...
Nighttime
Thanks to everyone's hard work, the voice acting performance began as scheduled.
Of course, not everyone was into voice acting. Yamamoto and the others had gone off to continue hunting for love.
Busujima's two besties also went off to find their next targets. Originally, they had wanted to drag Busujima and Kamishiro along, too.
But after facing the fists of justice, Kamishiro had clearly learned his lesson.
He had seen the truth—Azu-nee's side is the safest place.
He vowed to stay nestled in her arms forever!
As for Busujima?
With Kiyoko around, there was no way she could leave!
Same goes for Iori.
As much as he wanted to find love…
His "girlfriend" was already right here, after all.
(?????)
Out of all of them, the only one truly happy was probably Kouhei.
Because of his hard work earlier, the senpai organizing the event had saved him a prime seat.
And the one cheering the loudest in the front row…
Was none other than him.
"So disgusting…"
Iori sighed, still unable to comprehend the purpose of such an event.
"Well, I guess it's understandable. I mean, what would you do if it were a witch who could give you love?"
Bang!
"Lady Witch! Please let me be your dog!"
Iori instantly demonstrated his signature skill—dogeza . His speed was so fast that even Kamishiro Shiro thought it could qualify for a Guinness World Record...
"So, where is this Lady Witch now?"
Iori looked at Kamishiro with burning eyes, as if he was already seeing his future girlfriend.
"…I was just speaking hypothetically."
"You bastard! You lied again!"
"You idiot! You didn't even pass elementary school grammar, did you?! What the hell did you think I meant?!"
"..."
(???)
Chisa looked at the two of them with a gaze that had seen through all worldly matters. These two were so noisy.
And Iori... when was this guy going to just drop dead? Just thinking about how many people had asked her for his contact info today made Chisa want to hang him up and beat him!
"Green tea bitch!"
"Manly hag!"
"Green tea bitch!"
"Manly hag!"
"..."
It wasn't just Kamishiro and Iori bickering— Kiyoko and Busujima had started quarreling too.
The reason for their fight was absolutely baffling—something about how one of them glanced at the other a second longer in a crowd?
The absurdity of the argument made even Kanako and the others hesitate to help Kiyoko.
Besides... it didn't seem like there was any room for them to butt in anyway…
So Kanako and the others quietly chose to be spectators. Honestly, wasn't this even more entertaining than a voice actor performance?
Since they were standing at the back of the crowd, they weren't really bothering anyone.
However, the security at the entrance was seriously considering throwing them out!
(-ω-;)
Azusa stared at the chaotic scene around her, and for the first time, she felt like she was babysitting.
And not just one or two—a whole herd!
Had she known it'd be like this, she would've chosen a better spot!
"Enough!!"
She shouted, and her senpai aura immediately silenced the crowd.
Satisfied with the restored order, Azusa nodded. This was how it should be.
"Maya is about to go on stage. If you've got issues, settle them after the performance."
"Hmph, I'll let you off this time!"
"Manly hag!"
Hearing Azusa's words, Kiyoko and Busujima obediently huffed and quieted down.
The senpai aura really carried weight.
As for Kamishiro and Iori?
Even easier.
Azusa and Chisa each took one of them down, instantly ending that meaningless squabble.
Kamishiro, until the very end, still didn't spill the beans about Mori-sama. (??ω??)
The performance began. Kaya Mizuki walked gracefully onto the stage in an elegant gown.
Her radiant smile lit up the entire venue. "Good evening, everyone!"
"OOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!!"
A thunderous cheer erupted. Kaya Mizuki's appearance marked the perfect conclusion to this year's school festival.
As her beautiful singing filled the hall, everyone unconsciously became absorbed in the moment.
But when the spotlight swept across Natsuyo's charming face—
Kamishiro suddenly snapped out of his reverie.
It's her?!!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
.......................
(Meanwhile)
At the distant Kitahara Inn, a delicate black-haired girl in a kimono was slowly writing a letter with a calligraphy brush.
It was a letter she planned to send to her beloved older brother far away.
Next to the letter sat a little kimono-clad bunny plushie, hand-sewn by her.
"Dear Brother,
…
P.S. I tried using the leftover fabric to make this bunny. Please put it up in the shop as a decoration from Shiori. That would make me really happy~"
(The Next Day )
Iori had already received Shiori's letter and gift. At the moment, he was gently stroking the bunny plushie with a soft smile on his face.
"Iori-kun~ Have you finished writing your reply to Shiori?"
Nanaka leaned forward with her hands on the table, asking sweetly.
Not just Iori— Nanaka, Chisa, and Shiro had all received letters from Shiori.
"Ah… Actually, I'm thinking of not writing back this time."
Iori looked a little awkward. Writing letters wasn't really his thing anymore—it seemed like only his old-fashioned little sister still kept up that habit.
"Huh? Why not?"
"Well, there's that saying, 'No news is the best news.'"
Iori looked quite confident. He believed his family would understand what he meant.
"…If that's your logic, your family might start thinking your body's already floating in the sea somewhere."
Kamishiro put down his letter and said with a strange look.
Actually, not just Iori's family—his own family was the same.
They ran a tea house. While not necessarily old-fashioned, they weren't big on tech.
So they mostly communicated by letters.
Though… his parents could use smartphones. The last time he went a long while without replying, his dad called and asked if he was dead…
How heartwarming.
Well, it would've been warmer if that call hadn't come a whole month after no replies.
(???)
"Just how many years has it been since you last went home?"
Iori looked at Kamishiro in disbelief. He couldn't remember seeing the guy back in their hometown since high school started.
"Well… details, details. Young people are supposed to go out and explore the world."
Kamishiro dodged his gaze. If he went home, his dad would definitely force him to inherit the tea plantation.
No thanks!
(′｀;)?
Nanaka looked at the two of them with innocent eyes. From what she remembered, didn't they both come from loving families? Why did it feel like they were both running away from something?
Still, what mattered now was writing a reply to Shiori. They couldn't just let a little girl worry all by herself.
"In that case, I'll write a report about Iori's recent life."
" Nanaka-nee is writing it?"
"Yup. It's only natural to want to know how your beloved family is doing, right?"
Hearing that, Iori lowered his eyes and softened a little. "I see… a report on my current life, huh…"
Bang!
Iori slammed his head against the table. "At least go easy on that part!"
"Urahhh!!!"
"Let's drink!"
"Strip rock-paper-scissors!!!"
"..."
Behind him, a horde of wild beasts were celebrating wildly.
"But Chisa and Shiro already started writing…"
"You two stop writing right now!!!"
Iori exploded. Why were they so damn fast?!
"What is it?"
Chisa turned back, confused. It's not like it was anything to be ashamed of.
"I'll write about my life myself. You just write your own parts, okay?"
"Sure, I could… But Shiori did say in her letter: 'If my brother lies, please make sure to tell me.'"
Tch!!!
Iori instantly got annoyed. That little sister of his was still such a pain in the ass!
"I'm done!"
Just as Iori was still thinking about how to fudge it, Kamishiro cheerfully sealed up the letter he'd just finished writing.
Whoosh!
A shadow zipped past, and the letter Kamishiro had worked so hard on instantly turned to confetti.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Veins popped on Kamishiro's forehead. That letter had taken him forever to write—and it contained all of Iori's most embarrassing stories!
(▼皿▼＃)
"That's what I should be asking! You clearly did that on purpose!"
Iori had taken a peek at what Kamishiro had written before tearing it up.
How to describe it…
No matter who read it, they'd definitely think he was some huge pervert!
He was too embarrassed to even write down the facts, and yet this bastard had the nerve to embellish them!
Things like bathing in alcohol every day, going to class naked, trying to gather intel on the "Big Bird Spinning Club," or cross-dressing to lure male college students to bars...
How could this scumbag dare let his little sister read such things?!
"I was just being truthful! And besides, it was Shiori who asked for it."
"Truthful, my ass! Shiori's only in the third year of middle school! How could you even write her a letter like that?!"
Wait a second?!
Why was Shiori writing you a letter in the first place?!
It was only now that Iori realized—Shiori and this guy Kamishiro weren't supposed to have any contact!
After all, Kamishiro hadn't been home in years, and Iori certainly hadn't told Shiori that he and Kamishiro were hanging out!
(;?＿?)
"Uh... maybe my dad told Shiori…"
Seeing Kamishiro's evasive eyes, Iori immediately sensed something was off. His gaze shifted toward the letter on the table that Shiori had written to Kamishiro.
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
Kamishiro, now exposed, rushed to destroy the evidence. But powered by little sister energy, Iori burst out with immense strength and pinned him down on the spot.
Iori picked up the letter. Unlike his own, filled with formal greetings and well-wishes, this one simply had a few large characters:
"Absolutely not. Get lost!"
"..."
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy—except for the clueless beasts in the background who were still howling away.
RUN
Kamishiro, caught red-handed, didn't hesitate—he bolted toward the door. GB (the clubroom) was no longer safe for him!
SMACK!
Hell's voice came, delayed but unavoidable:
"Where do you think you're going, Kamishiro?!"
Iori grabbed Kamishiro by the shoulder with an iron grip. Just from those four short words, he seemed to have absorbed a lot of information.
His little sister and this scumbag Kamishiro had been in contact, and not just once or twice, by the looks of it.
And it was obvious Kamishiro must've said something to her last time they spoke.
Given that Kamishiro was a certified scumbag, Iori had already decided on the harshest punishment for him.
?╰ひ╯
"You bastard! Shiori's only in middle school!"
"Wait! Brother-in-law—I mean, Iori—this is just a misunderstanding!"
"Go to hell!!"
"Noooo!!!"
Thus died scumbag Kamishiro—slain for hitting on someone's little sister.
(?????)
"I'm telling you, I didn't mean it like that!"
Under intense interrogation, Kamishiro finally told the story of his "relationship" with Shiori.
Because they were childhood neighbors, Kamishiro always thought of Shiori as a little sister.
(Note: According to anonymous source "Iori," this is a lie.)
Even though he was studying out of town, staying in touch with his "sister" was totally normal, right?
As for why the usually gentle Shiori sent such a violently-worded letter—Kamishiro claimed it was all just a misunderstanding.
He only wanted her to help out at his family's teahouse. He was worried his dad might develop early-onset dementia...
After hearing the full story, Iori leaned forward on his elbows, half of his face shrouded in shadow.
(▼皿▼＃)
"How the hell could that be your real reason?!"
He knew his sister. She'd never say something like that unless she was furious!
(???)
Kamishiro could only sigh helplessly. There was no way to explain that the "Shiori" Iori imagined wasn't the real Shiori.
In fact, Kamishiro wasn't entirely wrong.
He and Shiori were indeed quite close—they used to hang out often.
Yeah, the kind of hangouts that didn't include Iori.
Because Kamishiro was so weird and had a maturity level wildly different from kids his age, Shiori always felt she could relax around him.
It showed in both her behavior and tone. With Kamishiro, Shiori was more herself.
After all…
She didn't have to fake being a good girl to trick him into inheriting the family inn!
So the Shiori seen through Kamishiro's eyes was different from Iori's version.
One was a "perfect little lady," the other a "girl longing for freedom."
As for the reason behind the letter?
It wasn't about her dad's mental health. Kamishiro just figured that if Shiori didn't want to inherit the inn, she could inherit the teahouse instead!
He even promised it'd be easier than running an inn!
And so... that letter was born.
Yep.
Kamishiro White brought this on himself!
"Well then, Iori-kun. Right now the important thing is writing your reply."
Fortunately, Nanaka-san believed his story and saved the pitiful Kamishiro.
Though, for some reason, Kamishiro noticed Nanaka-nee was gripping his arm with increasing pressure...
(╥_╥)
He couldn't feel it anymore.
Lacking hard evidence, Iori had no choice but to let Kamishiro go—for now. But he'd definitely be keeping an eye on him from now on!
That said, when Iori turned back to the blank sheet of paper in front of him, he suddenly felt like going back to yell at Kamishiro some more…
Why do I have to write this reply anyway?!
Glancing at Chisa, who looked way too eager to help, Iori had no choice but to pick up the pen and write:
"Dear little sister Shiori,
It's almost summer here too.
—Iori."
"..."
"That's... it?" Chisa asked after reading it over, confused. "That's just an intro!"
Thump!
Iori pounded his head in frustration—he had nothing else to write!
"How about starting with 'To begin with'?" Nanaka-san suggested helpfully, seeing Iori's struggle.
"Ah, I see!"
Iori nodded and wrote again.
"To begin with:
In the middle:
To conclude:"
Chisa didn't say a word this time. She just silently picked up the pen, ready to take over.
Grab!
"Give me one more chance!!"
Iori grabbed her hand desperately. If she wrote it, it was all over—he'd lose all dignity as her big brother!
"Maybe break it down into club activities, school life, and personal life?" Kamishiro, who had been idle for a while, chimed in. "Divide and conquer—it'll be easier to write!"
Iori's eyes lit up, though he still glared viciously at Kamishiro.
"Good idea! But don't think for a second that this means I forgive you!"
"..."
Kamishiro just shrugged. He figured now that Shiori had her eye on things, Iori's peaceful days were numbered anyway. Might as well let him enjoy them for now.
With a clear plan, Iori felt a surge of confidence and quickly filled up the page.
Club Activities:
I joined a diving club called PaB. Everyone here is very gentlemanly.
They've taught me how to express myself without shame.
Academics:
[Photo.jpg]
Personal Life:
[Photo.jpg]
I'm doing well here, so don't worry. Please also pass on my regards to Mom and Dad.
Also, Kamishiro is dead. You don't need to contact him ever again.
—Iori.
(ノ≧∇≦)ノ
After finishing the letter, Iori felt completely refreshed. Once you knew how to do it, it wasn't hard at all!
"Still, it's kind of nice writing letters in this day and age."
Looking at the completed letter, Nanaka-san smiled warmly. With smartphones and instant messaging everywhere, almost no one wrote letters anymore. Doing it the old-fashioned way felt... kinda romantic.
"Haha, it's not what you think," Iori waved his hand dismissively.
"Shiori... she's completely hopeless with electronics."
{{(°△°; "}}!
Those words startled Kamishiro Shiro, who was standing nearby. He looked at Iori with a horrified expression.
However, Iori didn't notice anything strange and continued talking with Nanaka and the others about Shiori.
"Not to mention PCs or phones, she probably doesn't even know how to use a rice cooker, hahaha."
The more Kamishiro Shiro listened, the more alarmed he became. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and the way he looked at Iori was like he was seeing a monster.
He had always known that Kitahara was a bit of a blockhead, but he didn't expect him to be this clueless!
He didn't even know what his own sister—who he saw every day—was good at!
That little Shiori… she was already fixing computers when she was ten years old!
Kamishiro Shiro vividly remembered all the insane tech stuff Shiori did at his house—she practically modified every single one of his electronics.
And now Kitahara was telling him she probably couldn't even use a rice cooker?
She could turn a rice cooker into a timed bomb if she wanted!
Moreover, knowing Shiori's personality—now that she had her sights set on Kitahara…
Kamishiro Shiro's eyes slowly shifted to the rabbit plushie that everyone had been ignoring.
In the rabbit's eyes, he clearly saw a red glint flash—like a warning.
!!!
He knew it!
There was no way Shiori just wrote a simple letter—giving this rabbit plushie was the real objective!
Kamishiro Shiro froze, debating whether or not to tell Kitahara. After all, the guy still owed him money—if he died so soon, what about his repayment?
"Kamishiro, Kamishiro!"
Iori's shout snapped Kamishiro Shiro back to reality, and what he saw were three puzzled faces.
"What's wrong with you?"
"You've been staring at the rabbit in a daze. Is there a problem?"
(;?＿?)
"No problem, it's just… it's so cute. I kinda want one too."
Kamishiro Shiro turned his head awkwardly, clearly trying to cover something up. After thinking for a moment, he decided—he couldn't tell them!
If he said anything, his life might really be in danger. He had to be subtle about this!
If Kitahara gave the plushie to him instead…
"Don't even think about it!"
"..."
Great. He was doomed.
Kamishiro Shiro looked at Iori—who had already stripped down and was walking toward a group of wild beasts—with a pitying expression.
Well… he chose this path himself.