I'm Aa Shi, the younger sister of Okaya Mitsuhiko. My name is Midoriko.

This is the story of how I met my brother, and all that has followed since. ★

My family was originally a single-parent household.

Apparently, my father fled, abandoning his family while my mother was pregnant with me.

Mother gave birth to me, but the child born was frail.

From the moment I arrived, I spent all my time in a hospital bed.

It seems my mother eloped with him.

As a result, I’ve never laid eyes on my grandmother or grandfather. Nor have I seen any of my relatives.

So, the only person who came to visit me was my mother.

Mother looked incredibly busy every day, working hard to earn money for my hospital bills.

Still, she would find time between her tasks to come see me.

...but I was at that age where you want nothing more than to be spoiled. Every single day, I felt lonely and cried.

I hardly remember anything from when I was a child.

But the cold bed in the hospital, and how I used to cry all alone in the night... I remember those things with painful clarity even now.

The turning point came when A-shi was three years old.

"Mido-lake. Your mother has decided to remarry."

The moment Mother entered the hospital room, that is what she said.

At the time, I didn't really understand what remarriage meant.

"You're going to have a new father and an older brother."

As expected, even hearing those words, it still made no sense to me.

A few days after Mother's remarriage was settled,

two unfamiliar men came to A-shi's hospital room.

The new father and... the older brother. At the time, he was fifteen years old. In his third year of middle school.

He was still a child himself, but from A-shi's perspective, there was no distinction between him and an adult.

"Starting today, these people are your new family."

...It was hard on Mom, but Aashi didn't take to it right away.

I mean, two complete strangers suddenly becoming family? No way I could just go, "Sure, sounds good."

Besides, why should she accept them? Aashi was hurt.

She didn't understand why she felt so sad at the time.

But looking back now, it was because her mother—her only mother—no longer felt like hers alone, and that made her angry.

She was afraid of being cast aside. Even though they never visited, not once...

Aashi struggled to accept her stepfather and brother for a long time. But then... "Good morning, Midoriko-chan."

After that, my brother came to see her every single day. It seemed like he was on spring break.

Every day, he'd visit Aashi in her hospital room and take care of her. "..." It puzzled Aashi.

Why did this man come to see her every single day?

He was a stranger until yesterday, you know?

They told her she had family too, yet he must have been struggling.

Aniki showed up every day, from morning until night, keeping me company. Then one particular day—

I’d been in a foul mood since I woke up.

Mom had promised to come visit today, but she never showed.

Pissed off, I spent the whole morning taking it out on Aniki.

But he didn’t look the least bit upset and just stayed by my side.

Then, as he was leaving, I said to him, “...Why?”

Why. In that single word lay the question of why someone who is essentially a stranger would visit my hospital room every single day.

And why, even after I’d been so harsh and mean today, he’d still stuck around.

All those feelings were packed into it. Aniki smiled and answered,

“Because I’m your brother, Midoriko-chan.”

Aniki said as he ruffled my hair.

"No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."

Hearing that, Aashi burst into tears.

A being who would stay by his side no matter what... In that moment, as family, Aashi accepted his big brother. ★

The following year, he had surgery, and Aashi got better.

Now able to go home again, Aashi...

"Oh my, oh my, Midori-lake, you really like your big brother, don't you?"

Wherever she went, Aashi clung tightly to his big brother.

She simply adored him—he was kind and cool—and she wanted to be by his side forever.

She'd be so happy when her big brother came home from school, but sad when he had to leave for school.

One way or another, in Aashi's world, her big brother was a special being who radiated brilliance.

...However, that period of happiness and joy didn't last long.

Aashi turned five. Her big brother had started dating Misae's grandmother. I think I told you about the circumstances before.

The amount of time Misa spent with her sister increased.

Aashi was anything but pleased.

"You stupid big brother! Why won't you pay attention to me?!"

There was a woman whom Big Brother cherished more than his little sister.

Unable to accept that, Aashi was always angry.

Big Brother would smile gently and try to comfort her.

But no matter what, Aashi’s mood never improved.

Aashi didn't realize the true nature of her own feelings.

Why was she so angry?

It was only natural for an older brother to have a girlfriend.

After all, Big Brother was a wonderful man. It wasn't strange that he'd find a partner.

But... Aashi felt an overwhelming sadness and irritation she just couldn't handle.

……It was on the day of my brother’s wedding that I finally understood why. The very day of the ceremony.

I had changed and was at the church.

My brother in his tux, and Misae-baaba wrapped in a wedding dress.

The two of them, swearing their eternal love before the guests…… And then…… they kissed.

……In that moment, I finally realized it.

“Hiccup……ugh……waaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Even though it was in the middle of the wedding, I didn't care who saw me and cried.

I was ten years old back then, already in upper elementary school.

And yet, I cried like a baby.

“What’s wrong, Midori Lake?”

Even though the ceremony was underway, my brother came over, worried.

I let out a scream that was more of a shriek and shook my head.

No. No. Big bro... I won't become that guy's thing. ...All things considered, I was.

It wasn't until then that it finally hit me: a woman had stolen the man I loved away from me.

Finally... I realized that my feelings for Big bro weren't just familial. I liked him as a man. As one individual.

I figured it out on the day Big bro got married. ...But by then, it was too late.

Because by that time, he had already walked away from me and started his life with the woman he swore eternal love to.

...I don't really remember what happened after that.

When I came to, I was back home. I'd been moping around for about a week. ★

After that, it was total darkness.

Big bro moved out of our childhood home to live with Misae.

Following that, I threw myself entirely into basketball.

If I stayed still at home, I'd be reminded that Big bro wasn't there...

It hurt so much. That's why I got so obsessed with sports.

Fortunately, Ashi had a talent for basketball.

Coupled with her heavy practice schedule, she quickly became famous for her skills on the court.

...My older brother came to watch me play, time and again.

I hadn't told him anything specific about when my games were.

He must have heard the info from somewhere and came to cheer for me.

...It made me happy. That my older brother was watching me. That he cared enough to take an interest. But. "Don't come here, Aniki."

Unable to simply accept the joy I felt, Ashi threw such a cruel remark at him.

I mean, it should have been really great that my favorite older brother was taking time out of his own schedule to come watch me play...

But I held a grudge against him for choosing another girl over me.

What an idiot, stubbornly shutting him out like that... And yet... "Congratulations on winning the championship, Midoriko."

When Ashi was in third year of middle school, she won the National Basketball Championship. The tournament was held in Osaka.

That day, her older brother made the special trip just to cheer for her.

He took the shinkansen all the way into Tokyo, even burning a day of paid leave, just to come see me.

I was so happy... I really, truly couldn't contain my joy. "...Sorry, Aniki."

I apologized for how I'd been treating him up until now. He smiled and forgave me.

...Technically, we made up. But I didn't go visit him at his place. Well, I couldn't have gone.

Because I knew that damn bitch was living there.

I wanted to see Aniki so badly, it was driving me crazy...

But because of that Misae hag, I never got the chance.

That time apart from each other only made my love for him burn even brighter.

Once I started excelling in sports, naturally enough, I became popular.

With guys, and for some reason, with girls too. But I turned them all down.

Because back then, and now, my heart belongs only to Aniki... ...And finally. Finally, an opportunity rolled in.

Misae the hag and Aniki had broken up. ★ I had dreamed about this so many times, over and over again.

After parting ways with that old hag, I went to my big brother, who had been living alone ever since, and confessed my feelings.

He loved me back too, and the two of us were happy together……

For a long, long time, I lost myself in those sweet daydreams, using them sometimes to comfort myself.

When I had already given up on that unattainable dream, a chance just rolled into my lap.

And besides, thanks to throwing myself into sports, I was now slender but with big breasts.

On top of that, I was still a high school girl. Best condition, best timing—the ultimate opportunity had arrived.

The moment I found out Aisa had broken up with him, I tried to rush to my brother’s place. But I hesitated quite a bit…… ……Because I was scared. Even if he was only step-related, he was still family.

What if, hearing a girl like me confess her love as a man would find it gross? What if I got rejected? That would be awful……

Even though the chance had come around, I couldn’t easily muster the resolve to open this new door.

I hesitated for a while, but in the end, I steeled myself and…… went to my brother. Hey, big brother, you don’t know it, do you?

How strongly your sister loves you.

What kind of resolve it took me to come before you like this.

I love him... I love him so much it’s driving me crazy... I love him desperately. Wouldn't that be strange, normally?

For a little sister to fall in love with her older brother.

I know. From the outside looking in, my love probably looks terribly twisted and distorted. I know all of that. And yet...

Ashi loves her gentle big brother so much, so incredibly much, there's nothing she can do about it...

My heart is full to the brim with feelings for you, I just can't hide them anymore. Hey, Onii-chan... Am I disgusting like this?

Looking at you like this... seeing you as a woman would... Do you hate it? Please... Onii-chan. It's scary...

Now that I've said I love you, are you thinking of me as... creepy...?

I'm so anxious, so terrified, I can't take it anymore... Even so. In the off chance.

If you were to accept me... that would make me happy. Hey, Onii-chan. I love you so much.

Even if you don't love Ashi back.

More than anyone else in the world, more than anything could match, I love you, Onii-chan.