Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093077509774072/episodes/16818093081222701429
I was a little surprised at the unexpectedly serious apology from senpai, but I soon understood her intention and opened my mouth to say.
“If it was about earlier, Mizushiro-senpai pulled back as a result, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“But the fact that you, who normally doesn’t try to show weakness, told me that you were having a hard time means that I had done something terrible to you without your knowledge, right?”
“It’s my fault for not telling you what was going on beforehand.”
When I said that, senpai raised her head and said.
“But! When I told you to rely on onee san when things got tough, I actually ended up hurting you… I’m really sorry… I didn’t really think about why you weren’t putting your hair up……”
“…..!”
Now, I was even more surprised than senpai’s serious demeanor earlier.
What surprised me was not senpai’s words, but the fact that senpai’s eyes were overflowing with tears.
senpai said while wiping her own tears with her hand.
“This, this is not …… sorry, I know I don’t deserve to cry,…… but I’m really, really sorry,…….”
When I saw senpai’s face, which was filled with tears one after another, even though she was wiping her eyes as she said that, I grabbed her wrist and said.
“….senpai, please follow me.”
Mizushiro-senpai gave a small nod and followed me, and the two of us went straight to a deserted bench and sat down next to each other, and I handed senpai a handkerchief and said,
“Please use this.”
“T-thanks. ……”
senpai wiped her eyes and handkerchief with the handkerchief I gave her.
Then, after senpai had finished wiping to some extent, I opened my mouth and said.
“There’s really no need for senpai to feel responsible for what happened this time… It’s just that it’s my fault for not talking about various things.”
Hearing my words, senpai shook her head and said.
“There is nothing wrong with you, Iroto-kun! It’s my fault for not realizing that you really don’t like it!”
“But even that could have been prevented if I had told you various things beforehand, just like you’re apologizing to me now, if senpai had heard various things from me beforehand, I don’t think this time would have happened, so …… from now on, I’ll tell you something that I can’t say to Nanahoshi, but that I can say to senpai.”
When I said this, senpai still looked apologetic, but she gave me a small nod, so I continued.
“I don’t want to stand out in any way at school, so I grow my bangs to cover my eyes, and I purposely get average test scores…I did things like that a long time ago. It all started with one incident, but that’s not important to me right now, I don’t want to attract attention anyway.”
When I roughly confided my current situation to someone for the first time, senpai said
“I see…Then, it wasn’t a good idea to tell Nanahoshi-chan that you were cool?”
“Honestly, it wasn’t very nice,……, but I hadn’t yet raised my bangs so Nanahoshi could actually see my face, and Nanahoshi didn’t seem that bothered by it either, so senpai shouldn’t be too worried about it.”
“I’m really no good …… at being a dependable onee san, but instead of being pathetic, I’m hurting you …….”
Mizushiro-senpai said that, looking uncharacteristically depressed.
…When I saw senpai like that, I said exactly what I thought.
“I don’t know if you would use the word [dependable] but at least I’m glad that I was able to meet senpai.”
“…. Eh?”
senpai, who looked surprised at my words, was wide-eyed and astonished.
“Before, when I went to the opposite gender’s house for the first time, I asked for advice, and during swimming practice, I was able to compete with all my might for the first time in a while, which was fun, and even now…no matter what the process was, I never thought I’d be able to confide my secrets to someone like this. I haven’t been around until now, so I think senpai’s presence is supporting me somewhere in my heart.”
“!! Iroto kun!”
When I told her that, senpai hugged me again with tears in her eyes and said in a tearful but happy tone of voice
“Thank you for saying such a thing about me, such a pathetic person. …… But if you say so, Iroto-kun, then I will really be a dependable big sister to you from now on. …… So, can I stay close to you from now on, Iroto-kun?”
“Do as you want, senpai. …… That’s more like you, and that’s wonderful.”
“Like me …… I see,…… thank you very much,…….”
After hugging me strongly for the last time, senpai stopped hugging me, wiped her tears with a handkerchief again, stood up and said.
“I’m tired from crying a lot, so I think I should go home~! Oh, Iroto-kun……, when it’s just you and me, can I compliment you?”
“In theory, it doesn’t matter what you say when it’s just me and senpai.”
When I replied, she smiled and said.
“Then, since the others can’t praise you, from now on I will praise you a lot! I’m telling you, onee san can praise you as much as she wants, so be prepared for that, okay?”
“I’ll be prepared for that. ……”
Seeing Mizushiro-senpai doing what he always does, I somehow felt a sense of relief, and I stood up with the corners of my mouth raised, and after that, I walked with senpai halfway home, talking as usual.
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