Yamato Nadeshiko, Koibana no Gotoku

I was exhausted to the point where I was unable to remember what was today’s dinner.
When I returned to the cla.s.sroom after my day duties, I was stared at by my cla.s.smates with very cold gazes.

『Yamato-kun is the lowest. A person who has gone off the path.』

『Serves you right, Yamato. Your time is already over.』

『……I-I still believe in you, okay? Yamato-san isn’t that kind of person.』

My cla.s.smates whispered such things, but for what reason I had no idea.
……Nadeshiko, while I was gone, what did you do?
The female students were especially bad.
They wouldn’t even meet my eyes.
It was basically considerably shocking to me.
After dinner, while I was exhausted and sprawled out on top of the sofa,

「Big brother, that’s no good. When you lie down, you have to lie like this.」

Nadeshiko gently sat down on the sofa, and placed my head on her lap.
Indeed, this was a situation where I was receiving a lap pillow. My little sister’s lap pillow was soft and pleasant.

「……It’s good right, this way.」

「If big brother comes to desire it, I’ll do it for you anytime.」

My damaged heart is being healed.
Without the energy to say anything to Nadeshiko today, I accepted it.

「That was especially tiring. Nadeshiko, what did you do today after school?」

「I didn’t do anything, though? I only talked with Ono-san and the others for a short while.」

If it was nothing, then I want you to explain the stares of disappointment and disgust directed at me by the girls.

「Rather than that, big brother, I also have a question. During this last year, was there a situation where you created a special relationship with a lover? Or was there a female student you liked in particular?」

「……haa?」

What are you saying all of a sudden, Nadeshiko?
When I look at her with a blank expression,

「Well? Please answer only with the truth to this question.」

「Hii?!」

Nadeshiko’s slender fingers had softly touched the base of my neck, and even now the tips of her nails were digging in.

「……P-Please wait! I have never gone out with anyone, not even once, really!」

I was restless in a situation where even though I want to run away, I could not.
Why was I suddenly driven into a such a critical situation, I wonder?

「Is that really true? It’s not good to lie. Telling lies is disgraceful behavior. It’s stupid, but it’s common for people who are trying to run away to place themselves and their self-protection first to use this pitiful last resort. This world isn’t kind enough to let liars live leisurely.」

When she said that with a straight face, it was scary, and I felt like I wanted to cry.
The Nadeshiko today seems merciless, so I was desperate to pacify her.

「It’s true. There’s no such thing like me socializing with a girl. Please don’t dig your fingernail into my neck.」

「I understand. I’ll believe in big brother’s words.」

「……Hoo」

I was relieved when my little sister gently released her hold.

「However, if that was a lie, please prepare yourself. I love you big brother, but it makes me sad to be told a lie. If a time comes when I am betrayed…… even I cannot imagine what kind of things I would do.」

That isn’t something to be said while smiling?!
Her smile made me feel like my heart had frozen.
Though the lap pillow was comfortable, I was in trouble because I couldn’t run away.
Why did you suddenly ask such a thing?
Though I wanted to try asking, it seemed like it would be kicking a hornet’s nest, so I stayed quiet.

「It’s about time, shall we go take a bath? I have already prepared it.」

I wonder why girls like these kinds of things?
Urged by my sister, we decided to take a bath together.
I soaked in the warm bath and refreshed my mind and body.
There is the smell of the rose-scented bath salts that is Nadeshiko’s favorite lately.
A guy like me doesn’t really understand the charm, but Nadeshiko seems to be deeply satisfied.

「Were you able to make new friends after entering high school?」

「About that, I was able to make some. By the way, they all have boyfriends.」

「……ha? Is Nadeshiko’s criteria for friends on whether or not they have boyfriends?」

「No, it is whether or not they are interested in big brother. A friend who would make eyes at my beloved big brother is not a friend.」

Eh, a terrible remark just casually came out.

「It’s a story from a while ago, but there was a girl in junior high school who became my friend to aim for big brother. It’s all because big brother has been popular with girls for a long time. Even when choosing friends, ascertaining girls with ulterior motives is troublesome too, you know.」

「Erm……what happened to that girl?」

I had an unpleasant feeling and tried asking Nadeshiko.

「Asking what happened, it’s as if you’re a.s.suming that I did something to her…… though that’s right, however.」

「As I thought, you did something.」

「Fufu, it’s not something that big brother needs to worry about.」

That girl is safe, right?
What really happened? The meaning behind her smile weighed heavily on my mind.
That girl is safe, right?

「It’s just a trifling story. Now, big brother, please wash my hair.」

If this girl’s personality’s one point, if I had to say a bad point, I would probably say this point.
Her likes and dislikes are separated too clearly. Especially enemies, she’ll immediately make enemies and not give a care.
No, in the cases where she’s making enemies, I’m often involved though……
Mom, dad, older sister Miyabi…… where did we make a mistake in Nadeshiko’s upbringing?
In a normal scenario, in accordance with the name Yamato Nadeshiko, even though she should have a been a cute girl.
If someone somehow becomes treated as an “enemy,” receiving her hostility all the time would be scary.
I’m worried that such a little sister might one day incur someone’s ill will and get hurt.

「Big brother, please wash it quickly. I feel a chill after a bath.」

……the world looks coldly down on this, mixed bathing between siblings.
No, even if I make excuses or such to myself, I’ve become accustomed to this.
There’s not even a sense of a crime, so there isn’t an indecent meaning at all.
It’s a lifestyle habit, just one of my daily sceneries…… though even if I say so, n.o.body would be convinced.

「Nadeshiko has really beautiful black hair. You should be proud of it.」

「Because I want to match with big brother’s preferences, I want to become a beauty with raven-black hair.」

I use shampoo to foam up her hair.
The appearance of an older brother washing his little sister’s hair is reflected in the mirror.
It’s a scene which hasn’t changed from the past. No, we both have grown up, so it has changed?
Though the actions have not changed, our appearances in the mirror have grown up.

「It’s about time for our bathing together……」

To stop, or when I tried to say that, Nadeshiko immediately interjected,

「That’s a line that will hurt your cute little sister’s heart. Are you still going to say it?」

「……it’s nothing.」

I was caught by a pick-off throw.
The subsequent words were 「Is the sad event where you betray me going to happen?」
In addition, with the rumors spreading at school, being gazed at by icy glares was painful.
I already don’t have a place where I belong at school anymore, so please stop it.

「I won’t do such behaviors that would make my cute little sister sad.」

「Of course, I expected as much, because I have great trust in big brother.」

I rinse off Nadeshiko’s hair with warm water from the shower.

「Nnn. Big brother’s skill is on the level of a professional beautician, it’s wonderful.」

「…… That’s because I’m accustomed to it.」

The days where Nadeshiko will demand for a shower has become almost a daily occurrence.
I don’t want to count, but it should have exceeded thousands of times.
…… it’s a heart-throbbing daily life with my little sister who is growing every day..

「Please also let me wash big brother’s hair from time to time.」

My little sister was warming her body as she soaked in the bathtub.
In the meantime, I was washing my hair myself.

「I-It’s fine, Nadeshiko can enjoy the bath.」

「……I’ll give you some service, you know?」

Because there is that, so I declined!
When I have her wash my hair and body…… she will push against various places on purpose.
Though other people, if it’s seen, may say it’s enviable, let me say beforehand that I also have a lot of sense, so to be honest it is a huge problem.

「If my partner was a lover, it’d would be okay, but it’s my little sister.」

「Big brother, may I take that as a confession of love, to say that you want to become lovers with me right now?! I’m happy that you yearned so much for me♪」

「T-That’s not it! Please settle down!」

Her flexible limbs appeared and disappeared from the gap of the towel.
It took quite a bit of time to restrain Nadeshiko who had gotten excited.

A cold drink after taking a bath is delicious.
After leaving the bath, I was completely exhausted and tired.
I really felt like it was better for me to stop taking baths with Nadeshiko already.
My reasoning and mental condition won’t last long, in various meanings.
After I finished drying Nadeshiko’s hair, I leisurely poured a cup of cola from a plastic bottle and drank.

「It’s a pity that Nadeshiko is bad with carbonated drinks.」

「If it’s lightly carbonated, I can still endure it, but a normal level of carbonation is impossible for me. The p.r.i.c.kling feeling in my throat is unpleasant. However, I can drink soft drinks if it’s opened and left it out for the carbonic acid to escape?」

「That’s just sugared water. That seems bad for your body, so stop that.」

There’s nothing as sickeningly sweet as flat soda.

「However, I’ll do my best. I want to drink the same thing big brother is drinking. Please give me a sip.」

「Here. The carbonation is intense though, so be careful.」

My favorite is zero calorie cola, but the carbonation is strong.
She resolved herself and took only a mouthful into her mouth, but immediately 「geho」 coughed and covered her mouth.
With just a little bit, her eyes became teary, as she endured the p.r.i.c.kling in her throat.

「Uuu…… b-big brother, please drink beverages that are more gentle for me.」

「Yes, yes. I’ll take more care next time, to pick something that I can drink with Nadeshiko, okay?」

Nadeshiko nodded and drew close to me again.
I spent the rest of the quiet evening carefreely like that with my cute little sister.

【 To be continued 】