Author’s Notes: Today, 11 November, is Pocky & Pritz Day. That’s why I thought for a moment that I should write a short story about Mako and Koma. But if I think think about it, the Tachibana sisters are always kissing each other even if they don’t play the pokies game, and if I use such a thing, I think Koma will be angry with me because it will lower the purity of the kiss with her Nee-sama, so I reluctantly gave up.
So as usual, the hopeless sister starts as usual.
“—- Hey, Koma. Is Aunty planning to come at all…?”
“I’m sure she is… I think Aunt-sama will definitely come, considering that she’s been so eager to skip work.”
“Ah, no, my bad, Koma. I misspoke. Is Aunty going to come properly dressed…?”
“…. That is… We were very careful, and we even tried to convince her this morning… I’m sure Aunt-sama will come in decent clothes… Probably…”
“Well, I’ve threatened to cut out her drinking for a week if she comes in here dressed funny, so I think she’ll be okay… But, Aunty knows to disappoint you in a bad way. We can’t be too careful today…”
While sighing and talking, we, the Tachibana sisters, are on our way to school today.
Today is the day of the parent’s conference for me and Koma. I’m a little worried now that Aunty will have problems with her behavior…
“… Aah, it’s the siscon sisters, Mako and Koma… Hallo, hallo!”
“”Eh?””
As we were walking along the road to school together, I heard someone behind me calling out our names in a slightly dumb voice.
Oh, this voice… And then, this slightly silly way of talking…
“Oh, it’s Himecchi. Halloo!”
“Aah, it was Hime-sama. Good morning.”
“… Nh. I’m glad to see you both are as close as ever.”
As Koma and I looked back, we saw Himeka Asou, a friend of ours who was enrolled in Koma’s class— Himecchi was chasing after us with a trot.
“Ahaha, thank you. That’s the best compliment you’ve given us, Himecchi. Himecchi, you’re always— Huh…?”
“….? What’s wrong, Mako. Staring so much at my face… Do I maybe have something on it?”
“Ah… No, that’s. Sorry, I think it was just my imagination… I felt something was out of place from Himmechi…”
“… Hm? Out of place?”
When I greeted Himecchi in the morning after she caught up with us, I felt something strange about her. What is it… I feel like there’s something different about Himecchi from her usual…
“Out of place… is it? Fumu… Aah, yes, it seems it’s so. As Nee-sama said, I also feel that there is something different about Hime-sama today. How do I put this… More than usual— Hime is prettier?”
“Ooh, exactly. That’s it, Koma. Yeah, Himecchi is somehow prettier than usual. Her clothes are really ironed— Rather, it looks like it’s completely new. And her loafers are so shiny, they look like they’ve been polished.”
“Hime-sama’s bed hair is gone too and her hair is shiny and silky, on top of that… Somehow, her skin also feels moist?”
“… Aah, you get it?”
Usually, Himecchi doesn’t care too much about her clothes and appearance, but today she looks very different. Her shirt, skirt, blazer, and even the loafers are all shining like new… Himecchi herself seems to be shining as she wears it.
“Un, that’s right. For today… I bought a new shirt, skirt, blazer, loafers, and underwear!”
“You, bought new ones!? Eh, it’s a lie, right!? No, no, I thought it looked like it was freshly new, too… You mean that all of it is brand new!?”
“Hn. Also, this morning I asked a hairdresser I know to style my hair at the salon… I also pushed an esthetician friend of mine to give me a beauty treatment at their salon.”
“Leaving the beauty salon… Wait, beauty salon? And not just that… But this morning!? Hime-sama? I think you’re going a bit overboard…”
… Hime said such outrageous things with a dignified look on her face. Just for today, she bought a new set of uniform + loafers + underwear (?) and so on…!? On top of that, she went to the beauty parlor and beauty salon early in the morning… She says…!?
Apparently, she’s more into it than we thought she would be… What the hell happened to her…?
“Wh-Why are you armed like you’re going in a once in a lifetime match… Himecchi, what’s wrong…?”
“Today… Is it a special day for you, Hime-sama? There should still be time till your birthday…?”
When Koma and I ask, Himecchi continues, her cheeks turning cherry red.
“… Un, yeah. Today is special. After all, today is—”
“”Today is?””
“—- Today is the parent’s conference.”
“”…. Ah!””
With this one word and Himecchi’s maiden-like reaction, we knew everything. Aah, I see… Himecchi has a parent’s conference, too. Which means…
“Parent’s conference… It’s a special day when my mom comes to school. That’s why, a little bit… I tried to look more presentable than usual, but… How am, I? I’m not weird, right? Am I orderly and pretty…? My mom won’t laugh at me…?”
“Aah, un… It’s okay, you’re not weird in the way you look… As I said before, Himecchi is beautiful, so there’s no problem….”
“Isn’t she… Rather than laughing, I think that Hime-sama’s mother would be pleased to see you dressed so neatly…”
“Is that so… I see…! I’m pretty? Mom would be happy to see me… Ehehehe♪” (TN: Mother-con?)
When I give her such advice, Himecchi smiles at me like a flower blooming. I’m not sure if it’s a case of ‘birds of a feather flock together’ but I’m a siscon who admits to being a siscon, and Himecchi, who is a good friend of mine… is a girl that likes her mother(a mothercon).
Normally, she is a girl who daydreams with few emotional ups and downs…. But, when it comes to her own mother, and like me she completely changes, and her love for her mother goes a bit out of control.
“Really… Himecchi likes her mother. I’m a little moved. I could learn from you.”
“…? You’re wrong, Mako. It’s not ‘I like my mother’… It’s I adore her. I love my mother…. Aah, that’s right. Since it’s a good opportunity now, I’ll inform you about her, Mako. My mother is—-”
“Yes, yes, stop right there, Hime-sama… We’ve heard the story tens of thousands of times, and we already know that Hime-sama’s mother is wonderful and that Hime-sama loves her. Thank you for telling us every time.”
Koma intercepts Himecchi when she tries to start a story. That was risky… Nice save, Koma. If it hadn’t been for your interruption, Himecchi boasting about her mother would have continued for half an hour…
She is similar to me in that once she starts talking about the person she loves she can’t stop.
“… I haven’t said anything yet, but Koma is so unfair. And if you say it like that… Koma too, I’d gotten calluses in my ears talking about how wonderful Mako was and how you loved her as a woman and—- Fumgu!?”
“Hi-Hi-Hime-ssama!? … (*Mumble*) Can you please stop talking about that in front of the person herself of all people!?”
“… Ah. My bad, accidently…”
“Eh? What, what? Himecchi, something… Didn’t you just mention wonderful information that would make me so happy?”
“It’s just your imagination, Nee-sama! Isn’t that right, Hime-sama!?”
“Hn. Yeah, yeah. What Koma says!”
Hime joined us, and now the three of us are going to school together.
“*Cough*… Still, it’s a strange coincidence. Hime-sama too, has her parent conference today?”
“Hnn… ‘Hime-sama too?’ Do you two maybe…?”
“Aah, un. Actually, it is as you’re thinking Himecchi. Today, me and Koma have our parent’s conference too—”
“Hime-sama is the first interview of the day. Next is me… When the interview is over, Nee-sama from the next class will continue the interview, I think.”
The parent’s conference started this week. Koma and I are twins, and we’re in the same grade… The teachers are very careful not to bother our guardian twice, so the interviews are held on the same day.
… Though, Aunty who is the person in question, said in amazement, ‘It’s a good excuse to skip work, so it’s fine if you have your meetings on different days’
“… That’s so. I’ll bid you a good day here… I’ll apologize in advance for taking too much of your time. Having a parent conference with my dear mother… I feel that I got a bit too into it and said too much.”
“Ahaha. That’s something you’d do, Himecchi. It’s fine, fine, don’t worry about taking our time.
“Fufu, you worry too much about us, Hime-sama. Please enjoy your interview to the fullest… While at it. Hime-sama is really looking forward to the parent’s conference. I think Hime-sama is the only student in the whole school who looks forward so much to the meeting.”
“Eeh…? Is that true? If you search for them, surprisingly you’d find more. Students(eccentrics) are looking forward to it like me.”
Koma says that to Himecchi while giggling. Umu? The only one looking forward to the parent’s conference is… Himecchi, she says?
“Himecchi is right, Koma. Isn’t there one more person in reality here who’s looking forward to it too?”
“Huh…? One more person…? Is it possible… Nee-sama is looking forward to it, too…? To the parent’s conference?”
“Un, I am. I’m really looking forward to the interview today… Am I weird for thinking that?”
“Weird, is it?”
Me and Himecchi ask Koma who’s staring wide at us in surprise. Well, it’s true that the people looking forward to it are in the minority.
“N-No… I don’t think you two are weird at all… Apart from Hime-sama who only sees her mother, I was a bit surprised because I didn’t expect Nee-sama would look forward to it too!”
“Why do you say that?”
“I thought to myself, ‘Nee-sama is not interested in being interviewed’. Since in Nee-sama’s case, I heard that Nee-sama has already decided on her career path long ago.”
“Aah, I see where you come from… Un, that’s right. It’s as Koma says, I’ve already decided on my career path… I’m not interested in my interview!”
“Y, es? Etto… Ettoo…? That is, what do you mean?”
“…? Then, Mako is interested in somebody else’s interview?”
Koma and Himechi tilt their heads with a curious look on their faces. Who’s interview am I interested in? Isn’t that obvious. That is—-
◇ ◇ ◇
After having such a conversation with Koma and Himecchi… Roughly 6 hours later.
“—- Thank you for waiting. I would now like to begin the three-way interview with Tachibana Koma-san. I’m Yamazaki, her homeroom teacher. Pleased to meet you, today.”
“Thank you very much! Ah, teacher. This is my guardian…”
“Hello. I’m Koma’s aunt and her guardian, Meiko Miyano. Well, please treat us well today, teacher.”
“And I’m the other guardian of Koma, my little sis, Mako Tachibana. Please treat me well, teacher.”
“””….”””
“… Hm? What’s wrong, Koma and Aunty? Why are you staring at me so intently? Also… Teacher, why did you even freeze up? We’re short on time, so let’s start the interview as soon as possible!” (TN: Mako, pls?)
“…. Eh, etto. Leaving Koma-san and Miyano-san aside… Tachibana Mako-san?”
“Yeah? What is it, teacher?”
“You… Why are you here…?”
I, Mako Tachibana, am present at the meeting of my beloved little sis.
“Okay, get out, Mako-san. As the teacher says, what are you doing here? Your interview is next… Koma’s interview is about to start now. In the first place, you’re going to be interviewed in a different class!”
“Eh? Why, you ask… I’m the guardian of the amazing Koma. That’s why I’m obliged, as her older sister, to be present at the meeting—”
“What obligation? Just leave immediately since you’re a hindrance, Mako… I’m sorry, teacher. I’ll get this idiot out of here in a minute, just give me a minute.”
“Ha, haa…”
The teacher of Koma stares at me with a strange expression(or is it more like a shocked expression ……?) on her face as I try to stay for a meeting with Koma, while Aunty tries to kick me out with a dumbfounded look on her face, and my cute little Koma who looks confused and flustered.
And I cling to Aunty, who tries to kick me out, and I resist desperately.
“Pl-Please give me a minute, Koma, Aunty and teacher…! I promise I won’t be a hindrance…! If you want, I can stay in the corner of the classroom, so please let me take part in Koma’s parent’s conference! I’ve been looking forward to it all morning, witnessing Koma’s interview…! Please, please… Do you want to rob me of my happiness…!?”
“‘I’ve been looking forward to it since the morning’…? Ah, ah… I get it, now. When Nee-sama said to me this morning, ‘I’m looking forward to the interview’… She meant that she was looking forward to attending my interview…”
Like Himecchi this morning, I was looking forward to today’s parent’s conference… Not my own interview, of course… As Koma’s guardian, I was really looking forward to attending Koma’s interview.
“When you’re here, you’re already a hindrance in every meaning of the word, Mako…. Just get the hell out of here. This is not a four party interview*. Jeez… You’re the one who ordered people not to behave strange, so as the one who ordered others, you shouldn’t behave strange, you stupid girl!” (* TN: Aunty considers Mako to be a separate party from them)
“I don’t want to, please…! I want to hear Koma’s interview, too! Her grades, her hard work, her career aspirations… Anyway, I’d like to hear from the teacher about what Koma usually looks like in class 2-B…! I-W-A-N-T T-O H-E-A-R”
“Eeeih… You’re not a child, you rotten sister. I mean, you’re living with her, so you can always ask her directly, can’t you!?”
Aunty tries to throw me out of the classroom, pinning me while saying that to me. Isn’t it just fine to have at least one more person in the interview…
I’m also very curious to see how her homeroom teacher, who knows how Koma is doing in class, evaluates Koma…
“Why can’t you see that you are troubling the teacher and, of course, Koma, Mako? I’m sure Koma thinks you’re a distraction. You’ll just have to wait around until your interview starts.”
“Ughu… Ko-, Koma? Is what she says true? You also don’t like Nee-chan to be here…? Am I a hindrance here…?”
“Look, Koma, tell your block headed sister too. She’s a hindrance so leave.”
Well, no matter how much I want to listen to it, if Koma doesn’t want to be with me, I’ll have to leave quietly. So I thought I’d ask Koma how she felt about it….
“Ah, no… As for me, I don’t mind her… Actually, that is. I’m also hoping that Nee-sama will be here for the interview, but…”
“”Eh?””
“O, oooh! I knew it, Koma! You understand me!”
I was expecting the serious Koma to say something like, ‘You’re being a hindrance and I’m embarrassed, so please leave, Nee-sama’ but contrary to my expectations, Koma says such pleasing things.
Yes, I did it…! I’ve gotten permission from Koma…!
“To tell you the truth, I’m very worried about my future. I was wondering if I could consult for a bit with Nee-sama. So, this is a good chance… If it’s all right with Aunt-sama and the teacher, I’d like to ask you to allow my Nee-sama to be present at the interview…”
“”…””
Koma’s teacher and Aunty look at each other when Koma says that.
“Oi, are you really sure about this, Koma? In my opinion… I think she’s going to interrupt your meeting in her usual way…”
“It’s fine, Aunt-sama. I don’t think Nee-sama would do such a thing.”
“…… Haa. I understand… As long as Koma is fine with it, I can’t complain, can I? Jeez… Mako then Koma too, this is why…”
“Eetto… Well, it’s unreasonable in many ways, but if Koma herself says so, then… If Mako-san promises not to make noise or interfere intentionally, I shall respect the student’s will…. Fine. I give my permission for Mako-san to participate in Koma-san’s interview.”
“Oooh! Thank you, Koma’s homeroom teacher! So kind! So understanding! So tolerant! Very different from my homeroom teacher!”
“… Oh, Tachibana. Your voice is so clear that I can hear what you’re saying from the next classroom. I’ll remember it later…”
And so. With my persistent pleading and Koma’s request, I was allowed to participate in the emergency meeting, and finally—– Koma’s three-way(parent-student-teacher), no four-way interview was to begin.
Author’s notes: This is probably the first time she has appeared here, so here’s a brief introduction to the new character. She is Koma’s best friend and Mako’s cooking apprentice, and is in Koma’s class 2-B. (Her nickname is Hime)
She is the protagonist of ‘I’m just your passer-by girl, but I’m troubled because I love my mother too much.’ which is a spin-off from ‘Hopeless sister’ and is a genuine mothercon girl.
Tintan 