You return home.
The house was dark, as if no one had been home.
But it was strange.
Miyuki's shoes were definitely by the front door.
"Is that Miyuki...?"
I turned on the living room light and saw the back of Miyuki sitting on the couch.
"Yep. Hey."
True to her word about being a good little sister, Miyuki greeted me with a bright smile.
I stroked Miyuki's hair as usual and said.
"When did you get home? Why did you turn off all the lights?"
"Oh. I dozed off for a bit, hehe."
"You haven't eaten, have you? I'll make you something to eat."
"Nope. I made it before he got here."
"Oh?"
I turned on the living room light and there it was, a freshly cooked, aromatic meal.
There was enough food for two people.
I nodded.
"Ah, so you've been resting after all that cooking."
"Yeah. Let's eat."
We sat down across from each other.
But it was a little strange.
The atmosphere of the house, Miyuki's mood, and the food felt off.
Miyuki asked without picking up her spoon.
"Why aren't you eating? Do you have no appetite?"
"No...."
My sister had carefully prepared dinner.
Even if I didn't have an appetite, I would eat every last bite of rice.
But there's something eerie about it.
It's weird.
A strange alarm keeps ringing in my head.
"Sue, Miyuki, aren't you eating?"
Miyuki continued to stare at me without picking up her spoon.
Miyuki nodded and picked up her spoon.
There was fried rice on the plate in front of her.
"Awww, no matter how bad I am at making food, I can still eat!"
She took a big bite and chewed it with a gurgle.
Then I said.
"If you're not going to eat it, give it to me~ I'm unusually hungry today."
Miyuki tried to take my fried rice, but I stopped her.
"Miyuki cooked it, so I can't not eat it. I'll eat it, Miyuki."
"...Okay."
A strange beeping sounded, but I ignored it and ate the fried rice.
One spoonful... two spoonfuls... three spoonfuls... I ate.
I was thirsty, so I ate the egg soup next to it.
I eat the fried rice again.
Four spoons...five spoons...beat six....
A whimper.
Keigo suddenly collapses.
Miyuki looks at her brother with dead eyes.
"It's all your fault."
"I told you clearly, don't betray me."
"But you betrayed me. Why Kaori?"
"I can't forgive you. I'll never forgive you."
She looked at the ceiling and said
"You're mine unconditionally, forever, and I'm going to carve that scar into you today."
******
Miyuki was teased since childhood.
My brother and I were referred to as the parentless ones because kids gossip so fast.
I was fine with it, but apparently Miyuki wasn't.
"Aaaaahhhh. Big brother...big brother..."
Miyuki cries and runs to me.
I give the bastards who rang Miyuki a good spanking.
Naturally, the neighbor who rang my bell that evening comes over with his own child, who was given to me, and asks what happened.
I told him the truth, but his parents didn't listen to me at all.
-This is what a parentless child is....
-Honey, you're being harsh.
-But it's true, isn't it? They can't even educate their children, so what will happen to them in the future? What a despicable man.
My heart ached.
But I was glad I was the one who heard it instead of Miyuki.
I'm strong.
I will continue to stand without falling apart so that Miyuki can grow up healthy.
A fragment of my childhood.
"...."
I wake up and it's morning.
The alarm clock has been ringing for a while, and it's already past ten o'clock.
This is very unusual for me, as I usually wake up at 6:00 am.
"Huh?"
Nope.
I'm not the only one who's late.
Miyuki is sleeping on the bed in my room, lying next to me.
Upon closer inspection, I realize her feet are naked.
"What the...?"
I lift the covers.
The sheets were stained with red blood.
Miyuki rubbed her eyes and raised her upper body.
"Are you awake?"
"Miyuki!!! You!!! What did you do!!! Tell me now!!!"
Miyuki said sneeringly.
"I spread the wind."
"What?"
"You cheated on Kaori. What? You kissed her, and you didn't even do it to me. You're such a funny brother."
"...No. That's. Kaori..."
"You said it was to comfort Kaori after she got kicked out of the agency? That's a good excuse. Can I use that excuse?"
"What do you mean..."
"I was betrayed by my brother, and I don't trust him anymore, so I needed a scar... here."
Miyuki pointed to her stomach.
"Because today is a dangerous day."
"Hurry up and take your birth control pills...."
Miyuki cut me off.
"I'm not taking it. Why are you trying to erase a precious life? It's our precious crystal."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"It makes sense. You promised me something and then you betrayed my trust. I wish you would have been honest with me."
Miyuki looked at me and sneered.
"It's too late."
"You're mine now."
"I won't let anyone take him from you."
"Never, never. Ever."
"...."
I'm responsible for what happened to Miyuki.
That I didn't realize that Miyuki and Kaori knew each other is only an excuse.
I tried to save them both at the same time, but it became greedy.
Because Miyuki's obsession was no ordinary obsession.
I look at the bloodstains on the sheets.
It tells me everything about what happened last night.
I feel a rush of frustration as darkness blinds me.
I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't have done this.
I did it.
I did what we shouldn't have done, as brother and sister, as family.
Miyuki laughed.
"Fufu. You're even more adorable when you're in pain."
Miyuki leaned closer to me and explored my lips with her tongue.
I couldn't refuse.
I was in shock, unable to resist.
I was helpless.
Everything is my responsibility.
I'm responsible for Miyuki falling in love with me, for Miyuki becoming obsessed with me, for Miyuki doing this to me.
I have to take responsibility.
One way or another....
Even if it's not the outcome I want....