After that. Yes, let’s talk about what happened after I, Mako Tachibana, the hopeless sister, made a big scuffle at the karaoke bar to save my beloved little sister Koma.
According to the Onii-san of the police who responded to my call, the two scumbags who tried to cheat Koma and get a piece of Koma’s mind… As a result of the interrogation, it was discovered that they were the two suspicious people in the ‘attempted abduction of a junior high school girl’ case, which had been the subject of frequent discussion at school in September and October.
After a series of attempts, and a sudden lack of sightings since the beginning of November, there were rumours that the perpetrators might have given up… In fact, they say they changed their modus operandi and committed the crimes to avoid detection.
They forced the girls into that karaoke bar and did terrible things to them, just like this time with Koma, and then filmed the terrible things on camera and silenced them with the typical lowlife threat: ‘If you don’t want this footage to be spread around, you should keep your mouth shut’.
The crime was not made public because the victims had to give in to the threat and cry themselves to sleep… It was said it was because the karaoke bar staff (the receptionist I had unwittingly grabbed and thrown at him earlier) were in on it and were destroying the evidence. I couldn’t get the full story, but I heard that quite a few girls had been affected.
However… It didn’t work out so well today. They probably never dreamed that they would be beaten to a pulp by a tiny, ineffectual-looking junior high school girl who interrupted them in the middle of the act. And they can’t believe I’ve even got evidence of a definitive crime.
‘The conversations between the sister and the men were recorded by Tachibana-san using a walkie-talkie with a record function, so the evidence was perfect. We have also begun raids, which should provide evidence of their misdeeds so far. They won’t get away with it. That’s all thanks to Tachibana-san, thank you very much.’
That’s what the Onii-san policeman told me with a smile. Combined with the fact that I beat them up, I was later to be presented with a letter of appreciation or something. Even the hopeless me is sometimes able to do good for the world, aren’t I?
“—- Apart from that. How could you’ve been so reckless, Tachibana-san! It’s a good thing you’re safe, but… If you were not careful, you could even have been hurt badly! Reflect on it, please do so!!”
…. Well, as much I received gratitude… No more than that. He even got angry at me for going to save Koma alone. And, as part of his sermon, he also confiscated my trusty crime prevention items, saying, ‘I think it’s over-defence, and in a way it’s evidence in this case, so I’m going to keep it’…. Uuu, I’ll have to buy new ones again…
So after the interview and the sermon (for some reason I think the sermon was heavier than the interview), the sun had completely set by the time Koma and I got back to our house.
‘Koma, Mako. I’m glad that both of you are safe, which is more important… Ah, I gave my idiot Aneki a good talking-to. Well, I don’t really care about that story, so we’ll talk about it another time— Now I’ve got some stories to pile up, so you can use the living room. I’ll be away for a while.’
She said that and followed Aunty’s unusually caring suggestion and sat down on the sofa in the living room with Koma.
First of all, as I promised Koma at the karaoke bar, I immediately set about clearing up misunderstandings about various matters that Koma might have misunderstood.
“—You see now. It’s a complete lie that Aunty and I agreed that Koma would live with Kaa-san. Anyway, I only just found out about her remarriage, and so did Aunty. I didn’t even know Kaa-san and Otou-san were divorced.”
“… I see, that’s how it was.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
There’s no way I’m going to live apart from Koma. Rather than that… I’d follow Koma to the end of the world, to another world, to hell, I’d definitely follow her.
“And the thing , ‘I’m finally free of all that pesky baggage and… Iwas going to be able to have the two of us living together that I’ve always wanted and longed for!’ was also a misunderstanding. By pesky baggage, I didn’t mean Koma, I meant Aunty.”
“… What do you mean?”
“You see, Aunty is actually going to be out of this house next month. So we decided just me and Koma to start living together in this house for a while. And I was so happy about it that I ended up talking about it. As I keep saying, it’s not about Koma at all! You’re not a pesky baggage!”
I stress that I have never, not once in my life, thought of Koma as baggage.This misunderstanding has to be cleared up at all costs, otherwise all sorts of things could go wrong.
Well, I’ve cleared up all the misunderstandings like this. I’m sure Koma will be relieved since I explained it to her so well till now. While I was thinking this…
“… Thank you very much, Nee-sama. I’m relieved.”
Despite saying ‘I’m relieved’, she doesn’t seem to be wholly convinced… She seems to be unhappy… Koma feels like she wants to say something to me. Aah, this… She really doesn’t seem to be relieved at all.
Hmm… How can I make Koma feel relieved? What can I say to convince her? What is she unhappy about? What does Koma want to say to me?… Unfortunately, my useless mind will never be able to unravel the brilliant brain of Koma.
In that case….
“Hey, Koma. I think it’s time we both got a bit serious… Why don’t we talk honestly?”
“… Eh? Honestly…?”
Then, I’ll just ask her directly. If Koma had not originally suffered from prosopagnosia, she would have quickly confessed her feelings and… I was just thinking of starting by having an honest discussion about lots of things with Koma.
I think right now is the best chance.
“Koma, I, you seem to have a lot you want to say to me. But… You’re trying to hold back for me and keep it from coming out… Did I guess wrong?”
“…uu”
“I am right… Koma, we’re twin sisters, if you didn’t forget. You don’t have to be reserved for my sake. This time’s misunderstanding, you could have just said something to me instead of leaving me this heartbreaking letter, right?”
“That is… yes…”
I take the letter that Koma left behind and tell Koma. No, really, I hope this is the last of these bad surprises. I seriously thought my heart was going to stop when I read the letter…
“Earlier, at a karaoke bar, Koma told me her honest gushing emotions with me. ‘It’s hard for me to not recognize you, Nee-sama! That’s why, we can’t stay together!’. I was so happy when I heard that.”
“…. You were happy?”
“Un, that’s right. I didn’t understand why Koma suddenly ran away from home, so I was more than a little relieved to know that you felt this way. It’s better to be able to have an honest confrontation, no matter what, than to have to suppress your feelings… As your Onee-chan, I’m happy.”
Because if that’s possible… If we can talk to each other without reservation or anything. Because I believe that our relationship could be even better. Like my best friend Kanakana said. ‘Mako-chan and Koma-chan seem like you two get on well… But I see a wall between each other.’
What we need to do is not to hide our feelings out of concern for each other, but to have a frank confrontation with our emotions, and break down the walls of reserve that we have built for each other.
“I, you see, there’s something I’ve never told Koma. Something I could never tell you… All this time I’ve been hiding the feeling that if I said this, I’m sure Koma would find me troublesome… I was really going to keep it hidden. But I thought it would be bad for me and for Koma if I kept quiet as it is.”
“…”
“That’s why, I, I won’t be reserved anymore from now on, so I’ll tell Koma how you feel and what I’m thinking… I’ll tell you without hiding anything… Koma, too, if you have something to say. Get it all out here and now. I’m going to embrace it all.”
“……..”
“Let’s be honest with each other. As your Onee-chan, I’m convinced that’s the most important thing for us.”
I look straight at the Koma and encourage Koma to have a real conversation with me. Koma seemed to hesitate with her eyes downcast for a little while, but then she said to me,
“… So you say… I was trying to keep it to myself. I didn’t really mean to tell you. Because I reaffirmed last month that I am not qualified to express these feelings… I’ve come to realise that I’m only going to trouble Nee-sama…”
“You’ll trouble me…?”
Eventually, as if in a state of despair, she begins to talk little by little.
“But… I can’t endure it anymore. Today, at that karaoke bar… When I saw Nee-sama dashing in and saving me like she did that day six years ago… I couldn’t keep my feelings to myself anymore…”
“Couldn’t keep them to yourself… What precisely?”
“Mako-nee-sama. I’ll tell you… What I really feel. I… I….”
Then Koma takes a small pause. With a determined, dignified look on her face, she told me
“I, Tachibana Koma… I like my Nee-sama. I love you…!”
“…. Haeh?”
That moment. A sudden confession that was so far above my expectations that my thoughts paused…. Right now, Koma… What did she say…? Break… chance… hoe… Likes?…. Likes!?
Eh, eeh!? Is it a lie…? Don’t tell me… Could it be a love confession…!? I’m not dreaming, am I!? It’s not a joke, right!? I’ve been struggling for a month to confess my feelings to my little sis, but she beat me to it so easily….!?
“Me, mwe tyooo! I, I, I,…. I like Koma too! Lwoove yooooouuuu!”
My brain and my speech didn’t work too well because of all the things that happened. I can’t just sit here in a daze in front of Koma, who’s trying to be brave and talk about her true feelings with me.
Koma then shakes her head with a slightly sad, listless smile on her face and continues.
“Thank you, very much. But… I’m sorry. It’s different.”
“Di…different…?”
“Nee-sama’s ‘like’ and my ‘like’… They’re different.”
“….!?”
That one word makes me feel like I’ve had cold water poured on me. Our meaning of ‘like’ is different… That’s right, yeah… No, un, I got it. I knew it from the start… That I shouldn’t misunderstand.
After all, my ‘like’ is not like the pure ‘like’ of Koma, mine is lustful, twisted, lewd and full of dirty-mindedness. My ‘like’ is more in the direction of wanting to push Koma down and hug her and kiss her all over her body and have my way with her, so it’s very different from Koma—–
“In any case, my ‘like’ is different from Nee-sama’s pure like—- Because I like you in the sense that I want to push you down, hug you, kiss you all over your body and have my way with you—-’
“… Huuh?”
…. Strange. What did she mean? But, I feel the same to you…?
“Uhm… Koma? I feel like there’s no difference… Actually, I like you in that that way too…”
“… Nee-sama. I know you’re trying to comfort me, but please don’t say such careless words. There’s no way Nee-sama and I’s ‘like’ are the same thing. I, look at Nee-sama in a disgusting way as a woman, you know?”
“M, me too? I’ve always looked at Koma that way?”
I’m confused by Koma’s too-unexpected statement, but I answer honestly. And then Koma shakes her head at me.
“Please stop telling jokes. Nee-sama’s like is pure, unadulterated family love, but mine is a filthy, lust-filled, lewd like.”
“No, I’m trying to say…. I, too, am filled with lust beyond familial love, with lewd like for Koma…”
“Not true, Nee-sama’s like and my like are different. I’m a girl, and I’m lusting after my twin sister, too, you know? You’re trying your best to protect me, your little sister, and it’s a very gentle like, whereas mine is an ugly, dirty like that makes me nervous when I look at you and want to make a huge mess out of you. See, they’re totally different?”
“Li-st-en to me! Me too! I feel that way too! I’m creepy, perverted Onee-chan with full-blown lust who seems to sexually gaze daily at her twin sister, whom she is supposed to protect, even though she is a woman! Why can’t you understand that!?”
“… Unbelievable. How can my pure-hearted, innocent, unsullied Nee-sama have the same like as me?”
“Haaa!?”
I’m getting more and more confused by the incomprehensible statements of Koma that keep coming out one after the other. I’ve lost track of who Koma was talking about earlier.
Pure-hearted, innocent, unsullied…? I’m sorry, who’s that? What part of me looks like that? It’s Koma that’s pure and innocent and unsullied, you know? Wouldn’t it be better to go to an ophthalmologist now for a minute, Koma…?
“Even if Nee-sama’s love preference was women, you have much, much better women than me by your side. If you’re going to like someone or go out with them, you should do it with that woman…”
“What are you talking about, Koma…? Onee-chan can’t think of any women better than Koma?”
“Please don’t try to deceive me. You have Kanai-sama.”
“Ka-Kanakana…!? Stop right there, Koma! Why did you bring up Kanakana’s name!?”
I can certainly say with confidence that my best friend Kanakana is a lovely girl. That said, why is Kanakana’s name coming out of Koma’s mouth at this point in time?
I don’t get it… I have no idea what Koma is trying to say since earlier…?
“… I knew you were trying to deceive me. I know about it. And that Nee-sama got confessed by Kanai-sama! Nee-sama thinks that she likes Kanai-sama too! And then—– The reason why Nee-sama can’t accept her confession, it’s because of the trauma I have caused you! Everything and all of it, I know about it…!”
“….!?”
What… How did Koma know about Kanakana’s confession to me last month…? Not only that, she said she knew about my trauma too… Is it possible.
“Could it be that… Koma, last month’s…”
“… Yes. I’m sorry. While hiding I watched Nee-sama. And the part where Kanai-sama confessed to Nee-sama. And then… And the part where Nee-sama replied to Kanai-sama’s confession. I’ve peeped on it…”
“As I thought…!?”
“Th, that’s why… Because I didn’t have a choice!? I was afraid that Kanai-sama might steal my loveable Nee-sama… I was really anxious! So I was sneaking around while peeking, I’m sorry!”
Koma apologizes to me while getting angry at the victim. I see, I understand. So that’s why Koma was so hostile to Kanakana last month… That’s why you’ve been awkwardly avoiding me all these days…
No, actually, wait a moment…? Then, why….
“If you’ve been peeping, then Koma knows about it too!? Like my reply to Kanakana’s confession, or the part where Kanakana lectured me! Like, who do I really like! If Koma was peeking then why doesn’t Koma believe me since earlier!?”
“… Kanai-sama lecturing you? Who Nee-sama really likes…? I don’t remember you talking about that?”
“Eh?”
“Huh?”
…. Koma’s reaction. Don’t tell me…
“…. Hey, Koma. I just want to confirm something. That day when I replied to Kanakana’s confession, how far did you peek?”
“… About when you told Kanai-sama, ‘I am a hopeless person who cannot protect her own sister, and instead of protecting her, I have driven her into a corner… I can’t go out with someone like that and leave my little sister—- I don’t deserve to have someone like me!’ and refused her confession with that reason, what about it?”
“Ayaaaaaaaaaaaah! More important than that, why didn’t you listen to the eeeeeeeeend!?”
I’m rolling on the spot while holding my head. If you’re eavesdropping that much, why don’t you just go ahead and listen to the end, Koma!? Like Kanakana’s very grateful lecture!? Or that I subconsciously refused to kiss anyone other than Koma!? Like the part where I realise who I really like… Listen to all of it, will you!? That’s the most important part, isn’t iit!?
Aaah, no choice. Since it has come down to this! I’m going to make you see how much I perversely love you, Koma, no matter what…
“Koma is wrong about everything! I’m not the innocent Onee-chan Koma thinks I am! I’m a hopeless person who loves Koma, loves her too much and is paranoid about her! I’m the kind of pervert who sniffs Koma’s bra before washing them!”
“If it’s only the bra, then you’re naive, Nee-sama! I’m the pervert! I’m the kind of helpless, perverted little sister who gets off to the smell of Nee-sama’s pre-washed panties! I’m such a ridiculous little sister that I have over 1,000 albums filled with spy photos of Nee-sama in a hidden safe in my room!”
“I won! I’ve been making a hidden album of photos of Koma, which I call Koma’s growth diary, and I’ve just recently passed the 5,000 mark! And it’s not just with a hidden camera! I secretly record the sound of the Koma showering and enjoy it every night as a hypnotic soundtrack! I’m the perverted sister! I’m more perverted! I love Koma more than you do love me!”
“That’s such a pretty thing! I use it every night to eavesdrop on the sound of Nee-sama sitting on the toilet! No, not just the toilet! I’m the worst kind of sister, bugging Nee-sama’s every personal belonging and watching your life from good morning to good night with a dirty look on my face!”
“What are you saying! I’ve installed as many wiretaps as I like on Koma without Koma’s permission! It’s not so much kinder than just bugging you! I used to sneak a peek at Koma’s shower scene in a fit of lust—-!”
Me and Koma arguing like never before. This is… The only thing I won’t lose…
I love Koma more than she does, and I love Koma more than she loves me… And prove that I’m more perverted than you! I definitely won’t lose…!
“I’m the pervert!”
“I’m the pervert!”
“No, no, It’s me who is a pervert!”
“Not true, it’s me who is a hopeless pervert!”
“No, not at all, I’m the real pervert—-”
The two of us lean forward and passionately state our point of view. We express our love for each other while confessing nakedly about the things we have been desperately trying to hide from each other, in an attempt to make each other feel sorry for themselves. Our argument escalated without either of them being taken aback… and then,
“…. I heard unusually arguing voices from here, and I was so worried that I came over to check on you. Mako, Koma. What are you sisters doing having a sick coming-out battle?”
“”…..Ah””
And then. The Tachibana sisters’ perverted banter in the name of love confession continued until Aunty Meiko made a comment from the next room with a taken aback look on her face.
Author’s notes: The Onee-chan who was so cool in the last episode is in this mess after one episode. Give me back my last impression, Mako. And, where are you heading, Koma?
Incidentally, Aunty is a bit taken aback, but she’ll naturally take note of the naked, graphic conversations between the sisters and use them as fodder for her novels.
Tintan 