Chapter 30 Please Tell Me

Please Tell Me

“…Do you remember this place?”

Hibiki, who had appeared before me, looked up at the night sky with a nostalgic smile as she asked me that question.

—A year ago.

I found Hibiki here after she had run away from home following a fight with Kanade.

It was a wide riverbank by a large river.

The area had few streetlights, making it pitch dark at night with hardly any foot traffic.

That’s where I found her.

How did I manage to find her?

Looking back now, I can only say it was sheer luck.

The phrase “under a starry sky,” which she mentioned in passing during a conversation earlier that day, had stuck with me.

She had once explained in class that she came to this place when she wanted to be alone and think—a spot with little light, ideal for stargazing.

Using that casual remark as a clue, I ran around until I found her—that was a year ago.

…I never thought I’d come here again.

I gave a wry smile and patted Hibiki’s head, lightly tapping it.

“Of course I remember. I looked everywhere for you back then.”

“…Hehe, that’s true. I caused you a lot of trouble, didn’t I?”

“You say ‘back then,’ but you’re still causing trouble now, you know?”

“…That’s what kids do to adults—it’s inevitable.”

“Don’t use being a kid as an excuse. That’s not what I meant when I said that before.”

“…I get it. I was just joking.”

Hibiki let out a soft chuckle, a nostalgic smile flashing briefly across her face—so subtle you’d miss it if you weren’t paying attention.

Honestly, these sisters are always doing unexpected things.

Things must be chaotic at their house right now…

“Hey, what would you have done if I hadn’t come here? I only figured it out by chance…”

I sighed and scolded her lightly.

But she didn’t seem particularly bothered, simply smiling in response.

“Uh, Hibiki-chan?”

“…Hehe, it wasn’t by chance. You were always going to come, Nii-san. My predictions are statistically accurate—they’ve only ever been wrong once.”

“If they’ve been wrong once, don’t act like they’re guaranteed.”

“…That one time was your fault, Nii-san.”

“Huh? Me? I don’t remember anything like that.”

“…Then it’ll stay my little secret. I’m a genius, after all—predictions and forecasts come naturally to me.”

“Haha… You’re as confident as ever.”

“…It’s an objective fact.”

Her tone was smug, but strangely, it didn’t annoy me or make me feel envious.

What she said was true, and her charming smile left no room for rebuttal.

A genius… huh.

She could memorize most things in one go, master them in two.

Even without much studying, she excelled, and her spontaneous creations often won awards.

Academics, sports… she was flawless in every aspect.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a once-in-a-century—or even once-in-a-millennium—talent.

That’s who Amamiya Hibiki is.

Her only flaw might be her personality.

“So, Hibiki-chan, why did you do this? Your family must be worried about you.”

“…Ah, that’s fine. I told them I was staying over at a friend’s house to borrow their notes since I missed school today.”

“Haa… So that’s why you skipped class today. Another calculated move, I see.”

“…That’s exactly what it was.”

She smiled without a hint of guilt, looking just a little smug.

“So basically, you wanted to talk to me from the start… Is that it?”

“…You catch on quickly. That’s one thing I genuinely like about you.”

“Haha… Thanks.”

“…If this were a dating sim, your affection meter would’ve just shot up. If I were a character in a game, you’d totally be winning me over.”

“Come on, enough with the jokes. Hibiki-chan, you didn’t have to go through all this. If you wanted to talk, there are plenty of chances. Wandering around this late at night—what if something happened?”

When I tried to gently reprimand her, she lowered her gaze and murmured, “…I’m strong, so it’s fine.”

Without thinking, I placed my hand on her head and ruffled her hair roughly.

“Don’t be stupid. Sure, you might be skilled in martial arts, but the real problem is the situations where you’d need to use them. Avoiding those is what matters.”

“…You’re right about that.”

“You’re smart, Hibiki-chan, but this is where you fall short. I’m not just worried about you getting hurt in an accident—I’m also concerned about what happens afterward. Even if you’re in the right, incidents like that leave scars on your heart.”

My words made Hibiki’s expression darken.

She bowed her head deeply and apologized.

“…I didn’t think that far. I’m sorry.”

“As long as you understand. But please be more careful, okay? Every time you pull something like this, it shaves years off my life.”

“…If that’s the case, I’ll replenish what you’ve lost. Through Nee-san, of course.”

“No, do it yourself!”

When I retorted, she laughed quietly, amused.

Then, she muttered softly, “…Being a teacher must feel nice.”

“Anyway, there are plenty of chances to talk without doing something like this, don’t you think?”

“…That’s not true.”

“Really? I’m pretty free these days, you know.”

“…It’s not about being free. You need to realize that.”

Hibiki gave me a look of exasperation and let out a deep sigh.

Then, as if to gather her resolve, she looked at me sharply.

“…After your divorce, Nee-san has been constantly by your side, always watching over you. I can only approach you like this when she’s not around on a particularly tiring day.”

“Approach me…? What are you talking about?”

“…I don’t want to make Nee-san worry unnecessarily. If she finds out I’ve called you out here, she’ll get jealous.”

She shrugged, smiling wryly.

And then—

“…Enough beating around the bush. Let me ask you directly.”

She stepped closer, grabbing my wrist, and stared at me intensely.

“…Please tell me. What do you think of Nee-san? No, what do you want to do from now on?”

The open riverbank stretched out before us.

The quiet wind brushed past, carrying her calm, emotionless voice.