==Akari's Perspective==

Two days after Okarin took his leave. Early August.

I was working at a diner in front of the station. "One A lunch!"

"Lunch B is ready! Take it out!"

It's a run-of-the-mill public eatery, and I work there as part of the back-of-house staff, meaning the kitchen crew.

Sure, it's summer vacation for most folks, but those salaryman old men are working their regular jobs.

As a high schooler, I'm pretty freaked out.

Like, wait, when you become an adult, you only get a few days off in the summer?!

Meaning our summer break is forty days long...

So it gets cut down to one-tenth of that in just a few years. Ugh, scary as hell...

"Akari-chan! Stop zoning out and get your hands moving!"

The lady running the diner noticed I was spacing out. Typical for an auntie to be sharp on you like that.

"Here ya go! Lunch is ready! Dig in!"

The hellish rush of work always settles down after a few hours.

At two o'clock, we all have tea—or rather, the staff meal.

We put the CLOSED sign out and gather around to eat.

Today there's leftover beef stew. "Mmm~ ♡ Tasty~ ♡"

Every dish the old lady makes is absolutely delicious. But it’s not just about savoring the food.

"I see... you don't even need to use high-quality meat for the meat to taste good... I'm learning a lot."

"Akari-chan is really dedicated to her studies, huh?"

The old lady chuckled softly and brought me some barley tea.

She’s the owner's wife, and she’s incredibly kind. I feel so grateful for it.

See, I look flashy, don't I?

I haven't even dyed my hair or put in colored contacts.

But people out in the world, they’re tough.

Just because I dress a bit flashy doesn’t mean they’ll let me work there, even though that’s literally all they judge me on. But this old lady is different.

"Sorry you’ve been coming in pretty much every day since summer break started."

"Nah, don't worry about it, aunty. I do this because I like it, so it's fine. It’s kinda... like marriage practice?"

"Hahaha! I see. Akari-chan will definitely make a good wife. You’re cute, you cook great, and you’re serious."

"Heh~ ♡ Thank you, aunty!"

After I finished eating my staff meal, I cleaned up the main hall.

"By the way, Akari-chan, is it tomorrow? Traveling with your boyfriend?"

The old lady asked while wiping down a table.

"Yeah...! Starting tomorrow, I'm going to this place called Karuizawa~"

"Oh! That sounds nice! A trip with your boyfriend, how envy-worthy!" "Hehe? Right?" Well, he's not my boyfriend or anything.

But for some reason, here at least, I act like I have a boyfriend. The reason? It’s just... uh... well? Because... hey... isn't it obvious?

Ah, damn it. I can't find the words!

Anyway, I want you to think of me as Akari's girlfriend! "Is he older than her?"

"Yep! He's kind and handsome, just a really wonderful guy~♡"

"That sounds nice. Hey, Akari-chan, how about bringing your boyfriend over to our place next time?"

"Hmm...? That's... maybe not... I mean..."

"But I'd love to see the boyfriend of my precious signboard girl~"

"No way... ugh... I really don't want to." "Oh, why is that?"

"Well... Akari... doesn't really want him seeing me here at work."

Working in the cafeteria is for my future.

Besides saving money, it's so I can learn how to cook and feed Akari and my older sister all kinds of delicious food.

Basically, I don't want him seeing me while I'm working hard.

It's just... kind of embarrassing...

"I see... As one currently undergoing bride training, I want to ensure my husband can eat only the delicious food without having to worry about anything else."

"That's right~. Auntie totally gets it~"

Even with my casual demeanor, Auntie smiles and accepts it. And besides...

"I'm sorry for making you rest so much starting tomorrow."

"Don't mind the fuss. Akari-chan is still just a child, after all. Go play plenty and come back filled with fun memories."

She respects me properly.

So this place, after Okarin's home, is where I feel most at ease.

But the best is that house, where Okarin and Onii-chan are.

There is a gulf of difference between when I [was there] and now. It’s like heaven versus hell.

I am forever grateful to Okarin, who saved me from that [hell].

"Oh, it's almost time for you to head out, isn't it? It's twenty minutes early, but it's fine, just punch your time card and go."

I punched my time card and bowed deeply before Auntie.

"You worked hard! Have a blast and have some real fun!"

My aunt clapped me on the shoulder with a thump and said that.

"Alright, go out and play hard!" ★ == Nanako's Perspective ==

I'm alone at Teacher's house, spending time with Chobi, his pet dog.

"...Chobi, it's serious. Everyone is going on a trip soon."

I'm lying flat on the sofa with Chobi, a miniature dachshund, sitting on my belly.

Me and Chobi are close friends, written in hiragana as "shitomori," which sounds like "best friend."

He's basically the Gian of my heart... What, does that sound wrong?

"...This is amazing. How many years has it been since we went on a trip...?"

We were poor. So we never had the spare money to go on vacation.

Plus... [That Person] didn't allow us any such luxuries as travel...

Back then, it was so painful and bitter...

So, I’m incredibly happy right now. “I’m home~! Oh-neesan!”

“……Welcome home, Akari.”

Pata-pata goes the sound of me heading out with Chobbi to greet my younger sister.

“It’s nice and cool inside~. Pure bliss~”

Akari had just come back from her part-time job.

My little sister is amazing. She’s working a part-time job with the future in mind. Apparently, it’s for wedding training and saving up money. ……That’s really impressive.

“Oh-neesan, are you staying home again today? You could go out and have some fun? Or maybe get a part-time job or something~”

Akari says this as she sits down on the sofa.

Part-time jobs…… hmm, that’s tricky……. Outside…… hmmmm, it’s hot…….

“……Staying home to guard the premises makes more sense.”

“Oh-neesan has always been an indoor type~”

I find reading books and studying at home far more relaxing than playing outside. “……The outside is just too stimulating.” “Stimulating, huh~……”

Akari put on a mischievous grin.

I know exactly what’s going to happen in moments like this—Akari is always up to something.

Being the older sister, I know her tricks inside and out!

"Ta-da! Look at this, big sis! I went and bought it~" "Huh? What... is that?"

In Akari’s hand was a small box, just about the size of a palm.

It said 【Super Thin】 on it. Hm, what could this be?

"You know exactly what it is—condoms, hee-hee-ning-goo~" "...W-What!?"

In the name of all that is holy, condoms!?

My little sister actually went out and bought something so scandalous!

"...N-No way! Give it back right now!" "But come on, we need them, don't we?"

Shifting her tone to one of serious sincerity, Akari said:

"If you're not even ready—mentally or practically—to take in a baby, and you end up pregnant anyway, that child’s life would be full of sorrow. And above all else, wouldn't it bring so much worry upon Onii-chan?"

Akari is actually quite put-together.

She understands the importance of contraception.

But, like, that's not what I mean!

"……Te-Teacher and... we're... going to do that sort of thing?"

"Huh? You don't want to? Fair question, then—wait, no!" Panic!

My little sister was about to climb the ladder to adulthood!

"It's a trip with your boyfriend, right? Don't you want to make some good memories?"

"……We-We're not even dating yet, though?"

"Sweet, sweet, too sweet. Sweeter than gulab jamun." "Gula...jamun?"

"He's Okari-kun, after all? He thinks of us completely as children, not women. Just waiting around isn't going to make him change his mind, is it? You know that too, right?" "……I don't want that." Teacher is the one who saved us.

I've never met an adult more gentle than Teacher before.

Teacher protects us as adults.

But... I want Sensei to turn and look at me.

Not as a child needing protection from an adult, but as an adult wanting to stay by Sensei's side. "Well then, we have no choice but to go all in★" "...Isn't that a bit too extreme?"

"What do you think is our greatest weapon, big sis?"

Akari pointed at me with a sharp jab of her finger.

"...C-could it be my boobs, Akarin-sensei!"

"Correct. No matter how dull Okarin is, if we press forward with these fully developed bodies of ours, he'll be completely smitten."

Akari nodded and moved to the back of me.

And then, squish, she started groping my breasts.

"...Will it... make him melt?"

"It will. If we rub and squeeze with these massive tits of ours, even Okarin's barren stump will burst into full bloom!" "......"

What is my little sister suddenly talking about?

"Right, smut doesn't fly with you, big sis. Anyway, it's a race now. We have to properly establish our relationship within these ten days. After that, it's back to the guardian-and-child track, got it?" Guardian and child.

For all the days that lie ahead, it might turn out that this is what happiness looks like… But… I don’t want that.

I want you to look at me as a girl, a woman. “But, but I’ll do my best!”

“Yosh! Wait right there, Okarin! A beautiful, big-breasted high school girl is gonna come lay waste to you with her charms, ya hear?!”