Ririna seems intent on staying at my home for a while, but I had plans for a short trip with Serika-chan and the girls. Seeing me start to pack, I answered why, and she sulked big time.

"You didn't tell me…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot."

Ririna glared at me. "…Then I'm leaving for now."

"You don't have to just because I'm gone."

"I can't do anything here by myself…"

"Onii-sama has work, but he'll be back every night."

"No! I'm leaving!" She hugged her knees up on the sofa and emits an aura of bad mood. Woah… she's really mad… I didn't know how long she was going to stay, and I thought that she'd be fine without me, but I guess not…

"Ririna…"

"…"

"Miss Pillbug, are you mad?"

"Huh?! Are you an idiot!?" She struck away my hand poking her. That hurt…

Plan failure. She might not recover for a while. Hmm… what should I do? I glance at Ririna as I pack some clothes. I can leave her alone, but she's not leaving my room, despite how angry she is, so she wants me to make up with her, right? If she was just acting spoiled, I could ignore her, but she's sulking because I'm leaving, so I can't leave her alone.

Ririna must really love me.

…If I said that now, she might hit me, so I stay quiet. But I can't leave things as is, so I sent Onii-sama a mail explaining, 'Ririna is sulking because I'm leaving on a trip. Help, Onii-sama.' He replied a short time later.

"Ririna. Onii-sama said that he'll take us out for dinner." Ririna suddenly jerked her head up and stood up from the sofa, and went off to change her clothes. Huh? Didn't she recover too quickly?

"Taka-nii-sama! Where are you taking us tonight?" Her earlier attitude seems like a dream now as she holds Onii-sama's arm. Such a self-serving child. Wasn't she sulking just now because I was going away on a trip? She's totally forgotten about me.

Ririna's dressed in a cherry pink one piece dress that she borrowed from me. She didn't have anything she felt like wearing that she had brought.

After rushing out, Ririna returned, saying, "Reika-san, lend me clothes!" She went through my closet and raised a ruckus to find that one dress. It's too bright and flashy for me, so I didn't wear it much, but it looks good on Ririna. She seems to like it, so I should give it to her as a peace offering.

"I'm so happy to be able to go out with Taka-nii-sama after work!" She's excited to see Onii-sama in his business attire that she doesn't often see. But Ririna doesn't know the half of it. When Onii-sama puts on his glasses, his coolness factor increases further. I'll let her know when she becomes pouty again.

Away from the happy Ririna, I whisper, "I'm sorry for asking so suddenly. I know you're busy…"

He smiled kindly and replied, "Don't worry. I'm not so incompetent not to be able to make time for my sister and cousin."

Onii-sama! I grabbed the arm opposite of Ririna.

"Hey! What are you doin, Reika-san!" Ririna yanked her arm to strip me of Onii-sama, so I yanked back. "Poor Taka-nii-sama, getting his arm pulled. Let go, Reika-san."

"That's my line. You let go, Ririna. You'll hurt Onii-sama." Sparks fly between us.

"No. Both of you. It really does hurt…" There's no judge to arbitrate between children, so Onii-sama kept getting pulled in both directions.

The restaurant that Onii-sama brought us to as Ririna and I feuded had atmosphere and style. It was my first time here, and our eyes brightened.

"Wonderful place."

"Isn't it?"

"Glad you both like it." We do! We praised Onii-sama without reservation. He's even good at selecting where to go!

We were escorted to the waiting bar where we were greeted by Imari-sama raising a drink. "Hi."

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Imari-sama."

"I didn't have to wait at all, Reika-chan." That's right. Imari-sama's here tonight with Onii-sama. They were supposed to go out for drinks after work, so I felt bad for cutting in. But Imari-sama smiled and said, "I'm glad to see Reika-chan and Ririna-chan," not looking bothered at all.

Imari-sama whispering words of love at the star festival was fresh in my memory, but his response in these situations is impressive. A certain someone could learn from him.

We were led by a receptionist to our seats, and we each selected an order. I had a trip coming up, so I chose a light meal. Imari-sama, the Casanova village chief possessed many topics that would interest women, and Ririna had met him when we went to the aquarium with Mao-chan and the others, so the conversations were lively, and it was an enjoyable dinner.

After a while Imari-sama mentioned, "I went to the university for the first time in a while today."

"Do you mean Zuiran?"

"Right. I had to ask something of a professor."

"Was he well?"

"Great. Hasn't changed."

Onii-sama and Imari-sama were in the same department, and also my first choice, so I'm very interested. I was listening intently when he said something stunning.

"…And in the professor's office, I met him. You know, Tomoe-kun who was the student council president."

"Oh! Tomoe-senpai!?" I leaned in without thinking.

"Oh? Reika-chan knows Tomoe-kun?"

"Yes. He was the president my sophomore year, and he took care of me then." And he was my first love.

"Reika-san, you were involved with another student council president, and not just the present one…?" Ririna asked stunned.

I explained, "Because I was the class rep my sophomore year. So, was Tomoe-senpai well?"

"Yes. He seems quite capable. The professor was quite taken by him."

"Is that right!" I see, I see. Tomoe-senpai's doing well in college, too. And he's in the same department as Onii-sama. I really have to qualify now!

"So Reika-san had connections to the student council from long before."

"Just with Tomoe-senpai and Mizusaki-kun in my grade. I have little interaction with the other members." There's Wakaba-chan, actually. I wonder if she's well. I should send her mail when I get back. "Tomoe-senpai treated everyone equally, and he was a wonderful student council president. He possessed a good sense of balance, so he had a relatively good relationship with the Pivoine, so his time as president was very peaceful."

"Oh."

That takes me back. If I close my eyes, I can see Tomoe-senpai's smile.

"That reminds me, he and Fuekusa Kasu…"

"Imari. Your glass is empty. Want more?"

"Eh? Oh, please." A sommelier who was nearby filled his glass.

"Onii-sama, how is today's wine?"

"Let's see. It's a little heavy, but it's probably an easy drink for women, too. Do you want the label to take back?"

"Yes, if it's all right with Imari-sama."

"Imari. Can I give the wine label to Reika?"

"Huh? Go ahead." With his approval, Onii-sama asked the sommelier for the wine label.

"The label?" asked Ririna.

"Reika collects them," answered Onii-sama.

"Wine labels? Why?"

I answered, "So that I can drink what Onii-sama and father enjoyed when I become 20. I collect them so that I won't forget. I've filed them by who drank it when, so it also acts like a memento. Father knows that I collect them, so he brings some home when he drinks outside, but since I've never seen them, it doesn't do me much good. Well, I can't refuse him, so I keep them filed, also.

The sommelier brought me the wine label that he peeled off. Now I have another to look forward to.

Then, Ririna declared, "I want it, too."

"Huh?" What are you saying?

"I want it, too."

"Eh? But you're not collecting them, Ririna."

"I'll start tonight."

"Eh?" As the elder, maybe I should give it to her, but I want it, too… "I can make you a copy when we get back."

"I don't want that!" She's being more willful than usual today. I guess that I should give it to her… But…

"Sorry, Imari. Can you drink another bottle?"

"Can't be helped."

Onii-sama! Imari-sama!

"It's all right?" Will it affect you tomorrow if you drink that much?

"I didn't have enough, so it's just right," Imari-sama winked. There can't be many Japanese men who can wink so naturally. This is the power of the Casanova village chief…

The peaceful Onii-sama and the vibrant Imari-sama. The Pivoine must have been brilliant when these two reigned at the top. I'm envious! These two would never have used a girl to run errands…

"Thank you very much."

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

They both kindly smiled, but to cause Imari-sama as well as Onii-sama trouble… "All because Ririna acted willful."

"What? You're making it my fault?"

Imari-sama laughed at the pouting Ririna, and said, "Ririna-chan just wants to do the same things as Reika-chan, right?"

"That's not true!" she denied.

"Oh? Really?"

"It's completely groundless!" Relaxed Imari-sama and the desperate Ririna. He's messing with you… And Ririna definitely loves me.

We walked in the evening breeze to where our ride was waiting, Ririna with Onii-sama, and Imari-sama and I behind them.

"So how's school?" Imari-sama asked, as we gazed at Ririna and Onii-sama talking ahead of us.

"Studies are quite taxing, but I'm having fun with my friends."

"I see. Masaya-kun's the president of the Pivoine, right? Are you getting along?"

"Somewhat…"

He smiled wryly sensing something from my response. I want to tattle that he called me pig-foot, but that would reveal an embarrassment on my part, so I can't. Kaburagi, I'll remember this when we next meet!

"That's right. The other day, I saw Shuusuke-kun of the Enjou family at the opera."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Was that opening night? No, was it the end of the week…"

"You went to the same performance twice?"

"Sort of." …must have been with different women… "Do you get along with Shuusuke-kun?"

"If I had to say, I get along with his little brother, Yukino-kun." And I talk about how Yukino-kun is a little angel to Imari-sama.