“I want to go camping during Golden Week too! Isn’t that right, big brother Tohma?”
The first to ask with his big frame was my five-years-younger cousin, Haruto Date.
He’s a high school sophomore, but with a physique that certainly doesn’t look like he’s 17. He stands about 185 cm tall.
For me, Tohma Date, a 21-year-old college senior who is only 164 cm and small in stature, he’s not exactly an amusing opponent.
It’s the last Golden Week of my student life.
I had been silently preparing for a solo camping trip in my room when Haruto came asking.
It’s not just Haruto. After club activities, during the test period, other cousins also find time to come over to my apartment to hang out.
Maybe because their high school is about a 15-minute walk from my apartment, it feels like they’ve unofficially made my place their base.
So today, even though it was a precious long weekend, I was feeling fed up with three relatives barging in.
Haruto—Haru—was the captain of the judo club.
He also dabbles in aikido and karate, being a sports-oriented boy skilled in martial arts.
Although he struggles with academics, his bright and positive personality makes him popular with both boys and girls, thanks to his friendly nature and large physique.
He has short, light-colored hair, and his charming smile is said to resemble that of a teddy bear.
However, I wanted to complain about how this giant was jokingly teasing me from behind, practically smothering me with his big arms.
To him, it might just be a way of leaning on his older cousin, but from my perspective, being clung to by a super-sized high school student skilled in martial arts felt quite dangerous.
“Hey, get off me. Haru, you’re heavy.”
“Ehh? Tohma-niisan is being cold…”
“Don’t mess with me. You’re not cute sulking like that.”
As we continued our playful wrestling, I grabbed the large boy’s arm and locked it in a joint lock.
“Wait a minute, it’s not fair that you’re with Haru. I want to play with Tohma-niisan too!”
A clear, refreshing voice cut in between us. It was Haru’s sister, Natsuki.
Natsuki—Natsu—is a 16-year-old cousin who is a high school freshman.
She is the ace of the kyudo (Japanese archery) club, standing at a slender 168 cm and being quite a beauty.
Her glossy black hair is tied in a ponytail, and her dignified posture looks great even in the eyes of a guy like me.
She’s also skilled with the naginata (a traditional Japanese weapon) and is a smart girl, but her only flaw is that she dislikes boys. Still, it seems she has a soft spot for us cousins.
“Haru, you’re in the way.”
“Whoa! Hey, Natsuki!”
“It’s not allowed to monopolize Tohma-niisan!”
With a cold remark, Natsuki kicked Haru off me.
Quickly slipping into the newly opened space, she smiled and wrapped her arm around mine.
“…So? Tohma-niisan, which campsite are we going to?”
“Uh, Natsu… not you too…”
I, Tohma Date, who love solo camping dearly, couldn’t easily agree, even when asked by my adorable cousins.
I didn’t dislike them or anything, but perhaps due to a habit formed since childhood, they always came to cling to me, which was a bit—no, quite annoying.
“If you want to go that badly, you two siblings should just go together. There are campsites you can reach by bicycle, you know?”
“Huh? You’re joking, right, Tohma-niisan?”
“Yeah, it’s impossible, Tohma-niisan.”
Suddenly, the siblings, who didn’t resemble each other much, frowned with displeasure. What’s with that?
Didn’t they want to go camping?
“I just want to go with Tohma-niisan.”
“I’d rather go with Tohma-niisan too.”
“Wait. If that’s the case, I’m going camping too.”
“You too, Akimi…?”
The new arrival was Akimi Date, another cousin who was in the same grade as Natsu.
He’s a handsome guy with black hair and glasses, standing at 183 cm and having a slender muscular build. He’s also the ace of the kendo club and a student council officer, making him an elite.
He boasts of being both academically and athletically gifted, but his personality is serious and a bit neurotic. He’s a pedantic and troublesome guy, yet oddly enough, he seems to listen silently to whatever I say.
Since it was common for the three of them to visit my apartment after school, I didn’t think much of it, but today they were particularly clingy.
As I pondered about it, Haru pouted and muttered.
“Hey, Tohma-niisan. Didn’t you say this is the last Golden Week of our student life? You won’t be able to move around during summer break because of job hunting, right?”
“So, I thought it would be nice to hang out and play together…”
“I also agreed. We have our own camping gear ready. We won’t bother you, so please take us with you.”
Both Haru and Natsu, along with Akimi, were looking at me with pleading eyes.
I thought it was unfair for a handsome guy and a beautiful girl to team up against me.
When they approached me with moist eyes, I, as their older cousin, could only nod in acceptance.
“Okay. I’ll take the car. But you have to prepare your own stuff and definitely get your parents’ permission. If I get scolded by Uncle and Aunt, it’s on you.”
“! Understood!”
“I’ll do as you say.”
“Don’t worry, Tohma. I’ve already got permission.”
“Looks like the main instigator is you, Akimi… Well, fine.”
Since I was the oldest among my cousins, I was used to taking care of them.
“Solo camping can be done anytime. I guess I’ll just go along with it.”
I ended up accepting it, but later I would regret this decision.
I never imagined that I would get caught up in a “summoning of a hero from another world” and lose my life.
