Chapter 6

Now…! Hinata-kun, little one! He’s losing focus because he’s in a secure position and has us cornered!

I’ll distract them, so you two: take this opportunity to escape!

Huh? Huh? But…?

Hina-chan, we don’t have time to hesitate, okay~? Follow Sora—There’s a way out through here!

I’m counting on you. Now then, let’s find a way out of this mess, shall we? ♪

You think I’m gonna let you get away…

I’m also crazy good at making a getaway, you know~ And Hinata-kun is too, I dare to say.

So long as you aim to only ever show your younger brother your cool side…

You will over time lose ways to show off, and then in the end you will even lose touch with him.

It is a tragedy for a family to leave holes in each other’s worlds.

There is a peace in the solitude we face once we’ve made our escape. But that doesn’t have even a millionth of the worth as the warmth of holding someone’s hand.

Hinata-kun. Do not repeat my failures; listen carefully, and face reality with your eyes wide open.

……

It’s so obvious you’re just trying to buy time with all this crap you’re spewing…

Don’t put up too much of a fight though, ‘kay? That’d be super annoying to deal with.

Yuuta-kun, I’m gonna concentrate on finishing off Anija once and for all, so you can go choke the life out of your own onii-chan.

Um no, I don’t think throwing beans at him is enough for you to kill him.

…Aniki~ What should I do?

You’re trying to win Setsubun Festival, right? If you win, we’ll get to perform on a huge stage or something, right?

That’s why you’re working hard, right? For 2wink’s sake?

Then shouldn’t I help you since I’m part of 2wink, too? But then again, I’m also part of the staff, so…?

Y–you can do whatever you want, Yuuta-kun~ As long as you’re enjoying yourself, Onii-chan’s happy ♪

You can just let me handle all the difficult stuff… ♪

When and where did you get that idea from? Who ever asked you to do that, Aniki…?

…Yuuta-kun. If you’re not going to fight, then get out of my way. It’d be a pain to pick them off one by one, so I’ll take them all out in one go.

I’ve got the staff’s ultimate weapon right here: the Fukumame Gatling Gun… ☆

Huh? Wait, are you seriously going to use that? Isn’t it too dangerous…?

Oh my, what an oppressive atmosphere. What have you got there, heavy artillery?

I recognize that. It’s a weapon that shoots out beans, correct? Sakasaki-kun made it during the War to harass Hasumi-kun, as he’s not very fond of soybeans.

Now that Sakasaki-kun is our enemy, it’s not out of the question that he’d drag up such a relic of our past.

Fufufu, there’s nothing in the rules about how you hit the demons with beans.

You can throw them, drop them from above, or let them loose with a gun like this one—Anything goes.

And this Fukumame Gatling Gun spits out six hundred beans per minute at top speed!

If one of them hits you, “ouch” is gonna be an understatement. So you better prepare yourself… A—ni—ja ♪

Urgh, my cute little brother is going to kill Onii-chan with that rare smile I’ve never seen before~ Just what is this world coming to? Ohh, I could weep! Sobsobsob…

Quit with the crocodile tears. Anyway, it’s time to die! Pow pow pow pow… ☆

Gwaaaaah?!

S–Sakuma-senpai! Are you okay?!

Y–yes, somehow. It’s quiet and relaxing in this underground archive, so I’d brought my coffin down here to sleep.

It happened to be nearby, so I used it as a shield to stop the beans from riddling me with holes ♪

Damn… As unlucky as ever—I couldn’t take him down.

Huh? But uh, since when was there a coffin there…?

Pay that no heed—Leave me and escape!

Ritsu’s target is me. He’s a kind child, so he won’t point his gun at either of you!

You really think so~? I’ve changed a lot while you weren’t looking, Anija. Didn’t you know?

Oh well. I’ll keep him pinned down with the gun, and then I can just waltz up to him and take him out.

And that’ll put an end to the biggest thorn in our side.

I wonder what’ll happen if we get rid of all the demons before time’s up, huh? Did you think that far ahead? You’ve always, always been so bad at the endgame, Anija…!

Now die, die, die! Out with the demons, in with the fortune~… ☆

Is this what Setsubun is supposed to be? Is this really what Setsubun is?

Stoooop~ Stop shooting at me! You’re making Onii-chan so sad! Uwaaah, can’t you go back to being the kind, gentle Ritsu you used to be~…?!

Huh? Who do you think you are? What does a big brother know about a little brother, anyway?

Kind and gentle my ass—You just decided I was like that on your own! You piss me off…!

Hina-chan, we’re leaving! Come this way ♪

Uh, huh…? I guess there’s nothing we can do even if we stay here, right? But seriously, are you gonna be okay Sakuma-senpai?

Yes! Though my heart weeps because my brother is being unkind, I’m still unharmed thus far!

But I won’t last long—If you’re going to escape, do so quickly!

Yuuta-kun, go after them. I have a score to settle with Anija here.

So you can go face your onii-chan head-on too… ♪