Chapter 57 – Just One More Step

When I woke up in the morning, I was alone.

Yesterday, I was supposed to have slept with Yumika and Kana… They might have gotten up earlier.

I left the room and headed to the living room.

On the sofa, Yumika was sitting, with Kana clinging to her.

“Good morning.”

“Morning!”

When I greeted them, the two replied in unison.

“Oh, I’m third in the fortune-telling! The lucky item is hamburgers,” Kana said, watching the usual horoscope segment.

“Then, shall we have hamburgers for dinner tonight?”

“Really?” 

“Of course. Mother said she’d be back late tonight, so I’ll cook.”

“Yay, I love you, Onee-chan!”

Kana beamed, wrapped in Yumika’s kindness.

They got close in an instant.

Well, it makes sense.

Kana loved me, and Yumika and I are twins, practically identical.

It’s only natural that Kana, who loves me, would come to love Yumika, who’s so similar.

“What’s wrong, Sakiya? Standing there like that?” 

“Just thinking it’s heartwarming to see you two getting along.”

It’s a good thing that Yumika and Kana are bonding.

Though, if they stop paying attention to me, I might feel a bit lonely…

“Are you lonely that I took Kana-chan away?”

“Don’t read my mind.”

“Come here, Sakiya.”

Yumika beckoned me and made me sit next to her.

“Onii-chan~”

Kana immediately hugged me, and Yumika clung to my other arm.

“Don’t worry. We both love you so much.”

“I love you both too.”

The Fujigaya household was enveloped in happiness.

But I can’t let my guard down.

They’re my sisters, after all…

Continuing to be loved by them like this is dangerous and could lead me astray.

Or rather, haven’t I already half-stepped off the path?

❤️

“I’m so happy right now,” Yumika said, looking at me thoughtfully as we walked to school.

“With you, Sakiya, Kana-chan, and Mother being so kind… It’s almost too perfect. When Father passed away, I thought my life was over, but thanks to everyone, I’m living happily.”

“We owe it to Mom. She’s the one who brought you here.”

“True. I’ll make sure to show my gratitude big time for Mother’s Day.”

“Yeah, she’ll be thrilled.”

Having bonded with Kana, Yumika had no more worries.

It’s understandable that she feels this happiness.

Yumika tried to cling to my arm, but I hurriedly pulled away.

“W-Wait a sec.”

“If you’re happy now, isn’t that enough?”

Yumika seemed to want to cross a line with me.

But if she’s already feeling this happiness, I hope she’ll see there’s no need to risk crossing a dangerous bridge.

“It’s not enough.” 

“Why not?”

“Because I love you, Sakiya. Don’t make me say embarrassing things.”

Yumika blushed and clung to me.

With such a cute expression on her face, I couldn’t pull away anymore.

“And humans are creatures of habit. Even if I’m happy now, I can’t help but want more happiness. So I think I’ll always want you, Sakiya.”

“So greedy.”

“Say what you want. I’m just following the path I believe is right.”

No matter how happy she becomes, her desire for me won’t change.

Even if she won the lottery, moved far away, or the world was ending, Yumika would still want me.

Her feelings for me won’t waver, no matter how drastically her environment changed.

Nothing could make me happier, but the fact that she’s my twin…

“Are you already tired of me, Sakiya?” 

“No way. There’s no one I love more than you, and there never will be.”

“Oh, you’re saying such sweet things.”

As if rewarding me, Yumika pressed her bosom against me.

“I don’t think I could ever be happy with anyone but you.”

“Same here. That’s why I need you.”

I still haven’t found an answer for what to do moving forward.

Yumika has her answer: to love me freely, unbound by anything.

If I aligned with her answer, I’m sure immense happiness would follow.

But would that truly be happiness…?

How do I answer a question with no clear solution?

Right now, I’m just dodging it with a non-answer.

I’m endlessly postponing the judgment.

“Don’t worry. I’ll respect the answer you come to after all your worrying, and I’m sure it’ll be the right one.”

As my twin, she seemed to know what I’m thinking just from my expression.

Her gentle words reassured me.

And in that moment, I felt like I caught a glimpse of the answer—