My Ex-Girlfriend’s Sister Ran Away to My Room, and We Can’t Stop Making Mistakes. - Chapter 24: Flashback.

Flashback.

“Ayumu.”

After school let out, I called out to her just as she was trying to slip out of the classroom, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

“Saki-kun.”

Ayumu turned around, her brows lowered in a troubled expression.

“I’m sorry. I have some errands to run, so I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“Come here for a second.”

I took her hand and led her to a deserted stairwell landing.

“What is it? So suddenly.”

“Your cheek. What happened?”

“This? I just tripped on the stairs.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Ayumu cast her eyes downward. She touched her hair restlessly before finally letting out a sigh of resignation.

“It’s just… my dad seems really tired lately.”

“Violence is never okay. You should talk to the police, or some kind of counselor.”

“The injury isn’t a big deal. It’s just a scratch.”

“But—”

“He didn’t mean to,” she said, her voice turning sharp with a touch of defiance. “He apologized right away.”

She looked at me intensely.

“You know what my dad’s like, Saki-kun. He’s incredibly hard on himself. He’s actually drowning in guilt right now, and it’s taking everything he has just to keep it together.”

The summer of our second year of high school. A season usually described as the peak of one’s youth.

Ayumu’s family was struggling with the debt problem. Though they had closed the shop that was bleeding money, the mounting debt continued to tighten its grip on their lives.

As high schoolers, there was very little we could do.

“I’m thinking about quitting my club and starting a part-time job.”

We sat side-by-side on the stairs as I listened to her. Outside the window, the roar of cicadas clinging to the zelkova trees was deafening.

“But he got angry when I suggested it. He told me, ‘You shouldn’t have to worry about things like that.’ I got frustrated and snapped back at him, and well… that’s how this happened. It was basically just a big fight.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore. It’s just a bit swollen and ugly.”

“Are you really quitting track?”

“Yeah. I think I’ve had enough. I don’t really have any regrets.”

“I always thought you had such talent, though.”

“Ahaha, it makes me happy to hear you say that. But it’s not like I’m going to make it to the Inter-High. Whether I place in the regional meets is a toss-up. Besides, I never wanted to turn pro anyway.”

She lightly patted her long, slender legs. Her skin was tanned a beautiful golden wheat color.

“It’s time I started facing reality properly.”

“Reality is a strange way to put it, I guess,” Ayumu added, covering the white gauze with her hand as if to hide it.

“But we’re a family.”

“Yeah.”

“We might not be a ‘good’ family right now. But we aren’t such a bad one, either.”

“I’ll help out too. I’ve saved up some money from my job.”

“Stop it. Use the money you earned for yourself, Saki-kun.”

“I want to use it for you, Ayumu.”

“You’re so stubborn. Fine then—buy me lunch sometime.”

She smiled and poked my cheek with her finger.

“Something delicious.”

“Of course. What do you want to eat?”

“That pizza place. In the shopping district.”

“That one? You got it.”

“Right. Oh, and since we’re going, I want to bring Mii along. She said she wants to try Quattro Formaggi. Such a little brat.”

“That’s fine with me. How is Mii doing?”

“The same as ever. I don’t know what they said to her, but she beat the pulp out of some boys in her class. My mom had to go to the school to apologize.”

“She’s energetic, at least.”

“All she talks about is wanting to play with ‘Saki-nii’.”

“I really should spend some time with her soon.”

“Seriously. She really likes you. If I’m not careful, she might just steal you away.”

“No way.”

“I’m telling you. She’s still a kid, but when Mii grows up, she’s going to be way more beautiful than me.”

“I doubt that. I’m sure you’ll still be the prettier one, Ayumu.”

“Stop it, not here. You’re making me blush.”

She laughed playfully and gave my shoulder a light swat. No one came near the dusty stairwell. It felt as if everyone else in the school had vanished. She let out a small breath and spoke in a voice so quiet it was almost a soliloquy.

“They say the only things that can truly stop us are our own wills.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. What was it? Something from the ethics textbook. I just thought it was a nice sentiment.”

She narrowed her eyes, looking off into the distance. I couldn’t tell what those eyes were seeing.

“Saki-kun, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

“Hmm. I’ve never really thought about it.”

“I think… America.”

“Why there?”

“I just picked a place I’ve never been. Well, I’ve never been to Europe or Africa either. I think I’d like somewhere with wide-open scenery. Where there are trees many times taller than me, and clear lakes reflecting a bright blue sky. A place where there are no cloudy days. And reindeer drinking from the water.”

“Reindeer?”

“Deer would be fine too. Just… somewhere.”

“You can go anywhere. Once we’re adults.”

“I suppose so.”

She laughed happily.

“I want to go there someday.”

She gave a small, firm nod.

Then, after a quick glance to make sure the stairs were empty, she slowly moved her body toward mine.

“Saki-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Our lips touched. They were warm, soft, and light. The late afternoon sun from the window streaked across my vision.

The buzzing of the cicadas faded into the distance.

The scent that clung to my nose was that of a summer evening.

“Ngh—!”

I snapped awake. I was drenched in an unbelievable amount of sweat. My head throbbed with a piercing ache, and my lower body felt burning hot. I realized my breathing had become ragged.

The blindfold had slipped.

Rinsu was kneeling on the floor in front of me. Her face was glistening, wet with a thick, viscous fluid.

Meeting my eyes, Rinsu tilted her head.

“Did that clear up your worries a little-aru?”

“I feel like absolute, utter trash. What did you make me drink?”

“Flour.”

“Damn it.”

I was overwhelmed with guilt. I wanted to scream a thousand complaints at her, but Rinsu just gave me a bright, guiltless smile.

“Did you remember something wonderful-aru?”

Looking at her smile, I felt as though she could see right through me.

“Maybe I did.”

What I had seen was an irreplacable, precious dream. It had been so long since I’d remembered it, and there was no denying the feeling of happiness it had brought me.