「Even so, what you are doing is crazy. Can you
tell the world about this relationship with open arms?」
Yotsuba is right on point.
Chihiro and the others' relationship is not
something that can be made public, which is why they are afraid of being
exposed in this way.
And then, a sorrowful look pokes Chihiro,
saying that he should not do it if he knows it is something he cannot be proud
of.
「If so, it's not too late. Tell my sister to
come back and end this relationship. You and my sister aren't the only ones who
will be unhappy if problems arise. It will affect your lover, your friends, and
your family」
Everyone will look back at him, abandon him,
and leave him in shambles.
After causing trouble even for his mother and
sister, his future is closed off.
**a
「My sister is already an adult, and my family
has almost disowned her. You may say that whatever happens is your
responsibility, but Izumi kun's future is far from over」
An admonition.
No. It is not like that, but an advice.
As a senior, as a student who attends the same
school as him, and as the president of the student council, she is teaching
Chihiro the right way to go.
「I will help you to persuade the principal. As
long as my sister is not involved, Izumi kun will be able to live as before.
Currently, I am the only one who knows about this matter」
Principal Ootori first spoke to Yotsuba alone.
But Lucille, Ayase, Marika, Kamishiro,
Maisaka, and so on. None of them had heard what happened to Chihiro and the
others. If the problem could be talked now, Chihiro can go back to his daily
life as if nothing had happened. But――
――He will abandon Suzu, and leave her behind.
Chihiro then looks down.
For a moment, he is ashamed that he thought of
making himself at ease.
But then a reserved voice reaches his ears.
「It's okay, Chihiro-kun. You can leave me...」
Chihiro looked up and saw Suzu smiling at him
with a sideways glance.
「It was fun, even if it was just for one night.
Even so...I would have been really upset if my own sister (imouto) had said
something like this to me. I think I'm giving Chihiro-kun too much trouble. So,
you can leave me alone and I won't hate you if you do」
「...Even though you say that, I won't do it」
Spontaneously, the words leaked out of his
mouth.
And he slowly looks up.
「Eh?」
He looked into Yotsuba's eyes and he said
again.
「I won't do it. If I do, I will abandon
Suzu-san」
「Abandon...?」
The calm and sincere student council
president's face turns doubtful.
She blinks and retorts in a faintly
reproachful tone.
「I would never do such a thing. Principal also cares
for my sister. That's why we were there to make sure she wouldn't be alone」
「...Is that what Suzu-san wants?」
Yotsuba's voice stopped.
Chihiro did not care, but let his rising
indignation take over and spun his words.
「Principal was just doing it for "his own
good", wasn't he? Was he fulfilling what Suzu-san really wanted to do, or
what Suzu-san said she wanted to do?」
「What she wanted to do?」
Yotsuba repeated Chihiro's words.
The girl with short hair expressed clear
confusion.
Perhaps she really has no idea?
Maybe she has never tried to know what Suzu
wanted, or was never given the chance to know, or for some other reason.
「Izumi-kun, what on earth are you talking...」
「I wanted to be held」
A quiet voice echoed through the room.
Yotsuba rolled her eyes when she heard Suzu's
words, indicating that the effect of [Cognitive Obstruction] seems to have
stopped.
「Suzu, nee-san?」
「I don't care about anything else. I just
wanted the one I love to love me. To be held and made to feel so good. That's
what I wanted but neither that man nor Yuu-chan could give me」
A silence was falling.
But then, Yotsuba interrupted the silence that
had lasted for nearly a minute.
「Such a thing...」
Perhaps she was taken by surprise by the
appearance of her sister, or perhaps Suzu's expression showed that she had lost
her composure. But she put her right palm on her chest with an impatient look
on her face.
**b
「Did you annoy Yuuji-san for that? You've
always been selfish, you've always been annoying everyone, you've always
been...!」
「Selfish!?」
She screamed.
Yotsuba's words were interrupted by a voice so
loud that even in a soundproofed room, it seemed as if the outside was still
audible.
This woman with a soft and gentle atmosphere
complains to her sister with a face that looks nothing like her usual face.
「The man I love doesn't love me. I can't have
children. If that's the case, then what's the point of my life!?」
Immediately after that, a certain emotion
appeared on Yotsuba's face.
Anger.
Chihiro sees this and understands the depth of
the rupture between the sisters.
They were born and raised in the same house.
However, they are completely different kinds
of people.
Differences in paths taken and
responsibilities borne are not enough to explain them.
Their fundamental values.
The very bases that shape their personalities
are too different.
「A person's worth is not determined by his or
her sexuality. The reason why brother (Onii-san) and Yuuji-san did not embrace
you is not because your value is low」
「Don't you know what? All I wanted was for them
to held me? I didn't want anything else!」
「... Don't be so spoiled, you blockhead!」
Yotsuba's angry voice, abandoning her usual
tone, shakes the air.
Suzu, however, was not intimidated by her
sister's loud voice.
「You have absolutely nothing to carry on your
back」
「You've never once done what you wanted to do」
The blood sisters argued and glared at each
other hatefully.
How can they be so emotionally conflicted?
Chihiro felt a chill run down his spine at the
emotional clash, which was even more vivid than Aika and Maria's fight.
A girl's anger is still terrifying no matter
how many times he experiences it.
But how can he resolve an exchange that can't
always be resolved by following the logical steps?
「Both of you, please stop」
Chihiro stops Suzu and the others, unable to
think of anything concrete to do.
While desperately trying to avoid the
simultaneous stares from the two women who had turned around, Chihiro made a
suggestion as he thought of it.
「...Then, Kurohane-senpai. Just once is fine.
Can you prove that Suzu-san is wrong by yourself?」
Originally, he didn't want to.
After all, it's a gamble with a low
probability of success.
It's his power that was once in his
possession, and half-sealed.
But, with the determination, he will use it once
again.
