Episode 2 – An Inner Voice?

Above my father’s head was “52” and above my mother’s head floated the number “58”.
What on earth are these numbers? If I assume that Saki likes me, I can assume that these numbers are likability. However, I don’t understand the standard. How much does a number in the 50s really indicate likeability? I don’t have enough samples yet.
Also, while eating breakfast, I listened carefully to what seemed to be an inner voice, but unlike with Saki, I heard nothing. Was my hypothesis that it was an inner voice a mistake? It’s not like they’re not thinking about it, but… Or does it mean that in the case of people with high numbers, I can hear what seems to be an inner voice?

Hmmm……I don’t know.
As I was tilting my head, Saki called out to me.

“What’s wrong? Is the food not to your liking?”
“Hmm? No, it’s not like that.”

[Maybe he tasted something strange or something? But today I’m just licking the bread a little, so the taste shouldn’t change….. And I haven’t tampered with the coffee this time…….]

Wait. Aside from the bread, what do you usually do with my coffee? Are you saying you’re mixing something in there that might change the taste? What the hell is that? What am I being fed every morning?
It was horrible, but at least there wasn’t anything harmful to the body mixed in. At least she wouldn’t be feeding something bad to someone she liked.
I tried my best to keep my cheeks expressionless and bit into the bread. …Yeah, being licked doesn’t change the taste at all, and I don’t particularly dislike Saki’s saliva in the first place, and it’s like I feel happy about it, but it’s okay…

“…Saki, thank you for always preparing food for me. It’s delicious.”
“Really? Even if you praise me that much, the food won’t get better, you know?”

[Kyaa, I was praised ! It’s very rare for Onii chan to praise me ! Does that mean today’s food was particularly good? The menu doesn’t look the same as usual, maybe it’s the power of love? It’s the power of love, right? It means he knows how much I love him, right? I have no choice but to marry him now !]

Inside her smiling face, she seems to be filled with more joy than is apparent in her expression. If it were a voice from the heart, it would be too much joy in a casual word.
When I interact with Saki in everyday life, she is an ordinary girl with nothing special about her. The possibility has emerged that she may actually be someone quite different from the image I had of her.
After finishing breakfast, I returned to my room and put on my uniform. When I left the room with my bag in my hand, Saki had just come out of the next room.

[Wow, the timing is perfect ! I’m sure it’s going to be a good day !]

“Onii chan, you’re a little early today.”
“Yeah, it just so happens.”
“You’re always late unless I call out to you.”
“It’s just one of those days.”

Saki and I attend the same Kirigaoka High School. Until last year, I went to school by myself, but after Saki enrolled, we started going to school together.

[Onii chan in school uniform is cool……how about my sailor suit? Does he think I’m cute?]

Saki, who walks up to me toddling, is expressionless. Is what I’m hearing really her inner voice?

“Saki, the school uniform looks good on you.”

I said, testing it out. Saki’s eyebrows twitched, but that was all.

“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? You don’t always say things like that.”

[Kyaa, kyaa, kyaaa ! Amazing, I’ve been praised, he said I’m cute, he said I’m the most beautiful girl in the world, this is bad, if I’m not careful, my expression will fall off, I’ll blush so much that he’ll think I’m weird, I’ll act like a normal girl, just like I normally do !]

The words flowed through my head at high speed. The information overload is making it a little bit painful. Saki, are you this hyped up inside? You don’t look like that at all, do you?

“I thought it would be nice to put Saki in a good mood once in a while. The food was delicious. Anyway, let’s go.”
“That’s weird. It doesn’t matter. Let’s go.”

Taking my eyes off Saki, we walk side by side.
When I leave my house and take a look at the people around me, I notice a number appearing above everyone’s head.
Most people are in the 20s, sometimes in the 10s. If the number represents the level of likability, then the level of other people’s likeability towards me is generally in the 20s, right?
I think this is a state of neither liking nor disliking. If that is the case, then a number in the 10’s is a level of slight dislike, right?　I don’t know why they don’t like me, but maybe they simply don’t like everything in the world, or they don’t like young people, or they don’t like the way men and women walk around together.
When I reached the station, I found a group of high school students just like me. I can see the numbers above their heads every single time, which is a little annoying, but they are generally in the 20s.
As I stand on the platform and talk with Saki, a classmate from middle school walks by. He glanced at me, said a quick hello, and passed by. I saw the number “32” on his head. We were not close enough to be friends, just a classmate.

“Onii chan, you seem a little restless today. What’s wrong?”

[No way, has he found someone he likes and that person uses this station? You’re not looking for that, are you?]

“Oh, n’o, it’s nothing.”

There’s no way to explain it, so let’s just let it slide.

“…..Ah, maybe someone you like is coming to this station? Are you looking for her or something?”

[…..Making it look like an accident is not realistic, is it? How shall I take care of it?]

Saki is always thinking like this !? No, no, no, no, right? This isn’t really a voice from the heart or something, is it? It seems like it, but it’s really something else, right?
I’m freaking out inside, but I’m desperately trying to mend my expressionless face.

“Haha. It’s nothing like that. I don’t know much about love.”
“Hmm. I don’t know about that. You’re a high school student now, you should have a girlfriend or two.”

[If she’s really here…I should save Onii chan, right? Fufu.]

What do you mean “save me”? What kind of story is that !? Are you okay !?

“Hahaha……. Even if I wanted a girlfriend, there isn’t a single girl who would come on to me.”
“Hmm. I see. But, Onii chan, you don’t understand. Even if you do, the people of the opposite sex will only approach you if you are extremely good-looking or have a special talent. Ordinary people have to work as hard as they can to get people to look at them, and then a few people will finally turn their heads towards them. Giving up without even trying is like complaining that you eat a full plate of cake every day but you can’t lose weight.”
“Whoa, what was that? I can’t argue with that.”

[Hmm…if it feels like this, it doesn’t feel like there’s someone he likes. Well, I guess there are days like this.”

Once Saki agreed, I was also relieved. I can’t say that I’ve been able to see anything that looks like a likeability.
After about 20 minutes of train and walking, we arrived at Kirigaoka High School. I parted ways with Saki at the entrance.

“See you later, Onii chan.”
“See you later.”

[Haa……. I’m separated from Onii chan again……. This moment is the hardest…… I wish the school that took Onii chan away from me would be destroyed……]

I wonder. The more I know, the weirder Saki seems to be, but what I’m hearing isn’t actually the voice of her heart, is it?　I’m sure it’s not, right?
With mixed feelings, I headed to the 2nd year class c room.

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