“— Like this. The number of ways in which a given event can happen is called the “number of cases”, and the number of cases of a given event divided by the total number of cases is called “probability”, which we all often hear about in our daily lives.”
“… Uun.”
I’m in a maths class now. I, Mako Tachibana, the hopeless sister, am groaning and groaning ‘Un, un’, my head spinning at full speed, with my math’s teacher’s sleepy lullaby lecture as background music.
“— Now. In the meantime, I’m going to ask you all to solve the problems I’m going to write on the blackboard to see how much you’ve understood what I’ve just told you. If you’ve listened to your teacher’s lesson today, the answer should be self-explanatory. Now, try to solve the problems!”
“…. Uuun… Impossible…”
While the teacher was writing something on the blackboard with chalk, I didn’t pay any attention to the blackboard… I just fold my arms and think about it. So difficult… Really, how should I solve this problem…?
… Un? What the hell am I thinking right now? Of course, I am in class, so how to solve a very difficult mathematical problem— Definitely not.
“(How should I confess to Koma…)”
Isn’t it obvious that this is something I’d really think about. Class work? I’m not going to listen to any of that stuff from the start. Student’s responsibility? No clue. More than anything else, though, the priority should be to think about Koma and, by extension, how to convey my love to Koma.
I had a lovely encouraging talk (?) from my best friend Kanakana this morning…Above all, I’m also very concerned that Koma’s recent behavior is clearly strange. I’m going to have a heart-to-heart talk with Koma in the future, first is… I need to make my love known, and then I need to expose everything and have an honest confrontation with Koma..
“(Although… I’ve been on a losing streak…)”
From the time I decided to confess my feelings to the present day, I’ve been boldly attacking Koma in my own way, even though I’m hopeless.
However, as I discussed with Kanakana this morning, my love has not been conveyed to Koma at all, and all of my attempts have come up empty.
“(Then, first is. Trying to figure out what exactly went wrong.)”
For now, let’s reflect on my confessions I’ve made so far. I think a great person(Koma) once said, ‘If you reflect on your failures and analyze what went wrong, it will lead you to your next success’.
“(Straightforward confession, bold hugs and even kisses didn’t work…)”
Well, of course. Because before I confessed to her or anything else, I was shouting my love as loud as I could to Koma anytime, anywhere, 365 days a year. From Koma’s point of view, it’s no wonder she only thinks, ‘Oh, it’s Nee-sama’s usual things’.
“(Basically… It means that if I really want to confess, I should do something different and special…)”
But what exactly should I do that’s different…? Rather, problem before that is… how should I confess to her… I’ve never confessed to anyone in my 13 years of life, not once, and I can’t think of anything at all, but…
“(In that case… I’ve no other choice but to use reference books…)”
If I don’t have such knowledge yourself, I can draw on the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before me. That’s what I thought, so I put my math’s textbooks up on my desk and secretly opened the relationship how-to book(reference book) I recently purchased, hiding it behind my textbooks.
I hope there are some clues in this book…
“Err, soon we’ll move on to checking the answers. Keep at it to those who haven’t finished answering. If you find it difficult, you can refer to the examples in your textbook.”
“(Etto… Let’s see? 『Confessions are more effective when you confess in person rather than phone or message?』. Un, un, I thought it was like that. If that’s true… Does that mean my approach itself is not that wrong…)?”
I skim through the reference book to see if I can find a clue that might help me solve the problem, being careful not to alert the teacher who is teaching the class.
“… Hm? Hmmmmm? …! This is…!?”
Then a sentence caught my attention, and my hand which had been flicking through the pages, suddenly stopped.This is what was written.
‘The most important thing is to create the right mood for confession! You should consider the location, timing and situation carefully.!’
I’m shocked by the sentence. This is… maybe…
“(Maybe… My confession didn’t go so well… The location and timing… And situation, there were problems with it…!?)”
That’s right… When I think back, the place I have confessed my feelings to Koma in the past — it has always been in my own home, where I am used to living.
Confessing my love in a place like that won’t make my feelings any more special, right…!?
“(Even Kanakana, who confessed to me last month, after school… She had chosen the perfect place to confess: an empty rooftop with a beautiful sunset.)”
Yeah. She was obsessed with the place, the timing, the situation, everything… That’s why, even the dense me was able to understand her real feelings for me…
“(I see… That’s why. That’s why my confession didn’t work…!?)”
A lot of things make sense when I think about it. I see, until now I’ve tried to be direct and confess but… With just that it wasn’t enough.
It’s the same with cooking. You can’t make the best food if you haven’t prepared it properly. If I don’t do my homework and groundwork before confessing to Koma, she will never know how much I like her.
“(Ooh… Oooooh! As you’d expect from a relationship reference book… It’s seriously helpful to know…!)”
I’m impressed instinctively. This book is amazing… I’m glad I made up my mind to buy it…! I’m starting to feel like if I follow this book, it’s going to work…
“(Eetto… So, the essential things are the right place, the right timing, the right situation for confession… Fumu, I get it. Somewhere where we can be alone, someplace with a beautiful view… A place that has a special place in our hearts is recommended… And the timing rather than than in the morning or afternoon at night it is more—)”
I draw lines with a highlighter where it looks important and then put them down in my notebook. I’ll continue from there and make a confession plan for the future.
“(—-First is… Going on a date with Koma. Window shopping and watching movies together… Then we have dinner at a trendy restaurant… And then, at the end of our date, on the way home, we stop by the riverbank with its beautiful night view…I give Koma a gift I have bought during the date and confess to her in the process… Like that… Okay. I feel it’s fine if it’s like this?)”
I finish planning successfully based on the very informative teachings in the reference book. It’s a little bit cliche, but this time I plan to ‘go on a date with Koma, and then confess on the way home’.
Seems there is an order to things. Confessing after a date would be more effective than confessing without any groundwork.
“(Now… The next problem is… When do I schedule a date… I’m not sure if Koma would accept my offer of a date in the first place…)”
… The date just has to fit in with the schedule of Koma. Will Koma date me, that’s the main question. (TN: Stop overthinking it, dumbo.)
“(… I’ve done all this planning, but what if Koma turns me down for a date…?”
Somehow… No, really, it’s just that, somehow, I feel like I’m being avoided by Koma these days. I have no idea why I’m being avoided by Koma—- Oh, yeah, I’m a pervert and eccentric and a hopeless person and I’ve got a lot of stuff, but let’s put that aside for a moment.
I’m being avoided (I feel), and if I ask her normally to go on a date with me, I’m afraid that Koma’ll tell me ‘I’m sorry. Maybe another time’…
“(I can’t even confess without going on a date anyway… That said, my lovely, lovely, sweet♡ it’d feel uncomfortable forcing my sister Koma to go on a date… Actually, how do I ask her out on a date in the first place…? If I pull her… and she hates it then confessing would be bad…)”
… This is bad, I don’t have the confidence to successfully ask Koma out on a date. The more I think about it, the more scared I get. I… Was I this timid before…?
‘Why are you so out of character and being timid, Mako.’
“….!”
The moment my feelings start to lean in a weak direction. In my head, I heard the voice of my best friend Kanakana this morning in refresh.
‘ Move forward selfishly. You’re the one who doesn’t care how the other party is doing, you’re the one who doesn’t read the mood and just goes for it.’
‘Then… Why don’t you just make up your mind and go ahead and tell her, you idiot’
“….”
This morning’s act with my best friend is playing out in my brain…. Aah, really. Kanakana is right, I am an idiot. I’ve had a lot of encouragement today, and I’ve been saying that I’m ready, and then my resolve is wavering again.
…. And then, I’ve been saved many times by my best friend.
“— It’s time. Let’s get to answering the problems. Also… Today’s date and attendance number is… Ah, is it Tachibana? Eh, then Tachibana. Go ahead and write your solved answers on the blackboard.”
“Mako, you’re being called. Are you fine? Did you solve the problems correctly?”
“…. Un, thank you, Kanakana. No need to worry anymore.
“My, is that so? Then, good luck, Mako.”
Encouraged and cheered (unusually) by the teacher… I decided to go to the desired location as soon as I was told to do so.
◇ ◇ ◇
“—-Koma, Komaa!”
“…. Eh?”
“””….Eh?”””
There’s a saying that ‘there’s no day like today’. Maybe if I give it some time, I’ll get lazy again, thinking about unnecessary things, and I won’t be able to ask my little sis out on a date.
That’s why I decided to hurry to visit Koma before my resolve is dulled any further.
“Ehm… Eh? Huh? Ma, Mako-nee-sama…? Why…”
“Koma! I have something I want to say to Koma!”
“Eh, I… Say something to me?”
“That’s right, I want to say it to Koma!”
Koma is showing confusion at the sudden appearance of her sister. I’m sorry, but… I’ll take advantage of your confusion, Koma. Now that she’s confused and unable to react normally, why don’t I ask her on a date.
“You see, Koma! This Sunday… Go on a date with me!”
“Ah, yes. I understand… Yes? D-Date?… Date, is it?”
“That’s right, date!”
“… Aah, I see. Date, in other words… You want to go shopping and playing?”
“No, not that! It’s a date, date! The kind of thing two lovers go on!”
“…. Eh? Daate…? Date with Nee-sama…? Uhm…. Really… Date with Nee-sama…?”
“Umusu!”
Koma becomes even more confused. The unusually serious and confused Koma is cute and lovely.
“Well, anyhow, Koma! Let’s go on a date together with Onee-chan! Right? Okay!?”
“Ehm, no, that’s… Eetto…” (TN: I think Mako got out of her class and went straight to Koma’s class)
“Eeh!? You don’t want to!? Ko, Koma… Do you hate going on a date with me?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it!? That’s not what I meant!? …. (*Mumble*) Rather, I’d get down on my knees and ask for it… Bring it on, to be more precise…”
“Yeah! I’m happy that you don’t hate it! Then, it’s decided that this Sunday we’ll have our date! Koma, keep your schedule free that day!”
“Ye, yes… I understand…”
Somewhat (?) I forced her into the conversation, and then quite forcibly arranged a date with her.
… I’m sorry, Koma. But, I don’t think Koma would want to go on a date with me right now if I didn’t do this…
“My, I’m glad Koma said yes to it. I’m looking forward to this Sunday!”
“Yeah… I’m looking forward to it too…”
“Ah, yeah, yeah. I’m going to give you a detailed plan when I get back, but, does Koma have some questions about the date or something?”
“Ah…. Ahm, that’s…. I understand going on the date… But”
“But? But what?”
“That is… I want to ask… a different question… Is that fine with you, Nee-sama…?”
Koma, still bewildered, asks me, raising her hand fearfully and anxiously. I also love the timid Koma. I love her.
“Oh, it’s okay, okay! Onee-chan will answer anything as long as I can answer for Koma!”
“Ah, yes… Thank you very much. Then, let me ask you, Nee-sama…”
“Un, un…”
“Right now, we’re in the middle of class… Nee-sama… You slipped out from your class… Are you going to be okay?”
“…. U, n?”
“Taachibanaaaaaaaaaa!!? I only ordered you to solve the problem… How could you possibly go wrong asking your own sister out on a date in the next class, you big idiiiiiiiot!?”
“….Ah.”
… This is just the usual thing. Guilty of leaving class without permission + guilty of planning a date with her sister without listening to class + guilty of disrupting a class next door… A deathly painful fist was to be rained down on my head.
Author’s notes: Mako has been (relatively) quiet recently, so for the first time in a long time, we had her running around gagging like her usual. Mako who doesn’t run wild, doesn’t get nosebleeds and isn’t a siscon is no Mako.
… Oh, by the way, I haven’t given her a nosebleed recently, so I’ll give her one soon.
Tintan 