‘I want to talk with you a bit. If you like, you can call the number on the note.
From: Your mother.’
An unexpected letter from my mother arrived. Maybe if I was in a normal state of mind… I would have consulted with Nee-sama or Aunt-sama, whom I could have relied on. But… that day, I… I was upset and almost half desperate.
Without saying anything to Nee-sama and Aunt-sama, I followed the instructions in the letter… I secretly called the number on the note that night.
DD
‘—- I’m glad that you called me. It’s been a while, Koma. I hope you’ve been well.”
‘… Etto… Yes. Long time no see, Kaa-sama. Me and Nee-sama… Have been well. Pretty much…’
‘I see. I’m happy that you said that… Ah, also. Koma, you… I heard you performed well at a track and field tournament the other day. I know it’s late, but congratulations!”
‘….!? Why does Kaa-sama know about that…!?’
My mother’s voice, which I haven’t heard in years, sounds older than I remember. No sooner had I felt the nostalgia in her voice than my mother cut me off.
‘Un, from here and there. I sent you a letter this time because I wanted to talk to you about that as well.’
‘… What do you mean?’
‘The truth is, I’m planning to remarry this time, Koma.’
‘…. Eh? Remar… Eh, eh? If you’re remarrying… Does that mean Kaa-sama and Otou-sama had divorced…?’
‘You realized this late!? Eh, really!? Don’t tell me, you didn’t know…!? I divorced him five years ago!? Why hasn’t Meiko told those important things to you and Mako…!?’
She said it’s important… I don’t know, and to be honest, I wasn’t interested in Otou-sama or Kaa-sama… Probably, Mako-nee-sama doesn’t know about it either…
‘Well, leaving that aside. Anyhow, I’m planning to remarry in the near future.’
‘Ha, haa… Etto. That is… Congratulations!’
‘Thank you, Koma…. Here’s what I want to know. Hey, Koma.’
‘Yes?’
After a pause, Kaa-sama continues.
‘… Once I remarry, you… I wonder if you’d want to live with me?’
‘Ye, s?’
That came so out of nowhere. Kaa-sama’s suggestion, which is very hard to believe considering all that happened six years ago. I was speechless, I couldn’t believe my ears.
‘Mother’s second marriage, he is a famous athletics coach. He happened to see Koma run at a competition back then. He thought very highly of Koma. He said you run greatly. But he also said it was a waste. He said you were running futile, that you could have gone faster. This remarriage, I think, is not only for mother’s sake, but also for Koma’s. If you want to do athletics, if you really want to be faster… He’s going to teach you a lot about it…’
‘Uhm…! Ka, Kaa-sama…!’
Kaa-sama continues talking, paying no attention to my side. I was surprised, but then I suddenly realised something and decided to break Kaa-sama’s long story.
‘…? What is it, Koma? Are you interested in what kind of person he is? He’s a clear and handsome man. If Koma likes it, you can meet him next time…’
‘That’s not it…. Ne, Nee-sama… What about Mako-nee-sama…? If Kaa-sama has remarried… Mako-nee-sama… Will Mako-nee-sama also live together with me and Kaa-sama…?’
‘u…’
When I ask her that question, the talkative Kaa-sama froze for a moment… And for some reason, a sense of urgency came over the phone.
‘… Kaa-sama?’
‘Ehm, no… Etto, etttoo…’
‘…..’
‘Mako… Your ex-father had expected to take her…’
‘eh…?’
That comment almost made me slump in despair when I heard her coming out about Nee-sama. Nee-sama… Otou-sama will take her…? I won’t be… with Nee-sama…? We won’t live together…? Me and Nee-sama… will be… separated…?
This is, this is a really important subject… Does Nee-sama know about this…? Is this something that is known and agreed upon…?
‘… Don’t tell me.’
As I was thinking about this, my mind went back to… The story that Nee-sama expressed on the rooftop.
‘… When she has a nightmare and I see Koma calling out to me for help in her dream, I also synchronize with Koma like… I remember that day six years ago. I get flashbacks in my head of what Koma looked like that day.’
… Maybe, Nee-sama… She already knew about Kaa-sama’s remarriage… And then, more so she wants to… leave me…?
If she has had a traumatic and painful experience of being with me… Then it’s not so strange that she’s thinking of taking this opportunity to disassociate herself from me…
‘No, that’s…Because, that girl…Mako wouldn’t want to live together (with me)…’
‘…. Wouldn’t want to live together…!? As I thought….!?’
Kaa-sama’s words confirm my suspicions.
‘… That was it… Mako-nee-sama… She doesn’t want to live together with me…’
‘Hu…? That Mako… Doesn’t want to live together with Koma…? …. Yeah! That’s right! I think Mako wants to be with us too!’
‘Is that so… Nee-sama still thinks I’m a burden…’
‘Ah, no… She may not feel that you’re a burden, but… But she’s probably at a point in her life where she needs to move away from her sister, and I’m sure it would be better for Mako if she lived away from her younger sister!’
‘…..’
It’s in Nee-sama’s best interest… that I leave her…
‘Anyway, don’t worry about Mako. Your ex-father(that person)… likes girls like Mako, so I’m sure he’ll cherish her a lot. So you can rest easy, Koma, and just concentrate on thinking about your future plans and so on. The number displayed right now… Is this Koma’s mobile number? If I need to contact you about anything, Kaa-sama will call this number. For now, we’ll have one meeting next month to discuss it, and you can meet my remarried partner then and—’
I didn’t listen to the second half of Kaa-sama’s story at all… I didn’t hear her at all. I kept hearing Kaa-sama’s voice echoing in my head, ‘It would surely be better for Mako if she lived away!’…
~Side: Mako~
“—-Haa….”
The day after my date with my best, and most wonderful biological lil sis, Koma Tachibana. I let out a sigh of melancholy, which was not appropriate for such a lovely day after, in the early morning classroom.
“… That’s the 30th sigh of the day. I think it’s time you stopped, Mako. You’re making me feel depressed too.”
“…. Huh? Ah… It’s Kanakana…”
A very kind voice that sounds depressed about me with her mouth, but I can tell that she is really worried about me… My best friend who sits next to me: Kanakana.
30th time… Not good, not good. Did I sigh so much without realizing it…
“How do I put it, you look a bit of a mess… What’s wrong, Mako?”
“Huh? What’s wrong… What?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You should’ve had a date with Koma yesterday, right? I’m pretty sure you were saying, ‘I’m going to confess to Koma on this date!’ and raging about it. What happened?”
“Aah… No, that’s…”
… What do I do? After Kanakana had given me so much support, it’s embarrassing and awkward to say ‘I couldn’t confess to Koma yesterday after all’….
When she sees me stammering unintentionally, Kanakana suddenly shows an expression as if she has guessed what it is. Seriously, she immediately guessed it…!?
“Mako’s response…!? Maybe, you…”
“No, no, you’re mistaken, Kanakana-san!? I got to a point where I was in a good mood, but then there was an unexpected interruption, and so…”
“Certainly… You got dumped by Koma-chan!? That’s it, isn’t it!? That’s why you’re currently in a heartbreak!? Then leave it to me, Mako! I, I…. I will comfort you in body and soul!”
“Enough with the jokes. I wasn’t dumped. Also, stay put, Kanakana. Any more, and we’ll be designated as R-18.”
So why are you talking on the assumption that I’ve been dumped, Kanakana… And then, why are you almost pushing me down while rubbing my breasts with your hands wagging them with heartfelt joy, Kanakana… We’re in the classroom…?
“Tsk… Don’t press me in the classroom, even if you’re joking, Kanakana. Just when the subject of my love triangle with Koma and Kanakana of the last month had recently begun to subside… This could reignite it again.”
“What are you saying. I’m not joking, I’m always serious, Mako. Always and anywhere, I’ll always jump on you seriously.”
“That’s even worse!?”
I managed to stop Kanakana from pushing me and tsukkomi her. It’s strange… Before, me and Kanakana used to be in a relationship of a fool and straight… Hasn’t the position reversed recently…?
“And? What happened in the end, Mako? You look like you’re worrying about something… Your date didn’t go so well yesterday?”
“… No. The date itself went well…”
“But, what?”
“…. When it came time to confess to Koma… A hindrance got in the way at the worst possible time and I ended up not being able to confess….”
“My, my, my… That seems so very like you. Getting interrupted at the most important moment.”
I was reminded that it’s useless to fool around in front of Kanakana, so I decided to report what happened yesterday honestly.
“Also, at the same time… I’ve got another problem now.”
“Another problem?”
“… Un. Truth is… After yesterday’s date, things seemed to have gone even worse for Koma… Koma seems somehow unlike herself…?”
“… Eh? She was unlike herself after your date… That, Koma-chan…?”
“Yeah… She was particularly out of it this morning…”
◇ ◇ ◇
“”……””
“…Fuu…”
“(Oi, Mako… What’s wrong with Koma? Why does she look worse after your date with you than she has in the last few days…!? And why is she eating miso soup with a fork!?)”
“(Even if you ask me, I don’t know…! I took Koma around a lot yesterday, and I guess she’s tired…!?)”
“(As if! It’s that Koma, you know!? She’s the kind of girl who’s so happy that even a normal shopping trip with Mako would make her feel like she’s at full strength!? The day after a date or something, she should be so excited that she could fly through the air, but—-”
“…. Excuse me, Mako-nee-sama. Aunt-sama…”
“Fue!? Wha-Wha-Wha… What is it, Koma-chan?”
“What happened, Koma? We’re still eating?”
“… That is. I’m feeling a bit sick this morning… I’m satisfied with this much breakfast. I’ll eat the rest later…”
“”…..””
◇ ◇ ◇
“—- That happened. It’s like she could only eat about a bite of rice….”
“That Koma-chan only ate one bite of Mako’s home-cooked food and left it behind… That’s…”
Just like I am now, all she can do is sigh and let it out. Koma hardly ate my home-cooked food. What on earth could’ve happened to Koma…?
Until yesterday, before the confession… Strictly speaking, Koma was having such a good time until that phone call just before the confession… After that phone call… She was somehow depressed…? Looked like she was in pain…? That’s the feeling she was giving off.
“And it wasn’t just breakfast, she barely ate dinner too… I’m really worried about her. This is already… no longer about my confession.”
“(*Twitch*)…. Mako. What are you on about. Don’t tell me… ‘That’s why I’m thinking about stopping confessing to Koma.’—- You won’t say something useless like that, will you?”
Kanakana looks a little offended to hear me say that and asks me… Hnnn? I haven’t been thinking about stopping my confession?
…. Good grief. What on earth is my best friend saying?
“Never! I’m suddenly very motivated… I’m going to tell her how I feel. I’ll tell her. It’s not just a confession— That’s why, I’ll do so. After expressing my feelings, what is troubling Koma, what is the cause of Koma’s disorder, and what exactly is Koma hiding…. I’ll do whatever it takes to expose that!”
“…. Really?”
I’ve had Kanakana’s back me up so many times already. I can’t afford to cause trouble for Kanakana any more than I already have. I have to do it alone from here.
“Un, that’s why I fell in love with you, Mako. Well, good luck. Even if Koma-chan rejects you, I’ll lend you my chest.”
“Eh…? Unfortunately, Kanakana doesn’t have enough breasts to len—”
“Ufufu… Maako♪ If you’re going to say anything else, be ready for me♡…… I’m going to assault you right here and now…!”
“….. I’m really sorry, Kanakana-sama, that now was just a light-hearted joke” ← prostrating herself.
It’s such a heart-warming (?) communication with my best friend and thinking about my next move. Now, what should I do next.
Yesterday’s date… And things would have been going pretty well if it hadn’t been for that phone call… So the date itself is quite fine.
“Nmh…. Maybe next time I should invite Koma to an amusement park or something we’ve never been to…. Hey, Kanakana? Is there an amusement park or something else near here?” ← still prostrating.
“An amusement park? Let me see… I’ve heard about an upcoming theme park opening about five stops away.”
“Ooh! That’s a good thing to hear. I think I’ll go home and do some quick research on that theme park. And other places that might be fit for a date…!” ← still prostrating.
That’s how Kanakana and I were discussing what kind of place would be appropriate for a date until the morning assembly started.
“——Ma, Koma… what’s wrong…!?”
“Gyaaaaaaaaa!? It’s an emergency!…. She suddenly collapsed…!”
“Somebody, go to the school’s nurse…! N-Nurse! Sensei, it’s an emergency!?”
Then suddenly a screaming voice is heard from the classroom next door… Mu? I wonder what’s with all this ruckus.
“….? What is happening? The nearby classroom is kind of noisy?” ← still prostrating.
“You’re right… I heard that someone collapsed…”
Once I get off their knees and while I tilt my head back with Kanakana, the noise gets louder and louder.
“…Mako! It’s a huge emergency!”
“uOooh!? What happened, Himecchi…!?”
My other best friend in the next class who is usually very cool and quiet… Himecchi, appeared with a rough voice and a scared expression.
“What happened!? What’s going on in such a hurry?”
“… Mako, it’s urgent. Please listen to me.”
“Listen? Why are you so flustered?”
Himecchi addressed me very seriously. I also rush to correct my posture and get into a serious listening position. Himechi, with a nervous look on her face, exhaled out a breath once… And then she continued.
“… Please listen to me calmly… Koma has collapsed.”
Author’s note: In a normal state of mind, Koma would never have called. But this time the timing was too bad.
Tintan 