On the rooftop during lunch at middle school the next day.
Kaori's eyes were closed as if she were drawing something, drunk on the spring breeze.
Miyuki, who hadn't seen her, yelled out.
"Kaori!"
"...."
"Hey, Kaori!"
"...Huh?"
Kaori's eyes finally landed on Miyuki.
"What's wrong with you today, are you sick?"
Kaori replied to Miyuki's worried look.
"...I might actually be sick today...."
"Huh?"
"I can't stop thinking about it. Even if I try not to think about it...."
"What?"
Kaori didn't dare bring up yesterday.
It would only stir up the trauma.
But the image of her brother's gentle face, the one she seemed to have grown to like in her heart, kept playing in her head.
"I might have found someone I like...."
"What!"
Miyuki asks in surprise and excitement.
"Who is it, someone older, younger, or a classmate?"
"Secret...."
"Really! I thought I told you to tell me first if you had a crush!"
"But... I've never felt so excited before, so I don't know if I really like him...."
"It's definitely love! I'm the expert...."
"What kind of expert are you, Braconin...."
Miyuki giggles.
"I see. I see Kaorii has finally gotten the taste of love."
"...Maybe I can understand why you're always babysitting your brother."
"Hee hee, now you're going to take my baby seriously?"
"You're still my biological brother, I'm not."
"Yikes. I can't say I'm rooting for you."
"...."
Kaori eats the rest of her lunch.
Ever since he saved her that day, her throbbing chest has been bumping like it's broken, and it's been working too well.
The more she thinks about his face, the more she sees it....
'I want to see you just one more time.... Just one more time....'
Class.
I can't hear the lesson.
Miyuki says her heart is love.
My heart is pounding.
Is it really love?
I guess I'll find out when I see him again.
I just want to meet him.
I want to talk to him, to cuddle and whisper thank yous.
'I... Didn't I smell like sweat back then?
I hadn't even bothered to wash up after leaving the practice room.
'What to do. If he doesn't want to meet me, I'll tell him....'
The other person's age seemed to be about my high school brother.
I miss him.
I felt like I was going crazy because this emotion kept bouncing back and forth.
'Let's try to contact him cautiously. Let's just send a text for now....'
Kaori felt desperate to do so after school.
*****
It was nearing the end of class when I received a text from Kaori, the girl who helped me yesterday.
I had to go find Miyuki, who would be waiting for me as usual, but I was also worried about Kaori after what happened.
Eventually, I texted Miyuki that she had work today and couldn't wait for me at the school gate, so I decided to meet Kaori.
The school day was over and the sun was setting.
I arrived at the café we had agreed upon, ordered an iced Americano, and went upstairs to the second floor, where I saw Kaori.
She had come right after school and was wearing her school uniform, sipping her coffee through a straw.
"Hey, Keigo!"
"...Hi."
The combination of her name and her brother's title felt strange.
Kaori sat down across from him, scratching her cheek and drinking her coffee, and he stood up and bowed.
"Thank you so much for yesterday, really... I still feel like my heart is falling when I think about it."
"Did you? It's okay, I dropped her off and called the police on the way home. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"Thank you so much, big brother. You really saved my life."
"... That's it."
"No. I'm so grateful to you, and I'd really like to show my appreciation by getting you something...."
I shook my head firmly.
The house was very small.
Not necessarily a spacious home.
Besides, it wasn't like I was asking for anything.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Kaori's glad to see you're still alive, and I'm glad to see you're okay."
"...Yeah."
Kaori blushes and ducks her head.
I stood up from my seat as she sipped her coffee and wiped her bottom.
"Well, are you done with your errands then? I'll get up first."
"No, wait...!"
Kaori leaned down and grabbed my arm.
"...Do you like karaoke by any chance?"
"Huh?"
"I want to hang out with my brother... do you mind? Hehe."
"...I'm not good at it...."
"Just follow me, I'll entertain you!"
Kaori tugs on my arm.
I couldn't find the words to refuse and ended up being dragged along.
"Karaoke with a middle school girl I didn't know yesterday.... If others see it.... No, what would my sister say if she saw it...."
That thought came first.
Dragged by Kaori, I entered the basement of a nearby coin-operated karaoke bar, and once the door was locked, Kaori picked up the microphone.
"I'll sing a song first!"
"Mmm."
Kaori sang.
She was a pretty good singer for a normal girl.
Though I'm not the best at singing.
-May I love you~ I'm hurting so badly~ -May I love you~ I'm hurting so badly~ -
When the song ended, 100 points popped up on the monitor.
Bam bam bam.
I clapped and Kaori lowered her head in shame.
"I'm not doing so well trying to sing all of a sudden...."
"That's awesome. You sing really well."
Kaori sits down next to me.
I froze, momentarily embarrassed.
"Big brother...."
"Huh?"
"Actually, I'm a trainee at an agency called JX."
"Oh. An idol trainee?"
"Yep. Singing isn't my strong point, it's rather terrible, so this is my first time singing in front of other people, hehe."
For a moment, Kaori's smiling face mirrored her sister Miyuki's.
I patted Kaori's head without realizing it.
"Ah...."
Kaori blushed and lowered her head, and I realized what I had done.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just felt like you were my little sister for a moment...."
"Hey, it's okay! I-I feel really good...."
"Huh?"
"Oh, no, nothing!"
And just like that, we had a little fun in karaoke.
When I stepped outside, I realized that it was late evening, so I decided to take Kaori home and head back.
Kaori shook her head no.
"I feel like my heart is going to burst... I don't think I should stay with you anymore... hehe."
"...Ugh. Okay. Take care, Kaoria."
I waved my hand and turned to go home.
Kaori grabbed my hand like a fish out of water.
"Keigo, big brother...."
"Huh?"
"We'll see each other again, right?"
I didn't think I'd ever see her again.
But for some reason, Kaori's eyes lit up.
The longing in his eyes tickled my heart, as if he was looking at Miyuki as a child.
"I see. This is also fate, let's keep in touch."
"...!"
Kaori waved with a smile I'd never seen before.
"It's a promise, big brother!"
"Okay. Bye. Kaori."
I wave back and see Kaori off.
Until then, I hadn't realized.
I never knew my sister's jealousy could be so strong....