Irii Aashi lives by the green lake in Okaya, and she has a crush.
She’s in love with her brother… her stepbrother.
But she knows it’s a forbidden love. So…
Seeing those two living freely in love makes her sick. ★
After her brother dropped her off at school…
Aashi was hard at work at the gym, immersed in club activities. She plays on the basketball team.
Inside the gym, the other club members were chasing the ball. “Midoriko!”
The ball flew toward Aashi, who was inside the court. It was from the vice-captain. They were currently playing a scrimmage.
“Chance! Shoot! Shoot!”
Aashi was standing outside the three-point line. The opposing team hadn’t noticed her yet. It was a perfect opportunity to shoot.
She bent her knees deep and threw the ball.
The moment the ball left her fingertips… she thought, damn it.
The ball I threw bounced off the ring. ”……”
I really shouldn’t have missed a shot like that… “Midoriko-ko!”
Thwack— Vice-Captain… [Saho Suwa] gave me a smack on my waist.
“It’s okay! Shake it off, shake it off!”
Encouraged by Saho, A-shi realized something.
Ah… I’ve actually been pretty shocked… Haven’t I?
“Midoriko-ko~. What’s wrong today?” In the club room.
A-shi and the others, who had just finished practice, were changing their clothes.
Right now, it was just A-shi and Saho in the club room. ”…What do you mean ‘what’?”
“You seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind or something?”
…Saho had totally seen through me.
“Why not tell your childhood friend, this great Saho here?”
Saho and I have been together ever since elementary school.
Same school, same club, for ten whole years.
After spending that much time together, maybe she’s finally starting to pick up on my mood. “…Don’t tell anyone, okay?” “Say less!”
I locked the clubroom door and sat down on the sofa in the middle of the room. “…My older brother had a girl.”
“Whaaat!? W-wait… didn’t he just break up with his last one like, yesterday?”
“…Yeah. But there was someone else. Actually, two people.”
“Two people!? What do you mean!?” …Of course she’d be shocked.
I was shocked too. Seriously…
Besides, I’m not telling her that the other woman is one of us from the same graduating class.
I have absolutely no intention of lowering my brother’s social standing.
“Wow… your brother really knows how to charm girls. Thinking back, he was always handsome and popular, right?” “…Huh? No way, seriously?”
I thought I was the only one who noticed what a good guy my brother actually is.
“No way. But wait, didn’t you see that woman? Uh… what was her name?” ”…Misae-baba.”
“M-Misae-san! Hey, stop calling her a baba!”
Saho has always been the nagging type… but right now, she’s being really annoying.
“Speaking of Misae-san, you and your brother have been together for a long time, right?” ”…Yeah. Since high school.”
“I mean, why were you even dating her to begin with?” ”………”
Even now, when I think back, it’s a infuriating story. So… I don’t want to talk about it.
But… if I say it out loud, would I feel better?
“It happened when my brother was in his second year of high school. He got into a car accident.” “A car accident?”
”…Yeah. It wasn’t fatal, though.” Spring of the year my brother was a sophomore in high school…
While walking along his usual route to school, he saw Misae walking with her phone in hand.
Misae didn’t notice the red light and started crossing the street on the crosswalk. And then…
“W-What? She got hit by a car and died!?”
”…It wasn’t that. My brother saved me.”
A truck had crashed into Misae. That woman was unable to move.
My brother pushed her out of the way to save Misae.
As a result, Misae suffered serious injuries… or rather, she didn’t die. But…
”…At that time, Misae’s face took a heavy hit.”
“Oh— I see, she fell down and slammed her face into the ground, huh?”
”…Yeah, and she bled pretty badly because of it. They had to rush her to the hospital.”
The injury itself wasn’t a big deal at all… But… I remember clearly.
I was only five years old back then, but I remember.
I remember my brother being shouted at in the hospital room…
“What are you going to do about this?! My daughter’s face is scarred because of you!?”
Misae’s father was scolding my brother.
“Ugh, how awful! He saved my life, so why does he have to get angry at me?!”
“……Because I left a scar on her face that’ll last her a lifetime.”
“Was it really that serious of an injury?”
“……N-no. It was just a slight cut to the skin. It healed up beautifully in no time. ……But at that moment, I inflicted a deep wound on my brother’s heart.”
For a woman, her face is one of her most important weapons.
Misae was…… well, she did have a rather pretty face.
Which is why her father got even angrier about it.
Because I’d scarred his beautiful daughter’s face.
“……After that, my brother basically became that woman’s slave.” “Wait, why……?”
“……It was the guilt he felt for hurting Misae’s mommy, I guess. That bitch took full advantage of it too, ordering him around like a slave at every turn.”
And along those lines, the two of them started dating.
“……From Misae’s mommy’s perspective, I think she really struck lucky getting her hands on such a convenient slave. My brother felt so guilty that he did whatever she said without question.”
Schoolwork, tutoring for entrance exams, and the morning-and-evening drop-offs.
My brother really did follow that woman around like a slave.
“But… didn’t you propose to Misae, though?”
“I was being mentally manipulated. Mind control is what it was. I was told if I wasn’t there, Misae would fall apart…”
…To be honest, seeing my brother back in college was hard to watch.
He surely wanted to pursue his own dreams, but because of the curse that was Misae, he was completely held back. If only… back then.
If my brother hadn’t helped Misae…
Everything would have gone smoothly.
My brother wouldn’t have become that woman’s slave. And Ashi would…
“See… Midori is worried, isn’t she?”
Saho pulled his polo shirt over his head.
“Worried about whether I’d be tricked by another bad woman.”
I imagine A-shi looked at Saho with a face full of shock. “W-wait, how…?”
Even though she hadn’t said that far, Saho spoke as if she’d been peeking right into A-shi’s heart.
“Hahaha! Don’t underestimate your childhood friend, I suppose.”
Saho said this to A-shi with a serious face.
“You don’t truly hate your older brother’s girlfriend, do you? It’s just… back then, because of Grandma Misae, your older brother’s life was ruined, so you’re anxious that the same tragedy might repeat itself, right?”
…Why does Saho always hit the nail on the head regarding what A-shi is thinking? “That’s kinda creepy, though.”
“Eh, well, it’s all thanks to you. I might turn out to be a famous detective after all.”
A-shi finished changing as well, and the two of them left the club room. She locked the door and stepped outside the gymnasium.
The muggy summer air, heavy with humidity, washed over A-shi and the others.
“But still… Lake Midori. That’s just prejudice, you know. Your older brother’s girlfriend might actually be a nice person?” ”…That’s impossible.”
Logically speaking, how could a high school girl date someone who’s twenty-nine?
I mean, there’s more than a ten-year age gap.
Normally speaking, it’s a crime and… besides, there’s no way she could be a romantic interest.
And yet, Aka, Nanaiko’s older sister… she slipped right up to Aniki’s side, into his heart… with the most casual ease. I get it…
Aniki has let those two guard down around them.
Of course… it’s annoying that a broad like her could snatch away the heart of my beloved Aniki so effortlessly.
But more than that… I’m worried.
I keep thinking, “Aniki must be getting scammed by some bad woman again…”
“Midoriko-san feels more hatred toward her than just dislike, doesn’t she?” ”…Yeah, sure it annoys me.”
“But hey… isn’t it possible that she’s not a bad woman like Miss Misae the old hag?” ”…I mean, I guess…”
Saho and A-shi lean in, looking at our faces.
“You shouldn’t judge things based on prejudice, right? Stop labeling people as enemies without any basis.”
…Actually, not everyone is a worthless woman like that hag.
Maybe she’s someone good, like Saho, who will listen to my troubles.
Ah, I didn’t know anything about those women…
“Don’t do something harsh just because you don’t understand them. Wouldn’t it be better to try a bit harder to get the full picture? Advice from Saho and Paisen.”
Saho gave Aashi’s back a firm pat.
“Well, I guess I’ve overstayed my welcome. See ya later!” ”……Interfering?” “Right over there” ”…Ah”
A little ways away from the school gate, Onii-chan was standing there. …He had come to pick me up. He really kept his promise…
“Midoriko-kun looks super happy.” ”……Eh, really?”
“Mm-hmm. Your face is all melty and gooey. So cute♡” ”……Ugh”
I can’t show that silly expression to Onii-chan. It’s embarrassing…
“Anyway! Don’t get into another fight with your brother’s girlfriend, okay? Everyone should get along! Bye-bye!”
Saho ran off, her enamel bag bouncing. ”…………” Our childhood friend was right.
I had arbitrarily branded those two as evil women and convinced myself they were my enemies, ending up saying cruel things.
I hadn’t even considered the possibility that it might not be like that at all. “Welcome back.”
Onii-chan came out to greet Ashi.
That face of his was… so much brighter than when he’d been with Misae-baba. It was impossible to imagine him looking so clear-eyed before. I could see it just by looking into his eyes.
Because we’re family. And because… I’ve always, always loved you.
”…Onii-chan. When we get home, let Akari and us talk. Just the four of us.” “What’s that for?” ”…I want to apologize.” And there were things I needed to know.
About those women… about my rivals. “I see. Okay.”
Onii-chan headed toward the driver’s seat, and Ashi slid into the passenger side.
Plop… Onii-chan patted Ashi on the head. “You did well. I’m glad you apologized.”
…Seriously, treating me like a child all the time, Sounashi. ”…Idiot Onii-chan.” But… but really.
That kind of unrestricted, no-holds-barred way he treats me… it feels incredibly good.
The fact that Onii-chan praises me just for doing anything at all… I really, really love him.
I know. I know this feeling is a type I shouldn’t be harboring.
But… I can’t stop myself from loving you like this, Onii-chan. I’m sorry, Onii-chan…
Ah, I knew it—my big brother is absolutely your favorite.