Chapter 27: 1 March: sudden turnaround

Translator: Soafp

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[Ginro PoV]

“Kimisaki-kun from Class D has such a cute face, doesn’t he?”

“Eh~? Are you targeting Ami?”

“….Hey! W-Well, just a little!”

As I was finally finishing up the committee meeting that had been weighing me down, a conversation like this suddenly reached my ears.

Kimisaki-kun… could it be Yuran?

“I might invite him to hang out sometime…”

“Ami, you’re not just saying that, you’re seriously into him!”

“Ugh… well, it’s not just about his looks, you know? Ever since I saw Kimisaki-kun watering the flowers, I can’t help but watch him…”

While I was getting flustered, the girls were getting excited about what they call “love talk.” I never expected that… there would be a girl who has a crush on Yuran.

Well, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. A few months ago, I went out of control, disregarding Yuran’s feelings, all because one of my friends mentioned Yuran’s appearance.

But that girl saw more than just his appearance… she noticed Yuran’s inherent kindness.

Seeing someone of the opposite sex attracted to Yuran’s essential qualities… this is the first time I’ve experienced this.

Ugh…

I want to shout it out loud.

Yuran belongs to me, and I won’t let anyone else have him.

But I understand the consequences of my actions back then.

For Yuran’s sake, I need to suppress these feelings, crush them with my fists.

Is this… the right thing to do…

I have this self-assuredness that I won’t fall for anyone other than Yuran. Even if his trauma is overcome.

But what if Yuran’s trauma is resolved? Will he still love me?

Will he be taken away by someone cuter, kinder, and more compatible with him than me?

Thinking about such things, my heart crumbles like a building collapsing into a barren wasteland.

I can’t find answers to my questions, yet I can’t stop pondering them.

Yuran…..…

Yuran… I…

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[And now, in the present]

“I’m back!”

When I opened the living room door and entered, an incredibly tense atmosphere hung in the air. Mana-chan, seated on the sofa, wore an expression of despair, and Yuran, standing right in front of me, looked like someone who had just made a decision to discard something precious.

“Ginro-san… Welcome back…”

Yuran noticed me and greeted me, but his voice sounded lifeless, almost hollow.

“Yuran… What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing… right, Mana?”

Silence followed Yuran’s question, as he seemed to seek agreement from Mana-chan. However, there was no response from her.

The two of them, who had seemed to get along so well, were now immersed in this strangely tense atmosphere. Could it be that they had had an argument?

But I had heard that Yuran and Mana-chan were very close siblings who rarely fought. That meant something significant must have happened between them.

This atmosphere… I couldn’t easily believe that nothing had occurred.

“Since Ginro-san is here too, let’s have dinner!”

“Yuran?”

“It’ll be ready soon, so wait for us, Ginro-san!”

“Hey, Yuran?”

Leaving behind those cheerful words before her abrupt exit, Yuran quickly made her way to the kitchen.

Now, it was just Mana-chan and me in the living room.

…It felt awkward.

My gaze started to wander unconsciously.

But this might be a chance to get closer to Mana-chan. I needed to pluck up the courage to start a conversation.

…And then, I noticed it.

In the trash can, crushed and discarded, there was a condom wrapper.

Why on earth was there a crushed condom wrapper here? Could it be that the tension between Yuran and Mana-chan was because of this?

“…What is it about Yuran that you like, Ginro-san?”

“Eh?”

As I grappled with the sudden revelation, a question from Mana-chan came my way. Her eyes seemed to suggest that she had anticipated this and could see through my feelings.

Ha!… Mana-chan… Could it be that she…

Doubts began to cross my mind.

Could it be that Mana-chan liked Yuran more than I realized?

This is what people call a “bro-con,” right?

Considering her age, Mana-chan might still want to rely on her brother, and their relationship was somewhat unique.

So maybe Mana-chan was suffering because she thought Yuran was taken away from her. Even though Yuran had left home due to his sexual trauma, the fact that he had condoms meant that…

They had an argument because of this?

If that were the case, it would make sense that the condoms were crushed and discarded.

I could choose to give a vague, evasive answer to her question, but I thought that would be unfair to both Mana-chan and Yuran.

So, I answered with sincerity.

“His kindness.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah.”

I looked into Mana-chan’s eyes. They seemed to be filled with a mix of anxiety, despair, and hope, an indescribable blend of emotions.

“His kindness when he makes delicious meals for me, when he eats spicy food with me, when he texts me ‘good morning’ every day, when he stays up late texting me every night, when he waters the flowers every day, when he doesn’t shy away from his own suffering, when he always looks sleepy in class, when he cares about his friends, when he values his family…”

“……Ah…”

“The part where he saved me, where he let me save him, where he expressed his feelings to me, where he held my hand when it was cold, and…”

“…..Okay, I heard enough.”

“Oh, sorry… Ehehehe.”

“Having someone who loves my brother this much… I’m happy.”

As I continued listing the things I liked about Yuran, I found myself getting excited, almost like a robot reciting praises. It seemed like Mana-chan was overwhelmed by my words, as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she bit her lip, trembling.

“Yeah, and one more thing…”

“I’m going shopping!”

“Eh? Uh… Sure…”

Just as I was about to add more to the list of what I liked about Yuran, Mana-chan suddenly remembered she had some errands to run and hurriedly ran to the entrance. After a while, I heard the door being firmly closed.

Left alone in the room, I disposed of the condoms, which had been thoroughly beaten up.

This was a lesson.

I acted recklessly without considering Yuran’s feelings, and I hurt him and his sister.

If one day I’m old enough to have that kind of relationship again, I’ll pick up this memory from the garage of accumulated memories.

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[Mana PoV]

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Onii-chan had suddenly accepted me when I barged into the house, even prepared dinner for me. And Suzune-san had come to see me as well.

I had escaped

from such a happy place.

Even though I had asked for it myself, could it be that I couldn’t bear to hear Suzune-san talking about Onii-chan with such passion?

I thought I was the only one who truly loved Onii-chan.

My sister’s love, needless to say, was a crazed affection.

As for Miori-san, it was a shallow kind of love, easily swayed by others.

I was convinced that Suzune-san

fit into one of those categories as well.

But the reality was different.

Suzune-san loved Onii-chan correctly, and Onii-chan truly trusted her.

In comparison, I had been tormenting Onii-chan and trying to steal his heart.

I realized that something was wrong with me.

Once that thought occurred to me, I couldn’t stay there anymore.

I rushed out of the room, running until the white noise inside my head disappeared.

I ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran and ran.

“Haa…Haa….”

Where am I…?

I had run without thinking, and now I had lost track of my location. Of course, I left my phone in Onii-chan’s room.

This was only my second time in the Ouzakura District. I had no knowledge of the city’s geography, and I found myself lost.

“What have I done…”

I deeply regretted my impulsive actions. I had run away from that happy place where Onii-chan welcomed me into his home and even prepared dinner for me. Even Suzune-san had come to see me.

And why had I done it? Had I been unable to bear hearing Suzune-san talk about Onii-chan? I had believed that I was the only one who truly loved Onii-chan. My sister’s love was obviously a twisted obsession, and as for Miori, her feelings for him were shallow and easily influenced by others.

But reality proved me wrong. Suzune-san genuinely loved Onii-chan, and he trusted her completely. Compared to that, I had only caused him pain and tried to steal his heart.

It was clear to me that there was something wrong with me.

I had ended up in the riverside area of the Ouzakura District, likely along the Shouma River. There were cherry blossom trees that would bloom in spring, waiting for that time eagerly.

However, there was nothing around except for bare winter trees, and even the sun seemed to be setting weakly beyond the bridge that crossed the river in front of me.

Honestly, my heart had broken.

I had deeply regretted my impulsive actions, and in a way, this punishment was well-deserved. I was lost in two conflicting emotions.

For now, I’ll try to find my way back along the path I came from…

But as I—-

“What are you doing, Mana?”

Eh?

…I heard a voice that shouldn’t be here.

Ha….Haha…..I must have really lost my mind if I’m hearing Onee-chan’s voice in a place like this.

“Why are you ignoring me, Mana?”

Eh?

Suddenly, my feet froze. Well, to be precise, they were forcibly stopped. It wasn’t my intention to stop; it was an instinctual reaction. Could it be that my brain had interpreted that auditory hallucination as my sister’s voice and sent a danger signal to my body? If that were the case, my brain’s CPU must be seriously lacking.

I attempted to move my feet again—

Thud.

“Gah!”

A lightning-like jolt of intense force struck my back, and my body briefly felt weightless before tumbling down the embankment. My vision spun, and I lost my sense of direction. I could only feel the earth and grass beneath me, confirming that I was on the embankment’s side. I realized I was fated to roll down this hill, and I accepted it.

“Gaaah!”

I was slammed violently into the ground, and intense pain shot through my back and hips. However, I was relieved to escape the fear of not knowing anything during the tumble.

But a few seconds later, my body was consumed by excruciating pain.

Given the steep slope I had fallen down and the impact of hitting the ground, it was only natural. But it hurt like nothing I had ever experienced before.

…But no matter how much it hurt, I couldn’t stand up…

I struggled to rise, but my legs wouldn’t obey.

No—-

My senses… were they gone?

When I looked down, my ankle was bent at an unnatural angle. It was a sight I’d never seen before.

“Aaaaah!”

This couldn’t be real… it couldn’t be!?

But reality was cruel, and the moment I realized this “fact,” my brain seemed to remember, and excruciating pain shot through my leg.

“It hurts… it hurts… it hurts…”

The pain overwhelmed me, and my head swirled with confusion.

Gasping for breath…

Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan.

Save me… Onii-chan…

“You’re the one at fault here, Mana.”

“…Eh?”

The figure in front of me wasn’t Onii-chan.

“It’s because you ran away from home, Mana.”

Maya Kimisaki.

“You were jealous of that woman and left home.”

No, it’s not…

“All alone in a city where you know nothing…”

This isn’t…

“I was really worried, you know?”

It’s Onii-chan’s home…

“Why… did you know… this place…?”

Asking me a question. She flashed a sly smile and forcefully snatched my jumper, rummaging through the inner pocket. Inside, she found the spare key to our family’s home.

“O… nee… chan?”

She threw the house key onto the ground and stomped on it repeatedly.

“Stop… it!”

It was a key that Onii-chan had bought for me. Precious…

I moved only my upper body, reaching for the keychain.

“Huh?”

What I found there was a battered keychain and…

Something that came out of it.

A strange… machine?

No, this is…

“It’s a GPS tracker and a listening device.”

“Aah…”

“I couldn’t help but be curious about what you were saying yesterday.”

I couldn’t… say anything.

“So, because of your words, I planted a GPS tracker on your belongings.”

It’s my fault…

“Since it’s you, I figured you’d run away from home to go to Yuran’s place, right?”

Why didn’t I realize…?

“Fufufu, my guess was right.”

Because of me…!

“Thank you, Mana. Thanks to you, I can meet Yuran again.”

Onii-chan’s happiness will be…

“Ah… Aaah… Aaaaahhhhh!”

“Shut up, Mana. Didn’t I say I hate women with high-pitched voices?”

At this point, the pain didn’t matter anymore. I was consumed by despair, regret, and my own foolishness.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

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[Maya PoV]

Thud

“Idiots should sleep here and cool their heads.”

My kick hit Mana’s chin cleanly, and she fell to the ground as if her previous outburst had been a lie. I looked at my smartphone’s screen and continued to smile slightly.

Thanks to the GPS tracker attached to Mana’s keychain, I now had Yuran’s address marked on my map app. I closed the map app and opened the voice memo app.

I turned up the smartphone’s volume to the maximum and selected the file labeled ♯105. I started playing the voice recording.

“…It’s not like I want this, but right now, I have Ginrou-san with me, and I have a life in this city… So, I can’t see Miori, and I won’t go back home.”

“Nnnffuuuuuu!!”

Ugh… Ugh… Leaving aside the content of this conversation… Yuran’s voice really arouses me. Honestly, I’d like to listen to his voice and indulge in self-gratification, but I managed to restrain that impulse.

Mana, I really didn’t want to do such a cruel thing. But, as your sister, it’s my role to discipline you, right? So, I steeled my heart and disciplined you, Mana. I’m really grateful to you, thanks to you, I can see Yuran again.

Fufufu… Your discipline is done.

I’ll go meet him right now…

My beloved…

Yuuuuraannnn aaaaaaahhhhhh!