42 The Arrows Are Twisted - My Little Sister Is Only Ever Cold to Me, Yet Recently She’s Been Strangely Clingy

Chapter 42: The Arrows Are Twisted "Shimamoto-san, I just messaged you earlier. Why did you come?" "I thought you'd be lonely not having lunch with me, so I pitied you and reluctantly decided to show up. But more importantly, what are Ren and Onee-chan doing here?" "Thanks for your concern... Imouto-chan came to have lunch with Ai, but since they can't use the rooftop because of the rain, I'm eating with them. Since you've come all the way here, would you like to join us for lunch too?" Shimamoto-san hesitated at my invitation. I suppose that makes sense. Things must be awkward with Ai after the confession issue, and witnessing the dynamic between those sisters up close might be too much for her. Nevertheless, after some deliberation, Shimamoto-san nodded affirmatively. "Alright, I'll take you up on that offer." Her response was hesitant, but she nodded nonetheless. I admired Shimamoto-san's determination without any hint of sarcasm. Recently, I've begun to appreciate her strong will, or rather the straightforwardness of her feelings and dedication towards Imouto-chan. And that had nothing to do with the fact that Shimamoto-san's older sister is Souji-sensei. "Let's head back." With those words, I returned to my seat, with Shimamoto-san following behind. The classroom began to buzz with whispers again. Apparently, while Shimamoto-san isn't as famous as Imouto-chan, she's still fairly well-known. Her looks are certainly striking, figure is just as good as Imouto-chan's, and she's good at basketball, so I can understand that in my mind. But knowing her true nature, it's a little frustrating. Thinking about this, I made my way to my seat. "So, is it okay if Shimamoto-san joins us?" "Of course!" Ai nodded without a moment's hesitation. Despite everything that happened between them because of the confession, Ai's immediate and unhesitant reaction is exactly what makes Ai who she is. "Thank you! And once again, I'm sorry for what happened the other day." "No, it's okay, you don't need to bow. You can sit down." Prompted by Ai, Shimamoto-san timidly raised her head and sat down. Her politeness and sincerity once again reassured me that she wasn't a bad person. Let's ignore for now how she uses formal language with Ai but not with me. As I contemplated this, Imouto-chan, who had been observing the interaction between Shimamoto-san and Ai intently, muttered under her breath. "Is there a connection between Rira and Onee-chan?" Her words carried a tone of wariness. Like her earlier "My Onee-chan" declaration, it seemed Imouto-chan was very possessive of Ai. Whether that feeling stems from familial love or something else, it's undeniably strong. Confronted with the sheer weight of feelings that were obvious to anyone except the hopelessly oblivious target of affection, Shimamoto-san wore a look like she’d just been punched — before quickly trying to cover it up and respond as if nothing had happened. "There was a few things that happened. But don't worry, I won't take away your Onee-chan." She smiled reassuringly at Imouto-chan with a genuinely earnest demeanor. The power of love is truly incredible. "I'm not worried about that." Even as she said this, her voice betrayed a sense of relief. Everything's all to obvious. It's easy to imagine how Imouto-chan's every move might unwittingly weigh down on Shimamoto-san's mind, drawing my empathy. Meanwhile, Ai, oblivious to the intricate emotions at play, was contently watching their conversation with a benign smile—classic Ai in her blissful ignorance. Thus, our impromptu four-person lunch proceeded amiably on the surface, though beneath it, various arrows of emotion intertwined confusingly. Particularly, Ai seemed utterly oblivious, speaking with pure words. "Oh, by the way, Yuka-chan and I watched the basketball club game the other day. Both of you were amazing! You were so cool." "Thank you!" "I did my best for you, Onee-chan." In contrast to Shimamoto-san's energetic gratitude, Imouto-chan softly spoke these sentimental words, moving her chair closer to Ai and leaning against her. Observing this, Shimamoto-san seemed to freeze. Watching her normally cool crush being so openly affectionate with her big sister at such a close distance must be complicated for her. Somehow, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her and decided to steer the conversation somewhere else. "By the way, Shimamoto-san, don't you have a different attitude with me and Ai?" "Huh? What do you mean?" Oblivious to my consideration or sympathy, Shimamoto-san replied rudely. "Just now! You're all respectful and like a junior to Ai, but with me, it's all casual! And you even call me 'you'—what's with this disparity?" "Did I really?" "If you didn't notice, that means you genuinely don't respect me, right..." "Sorry, sorry. But it's too late for me to start using formal language with you." "Why not? I'm a perfectly commendable senior!" "How so? You're a troublesome otaku, you're weird, and you're foul-mouthed. There's nothing commendable about that." "You’re no different in being troublesome, you know that!" in response to the conversation that started out as an attempt to help and escalated into a fistfight, Imouto-chan quietly commented. "You guys get along well." "Not at all!" Unexpectedly, our voices synchronized in denial. "You two are so in sync," Ai quipped playfully with a smile as if returning the favor. “Ai’s personality’s gotten a little better, hasn’t it? In a bad way.” An amused chuckle escaped through the playful banter. I'd like back the pure, untouchable Ai who would never tease anyone. Jokes aside, Ai seemed more lively than usual today. Perhaps it was because Imouto-chan was by her side, I thought. That realization cast a faint shadow over my heart—not as dark as the rain clouds gathering outside the window, but enough to dull the light just a little. Lost in these reflections, Shimamoto-san unexpectedly offered a kind of conversational lifeline. "By the way, Ren. The captain mentioned this when we passed in the hallway earlier—apparently we're supposed to join the A Team training camp before this summer's tournament. Details will be shared in an upcoming meeting." "...Understood." "A Team, huh? That's impressive, right?" I jumped into the conversation. "Yeah, Ren and I are the only first-years selected." Shimamoto-san proudly puffed her chest out. "That's amazing! Congratulations, Ren." Ai showered Imouto-chan with sincere praise. However, Imouto-chan wore a slightly gloomy expression as she turned to Ai. "But if I go to camp, Onee-chan and I will be apart. Will you be okay without me?" Whoa... It felt like anticipating a tragic farewell with such intense sentiment. I silently marveled at the depth of her emotion. It seemed Imouto-chan was determined to cling to any topic to express her affection towards her big sister. I asked Shimamoto-san discreetly, who seemed on the verge of fainting from shock. "Is the training camp that long?" "No, just two days and one night." "Seriously?" The atmosphere was this heavy even with just one day apart. It made me realize just how deeply Imouto-chan was attached to Ai. Meanwhile, Ai, with a faint blush on her cheeks, responded to Imouto-chan's concern. "I might feel a bit lonely. But I’m cheering for you, Ren. Do your best...!" After this exchange, the two looked at each other, nodding softly in agreement. What is this? Newly dating lovers? I hurriedly shook off the question mark that had popped into my head. They are just a pair of close sisters. Shimamoto-san and I, left out in the cold, chewed on our meals, feeling almost overwhelmed by the sugary scene unfolding before us. As I savored the slightly dry texture of the bread in my mouth, I stole glances at Ai’s expression—the way her eyes shone looking at Imouto-chan and her lightly flushed cheeks. What is Ai thinking now? What is hidden within the arrow that Ai directs towards Imouto-chan? Until recently, it was so painfully obvious. As a big sister, she wanted to protect her little sister. She would do anythings for her. That was all Ai’s feelings seemed to be. But now, I couldn’t tell. Whether it was during their date or even now, could the world that the Kawai sisters built for themselves, seemingly brimming with familial affection, really be just that? Or, as Shimamoto-san feared, could it be that something that should never be possible could actually happen? And more importantly, what do I want it to be? That’s what I can’t understand. I can’t understand myself or others. Where do my own arrows point, and how will they extend? As I found myself caught in this mental cul-de-sac, I noticed Shimamoto-san watching Imouto-chan intently. There was something undeniably clear in her gaze, and for a moment, it brought me some relief.