[Onii-Ai v2] Chapter 2.1: 9th April, AM7:00

Next Monday marks the start of my industrial attachment, so things will get considerably slower from then on.

Enjoy.
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The second day after the opening of school.

In the typical caretaker's room of the students hostel, a typical breakfast scene...

"Onii-chan, don't you think that it was way overboard!?"

My sister set her breakfast aside and ignored it. She was fuming in anger.

"I had timed myself! There should be 5 seconds left, and that's plenty of time!"

"Stop waving your fist and bowl about. That's rude."

"That was what happened, but Kaichou actually said: 'Ah what a pity, you had just exceeded by three seconds'! She had robbed me of my rights with that unfair judgment! Can you allow such a barbaric act to happen!?"

"Even if you say that to me......"

To me, that was a great help from her, since I didn't have to say things like 'Today, Akiko is really cute to the max' in front of everybody.

After listening to the nonsensical talk by Nikaido-kaichou yesterday, my sister rushed out of the room and really did bring back the anpan and milk as instructed.

Of course, as St. Ririana Academy does not have places that sell those things. It seemed like my sister sprinted all the way to a nearby convenience store to buy them. That convenience store is not that far away, but it is not of a distance where my sister can get to and fro within five minutes.

Ahhhhh really. My sister is wastefully and overly capable at things that are not really important.

"Up until today, I had always endured the tyranny of Kaichou. But this time round, I am really at my limit. I fervently object. No matter what, I will have to overturn the injustice of the century regardless of any means."

"Just forget about it. You don't really have to be that persistent about it, right?"

"Please do not worry. I have already employed a lawyer."

"Cancel the services of that lawyer. Right now."

"Onii-chan!? Whose side is Onii-chan on!? So you are not on my side but Nikaido-kaichou's!?"

"Why has things turned into this? Also, since you dashed out of the room without clarifying anything, you are at fault as well, you know? Kaichou had actually timed you carefully. You said that 'five minutes is way enough time', but ultimately that is just by your own gut feelings. You did not actually check with a watch or something, right?"

"Forget it, we shall leave that aside."

Upon seeing that things were not going well, my sister changed the subject immediately.

"Ultimately, it is Onii-chan's fault, you know?"

"Why?"

"Isn't that so? If Onii-chan says to me things like 'Today, Akiko is really cute to the max' every single day, then I would not have fallen for that despicable trick of Kaichou, which resulted in me doing all that for nothing. Right?"

"You know what? Whatever you've just said is what everyone calls as a 'shifting of responsibilities'."

"No matter what, that's how it is. From today onward, please say to me 'Today, Akiko is really cute to the max' seriously and frequently, alright? Once every five minutes."

"That's way too frequent. Oi."

Whatever.

Things would get to nowhere if I am to follow the pace of my sister, so things shall end there.

It was about time for me to talk about that.

Obviously, it is about the thing that was proposed yesterday in the students council room.

"Hey, Akiko."

"Ah, you want more? Please eat more. I am rather pleased with how the carrots had turned out."

"No, no. Not that. Today, after school......"

"Ah, there are things that needs to be bought? If so, then a trip down to the convenience store will be necessary. The body wash that I am currently using is slightly unsuitable for my skin."

"No. It's not about buying things as well."

Facing my sister's interruptions, I couldn't help but gave a bitter smile,

"Today, I'll be going somewhere after school. I am sorry, but can Akiko go back home by yourself?"

"............"

"Akiko?"

"............"

"Oi? Akiko~? Are you listening?"

"............ Eh? Ah, yes. Of course, I am listening?"

"Anything wrong? Your smile is slightly stiff."

"Urm nothing. Please eat more. I am rather pleased with how the carrots had turned out."

"Mmm. Looks like you are fine."

Seems like the impact was so huge she had traveled back in time.

"Today, I'll be going somewhere after school. I am sorry, but can Akiko go back home by yourself - that's what I had said."

"Alright...... Eh? Eh?"

Finally, my sister had comprehended what I had just said. Thanks to that, she had temporarily went into a state of panic. But then, she immediately gave an expression that says 'ahh, so that's how it is',

"You are joking right? Onii-chan is surprisingly mischievous."

"Nope. That's not a joke."

"Eh? But if that is the case, then it will become like that right? Wouldn't it become the state where I cannot go home with Onii-chan?"

"Mhmm. Indeed, it will become like that."

"Ahaha. That sort of thing-. How can it be-"

"Ahaha, that's how it will be."

"Ahaha."

"Ahaha."

"Aha...... Ahaha......"

"Well, that's how it is. Don't go anywhere else, just return home directly after......"

"I Ob———ject!"

My sister raised her voice and stood up, as though she wanted to interrupt my words.

"I request for an emergency family meeting!"

"Rejected."

"You say you have somewhere to go, but where exactly is that place!?"

"Secret."

"Please bring me along!"

"No way, no way."

"Onii-chan......"

The corners of my sister's eyes began to gather tears,

"Onii-chan...... Onii-chan had turned into a delinquent! Uwaaaa~!"

"Who's the delinquent? It will be bad if someone hears that."

"To actually leave your cute younger sister alone, what else can you be other than a delinquent!"

"Leaving you alone and whatever...... It's just me wanting you to go home by yourself, you know?"

"In any case! I will never agree to that!"

Well, I had expected that.

Or I should say, my sister will need a trip to the psychiatrist if I heard her saying things like 'I understand, please be careful' and such.

"I want to be together with Onii-chan at all times! It is much better to go home together with Onii-chan after school! If Onii-chan wishes to do as he pleases by hook or by crook, then I have my own plans as well!"

"Wait, hold on. Calm down for a moment."

"Everything will be fine! The lawyer that I am hiring is extremely good!"

"You will have to cancel your appointment with that lawyer properly, alright?"

Well well, I gave a sigh.

"In any case, listen to me first."

"I will never listen to anything that the bad Onii-chan is about to say!"

"Akiko. This is my trial for you"

"Huh......? A trial?"

"During these six years where you are separated from me, you had indeed followed my instructions of 'being a good girl'."

"Of course. I had worked very hard in order to prepare myself for my reunion with Onii-chan at any moment."

"Mmm, that's right. I liked that most about you."

"R-Really!?"

"Yes. Really."

"P-Please say it again!"

"You had listened to me and grown up to be an outstanding child. I really like that the most."

"Ehehe...... I-It's not really that great."

My sister twisted her body about in embarrassment.

"B-But Onii-chan. If you love me that much, then we should be going home together-"

"But Akiko."

I interrupted Akiko's request,

"Being good at your studies, being adept at housework, and being a students council member...... I really think that the current you is a good girl. The most important though is the requirement of you listening to me obediently - that is the requirement of being a 'good girl', don't you think so?"

"Uhhh. T-That......"

"You are an obedient girl who will not cause me to worry. Ever."

Closing my eyes, I reminisced the days when we were still young. I said emotionally,

"Our parents were seldom at home ever since we were sensible enough. Generally, I took care of just about everything in the house. Cleaning and washing, and etc..... Although I do not know why, I was trusted by our parents deeply."

"Mmm. That is really true."

My sister spoke with a tone as though she was looking through an old photo album,

"Even though we are twins, Onii-chan has been much more capable in everything as compared to me. I had always been depending on Onii-chan."

"Well, we had our shortcomings as well. But Akiko, the reason we had held on and lived through it was in no small part due to you. Because you were really obedient towards me. I do think we would not have survived that should you chose not to listen to me. We were just two elementary school kids back then, and we were practically living by ourselves."

"But that was because..... That was because there was nothing I could do other than to listen to you. Just for Onii-chan only, I did not wish to add on to your worries. And so......"

"Akiko. You are a dependable child. I believed that even if I am separated from you temporarily, Akiko will manage just fine. That's what how much I believe in you. Your brother now wishes to see the proof of it."

"Ughhhhhhhh~~~"

My sister stared at me in resentment, with the expression that says 'Onii-chan you are mean'.

Not long after, she gave what seemed to be a sigh of resignation,

"...... . Since Onii-chan had already put it like that, I'll not be me if I were to reject it. I'll just endure it for today. I'll do my best to let Onii-chan know that I will be alright even if I am alone."

"Mhmm. That is my younger sister."

...... That's how it was. I had finally managed to placate Akiko.

Once again, I was thankful for not telling her where I was about to go.

"In the next three days, you are to visit the house of each of the members." I do not have any confidence of restraining her if my sister comes to know about this.