Two months have passed since the end of summer vacation. We've been living our unchanged daily lives without getting bored. I've gained some stamina and can now help with preparing dinner, but as a result, the intensity of what happens before bed has increased, leaving me unsure whether to simply be happy about it. Still, the frightening thing is that I can't bring myself to refuse it.
Right now, my sister is out shopping, and I'm home alone. We used to go grocery shopping together, but lately, it's become routine for my sister to handle the shopping while I'm left exhausted and unable to move after we're done. She seems intent on keeping me from going outside as much as possible.
Today, too, I was thoroughly loved by my sister and couldn't move for a while. As I lay there, I thought back to when Shinobu found out about our relationship. It wasn't supposed to be discovered that way, but maybe it was for the best since we would have had to tell her eventually. Or maybe not, since it turned out Shinobu had overheard some of my voice from the bathroom, which was incredibly embarrassing. I made my sister promise not to say anything like that to anyone else, but I wonder if it's really going to be okay.
Even after that, Shinobu has been coming over occasionally. Thankfully, she started contacting us before visiting, so she no longer shows up in the middle of things. But it's still awkward because my sister insists on doing things with me until the last possible moment before Shinobu arrives. I'm often left blushing and unable to look Shinobu in the eye, leading her to worry that I'm being mistreated—such has become my everyday life.
Finally able to move again, I decided to finish up the remaining housework. After folding the laundry and cleaning up, I took a moment to catch my breath but then found myself thinking: Am I really contributing anything to my sister's life? I no longer doubt that my sister loves me, but I'm not sure if it will last forever. If things keep going this way, she might grow tired of me.
Just then, I heard the sound of the front door opening. My sister was back. I remembered our promise not to keep things to ourselves and decided to find a chance to talk to her. After we finished tidying up and things settled down, I brought up what was on my mind.
"Do you think it's okay for me to stay like this?"
"What do you mean? What's wrong with it?"
"I mean, I can't live without you, Sister. I don't ever plan on leaving you, but I'm completely dependent on you."
Despite my anxiety, my sister just smiled and said, "That's perfectly fine."
"I want to support you too, Sister. You give me everything, but I feel like I can't do anything for you."
Without saying anything, my sister stood up, walked over to me, and hugged me tightly.
"Because you're here, I can keep going. Just the fact that you're alive makes me so happy."
"But if this keeps up, it'll be too much of a burden on you."
"If that's how you feel, then... I want you to love me forever. I want you to stay at home and avoid interacting with anyone else as much as possible."
"Is it okay after I graduate?"
"Yes, if you do it now, you might regret it someday. I want you to think it over until you graduate. If you're truly convinced, then let's spend the rest of our lives together."
"...Okay, I understand."
I had thought about working or doing something to be prepared in case anything happened, but I changed my mind. That idea was just me looking for an escape route, not really believing my sister could fail. I realized I just wanted a way to survive on my own, if necessary. But I decided to stop thinking that way. From now on, no matter what happens, I'll love my sister and stay by her side forever. With that decision made, my sister stroked my head, saying, "Good girl."
"Then I'll do my best to meet your expectations, Sister. You're the one who's always making me feel good, but from now on, I'll make sure to make you feel good too."
When I declared this with determination, she hugged me even tighter. It started to get a bit uncomfortable, so I tried to get her to loosen her grip, but instead, she suddenly let go and lifted me up again. She headed straight for the bedroom, and I hurriedly protested.
"Wait, Sister. We already did it this morning, didn't we? After all that, you still want to do it again?"
"How could I resist when you say something so adorable? It's not my fault you're just too cute."
My protests were dismissed with incomprehensible reasoning, and today, once again, I was completely melted into a puddle by my sister. The thought that this might become a daily occurrence after I graduate makes me so happy that it scares me. Someday, I want to love my sister in this way too.
Having managed to stay conscious, I spoke to my sister, who was lying beside me with a satisfied expression.
"Hey, sis. Are you happy right now?"
"Of course. How about you, Kaya?"
"Yeah? Of course, I am too."
I hugged my sister tightly, determined not to let go of the happiness I had finally grasped after so many attempts. I wouldn't let go or drift apart. As we looked at each other without speaking, we slowly moved closer and our lips met. It was a sweet kiss, just like the first time, and no matter how many times we shared it, it never lost its intensity.
[The End]