CH 102.2

「Even so, what you are doing is crazy. Can you tell the world about this relationship with open arms?」

「...No」

Yotsuba is right on point.

Chihiro and the others' relationship is not something that can be made public, which is why they are afraid of being exposed in this way.

And then, a sorrowful look pokes Chihiro, saying that he should not do it if he knows it is something he cannot be proud of.

「If so, it's not too late. Tell my sister to come back and end this relationship. You and my sister aren't the only ones who will be unhappy if problems arise. It will affect your lover, your friends, and your family」

Everyone will look back at him, abandon him, and leave him in shambles.

After causing trouble even for his mother and sister, his future is closed off. 

「My sister is already an adult, and my family has almost disowned her. You may say that whatever happens is your responsibility, but Izumi kun's future is far from over」

An admonition.

No. It is not like that, but an advice.

As a senior, as a student who attends the same school as him, and as the president of the student council, she is teaching Chihiro the right way to go.

「I will help you to persuade the principal. As long as my sister is not involved, Izumi kun will be able to live as before. Currently, I am the only one who knows about this matter」

Principal Ootori first spoke to Yotsuba alone.

But Lucille, Ayase, Marika, Kamishiro, Maisaka, and so on. None of them had heard what happened to Chihiro and the others. If the problem could be talked now, Chihiro can go back to his daily life as if nothing had happened. But――

――He will abandon Suzu, and leave her behind.

Chihiro then looks down.

For a moment, he is ashamed that he thought of making himself at ease.

But then a reserved voice reaches his ears.

「It's okay, Chihiro-kun. You can leave me...」

Chihiro looked up and saw Suzu smiling at him with a sideways glance.

「It was fun, even if it was just for one night. Even so...I would have been really upset if my own sister (imouto) had said something like this to me. I think I'm giving Chihiro-kun too much trouble. So, you can leave me alone and I won't hate you if you do」

「...Even though you say that, I won't do it」

Spontaneously, the words leaked out of his mouth.

And he slowly looks up.

「Eh?」

He looked into Yotsuba's eyes and he said again.

「I won't do it. If I do, I will abandon Suzu-san」

「Abandon...?」

The calm and sincere student council president's face turns doubtful.

She blinks and retorts in a faintly reproachful tone.

「I would never do such a thing. Principal also cares for my sister. That's why we were there to make sure she wouldn't be alone」

「...Is that what Suzu-san wants?」

Yotsuba's voice stopped.

Chihiro did not care, but let his rising indignation take over and spun his words.

「Principal was just doing it for "his own good", wasn't he? Was he fulfilling what Suzu-san really wanted to do, or what Suzu-san said she wanted to do?」

「What she wanted to do?」

Yotsuba repeated Chihiro's words.

The girl with short hair expressed clear confusion.

Perhaps she really has no idea?

Maybe she has never tried to know what Suzu wanted, or was never given the chance to know, or for some other reason.

「Izumi-kun, what on earth are you talking...」

「I wanted to be held」

A quiet voice echoed through the room.

Yotsuba rolled her eyes when she heard Suzu's words, indicating that the effect of [Cognitive Obstruction] seems to have stopped.

「Suzu, nee-san?」

「I don't care about anything else. I just wanted the one I love to love me. To be held and made to feel so good. That's what I wanted but neither that man nor Yuu-chan could give me」

A silence was falling.

But then, Yotsuba interrupted the silence that had lasted for nearly a minute.

「Such a thing...」

Perhaps she was taken by surprise by the appearance of her sister, or perhaps Suzu's expression showed that she had lost her composure. But she put her right palm on her chest with an impatient look on her face. 

「Did you annoy Yuuji-san for that? You've always been selfish, you've always been annoying everyone, you've always been...!」

「Selfish!?」

She screamed.

Yotsuba's words were interrupted by a voice so loud that even in a soundproofed room, it seemed as if the outside was still audible.

This woman with a soft and gentle atmosphere complains to her sister with a face that looks nothing like her usual face.

「The man I love doesn't love me. I can't have children. If that's the case, then what's the point of my life!?」

Immediately after that, a certain emotion appeared on Yotsuba's face.

Anger.

Chihiro sees this and understands the depth of the rupture between the sisters.

They were born and raised in the same house.

However, they are completely different kinds of people.

Differences in paths taken and responsibilities borne are not enough to explain them.

Their fundamental values.

The very bases that shape their personalities are too different.

「A person's worth is not determined by his or her sexuality. The reason why brother (Onii-san) and Yuuji-san did not embrace you is not because your value is low」

「Don't you know what? All I wanted was for them to held me? I didn't want anything else!」

「... Don't be so spoiled, you blockhead!」

Yotsuba's angry voice, abandoning her usual tone, shakes the air.

Suzu, however, was not intimidated by her sister's loud voice.

「You have absolutely nothing to carry on your back」

「You've never once done what you wanted to do」

The blood sisters argued and glared at each other hatefully.

How can they be so emotionally conflicted?

Chihiro felt a chill run down his spine at the emotional clash, which was even more vivid than Aika and Maria's fight.

A girl's anger is still terrifying no matter how many times he experiences it.

But how can he resolve an exchange that can't always be resolved by following the logical steps?

「Both of you, please stop」

Chihiro stops Suzu and the others, unable to think of anything concrete to do.

While desperately trying to avoid the simultaneous stares from the two women who had turned around, Chihiro made a suggestion as he thought of it.

「...Then, Kurohane-senpai. Just once is fine. Can you prove that Suzu-san is wrong by yourself?」

Originally, he didn't want to.

After all, it's a gamble with a low probability of success.

It's his power that was once in his possession, and half-sealed.

But, with the determination, he will use it once again.