Episode Thirteen
I took an earlier train than usual and arrived at school with time to spare. The student council room was closed as a matter of course — I let out a breath in front of the locked door and headed to the staffroom to collect the key.
I wasn’t sure if she’d invite me again today, but turning her down two days in a row felt wrong, so I’d slipped out of the house before Ao was awake.
The weekend still felt far away. I made it through Tuesday’s lessons with feelings that wouldn’t quite settle, and made my way to the student council room after school.
“Good work today~”
When I pushed open the door to the lit student council room, it looked like every other member was already there.
“Sorry — am I last?”
I gave a small apology to the eyes turned my way and settled into the most conspicuous seat in the room.
“President — your hair’s gotten longer. Kind of… you know.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
Rin murmured it, brushing my fringe lightly to the side. If she did that to any other student without warning I think they’d faint. She really ought to take a good look at herself in a mirror.
“It’s different from mine though. The president has this… quality. Like she’s worth… unwrapping.”
“Ugh…”
Rin’s slow, appraising gaze raised goosebumps on my arms. I brushed her hand away and smoothed my fringe back into place.
“I get that~ Yunachi has this… quality, doesn’t she. Kind of… you know~”
Runa, the treasurer, piled on with the same odd look. I’ve gotten used to these two’s particular brand of harassment, but I’d prefer they kept it outside the student council room. Actually, no — I’d prefer they didn’t do it at all.
“Oh, be quiet. It’s just because of the student council president title, isn’t it.”
“Oh, maybe that’s it. Like, you’re the president but there’s something kind of… accessible about you? And that gap is what makes it kind of… unwra—”
“Saki is shrinking, so that’s enough from both of you.”
Saki, the secretary, is naturally small and mascot-like, but right now she’s making herself even smaller, trembling faintly. There, there. It’s all right.
I got up and patted Saki’s head gently, and Rin cleared her throat and nudged me to start the meeting.
You two are the reason we haven’t started yet.
“Alright… let’s get ourselves together. Student council, let’s begin.”
It was only April and we already needed to be discussing the cultural festival planned for autumn. The student council workload wasn’t especially heavy, but the cultural festival preparations were the one thing that needed proper attention. Rin and I drove the discussion forward while Saki captured everything in neat handwriting for the minutes. Runa had nothing to do for the moment, but she kept the flow of the meeting smooth in her quiet way.
When I’d put myself forward as president last winter, plenty of people had given me a look that said why you? — but apparently a few months is enough for people to adjust. At first Rin and Runa’s teasing had left me flustered, but somewhere along the way I’d learned to handle it without thinking.
“I think that covers everything. Thank you all, good work.”
I watched the three of them leave with their bags swinging and let out a quiet breath.
It was late enough to head home, but Ao apparently had work today and wouldn’t be back until later. I took out my textbook to get a little studying done, and a message notification appeared on my phone where it was sitting on the desk.
“It’s from Ao.”
Maybe her shift had been cancelled. I leaned back in my chair and opened the notification — and nearly fell straight off it.
“Oh— that’s…”
In the messaging app: a selfie of Ao in a black waist apron. That apron — wasn’t it the café near the station? Her fringe, usually worn down, was pinned back, and she looked completely different from how she looked at home or at school.
Cute. Unbearably cute.
Good luck today! Heading into my shift now ♡
The message sitting below the photo. My cheeks had gone dangerously slack and I pressed both hands to them before I could stop myself. Last night she hadn’t done anything, and at school today there’d been no sign of her coming over. Talking with Fuuka and spending time in student council had helped — the feelings had quieted considerably compared to the weekend.
But a fire that’s dying down, apparently, needs only a single piece of wood to roar back to life.
I swallowed hard, and quietly saved the photo.
◇
I’d finished eating and was doing the washing up alone in the empty living room when I heard a sound at the front door.
“Welcome home.”
I was scrubbing at a frying pan that wouldn’t come clean, and called it out without turning around. Ao came drifting into the kitchen, looking tired.
“I’m home~ I’m exhausted…”
“Ao—!”
The sponge slipped from my hand and dropped into the sink. The water running into it was bothering me, but I couldn’t reach for the tap right now.
Ao had dropped her bag, wrapped both arms around me from behind, and pressed her face into the back of my neck. She hadn’t bathed yet and might have been sweating. I should pull away from her. My body wouldn’t move.
“We had so many customers today~ I’m worn out.”
Ao murmured into the back of my neck in a tired, lazy voice. I’ve never seen her like this before — but please don’t talk right there. It tickles, and I’m starting to feel something I shouldn’t.
“R— right…”
“Hey — the photo. What did you think?”
Ao whispered it close to my ear. Her warm breath grazed my ear with the words, and a strange sound nearly escaped me.
“C—…”
“C?”
The tap I’d left running had been turned off at some point without my noticing.
“…cute. It was cute.”
“Oh yeah? Which part?”
“The apron and… the fringe.”
I could feel my own breathing going shallow. With each whispered word from Ao, the strength drained out of my body, and I felt like if I let my guard down for even a moment I might simply collapse.
“Ooh. Good answer.”
“I’ll send you another one.”
With that, Ao picked up her bag and slipped out of the kitchen.
The sound of the door closing behind her reached me, and I sank to the floor where I stood. I needed to warm up Ao’s food. I knew that — but getting my ragged breathing under control was taking everything I had, and I couldn’t make myself move.
I don’t understand Ao.
Until now I’d told myself she was just treating me normally — as a stepsister, as a classmate. A little close, maybe, but just within the bounds of normal. But what about tonight? Sending that photo, then pressing close and asking for the verdict while she’s still right there.
That’s not something you’d normally do with a classmate. Or a family member.
For the sake of the family — I have to let go of the feelings I’m carrying and act like a proper sister. I know that. And yet it’s starting to feel as though she’s the one standing in the way of that.
Ao knows how I feel about her. She must. So why is she doing this?
Unless — could she possibly feel the same way about me—
“Food food~ Oh — Onee-chan, what are you doing?”
Ao came back into the kitchen in high spirits and looked down at me on the floor with puzzled eyes.
Of course not.
I let the convenient daydream that had surfaced for just a moment dissolve away, and dropped my head with a thud. I grabbed Ao’s outstretched hand and hauled myself unsteadily to my feet, then reached up and fastened one of the shirt buttons she’d left carelessly undone.
“Keep that closed. I don’t know where to look.”
The voice that came out was thin and feeble, nothing like my own.