CH 2

I have played a game called “Resounding Love” before. It was a dating simulation game featuring relationships between girls—in other words, a yuri game. The setting of the game was Tokorozawa City’s Central Girls’ High School in Saitama Prefecture. The main character, a girl who entered the school, and the four heroines, who were sisters, experienced various events such as accidents, fights, outings, and exchanging words while gradually falling in love with each other and eventually becoming a couple.

The heroines were the four sisters, and each of them had their own unique route where they fell in love with the main character and became a couple, as well as a harem route where all four sisters surrounded the main character. In total, there were five different routes. What was interesting was that in some of the unique routes, heroines who did not end up with the main character would become a couple with each other, which was an unexpected development.

It was my first time playing this yuri game called “Resounding Love” so I was amazed to learn that it was common for heroines who did not end up with the main character to become a couple in yuri games. Until then, I had only played normal gal games or shooting games, so it was a new experience for me.

As for why I played a yuri game, it was because a friend suddenly recommended it to me.

I wasn’t really interested in yuri games to begin with, but I was recommended one quite strongly, so I thought, why not give it a try? I casually played it on my TV game console, and… each character was captivating, with fully voiced events and intricately drawn illustrations down to the smallest details. The unique conflicts and dramas were depicted delicately.

To put it simply, I got hooked. I got so into it that I even completed all the routes. Among them, I particularly enjoyed the harem route.

Well, the thing is, this was actually a story from my past life.

For some reason, I regained my memories when I was at the funeral of the parents of the four sisters who were the heroines. It was hard to believe such a thing could happen, but my decision was quick. I immediately decided to take in the four sisters and become their guardian.

The reason was simple: not only had the Hitsuji couple who had passed away been terrible people, but the adults in the Hitsuji family were no better. Even if they were taken in, they would mistreat the four sisters, neglecting them as if they were a burden. The four of them were locked in a room and treated poorly.

Until they entered high school, the four sisters kept moving between relatives, and they continued to receive such treatment. In the game, I accepted their background and history, but they were my favorite characters. I couldn’t let them go through such hardships. A sense of duty arose within me. I had also grown attached to them.

So, I made up my mind to take them in.

◆◆

At the funeral home during dusk, all eyes were on me, and I could hear hushed whispers. My colleague, Sasaki, was seen wringing his hands, unsure of what to do.

I could hear children’s footsteps from behind. They grew louder and closer until they were right behind me.

The relatives turned their gaze across from me and spoke up.

“… Did you hear the news?”

“Yes, we heard.”

“Then, what are you guys going to do?”

A child’s voice echoed from behind me. It sounded distant and icy, a voice I had heard many times before. Despite the slight childishness, the fact remained that it was cute.

“Chinatsu, Chiaki, Chifuyu… What should we do…?”

“… … …”

I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to the home of someone I don’t know, who could be anyone. But in comparison to their relatives’ homes, my place would be better. However, I doubt they would trust me even if I explained that.

I have to come up with something to say. These girls seem to be aware of the darker side of adults. I’ll put on a smile and propose cohabitation, emphasizing my innocence and purity. It might seem risky, but I didn’t have much choice.

I turned around with a smile. There stood the young forms of the future heroines.

One of them had short pink hair that fell on her shoulders, with sharp blue eyes that had a slight gal-like vibe. She had been representing her sisters in contact with the outside world and leading them.

This girl was the eldest, known as the Ice Queen-type heroine. Chiharu Hitsuji.

The second girl was hiding behind Chiharu, with twin-tails of blonde hair and the same blue eyes as Chiharu. She showed a hint of fear but had eyes that seemed to suspect everyone as if saying that the whole world was an enemy.

This girl was the second daughter, known as the vampire-type heroine, Chinatsu Hitsuji.

The third girl had silver hair that fell to her shoulders and odd-colored eyes. She was hiding behind Chiharu and further behind another girl.

This was the third daughter, known as the chuunibyou-type heroine, Chiaki Hitsuji.

The fourth girl had chestnut hair and blue eyes. She had her hair tied up with a hairband, and her bangs were visible. She stood confidently beside the eldest daughter, Chiharu, without hiding from anyone.

This was the fourth daughter, known as the reliable-type heroine, Chifuyu Hitsuji.

It was incredible. I could only describe it as such. Since I had only seen them on screens before, seeing them in real life made me strangely nervous.

However, such suspicious behavior couldn’t be allowed. I tried to put my knees on the ground and make eye contact with the girls confidently, so as not to give off any guilty vibes. But out of the four girls, three of them turned away.

Well, it can’t be helped. I was acting really suspicious after all. But I decided to try talking to the eldest daughter, Chiharu, who met my gaze.

“Um, I’m not a bad person, you know. How about living together with me? Uh, would you like to try living together?”

“…”

I couldn’t help but feel that I sounded suspicious even as I said it. Ah, what should I do if I get rejected? I thought about it while keeping my gaze fixed on her eyes without looking away…

“I…think that would be okay.”

“Wha–?”

The remaining sisters exclaimed in surprise at the eldest daughter’s confession. Not only the girls, but also my colleague Sasaki, the relatives nearby, and of course, myself, showed astonishment on our faces, even though I didn’t vocalize it.

“What about the three of you?” Chiharu asked.

“Well, if Chiharu says it’s okay, then I don’t mind…” replied Chiaki, the third daughter.

“Chifuyu is fine with it, too…” added Chifuyu, the fourth daughter.

As Chiharu asked for their opinions, Chiaki and Chifuyu both expressed their agreement.

“What about Chinatsu?” Chiharu inquired.

“…No comment,” responded Chinatsu, the second daughter.

Although Chinatsu’s reply was “no comment,” her response seemed to imply that it was up to her sisters to do as they pleased, and that she would go wherever they went.

“I see… In that case, we would like to stay at your house,” Chiharu said.

“O-Of course… You’re always welcome,” I replied.

“However, for today, we would like to spend the night at a hotel, so we’ll take my leave now,” Chiharu said.

“Y-Yes,” I replied.

As she said that, the other family members chimed in with various comments.

“Then, we’ll send the luggage later, so please exchange contact information,” Chiharu said.

“Yes…” 

After exchanging contact information, I met Chiharu’s gaze again. She bowed lightly and left with her sisters. I felt a little surprised that everything was settled so easily, and it left me slightly taken aback.

After the bereaved family left, Sasaki and I were alone, and he tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hey, what were you thinking?” he asked.

“A lot of things,” I replied.

“Seriously? What were you thinking?” 

“Oh, I’ll tell you another time,” 

Parting ways with Sasaki, I walked home as the sun set and the surroundings grew darker.

◆◆

In a particular room of a hotel, Chinatsu, the second daughter, stared intently at her older sister, Chiharu. Despite Chiharu’s considerate and proactive approach to their situation as the eldest, Chinatsu couldn’t shake off her unease about her sister’s recent actions.

“Chiharu, what were you thinking?” Chinatsu asked.

“…,” Chiharu hesitated.

“Living in a stranger’s house in a place we hardly understand… What were you thinking? It may have happened naturally because you said so, Chiharu, but still…” Chinatsu continued.

Chinatsu and Chiharu exchanged glances, pondering how to handle the current situation.

After a moment of thought, Chiharu responded to Chinatsu’s words.

“It’s because of the way he looked at us.”

“His eyes?”

“While everyone else looked at us with contempt, he had this, I don’t know how to describe it, affectionate look in his eyes… That’s why I chose him.”

“But, just because of that…”

“But isn’t it better than going to our relatives’ house?”

“Well, yes, but… He doesn’t know us. If he finds out our true identity…”

“Yeah… But I think relying on him was our best option. We just have to be careful not to get caught…”

“I see. I understand. But what if we do get caught?”

“…Then we’ll have no choice but to go quietly to our relatives’ house.”

“That would be the worst.”

With those words, they stopped talking to each other. Going to their relatives’ house was the worst option for them.

Being called monsters and talked about behind their backs was inevitable.