HS Chapter 85: The hopeless sister is confessed to.

~Side: Mako~

I continued to let her rub my breasts as she wanted until Kanakana was satisfied, for a few minutes until Kanakana’s anger subsided. Aah, I’m tired out… My breasts are tingling… Even Koma hasn’t done that…

Well, if this has relieved Kanakana’s grudge, I’ll just have to put up with the chest pain.

“—-Jeez, I can’t believe you mistook this letter for a letter of challenge… What is up with your thought pattern, Mako…”

“… I’m ashamed…”

“Aaah… Haaah. This doesn’t even set up the mood or anything. How did Mako come up with that…?”

Kanakana, now that her anger has subsided, she looks truly astonished. From the sequence of events, I finally realize that this letter is not a letter of challenge, and that the purpose of me being called out is not to duel in the first place.

Even if I say it myself, I’ve done an embarrassing misunderstanding. Then, it isn’t hard to see why Kanakana snapped.

“(*Mumble*, *Mumble*, *Mumble*)… Well, thanks to you, all my anxiety, conflict and tension have been blown away, I’ve completely prepared myself mentally so I’m glad…. Also… This is just like me and Mako. I prefer this much more than being strangely conscious of it…”

Kanakana, who still seems to have something on her mind is muttering something while exhaling constant sighs. If she’s like this, I don’t know when Kanakana’s anger will flare up again and the story will never get off the ground. Anyway, it’s time to ask why I was called here.

“S-So? Kanakana-san… That, what was the important matters that you called me here for…?”

“….. Haaa… I’m amazed. You still don’t understand, do you? Take a guess, you big idiot.”

“Uuguu… I-I’m sorry…”

Kanakana’s accusing gaze pierces and hurts. I’m sorry… I’m sorry that I’m a hopeless girl who can’t guess…

“Mako really is the same as always. An idiot, perverted, eccentric and hopeless girl who is far beyond my imagination… That’s how Mako was when we first met too.”

“Huh? When met for the first time?”

“Oh… Mako doesn’t remember? As soon as we met, you said to me: ‘Kanai, I’m actually a siscon.’—- I still can’t believe that without any context, you came out of the closet to me that day.”

“… Aah, un. I remember that happening…”

I remember that when Kanakana brought it up. That certainly… Happened soon after I joined this school. I was in a separate class from my beloved little sis Koma as a result of the class placement, and the shock of it all had me plunging down on my desk and sobbing as hard as I could.

The first person who approached me at that time with concern was— Kanakana in front of me. That was it. That’s how we got the opportunity to become best friends.

“I still remember it clearly. That day, Mako— ‘How wonderful my beloved little sis is’ or ‘How much I love my sister’ or ‘Will I be able to hold my beloved little sis’s hand?’… I didn’t even ask you, and yet you were talking so passionately about her…”

“U-Un.”

Kanakana starts reminiscing about that time with a bit of nostalgia in her partly closed eyes. And as soon as she talks about it, I’m the one who gets sick to my stomach with apologies.

… I don’t remember exactly the full story of what happened back then, but… As I recall, I was depressed that day, and I was so moved by Kanakana, who spoke to me kindly… I was so spoiled by her kindness that I declared to Kanakana that I was a siscon… And while I was at it, I think I went on and on about how wonderful Koma is to Kanakana.

“And then, to Mako… I requested, ‘Um, Tachibana-san? I’m sorry, but could you please let me go now ……?’, but you said, ‘Wait, wait! Oh, a little bit more! Please listen to me just a little longer, Kanai-san!’ whining. Eventually, your boasting of your little sister continued until the last hour of school… The teacher who came to patrol because of that got mad at us both for being friends.”

“… I am very sorry about that time.”

The old me was terrific. I’d done my best to be an annoyance to the person I’ve met for the first time.

… Hey… As I thought, are you sure, Kanakana, you don’t have a grudge against me? As I thought, isn’t this a letter of challenge? Kanakana continues to talk beside me while I’m filled with anxiety.

“It’s troubling if you suddenly come out with something like that when you’ve just met someone for the first time… And all you talked about is boasting about your little sister, to a person you meet for the first time. At that time I was troubled even more. My first impression of you was that you’re insane, weird and extremely perverted… Honestly speaking, you were the worst. I thought ‘What the hell is wrong with this girl?’”

“… That’s right, isn’t it. I think if I analysed my behaviour again, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what people think of me…”

“…. But, as I listened to Mako’s story, I thought to myself. ‘Aah, this girl is… really wonderful’”

“Huh?”

She was supposed to be abusing me, but suddenly I’m the one who is surprised by her words. Wonderful girl? Eh? Who? …. Me? What is wonderful? 

“… W-Wonderful? Ehm… Kanakana? I know I’m saying it but, where and how was I wonderful in the story you just spoke? It’s wonderful because I’m too perverted? Am I wonderful because I’ve pushed the limits of weirdness?”

“You’re completely wrong. That’s not it all…”

“That’s not it?”

“….. Mako who is able to express her feelings straightforwardly and without disguising them… I thought that you were amazing.”

“????”

… I’m lost, I can’t follow her. Kanakana smiles wryly at me as I tilt my head back with a question mark on top of my head, and she continues talking.

“… That’s a look that says you don’t know what it means, Mako.”
“….. U, un. Eeetooo… What is wonderful to you?”

“You’re wonderful. After all… At that time, I…. I couldn’t have done it.”

Kanakana interrupts the conversation once she has said this, and then puts her hand on her chest and takes a deep breath.

“… Mako, I’m sorry for being sudden, but… I’m coming out now, too.”

“Nmh? Coming out?”

And then, with a trembling voice, she tells me.

“I, …”

“Un?”

“… I like a girl…”

“… .Eh? Is that true?”

I was a little surprised by the unexpected coming out of Kanakana.

“Just so that you don’t misunderstand, I don’t hate boys… It’s not that I have unpleasant emotions towards men. There is my father and male teachers who are men that I look up to, and boys too, if only as friends… I can interact with them normally.”

“Aaah, un, that’s right. Because Kanakana has a lot of male students as friends!”

“U, un… But as for my person of romantic interest… It has always been girls. The person that was my first love and the one I’m deeply yearning for… They are all girls…”

Even though her voice is getting more and more frail, Kanakana still comes out to me. Hee… I’m surprised, because I’ve never felt any signs of that from Kanakana before.

“So that was it, Kanakana. This is my first time hearing it.”

“… Well, yeah. After all, it’s the first time I’ve said it…”

“Ahaha, I see.”

“……. (*Stare*)”

“…. Oh? What’s wrong, Kanakana?”

For some reason, Kanakana is staring at my face and reacting in an uncertain and complicated way. Hhn? What’s with Kanakana’s face? 

“…. You’re not surprised.”

“Huh?”

“…. You, you don’t seem surprised at all, Mako. I’m sure I’ve come out with some pretty embarrassing stuff…”

“Eh? I’m not surprised, you say…. No, I think I’m a bit surprised? But, well… I think that’s not really a big problem…”

Because… If I compare her to myself who is unsavable and has lustful desires to my own little sis, my twin sister, then… Kanakana’s coming out that she likes girls is good and healthy. What’s embarrassing about that.

Kanakana shakes her head at me as I’m thinking about it.

“No… In common sensitivities… I think it’s a considerable problem…”

“Eh? Is that true?”

“Yeah. Because usually… You’ll be taken back and deny it… In fact, I was one of them too…”

“Kanakana…?”

Kanakana’s expression looks a little gloomy as she mutters this. You’ll be taken aback and deny it…? She was like that, too…? I listen to her dialogue and intuitively understand the flow of the story.

This is… It’s probably best not to ask about it for a minute. If you’re not careful, the person talking about the trauma might find it even more difficult…

“Ehm, Kanakana? I don’t mind you coming out… You don’t have to force yourself to talk about things you don’t want to talk about…”

“Just shut up and listen to me, Mako.”

“Ye=Yes…!”

The strong-willed voice of my best friend, who won’t let me say anything back, makes me clam up my mouth. So my trying to worry about her was not needed….

“… When I was in primary school, my close female friends and I— Talked about love stories—- It was popular to have so-called love stories. After school, we get together, line up our chairs, form a circle and talk about ‘Who and who likes each other’ and ‘Who is interested in who’ to each other.”

“Hee… Girls from my and Koma’s old school did the same thing. As I thought, it was something that happened in every school.”

“Well, girls who have reached puberty are hungry for stories like that, so maybe it’s not surprising that it was popular. I see girls from this school doing it from time to time…”

Now that she mentions it, after school, a bunch of girls get together and talk about love stories…

But, I’ve never been allowed to take part in any of those love stories.

According to my friends ‘In Mako’s case… You are not allowed to participate because I know who you like, and besides, the fun time of chatting about love stories into a time of bragging about your little sister!’. So cruel, even though I’m a blooming maiden who wants to talk about love stories(bragging about Koma).

“… Moving onwards, here’s the main problem. On the day when love stories were popular… I got invited by my close friend. ‘Let’s talk about love stories together, Kanae-chan’. I was in love at the time, and I was happy to join in the love stories talk… I didn’t know that I would later regret participating in it…”

“….. Ah. Kanakana did you at that time…?”

Kanakana nods when I ask her that.

“… Well, it’s as you guessed. My first love at that time, Mako… It was the female primary school teacher. I didn’t know anything at the time. I said it openly at that love story talk. ‘I like my homeroom teacher.’”

“Aaah…”

How they react to Kanakana afterwards… That’s easy even for me to imagine. It must’ve been painful for Kanakana…

“And then, everyone said so. ‘That’s strange, it’s just strange.’ ‘A girl liking a woman is not good.’ and ‘It’s disgusting’, they were saying that. I got pissed off and argued back, and the next day I splendidly became the target of bullying. It was very difficult because my love story spread throughout the class, not to mention my friends who were there, so everyone looked at me strangely.”

“….”

“Well, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, thanks to the intervention of the homeroom teacher, my first love, who couldn’t ignore it anymore… But, but…”

“… But?”

“It’s what she told me. ‘Those feelings are just yearning’, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a misunderstanding peculiar to adolescence, and I’m sure you’ll be normal when you grow up’.”

“…. Kanakana.”

…. Just longing, misunderstanding… is it? I don’t think those were the words that Kanakana wanted to hear at the time. It’s not supposed to be about me, but even I feel a little prickle in my chest.

“I was vexed that they couldn’t understand me… The way my friends looked at me at the time was very frightening. Above all, not only did my first love not understand my feelings… I felt like she had denied my very way of life… It was a bit painful.”

“… Un.”

“Though, because of that… I took the junior high school entrance exams and decided to attend this school. I knew that if I went straight to public junior high school, I would be bullied and uncomfortable with people who knew me.”

… I understand her. So that’s what happened to her. By the way, this is a digression… In the case of me and Koma… I ended up going to this junior high school because I wanted to get away from that town where my parents live and I wanted to go to school near where Aunty lives.

“I’ve made up my mind not to make the same mistake when I got to junior high school. I’d rather not go through that… I thought, just as the teacher said, I’ll become normal too. I thought…”

“…. Hm? Thought? Why past tense?”

“Un. Because… On the day of my enrolment, Mako… I met you… My determination was easily smashed.”

“… Fueh!?”

She met me and her determination shattered…? What? What does she mean? 

“Mako on that day… I too of course, and the people around me who were listening to the story from the sidelines were taken aback. Even if you were called weird, perverted and disgusting… You were just laughing at it no matter how much it was. You weren’t scared or intimidated at all, you just talked about how much you loved Koma.”

“Ah, un. That’s right.”

“… I did the same thing and ended up regretting it… But, I thought Mako was amazing. Mako, of all things to occur, you came out as soon as you started school. Because of that coming out, you might not have had a peaceful school life for the next three years, you know? You could have ended up going through something painful or sad…. And yet Mako was not afraid of any of these things, she just came out with open arms… I really thought Mako was amazing.”

That explanation finally makes sense of what Kanakana said earlier. Aah… I get it. That’s what she meant by I was amazing.

“… Now that I think about it… In Mako’s case, you were just too thick-skinned and didn’t care what people thought of her… Or maybe you just didn’t think about it and never considered the possibility that you might be bullied for three years, but…”

“……”

I can’t deny that…

“Leaving that aside… I thought Mako was amazing, but I couldn’t understand why she could come out so openly and I couldn’t stop wondering…So, I asked you directly in the middle of bragging about your little sister. ‘How can you express your emotions so straightforwardly, Tachibana-san? A girl… And more so liking your own little sister… Don’t you think that others might view you weird? Aren’t you afraid of that?’ I asked you that.”

“Eh, ettoo… Did that happen?”

　No, I was so engrossed in talking about Koma that time that I don’t even remember if Kanakana asked me that… 

“You don’t remember it as I thought…. I remember every word of what Mako said to me back then. Mako at that time said this—–.”

“Ahahaha! Well, it’s true that it is strange so I’ll just take it upfront…. But, you see Kanai-san. I won’t lie about my emotions and I have no intention of doing so! Because I only live once, and whoever I fall in love with, that’s my freedom, right? I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, and there’s nobody to deny me these feelings…. In other words, you only live once, so it would be a shame if you didn’t love the person you fell in love with the most.”

“—Is what you said to me.”

… Did I say that? … I feel like I might’ve. I can’t remember, but… Somehow that sounds like a brash thing I could say…

“… When I heard that, I… I, Mako… I was so happy that I could cry.”

“Heeh? Happy…?”

With a look of heartfelt happiness, Kanakana muttered that.

“I knew those words were never meant for me. The person who told me that doesn’t even remember it, and I know it didn’t matter to Mako…. But, you know? Mako’s words… I felt like they saved me. It was as if Mako, whom I had met for the first time, had said to me, ‘You can like whoever you want’… I was really happy. You gave me courage, Mako.”

“I-Is that so?”

Mu, muu… It’s kind of embarrassing to be praised for something which I had no intention to say. Next to me, who’s a little embarrassed and blushing, Kanakana continues talking with her cheeks dyed in the same color as mine.

“From then on I became interested in Mako… I found myself following Mako’s figure with my eyes all the time. And before long we became close enough to be best friends… As I spent time with Mako, I got to see so many different expressions of Mako. Well, basically, Mako was a siscon, perverted, weird, eccentric, hopeless girl who said she LOVED her little sister in every way, just as my impression when I first met you.”

“No, er… I’m getting so embarrassed…”

“… But, you see. Sure, you’re hopeless, but you were a nice girl with lots of good qualities. For example, your cheerfulness—- You routinely made even more perverted comments than I did in the past, yet your natural cheerfulness made you an instant friend to those around you. I longed for your sun-like cheerfulness.”

　For some Kanakana takes a step closer to me while saying that.

“Naturally, it’s not just that you’re cheerful… Your surprisingly kind nature is also charming. When I had a cold, Mako immediately noticed something was wrong with me… You gave me candy and brought me into the infirmary.”

“Ah, ah…. I remember something like that…”

“… And when I had to leave early, you said, ‘Okay, since I’m Kanakana’s best friend, I’ll give you a lift home!’ and you borrowed a rear car from school… You had put me in that rear car and drove me home… It was so out of common sense, and I was so embarrassed to feel sore and wanting to die when the nearby people saw me being ridden, but I was also happy to death. Your bottomless kindness warmed my heart.”

“He, heeh… Hearing you praise me so much makes me blush a bit…”

“I haven’t finished praising you. Mako’s cheerfulness and kindness have helped my life ever since we met…”

Kanakana continues speaking while taking another step closer to me… I wonder if I’m embarrassed because I’m praised by somebody other than Koma? I’ve been getting high praise from Kanakana for a while now, and I’m getting more and more embarrassed.

If the topic won’t change… It’s going to be a bit hard for me to look at Kanakana’s face.

“So? Why did Kanakana call me here after all? You didn’t call me just to come out, did you?”

“… You’re right. Well, then, it’s time to get my business done, isn’t it?…. I didn’t mean to tell you my feelings at the start, Mako. As I said earlier… Speaking honestly, I can see the outcome, and above all—- You’re too kind. You’re serious in a weird way, and I knew it’s going to be troubling to you… I didn’t want to trouble you… I really didn’t have any intention to tell you, but.”

　Kanakana moves even closer to me, so close that if she gets any closer we will touch each other. Eh, ettto… Why has Kanakana been approaching me since some time ago? Also… What’s with this mood? What is Kanakana talking about…? It’s as if this is a—-

“But… I heard that today is my chance to confess… So I couldn’t just give up. Because Mako gave me courage… I was unable to stay still…. Also… I was pretty pissed off about what Mako said the other day… I was hoping to have those words withdrawn. That’s why, I…”

“E-Ehm… Kanakana, you’re close… And, what have you been on about since earlier…?”

“… Mako. You want to know the reason as to why I have called you here, right?”

“Eh? Ah, un. Obviously.”

“Okay, Mako, I’ll inform you of it. That is… for this.”

Having said this, Kanakana somehow turns her gaze for a moment towards the rooftop doorway.

I followed Kanakana’s gaze to the doorway, but there was nothing there but a door. 

I turned my gaze back to Kanakana to ask her what was th—- Next moment.

“…. Nhm”

“…. Eh?”

She draws her hand to my cheek and, unexpectedly, something hot and sweet pressed against my lips.

It was a literal surprise attack… I’ve been doing it thousands of times with my little sis Koma all this time, and I should be more used to the act than anyone else… I didn’t immediately understand what it was. I didn’t understand the meaning of the act, and of course I couldn’t resist or avoid it.

“—– nh..—- nnmn…”

Before my eyes was my best friend with her eyes closed. My best friend… She had stolen my lips…

“~~~~~~~!?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!?”

“uoOh!? Please, calm down, Koma… Please, whoa….!?”

The shock of it all makes my head go blank. I’m frozen and can’t move, as if I’m tied up, with no sounds or images around me entering my head at all. The only thing I can feel… The heat of Kanakana’s lips and the sweetness of Kanakana’s lips.

“*Phew*… Fu, fufufu… Thank you for the treat, Mako.”

“…. Wh, why…?”

… Kanakana quickly removes her own lips from mine after a while. And then,

“… Tachibana Mako-san. I, Kanai Kanae— I like you!”

With a very gentle smile, Kanakana confesses to me.

“…. I’m sorry, Mako, you must be surprised that I did that without prior notice.”

“… eh”

“You seem to be really confused so I’ll be taking my leave for now… Aah, that’s right. You can always answer my confession. Whatever the answer is, if it’s Mako’s answer, I’ll accept it… If you find it hard to answer, you don’t have to force yourself to answer.”

“…u..a…?”

“Well then, see you tomorrow… I love you, Mako.”

While smiling she said that… Kanakana throws me a kiss and then gracefully walks away from the rooftop. I, on the other hand, was seriously confused… I just weakly sat on the ground.

“(…. Li, ke…? Kanakana…. Likes… me…?)”

Kanakana resounds in my ears. I can’t get Kanakana’s earlier actions out of my head. Must be a lie…? How? Why did she to me…? I don’t understand, I really don’t understand…

That is, the kiss… I wonder for a moment if it might have been a dream. However…

“(… It’s not… a dream…)”

My body still had the good smell of the perfume that Kanakana was wearing, which was unusual. My lips still have a different heat and sweetness to mine. They tell me that the time I just spent with her was never a dream.

“… What do I do…”

Eventually, unable to sort it out, I gently traced my kissed lips… For a while, all I could do was let the cold October wind cool my own hot cheeks…

~Side: Kanakana~

“… Fuuu….”

I shut the door to the rooftop and immediately close my eyes and breathe out to calm my frighteningly fast heartbeat. I trace my own lips as I calm down and think of the kiss I just had.

The lips of the person I like were softer than I’d imagined …… and more pleasant.

“… Fufu♪”

… I kissed Mako. And confessed to her, too.  Just remembering that makes me smile naturally.

… Mako’s earlier reaction was super cute. Because the usual Mako doesn’t show any expressions other than when she’s goofing around and gets a nosebleed from excitement… It’s really valuable to see her with an adorable maidenly expression like she had today, and I think I’d like her even more if she showed me a face like that.

… That thought alone made my heart beat even faster. But… There’s no pain or discomfort at all… Actually, I even feel a sense of comfort when my heart beats faster at the thought of Mako… This pounding is not going to subside for the rest of the day, and I may not have to force myself to quell it anymore.

I open my eyes in such a good mood. The first thing that came to my eye was—-

“Fuuu! FuuuuU! Fushaaa!?”

“I keep telling you… Please stop rampaging around and calm down, Koma…! Stay, stayy!”

“… Oh, if it isn’t Koma-chan. And Asou-san. Good day to you two.”

Koma-chan, Mako’s beloved little sister, is trying to hit me with tears in her eyes and her voice that resembles the grunts of a raging animal… And, Himeka Asou, an honour’s student in the next class, who was restraining Koma-chan with all her might while trying to persuade her.

“You dare… You dare, Nee-sama’s lips… Nee-sama’s…! I won’t forgive you… I will never forgive you…!”

“Koma-chan, your face really looks like an ogre’s face. Please, calm yourself… If you get any more violent, I’ll really have to use the taser, so just stay calm.”

While I was on the roof, I kind of had a feeling that someone was watching me… Just as I thought, Koma-chan was peeping at me. Well, she’s Mako’s sister, and I guessed that she’s probably observing this confession, just like Mako did earlier to her, and it seems I have guessed right.

… Why is Asou-san here, who has nothing to do with it, and why is she holding Koma back… I don’t understand her reason.

“… Hee. Koma-chan can make a face like that, too. I didn’t expect that. This reaction… The way you’re angry… As expected of twins. You’re just like Mako in every way, Koma-chan. I wonder if this is your real nature?”

“If that is… If that is the case, then what about it…!?”

“… Ah, nothing. It’s nothing important, but… I just thought I liked Koma better when she is angry and revealing her emotions… Than the honor student Koma-chan…Because, you look really like Mako.”

“…..~!? Are you making fun of me…!?”

Did I become unrestrained because of my confession to Mako or… Am I in a good mood because of my kiss with Mako? I get carried away and say what is on my mind.

She must’ve taken my words as me provoking her. Koma-chan, who seems to be even more pissed off, turns her serious murderous intent on me.

“Aah… Etto. Kanakana-san, is it? Please stop any further. If you dance on Koma’s minefield any longer, I’ll get caught in the explosion of Koma too… Ah, I’m sorry… In the meantime, I’m going to have to ask you to leave this place while I keep this girl under control…  I’m not sure I can hold back Koma any longer…”

“Fumu… I’ll do so. Well then, I’ll excuse myself from here. Koma-chan and Asou-san. See you tomorrow.”

“Stop right there! I haven’t finished talking! I won’t let you escape…!”

I decided to follow the advice of Asou-san, who was sweating and risking her life to stop Koma-chan’s outburst, and I waved to them and walked away from the scene.

“Hi-Hime-sama, let me go…! Please let me go…! I can’t endure it anymore…! My, my… confessing to my Nee-sama… and top of it kissing her… She can’t be…!”

“Yes, yes… I got it. For the time being, just calm down, Koma… If you make any more noise, Mako on the roof will notice…”

I can hear them exchanging such words from behind me…. Koma-chan seems to be really angry. Well, it’s only natural.

… I know. That Koma-chan likes Mako just as much as Mako likes her. I know that it’s not sisterly love, but more like the feelings I have and want to embrace Mako… Because I’ve been watching Mako from the moment we met until now. And that next to Mako was… Koma-chan looking at Mako the same way I was looking at Mako.

As I was leaving, I whispered to Koma-chan and the others in a whisper that they might or might not hear me, apologising for stealing a march.

“… (*Mumble*) I’m sorry I confessed to her first even though I knew how you felt, Koma-chan. But, just for today… Let me dream…”