57 - I’m Otsuki Haruka!

RAW

Tomoya looks back and forth between Haruto and Ayaka, with a gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and slight confusion.

“Huh? You two seem pretty close, don’t you?”

“Oh, no, this is…”

The grin on Tomoya’s face tells Haruto exactly what he’s thinking, leaving him wondering how to dispel any misunderstanding.

Then, Ayaka tugs on Haruto’s clothes.

“Haruto…”

Ayaka looks up at him with a slightly anxious expression, prompting Haruto to introduce his friend.

“This is my friend Akagi Tomoya. He’s in our class too, by the way.”

“Oh, Akagi… Oh! Hello.”

Upon Haruto’s introduction, Ayaka raises her gaze, as if searching her memory. Realizing who he is, she bows slightly.

“Hello! I have to say, Tojo-san, you look really cute in your casual clothes!”

“Oh, uh… thank you.”

Ayaka looks a bit puzzled by Tomoya’s cheerful compliment.

“Hey, Tojo-san, would you mind if I borrow Haruto for just a second? Just for a moment.”

“Uh? Oh… okay…”

With Ayaka’s hesitant nod, Tomoya puts his arm around Haruto’s shoulder and pulls him away a bit.

“Hey, Haru! How come you didn’t tell me you’re dating Tojo-san!?”

Facing away from Ayaka so she can’t hear, Tomoya lowers his voice and brings his face closer to Haruto.

“How could you keep this a secret from me? We’re best friends, remember? C’mon!”

“Quit poking me in the side! And besides, it’s not like Ayaka and I are…dating or anything.”

“What? I don’t buy that. You two looked super close just now. Plus, you called her ‘Ayaka,’ didn’t you?”

“Well… that’s… complicated.”

Haruto averts his gaze, trying to dodge Tomoya’s interrogation. Tomoya, in turn, grins wider at Haruto’s evasive response.

“Maybe you aren’t dating, but you two totally like each other, right? I bet I’m right.”

“You can’t be sure of that. I mean… I don’t know how she feels.”

Haruto’s hesitant tone makes Tomoya grin knowingly, as if he’s caught on to something. Haruto, unable to bear Tomoya’s expression, shrugs his friend’s arm off his shoulder.

“So, what are you doing here in front of the station? Are you alone?”

“Nope, I’m here with Haruka for some shopping…”

“Haru-nii!”

Tomoya’s explanation is suddenly cut off by an enthusiastic shout. Haruto looks in the direction of the voice and sees Tomoya’s little sister, Haruka, running toward him. She throws herself into Haruto’s arms.

“Meeting you here, Haru-nii! Today’s horoscope ranking was right!”

“Whoa, Haruka-chan…”

Haruto stares, a bit perplexed, as Haruka clings to his arm and hops up and down.

“People are watching, so maybe don’t cling so tightly…”

“Aww! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Haru-nii. I have to recharge!”

“Recharge what exactly?”

Haruto responds with a slightly strained smile.

From behind him, a hesitant voice calls out.

“Um… Haruto?”

When he turns around, he sees Ayaka glancing back and forth between him and Haruka with a slightly troubled expression.

“Uh… who is she?”

“Oh, right. This is Tomoya’s litt—”

“I’m Haru-nii’s little sister, Haruka!”

“Oh, I see.”

Without missing a beat, Haruka pretends to be Haruto’s sister. Ayaka, having no reason to doubt her, looks relieved and bows slightly toward Haruka.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Tojo Ayaka, Haruto’s classmate.”

“Thank you for always taking care of my big brother! I’m Otsuki Haruka!”

“Hold on, that’s not true!”

Haruto reflexively chops Haruka lightly on the forehead, making her cover it with her hands.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Haruto?” Ayaka asks.

“Sorry, Ayaka. She’s not actually my sister; she’s Tomoya’s sister.”

“Wait, what? Akagi’s?”

Haruto, trying to handle Haruka’s antics, points at Tomoya. Ayaka, clearly confused, looks back and forth between Haruto, Tomoya, and Haruka.

“I am Haru-nii’s sister! He’s way better than this guy!”

“What do you mean, ‘this guy’?! Don’t you dare insult your own brother!”

Protesting, Tomoya looks hurt. Haruka sticks her tongue out at him.

Watching their exchange, Ayaka still seems puzzled but gradually grasps that Haruka isn’t actually Haruto’s sister.

“So, let me reintroduce her. This is Akagi Haruka, Tomoya’s sister, not mine.”

“Oh, I see… but Haruka-chan really does seem like your sister, Haruto-kun.”

“Well, yeah, Tomoya and I have been friends since we were little, so naturally, I’ve known Haruka since she was a baby.”

“Yes, I even take baths with Haru-nii!”

For some reason, Haruka says this proudly, causing Ayaka’s face to freeze in surprise.

“Uh… t-taking baths? With him?”

“No, no, that was years ago, okay? Like when we were in kindergarten or just starting elementary school!”

“Oh, right! That makes sense!” Ayaka finally breathes a sigh of relief.

Haruka then turns her attention to Ayaka.

“So, you’re Ayaka, right? What’s your relationship with Haru-nii?”

With an air of authority, Haruka directs a questioning look at Ayaka.

“Uh…well…”

“It seems a little too friendly for just classmates, don’t you think?”

Haruka leans closer, scrutinizing Ayaka.

“Are you Haru-nii’s girlfriend? If you are, I need to see if you’re suitable for him as his sister…”

“Quit talking nonsense and go shopping already!”

Tomoya cuts in, grabbing his sister by the collar.

“Hey! Let go, big bro!”

“You’re the one causing trouble. Anyway, we’ll get going now. See you, Haru, and you too, Tojo-san.”

Tomoya leads Haruka away as she protests, calling out about “sisterly duties,” to which Tomoya retorts, “I’m your real brother!”

Watching the whirlwind departure of the Akagi siblings, Ayaka stands there, slightly dazed.

“Um… Akagi’s sister is quite amusing, isn’t she?”

“Yeah… she’s a bit eccentric, I guess?”

Ayaka smiles awkwardly, and Haruto gives her a small smile in return.

“But, Haruka-chan, right? She really did seem like your sister, Haruto-kun. I forgot you were an only child for a moment.”

“Well, I mean… we’ve known each other since we were babies, so she’s basically like a little sister to me.”

Haruto and the Akagi siblings had always been as close as family. Because of that, Haruto acknowledged that Haruka was like a real sister to him.

“She’s so cute, though, isn’t she?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, the Akagi siblings have good looks, I guess.”

Haruto tries not to say this directly to Tomoya and Haruka since Tomoya tends to get cocky. Still, it’s true that they are both an attractive pair of siblings.

Ayaka’s small “hmm” sounds a bit pouty.

“…So Haruka-chan is kind of like a sister to you?”

“Yeah, she is.”

“I see…”

Haruto feels a strange stirring in his chest from Ayaka’s fixation on Haruka.

If Ayaka’s acting jealous of Haruka’s closeness to him, it could mean that she feels the same way about him as he does about her.

That realization makes Haruto’s heart race, and his face grows warm. He struggles to keep a smile from forming as he sneaks a look at Ayaka, who seems deep in thought.

“…Ayaka?”

“Oh, sorry, Haruto-kun.”

When Haruto says her name, she smiles brightly.

“So, shall we continue our date?”

With an adorable and captivating smile, Ayaka emphasizes the word “date.”

Feeling a slight pressure from her, Haruto nods.

“Y-yeah. Let’s go to the next store.”

“Yeah!”

With that, Ayaka takes his arm and tightly clasps his hand.

“Ayaka?”

“We’re practicing as a couple, remember? I have to act like a real girlfriend.”

Haruto, flustered by Ayaka’s closeness, stifles a sigh.

She’s already more than a girlfriend…

Haruto walks with Ayaka beside him, secretly hoping they won’t find the limited-edition ice cream at the next location.