/

Chapter 19 - Date With Manami




I don’t know what it was, but Aisa had been excessively rushing me to go out with Manami.
I had told Aisa that I would take Manami somewhere, but we didn’t talk about where yet. Manami said it would be fine as long as we went out to play, so we came out to the station and decided to go along with the flow.
“Kou-nii! Over here! That one next!”
“All right
 Let’s take a break first.”
In the end, we had no idea where to go when we got to the station, so we came to a general facility that had everything from darts to karaoke, once one got in. It seemed to be the right choice, as Manami was excited the entire time there.
“Mouu! Time is limited! Kou-nii!”
‘“No, wait a bit longer.”
“It’s only one difference! Look! Come on!”
When I look at Manami and Aisa, I feel that’s the one thing that differentiates them.
She took me by the hand and we ended up playing together for a little while longer.
We went bowling, we went to play darts, we tried billiards, we played soccer even though there were only two of us, we played tennis, we played catch, we played
 and we just kept moving our bodies.
In every competition, Manami put up a real challenge, so I couldn’t afford to give her any handicap. Even if I tried really hard, I couldn’t really stand up to the girl a grade below me.
“As expected of
 the goddess of victory.”
After we had played through the entire facility, we came to the arcade corner to take a break and to chill out at the crane game while we talked.
“Nyahaha. The goddess of victory is being so bashful.”
Manami, who smiles happily no matter what she’s doing, is like a cute little sister to me, which makes me feel protective of her.
“Manami’s cute today.”
“Uehh?”
When I said it out loud, Manami was unexpectedly flustered.
“That’s too sudden! Kou-nii!”
She blushed and slapped me on the arm. It doesn’t really hurt that much―
“No, it hurts! That’s enough!”
“Oh, sorry, sorry.”
She started stroking my arm with the hand that she was slapping with. That tickles me, so please stop.
I don’t know what she’s enjoying about this, but Manami continues touching me.
“Kouki-nii, you have a lot more muscles than I thought
?”
“That’s how boys are.”
“Hmm.”
Pet, pet.
Just as I was about to call out to her that it was time to stop doing this in public, some acquaintances showed up just then. Not mine, but Manami’s.
“Huh
? Takanishi
?”
“Oh! Yoo-hoo!”
They seemed to be Manami’s classmates. Maybe we stood out because we were making noise in front of the crane game.
Manami’s classmates, especially the boys, glanced at Manami and me, as if comparing something.
“That guy over there is
 or maybe
”
“Fufufu. What do we look like to you guys?”
“What’s that
 um
 ?”
“Like a boyfriend
?”
The juniors were talking to Manami while sneaking glances at me. I felt uncomfortable, as if I was being judged.
Manami is probably her class’s idol. In fact, she’s probably more popular than her sister because she’s more affectionate. Wait, no, Aisa is also affectionate to everyone but me

“
”
When our eyes met, the juniors bowed their heads, presumably to greet me silently.
They were probably wondering about what kind of guy Manami, who is the admirable class idol, was dating. However, it turned out to be a guy who was nothing special. It’s not like we’re dating, though.
“Anyways! Kou-nii! You heard that? Boyfriend, boyfriend!”
For some reason, Manami got excited and slapped me on the arm again.
“I told you it hurts!”
“Fufufu.”
She didn’t listen, did she?
“Well, I’m afraid he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Kou-nii
 so he’s older?”
“That’s right. He’s Onee-chan’s boyfriend.”
“Ehh!?”
“Hah?”
I was more surprised by Manami’s words than the younger students.
“That’s a joke right? He’s just your sister’s
friend and tutor, right? Maybe more something like more than a friend, less than a lover?”
“More than acquaintances, less than friends?”
“Mou. If Onee-chan hears that, she’ll get mad.”
I think that the day I say that we were more than friends and less than lovers, a horrible punishment would await me

“Well, anyway, you’re not Takanishi’s boyfriend.”
About half of the juniors looked somewhat relieved. Manami’s so popular.
“That’s right.”
“I see. Are you staying? If you don’t mind
”
He was about to ask her out, but she sensed it and went too far when rejecting his offer.
“He’s not my boyfriend yet, but I’m hoping he’ll go out with me!”
She said and latched onto my arm.
She really needs to stop doing this. It’s causing a huge misunderstanding; some of the juniors have a desperate look on their faces.
“Don’t be stupid.”
I poked Manami, who was attached to me, to make her move away from my arm.
“I’m sorry. We were still going to play today, but I’ll make sure to send her back at the end of the day so you can invite her back.”
“Oh
 uh
 yes
 sorry for the trouble.”
“Mou! Kouki-nii! You don’t have to shake me off like that!”
“Yes, yes. Sorry, then.”
“Couldn’t hear you! Oh! I’ll see you guys at school! Bye!”
As I walked away, Manami waved her hands behind her back and started flirting with me again.
“Watch your step.”
“Oh
 phew
 yes.”
After I pulled away, she became quiet and followed me.”
The juniors were stunned to see their class idol walk off with me like that.
I’ll have to remind Manami to follow up with them later, but now, we just started walking together again without any worries left.
(TL: uhh imma go tl my long series now cya guys in like 3 days or smth)