Yamato Nadeshiko, Koibana no Gotoku Chapter 9

That night was a sleepless night.
There are times when even after entering my futon and closing my eyes, I still cannot sleep.

「……big brother, it’s me. Can we sleep together tonight?」

When I visited my big brother’s room, he was also about to go to sleep.

「What’s wrong, can’t sleep?」

「Yes. Big brother, it’s fine to occasionally sleep together, right?」

When I said so, he laughed and said 「That part of you hasn’t changed huh」.

「It can’t be helped.」

Even while he’s embarra.s.sed, he wouldn’t do something like push me away.
I’m always relying on my gentle big brother.
After we laid down, I could feel his body’s warmth.
This warmth gave me a feeling of happiness and safety.
Even though it was not uncommon for us to sleep in the same futon like this, recently it has become rare.

「Big brother can feel my charm as the “opposite s.e.x,” right?」

「Guh. W-What are you saying all of a sudden?」

「Because, in the past we would often sleep together like this, didn’t we? That you’ve refrained from doing so, is because you have been considering the possibility that you might indulge your pa.s.sions towards me? It’s all right, because I also desire to be a.s.saulted by big brother. Now, please go ahead.」

「…… if you say something too weird, I’ll drive you out.」

Big brother looked away from me in embarra.s.sment.

「Please don’t get angry. It was just a joke. I’ll change the subject but…… big brother, do you remember?」

「Each and every time, how you push me into the sea of suffering with your words, right?」

「Please rest a.s.sured, this time it is a story of a wonderful memory with big brother. It is about when big brother and I saw a shooting star from this room.」

「How many years ago was that? It feels like a considerably old story.」

As big brother says, this was an old memory that must be revisited.

「I was still an elementary school student. If I’m not mistaken, I should have been around nine years old?」

「You remember it well.」

「Yes. The memories with big brother are always within this heart of mine.」

While placing my hand on my own chest, I reminisced.
I won’t forget.
A memory that I don’t want to forget.
When we were looking up at the ceiling while lying in the futon together,

「Even if I look up at the stars in this city, they are not that pretty. However, that day, no matter where I looked, I could see shooting stars, or it would probably be better to say that it was a meteor shower, with big brother and big sister Miyabi, like this the three of us were looking up at the shooting stars.」

「…… So there was also such a thing.」

「In the cool summer evening, we three siblings who got along well were wrapped up in the futon as we did watched the stars. It was a large-scale meteor shower which would come once in a few decades. On that day, I prayed for a wish to the countless number of shooting stars I saw.」

The beauty of a shooting star which I saw for the first time was unforgettable.
To that evening sky, I made a certain wish.

「……that big brother may love me.」

「Do elementary schoolers talk of love?」

「They do. It was a love from a time when I was small. I am a thoroughly a brocon.」

「I think that’s not something to be said while smiling though」

Big brother said 「It’s like Nades.h.i.+ko to say that」 and smiled.

「Ara, you’re making fun of me? Big brother, it’s not funny, you know. Because, big brother is also a siscon. Don’t you remember? That day, when I was making my wish…… wasn’t big brother also making a wish like I was?」

「…… it was too long ago so I don’t remember.」

「Fufu. There are times in big brother’s case where you put on a pretense of not remembering out of embarra.s.sment. However, big brother, I remember perfectly. No matter how trivial it may be, I have not forgotten any memories with big brother.」

While feeling big brother’s body temperature intimately with my bare skin, I whispered to him.

「Big brother asked the star for a favor, 『That I may marry Nades.h.i.+ko.』 That’s why, I asked that. 『Even if I don’t ask star-sama, I will still properly become big brother’s bride.』 Don’t you think that this is a wonderful brother-and-sisterly love?」

「T-That’s a fabrication!!」

「No. You’re wrong. If you doubt this me, please try asking our big sister. Big sister is older than us, so she should still remember it. 『You guys are brother and sister, okay? Do you understand?』 she admonished while also amazed at the very young us.」

「…… if that’s true, then even I can’t say anything.」

He who was grieving and moaning showed me his back and wouldn’t turn around to face me.

「From then on, my dream to marry big brother has always continued to be in my mind.」

「My overly earnest little sister’s love is heavy.」

「――In this world, I am confident that the most virtuous thing is just “love”, you know, big brother?」

「But it’s not something to get so serious about! Your words trouble me.」

Big brother quietly patted and flattened my hair.

「…… even now, will big brother still say those words to me?」

「I won’t」

「I see. The words of an oath should only be said at a wedding ceremony. Big brother’s deep affection, I have received it.」

「Wrong!! …… Nades.h.i.+ko is really positive, huh.」

Big brother said that, and I nodded as,

「It’s natural. The most important thing in life is to live happily.」

「…… is that how it is?」

「Big brother told me once before.『Because Nades.h.i.+ko’s smile is the cutest in the world, I always want to see it beside you.』In accordance with big brother’s words, I have always been smiling next to big brother.」

「Nuuoooo. Past me, I beg of you, please don’t torture me any more than this. Stop, stop it……. gahh」

He who suffered from his own remarks, seemed to faint in agony from embarra.s.sment in the futon.
The old big brother was a person more honest with himself than now.

「Big brother is necessary in my life, so please don’t abandon me, okay? If you do something like betraying me…… you understand, right? Please don’t make me say it out loud.」

「I’m beyond frightened that what you plan on doing is something I cannot imagine!」

If I am betrayed, I won’t forgive him.
However, big brother is not a person who would betray me.
I believe that.

「Big brother has always loved only me, I believe you will continue to look only at me. You’re not a person who would betray his little sister’s trust.」

「Because trust is an important thing to keep.」

「Yes. For example, even if big brother intended on becoming popular at the start of school, if truths and lies continue to mix and spread as rumors, big brother’s position will fall to ruin. I won’t allow any consideration of betrayal or the like.」

His arm which I was going to use as a pillow jerked in reaction when I touched it.

「I will not allow it.」

「W-Why did you say it twice?」

「Because it is important.」

When I smiled and said so, big brother murmured 「I’ll be careful」 deplorably.

「But, I think it is bad to lie.」

「Let me teach big brother a splendid method to lie. It is fine if we mix in a bit of the truth with the lie. When the little bit of truth gets mixed in, other people will no longer be able to see through which parts are true and which parts are lies. That is the way, big brother.」

「M-my cute little sister is somehow dark now! I don’t want to see a dark Nades.h.i.+ko!」

While I snuggle into his body,

「For example, with just one photo I am able to cast big brother into ruin.」

「…… with just one photo?」

「Mhmm. Even if it were a picture from when I was a child, if it were to be placed inside big brother’s student handbook, big brother would be given disgraceful t.i.tles like “Lolicon” and “Siscon,” and society would regard you with cold gazes, right?」

「Seriously don’t do it!! My life would end that way!」

「Kusu kusu. It’s easy to do something to big brother’s life, you know. Please remember and give up, okay?」

Big brother said to me 「This is a joke right?」 while smiling at me.
His face didn’t look gloomy at all, even though he should not have been able to smile.

「…… That was a joke. If I were doing this for real, I would even place a picture of me playing in the bath when I was a child. If you were caught red-handed and thus arrested, it could not be helped, right? If I also acted as a victim and appealed for help from the people nearby, it would definitely be the end for you.」

「To have a reliable plan for ending my life in mind, this little sister of mine…… I won’t betray Nades.h.i.+ko. So please don’t take away my life.」

Even his begging didn’t lift my mood, so he gave me his arm to use as my pillow.

「I sure am loved by big brother.」

「Of course I love you, as my younger sister.」

Like that I became cheerful and let him spoil me.

With big brother’s arm pillow, it feels like I’ll see a good dream. Good night, big brother.

Because I was finally starting to be hit by waves of sleepiness, I fall asleep without resistance.

「Good night.」

「That’s right, …… big brother, there is one more thing I forgot to say.」

I quietly whisper into big brother’s ear with all my love.

「After I have fallen asleep, it’s fine no matter what kind of mischief you do to me, you know. I give you my permission.」

「I won’t do such a thing. Please don’t test your older brother’s sense of reason.」

「….. it makes my heart race to imagine what kind of mischief my shy big brother will do to me. It really seems like I’ll be shown a good dream today.」

Even though I was also teasing him, I also dreamed that he would really mess with me in reality.
Big brother isn’t the type of person to do that, however.
Although I trust him, it was also quite regrettable.
While snuggling up to big brother, I slept comfortably for the first time in a while.
At the moment I fell asleep, what I heard in my ear was,

「――Nades.h.i.+ko. Though if it’s in the dream world, I can love you without holding back.」

Was that my convenient dream that I saw?
Or, were those really the words that big brother murmured?
I, who had already fallen asleep, didn’t know.
As I slept pleasantly that night next to the person I love, I was able to see a good dream.

Please don’t say that in a dream world or whatever.
Even though it’s fine if you gave me your love in the real world.
I wish that the day big brother responds to my love would come quickly.
However, an event that would wound the heart of such a love-struck little sister was coming――

【 To be continued 】