I Promised to Make the Class Honor Student My 'Little Sister'. It Seems She Wants to Be Spoiled a Lot - Volume 1 Chapter 12.1

Me, Putting My Body on the Line for My “Sister,” Facing Reality

“…*cough*, *cough*”

With a hazy consciousness, I went downstairs and took a bottle from the fridge.

Ah… my throat hurts.

And kinda, my joints are aching subtly too.

“Feels like my fever has gotten worse since the morning… I’ve gotta get back to my room before Ao comes home…”

“Sneaking around, aren’t you, Takato-senpai?”

“Whoa! …*cough*, *cough*!”

When I turned around, there was Kizuna-chan, who had apparently come home at some point… Surprised, I ended up coughing.

Watching me, Kizuna-chan lazily scratched her hair.

“Come on. Let’s go upstairs. Gimme the bottle, I’ll hold it.”

Yesterday… when Ao’s pass case was about to fall into the river.

I had jumped without thinking, to save the pass case.

And then, I fell into the river. People nearby had to rescue me.

Waking up this morning, my throat felt weird… so I decided to play it safe and skip school.

But by late afternoon, this happened.

“Here you go, Ryu-chan. Time for bed.”

Kizuna-chan, having half-forced her way into my room, made me lie down in bed, smirking triumphantly.

“The foolish *brother* has fallen sick… It’s time for big sis to shine!”

“…Who’s foolish, sis?”

“Foolish, right? Who dives into a river? Especially when it’s that shallow? If you hit your head, you’d probably be dead.”

…Well, yeah, it was super shallow.

If I hadn’t fallen feet first, it would’ve been bad, I guess.

As I remained speechless, my “sister” by contract went out of the room humming, then came back dressed and with a bag in her hand.

Ash-grey dyed long hair that falls to her waist.

Big, round eyes that stand out on her face, reminiscent of a French doll.

A shoulder-baring top and a leather miniskirt, adorned with a flower charm anklet.

Our “sister” exudes a mix of sexy allure and innocent cuteness.

She took a nutritional drink from the bag.

“Here. Big sis thought ahead and bought this on the way home. You gonna drink it, Ryu-chan?”

“Ah… thanks, sis.”

“…*chuckles* Then, let’s boost that nutrition with big sis’s mature charm, shall we?”

Then, she said something completely incomprehensible.

Kizuna-chan tugged at the neckline of her blouse and shoved the nutritional drink between her breasts.

“…Ah, got it… I must be hallucinating because of the fever, right?”

“Nope. I’m dead serious here. It’s big sis’s sexy treatment!”

“If you’re serious, then I think you’re an idiot, sis.”

“How rude!?”

While we were bickering.

The nutritional drink bottle… dropped right into Kizuna-chan’s blouse.

She hurriedly picked it up, trying to wedge it between her breasts again, but it… immediately fell out.

“Sis… if you don’t have it, you don’t have it. It’s physically impossible.”

“Shut up! I’m well aware that my cleavage isn’t that deep! Ao-nee has such big boobs, and why am I the only one… Whatever.”

Accepting her limits, Kizuna-chan took the drink out from her chest and tossed it to me.

The nutritional drink in my hand was… oddly warm.

I couldn’t help but imagine what it had been wrapped in just moments before.

“Well, once you get better, Ao-nee will probably take over nursing you. For today, let’s call it a day on the ‘sister’ training.”

“…You’re not gonna practice nursing? Like making porridge or putting a damp towel on my forehead?”

“I don’t know how to do either.”

“Come on… I get the porridge, but you should know how to do the damp towel.”

“Shut it.”

With that, Kizuna-chan… sharply flicked my forehead.

“Ao-nee was super mad yesterday, right? ‘Why did you do something like that?’ she asked.”

“…Ah. I’d rather not remember how much she scolded me.”

“And you’ve gotten worse today. You’re definitely going to be thoroughly nursed… brace yourself. And I want to gain nursing skills eventually… so let’s practice again, okay?”

“…Is Ao still mad, I wonder.”

Without realizing, I let out something a bit weak due to the fever.

Hearing that, Kizuna-chan sighed and…

…delivered another flick to my forehead.

“Ouch!? …You know I’m kinda sick, right?”

“You said something stupid. Listen, okay? Ao-nee worries about anyone who gets sick. It’s not about being angry. If anything… she seemed scared, you know?”

…Scared?

What does that mean──.

“I’m home! Ryu-kun, are you okay!?”

Just when I was about to ask Kizuna-chan again.

Ao, having returned from school, dashed into my room.

“Not okay… Ryu-kun, lend me your forehead.”

Ao quickly said that and pressed her forehead against mine lying in bed.

She did it so smoothly… for a moment, I panicked, thinking she was going to kiss me.

“…You have a fever. Kizuna, can you bring a thermometer? I’ll go get an ice pillow.”

“Sure, got it.”

Watching Ao rushing downstairs to get into nursing mode.

Kizuna-chan turned back to me and smiled.

“Well, just do as Ao-nee says until you feel better? And… about the pass case. Thanks for protecting something precious to me and Ao-nee. Ryu-chan.”

──After that.

Ao stuck by my side, nursing me through and through.

“Here, Ryu-kun, say ‘ah’…” She fed me.

“Turn your back. Sorry if it tickles?” She wiped the sweat off my back.

“You okay? Need help going to the toilet?” I declined that offer, of course.

Anyway, Ao was thoroughly taking care of me, matching the phrase “to the nth degree.”

“Hey, Ao. Sorry for causing you to worry.”

Filled with guilt, I…

Apologized to Ao, who was sitting beside my bed.

“…No. I’m sorry too, for getting angry yesterday. You did it to protect my pass case.”

“Well… Regardless of the reason, I did cause worry.”

“…Yeah. I was worried. Thanks for that… but please, no more recklessness, okay?”

Lying with her upper body on the bed, Ao responded with a muffled voice.

Her shoulders quivered slightly.

Seeing Ao, always so kind, brought to this sadness… I truly felt sorry.

“──When I get better. I’ll grant you one wish, Ao. Anything. Not saying it’ll make up for everything… but as a small apology.”

While patting Ao’s shoulder gently.

I whispered, trying to soothe her feelings.

Then, hearing that, Ao slowly raised her head and…

With a face tear-streaked turned into a smile, she said.

“Then… I want you to keep letting me be spoiled? I don’t need anything new. Just keep letting me rely on you… that makes me happy. Brother.”