was the occasional couple too. From an objective point of view, do we look kind of like a double date? When Imari-sama and Aira-sama stand next to each other, they look like an attractive couple. Mn mn. Then what about Oniisama? A pitiful person who had no girl to bring to the double date, and so brought along his little sister instead? Oh no! My Oniisama looks like a hopeless case to people!? My Oniisama is really popular too, okay!? On Valentines Day he got heaps of chocolates too! He’s not some sad case who has nobody to invite but his sister, okay!

“Reika, are you thinking about something weird again?”

Oniisama looked my way suspiciously. What on earth could you be speaking of?

I got on the ride together with Aira-sama. I mean, it’s common sense that the escort for the Rococo Queen has to be a knight, right! Imari-sama seemed to have complicated feelings about riding together with a guy, but this is natural. Also, I need to protect Aira-sama from Imari-sama’s charm! Hm? Am I being a third wheel?

After having a try at all of the rollercoasters, it was about time to head to the less extreme rides, or so I was thinking when shockingly Imari-sama bought us churros! Food tasting! I’ve always wanted to go food tasting!

Happy! Yummy! Tasting foods from stalls and the like would normally be absolutely forbidden as the young lady of the Kisshouin family. But it’s okay today! Amazing! I’m so glad I came! Thanks for buying this, Imari-sama. As expected of a lady killer who understands what a girl wants! An enemy of womankind! It feels like I might accidentally fall for him.

Aahh, I’m so happy. As I was walking about, nomming with a smile, a group of girls called out to Oniisama and Imari-sama. Apparently they were high school girls from Suiran. Since it’s Suiran’s founding anniversary, they probably came to play just like us.

“To think that we would meet Momozo

no-sama and Kisshouin-sama here at the park!”

“Honestly, Imari-sama, you’re here even though you turned us down when we invited you.”

“You know, I saw Kisshouin-sama when I went to watch the match at the kyudo dojo. He was sooo wonderful.”

“My! I saw it too.”

Amazing. It’s like watching fans who have spotted an idol. They’re making such a big deal of it. Aira-sama and I were quietly eating our churros a distance away, while watching to see how things played out. Could it be that one of these girls was one of the ones who gave Oniisama a Valentines chocolate? Including courtesy chocolates, each year Oniisama brings back 20~30 of them. Ah, there are girls whose hearts are captured by Oniisama among them as well.

Alright. Sister-in-law Switch, ON!

“Momozono-sama, Kisshouin-sama, is it just the two of you today?”

“No way. We’re here with Takateru’s imouto-chan and her senpai.”

“His, imouto-sama?”

You notice now, after all this time?

“Gokigen’yoh. I am Kisshouin Takateru’s younger sister, Reika.”

“I’m a second year in the middle school, Minazuki Aira. Please take care of us, Senpais.”

I probably don’t look too great with a churro in one hand, but I greeted them with a smile.

“Goodness! Kisshouin-sama’s imouto-sama!? It is a pleasure to meet you!”

They each began to introduce themselves too. But although they smiled at me just fine since I was Oniisama’s sister and a primary schooler, the looks they gave Aira-sama were a little harsh. Did they recognise her as a rival? But Aira-sama’s enemies are my enemies! My Sister-in-Law Radar is beeping, you know. Besides, Aira-sama was introduced as my senpai, so aren’t their judging gazes pretty rude? Well, being a beauty with a dignified bearing, it looks like they’re faltering a little though. It’s wonderful how Aira-sama isn’t perturbed by anything. Oh? There are also a few oneesamas who are blushing at Aira-sama. So these are my rivals!?

“Heyy, Momozono-sama, isn’t it fine if you come hang with us a little?”

“Well, I mean we did meet up here after all. Right, Momozono-sama? Kisshouin-sama?”

“Kisshouin-sama really is kind, spending a holiday on an outing with his sister.”

“Kisshouin-sama, have you eaten? Should it please you, we would very much like you to join us.”

“Imari-sama.”

*imouto*

“Sorry, but,”

Oniisama gave a gentle smile,

“I promised that I would spend the day with my sister and her friend Aira-san. I apologise, but could we perhaps do this some other time?”

“Eh-, but…”

“I don’t want my sister to hate me for neglecting her. Sorry about this.”

said Oniisama, with a troubled smile. It seems that when they saw his face, they couldn’t say anything forceful anymore.

“I don’t want -chan to hate me either~ Sorry. Cya tomorrow at school.”

“…I understand. It is a shame, though.”

Imari-sama took advantage of Oniisama’s response. I don’t doubt Oniisama’s love for me, but didn’t Imari-sama totally use me as an excuse? Well, since he treated me to churros, I’ll forgive him I guess. I thought that the girls might secretly follow us anyway, but it looks like they properly observed etiquette. And so we went back to enjoying the amusement park.

*imouto*

*imouto*

Since there was a middle schooler and primary schooler in our group, we decided to head back home before it got too dark. We each had our own cars coming to pick us up, so we said our goodbyes right there. Oniisama and I both got onto our Kisshouin family’s car.

“Reika, since we’re already outside, do you want to eat out?”

“EHHH!?”

Dinner with just Oniisama! I definitely wanna go!

“I do!”

“Mn. Then is there anything you want to eat?”

Something I want to eat? Hm~mm. Since we may as well, I want to eat something simple and plebby. My tongue is starving for the taste of commoner food. Since it’s Oniisama, he might let me. Curry rice, pork fried with ginger, grilled fish set meal, ramen…

“Omurice!”

The omurice of a good set-meal shop is yummy. I’ve had the Kisshouin chef make it a few times, but a normal shop’s omurice is just different, you know?

“Omurice, huh. Got it.”

And then the place I was taken to was the Marunouchi commercial district, and a high class restaurant with a nightview far from anything you’d see in a set-meal shop. The place was dark, with a weak spot-light for each table, so it was crazy atmospheric. Huh? This is kind of different from what I was thinking. The price next to the omurice on the menu was something unimaginable for a former commoner like myself. S-, So expensive… Even though this was supposed to be a commoner dish. When they brought in the omurice, the golden egg and demi-glace sauce glittered in the spot lighting. I unconsciously wanted to use honorifics with it. The flavour was absolutely not plebeian, but it tasted incredible, so I guess this is fine too.

“Speaking of which, you and Imari-sama were quite popular today, weren’t you.”

When I said that, Oniisama looked a little unhappy.

“Leaving you aside, Oniisama, would Imari-sama not have preferred playing with those girls over children like Aira-sama and I?”

“…It’s because Imari has a girlfriend.”

“EEEH!?”

That’s the first I’ve heard of it!

“This is the first time I have heard of it!”

“Well that’s because I didn’t say.”

“Then all the more reason. Would it not have been better to spend the holiday with his girlfriend instead?”

“She goes to a different school, so.”

Oh my god! To think that Imari-sama had a girlfriend! But well, given how cool and kind he is, it’s not really that surprising I guess. Aira-sama seemed to be getting along with Imari-sama today, but she definitely hasn’t fallen for him, right?

On the car home, I immediately texted Aira-sama to thank her for today. And while I was at it, before she could say anything, I made sure to write, “Just now Oniisama told me that Imari-sama has a girlfriend. I was so shocked! I wonder what kind of person she is. Ah, please keep this as a secret between just the two of us, okay? Aira-sama”. I don’t think it would happen, but if on the off chance that Aira-sama fell for Imari-sama and she confessed to me “The truth is I love Imari-sama” or something, I’d be really troubled. I love Aira-sama, so I’d hate for things to become awkward between us more than anything.

The reply that came later said, “I heard about this from Imari-sama today, you know? I heard about how their relationship began as well, but would you like to know?” so it turns out I was just totally worrying for nothing. What the heck am I even doing.

“Set-Meal Shop” Basically a restaurant that specialises in set meals. In most Shokugeki no Souma translations, it’s translated as ‘Special-of-the-Day Shop’ but considering what it is, I decided to go with what I did.

“Marunouchi”

What PIN spot lighting looks like。

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Chapter end