Chapter 1 - Unexpected mutual love
Monday. Not only is it the heavy start of the week, but I felt a little off because of my lack of sleep.
(I knew staying up all night playing games would take a toll on me.)
I was frustrated with my Sunday self for not thinking ahead. I wasn’t hungry, so I skipped breakfast. I ignored my mother’s nagging about the meal I didn’t eat and left the house.
It was humid. The rainy season had made the humidity unbearable. It seemed it had rained early in the morning, and there were puddles on the road, so I had to be careful not to step in them on my way to school.
As usual, I stopped by the convenience store to buy lunch and snacks. By lunchtime, my appetite had returned, and I finished my fried chicken bento. I didn’t have room for the dessert, though.
After school, I wanted to head home right away, but I was so tired that sleep was inevitable, so I closed my eyes.
I slept for a bit. About an hour.
When I woke up, I felt much better. Also, most of my classmates had already gone home, and the classroom was almost empty… or so I thought, until I noticed she was sitting right next to me.
(Hoshimiya-san is still here?)
She was seven years old—no, she’s already eight since she’d been in school for a year.
Hime Hoshimiya was reading a book.
Her small legs were swinging back and forth from the chair, not quite reaching the ground. She seemed absorbed in her book, not noticing that I was watching her.
We’d ended up sitting next to each other by chance after the seating change. We’d never spoken before, though.
“…”
Her profile was beautiful. Every so often, she would brush aside a fine strand of silver hair that had fallen into her face, a graceful movement that suited her well. Her crimson eyes, focused on a difficult English text, were so clear they almost seemed to draw you in.
Looking only at her facial features, she truly was stunning.
But because she was still young, an innocent air about her remained strong, and the term "cute" seemed more fitting than "beautiful." Even so, she was undeniably as delicate as a character from a picture book.
As always, she felt like someone from a different world.
I was reminded again that she was a being so far removed from someone like me.
Well… it’s probably time to head home.
I shouldn’t keep staring at her, or Hoshimiya-san might feel uncomfortable. And honestly, being alone with her like this isn’t the best situation either.
Growl
Just as I was about to stand up, the loud sound of a stomach growling echoed through the otherwise silent classroom.
If the sound came from my own stomach, it would have been a little embarrassing but not a big deal.
“…!”
Unfortunately, the sound came from the girl sitting next to me—Hoshimiya-san.
The sound was so loud that pretending I hadn’t heard it wasn’t an option. Her pale cheeks turned slightly pink.
Her swinging legs had come to a stop.
“I’m sorry.”
She must have realized I had noticed.
Perhaps out of embarrassment, she apologized for no reason. It’s okay, I didn’t mind.
“Are you hungry?”
The silent pause dragged on, and as time passed, Hoshimiya-san’s ears began to redden. To break the awkward silence, she decided to speak up.
“…Just a little.”
As expected, the sound from her stomach seemed to be a sign of hunger.
Suggesting she go home and eat something was out of the question.
The fact that she was still here must mean she had a reason. Perhaps the book she was reading was just too interesting to leave.
In any case, it seemed like she would remain in the classroom for a little while longer. So, I decided to take out the snacks I’d bought at the convenience store that morning from my bag.
“Want some?”
I offered her a chocolate snack shaped like bamboo shoots. It was the one that often sparks the great "bamboo shoot vs. mushroom" debate.
“What is this?”
“It’s a snack. Oh, wait, do you not like sweet things?”
“No. I do like sweet foods, but… I’ve never eaten something like this before.”
Her tone was a bit distant.
But it seemed she was curious. She had stopped looking at her book and leaned a little forward, staring intently at the snack I was holding.
That was unusual. She’s never eaten this before… now that I think about it, I’ve heard rumors that she lived abroad for a while, so maybe that’s why.
Regardless of the reason, I was now even more curious to have her try it. As a fan of sweets, I definitely wanted to recommend the bamboo shoot snack to her.
“Go ahead, if you’d like.”
“How do I eat it?”
Ah, I see.
She hadn’t taken the snack yet because she didn’t know how to eat it.
Rather than explaining it, it would probably be quicker to just show her. I lowered the box so it was at a better angle for her to see, then opened it.
I picked one out from the bag and gently offered it to her with my fingers.
She looked at it with a puzzled expression.
“Can I just eat it like this?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
I intended to let her know it was fine to take it without hesitation, but…
She took my words a bit differently.
“Then… I’ll eat it.”
Nom.
Her small mouth bit into the bamboo shoot-shaped chocolate.
And here was the problem.
(…That tickles.)
She was nibbling not just the snack, but my fingers along with it.
The soft sensation and the slight touch of her sharp teeth against my fingers sent a ticklish feeling through me.
Wait a minute. Could it be that when she asked, “Can I just eat it like this?” she meant, “Can I eat it directly from your fingers?”
Maybe she was so hungry that she couldn’t even wait to pick it up.
I was taken aback.
I meant to offer her the snack, but I never expected her to eat it this way.
“…It’s delicious.”
I was even more surprised.
Her expression, usually so still, softened into a gentle smile.
As if the chocolate was melting in her warmth, Hoshimiya-san seemed to melt into the sweetness of the snack.
She rarely ever smiled.
She usually maintained a neutral expression, almost like a doll, never showing much emotion. That made her beautiful in her own way, but it also gave off a cold, distant feeling, making it hard to approach her.
But now, it was different.
“It’s really delicious.”
She squinted her eyes, happily chewing, pressing her cheeks as she enjoyed the sweetness. I found myself captivated by her appearance.
There was no coldness, no sense of distance.
Right now, Hoshimiya-san seemed like a childish and adorable girl.
Her innocent side, something I had never seen before, made my heart flutter with a ticklish feeling.
“…Want more?”
“Yes!”
It was like a mother bird feeding its chicks.
Hoshimiya-san continued to gobble up the bamboo shoot snack from my hand.
It seemed that both hunger and the taste of the snack had captivated her, as she kept eating from my hand without stopping.
I would have preferred for her to eat it on her own, but…
“…Hehe.”
She looked so happy eating, I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt.
Each time she ate one, she pressed her cheeks with joy, savoring the sweetness, and I couldn’t help but remember something from a year ago.
Now that I think about it, when I helped Hoshimiya-san when she got lost, I had thought the same thing.
(She’s so cute.)
Her background, her talents, her looks—everything about her was so different from mine, from another world.
But now, seeing her like this, Hoshimiya-san seemed… surprisingly like an ordinary child.
And that made her even more adorable.
…This was the second time I had interacted with her.
The third interaction happened the following morning.
As I entered the classroom and headed toward my seat, I noticed Hoshimiya-san had spotted me.
“…Ah.”
Our eyes met, and she made a slight sound.
For a moment, I hesitated when she looked at me with her bright eyes.
Yesterday, I had given her the snack and left quickly. We hadn’t had much of a conversation, so our relationship was still shallow, not close enough to call us friends.
If I said nothing now, our relationship would likely return to zero.
Just like a year ago. A connection that had appeared by chance would disappear, and we would be strangers again.
––And that thought bothered me a little.
“Good morning, Hoshimiya-san.”
The hesitation lasted only for a moment. As the memory of regret from the past came to mind, I had already spoken the greeting.
Hoshimiya-san, looking relieved, gave a small nod.
“…Good morning.”
It was a simple exchange.
Yet, that one greeting acted as a wedge, preventing yesterday’s events from being erased from memory.
The fourth interaction happened that afternoon, after school.
As I was getting ready to go home, I felt someone’s gaze and looked to the side.
(Am I being stared at…?)
Sure enough, Hoshimiya-san was looking at me, her expression suggesting she wanted to say something.
“……”
But she stayed silent, not moving.
So I waited. Pretending I didn’t notice and leaving wasn’t an option. I had already reflected on my regrets from a year ago many times. I wasn’t going to repeat that mistake.
“Um, about the snacks from yesterday… thank you.”
Just like last time, she spoke to me after everyone else had left.
“No problem. Did you like the snack yesterday?”
“Of course. It felt like the concept of happiness had turned into a flavor.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“…Yes!”
I smiled lightly, and Hoshimiya-san nodded with a soft expression.
Perhaps she had become a bit more comfortable. The distance between us seemed to have lessened.
“Actually, I brought more today. Want some?”
I always kept snacks on hand.
Normally, I’d pick something based on my mood, but today, I had specifically chosen something I might give to Hoshimiya-san.
“Though, I feel bad for giving me more on consecutive days.”
She still seemed to have some reservations.
Hoshimiya-san lowered her gaze, a bit hesitant. I didn’t want to force it on her, so instead, I took out the snack and showed her the package.
“These are similar to the bamboo shoot snacks we had yesterday, but they’re mushroom-shaped.”
“Mushrooms, you say?”
Ah, as expected, she was intrigued.
Her gaze was fixed on the package. The allure of the sweet snack was enough to tempt her.
“It’s the same brand, but… what else is different apart from the shape?”
“The biggest difference is the dough. The bamboo shoots were made with cookie dough, but the mushrooms use cracker dough, so the texture is totally different.”
“That’s… interesting.”
“If you’re curious, want to try one?”
I opened the bag, pinched one between my fingers, and gently offered it to her.
“Isn’t it a bother?”
“No, I don’t think it’s a bother.”
The same words from a year ago slipped out of my mouth, and it wasn’t intentional.
Though it had been forgotten, I clearly remembered what happened that time. After saying those words, I realized they were the same as before.
Hoshimiya-san probably didn’t remember, though––or so I thought.
“…I like that phrase.”
Her reaction was a little different this time.
Hoshimiya-san gave a small, lighthearted chuckle, then took the mushroom-shaped snack from my fingers and ate it.
Just like yesterday, she ate it with my fingers still holding it.
It didn’t seem like she was particularly hungry, so perhaps she had simply gotten used to eating it this way.
Well, I didn’t mind. It was a little ticklish, but Hoshimiya-san looked so adorable while eating the snack that I could watch her for hours.
I continued offering her more snacks, watching her happily munch away.
“…It’s sweet. It tastes like happiness.”
Hoshimiya-san smiled.
It was a small smile, but once again, her smile… was so cute.
Giving her snacks had become a daily routine.
“Today, I brought a chocolate pie snack.”
“Thank you. This… the texture is really good.”
“The dough has sixty-four layers, apparently.”
“That’s why it’s so crispy.”
The next day.
“Today, I brought some biscuits with cute koala drawings on them.”
“Wow, really. Are they marching in a band? So cute.”
“They have chocolate inside, and they’re delicious. I hope you like them.”
“No need to worry… Your choice of snacks always shows good taste, Youhei-kun.”
A few days passed since I started talking with Hoshimiya-san.
“──Eh?”
“Youhei-kun.”
When she called me by my first name for the first time, I was so surprised that I just froze.
“Did something happen?”
“No, it’s just… I didn’t think you remembered my name.”
It may sound strange to say, but I’m a completely ordinary person with no distinct features.
I tend to be the type whose presence fades, so it’s hard for people to remember my name. Even classmates and my homeroom teacher rarely call me by name.
Moreover, when they do, it’s usually my last name, ‘Ozora,’ and only family members use my first name.
So, I was shocked enough to be left speechless.
“We’re classmates, after all.”
She remained calm, her response almost as if she couldn’t understand why I was so surprised.
“I remember it properly. Youhei-kun.”
She called my name again, her voice clear and soft.
It felt strange… Just being called by my name made me incredibly happy.
It felt as if my existence was being acknowledged, and I almost felt like floating.
“Thank you, Hoshimiya-san. I’m glad you remembered.”
“…I would never forget. Youhei-kun, you’re a bit strange.”
Taken aback by my words of gratitude, Hoshimiya-san shrugged and tilted her head.
She seemed to not understand why I was thanking her.
It was only natural for her to remember my name, she was probably thinking.
She showed this through her attitude, rather than words.
To her, it likely wasn’t a special thing.
So, without saying anything more, I offered her another snack.
“Sorry, sorry. Want some more snacks?”
“…I’ll have some.”
Nom.
Hoshimiya-san nodded happily and took the snack from my fingers, biting into it.
(So cute…!)
Oh no. I felt like my heart was even more captured than before.
Watching Hoshimiya-san munch on the snack, I thought she was even more adorable than usual.
…Little by little, the distance between us was closing.
For the first time, she had called me by my name.
Being called “kun” by someone younger than me felt a little embarrassing, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of being admired, and it made me really happy.
It seemed like Hoshimiya-san was becoming more comfortable too, as day by day, her reserve and formality faded.
Thanks to that, the small talk, which had once been nonexistent, gradually increased.
"By the way, how much do the snacks you bring, Youhei-kun, usually cost?"
That day, she was eating a tall, stick-shaped snack filled with chocolate all the way to the tip. As she nibbled on it like a squirrel, Hoshimiya-san asked me the question.
"Since they taste so good, they must be quite expensive, right?"
"Not really. They're usually between 100 to 300 yen."
"Really? You're joking, aren't you?"
"No, I'm serious."
"...For something this delicious, they only cost that much? Is Japan perhaps experiencing a serious deflation, making it impossible to maintain normal prices?"
As expected of the genius girl who skipped a grade. The fact that she understood the economic fluctuations tied to the economy at just eight years old was impressive. That's why it felt strange that she didn't know the price of snacks.
Could it be that this girl…
"Hoshimiya-san, do you know what a convenience store is?"
"Convenience store? Oh, you mean the abbreviation for convenience store. I've heard of it."
"...So you've just heard of it? But you've never been?"
"No, I've never been. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just wanted to let you know that the snacks I buy are always from a convenience store."
"Is that so... that's very interesting."
"Don't you usually go shopping?"
"No, the things I need are always provided for me by the maid."
I had a feeling. After hearing her explanation, I was certain.
Hoshimiya-san was the typical "naive young lady" type.
In that case, it would be easy to invite her.
"If you have the chance, would you like to go with me sometime?"
"...Is it okay?"
"Yeah. There are so many snacks, and I’d love to show you around the store."
"To show me around... thank you so much. I'm really looking forward to it."
Hoshimiya-san nodded with a happy expression.
It wasn't a polite, forced acceptance—it was a genuine response, and I couldn't help but feel relieved.
Honestly, I had been nervous when I invited her.
I'm glad she didn't turn me down.
At first, the time spent eating snacks was longer.
But gradually, the time spent talking increased.
"Hoshimiya-san, do you read books in English?"
This girl is full of mysteries. Every time we talk, more and more things intrigue me, and before I knew it, I was the one asking questions often.
"Yes. It's a good way to pass the time, and it helps me gain knowledge."
"You can actually understand the meaning... that's amazing."
I complimented her without thinking, genuinely impressed.
However... someone like Hoshimiya-san must be used to being praised, so perhaps my compliment would come across as trivial. Just like how telling a cute girl she's cute might make her wary, maybe she’d feel the same way.
For a moment, I became anxious.
"You're making me blush... being called amazing like that."
It turned out I was overthinking.
Hoshimiya-san wasn't jaded. She accepted compliments with innocence and sincerity.
"I have a good memory for things I've seen just once, so I might be good at learning languages. It's called 'instant memory.'”
"Just from seeing it once?"
"Yes. It’s really helpful with studying... though, it’s not always a good thing."
From what I heard, it was a very useful ability, but it seems there were downsides as well.
"I have a hard time with information-dense media. I’m especially bad with TV and the internet... If I watch them for too long, all the information starts flowing into my head and I begin to feel sick."
In today’s world, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t engage with media at all.
I thought that might be why Hoshimiya-san wasn’t very familiar with the outside world.
"I can use a computer or smartphone, but because of that, I mostly only use them to stay in touch with people."
She didn’t know about SNS, internet news, videos, or streaming—things that other kids her age would take for granted.
...I think I finally understood why she seemed different from everyone else.
Perhaps by blocking out all the malicious and false information, she was able to grow up with such purity.
"...I’m sorry. It’s a luxury to have such concerns, even though I’m so fortunate. I hope I didn’t sound pretentious."
Because I had been silent, Hoshimiya-san seemed to grow a little worried.
That’s impossible. I hadn’t been thinking anything negative, so I quickly reassured her.
"No, not at all. Actually, I think it’s kind of cool, like a character from a manga or anime."
"Cool? Um, well... if you keep praising me, I’ll get so happy that my face might get all squishy, so please go easy on me."
What should I do? The more I praised her, the more she became shy and awkward, which was incredibly cute.
"You’re really good at complimenting people, Youhei-kun. When we talk, it makes my heart feel so warm."
No, no, that’s my line.
Talking to Hoshimiya-san was truly peaceful and pleasant.
I also asked her this.
"Hoshimiya-san, why do you always stay after school?"
It had been one of the things I had wondered about. Even after school, she always stayed behind in the classroom. When I gave her snacks and left for home, she still hadn’t left. There was no doubt she had something to do.
I had hesitated about whether to ask, but since our friendship had deepened, I decided to ask her now.
"I’m waiting for my older sister. We always go home together."
She answered easily. It seemed I had been overthinking things; there wasn’t some deep or special reason after all.
"Your older sister... I think she's in the student council, right?"
"You know that well. My older sister is the vice president of the student council... she’s quite busy, so it seems she has a lot of work to do after school every day."
Her name was... Hoshimiya Hijiri, if I remember correctly?
She was a second-year high school student. Unlike Hoshimiya-san, who was only eight, her older sister was a real high school girl.
Even I, with my narrow social circle, knew of her. She was famous for being the most beautiful girl in the school.
I see, so she stays behind to wait for her sister.
"How long do you usually wait?"
"About two hours. Until around evening."
"That’s pretty late... Ah, I guess that’s why you get hungry."
I imagined a cute little stomach growl in my mind.
Hoshimiya-san seemed to remember it too, and she blushed, pressing her stomach tightly.
"W-w forget that, please."
"Sorry, sorry."
I hadn’t meant to tease her, but it was nice to see this cute side of her, so I decided to let it go.
"You’re so mean, Youhei-kun."
Hoshimiya-san puffed out her cheeks a little, looking a bit sulky.
Her crimson eyes were staring at me with a little reproach.
"...There’s another reason I stay after school."
"Huh? Really?"
"Yes... It’s because I can chat with you,. Youhei-kun."
That’s cheating.
"O-oh...!"
Now it was my turn to be flustered. I was so surprised that I ended up making a strange sound.
It seemed that this was enough to satisfy her.
"This is payback."
She grinned mischievously and stuck out her tongue.
I’d been caught. As expected of Hoshimiya-san, the genius girl. I couldn’t think of anything to say in response to her cute little revenge.
We had a lot of conversations like this.
Thanks to that, I was able to learn many things about the girl named Hoshimiya Hime.
Little by little, we took our time to get closer.
With each step, Hoshimiya-san also opened up her heart and became more familiar with me.
By late June, we could talk to each other naturally.
Our relationship was good, and the distance between us was steadily closing.
But because of that, it seems that she started feeling a bit unsatisfied.
One particular afternoon after school,
The weather was bad, and light rain was falling. Through the raindrops on the window, I could see the baseball club practicing on the field. I admired how the high school baseball players didn't care about the bad weather.
"Rain... I wonder when the rainy season will end."
"Usually, it ends around mid to late July. I hope it ends soon."
"Yeah, I agree, Hoshimiya-san."
"... "
It was during our usual casual chat while eating snacks.
"Um... why do you always call me 'Hoshimiya-san'?"
At a break in the conversation, Hoshimiya-san tilted her head and asked this.
"I’d be happier if you called me by my first name more casually."
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt the distance. She also felt some formality from me. That might be why it took some time for us to get closer... but I shouldn’t focus on that now.
For now, I should sincerely face this girl.
"Sorry. It wasn't intentional... How about Hime-san, then?"
"...Muu."
That was the first time I saw it. She puffed out her lips to show her dissatisfaction.
Her way of speaking and her calm demeanor often gave her a mature impression, but when we were alone like this, I could catch glimpses of her more childish side. I found it adorable, but at the same time, I felt guilty for making her upset.
I wanted to clear up her feelings as quickly as possible, but…
"Um, Hime-chan?"
"...Is it not okay if you call me by my name without honorifics?"
After her puffed-up lips, her cheeks puffed up too.
She looked like a pufferfish, and it was cute. I shouldn’t be feeling so fond of it. I needed to focus on apologizing.
"I've been wondering for a while. I might not be very cute, but since I’m younger, I thought it would be nice if you could be a little more casual with me..."
Not cute?
Her self-deprecating words were the last thing I thought about her.
I panicked.
I didn’t want her to misunderstand.
"You’re not lacking in cuteness, not at all!"
In fact, I was in a hurry.
Because of that, I ended up saying something I never intended to say.
"I think you’re so cute, I could want you as a little sister."
...What am I saying?
As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how embarrassing they were.
Hoshimiya-san... no, Hime. Right, Hime. I’ll call her Hime from now on. That’s settled. No, the way I address her isn’t important anymore. The embarrassment had already gone beyond that.
It was a feeling I wanted to keep hidden in my heart. How cute I thought of Hime, like a little sister... If I told her, she would probably be creeped out.
Ah, we had finally gotten closer, and now I’ve ruined it.
"──I’m happy."
Huh? What did you say?
"I’d be happy if you thought of me like a little sister... Hehe."
Was I hearing things? Was I imagining this?
Her cheeks were getting red, and she pressed her hands to them while mumbling something. She looked so happy that there was no mistaking it.
"If you were my older brother, I think that would be wonderful... We’d be the same, wouldn’t we?"
Wait, this wasn’t a hallucination or anything.
This was real.
She actually felt the same way.
I... I’m relieved.
At least our relationship wouldn’t be ruined after all.
First, I felt a sense of relief. Then, I became embarrassed.
U-um, what should I do in this situation?
I had thrown the seed, so I wanted to handle it myself... but unfortunately, Hime seemed too excited and there was no chance to stop her.
"If you want me as a little sister... Isn’t that almost like proposing?"
Well, I’m not sure if it’s exactly like a proposal...
Hime was getting carried away, so I had no chance to intervene.
"Hmmm. I see... Well then, let’s do this."
She thought for a moment, and as expected of the genius girl, she immediately came up with a way to make my ridiculous statement into reality.
"Please marry my older sister."
With that, Hime grabbed my hand tightly.
Her small fingers wrapped around mine.
Well, to be exact, her pinky was twined around mine.
She must be asking for a pinky promise. I squeezed her hand back, and Hime nodded happily.
"I may not be very good, but please take care of me... okay?"
She smiled the happiest smile I had ever seen.
I couldn’t say anything.
I could never make that smile fade.
Because I thought Hime was so cute, I wanted her to be my little sister.
Thus, I made a strange promise with Hime.
There were many things on my mind, but well, I decided to leave the difficult thoughts for later.
...Come to think of it, how many times had I interacted with Hime by now?
At some point, I stopped counting the number of times we had been together.
From now on, no matter what happens, I knew that the bond between Hime and me would never be erased.
I was so happy to have become this close to her.
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