Cinderella wa Sagasanai.

Rei

I looked at the thermometer I had received from Mai.

[Thirty-seven point one.]

Mai has a low normal fever. Even at this level, I can't let my guard down yet.

It appears that nursing care will continue today.

I thought I could go to school on Thursday, but that carried over to Friday.

"You have to sleep again today, Mai."

"Yeah...."

Mai says, with a look on her face as if she had just discovered a prank.

"I'm sorry, Onii-chan...."

I patted her on the head.

Her black hair, cropped to her shoulders, was clammy with sweat.

"No need to apologize, though. You just should have painted the princess when you were feeling better."

"Yeah..., ...but I was afraid I'd forget...."

Mai, who was feeling better, brought some drawing paper and crayons yesterday before going to bed and started drawing.

Mai always draws when she has fun.

That's why her bag is always full of drawing paper and crayons when she goes out.

"Oh, I see. Is that Shindo?"

"Shindo?"

"Oh..., Shindo. Her given name is Rei. The girl  from yesterday."

"Yeah...., that girl is a princess, right?"

"No, she's not a princess. She's more like my classmate."

I realized after saying that much.

I wonder if she will come again today if I have some homework or printouts.

"She was a beautiful Onee-chan..."

"That's right."

She was indeed beautiful.

Plus, to be honest..., she looked a little like our deceased mother.

Especially her hair color.

Our mother also had lightly pigmented hair and translucent white skin.

As I was thinking about this, Mai looked at the Buddhist altar.

In the picture, our mother is smiling when she was in good health.

"I don't remember much about Mom, but... I thought she was Mom."

What? I didn't ask.

There is too little room to expand on this story.

I put my hand on Mai's head again.

"Go to bed early, okay? If you don't get well, I ain't gonna be able to get a part-time job. Without money, it's going to be a bean sprout festival, okay?"

"Eh, bean sprouts are good, huh?"

"You're not nourished, here."

"It's delicious, though, isn't it? Poor thing, huh?"

Feeling a soft gaze from the picture of the Buddhist altar, I quietly waited for Mai to fall asleep.

It was as if it was yesterday's burnout.

Shortly after 4 p.m.

The intercom soon rings as I feel someone coming up the stairs.

"Oh, is she that Onee-chan?" No wonder Mai shouted.

"I don't know ... I feel a little slow, so maybe it's different. Well, go back to sleep anyway, okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm feeling better now."

"The fever has indeed dropped, but don't let your guard down."

Without waiting for Mai's reply, I stand up.

I approached the door and looked through the peephole - in stark contrast to yesterday, there was a familiar, expressionless face.

Open the door.

Naturally, I meet eyes at close range with Shindo, who was standing there.

Is it an illusion that I feel somewhat embarrassed?

"Good afternoon, Araki-kun."

"Yeah,  ...sorry, is it today's printout?"

"Yes, it is. By chance, that was also the case."

I accept the printout that is quickly offered to me.

"What happened by chance?"

"Yeah..., my sister, I hope she is feeling better."

"Oh. The problem is--"

I tried to continue saying, "No!" but a voice behind me made me choke on my words.

"Ah! I knew it was Onee-chan from yesterday!"

"Hey, Mai, go back to sleep."

I get a little impatient when I look at my little sister as if she's not sick.

But before I could make any excuses, Shindo started talking to me with "...Here."

"If you like this... can you eat it?"

"Hmm?"

She looks back at the entrance with Mai.

Shindo looked somewhat uncomfortable and was holding out a paper bag.

"Here..., can you take this one quickly?"

"Oh, yeah, okay."

The paper bag is from the station building.

The basement has a cake shop, a side dish shop, a bakery shop, and a high-end supermarket, just like any other store.

Of course, my family has no connection to it.

"Wow! What is this?"

"Um....,"

Mai rushes me to check the contents.

First of all, there are some high-class puddings.

And a flat case of chocolates from a store whose name reads unfamiliar.

Later...

"Energy drink..., pit viper?"

Looking at the product, which had some kind of adult-oriented sales slogan on it, Shindo made a strange look on her face.

"It's supposed to be drunk at night."

"Oh. Oh."

She probably doesn't understand, so I quietly hid it in my pocket.

"It's a Cake!"

Mai shouts out the mistake.

"No, it's a pudding."

"Is it a pudding!"

"I hope this luxury item fits your mouth...."

The poor black joke did not seem to get through to Shindo.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what you liked."

A development of misunderstandings that are inserted casually.

I quickly raised my hips, which had been lowered to Mai's gaze.

"No! Mai loves pudding, you love it! Right?"

"Yeah! I love it!"

Shindo seems to be relieved.

It was the first time I saw her exhale in relief.

It was a small change that could be seen because of the short distance.

"Give that to your little sister."

I finally realized.

As the saying goes, the print was a coincidence.

"Did you come to visit us?"

"That's right. Maybe that's the case... I regret that I said something so heartless yesterday."

"No, I don't mind at all."

"Really? Then it's okay. Forget about yesterday."

You can't just forget about it and... it can't be done.

I couldn't help but think of Shindo's face flickering in my mind until just before I fell asleep.

That was the reason I couldn't get Mai to sleep last night.

"......"

Mai clings to my waist and observes Shindo from below.

Like yesterday, "What's on your face?" I thought she might ask me, but Shindo remained silent.

"Well..., I'll leave you with this."

"Eh?"

I can't help but shout.

"Am I missing something?"

Shindo looks back.

Her walnut-colored hair floated softly like the hem of a dress.

I was speechless, unintentionally.

She looked like the princess drawn by Mai.

"Hey, Onee-chan, are you going to eat the pudding too?"

Mai's words were also my words.

I can't just say, "Oh, I see..." after receiving such a high-class item.

"That's right. My dad seems to be late today...we're the only ones here, so eat up - no, you bought it for us."

I saw the wavering in Shindo's eyes.

"Eh? Me?"

"Of course."

"...But..., that's okay."

It's strange.

It felt like a somewhat natural invitation, yet I felt more resistance than necessary.

But when Mai jumped out from behind me, she said, 'This way! There's a chabudai!" and began to pull on Shindo's hand with both hands.

(TL Note: Chabudai (卓袱台 or 茶袱台 or 茶部台) is a short-legged table used in traditional Japanese homes.)

"Hey, Mai. You're in trouble."

"...But we all want to eat together...."

"Even if you say so, Onee-chan has her reasons."

I utter the usual lines and move to get Mai to give up.

However, Shindo did not shake off Mai's hand and shook her head in a small gesture.

"...no, I don't. Well, I guess I'll treat you."

"Yay!"

With that, Shindo stepped out the door and into the too-small entryway.

I felt something like an invisible wall crumble, but I couldn't tell what it was.

"Are you sure? Time, schedule, etc. ..."

"Yeah, don't worry--"

With her hand pulled back, Shindo only turned her face toward us.

"I'm neither 'you' nor 'Onee-chan'. Did I not tell you my name?"

Mai raised her hand and answered.

"Rei! Rei! I'm Mai, is that right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm famous. I haven't told you before."

"Onii-chan told me!"

"What is it? You know my name, Araki Jin-kun?"

"Oh, yeah."

Feeling a sense of intimidation that I didn't quite understand, I decided that I should call her "Shindo-san" then.

It's abandoned in my head.

But Shindo made an oblique suggestion.

"Rei, that's okay."

"What?"

"What to call it. You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

"Yes, um... no...."

I don't know why you didn't notice the pit drink and notice such fine sentiments.

But still, isn't 'Rei' too familiar?

Perhaps sensing these feelings, Shindo supplemented them with a blank expression.

"I don't like the name 'Shindo'."

"Well, is that so?"

"Yeah, so Rei is fine."

"…So that's it."

I'm not sure what 'So that's it' is.

"Rei-chan, come on!"

My little sister adapts instantly. Children are great, after all. They have no fear.

But I have a lot of thoughts about the fact that only I am called by my given name and only I have to be called by my family name. ...But for once I followed Mai's example and said those two words.

"....Well, Rei, go sit in the back and wait for me. It's a little cramped, but I'll get it ready and bring it to you."

"Yes, I understand. Thanks, Jin-kun."

"......"

Even the follow-up to my conflict was perfect.

Just that one thing made my heart beat a little faster.

I opened the pudding case, not knowing if it was due to nervousness or what - or even why I was nervous in the first place.