When I Told the Most Beautiful Girl in the School That My Confession Had Failed, She Suddenly Started Coming at Me With Unbearably Heavy Feelings

Chapter 16: Family and Scars

The evening bustle at the station was crowded with people.

Salarymen, middle schoolers returning from club activities, high schoolers chatting with friends, and couples so absorbed in each other they seemed oblivious to the world around them. A truly diverse mix of people filled the scene.

Leaving the station, I headed not toward my usual home but to another destination. The train had been delayed, so I was running a bit late.

Quickening my pace toward the residential area, I spotted a blonde girl standing there. When she saw me, she waved enthusiastically and ran over.

“Was your cheating date fun, Senpai?”

“It’s about to start now. Here, a souvenir.”

I handed a paper bag to Amane Shinomiya. Inside was a dolphin plushie.

I’d heard before that Amane loved collecting stuffed animals. I wasn’t sure if she still did, but her face lit up, easing my worries.

“Wow… Did you buy this just for me?”

“Yeah, I got it for you.”

“Hehe, you get me, don’t you, Senpai! Come on, let’s go. Dinner’s already ready!”

Amane tugged my hand, and I stepped into the apartment building’s elevator.

This apartment was where Amane, Otoha, and my father lived.

I was supposed to come back here too, but I’d insisted on living alone.

We got off on the fourth floor, passed a couple of doors, and opened the one marked ‘403.’

“Mom! Big Bro’s here!”

“Welcome, Renji-kun. We’ve been waiting.”

At Amane’s call, a gentle-looking woman emerged from the back.

With her so-called tanuki-like face, this was Otoha, my father’s remarried wife and, in effect, my ‘mother.’

“Sorry for intruding… or rather, I’m home, right?”

“Hehe, welcome home. Come in, come in.”

I neatly lined up my shoes at the tiled entrance. Visiting once a month, I’d grown familiar with this place.

As I entered the living room, a bespectacled man with a stern expression glanced my way. The deep crease between his brows felt oddly nostalgic.

“I’m home, Dad.”

“…Renji, welcome back.”

“…You look older.”

“No hesitation or tact, huh? You’ve grown taller, haven’t you? Your eye level seems higher.”

“Oh, you’re right. He’s still in his growth spurt, isn’t he?” Otoha said.

“Hm? Now that you mention it…” Amane added.

…So I’m still growing.

“…Oh, right. I went to the aquarium today, so here’s a souvenir.”

“Thanks. First, offer it to your mother.”

I stepped into a small tatami room just off the living room. In front of a photo of my smiling mother, I placed a box of cookies as an offering and clasped my hands.

Unlike my father, my mother had a radiant smile.

She was always smiling, praising me whenever I did something.

If I did something wrong, she’d scold me firmly.

When I was struggling, she’d lend a hand. Looking back, she was the model of a good person.

“Be someone who fights for others. Fight to protect someone,” she used to tell me repeatedly, words now deeply rooted in my heart.

(Mom… am I growing up properly?)

No voice answered my question in my mind ______. In the photo, Mom kept smiling.

“…Alright.”

“Big Bro, let’s eat already!”

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

Back in the living room, the table was set with neatly plated hamburgers.

“Hehe, Mom and I made these today! Full of love.”

“That sounds promising. I’ll savor my cute little sister’s cooking.”

“You two are so close. Let’s eat before it gets cold,” Otoha said.

““““Let’s eat!””””

The four of us sat around the table, hands clasped. Unlike my usual solitary dinners, today felt lively.

“Senpai, how is it? Tasty?”

“Yeah, it’s good. Thanks to Otoha’s cooking.”

“Hey! I helped too! You gotta praise me, or I’ll pout.”

“Alright, alright. Thanks.”

I gently patted Amane’s head as she pressed against me, and she smiled contentedly.

“Hehe, you two are so close. Amane’s such a clingy girl, Renji-kun. You don’t have to indulge her, you know,” Otoha said.

“It’s fine. Amane’s helped me out a lot too.”

“No one can come between me and Senpai’s sibling love! I’m his little sister, after all!” Amane declared.

After that, we chatted about trivial things.

Since we didn’t live together, there was plenty to catch up on. Even mundane or silly topics warmed my heart.

The warmth of family, something I hadn’t felt in a long time, was comforting yet stung the wounds of what I’d lost.

“By the way, how’s school? Any troubles?” my father asked.

“…Not really.”

“Senpai got rejected recently,” Amane piped up.

““Huh?””

“…You little…” I shot Amane a mock glare, but she stuck out her tongue playfully. Too cute to stay mad.

“…Renji, you want a girlfriend?”

“I mean, I’ve got some interest in that…”

“Didn’t expect that from you, Renji-kun. I thought you’d marry Amane,” Otoha teased.

“Nah, Amane’s a bit…”

“Why not?! I’d be fine, wouldn’t I?!” Amane protested.

“You’re like a drum—always making noise when tapped.”

And so, I enjoyed this rare family time, healing the scars on my heart.

▼▽

“Senpai, let’s sleep together!”

Past midnight, after a bath and lounging in the room, ready for bed, Amane burst in.

In her pajamas, hugging a bear plushie, she plopped down next to me.

“…You’ve got your own bed, right?”

“You promised to do one thing I ask. Forgot?”

“Oh, right, that happened… This is a single bed, you know. It’s cramped.”

“That’s the point! Come on, it’s a request from your cute little sister.”

“Don’t call yourself cute.”

“Am I not cute?”

“You’re cute. …Fine.”

Amane wouldn’t budge once she got like this. Exhausted, I gave in and let her join me in bed.

I dimmed the lights with the remote, and we slipped under the covers.

As expected, the single bed was tight for two. Amane’s bear plushie made it even more cramped.

“It’s tight…”

“Hehe, yeah. Come on, scoot closer, or I’ll fall off.”

Amane wriggled into my chest, facing me in a hug. She smiled happily, nestled against me.

“Hehe, you smell like Senpai.”

“I’m pretty sure I washed thoroughly.”

“…Senpai, Mom was happy today. She said it’s been a while since she really talked with you. Did you have fun today?”

“…Yeah, I did.”

“…But you still don’t want to come back here?”

“…Not really.”

In the dim light, I couldn’t see Amane’s face clearly, but I caught the faint sound of her throat tightening sadly.

“You can be happy whenever you want, Senpai. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

“…Maybe. I’ve got pretty low self-esteem, though.”

“Then I’ll pat you.”

Amane’s hand reached up, gently pulling my head closer and stroking it.

“There, there. You’re doing great, Senpai.”

Her patting reminded me of the past. Mom used to stroke my head like this too.

“Let’s fall asleep like this. Forget the bad stuff and dive into dreams together.”

“…Goodnight, Amane.”

With a sense of calm, my consciousness wavered, sinking into darkness.

▼▽

Years ago, Mom’s death was my fault.

—

Chapter 17: Mom and Memories

Mom died when I was in second grade.

The cause was an accident. She died protecting me.

I carelessly ran into an intersection, and Mom shielded me. Thanks to her, I got away with just a few bruises. But Mom died before we could even look at each other.

“Renji!”

I can still vividly recall Mom’s desperate expression and voice. It was the first time I saw that fierce look on her face, so different from her usual gentle smile.

Soon after, her funeral was held.

The space was quiet, the air heavy. Still unable to process reality, I didn’t know what was happening.

Seeing Mom’s pale face as she lay in the coffin, I finally realized she was gone.

Dad stayed by my side, even though I couldn’t shed a single tear.

I remember him quietly rubbing my back, reflecting on how he had spent so much time on work before. That kindness pierced my heart like a sharp pain.

My grandparents were relieved I was safe. I think that was the best they could manage under the circumstances.

Even Grandpa, who always laughed heartily, couldn’t smile then.

His child had died. A sudden death like that must have made it harder for him to accept reality than it was for me.

Because of my momentary carelessness, Mom died. I killed her.

After that, I changed.

To become someone Mom, who protected me, could be proud of, someone who could protect others, I threw myself into everything with passion.

At home, I studied diligently; at school, I devoted myself to club activities. It was my way of trying to forget my guilt.

As time passed, Dad decided to remarry. His new wife, Otoha, seemed kind.

We weren’t struggling financially—far from it, we were well-off—so I think Dad’s remarriage was his way of trying to stabilize my turbulent emotions.

A stepmother and stepsister with no blood relation. At first, I tried to adapt, but I quickly reached my limit.

I couldn’t accept it. Thoughts of Mom kept surfacing, making me feel like I didn’t belong there.

So I stayed behind, alone, in the house filled with memories of Mom.

Have I grown at all?

Have I moved forward since that day?

When I meet Mom in the afterlife, will I be someone she can be proud of?

I can’t bring myself to feel good about who I am. As long as I’m plagued by this anxiety, I don’t have the face to meet Mom.

“…Mom.”

▼▽

≪Amane’s Side≫

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

It’s started again.

I gently stroke the head of my senior, who’s letting out pained cries and wearing a tormented expression.

I noticed his nightmares when we stayed over together for the first time after getting close.

Every day, at the same time, he apologizes to something in his sleep, tormented.

I don’t ask why. I think it’s something I shouldn’t ask, and even if I did, I’m not sure I could help.

But I can guess. It’s probably about his mother.

My senior and I are just stepsiblings. Poking my nose into someone else’s family matters isn’t exactly praiseworthy, even if we’re stepsiblings. I’m not the kind of person who can do that casually.

Still, I want him to be happy.

I can’t thank him enough for pulling me out of the darkness when I was shutting myself away. So I want to repay him with actions.

I’ll break down every wall standing in his way and crush any bugs that come near him.

If his wounds hurt, I want to wrap him in kindness.

“There, there, it’s okay. You’re doing your best, Senpai…”

I keep stroking his head gently until he calms down. This is the most I can do.

“I’ve got to do what I can, right?”

Tomorrow and the day after, I’ll close my eyes, wishing for his happiness and peace of mind.

Because I’m his stepsister, and a co-conspirator who’s chosen to look away from the sins we’ve committed together.