Yukino hugs Maika tightly.
Stay healthy, if that man does anything cruel to you, tell Onee-chan right away. Onee-chan will beat him up Yukino-oneechan. I love you!
Mana sheds tears in her elder sister’s chest.
It’s okay now, you, what are you doing? Take Maika already Yeah
I hug Mana from behind.
Let’s go, Mana Okay
I carry Mana and stand up.
I go to the door leading outside.
Getting in front of the door, Iook back at Yukino.’
Yukino’s not looking at us.
She’s looking at the ceiling expressionlessly while keeping her hands in her lower abdomen.
Yukino, I liked you. I think I do
Yukino
I see, I hate you though
She replied while still looking at the ceiling.
I.
No, I still do like you Huh?
Yukino slowly looks at me.
I’ll always like Yukino. I think I’ll like you for the rest of my life. But, liking isn’t enough
I don’t love Yukino.
Like and love is different things.
I love Mana. Nei, Misuzu, Ruriko, Michi, Agnes, Megu, Katsuko-nee, Nagisa, Mao-chan, Minaho-neesan, Edie, Rei-chan, Shou-neechan, I love them all. They’re my family I must protect
Yukino isn’t my family.
Yukino can’t become my family.
I like Yukino, but I can’t love you
Yukino.
So what do you plan the child?
Yukino points at her stomach.
Yukino’s child.
Of course, that child is my family. I’ll take responsibility and protect it
Minaho-neesan will take custody of the child Yukino’s bearing.
In that case, I’ll make that child happy for the rest of its life.
I see, then that’s fine
Yukino looks up at the ceiling again.
You’ve had enough, right? Hurry up and get out Onii-chan
I close the door.
I think our lives will never cross anywhere.
But, I think that there was a moment we come across each other in this room.
Yukino and my crossing point.
When we come out of the room.
Huh?
Four women are waiting there.
Katsuko-nee, Misuzu, Ruriko, and Michi.
You came back already? Yes, a while ago
Misuzu replies looking serious.
Ruriko and Michi also both look stiff.
Katsuko-nee smiles wryly.
Err, look There’s no need to say anything, we’re listening to the conversation inside
misuzu?
There’s a lot I’d like to say, but since you said that you love us, we’ll let it pass
Misuzu said.
Onii-sama, welcome back
Ruriko said and smiled at me.
Let’s take a bath. Bath
michi?
Let’s get in the bath because Master’s skin needs washing You’re right, Michi. We need to wash away Yukino-san’s scent
Hey, Misuzu?
I’ll prepare hot water in the large bath
Katsuko-nee smiles.
Then, let’s go, Onii-sama
Ruriko pulls my hand.
Mana-imouto, what were you doing?
Michi tells Mana who’s looking down.
uhm, I took Onii-chan to Onee-chan when everyone wasn’t here
She speaks apologetically.
I’m sorry
Mana bows her head. Michi;
That doesn’t matter, let’s go to the bath, Mana-imouto Michi-oneechan?
Michi looks displeased.
That’s right, I’m your Onee-chan. It will be so from now on till the rest of your life, I won’t get angry on every single mischief of my little sister Mana-chan, let’s go
Ruriko pulls Mana’s hand.
Ruri-oneechan Yukino-san laughs at our family, saying that it’s not real, but we’ve been serious about this since a long time ago!
Misuzu looks at Mana.
She takes Mana’s other hand.
We’ll never let go of Mana-chan’s hand Onee-chan!
Mana’s moved.
Now, let’s go!
Katsuko-nee speaks gently.
Did Minahio-neesan and Katsuko-nee expect this result, so we’re sent to Yukino?
I ask Katsuko-nee while heading to the bathroom.
No way. We never expected this conclusion
Katsuko-nee said.
To be honest, we thought that the negotiations with Yukino-san will break down. But still, look, it was the last opportunity to talk to that girl
Yukino’s already.
Mana-chan talked to Yukino-san
Katsuko-nee looks at Mana.
Huh?
me? Weren’t you in the same class with Yukino-san?
What’s that?
Listening to your conversation, Ojou-sama made a decision. Yukino-san will continue her life as Shirasaka Yukino from now on. Therefore, she’ll go to the school like usual
Really?
But, Mana-chan can’t. Shirasaka Maika will be gone
Mana will obtain a new family register. Shirasaka Maika will vanish.
Even if you meet someone, you’re now strangers. You can’t talk as sisters anymore I know
Katsuko-nee said. Mana replied.
I bid my farewell to Yukino-oneechan. Thank you for the opportunity
She says thanks to Katsuko-nee and Minaho-neesan who’s listening from somewhere else.
Thanks to you, you’ve soothed Ojou-sama’s heart
Katsuko-nee looks at me.
Me? Yes. Thanks to you, Ojou-sama is now thinking of the future in medium to long-term, until last night, even though she has an idea on what to do after, she wasn’t able to imagine the specifics Minaho-neesan’s reason for living was only to achieve revenge.
She’s unable to think of her future.
Now, she thinks of taking time to solve things. So now, she gives priority to urgent problems so there will be no regrets
Taking the time to settle things slowly.
She gives priority to urgent problems, so there are no regrets.
The problem of your heart needs to heal slowly with time. Isn’t that right?
Katsuko-nee smiles.
Just now, Mana-chan gave Yukino-san her last chance. Then, you too. Even if it broke down, if you understand your relationship with Yukino-san then you can move on, right? If your heart is in pain, then we can all heal it.
Moving on.
This is the last day of the Golden Week, so either way we can’t stay in a blurry relationship, right?
That’s right.
We needed to settle on some level at least.
I never thought that you’d reconcile with Yukino-san though
I.
We didn’t
That’s right.
We can’t understand each other’s way of living. Yukino doesn’t even know why I live like this
Yukino can only see our family as a farce.
But, we finally acknowledged each other as people
Yukino finally saw me as a person.
Not as Minaho-neesan’s scheming tool.
Not a tool for sex to bring pleasure.
But as a person.
We have parts alike, parts impossible to understand, we’re different people. But, it’s finally recognized. I am myself, and Yukino is Yukino
I think.
I see, that’s great
Katsuko-nee said while smiling.
Yes, it’s great
It was great that I had that time with Yukino.
Oh right, I’ve also been thinking things on the long run
Katsuko-nee says suddenly.
So, I’ll get pregnant. I’ll give birth to your child next year
Katsuko-nee?
Misuzu, Ruriko, Michi, and Mana’s shaken.
I thought that there’s no need to bear a child in a hurry but, thinking about the future, it might be better if I give birth soon What do you mean? I’ll need two and a half years before I could operate the bakery with you, right? Two and a half years? You’re still in first year high school, right? You promised us to graduate in high school
Oh, indeed, that’ll take two and a half years.
Also, look, the plan before was to buy a whole building and have the other half of it as Nagisa’s flower shop, right? Kouzuki-sama did say that he’ll cooperate
Right, there was that too.
Jii-chan promised to find a plot of land for it.
In that case, let’s add more stories to it. We’ll include our hopes at the design phase