CHAPTER 4
The Time for a New Challenge and Determination

The day after, Monday— the atmosphere around us somehow felt different than usual. And that was because…

“Hey, aren’t those two…”

“Yeah, no mistake about it…”

Strangely enough, the people we passed by were looking at us. Charlotte-san naturally stood out with her eye-catching appearance, but since we always took the same route to school, even the people around here had gotten used to it and no longer gave us a second glance.

However, today we also received curious glances from adults and students from other schools. To add to the unease, Charlotte-san wore a worried expression the entire time.

“Charlotte-san, do you know what’s going on?”

“No… But it feels almost as if they know about us…”

With her extraordinary hearing, she could pick up the conversations of everyone passing by, and though they didn't say it outright, it felt like we were the centre of their attention.

If this was about the sports festival, only our schoolmates would know. There's no way students from other schools would be in the loop.

So, could the Himeragi Group have done something…?

Even if they said they’d allow my freedom in high school, plus overlook my current relationship, they’re still not people I can trust.

​

I have to stay on guard.

“Charlotte-san, stay close to me, okay?”

“Okay…”

Clinging to my arm, Charlotte-san squeezed it tightly, likely frightened since she didn't understand the situation and because everyone was staring at us.

Well, Emma-chan had nestled her face into my chest, so there was no worry about her being seen. After we dropped her off at her preschool, we finally headed to school…

“Charlotte-san, Aoyagi-kun! Are you okay?!” Shimizu-san ran up to us, looking frantic.

It seemed like something did happen, after all.

“We were being stared at by people on the way here, but… nothing happened to us.”

“Just what is going on? From the way you’re worrying about this, it’s not something normal, is it?”

“Sorry, I only found out myself just now, but…”

Shimizu-san then started to briefly explain what was happening.

Apparently, a student had secretly filmed the sports festival, and footage of my match with Akira as well as Charlotte-san hugging me was uploaded to a popular video site. 

The poster herself was an influencer with tens of thousands of followers. She usually posted daily life vlogs, not soccer matches, so in the beginning, Charlotte-san’s attractiveness was what spread the video. However, it later caught the attention of soccer fans, and I was easily identified due to Akira being my opponent.

With negative comments pouring in, it attracted hate from even those without context, causing the video to spread like wildfire. 

Although the original post had been deleted, reuploads were still being circulated, making it impossible to control.

“It really is a problem unique to our time, where anyone can easily upload anything…”

“Now’s not the time to be acting all calm! It spread insanely over the weekend…!”

It clearly wasn’t spreading in the usual way. If the video was really why everyone we passed was staring at us, then it had gone wildly viral. It’s actually surprising that Shimizu-san is only just finding out about it now.

Well, Riku was at Shimizu-san’s house until yesterday, so maybe she hadn’t been checking the internet either.

“Never mind me, I’m more worried about Charlotte-san…”

Even without my biased perspective as her boyfriend, Charlotte-san was extremely cute. She could easily become a top idol if she wished. However, this also meant that some creeps who were drawn to her appearance in the video might come after her.

“I’m more worried about you, Aoyagi-kun… There are way too many comments saying stuff like, ‘I can’t forgive such a bad guy for having such a cute girlfriend,’ and even more dangerous things…”

“And we can’t just brush them off as empty threats…”

This isn’t like when everyone at school found out about my relationship with Charlotte-san. Some of the people writing those comments might actually do something.

“A-Akihito-kun, what should we do…?”

“Well—”

“Don’t try to solve this on your own.”

I turned around, startled by a sudden voice coming from behind me.

“M-Miyu-sensei…”

“This isn’t something you kids can handle by yourselves. Aoyagi, Charlotte, come with me.”

We followed a solemn-faced Miyu-sensei out into the hallway, reaching a secluded spot away from the crowd…

“..........”

There stood a teary-eyed girl wearing a gloomy expression. It felt like I had seen her somewhere before.

I think she’s a first-year student who once asked me if I was dating Karin.

“Who is she?”

“She’s the student who posted the video. She came to consult with me after realising the extent to which the situation has escalated.”

I thought it was too soon to find the culprit, but it seemed like she confessed on her own. Apparently, she trusted Miyu-sensei enough to consult with her instead of her own homeroom teacher.

“I-I didn’t mean any harm…! I just thought it was a nice video and wanted everyone to see it, so I uploaded it…”

“That’s not the point. Apologise first.”

Miyu-sensei gave the girl a stern look as she tried to explain herself.

She’s pretty damn angry…

​

“I-I’m sorry…”

“What’s your name?” I asked the frightened girl with a soft voice and gentle smile.

However, that made Charlotte-san hold her forehead as if it hurt, even though I didn’t think I did anything wrong…

“Umm… I’m Himeka Nikaidou…”

“Nikaidou-san, right? As you probably know already, I’m Akihito Aoyagi, a second-year student.”

I introduced myself briefly since we hadn’t exchanged names despite having talked before.

“Do you often upload videos?”

“Eh…? Y-yes…”

Nikaidou-san nodded slightly, looking a little puzzled. She was probably surprised by my question.

“In that case, make sure you get permission before uploading videos with others’ faces in them next time. There are things like portrait rights, after all.”

“Next time… that’s all…?”

“There’s not much to be done about this now. You were brave enough to confess to a teacher though, and that’s good. So just reflect on posting the video without my permission, and I hope you won’t do it again. Besides, it’s mostly my fault that the video blew up.”

Although I hadn’t seen the video myself, I believed that she uploaded it without any ill intent. It's no wonder she posted it, because in this day and age, even things like “Part-Time Terrorism” are usually uploaded by children.

I couldn’t bring myself to blame her, seeing her so remorseful.

“You’re always so lenient, Aoyagi…”

“If blaming her could resolve this situation, I might, but there’s no point in doing that now. Right, Charlotte-san?”

“That’s right. What’s done is done, so please be careful in the future to avoid things like this. You’ll also be protecting yourself.”

With a warm smile, Charlotte-san kindly advised her. As she said, you should avoid doing this for your own protection. Carelessly posting videos that infringe on others' rights can lead to serious legal consequences.

That’s why rules must be followed, as doing so protects oneself.

“Ah, Aoyagi-senpai, Bennett-senpai… Thank you…!”

Nikaidou-san, with tears welling up, bowed deeply in gratitude. I hoped that those tears were not an act, but rather a sign of genuine remorse.

“That’s how it is, Nikaidou. It’s only because it’s Aoyagi that things ended this way, but normally, you could’ve been sued. Keep that in mind and be careful in your future activities.”

“Yes… I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused…”

“I’m not trying to scare you, but you should understand that this incident has become quite serious. We might ask for your cooperation in the future, so please be ready to help when that happens.”

“Y-yes, of course…!”

She nodded earnestly, before being prompted by Miyu-sensei to return to her classroom. I didn’t know how far Miyu-sensei was planning ahead, but if she was an influencer with tens of thousands of fans, there might certainly come a time when we need her help.

“What will her punishment be?”

I asked Miyu-sensei, while watching Nikaidou-san’s back as she walked away.

“Normally, she’d be suspended, but since she came forward on her own and you guys forgave her, I’ll let her off with a stern warning.”

“Please do that. She didn’t mean any harm.”

“Just because she didn’t mean any harm doesn’t mean everything is acceptable, though…”

Miyu-sensei looked at me with a pained expression.

“Honestly, we need time to plan for future measures, but if there’s one thing I’ve decided, it’s that to ensure your safety, I’ll drive you to and from school, Aoyagi, Charlotte.”

“Is it really necessary to go that far…?”

“Even the slightest risk of harm to you students is unacceptable. We don’t know just how serious those threatening posts are, so I’ve also contacted the police just to be safe.”

As a teacher, she had to act while considering the worst-case scenario. I didn’t expect the police to step in immediately, even if the school were to ask, but any measures they take would be appreciated.

“In that case… Sorry for the trouble, but we’ll be in your care.”

I wouldn’t have minded if it was just me, but I didn’t want to involve Charlotte-san in any danger. It would be better to rely on Miyu-sensei to ensure our safety as much as possible.

However, apart from the danger, there’s still one more thing I’m concerned about…

“With things as they are now, will my special recommendation be affected?”

The incident has gotten the school involved. Miyu-sensei, who always put us first, was a kind soul, but some teachers likely see us as a nuisance now. It's safe to assume their opinion of us has declined.

However—

“Aoyagi, you haven’t done anything wrong, so I won’t let the other teachers interfere with your recommendation because of this incident.”

​

Looks like Miyu-sensei will protect me. She really is a kind and reliable teacher.

“Thank you.”

I expressed my gratitude with a sense of relief. Then, Charlotte-san seemed restless, as if she wanted to say something.

“What’s wrong?”

“Um… Are you aiming for a special recommendation, Akihito-kun…? I’ve heard that this school offers it…”

“Aoyagi, you… still haven’t told her?”

Miyu-sensei looked at me with a mix of exasperation and reproach.

Well, I understand what she’s trying to say, but…

“I couldn’t find the right timing…”

“Liar, you just didn’t want to talk about it.”

Well, I didn’t want to discuss it because I didn’t want to cause any unnecessary worry. But since she was concerned, I had no choice.

"It's a condition for becoming a member of the Himeragi conglomerate. I need to get a special recommendation from a certain university."

I told her the truth.

“So that’s why your surname is still Aoyagi…”

She had probably been wondering about it for a while now.

When a child gets adopted, it’s common for them to take on their foster parents’ surname. However, my surname has never changed, which could only mean one thing.

“I’m not yet recognised as a member of Himeragi.”

As I spoke, Charlotte-san looked down sadly and gripped my sleeve tightly. Being the kind-hearted girl that she was, she was likely sympathising with me.

“Speaking of which, have you talked about Charlotte with the Himeragi family?”
 

“Well, I mean…”

I did, but it was more like they already knew…

“...Someone serious as you must have struggles with choices. Come talk to me if you need to.”

Miyu-sensei gave me a gentle smile, perhaps interpreting my vague response. Among all the adults around me, she was the one I could trust the most.

“Hmph… I’m here too, you know…?”

Charlotte-san tugged at my clothes as I looked at Miyu-sensei, and her cheeks were puffed up when I turned to look. It seemed like she was jealous. 

“Of course, I’ll properly consult you whenever I can, Charlotte-san.”

I turned my gaze back to Miyu-sensei, evading the truth as much as I could.

“Thank you for everything, Miyu-sensei. It’s almost time for the short homeroom, so let’s go back to the classroom now.”

With that, I turned my back to Miyu-sensei. However—

“Hey, Aoyagi. Go and talk to Kanon properly. She’s not mad at you, and she’s still on your side.” She said something totally unexpected out of nowhere.

“...Huh?”

For a moment, unable to understand Miyu-sensei’s words, I reflexively turned back to look at her.

Did she just say… Kanon?

“Why… do you know about Kanon-san…?”

"I'll tell you when the time comes. That's all I can say for now."

How long have they known each other? Miyu-sensei has never hinted at this before. Did they only get in touch recently? Then, why hide it?

I knew she wasn’t the type to mess with me for no reason, but without clear answers, I couldn’t help but wonder about it.

“I’ve said what I wanted to. The rest is up to you.”

And with that, Miyu-sensei walked ahead of us.

“Akihito-kun, who’s Kanon-san…?”

“The daughter of the Himeragi Group… I guess you could say she’s my stepsister.”

“Huh?! That means…”

Charlotte-san looked at Miyu-sensei’s back in disbelief. She must’ve had the same questions as I did. 

While I had my doubts regarding the relationship between Miyu-sensei and Kanon-san, it was clear she wanted me to reach out to her. Moreover, she made this request fully aware of my suspicions, which meant it was really that important.

“It’ll be fine. Let’s trust Miyu-sensei.” I said, patting Charlotte-san’s head to comfort her, before heading back to the classroom together.

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I was thinking about my future course of actions during class.

Besides the issue with the Himeragi Conglomerate, I couldn’t ignore the video and the resulting uproar either.

​

No… The video and uproar, at their core, might have stemmed from the issue with Himeragi as well.

It wasn’t like I had no options. There is a way to turn things around, even if it means antagonising the Himeragi Group.

But that would be no different from biting the hand that fed me. It wasn’t something I could do lightly. However…

“...Ah.”

When I glanced at Charlotte-san, our eyes met perfectly. She waved at me with a smile, probably happy. I had to protect that smile at all costs.

Even if it meant going against Himeragi.

After waiting for the class to end, I made a certain call alone.

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“...Ah, Akihito-senpai!”

During lunch break, we were walking down the corridor where the first-year classrooms were, when Kousaka-san noticed us and rushed over.

“Don’t run in the corridor.”

“Is this really the time to be so carefree…?!”

I somehow felt a bit of déjà vu.

“No point in panicking. Let’s head to the cafeteria.”

We stopped by the first-year corridor today because Kousaka-san would be joining us for lunch from now on, which was why she was holding a lunchbox in her hands.

Well, I also brought my own lunchbox today.

“Why is he so nonchalant when it comes to his own matters…?”

“He’s always been like that, why bring it up now?”

Seeing Kousaka-san’s dissatisfaction, Akira tilted his head in exasperation. That must’ve annoyed her, since her gaze sharpened for a moment, before she spoke in a playful tone.

“Eh, Saionji-senpai, you were here?”

“I’ve been here right from the beginning…! Let me tell you, I’ve been eating with Akihito first…!”

Though the misunderstanding between Akira and Kousaka-san should have been cleared up, they still didn’t seem to get along. It might be inevitable, with the serious Kousaka-san and the playful Akira.

“Alright now, no fighting, you guys.”

I stepped between them, reminiscing about my middle school days. Back then, I often played the mediator like this. 

“Aoyagi-kun always seems older than us…”

“K-Karin-chan, that’s a sensitive topic for him…!”

Charlotte-san and Karin were whispering to each other, but it was nice to see that they had gotten closer. It must’ve been thanks to spending time together over the weekend.

“Ah, speaking of which…”

Kousaka-san, as if having just remembered something, went in front of Karin and Charlotte-san. Startled, the former quickly hid behind my back.

“..........”

Kousaka-san looked dejected as Karin evaded her before she could even say a word. 

Both of them looked pitiful, in a way.

"Kaede-chan, Karin-chan isn't used to talking much, so please approach slowly so as not to startle her."

Yep, Charlotte-san. Is Karin a small animal or something?

I wanted to make a snide remark, but she wasn’t wrong, so it was hard to do so.

But still, Karin, I don’t want you hiding behind me at school. It can cause a misunderstanding…

​

"Shinonome-san, maybe you should hide behind Charlotte-san's back when this happens?"

“Akihito, I don’t think that’s right either…”

As I spoke gently to Karin, who was hiding behind me, Akira joined in with a wry smile.

“You think so?”

“If she keeps hiding like this, Shinonome-san will never learn to talk with others. You’re way too overprotective, Akihito.”

“Well, I mean…”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware of it.

But when someone relies on me like that, I just can’t help but want to protect them.

“Maybe it’s better to take things slowly. That’s why I also invited Akira and Kousaka-san, after all.”

Charlotte's kindness helped Karin warm up to her. Plus, after spending time and cooking together yesterday, Karin seemed much more at ease around her. Now, it was Akira and Kousaka's turn to be her next practice partners.

“No way, haven’t I been here from the start?! And if so, why do we even need her?!”

Akira retorted as he pointed to Kousaka-san.

“Keep it down. Anyways, Kousaka-san’s a good person, right? I’ve always said that.”

“Only to you...!”

He really didn’t like her. Well, Akira was a kind person at heart, so this was just a matter of poor compatibility.

“U-um, Shinonome-senpai…”

Kousaka-san then approached Karin timidly. She seemed to do so carefully in order not to scare her.

“W-what is it…?”

Karin peeked out from behind me to look at Kousaka-san.

“Uhm, nice to meet you, I’m Kaede Kousaka. I look forward to getting along with you.”

It appeared that she wanted to introduce herself since she would be joining us for lunch daily. However, since she didn't know that Karin was my sister, Kousaka-san must've actually been a polite person.

“Ah, umm… I’m Karin Shinonome. I’ll be in your care…”

Yes, just like that. She did her self-introduction properly. Nice work.

If I said so, I would probably be called overprotective once more.

“Shall we head to the cafeteria soon?”

“You’re right, we might not find a place to sit if we’re too late. But on that note…”

Kousaka-san glanced briefly at Akira.

“Only one of us actually needs to go to the cafeteria…”

Since I also brought a lunchbox today, Akira was the only one who had to get something from the cafeteria.

I understood what she was getting at, but…

“Hey now, don’t try to exclude him like that.”

 "It’s just a joke, I'm not that mean."

She tilted her head cutely when I warned her. She always said she hated bullying, so as she said, it was probably just a joke. Still, she seemed to struggle with socialising.

I didn’t just invite Kousaka-san for Karin’s sake.

Charlotte-san was also concerned that Kousaka-san was feeling isolated among the first years, knowing from her middle school days, she tended to be aloof until she warmed up to people. 

As such, I couldn't just dismiss Charlotte-san's concerns as her overthinking and thus invited Kousaka-san through her.

And since she seemed very happy about it, she might truly be excluded. So, the plan was to keep her in our group until she makes friends among her batch.

“By the way, that person isn’t here, right?”

As we walked towards the cafeteria, Kousaka-san asked curiously while looking around.

“That person?”

 "You know, that gal who always hangs around Charlotte-senpai."

Oh, she means Shimizu-san.

“Shimizu-san and I don't eat lunch together. She… has a lot of friends.”

If she were to join us, the other girls like Kiriyama-san and Arasawa-san might follow along. After all, they also wanted to eat with Charlotte-san. It’s Shimizu-san who prevented that from happening, so she couldn’t join us.

For that reason, when she found out that Kousaka-san would be eating with us today, she sarcastically said, ‘Ooh, lucky you. Guess I’m the only one left out, huh?’

By the way, she purposely said that when I was alone, so Charlotte-san didn’t know about it.

Seriously, she’s got quite the personality.

 "Lots of friends, huh… As expected of a gal~"

It seemed like that hit a nerve, as the light vanished from Kousaka-san's eyes, and she began to smile vacantly.

​

Yup, that’s scary.

“She really doesn’t have any friends, huh?”

Seeing Kousaka-san’s reaction, Akira whispered to me.

“Probably. She wouldn’t react like that to the idea of having lots of friends otherwise.”

"But she seems like she'd be popular, right? I mean, she's short, and setting aside her personality, her face is cute."

I glanced at Kousaka-san’s face…

It was true that she had a well-proportioned face, and she was actually even popular among the soccer club members in middle school.

However, as someone who bluntly spoke her mind, as well as being aloof until she warmed up to someone, she didn’t quite fit in in terms of personality.

"She's like a small animal. She'll hiss at you, but once she warms up to you, she's adorable. So, I guess you could say she has a high barrier." I answered, before immediately regretting it.

I had just said something that might lead Charlotte-san to misunderstand its meaning.

Even though I spoke in a low voice, she could probably catch it with her hearing. When I looked over at her, Charlotte-san started to walk briskly towards me.

"Don't worry. I already know that Kaede-chan is very cute to Akito-kun."

Charlotte-san reassured me with a smile.

How exactly is this reassuring, though?? Am I the only one who can hear the reproach in her voice?

I’m not sure if it was because of today’s incident regarding the video, or if it was because of what happened with Miyu-sensei, but Charlotte-san seemed on edge today.

“I don’t see her as a girl, but a kouhai, so please don’t take it the wrong way, alright?”

I explained, whispering in Charlotte-san’s ear so only she could hear me. As a result, she squirmed as if having been tickled.

Her face went red and she flinched, causing Kousaka-san to look at us with a glare and a flushed face, having misunderstood things.

“So you’re that kind of person, huh, Akihito-senpai…”

“It’s not what it looks like.”

This vicious cycle was starting to give me a headache. I knew no one meant any harm, but still…

“You sure have it rough, don’t you…”

It seemed like only Akira understood my struggles, as he patted me on the back. Really, times like this make me grateful for my guy friends.

​

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“...Just as I suspected, these are a loving wife’s lunchboxes, aren’t they?”

Kousaka-san said so, after seeing the contents of my and Charlotte-san’s lunchboxes in the cafeteria. She was grinning as she looked back and forth amusedly at me and Charlotte-san.

“Woww~ a wife’s lunchbox, huh? Must be nice, being such a lovey-dovey couple.”

Meanwhile, Akira looked at me, slightly sulking. Kousaka-san seemed happy to tease us, and Akira was probably just jealous. Well, since neither of them harboured any negative feelings, it was fine.

After all…

“I-It’s not that impressive, you know…”

Charlotte-san looked very happy as she replied, being the one being talked about. I really did think that she was such an honest girl.

“You’re totally head over heels. You really do love Akihito-senpai, don’t you?”

Kousaka-san said with a gentle smile, seeing Charlotte-san’s expression. In a way, she too seemed happy.

“Akihito-kun is a wonderful person.”

“Um, Charlotte-san… I’m happy you’re praising me, but could you not say things like that too often…”

“He’s bragging.”

“Definitely bragging.”

​

This is why I get teased…

I squinted at Akira, who was grinning from ear to ear. 

​

Akira, you’re getting back at me for making you jealous, aren’t you…?

“Being close is a good thing, isn’t it…?”

Perhaps having had something on her mind, Karin, who had been silent, joined the conversation.

“I know, no one should be ashamed of it.”

“Mm.”

She nodded in a coy manner before continuing to eat silently.

This girl really goes at her own pace…

“Ah, sorry. You can say as you like.”

Charlotte-san appeared concerned, so I smiled back at her. As Karin had pointed out, our closeness was definitely a good thing. Any teasing we might endure was inconsequential, as long as we were proud of it.

“Is it really okay…?”

“Of course.”

I nodded with a smile before looking at Akira and Kousaka-san.

“You two, take it easy, will you?”

 I said so with a smile, and they both nodded vigorously.  It seems like they understood what I was getting at. After that, we chatted casually…

"By the way, Akihito-senpai. I heard you forgave the person who posted the video quite easily, didn’t you?"

Kosaka-san suddenly brought up what happened this morning.

“...Where did you hear that?”

"I'm in the same class as Nikaidou-san. I overheard her talking about it to other students."

“That girl…”

Why does she have to blabber on like that…? Does she not realise she’s digging her own grave?

"Don't look so sour. Thanks to that, your and Charlotte-senpai's popularity skyrocketed among the first-year girls. Well, both of you were popular to begin with."

“What do you mean…?
 

"Maybe they were really touched by how you forgave her. I heard you weren't even upset about what Nikaidou-san did. Instead, you showed concern and gave her good advice. You told her not to worry about the rumours because you took responsibility for the situation, and you praised her for talking to the teacher. That's why your popularity has skyrocketed among the first-year girls who heard about it. And Charlotte-senpai also gave her some good advice—that's the gist of it."

So basically, Nikaido-san was spreading the word to boost my and Charlotte-san's reputations. It's slightly different from the truth, but what Nikaidou-san is saying isn't quite a lie either.

I didn't treat her kindly thinking it would turn out like this, but if it resulted in higher evaluations among the freshmen, then that's a good thing. 

Now, things are different. I must become a man worthy of standing by Charlotte-san’s side.

However—

"I thought Nikaidou-san might do so, but... even the other kids..."

Charlotte-san had a shocked expression, so I might have done something regrettable. 

Why is it that lately, the things I've done seem to backfire...? It wasn’t like this before…

"Don't worry, Charlotte-senpai. Among the freshmen, Charlotte-senpai and Akihito-senpai's pairing is a popular ship."

“Popular ship…?”

"It means a couple everyone supports. After the sports festival incident, everyone decided to support you. And now, with this incident—everyone's cheering for you, so I don't think anyone else will try to mess with you. If someone does, they’d be making enemies with everyone." Kousaka-san explained with a resigned smile.

The incident at the sports tournament seemed to have a greater effect than I initially expected.

Now, if only the boys felt the same way...

“You're unusually well-informed among the first years. Do you have friends, after all?"

“Ah, hey, Akira…”

Akira probably meant no harm. He was wearing a relieved smile, unaware of the landmine he was stepping on.

"Ah, haha... Even without friends to talk to, I can hear what the others are saying. No, actually, because I don't have anyone to talk to, I can hear the conversations all around me."

Kousaka-san smiled through her tears, her eyes hollow. It seemed like she really did have no one to talk to. Seeing that smile brought tears to my eyes, since I felt sorry for her.

Charlotte-san must’ve felt the same way as she brought out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes with it. Akira, finally realising that he had stepped on a landmine, awkwardly looked away.

However, Karin alone…

“Friend…!”

Seeing her happy about it made me feel a bit of guilt as her brother.