Little Sister

Around 2:30 in the afternoon.

Kamigami Haruo, who should have been working out, was instead chatting with a beautiful girl.

"I think it goes something like, 'No one is a saint or sage, so who can avoid making mistakes?'"

After thinking for a moment, Ichinose said it aloud, but the troubled expression on her face made it clear that she could not easily forgive herself.

Kamigami Haruo sighed softly before continuing.

"Then do you know the next line? 'Who has never made a mistake? To mend one's ways after making one is the greatest good.' Just like that saying, I just advised that student to turn over a new leaf."

As he spoke, the movements of Kamigami Haruo's hands also came to a stop.

Seeing Ichinose still hesitating, he spoke first.

"Although you said you don't expect anything in return, I'm still worried about you. Take this note. If you're satisfied after reading it, just treat me to a meal."

Kamigami Haruo folded the slip of paper and placed it in Ichinose's hand before leaving.

Pulled out of her thoughts by the paper in her hand, Ichinose turned to look in the direction Kamigami Haruo had gone.

Only a tall, slender figure remained there.

"You still haven't told me your name..."

She murmured under her breath.

On the way to the sports field.

As Kamigami Haruo took out his phone and connected his earphones, he noticed several missed calls in the notification bar.

He could imagine how anxious the person on the other end must have been.

Ignoring the missed-call notifications, he connected his earphones, then suddenly stopped.

Songs?

Before searching for music, he could think of countless songs.

But after obtaining them, he felt lost.

Was this how it felt after getting what one wanted?

Even so, compared to the confusion after obtaining something, he would rather not experience regret.

At least he had gotten it, hadn't he? He could worry about the future later.

Once he came to that realization, thoughts surged through his mind like a spring.

Kamigami Haruo stopped as well, since he had already arrived at the sports field.

He searched for song titles from the anime in his memories. Seeing one familiar title after another, he smiled and put on his earphones.

After setting his things aside, he immersed himself in his own world.

However, while exercising, one song after another played.

There were songs from Guilty Crown, songs from Natsume's Book of Friends, and all sorts of others, leaving Kamigami Haruo feeling rather melancholy.

Time was like sand. It was impossible to hold it with human hands, and fine grains slipped through the gaps between one's fingers.

In the blink of an eye, the sun in the sky bent like an elderly man at dusk, exposing only half its body.

It also meant that night was about to arrive.

Feeling hunger in his stomach, Kamigami Haruo stopped exercising.

He picked up a towel and casually wiped down his body, which had barely worked up a sweat, then headed toward the student cafeteria while listening to music.

However, before entering the cafeteria, someone landed a painful blow on his side.

There was only one person at school who would do something like that, and Kamigami Haruo knew who it was without even needing to think.

Covering his aching side with a helpless look, he turned around to face his attacker.

A beautiful girl with long, straight black hair. She had probably realized his prank.

When they had first met, Kamigami Haruo had already sighed over it. Unlike in the anime, Horikita Suzune was as beautiful as a novel illustration.

What bad intentions could a girl who only wanted to catch up to her Brother possibly have? She was merely living according to the image of Brother in her mind.

If I do this, Brother will acknowledge me, right?

Kamigami Haruo understood what she was thinking, so he did not find her unlikable personality awkward.

"No way. How could a cute little sister treat her Brother like this?"

His answer was a hand chop. Kamigami Haruo neither dodged nor blocked, taking it head-on.

After all, he had brought this upon himself. He could not expect her to simply suffer in silence, could he?

He would just treat it as impact-resistance training.

Without changing her expression, Horikita Suzune rubbed her hand, then issued a warning to the culprit who had thrown her thoughts into disarray.

"Only you could do something this childish. If you do anything so meaningless again, I will punish you without mercy."

"Can I refuse?"

"You have no right to refuse. Besides, I would be very unhappy. If I am unhappy, I doubt your future campus life will have anything to do with peace."

That really does sound like something Horikita Suzune would say.

To avoid being punished again, he could only agree reluctantly.

After he compromised, the two entered the student cafeteria together.

Standing before the ticket machine, Horikita Suzune chose a set meal that looked both affordable and nutritious.

After taking the meal ticket, she planned to exchange it at the counter.

However, she glanced over before leaving, and the foot she had just lifted stopped.

It was the same approach as at noon, except this time it was one vegetable dish, two meat dishes, and a bowl of noodles, costing around 1,200 points.

Seeing Horikita Suzune looking at him, Kamigami Haruo knew what she wanted to say, but he still pretended to guard his food and asked.

"What? Don't tell me you want to eat mine."

"Kamigami-kun, please stop making such childish jokes. They are not funny at all. I merely doubt your appetite. Eating too much on an empty stomach can cause gastric discomfort and a series of unpleasant symptoms, so I do not recommend eating like this."

"It's fine, Horikita. You can't imagine your Brother's appetite."

Chop +1.

"Do not insult the word 'Brother.' Besides, I had, have, and will only ever have one Brother."

"Oh? So Horikita admits it? I envy your Brother. But isn't this a roundabout admission, Horikita?"

Hearing that, Horikita Suzune did not respond and merely walked silently toward the meal exchange counter.

Her back looked somewhat lonely and stubborn.

This time, he still carried his trays back and forth several times, ignoring the astonished looks around him.

He returned to the table and sat down beside Horikita Suzune.

"Horikita, you started eating without waiting for me? How cruel."

Horikita Suzune ignored him. She ate quietly and elegantly, perfectly matching the etiquette expected of a distinguished family.

Seeing that she did not respond, Kamigami Haruo ate quietly and quickly as well.

After a while, he rubbed his swollen stomach in satisfaction. He was a little full; three bowls would have been just right.

Almost at the same time, Horikita Suzune set down her chopsticks and looked at him.

"That is truly surprising."

Horikita Suzune took out a tissue and wiped her mouth.

Kamigami Haruo leaned back in his chair and continued stroking his stomach as he said modestly.

"I'm still growing. It's normal."

The two cleaned up their leftovers together and placed their trays in the return area.

"Let's go. I'll give you a piece of information for free. I'll tell you on the way."

The two who had entered the cafeteria together once again left side by side.

It was quite convenient. Walking back to the dormitory after dinner would help them digest their food.

Kamigami Haruo figured he would probably never make use of the dormitory cafeteria.

"Go ahead. You can ask anything."

Kamigami Haruo spoke while operating his phone.

He planned to create a playlist and add the songs he listened to while working out.

"I want to know what was in your book."

"Uh... Well, how should I put it? That book records information and experiences about you and some other people. For example, a little sister who has always chased after her Brother's back—ow, that hurts."

Rubbing his side, he looked at Horikita Suzune with slight resentment.

Although she could not see his eyes, Horikita Suzune vaguely sensed the resentful gaze.

"Kamigami-kun, I already warned you before this. But it seems that even when I speak, you treat it as though it goes in one ear and out the other. Therefore, if I feel offended in the future, I will punish you without mercy."

"Absolutely not. No, no, no."

Ignoring Kamigami Haruo's bizarre outburst, Horikita Suzune continued questioning him.

"You said that information was free. So if I want to learn new information, will I have to pay?"

"Depending on how rare the information is, I will ask the person posing the question to fulfill one condition that does not violate any laws or regulations. Naturally, the condition will correspond to how rare the information is. See you tomorrow."

The two parted at the fork between the sports field and the dormitory.

One returned to the dormitory to prepare for tomorrow, while the other prepared to continue exercising.

Thanks to this body's abilities, Kamigami Haruo had already digested almost everything on the way.