CH 61

(POV Chiharu)

There was a girl who was more beautiful than anyone there. No, it was doubtful whether it was appropriate to simply describe her as just a girl.

I could see her flawless figure illuminated by the moonlight.

Her long hair was as beautiful as gold.

A well-proportioned body with firm curves. Such was her astonishing beauty that one could imagine the goddess of beauty fleeing barefoot in comparison. Chinatsu was truly beautiful.

She was really exquisite. I’ve seen celebrities and people on TV, but she was on a different level.

“Ah, ah, ah…”

Chinatsu glanced at her reflection, causing her spirit to waver slightly. I believed she was beautiful, the most beautiful in the world. However, Chinatsu didn’t share that sentiment; she considered herself an aberration, a strange and eerie being.

“Chinatsu, It’s fine. I’m here for you…”

“Ah, ah… right… That’s right…. It’s going to be fine…. I’m fine.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be alright.”

I said this as I sat down and gently stroked her head. It seemed to calm her agitated breathing and soothe her troubled mind.

Thank goodness. The atmosphere seemed to brighten once again. And then my attention shifted to Chinatsu’s condition, and I noticed something.

Her body had undergone significant growth, causing her pajamas to tear, leaving Chinatsu completely naked. She became aware of it too and blushed, covering her chest.

“…Don’t look.”

“Ah, sorry. But I don’t have any impure intentions, you know?”

“Well, I know that, but…”

She probably didn’t want to be seen that way… Even though I believed she was incredibly beautiful and worthy of pride. But my words seemed meaningless at times like these because I had always been affirming her.

It resembled that time with Chifuyu a little, but I was certain that anything I said now wouldn’t resonate with Chinatsu. She believed I weaved words with kindness and compassion, and that’s why my words wouldn’t reach her.

Chinatsu let out a sigh. Her eyes, though slightly dimmer, glowed in a beautiful shade of red. They were usually blue, but now they were red.

…The light of the full moon had caused Chinatsu’s body to undergo a rapid physical transformation, turning her eyes from blue to red and arousing her vampiric impulses.

It was more akin to an anomalous condition than supernatural powers. It wasn’t that I considered Chinatsu’s abilities a nuisance or eerie…

But Chinatsu… She just couldn’t… She wouldn’t say it. She wouldn’t even think about it.

The sudden and drastic change in her appearance was nothing but a disadvantage for Chinatsu. However, what she detested the most was…

“What should we do…”

“For now… let’s just cover your body lightly with a thin futon.”

I draped a thin quilt over her, the same one we usually use to keep our tummies from getting cold.

“Should we just go to sleep for tonight?”

“Yeah…”

“After a night’s rest and exposure to the light of day… things will go back to normal. There’s no need to dwell on it too deeply.”

“Yeah, thanks…”

I had researched things in the library, flipping through books, but I discovered nothing about supernatural abilities. There were times when I borrowed Onii-san’s smartphone and searched for information, but I couldn’t find anything.

What exactly was a supernatural ability…? Was there any meaning to it at all? Or was it just an unfair quirk?

Well, it’s fine… Let’s just stay together today. And let’s have this day ending as soon as possible.

“….”

“Are you okay?”

“…I… I want to drink blood…”

“…I see.”

“I… I feel like sinking my fangs into Haru’s neck…”

“…”

“I’m so… tired…. of this…”

Chinatsu vigorously scratched her head. For an ordinary person, the desire to drink blood would never turn into a yearning. That’s precisely why she despised these impulses that accompanied her abnormal transformation. The drastic change in her appearance and the bizarre cravings were unbearable for Chinatsu.

“I’ll sleep alone tonight…”

“But…”

“It’s fine. Haru and the others can sleep with Kaito-san…”

Chinatsu said, looking down. I couldn’t find the right words to say, so I remained silent.

Only a brief silence enveloped the room. Then, the door swung open.

“Chiaki… Could you please close the door when you come in?”

“…Alright…”

Chiaki understood everything just by looking at Chinatsu’s appearance and quickly shut the door.

“…I’ll sleep alone tonight.” Chinatsu said.

“No, I’ll sleep with you!” Chiaki retorted.

“Stop it.”

“No way.”

“…”

“We promised to always be together, didn’t we?” 

“…”

Chiaki spoke without flinching at Chinatsu’s demeanor. I couldn’t help but admire chiaki. After all, I myself had no idea what to do…

“Natsu-nee…”

“Close the door…”

“Sorry…”

Next, Chifuyu made her way into the room and was taken aback by Chinatsu’s appearance. Uncertain about how to react, she stood frozen for a few seconds before swiftly closing the door as per Chinatsu’s request. 

“Chifuyu! We’re going to sleep together tonight, right!?” Chiaki asked.

“Yeah…”

Chifuyu appeared hesitant, unsure of what to say. She desired to support Chinatsu, but being by her side while she was consumed by bloodlust might only add to her burdens.

I shared the same sentiments.

I understood Chifuyu’s perspective, and I didn’t believe she was in the wrong. However, it didn’t mean that I thought Chiaki’s viewpoint was incorrect either.

Chiaki might as well be aware of the potential stress this might cause Chinatsu. But all she yearned for was to be together… to be close.

――That was what Chiaki thought and intended to convey.

… I know that.

“Chinatsu, are you okay?”

“I’m fine… It’s just that, um, please don’t get too close… I’m feeling this urge. Especially since you guys have been eating good food and have no stress, your blood feels so tempting…”

“Ah, I-I see… But even so, I’ll stay with you!” Chiaki said.

“I see…”

I wonder what decision I should make here. Should I stay close and provide comfort despite the potential stress it may cause? Or should I keep some distance for a day to avoid burdening her?

I’m torn about this dilemma. However, as her older sister, I have to make a decision. While I kept pondering over it… I heard a knock on the door.

“It’s me; can I come in for a moment?”

“”””?!?””””

It was Onii-san. Right now, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that he’s the last person we wanted to see. Actually, that’s exactly how we felt.

While I pondered over what to do, Chiaki took the initiative and gently opened the door, albeit slightly. At the very least, he shouldn’t be able to see much of the room.

Since the room was also dimly lit, it was unlikely that he would notice Chinatsu. Moreover, Chinatsu moved to an angle where she couldn’t be seen from the opened door.

“K–K-Kaito? W-w-what’s going on” Chiaki asked.

“Oh, sorry. Were you busy with something?” 

“N-No, it’s fine… B-But, coming to the women’s bedroom at this time of night, Kaito, you’re such a pervert…”

“What?! Oh, I see. Sorry about that…”

“No, you don’t need to apologize, but…”

“I see… Um, I actually forgot that I have to go to work a little earlier tomorrow. So, please make sure to lock up and leave by yourselves tomorrow.”

“U-U-Understood!!”

“Well then, good night…”

Onii-san, whether he understood something or not, immediately left the room.

“Fu, Fufu… I managed to get through this ordeal with my brilliant acting skills…” Chiaki said.

Chinatsu wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and took a moment to catch her breath. I couldn’t be certain whether or not she had been discovered.

However, as long as Chinatsu’s secret remained safe, that would be enough…

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

No, there had to be something, without a doubt… The way she reacted clearly signaled that something had happened. I can assert that much. Chiaki does have moments when she becomes easier to read, after all.

However, her response seemed to imply a desire to get rid of me as quickly as possible. It wouldn’t be wise to force things and expose the truth of the matter.

Moreover, there are occasions when one can be disliked or kept at arm’s length. I have spent a whole year with those kids, and if it’s not just my imagination, I believe that the gap between us has somewhat diminished. I can sense that as well. That’s precisely why I’m reluctant to take any action that might elicit negative feelings from them.

I want to create a peaceful atmosphere without hurting or frustrating the four of them. Especially now that our bond was finally starting to take shape, I didn’t want to interrupt it.

What should I do…? But it’s true that something happened. Ignoring it might not be the best idea.

…But they do come to me for advice if something happens, don’t they? Lately, they’ve even started being a bit selfish.

On top of that, it was unusual for Chiaki to hesitate in her words. That was something that never occurs in our everyday lives.

In other words, something out of the ordinary…

I stepped outside, wearing my sandals, before looking up at the sky…

“It’s a full moon…”

I might have already had a general idea. No, I had a hunch that the current matter was related to the girls’ supernatural abilities.

Just a while ago, we were interacting normally, but suddenly her attitude changed. And now, the full moon. Let’s cross-reference the game’s information and draw a conclusion here… Did Chinatsu come into contact with the light of the full moon?

It was possible to consider that her eyes turned red, her body grew, and she experienced a craving for blood. However, it wasn’t wise to jump to conclusions based solely on my game’s knowledge.

Moreover, even if it turned out to be true, the fact that Chiaki didn’t want to reveal it meant that she didn’t need to consult with anyone on the matter. After all, everyone was in the room, and it was likely their collective decision.

Pretending not to notice and leaving it alone could be one approach. Putting it off may be the safest option.

…But what about the bloodlust that came with the supernatural abilities’ dilemma? Should I ignore that?

This had similarities to Chiharu’s past major concern.

The desire to drink blood… It would be quite distressing for Chinatsu.

Craving blood—that’s odd.

Being alone is lonely, but when everyone is present, the oddity becomes more pronounced.

The craving for blood most likely intensifies when everyone is around.

After a night passes and she basks in the sunlight, according to the setting, she should return to normal. It would be safe to leave it alone, according to that logic. It would be the safest option. However, I couldn’t just let it be.

It might seem like quite a suspicious action… It could potentially cause anxiety… but if there was a chance to change something…

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Actually, I prefer sleeping alone.”

“No way! Let’s sleep together!” Chiaki said.

“Aki, I appreciate your consideration, but I can’t help but feel a craving for blood when you guys are nearby.”

“Ah, Uuu…”

Chiaki remained silent in response.

Neither Chiaki nor I could find the words to say. Just as I was thinking it might be best to leave Chinatsu alone today, a knock sounded on the door again. Chiaki opened the door cautiously, trying to make as little of a gap as possible.

“…Kaito?”

“Ah, sorry about that… Um, I have some tomato juice that’s about to expire, so I thought you might want it…”

“Tomato juice?”

“Yeah, just this. Well, I’ll go to my room… Goodnight!”

Onii-san handed Chiaki four small paper packs of tomato juice and hurriedly left.

…Why tomato juice at this moment?

“For now… take this…”

Chiaki handed tomato juice to me, Chifuyu, and Chinatsu. It must have crossed everyone’s mind that they had just finished brushing their teeth… But perhaps they wanted to take a moment to calm down and gather their thoughts.

“I’ll have some.”

And it seemed like Chinatsu had thought it could be an additional treat. She inserted a straw into the paper pack and started drinking the tomato juice.

“Huh!?”

“What’s wrong?”

Chinatsu showed a strange reaction. She looked at the paper pack of tomato juice in astonishment. Then, she quickly drank it all up with a series of slurping sounds.

“…It tastes somehow better than usual.”

“Is that so… Would you like to have mine too?”

“…I’ll take it.”

Chinatsu tilted her head slightly while sipping on the tomato juice.

“Do you want mine too?” Chiaki suggested.

“And Chifuyu’s too,” Chifuyu added.

“Thanks… I’ll take them.”

Chinatsu finished drinking all four packs of tomato juice.

“…I feel incredibly satisfied,” Chinatsu said.

“Oh, that’s great!”

“And… even though I had a craving for blood earlier, it’s not really there anymore.”

“What?! Is that true?”

“Yeah… I didn’t know tomato juice could suppress it.”

“Kaito’s coincidence led to something like this… Kaito’s truly amazing!”

“Yeah… but… was it really just a coincidence?”

“It must be… right?”.

“Yes, I suppose so…”

I also had some doubts, but I figured it must have been a mere coincidence. After all, it would be strange if Onii-san, who has no knowledge of our superpowers, knew a solution that even we didn’t. Even Chinatsu, who was the owner of this ability, hadn’t been able to find a way to suppress her blood-craving impulses. There was no way Onii-san could know.

Chifuyu also had some doubts, but she had stopped entertaining them.

“Well then, it looks like we can all sleep together tonight.” 

“That’s right! I’m glad!”

“Yeah…”

Chinatsu seemed lost in thought about something. However, for now, she decided to set those thoughts aside.

Tonight, we were able to sleep together… Yet Chinatsu still showed an attitude that suggested she was deep in contemplation.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I passed the tomato juice to the girls, wondering what would happen. If my theory proved correct and it had the desired effect, it would undoubtedly raise some suspicion.

In the first place, it was the protagonist who discovered that tomato juice could suppress the urge to suck blood. The protagonist and Chinatsu became close friends in high school, and they would read together and have meals in the room where they lived.

During a sleepover, Chinatsu accidentally revealed her supernatural powers.

“I’m creepy, aren’t I?”

“Not at all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you… XX. I love you…”

Afterward, by chance, the protagonist handed Chinatsu the tomato juice they happened to have, and she drank it, surprisingly calming down her blood-sucking impulse. This led to an increase in the protagonist’s favorability.

The protagonist remained completely unfazed even after learning about the girls’ supernatural abilities. Even when I was playing games, it didn’t really bother me. I thought it wouldn’t make much of a difference whether they had superpowers or not. However, when I actually witnessed it firsthand, I subconsciously felt something, and the mere thought of that being conveyed to the four of them terrified me. I didn’t want to be separated from them…

Games and reality are different. Yet, there are times when I unintentionally measure those four individuals against the standards of a game. Superpowers aren’t that big of a deal… I might be measuring them based on the standards set by games and my own thoughts…

As I pondered these thoughts, I became uncertain about what I should do.

Superpowers… they were considered extraordinary and irrational powers. They were both mystical and peculiar, as the game described them.

This world is a reality, yet it bears a striking resemblance to the world of the game. However, how far does the resemblance go, and is it even appropriate to base my actions on that similarity? And as for the tomato juice, is it truly the right answer to all of this?

My head hurts… If there were indeed superpowers… How should I approach them? Maybe I could simply ignore all my game knowledge and treat the concept of superpowers as if it never existed.

Whether there are secrets or not, whether I reveal them or not, all that matters is that I love them… But…

――On that day, I didn’t find the answers. I didn’t know what I should do from here on. Unable to decide on a course of action, I chose to put it on “hold” for now…

************

TN: So this is why Chinatsu likes Napolitan spaghetti, It’s because she likes tomato.