I decided to release 2 or 3 chapters of SBD and 1 chapter of MaguToro until it reaches the convergence. So, there will be another chapter for this series tomorrow (hopefully). Besides, after the plot converges with MaguToro, the pace of this series will be faster. Enjoy this chapter!
TL: clover
ED: clover
Before I could prepare my heart, the remarriage talk had steadily advanced.
Cancelling the contract of the apartment where we lived, it seemed that we would move to the house of Masahiro—my new father.
"Soutarou, are you alright?"
When my baggage was packed inside the cardboards, my mother called me anxiously.
My nerve felt like it was getting shocked, thinking that she had seen my inner heart.
"What do you mean?"
"You don't like changing residence, right?"
I exhaled quietly, relieved to hear mother's wrong assumption.
I thought about the lie that I had said to misdirect the reason for my sullenness.
"Aah, yeah. Well, it's okay now."
It was true that I didn't want to move too far away.
But what I didn't like was the remarriage itself, not the changing residence part.
I buried that thought. I was going to do this well.
Still, towards my mother who was watching me anxiously, I would smile and showed that I was alright.
I didn't want to give this worrywart person a reason to be worried about me.
"I am OK, don't worry."
At last, the date of moving had arrived.
After I went to see the truck carrying the big luggage, my mother and I headed for our new house on a small car.
The house I arrived at was a big house.
It was a fine house, but not really, it didn't seem to have a bright atmosphere.
When I opened the front door and entered the house, my sister was standing there as if she had been waiting for us.
"Welcome. From now on, please take care of me."
As usual, I showed a polite smile on my face to that girl, swallowed my sigh and returned the bow lightly.
I had to live with my stepsister on the same house from now on.
I wasn't concerned about getting along well.
If possible, I would like to live while establishing a certain distance and treating each other like air.
While I was thinking about such things, my mother frowned at me and said,
"Soutarou, please give your greetings properly, Amane, we are in your care from now on."
"……Best regards."
I was being told off by my mother, so I said my greeting reluctantly.
Even though I showed bad attitudes like this, that girl didn't seem to be deterred and still wore a smile on her face.
"Soutarou-kun, shall I help you unpack your luggage?"
"—I don't need your help, I can do it by myself."
"Well then, shall I show you around the house?"
"I don't particularly want to see around the house."
This girl, couldn't she read the air?
Or, maybe she had a ridiculously resilient spirit?
I grudgingly gave my respect to the girl who didn't stop smiling even when she was treated coldly.
When I glanced at her surreptitiously, a light shock ran through my head.
"Soutarou. Please let her help because that was generous of her."
My mother, who couldn't let my rude manner passes, was telling me with her eyes that I should get along with that girl.
……I didn't think it was a good idea to test my mother's patience.
"……Then, help me unpack my baggage."
Reluctantly, I accepted my sister's proposal.
I walked up the stairs with quick steps to separate my older sister from the others and entered my room.
As I had the room showed to me in advance, I knew the location of my room.
My sister caught up with me quickly, entered the room, and closed the door.
It was a small room in which cardboard boxes were stacked and there was only me and my sister here.
On this occasion, I thought I should tell her my idea clearly.
"I want to tell you from the start: I don't need a sister or something like that."
"Eh……"
The documents of remarriage had already been submitted.
If I wasn't in front of my mother, I could show whatever attitude I want.
When I told her plainly, my sister's eyes shook as if bewildered.
"I didn't object to the remarriage, but I don't want a new family. I don't intend to think of you as my sister, so don't get used to it."
After I put it all clearly, she would know that I didn't welcome her as my sister, no matter how dense she was.
Sure enough, my sister looked a sad for a bit, but she still tried to keep her smiling face awkwardly.
"B-but. Since we will live together…let's get along."
"Just because we live together doesn't mean we have to get along."
I refused her bluntly.
I understood that this girl was trying to build a good relationship with her new family in any way.
But I didn't like it.
I didn't want a family. I didn't want such fragile thing anymore.
"We will pretend to be getting along well in the presence of my mother and the others, but don't get close to me more than necessary."
I said everything I want, and as soon as the conversation ended, we started to unpack my baggage.
After this talk, surely I would be hated.
It would be alright even if you didn't care about me."
"Ah, I understand the words of Soutarou-kun."
My sister replied with a sharp tone of voice.
I was wondering if she would get out of my room after this, yet she sat down beside me.
And, as if everything was normal, she pulled a cardboard that was nearby and started to unpack my baggage.
"Wait, you don't have to help me."
Incredible.
Why were you still planning to help me unpack over there?
"There is so much luggage, it will be hard to unpack alone."
"I'm fine doing it alone, go somewhere else."
"No. Even if Soutarou-kun didn't like it, I'll help you no matter what."
To this girl's words, I was gaping openly.
"What, this is a harassment."
"You can think so."
"I don't understand your reason. You're saying it so leisurely."
"I want us to get along. If Soutarou-kun is going to ignore me one-sidedly, then I will one-sidedly care for you."
Her behaviour really didn't make any sense.
For her, I was supposed to be a complete stranger who suddenly turned up between her family.
And yet, why were you keep trying to care for me?
—Was she an idiot?
You couldn't become a family by doing such a thing.
To suppress the strange irritating feelings, I began to unpack silently.
If you want to help, do it on your own.
Since that was the case, let's ignore her.
"Soutarou-kun. I'm reading this manga. I had read this before, it's interesting, isn't it?"
My older sister took out the manga from my bag and turned around in delight.
"Soutarou-kun, you have a pretty good sense for clothes. Can I put this in the drawer?"
My older sister pulled out my clothes and observed them in interest.
Frankly, it was annoying.
My sister started to categorize my clothes roughly while puffing her cheeks when I ignored her.
"Okaay. I will properly judge and tidy up since there is no reply."
I was flustered seeing her started to tidy up my clothes sloppily while saying 'This is here, and this is here.'
"Ah, wait a minute, don't put it there!"
"Eh, where? Here?"
"That's not it, you idiot! Ah, don't put it there too!"
"Aah, you mean here?"
—This girl, so annoying.
I didn't know whether she was tidying up or making a mess.
I corrected the place she had organized and sighed.
"You're being a nuisance. Tsk, I'll do it myself, so just leave."
"I want to help out instead of being a nuisance. I will do exactly as you said properly."
"That's why, I told you I don't need your help."
"I don't care. Because I want to help. Ah, is this good here?"
"Put it in the drawer next to it……Hey, you're seriously a nuisance. You're bothering me."
As my heart became depressed, I told her so.
This person, why the heck was she feeling happy about caring for me.
"No way. Soutarou-kun may not need an older sister, but I want a younger brother."
"—What a shame. It's not a cute little brother."
I couldn't understand how her feelings about wanting a family.
"Soutarou-kun, why don't you want a sister?"
She told me her innermost thoughts carelessly.
"I was quite looking forward to this. My family members are increasing."
This person and I couldn't understand each other after all.
It was a very unbelievable feeling to me that it was a pleasure to have more family members.
Family was not just disturbing.
"This house had always been quiet. I think that it would be more lively if there were more people."
The days I spent alone in the apartment flashed in my mind at the words of my older sister.
Eating meals alone. No other people to talk with, rooms as still as death.
—Lonely.
Shaking those thoughts, I was feeling very annoyed.
"I'm not carefree like you. —I'm good with being alone. Leave me alone."
I kicked the cardboard box nearby as I glared at her.
I didn't want to understand. I didn't want to get close.
I told what I know to this inexperienced person.
When I glared at her, she lowered her eyebrows sadly and sighed out a little.
While pulling out the luggage she had in hand, she started to collect the empty cardboard boxes.
"Well then, I will throw out these cardboards."
It was a sign of leaving.
After she collected empty cardboard boxes and held them together under her armpit, she turned her back.
"I will go, but if you need a hand please call me anytime."
"……Get out soon."
"Yes, yes."
While I was looking at her back as she went out of the room with a feeling of grief, she looked back suddenly.
"If possible, I would like you to call me 'Nee-chan.'"
Hearing her words, my face turned into a scowl.
"Hell no."
"Sorry. Well, I'll do my best to make you call me 'Nee-chan' someday."
"Even if I die, I will not call you that."
Taking my refusal, she went out of my room.
Silence returned to my room that was full with cardboard boxes.
Silence. That was what I used to for years.
A quiet house. A place where no one was there.
I was used to such a thing. I thought that was natural.
"Older sister, huh."
My murmurs dissolved in the silence and disappeared.