Episode 27: Summer Holidays ⑵

This summer had been relentlessly hot.

The heat made it impossible to concentrate on studying, so the air-conditioned library was the best place to get work done.

That’s why I’d come to the library again today, but all sorts of baffling things were happening.

As usual, Endo-san was sitting right in front of me.

The problem, however, was the person sitting beside me.

“Takizawa, why did you invite someone else when today was supposed to be our study session?”

Endo-san’s face was smiling cheerfully, but her tone was low and rather frightening.

“Hoshizora said she was studying with friends, so I tagged along. And look, I got to meet this gorgeous lady. Lucky you, sis!”

The woman next to me was spouting incomprehensible nonsense.

Yeah. I wanted to get out of there immediately.

　Lately, I’ve been worrying so much I feel like I’m going bald. And today, things have turned particularly troublesome.

“What exactly are you to Takizawa?”

Endo-san’s expression changed.
It was the face of a dog about to bite someone approaching its owner.

“Hmm. I could tell you, but I’m not sure if that’s the answer the beauty here is looking for. Besides, tell me your name first.”

　The woman beside me was so practised at asking for names, I wondered if she was some new kind of pick-up artist.

“Endo Hina. But why are you here? What are you to Takizawa?”
“Her lover.”

Mayo-nee suddenly pulled me close, her arm tight around my shoulder.
I couldn’t fathom Mayo-nee’s intentions at all.

“Eh?”

Endo-san looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it.

Hmm… I couldn’t quite find the words, and things got complicated. Or rather, Mayo-nee was definitely enjoying watching Endo-san’s reaction.

It’s a bad habit Mayo-nee’s had since she was little.
This bugged sense of distance leads all sorts of people to misunderstand. Call her a seductress, I suppose.

“This is a library. Please refrain from being affectionate.”

Endo-san, who usually wears a forced smile in front of everyone, said this with a rather angry expression.
I couldn’t help but glare slightly, thinking that Endo-san, shouting like that, was the one drawing attention.

While it’s not good for Endo-san to raise her voice, I noticed her expressions have changed more than before. Unconsciously, I placed my hand on her cheek.

　Her cheeks were soft and squishy.
I tugged at her cheek.

Endo-san’s angry expression turned to one of annoyance.

“Takizawa, what are you doing?”

Seeing Endo-san wasn’t calming down, I removed my hand from her face and decided to explain.

“This is my sister. When I mentioned studying with you, she just tagged along.”

Upon hearing this, Endo-san looked startled and stared at Mayo-nee.

Mayo-nee was looking at Endo-san with her signature beaming smile.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner…”

“Well, you two were talking so enthusiastically there was no room for me to join in.”

“Hina-chan’s reaction was so adorable I just couldn’t resist teasing her.”

　Mayo-nee is just incredible. It’s amazing how she suddenly calls people by their first names, and how she interacts with others in a way that makes it seem like she can get away with anything.

I don’t want to emulate her, but perhaps I should learn a little from her, given how clumsy I am at interacting with people.

“My sister’s smarter than me, so you should ask her about your studies today.”

It’s frustrating, but it’s the truth.
I believe I’ll never surpass my sister academically.

　And I reckon asking Mayo-nee is better for Endo-san than asking someone like me.

“Calling me ‘sister’ is so formal. Usually you call me ‘Mayo-nee, Mayo-nee’ in that spoiled way, don’t you?”

“I want Takizawa to teach me.”

Yeah… Nothing in this conversation is connecting, and I can’t even tell who’s talking to whom.

I understood then that these two should never be allowed to meet each other for as long as they live.
At least when I’m around both of them, unless I somehow become a god, I feel like my irritation is going to explode and tear everything apart.

“Right then, shall we study?”

Mayo-nee, who’d been the most playful, said it with such seriousness that we started studying.

I really think she’s amazing. One word from my sister changes the whole atmosphere.

It’s infuriatingly enviable.

After concentrating for a few hours, the chit-chat started again.

“Hina-chan, you don’t have a boyfriend or anything?”
“No.”

I was surprised by that answer, but pretended to focus on studying while keeping one ear open. I’d assumed Endo-san definitely had a boyfriend, so I couldn’t hide my shock.

“Well then, anyone you like?”
“…No.”

Mayo-nee’s question made my heart race, and hearing Endo-san’s answer, I found myself feeling relieved.

　Why…?

“Well then, let’s have some grown-up fun with the big sister.”

Mayo-nee was smiling brightly, no, looking at Endo-san with a lecherous gaze.

“No way.”

Perhaps because she’s my sister, Endo-san was acting unlike her usual self. Mayo-nee was bullying Endo-san so much that I felt sorry for her.

“Mayo-nee, if you’re going to interfere, go home.”
“Well then, if you answer whether there’s someone you like under the stars, I’ll concentrate on studying.”

She said that with her usual beaming smile.

I’ve never liked anyone.

Because I believe all relationships end eventually.

Friends, lovers, even family – they might be enjoyable to be with at the time.
But where there are meetings, there are also partings.

Friends last until graduation.

　Lovers end when one loses feelings, or for various other reasons, and it’s a relationship where you never know when it will end.

I believe even family faces parting.
In truth, though I live with my family, it’s almost as if we’ve severed ties.

In such a world, I see no reason to develop feelings for anyone.

Creating something precious only makes the disappointment and despair greater when it’s lost. That’s why I won’t like anyone, and no one will ever be special to me.

“There’s no way, asking that when you know the answer just feels like harassment.”

I glared at Mayo-nee. Completely unfazed, she didn’t even flinch and just stroked my head.

“Well, I hope you find someone someday.”
“I don’t need anyone I like.”

The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward. This was all my sister’s fault. Ever since we were kids, nothing good ever happened when Mayo-nee got involved.

“Takizawa, explain this part.”

Unable to bear the tension any longer, I was about to leave when Endo-san spoke to me in her usual manner.

Her sudden return to normalcy made leaving impossible.

My sister had also become engrossed in her studies without me noticing.

I had no choice but to continue studying.

　After that, the study session ended without incident and we were about to leave. That’s when I realised my pen was missing, so I went back to where we’d been studying to retrieve it.

Leaving the two of them behind made me uneasy, but there was no helping it. Hurrying to search, I found the pen lying under the desk where we’d been studying.

Having found the pen, I headed home with my sister.

Today was utterly exhausting…

It was the day I swore I’d never study when those two were around again.