Chapter 4 | Us, Glasses, and the Contest

 

By the way, this is a bit sudden, but there’s something that’s been on my mind for a while now.

“Hey, Akiko.”

“Yes? What is it, Onii-chan?”

“What happened to your glasses?”

It was after school, in the student council room of St. Liliana Academy.

I, Akito Himenokōji, suddenly decided to ask my little sister, Akiko Himenokōji, about it.

“You haven’t been wearing your glasses at all lately, but didn’t we make a promise a while back? That you’d wear them properly except when it’s just the two of us.”

“Hau!?”

Akiko, who had been sorting documents for a meeting, froze in place.

“It seems like you’ve been managing daily life so far, so I’ve let it slide until now. But it’s obviously dangerous for someone with bad eyesight like you to go around without glasses, so you should stop being stubborn and wear them properly, okay?”

“Uh, um, well, but…”

Her eyes darted left and right as my little sister began to make excuses.

“As Onii-chan has pointed out, I’ve been able to manage daily life without glasses. While I don’t deny that having glasses would certainly be more convenient, if you consider the positive aspects of not wearing them—”

“Are you saying you can’t listen to what your Onii-chan says?”

“W-Wait! Before you pull out that ultimate trump card of a line, please just listen to me a little more!”

Cutting off her long-winded excuses, my little sister clung to me desperately.

Just to clarify for anyone who doesn’t know or might have forgotten, her eyesight has deteriorated quite a bit recently, and she’s in a position where she needs some form of vision correction.

Needless to say, having poor eyesight is inconvenient and, above all, dangerous. It must be a struggle to take notes during class, and if she can’t distinguish traffic light colors while out, it could lead to a life-threatening accident.

While no major problems have occurred so far, as her older brother, I want to do everything I can to make sure she wears her glasses.

“Um, well, Onii-chan, I really think wearing glasses is a bad idea.”

For some reason, this little sister of mine vehemently hates wearing glasses.

“I mean, glasses are so unstylish, aren’t they? Plus, they can fall off with the slightest movement, and wearing them for a long time starts to give me headaches.”

“That may be true, but if your eyesight gets worse, it’ll be even more trouble, won’t it?”

“It’s fine. I’ve been managing so far. In class, I’ve been given a seat close to the blackboard, and when I’m walking around town, I make sure to be extra careful.”

“Just because nothing’s happened yet doesn’t mean nothing will happen in the future, you know?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“If you hate wearing glasses that much, how about trying contact lenses instead?”

“I’ve said this before, but putting lenses in my eyes—such a god-defying act—is something I could never do.”

“It’s not that dramatic… Besides, glasses these days can be pretty stylish, you know. If you think the ones you have now are unstylish, how about buying a new, fashionable pair?”

“I can’t waste the money Onii-chan works so hard to earn on something so frivolous. If we’re going to spend money on glasses, we should put it into savings instead.”

“Then how about getting vision correction surgery? I hear LASIK has become quite affordable these days.”

“If I can’t even handle contact lenses, there’s no way I could do something as terrifying as surgery!”

It’s the classic case of “for every argument, a counterargument.”

Normally, my little sister’s honesty is one of her virtues, but on this particular issue, she’s strangely stubborn.

“Well, I get that you really hate glasses from the bottom of your heart. But didn’t you used to wear them normally before we started living together again?”

“Yes.”

“Then isn’t it fine? You don’t have to hate them so much. Just accept glasses as your partner and spend every day with them.”

“That’s impossible. There’s already an irreparable rift between me and glasses. Forcing that rift to be mended would be bad for both me and the glasses. It’s as futile as trying to rekindle a relationship between a couple whose feelings have already gone cold. Instead of clinging to something that’s already lost, it’s better to find a new partner as soon as possible.”

“Well, unlike romantic relationships, in your case, there’s no way to find a new partner…”

If glasses are no good, contacts are no good, and surgery is no good, then I’m completely out of options.

“Anyway, that’s why I don’t want to wear glasses. Even if it means Onii-chan ends up hating me, I, Akiko, will accept it. That’s how much I hate the way I look in glasses.”

“But I like the way you look in glasses, Akiko.”

“I won’t be fooled by such sweet words.”

“Besides, the only one who thinks you don’t look good in glasses is probably just you, right? Has anyone else ever said that?”

“That’s not true. Nasuhara-san has always said stuff like, ‘Himenokōji-san, your glasses look so unbelievably bad, it’s like you could get into the Guinness Book of Records, or make someone’s jaw drop in shock,’ and so on. And she says it with that infuriating blank expression, too! Honestly, that girl is so mean!”

“And of all people, you take her opinion at face value…”

Speaking of Nasuhara Anastasia, she’s an unparalleled contrarian who always picks a fight with Akiko over everything. My little sister is just too honest—sometimes to the point of being too trusting—and it’s a bit of a problem. Though, I suppose that’s also one of her good points.

…

……

…………

Wait, but now that I think about it—

Akiko’s glasses look isn’t actually that bad, right?

It’s not like they don’t suit her, right? It’s not just me who thinks that, right?

 

◆◆◆

 

“Well, I don’t think it’s bad, per se.”

That night, in the dorm’s dining hall-slash-meeting room.

After dinner, while taking a breather, I explained the situation to the student council members and asked for their opinions. The first to speak up was the student council president, Arashi Nikaidō-san.

“Or rather, for me or the vice president, the glasses-wearing Akiko Himenokōji is actually the more familiar version. Until the new semester started—or rather, until you, Akito Himenokōji, transferred here—Akiko Himenokōji was just wearing glasses like normal.”

“Ah… yeah, now that you mention it, that’s true.”

“Though, to be fair, it didn’t exactly seem like she was fond of glasses. Now that I think back on it, she did take them off as much as possible outside of necessary situations.”

“Yeah, it seems my little sister really hates glasses for some reason… So, what do you think, Nasuhara-san?”

“They don’t suit her.”

The blonde vice president, as usual, responded immediately with her blank expression,

“If there were a championship for people who look bad in glasses, she could represent Japan right now. They suit her less than a wedding dress suits a fool like Sakata, and they’re so bad they’d make a baby cry like it’s on fire.”

“Eh, really? I don’t think it’s that bad.”

“No, they don’t suit her. I can confidently say she’d look better wearing a bald wig than glasses.”

“No, no, I think that’s going a bit too far.”

“Not at all. It’s as mismatched as putting natto on curry rice.”

“That combination is totally fine by me, though.”

“Anyway, if I say they don’t suit her, then they don’t. I won’t accept any objections on this matter.”

Nasuhara-san refused to budge from her stubborn stance.

“So, what do you think, Ginbei?”

“Well? It’s hard to say.”

My best friend, who serves as the student council treasurer, shrugged with a somewhat cynical expression,

“After all, I’ve never had the chance to see Akiko-kun in glasses. There’s no way for me to judge.”

“Ah, right. That makes sense.”

“That said, if I were to offer my personal opinion, I think Akiko-kun’s glasses look would be perfectly fine. Fortunately for her, she’s very blessed in terms of appearance. And based on my experience living with her, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with her fashion sense either. In other words, no matter what kind of glasses Akiko-kun wears, she should be able to make them part of her style perfectly.”

“Yeah, yeah, I think so too.”

“So, Akiko-kun, could you perhaps try putting on your glasses here and now?”

“No way.”

My little sister shook her head flatly.

With her eyebrows raised, shoulders tense, and cheeks slightly puffed out—she looked like a hamster in intimidation mode. At times like this, her “honesty meter” plummets far into the negatives. No matter what anyone says, she won’t listen.

“Don’t be so cold, please. Just grant this little request. Aren’t we close, you and I?”

“No way.”

“You and I make meals together every day as part of our dorm meal duty. Beyond just being in the same student council, beyond eating from the same pot, our relationship is a deep one. Even so, you won’t grant my request?”

“I won’t. It’s true that I’m indebted to Ginbei-san, but that’s a separate matter from this.”

“Among the people here, you and I are the ones who know Akito the best. Even with that connection, is it still a no?”

“It’s a no.”

“Both you and I love cooking, and we exchange secret recipes with each other. By inspiring one another, we come up with new dish ideas, which get incorporated into our daily menus… but even so, you won’t reconsider?”

“I won’t.”

“You and I, as people closely tied to Akito, sometimes vent our frustrations about him behind his back to blow off steam, but even for the sake of continuing that relationship, can’t you lower your emotional walls here?”

“I can’t. No matter what you say, I’m not putting on glasses here.”

Ginbei tried various ways to persuade her, but Akiko refused to budge.

Well, it’s the expected outcome. Once my little sister gets like this, simple requests or emotional appeals won’t sway her easily.

That said, it seems these two have gotten quite close without me noticing. Though they sometimes clash, it makes me happy as their brother to see them getting along well.

But as for that bit about venting frustrations, I think I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. If I get hung up on that, we won’t make any progress. Though, to be honest, it does bother me a lot.

“Now, what to do?”

Ginbei looked at me with a gesture of surrender,

“As you can see, there’s no sign of your little sister listening to our advice.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“We could exhaust every method and spend the whole night trying to convince her, but that wouldn’t be a smart approach. Even if we somehow forced her to wear glasses, that method wouldn’t last long anyway.”

Hmmm.

Still, this is a good opportunity. I’d like to find a way to erase her prejudice and bad impressions of glasses, ideally getting her to wear them willingly. Isn’t there some good solution out there?

“Hmm. If that’s the case, I might have an idea.”

And in times like this, it’s none other than our student council president who steps up, as expected.

“And since it sounds fun, let’s turn it into an event while we’re at it. We’ll aim to hold it this weekend, so everyone, prepare accordingly.”

“Ha. An event, huh?”

What started as a simple desire to get my little sister to wear glasses has somehow turned into something strange.

“Don’t worry about it. These things are more fun when you enjoy them, and it’s better to turn it into an event and have a good time rather than stressing over it with a sour face.”

“Ha.”

I don’t quite understand, but it seems that’s how it’s going to be.

This president of ours tends to decide things on a whim, which makes it tough for those of us who have to follow along, really.

…So?

What kind of event is this person planning to hold, exactly?

 

◆◆◆

 

And so, that weekend arrived.

The table in the dorm’s dining hall-slash-meeting room was lined with a dazzling array of colorful glasses.

There were easily a hundred to two hundred pairs. It was enough to open a small shop without any trouble.

“Hmm. Seeing them all lined up like this, it’s quite a sight, isn’t it?”

The president, looking satisfied, took a moment to admire the spectacle of the table turned into a veritable trade show.

“We managed to procure more than I expected, so this should be plenty for the event. As the one who suggested it, I can hold my head high, too.”

“Ha. But still, how did you manage to gather so many?”

“I pulled some strings through my connections and asked a glasses manufacturer to lend them to us. Well, my family has at least that much influence, you know.”

The president puffed out her large chest and snorted proudly.

But really, it’s impressive how much they managed to gather.

There were round ones, square ones.

Metal frames, plastic frames.

Not just dark or light colors, but even marbled patterns and polka dots.

For someone like me with 1.5 vision in both eyes without glasses, these are items I’ve never had much interest in or paid attention to. But seeing them like this, I realize how diverse the designs of glasses are, and it’s actually quite fascinating.

“Well, sure, just seeing all these different glasses lined up does feel kind of interesting, or rather, I can see how this could be fun in its own way.”

“Right? Hearing you say that makes my efforts feel worthwhile.”

“Ha, well, that’s fine and all, but what exactly are we trying to do here? Originally, this was about finding a way to get Akiko to wear glasses, wasn’t it?”

“Don’t rush things so much. A man who’s too hasty is unpopular—that’s a worldwide standard of common sense, you know?”

“Ha.”

“So, here’s the deal.”

She looked around at everyone gathered—me, Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei—

“Let’s hold a fashion show. A glasses-only fashion show, featuring the student council members.”

“A fashion show? For glasses?”

“Yep. To cure Akiko Himenokōji’s hatred of glasses, the best approach is to help her appreciate their appeal. And with this many glasses lined up, there’s bound to be at least one pair she’ll like, don’t you think?”

“Ha, I see.”

Well, it’s not exactly illogical, but it feels a bit forceful, doesn’t it? It’s kind of like trying to make someone who hates bell peppers eat them to get over their dislike—fundamentally, it doesn’t feel all that different.

“Sure, if you force it, that’s how it’ll turn out. But the idea is to guide Akiko Himenokōji into wanting to wear glasses on her own, see?”

“Hmm. And how exactly do we do that?”

“Simple. The beautiful members of our student council will wear glasses and show off their charm. That’ll win over even the most ardent glasses-hater, make them rediscover the appeal of glasses, and have them crying tears of joy, converting to the Church of Glasses on the spot.”

“No, I really don’t think it’ll be that simple…”

Just how simplistic does she think my little sister is?

Well, okay, she is pretty simplistic, but if she were the type to fall for glasses that easily, I wouldn’t be struggling in the first place, you know.

“Well, nothing starts unless you try, right? Or what, do you have any better ideas?”

“No, well, when you put it like that, I don’t exactly have any other ideas.”

“Exactly. So, let’s just give it a shot. Even if it doesn’t work out, it’ll be a good way to unwind, right?”

“Hmm. Well, if you put it that way, I don’t have any reason to object.”

“Exactly. Glad you understand.”

“But, well, I have to say, as expected of the student council president, our leader, right?”

“Exactly. Finally getting it, huh?”

“I mean, I have to give credit where it’s due, don’t I? The president thought of Akiko and came up with this plan, and even turned it into an event that the whole student council can participate in. At the end of the day, the one who makes these things happen is none other than you, President.”

“Kakaka! Flattery won’t get you anywhere, you know?”

“No, no, let me praise you. I don’t need anything in return.”

“Kakaka, well, I appreciate the sentiment.”

“So? What’s your real motive here?”

“Exactly. Well, to be honest, I just wanted to see my cute little mistress candidates in glasses, despite all the fancy reasons I gave.”

“Your ulterior motives are completely out in the open, huh?”

I had my suspicions, but man, do I feel cheated.

I went out of my way to praise her, and she always manages to betray my expectations, really.

“By the way, this event doubles as a selection test to rank my mistress candidates, so do your best to impress, all of you.”

“…Do you really think anyone would stick around after hearing that?”

“Oh, don’t make that face. Isn’t it great? Killing two birds with one stone, or even three, right?”

“The only one benefiting is mostly you, though, right?”

“Exactly, for now, that might be true.”

The president, grinning and stroking her chin—clearly having anticipated this turn of events—presented her next idea with complete confidence.

“So, how about this? You be the one to judge who looks best in glasses.”

“Me? The judge?”

“Exactly. And as a reward, the winner gets the right to go on a date with you.”

“Wait, wait, hold on. What are you saying?”

I panicked.

A “date” means, well, that kind of date, right? Being the judge is already a big responsibility, but to have me be the prize as well? That just means I’m the one getting the short end of the stick here, doesn’t it?

“I’m in.”

But I missed my chance to object.

Nasuhara-san, who had been fiddling with her split ends and listening with apparent disinterest, suddenly flipped her attitude and jumped in,

“Actually, I’ve always prided myself on being world-championship-level when it comes to looking good in glasses. To prove that, I have no choice but to participate in this event.”

“World-championship-level, huh… But you’ve never even worn glasses, have you? Unlike my little sister, your eyesight seems fine.”

“True talent is something that’s already obvious even before it’s proven. Or rather, it’s precisely because it’s obvious without needing proof that it can be called true talent, don’t you think?”

“Hmm… I kind of get it, but also kind of don’t.”

Or rather, it just sounds like wordplay to me.

Like she’s dodging the issue or spinning sophistries.

“More importantly, what piques my interest is the chance to prove, right here and now, the undeniable fact that I’ve consistently demonstrated over the past two years—that I am superior to Akiko Himenokōji-san in every way.”

“…You really do pick on my little sister a lot, don’t you…”

“It can’t be helped. It’s something I’ve repeated so often every time we meet that it’s practically become a Pavlovian conditioned reflex, ingrained into my daily habits. The fact that I am superior to your sister is as obvious as the law of conservation of mass, and for that law to be disrupted would mean the collapse of all common sense in the world, triggering an energy explosion surpassing even the Big Bang—”

“Okay, okay, I get it. I don’t really understand, but I get it.”

Man, she really hates Akiko, huh?

Since fate has brought us together like this, I’d like them to get along if possible, but sometimes you just can’t avoid clashing with certain people. Still, I should probably keep working on it little by little so that someday Akiko and Nasuhara-san can get along without fighting, right?

“In that case, I suppose I’ll participate as well.”

While I was thinking about that, even Ginbei stepped forward to express her willingness to join.

“Akiko-kun is the little sister of my best friend, Akito, after all. Now, she’s also my colleague in the student council and a housemate living under the same roof. Stepping up to help her is only natural, don’t you think?”

“Well, I appreciate the help, and I’m glad you think of my little sister that way, but…”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s just, the whole setup feels a bit off, and then there’s the reward of going on a date with me or whatever… That’s kind of, you know, a bit much, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? If you’re a man, you should be willing to put in at least that much effort for your little sister. Besides, a date as a prize is perfect for an event like this, don’t you think? Much better than preparing some serious, rigid reward.”

…That’s unexpected.

As far as I know, Ginbei Haruomi Sawatari is the epitome of a “serious and rigid” personality. For example, when we were kids playing together with the gang, she was always the one frowning while the boys goofed around doing dumb things.

“I’m offended that you’d look so surprised. I’m just following the saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do,’ that’s all.”

“Meaning?”

“This student council is that kind of organization, isn’t it? We handle our work diligently, but we also value a free and open-minded atmosphere, right? As a member of this student council, I should take the lead in reading the room and making statements appropriate for the time, place, and occasion. Making stiff remarks in a situation like this would only needlessly harm our teamwork, after all.”

“Well… I suppose there’s some logic to that, yeah.”

“Of course, it goes without saying, but—to think that I, of all people, would be swayed by such a vulgar proposal as going on a date with Akito or whatever? Absolutely not. Even if the president had suggested something other than a date, I would have agreed to participate in this event without any complaints or hesitation. I trust you understand that, right?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I don’t think for a second that you joined this event because you want to go on a date with me. I mean, I’m your best friend, aren’t I? After all these years together, there’s no way I wouldn’t understand what you’re thinking, right?”

“…Ah, yes, that’s right, isn’t it? I’m your ‘best friend,’ aren’t I? We’ve been together for six years, a relationship that could even be called childhood friends, right? So naturally, you can see through my thoughts as clearly as looking through transparent glass, huh?”

“Huh? What? Why are you suddenly getting mad?”

“Please wait a moment!”

As I tilted my head at Ginbei, who had suddenly gotten upset, Akiko jumped in,

“I’m troubled by you all deciding things on your own! I mean, this whole thing doesn’t benefit me in any way!”

“That’s not true, is it?”

The president responded with a laugh.

“Anyone can participate in this event, and everyone has an equal shot at the reward. It’d make sense for Akito Himenokōji, who has no particular advantage here, to complain, but it’s unreasonable for you to object, don’t you think?”

“But, saying that the person who looks best in glasses wins—that’s obviously unfair to me! I mean, there’s no one in the world who looks as bad in glasses as I do!”

“Well, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to participate, you know?”

“That’s a sneaky way of putting it! Besides, wasn’t the whole point of this supposed to be about curing my hatred of glasses or something like that!?”

“Exactly, that’s right. That’s why I planned this event, isn’t it? Unless we do something like this, it didn’t seem like you’d ever wear glasses, and I thought this might help shift your prejudice against glasses in a better direction, even just a little. I’ll say it again, but all of this is being done for your sake, you know?”

“Muu…!”

“But hey, I’m not saying you have to do it by force. I understand how much you hate glasses, and I don’t think forcing you will lead to good results. In life, it’s important to know when to push and when to pull back, after all. Though, of course, even if that happens, the event will go on as an event, just without you—us having fun on our own.”

“Mumumu…!”

“In that case, the right to go on a date with Akito Himenokōji will fall into someone else’s hands, but oh well, can’t be helped, right? Rights are things that only those who fight and win should claim. For someone who turns tail and runs to complain about it, well, that’s just laughable… Wait, didn’t you say you love your Onii-chan more than anyone in the world? Don’t tell me you don’t want the right to go on a date with Akito Himenokōji?”

“Ahh, fine, I get it, I get it!”

Cornered and desperate, Akiko shouted,

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it! I’ll participate in the event and seize victory! Having to wear glasses in front of Onii-chan is so terrifying it makes my legs tremble just thinking about it, but even so, I’ll manage to pull through somehow!”

“Exactly, well said. That’s my cute little subordinate—though, I was about to say that, but man, you really hate wearing glasses, huh? It’s almost at the level of a phobia.”

I agreed with the president, who was dumbfounded.

The act of “wearing glasses” seems to be an incredibly stressful thing for my little sister. Even her lengthy declaration of resolve clearly showed how much she was forcing herself to muster up courage.

Hmm… Until recently, she didn’t show this much of an aversion to glasses, I think. She’s worn them in front of me before, and before we started living together again, her glasses-wearing style was more the norm, wasn’t it?

As her guardian, I bear some responsibility for letting things get this bad. I really need to do something about this now, or it’ll be a problem.

By the way, I don’t recall ever agreeing to be the judge or to have the right to date me be the prize, but, well, if it’s for my little sister’s sake, I have no reason to refuse. Besides, in this community, my right to refuse has about as much value as a used-up hand warmer anyway.

…Anyway, putting that aside.

This so-called glasses fashion show—how exactly is it going to be conducted? As the one judging it, what criteria should I use to assign scores or determine rankings?

“Hey, don’t sweat the small stuff.”

The president laughed heartily,

“At the end of the day, this is just a bit of fun, a festival, you know? Handle the procedures and judging however you want.”

“Ha.”

“As long as it’s fun, anything goes. I’m leaving it all up to you. As long as it’s exciting, I’ve got no complaints.”

“So, I’ll just judge based on my own tastes—my own standards. Is that really okay?”

“Exactly. Doesn’t bother me one bit.”

“…What about you, Nasuhara-san? Is that okay with you?”

“No problem, since I’ll win. What about you, Gin-Gin? Is that fine with you?”

“Eh? Well, I’m not so sure about those conditions… Having only Akito as the judge seems like it’ll obviously lead to biased judgments, and I’m not exactly confident either…”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I couldn’t quite hear what you said, so could you repeat it? Of course, at this stage, I can’t imagine Gin-Gin would say something cowardly, so I’m sure I just heard a positive response, but just to confirm, you know?”

“O-Okay, I get it, I’ll do it, those conditions are fine. Geez, how can you all be so full of confidence… I can’t understand it…”

Ginbei reluctantly agreed, albeit grudgingly.

And with things having come to this, Akiko no longer has any choice. Even if she refuses, the event will just go on without her.

“Alright. Shall we get started, then?”

The president declared the start in her carefree tone, and with that, the fierce battle’s curtain was raised, contrary to her casual demeanor.

“So, who’s going first? If no one steps up, I’ll go, you know?”

“Then I will.”

The one to raise her hand without hesitation was Nasuhara Anastasia.

The most enthusiastic and confident participant in this event, and a former number one in St. Liliana Academy’s beauty pageant, she made her grand entrance right from the start.

“Just to confirm with Akki, the judge—there aren’t any specific rules for this event, right?”

“Ah, yeah, that’s right. It seems to have turned out that way.”

“Got it.”

Nodding with her usual poker face, she began inspecting the glasses lined up on the table.

Before long, Nasuhara-san picked out a pair. A plastic frame in red, with slightly elongated lenses. It was modern and stylish, but otherwise unremarkable.

“I’ll go get ready, then. Please wait a moment.”

With that, Nasuhara-san left the dining hall-slash-meeting room.

“…Get ready? For what, I wonder?”

“Who knows? What could it be?”

“Well, this is technically a fashion show, after all. Maybe she’s going to practice her poses in front of a mirror or something?”

“That’s so like Nasuhara-san, using sneaky tactics. That woman will do anything to win—truly the epitome of cowardice and villainy.”

The rest of us exchanged our thoughts, but in any case, the one to take the lead was Nasuhara Anastasia. With respect for her confidence in taking on the pressure of being the first, we chatted while waiting for her to return.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes, four minutes, five minutes.

Ten minutes passed, then twenty, and even after thirty, people started thinking that, even with no rules, this was taking too long, that her preparations were excessive. Finally, Nasuhara-san reappeared.

Wearing a swimsuit.

And not just any swimsuit, but a rather daring bikini.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Me, the president, Ginbei, and Akiko—all four of us froze, each with our own stunned expressions, as Nasuhara-san’s antics didn’t stop there.

Setting down an old-fashioned boombox she must have gotten from somewhere, she pressed the play button, and the music started.

As an upbeat, psychedelic, instrumental track—perfect for a fashion show—began to play, Nasuhara-san’s expression changed.

Gone was her usual blank look, replaced by a model-like, poised expression, as she began walking around the room’s perimeter with a perfect model strut.

Using her long limbs to full effect, emphasizing her ample bust and slender waist with dynamic strides, it was truly the performance of a fashion show, one that could rival even top models. However, this was a seventy-year-old, rundown student dorm, not a venue for showcasing the latest swimwear trends.

As the BGM reached its climax, Nasuhara-san’s actions grew even more intense, and the moment the song hit its abrupt finale, she struck a perfect pose, like an idol on a music show at the end of their performance—thus bringing her sudden, solo fashion show to a close.

“So, how was it?”

“Uh, well, how was it, you ask…”

Still holding her pose but back to her usual blank expression, Nasuhara-san asked, and all I could do was stammer.

Honestly, I didn’t even know where to begin with my critique.

“—Kakaka, well, well, so that’s how you play it, huh? Not bad, Vice President, as expected of my cute little subordinate.”

Aside from the president, who was clapping alone, I think everyone else shared my feelings.

Nasuhara Anastasia. Just what is she aiming for, and where is she trying to go with this?

“Uh… for now, good job?”

“I don’t need words of appreciation. I simply gave my all to win this competition and delivered the best performance I could—that’s all there is to it.”

“Ah, yeah. I see.”

Well, she certainly gave it her all, that’s for sure.

Though the direction of her efforts was wildly off the mark.

“So? What did you think?”

“Well, yeah. It had impact, for sure.”

“Thank you. But that’s not what I want to hear. What we’re doing here is an event to determine who looks best in glasses, isn’t it?”

Surprisingly, she actually understood the purpose.

Well, sure, it’s easy to get distracted by the bikini, but Nasuhara-san was wearing the red-framed glasses she picked out earlier—though, despite remembering the event’s goal, the glasses felt pretty sidelined, didn’t they?

“Akki, you really have no eye for detail, do you? Didn’t you notice how my swimsuit and performance combined to bring out the full charm of these glasses to their utmost potential?”

“Well, sure, the glasses do suit you, Nasuhara-san… but, I mean, your performance was so over-the-top, or rather, a bit too surreal. It was so out of place for the time, place, and occasion that it’s kind of hard to critique.”

“You’re rambling too much with your preamble. Give me a concise conclusion, please.”

“Right. I think you definitely have the makings of a comedian, Nasuhara-san.”

“How rude. I’ll rape you.”

I ended up angering her. Even though I gave a concise opinion as requested.

By the way, it seems that women can’t be charged with rape, but they can certainly be charged with indecent assault, so caution is necessary. That’s your trivia for the day.

“But yeah, putting aside the style of your performance, the glasses really did suit you, Nasuhara-san. I think you’d score highly in terms of points.”

“Heh heh. A natural outcome, of course.”

“Though, it felt less like a glasses fashion show and more like ‘Nasuhara Anastasia On Stage,’ to be honest.”

“Since we confirmed beforehand that there are no specific rules, I don’t think there’s any grounds for you to complain about my methods.”

“Well, yeah, that’s true, I suppose.”

“And while we’re at it, I also aimed to properly show off my fresh, desirable body—a body any man would want to devour—to you, Akki.”

“I could tell your figure is model-worthy, but unfortunately, it didn’t exactly stimulate those kinds of desires…”

If anything, it might have had the opposite effect in that regard.

I think it’s similar to the psychology where a glimpse of something is more exciting than full nudity—wait, no, maybe that’s not quite right? Oh well, it’s not important anyway.

“Uh, so, with that, Nasuhara-san’s performance is over, I guess. What should we do next?”

With such a gag-like performance right from the start, the bar has been set ridiculously high for what follows. At the very least, anyone coming after her will probably find it hard to compete purely on impact—though, in that sense, Nasuhara-san’s strategy of going first was flawless. But now, what to do?

“Well, I guess it’s my turn next, huh?”

But of course, this person doesn’t even bat an eye at such disadvantages.

“If I let the underclassmen steal all the spotlight, it’d hurt my pride as a senpai, you know. I’ve got to step up my game here… So, is that okay with you, Mr. Head Judge?”

“Uh, sure. If it’s fine with you, President.”

“Exactly. Alright then, let’s pick my partner, shall we?”

Humming a tune in high spirits, the president began inspecting the glasses.

“Alright, this one’ll do. Hang on a sec, you guys—I’ll be back in a flash after getting ready.”

With that, she left the dining hall-slash-meeting room in high spirits.

“…She seems awfully confident. Does she have some kind of strategy in mind?”

“That perpetually-in-heat woman being confident is just business as usual.”

“Well, let’s see what she’s got. Even if it’s her, as the student council president of St. Liliana Academy, she wouldn’t do anything to surprise us in a bad way, right?”

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei each shared their thoughts, but just what kind of tactics will the president use to compete—

And then, ten minutes later.

The answer to that question became clear.

In a way that made it obvious to everyone that she was seriously in it to win.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

A cool, clear voice rang out, and Akiko, Ginbei, and even Nasuhara-san—whose poker face rarely ever breaks—widened their eyes in shock.

“I can’t do anything as bold as Nasuhara-san, but I’ll do my very best. Please bear with me.”

Smiling brightly and cheerfully, the woman—wearing a long dress with a cardigan, adorned with a lily-of-the-valley corsage in her light chestnut hair, and sporting thin silver-framed glasses—was none other than…

Our very own student council president, Arashi Nikaidō. …Probably.

“…Huh? Who… might you be…?”

“…The student council president, perhaps? At least, the height and build are identical.”

“…Indeed. Unless some suspicious person has infiltrated this dorm, this woman must be none other than the president. But still, this is…”

It’s no wonder everyone was speechless.

Judging by this reaction, it seems not only Ginbei but also Akiko and Nasuhara-san were seeing this for the first time.

I mean, even I—who had anticipated this beforehand and had seen her ‘transformed’ state before—was stunned by her metamorphosis, so for them, it must feel like witnessing a parade of demons in broad daylight.

“Heh heh.”

Paying no mind to our reactions, the perfectly transformed president began to walk confidently.

With steps so cool and refreshing that you could almost hallucinate a summer resort in the background, she circled the room.

Her dignified demeanor, her atmosphere filled with cleanliness and elegance—it was a performance in a completely different direction from Nasuhara-san’s, but no less impressive.

“Gross! …I want to say, but it’s frustrating how well it suits her…”

“To think she was hiding such a trump card. Well done, I must say.”

“Indeed, I can only tip my hat to her. A character completely opposite to the one known and feared as the ‘Predator’… I can confidently say that if I passed the current president on the street, I would never recognize her.”

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei had no choice but to applaud her. When Arashi Nikaidō, who usually doesn’t even try to hide her vulgarity and boldness, pulls off something like this without warning, there’s nothing to do but be impressed.

“So, how was it?”

Having gracefully completed her stage, the president returned to us and gave a polite bow.

“I’m a bit embarrassed, but I did the best I could.”

“…Uh, well, sorry, President.”

“Yes?”

“When you stay in that mode, it throws everyone off, so if you could go back to normal, it’d really help, I think.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. In that case, I’ll go change right away, so please wait just a moment.”

Smiling without a hint of displeasure, the president trotted out of the room.

After waiting a short while,

“Yo. Sorry for making you wait.”

The president returned, back in her usual style, without a trace of her earlier transformation.

“So, how was it? My performance, I mean.”

“…How was it, you ask? I’m just dumbfounded, that’s all.”

“Kakaka. From the sound of it, it seems I got a good reaction, huh?”

“Well, I’m not sure ‘good reaction’ is the right way to put it.”

If anything, it felt more like running into a mugger on a dark street.

“But it was impressive, no doubt. I underestimated you.”

“Exactly, exactly. Hearing that makes me happy.”

“I mean, President, why don’t you just stay in that character all the time? It’d be so much easier for us to deal with, and I think people’s opinions of you would improve compared to now.”

“No, no, that won’t do. Sure, I can pull off that character if I want, but it’s too stiff and formal. If I had to keep up the rich lady style for a whole day, the stress would kill me. I’d rather keep my stress limited to pent-up lust, and the only cause of my shoulder stiffness should be my big boobs, you know.”

“Ha.”

“This was actually supposed to be my secret weapon for when I make you all my mistresses, you know. Now I’ve used up one of my trump cards… Since it’s come to this, I absolutely have to win this event. And then, I’ll claim the right to date you and spend a steamy night at a love hotel.”

“The date part aside, spending a steamy night at a love hotel was never part of the deal. I mean, President, didn’t you say this was all just for fun? And yet here you are, going all out to win.”

“Kakaka. Well, that’s part of the strategy, you know.”

“And, just like with Nasuhara-san, the glasses didn’t really feel like the main focus, did they? You were way more prominent than the glasses, President.”

“But they suited me, right?”

“Well, yeah, I suppose.”

Unfortunately, I can’t argue with that.

The president’s glasses look was just as good as Nasuhara-san’s, without falling short in the slightest. And on top of that, both of them were ridiculously good at picking out glasses, even though they don’t normally wear them.

Man, this has turned into an unexpectedly close contest.

From my perspective, the two of them are neck and neck. Next up are Ginbei and Akiko, but I wonder what kind of appeal they’ll use to compete with the frontrunners.

“Uh, so, next is either Ginbei or Akiko’s turn. Who wants to go first?”

“Mmm…”

“Ugh…”

I tried to move the event along, but the two who still had their turns left just mumbled and didn’t budge.

Well, it’s understandable. The first and second performances were just too outstanding. After seeing those, it’s natural to feel hesitant.

Plus, as far as I know, neither Ginbei nor Akiko are particularly skilled at this kind of spectacle. On top of that, they weren’t exactly enthusiastic about this event to begin with. In a situation like this, the order of turns becomes an element that can’t be ignored, so what to do—

“Ginbei-san, please go ahead!”

Or so I thought, but Akiko made her decision a step faster.

With a smile, she casually stepped back, relatively pushing Ginbei forward, trying to forcefully avoid being the third in line.

“…Hey. Isn’t that kind of cowardly, Akiko-kun?”

Ginbei, practically offered up as a sacrificial lamb, glared at Akiko, half in tears,

“To begin with, this entire event is being held for your sake, and the rest of us, including me, are here to help you. What’s the idea of stepping back and letting me go first? Shouldn’t you be the one to take the lead here?”

“I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Being the last one up is, in its own way, quite tough, you know.”

“Then you go first.”

“No way. I’ll let you have the honor, Ginbei-san.”

“Don’t use nice-sounding words like ‘let’ when you’re just pushing something nobody wants onto me. Come on, it’s fine if you go first, isn’t it, Akiko-kun? Unlike you, I’m not used to wearing glasses, so you should—”

“Hey, Ginbei.”

Unable to watch any longer, I threw her a lifeline.

“Thanks to Nasuhara-san and the president’s performances, this event is already pretty much a success, so you don’t have to force yourself to participate, you know? You didn’t seem all that keen on it to begin with, and even if you win, the prize isn’t exactly a big deal, right?”

If Akiko had said she wouldn’t participate in this flow, that’d be one thing, but there’s no need for Ginbei to do something she doesn’t want to—I made the offer with that in mind, but—

“…That won’t do.”

Surprisingly, Ginbei’s attitude changed completely.

With her cheeks slightly puffed out,

“I said I’d participate in this event. Once I’ve made a promise, going back on it would not only disgrace me but also tarnish the name of the Sawatari family. As someone born into a family that values trust and contracts, I must do my utmost to avoid such a situation.”

“Well, sure, I get that, but it’s not like anyone would be in trouble if you didn’t participate, right? And since this is just a bit of fun, there’s no need to force yourself to do something you don’t want to, is there?”

“In other words, you’re saying you have absolutely no expectations of me, Akito.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“You’re saying there’s no way glasses would suit me, so it’d be pointless for me to even try, right?”

“No, no, that’s not it at all.”

“I’m offended. Truly offended. I have to restore my wounded pride as quickly as possible. Unlike Nasuhara-kun or the president, I may lack fashion sense, but I’ll go all out to win here, mark my words.”

…Yeah.

It seems my attempt to be considerate backfired.

With her slender shoulders trembling with determination, Ginbei approached the table and began inspecting the glasses she would wear.

“Mmm…”

She was examining them with the face of a broker appraising a raw diamond, but it seemed she couldn’t decide on a pair she liked.

She’s the type who’s relatively indifferent to what she wears, thinking that as long as it’s minimally clean and appropriate for the time, place, and occasion, anything goes. Having lived frugally for so long due to her family’s policies, she probably hasn’t spent much money or time on fashion, so unlike Nasuhara-san or the president, she’s not good at improvising in situations like this.

“Tch. Whatever happens, happens!”

After hesitating for quite a while, she finally made up her mind.

Choosing a pair of round glasses like the ones John Lennon favored, she hurriedly left the dining hall-slash-meeting room. There’s no rule requiring it, but it seems she, too, intended to make some sort of preparations.

“…I wonder what kind of approach Ginbei-san will take.”

“Who knows how it’ll turn out, huh? Well, even if she has some kind of strategy, I doubt she’ll do anything too flashy. She’s the shy, bashful type in situations like this, unlike me or the vice president.”

“Don’t lump me in with you, please. …Well, Gin-Gin is, after all, very cute to begin with. No matter what strategy she adopts, it’s certain to be very, very cute, no doubt.”

Akiko, the president, and Nasuhara-san each made their comments, but as the person who’s known Ginbei the longest, even I found this a bit hard to predict.

To begin with, the old Ginbei would never have participated in an event like this. She would’ve kept her distance from our silly antics, saying something like, ‘Good grief. It’s about time you all grew up a little.’ So, when you think about it, she’s changed quite a bit in a short time. Of course, the main reason for that is probably her transferring to St. Liliana Academy and starting to hang out with the student council crowd.

“Oh? She’s back, huh?”

After waiting a few minutes,

Ginbei reappeared—but,

Huh?

I thought she was going to prepare something, but there doesn’t seem to be any change at all? Sure, she’s wearing the John Lennon-style glasses, but her outfit is exactly the same as before. If that’s the case, was there really any need to leave the room?

Wait, hold on.

Something about her seems off.

Her face is bright red, her eyes are darting around nervously, and she’s shrinking into herself like a wet Maltese, looking extremely tense. For someone whose usual selling point is her slightly cynical coolness, this is quite irregular.

Just because she lacks confidence in how she looks in glasses—that alone doesn’t seem to explain this level of nervousness. Could it be that Ginbei has something else planned from here?

“Ugh…”

Under everyone’s scrutiny, she fidgeted with her hands and took deep breaths repeatedly, seemingly trying to mentally prepare herself.

Then, suddenly, her gaze sharpened, and she held her breath.

Raising her right and left hands,

“…Nya.”

She said.

In a voice so faint it almost vanished, without ever meeting our eyes.

“““…” ““”

Me, Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and the president—all four of us froze, dumbfounded, in silence.

“…That concludes my performance.”

Breaking the silence she herself created, Ginbei took off her glasses with a sulky expression.

Her face was still—or rather, even more—bright red.

“…What’s with you all, staying silent like that? It was agreed that there’d be no restrictions on the content of the performances, wasn’t it? If that’s the case, there’s no reason I should be met with this kind of silence in response to what I did.”

“No, that part’s fine, really. Right?”

At my prompting, everyone except Ginbei nodded,

“Uh, yeah, I suppose. It’s just, we’re kind of shocked, or rather…”

“Exactly. Even I, of all people, froze up for a moment there. It was just so far from what I expected.”

“Indeed. You caught me off guard. Quite a bit.”

The student council members, with indescribable expressions, glanced at each other.

Seeing their reactions, Ginbei blushed even more,

“W-What’s with you all? Stop giving me these half-hearted reactions—it’s making it hard for me to respond.”

“Well, you say that, but we’re the ones having trouble responding, you know? Right, everyone?”

“Exactly, yeah. It was just too unexpected, and the performance itself was kind of half-hearted, or something. Doing it while being so obviously embarrassed made us feel embarrassed too—if only you’d gone all in, it would’ve been easier to handle.”

“Yes, exactly. It was painfully obvious that Gin-Gin was forcing herself to do something she’s not used to, which made it all the more unbearable to watch.”

“Mmm… Ugh…”

Being calmly pointed out various flaws, Ginbei’s face turned as red as a freshly boiled octopus.

“N-Never again… I’ll never do something like this again… There really is such a thing as a way of life that suits each person. Stepping outside of that only leads to trouble in life… To think I did it despite knowing that—what a fool I am.”

“Oh, it’s not that bad, Gin-Gin. Thanks to you, we got to see a cute side of you that we don’t usually see, after all.”

“That’s of no benefit to me whatsoever. If I can’t win this event, it’ll truly be all pain and no gain—just a waste of my dignity.”

“Don’t worry. Even if, hypothetically, you humiliated yourself so badly that you could never show your face in public again and became unmarriageable, I’d take you as my bride, okay?”

“Okay, my foot—what are you even saying?”

…And so on.

Regardless of her own feelings, it’s clear that Ginbei’s performance livened up the atmosphere.

Man, oh man, but with this, the outcome of the competition has become even harder to predict. Unlike the first two, Ginbei was completely inexperienced in this kind of setting, but that inexperience might have actually worked in her favor, I suppose.

As of right now, from the perspective of me, the judge, the points of the three who’ve finished their turns are completely even.

All that’s left is to wait for the results of the final person, but—

“Ugh…”

With everyone’s attention focused on her, Akiko’s expression stiffened.

My little sister, who had been casually critiquing Ginbei’s performance, well, she’s not exactly in a position to do so. After all, she’s the one whose turn is coming up last, as the grand finale.

So, having ended up in the position with the highest hurdle, and being the one who least wanted to wear glasses in this event, just what kind of strategy will Akiko use to seize victory?

“…Um, sorry, Onii-chan.”

“Hm? What?”

“Could I have a little time out? Like a thinking time. I’d like to take a bit more time to think things over.”

“Oh, you haven’t decided on a strategy yet, huh? Well, sure, this is pretty much the moment that’ll decide the outcome, so it’s only human to want to carefully plan your strategy.”

“Exactly. I mean, ending up as the very last one to go is quite a challenging situation, you know. It’s not like I can just go about it as usual—there’s definitely more pressure than usual.”

“Yeah, yeah, I understand how you feel.”

“If I don’t properly wrap things up at a time like this, the whole event will feel anticlimactic, or rather, kind of disappointing. For the sake of everyone who’s done their best so far, could I please have just a little more time?”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, I’d need to hear everyone else’s opinions too, but I think it’s fine, right?”

“Thank you so much. As expected of Onii-chan.”

“So? How much thinking time do you want, exactly?”

“Let’s see… About a year, give or take?”

“You’re totally planning to run away, aren’t you?”

Far from being admirable, this was outright desertion in the face of the enemy.

If this were a battlefield, it’d be an immediate, no-questions-asked execution by firing squad.

“Akiko. Onii-chan is disappointed, you know? To think you’d still say something like that at this stage.”

“B-But it can’t be helped, can it!? Why does everyone have to go and score such high points like that!? It’s completely thrown off all my calculations!”

“Don’t complain to me about that—I’m not the one who can help.”

“According to my original plan, this was supposed to be a much lower-level competition, like comparing acorns! That way, even someone like me, who doesn’t look good in glasses, might’ve had a slim chance!”

“Yeah, too bad, huh? Things didn’t go as planned.”

“And on top of that, you, my adorable little sister, were supposed to take pity on me and fudge my points a little!”

“Your wishful thinking is way too optimistic…”

It’s beyond just being overly optimistic—it’s practically delusional at this point.

Even the military leadership before and during the start of the Pacific War would pale in comparison to this level of carefree optimism.

“So, please, show a little leniency in judging me!”

“Don’t openly demand unfair judging. Stick to sportsmanship and do this fair and square.”

“Please! I’ll spare no expense!”

“And don’t blatantly hint at bribery either.”

“You’re saying you don’t need money, huh!? Well then, how about instead of money, I offer you a kiss as a reward!?”

“Wouldn’t that be more of a reward for you, rather than me?”

“Got it, then instead of a kiss, how about the chance to go on a date with me!?”

“Isn’t that the prize for the person who wins this event?”

With a sigh, I said,

“Give it up, Akiko. Sure, I’m soft on you, but I know how to draw the line depending on the time and situation. Everyone else has worked hard to build up this momentum, and I’m not about to ruin it by doing something weird. To be specific, as the judge entrusted with this role, I intend to carry out my duties properly. I won’t give you unfairly high points just because you’re my little sister—not even for a half-fun event like this.”

“Hau…”

“Akiko. Do you understand what Onii-chan is saying?”

“Ugh… Yes…”

“So, you’ll listen to what Onii-chan says, right? You won’t be selfish and make things difficult for Onii-chan, right?”

“Yes…”

“Good. Then, Akiko, it’s your turn next. Make sure to properly show everyone your performance. If you can’t do that, it’ll be considered as forfeiting the competition, and you’ll be disqualified, okay?”

“Ugh…”

Seeing my resolute attitude, Akiko drooped her shoulders dejectedly.

“Heh… Huh, you’re saying some pretty gutsy things, aren’t you?”

“Indeed. That’s a bit unexpected.”

“Hmm. I thought, as usual, Akito would just play favorites with his little sister here, but maybe I need to rethink my opinion of him.”

The president, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei were all making comments as if they were seeing me in a new light.

Man, oh man, I feel totally misunderstood.

To begin with, this whole glasses show was set up to give my stubborn little sister some tough love, and if you trace it back further, the whole reason everyone in the student council moved into this dorm was to ‘improve Akiko’s brother complex.’ So, it should be pretty darn obvious that I’m strict with my little sister, right?

I can’t help but feel keenly that everyone’s looking at me through rose-tinted glasses. I think it’s about time I showed everyone what ‘big brother authority’ means to Akito Himenokōji.

“So, Akiko, that’s how it is.”

“Ugh…”

“Hurry up and pick your glasses. You can’t keep everyone waiting, you know.”

“Hauuu~”

Urged on by me, my little sister shakily approached the table and began inspecting the glasses.

“Um, but, I don’t really know what makes a good or bad pair of glasses, you know… Since I don’t like glasses to begin with—or rather, I really hate them—I have no idea what would even suit me…”

“Akiko. No whining at this stage, okay?”

“Mguh.”

“The president and Nasuhara-san aside, even Ginbei fulfilled her role properly. I won’t let you say you can’t do it.”

“Au~”

“Just to be clear, let me repeat this, but this event is being held for your sake, you know? Do you understand that everyone else is here to help you?”

“Ugh… Um, but…”

“Do it, or don’t. Make it clear.”

“Hau.”

Faced with my firm tone, even Akiko seemed to finally give in.

No longer looking at me pleadingly, she turned back to the row of glasses with a desperate expression.

“Uuu~”

Like a kid clutching a small allowance at a candy store, she stared intently at the glasses, practically devouring them with her eyes, but she couldn’t make a decision, overwhelmed by indecision. If this were a manga, her eyes right now would probably be drawn with swirling spiral effects.

“Uuuu…”

With all the attention focused on her, it seemed her anxiety was starting to show. Her face visibly stiffened, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and the groans escaping from the corners of her mouth were growing louder by the moment.

…

Hmm.

This might be a bit more serious than I imagined. My little sister’s hatred of glasses has reached the level of some kind of allergy or phobia, it seems.

But really, is it something to hate that much?

Even if she’s self-conscious about not looking good in glasses (though, in reality, they suit her just fine), this level of extreme rejection feels a bit unnatural. Could there be some specific reason behind it?

…

……

…………

But, yeah, maybe it’s my fault for not noticing until it got this bad.

It’s been about two months since my little sister and I started living together again. In just that short time, her hatred of glasses has grown to this extent, and as her guardian, I can’t just ignore it and pretend it’s not my problem.

Oh well.

I didn’t intend to use it here, but—I guess I’ll have to pull out the trump card I prepared in advance. The saying ‘better safe than sorry’ really resonates with me right now.

“Akiko. Is it really impossible for you?”

“Hauuu…”

“Don’t look at me with those teary eyes… Okay, fine, I’ll do something right now to make it so you have no choice but to wear glasses.”

“…?”

Smiling at my little sister, who tilted her head in confusion, I pulled something out of my pocket.

It was a rectangular box, small enough to fit in one hand.

Wrapped with a pink ribbon and blue-and-white gingham check paper.

“This is…?”

“Open it.”

At my urging, my little sister opened the box as instructed,

“! This is…!?”

“Yup. A present. For you, Akiko.”

Inside was a pair of glasses.

A design that was slightly bold yet also delicate, tailored for girls.

“I bought it thinking something like this might happen. I racked my brain to pick out the pair that would suit you best, Akiko.”

“B-But, but this—”

“Oh, sorry, I actually didn’t know exactly how bad your eyesight is, so for now, I just had them put in temporary lenses. We’ll need to go to the optician later to get proper lenses fitted.”

“No, that’s not what I mean—well, that’s important too, but, um…”

“Oh, don’t worry. I paid for this out of my own allowance, so it’s separate from our household budget. It wasn’t that expensive, so don’t worry about it. Though, for a while, I’ll have to give up the pleasure of drinking canned coffee after meals.”

“R-Really!? To think it came out of Onii-chan’s allowance—n-no, that’s not what I meant either, um…”

“I want you to use it, Akiko.”

Smiling again at my little sister, who was flustered and trying to protest,

I poured in all the love and affection I could muster.

“You might hate glasses, Akiko, but I really like how you look in them. And of course, in terms of keeping you safe, glasses are important too. To me, if it’s for your sake, I don’t care about the cost, and even if it means you might hate me, if I think it’s the right thing for you, I’ll do it with all my might. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it’ll always be. Because you’re my most precious little sister in the whole world, Akiko.”

“Hau…!”

“If you absolutely hate glasses, then just once in a while is fine. Once a day, or even once a week, is okay. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, then do it for me. So, could you try wearing these glasses?”

“…Uuu…”

Listening to my request, my little sister, her cheeks flushed pink, fidgeted and darted her eyes around, but,

“…You absolutely won’t laugh at me, right?”

“Why would I? What reason would I have to laugh at you? There’s no way I’d ever laugh at you. I might smile out of happiness, though.”

“And you absolutely won’t hate me, right?”

“There’s no way I’d ever hate you—that’s even more impossible. For the rest of my life, forever. If there were even the slightest chance of me hating you, it would’ve happened long ago, not now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of inconveniencing so many people just to live with you again, right?”

“…Okay.”

It seemed she finally steeled herself.

Her fearful expression changed in an instant. With a look as if she were facing the battle of her life, she lowered her gaze to the glasses in her hand.

With the gentle touch of someone arranging flowers on a spiked stand, she placed the temples of the glasses over her ears.

“…How do I look?”

“Yup.”

Smiling at my little sister, who asked nervously,

With the natural, heartfelt smile I’d anticipated,

“They suit you. Yup, really well.”

“Do I look… cute…?”

“Of course. You look really cute.”

“…Hehe.”

Poof!

Akiko beamed with a childlike, innocent smile.

See?

It’s easier done than worried about. It always ends up like this, doesn’t it? What a handful of a little sister—though, that’s part of what makes her cute, I suppose.

If there’s any problem, though,

It’s that the glares from the other participants are painfully intense, and I can blatantly hear whispers like, ‘Rigged…’ ‘Staged…’ ‘Practically a scam…’ But, well, what can you do, right? After all, this event was meant to help fix Akiko’s hatred of glasses in the first place. If the result is good, all’s well that ends well, as they say.

“Come on, everyone. What do you think?”

But, perhaps she’s oblivious to the situation,

Akiko, now in a mood like a spring flower field, turned to the student council members shooting her cold glares,

“Hehe. A present from Onii-chan, you know? Hehe.”

“““…” ““”

“Wow, I’m so happy. How many years has it been since Onii-chan last gave me a present…? Since we reunited after six years, he’s done lots of kind things for me, but he hasn’t given me anything in the form of a present, you know.”

“““…” ““”

“No, no, it’s not like I was sulking because I didn’t get anything tangible from Onii-chan, okay? If anything, tangible things are something anyone can give if they put their mind to it, right? So, in a way, I actually thought Onii-chan was amazing for expressing his love through intangible things, and it made me love him even more—but, of course, getting something tangible like this makes me even happier, you know! Kyaa~”

“““…” ““”

Yup.

Uh, Akiko-san? I get that you’re over the moon with joy, but please, read the room a little. You might not care at all, but if I keep getting stabbed by the cold glares of the president, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei, my timid heart will freeze over before long.

“Uh, so, with that,”

And thus, the matter was resolved on its own.

Interrupting my little sister, who was still basking in euphoria, I moved on to wrapping things up.

“Thank you, everyone. With that, we’ll conclude the performance time for all participants. Thanks to everyone’s wonderful performances, this turned into a very high-level competition. As the judge, I found it extremely difficult to assign scores, which I suppose is what you’d call a happy problem. Really, everyone was amazing.”

“““…” ““”

“Oh, by the way, Akiko, just to confirm—since everyone has done this much for you, you’ll wear your glasses from now on, right? Not all the time, just when necessary.”

“Yes, of course. I still don’t like glasses, but I think I might’ve come to like them a little… And above all, I could never commit the sin of not using a present Onii-chan gave me.”

“Yup, that’s great to hear. —So, with that, I think we’ve achieved our original goal, right? Thank you, everyone.”

I bowed my head in thanks, but the only one who clapped was Akiko. The glares from the others were, as expected, still painful.

Well, that’s understandable. With how things turned out, it’s only natural. And the main cause of it is me, after all.

“Now, then, I’ll announce the judging results. For the glasses contest, held on short notice today, the winner is—”

Boom boom boom boom, bam!

I played a drumroll in my head to build suspense, but the reactions from everyone except Akiko had cooled to near absolute zero.

Maybe I should skip the extra theatrics and announce it as quickly as possible, huh?

“Here we go! The winner of this contest is—Ginbei Haruomi Sawatari-san! Congratulations! Woo-hoo, applause, applause!”

I tried to liven things up on my own, even if it felt a bit forced, but—

Everyone except me blinked in silence.

Even Akiko, who had been all smiles until just a moment ago, and even Ginbei, the winner herself.

“…Uh, everyone? I just announced the winner, but could we maybe have a bit more reaction? Let’s at least put on a proper finale, everyone working together, you know?”

“…No, wait a second.”

Representing the stunned group, Ginbei raised her hand.

“What’s going on here? The winner? Me? Why?”

“Well, why, you ask—it’s because I, the judge, decided it, that’s all.”

“No, no, no, no, no.”

Ginbei shook her head, her face full of confusion,

“How did it end up being me in this flow? All I did was awkwardly imitate a cat, right? And even that was just a desperate, last-ditch effort.”

“No, your performance was good, you know? Sure, it didn’t have the technical flair of Nasuhara-san or the president, and it felt more like your natural charm shining through, but even so, your performance was solid. I think Nasuhara-san and the president would agree, right? It was super cute.”

“C-Cute…!? N-No, putting that aside, it’s still strange. You went out of your way to favor Akiko-kun, even buying her glasses specifically for her, and praised her glasses look as cute—and if it were Nasuhara-kun or the president who won, I could understand, but—”

“It’s fine. I decided it on my own, that’s all.”

We confirmed this at the start, didn’t we?

I asked, ‘Is it really okay if I judge based on my own tastes, my own standards?’

And since it was approved and no one objected, it’s a bit troubling to have people complain about the judging criteria at this point.

Besides, as a practical matter, there was no other option but to make Ginbei the winner.

First off, Akiko is obviously out of the question. Everyone might’ve forgotten, but the whole reason the student council members moved into this dorm was to ‘improve Akiko’s brother complex,’ or at least to improve her reputation, as she’s considered the ultimate bro-con at the academy. So, making Akiko the winner and giving her a date with me as a prize would be completely counterproductive, wouldn’t it?

On the other hand, making the president or Nasuhara-san the winner is certainly worth considering. At the very least, it’d yield far better results than if Akiko won.

However, making Ginbei the winner is, for me, the more preferable option. First, because Ginbei is my long-time best friend, and we’ve gone out together several times, so the psychological barrier is low. And second, because I owe her a lot, so I’d like to repay some of that debt here, even if just a little.

If I take her out somewhere on the weekend, treat her to cake, and pick out some clothes that would suit her, I might be able to avoid her nagging me about past slights—well, to be honest, it’s a pretty calculating decision, but a decision is a decision.

It’s the decision of me, the head judge, to whom full authority was delegated.

Especially since, from my perspective, everyone’s performances were neck and neck. Even if I made the final decision based on personal convenience, I don’t think it’s something to make a huge fuss over, right? After all, this event was held as a half-fun thing to begin with.

“…So, yeah, that’s how it is. Was that a bad call? Should I have judged it more strictly, in a more formal way?”

“Mmm… No…”

Faced with my argument, Ginbei fell silent.

The president, Nasuhara-san, and Akiko also seemed at a loss for counterarguments.

“Alright, then, that’s that. The winner is Ginbei. Congratulations, Gin.”

“Ah, uh, thanks… I mean, I’m not entirely convinced, but…”

“By the way, the prize for the winner is supposedly a date with me, but what do you want to do? Going out with me won’t exactly be a grand treat, and if you’re busy, you don’t have to force yourself to do it, you know.”

“! Don’t be ridiculous—that’d be unacceptable. Not accepting a hard-won prize would be unthinkable for someone from the Sawatari family. Even if it’s something worthless or shabby, we find value in it and turn it into money—that’s our family’s policy. Sure, going out into town with you, Akito, is something we’ve done several times before, so it’s neither fresh nor exciting, but even so, Im determined to carry out this date with you and gain something beneficial from it. Yup.”

“Okay, got it. Then let’s go out somewhere soon. I’ll think about where to go, but if there’s anywhere you’d like to go, let me know, okay, Ginbei? I’ll try to meet your expectations as much as possible.”

“Uh, um, understood… But, man, where do you even go on a date? This isn’t just a casual stop for tea after school or something… I have absolutely no knowledge of what a proper date entails, though…”

“Oh, by the way, Akiko.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Just to confirm one more time—you’ll wear your glasses properly from now on, right?”

“Huh? Uh, well, um, that’s…”

“You’re not going to throw a tantrum just because you lost and didn’t get to go on a date, right? I’d hope not.”

“…Um, I have a question.”

“Hm?”

“Is Ginbei-san the only one who gets to go on a date with you, Onii-chan?”

“Yup. That’s how it works, obviously.”

“T-That’s awful! What about my date, then!?”

“What about it? You lost the competition, didn’t you? It’d be weird for someone who lost to get the winner’s prize, right?”

“Then I demand a rematch! Let’s do the competition again!”

“No way, no way. —Alright, everyone, thanks for your hard work. Especially to the president, who planned this event and prepared all these glasses—thank you so much, I owe you one.”

“Mmm… Well, that’s fine, I guess…”

“And to Nasuhara-san, who took on the role of the first performer, my utmost gratitude. It’s precisely because you stepped up first that this event went so smoothly. Thanks, really.”

“…Well, that was more of a strategic choice on my part, so it’s fine, but…”

“Alright, then, that’s that. Let’s wrap things up. To deepen our bonds as student council members and dormmates, I think it’d be great to hold events like this more often. Once again, thanks for your hard work, everyone~”

 

◆◆◆

 

And so, the glasses contest, which somehow started on a whim, came to a smooth conclusion.

It’s a classic case of ‘the fish that got away always looks bigger,’ and everyone except Ginbei seemed to have some lingering regrets about the outcome. But that’s all part of the competition—results are results, after all.

The problem is that I, who spent my allowance to buy glasses for my little sister, now have to face additional expenses for a date with Ginbei… Well, complaining about it would be petty, I suppose. I’m the breadwinner of the family, after all, so I just need to earn more to cover what I’ve spent, right? Yup.

But a date with Ginbei, huh… In reality, it’ll probably just be a casual outing somewhere, nothing too formal. But when, where, and what should we do, I wonder?