Chapter 33

Something that looked like hieroglyphics.

FROM ☆★Yui★☆: 18:32

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Hieroglyphics? What are those (ˊ˙ω˙ˋ)?

FROM Hachiman 18:33

TITLE Re7

They're on the world history exam syllabus...

Volume 2 ② When Komachi Hikigaya grew up, she would definitely marry Brother (That's what I thought)

As a well-behaved high school boy, I should have gone to a family restaurant after school to study hard during the two weeks before regular exams. Besides, the teachers had to attend the Municipal Education Research Conference today, so school had ended early and club activities had been canceled. It was the perfect opportunity to study.

I buried myself in the standardized English vocabulary copying exercises, like Shinran, the great historical monk. Incidentally, Shinran was the one who advocated "Taryō Hon'gan" (Note 13: Shinran was a monk of Japan's Kamakura period and the founder of Jōdo Shinshū. In Buddhism, "Taryō Hon'gan" refers to attaining Buddhahood by relying on Amida Buddha's vow to save all sentient beings; here, it means relying on others for help.), which was truly admirable. Deeply moved by his teachings, I resolved to find someone willing to support me. From a Buddhist perspective, I was practically Master Shinran himself.

After finishing the vocabulary within the exam range, I decided to drink some cocoa while covering the words in my book with a translucent red sheet to see whether I still remembered them all.

Just as I stood up with my cup in hand—

"Sorry it isn't Saizeriya, Yukino~ Let's go have Milan-style baked rice next time. Oh, and I really recommend the Devil-style hamburger steak too."

"I don't mind where we go, since we're studying either way... But is hamburger steak considered Italian food?"

Those two voices sounded awfully familiar.

"Ah!"

"...My."

"Mm!"

The three of us froze the instant we saw one another. Somehow, we felt like a snake, frog, and slug combination (Note 14: A metaphor for a situation in which three sides keep one another in check.), and I was very likely the slug.

The ones entering the restaurant were Yukino Yukinoshita and Yuihama Yui, both in uniform. Unfortunately, they were my fellow club members. Incidentally, "fellow club member" was a term specifically used for clubs engaged in sedentary activities. Thanks to the right time, place, and circumstances, I had used that word for the first time today.

"Shut-in, what are you doing here?"

"Nothing. I'm studying here..."

"Oh~ What a coincidence. Yukino and I came here to study too... S-so, how about we have a study group together?"

Yuihama looked back and forth between Yukinoshita and me, gauging our reactions.

"I don't mind. I'm studying anyway."

"...Yes. We're all doing the same thing, after all."

For once, the two of us agreed. Yuihama, on the other hand, tilted her head, a doubtful look flashing across her face. Still, she decided not to think too hard about it. Saying, "Then it's settled," she headed straight for my table.

After adding the drink bar for them, I went to get myself another drink and found Yukinoshita studying the drink machine with great seriousness. She held a cup in her right hand and, for some reason, a coin in her left.

"Say... Hikigaya-kun, where do I insert the coin?"

"Huh?"

Miss Yukinoshita, were you joking? Had you never heard of a drink bar? What kind of upper-class household had you grown up in?

"You don't need to put in coins. Um... you know all-you-can-eat restaurants, right? It's kind of like the drink version of that."

"...Japan truly is a wealthy country."

A dark smile appeared on Yukinoshita's face as she made that baffling remark. Then she had me pour my drink first while she watched closely. When I pressed the button and cola filled my cup, her eyes lit up.

Just to be safe, I placed a hot drink cup beneath the espresso machine and pressed the cocoa button. After seeing that demonstration, Yukinoshita softly said, "I see..."

After preparing her own drink in a way that made me break out in a cold sweat, we returned to our seats and prepared to begin the study group.

"Then let's get started."

At Yuihama's command, Yukinoshita took out her headphones and put them on. Seeing that, I slipped my own compact earphones into my ears.

Yuihama stared at us in disbelief.

"Huh? Why are you two listening to music?"

"Listening to music while studying is normal. It blocks out surrounding noise."

"Exactly. And when you stop noticing the music, it means you're really concentrating. That makes it more motivating."

"That's not how a study group works!"

She protested by slapping the table over and over, while Yukinoshita rested her chin on her hand and sank into thought.

"...Then what should a study group be like?"

"Um... everyone first decides the range of material, then asks questions about what they don't understand... Then there's break time, and after the break, we keep discussing things. We also share information we've found. Um... sometimes we chat too, I guess?"

"Wouldn't that just turn into chatting...?"

It was supposed to be a study group, yet no one would actually be studying. Besides, didn't she think having so many people around was a hassle?

"You should study by yourself in the first place."

Yukinoshita explained this to her in all seriousness, and I completely agreed.

In other words, you could study even if you were all by yourself! Hurry up and add that line to the manga included with correspondence course materials!

Yuihama couldn't accept it at first, but seeing Yukinoshita and me silently burying ourselves in our books, she finally gave up with a sigh and picked up her own textbook.

Five minutes passed. Then ten...

I suddenly raised my head to check on the other two. Yuihama's hand had stopped moving, as though she had run into some difficulty, while Yukinoshita was still silently working through math problems with an intensely serious expression. Yuihama probably felt it wasn't a good time to interrupt her, so she turned her gaze toward me.

"Um, this question..."

Was asking me a question really that embarrassing? Why did she look like she was having such trouble getting the words out?

"'Doppler Effect,' huh... I gave up on physics a long time ago, so I don't really understand it either. But if it's the video game Mass Effect, I can explain it to you. Want me to?"

"That's completely different! Only the last two words are the same!"

So it really was no good... And here I'd been pretty confident in my ability to explain things.

Yuihama gave up and tossed her textbook and notebook onto the table. She drained the iced tea in her glass through the straw, then picked up the empty glass and started to stand. At that moment, she seemed to spot something and let out an "Ah."

I followed her line of sight and found an incredibly cute Beautiful Girl wearing a tacky sailor uniform.

"That's my sister..."

My younger sister, Komachi, was happily smiling in front of the register, with a boy in a stand-collar uniform beside her.

"Sorry, I'll be right back."

I immediately got up and chased after them from behind, but by the time I stepped out of the restaurant, the two of them were nowhere to be seen.

I reluctantly returned inside, and Yuihama asked me:

"Ah, was that your younger sister just now?"

"Yeah. Why was she at a family restaurant with some guy...?"

The shock was so severe that I had no desire to study anymore. My own younger sister had shown up in a place like this with some strange guy... That was impossible!

"Maybe it was a date~"

"Don't be ridiculous... There's no way..."

"Really~? But Komachi is so cute, it'd be perfectly normal for her to have a boyfriend."

"Her Brother doesn't even have a girlfriend—how could she have the nerve to get a boyfriend?! There can't be a younger sister more outstanding than her older brother!"

"You don't need to say something so stupid that loudly. I could hear every word even with my headphones on."

Yukinoshita took off her headphones and shot me a glare. The cable was stretched quite long too, so it looked like she would strangle me with it if I made any more noise.

"No, you've got it wrong. My younger sister was with some strange guy just now..."

"But from what I saw, he was just an ordinary middle school boy. I know you're worried about your younger sister, but if you pry too much, she might end up hating you. My Dad has been constantly asking me lately, 'Do you have a boyfriend?' It's seriously so annoying~"

"Hahaha, your Father is still an amateur! In my family, we firmly believe my younger sister couldn't possibly have a boyfriend, so we never ask her about things like that. How pathetic... Wait, how do you know my sister's name?"

I didn't remember ever mentioning my younger sister's name to anyone. Besides, my classmates didn't necessarily even know my name, so how could they possibly know my sister's?

"Huh?! Ah, um... Right, it was probably your phone! I think I saw it somewhere on your phone..."

For some reason, Yuihama looked off to the side as she answered.

Oh, right. I had let her use my phone once before. She must have seen it in one of my messages then.

"I see. That's a relief. I thought maybe I loved my younger sister so much that I kept unconsciously saying her name all the time. Wouldn't that mean I had a little-sister complex?"

"Um, judging by your reaction, I'd say you definitely do have a little-sister complex..."

Yuihama edged her body slightly backward.

"Nonsense! I absolutely do not have a little-sister complex! Besides, I don't see her as my younger sister at all, but as a woman... Whoa! I was joking! Stop, don't take out weapons!"

Yukinoshita's eyes were filled with shock and fear as she looked at me. When I saw her pick up a knife and fork in both hands, I didn't dare continue. If I had actually finished that sentence, she definitely would have sliced me into a thousand pieces.

"When it comes from your mouth, it doesn't sound like a joke at all. That's terrifying... But if it bothers you that much, why not ask her when you get home?"

Having reached her conclusion, Yukinoshita once again buried herself in her books alongside Yuihama.

But I no longer had any desire to study. Instead, I remembered how Komachi used to call, "Brother~," as she hurried along behind me. And after she said, "When Komachi grows up, she's going to marry Brother," Father's attacks on me had only grown more and more vicious.

Whatever. My younger sister's business was none of my concern.

So when I got home that day, I didn't ask her about it.

I-I wasn't afraid to ask because I'd heard that prying too much would make her hate me, okay?!

FROM　☆★Yui★☆　20:22

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Good work today, Yukino~

You are most welcome! I am happy to help you master recursive sequences. If you have any more text you would like me to translate into natural, punchy English, feel free to send it over!

Let's go to Saizeriya together again next time!

The Italian milk ice cream was super delicious

°*.(ˊДˋ).°

FROM　Yukino　21:36

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Is that so? I'm looking forward to it.

FROM　☆★Yui★☆　21:37

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Putting some coffee jelly on top would probably be great too.

V(＞W＜*)!YA!

Also, Yukino, you took so long to reply!

FROM　Yukino　21:47

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Because I'm still not used to it.

A not very important question: did you type

those things that look like hieroglyphs

yourself?

FROM　☆★Yui★☆　21:49

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There it is! The hieroglyph thing again ∑(˙□˙)!

Has that been popular lately (ˊ˙ω˙ˋ)?

FROM　Yukino　21:59