Chapter 179-2

Chapter 179-2

[Part 2/4]

Almost empty-handed, making no sound and leaving no footprints, I glance back once, as if feeling a pull, but quickly steel myself and turn to face forward.

"Big brother...?"

I gasp at the unexpected voice from behind me. Slowly, I turn around. In the darkness, I see blue eyes shining and silver threads glimmering.

...Just then, the cloudy sky clears a bit. Moonlight filters through a small gap in the clouds, casting a faint glow on the mountain. And then she appears.

Unable to walk, my little sister crawls over, looking at me with a confused expression. She seems like an innocent child, completely bewildered by what's happening.

"Big brother? Where are you going? To the toilet?"

My sister tilts her head and asks. So pure and innocent, she asks without suspicion.

"...You'll get frostbite. We need to sleep in the cave soon."

Now that we’ve come this far, I haven’t found any hidden places like before. However, we did manage to find a cave where the three of us could take refuge. We set up Mayoke's charms (magical charms used for protection), huddled together to keep warm, and I stayed outside as a lookout, keeping my distance from my sleeping mother and sister.

...Using my role as a lookout as a cover, I was trying to slip away unnoticed.

"...Big brother?"

"I just forgot something. I'll be back soon, so don't worry."

I say this to ease my confused sister and tell her to go back to the cave.

"Liar..."

"Shirona...?"

"Big brother, can you carry me to the cave?"

When I whisper her name, she reaches out with both hands, asking for me to carry her. I hesitate a bit, but thinking that refusing might raise suspicion, I decide to grant her request.

"I can't help it."

"Eh, hehe..."

I picked up my sister and turned back towards the cave. Shirona, clinging to me, buried her face in my chest and giggled as if to show her displeasure.

"Shirona, you’re always such a spoiled child, aren’t you?"

"But I really love you and Mom! It’s okay for me to be spoiled by me too, right?"

"Don’t be ridiculous."

Given the age and size difference, it would be quite a pitiful sight if I were to be spoiled by Shirona. Just imagining it makes me feel embarrassed.

"It’s not embarrassing!! You know, you know! When I grow up, I’ll become your wife! So, it’s okay for a bride to be spoiled, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I’ll think about it."

I lightly brushed off Shirona’s declaration and proposal. The content itself wasn’t too strange or sudden.

In a family like ours, with the presence of kitsune-tsuki (fox-possesing spirit), it's hard to expect someone to come as a groom or bride. Especially with a half-youkai like Shirona, who can’t be sent outside. Our mother jokingly mentioned it, but Shirona took it seriously. Since then, she often spoke about similar things.

I look down at the white fox that can't walk anymore, filled with disdain.

"Brother? Brother? Why... um, why?"

Little by little, she starts to understand my words, and her face goes pale. I turn to leave the cave, but she grabs my hand. When I look back, I see her on her knees, clinging to me.

"Don't touch me, you smell like a beast!"

"Eek!?"

I shake her off. She backs away in fear, sitting down with her legs crossed, and Shirona looks at me, trembling.

"Brother? Are you angry? Did Shirona do something? Did I do something bad...?"

My sister still doesn't understand my attitude. No, even if she understands my attitude, it seems she doesn't recognize the reason behind it.

"Tch!!"

"!?"

I click my tongue and grab her silver hair. I glare at her with clear hostility. A small scream escapes her.

"Brother?"

The white fox is terrified of my sudden change and the feelings directed at her. Even while scared, she desperately tries to smile and looks up at me. It's like she's trying to believe in a fragile hope, flattering me with her smile.

"I'm... I'm sorry, okay? Did Shirona make Brother angry? I'm sorry, okay? So please, forgive me? I'll share my breakfast, and I'll try hard to walk alone tomorrow, so please? So, forgive me? Brother? Brother...?"

Desperately, I tried to think to make her angry, but she ended up apologizing, apologizing, and then fell silent under my sharp gaze...

"Big brother..."

"It's all your fault. I shouldn't be running away like this. Do you understand? It's because of you...!!"

I confronted Shirona with the harsh truth. I pushed it cruelly.

"Yeah, that's right. I've always found you annoying. I've hated you. ...Haha. Honestly, this feels refreshing. I'm finally done with you. Live well with Mother, okay?"

I let go of her bobbed hair. It was like I was throwing it away, abandoning it. But Shirona's face twisted as if she had lost something important.

"Big brother...?"

"From the start... I'm not your brother. Of course, we're not family. Unlike you, I'm not even related to Mother by blood. It's just pretend. Always just playing pretend. Don't take it so seriously, okay?"

I sneered, mocking the white fox who had always called me her brother. I ridiculed her understanding and denied it.

"I can escape on my own. I can live freely by myself."

"Big brother? You're joking, right...?"

"I told you, stop being so noisy. You're being annoying."

"But you are my big brother!?"

Once again, the white fox missed the point, denying it with misplaced priorities.