Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii

Chapter 4: Lastly, Creating Memories.

Act 6(1)

I continued to look around MARUI and bought some affordable accessories for Takinami-senpai as a gift, until she suddenly looked at her watch.

“I think we should call it a day.”

I looked at my watch, too.

The time was still 4 p.m.

“You think?”

If we go home now, I will be home before five o’clock. Even elementary school students don’t go home this early.

“I’m glad to hear that, but for the rest of the time, you should spend it with Hasumi-san.”

“Ha? With Hasumi-senpai?”

Why?

“You will be leaving Hasumi-san’s house soon, right? Then, wouldn’t it be nice to do something as siblings before that?”

“I guess…”

I would like to do so, as long as I’m not being hated. However, I wasn’t sure if Hasumi-senpai would want such a thing…

Then I suddenly realized something.

“Don’t tell me you provoked Hasumi-senpai for this purpose?”

Was this the reason why you let her follow us after provoking her that much?

“I mean, I had to, otherwise she wouldn’t be honest, y’know? At first I thought this would be a great opportunity for you two to get closer, but I didn’t think this would be such a memorable experience for me.”

Takinami-senpai chuckled.

“But, it’s the same for you too, right? Takinami-senpai?”

It does not mean that we will never see each other again, but it will be a gradual process.

“What’s with you today? You’ve been saying a lot of nice things to me. It’s as if your attitude towards me before was a lie.”

Takinami-senpai widened her eyes.

“Well, I’m probably gonna ask you for another date before summer vacation. Anyway, stay here, Shizuru.”

She said this to me, and without hesitation, she walked straight ahead―eventually disappearing into the crowd of people passing by.

I understand Takinami-senpai’s intention. But was Hasumi-senpai still there in the first place? I had to deal with Takinami-senpai, so I lost sight of her in the middle. If she wasn’t here, she may have already gotten bored and gone home. However, Takinami-senpai looked convinced that she was still here.

“Hey, what’s with you?!”

“Come now.”

And then, a voice came.

When I looked towards the voice, I saw that Takinami-senpai was pushing Hasumi-senpai. And for some reason, she was coming back from the opposite direction of where she had disappeared.

Finally, she brought Hasumi-senpai in front of me.

“What, you’re here too?”

Hasumi-senpai crossed her arms, turned away her head, and spoke in a condescending manner.

“……”

“……”

“…Uh, did you know from the very beginning?”

“I mean, you stand out after all, Hasumi-senpai.”

Surprisingly, this person was out of the loop. As expected of Uncle’s daughter. With her gorgeous appearance, fashion that sometimes reveals a glimpse of her flanks, it would have been impossible for her not to catch people’s attention.

“Sorry but can you take care of the rest, Hasumi-san? I suddenly have to go home now.”

“Eh? No, I’m…”

“Is that so? Thank you. I’m counting on you.”

Takinami-senpai didn’t even bother to listen to her, or rather, she completely ignored her and pushed me towards Hasumi-senpai, and left.

What remained was me and Hasumi-senpai.

“What, was that…”

Hasumi-senpai looked stunned.

“Shall we wander for a bit and then head home?”

“Okay. I’ve been following you guys, so I haven’t seen much.”

It was because you’re spending your precious weekend on something stupid. You get what you deserve.

Hasumi-senpai just wanted to eat something, so she went to the first thing she saw and bought a soft-serve ice cream shop, vanilla flavor with chocolate coating. I also bought the orthodox vanilla flavor.

“You guys are really close, huh?”

Hasumi-senpai said somberly as she stood in front of the store eating the ice cream. She can’t walk around with that. I guess she was planning to eat it here.

“I think so too.”

“I didn’t know Takinami-san could make a face like that. She always has that graceful smile, but she provoked me and even smiled innocently at you. Two-faced was it? I don’t think I can imitate her.”

“Everyone has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, it’s your openness that makes you attractive.”

“Ca-can you not say something so embarrassing?!”

Hasumi-senpai glared at me. However, since she looked embarrassed with her face tinted with red, it lacked pressure.

“How about you? Do you like Takinami-san?’

And so she continued, trying to divert the conversation.

“Probably.”

“Probably? Make it clear.”

“I’m not suited for it, the person named Makabe Shizuru, for romance.”

It was true that I have feelings for Takinami Ruika. But were these truly genuine? Can I confidently say that these feelings weren’t made to suit her wishes?

“Hmmm..”

Hasumi-senpai replied, sounding convinced.

“Well, I don’t know much about love either. Love or whatnot. The people around me make a lot of noise about it, but it’s not my thing.”

Then she made it clear.

It seems that Hasumi-senpai took my earlier words to mean that she wasn’t interested in a colorful love affair.

“Alright, shall we go home?”

Satisfied with her soft-serve ice cream, she simply rolled up the paper on the cone and tossed it into the trash can in front of the store.

“……”

“What? Something wrong?”

“…No, please don’t worry about it.”

Right, it was nothing.

I just wanted to hang out and walk around with Hasumi-senpai a little more. I wished this time could last a little longer, that was all, nothing more.

But there was no way I could say that. I just wish we had that kind of relationship to be able to say it.

‘You see? Hasumi-senpai isn’t thinking in the slightest about making memories with me for the last time.’

While I mocked myself inwardly, it still felt lonely.

Then I finally figured it out.

I’m sure that I wanted her to acknowledge me as family. 

My half-sister, whom I met when I lost my only immediate family and was taken in provisionally.

I knew her before I met her in that house; she was a senior who was very popular with the boys at school.

She said to me, a testament to her father’s betrayal. ―You were just born, you are innocent.

That was how I got saved.

I had thought that not only had I lost my mother, I would be hated, and even be denied of my own birth, but those words saved me.

And so, somehow, I became greedy. ―I wanted her to acknowledge me as family.

But that was naive. It was a fleeting fantasy. After all, it was hardly a healthy family structure, as I said myself, and she had no desire to do so.

“That so? If it’s nothing, let’s head home.”

“Alright… look out. In front.”

Before I knew it, I was speaking as fast as I could.

“Eh? Ugh…”

As Hasumi-senpai turned on her heel to head for the station, there was a person standing in front of her, and she crashed into him.

If this was an accident, fine. But to my eyes, it looked as if the man was standing there as if he was blocking Hasumi-senpai’s way.

“Ah, my bad. I wasn’t looking at the way.”

Hasumi-senpai apologized, holding her bumped nose.

“Hm? Aren’t you the girl from earlier this morning?”

“Huh?”

Then I look at the other person again.

I saw him too. I was looking at a distance, but his flashy, gruff appearance and jangly accessories looked a lot like the people who were picking up women in the morning.

“Are you alone? Actually, I’m alone too. About bumping me, it’s fine don’t worry about it. In exchange, can you accompany me?”

“……”

Hasumi-senpai was speechless.

And it was the same for me. This guy… pretended as if he found Hasumi-senpai again by accident, but was standing in a position to deliberately bump into her.

“Ah, sorry but I’m with this one.”

She pointed at me using her chin.

“Heh…”

The man looked at me.

“Your friend? Come on, instead of that dull looking guy, hang out with me.”

“……”

Sorry about that, for being dull. I’m an average peep, after all. But I think it was better than being a bad looking guy who can’t hide his bad attitude.

“Wow, so lame.”

“Ah?”

Hasumi-senpai rolled her eyes, and the man sounded menacing.

“It’s good manners to withdraw quietly when you are rejected. But to be turned down twice and still not back down, that’s really something, isn’t it? Maybe I’m supposed to be impressed, but it’s really astounding.”

Hasumi-senpai lined up her words.

The man’s face turned bright red as he looked at her.

‘This looks quite bad…’

I was camly analyzing the situation.

With Hasumi-senpai’s personality, she would clearly state her likes and dislikes, it came out beautifully. However, in this case, straight talk only served to offend the other party.

“I’ll f*cking kill you, bitch.”

The next moment I saw a knife in his hand. Dammit… he was just a delinquent, huh? Also the type that would commit crimes in the future. What era are you from? Who else carries a knife these days?

Even Hasumi-senpai, who was not afraid, looked horrified.

The man goes towards Hasumi-senpai.

I was running at the same time.

“Hasumi-senpai!”

I protect her by pushing her away.

And then, came intense pain.

I involuntary cower.

As it should be, if you look at my left arm, there was a knife stuck in it. The pain was often described as if someone had stuck a burning iron into your arm, and I guess this was exactly what it felt like. And yet, for some reason, it also felt strangely cold. It felt like my teeth were gonna come out.

“Shizuru!”

Hasumi-senpai rushed over to me and looked alternately at my face and the knife that stabbed me.

“Aa-are you okay?!?!”

She asked me, but I have a knife stuck deep into my arm. There was no way I would be okay.

There was no way, but…

“What, about it…!”

I grasped the handle of the knife and pulled it out with great force. [T/N If you ever get stabbed don’t do this, it would only worsen the bleeding. You might faint from blood loss or even die.]

“Gah!”

A hair-raising sensation ran through my body, and then another sharp pain shot through me. But I shook it off and stood up unsteadily.

I dropped the bloody knife in front of the man.

“Hih…”

The man already looked so pale.

It was good that he wielded the knife in anger at being made fun of, but he must have realized that he had done a terrible thing when he hurt someone.

That doesn’t mean I can forgive him.

“How dare you try to take away my family…! I won’t let you take away anymore of my precious family…!”

I punched the man with all my might. [T/N While his left arm was bleeding btw] [E/N Could be punching with his right]

The man was blown away, and he remained motionless. Was he comatosed, or was he unable to stand up due to the shock of having stabbed someone with a knife? [E/N What? Was he that strong? One punch to blow a guy away?]

And then I landed on my knees again.

“Shizuru! Shizuru!”

While I was about to faint from the pain and bleeding, I heard Hasumi-senpai’s voice in the distance.

‘Ah, that’s the first time she ever mentioned my name…’