When We Found Out We're Not Blood-Related, My Little Sister Became Seriously Love-Brained ~When a Little Sister Stops Being a Little Sister, the Ultimate Heroine Emerges!~

Chapter 2: The Clock’s Hands Begin to Move

“Not real siblings.”

Those words sink soundlessly into the depths of my chest.

I knocked on Suzune’s door three times.

But she doesn’t come out.

Time doesn’t rewind.

Facts can’t be changed.

Then I have no choice but to choose, do I?

Whose side will I be on…?

※

Even after Suzune returned to her room, my parents continued talking.

Dad must have been agonizing over this for a long time.

Each word was heavy, like deep sighs.

“Actually, your mother and I are remarried.”

“Huh? But I remember things from when Suzune and I were kids.”

“Yeah. We remarried when you two were still small. Suzune’s father is…”

From there, Mom took over.

“Suzune’s real father was someone who would get violent right away, so I asked your dad. I asked him to become Suzune’s real father.”

Certainly, if he was such a terrible father, it’s better not to see him, better not to even know he exists.

“Th-then, Mom. My real mother? …Was she a terrible person?”

Mom shook her head.

“She was a wonderful person. Your real mother. Mio was my best friend. You see, Yuuma’s real mother passed away from illness.”

…I want to know, but I don’t want to know.

I just nodded.

Mom shook her head slightly, sighed, and placed her left hand on her chest. When Dad placed his hand over hers, she continued talking.

“And before she passed away, she said that if you knew, you wouldn’t get attached to your new mother, so she wanted me to keep it from you, Yuuma.”

Mom made a pained expression.

“Also, if I told you, Yuuma, I’d have to tell Suzune about her real father too. I was being selfish, relying on Mio. But this is a betrayal to you, Yuuma. I’m sorry.”

From there, Dad continued.

“Listen. While Mio was alive, your mother and I were just friends, really nothing happened. So please don’t think badly of your mother.”

I know their personalities.

So I thought they weren’t lying.

I can understand they were being considerate of Suzune, and honestly, I have complicated feelings. But even though it’s about me, it’s so tangled and complex that I didn’t think it was an emotion I could process right here and now.

But if it was for Suzune’s sake, I thought maybe it was okay. Time can’t be rewound.

I deliberately spoke in a calm tone.

“Mom. I’m glad you were an acquaintance of my birth mother. Next time, I’d like you to tell me about Mio-kaasan. Dad’s not good with words, so please, I’m counting on you.”

Mom was crying.

My heart is a mess inside, but this is fine.

“I’m worried about Suzune, so I’ll go check on her.”

I said that and left the living room.

※

When I went upstairs, it was quiet in front of Suzune’s room. …How long has it been since I stood here?

I exhaled deeply.

“Hey. You’re in there, right?”

I knocked on the door, but there’s no response.

“Are you not there?”

Running away from home again would really be too much.

“I’m coming in.”

Then I saw Suzune sitting on her bed, wrapped in a blanket. When she left the living room earlier, she was probably just acting tough.

The air in the room is heavy.

“Ugh… ueh…”

When our eyes met, tears started rolling down Suzune’s cheeks. Suzune is desperately wiping away tears.

“Hey, Suzune. It’s complicated, but you and I aren’t blood-related, so, you know?”

Then Suzune pressed her body against me.

“Ugh. I’m such an idiot. Saying things like I wanted to become strangers with you. I could have stayed family with everyone. Because I’m so selfish, karma came back, and now I’m all alooone.”

“No, that’s not true. You still have Mom.”

Suzune shook her head.

“But even Mama lied to me. That means I don’t matter to anyone, ugh… ueeeh.”

Suzune’s hand gripping the blanket tensed up.

Like this, she’s still the crybaby Suzune from when we were kids.

“Can I hug you?”

Suzune nodded.

I gently embraced Suzune.

The little sister I always thought was bratty was smaller than I expected.

“Even if you become alone, Suzune, I’ll always be on your side.”

It’s an older brother’s duty to protect his little sister.

Suzune looked up at me.