c7

Chapter 7: Along the Way

Our house—the Akaishi brother’s house is in a bit of a rural area.

Even if you were to say that, it’s not as if there were fields or mountains.

It’s just that it’s a little far from the nearest housing development.

From there, there is a long gradual slop down toward the nearby shopping street.

–Oniichan doesn’t really need to pedal, he just rides with his feet on them and rides at a normal speed down the road.

From beginning to end there is nothing but silence.

It’s starting to feel a little like torture.

「&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;Oi」

It was actually Oniichan that broke the silence.

「Wh- what?」

「From then&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; did something change?」

「Un&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;for the moment nothing really stands out&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;I guess[

「Was there anything unremarkable?」

「Eh?&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;Aa, un, to tell you the truth&h.e.l.lip;」

Actually, from earlier this morning—I was unable to look Oniichan in the face.

For some reason, every time I did, my heart would start to throb.

I obediently told him that just.

「I see&h.e.l.lip;」

While I was sitting behind him, I couldn’t see his face, Oniichan responded.

Then—–the brakes squealed with a kii- and then suddenly stopped. Oniichan had slammed on the brakes.

「Uwa!?」

According to the law of inertia, my body leaned into Oniichan.

「Oniichan!?&h.e.l.lip;Wh- what happened!?」

I was panicking and then I heard Oniichan say.

「What do you feel now?」

「&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;Eh?」

「I mean how do you feel right now is what I’m asking」

「Well, I’m feeling surprised like normal&h.e.l.lip;」

「Anything else?」

「An- Anything else?&h.e.l.lip;Um&h.e.l.lip;My heart is throbbing a lot&h.e.l.lip;.is how I feel」

When I pressed against him it felt like my heart was tightening&h.e.l.lip;something like that.

「I see, understood」

I responded against Oniichan’s reply—

「&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;Even if you say you understand by yourself I don’t get it. What do you mean?」

「&h.e.l.lip;You don’t need to know yet」

With that Oniichan began to pedal again–.