"So... you are not only dating Chika-nee and Ai-senpai?"
"Yes."
Instead of berating him, getting angry, and scolding him, Kei asked him to send her off to go home, to which Ishigami agreed, and because of that, they could have this type of conversation.
"How many?"
"...it's a secret."
Even if Kei kept staring at him, Ishigami felt that it was unnecessary to talk about everything. After all, she was just the little sister of his savior, friend, and senior, so it wasn't necessary to talk more about his relationship with everyone, especially when he had no intention of getting close to Kei.
Yet, it was probably different with Kei.
Their age difference wasn't much, and in her mind, Ishigami must be someone that she could depend on and admire within her heart.
While Ishigami didn't really want to notice this feeling, he knew that Kei had a crush on him, yet what could he do?
He felt that a relationship with Kei was too early. If she was a little older, then it would be different, but she was too young for his taste. Yes, only two years of difference existed between them, yet he couldn't help but feel it was wrong.
"Yuu-senpai..."
As Kei kept staring at him deeply, Ishigami said calmly, "This isn't something to be proud of, and I know how many will think that I am wrong, and it is hard for you to believe me, especially with how I am dating many girls at the same time, but I... am not playing with their feelings, so unless you know them, or gain their permission to ask about our relationship, then I won't say anything."
In the end, Ishigami could only use this excuse to tell Kei that he wouldn't tell her anything.
"...you are still the same."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Yet, it was because Ishigami was like that Kei understood why many fell for him, and it was the same as her, but she knew well that in his heart, she was just his junior, the little sister of his senior, but... she wanted him to see her differently.
Kei wanted him to see her more than that, but as she thought so, Ishigami asked, "Why don't you scold me for being a scumbag?"
"...do you want me to, Senpai?"
"No."
"If you want, I can stare at you coldly, too."
"...no, it's fine. I don't have such a hobby."
As expected, while Kei was gentle, this girl was a sadist!
Still, when Ishigami thought about Shirogane, somehow, he also understood why they were a brother and a sister. They might appear gentle and prim on the outside, but their inside were quite unique, and similarly, their feelings were genuine and gentle, so he was glad to know that Kei wouldn't see him differently.
"Then, I am glad."
"Glad?"
"Yes, it's hard for me if you suddenly try to make a distance between us, after all."
If Kei suddenly tried to distance herself from him, Ishigami understood, especially when she learned the truth of how he had dated so many women. He understood that, yet even so, he would be lying if he felt nothing, especially when he also thought of her as someone he cared about, like a little sister.
"I wouldn't do something like that!"
Kei reacted strongly as she clenched her skirt, facing him, clearly nervous, yet even so, she had never thought to distance herself from him despite knowing the truth.
"Yuu-senpai is kind, after all, and... I know that there must be a reason why you do this..."
Sorry, he was just a scumbag, he apologized inwardly as he heard Kei's words.
"And... I-I am glad to know that..."
"What?"
"Nothing!"
If Ishigami was sincere to Chika, and the two were a couple, then Kei knew that she had to give up since she could imagine the two would marry each other, and in the future, she could only be their friend, wishing for their happiness.
However, now?
Yes, she knew that it was wrong, but her feelings were overflowing.
His gentleness, their exchange, and everything that they shared as they walked under the starry night, even if it was something small in his eyes, Kei thought of it as precious.
"Senpai."
"Hmm?"
"You are going to have a performance at the sister school meeting, right?"
"Yes."
"C-Can you sing a bit for me?"
"Sing?"
"Yes." While Kei was a bit nervous, she wanted to act spoiled in front of him, and if possible, while it was wrong and quite unfair, she wanted him to sing in front of her first before anyone else.
"Well... I don't mind, but what song do you want me to sing?"
"I'll leave that to you!"
"...that's the most troublesome request."
It's up to you.
This was the most troublesome since no one knew whether it was wrong or not. Instead of such a request, one might as well give a clear request, like him, who was clear with what he wanted to eat for dinner when his mother asked.
"Let's see..."
As he tried to think what song he should sing, he looked up, watching the sparkling stars, and said, "Then, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
"Sure."
"...you are okay with it?"
"Um."
"How about we sing together, then?"
"Eh?!"
"It's unfair if I am the one who is singing by myself, right?"
"...but my voice isn't that good?"
"...really?"
Somehow, Ishigami remembered that Shirogane's voice also wasn't that good, but Kei shouldn't be that bad, right?
"I will sing it first. If you feel like joining, then just join."
"Okay."
Ishigami decided not to bet since he didn't want to embrace Kei, so as he walked her home, he started to sing softly.
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky."
As he sang, Kei kept staring at him, hesitating, then joined him to sing softly, which made him smile and relieved him since her voice wasn't as bad as he imagined it to be.
The two had bright smiles on their faces as they walked together under the night as they sang together.
"Your voice is great."
"Thank you, Senpai."
Yet, when Kei saw his bright smile, a feeling blurted out from her lips. "S-Senpai, I like you!"
"...." Ishigami.
"I-I know that my feelings are troubling you, and... it must be weird of me to confess to you after all of that, and you might not think of me that way, but..."
Her expression was that of sincerity as she stared at him. "Please don't think of me as a younger sister of your senior but also another girl who falls for you."
"....."
"T-That's all! Thank you for sending me home! I-I will go back!"
When Ishigami was in a daze, Kei knew that she had messed up, but her hand was held, and she was hugged.
"...senpai?"
Kei felt her body was hot, yet in his embrace, she was happy as she looked at him in expectation.
"Thank you. I am happy to hear that, but let's wait till you are older, and if your feelings haven't changed after all of that, then let me hear your feelings once again."
"Um..."
Gently patting Kei's head, Ishigami thought that this exchange should be okay, he thought, but then again, this was the limit, and more than this, it was impossible, yet even so, this was his life during the weekend, and everything was okay until the time for his performance for the meeting with the sister school from Paris.