Maybe I’ve been causing her to really go out of her way... Maybe...
I’m sorry, Kuroha. Maybe I really am a big brother who causes trouble for you.
I felt so bad for her that I decided not to each lunch together after all. I just wasn’t in the mood, so I headed to the roof. Before I left, I took my student notebook out of my pocket and tore out a page. I wrote down my confession to her, “I am going to the roof to reflect on my failures as an individual,” and left the scene.
“Onii-chan, where did you go during lunch?” Kuroha asked.
Kuroha and I were, as usual, walking home together after school ended.
“When I came back to the classroom you weren’t there,” continued Kuroha. “Didn’t I tell you not to go anywhere?”
“I was on the roof,” I replied.
“For the entire lunch break?”
“Yeah. I thought I left you a confessional note.”
“...Oh. I had figured that was something you wrote.”
Kuroha went on to explain that during lunch break the “mystery symbols” posted in the hallway outside of Class 1-△ had caused quite a commotion.
＿＿｜□□□
＿＆｜□□□
＿＿｜□□□
What was mysterious about it? It’s clearly a symbol that means “I am going to the roof to reflect on my failures as an individual,” no?
According to Kuroha, she didn’t think that I would use symbols like that except when writing my novels. She actually did have a point; this was a rare occurrence. I could only tell her that it felt like the right thing to do at the time.
“...Did... something happen?” she asked.
“No, nothing.”
She listened to my answer, not replying. I really wanted to get a clear-cut answer from Kuroha about whether I caused her trouble or not. But if I asked her something like that directly, I was sure she would just say, “Of course not” and deny it. There was no way she would tell me what she really felt.
At the least, I thought, it was my duty as her older brother to do my best not to cause her any trouble in the future.
Our conversation having ended before it even really began, we continued all the way home in an awkward silence. And then...
There was a car parked in front of our house. It was a sedan with an illustration of a 2D beautiful girl painted on the front, which was quite common in the 23rd century. It wasn’t Dad’s car, that I was sure about, because the lower body of the girl wasn’t even the slightest bit thick, and the lower half of the leg below the knee didn’t look nearly silky smooth enough.
As Kuroha and I looked at the curious car, a back-seat door opened and a girl got out. The jingle of a bell rang out across the surroundings.
“......!”
I could feel the tension in the air around Kuroha next to me change in an instant.
I bet she has a fierce look on her face right now.
The person who had exited the vehicle was none other than my blood-related little sister, my jitsumai — Amaneko-chan.
“Hello, Nii-sama,” she said, approaching me and bowing her head a little.
Since I hadn’t had any warning that she was coming, I was a bit at a loss. Amaneko-chan was hardly somebody I would call part of my daily routine, after all. Rather, she was more a “daily routine destroyer.”
“I have come to pick you up today, Nii-sama,” she continued. “Please come with me.”
“Come with you... to where?” I sputtered.
“To the Future Creation Company. I believe they’d like to have a meeting with you-nodesu.”
This was yet another sudden happening. It seemed like she had asked a friend in her “New Word Order” to provide a car and had come to pick me up.
Well, it’s a bit surprising, but I suppose it would be better to get the meeting out of the way as soon as possible.
I replied, “Okay, fine,” but then...
“Wait a second!” yelled the up-until-this-point-silent Kuroha, physically jumping in between Amaneko-chan and myself.
“Oh, Kuroha-san. I didn’t realize you were here-nodesu,” said Amaneko-chan, staring at Kuroha with eyes that screamed, “Bring in on!”
“And why exactly does this meeting require you to go with him, huh?” pried Kuroha. “The meeting should be with the publisher and Onii-chan only. There’s no reason for you to be there.”
“I am the person who understands Nii-sama’s novels and prose better than anyone, so I will be there next to him as his partner-nodesu. It will be our book, together-nodesu.”
“What the hell? That makes no logical sense, and besides, I understand his writing better than you!” shot back Kuroha.
“Oh, you what, now? Nii-sama, write some symbol somewhere and let’s just see!” cried Amaneko-chan.
Huh? I was a bit at a loss being asked all of a sudden like that, but I wrote what popped into my head.
∴
Kuroha looked like she was having a hard time deciding, while Amaneko-chan was chuckling to herself. The two of them gave their answer simultaneously.
“M-Moles?” said Kuroha, tentatively.
“The Three Part Reform,” said Amaneko-chan. “It was a reform plan from the government in the first part of the 21st century to reshape the relationship between the national and local governments, consisting of (1) reducing national subsidies to local public services, (2) transferring tax revenues to local governments, and (3) reforming the grant-in-aid system.”
“...Wow. You really know your stuff, Amaneko-chan,” I replied.
“How the hell are you two’s thinking so identical?!” Kuroha was indignant. “There’s something fishy going on here! And besides, there’s no way that Onii-chan knew that kind of thing to begin with!”
“My brain and Nii-sama’s brains fit so well together it’s almost scary-nodesu!” Amaneko-chan laughed, her voice rising higher and higher. “That’s why I am able to read the future writing that he creates-nodesu. You should be glad you can read those musty old kanji, and just focus on translating that beyond-dumb classic literature of yours-nodesu!”
For her to understand what I was trying to write so perfectly... maybe it really is because we’re related by blood?
“Now then, Nii-sama, let us go together and create the future,” Amaneko-chan said. “Your novels will change Japanese... no, not just Japanese, but Japan itself-nodesu!”
“Changing Japanese?” snapped Kuroha. “There’s not even a chance of that happening. Even if his work has a lot of influence, it’s not like something would change today, or even tomorrow. It would take a really long time, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course the effects won’t appear immediately-nodesu. But I do believe that we will be able to see the signs of change while we are still alive-nodesu.”
“Not a chance,” answered Kuroha.
“There is a good chance-nodesu!” shot back Amaneko-chan. “And besides...”
Amaneko-chan paused to build up the power of her words, then said something that really surprised me.
“I have heard that it is now possible to travel through time. So we can go to the future and see the changes for ourselves-nodesu.”
What?! Kuroha and I looked at each other instinctively.
Amaneko-chan, you couldn’t... You know about the professor’s marshmallows?
“Amaneko-chan, you know about that?” I asked.
“Huh? About what?” she replied, quizzically.
She didn’t look like she was putting on an act. It looked like she really didn’t know. So what she’d said earlier must have meant she hoped it would be possible to travel through time, soon, I supposed.
Amaneko-chan and Kuroha stared each other down, fireworks going off, like a dog and a monkey... no, like a tiger and a dragon.
“Nii-sama, it is time to go-nodesu,” said Amaneko-chan getting impatient, and she grabbed tightly onto my left arm.
“Hold it right there!” yelled Kuroha, who immediately grabbed onto
my right arm.
“...The only thing you have planned today is that meeting, right?” asked Kuroha.
“...Yeah.”
Amaneko-chan, I saw something in your eyes there for a second!
“You’re not thinking about taking my Onii-chan and doing something weird with him, are you?!” continued Kuroha.
“P-Pardon the thought-nodesu! I have no intention of that-nodesu. And stop with that ‘my Onii-chan’ stuff already-nodesu!”
Kuroha continued to glare at Amaneko-chan, and her eyes were getting bloodshot!
“I... I thought this might be the case, but... you... you actually... Even though you’re blood-related to him...!” Kuroha seethed.
“Nii-sama, let’s get going-nodesu!” Amaneko-chan tried to pull me toward the car.
“You think I’m going to let you have him so easily?!” Kuroha snapped. “Think again!”
“This has nothing to do with you, Kuroha-san! You’re part of the past-nodesu!” Amaneko-chan cried.
With both my arms being pulled by my little sisters, I was unable to move. I could smell the feminine scent of the hair treatment that the both of them used. Kuroha’s had her usual floral scent, while Amaneko-chan’s was a surprisingly adult, clean scent.
“Nii-sama!”
“Onii-chan!”
They were pulling on me left and right, and my body was swaying back and forth.
Are the two of them serious? Th-This kind of hurts, you know.
“Nii-sama, come with me, please!”
“Onii-chan, don’t go with her!”
Amaneko-chan was on my left, and Kuroha was on my right.
Th-This situation... This happens all the time in the ‘war zone’ style of orthodox literature! Odaira-sensei has even said that he is often pulled back and forth between the little sisters in his head. When we were walking down the street the other day, he had to stop in the middle of the road and scold them, I remember. I think I’ve taken another step closer to being like him!
But while I was feeling impressed with myself, neither of them seemed close to letting go of me.
I need to say something to my little sisters!
In this sort of situation, there was only one thing to say. I closed my eyes in preparation, then opened them wide and shouted:
“I am now having an Orthodox Literary Experience!”
I cried that aloud, so moved that my voice reached far and wide.
Amaneko-chan was so surprised that she let out a yelp and let go of my arm, and I was naturally pulled into Kuroha’s embrace.
“Hee hee. That is exactly what he’d yell in this situation,” said Kuroha, proud of her victory and looking down at Amaneko-chan. “It’s exactly how Onii-chan would think. A normal person like you wouldn’t be able to understand!”
Um, is that supposed to be a compliment, Kuroha? Probably?
Amaneko-chan bit her tongue in frustration and glared angrily at Kuroha. “...Kuroha-san, what exactly is Nii-sama to you? Why are you trying to get in the way of his dream-nodesu?!”
“Get in the way?” she snapped. “I’m not getting in his way or anything.”
“Yes, you are-nodesu! Do you secretly despise him-nodesu?!”
“Don’t be silly. I...”
“Is it because he’s not your real Nii-sama?” pressed Amaneko-chan.
“Why, you...” Kuroha’s eyes flashed with anger. “There are some things you can and can’t say!” she yelled with a voice coming from deep down. “What the hell do you know?! You don’t have a clue just how deeply I...!”
Even Amaneko-chan was taken aback from Kuroha’s onslaught.
“Onii-chan, don’t go. You can have that meeting some other day, right?” Kuroha asked.
“Nii-sama! Think about your dream first! Don’t loose track of what’s important!” begged Amaneko-chan.
Amaneko-chan’s words echoed in my heart. My dream, huh?
My dream was to debut as an author and have my novels save people. I wanted to save others just like Oniaka had once saved me. Neither of them were against that dream. Both of them were cheering me on. But Kuroha was telling me not to go, and Amaneko-chan was telling me to go.
I was in a real pickle. It was just like that gimai - jitsumai set from that “M” restaurant I had talked about!
Damn it... What should I do?
I looked at Kuroha. I didn’t want to be a burden to her anymore. I didn’t want to trouble her, I thought.
I then looked at Amaneko-chan. She had said she would support my novels, and it would be our book, together. She had said she wanted to be by my side as my partner. Those words made me truly happy.
Wait.
I could not trouble Kuroha and go along with Amaneko-chan’s wishes by...
Ahh, why didn’t I see it? There’s a simple answer.
The choice that would make everyone happy in this situation was clearly...
I moved away from Kuroha and approached Amaneko-chan.
The reason that Kuroha was trying to pull me away from Amaneko-chan was clearly because she thought of her as a rival. She was strangely concerned about Amaneko-chan. But if she thought about it rationally, even Kuroha would see that there was no problem with me having a meeting at the publisher.
Kuroha, I don’t want you to have to worry about me anymore. You’re going to debut as a translator soon, so I want you to be able to concentrate on your work and not me.
“H-Hey... Onii-chan!” cried Kuroha, not understanding, and she went to try and pull me once more.
“Amaneko-chan, let’s go,” I said, not giving Kuroha the chance.
“Yes! Nii-sama!” said Amaneko-chan, moving quickly to embrace me.
As we walked toward the car, its back door slowly opened, beckoning us toward it. Amaneko-chan entered the car first, and just when I started to bend over to get in myself...
“Onii-chan, no! No, Onii-chan!” cried Kuroha from beside me, sounding almost childish. I looked over at her, and she seemed nearly in tears.
I was sure that she was envious of Amaneko-chan, but even in that case, why would she have that sort of expression? I felt I needed to say something.
“I’m sorry for always causing you so much trouble. I promise I won’t be a bother to you again.”
“Huh...? What are saying?” asked Kuroha, as if she didn’t understand.
I didn’t respond, and got into the back seat of the car. The automatic door closed with a hearty thunk.
Kuroha was screaming something, but since the car took off almost immediately, I wasn’t able to catch any of what she said.
*
One day in the 23rd century, in Yuzu-san’s room.
“Yuzu-san!” I said, excitedly. “I found something really interesting in the underground library.”
“Oh, my. What could it be?” she said.
“It’s a piece of paper that looks really old! The writing on it uses kanji and I can’t read it, so I thought I would ask you to read it to me.”
I held up Special Article: “Comic Prisoner 20XX Volume XX Readers’ Corner.”
“I see... I think this is a readers’ comment page from a manga magazine,” she explained.
“Oh?” I asked. “I see! Let’s try reading it!”
“★★-sensei’s bondage scenes are top-notch. I especially love how you draw those giant milk-bags getting squeezed so tightly! It’s the best.”
“Yuzu-san, what kind of manga was this message about, I wonder?”
“Let me think. It’s just a guess, but I think this has something to do with milking a cow.”
“A cow? So this is an animal manga?”
“I think so, yes,” she said. “Just thinking about the smell of barn animals can make you feel a little light-headed, after all.”
“I am always looking forward to your latest work, ◎◎-sensei. This month we finally got a raw birth scene with the heroine’s inflated stomach! I’ve waited so long for this! It made me super excited.”
“And what
is this about?” I asked.
“It seems to be about giving birth to a baby. I suspect this is a manga about raising children.”
“A manga about raising children, wow!”
“That’s right. It sounds very heartwarming. Although I bet that raising kids can be really tough sometimes...”
“△△-sensei, I couldn’t get enough of all those juicy, pungent scenes in this month’s chapter. I was so glad you got to give us an extra portion this month!”
“And what is this one about?”
“Juicy and pungent? Perhaps it is talking about some kind of broth for cooking?” said Yuzu-san. “It is probably a cooking manga, as it also talks about making extra portions and freezing them, which is a good way to help save on your family budget.”
“I see. A nice warm soup is perfect for those cold winter nights.”
“Why don’t I make some for us sometime?” she asked.
“The ahegao you draw is the best ever, ■■-sensei!”
“What’s this one?” I asked.
“Perhaps this is a misprint for asagao (morning glory)? It is probably a manga about flowers. When I was in elementary school, I had to keep a diary about the growth of a flower.”
“Animals, child-rearing, cooking, flowers... All of these topics are things that women would enjoy!” I said.
“Yes! I wish we could read the actual manga and not just the readers’ corner,” replied Yuzu-san.
The next day, while Yuzu-san and I were cleaning the underground library, we actually found a copy of Comic Prisoner! Based on what we had read in the readers’ corner, we figured that it was a manga magazine for women, which would make it perfect for Yuzu-san and me to read together.
We looked at each other and smiled while we flipped open the magazine...
My Little Sister Can Read Kanji: Volume 3 Page 8