Christmas — Part 5

TL: Daemon

ED: PuffyPyjamas

“What do you mean?”

It’s almost like she thinks I am deceiving her… Well, it is a complete lie that I hung out with Fujimoto though.

“It’s not just Christmas Eve.”

“…”

“Fridays and Saturdays you often stay out really late, and also leave the house really early. Oftentimes, you are never at home.”

“…That’s true.”

Has she caught on…? Has she caught on to the existence of a girlfriend? It’s not as if I need to tell her where I’m going all the time, but for an indoor person like me to spend time outside every weekend must be something that Sana thought to be unnatural.

“That’s why… I just thought that you might have gone out with someone.”

“What, you’re such a brocon for being curious about who your brother hangs out with.”

“T-that’s not it!”

“And you’re the one that always calls me a siscon… geez.”

I shook my head in disappointment. However, Sana probably feels some certainty in her belief. She didn’t say it clearly, but that’s just how it felt when she said that.

“…If, I did have a girlfriend—”

Sana nodded once as I began to speak.

“What type of person would you be happy with?”

After being questioned in such a serious tone, Sana turned her eyes down towards the cup of coffee in her hand.

“Well rather than happy, more… who would you be fine with?”

I added a supplementary question before waiting for Sana’s declaration. She stirred her cup with a teaspoon just once as if to calm herself down.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know…?”

“N-Nii-san would never get married anyways. You can’t, so you, you don’t even need a lover.”

“That’s quite the irrational argument… Well, it’s more of a hypothetical question.”

While frowning, Sana continued to stare down at the table as if she was trying to hold something back.

I waited and waited, but there still wasn’t an answer.

By the time I realized it, the number of people outside the window began to increase, and many more couples began to stand out.

“Let’s leave.”

I urged Sana, who wasn’t saying anything, and the two of us left the store together.

I didn’t know if it was alright for me to tell Sana about Hiiragi-chan.

If she seemed like an accepting little sister like Natsumi-chan, then I might have, but as far as I could see from earlier, it might be better if I continued to wait.

… A wedding that everyone is willing to stand behind.

What I said when we were in the middle of mending the relationship between the Hiiragi mother and daughter pair now weighed heavily on my mind.

If I confess and she ends up rejecting it, it shouldn’t lead to the terrible relationship we have in the future. I don’t think I would break up with Hiiragi-chan just because we were rejected by others.

However, we do end up splitting next year…

“After we buy the game, let’s eat lunch. What do you want to eat?”

“… It’s fine. Sana will go home.”

“Ah… really?”

After that, we went to a game shop that we often went to. Due to the Christmas sale that was going on, there were a large number of people inside the store, and it was hard to pass people within the narrow aisles.

Sana handed me the three games that she picked. It was just as she told me earlier.

Normally, she would check out some other things and end up dragging out the time, however, it seems she’s done for today.

We lined up at the cash register and finished our payment. I just barely had enough. It really was close. I did ask if she wanted to eat lunch, but I just barely had enough to cover the train ticket.

“Here. Merry Christmas.”

“Yeah.”

She responded to me after I handed her the bag with the game shop logo.

“Sana is going home. So, let’s split off over here.”

Saying that, Sana walked away with quick footsteps.

Rather than eating lunch, she probably just wants to go home and play games.

Well, since I’m already here, I might as well buy a present for Hiiragi-chan and show my face around school.

◆ Sanada Sana ◆

“…What did Seiji-kun say?”

“Sana was never able to ask him straight out…”

“…I see.”

After coming home alone, I gave a call to Kana-chan. In addition to thanking her for yesterday, I also told her about what happened today.

When I spoke to her about the Christmas party yesterday, Kana-chan had expressed her doubts.

“Why is Nii-san not being straightforward about this?”

“…It’s probably because he really wants you to be his ally.”

“Me, to be an ally?”

Yeah, Kana-chan gave an affirmation before continuing.

“…You know, how in RPG’s there are characters that may or may not become your ally depending on your choices? If they become an ally it’s very reassuring, while if they’re an enemy, they end up being very strong. If you make a mistake they become your enemy. Thinking of those risks, you might avoid contact.”

“I see…”

That’s pretty easy to understand. I don’t know if it’s exactly as Kana-chan says, but if it is, then that means that Nii-san wants Sana to be his ally.

— What type of person would you be happy with?

Maybe that line was his way of probing…

“…Saa-chan, are you prepared?”

“It’s already been more than half a year… But even then, it doesn’t mean that I’ll be okay…”

“…Fufu. You’ve become quite the adult. Very good of you.”

“You’re treating me like a child… Geez.”

I said I was okay on the surface, but in the end, my chest still ends up throbbing.

It creates a terrible feeling.

If you’re going to hide it, then you should hide it properly. Really…