Even though I had been so anxious before falling asleep, I ended up sleeping deeply and woke up naturally. As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself staring directly into my sister's eyes.
"Mm, good morning."
"Good morning. Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"No, I'll get up."
My sister gave me a gentle smile and patted my head. Her touch was so soothing that I almost drifted back into sleep, but I managed to resist and got up. I rubbed my eyes and forced myself out of bed, heading to the bathroom. I always wondered how my sister could wake up earlier than me even though we went to bed at the same time. I pondered this as I washed my face, trying to fully wake up. Oh, that's right, I had decided to tell her today.
I mulled over how to say it as I ate breakfast. Naturally, I was distracted, leading to a few moments where our conversation didn't quite align. Despite that, we finished breakfast, took care of the household chores, and then took a moment to relax together. It was a peaceful time. But what I was about to say would disrupt this tranquility. Maybe I shouldn't say anything for my sister's sake? I kept finding excuses not to tell her.
With the end of summer vacation approaching, I wondered if I should wait until after. My weak heart whispered these thoughts to me, but just as I was leaning toward not telling her, my sister spoke up.
"Is something wrong? You look a bit down. —If it's about what that man said, don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything for you."
My sister, concerned only for my well-being, gave me that gentle smile that always made me feel safe. I knew that she would do anything for me, even if she didn't know what was going on inside my heart. And that's why I resolved again to tell her today.
"Sis, there's something important I need to talk to you about. Will you listen?"
For a moment, my sister's eyes widened, but she quickly regained her smile and said, "Of course." We adjusted our positions to face each other. I tried to speak but found myself at a loss for words, not knowing how to start. My sister waited patiently without rushing me. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart.
"You see, I… I love you, Sis."
"Thank you. I love you too, Kaya."
"No, that's not what I mean. I… I'm in love with you."
"Hm? What's the difference? I love you too, Kaya."
What should I do? She doesn't understand at all. Yes, that's true, but that's not what I mean. As I struggled with how to make her understand, my sister, noticing my distress, spoke up.
"There's no need to rush. Take your time, and tell me when you're ready."
Her words eased my anxiety. At the very least, I didn't think she would immediately reject me. So, as she suggested, I took my time, carefully choosing my words to express my feelings accurately.
"You might love me as family, as your sister, but my feelings are different. I think… I think it's a romantic kind of love. The thought of you being with someone else, dating or getting married… it makes me jealous, even though I know I should be happy for you."
I blurted it all out, but even then, my sister didn't seem convinced.
"…You must be confused after yesterday. Maybe you should think it over more carefully."
"No, yesterday was just a trigger. I've been thinking about this for a long time. When you got that confession, I hated it so much. And when you talk so closely with Shinobu-san, it makes me feel uneasy. That's why—"
"I see. So what do you want to happen now that you've told me?"
My sister interrupted and asked this question. It was something I had been pondering for a long time, and I had finally found the answer.
"I want to stay with you forever. I don't want you to get married; I want you to stay with me."
I was practically begging her—no, I was begging her. But my sister responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"How is that different from being sisters? Is it fine for things to stay the way they are? You told me this because you want something to change, right?"
"Well…"
She was right. Ever since I heard about the confession, I've wanted to keep her to myself. Maybe that's when I started becoming aware of my feelings, and yesterday, I finally realized what they meant. I never thought I'd have such impure feelings toward my own sister, but now that I've realized it, I can't ignore them. Ever since then, I've been hyper-aware of my feelings, and yesterday, I tried so hard not to look at her that way.
It took a lot of courage to confess that I had romantic feelings for her. But if I kept taking baths with her without saying anything, I'd feel guilty, so I pushed myself to confess. So I hoped she would understand without me having to say it outright. Because saying it out loud was too embarrassing. As I hesitated, my sister, looking at me with sincere eyes, said, "You need to tell me, Kaya. I won't understand unless you say it."
Unable to withstand her earnest gaze any longer, I finally blurted it out, not caring what would happen.
"…S-Sex and stuff."
Silence fell between us. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I couldn't bring myself to look at her. I hastily tried to explain myself.
"I'm sorry, I know it's gross since we're sisters. Don't worry, I'll try not to be weird—"
Before I could finish, my sister, who had moved beside me without me noticing, hugged me tightly.
"Thank you, Kaya."
"W-Why? Isn't it gross? You don't have to force yourself."
"No, not at all. It must have been hard for you to say that. Thank you for being honest with me."
I couldn't hold back any longer. I had been so afraid that she would hate me, but instead, she… I clung to her and started to cry.