I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

How come my Yukino is so brave? Where did that aloof and pure-hearted snow queen go...?

Although she didn't dislike her at all, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but sigh.

Where to go next?

After watching her figure disappear into the distance, the brother and sister began to discuss their next plans.

Naturally, the purpose of participating in the cultural festival is to experience various stalls, so the only problem is where to start. Kasugano Sora doesn't really want to go anywhere. Anyway, there will be crowds no matter where you go, so she just wanders around and goes into any stalls that interest her.

Yuu Tenkuji does indeed have several places she plans to visit.

The first place is the fortune-telling shop in Class 3-A. He wants to confirm whether the "bait" was thrown by Kasumigaoka Utaha; if so, what is her purpose?

The second one is the game club. Yuki Koichiro mentioned in a previous chat that he borrowed a few virtual reality headsets from his junior to set up a booth. He heard that they were going to hold some kind of "World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament"... Although it was just a casual mention and he didn't ask me to help check it out, as a "closed beta player", Tenkuji Yu decided to go and take a look on his way and join in the fun with his sister.

The third class is Iroha Isshiki and Kanade Tachibana's class; it's just to support the cute junior girls. Since it's a coffee shop, it's a good place for Sora to rest when she gets tired.

"The fortune-telling shop is on the third floor, the game club is in the club building, the first-year classrooms are on the first floor... We're on the second floor now, and no matter where we start, we can't possibly explore it all."

With the campus map appearing in her mind, Tenkuji Yu frowned in distress.

"Let's start from here then, it doesn't matter if we walk a little further." Lazily hugging his arm, hanging on it like a koala, Kasugano Sora squinted at the lively scene at the other end of the corridor.

"Anyway, my health has improved a lot, so I should be able to run a marathon or give birth without any problems... although I don't like running."

Yuu Tenkuji pretended not to hear her last sentence and excitedly raised his hand, shouting, "Okay, let's go! Sora's first cultural festival experience, Let's Go—!"

Kasugano Sora followed suit, raising her arm and declaring, "Let's go on my first school date with Yuu!"

But the two of them had only taken one step.

"Ah, just in time!"

Yui Yuigahama stopped them with her voice and walked quickly over, followed by a young and beautiful woman with a gentle demeanor, a peaceful and composed smile on her face, and a strong sense of being a wife.

"Xiao You, Xiao Qiong... Oh, where's Xiao Xue?"

"She went to the executive committee and won't be back for a while."

Yuu patted the head of Sora, who quickly hid behind her when a stranger appeared, and nodded to Mrs. Yuihama with a gentle yet polite smile.

"Madam, welcome to Soubu High School's cultural festival. We hope you have a pleasant day here."

"Isn't this too official?!" Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but complain.

"Yes, yes, if I were treated so coldly, I would cry, you know?" Mrs. Yuihama put her finger to the corner of her eye, pretended to cry and sobbed twice, her eyes watery and pitiful as she looked at Yuu Tenkuji.

"At least, at least... at least call me 'Mom'!"

"That's way too intimate!" After criticizing two of the most important people in her life, Yui Yuigahama suddenly felt exhausted.

Tenkuji Yu's lips twitched slightly, and she chuckled twice: "Then I'll call her Auntie."

Mrs. Yuihama frowned and said seriously, "Then let's compromise. Call me 'older sister'."

Yuu Tenkuji shrugged: "I don't mind. After all, you look very young, and at first glance you do look a lot like Yui's older sister... But this is putting Yui in a difficult position, isn't it?"

Yui Yuigahama, realizing what was happening, quickly stepped between her mother and boyfriend, angrily saying, "That's right! What kind of boyfriend calls his mother 'sister'?! It's completely messing up the family hierarchy!"

"Well, that makes sense..." Mrs. Yui sighed, lowering her eyes as if giving up, and said with a hint of resentment, "Alright then, just don't call me an old woman, call me whatever you want."

"understood."

Yuu Tenkuji breathed a sigh of relief—it was really hard to maintain a sense of distance when talking to an elder with such a childlike heart, and she had to be careful not to let her control the pace of the conversation.

After all, these kinds of people love to see young people's shy reactions after being teased.

"Mrs. Nayuhama, are you going to join us next?"

"If you don't mind, could you please show this old auntie around the school?"

After regaining her composure, Mrs. Yuihama smiled gently and looked at the silver-haired girl behind Yuu Tenkuji.

"Is this child your sister?"

"Yes, her name is Qiong."

Knowing that Kasugano Sora was shy, Tenkuji Yu gave a brief introduction and didn't force her to come out and greet him.

With her hands on her knees, Mrs. Yuihama leaned down, meeting Kasugano Sora's gaze at her with a kind smile: "Your hair is so beautiful, it's like you're a doll!"

"..."

Kasugano Sora reflexively lowered her head, looking at her shoes and shadow, and fell silent for a long time.

...I don't know how long it has been since I spoke to any adult other than doctors and nurses.

Although she wanted to ignore the other person's goodwill and use her brother as a shield to avoid contact with strangers, Kasugano Sora suddenly remembered what happened that morning just before she was about to take a step back.

She couldn't stay hidden under Yu's protective umbrella forever, peacefully living the life of a dried-up girl who belonged only to him.

Whether it's shyness, fear of the outside world, or fear that his brother will leave him like the other family members—if he's always so cowardly and incompetent, who will be his support when he falls?

Dango? Yukinoshita? Or those other random ex-girlfriends?

...No, I'm all alone now.

Her trembling heart slowly hardened, Kasugano Sora gripped the hem of Tenkuji Yu's clothes tightly, then slowly released it, and stepped out from behind him.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her chest and stubbornly raised her head.

Her calves were twitching slightly, but she seemed oblivious, slowly turning her gaze straight at the figure in front of her, trying to make out her eyes.

It's like making a decision to start facing the things you've been avoiding all along.

Kasugano Sora has never forgotten that feeling.

Since losing both parents at the age of twelve, he has been the one to shelter her from the wind and rain, sacrificing his own youth and giving her this part of his life without complaint or regret.

Yuu Tenkuji did everything an older brother should do—strong, confident, steady, gentle, and strict; he was never defeated by difficulties and was almost omnipotent.

Like the sun that has never set, the eternal night was completely dispelled by his light before it could even envelop the area.

Every time she came home from work, she could always see a happy and satisfied smile on his face—that had almost become the meaning of her existence, the reason she continued to live after losing all her family members.

and so……

Because of him standing in front of her, Kasugano Sora can now stand calmly under the sun.

Because of his support, Kasugano Sora can now stand among the crowd as if nothing happened.

Now, it's her turn.

"Thank you for the compliment... I, I am Kasugano Sora, Yuu Tenkuji's younger sister!"

Standing in front of Yuu Tenkuji, Kasugano Sora tried her best to maintain a calm expression and suddenly bowed her head.

He seemed to have used too much force; his silver hair was scattered across his face, making him look somewhat flustered.

She gripped the hem of her skirt above her knees, relieved she hadn't bitten her tongue, then slowly straightened up, straining to maintain her composure, and spoke stiffly as if reading from a prepared script:

"Although I don't know if Yuu will really marry Yui-nee in the future, I will still need your guidance in the future, Mrs. Yuihama."

After saying that, Kasugano Sora slowly exhaled and secretly clenched her sweaty palms.

My heart was pounding, and my breathing was rapid and suffocating, but it calmed down at an astonishing speed; then, something called courage and confidence began to surge up.

She couldn't help but smile, and as she tidied her disheveled hair, she whispered something in a voice no one could hear:

"...It was done."

This is the first step, the first step we've officially taken into the outside world.

Although it is a very small and insignificant step, it is one that anyone could do.

But from that moment on, the useless little sister who refused to leave home and always hid under the covers waiting for her brother to come home had completely disappeared from this world.

Because she decided to become the strength of Tenkuji Yu.

Because she decided to become a pillar that her brother could rely on at any time.

She wants to step out of the house now and stand by his side to face all the difficulties with him, instead of waiting until he is battered and bruised before offering him useless words of comfort and concern.

She will prove it, with all the time that follows.

Kasugano Sora is definitely not a burden to Tenkuji Yu!

……

"Hmm? Xiaoyou, were you crying?"

"What crying? I didn't cry! It's just that the sweat of my heart couldn't help but well up."

"What an old-fashioned excuse from the Showa era..."

"Yu is still the same; she always gets moved by inexplicable things..."

"Although I don't know what happened, I can definitely feel the deep bond between you siblings." With a gentle gaze on the two people in front of her, Mrs. Yuihama suddenly reached out and gently touched the top of Sora's head.

Although somewhat apprehensive, they were not rejected.

Resisting the urge to hug and cuddle the silver-haired girl, she withdrew her hands and sighed, "What to do, I suddenly really want to have a second child..."

Yui Yuigahama narrowed her eyes speechlessly: "Mom, I'm seventeen years old and you're only saying this now..."

"Just kidding, your dad might not even have that kind of energy." The lady waved her hand casually, her palm supporting her smooth cheek, her eyes taking in Kasugano Sora, who was naturally clinging to Tenkuji Yu's arm.

"Sora-chan, is it okay for you to call me that?"

"Yes, it's okay."

Her calm response made Tenkuji Yu look up at the sky, as if he wanted to announce to the whole world that his sister had completely grown up.

Fortunately, I managed to hold back.

"Well, Sora-chan, I need to discuss something with you." Mrs. Yuihama put on a very serious expression, her eyes shining brightly.

"If Yui and Yui get married someday, can you call me Mom?"

“Uh…” Kasugano Sora immediately showed a subtle expression.

She had initially intended to refuse outright, but after glancing at Yuuto Tenkuji and then at Yui Yuigahama, whose face was flushed with embarrassment, she hesitated for a long time before finally turning her face away and mumbling indistinctly:

"I'll think about it and we'll talk about it later..."

"Of course, I won't force you." Mrs. Yui smiled contentedly, then turned to her daughter, her expression instantly changing. "Then what are you two dawdling about? Hurry up and decide on a wedding date! I'll pay for it! Do you expect me to bring the marriage registry office right in front of you?!"

"So, Mom, you're in such a hurry!!! Seriously!" Yui Yuigahama shouted, unable to bear it any longer. Her cheeks puffed out and turned red. She quickly walked to Yuu Tenkuji's side and forcefully pulled his other hand.