"Kyosuke-kun, are you decent?"
Tamura Manami's gentle, familiar voice filtered through the door to Kosaka Kyosuke's room, accompanied by a soft, rhythmic knock.
Inside, Kyosuke scrambled into action. The big sister-themed swimsuit magazine, a dubious gift from a classmate, was swiftly and unceremoniously shoved beneath his bed. He took a moment to smooth his hair and school his features into an approximation of nonchalance before pulling the door open.
"Oh, it's you, Manami. It's pretty rare for you to come over to my place." He tried to sound casual, though a trace of surprise was evident.
Manami tilted her head, a knowing glint behind her round glasses as she studied his slightly flustered demeanor. "Kyosuke-kun, you took an awfully long time to answer. You weren't... in the middle of something, were you?"
"I wasn't doing anything weird!" Kyosuke protested, his hands flying up in a defensive wave. The frantic denial, however, only served to underscore her teasing suspicion.
Manami covered her mouth, a soft, amused giggle escaping. "I see."
Kyosuke realized he'd been played. A flush of annoyance colored his cheeks, and he crossed his arms, attempting a stern facade. "So? What brings you here, Manami? You didn't just come to hassle me, did he?"
Despite his irritation, his tone lacked any real bite. It was impossible to stay truly angry at his childhood friend.
"Of course I came to drag you to a study session," she stated matter-of-factly, her hands settling on her hips in a mock-serious pose. "If you fail another exam, your allowance will get cut again, and Kirino-chan will have even more reason to look down on you."
While her words were righteous on the surface, a more complicated thought lingered in Manami's mind. Her recent absence from the Kosaka household hadn't been accidental. She had deliberately kept her distance, acutely aware that her presence seemed to irritate Kirino.
She had hoped that by staying away, she might ease the palpable tension between the siblings. Yet, it appeared that even her absence hadn't improved Kyosuke's standing. Perhaps... perhaps her coming today was only possible because that handsome visitor, Hozuki Nozomi, had fully captured Kirino's attention?
At the mention of failing exams and his sister's disdain, Kyosuke's face stiffened into a mask of dread. What could he do? He was powerless against the twin forces of academic rigor and sisterly scorn. Defeated, his shoulders slumped, and he offered a deep, pleading bow. "Manami, I'm begging you! Please, please make sure I don't fail!"
It was a familiar dynamic. Tamura Manami, much like her appearance, cultivated an image of studied ordinariness, and her academic performance followed suit—consistently, reliably average.
Yet, unlike Kyosuke, she never teetered on the brink of failure or supplemental exams. The slow-witted Kyosuke had never stopped to question this. He was unaware that Manami's entire "ordinary" persona was, in many ways, a carefully maintained act for his benefit.
Beneath her unassuming glasses and simple style was a genuinely cute girl with a gentle disposition who attracted no small amount of quiet admiration at school. For many boys, a kind, approachable girl like Manami felt far more attainable than a distant, glamorous beauty. However, because she was so consistently seen at Kyosuke's side, those potential suitors had long since given up, assuming an unspoken understanding between the two.
Faced with Kyosuke's dramatic plea, Manami allowed a small, proud smile to touch her lips. She lifted her chin slightly. "Well, since you're asking so earnestly, I suppose I can't refuse."
Their eyes met, and simultaneously, the tension broke. They both chuckled, the shared history and ease of their friendship overriding the moment's drama.
"Seriously, Manami, playing the tsundere doesn't suit you at all," Kyosuke teased, scratching his cheek.
"Oh? If that's what you think, maybe I should just leave," she retorted, turning on her heel with exaggerated haughtiness.
"Hey, wait! I'm coming, I'm coming!" Kyosuke scrambled after her, falling into step as they moved down the hallway.
As they walked, Kyosuke's expression soured, and he launched into a familiar grievance. "Kirino's 'entertaining a guest' today. Some friend of hers is coming over. She made it very clear I'm forbidden from showing my face. Said I'd 'ruin the family's image' and 'scare her friend.'"
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Am I really that much of a monster?"
Tamura Manami tapped a slender finger against her lips, considering the question with theatrical gravity.
"Hmm," she hummed. "Well, compared to that person, Kyosuke-kun, you're admittedly not as handsome."
"Eh?!" Kyosuke stopped short, his wounded pride momentarily eclipsed by curiosity. "Wait, you've met him? The guest?"
He knew Kirino's primary friend was a girl—he often heard her chattering happily on the phone. So the person Manami met could only be the mysterious visitor.
Manami nodded, a soft smile appearing. "Yes, I literally bumped into him on my way here. He was very gracious about it. He's incredibly handsome, and his manner is really gentle. We talked for a bit and discovered we were both headed here, so I showed him the way. Kirino-chan must be with him now."
A frown creased Kyosuke's brow. "But... is it really okay for Kirino to be entertaining some random handsome guy by herself? And why did Dad set it up like this?"
"Kirino said your father specifically entrusted the task to her," Kyosuke muttered, a pang of something like inadequacy twisting in his gut. He was always transparent with Manami.
Tamura Manami's eyes widened behind her glasses, and she brought a hand to her mouth. "Uncle Daisuke specifically asked Kirino-chan to entertain Hozuki Nozomi-san? That feels... suspiciously like a set up."
"A set up? No way!" Kyosuke blurted out, a jolt of alarm running through him.
"Why not?" Manami pressed, her logic crisp. "Think about it. Uncle Daisuke clearly has the time, yet he chose to have his adorable daughter personally host a handsome young man he himself invited. Why wouldn't he ask you, her brother, to help entertain a male guest? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
Kyosuke's shoulders slumped further. He rubbed the back of his neck dejectedly. "Maybe... maybe it's because I'm too useless? Dad probably thinks I'd just embarrass the family."
In a way, he wasn't wrong. The potential future Kyosuke represented—one entangled in complicated, socially taboo feelings—was a far greater threat to the family's harmony and reputation than mere social awkwardness. From a certain perspective, Kirino becoming involved with someone like Hozuki Nozomi was the far safer, more acceptable outcome.
Seeing his utterly defeated air, Manami couldn't help but sigh. "Kyosuke-kun, you really are hopeless sometimes. I'm starting to see Uncle Daisuke's point of view."
"Lay off, Manami," Kyosuke grumbled, a defensive edge returning. "This is just who I am. I'm not going to change. Honestly, not having to deal with guests is a relief. I'm happy to stay out of it."
He threw his hands up, fully embracing the role of the incorrigible little brother.
Tamura Manami could only stare, rendered speechless for a moment. After a brief pause, she decided to voice her growing concern. "Fine, it's your family business. But... it's gotten very quiet in the living room. I think Kirino-chan might have taken Hozuki Nozomi-san into her bedroom. Don't you think that's a bit... forward for a first meeting? That handsome boy might—"
"No way!" Kyosuke cut her off sharply, a reflexive protectiveness surging within him. "What kind of guy would be that presumptuous?!"
His reaction revealed a deep-seated, if complicated, pride in his accomplished sister. The central conflict was that this sister currently wanted nothing to do with him.
A nagging, unfamiliar sense of crisis began to gnaw at him. He looked at Manami, his expression turning uncharacteristically serious. "Speaking of which... is this Hozuki Nozomi guy really that handsome?"
Manami met his gaze and gave a single, solemn, and utterly unambiguous nod. "Yes. Exceptionally handsome. And his personality seems genuinely kind and gentle. Kirino-chan looked completely charmed. She practically dragged him away. So yes, this really is starting to look like a parent-approved courtship introduction."
Kyosuke's face visibly darkened. "Kirino's still in middle school! And if he's a classmate of yours, he must be in high school. That's... they can't be a couple!"
Tamura Manami merely smiled, a quiet, knowing expression that said more than any argument.
Under the weight of that silent rebuttal, Kyosuke's defiance crumbled. His shoulders slumped in resignation. "Alright, fine. Kirino does look mature for her age, and she's... very pretty. I guess the age difference doesn't seem that big from the outside."
The admission tasted bitter, but he couldn't deny the obvious truth.