"Hayato is insanely awesome! He's so cool!"
Everyone in class gathered around Hayama. It didn't take long before they all decided to switch to wherever he was going and changed their names over.
As more and more names were added, mine was erased without anyone noticing, and my presence faded even further.
What was this? Was I some kind of ninja? Maybe I should just go apprentice in Iga or Koka.
Then, please allow me to disappear now.
Needless to say, no matter when or where, whether I existed or vanished made no difference.
FROM Zaimokuza 16:40 TITLE nontitle Hachiman, it's me, Zaimokuza. How is it? Have you been studying hard? By the way, would you write down the math exam range here, with the solemn heart of recording a divine revelation? FROM Zaimokuza 16:59 TITLE nontitle Hachiman... crackle... pssh-crackle-crackle... Hmm, it seems the concentration of Minovsky particles is high here. Hachiman, respond now, crackle... hurry and answer, crackle-crackle-crackle... FROM Zaimokuza 17:36 TITLE nontitle Answer my summons at once, Hachiman! Hmm... that doesn't work either... In that case, I have no choice but to chant that spell. Something darker than twilight, redder than blood... (omitted). FROM Zaimokuza 18:24 TITLE nontitle Sorry, I got a little carried away. Tell me the math exam range already. FROM Hachiman 19:50 TITLE Re Sorry, I fell asleep. Math covers pages four through fifty-one, plus the exercises up through the end of Chapter Three. Also, how do you know my email address? FROM Zaimokuza 19:51 TITLE Re2 Indeed. I shall never, ever forget this debt. May fortune favor you in battle. The next time we meet, it shall be on the battlefield... ~＜ ˋ˙ω˙ˊ ＞ Farewell! FROM Hachiman 19:51 TITLE Re3 ...Hey.
For Various Reasons, Saki Kawasaki Became Very Surly
The regular exams were just around the corner.
When people studied, they usually went to places like family restaurants or libraries. However, high school students wandering around after eleven at night could get taken in by the police for guidance, and family restaurants kicked us out at ten.
Therefore, once it got late at night, there was almost nowhere to study except at home. Let me add that "late-night studying" had absolutely nothing to do with "wrestling in bed."
The clock hand was about to point at twelve. I stretched hard and figured I could keep studying for another hour or two.
"...I should get some coffee."
I went downstairs to the living room, my footsteps thudding along. If I wanted to drive away sleepiness, coffee was still the best choice. And when doing something that required heavy brain usage, like studying, I also had to replenish my sugar properly. In other words, it was time for the sickeningly sweet MAX Coffee!
It suddenly occurred to me that MAX Coffee had caffeine, tons of milk, and enough sweetness to kill someone. If it were personified, it would definitely get everyone's blood pumping. At the very least, she'd absolutely have huge breasts and say things like, "I won't let you sleep☆" Would someone please draw Miss MAX and upload her to Pixiv...
Thinking such pointless things about MAX Coffee, I entered the living room and found Komachi asleep on the sofa.
...Wasn't she about to have exams too? She was as gutsy as ever.
I searched for MAX Coffee, then remembered I had finished the last carton recently. I had no choice but to boil water and make instant coffee.
I filled the electric kettle with water and flipped up the switch on the base. While waiting for it to boil, I sat down on the other end of the sofa where my sister was sleeping.
Komachi was sleeping on the sofa with her stomach boldly exposed.
Her snow-white skin rose and fell rhythmically with every breath, and her cute navel moved along with it. That oversized T-shirt was probably one of mine that she had taken without asking. Whenever she shifted, the bra beneath her shirt peeked in and out of view. Also, because she was curled up while sleeping, I hadn't noticed at first, but why was she only wearing underwear? She'd catch a cold!
Anyway, I casually grabbed a towel and covered her with it. Komachi reacted by mumbling something incomprehensible.
While I watched Komachi sleep, the water in the kettle began bubbling. At last, it clicked to announce that the water had boiled.
I put instant coffee powder into a mug and poured in the hot water. The aroma of coffee immediately spread through the room. I added lots of milk and sugar to the rather strong coffee, then stirred it four times with a teaspoon. My favorite sweet coffee was complete.
The rich milk and fragrant coffee blended together perfectly. Not bad at all.
At that moment, Komachi seemed to catch the scent of coffee and suddenly sprang upright.
She stared at me without moving for two seconds, yanked open the curtains, observed outside without moving for another three seconds, then opened her eyes wide and stared at the clock without moving for five more seconds. It took her a full ten seconds to grasp the situation.
She took a deep breath and shouted at a volume that made me want to yell, "Why are you so loud?"
"Oh nooo! I overslept! I was only planning to sleep for one hour... but I ended up sleeping for five!"
"Oh, I get it, I get it. But that's way too long. Did you start sleeping right after school?"
"How rude! Komachi was a good girl and took a bath before going to sleep!"
"Damn, I have absolutely no idea what you're mad about."
"Forget that, why didn't you wake me up, Big Bro!"
Komachi complained at me for no reason. At that moment, I realized that "sleeping too much" sounded rather similar to "mother☆pig."
"Not that it matters, but put some pants on first. And don't just wear my clothes without asking."
"Hm? This one? It fits perfectly draped over me. Don't you think it looks kind of like a dress?"
As she spoke, she pulled open the collar of the T-shirt. Hey, don't pull it, don't pull it! I can see your bra! And don't spin around, I can see your underwear!
"...Whatever. I don't wear that T-shirt anymore, so you can have it."
"Ooh, thanks! Then~ Komachi will find some underwear to give Big Bro."
"Ah, well, thank you very much."
If she really gave me underwear, I'd use it as a rag—I swore that to myself as I sipped my coffee. Komachi adjusted the hem of her T-shirt... no, her dress-like pajamas, and headed into the kitchen to heat milk in the microwave.
"By the way, Big Bro, what are you doing up at this hour?"
"Studying. I just came down for a break."
Hearing my answer, she let out a startled "Ehh~."
"A break... so you're going to keep going afterward? Big Bro, once you start studying, you become so businesslike."
"Hey, 'businesslike' doesn't mean you like working. Your English is awful."
"Oh, come on, Big Bro~ My English is really good. I'm basically a genius! I am genius!"
With English like that, it was hard to believe she was a genius. Did she not even know the English word for "genius"?
Ding! The milk in the microwave had finished heating. Komachi returned with the mug in both hands, blowing on the milk all the way with repeated "Hoo~ hoo~" sounds.
"Komachi should get back to studying too..."
"Go study, go study. Then I'm heading back. Work hard."
I downed my coffee in one gulp and was about to stand when Komachi suddenly tugged my T-shirt from behind, making me croak like a bullfrog. When I turned around, she was smiling from ear to ear.
"When you said 'Komachi too' should study, doesn't that normally mean 'let's study together'? Big Bro, I think your Japanese is a little weird."
"You're the weird one..."
It was fine. I had already reached a stopping point, so I could indulge this idiot little sister and study with her.
Thus, tonight I would have my sister for company.
× × ×
I brought my full set of gear from my room to the living room and lined it up across the table. Today's plan was a focused review of Japanese history, so I used the question book and explanations published by Yamakawa, along with my own notes.
On the other hand, Komachi seemed unhappy after hearing that her English was bad, so she brought over Aim for 1,800 Junior High English Words.
The two of us silently buried ourselves in our books. After finishing the questions, I checked the answer key and copied every single word of the explanations for the questions I got wrong into my notebook. I repeated the process until I had gone through the entire exam range, only then noticing Komachi staring blankly at me.
"...What is it?"
"Hmm~ nothing. I just think Big Bro is really serious."
"Why are you acting so high and mighty? Looking for a fight? Watch it, or I'll pull out your idiot hair!"
Komachi only laughed at my threat.
"Even if Big Bro says that, you'd never hit Komachi."
"Huh? If I actually hit you, Dad would hit me afterward. That's the only reason, so don't get the wrong idea!"
"Hehe~ embarrassed, embarrassed♪"
"Sh-Shut up..."
Still, since she had made me think, How annoying☆, I decided to flick her forehead. I used the same force as when knocking an opponent out of the ring in eraser sumo, prepared for mutual destruction. In other words, I didn't hold back at all.
"Ow!"
My finger snapped sharply against Komachi's forehead. She rubbed the spot I had attacked, groaning as she glared at me with tearful eyes.
"Ugh... Komachi complimented Big Bro for being serious, and I still got flicked on the forehead..."
"Who told you to say something that stupid? Hurry up and study."
"That's exactly why I said Big Bro was serious. But~ there really are all kinds of older brothers and sisters in the world. A friend at Komachi's cram school said his older sister became a delinquent and never comes home at night."
"Oh?"
It seemed Komachi had completely lost the will to study and wanted someone to chat with. At some point, she had closed Aim for 1,800 Junior High English Words. I gave a vague response and continued studying Japanese history. In 645, the Taika Reform was fine.
"But, but, apparently his sister goes to Sobu High too. She used to be super serious. Why did she turn out like that~?"
"Yeah, why indeed~"
In one ear and out the other, in one ear and out the other... In 694, the bush warblers sang in Fujiwara-kyo. Huh? What was that? Wasn't it Heian-kyo?
Come to think of it, I was really sleepy. Humans possessed strong willpower, so they wouldn't lose to drugs. In other words, no matter how much caffeine I consumed, it couldn't defeat my will to sleep.
"Though it's their family's business, so outsiders can't really say much. But he's gotten pretty close with Komachi recently, so he came to Komachi for advice~ Ah, his name is Taishi Kawasaki. He started cram school in April."
"Komachi."
The instant I heard that, all my sleepiness vanished. I put down my mechanical pencil and asked her:
"What exactly is your relationship with this Taishi, and how close are you?"
Before you continue