It was 1 PM on Sunday, the day after the siblings were eating out.
*Ring*
The intercom of the house rang, and Haruto immediately stood up from the sofa.
“Oh? I wonder who that is.” (Haruto)
“You sure move quickly, onii-chan. It’s Suzuha-chan, so I’ll answer.” (Yuno)
“How do you know?” (Haruto)
“We were in touch with each other.” (Yuno)
“Ah, I see.” (Haruto)
Seated next to him, Yuno happily played with her phone while humming. The reason for her cheerful mood has now become clear.
“Well then, I’ll go welcome her.” (Yuno)
“Okay.” (Haruto)
(I’m sure Suzuha-chan would be happy if I told her Yuu had been waiting eagerly waiting for her.)
With such thoughts in mind, he stood up with newfound determination and slowly followed her sister’s back.
“Hey…” (Yuno)
“W-What is it?” (Haruto)
At that moment, Yuno stopped in her tracks and turned around.
“Don’t you ‘what is it?’ me, why is onii-chan coming along? I said I’d go welcome her myself.” (Yuno)
“Well, I just thought I’d take the opportunity to greet her too.” (Haruto)
(I don’t think I said anything particularly strange…)
However, dissatisfaction was evident all over Yuno’s face.
“Mouu… You don’t have to do it right now, right? Suzuha-chan probably expects me to be the one to come out. Are you trying to surprise her?” (Yuno)
“N-No, that’s not my intention…! Um, can you consider it, Yuu? Of course, I’ll stop if you think that Suzuha-chan wouldn’t like it, but I want to come with you if possible.” (Haruto)
Knowing that Suzuha was the person who had always supported Yuno, in areas where Haruto couldn’t, led him to feel a strange sense of obligation to greet her.
After all, he was like a parental figure to Yuno.
“D-Don’t make such a scary face. Besides, there’s no way Suzuha-chan would dislike it.” (Yuno)
“Haha… Suzuha-chan is kind, just like you.” (Haruto)
“Don’t include me in that and don’t praise us together! I’m not kind!” (Yuno)
“You’re saying that again. Even though I know you well enough.” (Haruto)
“I-it’s true! At school… I refer to you as ‘stupid brother (baka aniki)’!” (Yuno)
“Huh?… Wait, ‘stupid brother’!? Hold on, is that true!?” (Haruto)
Did he mishear? That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he quickly grasped the reality.
He didn’t know that he was being called that. It was the first time he heard it. His mind went completely blank.
“Also, kindness isn’t the only reason why she wouldn’t dislike it.” (Yuno)
“Wait, Yuu. More importantly, what’s with that ‘stupid brother’ thing…!? When did you start calling me that!?” (Haruto)
“Well, I’ll see if I can create an opportunity for you to greet her.” (Yuno)
“Ah… R-Right. Thanks for that.” (Haruto)
He asked, but the topic was dodged. From the way she was acting, it seemed like she had no intention of answering.
“Well then, come on. Instead of standing around here, head back to the living room and wait. We can’t keep Suzuha-chan waiting any longer.” (Yuno)
“Sure…” (Haruto)
Overwhelmed by shock, his legs lost strength, but Yuno pushed him back into the living room.
After about 15 minutes…
“Ah…” (Haruto)
Such a deflated voice escaped when the sounds of two footsteps passed through the corridor to Yuno’s room.
It seemed like the greeting would have to wait a bit longer.
…
Despite trying to maintain composure and endure the sadness of being called ‘Stupid Brother’, when he realized that he couldn’t greet Suzuha-chan, the dam holding back his emotions seemed to break.
“Aaahhh…” (Haruto)
An inaudible sound left his mouth as his body lost all its strength and he collapsed onto the sofa, lying there like a corpse.
His body slowly slipped onto the floor and…
*Thud*
He was hit with a dull pain, but the shock to his heart was nothing compared to the pain.
…
There was only one thing that crossed his empty mind.
He pulled out his smartphone from his pocket and, with trembling fingers, opened a certain app.
One with an icon of “X”1. On Twitto, he switched from the main account “Oni-chan the Toxic Streamer” to his sub-account, “Oni-chan the Second”.
This sub-account was set up so that only people who followed him could see his posts.
With 20,000 followers on this account, he quietly made a post.
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Question: Does my family hate me? Context: Apparently, when I’m not around, they call me ‘Stupid Brother’.]
With eyes that resembled those of a lifeless fish, he waited for incoming notifications. In just a few minutes, likes and comments started pouring in.
Twitto Post: [Are you okay, lol? Are you crying?]
Twitto Post: [Oof that sounds painful.]
Twitto Post: [Oh, things sound kinda serious over there.]
Twitto Post: [Oni-chan sounds devastated lol.]
Twitto Post: [You really love your little sister, huh.]
Twitto Post: [Cheer up, Oni-chan!!]
Twitto Post: [It’s cute that you think being called stupid equals being disliked lol.]
“What else could it mean other than being disliked… And they’re all ignoring the main question to begin with…” (Haruto)
No one answered the question.
While muttering to himself, he scrolled through the comments and finally found a follower who responded to his question.
Twitto Post: [To be honest, I don’t think you’re disliked! Oni-chan’s sister is pretty young, right? She’s probably just going through her rebellious phase, pretty normal stuff.]
“Rebellious phase…? Yuu?” (Haruto)
While it is true that she’s around that age, he couldn’t imagine her sister behaving like that based on their usual interactions.
However, whether it was because of this response or not, he started receiving numerous stories about rebellious phases.
Twitto Post: [My sister’s rebellious phase is way worse. She freaks out just from doing laundry together.]
“Eh?” (Haruto)
He was so shocked by the content that his voice slipped out unintentionally.
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [No way, right? That’s gotta be a lie.]
Another response:
Twitto Post: [My sister will always slip in a profanity every time I talk to her!]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Does that really happen?]
Another response came:
Twitto Post: [You guys are having it so easy. My sister ignores me, curses at me, and steals everything I buy.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [That’s probably because you’re being mean to her or something.]
Yet another response:
Twitto Post: [Ah, memories… Back then during my daughter’s rebellious phase, I was told by her that I stink lol.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Good job surviving that. If I ever get told that, I’ll come to you for advice.]
“H-Hearing everyone’s stories, I guess Yuu is on the gentler side… probably…” (Haruto)
Even so, being called ‘Stupid Brother’ by his beloved family was painful.
He had never been called that at home, and nothing was alluding to it. Because he wasn’t mentally prepared, the damage was quite severe.
“Haa…” (Haruto)
With a heavy heart, he remained lying on the floor, with Twitto still open. Then, another response arrived.
Twitto Post: [In my opinion, Oni-chan, you’re not disliked. She probably just doesn’t want people at school to find out that she’s close to her brother.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [You got my attention. Tell me more.]
This person seems to be a woman giving insight from her perspective.
Twitto Post: [Wow, I got a reply too! Hey, let’s ABEX together sometime.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [There’s no point in asking that. Come on, hurry up.]
Even at times like this, he still held on to his character.
The other person seemed to understand this and provided information straight.
Twitto Post: [Well, it can’t be helped. I don’t know your sister’s age, but if she’s in high school, everyone’s going through their rebellious phase. If word gets out that she’s close to her brother, people might tease her, calling her a brocon or something. She might end up standing out in school because of this.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [That’s true.]
Twitto Post: [In other words, what she says might not be what she thinks. It’s most likely just a cover-up. Anyways, isn’t it nice that she doesn’t actually hate you? Keep it up.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [I see. I get it now. Thanks.]
Certainly, there was a possibility that she was conscious of how others perceived her… With that thought, he pressed the like button on the message.
He felt a little relieved.
Recovering a bit from his fish-like gaze, Haruto continued to check his notifications. Just as he did, a new response caught his eye, and he promptly replied.
Twitto Post: [Hey, Oni-chan. I have three sisters, and they complain a lot, but every time they do, I’m thrilled!]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [What do you mean, thrilled? If you say something weird, I’ll block you.]
Twitto Post: [It’s not like that! I’m thrilled about their growth! Entering the rebellious phase means there are only a few years left before they become independent, right? There’s no time to be shocked, right?]
“!” (Haruto)
It was something he hadn’t considered, but it made sense once he thought about it.
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Thanks. Indeed, I don’t have time to be shocked.]
Twitto Post: [Yeah. Also, even if she dislikes you now, she’ll probably be grateful when she becomes an adult. Maybe.]
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Maybe, huh? Well, thanks for the tip.]
It was a message deserving of a hundred likes, but he maintained his character and responded coldly.
(Not that I take pleasure in others’ misfortune, but hearing people complain about their sister makes me feel a bit better…)
He chuckled as if the wound in his heart had healed.
While some people were teasing him, he felt that making this post was a good decision.
“Well then…” (Haruto)
He couldn’t dwell on it any longer.
As he was about to turn off his smartphone and try to lift his body from the floor, he was called out from behind.
“Um, excuse me… Haruto onii-san?” (?)
“!?” (Haruto)
It was a familiar voice.
With surprised eyes, he turned his head and there she was.
Lacy socks, a short skirt, and black pant—
“S-Suzuha-chan!?” (Haruto)
Even without seeing her face, it was clear who it was. He quickly stood up like a ninja, trying to hide the fact that he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
(D-Dangerous. Why did she approach me when I was lying down? No, more importantly…)
Cold sweat wouldn’t stop pouring. Despite his tense expression, he opened his mouth.
“Ah, um, Suzuha-chan… It’s been a while, huh?” (Haruto)
*Nod nod*
While nodding like a squirrel, Suzuha responded.
“I-It’s been a while. Um, you were lying on the floor just now… Are you okay…?” (Suzuha)
“Ah, y-yeah. I’m fine, totally fine! A-And, I didn’t see anything, okay?” (Haruto)
“Didn’t see anything?” (Suzuha)
“Ah, don’t worry about it! I was just lost in thought for a moment…” (Haruto)
“I-I see.” (Suzuha)
There was no way he could tell her he accidentally saw her underwear.
It might be rude, but if she hadn’t noticed, it was better not to say anything… Otherwise, things would have become awkward.
That was the conclusion he reached.
“Ah! Thanks for coming all the way to greet me, Suzuha-chan. You haven’t been to the cafe recently, so I wanted to say hello.” (Haruto)
“Well, um… that’s because it was the exam period. It’s not that I was purposely avoiding Haruto onii-san…” (Suzuha)
“Oh, I see. Wait, it’s the exam period!? Yuu didn’t tell me anything… probably because she thinks I’ll start doing housework for her…” (Haruto)
“Hehe, that sounds just like Yuno-chan.” (Suzuha)
“It would be nice if she relied on her big brother a bit more, don’t you think?” (Haruto)
“If things get too hard, I believe that she’ll genuinely ask for help.” (Suzuha)
“I’ll choose to believe that.” (Haruto)
Suzuha narrowed her beautiful jewel-like eyes at those words.
Though captivated by the smile on her well-featured face, Haruto shook his head to regain composure. She was his sister’s friend; he shouldn’t look at her with weird eyes.
Haruto utilized the conversational skills he gained from streaming to lead the conversation.
“Right, right! Suzuha-chan, how did your exams go?” (Haruto)
“Um, well, I think I’ll manage to stay within the top 10 in my grade.” (Suzuha)
“Wow! That’s great! That’s really amazing, Suzuha-chan!” (Haruto)
“T-Thank you… Just hearing you say that makes me happy…” (Suzuha)
“Keep up the good work. If you ever have any problems, feel free to look for me anytime. Though I’m not going to be much help when it comes to studying, haha.” (Haruto)
“I-It’s okay… If the time ever comes, I’ll appreciate your help…” (Suzuha)
After shaking her head left and right, Suzuha bowed politely.
(You don’t have to be that formal…)
He had that thought multiple times before, but this had always been a part of Suzuha’s personality since a long time ago.
“By the way, Suzuha-chan, you’ve become even more beautiful in the short time I haven’t seen you. I was surprised when our eyes met.” (Haruto)
“Huh!?” (Suzuha)
“Just between the two of us, you’ve got a boyfriend now, right?” (Haruto)
“N-N-N-No, that’s not true…!” (Suzuha)
He couldn’t help but laugh at her vigorous denial, making an “X” sign with both hands and vigorously shaking her head.
Yuno and Suzuha had been friends since elementary school. For Haruto, who had seen them grow together, Suzuha was like another younger sister to him.
“Is that so?” (Haruto)
“It’s true…” (Suzuha)
“Oh, really…? Well, I know a lot of good things about Suzuha-chan, so it wouldn’t be weird for you to have a boyfriend.” (Haruto)
“You always tease me like that, Haruto onii-san…” (Suzuha)
“I didn’t mean to tease you! I really mean it.” (Haruto)
“If Haruto onii-san wants to put it that way… then, do you have a girlfriend?” (Suzuha)
“Huh, me?” (Haruto)
“Yes. I also know a lot of wonderful things about Haruto Onii-san…” (Suzuha)
She brought her fingertips together and blushed slightly as she conveyed her thoughts. Haruto couldn’t help but swallow a breath at her cute girlish gesture.
“Thank you for saying that. But unfortunately, that’s not the case.” (Haruto)
“I-I see… Well, then… I’m glad.” (Suzuha)
“Eh? You’re glad?” (Haruto)
“Eek! Um, well, what I meant just now was…” (Suzuha)
Suzuha spoke in a transparent voice.
Even with her small voice, it was easy to understand. Watching her flustered state, Haruto put his thoughts together and could deduce the meaning behind those words.
“…Ah! I see, that makes sense. If I were to get a girlfriend, it would mean less time to spend with Yuu, and she’s still in high school, so that wouldn’t be good.” (Haruto)
“Eh, well…” (Suzuha)
“Really, I’m glad that Suzuha-chan is Yuu’s best friend. Please continue taking care of my sister from now on too.” (Haruto)
“Um… o-of course.” (Suzuha)
(There’s something a bit strange about her reaction…)2
He hadn’t said anything strange. It must be his imagination.
“Well then, I shouldn’t take up any more of your time since it’s your special day with Yuno. I hope you have a lot of fun today.” (Haruto)
“T-thank you… Well then, Haruto onii-san, I’ll take my leave.” (Suzuha)
“Sure. Take your time.” (Haruto)
Honestly, he wanted to talk more, but he didn’t want to bore Yuno so he waved goodbye.
“Ah, sorry. I forgot to mention one thing.” (Suzuha)
“Hmm? Forgot something?” (Haruto)
“Yes. It seems Yuno-chan sent a message to Haruto onii-san and she wants you to check it.” (Suzuha)
“I see. Thanks for letting me know.” (Haruto)
“N-No problem.” (Suzuha)
He saw her off to the corridor and when she entered Yuno’s room, he immediately checked his phone for the message.
“(Onii-chan, I’m sorry. I might have said too much earlier. You might not believe me, but I’ve never once thought badly of you. Thank you for always doing your best for my sake.)” (Yuno)
“Huh…” (Haruto)
—An unexpected apology.
Though not said in person, the sincerity behind the words was clear. Following what he heard from Twitto, it seemed that this was indeed part of going through a rebellious phase.
“So that’s how it is, huh? I see, I see.” (Haruto)
The more he read the message, the more a sense of joy welled up within him.
He wasn’t disliked after all. At this moment, Haruto felt as if he could soar through the sky.
“Hehehe. I guess I’ll give my all in video editing today!” (Haruto)
For Haruto, there was nothing more joyful than being able to spend an ordinary day with his beloved family.
“Alright, let’s get back to work!” (Haruto)
Haruto joyfully scattered musical notes around as he moved to his gaming room.
Twitto Post (Oni-chan): [Ha! As it turns out, she doesn’t hate me at all!! Take that, those who teased me!!]
Later, the sunny Haruto posted the details of his overwhelming happiness on his ‘The Second Oni-chan’ account/
“Oh! But before that, there’s something I need to do…” (Haruto)
And then, he remembered.
In preparation for this moment, he hurriedly arranged the snacks he had bought and delivered them to Yuno’s room.
Illustration of Suzuha
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
The fact that MC thinks that all siblings get along as well as they do. I don’t have siblings so I wouldn’t know, but I only ever heard people around me complain about their siblings and how they preferred to be an only child. It’s kinda funny, cause as an only child, I prefer to have siblings since it’s kinda lonely as an only child. I guess it’s one of those ‘you won’t know unless you’ve been through it’ things.
I know that I put ‘idiot big brother’ last time, but I should have probably used ‘stupid brother’ instead since it sounds more natural when you say it.
This was pretty difficult to translate and quite long so I may have made mistakes somewhere.
Thanks for the chapter!
“Hey…” (Haruto)
“W-What is it?” (Yuno)
I think you mixed the name here
Haruto, you are pretty clueless about family relation, huh? There’s no way Yuno who you supported all the time would hate you LOL, never give up, Haruto!
I can say that having a sibling or more is not bad. Though sometimes I hope I am the only child, it is such a minuscule feeling compared to how glad I am to have siblings. And yes, girls having rebellious phase is true xD