My Sister’s Best Friend? My Female Friend Already? Then, What’s Next―? - Chapter 6

Today, after another long day of classes, the students scattered after school, heading for club activities at once.

Haruki and Yukito, both on their way to club activities, said goodbye to me and walked out of the classroom.

“Is Touma-kun from the go-home club back again?”

“Yeah, I’ll be home soon.”

After they left, the chairman approached me again.

“You’re in a club too, right?”

“Yes, I’m playing my own tune today!”

The chairman is in the light music club, which fits her appearance perfectly.

The only time I had a chance to see her was at the school festival, but I remember it was a great success.

“Touma is also welcome to join the club, okay?”

“Performing music in front of people reminds me of my traumatic experience in middle school.”

“What happened?”

“We had to sing in front of everyone, one by one, and it was torture because everyone around us had taken piano lessons and had a good sense of pitch.”

“Oh, no. That’s not good.”

“Well, it’s fun to watch the chairman do something cool.”

“Is that so! Well, I guess I’ll have to work harder at the next show!”

“Yeah, good luck.”

“Thanks! Well then, I’m off to my club activities! See you tomorrow!”

With that, the chairman cheerfully left the classroom.

As soon as I saw her off, the phone in my pocket trembled.

─Onii-san, have you gone home yet? If you haven’t left, let’s go home together.─

It was Rin-chan’s message, inviting me to come home with her.

I wondered if I should try out the club or take a tour, but I thought I could ask her about it on the way home, so I replied that it was OK and that I would meet her in front of the school gate.

Five minutes later, I met her in front of the school gate.

“Thanks for your hard work today.”

“You too, Rin-chan. Let’s go home slowly then.”

“Okay.”

We got on our bicycles and started to head home together.

“Are you sure you don’t want to visit the club or try out the activities?”

“I don’t really feel like it. If I do that, they’ll be pestering me and it’ll be hard to say no.”

“Oh, I know what you mean. It’s the same as when I was in middle school.”

When you join a club for a trial, it means that you are interested in this club activity, so all the clubs are trying hard to attract you.

There are times when upperclassmen ask me to join their clubs, and I understand how hard it is to be at the receiving end of the pressure.

“Are there any club activities you’re interested in?”

“Not really…”

I see. Well, as a go-home club member, I can’t tell you which ones have a good atmosphere.”

Just like the exchange with the chairman earlier, I have some idea of the atmosphere of any club activity just by talking to my friends.

But I haven’t actually gone to see any of them.

I can’t just recommend something like that.

“I haven’t said anything, but they keep asking me to be a manager or something.”

“You’re not really interested in being a manager?”

“I don’t like it, I’m simply not interested. I don’t like the idea of handling dirty clothes of someone I don’t like. Also, I can’t help but think that it would complicate the relationship between men and women.”

“The way you say it. Don’t say that in front of other people…”

It’s a statement that could cause immeasurable damage to the boys, and could lead to a fight or two with those who are currently managers or those who are thinking about it.

“I’m only going to say this in front of Onii-san and Saki, so please don’t worry.”

I felt a little uneasy about her saying this in front of my sister.

“I see. That’s one way of thinking about it.”

“That’s why it’s great to have female managers who are so dedicated to supporting the male members of the club.”

“Except, are there any female athletic department managers?”

“…There are a lot of difficult issues with that”.

“Oh, girls can be difficult to work with. Not much in the way of regular club activities?”

“You’re right… The brass band is probably just as hard as the sports club… Why is Onii-san not in any club activities?”

“I’ve learned a lot since I got hurt in middle school because of club activities.”

“I see. Have you thought about joining a cultural club?”

“I’m not good at music, and the other clubs aren’t that active, so I felt like I’d be slacking off.”

In the end, I didn’t do it for whatever reason, but it was fun to observe the various activities.

“I see, I see. You’re saying a lot of things, but I guess it just became too much trouble.”

“Kuh…!”

She’s exactly right.

“L-Let’s not talk about me for now. So are you not involved in any club activities at the moment?”

“I’ve been told by my parents that I can choose any club as long as my grades don’t drop and my behavior doesn’t deteriorate. I guess I’ll give it a pass for now.”

“It’s going to be tough studying in high school, right?”

“Yes, it would! It’s definitely tough!”

As if she was waiting for me to say that, her voice suddenly changed and her reaction shifted.

“I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, but it’s not good if my grades drop, right?”

“…Well, of course it would be.”

“But there are times when I can’t do anything on my own…”

“If you won’t go to club activities, you can just attend cram school.”

“……”

Seeing her reaction, I knew immediately that my reply was wrong.

She looked annoyed and frustrated.

“Why are you answering like that here!”

“No, that’s the best answer!”

“I’m not looking for a general answer!”

“Err…”

This is difficult. She was offended by the best answer.

“So far, we both have time after school. And I have to study. Yeah, we’ve come this far…!”

“No, I don’t understand anything!”

Of course I know what she was going for from the very beginning.

I pretended to act dumb.

“…You’re so mean. Did you really hate me that much?”

Then she became seriously depressed, and her voice became low and shrill.

I guess I was too mean─

“It’s not like that. You have time after school, right? There are places to study, like the school or a nearby cafe, if you want to─”

“Yes, thank you!”

“…Huh?

The depressed state she was in earlier was gone, and she reacted quickly, as if she knew what she was doing.

“It’s settled! How long do you want to do it after school?”

“…Was I just deceived?”

“Even if you try to hide it, Saki told me you’re not so clever in these parts.”

She said that my sister had given her some bad advice and she had put it into practice.

Rin-chan’s acting was too devilish for her usual mood.

There’s no way that any man would not be agitated and confused.

“I’ve taken your word for it. It’s not only one time, but it’ll be every day!”

“Seriously…”

“A private study club for the two of us!”

Then she turned her head towards me and whispered, so that the students around us could not hear.

“I’m Onii-san’s… personal manager.”

“!?”

“Just kidding~!”

She said, laughing happily.

(She’s even more dangerous than I thought.)

My face heated up, but at the same time, I desperately suppressed the emotions that were about to well up at the thought.

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Translator’s Afterword: Wow this little devil… She reminded me of Yume Irido from “My Stepsister is My Ex” / “Tsurekano” (best girl btw)