I (30), Who Works for a Black Company and Died While Regretting My Gloomy Life, Started Over From High School! - Chapter 68

68. Change of clothes

I am Haruka Shijouin.

Now I was incredibly surprised to find out that I had been given a bath in a stranger’s house, with a fact coming to light I never would have imagined.

“So, then, …… are you Niihama’s sister, ……?”

The situation was a little too difficult to grasp, and after explaining what we knew to each other in turn, we were finally able to understand this amazing coincidence.

“Yes! I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Kanako Niihama! You’ve always been a great help to my brother!”

Kanako-chan, who is facing me in the bathtub, gives me a mischievous smile and a small bow.　

“Niihama’s… sister…”

I had heard that he had one younger sister, but I didn’t know she was so cute. Her vibrant smile was so adorable that I wanted to hug her.

“But I didn’t expect that Shijouin-san was also there when I went shopping with my brother yesterday. Well, everyone gathers in the city on holidays, so I guess that’s normal.”

“Ah, yes… I only saw it for a moment at that time, and I didn’t realize it until just now when I saw your hairstyle was also twin-tailed.”

As I said this, I was amazed at the transformation that this fact had brought to my mind.

(She’s his sister. That thing yesterday was just a brother and sister out together.)

Knowing this, I found myself feeling surprisingly light in my chest.

Something that had been settled in the depths of my mind since yesterday had disappeared cleanly.

(Oh …… now I’m very relieved ……)

As if a thorn had been removed from my chest, a sense of relief filled me.

That heavy, painful feeling had cleared up like a clear, cloudless day.

(Even so, it’s a shallow possessiveness of me to be so relieved to know that Niihama-kun didn’t have a friend closer than me. …Huh?)

Suddenly, I felt something strange.

If my feelings were a possessive desire stemming from my lack of friends, then I would feel the same way even if Mai and Mizuki were close to other girls besides me – but my mind was not particularly disturbed by the thought.

(…? I don’t understand…?Even if I’m right about it being just possessiveness, it’s a little different from the fear of having your friends taken away, isn’t it…?)

“Hey, what’s wrong, Shijouin-san? Have you lost consciousness ?”

“Oh, no, I haven’t introduced myself yet either. I’m Haruka Shijouin. I’m indebted to your brother as well.”

I was so lost in thought that I hurriedly introduced myself and bowed lightly in the bathtub.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you! I thought you were a beautiful woman, but I didn’t realize you were the Shijouin-san I’d heard so much about! I’ve been hoping to meet you someday!”

“What do you mean by rumors… did Niihama-kun talk so much about me?”

“That’s right! Your father almost banned you from reading light novels because your grades were so low!”

“Wha?!”

What, Niihama-kun?! What are you talking to your sister about?

I’ve never met Kanako-chan before, but from the very beginning my dignity as a big sister is ruined…!　

“But basically, I’ve always gotten compliments about you.”

“Yeah?”

“He always says you’re a really nice girl. I’ve heard so many things about you that I have calluses in my ears, like how happy he was to study with you and how much fun he had going around the festival with you.”

“Eh, what…?”

I never imagined that Niihama-kun would be talking about me so much at home. I felt a mixture of embarrassment and happiness, and my cheeks grew hot.

“The specs I was told about you as a girl were so great that I still slightly doubted her existence even after seeing a photo of you… And you really are a beautiful person inside, making a long-distance dash for me, a stranger, in the pouring rain.”

“Oh, God. Please don’t make fun of me. It’s nothing to deliver a dropped wallet.”

It’s really not a big deal, but Kanako-chan seemed a little surprised from me saying “It’s nothing.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t believe Niihama-kun has such a cute sister. I’m an only child, so I don’t know what it’s like to have a sister. …I know it’s very rude, but… can I pat your head a little…?”

The petite and very energetic Kanako was so cute, like a mischievous kitten, that I couldn’t help but want to stroke her little head.

“Yeah, I’m totally cool with that! Think of me as your sister and love me to the fullest-?!”

With her permission, I touched Kanako’s hair and stroked it quietly.

Just like when I do that to a small animal, the mere act gives me an alluring sense of happiness.

“I knew you had beautiful hair, Kanako.”

“No, no, no, wait a minute…! This is more dangerous than I thought! While soaking in the same hot water with a beautiful girl who looks like a princess slowly caressing my head …Hhh, my brain is melting…!”

Just as I lose track of time when I’m playing with cats or dogs, I was so happy at this moment that I was absorbed in stroking Kanako’s head and I didn’t notice right away that Kanako was saying something in a disturbed voice, or that her face was getting redder and redder.

“This is the power of a beautiful lady… Kyu…”

“…Wha?! K-Kanako-chan?! What’s wrong? Why are you so red? Did you take too long of a bath?!”

Kanako-chan, who had become like a boiled octopus, was about to sink into the hot water, so I rushed in to help her.

“I’m sorry about earlier, I was having so much fun patting Kanako-chan that I got carried away…”

Wrapped in a bath towel, I bowed my head to Kanako-chan.

Having warmed up more than enough, we climbed out of the bath and were now standing in the changing room (and washroom).

Kanako-chan recovered quickly after the bath, but it was really pathetic that I didn’t notice her condition right away, being in complete exhaustion despite acting as the big sister.

“Oh, no, it wasn’t the hot water that caused me to flush. …Oh well. I’ll leave a change of clothes here for you. Excuse me…”

Kanako-chan, who had changed into a t-shirt and shorts a step ahead of me, put the change of clothes she had brought me into the basket.

I had my underwear dried in the dryer while I was taking a bath, but I couldn’t do that with my fragile jackets and skirts, so I had to take advantage of her kindness.

“I’ll be making tea then, so come to the living room when you’re done changing!”

After saying that, Kanako disappeared across the corridor.

(……Hmm? If Kanako-chan is Niihama-kun’s younger sister, then… this is Niihama-kun’s house, isn’t it?)

I could see my reflection in the bathroom mirror turning red as I realized this very obvious fact at a time that was really too late.

(I mean, I got naked at Niihama’s house and took a bath… Ah, ah, ah…)

I soaked myself naked in the bathtub in the same bathroom that Niihama-kun usually used.

I was very embarrassed by that fact.

(There doesn’t seem to be anyone else in the house right now except Kanako-chan… and anyway, let’s get dressed quickly…!)

I put on my dry underwear and sleeved the large shirt that was given to me as a change of clothes.

It was a little tight in the chest, but not so tight that it was painful.

“Is that…?”

As I buttoned up the sleeves of my shirt, I saw a note in the basket.

There was something written in round letters that seemed to be in Kanako-chan’s handwriting.

“I’m going to give you my brother’s shirt to wear because your breasts are too big for mine and my mom’s are too tight.”

“Wha-?!”

(This is… Niihama’s shirt?)

As soon as I realized this, I felt my face flush again.

It was nothing compared to what I had seen earlier.

Just the thought of the shirt that Niihama-kun usually wears in his sleeves is now wrapped around my entire body, and my emotions are so hot and turbulent that I can’t stay calm.

(Oh, but it’s definitely not like a girl’s shirt… It smells like a boy…)

My hands stopped as I was wearing a shirt open in the front over my underwear, just shorts and bra.

I’m wearing Niihama-kun’s shirt, and I’m in his smell.

When I think of that, my thoughts overflow with heat and I can’t think of anything else.

Yes, so I’m sure- the behavior that followed was also because it was unusual.

(Same as when we huddled together in the planetarium at the school festival: I can definitely smell Niihama-kun’s scent…)

The action was unconscious.

It was really, really unconscious.

But the fact was that I had taken my arm through the sleeve of Niihama-kun’s shirt and brought it up to my mouth.

I could smell him through my nostrils.

[ED: I’ve officially graduated from university! I’ll edit these chapters as Helena sends them to me, so look forward to it! Ah, to have some time to myself again…]

[TN: Uhh, so the ED was having some kind of problem during the time this chapter was released. So…]