My school festival has already ended, but there's one person who still needs to do it.
"Tomoki-nii, can you explain what's happening?" — Miyuna-chan said while twitching her eyes.
"Don't be like that, there's no way I wouldn't visit my little sister school festival."
"Only you is one thing, but what the HELL is this!?"
So I looked back.
"I must say, I'm impressed. It really feels like I'm in a real bar." — Ryuichi said.
"Though it's non-alcoholic drinks, I like how they prepared it like a real one. Excuse me, I want seconds!" — Tachibana-san said.
"Fufu~ you sound like you've already visited a real one. Miyuna-chan, or rather, Master! One more, please!" — Ayame said.
My friends really liked it—good! I was kind of worried since they live in a high-class environment.
"Isn't this great? Everyone liked it!" — I said to Miyuna-chan.
"Yeah, but because of that, everyone is in an uproar."
And so I noticed some whispering.
(Aren't they the students from that most expensive private high school?)
(Who's that cool boy sitting with two girls? Do you think I have a chance with him?)
(No way, one is the daughter of the pharmaceutical industry while the other is… do I even need to tell you? All of them live in a world apart from us.)
(What about that one close to Morikawa? Her boyfriend?)
(Oh him? No, he's her brother.)
It's incredible that when I visited Natsumi-chan and Hiyori-chan's school I was the center of attention even for a brief moment, while with my friends I became just someone else you see on the street.
"Miyuna-chan, give me the strongest one."
"Okay, here."
"…slurp… wait, this is water."
"I don't know what you were expecting, but at least I gave you the most important resource for all living beings… water."
"Thanks, I guess?"
"Now… here, give this to Edomae-san when you return to your table. And take these snacks too, it's on the house."
I guess the little surprise I did for Miyuna-chan wasn't well welcomed.
Just to explain, when I returned home after talking with Ayame on the rooftop of the auditorium, I asked them to visit Miyuna-chan's school festival. Not only could we hang out together, but at the same time, we could support Miyuna-chan's work.
"Hey everybody, here are the snacks. Ayame, your drink."
"Thank you, Tomoki."
"You two really became closer." — Ryuichi said.
"Can I call you Tomoki too? I feel like I'm the only one behind in this group." — Tachibana-san said.
"Of course! Then let me call you by your first name too. If I think about it, you're the only one I still call by surname, right? Himari."
"Wha—!" — Ayame-san kind of wanted to say something.
"Slurp… This snack is good too." — Ryuichi was enjoying his drink and food.
"I agree!" — Himari said, then faced me with a curious look. — "Tomoki, what about your sisters? Will they show up today?"
"Natsumi-chan and Hiyori-chan already visited earlier with my father. Erina nee-san will come later with Aunt Yuna."
"Fufu~ I wonder how they are."
"Your sisters, huh? I kind of want to meet them." — Ryuichi said... wait, what?
"Me too!" — Himari said.
"Ryuichi."
"Yes?"
"…Never mind."
I thought he was after my sisters, but if I think about it, he's not that type of guy.
Actually, among all the guys I've met so far, he's actually the best option I've seen...
"You see, Erina nee-san is the type of person who always takes care of her siblings, she's gentle and mature. Natsumi-chan is friendly and always checks if we're doing well. And Hiyori-chan, despite being shy, is cheerful and always makes delicious meals."
"Why are you suddenly talking about them? Besides, what about Miyuna-san?" — Ryuichi asked.
"She's off limits, bro. Have some decency."
"What's going on in your head? By the way, could you guide me to the restroom?"
"With all the drinks, I want to go too." — Ayame said.
"Me too." — Himari said.
"Let me ask Miyuna-chan." — I said.
And so a shocking truth was revealed to me. While the girls' bathroom is well placed within the school, the male restroom lies on the other side of the school. After all, there aren't many men here.
So Ayame and Himari went to the restroom near Miyuna-chan's classroom, meanwhile…
"Man, where's the restroom? It should be here." — I said.
"We're clearly lost. Let's ask someone."
"Sure. Go ahead."
"…''
"…What? Don't tell me you're afraid of junior school girls?"
"We're clearly lost, and far away from your sister's classroom. Aren't you at least uneasy?"
"No, besides, I know where we're going. Let's go."
After 10 minutes we finally managed to find it. I knew I was right.
"Just so you know, that's because we walked almost all the school just to find this." — Ryuichi said.
"But we still managed to find it. But now I wonder if all co-ed schools are like this."
"That's because this school isn't included in the scholarship program. Did you notice there are no male students here?"
"Now that you mention it… wait, is this actually an all-girls school?"
"Do you really think there's a need for that? Most junior male students go to all-boys schools."
"Then how about you? Did you go to an all-boys school?"
"Yes, private all-boys junior school."
"And how was it? Was it fun?"
"Yeah, though I wasn't exactly the talkative type, I need to admit I was more extroverted there than now. How about you? If I'm not mistaken you had childhood friends, right?"
"Yeah… I wonder how they are now. But enough of talking about the past in the restroom. Kind of weird."
"You have a point."
"I'll be waiting outside."
"Sure, I just need to wash my face."
After walking all this path just to use a restroom, it made me grateful for being able to go to my school.
But junior school, huh… time really flies. For now, let me appreciate the view of the festival until Ryuichi… hmm?
"Excuse me, can I have a little of your time?" — A junior school girl suddenly called me.
"Sure, what happened?"
"To tell the truth… I like you! Please go out with me!"
"Wha—? Excuse me, but do I know you?" — That took me by surprise.
"When I first met you, I couldn't take my eyes off you. So please go out with me!"
Suddenly I started remembering the first thought I had before going to Sakurazai Academy… Yes, being popular with all the girls and being confessed to like that character whose main trouble is all the confessions he receives from unknown people.
But yeah… that was before knowing Ayame. Since I'm older than her, I need to take this seriously and try not to hurt her feelings.
"I'm happy to hear that but—"
"It's not funny to do pranks with other people, you know?" — Ayame suddenly appeared.
"That's—"
"I saw your friends hiding next to the corridor and they confessed it was your penalty game."
"I'm… sorry!" — The junior school girl just left.
It was just a penalty game? Sigh~ Now my confidence is dropping again.
"Thanks, Ayame."
"Don't worry. Sometimes there are girls who do this kind of thing. Especially younger ones."
"I see… By the way, Ryuichi is still in the restroom, I'll call him."
"Don't worry, I was just waiting for you to settle things." — Ryuichi said.
"And you just keep watching again… Though this time it makes sense you didn't step up."
"This time?" — Ayame asked.
"Yeah, can you believe? In the summer festival when I was waiting—"
"It must have been really tough for you, Tomoki! Look, we can't let Tachibana-san wait for us." — Ryuichi suddenly interrupted.
I wonder why he suddenly did that. Though he has a point.
So we headed back to Miyuna-chan's classroom.
It seems Himari was talking with my little sister about how they make the drinks next to the handmade balcony. It's refreshing seeing Miyuna-chan having normal conversations with people other than my family. After all, my image of her is a stern person; I guess she only does that with me.
And what's more surprising is that Ryuichi just sat beside Himari and Miyuna-chan to join the conversation about the drinks. No, I guess it's not surprising anymore. He kind of reminds me of myself when I had trouble joining others… though in his case it was only with women.
Coming here just reminds me of how my life was before transferring here.
"Tomoki, did something happen in the summer festival?" — Ayame whispered.
"Oh right! I was picked up by girls while waiting at the meeting point. Of course I refused them, but later Ryuichi and Himari showed up and said they were watching me."
"I see, I guess there are people who need to learn a lesson."
"Don't get mad at Ryuichi."
"But I wasn't referring—"
"Because when Ryuichi gets picked up by a girl, I'll make sure to watch with popcorn in my hand. Mwahaha."
"How can I say… sometimes I wonder if you two are really friends."
And that's how we visited Miyuna-chan's culture festival. Of course we visited other attractions and we had fun, but nothing crazy happened.
♦♦♦
"Next time when you decide to surprise me, tell me first." — Miyuna-chan said.
"But then it won't be a surprise anymore." — I retorted.
"Miyuna, you can't talk like that to your big brother." — Aunt Yuna reprimanded her.
"Mom."
"Grin." — I grinned at her.
"Mom! Did you see that?"
"Stop accusing your brother unfairly. Behave yourself."
Right now, Aunt Yuna, Miyuna-chan, and I are walking back home since it's near the school. It's been a while since I walked back like this outside the house. It's refreshing.
As for Erina-nee-san, she needed to return home to finish some assignments for her college.
"We're home!" — the three of us said.
"Welcome home! Tomoki… I need to tell you that… prepare yourself." — Natsumi-chan said.
"I'm gonna miss you, comrade." — Hiyori-chan said while patting my shoulder.
"Tomoki-kun, if you want to sleep with your older sister today, be my guest." — Erina nee-chan said.
Then somebody touched my back.
"GRIN" — I've never seen Miyuna-chan this happy.
For me this only means one thing: Mom will kill me today.
For what? I don't know, since it could be anything.
And so I decided to go to the living room to face Mom.
All my aunts were sitting on the sofa and just gave me a warm welcome… or maybe a farewell.
Meanwhile Dad and Mom were sitting in the dining room.
Now I'm worried. Even in my previous world, this kind of pattern is familiar to me. That means something really serious happened.
"Hey son. Welcome home. We need to talk, take a seat." — Dad said.
"Tomoki, is there something you want to talk about first regarding your school?" — Mom asked.
"As far as I know, nothing happened."
"You see, I received a call from your school… They asked for our presence to talk about your case with another male student."