HS Chapter 80: The hopeless sister joins the interview (Part two.)

“I’m sorry, teacher. The meeting was interrupted by my idiot. I think it’s time we resume the meeting.”

“Eh, yeah, that’s right… *Cough*. I would like to start the interview with Tachibana Koma, now. Please treat me well. Koma-san, Miyano-san and then… Mako-san.”

““”Please treat me well too!”””

I was allowed to participate in Koma’s meeting as her guardian (?). That’s how this strange meeting… No, four person meeting started.

“Now. It looks like my Koma is in good hands, teacher. What’s she like at school, to be honest? Has she caused trouble for the teacher?”

First, Aunty Meiko says such outrageous things to the teacher. Aaah…? Koma caused trouble… for the teacher…?

“Haa? What kind of idiotic thing are you asking, Aunty? Don’t tell me but does Aunty look at Koma like she’s a child that causes trouble for others? Are your eyes blind? Or is it that your eyes have gotten bad due to old age?

“…. Look here, Mako. In a parent’s conference like this, even if you don’t think so, it’s normal to start with questions like this.”
“Eh? Is that how it is?”

“Yeah, that’s how it is. It’s called beauty of form.”

When I tsukkomi Aunty, she replied in a dumbfounded voice. Fuuun… That’s how it is.

“I don’t think Koma is bothering the teachers in the slightest. Koma is not a troublemaker, a pervert, a nutcase, a deviant like you…. Also, who’s blind and whose eyes have gotten bad from old age? You brat, prepare yourself when this interview is over, Mako.”

“Eh…? Isn’t that basically the truth? Aunty is at that age, already…”

“Fine, then. Get out of the interview so I can make sure you won’t talk back to me…!  And then we can go through this meeting a bit more quietly!”

“Oh, I’ll take you up on that, Aunty. A troublemaker, pervert and nutcase— I’ll admit those but who the hell is a deviant?”

“Haa… Isn’t that a fact? Mako, no matter where you are, you are an embarrassing and undeniable deviant.”

“…. Ehm, Miyano-san… Mako-san…? You’re derailing the interview again….?”

“N-Nee-sama and Aunt-sama, please calm down both of you… The conversation is not going anywhere, and if the two of you want to fight, then you’ll have to go home!”

Me and Aunty are in the usual mood and are about to have a row when Koma and the teacher admonish us…. Not good, not good. I’ve gone to great trouble to be in Koma’s very important interview and I’ve been invited to attend on the condition that I don’t interfere with the meeting, and yet I’ve easily become a hindrance.

“Etto… Please don’t worry at all, Miyano-san and Mako-san. Rather than causing trouble, in Koma’s case… Academic, sporting and lifestyle attitude.She’s excellent in all of them and we, as teachers, don’t have a better student than her!” 

The homeroom teacher of Koma praises her with a smiling face while resuming the interview as if to mediate with us.

“Here is Koma’s report card from the previous exams… As for her grades, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell them now. She has been at the top of her year group from her first year to now, and was particularly impressive in her first term final exams this year. She scored 100 points in all subjects and came first in all subjects and first overall, which was highly praised by all the subject teachers. Of course, Koma’s attitude in class is as excellent as her grades! She actively raises her hands to answer questions and she helps us teachers to progress in the class… She always helps me too!”

The teacher hands me and Aunty a copy of Koma’s report card and talks about her grades and class attitude. Yeah, this. She even took care to help with my studies at the end of the last term, which must have been very difficult for her… And yet, Koma scored 100 points in all subjects.

Once again, Koma is amazing… Onee-chan is moved.

“In terms of athletics, last month she helped out with the track and field team in a competition and did very well, and her school life has been exemplary. As a member of the Seijokai, she helps students every day and supports the school behind the scenes. She is loved by both pupils and teachers because she’s not boastful of her excellence… As a teacher, I know I’m limiting the potential of my students by saying this, but I believe that the word ‘perfect’ is only appropriate for Koma-san.”

“She is perfect, isn’t she! As teacher says, my Koma is really amazing! She’s great! Magnificent! My, as her older sister, I’m really proud of her!”

“Mako, you’re too excited. And loud. I’m sure the class next to us is having an interview too, so at least lower your voice a bit. “

“Ne-Nee-sama, yyy…. If you praise me so much, I’ll be embarrassed…. ♪”

I agree with the teacher who highly praises Koma. Un, un, as expected of the teacher of the class where Koma is enrolled, she knows Koma very well! It’s so nice… It feels really good to hear others praise my beloved little sister! Aah… I’m really glad I got to take part in Koma’s interview!

“… Just. It is very difficult to find such a problem in Koma even if you search for it, but there is one problem… There’s something that’s bothering me…”

“Aaahn!? Something that bothers you…? Don’t tell me, teacher, but are you trying to find fault with my cute and lovable Koma…!?”

“Hyiii!”

“Knock it off, Mako. Rather, you’re the one finding fault.”

Aunty stops me with her fist when I try to shout at the teacher of Koma who made a disturbing comment. Something bothers her about my flawless(perfect) Koma…!?

What is it that bothers her…!? Are you trying to tell me the problem is that Koma is too cute, teacher…!? No, it’s true that Koma’s cuteness is criminal…

“T-That’s not it, Mako-san… I don’t have a problem with Koma, and I’m not trying to find faults but… Etto… Anyhow, I think you’ll understand once you see this…”

The teacher, who is timid by my charges, hurriedly shows me a sheet of paper that she has in her hand…. Let’s see, what? I’ve seen this paper somewhere before…

“…. Ah. I believe this is the… future career survey that was handed out just the other day.”

“Yes, you’re right! This is that future career survey! This is Koma’s future career survey….”

I thought I recognised it, but isn’t it the same one that was handed out to my class the other day? …. Hnm? But, this one is…

“”… Blank paper?””

“Yes, that’s correct. The truth is, Koma-san had submitted a blank paper for her future career survey… That’s why, as her homeroom teacher, I’m worried…”

On that future career survey, only the name Koma was filled in. All of Koma’s choices, from first to third, have been left blank, even though they should have been filled. Due to the nature of Koma, these submissions should normally be written to the very end before they are submitted.

I get it… Certainly, as the teacher says, this is a bit worrisome… I, Aunty, and the homeroom teacher all look at the future career survey and focus on Koma.

“Etto… Koma? It looks like nothing is written on it, but maybe… You wrote with an ink that shows when it’s heated up?”

“No, I haven’t. I didn’t use invisible ink…. That is. I felt sorry for the teacher, but no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t think of any career to write in it… In the end I was allowed to submit a blank form…”

Koma answers my question with a shy smile. She couldn’t think of anything…?

“Hmm… Does that mean that Koma didn’t have a vague idea of what she wanted to do in the future?”

“… It’s as you say. I’m ashamed to say… I don’t really have a vision for my future yet. I should’ve decided on these things much earlier… I’m sorry for being a dull sister, Nee-sama.”

“No, no, not true at all… Koma is not dull at all. I mean, you’re not in a rush to decide. Isn’t it fine for Koma to take it a bit easily?”

For some reason, even though I’m the one who gives advice to Koma, she apologizes to me. I think it’s always better to have a clear goal for the future ahead of time, but… We’re only in the second year of junior high school, so we don’t need to think about our future plans so urgently. My gosh, my Koma is so cute when she’s serious…

“Mako is right, Koma. You’re a junior high school student so you don’t need to worry about what you want to do in future for now. You have time till you start thinking about which high school or university you want to go to. Instead of looking for what you want to be in the future, look for a high school that you want to attend in two years time, Koma. Like I told you the other day, if Mako and Koma want to, they can go to any high school they want.”

“Koma-san, as your homeroom teacher, I will be able to recommend a number of high schools that are suitable for your current academic level. Taking Koma’s grades and personality into consideration, I will be able to recommend you to any school, so please don’t hesitate to tell me which school you want to go to!”

“Thank you very much, Aunt-sama and teacher… But. I… I don’t really have any ideas about the high school I want to go to.”

Aunty and the teacher are very helpful and advise her. Koma, on the other hand, lets out a distressed sigh.

Now that I remember, my best friend, Kanakana, was also very serious about her career, just like Koma…. Is it that the more serious you are the more you’re bothered by it? They’re greatly different from me who handed the future careers survey without a second thought.

“I’ve heard that if you’re as smart as Koma, you’ll be able to pass at the top of your class at any school, so I don’t think Koma needs to worry about it so seriously at the moment… Aah, then. I’m not talking about any specific school— Are there any places in Koma where you think, ’This is the kind of school I want to go to!’”

“… Etto. That’s right. If I may so myself, but… I think… I want to go to the same school Nee-sama will go…”

“Huh? Same school as me?”

I ask her with the intent to give her advice but unexpectedly, Koma says such delightful things… No, I’m really happy. I’m happy… but is it fine?

“Koma, are you fine with that? To be honest, the school I’ll go to is pretty useless from Koma point of view? You might end up going to a low standard school?”

“No, it’s horrible if I don’t go to the same school as Nee-sama…. (*Mumble*) In my case… my sense of taste…”

“”….. Ah.””

Koma whispered words to me and Aunty so that only we could hear them. Me and Aunty understood everything from her words.

As you know, she suffers from a peculiar taste disorder, which means that she can’t taste anything without kissing each other before breakfast, lunch and dinner. I personally hope that Koma will get better by the time she finishes school, but if she doesn’t get better and goes to high school, she’ll have to attend the same high school as me… or she’ll have a difficult time at lunch.

I see. That’s why, earlier, Koma—-

‘’To tell you the truth, I’m very worried about my future career. I was wondering if I could consult with Nee-sama. And this is a good chance…. If it’s all right with Aunt-sama and the teacher, I’d like to ask you to allow Nee-sama to be present at my interview.”

How do I say this, she even allowed me to take part in her interview. If Koma’s taste disorder doesn’t show any signs of being cured, then ‘Nee-sama’’s desired career path = my own desired career path’.That’s why she wants to consult with me…

“… I don’t know what I want to be in the future, or even what high school I want to go to… I think I would… be happy to go to any school with my Nee-sama if that is what she wants. That’s how it is… If it is all right with Nee-sama, may I ask you to tell me where you would like to go, now?”

“… Koma.”

I feel a little prickle in my chest when Koma says something like that to me. Koma needs to stay with me…  And in a way she is chained down by me, so she can’t choose her own path.

… That may be unavoidable, but. But, it is…

“… Ehm, Yamazaki-sensei. May I ask you one question?”

“Eh? Ye-Yes. What’s the matter, Mako-san?”

“About her future career, she doesn’t have to decide about it now, right?”

“Yeah, of course. We just wanted to make sure that you have a good idea of what you want at this point, and we will be doing a full-blown survey in the third year.”

“Is that how it is? Thank you very much.”

“….? Nee-sama? What do…”

After confirming it with Koma’s homeroom teacher, I face my Koma again.

“… Hey, Koma. The teacher also said this. There’s still time, so don’t make a decision right now, just look for a high school that you really want to go to.”

“Ah, yeah. It’s okay. As I said before, I would go anywhere as long as I could go to school with Nee-sama—”

“Koma. You have to think about your own career path properly!”

“…. Eh?”

I scold Koma in a slightly harsher tone. I’m not in a position to speak so highly, but… I’ve been invited to this meeting as a guardian of Koma, so I have to say what I have to say.

“I promise you. I will make sure… that whatever problems Koma has will be fixed by the time you finish school. I’ll cut apart all of the chains that bind Koma. Once I do that, Koma will be able to go to the school she wants, okay?”

“Eeh!? Ah, no, Nee-sama… That is, I…. (*Mumble*) I’d want to be with Nee-sama regardless of whether I have my taste disorder or not…”

When Koma’s taste disorder is cured, Koma will not have to go to a school that is at my level… She’ll be able to go to the school she really wants to go to. With that kind of meaning… I have to do my best to cure Koma’s taste disorder.

“Moreover. Even if you graduate from this school… And if that still doesn’t show signs of improvement, Koma can go to any school she likes. That’s why you don’t have to reserve yourself around me!”

“But, if that comes true, I…. I won’t be with Nee-sama… My taste disorder…”

“Because at that time—- I’m going to the school that Koma chose!”

“……..!?”

At such casual comments from me, Koma completely freezes.

“It doesn’t matter how far away the school is, or how difficult it is for me to get there. If Koma wants me to stay with her, I promise I will stay with her by any means necessary.”

“Stay with me… Nee-sama will…?”

“If you want to go to school far away, we’ll live together. As you know, Koma, I’m good at housework, so if you want to live with me, you can rely on me. If you want to go to a very difficult school, I’ll study hard. I’ll work hard to improve my grades so I can go to school with Koma. If I study hard from now on,  even this hopeless me can make it through! … That’s why. Koma can go to any school she wants without any worries about me. You can choose whatever career path you want. I’ll be there to support Koma as long as she wants!”

“Ehm… Etttooo…”

Koma is visibly shaken up by my unexpected words. Well, I’m the one who said recklessly, ’Study hard!’ or I’m going to a very difficult school with my Koma!’ so it’s understandable she’s confused.

“Look here, Koma. As your Koma’s older sister, I have something I want to say. Even if you don’t find what you want to do at the moment. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to find it. No matter what career path you take, no matter what you choose, I will always be there for you.”

“… Nee-sama.”

“That’s why. Take your time, don’t rush, and decide for yourself what you want to do. Same for high school. ‘The school Nee-sama chooses is fine’ —– Don’t say lonely words like that. If you don’t go to the school you want to go to, you’re being wasteful, you know?”

“….”

“Aah, I know I said that you should decide for yourself, but… Of course I’ll give you my own advice on what to do. This is a very important path for you, so let’s think about it together ♪ If you don’t think I can help you, you can talk to Aunty or your teacher!”

“………”

“Hello? Koma? Can you hear me? Is everything okay?”

After saying that much, I suddenly notice that Koma is trembling while holding her chest. Eh, eh? Uhhuh?

Koma, are you maybe angry…? Or did I hurt you…!? Had I been a bit too harsh with you…!?

“…. (*Mumble*) Nee-sama, really… How kind you are… So cool… Speaking such words so smoothly… Oh my Nee-sama, really… I can’t endure it… Ah, really…”

“Ehm… Koma? Onee-chan, maybe…. Was I too harsh? No, it’s different!? I didn’t mean to scold Koma!?”

I rush to follow up to Koma who casted her head down. But as soon as Koma looked up… She gives me the best, brightest smile of the day and says.

“Thank you very much, Nee-sama… I used my taste buds as an excuse to give up thinking. That’s not good, is it. Thank you so much for scolding me. I’m also going to think carefully about my future, including where I’ll go to high school!”

“Un. That’s right. Let’s think about it properly!”

“Yes! But, Nee-sama. In the end, I will think for myself and come to a conclusion, but… If I’m having trouble or can’t give you an answer, I can ask Nee-sama what she would like to do for reference… Can I consult with Nee-sama about my career?”

“Of course you can! Ask me anything you like, Koma! As I said before, I will support Koma as much as I can! Consulting you! And if Koma wants me to, I’ll follow you to the end of the universe!”

“… Yes, Nee-sama. Together… forever… and ever♡”

Koma and I are holding hands and looking at each other as usual.

“Koma…”

“Nee-sama…”

“Komaa…”

“Mako-nee-sama…”

“……. Ehm. Koma-san and Mako-san. Somehow I feel like the two of you are in your own world… This three perso— No, this four person interview, have you completely forgotten about it…? By any chance, was there no meaning for this interview…?”

“… Good grief. You know, you’re always flirting with each other whenever you get a chance… At least stop flirting during the interview. It’s very irritating… Most importantly, the teacher is very confused because she’s been left behind.”

When we flirt, it doesn’t matter if we’re at dinner, in a meeting, or in public. We, the Tachibana sisters, were flirting as usual, while the teacher was puzzled and Aunty let out a big sigh of dismay.