Chapter 84

When honey is drizzled over cream cheese, it tastes incredibly delicious.

I love eating it just like this, but I also enjoy putting it on a scone. It’s delicious that way too.

Even the rare and expensive honey sold at specialty stores can be used extravagantly in the Kishiin family. How wonderful.

I wonder which honey I’ll choose today. I’ll go with the lavender honey.

I pour it generously over the cream cheese from the small bottle. I take a big bite with the scone. Ah, bliss, bliss.

It’s quite filling, so one is enough to satisfy my hunger. When I’m in a good mood, I can finish two in no time.

However, if I eat this sweet treat for three days in a row, it leads to a terrifying result, mainly in terms of weight.

Ah, what a devilish food!

Just as I was succumbing to this devilish temptation again, I received a call from Aoi. “Nii-chan’s behavior is getting stranger and stranger,” she said.

“Is it the muscular Nii-chan who got into guitar? Is he still playing every day?”

“He’s playing and singing…”

“Oh~”

Aoi’s voice was dark.

“Actually, Nii-chan started playing the guitar because he fell in love with someone. He plans to confess to her with an original love song… Every day, my blood-related family member sings a creepy love song he wrote himself. It’s painful. We’re all trying to get him to stop, but he won’t listen. Plus, the lyrics are terrible. They go something like, ‘When I see you, my heart goes boom boom, my heart is fluffy fluffy.’ It’s really embarrassing. Mom covers her ears when he starts singing. As his sister, I’m really embarrassed…”

An original love song… With a melody, the power of embarrassment is far greater than a poem.

Sometimes on TV, there are programs where guys confess to girls they like with songs. I wonder if the girls who receive them are really happy. I would be too embarrassed to stand it.

But it seems that mostly guys are the ones who give poems or love songs to the people they like. I don’t often hear about girls giving poems to the people they like. Ah, girls are more into handmade things.

Maybe original love poems or love songs are a terrifying disease that only affects men. Scary… I’m glad Nii-sama didn’t get infected.

But the Schubert serenade that Nii-sama sometimes plays is really beautiful!

Yeah, amateurs shouldn’t make things carelessly.

“If someone suddenly confesses with a song, they might be shocked and run away. Plus, the woman might not be comfortable with that kind of thing…”

“That’s true. But the person he likes is a music lover. She likes musician types.”

“Oh~”

“She’s a classmate at the same university. He tried hard to impress her, but it was difficult, so he resorted to a love song as a last resort…”

“Oh~”

A classmate at the same university. So Nii-chan is a college student.

“‘Mari~ Mari~ my beloved Mari~ I’m your slave~’ It sounds ridiculous.”

Indeed, it sounds like he has no talent for writing lyrics. Maybe the class president’s poem is better. If the class president’s condition worsens, will he start singing too? I hope he doesn’t.

But, Mari.

“By the way, which university is it? Can I ask?”

The name of the national university Aoi mentioned was the same as the one Mr. Shinrin attends. And they are the same age.

Eh, could it be…?

“My tutor, who is also a college student, attends that university and is the same age as Nii-chan. And she likes visual kei types.”

“Eh!”

“The name is also close to Mari. But I can’t reveal personal information, so I can’t tell you the name.”

“I see. It might be that person. But a visual kei type? Nii-chan’s songs are more like folk songs with strumming. They’re completely different.”

“It’s not certain that it’s the same person.”

Aoi said, “That’s true. But maybe I should talk to Nii-chan a bit,” and hung up. It seems Aoi is worried about her brother’s love life, despite everything.

But Aoi’s brother and Mr. Shinrin… The world is small.

The next day after school, when I went to the salon, Daitoku was playing Liszt’s “Dream of Love” on the piano.

What?! This is amazing!!

In the dappled sunlight streaming through the window, Daitoku’s piano playing, full of emotion, made my heart flutter. No, I must stay focused!

However, I thought Daitoku, who I thought was a brainless jock, playing the piano was a surprise. This is what they call a gap moe. The power of this is terrifying.

But this piano must be for Yurie-sama. How sad…

Nii-sama’s serenade is beautiful, but Daitoku’s Liszt is also great. It’s right in the middle of a girl’s heart.

The other female students at Pivoine are also listening intently. This is a special privilege for the members.

I wonder if Daitoku accepts requests…

Listening to Daitoku’s piano, I thought again. Original works are no good.

I sent Aoi a message: “Use an existing song. Original works are high risk with no return.” But Aoi replied, “Nii-chan’s passion can’t be stopped. After hearing the story from Rika-chan, I’m sure it’s the same person. The person he likes is a tutor for a very wealthy family. He changed from folk to visual kei and started adding weird shouts to his songs. It’s painful.”

…Muscular Nii-san.

I decided to help Aoi. I would recommend Nii-san to Mr. Shinrin. If they get together and Mr. Shinrin gently stops the guitar, Aoi’s family will surely become peaceful.

I put my plan into action on the day Mr. Shinrin came for tutoring.

“Mr. Shinrin, you mentioned before that a classmate was aggressively pursuing you, saying it was a bit too intense…”

“Yes, I remember. What about it?”

“Are you still being approached by that person?”

“Oh, Rika-sama, what’s this sudden interest? …Well, yes?”

I knew it!

“About that person, even though they might be a bit intense, I think they are a good person. Maybe you should talk to them once? You might end up liking them.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

“Right! And don’t be put off if they suddenly give you a song as a gift!”

“A song as a gift? What are you talking about? He has almost no interest in music.”

“He didn’t before, but he does now! He’s practicing the guitar for you. To confess!”

Oh, I said it.

“Confess…”

“Um, it was supposed to be a surprise. So…”

“Well, I’m currently dating him.”

…Eh?

“Dating?”

“Yes. He’s so earnest that I couldn’t help but be moved.”

The photo she showed me featured a serious-looking researcher type with Mr. Shinrin. He was thin and not muscular at all.

“Eh, an intense type… The complete opposite of a visual kei…”

“Yes, his love for me is a bit intense. Plus, he and the visual kei type have completely opposite personalities.”

“Oh… I see… Ah! Is there anyone else pursuing Mr. Shinrin? A muscular type?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Yes, no one.”

I made a mistake!!!

Of course, there couldn’t be such a convenient story everywhere!

What should I do? I need to tell Aoi quickly. Ah, what a mess.

I got permission to send a message to a friend while Mr. Shinrin was talking about her boyfriend. When I opened my phone, I saw a message from Aoi.

“What should I do! Nii-chan has turned into death metal! He used Mom’s cosmetics without permission and is getting a severe scolding! I’m so scared! I can’t sleep tonight!”

What should I do!!

What have I done. I can’t face Aoi’s family anymore.

With trembling hands, I somehow sent a message saying it was a case of mistaken identity and prayed desperately that Muscular Nii-san wouldn’t take any rash actions.

…Muscular Nii-san, destined for the loveless village?

Ah! I’m sorry!!