So Close, Yet So Far

p3
>Shiina Haori
>Known as Hao-chan for short. A petite yet gluttonous 14-year old middle school girl. Loves drawing in video games and works as a manga assistant.
>Shiina Kaori
>Nickamed Kaorin. Hao-chan's little sister. Has high grades and high levels of girl power. Holds plenty of secrets.

p4
>What is it, Suzuki-kun?
>Calling me all the way to the rooftop like this...

>Well... I have something important to tell you...
>Shiina-san... for the longest time...

>I've been in love with you!
>Please go out with me!!
>!

p5
>Erm...

>Thank you
>for loving me...

>But I... can't go out with you...
>I'm sorry...

>No... It's fine... I'm sorry for dropping that on you...
>I'm really sorry...

>...

>!
>Amazing, Kaori-chan!

p6
>Honoka-chan...?

>That's the third confession from the boys
>you've gotten this semester alone!
>Were you... watching from the shadows again?

>I just happened to be there by chance this time too.
>Suzuki-san's so bold...!!
>You sure about that...?

>By the way...
>Kaori-chan... why do you never give those boys the okay?
>That's...

p7
>Could it be...
>that there's someone else you like... or something?
>...
>There isn't.

>You paused for a moment there!
>So you do have a prince of your own, Kaori-chan(note)
>Kya~<3
>Geez~
>I told you... there isn't one!

>Phew...
>>Hanamaru Mart

>Today has been
>pretty exhausting...

>I liked to Honoka-chan...
>There is someone... that I like, but...

p8
>It's not a boy. It's my Onee-chan...
>Hwah
>Besides...
>Kaorin!
>If I told her I was in love with my own sister... she'd surely think I'm weird.
>That's why... I can't tell her...

>!
>Hah...
>Found you, Kaorin!
>Wah!
>Onee-chan!?

>Classes finished early today,
>so I figured I'd run into you on the way home(note)
>Is that so?
>That surprised me... But I'm glad we can walk home together...

>Ah.
>By the way, tonight's dinner will be omurice.
>Omurice! Yay!

p9
>Mom said she's gonna be home late again.
>Hokay~ Then let's go ahead and eat!
>Thanks for the food!

>...

>Hey... Onee-chan.

>There's something I wanna talk to you about...
>Hwah?
>What is it~?

>Today... at school...

p10
>That's amazing, Kaorin~
>You're so popular~

>You're saying the same things my friend said~
>Eh~ But it's true~

>I've never been confessed to by a boy before~ so I think it's amazing~
>Eh...?
>Really...?

>But you're so cute, Onee-chan...

>...

p11
>Ehehe~ Thanks, Kaorin(note)
>But y'know,
>I think you're way cuter~
>Eh...?

>Th-That's not true...
>Sure it is!

>Kaorin~
>You better start eating before it gets cold~
>Ah... Yeah.
>You're right...

p12
>I got swept up in Onee-chan's pace...
>I'll try talking to her again later...

p13
>>Haori's Room
>Onee-chan.
>Can I come in?
>Sure~!

>Welcome~
>What's up?

>Sorry to interrupt your game.
>Hwah.
>About what I was talking about before...
>You mean about how popular you are, Kaorin?

>Geez! Don't poke fun!
>Sorry, sorry~

p14
>Incidentally, I'm also curious
>about what you were talking about.

>Kaorin... Why do you always turn down the boys?
>Uuh... Of course you'd be curious about that...
>Your panties are showing.

>Th-The thing is, I have someone I love...
>Eeh!? Really?

>Who is it?
>Her face... is so close...!

>I...

p15
>I can't tell you...
>Eeh~? Why not~?
>Come on~ Tell me~
>At this rate... I'll get swept up in Onee-chan's pace again...!

>A-Anyway!

>It's because I have someone I love that I keep turning down the boys...
>But... having to turn down their confessions is painful...
>What would you do in my position, Onee-chan...?

>I see~
>Hrmm...
>A maiden's heart is complicated~
>Onee-chan... You just wanted to say that line, didn't you...

p16
>Do you... not have one, Onee-chan?
>A boy in your class... who you're interested in... or something?
>A boy~?

>The boys are just bullies who keep calling me Shorty~
>I don't really like them~
>Onee-chan... Are you sure they're bullying you...?

>Ah! But y'know~
>all the girls are really nice to me~
>They must treat you like a mascot...

>That's why...

p17
>I love girls.

>Eeeh!? She's saying that so bluntly...?

>Then...

>who's the girl that you love...
>the most?

p18
>Hmm~ Let's see~
>So even Onee-chan has one...
>But... if Onee-chan tells me who it is...

>The girl I love the most is~...
>If she tells me...!

>What am I doing...? This is just gonna make me hurt even more...

>But... I'm curious... Who... is it?
>The girl Onee-chan loves...

p19
>Eh...?

>Kaorin's the one
>I love the most.

>R-Really...?
>Yeah!
>After all...

p20
>Kaorin is my cute and precious...
>little sister!
>Little sister...

>I'm just her "little sister" for now...
>Kaorin?
>Even so, if I can be
>Onee-chan's "number one", then...

>Thank you,
>Onee-chan.

p21
>By the way, who do you love, Kaorin?
>Th-That's still a secret.