Chapter 2: Hey, Can I Kiss You? I Can't Resist My Little Sister's Best Friend's Pleading 2

Chapter 2: Reunion After a Year

Early April, a Friday—I was working part-time at an izakaya.

This place was the family home of a guy I became friends with at university, and it was a shop where I’d worked short-term part-time jobs during every long break.

Today, despite having a reservation for a large group, they were short-staffed, so I was suddenly called in to help.

Apparently, the flu was going around, and several part-timers and staff members were down.

Since the pay was good, and I was free, I gladly came in to help.

Tonight, like any other night, the izakaya was bustling. I efficiently carried the food and drinks that were being ordered one after another.

「—Here are your Cassis and Orange, Gin and Tonic, and oolong tea!」

The lively group of customers were all young. Probably university students… hey, there were a few familiar faces.

Come to think of it, I remembered seeing posters for club welcome parties plastered all over the bulletin boards at our university.

As I was thinking, ‘So this group is a club from our university,’ I spotted an acquaintance among them whom I hadn’t seen in about a year.

「The oolong tea is mine.」

Amidst the bustling izakaya, that voice, as beautiful and clear as crystal, stood out and lingered in my ears.

Long black hair. A charming beauty that appealed to everyone. An approachable aura. And a stunning figure, noticeable even through her clothes.

I know her name.

Minami Tsumugi—my younger sister’s best friend.

That’s right. She had enrolled in the same university as me.

My sister, Hazuki, had sent me over ten reminder messages saying, 「Take care of Tsumu-Tsumu! I won’t forgive you if anything happens to my best friend!」, which I found annoying and had left on read.

Since we attended the same university, I figured we’d run into each other eventually, but I never expected to reunite at the izakaya where I worked. It’s a small world.

Seeing her again after about a year, she seemed more mature and even more beautiful than I remembered.

「…Ah.」

It seemed she had noticed me too.

We went to the same middle and high school. She used to come over to my place often, so naturally, she knew me too.

We hadn’t talked much at length, but we were on terms where we’d at least nod when passing each other.

We hadn’t seen each other for a year, so I was a little happy that she recognized me properly.

「‘Sup.」

「…Hello.」

「Been well?」

「…So-so.」

「I see.」

「…Yes.」

And that was the end of our conversation. Awkward, if anything.

But well, interactions with a younger girl who’s my sister’s best friend are bound to be like this. Besides, I was working. If I chatted for too long, I’d get complaints.

「Minami-chan, are you eating?」

Just then, a guy who looked like a club senior sat next to Minami and spoke to her with undue familiarity.

Tch! A pretty boy, huh? Looks like he’d be super popular with women. He should just drop dead.

「Yes. I am.」

「Which one was good? Tell me your recommendation, Minami-chan.」

「My recommendation is this dish. Though I’ve eaten it all!」

「Ehh! I wanted to eat some too!」

Beautiful and amiable, she seemed to be popular even at the university she had just entered.

It was obvious that not only the guy sitting next to her but also several other guys around them were all after Minami.

She probably realized it too. She’s sharp when it comes to those kinds of feelings.

She’s good with people, so there’s probably no need to worry. Contrary to her friendly appearance, she’s exceptionally wary, so she shouldn’t get caught up with any weird guys.

「—Excuse me, staff!」

Suddenly called out by Minami, I, who was about to leave, froze in an awkward position.

Smiling at me with a polite, formal smile, she said.

「May I place an order?」

「…Yes! Of course!」

For a moment, I thought Minami’s eyes widened.

She was probably surprised by my energetic and lively voice, which she had likely never heard before.

I took their additional orders for several dishes and drinks, and this time, I finally left Minami’s table.

Then, from behind, I heard the voice of a man blatantly hitting on Minami.

「Minami-chan, you’re so cute. You must have been popular in high school too, right? What kind of guys do you like, Minami-chan? Tell me!」

「Let’s see… I dislike aggressive men who come on strong or try to get touchy-feely. It’s a physiological turn-off.」

「…Huh?」

When I turned back out of curiosity, I almost burst out laughing.

Because the overly familiar pretty boy who had tried to put his arm around Minami’s shoulder was frozen with a contorted expression.

Minami, having preemptively shot down the sexual harassment, wore her usual composed expression.

Yeah. She seems to be fine after all. No need to worry.

In my mind, I sneered, 「Serves you right, pretty boy bastard!」, and returned to work in a better mood.

■■■

「Good work today! I’ll be heading off now!」

Since I was emergency help, I was excused from post-closing cleanup and chores.

The pay was great, so I was ecstatic. Filled with a pleasant sense of fatigue and accomplishment, I thought I’d sleep well tonight, but…

「Um, are you okay?」

「Ughh. I’m drunk and feel sick… Minami-chan, help me…」

「Sorry for making you stay, Minami-chan. I’m really sorry, but could you help me carry this guy? There’s a place to rest nearby. Please? I’m begging you!」

Three people, two men and a woman, were gathered in front of the izakaya where I worked.

One was a drunk guy squatting down. Another guy was looking after the drunk, and the third, a woman, was standing about two steps away, accompanying them.

I immediately realized. The woman accompanying them was Minami Tsumugi. And the guy squatting down was faking being dead drunk.

These two guys were probably in cahoots. They likely intended to lure Minami to one of their places or a love hotel under the pretext of carrying the drunk.

Their plan was too stupid and shallow. As men, they were the worst.

And Minami, too. What was she doing here, with no need to accompany these guys?

No, perhaps this was her first time dealing with drunk people. She had just graduated high school and entered university a short while ago. She probably didn’t know how to handle drunks.

Haa… Can’t be helped. I guess I’ll help her out. Otherwise, who knows what my sister will say…

Big brothers are weak creatures who can’t defy their little sisters.

「Yo, Minami. Sorry to keep you waiting.」

「…Ah, Senpai. Good work at your part-time job.」

「Mhm. Well then, shall we go home?」

「Yes.」

I naturally put my arm around her shoulder and, as if escorting her, forcibly made her leave the scene. However,

「Hey, wait a minute! Where do you think you’re taking Minami-chan?!」

Uwaah. What a pain in the ass.

Seeing the girl they were targeting about to be snatched away by another guy, the ‘caretaker’ guy got riled up, and the ‘drunk’ guy also stood up, showing his irritation.

Hey, hey. You look pretty energetic, don’t you?

「Where, you ask? Home, right?」

「Yes. That’s right.」

「So, if you’ll excuse us, sirs.」

「Y-You! Getting all familiar with Minami-chan, what’s your relationship with her!?」

Hm? Ah, I remember. The ‘drunk’ guy, isn’t he the overly familiar pretty boy who was sitting next to Minami!

He was after Minami but couldn’t win her over, so he resorted to such a despicable tactic, huh? What a scumbag.

「Can’t you tell by looking? I’m her boyfriend.」

「Huh? No, you’re not?」

I couldn’t hide my shock at Minami’s unexpected betrayal.

「Uh, um, Minami-san? Isn’t this where you’re supposed to read the room and play along…?」

「We’re not dating, are we? You’re not my boyfriend or anything, right?」

「Ah, yes. That’s right. I’m sorry… I told a lie on the spur of the moment to deal with the situation. I apologize.」

「Haven’t you been reading too much manga? Did you think that kind of trick would work in real life? If a rumor spreads at university that I have a boyfriend when I’m not dating anyone, I’m the one who’ll be inconvenienced, you know?」

「…Hey, hey. You don’t have to go that far, do you? I was just trying to help you out!」

「Huh? Help me out? Are you looking down on me? When did I ever ask for your help?」

「Geez, that twisted part of you hasn’t changed even after a year! And that cold, sullen face of yours that looks like you find the whole world boring!」

She, who is amiable and friendly to everyone, only shows her true self in front of me.

No, ‘true self’ might be misleading. The friendly Minami is also the real Minami; it’s not like she’s putting on an act.

It’s just that she has a side that many people don’t know, a side only I know. A side completely different from the charming, cheerful, popular girl—a side with a cold gaze that has given up on enjoying things, and a bored, expressionless face.

She doesn’t show that side even in front of complete strangers. The only times she shows it are when she’s completely alone, when she’s interacting with me, or when she’s rejecting troublesome pick-up attempts.

I can’t even imagine what kind of experiences would make her capable of such a cold expression.

My sister Hazuki probably doesn’t know either. Because Minami doesn’t show even a hint of that side in front of people she’s close to.

It’s precisely because we’re not close that she shows me that cold expression.

「…It can’t be helped, can it? Because no matter what I do, I’m never satisfied.」

Minami, who averted her gaze as if hurt and spoke weakly, looked somewhat like a lonely, solitary child.

「Haaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!」

Letting out a long, long sigh, I turned around and called out to the man.

「Manager. Can I leave those two drunk guys over there to you? I’m taking this idiot home.」

「Yeah! Leave ‘em to me!」

As expected of the manager! So reliable! But that gesture isn’t a thumbs-up, it’s a dirty joke, right?

Leaving the drunk scumbags, who were yelling something at the manager as he came outside to take down the noren, I once again forcefully grabbed Minami’s shoulder and made her walk.

She didn’t resist. Even with my arm around her, she didn’t say she disliked it.

She just wore an expression like a sulking child, as if she couldn’t care less.

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Note from author:

Thank you for reading.

Please rest assured, there won't be any serious developments.

The heroine, Minami, has little interest in most things, but she's the type to become more deeply and single-mindedly absorbed in specific things than anyone else.

Next time: 「Chapter 3: The Triggering Word」

Their relationship changed because of a casual word spoken many times in the past...

To the readers who thought, 'How did they end up in a relationship like in Chapter 1?!'

Please bookmark this and give it a ★ rating.