Translator: Haruto.

I was two when I first realized I’d been reincarnated into this world.

***

It poured like never before that day.

My dad and I were waiting outside the room. I assume they deemed the birth of a child too shocking of a scene for such a young kid.

I didn’t know how long we’d been there. And, maybe it was because I had no way to pass the time, because I wasn’t accustomed to the situation, or simply because my dad was holding his hands together as though in prayer, but worry was surging within me. That dark hallway in which nothing seemed to change frightened me.  

I focused my attention on the sound of the rain for a while, and eventually, I fell into a doze.

But then—

“Gyaaaaa! Gyaaaaaaaa!”

One new person was born into this world.

An infant’s voice rang out vigorously from the delivery room.                              

And before I knew it, the rain that had been beating against the window, as though trying to break it, let up. In its wake a rainbow appeared, and the sun revealed itself at last.  

It was like an homage to his birth.

A few moments later, I saw my brother’s face for the first time.

“Mommy!”

My mind was filled with the joy of reuniting with my mom after so long.

My dad held her tightly in his arms as she looked at me.

“Sora, were you a good boy?”

“Yup! I was super good!”

“I see, well done, Sora. You’ll definitely be a great big brother”

“A big brother!”  

That title meant a lot to me. My parents had told me that I’d be getting a new brother a few months prior, and I rejoiced from the bottom of my heart. My long wait finally came to an end.

“Where’s the baby, Mommy?”

“Right here. Say hi to your new little brother.”

My mom raised the baby out of the crib next to her bed as he was sleeping soundly, and brought him close to me.

He was a little newborn baby with very few hairs and he was so adorable that he didn’t even seem to belong to this world.

“Hi, little baby.”

“Hehe, Sora, your brother’s name is Hinata. As the kanji suggest, I want him to be like the sun, bringing light and warmth to the darkness, and be loved by everyone around him.”

Considering that my name meant “blue sky,” I was sure Hinata and I would get along just fine.

It was at that instant that I had a sense of déjà vu. It felt as if I had heard and seen all of this before, and more importantly, my brother’s name…

Yes, I knew this “scene.”

And so, I remembered. I had been struck by a truck in my previous life and died as a result. But that was also when I realized…

This was the world of a light novel.

I’d been reincarnated as the older brother of a romcom protagonist.

***

“Hinata, sweetie, you’ll be late for school!”

“Just one second, Mom! I’m putting my uniform on!”

“Good grief, that boy…”

My mom sighs at her young son’s struggle to get ready in time after he overslept.

“He knew today was the entrance ceremony, so couldn’t he have planned his morning a bit more carefully and in advance? That boy could learn a thing or two from his older brother,” she muses, glancing at me.

“Haha, that’s just the way Hinata is, Mom. Besides, putting on our school’s uniform can be surprisingly tricky, especially if it’s your first time.”

“Really? You got ready in a jiffy on your first day, though?” She tilts her head curiously.

Yeah, but that’s to be expected since…

“…I used to wear suits all the time in my previous life…” I whisper.

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“N-Nope! Nothing at all!”  

T-That was close.

She almost heard what I said. I mumbled it under my breath without thinking… I need to be more careful next time.

Trying to think of something else, I glance back at my mom.

She’s all dressed up for Hinata’s entrance ceremony.

Appearing to be a girl in her late twenties, she’s wearing light makeup and a beige one-piece dress. She’s also got a pearl necklace on, together with a black corsage and a tweed collarless jacket to top it all off. The outfit makes her look even younger and greatly accentuates her natural beauty.

Had I met her in my previous life, there’s no doubt I’d have fallen in love with her in a heartbeat, especially considering she’d have been slightly younger than me.

But since we’re now blood-related, I feel no sort of attraction towards her.

“Those clothes suit you well, Mom.”

“You gave me the same compliment last year, right, Sora? Thank you.”

That’s true. I did say pretty much the same thing when she wore that outfit for my entrance ceremony last year. But well, who cares if I keep repeating myself as long as it puts a smile on her face?

We keep chatting about all sorts of things until we hear someone running down the stairs at full speed.

“Sorry for making you wait, Big Bro!”

“It’s okay. I didn’t wait for long so don’t worry about it.”

After reaching the first floor, Hinata’s left gasping for air. He must have been in quite a rush.  

He’s grown a lot in these past few years, and he now looks exactly like the Hinata that appeared in the light novel I read in my previous life. That’s no surprise, though, seeing that the light novel begins with Hinata entering his first year of high school.

My dad was very good-looking when he was young, and the same can still be said of my mom, so much so in fact that their beauty alone was the talk of the whole neighborhood for quite some time. And, having inherited their good looks, Hinata is also an undoubtedly handsome guy. Although, since his face retains some traces of childishness, he could be considered both handsome and adorable at the same time. But well, he’s still growing and there’s still plenty of time for him to mature.

“Alright, see you later, Mom,” I say.  

“Bye, Mom!” We both head for the door.

Ah, shoot! I almost forgot.

I look at the picture hung by the entrance, and say, “Bye, Dad.”

***

“Hey, boys! You two are as inseparable as always, huh! Love it!”

Someone pats my back hard all of a sudden. I turn around and see my childhood friend, Kana, standing behind me.

“Morning, Kana. That kind of hurt.”

“G-Good morning, Kana-san!”

“Morning, Hinata-kun! You’re rocking that new uniform. And morning, Sora.”

“Thank you very much!” Hinata exclaims.                                                       

“Is it just me or you treated me like an afterthought?” I say.                                          

“Oh, it’s totally just you. Isn’t that right, Hinata-kun?”

“Huh?! Ah, um, yes! Kana-san’s acting the same as always!”

“Aw, come on, Hinata-kun, why are you calling me “Kana-san”?! Just call me ‘Big Sis’! It sounds so cute coming from you!”

“Wha—?! No way, we’re not kids anymore… And if I keep calling you that, I feel like you’ll always just think of me as a younger brother…”

“Oh? Your face is super red and you seem to be mumbling something, but for the life of me, I just can’t hear you, Hinata-kun! Please, I wanna know what you’re—Ouch!! That hurt! What do you think you’re doing, Sora?!!”

“Don’t tease him too much. Hinata’s at his limit.”

Kana was getting so close to him that Hinata couldn’t even move a muscle as his face turned beet red, which is why I chopped her lightly with the side of my hand.

She kind of forgets the concept of personal space from time to time.

But it’s not like she clings to just about anyone. It’s actually the opposite. Because of something that happened to her some time ago, she isn’t that comfortable around most boys anymore. She can only hold a proper conversation with Hinata and me, and she keeps all other guys at arm’s length.

That’s also the reason why people have taken to call her the beautiful “Ice Princess” at school. They don’t mean it as an insult, however. Pretty much everyone has her in high regard, to say nothing of the countless boys who have a crush on her.

“Y-You’re right. Sorry, Hinata-kun. You’re so adorable that I just feel the urge to tease you, you know? Can you forgive me?”

“S-So cute!”

Unable to endure Kana’s cuteness anymore, Hinata freezes and collapses to the ground.

“Huh? Why…?” Kana asks, perplexed.

***

“Hey, look over there. Those two are kinda cute, don’t you think?”

“Huh? Wow… They’re so hot!”

“That’s our school’s uniform, right?”  

“Yeah, it is!”

“I like the boy on the right a bit more…”

“Seriously? I think the guy with glasses on the left is way more handsome. He just looks so mature, you know?”

“Wait, isn’t that the ‘Ice Princess’?”

“You’re right! Man, she’s so cute, and look at that figure…”

“Her boobs are huge! She’s so hot!”

“But hold on, how come she’s chatting with that guy like it’s normal?”

“You idiot. Don’t you know? That’s the ‘Dark Prince.’ He’s special.”

“The Dark Price? What are you talking about?”

“According to the rumors…”

The street is bustling with life, even more than usual, probably because of all the new students joining us today. And as we draw closer and closer to school, the number of students around us increases as well. Hinata seems to have caught the attention of some people—most of them girls. As for Kana, she’s yet again become the target of the boys’ lecherous looks. I know how much it frightens her, so I use my own body to hide her from them, just like I always do.

“Thank you again, Sora.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Kana hums happily to herself. She seems as delighted as the first time I helped her like this.

“You’re so cool, Big Bro…”

“Hm? Did you say something, Hinata?”

“N-Nope!”

“Really?”

I could have sworn that he was mumbling something as he stared at me. I just didn’t catch it because we’re walking a little apart with Kana right in between us.

“There are more students around us now…” Hinata remarks.

“Oh? Are you getting nervous, Hinata-kun?” asks Kana.

“Well, of course. I mean, today’s my first day of school. Haa… I hope I’ll be okay.”

“I see. I was actually more excited than nervous on the day of my entrance ceremony! I couldn’t wait to meet new people!”

“New people, huh… Honestly, as long as I have you…” Hinata whispers to himself.

“Hm? Is there something on my face?”

“N-No! I was just thinking about how much I want to make some new friends! Hahaha!”

“We’re almost there, you two. Keep your eyes in front of you or you might bump into someone,” I interject.

They seem to be more energetic than normal, which is to be expected from Hinata, but Kana…? Then again, the only two boys she ever talks to are Hinata—who’s like her own little brother—and me, so I guess being able to walk to school with us must be quite enjoyable for her.

“By the way, Kana, where’s Hina-chan? Today’s also her first day of school, isn’t it?”

“Ah, yeah, but she had to leave home early because she’s in charge of today’s entrance speech.”

The school entrance speech is given by the student with the highest score on the entrance exam.

Man, that sure brings back memories. I was in charge of last year’s speech. Thankfully, I was used to that kind of thing because I gave multiple presentations in front of large crowds in my past life, but I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it’d be for a regular high school student, especially one like Hina-chan…

“Will she be okay…?” I ask worriedly.

“You’re such a worrywart, Sora! She’s a high school student now!”

I don’t think Kana understood what exactly I meant by that. But well, I’m still worried so…

“It’s not just that… You know how she is, don’t you?”

As one might expect from Kana’s sister, Hina-chan is also extremely gorgeous, but in contrast to the impression that most people get from Kana at first sight—that’s to say a beautiful, dignified young lady—Hina-chan appears to be an outgoing, cheerful girl.

However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Kana is actually a cheerful girl who wears her emotions on her sleeve. She’s plenty cute. And Hina-chan is a shy, timid girl by nature, but she doesn’t want her shyness to hold her back, so she forces herself to act all cheerful in public. I honestly think it’s impressive how much effort she puts into it, but I also can’t help worrying about her.

We keep chatting about this and that and before we know it, we arrive at the school gate, which has a sign welcoming the new students.

Members of the student council are sitting at a reception desk, ready to guide the new students through the whole process. This also seems to be where the first-year students and their seniors temporarily part ways.

Seisai High School.

That’s the name of our school and the main stage of this romcom.  

“Hinata, it seems you’ll have to stay here for now. Will you be fine on your own?”

“Gee, you worry too much, Big Bro! I’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Alright. The good thing is that you’ve got that new-student badge on you, so if you get lost you can just ask someone around for help and I’m sure they’ll guide you back.”

“I’m not a child anymore! I won’t get lost.”

“Hehe…”

“K-Kana-san, why are you giggling like that?!”

“Haha, it’s just that you two look more like father and son than siblings. It’s a bit funny, is all…”

“Father and son?! I-I totally don’t look that childish, right, Big Bro?!”

“S-Sure…”

I can’t exactly tell him that, if you count my previous life, I’m technically old enough to be his father.

“I’ll see you guys later, then!” Hinata exclaims.

“Be careful!” responds Kana.

“See you,” I say.

Hinata begins to walk towards the student council’s reception desk.  

“And he’s gone…” Kana says.

“Yeah.”

“We’re still students, and yet it feels like we’re his parents.”

“I know.”

“Hehe, you have a very fatherly expression on your face right now, Sora.”

“I mean, with our dad gone, I’m the one who’s got to fill that role for him.”

“Right, I’m sorry… you must be…”

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”

But Hinata is a different story. He was involved in Dad’s death, albeit indirectly, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he still suffers because of it to this day. That’s why I must fill Dad’s shoes. I want to alleviate Hinata’s pain, even if it’s just a little.

“Let’s go, shall we?” I propose.

“Yup, let’s.”

Kana and I walk down a hallway exclusive to second-year students and above as we have a pleasant chat, but then we see a girl heading in our direction and swaying slightly from side to side.

I try my best not to bump into her but, since I’ve got Kana on one side and the girl seems rather distracted, there’s not much I can do to prevent the collision in time.

Thud.

“Hya?! I-I’m so sorry!”

She was so surprised that she ended up falling on her butt. She doesn’t seem to be feeling well and her skin looks pale, too.

I then notice the new-student badge she’s wearing, which begs the question: What’s she doing here?

And more importantly, I feel like I’ve seen this girl before…

“No, it was my fault, too. Are you hurt?”

“I-I’m okay. Thank you for your concern,” the girl says as she tries to get up, but she almost collapses again, so I put my hand around her back to hold her up.

“You’re obviously not okay. You’re as pale as a ghost…”

“I-I’m sorry for troubling you like this. I’m just anemic, so…”

“Your cheeks are flushed. Kana, can you go get a teacher?”

“I-I’m fine, really! I’m not blushing because of the anemia…”

“Sorry, what did you say…?”

“Nothing! Um, thank you for holding me up, but I’m all right now.”  

“Are you? I mean, your cheeks are still…”

“Sora, I think she’s just blushing because she’s shy about being touched,” Kana interjects.

“Ah, my bad. It isn’t nice to be held like that by a guy you don’t even know, huh?”

In response to Kana’s comment, I immediately draw back my hand, but I remain at the ready in case she collapses again.

Thankfully, she manages to stay on her feet, even if she’s still somewhat pale. I’m not letting my guard down just yet, though.

“But anyway, what’s a new student like you doing here?”

“Um, you see, I haven’t been able to think all that clearly because of how nervous I’ve been feeling, so I just kind of wandered here without realizing it…”

“I see. It’d be a bad idea to leave you alone, then. Would you like me to show you the way back?”

“I-I don’t want to bother you.”                   

“It’s no bother.”

“I-In that case, I would really appreciate it. I’m completely lost.”

“How about we stop by the infirmary first?”

“If we go there, I might miss the ceremony and I don’t want to worry my mom…”

“Alright, in that case, I’ll take you directly to the ceremony. My name is Kanzaki Sora, by the way. And she’s Yaehata Kana. We should at least know each other’s names, right? It’s nice to meet you…”

“Ah! Um, my name is Nanjo Kaede. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”          

The moment I heard her name, I knew instantly why I thought I had seen her somewhere before.

This girl is one of the novel’s heroines.

If I remember correctly, Hinata and Kaede-chan’s first encounter took place on the day of the entrance ceremony. I read the novel more than a decade ago so my memories are a little fuzzy, but I believe Hinata overslept and arrived late to the ceremony. Since he didn’t find anyone at the reception desk to guide him, he decided to walk around the school and that’s when he saw Kaede-chan. He thought it was strange that she wasn’t at the ceremony, but when he noticed that she was about to collapse, he ran to her, held her up, and took her to the infirmary. Kaede-chan felt thankful for what he’d done and eventually fell in love with him. I think that’s how the story went, but then…

“What’s happening to the plot?”

***

With the arrival of the irregularity known as Kanzaki Sora into this world, the original plotline was altered and a new conclusion to the story began to take form. The day he’d come to discover that fact, however, was still a little ways down the road.

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