Chapter 95: Courtesy (Part 2)

Ryo looked over.

“Oh, what is it? Let us see.”

Nijika said expectantly, and Kita smiled, holding up the picture book to display her work.

“The concept is friendship, effort, and victory~”

She was very satisfied with her drawing, her gaze lingering on the others.

But unfortunately, she was the only one of her kind in the room with her 'sunny' personality.

When Nijika saw the vibrant magenta T-shirt with various slogans, victory goals, and cheerful phrases written in bold on it, she exclaimed in shock.

“A sports festival style!?”

“Don’t you think it’s cute?” Kita noticed Nijika’s disapproval and tried to argue.

Just when Nijika was about to subtly disagree to avoid hurting Kita's feelings, she heard a 'crunch' sound next to her.

She looked to her side.

Ishikawa Hayato, with tape still on his mouth, was looking down in amazement, his head bowed.

On the ground, pale stones were scattered, from which the faint outline of a human, originally named Hitori, could be discerned.

Ishikawa Hayato had clearly witnessed the process.

Earlier, when Nijika had called out the T-shirt’s true name, the youthful vitality from the picture book had shone forth like sunlight.

Under the dazzling light, Hitori had instantly transformed into this state.

“Bocchi-chan!” Nijika cried out in horror at the completely still Hitori.

“Eh eh! Did I hurt Gotou-san again?”

Kita said, dumbfounded and completely oblivious.

She suddenly panicked, stepped over Ishikawa Hayato, and tried calling out twice.

“Gotou-san, Gotou-san!”

But it was no use.

In the end, she could only turn to Ishikawa Hayato for help.

Ishikawa Hayato was already working on restoring Hitori, but the damage caused this time was too immense, making recovery extremely difficult.

He also looked troubled at the pieces of Hitori charcoal, and from within the charcoal, Hitori’s intermittent wails could still be heard.

“Those who aren’t good at sports are alienated, a hateful festival that strips away one’s worth.”

“The truly terrifying thing about this event is… dissent means death…”

At this moment, Ryo, who had been keenly watching Hitori and vigorously eating and drinking the snacks on the table until they were almost gone, suddenly looked towards the door.

Nijika noticed her gaze and followed it, seeing Ishikawa Hibiki half-hidden by the doorway.

Ishikawa Hibiki was looking inside curiously and hesitantly.

But seeing that she had been discovered, she walked in openly.

“Hello everyone, I am Ishikawa Hibiki. My brother is always in your care.”

She walked to the open space in the middle of the room and, after speaking, bowed politely.

Nijika, Ryo, and Kita all looked at her, blinking blankly at the seemingly well-behaved and polite Hibiki, then looked back at Ishikawa Hayato.

Clearly, they couldn’t accept it at first.

But immediately, Nijika and Kita realized they hadn’t replied to her yet, and quickly said to her.

“No, no, no, he helps us often too.”

“Yes, yes! That’s right.”

After responding, Nijika again scrutinized Hibiki and couldn’t help but ask.

“Are you really Hayato-kun’s younger sister!?”

“Yes.”

Hibiki nodded, her gaze shifting to her brother, who was currently transferring energy to Hitori, a flicker in her gaze.

She spoke with great poise, like a little adult.

“I’m sure my brother has done many strange things in his daily life. I apologize on his behalf to everyone.”

If it were someone else’s sister saying this, Nijika and the others might have worried about their sibling relationship, but since it was Ishikawa Hayato, there was nothing to worry about.

Apologizing like this was probably just a habit.

With such a brother, they felt a pang of sympathy for her just thinking about it.

At this moment, Ishikawa Hayato, who had finished replenishing Hitori’s sanity points, tore off the tape from his mouth and pointed at Hibiki, saying.

“My sister, oh, disturbing my harem time, why don’t you retreat quickly?”

Hibiki, hearing her brother’s words, opened her eyes wide in astonishment, her gaze lingering on the others for confirmation.

“No, it’s not!”

Nijika quickly denied it, and as if to show her stance, she hastily said to Ishikawa Hayato.

“Hayato-kun, if you introduce me like that again, I’ll be angry!”

Kita quickly explained to Hibiki, “We are Ishikawa-kun’s band friends.”

Hitori, now in a restored state, also came to her senses.

She looked at Hibiki curiously.

It was her first time hearing that Ishikawa Hayato actually had a younger sister.

And with her joining at this moment, Hitori felt that she had ill intentions.

As the eldest sibling in her own family, she could understand this situation.

This was it!

A crisis where a younger sister, relying on her youth and feigned cuteness, attracts the attention of her sibling's friends, takes over her sibling's identity, and then kicks her sibling out of the happy, harmonious group!

'I… I have to help Hayato.'

As Hitori was racking her brain for a solution, Ishikawa Hayato said.

“You don’t seem to want to leave, do you want to stay?”

“Can I?!” Hibiki exclaimed in surprise, her gaze sweeping over the others.

“Of course, you’re very welcome.”

Nijika said with a radiant smile.

Kita also seemed to like Hibiki very much.

She even moved over a bit to make space.

“Come sit here.”

Even Ryo nodded in welcome, then turned to Ishikawa Hayato, subtly pointing at the almost-empty snacks.

Hibiki sat on Kita’s other side, looked at Kita’s drawing, and asked.

“What are you sisters drawing?”

“T-shirts for our band. We’ll be performing at the live house in a few weeks.”

Kita explained, and Hibiki, upon hearing it, said with understanding.

“I see, no wonder brother has been reading so many fashion design books lately.”

Nijika thought of the clothes Ishikawa Hayato had designed before, gave an awkward laugh, and at the same time, gestured to Ryo to quickly put away the picture book she was holding.

Seeing that the conversation among them was going quite smoothly, Ishikawa Hayato also stood up and said.

“I didn’t notice, but most of the snacks are gone. I’ll go get some more.”

“Mm.”

Ryo responded lightly, receiving a reproachful look from Nijika.

Reluctantly leaving the room full of beautiful girls, Ishikawa Hayato went downstairs.

As he was about to get snacks from the pantry, he was stopped by his very anxious parents.

Ishikawa Jinpei glanced upstairs with a hint of admiration and said.

“Hayato, who are those girls?”

Ishikawa Hayato looked at them and reassured them, “They’re my bandmatess.”

Ishikawa Shizuka patted her chest, relieved, and said with a smile.

“Then we must treat them well. Do you need me to make some desserts or something?”

Ishikawa Hayato waved his hand, “No, no, I’ve already ordered a cake.”

However, Ishikawa Jinpei looked at Ishikawa Hayato, his gaze calm and profound, not fooled by the simple phrase “my bandmates.”

Ishikawa Hayato had never brought home friends even during middle school. If they were just bandmates whom he’d only known for two months, why would he casually bring them home?

...

Meanwhile...

Hearing Hibiki say this, all four expressed surprise.

“Eh, no way, is this the first time Hayato-kun has brought someone home?”

Hibiki nodded, also expressing her surprise.

“I used to think my brother had no friends, until I went to school and found out he knew a lot of people outside.”

“The old Ishikawa-kun, I’m a little curious. Can Hibiki tell us about him?”

Kita wasn’t someone who easily got familiar with others. The reason she called Hibiki by her first name was to avoid confusing the two siblings with their surname.

With curious and somewhat mischievous eyes, she asked Hibiki.

Hibiki looked at her, smiled, and said, “Okay.”

…

Ishikawa Hayato prepared new snacks, cut the delivered cake, and made tea, then walked upstairs.

He carried snacks in one hand and a tea tray, and held the cake with the other as he pushed open the door, appearing as if waiting for a warm welcome, and said.

“The Pervert has arrived~”

At the same time, Nijika’s laughing voice echoed from inside.

“So Hayato-kun was always like that!?”

He walked into the room.

The five people looked at him: four girls plus his sister, a lively group, but Ishikawa Hayato seemed unaffected by the feminine atmosphere and walked straight past them.

He arranged the snacks and cake, then sat down between Hitori and Kita with a smile, looking as if he was also ready to listen to what they had to say.

Hibiki looked at her brother like this, then pressed her hand to her forehead in admiration.

At the same time, she noticed the number of cakes on the table.

There was even a slice for her.

She feigned surprise and said.

“You even prepared something for me? Thank you, brother~ But I won’t hold back.”

Seeing his sister suddenly start acting and helping to steer the conversation forward, Ishikawa Hayato gradually realized why she had suddenly gotten involved.

He laughed exaggeratedly.

“Hahaha, as an older brother, I know Hibiki’s dark history even better. For example, that year when she was 7…”

"Wait, wait, wait, you can't talk about that!"

Hibiki's face changed, and she directly bypassed Kita, pouncing on Ishikawa Hayato and covering his mouth, as if to completely depriving him the ability to speak.

She only let go when Ishikawa Hayato raised a white handkerchief.

Then, realizing she had been impolite in front of guests, she bowed apologetically and said,

"I'm so sorry, I was too flustered just now, it was rude."

"It's fine, it's fine, Hibiki doesn't need to worry about it."

"Their sibling relationship is really good."

Hibiki breathed a sigh of relief, her spirits dropping for a moment before she smiled again.

Ishikawa Hayato was long used to Hibiki's act of being well-behaved and clever in front of outsiders, with all her skills activated.

At this moment, Ryo offered a chocolate bar to Hibiki and said,

"Want some?"

"Thank you!" Hibiki accepted it with a smile, not caring that it was from her own house.

"Hey!"

Nijika watched Ryo's 'presenting the Buddha with borrowed flowers' act with a blank expression.