Osananajimi ga Zettai ni Makenai Love Comedy Volume 2 Chapter 1 part5

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Storms followed by cloudy weather, with occasional gales and tornados in some areas Part 5

I arrived home almost anticlimactically without being noticed by anyone. It had already turned 7, and my surroundings were completely dark.

Bits of conversation entered my ear over from the living room of the neighbouring house to the right. It seemed that it was now time for their dinner.

The Shida house accommodated a six-person family - the four sisters and their parents. It was always lively there and it made me feel their familial warmth.

Because my mother had died, and my father had begun traveling around the entire country for work, it could be said that it was the Shida family who had taught me how warm a family could be. Just being able to hear their lighthearted conversation made me feel at ease.

The update from Tetsuhiko had been that "he had spoken to Shidchan a little and she didn't seem to have a fever, just that perhaps because of stress there were times that he had felt she had been acting a little strangely".

I couldn't hear Kuroha's voice coming over from the Shida house at present, but there wasn't a sombre tone amongst those that were either. Did it mean that her condition wasn't so serious that her family had to worry? Or perhaps that Kuroha wasn't at dinner together with them?

…Maybe I'll wait awhile more before trying to sound out one of her sisters.

"Ahh, that reminds me, I'm hungry too."

I had forgotten to buy dinner as a result of being on guard against the media. Lunch had been pizza, so if I ordered delivery… I could maybe do sushi? I wasn't feeling particularly good. It wouldn't hurt if I splurged a little.

As I so thought, I stuck my key into the door of the entrance.

"Hm…?"

Strange… it was unlocked.

"Hang on… the lights…?"

Speaking of which, why were the lights in the living room on? Strange, wasn't it? Come to think of it, did Tetsuhiko say something similar earlier? I thought I heard Auntie's voice coming over from the Shida house… so what was going on?

I thought so ominously, opening the door while being on my guard.

"Welcome home, Big Brother Sueharu ♪"

"……………………"

Slam.

I closed the door without saying a word. I breathed in the air outside, organising my thoughts.

Hmm? That was strange. Had that been an illusion? There appeared to have been a cute girl at the entrance…

She had long silky hair hanging in gentle waves. Almond eyes which mesmerised people. A beautiful girl on the same level as… no, perhaps surpassing idols.

For that kind of girl to be dressed in a neat and tidy mission school uniform, wearing an apron on top of it, kneeling down in wait for me… it just wasn't possible, was it?

Thereupon the door opened on its own, and a beautiful girl's face appeared in the breach.

"What are you doing out here, Big Brother? Come on, hurry up and come inside."

"O- Oi…"

The beautiful girl dragged me forcefully by the arm and into the house, whereupon she wordlessly locked the door and applied the chain.

"…Why are you locking the door and putting on the chain?"

"Big Brother, aren't you tired?"

"No, no, no, are you listening to what I'm saying?! Please, answer my question!"

"Would you like dinner, Big Brother? A bath? Or perhaps… me?"

"Ahh, yes, yes, if you're asking, of course I'd pick y- wait, noooo! Now just wait a minute, Momo!"

Crap, I had been carried away unconsciously by the erotic situation. Confronted once again with an utterly improbable scene and development, it had taken some time for my thought processes to return to normal.

The name of the beautiful girl who stood before my eyes was Momosaka Mari

The most popular young actress at present, and a junior I had taken care of in the past at the agency.

She had suddenly come to school this morning and thrown it into chaos, finally disappearing because lessons were starting - or at least, she should have. But for her to have already gotten into my house was…

"…Eh? Wait, but for what, Big Brother? Is something the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter with me; what's the matter with you?!"

"As I expected of you, Big Brother Haru. You've really got a way with words."

I wanted to attribute her complete lack of unease under pressure to the poise of a popular actress - but this brazenness undoubtedly belonged to the Maria whom I knew.

"Listen, Momo! There are so many things wrong with this that I could point out right now, but… where did you get the key to my house?"

Maria tapped her index finger against her forehead, pretended to think for a second, then deliberately - but incredibly adorably - tilted her head to the side and grinned.

"Uh-uh-uh Momo, now you're just trying to deceive me with that airy smile of yours, aren't you?!"

"…What could you be talking about?"

"If you're going to play dumb, could I get you to step out of my house for the time being?"

"…Oh∼, that's right, your key fell down from the sky. It must all be because of my usual good behaviour!"

"Your mindset's incredible for thinking that would work! In a certain sense you're on the same level as Tetsuhiko!"

My stomach let out a grumble as I so quipped.

Maria, with a grin that felt like it said "Oh, my", went around me and gave me a push in the back.

"Come, come, Big Brother, dinner's ready! Momo worked really hard today! Let's eat together!"

Ugh, this was fast becoming a situation which wouldn't change no matter how much I quipped about it.

Half-resignedly I allowed myself to be forced into the living room.

On the dining table several different foods were arranged.

There was miso soup with tofu and spring onions in it, beef and potatoes¹, chicken karaage, stir-fried vegetables, boiled spinach in a dashi-based dressing²- a nostalgic line-up, in some respects. They were all my favourites, dishes I had gotten away from for a while.

"Did… you make all of these?"

"Yes, of course. Oh, I'll warm up the food now, so please watch the TV or something while you wait."

"…I'd feel bad after you've already done all the cooking, though. I'll do the warming up, at least."

"In that case, please take the roasted barley tea out from the fridge. And while you're at it, could I get you to serve the rice as well?"

"Of course I can."

Maria showed great dexterity warming up the food. Her preparing it had evidently not been a lie.

"Momo, this spread…"

"Was made with the food you like, Big Brother, at its core. Was I wrong?"

"Y- Yeah, these are the things I like, but how come you knew?"

"I've wanted to know everything about you since a long time ago, Big Brother, so I found out from your mother while I was bombarding her with questions."

It was true that Maria had had that element about her. Emotionally attached to me, it had seemed like she desired to know everything related to me, and always wanted to be close.

"I see… Thanks, Momo."

"…For what?"

"I'd never thought I'd be able to look upon this spread once again. I'm moved, to be honest."

Perhaps she wasn't expecting to be thanked in this manner.

Maria's eyes turned into circles and she blinked several times. Taking my words in slowly, she produced a heartfelt, blissful smile.

"If you're going to say that, then you better eat without complaining, alright?"

"It's you. The taste will probably be fine."

"Hehe, you're really good at flattery, Big Brother."

It definitely hadn't been flattery.

I just knew. About the potential held within the girl known as Momosaka Maria.

Maria and I ate dinner facing each other. The flavour of the food was of course different from my mother's, but Maria's culinary skills were superb, and I consumed it again and again in a state of enthrallment. I ate too much as a result, and after the meal I ended up throwing myself upon the sofa.

"I've prepared ice cream for dessert, Big Brother, but do you think you can eat some?"

"Ooh, if it's ice cream I think I might want some."

"Alright, I'll go and bring some over then."

Maria was being too familiar. She really understood me, despite six years having passed. It was almost scary.

Maria had played the main character in the recent drama series "The Ideal Little Sister", earning with her splendid acting a large quantity of fans who all styled themselves as "Big Brothers", but the Maria who stood before me at present was indeed the "ideal little sister".

Cute, thoughtful, and willing to do anything.

…Well, as long as I turned a blind eye to her crime of trespassing into my house.

"-So, it's about time you told me the reason for why you barged into my house."

As I reached for an ice cream with one hand, Maria placed hers together in front of her chest.

"I wanted to talk to you, Big Brother. Somewhere no one could disturb us."

"…I feel like you aren't lying, but I don't think that was your true reason either."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you've always known where my house is, haven't you? I haven't moved since before I retired. If you wanted to talk, couldn't you have come before that video went around?"

"…I expected no less from you, Big Brother."

Maria revarnished her lips.

Their increased lustre further added a polish to her already existing cuteness and loveliness. Clad in an overwhelmingly lovable aura, Maria stood silent and still.

"It's true that I could have gone to see you at any time, Big Brother. But I really never expected you to stay retired as you did, and even when I contacted you, you wouldn't reply…"

I scratched my head.

"My bad. I don't remember much from back then, but according to my dad, apparently I was in a weird funk. He took away my phone too, because he didn't want me strangely being reminded of work. That's why I couldn't talk to or reply to you."

"I found out about the circumstances later… It was unavoidable, I now think."

"Sorry. The truth is that when I had settled down a few years later and my phone was returned to me, I read and replied to a ton of your messages, but then it seemed like your address had changed and all of my replies just bounced back."

"…I see."

"The odds of me being able to make a comeback were next to none, so while there was no way I could have forgotten you, it still wasn't like I could have gone to see you either. I would've been happy to receive you had you come over to play, but-"

"I've been hesitating for a long time. About whether it would be alright for me to come see you."

Maria was probably concerned about what had happened six years ago - the last time Maria and I had met.

"I've been reminiscing a lot about you lately, Big Brother, but I just can't seem to find the courage… We parted ways in that manner, after all - because it's you, Big Brother, I figured you would probably forgive me, but even so it would have been impossible for me to come without a cue."

"And that cue turned out to be that video, huh… Well, about how we parted, I don't really care. So much that, in fact, I only just remembered something like that had happened, after you brought it up."

"…I really like that part about you, you know, Big Brother?"

I tilted my head instinctively to the side.

"You're an incredibly beautiful girl, so why isn't my heart skipping a beat…? I guess it's because I've always treated you as a little sister, perhaps…?"

"My, you're horrible, Big Brother… Especially when I've already become so big…"

Maria casually brought her chest together, accentuating a fullness which protruded through her uniform-

"Wait a minute. Isn't your chest bigger than it was this morning? You put something in, didn't you?"

Maria tilted her head to the side, producing a smile anyone would want to protect.

"Uh-uh, you aren't fooling me even with that smile. Do you know how much I've been messed around with by you?"

Typically I'd end up forgiving her if such a cute and orderly girl smiled at me, but I was acquainted with the Maria of the past. Only too well.

Seriously, just how much trouble had this smile given me…?

"Ooh, Big Brother… Please forget about what happened back then…"

Maria's mouth puffed up. It seemed that she considered what had happened back then to be her dark past.

"How could I? Forget being the "ideal little sister" - you were a total problem child. I got my hands burnt thoroughly looking after you all the time. I was basically something like your babysitter."

That's why I had come to see Maria as family.

"…This is nostalgic, isn't it? It really is."

Maria whispered while looking into the distance.

"It was because of you that I was able to come this far, Big Brother. I'm truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart. Do you know that?"

Maria's gaze was far too direct and it was blinding.

Having since retired from the entertainment world, Maria, whom I could call a little sister-like childhood friend, was to me an existence I had watched over the growth and success of with anticipation. I felt like I hadn't done anything of great magnitude, but if to Maria I had been a boon, nothing could make me happier.

"No, you did that with your true ability, didn't you? Seriously, that problem child did well to become such a celebrity."

"I hate it when you drag up the past to tease me, Big Brother…"

Ooh, in my nostalgia I had inadvertently said "problem child" too many times. Perhaps it was time for a change in subject.

"Speaking of which, was it not you who chased away the media and cooled off the internet?"

Maria smiled broadly.

"As I expected of you, Big Brother. You noticed, did you? Yes, I used my influence on the media and online. While the initial excitement had a good impact, I didn't think any more would be good for you in the future, Big Brother. Well, it was just something like a gift exchange."

Hmm, so it had been her. Between the two possibilities I thought this had been the less probable option, but apparently Maria had become stronger than I imagined.

The other option had been, by the way, "the CEO of the agency I had belonged to taking into account my future reinstatement and subduing the spread of information where proper". Thinking logically this option had been more likely, so I was a little surprised.

"What surprises me is you have the power to do something like that."

"I'm sixteen years old… a first year in high school. It's been six years since we parted ways, Big Brother. Of course I'd be able to do this much."

"Of course, huh…"

There were probably no actresses outside of Maria who were capable of doing such a thing.

Talent was a ruthless thing - if there were those who only possessed one, so existed others who owned multiple as well. An exemplar of the latter group would be Maria, who had many - with each of them at a level beyond par at that.

First was her appearance. A quality deemed essential for actresses, it was one Maria had more than enough of.

Next was her acting. You could call it a sense, but in that respect Maria had a natural ability.

Where to place one's eyes for an instant, how to move one's fingertips - the manner in which people conveyed themselves to others changed in subtle ways, but Maria, while conscious of these things unfailingly, could also process and display them effectively at the same time. There were those who could master it by way of their hard work, but her having done so at such a young age was probably clear proof of her flair.

She had a great memory, an ability to observe her surroundings, and also one to draw people's eyes.

Yet Maria's most overwhelming talent was - her ability to "create her own environment".

Exceptional looks, and an ability to act - the entertainment world wasn't one you could get ahead in by merely having those.

One, for example, needed luck. Even with the right looks and acting skill, one couldn't become a star without good fortune.

My appearance was average, but I had luck. I didn't know if I had become a star, but I thus had become a famous person.

Maria's ability wasn't to seize opportunities. Her ability wasn't at a level where it could be manipulated by something as unreliable as luck. Maria had enough influence and brains to make those around her recognise her capabilities, and turn them into a cheer team before one knew.

Having observed Maria's talents while they were blooming, I knew about her overwhelming ability better than anyone.

"…I was moved while watching that video, Big Brother Sueharu. Watching you, I knew that you were indeed still the Big Brother Sueharu that I love."

"Something's… wrong with your Japanese."

"No, not at all. And at the same time, Big Brother Sueharu, I was assured in my belief that it is also only you who can save me."

"…Save you? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Could it be that she was being stalked, or being asked to do strange things by someone who had dirt on her…?

"That's-"

It was at that moment when I suddenly thought I heard a door being unlocked. As I then thought I heard the sound of it being pulled open, and then its chain getting snagged, immediately came a barrage of door chimes. The sound of the bell reverberated with incredible energy.

"What's going on? What's going on?"

I panicked and got up from the sofa while Maria simply faced the entrance in her current position.

"O-i, Sueharu! Why've you got this on?! You're in, aren't you?! Open up!"

The owner of the voice persistently tugged on the door several times, in spite of it getting caught on the chain.

Could she perhaps not hear the clattering sound it was making? Or was she perhaps trying to break the chain? No, she was probably producing the sound on purpose in an appeal to have the chain removed as soon as possible.

"So rough, as always. Just wait, Midori, I'll open it right away."

"I'm not rough! You're the one at fault for acting sneaky and putting on the chain, Sueharu!"

"I'm the one at fault?!"

"You better not have brought a woman or something back, alright?!"

"Gulp."

I unconsciously let out a sound.

It was sunset. In the living room a beautiful, extremely popular girl on television lingered. A young boy and girl were alone together, there was no way something wouldn't happen-

Anyone would have those same delusions. But it would also be a pain for me to explain myself, so… right, well, I guess it was alright with Midori on the other end. I'll ignore her, I will.

I attempted to leave, quashing the sound of my footsteps.

"Ahh, Sueharu, you're trying to escape, aren't you?! Seriously, quit playing around!"

"Give it a rest, it's already nighttime, man! Stop bothering the neighbours!"

"…Big Bro Haru, I'm here too."

Oh, this voice was-

I froze my legs, which were in the process of leaving, and placed my ear closer to the entrance door.

"You're here too, Akane?"

"Yup."

This indifferent tone belonged unmistakably to the youngest of the "Colourful Sisters", Akane.

Midori alone aside, I could not ignore them with Akane there.

I hurriedly scooped up Maria's shoes which were placed at the entrance, passing them to her as she stuck her head out from the living room to study the situation. I put my forefinger against my lips to emphasise that she better stay quiet, whereby Maria produced an "ok" sign and withdrew to the back of the living room.

I removed the chain and the sisters surged into the entrance immediately.

"Took you long enough!"

It was Midori who thus let loose the abusive language. Seriously, couldn't she do a little something about the way she spoke? Otherwise she wouldn't be popular despite being born with a nice appearance, you know?

"More importantly, Big Sis Midori, we need to explain ourselves."

Surprised not to see a certain girl, who together with Akane could even be called a set, I inquired.

"Huh, where's Aoi-chan?"

"That girl stayed back to monitor Big Sis Kuro."

"Monitor…?"

That was a disquieting word. Akane pressed Midori as I prepared my heart for the dark clouds that wafted out all at once.

"Big Sis Dori…"

"I know, I know."

Midori took a deep breath, settled her heart, then spit everything out at one go.

"You know what… Big Sis Kuro's gone crazy!"

"What did you say?!"

It was shocking… yet, to be honest, there were too many things that added up.

The severity was to the extent that even Tetsuhiko's report mentioned that he had "felt that Kuroha had been acting strangely". Her family would probably know clearly the degree of her queerness. I pressed Midori further.

"Give me the details. What is it like, specifically?"

"She's eating food normally!"

"Wh- What…?!"

The incomprehensibility of that proposition made me giddy.

"Kuro's…… eating food…… normally……?! That's impossible!"

"Right?! That's why I said she's crazy!"

"What about that thing?! She spread honey over her fish, didn't she?!"

"She didn't!"

"Then what about putting canned tuna in her miso soup, or chocolate on her pickled vegetables?!"

"Unfortunately… not…"

"No way…!"

Midori and I gnawed on our molars, stricken.

"I see the both of you are terrible as always, Big Bro Haru and Big Sis Dori. This conversation's not moving forward at all."

Akane pushed up her glasses with her middle finger, then spoke in her usual monotonous voice.

"Big Bro Haru, it seems like Big Sis Kuro's - lost her memory."

"………………Huh?"

A terrible storm had been blowing since this morning.

The press arrived, I found out about that video, then Maria barged in… when just as I thought things were finally settling down, Shirokusa and Kuroha then had their squabble.

Still unable to relax after class, I eventually got home after killing time by the river bank, only to find Maria lying in wait as the outcome. Then came this - the finishing blow.

Forget a storm, this was a tornado. The roof over my heart had been blown off, leaving my emotions exposed to the rain.

Seriously, what was I supposed to do about this…?

¹nikujaga

²spinach ohitashi

Chapter end