After My Childhood Friend Rejected Me, I Cut My Bangs and Took off My Glasses in Shock, and I Became Popular With the Girls. And I Don’t Like It When She Wants to Be Friends With Me Again…..
“…… sorry, I’ll avoid you in a minute.”
It was the first thing out of my mouth, a stranger’s words, a mixture of apology and reserve.
I hurriedly gathered up my study materials and prepared to leave the living room.
Sora continued to stare at me as I continued to be busy.
“….Hey”
She spoke to me.
“W-What is it?”
I was like a frog staring at a snake.
“…, your hair ……, or your glasses …….”
Sora’s words were terse, but I got what she was trying to say right away.
“I’m sorry, Sora. I know you don’t want to see me. I’ll be right there. ……”
I stood up with my study materials in my hands and looked away from Sora and down at her face. There was no way she wanted to look directly into the face of her brother, whom she disliked.
I tried to quickly leave the living room so as to stay out of Sora’s sight.
But she stopped in front of the living room and looked at me with a dark complexion.
“So, that ……, why did you change your makeover ……?”
“…”
I flinched.
I didn’t think she would not only talk to me, but suddenly ask me a question.
And I was embarrassed to reveal the reason why.
Even though I was hated, I was Sora’s older brother, so I didn’t want to show any pathetic behavior.
“Can’t you tell me ……?”
Sora was twirling her neatly trimmed black hair around her shoulders with her fingers.
She didn’t look angry… However, it looked like she was watching me to see how I was doing. I felt as if I was talking to Sora from long ago, as a child.
I’m just a brother with a hunch, but if I ignore her or say something bad to her, she’ll be hurt.
“I was rejected …….”
So I said honestly.
“Eh? Who?”
For some reason, her expression brightened. Is she happy about my unhappiness?
“I confessed my feelings to Mika, but she rejected me.”
”……I-I see…..!”
After all, she looked happy. The corner of the mouth is raised just a little bit.
“I’ve always liked her. Ever since elementary school. But it didn’t work. I tried my best to suit Mika’s tastes, but she said it was gross. It’s so pathetic.”
I didn’t think that telling Sora this would change anything.
But, as a reaction to the fact that I had never been able to even have a conversation with her before, words started pouring out of my mind one after another.
Hearing this, Sora said
“…..not pathetic.”
I shook my head.
“Eh?”
“Not pathetic. It’s cool. ……”
“Sora, do you have a fever?”
Am I dreaming? Is she going crazy?
“Muu. …… I’m serious! Because you told her your feelings, didn’t you? The result may not have been good,…… but oh, Mika who couldn’t see Onii chan’s charms doesn’t have the eyes to see it. And I’m sorry to say this, but I haven’t heard many good things about Mika onee chan, and in my opinion, it’s a good thing she dumped you, don’t you think?”
Sora was a little at a loss for words and looked embarrassed, but she looked me in the eye and spun out her words.
It was not a dream or a mishearing. I’m sure Sora hates me with all her heart, and I’m sure she’s been avoiding me for the past ten years, but why is she saying kind words to me?
“Sora……”
“W-what?”
I called out her name, and she jumped up and down on her shoulders.
She looked a little frightened.
“You don’t hate me?”
“Eh?”
“You’ve been avoiding me for the past ten years, haven’t you? I’ve always wanted to talk to Sora, so I’m really happy that she’s talking to me like this. ……”
Why did you talk to me all of a sudden? Before I could utter my last words, Sora’s eyes turned red as if she were about to cry.
“‘Because! I don’t really like Mika Onee chan, but Onii chan was so smitten with her that I didn’t want to interfere with that, and onii chan stopped caring about me, and Mika Onee chan has been trying to keep me away from him …so …….”
Sora, out of breath and wound up, was crying.
I see. I get it. I thought there was no reason for me to be hated, but maybe I was the embodiment of love being blind and was neglecting Sora…
“I’m sorry. It’s okay now. I don’t like Mika anymore. So from now on, why don’t we go back to being good friends and siblings like we used to be?”
“…But I’ll get a lot of attention, okay? I’ve been holding back all this time. I actually chose the same high school as you because I wanted to be with you, but you were always devoted to Mika-onee-san, and even though your
hair and glasses did not suit you, I didn’t change them…”
Sora protested with puffed up cheeks. On top of that, the identity that I’ve been carrying on for nearly a decade was completely denied to me,
“Didn’t it look good on me….?”
“It doesn’t suit you! Maybe you liked that kind of look when you were plain, but it’s completely different since you entered high school, right? You’re just too slow, so you don’t notice! You haven’t paid any attention to me for years, have you? I like you the way you are now!”
“Ugh! Well, well, as I told Sumi kun, Mika has certainly changed.
I haven’t talked to her once since we entered high school. ……”
“Hmm, I don’t think we’ve really spoken properly since middle school. Mika-oneechan has slowly become more sophisticated and like she is now.”
“……I see.”
To be honest, I didn’t notice at all. I’m sure I just had a one-sided crush on Mika.
“Haaaa…… love is blind, isn’t it? But don’t worry! I’m here for you, onii chan! I’ll clear up ten years of moping!”
Sora took my arm and hugged me. This was the first time in ten years that we had skin-to-skin contact.
“Thank you, Sora …….”
“Hey! aren’t you a bit too handsome? I know you always been good looking, but I never thought you’d change so much…”
Sora’s cheeks were flushed.
“Hahaha,……, Sumi and other people told me that too. But people aren’t always what they seem.”
“That’s right, only I know your true charm! You shouldn’t be overly nice to other people, you know?”
I don’t know if I should describe it as attraction, but there are two more people who don’t judge me by my looks. They are Saionji and Minami. Sumi and these two are easy to talk to because they are flat with me.
“Yeah. I’ll do my best.”
“Huh? That reaction… No way! Have you already seduced someone?! I’m going to wash my hands and get changed, so wait for me! Tell me everything I don’t know!”
Whatever she had gotten a hunch about, we then sat side by side on the sofa and was interrogated about the past ten years up to the present.
Sora in particular frowned when the topic of Saionji-san came up, “A rival appears …… I have to work hard ……!” and bit her lip. Not sure what kind of rivalry it is, but if you ever have a chance to meet her, I hope you will be good friends with her.
By the way, she didn’t seem to be particularly interested in Mika, just said she didn’t like her much.
Mom’s impression of Mika was not so great either, or maybe I just don’t know the real Mika.
Anyway, I was able to open up with my stepsister, Sora, for the first time in ten years.
It turned out to be the most pleasant thing that happened to me recently.
-Maiban