Chapter 86 - My Little Sister Is a Clingy One
Autumn is full of delicious things.
Chestnuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins—there’s no shortage of tempting ingredients this season.
The school festival takes place in October, right in the heart of autumn.
Thinking about the seasonal mood, I scribble down ideas for the sweets we’ll serve at the festival.
Sweet potato tarts, pumpkin pudding, muffins with chestnuts—these should sell well, don’t you think?
It’s not just about taste. I have to consider ease of preparation, shelf life, serving speed, and whether the appearance is visually appealing. I’m getting more and more serious about this.
“Onii-chan, you look super serious~ What are you thinking about?”
“The sweets we’re going to serve at the school festival. I’ve been put in charge of coming up with the menu and recipes.”
“Hohee~ As expected of Onii-chan. You’re popular in class, huh?”
“Not really. The only person I can call a friend in my class is Reo. Mashiro’s in a different class, so we can’t talk except during breaks. There’s also Nishikawa, but he’s in another class too.”
“Reo-san, the one who came to visit this morning? He’s in your class, huh~”
“Now that I think about it, Mai, you were super nervous talking to Reo, weren’t you?”
“Well, of course I was! He’s the first ikemen I’ve ever talked to besides you, Onii-chan. And he’s got this amazing aura—so refined and elegant!”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re exaggerating, Mai.”
“I’m not! Reo-san is super popular at school, right? Maybe he has a girlfriend or something?”
“He doesn’t. He’s never talked about wanting one either. I don’t think he’s really into romance.”
Even in the original story of Fusekoi, there was never any mention of Reo having a girlfriend. With his looks, he’s probably got no shortage of admirers, and I’m sure plenty of girls would love to date him.
But I’ve never heard any rumors about him being in a relationship.
He’s friendly and treats everyone kindly, but he’s never shown any signs of wanting a girlfriend.
Is he just so focused on basketball that romance doesn’t interest him? Or is there some other reason… It’s a mystery.
Mai, who had been listening to me, murmurs “Hmm hmm,” folding her arms and furrowing her brow in thought.
“Still, I’m surprised about you too, Onii-chan. I thought you’d be super popular in class and have tons of friends.”
“No way. I skipped most of my classes during the first semester, and I’ve got a reputation as a delinquent. Most students are scared of me. I’ve been trying to be serious lately, but not many people want to be friends.”
I want to use the school festival as a chance to work together with everyone and leave a good impression. I also hope that students from other classes will see that I’m not some scary delinquent, but just a normal, earnest high school guy.
I laid the groundwork with the final exams last semester. Now I’m compiling tons of ideas in my notebook to build trust with my classmates through the festival.
Mai peeks into the notebook filled with dessert recipes and beams with a cheerful smile.
“So you’re working hard for the school festival~ That’s so admirable, Onii-chan!”
“Yeah. You better look forward to it. Oh, and Mashiro’s class is doing a maid café, so that’s something to be excited about too.”
“Mashiro-san in a maid outfit…!? Can we take as many pictures as we want? Like, until my phone runs out of storage?”
“Photography of students on campus is prohibited. Privacy rules are strict these days.”
“Eeeeh~ But Mashiro-san in a maid outfit would be so cute~!”
“Too bad. Just burn the image of Maid Mashiro into your eyes and be satisfied with that.”
I pat my complaining little sister on the head. That alone is enough to cheer her up, so she’s really easy to handle in moments like this.
“Heheh… If Onii-chan pats me, then I don’t care anymore!”
“Good. Then you’re satisfied. Go take your bath first.”
“Okaaay, I’m satisfied! Onii-chan, good luck with the school festival prep! Bye-bye!”
Having said her piece, Mai hops out of my room like a little bunny.
She’s a busy little sister—clingy one moment, demanding the next.
In my previous life, I was an only child and used to wish I had a little sister. So having Mai, who’s so energetic and affectionate, is just unbearably adorable.
With my sweet little sister cheering me on, I continue refining the menu for the school festival.