Returning Home

"What's it, Suzuka-san?"

"What's it, Onii-chan?"

They asked at the same time and immediately became silent. The silence stretched out until five minutes or so passed.

"Good grief! You're hopeless, Onii-chan!" Suzuka suddenly snapped at Haru, who could only smile wryly in return.

Haru reacted like that involuntarily because he noticed that Suzuka also used the famous line of Suzuka Nagami from Imo-Imo when she scolded Yuu Nagami.

"No need to be angry, okay!" Haru said, trying to soothe Suzuka's temper. "You look cuter if you're not angry."

Haru aimed to fluster Suzuka, but Suzuka had a dumbstruck expression instead; her eyes opened wide, and her jaw hung open, out of disbelief.

Haru blinked his eyes in befuddlement, wondering why Suzuka had reacted like that. He then remembered how Haruka would apologize to Suzuka whenever she scolded him.

It was Haruka's habit because of his subconscious attempt to appease Suzuka's anger. However, Haru wasn't Haruka. Although Haru had assimilated Haruka's memory, experience, and feelings, he didn't inherit Haruka's habit. Or maybe, the assimilation was yet to truly complete.

Whichever the case, Haru realized his blunder. It was also the reason as to why he wanted to talk with Sora and Suzuka quickly.

'No wonder she reacted exaggeratedly. I was acting out of character, huh? Darn!' Haru couldn't help but feel frustrated because of his slip.

"Onii-chan, what happened? Why are you acting like a creep all of a sudden?" Suzuka asked after recovering from her shock; she got close to Haru and watched his face in worry.

Haru almost took a step back in reflex but stopped at the last moment. Suzuka had caught him off guard when she suddenly entered his personal space.

Moreover, Haru's heart was throbbing because of the close distance between their faces. He could even smell her sweet fragrance! It was very stimulating!

"Nothing! I just want to change a bit," Haru lied to Suzuka with a straight face.

"Hmmm." Suzuka stared deeply into Haru's eyes with her half-lidded eyes.

Unable to accept losing, Haru held his ground and gave her a deadpan. He had thrown all subterfuges out of the window after his previous slip. He had resolved himself.

Suzuka scrunched her forehead and knitted her brows. She then plainly said, "I see."

Suzuka took steps back and then shook her head. "Well, whatever. Let's return home."

"Okay," Haru agreed without hesitation.

They silently walked until they arrived at a nearby convenience store. After entering the store, they took a basket to keep their groceries and separated. Suzuka went to the cooking ingredient section while Haru went to the snack section.

While filling his basket with snacks and other stuff that piqued his interest, Haru thought about his strained relationship with Suzuka. He had a hunch that his Suzuka was similar to her counterpart in Imo-Imo.

Haru felt confident with his assumption because of the specific memory of Haruka, which was about their latest fight because Haruka decided to drop off his school to lessen their financial burden.

Well, it wasn't just that. Suzuka wanted to transfer into a cheaper academic institution, but Haruka strongly opposed her idea. As expected, Haruka and Suzuka quarreled, and Suzuka snapped at Haruka.

After analyzing the memory, Haru realized that Suzuka was angry at Haruka and herself.

Haru recalled that Suzuka Nagami in Imo-Imo finally became aware of the reason behind her unreasonable outburst toward Yuu Nagami in their childhood after Yuu rejected the winning spot of a light novel competition for Suzuka's sake. Her rage was mostly pointed at herself because she made Yuu Nagami suffer for her sake.

Suzuka Kasugano's rage a few days ago was similar. She blamed herself for inconveniencing Haruka.

'It looks like my Suzuka is alike with Suzuka Nagami from Imo-Imo. I know how to handle her now. However, let's proceed with her route later. I need to concentrate on tonight's talk and then the plan to become a Novelist.'

Haru dropped the matter and went to the counter. It looked like Suzuka had yet to finish her shopping.

After paying his purchase, Haru walked out and stayed in front of the store; he waited for Suzuka there. Before long, Suzuka came out of the store.

"Onii-chan, sorry for making you wait," Suzuka apologized right after stopping in front of Haru.

Suzuka was holding her grocery bag with her right hand, her other hand holding the cord of her schoolbag that hung on her left shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. So, you finished, right?" Haru asked, and Suzuka nodded in return. "Well, let's go."

"Okay," Suzuka agreed with Haru.

They walked together to a nearby bus stop. Haru and Suzuka waited for a while until their bus arrived. After entering the bus, they took the seat in the middle. They then put their belonging on their laps before casually chatting to kill time.

"So, what will the diner be?"

"Well, the main menu is rice and miso soup. However, I'm thinking about cooking Spinach Salad, Ham Katsu, and Chilled Tofu as side dishes."

Haru's expression was full of wonderment after hearing Suzuka's answer. In his old life, Haru rarely ate foods that were exclusively cooked for him by someone else. He always prepared his meal by himself and focused more on nutrition and something that could fill his stomach.

"I can't wait for it. Your cooking is always delicious," Haru exclaimed with a hint of excitement.

Haru felt impatient to eat Suzuka's cooking. Although he had Haruka's memory and experience, he wanted to try it firsthand.

"Good grief!" Suzuka threw her face away from Haru's field of vision. She tried to hide the red hue smeared on her pale cheeks because of her embarrassment. In fact, her ears were also reddening.

Haru had caught that. He realized that Suzuka couldn't be honest with herself; she had a mild Tsundere trait in her character.

"You don't seem to dislike it, though. Do you like to get spoiled by your Onii-chan so much? If you want, your Onii-chan will spoil you more, you know~" Haru teased Suzuka.

Suzuka looked at him with a perplexed expression. After a while, "Onii-chan, you did change," Suzuka pointed that out.

"What do you think? Is it a good change or a bad change?" Haru asked for Suzuka's opinion.

Haru had resolved himself to behave like the usual him. Although he had taken over Haruka Kasugano's body, he was Haru Sakurai deep down. It was not his style to change himself to indulge others.

"I'm not sure," Suzuka replied after thinking a little, "It looked a bit weird, to be honest."

Haru was speechless by Suzuka's blunt reply. "Are you calling your Onii-chan a weirdo?" He asked after recovering.

Suzuka gave Haru once over. "You're a hopeless weirdo." She then continues in a low voice, "But, this isn't bad..."

"Pardon me? Your voice was too small," Haru said with a curious expression.

"Never mind that! It wasn't important!" Suzuka pouted, turned her head to the side, and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Haru involuntarily made a small smile when he saw Suzuka's cute reaction. He felt convinced that Suzuka was really a mild Tsundere. At the very least, her Tsundere was not the violent type.

Although Haru was a bit fond of Tsundere character in anime, manga, and light novels, he didn't want to become the target of venting of Tsundere girls in real life.

Haru couldn't tolerate the idea of being turned into a doormat by a Tsundere. His pride and self-respect wouldn't allow such a thing.

Thankfully, Suzuka wasn't a violent Tsundere.

'Well, she has a very sharp tongue according to memory.'

The conversation stopped, and an awkward silence filled the surroundings. Nevertheless, Haru didn't mind it.

'Connecting with your loved ones sure is nice. I never experienced something like this in my previous life,' Haru thought, feeling content. Happy even.

Haru and Suzuka exited the bus after it arrived at the bus stop near their apartment. They walked to their apartment complex in silence, and soon, they arrived at their home.

As Haru and Suzuka were in the middle of taking off their outdoor shoes, they registered the sound of footsteps; someone was approaching. They easily guessed the source of that sound.

Before long, Sora appeared in Haru's field of vision.

"Welcome home, Haru," Sora sweetly smiled and welcomed Haru.

"I'm back, Sora."

Haru returned Sora's smile. He couldn't help but be happy from that simple "welcome home" greeting. He had never experienced something like that in his past life, after all.

*Tch!*

That rude sound of a clicked tongue grabbed Haru's and Sora's attention; they turned their heads to Suzuka, who was standing in front of the shoebox with her back facing them. Obviously, Suzuka was the source.

"You too, Suzuka," Sora added as an afterthought.

From Sora's disinterested tone and a smile that didn't reach her eyes, Sora clearly wasn't sincere with her greeting.

"I'm home," Suzuka turned her head to Sora and replied.

However, just like Sora, Suzuka had a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She and Sora then had a passive-aggressive confrontation with a speechless Haru watching them.