Episode 11 – After the arcade, I talked to Rinne and learned what family means to her…….

Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9627ht/15/

“Well, that was a lot of fun!”
“Yes, I had a lot of fun too!”
“I haven’t been so hot in a long time too!’

And after leaving the arcade, we were all talking about our impressions.

“I’m interested in this [harem guy come on in!] ……”

The last Purikura scribble the four of us took together had those words written on my face.

It was not Rinne …… who wrote it, but Kirisaki san.
“You must be one hell of a harem guy because you had dinner with all these cute girls, played at the arcade, and took purikura pictures with them.”

Kirisakisan laughed and said.

Well, if you just look at the situation, he is a harem guy.

The main heroine has dumped me, though.

“It’s time to break up I guess, The sky is getting darker.”

I looked up at the sky.

It was seventeen o’clock. The sky was getting a little darker.

“I think the train will be packed later than this for the two of us who are going home by train. I’m worried about them.”

There are men who do bad things.
Of course they are bad, but I think it is necessary to make an effort to avoid encountering them. I don’t think it’s a joke.

“Yeah. I’m sure Onii will be worried if I’m too late! See you tomorrow!”
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow! Thank you for the valuable experience today. I look forward to working with you again tomorrow.”

After saying that, they walked towards the station.

Haa…..I’m tired.

I guess I was a little nervous about being with such a pretty girl after all.

“…….so, Kirito. You didn’t forget, did you?”

As soon as the two were out of sight, Rinne glanced up at me and glared at me.

The one…… Oh, the one she mentioned before the entrance ceremony.

“You told me we were going to your house. I haven’t forgotten.”

I replied as I let out a sigh.

“I’m going to ask you what you meant when you said I was just a childhood friend.”

Ah, I see. That’s what you meant.
Then I’ll have to ask you the same thing.
What is “family”?

Twenty minutes on the bike.

We returned to our house.
During that time, we didn’t talk to each other.

I guess we should talk inside the house. I guess that’s what she means.

“My parents are coming home late today, so don’t worry about them. So don’t worry about your parents, just talk to them.”
“Yesyes. My parents seem to be home late, too. Or rather, it looks like my parents are all stuck in the office together. It’s just me and Misuzu today.”

After such conversation, I go up to Rinne’s house.

It is the same built house, so the layout is the same.
In the first place, we have spent many years together.
I can walk around the house even with my eyes closed.

When I walked to the living room, Rinne took out a cup of barley tea from the refrigerator and poured it into a cup.

I got mine from a bottle of barley tea outside the fridge.

Rinne’s parents also know about my mouth condition, so they always have a drink on hand for when I come over.
From this, it is clear that we have lived together as a “family” since kindergarten.
However, there is a difference between “like family” and “family.

Maybe that’s why I was rejected.

As I was thinking about this, Rinne opened her mouth.

“First, let me hear your side of the story.”

Rinne said, drinking a cup of cold barley tea.

I open the lid of the barley tea bottle and take a sip.

“You and I are childhood friends, right? What else can I say?”

Yeah. I didn’t like that. That’s why I decided to be a “lover” instead of a “childhood friend”

Rinne made the same face at my words as she did yesterday.

Yes, the same disappointed look she had when I asked her to be my girlfriend.

“I think of you and I as ‘family’. Don’t call us ‘childhood friends'”
“heyy, Rinne what do you mean by ‘family’? What is this ‘family’? We are like family, but we are not family.”

I asked Rinne my question.
The answer I received was a word that made me despair.

“I’ve never looked at you as the opposite gender.”
“Haaa …………?”

What do you mean …… that ……

“You think of me as your family by blood. How can you consider someone like that as a member of the opposite gender?”

I ask Rinne, stifling my trembling voice.

I have to ask.

I don’t think so, but …… I’d like to think it’s not true, but …… I have to ask this. ……

“W-what am I to you,……?”

“Well, but I’d like to think you’re not. You’re like a ‘bad brother’. Misuzu is my ‘pretty little sister.”

……………

The …… bad …… brother ……

“I made you learn the etiquette so that you wouldn’t be embarrassed. It was my kindness. I want you to be grateful. …… Eh?”

Potari…..
Potari….

And on the desk, my tears were falling ……

“Hey, what are you crying about……”

Well, I finally understood ……

I’m not the opposite gender to you.

I was just your brother.

I have a photo album in my house with pictures of you and me from when we were little.

It’s got the same picture in it, but for me it was ‘the picture I took with the girl I like’ and for you it was ‘the picture I took with my brother…….’
Our perceptions were …… different. ……

Haha,…… there is no way you can be my lover,……

“Hey,……, Rinne,……”
“W- what ……”

I smile at Rinne, not even wiping away the tears that flow down my face.

“I never once looked at you as ‘family’, you were always a girl to me. To me, you’ve always been a girl.”
“…… Kirito.”

I continued to Rinne, who opened her eyes.

I don’t care anymore,…….
Tell me everything ……

“…… I wanted to be a ‘lover’ and not a ‘brother. I wanted to be a ‘lover’, not a ‘brother’. I didn’t want to go shopping, I wanted to go on a date. I wanted to hold hands, walk arm in arm, hug each other, and even kiss.”
“I thought all my firsts were with you. Your firsts were all me, too. I thought we would become lovers, get married, become husband and wife, enjoy our life together, have children, fight with you and do our best to raise them, and when all our children get married and leave home, we would live happily together again as we grow old.”
“I wanted to stay with you until I became a wobbly old man or woman like that. My life span is so short, I think I’ll be the one who dies first. At that time, when I see your first tears, which you have never cried before, I will die with the satisfaction that I have had all your firsts. I fantasized about a lifetime like that.”

“…………Kirito”

I say my last words to Rinne, who is clearly upset.

“If you want me to be your family, I’ll be your family. I’ll be your ‘brother.”

I say this and get up from my chair.

I turn my back to Rinne and walk out of the living room.

“W-Wait…..K-Kirito…”
“I’m going home. I’m worried about Misuzu if I stay too late.”

Then I turn around and say to Rinne.

“See you, Rinne ‘Sis’.”
“……!”

I left Rinne’s house after saying that.

It was sunny in the morning, but it was raining outside before I knew it.

“………… haha. What kind of harem guy gets dumped by the same girl two days in a row?”

I turn to the sky.