"My Little Sister Can't Wear a Wedding Dress!"

Oreimo 2 wasn't my favorite Spring anime. In fact, if I ranked all the anime I've seen, it doubt it would make the top thirty... maybe not even forty. But its tenth episode often comes to mind. The episode's content doesn't matter much to me; just the title. I keep thinking: "Kyousuke, the wedding dress isn't even hers. Just wait until the real thing comes!" (Assuming it comes, and that Kirino gets over her brother complex... I don't want to think about all the ways the Oreimo relationships could go).

In the near future, I'll have my bathroom drawer back, the bedroom next to mine will be empty... and Lil Sis will be married. She's not just wearing a wedding dress. She's saying her vows, exchanging rings, and riding off into the sunset.

If I were to tell the story Oreimo style, here's what I'd call the episodes:

1. "My Little Sister Can't be this Mature!"

2. "My Little Sister Can't be Serious About a Relationship!"

3. "My Little Sister Can't be this in Love!"

4. "This Young Man Can't Possibly be this Respectful, Respectable, and Responsible!"

5. "My Little Sister Can't Try on Wedding Dresses!"

6. "My Family Can't be planning a Wedding!"

7. "I Can't Write a Wedding Toast!"

8. "The Wedding Day Can't Come this Fast!"

Of course, just like Oreimo titles, the truth is that the "'t" part of "can't" should be removed. Lil Sis not only can be and do all these things: she is. I was reluctant to get attached to future Bro-in-Law at first, but he is for real. He earned and kept Dad's respect. That's saying something, because Dad is good at calling Bologna Sandwich.

I'm just trying to be a good big sister. Kyousuke and I have very different situations, but I can identify with him as he tries to support Kirino. For a while, he didn't feel needed or wanted by her. When she demanded that he help her with her secret otaku habits, he seemed relieved to have a place in her life again. 

I've felt insecure with my sister before. As she got older, she didn't seem to need me much. She was never mean like Kirino, but we both had some growing up to do during high school. Now, I have a defined role as her sister. I'm her maid of honor. It's my job to look out for her throughout this whole wedding business. I probably take the role too seriously, actually. I'm just excited to have a place that I fit in her life.

Sometimes, I wonder what our relationship will be like after the wedding. Will they invite me over to try out their ice cream machine? Will she still want the next Nancy Drew game for Christmas, like I get her every year? Will she still play it with me? 

I'm not the cool big sister I once hoped to be. Any relationship advice I give is based on books, not on personal experience. In fact, Lil Sis has to help me when I do social stuff that's new to me. She gives me makeup tips and helps me when I'm too nervous to send a text or make a phone call. She's ahead of me in many ways... yet I'm still the older sibling, and my job, like Kyousuke's, remians the same: support my little sister. She doesn't need much protection from me, and she usually doesn't need much advice. But she does need my support. I think all she needs is to know that I love her, and that I'll always be available if she needs anything, even just a listening ear.

Part of me wishes I could pause our lives and say, "My Little Sister Can't Wear a Wedding Dress!" But it's a very small part. I'm truly happy for Lil Sis. In the months and years to come, she'll be busy with her work, her husband, and her home. I'll be busy with school. We'll probably be in separate cities for a while... maybe even separate states. Our relationship will change as we continue to grow in who we are. Still, instead of trying to deny it, I'm going to embrace it. The important things won't change. We'll always be sisters, both by blood and in Christ. My door will always be open to her, whether to play Nancy Drew games or just to talk. I'll let future Bro-in-Law come, too. And who knows? Maybe I'll start calling him "Big Bro" on here instead...

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On related note, this wedding stuff has me pretty busy. In fact, I probably shouldn't be writing this at the moment. I have other responsibilities to attend to. I'll have a lot of blog posts to read and anime episodes to catch up on when the wedding's finally over. That's something to look forward to.