Thursday night.

　The fact that 'Mao misses me', which San'ya told me about, flickers in my thoughts like ink stuck to my fingers.
　Although I didn't make any mistakes at work, I was aware that I wasn't able to concentrate fully on my work.
　I tried to talk with Mao after work, but he had already left the office and we passed each other brilliantly, so it was a waste of time, and I'm now in a state of confusion.

　I'm not able to sleep at all because I've been in a daze both on my way home and after I've returned home.

　It's a normal thing to be happy about.
　But when I found out she likes me, I was more confused than delighted.

　I don't know why I thought that....
　Again, I'm not sure.

　That's why the bewilderment in my chest keeps smoldering.
　It's not good ... very bad.
　If I don't solve it soon, I'll be in trouble at work this time.

　With that kind of anxiety, I send a message to that guy on my phone for the first time in a long time to discuss the matter.
　The reply comes right away.

It's been a while. Are you okay now?
I'm fine. What's going on?
"I need to talk to you about something.
"Yee-hah!

　The person on the other end of the message──Kuroone-even though she's at school again tomorrow, she seems to be able to consult with me without letting out any particular complaints, and I naturally smile at her.
　The reason why I decided to consult with Kurone is because she is my relatives, and also because I had come to intuit her feelings about her relationship with Mao in a strange way, so I stepped on her feelings.
　Because the content is the content, I don't make a strange preamble to the question, I just type a direct question and send it.

'Do you know that Marao might like me?'

　.........

　Huh?
　I got a read right away, but three minutes later, I still didn't get a reply.
　Did you fall asleep or something?

　Piri-piri-piri!

'Whoa!　Oh, is that a black voice calling?

　I pick up the phone, wishing I could message him if I had something to say.

'Hello?'
"Big brother!　What do you mean by that message!　Sakai-san finally confessed to me!''

　The black sound that came through the speakers was so aroused that I could tell from the sound of her voice alone.
　I couldn't help but move the phone away from my ears, but I could still hear my sister's voice clearly.
　I mean, what I was asking about was the truth of Marao's favoritism, so why do you think she suddenly confessed to me?

I'm not being healed. A few things happened and I found out about her feelings, albeit tentatively, like...?
What do you mean by 'a lot'?
''Ah~ I'm having a fight with that guy right now...''
'A fight!　'Aniki, what did you do to upset Sakai-san!'

　Hey, man.
　Why are you acting so unilaterally like it's my fault?
　I don't trust you, and you're gonna get teary eyed.

　.........Well, what Kurone says is not wrong either, but....

For some reason, he's been distant lately... and when I asked him about it, we argued.
''Yes~.......and why did you say that Sakai-san might like Aniki?''
"I talked to Miya about it and she said it might be so...
"...that's not necessary...
Did you say something?
'It's nothing. Well, I understand most of what you're trying to say.

　Thank God you're a perceptive sister.
　I listen to the rest of the story with a grateful heart.　

'I'm sorry, but I can't say it out loud.
What?

　I didn't expect to be refused an answer and let out a dumbfounded voice.
　Regardless of our reaction, Kurone continues.

''In the first place, if Sakai-san's feelings are true, what are you going to do, Aniki?''
What's the...

　Suddenly confronted with a choice, I can't spin the words from it.

'Are you going out with Sakai-san?　Or do you refuse?　It's just arrogance or a spirit of trying to lighten the hurt you're going to get when you haven't even settled on your own feelings, to know how people feel before you do.''
....

　I finally cringe at the words that were continued.
　I was trying to add her feelings about Marao to my own judgment of how I felt about her, among other things.
　In other words, because I was reminded that what my sister told me wasn't far off.

'Sorry I didn't think that far ahead.
'I think it's better to be aware of it than to be pointed out and not admit it. Also, it's not like I'm the one you're apologizing to for that.
I think...

　
　I can only laugh at myself for being such a disappointment.

　But I'm really glad I talked to Kuroone-sensei about it and realized what was going on.

''.......What do you think I should do?''
'This is your one and only chance of a lifetime to have a girlfriend, okay?　Why don't we just go out and think about it for now?'
How could you be so irresponsible?
I mean, there's no law against marrying someone you've been with.
You can't just make them feel like they're wetting themselves, not with the law or anything.
"Depressingly stubborn in a needlessly insensitive way!　You'll miss your marriage if you think like that, huh?
'Why do I have to be undermined when we're talking about something serious...!

　Try to stand up for your brother a little bit.
　You'll lose the innate confidence that people like you when you talk to me like that kind of shit.

　When puberty and rebellion arrive, Amana-chan may be disliked because of the harsh smell of aging, and if that happens, she will lose her confidence in her ability to live.
　God, Buddha, Tenri-sama, I beg you, please let her grow up innocent.......!

Anyway, you must make up your mind about Sakai-san. At the very least, don't dump him before he confesses his feelings to you, or do something so saucy!
Oh...

　In fact, as for the reason why I became distant, I'll keep quiet about the fact that I may have done something similar to that.
　In the end, although there was no proof of Mao's feelings or an answer from me, the consultation with Kuroone-san was not in vain.

　Perhaps because I was able to let out some of my pent up feelings, I quickly sank into the depths of slumber after ending the call, perhaps because I was able to sleep well.......