《Akari's Side》 Outside the café.

Akari had been completely giving up on Okaya. But her older sister stopped her from doing so.

"It's no good to give up... What are you talking about, Onii-chan?"

"Exactly as I said it. You can't just give up on sensei and hand him over to ICHKA." "..." What was she saying? "Onii-chan... are you stupid?"

Before she knew it, she had spoken harsh words to her sister, words that would wound her.

She felt a sense of guilt after saying them, but once the words were out, they didn't stop.

"Ichika is able to support Karin-kun. On the other hand, I'm just a kid who only causes Karin-kun trouble! It's obvious which one of us is worthy of that person! The match is already over! It's game over! No matter how hard I try... it won't work with me..." She threw her words at her sister.

Knowing her timid older sister, if she talked like this, she would surely shrink back and not be able to say anything... "What do you mean, game over?" Akari lifted her face up sharply.

Her sister was looking straight at her younger sister. Nanao, who always fidgeted and hid behind Akari...

Now stood in front of Akari, looking at her firmly. Not trying to run away. Facing that posture, Akari instead averted her eyes. "...It's over."

"Nothing has even started yet?"

"It's over! Why don't you understand!"

"I don't get any of it. Akari-chan. What's the reason you're giving up?"

"I told you! All I'm doing is causing trouble for Okari!" "That's not true."

In stark contrast to my own rising voice, my sister remained perfectly calm.

" Akari-chan has been supporting Sensei all along. Cooking delicious meals, handling household chores. Sensei always said it. That they're a huge help." "..."

I had no intention of doubting her sister. I knew full well, as the little sister, that my sister never lied in situations like this.

"...Really? Did Okari really say that?"

"Yeah. He did. Even if you couldn't be his emotional support, Akari-chan has definitely been supporting Sensei. Besides... we're all grateful to Akari-chan." Grateful...?

"The temporary girlfriend status. You were the one who proposed our current relationship, right?"

It was indeed Akari who had proposed that all of us become Okari's girlfriends.

"Me, Ruu-chan, Midori-chan... everyone. Because of Akari-chan's proposal, we got to be temporary girlfriends with the person we like best. We're all grateful. Not just us... Sensei must be too."

I could understand why my sisters were grateful, but...

What does it mean that Okari is grateful?

“Sensei, you’re indecisive, right? Because of that, there’s no way you can just pick one person. Not now, not in the future, ever.” My sister stated this with absolute certainty. “I-is that really true...?”

“Yeah. After all, Sensei... I mean, men generally have that side to them. The indecisive part.” “Is it really like that?”

“Yes. If he truly loved Ichika wholeheartedly, wouldn’t he be careful not to hold Akari-chan or do things with her?”

...When she put it that way, it did make sense. My sister’s words carried a certain weight.

“Akari-chan helps so many people. She supports them. So there’s no reason to feel self-loathing.”