~Interlude 1~ The agony of Hoshimiya Sei
Hoshimiya Sei was troubled.
(What should I do…?)
Late at night, lying in bed, she stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Normally, she’d fall asleep within ten seconds of lying down. But today, jet lag had kept her sleeping past noon, and a certain issue was swirling in her mind, keeping her wide awake.
The cause was her beloved little sister, Hime.
“Zzz… zzz…”
Rolling over, Sei looked beside her. Hime was sleeping there.
Her breathing was soft and steady. Unlike Sei, Hime had woken up earlier. Thanks to that, she’d fallen asleep quickly tonight.
Seeing Hime sleep so soundly, Sei smiled faintly.
(…She’s holding it so tightly.)
Her gaze fell on Hime, clutching a teddy bear. It wore a men’s shirt, and Hime was nuzzling her cheek against it.
Ever since shopping with Youhei, Hime had slept like this without fail. It hadn’t changed in America, and it probably wouldn’t change moving forward—Hime would keep the bear close when she slept.
(She really loves Youhei, doesn’t she?)
It was obvious. Sei was certain the feelings Hime held weren’t just affection.
(Her clothes, too… She picked something similar to the dress Youhei complimented.)
Sei recalled the day’s events. Usually, she chose Hime’s outfits, but since she’d been sleeping, Hime had picked her own today.
A dress similar to the one she’d worn shopping with Youhei.
Conscious or not, Hime had chosen it because Youhei said it suited her—that much was clear.
(She was so excited… Smiling so much today.)
Hime wasn’t a very expressive child.
Youhei probably didn’t notice, but she’d been smiling more than usual, her energy high, clearly having fun.
It was rare to see Hime so lively. She didn’t show that side to family, let alone strangers.
That’s how big Youhei was to her.
Just seeing him made her happy. Talking to him was fun. Being noticed by him brought joy. And after he left, she felt lonely… Not that she said it outright.
But after Youhei went home, Hime’s energy visibly dropped.
She bounced back soon enough, but watching her mood swing with Youhei’s actions, Sei couldn’t help but sense the love behind it.
(But Hime-chan seems oblivious…! I thought she’d drop the marriage talk, but nope.)
Hime was still set on her plan for Youhei and Sei to marry.
If Hime didn’t have feelings for Youhei… Sei wouldn’t mind so much. She didn’t dislike Youhei and saw him fondly as a person.
But she couldn’t go along with the plan while ignoring her sister’s feelings.
(What should I do for Hime-chan?)
It had been weighing on her lately.
She’d noticed it just before summer vacation and had been wrestling with it ever since.
It had even distracted her from exam prep. Not that focusing would’ve guaranteed passing grades, but still.
“What can I do for Hime-chan…?” she murmured.
She gently stroked the sleeping Hime’s head.
“Nnya… Onee-chan,” Hime mumbled.
“Yup, it’s Onee-chan~,” Sei replied.
“…Nn.”
For a moment, Hime might’ve stirred. But hearing Sei’s voice seemed to reassure her, and she drifted back to sleep.
Sei slept a lot, but Hime did too, surprisingly. She stayed alert and avoided sleeping around others, but in safe spaces, she slept deeply.
So Sei’s murmurs didn’t reach her.
Even so, Sei couldn’t keep the words inside.
“…How can I make Hime-chan happy?”
With that, Sei slowly closed her eyes.
She still had no answer. But she kept thinking.
Her precious little sister’s happiness.
What could she do to ensure it?
Sei pondered until her consciousness faded into sleep—
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