#39: Earthquake / ep.3
About an hour later, Kotone appeared at antiqua on the outskirts of Roppongi. Having come three times now, she must have felt at home. She slipped into the seat beside Mikoto, who was nursing a drink in the preferred spot, and let out a breath.
“It feels reassuring, like being at my parents’ house. My sister’s here, and so is my future sister-in-law.”
“You have already introduced me to your parents, Mikoto-san.”
“It is much too soon for that.”
Whenever Kotone appeared, it threw Mikoto off somehow. The woman she was at antiqua and the unguarded person she became around Kotone were entirely different. And Kotone’s carefree attitude irritated her even more. The photographs had been Mikoto’s own careless fault, perhaps, but did Kotone understand whom Mikoto had bowed to the floor for?
Kotone looked back and forth between Shandy’s ring finger and Mikoto’s, then grinned.
“I am jealous. I want someone promising too.”
“Your agency would prohibit it.”
“That. How am I supposed to act romance properly when I cannot even have a normal love life?”
Kotone laughed loudly, and Mikoto remembered. Rinko had once said that Kotone had been her last customer. It could have been mistaken identity, but Rinko, a fan of Kotone’s, was hardly likely to mistake the face or voice of her favourite actress.
Then, what kind of person was this “someone promising” Kotone wanted? Mikoto could not bring herself to ask. As she fell silent, Kotone spoke first.
“I heard you have started living together? You are practically on a countdown now. I thought you might have called me here for happy news.”
“This is not something so carefree. It is serious, and it concerns you too.”
“Serious?”
Pushing that question she could not ask out of her mind, Mikoto explained the situation with the photographs. She did not want to tell Kotone everything, so she completely omitted the part about bowing to the floor. When she finished, Kotone’s expression changed completely, becoming blank and devoid of feeling.
Kotone was always like this when she was herself. She wore an expression like a soul had left her body.
“…I see. Because my sister and I look alike, your leaked proposal has become a scandal photograph of me.”
“It was not a proposal.”
“Oh? Is that so? After you shouted your love so passionately, you will not take me as your wife?”
Shandy pretended to collapse weeping. In response, Kotone suddenly grabbed Mikoto by the collar, throwing her an asymmetrical glare straight out of a delinquent manga.
“Don’t you dare make Shan-nee cry, you hear!?”
“This is no time for a delinquent skit! Do you understand how serious this is!?”
“Yeah, yeah. If it got out I was sleeping with a woman, it would be a huge scandal. Honestly, do you even realise you are Kurosu Kotone’s sister?”
“You have no right to lecture me about self-awareness.”
She could not exactly say, You slept with Rinko in secret. Even between sisters who knew each other well, there were matters difficult to step into.
“Anyway. We need to take action before that scandal photograph gets out. I called you here because I need your help.”
“What are you planning to make me do? Send faxes to every media company saying I am dating some suitable actor?”
Mikoto snatched away the phone Kotone was idly manipulating, then opened the camera app. Using the front-facing camera, she framed both similar-looking sisters.
But antiqua was far too dim. In the blurred selfie, the outlines of their faces were all but indistinguishable.
“Shandy-san, could you turn the lights on?”
“We are open for business. But I will make a special exception.”
“What are you doing, Sis?”
“We will take a selfie together and put it on your Instagram. Then even if that photograph gets out, we can say, ‘That is my sister Mikoto.’”
The orange lights came on. The front-facing camera clearly captured the faces of Mikoto and Kotone, which had been swallowed by darkness before. They only needed to upload this photograph. But as Mikoto pressed the shutter, Kotone started to chuckle.
“What is funny…!?”
“Just thinking how desperate you are for me. It makes me laugh.”
“Who do you think I am doing this for…?”
“They say actors have no hearts.”
“Well, working in this industry breaks something in you somewhere.”
After proudly agreeing with Shandy’s remark, Kotone studied the selfie carefully. She must need to inspect photographs far more closely than an ordinary person like Mikoto, checking her make-up and appearance, making sure nothing visible could identify their location.
After looking for a while, Kotone let out a sigh.
“It does not have enough impact for Instagram.”
While following Shandy’s cat account, which was really more a Mimosa photo collection, Mikoto had quickly looked through Kotone’s posts. They consisted of vapour trails, barren landscapes, and bowls of tonkotsu ramen: nothing remotely like the posts of an influencer. She ought to return her verification badge.
“That is quite a thing to say from someone who posts photographs of ramen on Instagram.”
“We need to make it obvious enough that your lookalike sister exists to eclipse the scandal photograph. This selfie does not have the reach. We need to make people say, ‘Seriously!?’ We need a real hook.”
“You say that very confidently for someone who does none of this herself.”
“Those rubbish posts have a proper purpose.”
“What purpose could they possibly have…?”
Mikoto could only be exasperated by Kotone, who seemed somehow detached despite being the one in danger. Shandy, who had been listening, set a chaser on the table between the two thoughtful sisters.
“Please say something to her too, Shandy-san…”
“That is difficult. People from the entertainment world do visit, but no one has ever asked me for social-media advice. There are even professions dedicated to teaching people how to promote themselves online.”
“Please, somehow…!”
For entertainers, social media was marketing. If followers and views directly affected popularity, they presumably had to promote themselves, even if it meant hiring marketing professionals. Kotone did not seem to care in the slightest.
“Let me see… Then, Kotone-san, may I have your ear?”
“Hm?”
Keeping her gaze on Mikoto, Shandy whispered into Kotone’s ear. At once, Kotone’s face changed into an unsettling smile, while Shandy’s amber eyes sparkled mischievously.
Mikoto had an intensely bad feeling. The four eyes glittered like those of predators who had spotted their prey.
“Wait, is it not strange to keep this from me…?”
“Not at all. Is it, Kotone-san?”
“No, it is not. Shan-nee’s idea definitely has impact, and my agency will not get angry. Because I am not the one wearing it.”
“Hm…?”
Ignoring Mikoto’s opinion entirely, Shandy vanished into antiqua’s darkness. There was the rustle of clothing, as if she were searching through a wardrobe, then she returned carrying an outfit that could hardly hang properly from a hanger.
Its shape resembled a competitive swimsuit. But it had no shoulder straps supporting the chest; in their place were fluffy white pompoms, like balls of yarn. Then there were fishnet tights so sheer that they almost showed bare skin. Apart from outrageously high stilettos, there was a mysterious headband. It must have had wire in it, because it formed a pair of ears.
Rabbit ears.
Mikoto recoiled.
“It is time to get changed, bunny girl.”
“W-why me? And that outfit…”
“It was a souvenir from America, given to me by Kotone-san. She brought it when she visited before, for use on costume days.”
“Yep. A genuine bunny-girl outfit. It was a little too big for Shan-nee, though. Around the chest.”
“Would you like me to kill you?”
“Ooh, scary.”
Kotone ignored Shandy’s smiling threat and picked up the bunny outfit. Its black patent material gleamed sensually in the light.
“Do you not think it would get an enormous reaction if I wore this and put it on Instagram?”
“It would certainly have impact if you wore it, Kotone, but…”
“No. Sis is wearing it.”
“What!?”
The sound came from the bottom of Mikoto’s stomach. The malicious smiles on Kotone and Shandy’s faces sent a chill down her spine.
“We will put photographs of Mikoto-san as a bunny girl on Kotone-san’s Instagram. The internet will be thrown into confusion by suddenly uploaded fan-service shots. Media outlets that love gossip will rush to spread Mikoto-san’s bunny-girl photographs, believing they are Kotone-san.”
“Spread them? Please, no…”
“That is the point. They must be sensational enough to spread. We will upload several photographs of Bunny Mikoto, then post the selfie of the two of you and reveal the trick.”
Surprise! That bunny was Mikoto, Kurosu Kotone’s lookalike older sister!
#CloseSisters
#BigSisterHandlesSexy
It was so abrupt that Mikoto could not quite follow. The price of neutralising the scandal photographs seemed far too cruel.
“I will not wear it! I cannot wear it! How old do you think I am!?”
“At what age would you be willing to wear it, then?”
“I will not wear it at any age! If we need impact, it is no different if Kotone wears it!”
“My agency says no. Besides, who would wear something this embarrassing?”
“Coming from the person trying to make me wear it!?”
“Come on, do it to help your little sister. And Shan-nee, I bet you want to see Sis in a bunny outfit too.”
“Yes. Shy little rabbits in love are one of my favourite things.”
Even under their smiling pressure, Mikoto could not give in so easily. Not only would her disgrace be spread across the internet, but her frequent visits to antiqua had given her a slightly soft belly. Worst of all was the extraordinary amount of exposed skin. The fishnets were bad enough, but the patent material’s high-cut shape was thinner than it looked. Without thorough preparation, she would make a spectacle worse than bowing to the floor.
“Do not worry. As I mentioned before, I sometimes stay overnight at antiqua. I keep a generous supply of body-care amenities here.”
“Want me to shave you? Your underarms, your legs—”
“I said I will not wear it! Do you have any idea how miserable I have already made myself for you!?”
“Then shall we settle it in the usual way?”
“The usual way…?”
Kotone left her seat and settled herself one stool away, out of Mikoto’s direct line of sight. Kotone sitting one seat apart could mean only one thing: she was taking a spectator’s place for a game.
“Then shall we begin tonight’s game, Mikoto-san?”
“Wait, wait! I am not playing a game with an outfit that embarrassing at stake!”
“Then let us do this. If Mikoto-san loses, Bunny Mikoto. If she wins, Bunny Kotone. That is fair, is it not?”
Kotone choked on the chaser she had been drinking. Evidently, she had not expected to become part of the wager.
“No, I told you my agency says no.”
“Adult circumstances have no place at antiqua. Besides, you are such similar sisters. Unless someone is a remarkably devoted fan, they will not notice which one of you becomes the bunny girl.”
“You really are unpleasant.”
“And so are you.”
Kotone laughed dryly and shrugged extravagantly. She gave off the unmistakable air of a US sitcom character saying, What can you do? She was American-obsessed to the core.
“Well, fine. Go, Shan-nee. Destroy my completely useless sister.”
“Then let us begin. A delightful game.”
“I do not even know why we are doing this any more…”
There was no resisting now. Before the slumped Mikoto, Shandy placed three coasters. She drew a distinctive rabbit on two of them, then turned all three face-down.
“Mikoto-san, do you know the Monty Hall problem?”
“I do not. What is that…?”
“Then this is perfect. Let me explain.”
Shandy shuffled the three coasters and placed them face-down on the counter. Mikoto had no way of knowing where the two rabbit coasters lay.
“Monty Hall was a game played on an American television programme. The rules are simple. If you choose the coaster without a bunny girl, you win.”
“So my odds are one in three.”
“No. This game favours you, Mikoto-san. Your chance of winning is two-thirds.”
“Hm…?”
Shandy smiled meaningfully. Of the three coasters, two bore rabbits. Mikoto could only see a one-in-three chance of choosing the correct, blank coaster.
“You are trying to turn this into a psychological battle, are you not? You mean to make me doubt myself and lose.”
“There is more to the game.”
With her amber eyes bright, Shandy took Mikoto’s hand and made her choose the middle coaster.
“You have chosen the middle coaster. What is your probability of winning, of this coaster having no bunny girl on it?”
“One-third.”
“Yes. Next, I do this.”
Shandy turned over a coaster other than Mikoto’s choice. A rabbit was drawn upon it.
“I have revealed one of the two bunny-girl coasters. Now only two coasters remain face-down: the one Mikoto-san chose, and the one she did not.”
“Y-yes…”
One of the losing rabbit coasters had been removed from the three. Of the remaining two, one was the winning blank coaster and one was a losing coaster.
“Now, Mikoto-san, you have a great opportunity. You may change your coaster selection.”
“Change it…?”
“Think about it. A moment ago, your chance of winning was one-third. But now two coasters lie before you. If you choose the other coaster, your chance of winning becomes two-thirds. It is obvious which probability is higher, is it not?”
“I am not good at mathematics…”
“Because Sis is a humanities girl.”
Unlike Mikoto, Kotone had graduated from a science faculty. She evidently already knew the Monty Hall problem Shandy had set up, and snorted at Mikoto’s surrender before probability theory.
“The Monty Hall problem is a probability trick. Sis chose a coaster when her chance of winning was one-third, right?”
“Yes, but…”
“Then Shan-nee turned one over, turning three into two. The total probability has to add up to one, so the chance that the coaster Sis did not choose is the winner is, by subtraction, two-thirds.”
“No, why? You choose from two, so is it not one-half?”
“You have fallen for it completely. Hehe…”
“Ugh…!?”
Mikoto could not understand it at all. At first there had been three choices, so the odds were one-third. But now there were two choices. Surely the chance of selecting the blank coaster had to be one-half. Why did the probability become uneven?
“Anyway, think of it this way: switching doubles your chance of winning. So, what will you do, Mikoto-san? Switch or stay?”
Mikoto groaned. She did not understand probability theory, but apparently switching doubled her odds. Naturally, her finger moved towards the other coaster, the one with the two-thirds probability.
“Oh? You have decided to switch?”
“I do not understand probability theory, but it is two-thirds, right? Then I will choose the more likely option.”
“I see. What a shame.”
Shandy lowered her eyes into crescents and sighed as though disappointed.
If Shandy, who had wanted to see Mikoto as a bunny girl, was disappointed, then Mikoto must have stopped that from happening. The coaster she switched to must be the winner, meaning Mikoto had won.
“So I have won? Thank goodness…”
She would not have to wear that ridiculous outfit.
But just as Mikoto began to think so, Shandy spoke.
“Honestly, I wanted to keep Mikoto-san’s bunny-girl appearance all to myself. I did not want it spread on Instagram. But since you changed your choice, I suppose it cannot be helped?”
“Eh…? Then this is the losing one…?”
“Hehe. Which do you think?”
Mikoto realised it then. Shandy, the game’s host, knew where all three coasters had been placed. The Monty Hall problem was not merely a probability trick.
It was a psychological contest with Shandy. A game of tactics.
“So it is a psychological contest after all! You are lying to make me choose the wrong one!”
“I told you that I want to keep Bunny Mikoto to myself. Can you not believe my words?”
“How can you say that with a straight face!?”
Shandy’s eyes opened into full moons. It was the face of a mischievous, inscrutable, wicked woman. At this point, Mikoto could no longer read Shandy’s true intent. She did not know which coaster was the winner, nor even whether Shandy wanted her to wear the bunny outfit. The truth lay inside those amber eyes.
“I will tell you the right answer. The coaster you chose first is the winner.”
“How am I supposed to know if that is true!?”
“That is why I am telling you to trust me.”
“You were saying only moments ago that you wanted to make me wear the bunny outfit!”
“Yes, I want you to wear it. But I also want to keep you to myself, do I not?”
“That is what I cannot believe!”
“Then why not draw it out through tactics, as you usually do?”
To play tactics with the softly laughing Shandy, Mikoto stretched her back as far as she could.
“…W-would not a woman who wants to keep her beloved’s embarrassing appearance to herself be sad if it were leaked?”
“Would she? Perhaps she would want to show her beautiful lover off to the world.”
“Y-you are saying something completely different from what you said before! Is this, perhaps, because a maiden’s heart changes easily?”
“It is because you are someone who sees through the changeable heart of a maiden that I chose you, Mikoto-san. Hehe.”
“Ghh…”
The bunny outfit. Having this exchange watched by Kotone. And, on top of that, the grating laughter coming from just outside her field of vision.
A landslide of embarrassment swept over her, instantly stealing Mikoto’s words.
“Now then, it is nearly time for fate to decide. Please choose.”
“Choose what? It has still come down to two options!”
There were two coasters.
The first coaster Mikoto had chosen had a one-in-three probability, and Shandy claimed it was the winner.
The other, which Mikoto had switched to, had a two-in-three probability, but Shandy’s reactions suggested it was the loser.
And on top of that, the chance Shandy was telling the truth was fifty-fifty.
“Trust fate, or trust my words. Come now, choose.”
“U-ugh…!”
Mikoto’s finger went back and forth over the two coasters. After agonising for some time, she chose to trust Shandy’s words. Her choice was the coaster she had picked first.
“…This one! I trust you, Shandy-san!”
“Hehe. I am happy that you trust me.”
“Then!”
Shandy’s fingers reached for the coaster Mikoto had chosen.
“…But you still have much to learn, do you not?”
“Eh…”
Two cries of victory and one scream rang through antiqua.
“Aha, it is time for Kotone’s Instagram update.”
At the same time, Shirai Rinko was spending a weekend evening enjoying herself at home alone. While drying her hair, she operated her phone to check the daily post from her favourite, Kurosu Kotone. She scrolled past updates from celebrities and friends on her timeline, searching for Kurosu Kotone’s official account.
“Found it—”
The instant she saw the photograph of a bunny girl, Rinko’s hairdryer slipped from her hand.
“That is not Kotone, it is Miko—Mikoto-san, right!?”
Rinko’s surprise was only natural.
The bunny girl posted to Instagram looked extremely like Kotone, but was not Kotone. To know the truth, one needed to have met both Kurosu sisters, and paid enough attention to clearly recognise the difference between them.
Rinko was one of the few people in the world who met those conditions.
“Wait, why is Mikoto-san on Kotone’s Instagram!? Why is she a bunny girl, wait, she is adorable, this is impossible, she is too cute… I-I need screenshots! No, save the pictures!?”
Even while voicing question after question, Rinko could not stop taking screenshots. Her camera roll steadily filled with images of Kotone’s sister Mikoto, flushed bright red as she wore the bunny-girl outfit.
—Today’s game of love: Mikoto’s complete defeat.
But Kurosu Mikoto’s face became famous enough to erase the scandal photograph entirely.