Chapter IV | Turning Point. “Dazzling”

♣♣♣

Ten days after the university entrance exams.

In the afternoon.

I was in our living room, fidgeting nervously on the sofa. To any onlooker, I must have looked seriously creepy, but today of all days, there was no way I could stay calm. Even Daifuku, our cat, who would usually come over to play tricks on me, was so weirded out that he wouldn’t even come out from behind the curtain.

Just then, the doorbell chimed and the front door opened.

Saku-neesan must be back from the convenience store… no, she wouldn’t ring the doorbell then, would she? As I was pondering this, I heard the pitter-patter of two energetic sets of footsteps.

The first to peek in was, as expected, Himari.

“Yuuu~! Are you still breathing~?”

Then she saw me and recoiled in shock.

“Whoa! You look awful! Did you even sleep!?”

“…Who knows.”

I think I slept, though.

But last night, my mind was so clear it felt like I was in a vague state between waking and sleeping. I probably didn’t get any deep sleep.

“You’re not great with this kind of pressure, are you~.”

“Shut it. People who got in on recommendation should keep quiet.”

Then, from behind Himari, Enomoto-san showed her face.

In her hand, she was carrying a large paper box from her family’s pastry shop. Wasn’t that size for a whole cake?

“Yuu-kun. I brought cake.”

“Seriously? Thanks… huh? Why are there two?”

There were two of those paper boxes. That’s way too much for just a snack.

Enomoto-san puffed out her chest proudly and answered.

“There are two: one that says ‘Congrats on Passing,’ and one that says ‘Let’s Do Our Best in the Second Term!’”

“Hyuu~. Prepared for either outcome, I see~.”

As expected of a future business owner, she leaves nothing to chance!

…Still, that little quip might have calmed me down a little. Is this some kind of bizarre meditation technique? It really gives you a peek into how pathetic my high school life has been…

I took a deep breath.

…Today, the notification for my university entrance exam results is scheduled to arrive.

As I put the cakes from Enomoto-san in the fridge… man, I really hope I don’t have to open the “Let’s Do Our Best in the Second Term!” one!

“Yuu. What time does the mail usually get delivered around here?”

“I think it should be here any time now…”

I feel like it’s usually here long before now.

So why is it late today of all days? Well, I’m sure there are lots of other high school students waiting for their exam results too, so I get that it might be delayed.

As we were talking, I heard a motorcycle stop outside the house. Then came the clatter of mail being dropped into the postbox.

“It’s here!”

““…!!””

We rushed out of the living room and peered into the postbox at the entrance.

“Yuu, is it there!?”

“Let’s see. This is some kind of bill, this is a regular delivery from a health food company for Mom, this is the newspaper…”

And after checking everything, we looked at each other.

“…Huh?”

“…It’s not here, is it?”

The results notification from the university wasn’t there.

That’s weird. It was scheduled for today…

“Ah. Since we’re in Kyushu, maybe it’s delayed by a day.”

“That could be it. That’s plausible…”

I found myself convinced by Himari’s words. When you buy things online, you always have to factor in an extra day for delivery here.

We returned to the living room and slumped onto the sofa. Ugh, this is so frustrating…

“What should we do? Come back tomorrow?”

“Yeah, probably. I feel bad for having you guys come over, but…”

But honestly, this waiting is what’s tough on me.

I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again tonight…

As the mood turned to “so what about the cake…”, Enomoto-san had a realization.

“Come to think of it, can’t you check on the university’s official website?”

“Oh, right.”

There was that option.

In this internet age, it’d be weirder if that wasn’t an option. The fact that I hadn’t seriously considered that possibility means I’m really on edge.

“But, it’s like, how do I put it…”

As I expressed my vague feelings, Himari nodded emphatically.

“No, I get it. I was way more hyped seeing the actual notification letter, you know.”

“Right? But you two went to the trouble of coming here…”

“Ahaha. We’ve already got our futures sorted out, so we’re just bored, y’know~.”

While I was hesitating and being indecisive.

The front door opened and footsteps approached.

It was Saku-neesan, who’d been out at the convenience store since this morning. Dad just left for the store, so she probably came back to take a break in his place.

Saku-neesan peeked into the living room and smiled sweetly at Himari and the others.

“Oh, Himari-chan, Rion-chan. Thanks for coming for my foolish little brother, you know.”

As usual, she’s so nice to girls…

Well, whatever. I’m too preoccupied to deal with Saku-neesan today. Anyway, what should I do? I should probably check the university’s official website right away, but I really want to see the actual notification letter.

While I was agonizing over this by myself, Saku-neesan said.

“Oh, foolish little brother. You passed your college exams.”

“““…!?”“”

The suddenness of it left all of us frozen.

Wh-why does Saku-neesan know!?

Could she be lying…? No way. Even for Saku-neesan, she wouldn’t make such a tasteless joke. Probably. Surely. Most likely.

But why did she know before me?

Did she check the official website first? That’s possible. She’s the type who can’t stand not taking the initiative.

“S-Saku-neesan? Did you, by any chance, check the university’s official website…?”

Saku-neesan sighed as if she were exasperated.

“You wrote the convenience store’s address on your application, didn’t you? You’re way too uptight before things even start.”

“…!?”

What!?

No way. There’s no way I would… oh.

Suddenly, the memory of filling out the application form came back to me vividly. I was super nervous… so much so that I was focusing all my attention on whether my handwriting was neat, and for the crucial information, I feel like I just wrote what I was used to writing without thinking.

Come to think of it, whenever I ship out accessories I sell online, I always use the convenience store’s address…

In fact, I’ve written that address far more often than my actual home address.

My knees buckled and I collapsed right where I stood.

No… the results of the only university entrance exam of my life… to think I’d find out through Saku-neesan…

As I was reeling from a shock I couldn’t quite comprehend, Himari and Enomoto-san hurried to cheer me up.

“W-well, that’s great, isn’t it~? Congrats, Yuu!”

“Yuu-kun. Pull yourself together and let’s eat the congratulatory cake, okay?”

Their half-joyful, half-exasperated consolation is painful…

Well, they’re right. The important thing is that I passed. Now I can focus all my energy on Kureha-san’s admission test next month!

Wait? But come to think of it…

“Saku-neesan. What about the notification letter…?”

“Dad and Mom are over there, getting all sentimental while looking at your acceptance letter. Think of it as doing your filial duty and just leave them be for now.”

“…Right.”

Come to think of it, I used to say I’d work after graduating from middle school and open an accessory shop.

My parents were genuinely worried about me, and their suggestion for me to become a civil servant was out of real concern for my future. The university I applied to is pretty high-ranking, so thinking about it that way, their excitement was understandable.

“Pffft. You used to turn in blank midterm exams, didn’t you, Yuu~?”

“Come to think of it, that did happen…”

That was back in the first semester of our second year, when Himari said she was going to Tokyo.

Looking back, I must have been a real cause for concern when it came to studying. I need to do something nice for my parents before I go to Tokyo…

“Well then, foolish little brother. Don’t get too carried away.”

“I-I know. Thanks, Saku-neesan.”

Saku-neesan gave a wry smile and went back to her room upstairs. …Then I let my body sink into the sofa.

“Thank goodness~…!”

Finally, a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Seriously, if I hadn’t gotten into university, Kureha-san’s admission test would have been meaningless.

“You can relax for now, huh, Yuu.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Himari.”

“I didn’t do anything~. It’s the fruit of your own hard work, isn’t it?”

“Nah, I don’t know about that…”

Himari and Enomoto-san taught me so much. I definitely couldn’t have done it alone. Oh, I need to let Hibari-san and Sasaki-sensei know I passed, too.

Enomoto-san got the cake from the fridge and started preparing for the celebration. As I got out the plates and utensils, I thanked her for helping me study.

“Thanks, Rion.”

“Mhm. I’m glad you passed.”

But for a moment, a slightly complicated emotion flickered in her eyes.

“I’m sad that I won’t be able to be with Yuu-kun, but it can’t be helped, right?”

“…………”

That’s right.

Regardless of how Kureha-san’s admission test turns out, my move to Tokyo is now set. In two months, I’ll probably be living there.

Enomoto-san is staying here, so we’ll have much less time to spend together. Not to mention, you often hear that long-distance relationships don’t last.

I instinctively started to reach for her shoulder…

“Oh my, oh my~? You two are getting quite steamy, aren’t you~?”

“Shut it. You just sit there and be quiet!”

Enomoto-san flexed her right hand at the mood-killer that had popped up between us. …Faced with the wordless threat, Himari slowly retreated to the sofa.

We sighed and started cutting the cake.

Might as well open the bag of snacks we brought from the convenience store too. It’s time for our ‘liberated from studying’ party.

Himari laughed while munching on a potato chip.

“C’mooon~. It was just a joke~. Yuu’s future has opened up, so cut me some slack~.”

“If I give you an inch, you’ll take a mile.”

Enomoto-san really knows Himari well…

I immediately started on the cake myself. …Mmm. The delicious cake from Enomoto-san’s family shop seeps into my sleep-deprived body. …Am I some tired old man after a long day at work?

“But saying my future has ‘opened up’ is an exaggeration. I still have Kureha-san’s admission test.”

“Ah, about that~…”

For some reason, Himari looked awkward and scratched her cheek.

She looked like a child caught in the act… no, she’s always up to mischief, but I’ve never seen her act this sheepish. What’s up?

As Enomoto-san and I tilted our heads in confusion, Himari raised her voice in a deliberately cheerful tone.

“Yuu, you might not like this, but!”

“Y-yeah. What is it?”

“Uhm, well…”

Her words trailed off into silence.

It was Enomoto-san who seemed to understand the situation.

“Did you decide to lose the admission test against my sister after all?”

“Eh?”

As if hit right on the mark, Himari flinched.

“No, it’s not that I’m going to go easy or anything. It’s not like I can control my skills at my level anyway, you know? It’s just that… I don’t really feel like I can win.”

“…………”

To be honest.

It’s not like I hadn’t considered the possibility that Himari would make that choice.

We’ve been doing this together for four years now. Sure, Himari has been busy with her modeling training lately and we’ve often acted separately, but I feel like I know her.

So I wasn’t surprised that Himari would prioritize me when it came down to it.

But, this admission test is…

If Tenma-kun’s speculation is correct, Himari is also being tested in this admission test.

And if she loses… at the very least, Kureha-san is highly likely to give up on Himari.

“…………”

Seeing me silent with a serious look on my face, Himari seemed to interpret it as “I’m angry.” She probably thought I was thinking something like… how could you not take a match seriously.

Himari hurriedly waved her hands and made an excuse.

“B-but Yuu’s future is on the line! I know it’s bad of me to ruin your chance to fight against the amazing Murakami-kun, okay? But not this time! It’s not like there’s any penalty for me if I lose…”

“No, there is.”

My sudden words made Himari clamp her mouth shut.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“…………”

Honestly, I had been debating whether or not to tell her about Tenma-kun’s prediction.

But now that I knew Himari was going into this with that stance, it felt wrong to keep quiet.

“I heard from Tenma-kun. Kureha-san is probably testing you along with me this time. And… he said if you lose, you probably won’t be getting any more work from her.”

“…Uh, umm.”

Himari seemed to be thinking about something, as if slowly chewing over my words.

Then, with a twitch at the corner of her mouth, she asked for confirmation.

“That’s not just one of Ten-Ten’s jokes, is it…?”

“At least, I don’t see Tenma-kun as the type of person who’d make that kind of tasteless joke.”

“R-right~. I mean, I think so too, but…”

Seeing us fall silent, Enomoto-san sighed.

“Well, it wouldn’t be out of the question for my sister. In fact, it’d be weirder if she went to the trouble of putting Yuu-kun and Hii-chan in separate pairs and there was nothing to it.”

With this endorsement from her actual little sister, Tenma-kun’s prediction became even more credible.

In the living room, where the air had suddenly grown heavy, I once again asked Himari for her answer.

“Himari, are you still going to yield to me?”

“…………”

Himari was visibly shaken.

Her gaze darted around restlessly as she hurriedly put on a cheerful voice.

“A-ahaha. C’mon~, you two are being way too serious~. It’s not like Kureha-san said that herself, so for now, let’s celebrate Yuu’s pass, okay? Alright?”

As she spoke, she brought a forkful of cake to her mouth.

“Mmm! So gooood~! As expected of Enocchi! A cake full of love for Yuu~! Here, you have some too, Yuu! C’mon, c’mon!”

“Ah, yeah…”

I couldn’t stand the atmosphere either, so I hurriedly ate the cake… hey, stop shoving it into my mouth. It’s hard to eat!

…I hope Tenma-kun’s prediction is wrong too, but.

Of course, the cake was delicious.

But I felt bad for having to force it down my throat with juice because it just wouldn’t go down.

♢♢♢

That night.

The cold winter wind brushed against me as I sat on the veranda of my house.

Tonight is a full moon.

The air is clear, and its dazzling radiance is generously showering the ground.

Alone, I squinted at the moon’s glow.

It’s dazzling.

So dazzling, I can’t look at it directly.

“…I decided I was gonna become the world’s number one model for Yuu’s sake, huh~.”

It’s so dazzling, I thought.

Yuu, are you an idiot?

If he’d just kept quiet, he could have won easily, so why did he have to say something like that~. When it comes to his accessories, he becomes so stupidly honest, which I think is a disadvantage for him as a professional.

…Well, I guess that heart is what makes Yuu’s accessories shine.

So dazzling.

I could never imitate that. Because if our positions were reversed, I definitely wouldn’t say anything. It’s because I’m sly like that, that I came to admire someone as dazzling as Yuu.

As I was sighing to myself, my brother walked over from the other side of the veranda. He was working in his study until just a moment ago, so he’s probably about to have his anime-watching session.

“Himari, what’s wrong? It still gets cold at night this time of year. If you catch a cold, it’ll affect Yuu-kun’s admission test, won’t it?”

“Onii-chan…”

When I patted the spot next to me, my brother tilted his head and sat down.

“…Hey, Onii-chan.”

The words came out of my mouth surprisingly easily.

“About Yuu’s admission test… I was thinking of losing on purpose.”

“…I see. It’s understandable you’d come to that conclusion if you’re prioritizing Yuu-kun.”

I thought for a second he might get mad.

My brother is very sincere when it comes to this kind of competition. It wouldn’t be strange for him to be furious that I was thinking about something like match-fixing. I braced myself, picturing a future where he’d make me sit seiza-style while his usual dark aura swirled, roaring “Hiiiimaaaariiiii!?”

…But my brother just smiled softly.

“Onii-chan?”

“What is it? Continue your story.”

“Ah, um… you’re not mad?”

“Why would I be?”

“Well, like… you’d say it would tarnish Yuu’s accessories or something…”

My brother laughed, amused.

“Himari. You were able to be honest, weren’t you?”

“…Maybe.”

Come to think of it, my brother gave me a harsh scolding back in our second year.

I promised back then that I “wouldn’t lie to Yuu anymore.” I was so scared back then, but at some point, I forgot about the promise itself.

As I was grumbling to myself, my brother said.

“The fact that you’re consulting me like this means you’re hesitant about losing on purpose, right?”

“…Well, yeah. Maybe.”

He sees right through me.

He hasn’t been my big brother for eighteen years for nothing. I honestly told him about Ten-Ten’s prediction that I’d heard from Yuu.

“They say if I lose this match, Kureha-san might abandon me.”

“…I see.”

My brother didn’t say “That’s plausible,” nor did he say “I doubt that would happen.”

That attitude, I felt, showed that he was, after all, a good confidant for Kureha-san.

“What do you want to do, Himari?”

“…………”

Asked so directly, I honestly confessed what I had been thinking over and over since daytime.

“I want Yuu to win. I know how hard he’s worked for this…”

“Mhm.”

As my brother listened gently, I hesitantly confessed.

“…But, there’s also this nagging feeling.”

Why can’t I feel at peace with this?

The goal I’ve been aiming for is right here in front of me…

“Am I a bad person after all, I wonder.”

“…………”

My brother was silent for a moment.

He seemed to be recalling something. I didn’t know what it was, but his profile looked a little sad.

Eventually, my brother smiled faintly.

“You’re my little sister, so that’s a given, isn’t it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean~! Onii-chan, stop making jokes like that at a time like this~!”

“Hahaha. I’m always serious.”

Jeez~.

Honestly, Onii-chan… wait? If that wasn’t a joke, isn’t that bad?

“Himari. I’m saying this as a reminder to myself as well, but…”

My brother placed a hand on my shoulder and said.

“There’s no such thing as a correct path from the start. It’s like when someone first walks through steep mountains; that’s how a path is made.”

“…?”

I tilted my head at those words…

“What’s that mean?”

“Fufu. It seems it was still too early for you, Himari.”

He said something slightly evasive and stood up.

“There’s nothing more I can say. The rest is up to you to decide.”

“Ah! Wai—…!”

…He’s gone.

I puffed out my cheeks with a ‘hmph’ and swung my legs back and forth.

“…I’m struggling because I can’t decide on my own, geez.”

I let out a big sigh and looked up at the moon again.

I wish everything was something I could just reach out and touch easily.

Thinking that, I flopped down onto my back.