"Gross, gross, gross…"
Iroha quickly pulled her blanket over, covering her pillow completely.
Despite Iroha's pretense of disdain to hide her embarrassment, Chisato continued speaking,
"Speaking of which, swimming is indeed a good exercise for weight loss, but it might not be suitable for you."
"Why isn't it suitable for me? My swimming skills are great!"
"I'm not talking about your swimming skills."
Chisato shook his head and shared his thoughts,
"An indoor swimming pool packed with people—can it really let you swim comfortably?"
"Also, with your sensitivity to mosquito bites, if you go to a swimming pool with questionable hygiene standards, or if there's someone hiding a skin condition, the consequences could be severe."
"Stop... exaggerating, it's not that extreme!"
"I'm just stating the facts. You should have seen the recent news that's been causing a stir."
Iroha looked puzzled.
"What news?"
"At a certain hot spring resort, they only changed the water twice a year, and the bacteria levels were over 3,700 times the standard."
"After the media exposed it, the resort's president committed suicide to apologize."
"How is that related to my swimming?"
Iroha seemed to have realized something but was still somewhat reluctant to face it.
While Chisato's warnings might seem exaggerated, the possibility of their truth couldn't be denied,
"How can you be sure the indoor swimming pool you go to is cleaned and disinfected according to regulations?"
"And how can you be sure that the water isn't from a batch that's been used by countless people for months?"
Upon hearing Chisato's words, Iroha slowly sat up, feeling an itch as if ants were crawling on her, and instinctively hugged her shoulders.
"Personally, I think swimming in natural outdoor water would be better."
"But it's April now, and the weather is still a bit chilly. With your sensitivity, you'd probably back out just from dipping your toes in."
"You're so annoying!"
"That's why I can offer you a viable alternative to swimming."
"What... what is it?"
"Call me 'brother.'"
Chisato began to playfully insist.
"...Brother!"
Iroha, who was in her third year of middle school, reluctantly said.
Even though her voice carried a note of dissatisfaction, it still sounded cute to Chisato.
He snapped his fingers lightly,
"It's simple. Just go to the gym. They have a variety of equipment, and with guidance from professionals, you can evenly reduce fat in different parts of your body."
"It's a pretty good option for you."
"A gym, huh…"
Iroha had thought about it before, but reality presented a harsh problem.
"I've already overspent my allowance for this month. Mom won't give me any more money."
"This month has just started. How did you spend it all?"
"I didn't do anything special, just went shopping with classmates, bought some clothes, played claw machines, went out for a few meals, bought some magazines…"
Iroha silently raised her right hand, extending a finger for each activity she mentioned.
Her cheeks turned slightly red, and her voice grew quieter. Finally, she cleared her throat to ease her embarrassment.
"I'm not very aware of money. Whenever I notice, it's already gone. I guess every girl is like this…"
She suddenly realized something was off.
"Why am I explaining this to you?"
Iroha stopped speaking, pushing Chisato's shoulders and issuing another request for him to leave.
"Is this how you treat someone who's helping you?"
"What help?"
"The person who's about to lend you money. I'll cover the gym fees for you."
"…"
"Why are you silent?"
"Why are you suddenly being so kind? It feels suspicious."
"You called me 'brother,' so it's only natural for me to help with a small favor like this."
Chisato took the opportunity to pat Iroha's head, something he hadn't done in years.
Iroha shuddered slightly but didn't show any displeasure.
She said, "You're so annoying, always treating me like a child," while holding his wrist to stop him from patting her head.
"Forget the swimming pool and return the swimsuit."
"I can't return it; the tags are already torn off."
"Then put it away and wait for another chance to use it. For now, just eat your dinner, even if it's just a little."
"Okay."
This time, Iroha obediently nodded.
"Let's plan for this Friday afternoon after school. I'll take you shopping, and then we can check out a nearby gym."
"Why go shopping?"
"To buy comfortable workout clothes. If you think it's unnecessary, we can skip that."
"No, I think it's necessary. Please take me shopping for clothes."
Iroha immediately switched to a more obedient demeanor and even took Chisato's left hand, placing it on her head and rubbing it.
"Isn't it normal for a brother to help his sister buy clothes? By the way, how much money do you have? What's my budget for the clothes?"
"You don't need to worry about that. It won't come to a situation where you pick clothes but can't pay for them."
"So, I can choose whatever I want?"
Iroha's eyes sparkled, and she leaned in closer to Chisato.
Chisato turned his gaze away, no longer making eye contact with her,
"You can understand it that way. Now, go eat before it gets cold."
"Okay!"
Iroha smiled, gave a playful wink, bit her tongue, and saluted.
Even though he knew she was pretending to be cute, Chisato couldn't help but feel a flutter in his heart.
He stood up, preparing to leave,
"Remember to clean up the dishes after eating."
"Got it, the best big brother in the world!"
[Through your efforts, you've successfully restored the old feeling of getting along with Iroha. The invisible barrier between you has been broken, and you've taken a long-awaited step forward.]
[On Friday afternoon after school, Iroha came downstairs, changed out of her sailor uniform, and dressed up nicely, stepping lightly as she stood in front of you.]
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