Gimai Seikatsu's

Chapter 2: July 17 (Friday)

17 July (Friday)

Morning time. I got out of my bed, my head was still sleepy, and stepped out of my room. As I walked down the hallway to the bathroom, I unknowingly found myself walking so quietly that I did not bother any family members. This is one of the many changes I received after the arrival of stepbrother—-I.e., morning routine.

When only my parents and I live here, I don't have to worry about my appearance. I just walked carelessly through the hallway with bed hair, blurry eyes, and a disheveled pajama appearance. However, I cannot be reckless now.

Now I have to pay attention to Ayase-san and Akiko-san. Since they were technically still unfamiliar to me, and were female at the time, I really did not have the courage or confidence to allow myself to show such an embarrassing performance in front of them.

After making sure the bathroom was empty, I checked my face in the mirror. Refreshing my dry throat with a slight gargle, I washed my swollen cheeks and used a razor to shave off the small beard that was beginning to grow.

Perfect— would be a little exaggerated, but at least I need not be afraid of showing myself in front of others, so I confidently walked into the living room.

"Good morning, Ayase-san."

Of course, like every morning, he was very prepared. Her hair was styled with not a single strand of bed hair to be found, her makeup was placed very carefully without the slightest flaw, and she was already wearing our school uniform, ironed without wrinkles, she said, with an apron on it to protect her. As always, I have never seen my perfect half-brother show any opening.

I'm sure he must have been late reading Modern Japanese material and his novels to gather all kinds of reliable information, yet I met him at the right time and with the exact same appearance as every other morning, which again reminded me of immeasurable self-control. Moreover, his workbook and smartphone lay on the dining room table, as if he was still learning at the moment.

As I called out to her, Ayase-san slowly raised her head, standing up from the table as if it was the obvious thing to do.

“Good morning, Asamura-kun. Can I make something as easy as fried eggs today?”

“Ah, I don't need breakfast today. I'm just gonna make toast."

“Hah, why?”

"You want to focus on your studies, right?"

In the corner of my eye, I could see two dishes in the kitchen that looked like they had just been washed. One of them probably belonged to my parents, who had made a quick breakfast this morning because he had to leave before anyone else. The others, of course, belonged to Ayase-san. She probably didn't want to wait for me, so she went ahead and ate something light before getting as much study time as she could.

“But we promise..”

“Currently, my debt is much bigger than yours. If you can focus on the makeup exam for now, then I have no room to complain. ” I replied without leaving his room to complain.

In fact, if she failed the makeup exam, she would have to take additional lessons, which reduced the time she would have to find and work in a part-time job, and her overall learning efficiency would be reduced as well. As a result, the conditions of our agreement, which is his cooking food for me, had to be cancelled, and I had to worry about my own cooking.

Ayase-san must have realized that I did not want to burden her unnecessarily, so she did not argue back.

"thank you. I'll accept the offer, then. ”

"Together, or so I thought, but it's no big deal."

"…OK." Okay." Ayase-san smiled faintly and sat back down, facing the table.

After watching with a satisfied look as my stepbrother returned to study mode, I headed to the kitchen. All righty! I think I'm going all-out. I think I just need to use my secret technique to put a slice of cheese on my bread. Hehe.

I began to get excited alone, pretending to be happy with such an ordinary task. I guess middle school boys are modest in their search for happiness. Then again, maybe the girls are the same? I guess I should ask Ayase-san next time. Next time when he's not busy studying, it's.

The bread ended perfectly. Cheese is a beautiful golden color. As expected of my artistic cheese roasting skills. Even as I fought with the melted cheese that stretched endlessly from the toast, Ayase-san remained focused on the work in front of her. Again, I can't help but admire his level of focus. Is it possible for him to improve his academic efficiency more than this? I feel that any work that BGM does will not result in anything, unless it might disturb him.

“Mmm..~”

By the time most of my toast had disappeared into my stomach and I was wanting to drink coffee, Ayase-san spread her hands far above her head, letting out a sound that was quite suggestive. No, wait, that just sounds suggestive to me. He himself definitely had no intention of making it that way. Sorry, Ayase-san.

The problem was because he was wearing a thin summer uniform, when he stretched his arms like that, his sleeves were slightly down and I could see his white skin. This practically forced me to become more aware of him.

I shouldn't have looked at him that way. It was disrespectful—or so I kept saying to myself while trying to calm my breath, so I tried to start a more relaxed topic.

“It's finished for now?”

"Yes. Again, I have to go now.”

"It's early enough."

“Will be much more efficient if I hit first. I've finished eating and preparing myself.”

What is meant by “hitting first” here is to leave home first. Leaving home at the same time to go to school together would make us too prominent, and my efficient half-brother wanted to avoid that.

"Considerate. Take care."

"See you soon."

“...Ah, wait a minute!”

Just as he picked up his things and was about to leave the living room, I called out to him.

"What's that?" He turned towards me.

"About learning on the way to school ..."

Last month, he did some English listening exercises on his way to school, and he almost got hit by a truck. I don't like the idea of warning her because of past mistakes, but inevitably I worry about her even if it makes me sound too nosy.

"I won't." He said as he turned forward again.

After which, his face turned slightly red, and it seemed like he was sulking.

“I won't make the same mistake again.”

"I'm glad to hear that. Sorry to bother you.”

“Don't worry about that. See you soon." He turned his eyes and left the living room.

It seems he tried to escape. I guess I shouldn't have said that. The faint bitter taste of coffee still lingered on my tongue as I contemplated my failed communication. The incident was a bad memory for Ayase-san, and she was embarrassed by others who saw her work hard. I can't blame him for having that reaction.

I guess I'm still a long way from being an honorable older brother. I gulped down the rest of my coffee like trying to eliminate bitterness with more bitterness. Then I realized something.

“At first, he never let me see how hard he works, right?”

What has he been doing for the last few minutes? What kind of appearance did he have yesterday? I was right in front of him. The change was so small that I didn't even notice it, but compared to when we first met, he gradually showed me more sides, even his weaknesses. It's just a small step, but I feel like we're getting closer as brothers.

Even though it was almost the beginning of summer vacation, high-level schools like ours did not make us lazy. Under the pretext that we would not even be able to remember everything, the teachers practically rushed through the workbook, got as much time as possible, and then stopped the class whenever they wanted. After that followed self-study and self-training, or in the worst case even empty chat. Overall, it creates an atmosphere that is not conducive to any kind of diligent learning.

That's why no one noticed me using my smartphone under the desk. I was busy searching through the vast sea of internet for any BGM of work I could send to Ayase-san, who was probably the single most learned person in this entire school. Time passed, and lunch break soon arrived. After I finished eating the bread I bought earlier, I quietly stood up from my table. Maru heard my chair move behind her and turned towards me, away from her own phone.

"Oh? Where are you going, Asamura?”

"Library room." I gave an unclear response.

I didn't actually plan on heading there at all, but if I told her that I would hang around the school for a while, she would only bother me more because of her endless curiosity, she said, so I thought about it. White lying.

"Okay, understand." Maru replied, turning her gaze to her phone again.

This is what usually happens during break time, for both of us. Even though we were both friends, we didn't always talk to each other, let alone be clingy. We both respect each other's personal space, spending a lot of time on ourselves as well. Since we both don't like being overwhelmed by others, maybe that's how we stay friends for a long time.

I left the classroom and headed for the library. That's not my final goal, of course. I just walked down the hallway to the library. My senpai at work, Yomiuri-senpai, once recommended me a book that says that people come up with better ideas while walking around rather than just sitting in a chair.

Since I read it, I have tried it. As you probably know, I'm very impressionable. While looking for a good BGM, I secretly hoped that some good ideas would suddenly come up. I let my feet take me down the hallway. Just when I arrived in front of the actual library room, someone suddenly patted my back.

“Heeey! What's up, Onii-chan?!”

“…!”

I was so shocked that I forgot to breathe for a moment. When I turned around, I was greeted by a familiar female student. He gave me a warm smile filled with curiosity. Her bright hair was styled with light curls, giving her a stylish atmosphere. He is the winner of the popularity of secret year students, as well as Ayase-san's classmate, Narasaka Maaya. And he's the only student here who knows that Ayase-san and I are half-brothers.

She gave the impression of a cat who liked to tease its owner by hiding in a closet as she looked at me with a few books in hand. It seems like he just came out of the library room.

“Oh, just you, Narasaka-san. I think you're kind of Torima1.”

"What mean?! There is no way we have such a thing in this school.”

“You never know when you will meet him, that's what makes them so dangerous, right?”

“Ehh, I think this is absolutely normal~ Skinship and so on.”

“Of course.”

“Even against Ayase-san? I can't see it at all.”

"Yes! With Saki too! She always calls me a bitch, but secretly she's happy about it.”

I don't think he's.

"I'll conclude that he thinks you're a bitch."

"The deeper the disturbance, the deeper the love, as they say!"

“Nobody said that. Also, if you follow that line of thought further, you will be arrested for sexual harassment. ”

“Eh? Why am I, a girl, lectured about sexual abuse by a boy?”

"Sexual abuse works in two ways, look."

“Hmph-deep. You sound like Saki, Asamura-kun.”

If someone has already told you, then why don't you think about it carefully?

“Also, you walk while looking at your phone, Asamura-kun! Guilty one! Guilty!"

"Ah yes. Now you blame. ”

"Hey now, we're not in class. You don't have to sound so intellectual!” Narasaka-san.

Shock attacks, skinship, an open-minded attitude, and the mentality to ignore any complaints and warnings. All of these things should be enough for anyone to hate him, yet I cannot gather anger at all. Was it because of his small stature, or the way he spoke? I don't know, but it's probably his own kind of charisma. If someone else tried to do what he did, they would eat a stun gun into the intestines. I can see how popular she is among boys, at least.

"You read a book?" I felt a little guilty constantly complaining to him, so I raised a different topic.

Judging from the covers of the books, it seemed like it was a novel targeted to the female demographic.

"This? They got the latest release I was looking forward to. Summer holidays are also close!”

“You're the borrower type, huh?”

As a part-time worker at a bookstore, I really wish she would buy it, but for each of them, I guess. People have different circumstances and leeway that dictate what they can buy, so I don't feel too comfortable imposing my own value on them.

“Test period is always a time to hold back, so I just want to read everything! You feel me? ”

“Ahaha, I understand. Judging from that reaction..”

“There are no additional exams for me! I don't get failed value anywhere ~ ”

"I understand."

“I got a total of 808 points! How is it~?”

“Eh..?” I let out a dumbfounded voice.

As a result, Narasaka-san's expression of confidence and arrogance quickly turned into dissatisfaction.

"ah! You are surprised now! You didn't expect me to get an average of 90, did you ?! ”

“...Sorry, you were right once.” I confess my sins.

"That hurts. I'm in the top ranking of year students, you know ~ ”

“I should not judge people based on the impression they give.

“That impression basically makes me an idiot, right!? Asamura-kun, are you some kind of stupid S?”

“I don't..”

Means like that—s sound like a weak excuse. When he used the word 'fuck people', I couldn't reply at all. Narasaka-san took advantage of the opportunity that my silence gave her to bring her face closer to mine.

“If you feel bad about it, tell me one thing~”

“Eh? I mean.. sure?”

"When you walk and look at your phone like that, you tease Saki through the text, right?"

“Um, no.”

“Eh, really? Saki also uses her phone all day. I'm really jealous. I think you two got along really well. ”

"A terrible misunderstanding to have."

I'm pretty sure he's probably just looking at the novel again. Also, how could he come to such a ridiculous conclusion, despite knowing what kind of relationship we have? There is no way love will bloom between two people who have just become half-siblings.

"I'm looking for something."

"Rightly now?"

"This is your evidence."

Since Narasaka-san doesn't sound satisfied at all, I show him my smartphone screen.

“BGM Works? Why are you looking for that? ”

“Um, so...” I immediately switched to polite language, trying to find an excuse, but quickly changed my mind. “I want to find some for Ayase-san.”

“For Saki?”

I explained the details. After speaking to Narasaka-san a few times, I realized that he was prone to misunderstandings. If I keep it a secret, or try to talk about it, he will misunderstand me again. If I give him the boring truth, his curiosity won't bite me later.

Of course, I ignored the part about Ayase-san working harder than anyone else to correct her flaws, and just mentioned that she just wanted to increase her academic success. That way, I can respect his wishes.

"Huh. You're looking for music for Saki. Hmmm." He grins.

“I think it would be better for you to voice your true feelings to create a better conversational environment with others.”

“Ohh, so you said~ Asamura-kun, so you are confident in your own communication skills?”

"………I'm sorry."

He hit me right where it hurt. Since I was practically digging my own grave, I chose to apologize rather than fight back and pour more salt into my wounds.

“You are a great Onii-chan, you know. There's no shame. Lift your head up high with pride.”

“I don't think I deserve that title just because I helped him a little..”.

“Fiuh, how honest~ I'm a great Onee-chan just by making food, know.”

“You have a younger brother, right?”

I think I heard something like that from Ayase-san before.

"I'm ready. One ton from them.”

"On? You must be a big family.”

“Around 100.”

"Huh?"

spliced...