Episode 35: Mayo-san and I ⑵

Mayo began speaking as she gently rocked the swing.

“Right then. Where to start… Perhaps I should begin with myself.”

Her usual, almost unreal smile vanished, and she fixed me with a direct gaze. Something dark seemed to lurk in the depths of her eyes, sending a slight chill down my spine.

“I started feeling something special for Hoshizora back in middle school. Seeing Hoshizora or talking about her made my heart race, and I wished Hoshizora felt the same way. But at the same time, I thought I was disgusting. Everyone around me was getting boyfriends and sharing such happy stories, but I couldn’t tell anyone I liked someone of the same sex – my own sister, no less. It’s just… unthinkable, isn’t it…”

　Mayo-san said this with a wry smile. I believe one is free to fall for whoever they choose, but the Mayo-san before me looked terribly distressed.

“Next, about my family. Around the time my high school entrance exams finished, my family started to fall apart. Until then, both Hoshizora and I had been cherished. In fact, Hoshizora was cherished more. She was constantly looked after, treasured. She was treated so specially it made me jealous.”

“Then what on earth was that mother’s attitude towards Takizawa?”

“I was better than Hoshizora. That’s all.”

“……”

I couldn’t utter a single word.

Was that really reason enough for Takizawa to be treated so badly?

“Even if our parents’ treatment of their children changed, I thought Hoshizora and I would remain the same. But at that very moment, I discovered something I hated.”

　Before I could ask what that was… Mayo-san began speaking.

“I happened to find the adoption papers. I’m not their real child. Only Hoshizora and my parents share blood. When I found them, I felt happy at the same time. If we weren’t related by blood, I could accept that my feelings weren’t strange.”

“But I don’t think Hoshizora would want that.”

“Yes…”

Mayo-san continued, still looking down.

“Father only wanted an heir. It seems they couldn’t have children for a while, so they welcomed me as their child. But then they were blessed with a child, and Hoshizora was born. Either one could have been the heir, but Hoshizora wasn’t born with genius-level intelligence. Father came from an intelligent family, while Mother wasn’t particularly bright. I heard him blame her for Hoshizora’s lack of intellect. So, unwilling to admit it was her fault, Mother came to despise Hoshizora.”

“That’s utterly selfish.”

I think my voice was filled with unbelievable anger. I couldn’t understand why Takizawa had to suffer because of such adult issues.

“People are all like that, you know. They think they’re the most important. My father probably wanted to prove his child was perfect too, to protect his own pride… I had two choices. One was to cut ties with my parents the moment I graduated high school, take Hoshizora with me, and make her happy. The other was to accept everything about this house, become the heir, and let Hoshizora leave and live freely outside it.”

Mayo-san looked at me with a pained expression.

“I was terrified of being rejected by the Hoshizora I’d fallen for. So I ran away. I thought I’d endure it myself, shoulder the family responsibilities, and someone else could make Hoshizora happy. I suppose running away brought my own punishment. Family relations deteriorated steadily, and Hoshizora and I grew distant. It was painful at the time, but now I think it was for the best.”

“Why?”

“Right now, the person who could make Hoshizora happy is standing before me. I realised my choice wasn’t wrong after all.”

With a faint smile, Mayo-san spoke painfully.

Honestly, this person says the most incomprehensible things.

I think she’s even more foolish than me.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. First off, how can you wish for Takizawa’s happiness when you’re not even happy yourself? Or think it’s fun to play the tragic heroine, wishing you were miserable?　How could Takizawa possibly be happy if you aren’t?”

My voice must have sounded angrier than I intended, for Mayo’s eyes widened in surprise. Yet I couldn’t stop myself from continuing to press her.

“Takizawa’s just clumsy. I believe she admires you, cares deeply for you, and wants you to be happy. At least, that’s what I thought seeing the two of you talking. Mayo-san’s happiness connects to Takizawa’s happiness. So please, live for your own happiness first.”

I had much more I wanted to say, but I felt I’d conveyed the most important part.

“Ahaha. Hina-chan, you really are the best, aren’t you?”

Holding her stomach, she burst out laughing. Mayo-san seemed to be laughing from the heart. Nothing was funny, and why could this person laugh even at a time like this?

“You’re right. I was mistaken. All I needed to do was try my best to manage this house together with Hoshizora. Please forgive this coward who kept making excuses and running away.”

She bowed her head deeply.
Forgive? There’s no reason for me to be apologised to.
I thought she was someone who simply wouldn’t understand no matter how much I explained.

“Hina-chan, didn’t you think it was strange when I said I liked Hoshizora?”

“Not particularly. I’ve never liked anyone romantically, so I don’t really understand it, but there are people I want to cherish now. Everyone has one or two people like that. It just happened to be Takizawa, didn’t it?”

Mayo-san looked surprised again, then her expression softened.

“Hina-chan, you’re amazing. You’re more than I imagined.”

“Thank you. But let’s go see Takizawa instead.”

With a resigned “Right then,” Mayo reluctantly got up and quietly led us to the house.

As soon as we entered the room, Takizawa exclaimed, “Endo-san, what are you doing here!?”

“Sorry about yesterday. I heard you felt ill afterwards and came out of concern.”
“I’m fine, really.”

I felt relieved that Takizawa was her usual curt self.

　Watching our exchange, Mayo-san spoke up.

“Well then, I shan’t keep you any longer. I’ll be off soon.”

Saying this, Mayo-san approached Hoshizora, drew her close, and kissed her cheek.

Wh-what…?

I froze, utterly stunned.

“It was lovely seeing you, Hina-chan. Let’s meet again sometime.”
With that, Mayo-san picked up her suitcase and stepped outside.

　I don’t want to see her again.

“Mayo-san, are you going somewhere?”

“Back to university. It’s in another prefecture, so I’m heading back there. These hectic days are finally ending…”

Takizawa let out a long sigh.

Her complexion didn’t look too good. She was fair-skinned to begin with, but today she seemed even paler.

　Perhaps because I’d been staring too much, Takizawa looked over at me, our eyes met, and I instinctively looked away.

It wasn’t that I was bothered by what Mayo-san had said, but the moment Takizawa and I were alone, my heart started pounding loudly.

And perhaps sensing something was off, Takizawa peered at my face with a look that said, ‘What’s wrong?’

Takizawa’s face was close.

Ah… even though I’m trying to hold back…

I pulled Takizawa’s arm and hugged her close.

“Thanks to you yesterday, Takizawa, I had a really great time.”

I think my voice was trembling a little, perhaps from nervousness. My arms wrapped around Takizawa tightened, as if to suppress that tremor. But hugging her too tightly made me anxious, fearing I might hear her heartbeat, so I loosened my grip slightly.

“Endo-san, I don’t like this sort of thing.”

Takizawa said that and pushed my shoulder away.

“I didn’t do anything. I was just repaying you for the stuffed toy.”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Takizawa said that while averting her eyes.

Starting the day after tomorrow, for the week until summer holidays end, the club’s summer training camp begins with running drills. It wasn’t that I disliked it because I lacked stamina; I just didn’t want to stop seeing Takizawa.

Right now, I wanted to stay with Takizawa a little longer.

“Takizawa, why don’t you stay over at my place tonight?”

“Eh—?”

Just like Mayo-san earlier, she looked utterly surprised. After all, the two sisters were identical, right down to their reactions.

“I’ll have a warm dinner, a bath, and futon ready for you,”
　I said that, then stepped outside without waiting for Takizawa’s reply.

The only way I could repay Takizawa was by cooking dinner for her. And I thought I could offer her a better time than staying in that house where her sister was gone, suffocating her.

I wanted Takizawa to have a happy time, even just a little.

Even though I didn’t know if she’d come, I bought the ingredients for dinner and went back home.