Episode One Hundred and Thirty-Four

With every step, sweat poured from my back. I keenly felt my lack of exercise.
Shizuku’s stride beside me was far lighter than mine. I sensed the vigour of youth.
Or perhaps not. Shizuku has always been more physically fit than me, ever since my student days.

“Sis, over there. There’s a bench.”

“…Thanks for thinking of me…”

A wooden bench stood by the path. It looked rather old, but we couldn’t be choosy.
I sat down, practically collapsing onto it, and exhaled deeply.
The breeze rustled softly, cooling the sweat that poured out in waves.

“Ahh, I’m knackered.”

“Big sis, you really ought to exercise more. Even when we met this morning, you looked knackered. You need to build up your stamina.”

“I know, but it’s easier said than done…”

But soon, I won’t even have the commute anymore.
It might actually be dangerous if I don’t start exercising voluntarily.

“Why not get Ibara to join you? She goes running regularly, doesn’t she?”

“Ibara and I are on completely different levels.”

That kid’s a fitness freak who can easily run 10 kilometres. I don’t think I could keep up.

“Hmm, maybe the gym after all. There’s one near where I’m moving. It’s open 24 hours, basically unstaffed, just has treadmills and dumbbells… Smart Gym? Was that what it was called? Maybe I should sign up…”

“But listen—”

Shizuku glanced at me with a somewhat hesitant, probing look.

“Sis, you really are… moving to live with Ibara, aren’t you?”

I found myself looking back at Shizuku’s face.
Her eyes, a shade of dark brown much like mine, held an unexpected seriousness as they fixed on me.

“──Yes.”

When I answered, Shizuku looked as if something had caught in her throat. She blinked repeatedly, twice, three times.
She exhaled as if she’d swallowed a large pill with water, then murmured, “I see.”

“I see. Well, yeah. I knew, but…”

“Still busy with things, so haven’t decided exactly when we’ll move yet.”

I do hope it’ll be before summer ends.

“Why?”

“No particular reason. I knew you were dating, but somehow… I just wondered if it was real.”

I let out a sigh.

“It feels unreal. A classmate dating my sister and moving in together. I mean, I’d heard various things from Ibara, but…”

“Various things”

What exactly does that entail, and to what extent?

“Um. Shizuku, when you say ‘various things’—”

Ignoring my unfinished words, Shizuku shot me a sharp glance.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean, ‘what am I going to do’?”

“Our parents, for instance. Are you going to tell them? Or keep it to yourself?”

—Ah.
Right.
　I hadn’t given it a moment’s thought, but that’s where this conversation was headed.
Now that she mentioned it, it was only natural. Dating was one thing, but moving in together, cohabiting, that brought those choices into focus.
Not an obligation, but a matter of duty.
I’d been utterly careless, not even considering it until Shizuku pointed it out.
But.
In my mind, I pictured introducing Ibara to my parents.
Hmm.
　I don’t think they’d faint—
Still, they’d be shocked. Especially Mum.
Knowing them, they wouldn’t openly oppose it, at least.
Even so.

“…I need to think about the timing…”

“You really should give it some thought.”

“Yes.”

I got a mild telling-off.
But Shizuku’s right.
　Hiding it and putting it off isn’t necessarily wrong. But I have to choose what I want to do, including that option.
As much as possible, without regret.
I twist the cap off the plastic bottle and take a sip of unsweetened black tea.

“Also, I’m genuinely pretty put off by the whole going after a high schooler thing.”

Pffft — the tea sprayed out in a mist.

“Hey, sis, that’s disgusting!”

“Ehh, cough cough!”

Choking on the droplets that went down my throat, I shook my head vigorously from side to side.

“I, it’s n-not like that”

“Huh…?”

“I haven’t made any moves on her!”

“Really?”

“…………P-probably.”

“What do you mean ‘probably’?”

“No, um. There may have been moves made on me that I didn’t exactly refuse, but me making moves I……probably……”

“If moves were made on you and you didn’t refuse, that’s the same thing. Also what do you mean probably?”

She had an absolute point.
The blade called reason sliced my conscience clean in two. And if she asked whether I really hadn’t done anything at all… mumbled mumble.
Shizuku looked puzzled.

“Wait, so you haven’t.”

“You thought I had⁉︎”

“Well, Ibara always——”

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

“What does Ibara usually say about me at school…?”

Shizuku’s eyes darted away.
Why won’t she tell me? That’s scary.

“Um, Shizuku?”

“I think it’s better if you don’t know.”

“Ehhhhh…”

It’s too terrifying.
What has become of my dignity as her sister?
Shizuku sighed, “Haaah.”

“Well, whatever. It doesn’t matter what I think, or what others think. Do as you please. It’s between you and Ibara anyway, and I won’t go blabbing about it.”

That might be true, but…
　Shizuku stood up from the bench and brushed the dust off her trouser bottoms with her hand.

“When the time comes to tell Dad or Mum, call me too.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll support you, at least.”

“Shizuku…”

A warm feeling slowly spread through my chest.
Seeing my face relax, Shizuku said hurriedly.

“D-don’t get the wrong idea. I owe you one. It’s just me saying thanks for introducing me to Sensei.”

“Tsundere?”

“No, it’s not that!”

Denying it, she strode off down the mountain path.
So as not to be left behind, I stood up too.
We were still only halfway along the mountain path. The way ahead was long, stretching on endlessly.

“…Um, Shizuku, maybe we should take a break soon…”

“Sis, seriously, you really ought to exercise more. Your stamina’s terrible.”

“Right.”

I wish we’d reach the hot springs soon.