My memory is a bit vague. But I perfectly remember... that night I had a fight with Kirino. It started out like usual, she wanted me to help her with another "Life Consultation" stuff, and of course, as her older brother, I got a reason to help her. I have no reason to refuse it as well. That night too, I learned that she's planning to go to America, to continue her career in the "Track & Field Club" and actually asked me of what's the best thing she should do. Once again, as her brother, of course I have to support her with whatever she wishes to do. And so, I told her to just go. Yeah, I told her to go to America to continue her career in the "Track & Field Club".

What I didn't expect was the fact that she actually got mad at me. We nearly stepped into a cat fight and before she managed to do something outrageous, I managed to stop her. The voice coming from the eroge that was actually being paused upon her personal computer actually startled me. But I got back into my senses. Kirino, she's been through a lot of things. And as her brother, I have no reason to stop supporting her just because of my personal feelings. It didn't matter. If I want to do the best thing to my sister, I'm supposed to support her. And so I told her.

"Go. Do what you want!"

Kirino seemed to be a bit startled after hearing my response. She clenched her teeth and gazed away. And the next moment, before I manage to do anything, she headbutt me.

"Arghhh..." I pushed myself up from the bed, actually feeling a bit startled at the same time. Something fell from my body when I sat up, causing me to gaze to the side. A tissue box was the one that fell from my body when I sat up. A trash bin already placed not so far beside my bed, filled with a lot of blood-stained tissues. I narrowed my eyes before instinctively placing a hand to my nose. Yeah, my nose was bleeding as a result of the headbutt she gave me last night. I sat there in silence, trying to understand everything that just happened so quickly just in one night. It's still too hard to understand it. To understand all the things that happened the night before.

Groaning, I pushed myself up before opening the door; peeking from the left to the right as if trying to make sure that no one's going to catch me. Once I'm sure that there's no one, and especially no one's going to barge out from Kirino's room to startle me, I got out of my room; carefully closing the door behind, before sneaking my way down the stairs. Before taking the first step towards the stairs, I gave one last glance to Kirino's room. It's quiet, as if no one's occupying it anymore. I got uneasy all of the sudden at that sight. But I shook it off as I head down.

I was still on my guard when I made my way down and without realizing it, I'm walking backward until I almost reached the front door. Before I realized it, the front door swung open and I can't help but simply clenching my teeth. I then gazed to the side. My father was the one who opened it. My uneasiness just increased by one level.

"You... when did you got back?" he asked me.

"J-Just now..." I replied back rather hesitantly.

"I see..." he replied as he took off his sandals and made his way past me, acting as if nothing actually happened. My uneasiness went down one level and my curiosity increased by one level. What was that all about?

I made my way to the living room and I opened the door; inserting nothing but my head as I peeked inside. Father was at one of the couches, reading the newspaper. I shifted my sight towards the dining table. Mother was there, preparing the breakfast.

"Oh, you're back?" she said to me, "Oh no, I don't think I made enough for you too..."

I got anxious all of the sudden, "Kirino is-"

"Shut up."

That very familiar voice startled me to no end. Without realizing it, I practically widened my eyes.

"Out of the way." the voice continued.

Actually not bothered to move aside, I took my time to turn around and gaze at the owner of that voice. Kirino was there. My little sister, Kirino, was there, standing right behind me. She was staring back at my eyes, her lips tugged up. Instinctively, I jumped to the side, making myself out of her way. I'm already aware of what's going to happen if I stay there for too long, anyway. She made her way past me without saying anything. I bet she's not even bothered to look at me and say something too, anyway.

All of the routine activities went just like usual. Her greeting Mother and Father sort of stuff. The only thing that surprised me was the fact that she canceled her flight to America. Honestly, I'm not the only one who's startled by this sudden turn of events. Father and Mother gave the kind of similar reaction just like the one I gave after hearing her statement, the fact that she's not going to America. I actually don't know what I should feel or what I should say after hearing that from her. Mother, who got curious, asked her why she did that all of the sudden. She only replied that with an apologetic smile along with she would apologize to everyone that day and explain everything too. I still don't know what I should feel or what I should say. The reaction from Father was the other thing that surprised me that morning. He seemed to be relieved in a way, that Kirino's not going to America. But as usual, he's trying to conceal it with Fatherly words and all that sort of stuff before covering his face with the newspaper.

Kirino just smiled, after hearing all those. Maybe deep inside her heart, she's actually feeling pretty relieved too. But then, she suddenly shifted her gaze to me. Surprised and obviously not knowing what to do, I stiffen in my place and instantly gaze away. I don't know what to say. Every now and then, I shifted my sight to her. She seemed to be irritated. Her cheeks were slightly puffed and her lips slightly tugged up. That morning was another morning that I probably would never forget.

"You kept pestering me to go so much it got me really irritated and annoyed," she started as we made our way to school, "Even though you really had nothing to do with it..."

I just listened to her words as I walked behind her. Somehow feeling relieved and also somehow feeling proud of myself. I just can't stop smiling as I walked behind her, "Is that right...?"

"Well, I think I'll need to study English a bit more anyway..." she continued, "And there's the Meruru Movie coming out too... and I'd be lonely if I have to stay away from Ayase and the others too.."

I'm still walking behind her with that stupid smile attached to my lips.

"It'd be easier to transfer into High School too..." she continued again, "And they'll return a bit of my money too... also Mom and Dad and..."

She paused herself in the middle of her sentence, before continuing it with : "They'd be lonely without me..."

"And I wouldn't be able to buy eroge there-"

She stopped again as she turned around, probably because she noticed the stupid smile in my face that I didn't even notice if she didn't remind me the next second. "What have you been grinning about all the time?" she shouted, "It's really gross!"

That's how I exactly found out that I've been keeping that stupid smile on my lips for quite a while. But honestly, I just can't help it. I can't help the feeling on my chest, this somewhat relieved feeling and this somehow proud feeling. I can't help it. Trying to reason with her, I tried to reply : "I haven't been..."

Without giving me the time to continue my words, she already added another familiar word : "Baaaaaakaaaa~!" before stepping away.

I'm already used to something like that coming from her, so I just gave a sigh and smiled again.

We got separated in the usual place, she made her way to her school and I made my way to my own. I met Manami along the way and of course, just like usual, she asked me about how I'm doing and what I've been thinking about - probably she noticed that smile just like Kirino noticed it before. I just gave a shrug before releasing a relieved sigh, still feeling proud of myself. "Nothing important..."

I actually didn't expect that something even more surprising is going to happen today in my class.