V4Ch19: Yellow Determination

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Translator: Soafp

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I was startled by her sudden words.

“…Y-you're joking, right?”

I asked hesitantly, and she looked me over like she was evaluating something.

“I never really thought about it until the other day, but you're actually quite the catch, Sho-chan.”

“Eh?”

“I already knew your personality from way back, so that's not a problem. But your looks? You've gotten way more handsome than you used to be. You're great at sports, and judging by your test scores, you're clearly smart. I heard a rumor that you're one of the candidates for this year's school God. That means you've got solid future prospects too.”

Hearing praise from someone I admired felt great.

It made me feel proud, like all my efforts were finally being recognized — even though I didn't think I was all that special.

After all, the only reason I even made the list for school prince was because the overwhelming favorite dropped out.

“You remember what I told you before? About my type?”

“Of course.”

I had feelings for Kikka Neesan, but I never confessed.

There were several reasons. Back then, I was a mess, and I thought someone like me wasn't good enough for someone as radiant as her.

But that wasn't the only reason. I also remembered her telling me what kind of guy she liked — and that played a big part in me holding back.

“You said you liked older guys.”

“To be precise, I like dependable, wonderful men. Not just older — I mean someone mature and reliable.”

She had once told me she liked strong men who could take the lead. A younger guy like me didn't stand a chance — or so I thought.

“But now I feel like Sho-chan could actually be someone dependable. It's not just your looks — you've gotten physically impressive too. You're taller than me now, and your build is solid. Plus, since this is your hometown, you know all the local spots, right? I feel like you could take me to all sorts of new places — that scores big points in my book.”

Sure, I've grown. That much I could say confidently.

But I still couldn't imagine a situation where I'd be the one leading her. Even when I tried to picture it in my head, all I could see was a younger brother being led around by his energetic older sister.

“But I really do think Sho-chan could take the lead now, y'know?”

She gave me a sultry smile.

…Wait, what is this?

I couldn't tell. Was she teasing me again like she usually did with that big-sister attitude of hers? Or could this possibly be… serious?

She'd never spoken in a way that hinted at romance before.

What should I do?

I hadn't said anything earlier, but maybe I should tell her that Momoka confessed to me. Then again, revealing someone's feelings without permission would be awful.

More than that — what if she's serious?

There's no way I could choose between Momoka and Kikka nee-san. I'm already overwhelmed just dealing with the Akazawa sisters as it is.

While I was stuck in my thoughts, unable to process the situation—

“…Could it be that Momoka Akazawa confessed to you?”

“!”

How did she…?

“Ah, so she really did.”

To my surprise, Kikka Nee-san looked more shocked than I was.

“Wait, no, how did you know?”

“I just had a feeling. You were gauging whether my words were serious while clearly thinking about someone else. If you had a girlfriend, you'd have said something. So I figured someone must've confessed to you and you haven't given them an answer yet. You didn't seem to have anyone like that until recently, so I guessed it might be Momoka-chan.”

Am I that easy to read, or is she just that perceptive?

“…So she did confess, huh.”

She murmured and let out a deep sigh.

“After what you told me earlier, I can't blame her for falling for you. Still, she moves fast — confessing so soon after reuniting. Just shows how serious she is. She probably couldn't help herself once she saw you in person.”

“…”

“But even though a cute girl confessed to you, you don't look happy. Why's that?”

She'd already figured out everything about Momoka. And maybe that's why I felt like I could confide in her.

“I'm conflicted.”

“Conflicted?”

“She says I'm her savior, but I really didn't do anything special. That makes me feel kind of guilty… I'm not sure if what she feels is gratitude or real affection. It's all muddled together.”

After all, we hadn't seen each other for years. If she'd built up an idealized version of me in her head, it could be a huge problem down the line.

I almost felt like that must be what was happening.

“Are you afraid she'll be disappointed after you start dating?”

“…Well, yeah.”

“You don't have to worry about that.”

“Huh?”

“Momoka-chan is serious about you. I could tell just by looking into her eyes when she brushed away my hand back then. At the very least, I think that girl truly likes you. It wasn't the same kind of look you give me when you call me your savior.”

…Is that really true?

I wasn't sure. But if it was my sister saying it, maybe it really was. Still… but…

As I groaned with a “Hmmmm,” a laugh broke through.

“What's with you all of a sudden?”

“I just thought you were cute.”

“…!”

“I'm taking back what I said earlier. I don't know what the future holds, but for now, I still see you more as my adorable little brother. Maybe it's because of how I still remember you from before.”

To me, Kikka Nee-san has always been a kind and reliable older sister. That impression hasn't changed, not in the past, and not now.

Her laugh swept away the awkward tension that had hung in the air moments ago. It seemed like what she'd said before was half a joke—that she didn't really see me as dependable just yet.

“…I need to try harder too.”

“Try harder at what?”

She probably hadn't meant to say that out loud—it was so quiet it was almost a mutter—but I asked anyway, curious.

“Oh, just thinking about what comes next. It's kind of pointless to keep chasing after my brother forever, you know? I figured maybe it's time I look for a new love.”

“A new love…”

“I think I'm finally ready to move forward. Ever since my brother's wedding, I've been feeling a bit unstable. I've caused the family some unnecessary worry. I gave you a lecture earlier, but really, I need to grow up too.”

As she said that, her face was filled with determination.

“I'm going to aim to become a goddess again!”

“A goddess?”

That caught me by surprise.

Nee-san stood up and gazed out the window into the distance.

“It's not just about finding new love. The guy has to be a good one. And for that, having the title of ‘goddess' is actually super useful. I've held it before, so I know—there are tons of guys who approach you just because you're a goddess. Even college guys from nearby know about the Tenkai Academy's goddess system. If I want to snag a great guy, having that status will definitely help, don't you think?”

It's true—the title of goddess would definitely come in handy.

“Oh, and there's another reason too. After hearing what you said, I'm even more determined not to let Akazawa-chan become the goddess. I just can't stand the idea of her being known as the best girl in school.”

Her eyes turned sharp.

…Yeah, that's probably her real reason.

I've known her long enough to tell—but I didn't say anything.

“Just don't start a fight, okay?”

“I won't. I'm going to win fair and square in the contest. I'll make her understand. I'll avenge you, Sho-chan.”

“Uh… I'm still alive, though.”

She laughed like a child. I couldn't tell how serious she really was.

“I'm cheering for you, Nee-san.”

“Thanks, Sho-chan.”

She reached out her hand, but then stopped midway.

“What's wrong?”

“I just started thinking… What if you get a girlfriend soon? You might get mad if I try to pat your head. So this might be the last time I do it.”

“It's fine. Really.”

To me, Kikka Nee-san is like a real sister.

I didn't say it out loud, but it seemed like she understood. Her hand gently reached my head, and just like in the past, my body instinctively leaned into a position that made it easy for her to pat me.