was in a state of shock while on my bed.
Iori had returned home.
He seemed to be on the phone with someone, and I could hear her muffled voice.
The person was…Aoi-chan?
“…Sorry. For calling you out of the blue. I really wanted to apologize to Aoi. This is…very end.”
What do you mean “very end”…?
I have no idea what was going on.
“Haaa, is it really too much to do…? Ah, sorry. No, no. It’s my fault. It’s because I didn’t reassure you properly…”
His voice sounded shrill.
“…Yes, this way…this is goodbye. I know. Sorry, I’m sorry. Yeah…”
Then the decisive words were spoken.
Iori said, with a pain that ripped through him.
“…Goodbye.”
My agitation accelerated with the words that were squeezed out of him.
Goodbye?
Iori, don’t tell me…that Aoi-chan dumped you!
I got off the bed and approached the wall.
The call seemed to have been over, and even though I put my ear to the wall, I couldn’t hear anything.
Then there were faint echoes…He’s crying.
“…kku…u…u…”
Iori was crying.
Like it was the end of the world.
I suddenly remembered an event from a year and a half ago.
The situation was completely different, but this atmosphere that seemed to be suffocating him at any moment was exactly the same.
He really was just like me and… that day when I started to withdraw from the world.
I felt my blood run cold. A chill ran down my spine.
I knew it from my intuition as his sister.
If I don’t do something, Iori will end up just like me…
The moment I realized, I was running to the sideboard of my bed.
I picked up my phone and impatiently called Souta.
Kanata and I usually don’t make phone calls. We don’t send texts or messages either.
I don’t need to do that because Kanata comes to see me every day.
He comes to see me 365 days a year without fail.
For the past year and a half, not using our phones to contact each other has been like a proof of our bond.
That’s why Kanata would notice the urgency right away.
I know how much I need his help right now.
The call went through immediately.
“What’s wrong!? I’m on my way!”
Just as I thought, Kanata had already started running.
I was deeply relieved just to hear his voice.
It’s all right now.
Kanata would help Iori. Everything will be resolved soon.
Still somewhat panicking, I clung to him like a lifeline.
“Iori has come home. Something happened between him and Aoi-chan. He was crying a lot, so—”
Come quickly and help him.
As I was about to say that, my words suddenly stopped.
My own voice echoed in my mind.
—Are you sure that’s what you want to do?
I found myself biting my lip.
The voice continued to echo in my mind.
Kanata would definitely help Iori.
Iori was not a bad girl like me, so with Kanata’s encouragement, I am sure he would get up on his feet.
But…are you sure about that?
Are you sure you want to ask Kanata to do everything for you, leave it to him, and let him solve it?
I miss being left behind in the outside world.
When I learned that Iori had a girlfriend, I also felt lonely because I felt like I was being left behind. But that’s not all.
…I wanted to become stronger.
I wanted to be strong and speak to Iori face to face.
I wanted to tell Iori that I am happy from his happiness.
I decided to do my best for that goal.
I know it was a small thing that most people would laugh at, but…I’ve been writing novels every day, training my muscles, and thinking about what kind of smile I should show Iori.
I think…there are many things that I could do.
I think there was something I could do for Iori without relying on Kanata.
Because Iori…is my little brother.
“…Souta.”
My voice was trembling.
My hands holding the phone, my legs sitting on the bed, everything was trembling.
But I clenched my phone so tight that my fingers turned white and squeezed my voice once more, tracing the words I had just said.
“…Iori is crying. So—”
I whispered, suppressing the anxiety that made me want to scream.
“—I’ll try my best. If I do well, give me an incredible reward.”
“What!? What do you mean you’ll try your best? Hey, Yuika, answer me—”
The call ended
I no longer heard Kanata’s voice. I no longer get that heartwarming sense of relief.
Instead, I continue to hear sobbing on the other side of the wall.
That’s why…I screamed.
I screamed as loudly as I could, my lungs hurting.
“Iori—!”
I heard a sound from next door, as if something was dropped in surprise.
I shouted again.
“Your sister is going to help you, so just wait there and be a good kid—!”
More sounds were heard as he fell over on his back.
I tossed my phone and put my hands vigorously on the sideboard.
Sweat was pouring out of my entire body.
My teeth clenched and clattered.
Scary, scary, scary, scary…!
I’m so scared that I’m about to break down.
I don’t want to be out there, I’m scared, I don’t want to go near it.
Even if the person I’m dealing with is my sweet little brother, I’m afraid to touch the outside world to the point of tears…!
But I thought, “I can’t go on like this.”
Kanata told me I was his first love.
He said he would propose to me someday.
He said he would make me happy forever in a house with a view of the ocean.
That’s why—!
“Watch, world! This is the result of Yuika-san’s muscle training!”
—Now is the time for me to rise up.
was in a state of shock while on my bed.
Iori had returned home.
He seemed to be on the phone with someone, and I could hear her muffled voice.
The person was…Aoi-chan?
“…Sorry. For calling you out of the blue. I really wanted to apologize to Aoi. This is…very end.”
What do you mean “very end”…?
I have no idea what was going on.
“Haaa, is it really too much to do…? Ah, sorry. No, no. It’s my fault. It’s because I didn’t reassure you properly…”
His voice sounded shrill.
“…Yes, this way…this is goodbye. I know. Sorry, I’m sorry. Yeah…”
Then the decisive words were spoken.
Iori said, with a pain that ripped through him.
“…Goodbye.”
My agitation accelerated with the words that were squeezed out of him.
Goodbye?
Iori, don’t tell me…that Aoi-chan dumped you!
I got off the bed and approached the wall.
The call seemed to have been over, and even though I put my ear to the wall, I couldn’t hear anything.
Then there were faint echoes…He’s crying.
“…kku…u…u…”
Iori was crying.
Like it was the end of the world.
I suddenly remembered an event from a year and a half ago.
The situation was completely different, but this atmosphere that seemed to be suffocating him at any moment was exactly the same.
He really was just like me and… that day when I started to withdraw from the world.
I felt my blood run cold. A chill ran down my spine.
I knew it from my intuition as his sister.
If I don’t do something, Iori will end up just like me…
The moment I realized, I was running to the sideboard of my bed.
I picked up my phone and impatiently called Souta.
Kanata and I usually don’t make phone calls. We don’t send texts or messages either.
I don’t need to do that because Kanata comes to see me every day.
He comes to see me 365 days a year without fail.
For the past year and a half, not using our phones to contact each other has been like a proof of our bond.
That’s why Kanata would notice the urgency right away.
I know how much I need his help right now.
The call went through immediately.
“What’s wrong!? I’m on my way!”
Just as I thought, Kanata had already started running.
I was deeply relieved just to hear his voice.
It’s all right now.
Kanata would help Iori. Everything will be resolved soon.
Still somewhat panicking, I clung to him like a lifeline.
“Iori has come home. Something happened between him and Aoi-chan. He was crying a lot, so—”
Come quickly and help him.
As I was about to say that, my words suddenly stopped.
My own voice echoed in my mind.
—Are you sure that’s what you want to do?
I found myself biting my lip.
The voice continued to echo in my mind.
Kanata would definitely help Iori.
Iori was not a bad girl like me, so with Kanata’s encouragement, I am sure he would get up on his feet.
But…are you sure about that?
Are you sure you want to ask Kanata to do everything for you, leave it to him, and let him solve it?
I miss being left behind in the outside world.
When I learned that Iori had a girlfriend, I also felt lonely because I felt like I was being left behind. But that’s not all.
…I wanted to become stronger.
I wanted to be strong and speak to Iori face to face.
I wanted to tell Iori that I am happy from his happiness.
I decided to do my best for that goal.
I know it was a small thing that most people would laugh at, but…I’ve been writing novels every day, training my muscles, and thinking about what kind of smile I should show Iori.
I think…there are many things that I could do.
I think there was something I could do for Iori without relying on Kanata.
Because Iori…is my little brother.
“…Souta.”
My voice was trembling.
My hands holding the phone, my legs sitting on the bed, everything was trembling.
But I clenched my phone so tight that my fingers turned white and squeezed my voice once more, tracing the words I had just said.
“…Iori is crying. So—”
I whispered, suppressing the anxiety that made me want to scream.
“—I’ll try my best. If I do well, give me an incredible reward.”
“What!? What do you mean you’ll try your best? Hey, Yuika, answer me—”
The call ended
I no longer heard Kanata’s voice. I no longer get that heartwarming sense of relief.
Instead, I continue to hear sobbing on the other side of the wall.
That’s why…I screamed.
I screamed as loudly as I could, my lungs hurting.
“Iori—!”
I heard a sound from next door, as if something was dropped in surprise.
I shouted again.
“Your sister is going to help you, so just wait there and be a good kid—!”
More sounds were heard as he fell over on his back.
I tossed my phone and put my hands vigorously on the sideboard.
Sweat was pouring out of my entire body.
My teeth clenched and clattered.
Scary, scary, scary, scary…!
I’m so scared that I’m about to break down.
I don’t want to be out there, I’m scared, I don’t want to go near it.
Even if the person I’m dealing with is my sweet little brother, I’m afraid to touch the outside world to the point of tears…!
But I thought, “I can’t go on like this.”
Kanata told me I was his first love.
He said he would propose to me someday.
He said he would make me happy forever in a house with a view of the ocean.
That’s why—!
“Watch, world! This is the result of Yuika-san’s muscle training!”
—Now is the time for me to rise up.
