Chapter 347: Overnight?
On the sports field of Shuchiin Academy.
Nakano Yotsuba held a water bottle and took a small sip.
"Yotsuba, you've gotten even faster. Last time we won the national championship thanks to you! We're counting on you again this time!" — the girls' track team captain, Kamisato Rika, said as she handed her the stopwatch.
Yotsuba exhaled and nodded. The rabbit-ear clip on her head bounced slightly.
"Those girls from the basketball club are unbelievable—calling you over just to 'practice together.' They're completely wasting your talent!"
"The tennis club keeps dragging you over too, and don't even get me started on your tutor—three sessions a week, sometimes even weekends! That guy doesn't realize how talented you are. You could become a professional athlete and bring glory to Japan!"
"Yotsuba, your grades are already improving anyway. You should focus more on sports—"
Yotsuba cut her off: "Sakurai-san would get mad."
"That nice general-affairs Sakurai guy? He'd definitely understand."
But… I don't want to be a professional athlete.
Nakano Yotsuba sighed inwardly.
She just liked helping and supporting others. If possible, she wanted to become a nurse or something similar—so she could help even more people.
Besides, Sakurai-san wasn't gentle at all. He was a devil—always calling her an idiot.
Although… he wasn't exactly wrong.
"Alright, Yotsuba, take a short break. You'll have to keep training later."
"Didn't you say we were only practicing in the morning?" — Yotsuba blinked in surprise.
"There's only one month left before the tournament. While we still have the stamina, of course we need to push harder." — the captain of the girls' track team said with a bright smile.
But… I already promised my sisters to go out today.
Yotsuba wanted to say it, but couldn't bring herself to.
With her self-sacrificing nature, refusing others was always difficult for her.
If the other person's reasoning was absurd, she could maybe turn them down—but this time… what they said made perfect sense.
"Yotsuba!!! We're here!!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Yotsuba turned toward the edge of the field.
"Itsuki?"
Nakano Itsuki was walking over, holding hands with "Sakurai Hikaru."
"Itsuki and… huh? Who's that kid?"
When they got closer, the boy bowed politely—
"Hello, Yotsuba nee-san~"
"You're… Sakurai-san's little brother?" — Nakano Yotsuba looked at the boy's face and instantly had a guess.
Lately, the rumor that Sakurai-san had a sister had already surprised many people—now it turned out he also had a little brother?
So cute, way more adorable than Sakurai-san himself.
I really wanna hug him~
"I'm Sakurai Hikaru. Nice to meet you, Yotsuba nee-san!" — Sakurai Saki tilted his head, then looked at the woman standing beside Yotsuba. "And this lady, is she also my big brother's friend?"
"…You could say that." — the track team captain reached out, intending to pat his head, but Sakurai Saki dodged.
"You smell sweaty!" — the boy pinched his nose, looking disgusted.
He'd realized it too — this older girl clearly had no intention of letting Yotsuba leave.
Besides, with his sharper-than-normal hearing, he had already caught part of their conversation from afar.
"Sorry about that, little guy." — the captain gave an awkward smile and retracted her hand.
Kids are just honest, that's all…
Calm down, Kamisato Rika, stay calm.
He's just a kid. Don't punch him. Don't punch him. Don't punch him.
"Yotsuba nee-san, aren't you going to hang out with me?"
"I…" — Yotsuba's internal system suddenly "crashed."
On one side was the track team, placing high hopes on her; on the other were her sisters and Sakurai-san's adorable little brother.
Which side should she choose?
"Yotsuba nee-san, I saw you panting just now. You must be tired, huh?" — Sakurai Saki asked with concern.
"A little tired."
That word "a little" was carefully chosen.
A little tired — meaning not too tired, but definitely somewhat.
Humans, after all, always like to choose the middle ground.
Beside them, Nakano Itsuki couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed Yotsuba's hand and pulled her away:
"Enough already, Yotsuba! You can train anytime! Let's go hang out—I already promised you, remember?"
Sakurai Saki also smiled and waved politely at the track team captain:
"Goodbye, nee-san~"
Kamisato Rika froze for a few seconds, completely dazed by that smile.
Then, a few seconds later, she crouched down, clutching her pounding chest, her face full of disbelief.
"So… I'm a shotacon?"
No, no, I just like cute things, that's all—believe it!
…
In the changing room.
Yotsuba had just finished showering.
Shuchiin had quite a few areas with shower rooms, especially for sports clubs—it was essential.
The swimming club even had an entire large public bath.
Itsuki watched as Yotsuba changed.
"Yotsuba, you really should learn to say no sometimes."
"But… everyone's counting on me to perform well."
"Well, I'm counting on you to go out with me," Itsuki said irritably.
"Hehe, sorry~" — Yotsuba gave a sheepish, silly laugh, trying to brush it off.
Seeing her like that, Itsuki could only sigh and drop the issue.
No sense of self, always living for others—if she keeps this up, Yotsuba will break someday.
Does she even have something she truly loves herself?
...
After changing clothes, the three of them left the changing room.
After that, they strolled around all day — during which they bought some clothes for Sakurai Saki, went to a spa, watched a movie, and had fast food for lunch.
Of course, they ordered him a kid's meal, leaving him utterly speechless.
It wasn't until dusk that they finally returned home.
"Ahhhh!!! Freedom at last!!" — Yotsuba shouted, dropping all the shopping bags and collapsing onto the sofa.
"Yotsuba, don't be so noisy." — Nakano Itsuki glanced at Sakurai Saki, who was nodding off from sleepiness, then asked: "Little brother, do you want to take a nap first?"
Sakurai shook his head, then yawned deeply.
Walking around with women was truly exhausting, especially when "strange onee-san" kept approaching him on the street.
Itsuki set the bags down, then took Sakurai's hand and pulled him up.
"Take a nap, I'll bring you home after dinner."
"Umu." — Guess I'll just listen to her.
Sakurai was now so sleepy he couldn't think straight anymore.
Due to the side effects of his ability, he had lived today exactly like an elementary school student — and now he was completely worn out.
The two of them went upstairs together.
Yotsuba watched Sakurai's back as he went up, narrowing her eyes slightly.
That feeling… it's familiar.
Maybe it's just my imagination?
…
Another hour passed.
The remaining three Nakano sisters finally returned home.
Miku and Nino had attended a cooking class together today, while Ichika had just finished filming a movie — she hadn't been too busy lately.
When there wasn't any on-location shooting, she could still come home to rest every day.
"Sensei-chan didn't come today?" — Ichika asked as she walked in, seeing Itsuki doing her homework.
Hmm? Why was Itsuki wearing a different outfit now?
She clearly remembered that this wasn't the one she wore this morning.
"He's sick, so he didn't come."
But it probably wasn't anything serious, right?