I immediately took action.

I consulted with Yuna Aoyagi, my childhood friend and sister-like figure. Even though she's in a different class from my brother, I thought I could enlist Yuna's help since we both attend the same middle school.

"Yu-nee, you don't know how amazing my brother is!"

Arriving at Yuna's house, I talked about my brother's greatness. Since tomorrow is a holiday, we decided to have a sleepover together.

Listening to my story, Yuna responded:

"I get it! I totally get it, Tsuki-chan. Yoru is dangerous! What's dangerous? Everything! That eroticism at his age, his mature appearance, the body he's developed since elementary school, his cool demeanor due to being bad at talking... It's all so erotic!"

When two adolescent girls discuss the opposite sex, it tends to lead to this.

But if it's my brother, it can't be helped. We nodded in agreement multiple times.

"He's become even more mature since entering middle school. Since we're childhood friends, I'm asked to introduce him to others almost every day."

Consulting with Yuna was definitely the right choice. She acts as a buffer against the girls who want to get to know him.

"The girls in his class still haven't approached him, have they?"

I reported the information I gathered from my infiltration to Yuna.

"Oh, that... When Yoru introduced himself, he was too embarrassed to speak up. He said his name quietly and sat down. The girls in his class started treating him as a precious presence because of his appearance and his quietness."

I imagined my brother being embarrassed during self-introductions, and I found it cute.

I felt a jealous urge to crush the gazes of his classmates who witnessed his embarrassed state.

The male students in the same class seemed to feel that my brother, who appeared dignified, was a different existence from them, and they became unable to approach him.

"I was right after all. When I infiltrated, several girls in the class were looking at Onii-chan shyly. That's why..."

Feeling confident that my guess was correct, I suggested to Yuna a way to protect my brother.

"Tell Yoru that he's creepy?"

"Yeah. Since he's bad at talking and doesn't get information from other kids, you can tell him it's because he's gross that the other girls avoid him."

It's fine if only I call him creepy. But if other girls start talking to him without me prompting them, the plan might fall apart. That's why I asked Yu-nee to secretly establish such an agreement.

By creating an image of my brother as an unapproachable idol, we'll deter other girls from getting close to him.

"I see... Tsuki-chan, you're... a genius! This way, only you and I can have Yoru all to ourselves!"

I can't protect my brother alone. Yu-nee and I have been together since we were kids, so I trust her to share my brother.

"I'll help out once I enter high school next year."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you until then."

Yu-nee and I formed a defensive line to protect my brother.

Once I entered middle school, I joined the student council and gained some influence.

Yu-nee, who had achieved victory in the national swimming competition since her first year of middle school, used the sports club network to deter girls from getting close to my brother for a year.

And so, until my brother graduated...

The two of us protected him together.

___

Until the winter of our third year in middle school...

My brother, who couldn't make friends during his middle school years and seemed to rely on us, became even more awkward in speaking and withdrew into his own world.

However, during the third year in middle school...

After finishing his exams, perhaps feeling relaxed, my brother came home and said, "Um, Tsuki. I'm back." for the first time in a long while.

I hadn't heard my brother's voice for a year, so I was surprised.

"Huh? Onii-chan? Welcome back..."

I was so surprised that I stumbled over my words.

"That stuttering is seriously cringe."

Flustered, I ended up calling my brother gross, something I didn't intend to say.

But it couldn't be taken back.

To carry out the plan, I consulted with Yu-nee about my brother talking to me after a long time.

Since he didn't have to go to school anymore, my brother seemed a bit brighter. Despite being shut in his room until then, he had recently resumed jogging and strength training.

He had been exercising in his room as well, so his body remained toned.

I became anxious as my brother became brighter. If he continued like this, he might be taken by another girl.

I asked Yu-nee and Mom to also call him mean things.

When they conveyed the message, my brother looked sad, and his words decreased again.

Despite feeling guilty, I reminded myself that it was to protect my brother.

___

Brother's graduation ceremony

As the student council president, I gave a speech as the representative of the students to send off my brother and Yu-nee.

After the graduation ceremony, we quickly finished cleaning up with the student council members and other helpful students, then headed to the field to join my brother.

There, my brother's classmates and teachers were taking a group photo with him.

His classmates, who couldn't take pictures with him before, were crying tears of joy.

Seeing my brother happy, I couldn't disrupt the memories of his middle school days.

"Onii-chan, let's go home."

After finishing the photo, I called out to my brother, who was standing alone.

My brother made a gesture as if he was thinking about something, then reached out and started to pat my head.

"H-Hey! Don't do that here!"

A mixture of joy and embarrassment flooded my head.

Although I tried to avoid their gaze, I felt the piercing stares heavy with jealousy from his former classmates.

I feel bad for what I did to those girls, but it was all to protect my brother.

And thus, I successfully protected my brother throughout middle school.