Chapter 32: Little brother.

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Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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“Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

“Kakeru.”

“Kakeru, huh. What were you doing there? Are you lost or something?”

“I saw my sister.”

“Your sister? Is she still at Saizeriya?”

“Yeah, but she looked busy. Preoccupied.”

“You’re using some pretty big words there. Alright, how about you hang out with me until your sister’s free?”

Maybe this kid is the younger brother of one of the couples who came here. Even at his age, he might've sensed their closeness and somehow figured out they were having an intimate moment later in the day.

But, of course, I didn't misunderstand like that.

I knew this kid was Tsukino's brother, which is why I brought him over. Their names are even moon-themed, and despite his age, he’s got a ridiculously good-looking face.

And more than anything…

“Hehe, thanks, big brother.”

That laugh… It’s just like his sister’s. Besides, if Kakeru wasn't her brother, that would mean there are two incredibly good-looking families in this town. That kind of astronomical coincidence is impossible. So, Kakeru must be Tsukino's brother.

“Hey, Kakeru, are you hungry?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright, I'll make you a snack. Since you came here, I'm guessing your parents are out, so you can stay here until your sister gets back.”

“Yay! I’ve been wanting to eat your cooking, big brother!”

“Oh? Did your sister tell you about it?”

“Yeah, she made one version of your udon one other day. The one with egg and chicken. It was one amazing meal.”

Man, that's a lot of “one's” in one sentence. (TL: I tried.)

“…Wait, chicken?”

“Yeah, it had egg, chicken, carrots, spinach, seaweed, and some bonito flakes too.”

That sounds good and all, but those ingredients are more suited to a Kanto-style udon, seasoned with soy sauce and sake, not the Kansai-style I make.

“Sorry, kid, but that wasn't my udon. That was your sister's.”

“What? No way…”

“If it was tasty, that's all that matters, right? Let's pick up some shiratama and cream on the way back.”

“Why?”

“Because I've still got some zenzai left. I'll top it off and treat you.”

“Zenzai?”

“So, kids these days don't even know what zenzai is, huh?”

The decline in popularity of traditional Japanese sweets is something that bothers me, especially as someone who loves red bean paste and brown sugar. I can't let this slide. If I give in now, I'd be dishonoring my grandma’s memory. I have to show Kakeru that traditional sweets can stand toe-to-toe with cakes and puddings.

“It's a sweet dish made from beans, and it's delicious. If you mash the beans carefully, it changes the texture and makes it interesting.”

“Ehh… I don't really like beans.”

“You'll like mine, trust me.”

“Really? And if I don't?”

“Then you can kill me.”

“What?! Hahaha!”

Even his reactions are just like his sister’s.

He's definitely going to grow up to be a ridiculously handsome guy, so I should start teaching him to be loyal now. If he turns into a playboy, the high school girls in town are going to disappear fast.

“Come on, let's go.”

“Okay!”

So, I took him back to my apartment. I didn't need to hear the full story from Tsukino. There's no reason for me to get involved anymore; soon enough, my boring and miserable routine will resume.

I'll finish paying off my debt soon. Maybe I'll take on some day labor on the pub's day off to earn a bit more.

“Your place is kind of shabby. It's smaller than my room.”

“It only has the basics. It's just right for me.”

“What does ‘just right’ mean?”

“It means starting from the bottom. Here, it’s ready. I only made half a bowl since I don't want you to ruin your dinner.”

“Okay, thanks for the food!”

I turned on the fan and rested my chin on my hand as I watched Kakeru awkwardly use his chopsticks to eat the zenzai. He had said he didn't like beans, but he was quietly eating, and his manners were surprisingly good.

“It's sweet! It's really good!”

“See, I told you.”

“It's not bitter at all! I've never had beans that aren't bitter!”

“Here, have some takuan. It'll taste even better.”

“No way! There's no way it goes with pickles! What if it's not good?!”

“Then you can kill me.”

“Hahaha!! Whoa, it is good!”

He's a lively one. If I had a little brother like this, cooking every day would probably be fun. No wonder Tsukino's mom is such a good cook; it must be because everyone in the family gives such enthusiastic feedback.

“So, what's the real reason you came to see me?”

“I asked my sister on Line to come pick me up, but she seemed busy, so I decided not to.”

“Oh, you were serious.”

“Yeah. And you know what? I saw your picture on my sister's phone. She's secretly taking pictures of you!”

“No way, seriously? Kakeru, your sister's kind of scary.”

“When did she even take those pictures? Secretly taking photos like that… what a bad hobby. Of course, even if she asked, I wouldn’t have let her.”

“So, I figured the ‘big brother’ my sister’s always talking about must be you. I thought if you were my sister’s friend, it would be okay, so I sat at your table.”

So, she’s always talking about me, huh? That girl must be a real brocon if she’s spilling everything like that.

“Kakeru, for an elementary school kid, you’re pretty sharp.”

“Hehe.”

“And you can just call me Shinji. With all this ‘big brother’ and ‘big sister’ talk, it's getting confusing with too many second-person references.”

“What does ‘second-person’ mean?”

“It's a convenient way to talk without having to remember the other person's name.”

Kakeru nodded a few times with a curious expression before happily stuffing a shiratama into his mouth, smiling like a sleepy cat. I wondered if I ever smiled like that when I was his age.

I think I just got a glimpse of the joy that people talk about when they mention fatherhood.

“So, do you like school?”

“Yeah! I learned how to do advanced addition. And soccer's fun too. I scored two goals.”

“Oh, really?”

How could anyone enjoy that hellish game of kicking a ball around? Do all handsome guys just come with natural athletic ability? It's a talent that I just can't accept.

“So, if you're good at sports, does that mean you're popular with the girls?”

“I don't know, but Ruri-chan kissed me the other day.”

“What?! That's way too early for you! Time for some punishment!”

I lunged at Kakeru, tackling him onto the tatami mat and tickling his sides. He burst out laughing, squirming around with a surprising amount of strength for such a small body.

“Ahahaha!! Shinji!! Forgive me!!”

“Who else kissed you besides Ruri-chan?! Spill it!”

“Hahaha!! H-Honoka-chan and Saki-chan!!”

“You little rascal!!”

“I'm sorry!! Hahahaaa!!”

When I finally let go, figuring he must be exhausted from laughing so much, Kakeru lay there panting, looking up at me with a goofy grin. This little brat… he’s moving way too fast for his age.

“But listen, Kakeru. You should only date one girl at a time. If you start liking another girl, make sure you break up with the first one before you start going out with the new one.”

“I-I got it. Ah, it's hard to breathe. Cough, cough… Haha.”

“Have you talked to your sister about this?”

“No, I haven't told anyone except you, Shinji. It's embarrassing, and I don't want to talk about it with a girl.”

In that case, there's a rule we need to follow. It wouldn't be fair for me to be the only one holding a secret. There's a code between men, after all.

“In exchange, I'll share one of my secrets with you. That way, you'll know you can trust me not to tell anyone.”

“Uh, okay. What's your secret, Shinji?”

“I prefer girls with small breasts. The reason is, they tend to have long, slender limbs that look really elegant, and seeing them be self-conscious about it is really endearing.”

“I see… So, you like small breasts, Shinji.”

“Don't tell anyone.”

“I promise, I'll keep it a secret.”

We shook hands firmly, sealing our pact, and then Kakeru finished off the rest of his zenzai, quietly putting his hands together in thanks. He's a thoughtful kid, one who seems like he'd be rewarding to take care of. I guess that makes me something like a prince's old butler.

But seriously, do you even know what small breasts are, Kakeru?

“So, Kakeru, out of those three girls, which one do you like the most?”

“Huh? Um, I think I like Ruri-chan the best.”

“What's she like? Do you have any pictures of her on your phone?”

“I have pictures of all three. Here, look.”

She's definitely a cute girl. The photo gives off a subtle harem vibe, but given our earlier conversation, I'll let it slide.

“But they're all cute. So it just comes down to your type?”

“Nah, looks don't really matter to me. Ruri-chan asked me to teach her soccer, and I like being relied on.”

“I see. Guys really are weak when someone depends on them.”

It's like how wealthy people don't necessarily seek out other wealthy people. Someone who's already satisfied with their appearance might not care about looks in a partner. Focusing on shared memories—now that's a great approach.

“…Shinji, your eyes are turning into slits.”

“Oh, sorry, sorry. So, do you have any other memories with her? Tell me more.”

“Um, let's see, there's also—”

And so, I found myself listening to the love stories of Kakeru, who's already a few steps ahead in life.

When I glanced at the clock, I realized it was about the right time, despite the brightness outside. Tsukino and the others should be wrapping up soon, so I might as well walk Kakeru home.

“Has your sister come back?”

“Yeah, she sent me a message on Line.”

“Alright, I'll walk you home. Let's go.”

“Wait a minute… I never told you my sister's name or where I live, Shinji. How do you know?”

Well, he's still just a first grader after all. If a kid his age were already sharper than me, I'd probably cry over losing my purpose in life.

“It’s Michiru-chan from the Tsukino family, right? There’s only one girl in the world I’ve ever cooked for at her house.”

“Oh, right.”

Kakeru looked up at me, realizing his slip, and gave me an awkward smile before grabbing my hand. This kind of clinginess is definitely a trait of the youngest child, and I bet girls find it irresistibly cute.

So, what would the equivalent be for Tsukino’s older sister traits? I don’t think I’ve ever really seen her act like a big sister.

As long as you’re with Shinji-kun, everything will be okay.

“Ah, that.”

“What about it?”

“Never mind. Let’s exchange Line contacts. And make sure to tell your mom that you’ve made friends with your sister’s friend, okay?”

“Okay!”

And so, I became friends with Kakeru.

We parted ways at that inevitable juncture. When I saw the lights on at the Tsukino house, I gently nudged Kakeru forward, signaling that it was time for him to head home.

“Hey, Shinji.”

“Hmm?”

“Take care of my sister, okay? She’s lonely.”

With that, he ran off. Was that what he had wanted to say to me from the very beginning? Had he been sizing me up, trying to decide if Takatsuki Shinji was the right person to entrust with such a request?

A first-grader, doing all that? No way.

“He got me good. Impressive.”

Kakeru was sharp, no doubt about it. But I'll keep my answer to him on hold for a little longer. If I tried to help without really being in love, it'd just end up being superficial, and Tsukino might end up hurt because of it.

“That wouldn't be right at all.”

Anyway, I should stop by the sunset shopping street near the station before heading home. The produce there is always fresh and reasonably priced.

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