My Little Sister Can Read Kanji: Volume 3

by Takashi Kajii

  Chapter 5 - Bellybutton

  “I need to apologize to you, Nii-sama,” said Amaneko-san apologetically as we ascended an elevator together. We were in a high-rise apartment building in the Tokyo Bay area.

  After the previous events, we had gone to a meeting with Takahashi-san at the Future Creation Company in OCHANOMIZU, TOKYO.

  “Takahashi-san, let me quiz you. What is ‘〒’?” I had asked.

  “...Okay, okay... Here’s my answer. A dragonfly?” Takahashi-san had said.

  “Sorry, that’s wrong-nodesu. The answer is it’s the post-office symbol, right, Nii-sama?” Amaneko-chan had corrected.

  “Yup. I can’t believe you didn’t know what that meant, Takahashi-san. You clearly haven’t studied enough,” I had chided.

  “...I know you guys are doing this on purpose, aren’t you...?” he had muttered.

  I had figured that after the meeting I’d call it a day, but as we’d been leaving, Amaneko-chan had told me, “As for the book, I think we should have another meeting.”

  She’d said that she wanted to meet together with another person from the New Word Order.

  Well, that’s how things went, but we’re in an apartment building now...

  “I’m sorry...” Amaneko-chan repeated, bowing her head. We were in a room with a modern interior. “There isn’t actually another person-nodesu.”

  “Huh?” I asked. “Then, it’s just you and me, Amaneko-chan?”

  “Yes. I just wanted to talk together with you, alone...”

  “I see...” I said. “What about the person who lives here?”

  “I asked them if I could borrow the room for today.”

  She went on to say it was an older woman who she knew from the New Word Order. When Amaneko-chan had explained the situation to the woman, she had replied with something like, “Ah, I see... Go for it!” and let Amaneko-chan use the room.

  Go for what? I wondered. Amaneko-chan did seem a little nervous...

  “N-Nii-sama. Since we’re so high up, why don’t we take a look out the window at the view?” she asked.

  “Oh, sure.”

  We were on a pretty high-up floor, so there was a great view. Looking over the sunny summer scenery, I could see a tower poking up out of the sea of tall buildings. It was shaped like a tall tube, and looked like a giant smokestack.

  Isn’t that...? It was the tower that had been built in between the Special Cultural District and Outer Japan — the “Tower of Culture.” It was said to have been built as a symbol of friendship between the Special Cultural District and Outer Japan.

  The outside of the tower had illustrations on it. The lowest levels of the towers were from ancient Japan — illustrations of flint tools from the Stone Age. The middle levels had illustrations of samurai from the Kamakura and Muromachi Eras. As you went higher, there were images from the Showa and Heisei Era, like Gundam, Godzilla, Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Doraemon, Pikachu, tentacles...

  Near the top of the tower the outer walls showed current-day Japan — a beautiful girl showing a peace sign and flashing her panties.

  As you went higher and higher on the tower, the era that was depicted advanced farther and farther into the future.

  “This is the first time I’ve ever seen the Tower of Culture. It’s kind of a strange tower, don’t you think?” I asked.

  “That’s right,” she said. “In order to draw more illustrations on the tower, every ten years they increase the height-nodesu.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Since I live in the Special Cultural District, I can see it all the time, so I don’t find it particularly special-nodesu,” she said.

  The tower had been built in the middle of a large bridge called the “ARIAKE BRIDGE,” which was the one and only way to get to and from the Special Cultural District. On one side of the bridge, there was a city surrounded by a high wall. It would be an exaggeration to call it an iron curtain, but the city was most definitely isolated from the outside world. I wasn’t able to see clearly into the city from where we were, but I could see the old-fashioned buildings stand out.

  “That’s the Special Cultural District, isn’t it?” I asked.

  “I hate that tower and the Special Cultural District,” said Amaneko-chan, her expression clouding.

  As I was fretting about whether or not to say something, Amaneko-chan lightened the mood by adding, “But who cares about all that-nodesu!”

  Her expression can change in a second!

  “So, Nii-sama... would you like something to eat first?” she asked. “Or will you take a bath?”

  “Huh? Are you sure we can spend that much time here? I thought your house had a strict curfew?”

  “Don’t worry!” she declared. “I told them I was staying the night at a friend’s place-nodesu!”

  “Oh, you did? They’re pretty accommodating, I guess,” I said, a bit disappointed that the image I’d had of her being the rebellious daughter constantly at odds with her upbringing wasn’t exactly true.

  “U-Um...” stuttered Amaneko-chan, her face suddenly flushed red. “Is thish the shituation where I’m shupposed to offer a third option, ‘Or how about me?’”

  She was clearly nervous, stuttering and slurring her words. Because of that, I wasn’t sure what exactly she meant.

  “So, I can choose whichever one I want?” I said.

  “W-Whatever is to your liking...” she replied.

  “...I don’t mean to be rude, but... is going home not an option?” I asked, as the image of Kuroha on the verge of tears earlier came to mind. I had cut her off earlier, but it was still bothering me.

  “Nii-sama, please!” Amaneko-chan exclaimed. “Stay with me here through the night! I want to spend as much of the little time I can together as brother and sister-nodesu...” Amaneko-chan made her best pleading face.

  ...Amaneko-chan, those cute little eyebrows of yours are against the rules. You’re making me want to say yes to you...

  I took out my cellphone and started to type a message.

  “Are you contacting someone-nodesu?” asked Amaneko-chan.

  “My parents. I need to tell them I’m staying the night and not to make me dinner.”

  I was worried about Kuroha. But I was sure that she was busy with her translating job, and I wanted her to forget about me for now and focus on her work.

  “Yippee-nodesu!” cried Amaneko-chan, bouncing up and down in glee.

  We spent the time talking about novels. Amaneko-chan told me that she would be happy to give her opinions on as many of my stories as I’d like.

  Then we started to talk about my symbol writing.

  “Your smile gives me about this much power, Nii-sama! — ‘∞’!”

  “You’re embarrassing me...” I said. “Well, your cuteness level is about this much, Amaneko-chan! — ‘∞’!”

  “I-I’m so happy-nodesu...”

  “Do you get it?” I asked. “You see, the eight fell over, so it’s not a full 8 anymore. It’s about a 7.5 (out of 8),” I explained.

  “Right! 7.5 points!” she exclaimed. “I kind of get the sense that you just said something really cruel, but it’s probably just my imagination-nodesu! Rather what you’re trying to say is that I’m like your ‘7-5,’ heaven-wife! I make you calm and safe, Nii-sama...”

  We had a lot of fun.

  There had never been anyone who could understand my writing as well as Amaneko-chan. She and I would carve open the future with my novels. It was a story of such a huge scale that I couldn’t really grasp it, but it was the one thing my cute little sister was striving so hard for, so it was probably worth pursuing.

  That was what I thought at the time.

  The fun time we spent together flew by in a second, and it was now the middle of the night.

  “Nii-sama, everything is ready,” she said shyly.

  “Oh, okay.”

  Amaneko-chan, wearing pink pajamas, beckoned from beyond the doorway to the bedroom. I had changed into blue paj
amas myself, and was all ready to go to sleep.

  After our talk earlier, Amaneko-chan had made dinner, we’d chatted, watched TV, and each took a bath. By the time I looked at the clock, it had already become the next day.

  “I guess it’s time to go to bed...” I said.

  “R-Right!”

  Strangely, Amaneko-chan had reacted to my comment with shock, almost like a convulsion. At the time I thought it was quite an overreaction...

  As I entered the bedroom I couldn’t believe my eyes. There’s only one bed!

  In the center of the dimly lit bedroom was a single semi-double bed. It was designed for two people, so there was plenty of space for Amaneko-chan and me to sleep together in it, but...

  “A-Amaneko-chan, are you sure...?” I began.

  I looked over and saw Amaneko-chan in the corner of the bed room doing some kind of exercise.

  “Suu, haa, suu, haa,” she breathed in, then out, then in, then out... “Just doing warm-up exercises-nodesu.”

  “Is there some tradition of doing exercises before going to sleep in the Special Cultural District?” I asked.

  “N-No... Just warming up before getting some real exercise-nodesu.”

  ???

  I don’t understand. Well, whatever. I turned around and started to head back to the living room.

  “W-Wait!” cried Amaneko-chan, grabbing my hand with both of hers. “P-Please... L-Let’s... sleep together.”

  Ugh... There she goes with those pleading eyebrows of hers...

  But I can’t give in to them this time.

  “It’s one thing to sleep in the same room, but sleeping in the same bed isn’t a good idea,” I said.

  “B-But, why? Aren’t we brother and sister?”

  “In my family, it’s not allowed for siblings to sleep in the same room together after elementary school. And in the same bed is completely out of the question.”

  “Nii-sama, you’re such a gentleman-nodesu. Even though it’s a given in the orthodox literature you love so much for a brother and sister to be all lovey-dovey, when it comes to real life, you’re so delicate... How wonderful! I-I think I’m...” spouted Amaneko-chan, ending in a exhalation of sheer bliss, and falling to the ground.

  “H-Hey, you okay?” I asked.

  “I-It’s no good-nodesu. Can you carry me to the bed in your armsh?”

  I nodded and picked her up in a princess carry.

  “Ah...” Amaneko-chan let out another blissful sigh.

  I laid Amaneko-chan down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. I was about to leave her when she pulled on the sleeve of my pajamas.

  “N-Nii-sama... Come here...” she said, one hand grabbing onto my pajamas while her other hand lifted up a corner of the covers. The gap opened up in the covers looked like the maw of some threatening beast to me.

  “I’m not gonna lose!” I said, spreading out my arms wide like the mouth of a snake.

  “Nii-sama, what’re you doing?”

  “I made a snake.”

  “Um, snakes hibernate-nodesu. Now, come to me...”

  “Ha ha ha, I won’t be fooled by your tricks.”

  “There’s a book of orthodox literature called BE LIKE SNAKE, HIBERNATE WARM, you know,” she said. “If you hibernate, you can have a literary experience-nodesu.”

  “Okay, I’m coming in,” I said, hurrying into the space next to Amaneko-chan.

  Has it been about an hour since I got into the bed?

  At first we had talked a lot, but slowly our conversation had trailed off. As I stared absentmindedly at the ceiling of the quiet bedroom, I suddenly felt very sleepy. I closed my eyes, and let sleep overtake me—

  And then—

  “Nii-sama, are you still awake?” Amaneko-chan called to me in a whisper. “It’s a mystery-nodesu.”

  “What is?”

  “Nii-sama... You were just trying to go to sleep, yes?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s a mystery that you would try to go to sleep-nodesu.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes.”

  I could hear the rustling of clothes. Amaneko-chan was moving closer to me, and I could feel the warmth of her body.

  “You’re all alone with your little sister you know, Nii-sama...” said Amaneko-chan, her voice low and more adult-like than usual. “Why... Why...”

  She pressed ever closer.

  “Why don’t you ask about Mom and Dad?”

  Ah, that...

  “Are you trying to be considerate and not darken the mood?” she whispered. “But you must want to ask about them so badly... How gentlemanly can you be-nodesu...”

  Looking at Amaneko-chan’s face, I saw that she was so filled with emotion that she had tears in her eyes.

  “*sniff* But I think I need to tell you-nodesu,” she added.

  “Yeah... If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear. Tell me about what happened to my birth Mom and Dad,” I said.

  “Hokay...”

  It had gone pretty much as the professor and Odaira-sensei had predicted back in the professor’s lab. My father had been a doctor in Outer Japan. He had worked at a clinic, but right after my birth, there had been some scandal, and he’d lost his medical license. The clinic had shut down, and my father and his family had been thrown out onto the streets because of all the debts he owed. My parents had wished that I, at least, could be raised in a proper household, and had given me up for adoption.

  Before we had corrected history, that would have been the end of the line for my parents. However, as a result of how we had changed history, their fate had changed dramatically.

  It seems like my father had said, “At the very least, I want to see a real shrine maiden with my own eyes before I go,” and had taken my mother with him to the Special Cultural District. They had intended to end it all there.

  But when my parents had been looking at the shrine maidens in the shrine, an elderly man had collapsed nearby, and my father had rescued him without hesitation. That old man had been the person who would soon become Amaneko-chan’s grandfather, and who was someone with great power in the Special Cultural District. He also was quite wealthy, it seemed.

  Amaneko-chan’s grandfather had a chronic illness, and she said that he employed my father as a specialist with knowledge of medicine from Outer Japan. He had taken a liking to my father and adopted him as his son.

  After that, my father and mother had given birth to Amaneko-chan in the Special Cultural District. The reason that they had never contacted me was that they had not been given permission to do so by Amaneko-chan’s grandfather — it was not that they had forgotten about me.

  My heart warmed just a little bit.

  But Amaneko-chan was angry at our parents for obeying her grandfather, calling them “pitiful” and “cold-blooded.” It seems like the orders of her grandfather were absolute and could not be disobeyed...

  “I begged Grandfather to let me be able to see you hundreds of times-nodesu,” she said. “But he is so stubborn, and he always told me no. Do you know why?”

  “No, why?” I asked.

  “Because you are a 2.5D kid-nodesu...”

  Ah, so that’s it.

  “I can’t understand his thinking-nodesu,” she said furiously. “After all, we have the same mom and dad, you know-nodesu?”

  “That’s true, but in my case I was artificially inseminated, so we’re different,” I said.

  “What’s different about us?! Grandfather says, ‘2.5D kids are an affront to my morals,’ and he uses that as his only reason for not acknowledging you-nodesu. He’s trapped by his old-fashioned ethics-nodesu! He’s just prejudiced-nodesu!”

  Old-fashioned ethics... Prejudiced...

  “We’re siblings! There’s nothing different about us!” cried Amaneko-chan, not really speaking to me, but yelling out to her grandfather.

  I felt like her grandfather’s reaction was only to be expected. Even Yuzu-san, who was from the 21st century, hadn’t been able to
come to grips with 2.5D kids, so anyone who wasn’t in touch with the current-day morals would have a hard time accepting it.

  “I think that my grandfather is a victim as well, sometimes-nodesu,” Amaneko-chan added.

  “A victim?” I asked.

  “Since he was born in, and has always lived in, such an old-fashioned place as the Special Cultural District, it’s only natural that his morals would get warped-nodesu.”

  “His morals are warped?” I asked. “That’s quite a harsh way of putting it...”

  “But it’s true! He even hopes to resurrect kanji in Outer Japan, and is super picky about traditions and history-nodesu. He says that all that stuff is really wonderful-nodesu. But if you ask me, I think that’s exactly why he’s gone so screwy,” said Amaneko-chan, who was off to the races. “History, traditions... all that stuff just gets in the way. We should be heading toward the future-nodesu.”

  “...So that’s why you want to make new words and new culture?” I asked.

  “Yes! It might be too late for my grandfather, but for us young people, the future is ours to make!”

  Just how much does Amaneko-chan hate the Special Cultural District’s traditions, I wonder? Her rebellion against her grandfather is clearly no laughing matter.

  It wasn’t as if I didn’t understand what she was saying. It’s quite common for the environment one is raised in to have an effect on one’s personality. For example if you have a real-life older sister who you don’t get along with, that can cause you to go to the little sister-side, or the other way around.

  Even so, I couldn’t help but feel like something was off. The more that I heard her impassioned speech, the stronger this uneasy feeling grew.

  Amaneko-chan finally went silent.

  She must have tired herself out with all that talking...

  I had asked her what I wanted to ask, so I felt like we could continue this conversation tomorrow. I told Amaneko-chan, “Good night,” and closed my eyes, intending to go to sleep for real this time.

  But then...

  Amaneko-chan grabbed onto my body.

  “Huh? Huh? What?” I yelped.