Tomodachi no Imouto ga Ore ni Dake Uzai-Volume 4, Prologue

Chirp chirp chirp—

Morning. I could hear the birds chirping outside. With my head still in a haze, I rubbed my eye as I lifted up my upper body. I was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling, inside an unfamiliar bed.

It’s cold. And that’s to be expected, I was currently in my birthday suit. Next to me, I heard the sounds of someone sleeping. Slowly directing my gaze towards the source of this, I spotted the familiar appearance of my friend’s little sister, with clothes unfamiliar as well.

Ahh, I see. After having been left alone in this shrine equipped like a love hotel, the girl, my friend’s little sister, Kohinata Iroha, and I—

We’ve been caught in this indecent summer dream, spending the night in each other’s arms. Now that’s come to this, there is no running away anymore. I will take responsibility, and make Iroha my wife. I will spend the rest of my life with her, do my utmost to bring her happiness—

「Ozu you bastard, stop adding some fake monologue to that」

「It’s the best development that everybody could wish for. It’s just a fleeting dream, so at least grant me that…」

「So why did you just jump to the morning after, then?」

「Alrighty, then I’ll take my time with it. The actual development is just as precious, isn’t it?」

「Like I care」

* f𝚛e𝚎𝘄𝒆𝚋𝚗𝚘ѵ𝑒𝚕.𝑐𝘰𝑚

The creatures called boys love to tease the opposite sex they have feelings for. I have no idea since which era this [hypothesis] ended up as an universally accepted [truth], but at the very least, I hereby announce this to be a lie. In a strategic sense, if you were to try and fight this war of love in the most efficient way possible, you would not try to induce any sort of negative impression in the person you are interested in.

Those going out of their way to tease the person they have feelings for, trying to agitate them to get their attention, only exist in light novels and mangas, fictional characters, and girls in reality would show the boy the like an easy-to-grasp smile, showing glimpses of affection…that is what I assumed, however—If you were to take this as [justice], then there is an incomparable problem that goes along with it.

–a–

“If I said I wanted to be swayed along with the magic of this ritual…would you be troubled, Senpai?”

–a–

In the deep mountains of the Village Kageishi, where even the insects had stayed quiet during this night. We were right in the middle of this ritual that guaranteed a 100% effective betrothal ceremony for couples, or in other words, an event that would require 3 IQ at most.

The stage of this ritual was an originally traditionally Japanese room, dipped in a fluffy pink atmosphere of a love shrine (AKI Vocabulary: A shrine-like love hotel), and it was just the two of us. With dampened eyes, and reddened cheeks, I was asked these very words, almost as if she tried to peek into my deepest thoughts.

Her speech and conduct showed nothing of her usual annoying personality, neither her attitude like a naggy chihuahua to force me in bringing my wrath upon her. Rather, she almost looked terrified of my response, showing an expression of a noble maiden.

Doesn’t that mean that she likes me—is what I would normally think of this. But of course, this was my friend’s little sister, Kohinata Iroha, so I couldn’t judge just yet. She would always show me her pure side like this, only to crush me with a ‘Just kidding!’ a few seconds later. 𝑓𝘳ℯ𝒆w𝘦𝘣𝙣𝘰ѵ𝘦𝚕.c𝗼𝓶

Now, do it. I’m prepared. Seriously, please. If you could just show me that annoying flick of a hand right now, then that would leave me relieved. Just how much time has passed? With my heart beating annoyingly fast in this absurd situation, I can’t use my calculations properly. Even after waiting for a brief moment for this fake mask of a maiden to disappear, her annoying attitude didn’t return.

What if…what if this atmosphere stayed until I gave a response? What if Iroha would continue waiting? If I analyse this situation according to my love philosophy, this would be a clear revelation of Iroha’s affection towards me, meaning that she has romantic feelings for me, but is that really the case?

No, not about that. It doesn’t matter at all. What…about me? If she really got swept along the magic of this pink atmosphere, approaching me in that desire—what kind of emotion would I, Ooboshi Akiteru, hold in my chest?

What emotion would be the right one to hold even?

*

「Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!」

「Oi, don’t just scream like you won a soccer match you bastard」