When I asked the question, silence immediately fell over the room. As neither of them said anything, I felt tears welling up, thinking my suspicion was confirmed. But then, Shinobu-san couldn't hold back any longer and began to laugh.
"W-What's so funny?"
"Heh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you."
"Why do you think that?" my sister asked quietly, her tone contrasting with Shinobu-san's laughter. The coldness in her voice made me nervous, but I explained my reasoning.
"Because, Sis, you're so comfortable around Shinobu-san, and even when you're harsh with her, she just laughs. And you two meet in secret without telling me."
"Kaya, I told you before, I've never been in a relationship with anyone. Shinobu and I just have known each other for a long time."
Her tone sounded a bit sharp, but I might have imagined it. She seemed to be speaking plainly, just stating the facts, and Shinobu-san's next words confirmed it.
"That's right. There's nothing like what you're thinking between us. I never imagined you'd misunderstand, but I can assure you, when I meet with Yuu, it's not for the reasons you're thinking."
"I see…"
What a relief. I sighed in relief, glad to know they weren't in a relationship. If I'm reacting this way, it must mean… I can't deny it any longer. After talking to my father, I'd been thinking about what was most important to me. It was a simple truth that hadn't changed since childhood, even if its form had.
"I'm sorry for doubting you."
"Don't worry about it," Shinobu-san said, laughing it off. She glanced at the clock. "Oh, it's getting late. I should head out."
After apologizing for causing trouble, I offered to walk Shinobu-san home, especially since I had asked such an awkward question.
"Let me walk you to the door."
"I'll take you up on that offer."
Ignoring my sister's insistence that it wasn't necessary, I walked out with Shinobu-san. I still thought that my sister was very close to Shinobu-san, but I decided to trust their words. Once we were alone, I apologized again.
"I'm really sorry for asking something so weird."
"No, it's fine. Thank you for being honest. I know it couldn't have been easy."
"I'm glad I could be of some help."
Since it was just a short walk up the stairs, we quickly arrived at Shinobu-san's door. As I was about to leave, she suddenly asked, "Did you find your answer?"
For a moment, I didn't understand what she meant, but then I remembered. I nodded firmly, even though I felt a little nervous.
"Yes."
Back at home, I took a bath with my sister, as usual. After we washed each other, we soaked in the bath together. As we relaxed, I kept thinking about what I needed to do. I knew I had to tell her eventually, but… I was scared. Just imagining her rejecting me made my heart race with fear. If I confessed, I might lose this precious time with her. But not saying anything felt like a betrayal. My thoughts kept spinning in circles until my sister noticed and asked if I was okay. I decided to push those thoughts aside for now and tried to stay calm.
After our bath, we finished the dishes together. It was late, so I used that as an excuse to put off telling her, deciding to go to bed instead.
"What is it, Kaya? Is something wrong?"
As soon as we got into bed, I hugged my sister, and she seemed puzzled by my sudden action. I don't usually do this, especially since it's summer and this could be uncomfortably warm. But tonight, I just felt like it.
"No, it's nothing. I just wanted to hold you. Is that okay?"
"Of course, it is."
With her permission, I hugged her tightly. I knew I was being selfish because I was sure she wouldn't refuse me. If I confessed my feelings, I might not be able to do this anymore. So, before I told her, I wanted to hold on to her warmth for as long as I could.
Tomorrow… tomorrow, I'll tell her for sure. These feelings have grown too big to keep hidden any longer. So, please, just for tonight, let me run away without saying anything. As I drifted off to sleep, enveloped by her sweet scent, these thoughts filled my mind.