"I’ve finally found someone I like."
"Huh... Wha!?"
Yui tumbled off the sofa with a spectacular crash.
Startled by her sudden, erratic behavior, I hurriedly called out to her as she remained sprawled on the floor.
"Are you okay, Yui!? What was that for?"
"That’s my line, isn't it...?"
She dragged herself up with the sluggish, wobbling movements of a zombie, her sharp gaze piercing right through me. Her eyes spoke more eloquently than words, demanding that I spill everything immediately.
I helped Yui back up and continued the conversation.
As I worked the hair dryer, I recounted everything that had happened over the last few days, starting from my first meeting with Akise-san and going through the events in chronological order.
I naturally glossed over the specifics of Akise-san’s past, but there were still so many impactful moments that by the time I finished the story, I had long since finished drying Yui’s hair.
Once I reached the end, Yui was... for some reason, clutching the corners of her eyes, desperately fighting back tears.
"What part of that was supposed to make you cry?"
"Because... because my loner of a brother...! You’re flirting like a couple with a cute girl in your class, and you’ve even made friends...! It just makes me so happy...!"
"Are you my mother or something...?"
When I handed her a tissue, she blew her nose with a wet, ungraceful honk. She really was crying.
Eventually, Yui wiped her eyes and fixed me with a teary, scornful glare.
"Sniff... So, what did you actually want to talk to me about? You aren't seriously asking for romantic advice, are you? I don't have any experience with love, and honestly, the fact that you aren't already dating makes no sense to me. I mean, you like her, right? This Akise-san? Why haven't you just confessed yet?"
"Wait, wait, calm down. It’s not exactly romantic advice... I don't even need to ask, because my mind is already made up."
My feelings had been decided long ago.
I just hadn't possessed the courage to take that final step. I simply didn't know if someone like me was allowed to wish for such happiness.
"Hmm... I always thought you were the type to lose your nerve right at the finish line, but you’ve actually made up your mind. Did something happen?"
"Thanks for the blunt analysis. A guy in class who likes Akise-san told me I was being 'insincere'... I’ve been thinking about that ever since."
"Insincere, huh? Well, I suppose it is a bit questionable to keep ignoring someone who is so obviously head-over-heels for you."
She was exactly right. I had my excuses, of course, but from an outside perspective, I couldn't blame anyone for seeing me as a bit of a jerk.
"So, are you going to confess right away?"
"No... well, I’d like to wait a little longer. The timing isn't quite right yet."
She gave me a look of pure, unadulterated scorn, but it wasn't a matter that could be settled so easily.
Go ahead and laugh at me for being a coward. To someone with social anxiety who has never even experienced a first crush, a confession was a monumental, life-altering event.
Moreover, the girl in question was Haruka Akise—the perfect beauty at the very top of the school hierarchy.
It was only natural to prepare myself fully, body and soul, to increase the success rate even by a fraction before taking the plunge.
"But you already know the feeling is mutual. All that's left is to say it."
"Maybe, but there’s still a chance I’m just misunderstanding her."
"There really isn't. No girl makes lunch for a guy she doesn't like every day, visits his house, or hugs him. Trust me, that's the female perspective."
"I... I see."
"Don’t get all shy on me now. It’s a bit hard to watch a family member make that kind of face."
"Sorry..."
She criticized me with a flat, serious tone. It reminded me of the profound awkwardness I felt whenever our parents got too lovey-dovey in front of us.
I cleared my throat to reset the conversation.
"Anyway, that's why, as a prerequisite to the confession... I felt like I had to tell her about 'The Incident' from middle school."
I watched Yui’s reaction closely, but surprisingly, she didn't seem shaken.
As someone who had been directly involved in the incident, Yui simply lowered her eyebrows with a troubled look.
"...Don't you think it’s better left unsaid?"
"I can't tell you the details, but I currently know a very important secret of Akise-san's. It feels unfair for me to be the only one keeping a secret. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"I want Akise-san to know my true nature. I want her to see who I really am and then decide for herself."
Perhaps my expression was a bit too grim, because Yui let out a sudden, small burst of laughter.
"Isn't 'true nature' a bit dramatic?"
"You think so?"
"I do. I’ve always thought you were way too serious. You need to learn how to relax a little."
"If I were truly that serious, I wouldn't have done what I did. I would have handled it better. Because of me, you—"
Yui shook her head. For a fleeting second, a shadow of deep sorrow crossed her eyes.
"You aren't the one at fault. It was me—I was stubborn, I didn't think things through, and I refused to talk to anyone. If I had just been smarter about it, you wouldn't have—"
"That’s not true!"
I shouted, cutting her off.
I didn't want her to say things like that. Being trapped by one's own kindness while surrounded by malice wasn't a mistake or a failure. It was just a tragedy.
I placed my hand on Yui’s slumped shoulder, only to realize her shoulders were trembling slightly.
"...Hey."
"S-Sorry, sorry. But I mean it. Just as you feel like you owe me, I feel like I owe you. That makes us even, right?"
"...I suppose so."
I exhaled, letting the tension go.
This regret would probably never leave us. But both Yui and I were finally moving forward.
And that was enough.
"Regardless, I’ve decided to tell her. So, before I do, I want your permission."
"Fine by me."
She replied so casually it caught me off guard.
"What's with that look? I don't need to give you permission for anything. I’d rather you didn't go shouting it from the rooftops, but if you feel like you need to tell her, then do it. You can tell her my name, too."
"Are you sure?"
"I said it’s fine! Although..."
Yui shot me a mischievous, teasing grin.
"If she rejects you because of it, don't come crying to me. I’ll listen to you complain once or twice, but that’s it."
"Don't jinx me like that."
"Ahaha!"
Watching Yui laugh so freely filled me with a strange sense of nostalgia.
We were close now, but only a few months ago, we barely spoke at all.
When we were suddenly told that we were becoming siblings, my social anxiety and her shyness made it impossible for us to connect. We lived under the same roof but were essentially strangers.
That only changed a year ago, during a particularly heavy rainstorm.
§
It was during the rainy season of my third year of middle school. I was balancing my studies for the High School Entrance Exams with daily, grueling practice for my final badminton tournament.
Yui had only recently become my "stepsister" after our parents' remarriage. Back then, she was withdrawn, though she already possessed the mature air that defined her today.
I soon learned why.
She had grown up in a single-parent household. After her father died in an accident when she was small, it had always been just her and her mother. Her mother—my current stepmother—was incredibly capable. She had worked her way up through sheer talent and effort, ensuring they never lacked for anything financially.
Yui had done her best to support her mother by handling the housework to lighten the load.
But as her mother became busier, she worried about not being there for her daughter. To compensate, she gave Yui a generous allowance so she would never be in need.
That was the mistake. In her second year of middle school, her classmates found out.
One day, a girl approached her and said, "Treat me to something." Yui, who was used to isolation and housework, didn't understand the dynamics of friendship. She was just happy to think someone wanted to be her friend.
She paid for food and entertainment every time they went out, and soon, the "requests" turned into blatant extortion.
Eventually, a group of notorious high school delinquents from the area started joining the group to leech off her as well.
I only found out because a junior in my club came to me with a concern.
"Yanagida-senpai, your sister has been acting strange lately."
He looked worried, explaining that while she was hanging out with a group after school, the vibe felt wrong.
Curious, I spoke to her for the first time about something other than household chores. She just smiled and said she was fine.
That smile told me more than anything that she was anything but.
I did some digging with her classmates and finally realized the truth of the situation.
I couldn't ignore it. I confronted her again.
When I told her we should go to the teachers or our parents, she shook her head violently.
"Please... don't tell Mom or Dad! They're finally happy..."
She looked at me with eyes brimming with tears. I can still see them when I close my eyes.
We reached a compromise.
"The next time you meet them, I’ll follow you secretly." She reluctantly agreed.
And on that day... the nightmare I had feared became a reality.
On a deserted path on the way home, one of the high schoolers grabbed Yui’s hand, trying to drag her into the shadows.
The terror on Yui’s face as she struggled was the last thing I saw before I lost control.
I don't even remember the conscious decision to act.
Before I knew it, I was running. My fist had already connected.
I hit him. I shoved aside anyone who tried to stop me. I gritted my teeth and kept swinging.
The police arrived shortly after. I was restrained and taken in for questioning.
The incident exploded. Our parents were called, the school was notified, and the whole thing was processed as a criminal assault case involving both the high schoolers' attempted abduction and my own violence.
Yui clung to me, sobbing "Thank you" and "I'm sorry" over and over. Our parents held us both, apologizing through their own tears. We all just sat there and cried together.
I never learned the exact details of how the school and the parents settled it, but I know the high schoolers paid a massive settlement and were expelled. The middle schoolers who had extorted Yui were also punished.
And, of course, there was a punishment for me. A one-week suspension.
It was a light sentence for a police matter, but the teachers had taken the circumstances and our parents' pleas into account.
Still, the damage was done. My eligibility for the upcoming tournament was revoked. I had let down my advisor and the teammates I was supposed to play with.
They told me they understood and that I shouldn't apologize, but the guilt remained.
Ever since that day, Yui, who used to call me "Tatsumi-san," started calling me "Brother." We finally became a real family.
§
"I remember back when you called me 'Tatsumi-san.' I had no idea how to talk to you."
"Ugh, stop digging up the past! If we're going there, you were way scarier back then—tall, with those mean-looking eyes."
"Seriously...?"
As I reeled from that sudden revelation, a notification chimed on my phone.
I looked at Yui, but she shook her head, indicating it wasn't her. It was a LINE message for me.
I checked the notification and my eyes went wide.
"Who is it? Wait, is it...?"
"...It’s Akise-san."
"Ooh!"
Yui leaned in, her eyes sparkling with a level of excitement that completely betrayed her usual mature persona. She had a look of pure curiosity that reminded me of Mukai-san.
I opened the message.
"Well? What did it say? A date invitation?"
"Calm down, it’s not like that... well, maybe it is? I promised to let her teach me how to cook, and she’s asking if she can come over here tomorrow."
"Oh? Cooking together at your place, just the two of you? You guys aren't just a couple, you're practically newlyweds!"
She was way too hyper about this. But then, her expression shifted to one of concern.
"Wait, I’d be in the way, wouldn't I? Should I head home first thing tomorrow?"
"...No."
I thought back to my unexpected encounter with Akise-san’s father last weekend.
He had put me through a significant amount of stress. It was only fair that I got a little bit of revenge, right?
"Yui. If you're okay with it, do you want to meet her tomorrow?"
"Absolutely!"
She answered with a brilliant, immediate smile.
I should probably clear it with Akise-san first, though. Just as a matter of courtesy.