「Ehto, who is she?」
I introduced Yuna to the confused Iori.
「This is my little sister Yuna.」
「I’m this thing’s little sister, Amane Yuna desu.」
Please don’t call oniichan this thing. You’ll make oniichan cry. No, I shouldn’t cry.
「Ehto, Hirose Iori desu.」
「Hey hey, oniichan, is she Hirose-san’s little sister?」
Stop pulling my arm that hard. What will you do if it suddenly gets dislocated?
「Yes, she is.」
「I see, I see.」
I chopped Yuna’s head, who’s looking at Iori as if she’s assessing her.
「Stop, that hurts.」
「Don’t look at people as if you’re assessing their value. My apologies, Iori-chan.」
「Eh, ah, it’s okay desu yo.」
「Yuna, you can buy one of your favorite books so please buy it with these.」
I gave her my shopping basket that has some technical books and new books I was interested in. I also handed her everyone’s favorite bill, the one with four zeros on it, and a loyalty card.
「Eh? Are you sure?」
「Just don’t buy art books that cost around 3 thousand yen. You can buy manga and novels that cost a thousand yen each just give me the change and receipt later.」
She said “okay” and snatched everything in my hand while leaving me everything she bought earlier before going to the manga corner.
「You want a reference book, right?」
「Ah, yeah. That’s right.」
Together with Iori-chan, I headed to the corner where the reference books and problem books were placed.
「I need to know something first, what are your grades at school.」
「I always at least get 80 on exams. My rank is hovering around the top 20 out of 200.」
「If you can do that much on your own, I think you’re doing great. I wonder if it’s around here.」
I found the reference book that I use to teach Yuna and also some slightly more difficult problem books from the shelf. Iori is flipping through them.
If you’re in the top 10 percent, I think these are what you need.
「I bought them!」
Yuna came back and handed me a paper bag full of books. Of course, I’m the luggage carrier so she didn’t take the paper bags she handed me earlier. By the way, she didn’t return my change. I told her to give it back. The receipt was in a paper bag.
「What are you doing?」
「She asked me to recommend some reference books so I was picking out a few.」
Yuna was familiar with the reference books that Iori was looking at but not with the problem books. I didn’t teach her those because she’s not on the level where she could answer those.
「Oniichan, you never made me answer those books, is it okay?」
The examinee of my house becomes pale. Hey, are you okay? If you go to the exam room now, you will probably fall down because of anxiety, right?
「No, in your case, there’s no point. I’m solidifying your foundation first.」
The pale Yuna nodded. She will find it hard to answer them. It seems like she wants to go to my high school but, can she do it?
「My budget is tight so I guess I’ll only buy the reference books for now.」
「If you want to, I’ll give my problem books to you via your oneesan. They are used but still good.」
「Really?」
The way she jumps to someone is really similar to her oneesan.
「I don’t use it anymore so I don’t mind.」
「Then, thank you very much.」
“Oniichan, what about me?” Yuna’s eyes are teary as if I just abandoned her. Aren’t I watching over your study every night?
「Then, that’s it. It’s time for us to go back. Do your best in studying.」
After buying the book, we parted with Iori-chan who bowed to us.
「Hey, Yuna, cheer up. You can choose whatever place you want to eat at for lunch.」
「Really!? I love oniichan.」
She’s happy. I’m happy too since I was able to avoid the incomprehensible question “What do you want to eat?”.
「She’s a brilliant girl.」
「You mean Iori-chan?」
「Yeah. They are a big family and in order to not burden Hirose-san who has an upcoming exam too, she’s studying on her own.」
「Eh, but didn’t you just have her buy the same reference book as mine?」
Yuna said “That’s a lie.” and her excitement clearly dropped.
「That’s the best reference book at a certain level. It is the most comprehensive and easiest to understand too so it’s normal for me to suggest that.」
「Even so…」
「I heard that she’s also in a club but still managed to get in the top 10% of her grade.」
Yuna said “Ah, I can’t hear anything.” while covering her ears with both of her hands. Her grades are very good too and she’s a little above average but the other party is, like I said, just brilliant.
「Stop being depressed and decide where you want to eat.」
「Okay.」