“Sis-sii-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i

“What is it, Tōru?”
“Mashiro-nee, you ate my pudding!!”
“Eh? Did I? I don’t remember that at all.”

I answered while stretching.

“You definitely ate it!!! That pudding was the one I was looking forward to!!!!”

Tōru was yapping away.

　Right then, what day is it today?
I must have been napping, but I can’t recall what date it is or what I was doing before I fell asleep.
The fact I was napping at home means school must have been off today.

“Honestly. Why are you two fighting?”

Mum entered the living room, where only the sisters were, holding a steaming mug.

“Mum!! Masaki ate the pudding I bought without asking!!”
“Pudding? Ah, that was delicious, but was it yours, Tōru?”
“Eh?”
“I fancied something sweet and ate it last night.”

Mum apologised to Tōru with a playful “Sorry☆”.

“Eh? So Masaki-nee didn’t eat it?”
“Oh dear, being accused without proof and made out to be the culprit. My feelings are hurt. It’s quite a shock to be suspected by my little sister.”
“Ah, ahaha. So, so it wasn’t Masaki-nee after all. Ahaha.”
“My feelings are hurt.”
“Eh, ehehe. I love you, big sis!”
“…Honestly. This little sister thinks saying ‘I love you’ excuses everything.”
“But it’s true I love big sis Mashiro!”
“You little brat.”

I smiled sheepishly.
Tou clung to my arm, beaming a huge smile, so I stroked her head.

“Ehehe.”

Tōru’s always loved it when I stroke her head like this.
She’ll always be my clingy little sister, won’t she?
But she’s just so darn cute.

Soon, Dad joined us in the living room.

We enjoyed a lovely family gathering.

“Right then, how about we go to the aquarium today!”

　Dad suddenly suggests.
Tōru is the first to jump at the idea.
Mum starts getting ready.
I get dragged off to our room by Tōru, who tugs my arm saying, “Mashiro-nee, hurry up and get ready!”, and then we end up doing matching outfits like the best of sisters.

Holding hands.

Laughing together.

“You two really are so expressive, aren’t you?”

Our parents smiled as they watched us like that.
A happy family. A happy, luxurious day.

We might argue over little things.
But I like Tōru.
Tōru likes me.
We always make up quickly in the end.

After coming back from our outing, Mum yawned and told us sisters, “Go and have a bath.”

　We bathe together too.
Always together.
Of course, part of it is because we’re sisters.

As long as I am Masaki.
As long as she is Tōru.

The two of us will always be together.

We sink into the bath filled with water.

“It’s cold!”

Eh?

Tōru screams.
The water’s cold? That can’t be…

　……….

No, it is cold.
It is definitely cold.

What? What’s going on?

Ugh. I’m cold. It’s freezing.

And then.

It’s suffocating.

Bubble bubble bubble

Ah.

I see.

This is the ideal world my delusions painted in the end.

Enduring a fierce headache, I opened my eyes in the cold water.
The first thing that came into view was Amamiya Tōru’s face.
Her eyes were closed, showing no sign of suffering.
I see. She went first, didn’t she.

Even though we were embracing.
I could no longer feel her embrace.

Ah, it hurts. It hurts terribly.

　As the agony of oxygen deprivation threatened to overwhelm me, I noticed the corners of Amamiya Tōru’s lips, as still as if she were asleep, turn up ever so slightly.

I caught sight of the smile she directed at me in her very last moment.

In that instant, I summoned every last ounce of strength I possessed. I clasped Amamiya Tōru’s body to me once more, as if to confirm her existence, determined never to let go.

“(Amamiya Tōru. Amamiya-san. Tōru. Tōru. Tōru Tōru Tōru. Tōru!)”

I’m sorry.

And then.

I too,―――.

　I’ve always, always loved you.

God. Kami-sama.
I.
We.
How can we be happy……….

No, it’s nothing.

Kami-sama, I beg you.

Please, in the next life. And the one after that.

Let me and Amamiya Tōru be together.

　That is my only wish.

And though I know I have no right to ask such things.

Please let my mother and father find happiness after they have cried their hearts out.

Tōru, I’m going to sleep too, alright?

Goodnight.

――The expressionless, transparent girl apparently allows herself to be crushed in an embrace as long as you pay. The End――