CH 27

Pieces of Aftereffects

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

“– Extreme anemia and dehydration. General fatigue as if you had overworked your body, and vomiting blood due to acute gastritis caused by stress. …Why did you let it go on until it got this bad?”

Mebuki said in a voice that seemed to be a mixture of dismay and surprise. She then continued her story while dexterously peeling an apple with a fruit knife.

“Chidori and I were worried when we heard about what happened in Hakone–I wonder why you were so determined to head to Hakone. Moreover, you rode a bicycle to avoid traffic restrictions! I heard that you decided to turn back after the A-class was defeated, but if you spent that time without eating or drinking, of course, you would get sick. …I hope you think a little about how I felt when I received a tearful call from Chidori.”

“…I have no words to return.”

“They say you’ll be in the hospital for a week or so, so make sure you reflect on what you’ve done during that time.”

-After a day of angry waves, Tsugumi was admitted to a hospital run by a relative of Mebuki’s.

He had collapsed, coughing up blood, and a distraught Chidori had apparently called Mebuki first. She arranged for him to be rushed to this hospital, and the doctors were furious that they hadn’t called the ambulance first.

Chidori was now going home to get a change of clothes for Tsugumi. When Tsugumi woke up, she looked as if watching the end of the world and wailed.

She cried as if Tsugumi had died, but after calming down, she slapped him in the face, which was still fresh in his mind.

The diagnosis at the hospital was exactly what Mebuki had just told him. Anemia, dehydration, general fatigue, and stress gastritis. The hematemesis was apparently caused by a hole that was about to open up in the wall of his stomach.

Overall, the symptoms were not that serious, but the cover story that Bell improvised upon hearing this diagnosis was just too much.

According to the story, Tsugumi became worried about Chidori and the others after hearing the news of the Demonic Beast’s arrival, and decided to go to Hakone by himself on a bicycle – or rather, a road bike. On the way there, he heard that a Magical Girl had defeated the beast, so he went back the way he came, but he collapsed in the middle of the night due to the exertion of the forced march.

While he was telling this to the doctor and Chidori and the others, Tsugumi had half given up trying to deceive them, thinking this was absolutely impossible, but for some reason, they all agreed with that explanation.

It certainly helped that they were easily fooled, but somehow it was surprising.

…No, really, why would anyone believe such a messy explanation?

Perhaps the people around him thought that Tsugumi was a siscon that could do such stupid things. It was a little embarrassing to think so.

Tsugumi was pondering about this, and if Bell were here, she would no doubt say, “What kind of a mouth does a man who has done something worse than this talk about?” But that’s the way it was, and the way it would be.

As Tsugumi sighed, Mebuki said angrily.

“I hope this won’t happen again. Chidori and I were really worried, got it?”

“No, even I didn’t expect this outcome… And yes, I will be careful.”

Tsugumi easily backed down. He tried to explain himself, but was met with a glare. The angry face of a beautiful woman was powerful and a little scary.

Mebuki crossed her legs as if to regain her composure and took a bite of the apple. Apparently, she had been peeling it to eat it herself. Either way, Tsugumi couldn’t eat due to the bad case of gastritis.

“Even so, Tsugumi-kun really loves Chidori, huh?”

Mebuki said this with a sly smile.

At these words, Tsugumi nodded his head inwardly. There was nothing very special about it, it was simply natural to care about family.

“It’s not like that. …We’re family, so it’s natural to worry.”

When Tsugumi responded, Mebuki made a slight gesture as if she were thinking, and then opened her mouth, as if she was having difficulty saying it.

“…I’m sorry to keep asking you this, but you have no memory of anything prior to ten years–any memory at all of the so-called past episodes, right?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“No, I was talking with Chidori yesterday, and I suddenly had a question. If you don’t remember anything from your past, then how did you decide that you are ‘sister and brother’ to each other?”

Tsugumi blinked and thought about the meaning of her words. What is the reason why I think Chidori and I are sister and brother?

–I see, so that’s all it is about.

In response to Mebuki’s question, Tsugumi smiled beautifully.

“What are you talking about, Senpai? Chidori and I are twin sisters and brothers. Sure, we don’t look much alike, but there is no room for doubt.”

“Even if you don’t remember it?”

“Eh? Because we are sister and brother. What does it matter if I have memories or not?”

Tsugumi looked at her with a puzzled expression and thought she was asking a strange question. They didn’t look alike, but then again, sisters and brothers like that existed everywhere.

In response to Tsugumi, Mebuki had a terribly difficult look on her face and looked lost in thought. It was as if she had learned a truth she didn’t want to know. She also looked a little pale, and he was starting to get worried.

“Mebuki-senpai? Are you okay?”

“…Oh, yeah. Let’s put a stop to this. I’m sure you’ll be fine, but you’ve got to heal yourself first.”

Mebuki shook her head, said so, and got up from the chair. He wondered if her question had been answered. He was curious about that, but if she herself said she was done talking about it, there was nothing he could do.

“The big rooms are noisy. I’m glad we got a private room.”

Saying this, Mebuki laughed as if to regain her composure.

She had kindly gotten him a private room at the hospital, but he felt like he was doing something wrong if he was treated special.

If Chidori had not invited her to the trip, there would have been no reason for her to get involved in the Hakone incident. In that sense, even Tsugumi, who received the Hakone trip ticket from Yukitaka, was responsible for this.

Somehow, he had to make up for it.

“I’m sorry. I have caused you troubles.”

“It’s okay. I don’t get a chance to use my authority unless it’s an opportunity like this. …Hmm?”

Mebuki stood up and moved her face toward Tsugumi. Gently, she put her hands on his cheeks. The soft touch of her palms made his shoulders jumped involuntarily.

“Se, Senpai?”

Although Tsugumi made an impatient sound, Mebuki kept a serious expression on her face.

Mebuki wondered as she touched Tsugumi’s face with a floppy hand.

“Tsugumi-kun, It’s hard to tell now, since you’re so thin, but don’t you look a little rounder?”

“…Huh?”

Unable to swallow the meaning of the words, Tsugumi raised his voice in question. What does she mean by “look a little rounder”?

Perhaps she was implying that he had gained weight. He didn’t think he had gained weight, but it was hard to tell since he didn’t remember measuring himself recently.

“Hmmm. Is it my imagination? Maybe it’s the IV that’s causing the swelling.”

When Mebuki said that and resolved herself, she quickly removed her hand from Tsugumi’s cheek. Then she gave a final wiggle and patted Tsugumi’s head. The bangs, which had grown a little longer, stung his eyes and hurt.

“Whoa, what are you doing?”

“Payback for before! Phew, you’ve gotten wild and manly.”

“You’re laughing, already.”

Mebuki was happily giggling as she fixed his hair with a hand comb, even though Tsugumi complained about it.

“I think I’ll go home now. I’m sure Chidori will be here in a little while, so don’t try to escape and stay quiet, okay?”

“What do you think I am, Senpai?”

Tsugumi replied with dismay, but Mebuki kept smiling. Perhaps she thought of Tsugumi as a small child. Really, she was a very caring senior.

–Then, Mebuki went out of the private room, but there was one thing that he was really worried about.

He got up from the bed so as not to damage the IV and headed toward the mirror. He felt a little pain in his stomach area, but he had to move now.

He stood in front of the mirror and stared at his own face. Gradually, the color of his face turned blue.

“…Isn’t my face getting closer and closer to that of Hagakure Sakura?”

The outline was just a little more angular than he remembered it. The skin was finer and whiter. His eyelashes seemed to have grown longer.

The fact made him dizzy. What in the world was happening to him?

“…Let’s talk to Bell.”

It was unlikely that such a ridiculous problem could be solved by Tsugumi alone.