〇 side Michika
The day after the sports festival.
「Hey, hey, Michika-chan?」
「Nnnn…」
「Wake up, it’s morning~」
Someone is talking to me.
It’s a day off, and I’m tired from yesterday’s sports festival, so let me rest a bit more…
Feeling something touching my body, I twist away to avoid it.
「Geez… you’re such a sleepyhead!」
I remember being told that in the past…
It stopped happening once I started living alone.
It’s a nostalgic memory that has become unusual now.
「I told you we have plans this morning! Wake up quickly!」
Losing patience, I’m shaken like a mother would.
Haa… I was sleeping so comfortably…
Why wake me up today of all days…
I grumble at my sister, who insisted on staying over last night.
And this is the first I’ve heard about plans… I’ll pretend to sleep and wait for her to leave…
Just as I was about to feign sleep.
「Hoho~n. So you’re insisting that you’re asleep… I see, I see… If you’re asleep, you won’t know what happens, right??」
Onee-chan’s hand touches me again.
But this time, it was a strangely unpleasant, gentle stroking, different from before.
Ah… I’ve experienced this before.
Old memories resurface.
That’s right, it was before I started living alone.
A kind of trauma from middle school when Onee-chan and Okaa-san used to wake me up every morning.
A technique developed by the Hoshino family to forcibly wake me up because I was such a heavy sleeper.
It’s called “Slow Tickle”.
Just hearing the name might not make sense, so let me explain.
Unlike regular tickling, which is fast and intense, ours is a bit different.
We slowly touch the body with our fingers, tickling it as if licking it.
Regular tickling is just ticklish, but ours has an indescribable unpleasantness besides being ticklish.
I hated it back then and would jump up as soon as I saw their fingers ready.
Even after years, my body seems to remember, and I immediately sat up the moment Onee-chan touched me.
「Oh! Looks like it’s still effective~~」
Onee-chan laughs, really having fun.
She’s definitely enjoying this.
My sister knows. That I hate being tickled like this.
My sister knows. That I’ll jump up immediately.
That’s why she’s dressed like this.
When I opened my eyes, Onee-chan was already dressed for going out, with makeup done, looking at me in perfect condition.
「Good morning… are you going somewhere?」
I have a bad feeling, but I decided to play dumb for now.
「Good morning, Michika-chan. I was thinking of going to the shopping mall today.」
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「Ahh, I see. I’m sleepy, so I’ll sleep a bit more. Take care on your way──」
「Eh? What silly thing are you saying? Of course, Michika-chan is coming too.」
Her face brooked no argument.
「No… Today I really…」
I didn’t have any plans, but I was truly tired and intended to enjoy a relaxing day off.
But that wasn’t allowed.
「Huh? Perhaps, you had an important prior engagement? Maybe something with Taa-kun…」
「Ah, with him? N-No way!」
Being caught off guard by the sudden mention of his name, my voice unintentionally cracked.
「Really? Don’t lie, okay? Onee-chan is supporting you.」
「T-There’s really nothing!」
That’s right, I’ve only just realized my feelings, but nothing has progressed.
「Huh? Is that so? You don’t have to force yourself, you know?」
「Actually, I’m free today! I’m not doing anything!」
「I see? That’s good… then I’m relieved.」
Her way of threatening is so childish.
Being brought up this topic the day after yesterday, I have no choice but to comply.
「Sorry for being forceful, okay? Today’s business is really important and can’t be missed.」
「You could have told me about such plans beforehand…」
Then I wouldn’t have had to show my embarrassing sleeping face.
「If I had asked you to keep the day open, you would have been wary and made other plans.」
「W-Well… I won’t deny that.」
If my sister, who usually acts on impulse, had specified a date and time in advance, it would have been too suspicious, and I might have done exactly as she said.
「Right? Besides, if you knew what it was about, you would have definitely made plans to avoid it, so I kept it a secret.」
「Is it something I’d hate that much?」
「No… actually, I’m not too keen on it either…」
「What kind of business is it, really?」
For Onee-chan, who is usually so tolerant, to dislike it this much…
At least, it seems certain to be troublesome.
「Well, you see… umm… I was thinking of buying a birthday present…」
「Birthday present…? For who?」
「There’s only one person around this time, right?」
Someone who shares a birthday around this time with both me and Onee-chan…
「Ah…」
「You got it…?」
「No way…?」
「Exactly that way…」
I didn’t want to understand, but I did.
I didn’t want to realize it, but I did.
I didn’t want to remember, but I did.
「We forgot last year, so we have to do it properly this year…」
Seeing Onee-chan already looking distant, I was sure she was thinking the same thing as me and slumped my shoulders in disappointment.
「…Michika-chan, let’s go. ──To look for a birthday present for Otou-san.」
With that, Onee-chan forcibly dragged me out of bed.