After getting off the train, my sister Aina and I were heading to the meeting place to meet up with Yuika.

Just barely, but we managed to make it on time.

Even though I had contacted her in advance, I still felt bad about being late for the meeting.

However, Aina seemed to be concerned about something else and asked me the same question she had been asking me since a while ago.

“Bro~~. That person you just met, she’s not really your girlfriend, right?”

“I’ve told you so many times.”

“Mou~”

“Don’t look at your brother like that.”

Aina suspected that Otomizu, my junior whom she met on the train, might be my girlfriend or someone I have feelings for.

Well, … Certainly, I think she was cute as a woman, but I try not to have any feelings for her beyond that.

The relationship between seniors and juniors was a simple but quite risky area.

Especially between men and women. ……

Aina, who seemed unconvinced, insisted with a sour expression.

“My favorite is Yuika-san. I won’t accept anyone else.”

“Okay, okay.”

But then, if I could not marry Yuika, I would spend the rest of my life as a bachelor.

My sister, isn’t that too cruel?

When we arrived at the family restaurant where we were to meet, Yuika was just coming out of the restaurant.

She must have come all the way outside because she saw us.

“Hello, Onii-san, Aina-chan.”

“Yo, Yuika. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“I am right on time for the appointment, so I was not waiting.”

Yuika was dressed in a yukata.

The design was based on white, and the pink obi was very bright and pretty.

“Uwa~! You look so cute in a yukata, Yuika-san!”

“Fufu~. Thank you.”

Aina praised innocently.

As expected of my sister … How natural.

I’ll also say a few words here that will make Yuika’s heart flutter.

“Yu… Yuika. Errr….”

“Are you requesting a Tsukkomi?”

“Don’t proceed on the premise that I’m going to say something stupid.”

I was going to give her a proper compliment, but she messed up my start.

◆◆◆◆◆

When we arrived at the park, it was getting dark.

The normally quiet park was bustling with people.

It was like a different world with all the food stalls lined up.

We moved to a place where we could see the fireworks.

There were several boats floating in the center of a large pond.

The fireworks were scheduled to be launched from there.

We were able to secure a good spot for standing, and decided to wait for the fireworks to start.

I called out to Aina, who was licking a candy apple.

“Aina, let’s hold hands so we don’t get separated.”

“Eh, I’m not a child, it’s fine.”

“We held hands last year.”

“I’m already in middle school. Don’t treat me like a child.”

After saying this, Aina pointed her phone in the direction of the fireworks.

It seemed that for Aina, her debut in middle school was as valuable as becoming an adult, but for me, she was still a child.

Although I trust that she won’t get lost, the worry still won’t go away.

On the other hand, I felt a sense of sadness, apart from worry, at the fact that she did not hold my hand.

When I uttered a “tsk” Yuika, who was standing next to me, chuckled.

“You got dumped, Onii-san.”

“It’s not like that. …”

“Aina-chan, she’s strong, she’s going to be fine. I’m watching her too.”

Yuika admitted that Aina was a grown up, but in a place like this, she seemed to be taking proper measures to avoid getting into trouble..

As I had thought before when she was helping a lost girl, Yuika was very good with children.

She knows how to take care of them, not spoil them.

……Su.

A nice warmth touched my right hand.

I didn’t immediately know what it was, but it didn’t take me long to realize that it was because Yuika was holding my hand.

“O…Oi … What’s with you all of a sudden …?”

“I feel sorry for you because Aina-chan dumped you.”

“Don’t treat me like a child.”

“That’s exactly what Aina-chan said earlier.”

I could only see her side profile, but Yuika was probably smiling a little.

“Besides, if we get along, Aina-chan will feel at ease, right?”

“Is that how it is?”

“That’s the way it is.”

It’s not what I, as a working adult, would think of a high school girl, but holding hands like this gave me a sense of relief and peace of mind.

Maybe this was how it felt to be healed.

— A light bloomed in the sky.

Fireworks were launched into the darkened sky.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

As I became a working adult and was busy with my own life, I somehow stopped feeling special about fireworks.

But this year’s fireworks looked special.

Something must have started to change.

While I was immersed in the atmosphere of the fireworks, Aina hugged my left arm.

“What, what! Don’t the two of you look nice!?”

“…Perhaps.”

“Kya! So hot~!”

(T/N: Meaning they look lovey dovey)

“Don’t stir things up. …… It’s embarrassing.”