A Sudden Appearance...

A part of me thought that Midori would ask to stay the night, so I was pleasantly surprised that she left without me needing to say anything, but after she said that today will be the last time that she'd properly spend time with her mother this week, she decided to leave early and spend the rest of the weekend with her before she goes back to her dad.

When I asked if I was the only one that knew about her family situation, she did let me know that Nicole has known as well, but she still prefers for me to keep this matter a secret. I understand... It's not really something that'd be comfortable to talk about. I know that all too well having to put up with a somewhat similar situation myself.

Nothing much happened on Sunday as I just went out in disguise to buy some food for the week, mainly focusing on what the deals are, trying to save as much money as I can. People might think I'm poor for having to buy near expired foods, but it's not like the food has gone bad, and with me living alone, it's a lot more manageable so I honestly prefer it this way.

I texted my brother throughout Sunday and it seems like he'll only be staying at our school for a bit longer before moving to help out another school. Of course I know the real reason is 'cause of Reina so I have no problem with that, although it will be sad to not be able to see him in person, but being able to text and call each other is a life saver for me.

Which leads me to today...

With the start of a new school week, most of the people in my class look dejected, but that's nothing out of the ordinary. By lunch they'll all be back on track and adjusted to school once more. However, I noticed something different today while in homeroom as I look at Midori who's seated in front of me.

Unlike last week, her hair looks a lot more smoother and straight compared to before. Our school does allow jewlery to an extent which I've gotten used to seeing Midori with a bracelet on her wrist, but it seems like she's taken it off today. But before I could ask about it.

"Alright everyone. Be out in the field in ten."

"Yes~"

Our class has P.E on Monday, which might honestly be the real reason why people feel dejected on Mondays. Besides a few people like Shin, most of the people in my class aren't too thrilled by it. But this would make for a good time to ask about the sudden change in Midori.

So, as we arrive in the changing room, I take my spot next to Midori as we all begin to undress.

"Ughhh... I hate PE."

Midori is part of the majority that seems to dislike Mondays it seems.

"You know, being physical is just as important as your studies you know."

"Pfft. If that's the case then why do we only have PE on Monday? Also, why does it have to be a Monday anyway? Why not Friday or something like that?"

"I can't answer that question. But seriously, keeping active is important."

"Mmmm~ Oh! That's right! Maybe if I was more athletic then maybe I could've taken out those two guys as well!"

Midori says as she tries to copy what I did during that night once more. I can't help but give a small smile at her little at her imitation of me.

"Even if you were, I wouldn't go attempting something like that."

"I guess not, haha. They were quite tall. My flimsy little arms would probably snap if I tried to do anything, hehe."

Here I thought I could try and ask about the change in her appearance, but I'm finding it hard to bring it up now, and with Midori now taking off her uniform, cutting the conversation short, I guess I should hurry up and do the same. There's always lunch to talk about it so I can always just wait till then anyways.

"You know, I hadn't noticed it before, but..."

"Hmm?"

As I was about to grab my PE shirt, I catch Midori looking over my body as her eyes are mainly focused on the top half of my body with me only dressed in my underwear.

"You have quite a nice figure..."

"...Thanks?"

"Ah- I don't mean that in a weird way! Just like, you're very toned and... well, beautiful."

"You can also get like this if you focused on PE you know."

It's a bit of a lie. I like to exercise out of PE as well to keep in shape, but oh well.

"Hnnng, but even your breasts! The shape of them. They're perfect."

"Okay?"

I don't really understand it. When I look down at them, I just think they look normal. If I look at Midori's, I'd say they're a bit larger than mine, but that might also be because she also has more fat on her body. She's still on the thin side, but her body definitely doesn't look like she exercises at all.

"...Alright! I've decided!"

Eh?"

Just then, Midori throws on her PE top as I end up doing the same, putting on my shorts as well.

"Starting from today. I'll take PE seriously!"

"I didn't expect you to get fired up over my body."

"I just can't be left behind!"

"Heh. Well, I'm glad I could inspire you to do better."

After our class got changed, we headed out to the field to do our warm up run of two laps around the field. But it was only when we got halfway around the first lap that I could see that Midori was reaching her limit along with many others from our class. Normally, I'd just run ahead, but for today, I choose to hang back and go at Midori's pace.

"Ahhh! I'm done!~"

So much for taking PE seriously...

"Come on. We've barely started."

"Haah! H-hhaa..."

Well, she's putting in a lot of work, even though I'm not even sure how she can break into a sweat after only 400m at a jogging pace. Even in middle school, before when I first started training with my guardian, 400m was easily doable.

After we all finished the two laps though, we all made our way back to the teacher as most of the class desperately tries to fill their lungs.

"I... I did it..."

Of course Midori is no exception.

"Good work."

"He-hehe."

"But you know this is just the beginning right?"

"Hha... Huh?"

Wait, does she seriously not know? Did she think this was over? I'm aware that some of the students secretly skip out on PE, but don't tell me that Midori is one of them.

"Ohoo~ Isn't this your first time running the whole thing, Midori?"

It was then that my question would be answered as Shin joined in on the conversation. I haven't really talked with him much over the weekend after our time together on Saturday.

"Y-yeah! So you can stop teasing me about it now, right?"

"Haha. We'll see 'bout that."

Long story short, our class moved to the gymnasium, switching out with another class as our class was assigned volleyball, with girls and boys taking turns on the court. But even with the girls now getting their break-

"I give up!~"

Midori is layed back down on the court, trying to cool down her body as much as possible.

"It's hard at the start, but if you keep it up, it'll get a lot easier."

"Hmph. Easy for you to say."

"Hehehe~ This is the first time I've seen you like this, Midori."

Hmm? I hadn't realized it, but two girls had come up to us, or more specifically, Midori who was still splayed out on the ground. I guess these are her friends as well?

"Haah~ Yeah~ Seeing you get all serious kinda got the rest of us riled up as well."

"R-really?!"

It was when another girl spoke up did Midori sit up abruptly, as if she had somehow found a new source of energy. She's not really that exhausted, right?

"Mhmm! We were about to try and sneak off like usual when we saw how cool you looked when you were running."

"Yeah! It almost felt wrong to run away when you were running with so much passion."

They make Midori seem like some sort of saint, but I guess they're right about Midori's passion. I'm honestly surprised she could keep up for the full two laps as well just judging from how bad she looked early on. Not to mention holding up with the volleyball match just now.

"Really? Th-thanks, hehe. Let's all give it our best!"

"Yeah!"

And "now" she's back to giving it her best? I guess with the new girls that came by, they've given Midori the motivation she needs.

"Uhm. You think we could sit here?"

"Huh? Sure."

"Thanks."

One of the girls asked me this time instead of Midori. I thought it was weird, but I just went along with it as the three of them sat down around Midori. Do they feel as though they need my permission or something? It's stupid to think about, but that's how it felt like to me...

Eventually, we finished our morning classes as Midori, Shin, the transfer student and I make our way to the cafeteria. It was only then that I realized that no one else is talking about Midori's change in appearance. Am I the only one that's clueless?

"I heard that you actually took the PE class this time?"

"Ughhh... Yeah. My legs are still on fire. You should join me in my suffering, Nicole!"

"No thanks~ A beautician doesn't need to focus on stuff like that."

Nicole says as she extends out her hand to show off her nails. I'm fairly sure that nail polish isn't allowed in school, but Nicole doesn't seem to care as she openly flaunts it to everyone at the table.

"Ah~ They're so pretty~"

"Right? If you want, you can come 'round to my place and I can show off my new skills, hehe."

"I can't, remember?"

"Ah- right. Sorry."

Nicole seemed to be too focused on her nails, but when she saw Midori's face, she quickly changed her tone, even going as far as apologizing. I'm far too curious now...

"Does this has something to do with how you look today?"

"Eh?"

"Like are you going somewhere special?"

"Oh! Nah, it's nothing like that. I'll call you about it after school."

"Okay."

Well at least it seems like I'm going to get an answer, but now I'm more curious as to why I even care... I wonder if this is how friends feel?

"Oh! I was meaning to ask, Luna."

"Hmm?"

Just as I was about to begin eating, Nicole shoots me a question.

"Where did you end up going?"

"Going?"

"On Saturday, when we all split up from the café?"

"Ah, Luna and I just went back to her place before I went home."

"Really?"

Nicole looks back over to me after hearing Midori's response. For some reason, I feel like Nicole looks confused after hearing that as she's even asking me for confirmation.

"Yeah. I even taught Midori the joys of drinking coffee."

"Wait, you seriously got her to drink coffee?!"

"Nn."

"Hehe. I'm a grown up now, Nicole~ Ha!"

I wasn't about to bring up the "secret" that Midori shared with me that day, so I figured that the coffee talk would be sufficient enough. However, it seems like Nicole is even more confused judging by the look on her face. That said... I don't think drinking coffee makes you "mature" Midori...

"Weird..."

"Hmm? What is?"

Midori asks Nicole before I could as I instead take this opportunity to eat my meal. Actually now that I think about it, Midori might be cutting in on purpose just to allow me to eat. It's things like this that I find myself being drawn in to Midori. She picks up on the smallest things like this...

"I just thought I saw Luna at the train station is all."

Huh? Wait, the train station? I don't think I was anywhere close to a train, let alone a train station.

"The train station?"

"Yeah. Kai and I were thinking about going out, but after realizing we had no money after the café, we decided to just go somewhere else. I could've sworn I saw Luna there though."

Hearing this talk between Midori and Nicole as I eat, I feel my skin begin to grow cold at the possibility... Nicole seems to think she "actually" saw me there, yet I know for a fact that I wasn't there. She even questioned it three times now... I know I've hallucinated recently, but I doubt that's a normal thing for people. I also find it weird for Nicole to be seeing me of all people when she was meant to enjoy her time with her boyfriend... Which means...

I look up from my food as I notice Midori was also looking at me. Her face saying it all as if she's also thinking the same thing.

"Uhm, Midori? Luna?"

Nicole, looking to be lost, tries to pull us back in, which I immediately do.

"Nicole."

"Y-yes?"

I speak in a stern voice as Nicole seems to have understood the seriousness in my tone. There's no way I'm letting this go. Not with a possibility like this.

"What train station was it?"

"..."

After retuning back to my apartment when school finished, I feel as though my head is about to boil over.

Throughout the afternoon classes, and on the walk home, my head has been only focused on the discussion we had at lunch. Everyone at the table picked up my change in appearance and didn't say anything to me. It honestly felt like an eternity for me to finally return home.

"Kh... FUCK!"

In that instant, as if something inside my head finally snapped, I kicked the door behind me with my heel as I let out all my pent up frustration. I have work today, yet for the first time, I don't want to go anywhere near that place. I need to go to that train station. Just that thought, knowing that my sister was there...

That's the only thing I could think of when I heard Nicole say she saw me there. That she instead saw my long lost twin sister rather than me. And now, all I can think about is how I managed to fuck everything up.

"...If only I had told Nicole, then maybe she could've done something, or told me!"

I ball up my fist this time, slamming it back behind me against the door again, not caring about the pain shooting up my arm.

"I could be with sister... Even now!"

Not wanting to break the door, I walk forward into the living room as I quickly pick up a pillow from the sofa, using it as a stress ball to absorb all of this frustration as I slam it and myself onto the sofa.

"Why?! Why did I have to do that?!"

I pushed people away for my selfish reasons and this is what I get...

"If only I had told Nicole... If only I had just opened up to people. I..."

All of a sudden, my anger quickly turned into sadness, as if all of it had actually been absorbed into the pillow as I'm left with tears streaming down my cheeks as I quickly bury my face into it.

Just then, I hear my phone ring from my bag as I quickly reach for it. My eyes still tearing up as I go to answer it.

"H-hello?"

"Luna? Are you okay?"

I couldn't read who the caller was due to how blurry my vision had gotten, but I realize now that it's Midori. I thought it would've been my manager...

"..."

"...Want me to come over?"

"No. I have work."

"Y-you're going to work?"

"...No."

My heart's too shaky right now to even humor the idea of doing something as stupid as that. If I went to work like this, knowing that I might miss my sister again, I won't be able to manage even myself let alone customers...

"...Are you going to the train station by StarRise?"

".Nn..."

"Okay. Then I'll tell my dad I'm heading to the library to study."

"Huh?"

"Hehe. My dad cares too much for me to let me out, but if it's the library, he'll allow it. I'll let your manager know you can't make it today."

"What?"

Hearing Midori say all that clears my mind somewhat as even my vision clears up. My body feeling lighter by the second.

"I'll tell them you got sick or something. Don't worry about it. I'll text you how it goes, so don't worry about it, okay? Just focus on your sister right now."

"Th-thank you!"

"Hehe. If my dad knew I was doing this, he'd flip. You owe me one, okay?"

"Nn! Thank you!"

"Pfft. No problem~ Then I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Nn! See you later."

I hang up the phone before immediately getting up from the sofa, not a single tear is leaking from my eyes as I don't even undress from my uniform before quickly dashing out of my apartment. Thankfully there isn't a dent where I kicked the door with my shoe, but I have no time to worry about any of that right now.

"Reina..."

Quickly locking the door, I bolt out of my apartment as I check the time on my phone. It's near the time when we all went to the cafe on Saturday, so maybe... Maybe sister will be there.

"...Please."