「The sports festival? Ahh, come to think of it, Eri, you said you wanted to do a presentation.」
Rina says, as if suddenly remembering, clapping her hands together.
「Yeah… What I’m about to say can only be done by Nee-san…」
「I-Is that so…?」
(Eri, who always said she’d handle school matters herself, is coming to me for help??)
Rina, who thought she was being relied on as a sister because Eri, who doesn’t talk much about school, had come to consult her, was savoring the joy.
「I-I’ll help with anything I can! A-After all, I’m Eri’s Onee-chan!」
It’s a perfect chance to spoil Eri, who doesn’t usually ask for much.
Rina leans forward, placing her hands on the table, determined not to let this opportunity slip away.
「O-Okay, thank you.」
Eri said with a bright smile.
(Awawawawa, my little sister is so precious… What a smile… Today might be a holiday for me…)
Eri has no idea that Rina is reaching her limit.
「So, getting to the main point…」
Eri began to talk about wanting to set up a stall selling juice and fruits as the Home Economics Club’s presentation for this sports festival.
「Unn. I see… a stall, huh.」
「If we do it, it would be difficult outdoors, right…?」
The hope was to sell outdoors. This would significantly increase the number of potential customers. But she also understood the difficulties.
「That’s right… On the day, there will be lots of visitors, and equipment will be moved. If a stall is set up outdoors and a long line forms, it might obstruct passage, so the possibility of allowing an outdoor stall is low.」
She doesn’t completely deny the possibility, but even if the student council approves it, it’s unlikely to pass the staff meeting.
The teachers prioritize the safe conduct of the sports festival.
If an accident were to occur, it would cause a commotion, and if that disrupted the smooth running of the sports festival, it must be avoided.
「Then… we have no choice but to do it indoors…? In the first place, are food stalls allowed?」
Eri was primarily worried about whether permission would be granted for a food stall.
If not, they would have to go back to the drawing board.
「I don’t think there’s a problem with the stall itself… It’s a sports festival where parents and local residents come to the school, and of course indoors, but we’ve also requested several stalls.」
「Eh? Really!?」
「Oops… That was confidential…」
It seems she still can’t shake the habit of becoming talkative in front of family, and Eri chuckled as she saw Rina put her hand on her forehead, regretting what she had done.
「Well, it might be difficult outdoors, but I’ll allow the stall itself. I’ll get the teachers’ permission myself.」
「Eh? We can do it!?」
「Yeah, of course.」
──Light Novels──
──Read Here──
「Thank you, Nee-san!」
For Eri, who thought the worst-case scenario was that the stall itself would be rejected, just being allowed to have a stall was a significant achievement.
Moreover, since her sister volunteered to persuade the teachers, Eri herself didn’t have to do it.
Thinking that she could now set up the stall with Yamanaga-kun, Eri naturally broke into a smile.
「You look really happy. Did you want to do the presentation that much??」
「Yeah!」
As a sister, seeing her younger sister smile is the best thing. She always wishes for her happiness and wants to do anything she can for her.
But,
(Last year’s sports festival, she didn’t say a word about wanting to do a presentation… What changed her mind…? Ah, c-could it be…)
「Um, em… Eri?」
「W-What is it, Nee-san…?」
「Would you like me to help too…?」
「Eh…!? …Iyaa… I’m happy you’d help, and having Nee-san there would be reassuring… like having a hundred people? But Nee-san is the student council president, so you’ll be busy on the day. It’s better not to overdo it… Yeah, definitely.」
Eri spoke rapidly, as if she absolutely didn’t want Rina to join as a stall partner.
(I-I see… A-As I thought…)
「E-Eri?」
「W-What’s up with you since earlier?」
Rina was convinced as she watched Eri slowly avert her gaze, looking awkward when stared at directly.
「Is there someone you want to open the stall with!?」
「…W-What do you mean??」
Eri’s shoulders tremble as if Rina had hit the nail on the head.
「Come to think of it, you said a new member joined the Home Economics Club recently…? C-Could it be, Eri…?」
「W-What are you talking about!? N-Nee-san… I-I just wanted to do it out of curiosity… T-There’s no way I’d want to open a stall with the new member…」
With Eri’s eyes swimming so obviously, it was hard to believe her words even if she wanted to.
「What do you like about that person…?」
「…That he can be considerate, and he always comes on the promised day… Above all, he’s kind… Ah! …Um, those are just things that make him likable as a club mate.」
「Could it be that you like that person??」
「It’s not like I like him…」
「Really??」
「…I don’t like him yet.」
(That’s the first time I’ve seen that face on Eri… She never showed it to me before… I-It’s frustrating…)
The younger sister who accidentally revealed her true feelings and the older sister who was shaken by seeing her younger sister’s face for the first time.
Neither of them realized the true feelings that Eri had let slip.