V2Ch28: The End of a Rainbow-Colored Summer

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Translator: Soafp

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The last day of summer vacation.

My first long vacation since coming back here was about to end. I had finished all the massive amounts of homework, and I was fully prepared for tomorrow.

I lay in the center of my room, with the air conditioner running, just like at the start of the vacation, and launched a smartphone app.

I don't really care, but I wish they wouldn't release powerful characters after I've run out of stones from a swimsuit gacha. Thanks to that, I ended up spending some of my part-time job earnings. Since it was my favorite idol, there was no choice but to get them.

After playing the game for a while, I put my phone down and stared at the ceiling.

“…This life is about to end.”

At the start of summer vacation, I had been all excited, thinking there was some kind of paradise even in this crummy life.

But what had it really been like? For the most part, it was fulfilling, but I couldn't shake the vivid memories of those devilish goddesses.

I started recalling the events of the summer vacation.

First, by chance, I went to the pool with Shirase and Kuromine. That was when I met Yakumo for the first time. Personally, I was surprised by how great Kuromine’s figure was.

Then there was the game tournament I participated in with Aoyama. My team, which also included Mihiro, performed quite well, and we had a decent result in the tournament. During the strategy meeting, it turned out that Aoyama pushing me into the water was an accident.

Next, the summer festival I went to with Akazawa. It was genuinely fun, rekindling friendships with classmates while enjoying the festival. It was there that I learned that the Akazawa sisters were fighting.

And then—

“I ended up getting caught by Shirase.”

The biggest event of the summer vacation was this.

I had let my guard down. It was definitely a lapse in judgment. While I managed to make up with Shirase and things calmed down, it was definitely something I needed to reflect on. I would never make such a careless mistake again.

Later in the vacation, an unexpected cooking competition arose.

Although, what I really remember about the cooking competition was the conversation I overheard with Shirase in the closet. That was shocking. I never expected that my past self had been erased. That was probably why I didn't get caught even when I got close to them, but it left me with complicated feelings.

“She said she liked me, huh?”

I can't shake the words from Akazawa, my greatest enemy. If this was a few years ago, I would have been ecstatic, but things are different now.

Also, Aoyama's lie still bugs me.

“…But I concluded that there's no answer to this no matter how much I think about it.”

I let out a deep breath, trying to clear my thoughts.

Afterward, I spent the rest of the vacation uneventfully.

A few days after the cooking competition ended, my parents returned from their honeymoon.

Seeing my mother's happy face made me feel happy too. However, the plush mascot my father brought back as a souvenir was creepy, so I planned to permanently seal it in the closet. Of course, I wouldn't tell him that.

Looking back, I realized I had been in contact with the goddesses way too much during the summer.

Well, whatever, what's important is the future, not the past. Tomorrow starts a new chapter.

“The second semester is going to be chaotic… huh?”

The factions of the goddesses are starting to move, and a fierce battle for votes is expected.

That's not all. There are sports festivals, cultural festivals, exams, and various other events.

The biggest event will probably be the cultural festival. This year's contest probably won't end in a tie like last year, but who will be chosen as the goddess?

“The male god will definitely be Renji though.”

There's nothing I can do about that, and honestly, I don't want him to move.

Personally, I also like my underclassman, Yakumo, and would love to support him, but it's hard to imagine him surpassing Renji.

With so many events coming up, I'll probably have to interact with Renji soon. We're in different classes, and I've been carefully avoiding contact so far, but I guess that can't last forever.

“I wonder if Renji will notice me…?”

I muttered to myself.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. When I responded, Kanon entered the room, holding a few manga books.

“I came to return the books.”

“Just put them on the shelf.”

“Got it. Thanks for lending them to me.”

Kanon said that and started putting the manga back on the shelf.

However, even after returning the books, Shion didn't leave. Instead, she sat down on my bed.

“…You know, I'm really grateful to you, Onii-chan.”

Suddenly, Kanon said that. I was startled and sat up.

“What's up all of a sudden?”

“It's just my way of saying thank you. Thanks to you, every day is fun.”

Kanon let out a deep breath.

“I can say this now, but I was really nervous at first. When I heard I was going to have a Onii-chan when I entered high school, I honestly wasn't sure how it would be. But since dad looked so happy, I couldn't voice any objections.”

“…”

I felt the same way.

When I was told I was going to have a new family, I was more anxious than excited. Thanks to those devilish goddesses, I had a bit of a fear of girls, and I kept shaking at the thought of what might happen if the new sister turned out to be a horrible person.

But, since mom was happy, I didn't oppose it.

Logically, you'd think Kanon would be the scary one. A brother with no blood relation could do who knows what—he could be a perverted guy or a violent one.

“I'm glad you're my Onii-chan.”

“I'm happy you became my little sister, Kanon.”

“Right? I can cook, I'm pretty cute, and a sister like me is hard to find.”

“Maybe so.”

We both laughed together.

“Hey, how was your summer vacation, Kanon?”

“It was the best one so far. I became close with Tsukiyo onee-sama, and I got to know the goddesses-Senpais too. I was so happy to get closer to the people I admired.”

“…Well, I'm glad to hear that.”

For me, it wasn't exactly something to be happy about, but Kanon's reaction was what you'd expect. Those goddesses are the objects of admiration at school.

Shion hesitated a bit before speaking.

“How about you, Onii-chan? Did you enjoy your summer vacation?”

“Thanks to you, it was a pretty fun summer vacation.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Also, I really realized how much I appreciate my smartphone.”

We spent some more time together, chatting. We didn't have any special conversations, but we talked about summer vacation events, homework, and other light topics.

Eventually, the conversation shifted to the Tenka Contest.

“I wonder who's going to win this year. I'm excited since it's my first time.”

“It'll probably be one of the Four Colored Goddesses.”

“Maybe it'll be someone unexpected?”

That was an unexpected response.

“Are there other candidates?”

“Of course. Like the senpai who had the goddess position stolen from them by the onee-samas last year.”

“Hmm, a senpai, huh?”

“Yeah, but the most likely candidate is probably someone in our grade. There's this super cute girl. There's a rumor that she might get selected as the goddess. She's been expanding her influence during the summer vacation.”

“No way!?”

I didn't want to admit it, but the looks of the Four Colored Goddesses were pretty impressive. To think there was a girl who could rival them.

“She's incredibly cute. Plus, she's already well-known. She's the little sister of the goddess, after all.”

“…The goddess's sister?”

“Akazawa-senpai's sister.”

“!”

I didn't know that. She had also enrolled in Tenka Academy.

I wanted to meet her, but I couldn't shake the mixed feelings. She had been quite a force herself.

“What about the male god? Who do you think it'll be?”

“It's definitely Renji Inuyama !”

“Right. He's super popular in your class too.”

“Yeah. He's on a whole other level, so it's obvious.”

“…I think Shirase-kun could do well too.”

“Oh?”

It seems like Yakumo is getting closer than I expected. Go for it, Yakumo-kun.

We continued talking for a while.

As I talked with Kanon, I realized something. Right now, the most important thing to me is family. Especially protecting this little sister of mine.

“Hey, Kanon.”

“What?”

“I've decided. I'm going to join the White faction.”

And so, the second semester began—