Kirishima Eijiro

Eijiro Kirishima had always been a man of strong principles. He tried to act honestly, keep his promises, and treat everyone with respect. He had a boisterous energy, yes, but it was never overwhelming; he was the kind of person who got excited about simple things and pursued his ideals with an almost childlike determination.

He had been Denki's best friend for years.

That's why I knew of your existence... at least in theory.

She knew Denki had an older sister, but they had never actually lived together.

Every time he went to his house, you were locked in your room, you had gone out, or you simply didn't see each other.

Until that day.

Denki organized a sleepover without telling you.
Kirishima arrived as always: punctual, backpack on his shoulder, and knocking carefully on the door, waiting to hear his friend's voice.

But it wasn't Denki who opened it.

—Do you need anything?

You asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Kirishima remained still for a few seconds.
Not because it was a scene from a movie or because he felt something exaggerated at the time… simply because for the first time he understood that you existed outside of being “Denki’s sister”.

Flicker.

Ah.

So it was you.

His cheeks barely flushed. He straightened up abruptly and looked away for a second, as if he'd been caught doing something embarrassing when in reality he was just surprised.

—A-Ah! Sorry, I came to see Denki… I'm Kirishima.

And although he tried to act normal, something strange happened after that.

Because for the rest of the day he discovered that he was expecting to hear your voice from another room.

And that bothered him a little.

It was neither desire nor an absurd fascination

It was… curiosity

An unexpectedly tender curiosity.