Ore Ga Suki Nano Wa Imouto Dakedo Imouto Janai Volume 11 Chapter 3

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The first “Date”

“Hmmmmm…”

It was a certain night at the beginning of winter break. I was keeping my calendar in the corner of my eye and gluing my gaze on the PC screen in front of me.

“This plan might be better… N-No maybe this…?”

Various documents were displayed on the screen. The casual observer might think I was working on my next novel or something like that, but for once that wasn’t actually the case.

“…Dang it, I don’t know which one to pick for our first date…!”

Exactly as you might have been able to tell from my muttering, I was trying to create a date plan. And of course, I’m not talking about some fake date plan like we had to come up with during our data collecting. This time around, it was an ordinary date for a boy and girl to deepen their bonds. On top of that, since we’ve already started dating, it is an actual real date. With Suzuka, needless to say.

“This time around, I have to take the lead, don’t I…?”

Up until now, I went out with Suzuka to collect data, and she more or less held the reins every time, so I didn’t play much of a part in it all. In addition, it’s been a few days since we confirmed our feelings for each other, but not much of the flirting we had been so excited for had happened. The two of us would just get flustered like always, doing something fairly normal, or just freezing up…

We tried several countermeasures for this, but with the current state of things, nothing had worked out. All of these countermeasures were from Suzuka’s side as well, so she probably feels a bit disappointed that I’m not contributing much. Hence, I said that I wanted to take care of this upcoming date, but there is actually another crucial reason for this.

Suzuka’s birthday is about to come up. The 26th of December. The day I want to celebrate the fact that Suzuka was born. I was planning on having the date on this day, and I was also thinking about a present for her birthday. Since this is her first birthday after we ended up in a relationship, I really want it to be something special, hence me putting more thought into it than I usually would…

“Hmm… maybe I should pick this after all?” I muttered as I gazed at a certain plan in particular.

I gave it a lot of thought, and I made up my mind and decided that this would probably make Suzuka the happiest. But before I could make my final decision, I was interrupted.

“…Onii-chan, is now a good time?”

I heard a knock coming from the door and Suzuka entered. I panicked a bit as I hid my PC screen and turned around towards her.

“W-What is it?”

“I would like to have a talk.”

She looked at me with a serious expression—or rather, more of an aggravated one, almost like she was glaring at me—she started speaking.

…Ah, is this her lecturing mode? Suzuka comes like this at me sometimes to give me a warning or some sort of advice. Like if I forget to take the laundry with me, or forget to wash the dishes after using them… anything that could happen during your average day.

“S-Sorry, did I do something wrong again?”

I reflexively apologized. To be honest, I didn’t remember messing anything up, but since Suzuka was angry at me, it meant that I definitely did something to spoil her mood. Though it might make me sound pathetic because of this…

“Ah, no, that’s not it…”

“Eh?”

To my surprise, Suzuka betrayed my expectations in a good way.

“It’s not like Onii-chan did anything wrong. It’s just… the fact that there is nothing happening is the problem…”

“…Hm?”

For some reason, Suzuka’s face was a bit red, and she averted her gaze in a sulking manner, fidgeting. Her voice got more quiet the more she spoke, so I couldn’t pick up everything. Because her reaction was so much out of my range of expectations, a question mark appeared on top of my head.

“O-Onii-chan.”

But then, Suzuka seemed like she had made up her mind, and she spoke up again.

“I-I would like to start our Towano Chikai Time right now!”

“Eh?! W-Well, I don’t mind, though…”

Having been pulled along Suzuka’s energetic tension, I subconsciously answered in a polite fashion.

“But, Towano Chikai Time…you want to be lovey-dovey right now?”

“N-No, that is not what I meant…Ah, of course, I want to be lovey-dovey with Onii-chan 24/7!” Suzuka flapped her hands up and down.

On my part, I started blushing furiously from being told this straight to my face. Before I could enjoy her cuteness any more, Suzuka continued.

“H-However, the Towano Chikai Time now isn’t there for us to be lovey-dovey. Now that we’re lovers in this very moment, I came to voice my honest opinion!”

“Y-You want to state your opinion?! And as lovers?!”

While Suzuka was glaring at me, I felt a horrible premonition rising up in the back of my mind.

“…D-Don’t tell me, you realized that siblings can’t act like this, so you want us to stop our current relationship as lovers?!”

“Wha?! W-W-What ridiculous things are saying, Onii-chan?! Rather than that happening, there is a bigger chance that I would win the lottery only to be hit by a lighting strike on the way home, while at the same time humanity would get wiped out by a meteorite hitting earth! I was assuming that maybe you felt like we should stop all of this, Onii-chan!”

“Huh…?! A-As if that was the case?! The odds of the sun exploding and destroying our entire galaxy is way higher than that!”

“…Onii-chan, the scale you mentioned is so grand that it makes it sound like a lie, you know?” Suzuka gave me a cold gaze.

…You’re the one saying that?

“Anyway, that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about. I came to voice my dissatisfaction as lovers.”

“Dissatisfaction as lovers…?” I gulped audibly at these words.

…I don’t really get it, but it makes my chest tighten up just by hearing it.

“Yes. I have a complaint with our current relationship as lovers, which is—”

“W-Which is…?”

Feeling my entire body tense up out of nervousness, I awaited Suzuka’s next words… I know that, compared to Suzuka, I’m not as clever, nor good looking, nor do I have any special talents, but is it so bad that she had to come complain at me…?!

“…W-We haven’t been flirting as much as I was hoping for…”

“……Huh?”

Suzuka’s face started to blush furiously, and as she spoke, her voice grew quieter and quieter.

“L-Like I said, we finally became lovers, but we haven’t been able to… you know, act lovey-dovey in a different way from all our data collecting! O-Of course, this very situation is already pure bliss for me, but…!”

Suzuka panicked a bit as she continued her explanation.

“I-It’s been a few days since we have become lovers, so I was thinking… I-If I may be honest, okay?! I was thinking that we could aim for a higher level of being lovey-dovey and flirty…! D-Don’t you agree with me, Onii-chan?!”

“Y-Yeah?!”

Overwhelmed by Suzuka’s boldness, I could only nod along.

“R-Right? I was thinking the same, so I tried approaching it in various ways but… it’s really difficult…”

“Um, so that was what you’re not satisfied about?”

“That is one portion of it, but the rest of it all is Onii-chan.”

“M-Me?”

“Yes. We’re lovers now, so I want you to approach me in some way. A-As my…ehm…ah, as my boyfriend, that is!”

…B-Boyfriend!

“I-In times like these, the boyfriend is supposed to take the lead, don’t you think? That’s why I want Onii-chan to approach me more aggressively! A-As my boyfriend!” Suzuka finished her argument, and glared up at me with a pout.

Though I wanted to comment on some things in there, I got the general gist of what she was on about. She’s basically telling me to be a bit more assertive and play the role of a proper boyfriend. Luckily, I was in the middle of thinking of a perfect plan myself, so it should be fine.

“…Sorry, Suzuka. It’s just as you said. I should have done a lot more as your… older brother, and boyfriend.”

“N-No, I’m not blaming you or anything? Just… I would like you to change your stance a bit… As your little sister… and girlfriend.” Suzuka turned beet red.

Suzuka’s appearance was unbelievably cute, and a desire to make her happy rose up inside of me, making me want to reciprocate her feelings… Alright, let’s do it now. I was thinking of making it a surprise, but why not?

“Don’t worry, Suzuka. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, so I came up with something.”

“Eh?” Suzuka raised her head and blinked at me in surprise.

“Suzuka, how about we go on a date soon?”

“D-Date…?” Suzuka blinked even more furiously as she tried to grasp the meaning of my words.

“Y-Yeah. We have gone on several dates before as a way to collect data, but this time around, we’ve confirmed our feelings for each other, right? That’s why I wanted to go on a real date with you.”

“…!!!”

I had averted my eyes out of embarrassment, so I only heard an audible gulp coming from Suzuka. But because she hasn’t said a word for a while now, I couldn’t exactly gauge her reaction. I doubt she’ll hate it, but maybe she’s a bit surprised—

“H-Huh?”

Or so I thought, but I noticed that something was off immediately.

“S-Suzuka? What happened? Hey, can you hear me?”

For some reason, Suzuka was looking up at me, like she had seen a ghost. Her mouth was half-open in a daze. I-I’ve never seen her like this.

“Suzuka! Pull yourself together!” I grabbed her shoulders and shook her a bit.

Finally, Suzuka blinked at me a few times, and she lowered her head in apology.

“I-I-I’m sorry!”

“W-What happened with you?”

“I-It’s just… I almost lost consciousness for a second when Onii-chan brought up a date like that.”

“You what?!” I was at a loss for words. “W-Were you that happy?”

“O-Of course I was! O-Onii-chan was the one who brought up a date, you know?! How could I not be happy about this…?! Ahhhhhhhhh…!” Suzuka formed fists with her hands as she tried to hold back the happiness from escaping.

Her small body was shivering a bit, which left me unable to tell if she was smiling or crying. Seeing her this happy makes me feel really blessed. I’m so glad I decided to come up with a date plan!

“A-And when will we be going on this date?! Now?! Right now?! Give me a second so I can change into something more suitable!”

“No no no!”

Suzuka was about to dash out of the room, so I frantically stopped her.

“Not right now! It’s in the middle of the night anyway, so calm down a bit, Suzuka!”

“H-How could I keep calm?! It’s a date! And you invited me, Onii-chan! Whether it’s at night, during my bath, the day before the entrance exams, or during surgery, I’d always be ready to disregard it all to go on a date with you, Onii-chan!”

“What kind of weird scenarios are these?!”

Suzuka was getting way too excited. I mean, I was happy of course, but this was going a bit too far for my own desire.

“F-For now, just calm down and listen to me. There’s still more.” I said, putting my hands on Suzuka’s shoulders.

“Y-Yes…” Suzuka nodded, taking a few deep breaths.

“About the date. I was thinking of doing it on the 26th.”

“26th…? Ah, that day is…”

“Yeah, it’s your birthday.” I answered, and Suzuka started acting flustered in response. “I wanted to celebrate the two of us ending up in mutual love, so I thought that maybe your birthday would be the perfect chance for a proper date… I-I am a man, and I’m your older brother, right? So I was thinking of taking the lead and giving you a birthday present while we’re at it.” I was unable to say it properly, and it turned into more of a vague explanation at the end.

But she should understand the gist of it and my feelings, at least.

“I also…want to be lovey-dovey and flirty with you. That’s why I thought that we should have a date where I could fulfill all the wishes and desires you have…How about it?” I asked. My heart was beating like crazy.

Judging from her previous reaction, I doubted she would just decline flat-out, but since this was the first time I had invited someone on a date, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“………” Suzuka’s face was still cast downwards, not allowing me to take a look at her expression.

I mentally prepared myself for her to suddenly raise her head like before, but—

“…Hm?”

Something was off. There was… no reaction at all…? Not even a twitch…?

“D-Don’t tell me…!” I went to raise Suzuka’s head—

“…………Hauuu…”

“Suzukaaaaaaa?!”

As I expected, her eyes were looking up at me in a daze. She was about to fall unconscious again!

“Suzuka! Pull yourself together!” This time, I didn’t hold back as I shook Suzuka’s shoulders vigorously, but all I got in response was a muffled ‘Ehehehehe’ laugh. There were no signs of her waking up again.

…After that, I tried my best to get Suzuka back to her senses, but without any success. I decided to just take this reaction as an affirmation, and decided that the day of our first date would be her birthday.

*

“Hauu…” A flustered breath escaped my lips.

Of course, that wasn’t because I was feeling unwell or anything like that. It was because of happiness leaking out from every fiber of my being. These past few days, these kinds of breaths have been happening on a frequent basis. Of course, the reason for them was none other than Onii-chan’s date invitation.

…He was thinking about me, and he even remembered my birthday. Realizing that Onii-chan treasured me this much was already enough for me. Mutual love really is something wonderful. Wonders and miracles like this rarely happen.

“…Hauu…”

After reaching the limit of my happiness, I keep sighing more and more. I’ve loved Onii-chan as long as I can remember, but now that we’ve started going out as a couple, I can’t even put these feelings I have for him into words anymore. Just the fact that my feelings got through to him is enough to let me die in peace, and now all of this…

In a certain sense, it was a good thing that we kept up our image as siblings on the outside. If not, I would have probably turned into some Onii-chan crazy creature, unable to hold myself back…W-Well, that’s still the case even now, but let’s set that aside…

Since I like Onii-chan way too much to cope, being forced to act as siblings as well from time to time was like a saving grace. However, now that Onii-chan invited me out on a date…! Just getting my thoughts back under control was hard enough…! I wanted to focus on my school work during winter break to forget about all of this, but that ended up being just one day, and I already finished my studying for next year’s classes while I was at it, so I decided to study for university entrance exams… although I’m still only a high school first-year student.

Either way, the days passed like that, and today is our date day. Since I couldn’t allow myself to waste this precious day, I started mentally preparing myself early.

“…Phew, it seems like it’s time to get serious now.” I muttered as I looked at my clock.

Being late was definitely not an option, so I had to be mindful of that. Since this was an official date, Onii-chan and I didn’t leave at the same time, but we planned to meet up outside. A-A couple has to meet outside for a date after all…!”

“Ehehehehe.. .Ah, this isn’t the time for that.” This is what happens when I let my emotions get the better of me.

Naturally, I had already prepared myself, and had picked out the perfect western clothes for the date, so that won’t take me any more time. Taking out said clothes, I carefully put them on. Checking my appearance in the mirror, I fixed any misplaced hairs I found. N-Not to mention, I even put on lipstick. Since there had been no need to ever use it before, I hadn’t brought it out, but this once, I needed to go all out. J-Just to make sure, of course! There’s no deeper meaning to it!

While my heart was beating a bit faster, I put on the lipstick like I had practiced these past few days.

“I-It should be about time.”

Once my preparations were finished, I left the house and headed to the location we were supposed to meet up…Ahh, I’m really nervous now…But I tried to remain as calm as possible. The cool winter breeze worked wonders to calm down my burning hot cheeks, allowing me to regain a bit of my rational thinking.

The location we were supposed to meet up, Futaba Park, came into view. We’ve used this location for a date several times now, but to think that we would come here even after we’ve become lovers… I never would have imagined…

“Ah.”

Right when I set foot into the park, I found Onii-chan standing beneath the big clock. With my heart pounding in my chest, I approached him.

“I-I’m sorry for making you wait.”

“A-Ah, it’s fine. I just got here myself.”

I said in a flustered manner, to which Onii-chan responded with a blush… Ahh, this nonchalant dialogue, and yet it makes us feel like a true couple! Onii-chan seemed like he was thinking the same, and he averted his eyes in embarrassment.

“N-now then, how about we start our date for good?”

Though I could have watched this side of Onii-chan forever and ever, we have our very first date today, so wasting time wasn’t a good idea.

“Y-Yeah…Also, Suzuka, these clothes…”

Onii-chan interrupted my train of thought and gave my current attire a good look.

“I-I’ve never seen these clothes before…I thought you were going to wear something like that white blouse and black jumper skirt from last year.”

What Onii-chan was talking about was the clothes I had been wearing the previous year when we collected data on my birthday. He had picked out these clothes on another previous data-collecting date, which was one of my favorites, for obvious reasons.

“Yes, I was thinking of wearing these clothes from the beginning, Onii-chan.”

They had a lot of value for me, so wearing them at a time like this would have been perfectly reasonable.

“However, there were some circumstances that wouldn’t allow me to do so, so I was forced to pick out something else.”

“And what were these circumstances?”

Onii-chan tilted his head in confusion, but this reaction was exactly what I had been waiting for.

“Do you want to hear?! Do you want to hear about these circumstances?!”

“Eh?! I-I mean, I want to, but why are you suddenly so amped up…?” Onii-chan looked a bit perplexed at my response, taking a few steps back.

“Fufufu. I actually had some special circumstances, you see.”

“Yes, you already said that… So what are those circumstances?!”

“The thing is, these clothes were starting to get a bit small!” I puffed out my chest, awaiting Onii-chan’s shocked reaction.

“…Did they shrink in the laundry?”

Onii-chan just responded with a deadpan expression.

“…Really, how much of an idiot are you, Onii-chan? I would never treat these precious clothes that you have gifted to me in such horrible fashion.” I sighed and shook my head.

“T-Then what other reason could there be?”

“There can only be one reason as to why my clothes have changed, Onii-chan! That is…because I have grown!”

“N-Nani?!”

Though I wanted to blame Onii-chan for his astonished reaction, I continued.

“And, that isn’t just because of my height itself! …I-In reality, my breasts have started to grow a bit more, so I was thinking of even buying new underwear!”

“W-W-W-W-What did you just say?!” Onii-chan took another step back in shock, almost as if a lighting bolt had hit him.

…Please wait a moment. Why are you that shocked about this?I-It’s true that I have been lacking in growth overall, but I wasn’t lying! …Though it was only a growth of 5mm…But, nonetheless, I think we can all agree on something…Yes, this is my (belated) growth spurt! Maybe I could even reach the level of Sakura-san…No, Himuro-san…N-No, possibly even Double Peace-san!? This might be more than a futile dream!

“O-Onii-chan, I hope you look forward to it…!” I said, still lost in thought.

Then again, I couldn’t just blurt out something as indecent and embarrassing as that, so I muttered it in a quiet voice…

“R-Rather than that, Onii-chan? What do you think about these clothes?”

“…Eh? A-Ahh.”

For a second, Onii-chan wasn’t sure what exactly I was asking for, until he eventually shook his head, and took a sincere look at me…Ah, his gaze feels so intense…!

“…Yeah, they really suit you, Suzuka.”

“Ah, uuu…thank you…very much…”

Onii-chan showed a full-fledged grin as he smiled at me. When I received the exact answer I was hoping for, I felt so happy that my heart almost leaped out of my chest, but at the same time I grew flustered at being praised like this.

As a side note, I was wearing a blouse with a white shawl, as well as a black, flared skirt. While keeping the clothes from last year in mind, I wanted to show Onii-chan my progress.

“I-It’s really cute, and it makes you look more grown up.”

Onii-chan picked up on that, which left me admiring him…The date has barely started, and I already feel this happy…

“T-Thank you very much…T-Then, should we go on ahead…” I thanked Onii-chan again and urged him on.

Just standing around next to him all day long would be enough of a birthday present for me, but that would waste the day he had planned out.

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s…” Onii-chan said, reaching out with his hand towards me.

He was probably planning on holding hands, but I just ignored that and clung to his arm.

“S-Suzuka?”

“T-This makes us look even more like lovers, and the two of us are currently in Towano Chikai Time…” I answered the flustered Onii-chan.

After a short silence, he nodded in consent, his cheeks slightly red. Up until now, I’ve clung to his arm like this quite a few times, but not while we were acting as lovers.

“…Then, shall we go? On to our first date?”

“Yes!” I strengthened my grip on his arm, and I answered energetically.

Ahh, it’s finally starting. Onii-chan, please be my escort, okay? No matter where you take me, I’ll go.

“A-And what kind of date course did you plan?”

After walking in the park for a while, I couldn’t hold back my excitement, so I asked him about it. Since Onii-chan has full control of the plan right now, I was only told to look forward to it, and I didn’t have any idea of what we would be doing.

“Well, to be honest, I didn’t think of anything too special. I just thought we could go to Itsukaen Wonderland. Though going to an amusement park on our first date might be a bit lame…” Onii-chan made a bitter smile.

I just shook my head. “That’s totally fine. An amusement park is a standard routine for a date. I am perfectly fine with it. As long as Onii-chan is with me, I am happy wherever. And also…”

“Also… what?”

“That place has special memories for me…in a certain sense, it’s the place where our relationship started. Did you choose this place with that in mind?” I asked. Onii-chan nodded.

…I thought so. It is the place where the first cracks started appearing in our relationship. But now that we’ve become lovers, it serves as a new beginning. When I realized that Onii-chan was thinking a lot about the two of us, I felt my heart grow warm.

“…Don’t lose me here again, okay?”

“I promise…But wasn’t that you just getting lost on your own?”

“Ahhh! Why do you have to tease me like that!” I acted a bit angry.

Onii-chan swiftly apologized, but still showed a gleeful smile. I returned a smile, myself. Just talking with Onii-chan is more than enough for me.

…Onii-chan, I love you.

“Ah, that reminds me.” Onii-chan said as he looked around.

“What happened, Onii-chan?”

“Hakuou Girls Academy is near this place, right? Why don’t we take a quick detour?”

Hakuou Girls Academy is actually the school I attended previously. Now that he mentioned it, I realized that it was indeed close by. Not a year has passed since I graduated from there, but it sure feels nostalgic.

“That’s right. We can’t go in, but we might as well check it out.” I agreed, and we headed towards the school.

After walking for a while, we could see the giant school gate. Though the main gate was closed during winter break, the student entrance was open.

“…That reminds me, I used to come pick you up here all the time,” Onii-chan said in a nostalgic tone as he gazed at the gate.

“Yes, I’ll never forget that. During the time when there was still a wall between me and Onii-chan, that was the daily event I looked forward to the most.”

“What do you mean?”

“L-Like I mentioned before, I couldn’t be honest with my feelings, but the times you came to pick me up, I could enjoy being together with you without having to make any sort of excuse. That’s why I was always secretly looking forward to this time.”

“I-Is that so? So you were thinking that…Cute.” Onii-chan said with a bitter smile, making me blush beyond belief.

…C-Cute, he says…I am happy about that, but it feels like he was picturing me as some sort of cute puppy…!

“But I guess I was the same.”

“Eh? W-What do you mean?”

“See, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure I was looking forward to it myself, because it was an important time where we could talk a bit. In that sense, we’re the same.”

“O-Onii-chan…” I felt my head burning up.

To think that Onii-chan felt the same…ahh, if only I had managed to be more honest—No, this was an important time that would allow the two of us to end up where we are now…

“But, a lot of other stuff happened here as well. As you stand-in, there were many times I visited your school.”

“Yes, indeed. The interview as Towano Chikai happened, and I managed to walk around the culture festival with you…D-Do you still remember the time we appeared in that play?”

“I-I do. How could I forget about that…Your confession back then really got me worked up, even though I thought it was just ad-lib.”

“…Y-Yes, these were all my honest feelings towards you, Onii-chan…” I said with a beet red face.

In response to that, Onii-chan also blushed with an embarrassed “I-I see…”

“There was also a time when you ran away from your home and stayed over at the guest house…Was that also… you know…?”

“…Y-Yes. My feelings for Onii-chan were what was driving me…”

“T-That explains a lot. Thinking back now to it all, events like that suddenly start to make sense…It might have just been a coincidence, but coming back here seems to have been the right choice.”

Onii-chan narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he reminisced about the past.

“Eh? A-Ah, is that Suzuka-sama by any chance?”

“I-Indeed…Ah, Onii-sama is with her!”

“Ehhh?! Where, where?! Oh, over there!”

At that time, I heard loud voices coming from afar, as the both of us reflexively turned around. Several female students, wearing the Hakuou uniform, were watching us at the entrance.

“Seems like we got spotted. You’re still a celebrity—Eh?”

Onii-chan first gave a warm smile at this situation, only for that to freeze in place. The reason for this was the sudden storm of students rushing towards us.

“W-Why is Suzuka-sama here at Hakuou?!”

“And, together with Onii-sama of all people!”

“Suzuka-sama, it has been such a long time…! You look as wonderful as ever! Ahhh, why couldn’t you have stayed in Hakuou…?!”

“Because she wanted to be with Onii-sama, of course.”

“Suzuka-sama…Onii-sama…”

…T-This has turned into something of a zoo visit just from us passing by…and we’re the animals…

“They must have missed you like crazy ever since you graduated.” Onii-chan said in admiration and nodded with a happy smile.

…Well, I won’t deny that, but I am fairly certain he isn’t aware at all that a big part of it is him being present…

“Everyone, please calm down a bit.”

Whatever the reason for this ruckus might be, I first tried to calm down the onslaught a bit. Since they are all good friends, they listened right away.

“We didn’t come here for any real reason. We were on a stroll, and we just happened to pass by.”

In response to my explanation, the girls gave various reactions such as “Is that so? That’s quite a shame,” or “Even so, I’m happy to have run into Suzuka-sama…!” and so on.

“S-Since you’re out with Onii-sama, are you on a date by any chance?!

That being said, one of the girls blurted out these words, which induced loud shrieking voices from the group.

…Heh, well, the two of us…a-are a genuine couple? It can’t be helped that other people catch on to this? Well, it’s not having anyone catch on would make it more weird.

“…Suzuka, you look oddly happy, but this isn’t the time for this…! We’re supposed to look like a normal couple in front of other people, so you’ve gotta explain this…!” Onii-chan whispered into my ear.

…His hot breath is tickling me…! A-Ah, I know, for our next Towano Chikai Time, maybe I should have him whisper his love into my ears…?! N-No, isn’t that a bit too indecent?! B-But, we’re lovers now, so—Wait, this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

“…Y-Yes, I know. You don’t have to worry. I won’t have any problem covering this up.”

“…Well, I guess that makes sense. You managed to always cover it up during our data collecting, huh?”

Just as Onii-chan said, a situation like this is no problem for me—

“D-Don’t tell me, are the two of you actually a couple?!”

Yet another girl took the assumption, which was actually true, to its logical conclusion, which caused everyone to scream even louder. She was most likely just saying it out of jest, but she hit the mark. I would have loved to see the other’s reactions a bit more, but we had to return to our date soon.

“N-No…that is…um…”

Thinking this, I tried to clear things up, but…H-Huh? Weird, the words won’t come out the way I want them to…? W-Why?

“…H-Hey, Suzuka?” Onii-chan looked towards me, slightly panicked.

…W-Wait a second, that was wrong just now…! Let me…!

“O-Onii-chan and I aren’t…like that…”

But, the words just got stuck in my throat. My face started turning redder the longer I took, so I must have been as red as a tomato. In my head, I had no problem imagining the words “Fufu, that’s not true. We’re just normal siblings. Right, Onii-chan?” but I found myself unable to say them. And in the meantime, the other girls started getting rowdier and rowdier.

…W-What should I do?! At this rate, they’ll get the wrong idea, and then Onii-chan will—

“Ahh, could you maybe leave it at that?”

“O-Onii-chan?”

Right when I was at a loss as to what to do, Onii-chan gallantly stepped in.

“We’re just taking a stroll outside, so don’t go calling it a date, alright? We’re just siblings, after all.”

“But Suzuka-san is always together with Onii-sama, isn’t she?”

“Well yeah, we’re siblings who get along pretty well.”

In response to what Onii-chan said, the girls all let out more screeches of admiration… It seems like it worked wonders.

“…What just happened, Suzuka? That’s not like you.”

I found myself unable to reply. …Uu, our first date after we became a couple…the happy, blissful feelings I had were so strong that I just lost my ability to think. Normally, I would have no problem getting my feelings under control, but since this was our first date, not to mention a real one, and not just data collecting, I just can’t stop myself from grinning.

…But that won’t do! I have to get back on track!

“I feel bad for the girls who can’t be here right now.”

“Indeed. If they had known that Suzuka-sam would be passing by, they would have no doubt come to school today.”

“Thinking that, we were lucky that we could be here today.”

“Yes. I’m sure the student council president of the middle school division will be plagued by regrets. She really wanted Suzuka-sama to praise her.”

The girls’ conversation drifted to another topic, which relieved me a bit… I see, so she’s working hard.

“…Hey, Suzuka, we should get going soon,” Onii-chan once again whispered directly into my ears…!

…T-That’s right, we were in the middle of our date, and we’re wasting time…!

“N-Now then, everyone. I apologize for surprising you like this, but we will have to go our way now.”

In response, the girls…

“Ehhh!”

“No way…”

“I’ll be lonely…”

“Please come by soon!”

“Promise us, Suzuka-sama!”

“…W-With Onii-sama, if possible…!”

After we were seen off by the other girls, Onii-chan and I left Hakuou behind. Around the time we lost sight of the school, Onii-chan let out a sigh.

“What happened just now? Getting all flustered like that? I haven’t seen you act that way before.”

As expected, Onii-chan turned towards me, slightly confused as to what just happened.

“I-I’m sorry. Normally, that would have been no problem, but…”

“Why? You were able to do it perfectly before.”

“T-That’s… After I ended up in mutual love with Onii-chan, I was so stuck on the thought of this being an actual date, and not just data collecting, that I couldn’t think straight…” I tried explaining with a beet red face.

“I-Is that so? W-Well, it’s not like I can’t understand where you’re coming from…”

“…In my stead, weren’t you relatively calm about it, Onii-chan? Were you not looking forward to this date as much as I was?”

“Huh?! Don’t be ridiculous! Of course I’d be happy to go on a date with you like this?!” Onii-chan frantically made a rebellious comment.

“But I am fairly certain I have you beat in that, which is why it ended up like that.”

Pleased by his reaction, I tried to be a bit more provocative.

“Isn’t that only because you were unexpectedly clumsy now when it came to it? And here I thought you were an absolute superhuman. Maybe Mai had some negative influence on you?”

Onii-chan seemed to have picked up on my fooling around, and started teasing me with a kind smile.

“Y-You’re wrong. That just shows how much I love you, Onii-chan. Maybe your feelings for me couldn’t compare, so you were able to stay calm like that?”

“Stop joking around, will you? Do you even know just how much I love you, Suzuka? My feelings are clearly stronger than yours.”

“Haa, what are you talking about? It should be obvious that my feelings would be way stronger.”

For a short while, we continued to have this jest of a battle, trying to confirm how strong our feelings for each other really were.

“Pffft…hahahahaha.”

“Fufu…ahaha.”

Eventually, the two of us just burst out laughing. Even though it was completely idiotic to fight over something like this, it was truly enjoyable. And both of us were very much aware of that. That alone was plenty blissful already.

“We’ve gotta make it to our next stop soon, or our precious date will go to waste.”

“T-That I cannot allow! We have to be as lovey-dovey as possible, Onii-chan!”

I once again clung to Onii-chan’s arm as we started walking again. After all, our date has just begun…!

“We finally made it, Onii-chan!”

“Yeah, it’s been a year already.”

Around ten minutes later, the two of us arrived at Itsukaen Wonderland. Making it through the entrance gate, we stepped out onto a big open place, with lots of families and couples around us. Realizing that we now belonged to their group, I grew even happier.

“Onii-chan, what kind of date plan did you think of?”

“I thought we could just normally enjoy the various attractions. The last time we came here, we went to the haunted house and the warm water pool, right?”

“That’s right…the haunted house is fine, but the warm water pool is a bit…”

“What do you mean?”

“I-I wanted Onii-chan to think that I’m cute, so I really put a lot of effort in my hairstyle, and that would be all for nothing…”

“I-I see, that makes sense…Though to be honest, not being able to see your swimsuit is a shame, Suzuka.”

“W-What are you saying, Onii-chan…Y-You can see that as much as you want in the summer…!”

Both our faces turned red, and I realized I definitely had to buy a new swimsuit once summer came around.

“T-Then, none of the warm water pool… But, I guess we have to cut the haunted house as well. You seemed really scared before.”

“Hmpf, I was pretending to be scared so that I could cling to Onii-chan as much as I wanted…”

“Wouldn’t that just be boring?! A-Also you can just do that whenever you want to…”

“T-T-That’s right…!”

…Uuu, it’s great that we’re talking as a couple, but it still is too embarrassing…!

“T-Then… how about we walk around the attractions we couldn’t see last time?”

“Y-Yes. No matter where, let’s try our best to be lovey-dovey, Onii-chan…!”

“Yeah,” Onii-chan gave a warm smile.

And with that, our amusement park date began.

“…Ugh…you were pretty fine with this, huh?”

“Yes, it was really fun. Though you look a bit pale in the face, Onii-chan…”

“I-It’s fine. This is no big deal.”

“The face you made when you were screaming for your life was… well, just as wonderful?”

“T-Thanks for the compliment, but please don’t remind me…”

Riding a roller coaster while seeing a new side of Onii-chan…

“Huh? This is also off-limits?”

“Hm…it seems like we’ve gotten lost. Maybe we should have gone straight at that last intersection earlier.”

“…Probably. Maybe I should give you a ride on my shoulders so you can figure out the right way for us?”

“What are you talking about—Is what I would say, but how can I say no to getting a ride on Onii-chan’s shoulders…!”

Being able to cling to Onii-chan while riding on his shoulders…

“This amusement park really has everything. To think they even had a petting zoo here…”

“Onii-chan, all of them are really cute. Do you prefer dogs or cats?”

“Hm…I guess both of them? Then again, we can’t keep any at home.”

“That’s right…T-Then, from time to time…w-what if I…act like a pet, and you dote on me…?!”

“S-Seriously…? I don’t know if I could handle the cuteness…!”

“H-However, you’ll have to do the same for me, Onii-chan? …Ah, just imagining it is so cute…!”

Spending a wonderful time while talking about some rather embarrassing things…

“I-It is time for us to tackle it as a real couple now, Onii-chan…!”

“Ugh…w-well, you said you wanted to drink it, and I agreed to that, but a couple’s drink still is really embarrassing…”

“W-What are you saying? We’re an actual couple right now, so there is no need to feel awkward about it.”

“It’s especially embarrassing because we’re an actual couple now…! But I can’t help it. Let’s just get this over with…!”

“Ah, wait a second. Once we are done with this, I want to try the couple’s pancakes, the couple’s parfait, and the couple’s tapioca—”

“What kind of menu is this?! Ahh, to hell with it, I’ll join you until you’re satisfied…!”

Entering a cafe to take a break, and enjoying our time as a couple there…

Like this, we enjoyed our first date as a couple to our fullest. After that, I enjoyed another teary-eyed face of Onii-chan as we went down the roller coaster again, bought matching cups at a nearby good’s corner, took our commemoration picture at a nearby photobooth, watched a parade pass us by as I rested my head on Onii-chan’s shoulders…

Before I realized it, time had passed quickly, and we found ourselves looking up at the orange evening sky, taking a walk around a nearby pond.

“…We sure did run around a lot today. How was it? Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Yes, it was so much fun…”

“Glad to hear that,” Onii-chan showed me a kind smile.

“…This is the place where Sakura-san confessed to you. Right, Onii-chan?”

“Eh—Cough cough…!” Onii-chan suddenly burst out coughing at that.

It wasn’t like I was blaming him or anything.

“A-Again, that was just Minazuki-san’s acting…”

“I know. It was acting, and at the same time, it wasn’t. That in itself is perfectly fine. What I want to say is that I ran away back then, and you went to find me…just like when were kids.” I felt a rush of nostalgia as I mentioned this.

Back when we were kids, this was the place where I had felt this sense of discomfort the first time…

“…Um, Onii-chan, I have a request.”

“You want to go there, right?”

“H-How did you know?” Surprised by Onii-chan’s perfect guess, I looked up at him in shock.

“It wasn’t that hard. I was thinking the same thing, after all.” Onii-chan responded with a wry smile.

…Is that so? So both Onii-chan and I want to visit that place again…

I nodded, and our next destination was decided. After leaving the normal path, there was a small garden in the shadow of an attraction. Just like all the times we had been here before, it was empty, like a forbidden and forgotten place.

The two of us didn’t hesitate. We sat on the nearby bench, right next to each other. The instant I did, I felt a rush of emotions, and memories of all the things that had happened so far filled my head.

“…I never thought that I would come to this place after ending up as a couple like this…”

“I see… So, what do you think now that we’re here again?”

“I’m happy beyond belief…This had been a place that held a very traumatic memory for me, but from today onwards, I’m sure that we will make enough memories to make up for it.”

This very moment, I was filled with a warm feeling that slowly started to fill in every fiber of my being.

“Onii-chan…I’m very happy right now…”

Before I even realized it, I was already resting my head against his shoulder. At the same time, Onii-chan had gently wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him. The setting sun barely illuminated us in this tranquil atmosphere.

“…Onii-chan, I love you…” I muttered without even meaning to.

If I had said these words earlier in this very place, I might have not have regretted it so much now.

“…Yeah, I love you as well, Suzuka…” Onii-chan responded with his feelings.

…Really, just how much does Onii-chan have to make me die of happiness before he’s satisfied? I wish time would just stand still like this. And that’s true of every single moment I spend with Onii-chan.

“Ah…”

But then, we heard the ringing of a bell in the distance.

“Seems like it’s time…” Onii-chan lifted his head as he said this.

Basically, the amusement park was announcing that it would close down soon…Or in other words, our date would come to an end. We did enjoy ourselves plenty, and we were able to flirt a lot, so there’s nothing I should be dissatisfied about. Considering that it was our first date, it couldn’t have been any better.

However, I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of sadness inside of me from thinking that it would be over soon. Then again, we can go on as many dates as we want from now on, so that vanished quickly.

“…Yes. Then let’s go.” I said, as I stood up.

To my surprise, Onii-chan didn’t follow suit, and instead remained seated as he gazed at me with a kind smile.

“No, Suzuka. Our date today won’t be over just yet.”

“Eh?”

Hearing these words, my heart almost leaped out of my chest…N-No way, right?

“There is actually one more thing I planned. That’s why…well…if you’re fine with it, could you accompany a bit longer, Suzuka?”

Onii-chan spoke these words slightly nervously, but still as kindly and considerately as always. Like he was trying his best to bring me as much happiness as possible.

…Ahhh, just how much more will I fall in love with Onii-chan…?! Are you even aware of what you are doing to me…Onii-chan…?!

I felt like crying out of happiness, but tried to suppress it. Tears would just ruin this wonderful moment.

“…You should know my answer by now, Onii-chan.” I tried really hard, and I kept the smile I had as I looked at him. “Wherever you will take me, I will follow…”

*

“…Phew, that was delicious. Did you like it, Suzuka?”

“Yes, it was truly wonderful.” Suzuka wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said this with a smile.

“Glad to hear that.” Upon hearing this, I was satisfied.

Currently, the two of us were on the 27th floor of a certain hotel, which housed a french cuisine restaurant. Naturally, we were there to eat dinner, because that’s a normal thing to do during a date. I was worried about choosing the location, but since Suzuka seemed to like it, I was relieved.

When we finished the normal course, we received the additional after-dinner coffee, and with this, the last bit of tension was blown away.

“I’m not too good with this stiff atmosphere, but just this once should be fine…” I muttered as I took a sip of my coffee. I realized that Suzuka was gazing at me.

“…Onii-chan, was today’s date in a theme like this?”

“What theme?”

“The Itsukaen Wonderland, this restaurant, Hakuou… They were all places we visited before to collect data.”

“Yeah…” I nodded, showing a wry smile.

Suzuka was sharp, so she naturally picked up on that.

“That’s right. I was actually a bit troubled by the date plan…If we came to the same places we had visited before to collect data after we became a couple, maybe I could give you some proper memories now…”

“I-Is that so…?”

Explaining the date plan to Suzuka and my intentions was as embarrassing as I thought it would be.

“U-Um…today’s date was really fun. There were some surprises as well, and I made some precious memories… Thank you very much, Onii-chan.” With slightly flushed cheeks, Suzuka thanked me.

Her smile was too cute for my heart to bear, so I had to avert my gaze.

“…I-I’m glad to hear that. This was our first date, so I wanted it to be something special… Still, I’m surprised you remember.”

“How could I ever forget the many times we collected data? I remember every single detail, so much that I could recite the words you said from memory… Do you want to hear it?”

“Please don’t! I’ll die of embarrassment!”

Thinking back to it, the things I said in character back then were seriously bad. Even though we ended up confessing our feelings for each other, these things will stay as part of my dark past forever.

“…We came to this very restaurant one year ago on my birthday to collect data.” Suzuka gazed at the night scenery outside, muttering almost in a daze.

Just as she mentioned, it’s been around one year since we came here. But I never thought that our relationship would change this much the second time around.

“Back then, we even rode the ferris wheel.” Suzuka said as she directed her gaze towards said ferris wheel you could see in the distance.

Since this hotel was a landmark just like that ferris wheel, we had gone to ride it last year.

“Then, should we keep up that tradition?” I asked as I followed Suzuka’s gaze.

“Is that fine?” Suzuka turned around to look at me, with a slightly expectant look in her eyes.

“Of course, it’s actually a location that’s perfect for our theme today.”

“T-Then let’s hurry. We can’t return home too late, after all,” Suzuka said, sounding awfully diligent at a time like this.

I nodded along with a smile, and gave my consent.

Leaving the restaurant, we headed straight to the ferris wheel. Since this location was fairly popular in this bigger city we were in, it made sense that a lot of people were waiting for it, especially couples…like us…during this time.

“Onii-chan, it’s here.”

Finally, our turn arrived, and Suzuka and I hopped inside the gondola under the supervision of the staff member. Like it was the most natural thing to do, Suzuka didn’t sit across from me, but rather right next to me.

The gondola slowly moved upwards, and we arrived at a height where everything below us looked awfully small.

“………”

“…………”

Watching this scenery, both of us just stayed quiet. But it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was more like no words were needed in this situation. The softness and warmth I felt ever so slightly from Suzuka was comforting from the bottom of my heart, and I wasn’t able to tell if it was my heart beating so fast or Suzuka’s.

Isolated in our own small world, I was thinking to myself how great it would be if time came to a halt in this situation. It made me want to believe that the two of us were pure lovers, and not siblings at all. Realizing that this was just a vain fantasy of mine, I couldn’t help but make a wry smile.

It’s true that both of us have ended up as lovers. But, that doesn’t take away the fact that we’re related by blood, and that we can only take our lovers’ relationship so far during our Towano Chikai Time. I love Suzuka enough that I tend to forget that at times, but it is something I can never really erase from my mind.

That’s the main reason why I want to treasure this time as lovers so much.

“…Onii-chan.”

“Hm? What is it?”

I was thinking that when Suzuka, with her head still on my shoulder, spoke up. I turned my head towards her and realized that she was looking up straight at me.

“…Right now, we are in our Towano Chikai Time, right?”

“Yeah. At the very least, you wouldn’t get such an atmosphere between siblings.”

“Basically, we are currently spending our time as lovers, aren’t we…?”

I was wondering a bit as to why she would bring that up now of all times, but it sounded like there was some hidden meaning to it. Suzuka sat up normally and gave me a serious gaze. Her cheeks were slightly reddened, her eyes dampened in anticipation. That indeed wasn’t the normal expression of a little sister. That alone told me that we really were lovers right now, with no words needed.

“…Onii-chan, today is my birthday. I’ve already gotten a wonderful date as a present, but… would it be too much to ask for one more thing?”

“Sure, if it’s something I can do.”

Honestly, just a date as a present wouldn’t have been enough in my books, but seeing that she’s asking for something more first is actually a fortunate thing. Naturally, there was no reason for me to decline it, either.

“And, what is it?”

In response to my question, Suzuka looked slightly anxious, and she slowly opened up the clothes around her chest. Just when I was a bit confused as to what she was doing, I saw something sparkling, as she pulled it out…It looks like a …necklace..No, rather…?

“Onii-chan, do you remember this?”

The item Suzuka pulled out was indeed a silver ring hanging down from a thin chain. Though she was wearing it as a necklace, there was no way I could forget about it.

“Yeah, it’s the present I gave you last year.”

Ironically, I gave this present to her while riding on this very ferris wheel…and she was wearing this now, huh?

“Yes, it’s my treasure…”

“I-I see, so you’ve been this happy about it. But what about it?” I asked, slightly embarrassed.

Suzuka’s face went even more red than before, as she started taking deep breaths.

“C-Could you…put this ring on my finger…?”

“………Eh?”

For a second, I didn’t understand what she had just said, and I just blankly stared at her. But Suzuka just calmly removed the chain from the ring.

“…Last year, you gave me this ring as a present. Though I was a tiny bit disappointed, at that point in time, we weren’t lovers, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“However…” Suzuka continued as she put the ring inside the palm of her hand.

“…T-This year, it’s different. We are lovers… a-at the very least during our Towano Chikai Time…! T-That’s why I want Onii-chan to put this ring on my finger…!” Even though it must have been horribly embarrassing for her, she still pulled through and stared me in the eyes.

I for my part understood exactly what this entire request of hers meant, and I blushed just as much.

“…A-Alright.”

But I didn’t back down. Instead, I grabbed the ring from her small hand. Just as Suzuka said, we were currently Towano Chikai. The only time when we’re allowed to really be lovers, so I had no reason to decline.

…Rather, I myself wouldn’t have wanted to decline it, either. Not just because Suzuka wanted it, not just because it’s her birthday, but because I myself wanted to.

“…H-Here I go, okay? So where do I put the ring—?”

“Y-Yes… on my left ring finger, please…!”

Both of us knew what meaning this finger had in this context. It was a place where you would never put a ring on your sibling. However…

“…Is this fine?”

I didn’t hesitate at all. I put the ring on Suzuka’s ring finger. I wanted to make Suzuka mine, showing that I would not hand her over to anybody else.

“Yes…! With this, I belong to Onii-chan…!”

Suzuka was thinking the same thing. Her eyes dampened, as I couldn’t even tell if she was laughing or crying.

Suzuka looked so unbelievably lovable that I subconsciously patted her on the head. Suzuka narrowed her eyes in a blissful manner, just letting me do it.

“…O-Onii-chan.”

Finally, after keeping quiet for a bit, she looked up at me with an expression like she had made up her mind. She looked close to breaking out in tears. Her small, tender body was shivering ever so slightly.

“Onii-chan, I actually have another request…” Suzuka said, her voice as clear as glass.

“Another one…? Sure, but…what is it?”

I wasn’t sure why Suzuka’s mood had changed, or what she was asking for. All I knew was that my heart was beating really fast for some reason. Something inside me was about to awaken, induced by Suzuka’s passionate gaze—

“…! I-I would like to…k-kiss…!”

“Ki…?!”

Her face couldn’t have been anymore red. Naturally, the same was true of me.

“A-A kiss…?! A-Are you…seriously saying that?!”

“D-Do you think I would joke around in a situation like this…?!”

I guess my question was unneeded. Suzuka’s eyes had never been more serious, almost as if she were gazing straight through me. I felt the desire to do so as well, but…

“W-We really can’t…! Even if we’re lovers right now, we’re still siblings…!” I tried to get my emotions under control.

The one line we couldn’t cross appeared right in front of me.

“W-Why? We might be siblings, but in this very moment, we’ve crossed the barrier and have become lovers…! Now that our feelings have become one, there should be nothing wrong with this…”

“B-But…”

“I love you, Onii-chan.” Suzuka said in a calm voice. “O-Of course I would want to kiss the person I love…Don’t you agree with me, Onii-chan?”

“…! O-of course, I do, but…!”

“…Knowing you, you’re probably worried about something unnecessary like not wanting to hurt me…But I’m fine. I want to do it out of my own free will.” She continued with a beaming smile.

There was no regret and no defeat to be found in her eyes. Instead, she herself was giving me confidence, reassuring me.

“…Also, you can’t turn it down anyway, Onii-chan. Because it involves data collecting.”

“D-Data collecting?”

“Yes. We are Towano Chikai. As well as lovers at this very moment… But since we’re also light novel authors, we can’t disregard a good chance to collect data, right?”

“T-That’s just…ridiculous…”

I tried to talk my way out of it, but Suzuka wouldn’t let me.

“Because we’re lovers, because we have to collect data, I have several reasons that would allow us to do it. But the most simple, yet also the most powerful reason for it is because I love Onii-chan. These feelings are at the root of it all…don’t you think? Because I love Onii-chan.”

She repeated these words one more time as tears built up in the corners of her eyes.

“………”

When I heard these words from her, I could only grow silent. But at the center of all my thoughts I had in this very moment, a very simple emotion greeted me.

—I love Suzuka.

Now that I feel this way, my answer to her request couldn’t have been more obvious.

“…Haaah, you’re not going to regret this, right?” I sighed in defeat.

“Of course not.” Suzuka simply responded.

“There’s no turning back from this, okay?”

“It is a bit too late for that. I wasn’t planning on turning back either way. Or will you turn back instead, Onii-chan?”

“…As if.”

“I figured.” Suzuka nodded in relief.

Now that the both of us had agreed to it, there was no need to discuss it any more.

“…Onii-chan.”

Suzuka slowly closed her eyes, gently raising her chin. But her body was shivering slightly.

“Suzuka…”

I put my hands on her shoulders to suppress that shaking. My own body was shaking quite a bit, but feeling her warmth was enough to calm me down. I stopped my movement for a moment, and finally closed my eyes just like Suzuka.

And then, I camly and carefully brought my face closer to hers. As the gondola was at its peak, reaching up to the night sky.

I put my lips on Suzuka’s, directly kissing her.

“………Mm.”

When I separated my lips, Suzuka let out a faint moan. After that, she slowly opened her eyes.

“…I somehow managed to get through without fainting…” She said. She smiled happily from the bottom of her heart.

“…That’s the impression of your first kiss?”

“D-Don’t tease me like that…My head just went blank, and I couldn’t think about anything…!” She said in a sulking manner, but still looked satisfied. “W-What about you, Onii-chan?”

“W-What do you mean?”

“Y-Your impression about your first kiss…! W-What was it like for you…?”

“W-Well… I couldn’t really tell either…”

“See? You’re the same as me.”

“I couldn’t help it. It was my first kiss, after all…”

The two of us were as red as physically possible from exchanging an embarrassing conversation like that.

“…Hahaha.”

“…Ehehehe.”

Eventually, we both smiled at each other, and Suzuka didn’t waste a moment to jump into my arms, so I responded with a gentle embrace. Speaking no words, we just gazed outside the window, enjoying the beautiful scenery. I really couldn’t say much about my first kiss experience. But there was one thing as clear as day to me—

“…Onii-chan, I’m the happiest person on earth right now…”

“Yeah, same here.”

Right now, the two of us weren’t regretting anything. And, after a bit of time passed, the gondola started to move down towards earth again.

“…Still, now we really can’t go back anymore.”

The first flash of bashfulness had vanished, and my rational thinking started to set in again.

“What do you mean by that, Onii-chan? Are you saying that you regret it?” Suzuka looked up at me, visibly displeased.

“N-No, that’s not what I meant. I just think… it was pretty amazing.”

“T-That is something completely natural for lovers. As you can see, I am perfectly—Ehe, ehehehe.”

“Your brain is melting just from remembering it, huh?”

Suzuka rubbed her cheek against my chest, completely in a daze. Seriously, you’re going to kill me with that cuteness of yours…

“S-Still, we have to mentally prepare ourselves that things like these will happen more frequently from now on. Just the kiss alone made my heart almost leap out of my chest… Combined with the research, we have to be careful that things don’t escalate from now on.” I said this in a light tone to hide my still lingering embarrassment.

I was expecting Suzuka to say the usual “O-Of course, we have to be even more lovey-dovey from now on to collect data!” but…

“………”

“…Suzuka?”

For some reason, Suzuka made no reaction at all. She just responded with absolute silence. Eventually, she raised her head. All her bashfulness and the fluffy atmosphere from before had completely vanished.

“…No, that won’t happen.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, taken aback by her sudden change in mood.

But, Suzuka just responded as calmly as ever. “We will stay lovers from now on as well. That fact will not change, but the data collecting is different… After all, this has been the last time for it.”

“…Eh?”

I didn’t understand what she had just said, and a confused voice leaked out of my mouth. Completely ignoring my bewildered reaction, Suzuka continued speaking, and she said something that I had never in my life expected to hear then and there.

“After all, my novel will end with the next volume.”