Chapter 18: I hate it when I learn something I don’t want to

“You’re a good cook, Onii-chan.”

My sister ( temporary ) says while twirling the peperoncino that I made.

“It doesn’t make much difference who makes it.”

　Cooking rice takes a lot of time, so I’m having a relatively quick dinner of pepperoncino, salad, and soup (instant). I ended up coming to my sister’s (emporary) house….

“No, I don’t know how to make peperoncino in the first place. I never knew how to make peperoncino.”

　My sister (temporary) was impressed. By the way, now that I think about it, I don’t know my little sister’s (temporary) name.

“That’s right. My name is Kaede Kusunoki. What is your name Onii-chan?”

“I’m Renya Tsukuyomi.”

　We’re introducing ourselves now.

“Thanks for the food. Thank you for the meal, brother.”

　Kusunoki bows her head and says so. After all, she’s calling me “Onii-chan”. I don’t really care.

“Oh. Well, I’ll be going now.”

　With that, I took the dishes to the sink. She should at least do the dishes.

“Wait a minute! Where are you going⁉︎”

“I’m going home.”

“Going home⁉︎ You’re here to ask me what’s going on.”

“Not interested.”

　I’m conscious of Sakurai-san’s voice. I don’t think she’ll understand.

“You should be interested in that?!”

“Are you interested in my situation then?”

“….I think sometimes it helps to have someone listen to you.”

“Oi”

　You just want me to listen to it.

“Well, whatever. If you’re going to talk, talk quickly.”

　I exhaled a sigh and encouraged her to talk.

“Well, to put it simply, my parents died in an accident and no one really wanted to take me in. Therefore, one of my relatives took me in, but I told them I didn’t want to move out of my old house, so they let me live alone. They are paying for my school fees and minimal living expenses, but they took my inheritance in exchange for the house being mine. Everyone around me knows that the relative is in charge of the estate.”

“What a piece of s**t. Did you have any attachment to this house?”

　You wanted to stay in the house even if you had to give up your inheritance?

“No, of course not. I hated my parents.”

“Oi”

　I thought you said you didn’t want to leave the house of your memories.

“I mean, they made me do all kinds of lessons from the time I was little, and I didn’t have much freedom. Whenever I wanted to buy manga or video games, they told me to study if I had time for that. And even when I did my best at my lessons, they didn’t praise me, they took it for granted that I could do it.”

　That must have been disgusting. I don’t know how she was able to continue.

” Furthermore, they used people to monitor me to make sure I was going to my lessons and being smart at school! I had to play the honor student all the time because of them! I’m just a puppet to them!””

　Kusunoki slaps the table. Doesn’t your hand hurt? Oh, she’s rubbing her hand. I knew it was painful.

“When I heard they died in the accident, I was so relieved! Now I’ll be free! I didn’t have to act like an honor student anymore, so I quit all my lessons first. Then I showed my friends who I really was. And you know what happened?”

” They said you didn’t fit the image?”

“They were worried about my head.”

“LOL.”

　Why would they do that?

“Well, if it looks like my personality changed so soon after my parents died, I can’t blame them for thinking that.”

“I see?”

“People thought I was sick after my parents died, and at first they were very considerate of me. But when they found out that my personality was real and that I was happy about my parents’ death instead of being sickened by it, they started to criticize me. They said I was a heartless person.”

“That’s normal. Not many people are happy when their parents die.”

　Yes, it’s normal. The people who blamed Kusunoki must have blamed her all they wanted. They didn’t even think about how Kusunoki was feeling.

“People who live happily every day can’t understand the feelings of those who don’t.”

“The girls I was close with were shocked. I was never a girl who was like that! I guess being an honor student is more important to them than being who I am.”

“So they couldn’t accept the real Kusunoki?”

“Well, objectively speaking, it was my fault, you know? It’s not that my parents abused me, it’s just that they loved me a lot and made me take a lot of lessons.”

“What? You’re aware of that?”

“That’s if you look at it objectively. But out of the many lessons I learned, not a single one I started because I wanted to. They kept making me do things I didn’t want to do, and I couldn’t do the things I really wanted to do or play. They just wanted to make a puppet that would work for them.”

“Sounds like something you’d expect from the upper class.”

　I don’t know how big the Kusunoki family is. This house is also quite big, but not as big as a mansion.

“And while my friends and I were falling out and the whole school was treating me like a filthy child, my relatives tied me up in this house.”

“Is that what you were saying?”

“Yeah. Before I knew it, I was living alone in this house because I wanted to. I want to live alone, but it’s not like I’m stuck in this house.”

“Why don’t you just go to the child guidance center?”

“If I do that, I’ll end up living with relatives or going to an institution. I don’t want that.”

“You’re right, then it’s better for you to live alone…huh?”

　If I were in the same position, I wouldn’t want to live with such relatives.

“They probably know that I can’t go to the child guidance center, so this is the situation I’m in now.”

“You don’t want to live with them, but you don’t want to live here either, do you? Is that it?”

　If she goes to Child Guidance Center, she won’t be able to live as she does now. She doesn’t have much money, but she has freedom. It’s not the best, but it’s better, which is why it bothers me.

“That’s why I tried to get involved in prostitution.”

“You’re jumping the gun, aren’t you?”

　Where did you come up with that story?

“Isn’t it common for depressed people to turn to delinquent behavior? It’s two birds with one stone, you get to experience something extraordinary that you wouldn’t get to experience if you lived a normal life and you get money too!”

“I see…”

　She’s crazy, this girl.

“And even if the world finds out that I’m earning money through prostitution, I can just tell the police that it’s because my relatives took my inheritance and they’ll be done with it! Just be afraid of what the world will think!”

“That’s a crazy idea.”

　If the public finds out that she’s been earning her living expenses (actually, money to play with) by hooking up, they’ll blame her relatives. If that happens, it’s doubtful that she’ll be able to make a decent living. This way, she might not have to live with the relative who is her guardian.

“That’s my situation. What do you think? Do you want to contribute some money?”

　Kusunoki gave me a muddy look. But there’s something I don’t understand.

“After all, why did you bring me to this house? You could have eaten out somewhere, and you don’t invite people over to your house to have sex with them.”

　When I said that, she looked away awkwardly.

” Uhm, Onii-chan had the same eyes as mine, so I felt closer to you because you must have had a terrible experience, and I’ve hardly ever had a home-cooked meal, so I wanted you to feed me…?”

“…… I see.”

　Then I should have made her something more elaborate and home-like.

“End of my story! So what’s Onii-chan’s situation?”

　Kusunoki’s face turns red as she starts talking to me. I thought you weren’t interested?

“Come on hurry up!”

“Yes, yes.”

I had no choice but to tell her about myself. I told her that I had been wrongly accused of molestation and that no one believed me.

“….And that’s about all I have to say.”

“Hmm. Onii-chan had a tough time too, huh?”

“That’s right”

“Isn’t that better?”

“Yeah.”

　I don’t want sympathy. It’s over for me.

“………”

　Kusunoki is silent and thinking about something, what’s wrong? I’d like to go home soon.

“You said that Onii-chan is treated like a tumor at home, right?

“Yeah.”

“Do you own any comic books or video games?”

“I’ve got a few.”

　What about it?

“Well, Onii-chan, can I borrow them? You can stay here anytime you want in exchange.”

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