AN: Hello again, dear readers! It took a bit of a while, but I'm back with the second chapter to this sequel story. Juggling three stories isn't quite that easy, given that being home makes me prone to procrastination and has fucked my sleep schedule even more than I thought possible. I'll just have to try my best, but now that school is properly over for me, things should calm down for at least a couple more months. I know I've already skipped some months, but I'll try to bring out one chapter per month this year, but knowing me, it'll probably be closer to one chapter every two months. I don't like making my readers wait, but my slow updates are something that I can't just fix that quickly.
But, enough of my rambling, let's get this chapter underway!
Chapter 2 – Warm Welcomes
"These groceries should last you two for at least a week. Now that we're done with shopping, it's time to go and have a look around town! Where do you two think we should go first?"
"Hmm… I don't think there's too much to see here, but we can just have a walk around for now. Oh, but Ifukube-san's store is probably something we could check out – I did buy her that salty liquorice as a souvenir, after all. We should probably also visit our school at some point."
"Well, sounds like a plan, then! Oh, and wasn't there a shrine here as well? The one where that Amatsume Akira girl works at? I'd like to check it out."
I paused for a moment in the midst of putting a box of cereal into a cupboard and turned to Sora, and she met my eyes with her own, both of us having stopped in our tracks the moment Tomoya mentioned the local shrine. The shrine – and specifically the lake behind it – held a very interesting significance for my sister and I, as it was where we had both nearly drowned before our trip, but also the place where we had made our final decision to stay together no matter what life may throw at us. I don't feel anything particular towards it, but Sora… Could she resent that place? I lifted an eyebrow at my sister, who smiled at me in return.
"Sounds like a good idea, Tomoya-san." Sora said to Tomoya as he closed the fridge door and turned to us. Looks like I worried for nothing. I smiled at Sora and pushed the box of cereal still in my hand into the cupboard, then closed it.
"Great! Was that everything?" Tomoya asked and glanced around, prompting Sora and I to look around the kitchen as well and confirm that all the groceries we bought had been safely put away. Tomoya-san pitched in a little bit with his own money, since we don't quite have our inheritance money yet. We are thankful for his help, of course, but both Sora and I know we need to become self-sufficient soon enough – even if our inheritance turns out to be a sizeable sum.
"Yes, that should be everything. Sora, are you ready?" I asked from my sister as I grabbed the bag of liquorice candy meant for Ifukube from the dinner table and put it into my pocket.
"Yes, I am, Haru. And before you ask, yes, I will be fine. I've walked so much during our vacation that walking around back here won't be an issue." Sora replied to me proudly, but then averted her gaze and continued in a lower tone. "...Probably."
"Don't worry, both Haruka and I will help you out if needed, isn't that right?" Tomoya turned to me, and I nodded to him with a smile.I'm used to helping out Sora with physical activity already, anyway."Right then, if you're both ready to go, I'm ready to go as well. I want to go and see what Okukozome has to offer, even if it won't be much, like you say."
Without any further ado, the three of us left our house and I began taking Tomoya around for some "sightseeing" around Okukozome together with Sora. After catching up with our friends, we had visited the local store to buy some groceries and other necessary supplies, so Tomoya had seen a little bit already, but we had agreed to leave the proper tour for until after, so as to not tire ourselves out by carrying around shopping bags everywhere. Akira had accompanied us for the shopping trip to do some shopping of her own, while Nao had stayed behind at home. Ryouhei, on the other hand, had gone to talk to his family after hearing Tomoya mention his friend Tomoyo's relatives here, saying that his folks would likely know them, and told us that he'd meet with us again at our school. Tomoya had already found out a little from Nao's mother earlier, but thanked Ryouhei nonetheless for going through the trouble.
As we made our way back towards central Okukozome, our first aim being the Ifukube candy store, we met more familiar faces from the small town, most of them being older folks who recognized us due to our connection with our grandparents. Some of the people we came across I recognized as people from our school, and even though neither Sora or I knew any of them personally, they still recognized and greeted us. At the end of the day, Okukozome was not a massive place, so news travels fast – especially when said news concerns the sudden return of an easily recognizable pair of siblings. From the few people we met, I could surmise that knowledge of mine and Sora's relationship hadn't spread from our friend group to anyone else, which also meant that Kuranaga had kept quiet. Still, both Sora and I knew that we had to sort things out with her soon, but right now, we just wanted to enjoy being back home and showing Tomoya around.
It didn't take long until the familiar building both Sora and I recognized as the Ifukube candy store came into view. From afar, we could spot someone sitting out on the porch, and as we got closer, the long darkish-red hair, green tank top and shorts made it evident that it was none other than Ifukube Yahiro, the owner of the shop herself. It almost feels like no time has passed at all. Ifukube had her gaze turned upwards as she sat in silence and idly chewed on what looked like a wooden stick – likely the remnants of an ice cream. As the three of us approached, she lowered her gaze and looked towards us, freezing in place as her widening eyes locked onto Sora and I.
"Hello, Ifukube-san. It's been a while." I greeted her with a smile and a raised hand, my voice seeming to snap her out of her stupor as she stood up and grinned back at us, the wooden stick pointing upwards as it was lodged between her teeth.
"I almost can't believe it. It really is you two." Ifukube walked closer to us, only sparing a small glance towards Tomoya, before taking the wooden stick out of her mouth and spreading her arms wide. "Welcome home, Sora, Haruka!" Without any warning, as soon as we got close, Ifukube had captured both Sora and I in a hug. I felt myself get pressed against both my sister and Ifukube's generous chest, but kept my cool and hugged the older woman back. Was she always like this..? "It's good to see you two safe and sound, after you disappeared so suddenly over a month ago." Ifukube said and pulled back away from us. "I heard some things from your friends whenever they visited, specifically Akira, but… Where did you two go? And when did you get back?"
"Ah, we only got back just today, actually. Well, technically we were back in Japan at the beginning of this week, but we spent the time up until now in Hikarizaka." I replied and gestured towards Tomoya, and Ifukube now turned her attention to him fully as well.
"Hey! My name's Okazaki Tomoya, nice to meet you! I'm… Well, I'm Sora and Haruka's legal guardian, is the long and short of it, really." Tomoya introduced himself and offered Ifukube a hand, and she seemed to take a moment to scan Tomoya up and down before replying. I think the two of them should be about the same age, right? Ifukube-san might be a bit older than Tomoya-san, though… Or then a little younger – I don't actually know how old she is, after all.
"Legal guardian, huh? Sounds like you have quite a story to tell about your little trip. But, I'm Ifukube Yahiro, the owner of this little candy shop here." Ifukube replied to Tomoya and shook his hand with a smile. "I'd like to hear more about what you two have been up to, though you did say you've only just came back here today…" She then turned to Sora and I and lifted an eyebrow in question.
"We were looking to speak with you anyway, Ifukube-san." Sora replied to the older woman. "We can tell you more, but… I'd prefer to do it inside." Sora glanced around and looked up at the sky briefly, shielding her eyes from the sun as she did.
"Oh, of course, just come on in, I'll get you something to drink. Been a bit quiet for a Friday today anyway, and if anyone wants something, they know to find me inside." Ifukube started to make her way inside the store, and the three of us followed after her. Just like with the outside, the inside of the store hadn't changed a bit in the month that Sora and I had been gone for, and the thought brought a small smile to my face. "Right, just wait here a moment and I'll go grab some drinks. I hope juice will be okay, because it's either that or beer."
"That… will be just fine, Ifukube-san." Ifukube nodded to me in return, then disappeared through a door at the back of the store, leaving Sora and I alone with Tomoya in the store.
"She seems like a laid-back sort. Are you two close with her?" Tomoya asked as he glanced around the store, examining some of the things on display.
"Not particularly, no. Though, I guess we are closer with her than with most other people here, apart from our friends at school." I replied as Sora took a seat to catch her breath after the walk here. "I don't really know her particularly well, though. I thought she was a bit scary at first."
"I've come here before to eat ice cream. Ifukube-san is a nicer person than she might seem." My sister commented, then looked to me and spoke in a lower tone. "Do you… think we should tell her?" I met Sora's gaze with my own, then looked to Tomoya, who crossed his arms as his expression turned more serious, catching on to what we were referring to.
"We… should at least wait and tell her about everything else first. If it seems like Ifukube-san can be trusted to understand us, then I'm willing to tell her if you are, Sora." I replied to my sister with a smile, and she nodded to me in return.
"I personally think you two should be as open about this as possible. Of course, I'm not telling you to just broadcast it to the entire world, but… If you try to keep too secretive, you might run into more problems if and when people find out by themselves." Tomoya said and furrowed his brows, then continued in a near-whisper after glancing towards the door Ifukube had entered. "And I mean… with the child and all… people are going to eventually find out, or at least suspect. So, I think forming a… net, of sorts, out of people who can… accept you two, and who you trust, will be necessary." Sora and I looked at each other, then nodded to Tomoya. He is right, we need to get people 'on our side' before long… A part of me is now thinking that perhaps we were too hasty in our decision to have a child already, but we'll figure something out. What's in front of us right now is more important.
"We've got you, and soon Kyou-san, helping us, so we'll be fine." Sora said with a smile, which Tomoya returned to her. Heh, never would I have guessed that I would one day see Sora so optimistic. Just then, the door at the back of the store opened again, and Ifukube walked back in carrying three glasses in one hand and a carton of juice in the other, and I spotted a can of beer under her arm as well.
"Here you… go." Ifukube said as she placed the glasses on the store counter and handed the carton to Tomoya.
"Should… you be drinking alcohol at this time of day?" I questioned from Ifukube as she moved behind the counter and leaned on it while Tomoya poured some juice into the glasses.
"It's fiiiiine." Ifukube replied as she opened the can and took a sip. "One can won't get me drunk, and it's a Friday anyway – I'm allowed to let loose." She then said with a grin, and I couldn't find anything to reply with, instead just awkwardly scratching my cheek. "So, tell me about this trip of yours, then, and don't be stingy with the details – we've got all afternoon."
Sora and I thus began to recount the events of our vacation, with Tomoya joining in occasionally. Despite Ifukube's request, we didn't tell her absolutely everything, mainly focusing on the most important events, and obviously leaving out anything that could be considered sensitive or personal information – mainly the things we spoke of with Hikigaya, Yukinoshita and Yumiko. With the exception of a single customer coming into the store at one point, we were able to tell our story without interruptions. Ifukube stayed mostly silent throughout it all, listening intently as she worked her way through her can of beer, but clearly expressed her sympathy when we revealed to her the things our relatives had done. I noted that she seemed to react quite strongly to the "parental neglect" (in her own words) of our relatives, and condemned them for their actions heavily, leading me to suspect if she had some personal experience with something similar. I didn't want to soil the mood, though, so I kept any questions I had to myself.
Around halfway through our story, Sora reminded me of the souvenir we had bought, so I presented the salty liquorice candy – or salmiakki – we had bought at the airport in Finland to Ifukube. She told us that she had heard of this type of candy before, but had never had the chance to try it. Tomoya had apparently gotten a taste of the candy while in Finland, but Sora and I were in the same boat as Ifukube, having never eaten it before, so she offered us to try it as well with her. Sora was initially hesitant at the prospect of eating a salty confection, but was persuaded to at least give it a try, so the three of us tested out the famous Finnish candy for the first time together. I found the taste of it quite strong, but not bad at all, and Ifukube shared my sentiment. Sora on the other hand clearly did not like it, as was evidenced by her expression, but managed to wash down her piece with the help of some juice. Needless to say, Sora refused Ifukube's offer when she cheekily asked if my sister wanted another piece.
With the three of us immersed in retelling the events of our vacation to Ifukube, we didn't really pay attention to the passage of time, and by the time we finished, it had been over forty minutes since we stepped inside the store. The drinks provided by Ifukube were more than enough to keep us from being parched, however, and she had been just as immersed in listening as we had been in, so our time was nothing if not pleasant.
"...You two had quite a trip, then. But even after seeing all that and meeting all those people, you still came back to quiet old Okukozome. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had decided to stay in Finland, it sounds like a lovely place." Ifukube said with an idle shake of her now-empty beer can once we finished our tale.
"Sora and I may come from the city, but Okukozome is our home. No matter where we go, we'll always end up back here." I said to Ifukube with a smile, and Sora nodded in agreement.
"I suppose that's fair. Just… don't let yourself be shackled by the idea of 'home'. Not a lot to be found here in terms of prospects, unless you want to take up farming or follow in the steps of your grandparents. Okukozome represents the old, gone-by era, while you two represent the future, so don't feel guilty about pursuing a life somewhere else." Ifukube looked to me and Sora with a serious look on her face, and I gave her a slow nod in reply. The future… Of course, I know I want to spend the rest of my life with Sora, but other than that? I haven't given it really any thought…
"What about you, Ifukube-san? You're still young, and you still remain here." Sora's words brought all of our attention to her, and Ifukube sighed in response.
"Honestly, I sometimes forget that I'm still in my twenties. It feels like I've lived for at least twice that long…" A melancholic expression appeared on Ifukube's face momentarily as she looked off into the distance, as if remembering some sad memory, before she shook her head and spoke again. "I have thought about leaving on multiple occasions before, but… Well, not to echo your brother too much, but Okukozome has become my home ever since I took over this store when my father passed away. I wouldn't go so far as to call this life easy, but it is a helluva lot better than going back and trying to regain what I've lost. And apart from the store, there's also… other commitments that keep me from leaving. So, yeah, I'm stuck here for the foreseeable future, but things are not so bad." Ifukube finished with a smile, but I could sense a sadness behind it. Ifukube-san must have had her fair share of troubles in the past…
"How long has the store been in your family? Sorry if I'm being insensitive, you just mentioned your late father, and…" Tomoya asked and awkwardly scratched his head, while Ifukube shook hers in response.
"You don't have to be. I miss him, of course, but I wasn't particularly close with him." Ifukube reassured Tomoya, then turned her gaze upwards in thought. "But, let's see… I don't know exactly how old this place is, but it's been around for a couple of generations, at least. I remember coming here as a kid with my father to see my grandma, who was the owner back then. I also remember meeting your grandparents for the first time, back then." Ifukube looked to Sora and I momentarily, then continued. "When grandma died, my father took over the store, and while I mainly lived with my mother at that point, my father wished I would one day take it over – which did eventually happen, when he died a few years ago."
"I see… So your mother doesn't live here?" Tomoya queried further, and Ifukube shook her head.
"No, she doesn't. I left home pretty much as soon as I was able to, and lived on my own for a while. A… lot happened, and I ended up here. I don't really get to see my mother that often, but I'm in contact with her frequently enough." Tomoya nodded in reply to Ifukube. There's a lot about her that we don't know… I want to learn more about her, if we're going to become closer from now on. "What about your wife? She didn't come here with you and the twins?" Ifukube moved the conversation to a different topic, briefly looking towards Sora and I.
"Ah, no, she had to stay with our daughter back in Hikarizaka, though she really wished she could have come with us. I'm sure you'll get to meet her soon enough." Tomoya replied to Ifukube, who nodded to him in turn.
"Well, new faces are always welcome in these parts, even if temporary." Ifukube was about to say something else, but was interrupted when the door to the store slid open, and an elderly man stepped inside, smiling and nodding in greeting as he saw the three of us with Ifukube at the counter. "Oh, good day, Kuranaga-san." Ifukube greeted the man with a raise of her hand, and I felt myself tensing up. Kuranaga..? Is he related to… I met Sora's eyes, and could tell she had realized the same thing I had.
"Good day to you as well. I can see you're having a busy day today." The man said as he walked up to the counter, giving each of us nods, his gaze lingering on me for a few moments. "Ah, you two are… The Kasugano twins, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are. My name is Haruka, and this is my sister, Sora." I introduced the two of us to him, and he smiled back at us warmly. Okukozome is not a big place, so him having the same last name as her can't be a coincidence… A grandfather, perhaps?
"Hmmm… Yes, I can definitely see your grandfather in you. He was a good friend, loved by all here. Your grandparents did great work here, and treated me on many occasions. I can only hope you two kids have taken after them, heh!" He said with a good-natured smile, which I returned to him. "Oh, but I shouldn't keep you with my ramblings. I came here to buy some ice cream, for my granddaughter. She's gotten upset about something all of a sudden, so I figured I'd try and cheer her up." He then said as he turned to Ifukube, who straightened up and began to move from behind the counter. Granddaughter… It has to be Kozue. And if she's been 'upset' by something… Nao-chan did tell her today that we've returned.
"The ice cream's in the freezers outside, come with me." Ifukube said and began to lead the old man back outside, glancing at us briefly before they exited.
"Kuranaga-san… Wasn't that the name of one of your friends? The one that… didn't come to meet you two." Tomoya asked quietly once the pair had left, and I heard Sora letting out a small sigh.
"Yes, she was. I've never seen her family, but… He is likely her grandfather." I replied and turned to Tomoya with a slightly pained smile. "...Given that Nao-chan met with her briefly earlier today and told her that Sora and I have returned, it's not hard to guess what might have caused her to become so upset." Tomoya nodded slowly in return, then furrowed his brows in thought.
"...When are you two planning on talking things out with her? School starts on Monday, so I think you should probably do it before then." Tomoya asked from us, and I met Sora's gaze with my own briefly.
"Not today, at least, but as soon as possible. Either tomorrow on or Sunday, whenever we get a chance." I replied. Resolving things with Kuranaga-san is of utmost priority, before things can get out of hand.
"...I don't think she'll want to talk with us, so we might need to ask our friends to set up a situation where we can do so." Sora mused out loud, and I nodded in agreement. A moment of silence fell upon the three of us, until Ifukube and the elderly customer returned, the latter now holding two small boxes of ice cream in his hands.
"Right, that'll be 320 yen for both of them. Was there anything else you wanted?" Ifukube asked from the customer as she moved back behind the counter, and after a moment of thought, he shook his head at her.
"No, I'll just have these. Hopefully my granddaughter will cheer up a little with it." The elderly man said and took out a small purse. "You two are friends with my granddaughter, right? Her name is Kozue-chan, and I remember her talking a lot about you back when you first arrived here." He looked to me as he searched around in his purse, bringing out fifty- and ten-yen coins onto the counter. Yes, she would have done that, given her feelings towards me… I saw my sister sending me a sideways glance, but she didn't say anything.
"Well… I suppose you could say that, ahahaa…" I replied with an awkward laugh and rubbed the back of my neck. Though, not exactly… I don't think we'll ever be able to be friends with her again, unfortunately… "You, uh… don't need to tell her about meeting us, by the way. She… already knows we're back. One of our friends told her earlier today." If he's trying to get her to cheer up, mentioning us would likely have the opposite effect. I resisted the urge to sigh and put on my best neutral smile.
"I see. Yes, I do think that Yorihime girl came by earlier today, now that you mention it. I know she likes spending time with them all, so I do apologize on her behalf. I'll try my best to cheer up my granddaughter, so I hope you'll continue to be good friends to her." The elderly man smiled at us warmly, but his words stabbed at me, and all I could do was nod – even Sora had to look away from him. "Three-twenty, did you say? I think this is correct…"
"Yes, it is." Ifukube said and took the coins that were laid out on the counter. "Do you need a bag?"
"No, I'll be fine like this. Thank you." The elderly man gave Ifukube a brief bow, then turned to us. "It was good talking with you kids. Take good care of yourselves." Sora and I nodded to him in return, and he began to make his way out of the store.
"See you again soon, Kuranaga-san!" Ifukube said loudly as the man exited out of the doorway, and he turned around briefly to wave at us before leaving. "...Is there… something going on with his granddaughter and you guys?" Ifukube asked as the door to the store closed, and both Sora and I turned to her in surprise.
"What… makes you ask that?" I asked in turn, feeling myself involuntarily tensing up as I awaited her answer.
"Your reply to his question was obviously strained. And over the past month that you were gone, out of all the people in your little friend group, Kozue is the only one who hasn't said a single word about you two. I also haven't seen her with the others as often as I would've thought, given that it was summer vacation, and the few times I have seen them, there's been something awkward between her and Nao. Her grandfather is obviously clueless, but… Do you know if something's happened?" Ifukube's gaze flitted between Sora and I, while we turned to each other. Nao-chan was willing to accept our relationship, while Kuranaga-san wasn't, so it's understandable that things might have gotten a bit awkward… The question is, though… Do we tell Ifukube-san? I raised an eyebrow as I looked at my sister, and she bit her lip, thinking for a moment, then sighed and raised an eyebrow back at me. I gave her a slow nod, which my sister returned to me, then looked towards Ifukube again.
"Yes, we do know what's happened. We're the reason for it, just as we are likely the reason as to why Kuranaga-san has become upset all of a sudden, like her grandfather told us." Sora said as I also turned back to Ifukube, and she raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"What… do you mean by that? You've been gone for over a month, so… Did something happen before you two left?" Ifukube asked and looked between the two of us. No going back now, we'll just have to tell her. I looked to Tomoya, and he gave me a knowing nod, understanding what Sora and I were meaning to do.
"It's… something we shouldn't really discuss here, since we are a bit... out in the open." I replied and gestured around the shop. Ifukube narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, then closed them and crossed her arms as she began to think for a moment.
"...Alright, I can put a sign up outside that I'm not here, and we can talk at my place in the back." Ifukube jerked a thumb towards the door at the back of the shop, leading to her living quarters, and I nodded to her. After seeing my confirmation, Ifukube grabbed something from underneath the counter – the sign she had mentioned – and exited the store, hanging up the sign on the door, then sliding them closed as she re-entered. "Right, come with me. I'm quite interested to hear about this." Ifukube grabbed the empty glasses and carton of juice as she returned, then gestured towards the door at the back. Here we go, then.
The three of us followed after Ifukube, and found ourselves in a cozy little room with tatami mat flooring. The centre of the room held a low table, while a number of boxes and shelves were stacked on top of each other in a recess to our right, though my attention was instantly drawn to the large television setup in the corner opposite to it. As we entered, Ifukube turned to us and raised the juice carton up to eye level.
"You want any more?" she asked from us, and after sharing looks, the three of us shook our heads. "Alright. Sit down, I'm grabbing another beer." Ifukube gestured to the area around the table, and I nodded to her in response. Seeing my nod, Ifukube slid open a side door, through which I could I see what looked like a kitchen, then disappeared through it.
"...I'm nervous, Haru." Sora said as we sat down around the small table, with my sister and I next to each other on one side and Tomoya to our left with the television behind us.
"I know, because I am too." I replied and took a hold of my sister's hand, briefly glancing at the door Ifukube had walked through, hearing muted sounds from within. "It'll be fine, we just have to explain things to her." I tried to reassure my sister, but wasn't sure if it had helped or not. I don't really know her that well, but we can't avoid this, now… We'll just have to entrust her with our secret, and hope for the best. We didn't have to wait long until Ifukube returned with another beer can, picking up a cushion from the floor as she entered and throwing it on the other side of the table opposite to us before sitting down on it.
"Right, we've got the privacy, now. What's going on in your friend group regarding Kuranaga Kozue, and how exactly are you two responsible for upsetting her?" Ifukube asked and leaned on the table while opening her beer can. I shared one last look with Sora, then took a deep breath to calm myself and spoke.
"This… goes back to before we left. Kuranaga-san… found out something specific back then, and cut all ties with me and Sora because of it. When we returned here today, the first thing we did was gather all of our friends to meet with them again, and Kuranaga-san was the only one who didn't come. The reason she's suddenly become upset, like her grandfather said… is likely because Nao-chan told her that we've returned." I explained to Ifukube, who quietly took a sip of her beer, not breaking eye contact with me.
"...So, what did she find out that made her do that?" She then asked, her tone of voice slightly lower than before, and I felt Sora's grip on my hand tightening.
"Before we tell you… I want you to promise to not… freak out, and hear us out till the end. Can you do that?" Ifukube raised an eyebrow at me, but nodded slowly. Alright, now's the time. "Thank you, Ifukube-san. The truth is… Sora and I… we are actually… in a romantic relationship together. But, we are still siblings." Ifukube froze in place as her eyes widened, looking between us in disbelief.
"So that means…" We both gave Ifukube a nod, and Sora leaned closer to me.
"I love Haru, more than as a brother, and he feels the same way. We are twins, but also lovers." Sora spoke out, and Ifukube's attention was brought to her momentarily, before she looked towards Tomoya, the look of disbelief still on her face.
"…It's true, Ifukube-san. Please, listen to their story." Tomoya said to her, and Ifukube returned her gaze to us, her expression turning into shock and astonishment.
"We've... had these feelings for each other for a long time. Due to Sora's physical fragility, we were separated for a long period of time as children, and when we were reunited, we didn't see each other as just siblings any more. But, I pushed those feelings aside for years, eventually forgetting them, while Sora kept hers close to her heart – until we returned to Okukozome upon our parents' deaths. Coming back here after so many years, all the memories flooding back… They caused those feelings to resurface, and not long before we left on our vacation, we decided to embrace them." I looked to my sister, unable to suppress the smile forming on my face, and she smiled back at me. "We weren't able to keep this a secret, though, and both Nao-chan and Kuranaga-san found out. However, while Nao-chan was able to live with it… the shock was too much for Kuranaga-san. That is the reason for why she now despises us, and doesn't want to associate with us – and it's also why things are awkward between her and Nao-chan. That's… the short version of our tale, I suppose." I awkwardly scratched my cheek with my free hand as I finished, somewhat unsure if I should say anything more. I want to tell Ifukube-san everything, to hopefully help her better understand us and our circumstances, but I also don't want to talk too much. Keeping it short might sometimes be better.
"…" Ifukube stayed silent and unmoving for a while after I finished, finally moving as she leaned back on her arms, keeping eye contact with me. "...It's almost unbelievable. I want to call this all bullshit, but I know you're being serious. You two know what you're doing is considered immoral, right?" She then said, her tone of voice betraying none of her intentions or emotions.
"We do, but… Well, to put it bluntly, we don't care. Sora and I truly love each other, and we are happiest when together. Why should we let what others might think spoil our happiness? The fact that we are siblings… just makes our love special, but other than that, it's no different from something other people may have. We aren't hurting anyone." Sora nodded alongside my reply, and Ifukube averted her eyes from us.
"Love, huh..?" Ifukube let out a small sigh, though with her gaze directed at something distant, and the tiredness in her voice, I didn't think the emotion behind it was projected at us. "...I guess I can't fault you for thinking that way, just… Sorry, I don't exactly have the best history with love." Ifukube shook her head, then looked back at us. "You're fully serious about this? You two really have… an incestuous relationship, and want to pursue it?" Without hesitation, we both nodded to Ifukube. "Your life ain't gonna be easy like this, not that it was to begin with, given your circumstances, but this will make it infinitely harder."
"We know, but… We'll make it through, together." I replied confidently. "Whatever the world may throw at us, we'll be fine, because we have each other, and that's all that matters." Ifukube seemed somewhat taken aback by my words, but only momentarily.
"We… told you this because we want to know if you're with us, or against us, Ifukube-san." Sora then spoke out, and Ifukube shifted her gaze to my sister. "We won't try to make you accept us. If you don't think you can't do that, then the only thing we ask of you is to let us live our lives in peace. So… which is it?" Ifukube looked at Sora for a moment, then sighed again, bringing herself up and leaning on the table.
"That's not an easy question to answer right away. There's a part of my brain screaming at me right now that I should just throw you out, in accordance with what I've been taught about morality, but… It's not as loud as it probably should be. I know you two are not bad kids, and like your brother said, you aren't hurting anyone. If I had to say… I'm feeling conflicted." Ifukube shifted her gaze from us to Tomoya and continued. "What about you, Okazaki-san? You're their legal guardian, what do you think of all this?" At least her reaction so far hasn't been a strong one… I really want things to work out with Ifukube-san.
"...Well, it's unusual, to say the least. But that doesn't make it bad, or wrong. Sure, society might see what Haruka and Sora have as 'wrong', but having been with the two of them for some time, now, and knowing what they've gone through… I don't condemn them for it." Tomoya replied to Ifukube, briefly glancing at us and smiling. "Haruka and Sora are happy this way, and as their guardian, it's my job to ensure they're living content, happy lives, so I support them in this relationship." As Tomoya finished, Ifukube averted her gaze again, locking it on the beer can sitting on the table.
"...Everything you're saying is logical, so I'm finding it hard to disagree with you." Ifukube said after a little while, raising her gaze again and looking first at Sora, then at me. "I think I'll need more time to think on this, but… I can at least live with your decisions. I can't go around denying other peoples' happiness, and you're not doing anyone any harm." Ifukube's words made a wave of relief wash over me, and I heard Sora sighing in relief. We are so lucky to have such understanding people around us… "Though, it does sound like you two need to patch things up with Kuranaga Kozue. Are she and Nao the only ones who know about your relationship?"
"We… know that. I doubt we'll ever be able to be friends with Kuranaga-san again, but I want to at least make sure we can coexist without any problems." I replied to Ifukube, and she gave me a slow nod in reply.
"Apart from you, the only people in Okukozome who know about us are our friends. Outside of Okukozome, we've told a few individuals who we met during our vacation. We… have no intentions of purposefully hiding our relationship, but we also won't tell people about it unless necessary." Sora continued after me, pausing for a moment as she lowered her gaze before speaking again. "I know you just said that you'd need more time to think, but… We would really appreciate it if you were able to support us. Or, not even support, but just accepting us… would mean a lot." My sister said, only sending glances at Ifukube and not daring to look her in the eye. "So… please." Sora glanced at me, then lowered her head in a bow, and I followed suit – and even Tomoya joined us in bowing to her.
"Uh… Geez, just r-raise your heads." Ifukube said quite quickly afterwards, and as I raised my head I saw her scratching her head and looking away from us, somewhat flustered. "You're being so sincere with all this, even when what you're saying is so outlandish." Ifukube let out a sigh, grabbed her beer can, took a long swig, then looked back at us after lowering it. "Look, I can't make any promises, but I'll think about everything you've told me. I just… don't know what to say right now."
"That's fine, Ifukube-san. Take all the time you need. Like Sora said, we don't necessarily need to be supported, and just accepting us and our relationship is enough. We just want to live a normal life together." I turned to my sister and smiled at her, and she smiled back at me. "Oh, there was one thing I did want to ask from you as well…" Ifukube raised an eyebrow in question, and gestured for me to continue. "After we get our rightful inheritance money, we should be good financially for a while, but Sora and I will need to start earning some money of our own as well, so… I was going to ask if there was any work you could offer, Ifukube-san." Ifukube's eyes seemed to widen in surprise momentarily, and she took another swig of her beer before responding.
"Work? I barely make enough from this shop to sustain myself, and I'm not exactly in desperate need for extra hands, so I'm not sure what I could offer." Ifukube replied, and I lowered my gaze, somewhat dejected. Right, of course… It makes sense that she wouldn't profit much in a place like Okukozome. Maybe I should go ask the supermarket… "...But I'll think about it." Ifukube's words pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked back up at her in confusion. "Once I've figured out what to think of your relationship, I'll be in a better position to think about potentially hiring you. Even if I did find a solution, though, I could only hire one of you, not both. Like I said, I just about make enough to support myself from this shop, so paying two employees on top of that would make me go bankrupt." Ifukube didn't meet my gaze, instead looking away as she scratched her head. Ifukube-san…
"...Arigatou, Ifukube-san." I thanked Ifukube with a small bow of my head. "We really appreciate it."
"Don't thank me yet. I'm still on the fence about your relationship with each other." Ifukube replied to me. Well, At least we can take comfort in knowing that even if she can't accept us, she'll leave us in peace. I am really hoping she'll be able to accept our relationship, though. "Was… that all you had to say? Well, I mean, what you told me was a pretty big thing, but you get what I mean." Sora and I looked at each other, then at Tomoya, who shook his head at us.
"Yes, we… just wanted to make you aware of our relationship, and explain some of our circumstances, that is all." I replied, and Sora nodded next to me. "You… said that you needed some time to think, so… we can get going, now. There's still more of Okukozome we need to show Tomoya-san, and Ryouhei is waiting to meet with us." I glanced at Sora, and the two of us began to stand up, with Tomoya following suit.
"Yeah, sure." Ifukube replied and stood up herself, still holding onto her beer can. "I'll, uh… Get in touch with you two once I've… you know. Sorted through my conflicting thoughts and decided what to think of everything you've told me." Ifukube averted her gaze as she rubbed the back of her neck, and my sister and I nodded to her.
"It was nice meeting you, Ifukube-san." Tomoya said and extended a hand out towards Ifukube, who looked at him curiously for a moment, before taking his hand and shaking it. "I hope we can do this in the future as well."
"Maybe, we'll see." Ifukube replied, then moved to open the door for us after letting go of Tomoya's hand. "I'll… be seeing you around, then. Close the front door behind you when you leave, but leave the sign there." I nodded to Ifukube as we stepped back into the store.
"Yeah, see you." Ifukube leaned on the door frame and took a sip of her beer as she watched the three of us exit, exchanging brief waves with her before we slid the door closed behind us. As we stepped outside, we paused for a moment and didn't say anything. Telling Ifukube-san of our relationship… went better than we maybe expected.
"...That went well, right?" Tomoya was the first to break the silence, bringing mine and Sora's attention to him. "Ifukube-san took the 'revelation' quite well, though she did say she needed time to think."
"I really hope she can come to accept us. But, right now, hoping is all we can do." I replied and turned back to look at Ifukube's store, letting my gaze linger on it for a moment.
"I'm sure you'll be able to get along with her just fine. Ifukube-san seemed like the understanding sort – I definitely got the feeling she's got more wisdom in her than her age would suggest." Tomoya said with a confident smile. She did say that she sometimes feels older than she actually is, so… Maybe Tomoya-san is right. "Now, where should we head next? Meet up with your friend at your school, or somewhere else?" Tomoya then asked, but before either of us could reply, the door to the store opened suddenly, and Ifukube's head poked out.
"Ah, you guys are still here, good." Ifukube said as she stepped outside, carrying a plastic bag with her.
"What is it, Ifukube-san?" I asked as I turned to her.
"You wouldn't be planning on going to the shrine today, are you?" Ifukube asked in turn. The shrine? Come to think of it, Amatsume-san and Ifukube-san are quite close, aren't they?
"Ah, yes, we are. Why do you ask?" Ifukube seemed to let out a small sigh of relief, then held out the plastic bag towards us.
"Could you take this to Akira while you're there? I was gonna ask you while we were back inside, but what you told me… kinda threw me off and I forgot." Ifukube said and scratched her head awkwardly. "I can take it to her myself tomorrow, or something, but…"
"We can take it to her." Sora cut her off with a smile and grabbed onto the plastic bag. After a moment of stunned silence, Ifukube let go of the bag and nodded to her.
"Alright, thanks. Saves me the trouble of making the trip all the way up those stairs, or waiting until Akira comes by herself." Ifukube said, then turned back around to head inside again. "Take care."
"You too, Ifukube-san." Ifukube lingered in the doorway for a moment and nodded at me, then closed the door behind her as she entered the store again. "We… should probably take this to Amatsume-san at the shrine as soon as possible, right?" I asked after a short moment and gestured to the plastic bag Sora was now holding, my sister lifting it up and peering inside.
"There's no hurry, is there? It didn't seem like this was something urgent." Sora replied to me. I guess Ifukube-san would have told us if it was…
"Why don't we head to the shrine after meeting up with your friend Ryouhei? I wanted to go there anyway, and you can show me more places afterwards." Tomoya pitched in, and I looked to Sora with a raised eyebrow, my sister replying to me with a smile and a nod.
"Alright, let's do that, then."
With the three of us agreeing on a plan of action, we began to move out and continue showing off Okukozome to Tomoya.
Okukozome is not a noteworthy place when it comes to seeing the sights, so our little "tour" for Tomoya could not exactly be considered interesting. Still, Tomoya seemed to enjoy just walking around and seeing something different from Hikarizaka. Tomoya had said it to us before, but at least now it became clear that he had never really left his hometown, so any different scenery was welcome to him. Haru and I were similar to him in that regard, as we had lived in the city with our parents up until their accident, and the only place we had ever gone to was Okukozome. And just like with Tomoya, our trip to Finland had been our first time travelling outside of Japan.
After showing Tomoya what little Okukozome had to offer, the three of us headed to the high school, where Ryouhei was waiting for us. All the walking around was tiring me, so we had to take breaks every now and then, but neither Haru nor Tomoya minded it – the latter only saw it as more time for him to take in the sights. I really wanted to improve my physique, as it did bother me somewhat, so I could at least do more things together with Haru. However, I wasn't really sure how I could go about improving my stamina in the first place, given my physical weakness. I figured that my best bet would be asking one of the girls here, or perhaps either Yukino or Yumiko, if they could help me out.
While I was silently musing over what to do about my physical state, we had arrived at the high school. As we came closer, I could recognize Ryouhei as he stood by the gates, turning to us and waving enthusiastically when he saw us approaching. While I had initially disliked him, after our reunion, I had started to see him in a better light. Just another example of why I should stop judging people based on my first impressions.
"Yo! Haruka, Sora, and Okazaki-san! You having fun sightseeing?" Ryouhei greeted us as we arrived at the school gates.
"Hey, Ryouhei." My brother returned the greeting, while I simply nodded to Ryouhei. "There… hasn't been much to show Tomoya-san so far, but…" Haru turned to Tomoya as he trailed off, and Tomoya pumped a fist in the air excitedly.
"It's been amazing!" Tomoya shouted out loudly, staying still for a few moments, before lowering his hand and rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, maybe not, but Okukozome has a quaint little charm to it. Hikarizaka, where I come from, is not a big place either, but it is much more… 'modern' than Okukozome is. I think the only other place like this that I've been to was my grandmother's place, though her hometown is closer to the sea. Still, so far it's not been too bad." Tomoya finished with a smile, and Ryouhei nodded to him.
"Yeah, we are somewhat lacking in modern amenities around here. Even though the city is only a single train ride away, it would be nice to not have to commute for some things. Have you been to the shrine, yet? It's probably one of the only selling points Okukozome has." Ryouhei asked from us, and we shook our heads at him.
"Not yet, no. We've kind of just been walking around so far, getting Tomoya-san familiarized with everything here. Our plan was to head there after meeting you here, though, and we even got given something by Ifukube-san that she wanted to take to Amatsume-san." My brother explained, raising up the plastic bag given to us by Ifukube. It wasn't heavy, but Haru still wanted to carry it in my place… Not wanting to be a burden on Haru, even though I know he'll never see me that way, is another reason for improving my physique.
"Oh, you visited Ifukube-san's store, then? Did you guys… tell her?" Despite there being no-one around us, Ryouhei lowered the tone of his voice, and the meaning of his words was not lost to us.
"...Yes, we did tell her. Ifukube-san… took it well, her reaction was better than we had expected. But, she said that she needed time to think, before she can say for sure if she's willing to accept our relationship or not." Ryouhei gave my brother a slow nod in response. "At the very least, we know that she won't cause us any trouble, but… It would be nice if we could count on her in the future."
"Ifukube-san is a good person. I'm hoping things work out with her for you guys as well." Ryouhei replied to us with a smile, and my brother smiled back at him. ...Yeah, he's definitely a better guy than my initial assumption made me believe. "Oh, right, Okazaki-san, I found out more about those relatives of your friend you mentioned." He then said and turned to Tomoya.
"Oh, did you? Though, I suppose they technically aren't related to her, but her half-sister instead… But I suppose it doesn't matter that much." Tomoya scratched his head as he paused for a moment before continuing. "I already found out some things from Haruka and Sora's neighbour, but do you know where they live?"
"Yes, the Mishimas don't live too far from the school, actually. My parents are friends with the old couple, though the last time I saw them was many years ago. My mother… did also tell me that apparently their adult daughter is… not in the best state of mind psychologically. She doesn't live here in Okukozome, though." Ryouhei explained his findings to Tomoya, his tone of voice lowering and becoming more somber as he went on. That… doesn't sound good…
"I… did hear something similar from Tomoyo. Her half-sister started living with her precisely because of that – dealing with her mother was too much for the little girl." The unexpected heavy topic caused a silence to fall upon the four of us, with neither Haru nor I really knowing what to say – we didn't know these people, after all. "Anyway, I might as well go and introduce myself, while I'm here. Both Kyou and I consider Tomoyo a dear friend, and we've helped look after her little half-sister in the past as well." Tomoya broke the silence, glancing between the rest of us.
"Sure, I can show you where they live. Unless you have other plans – you did say you were going to visit the shrine." Ryouhei turned to Haru and I with a raised eyebrow.
"We're not in a hurry to get there. And it's not like there's going to be any teachers here today to introduce Tomoya to and sort other things out with, so not much point in hanging around the school." Haru replied to Ryouhei, and I nodded alongside him. We were initially planning on contacting our teachers once we returned to Okukozome, but meeting with our friends pushed it out of our minds, so we were insteadgoing to do it after we returned home from this 'sightseeing' trip.
"Alright then. Come, this way."
The three of us began to follow Ryouhei as he led us away from the school. On the way, Ryouhei told Tomoya more of what he knew about Okukozome, as well as about his family. Ryouhei was apparently an only child, but he had quite a few younger cousins thanks to his extended family all living in here as well, with only a handful of relatives having moved out. Ryouhei guessed, however, that not many of his cousins were going to stay here, and I was reminded of what Ifukube said to us before. I didn't initially like Okukozome, but this place has grown on me. I don't know about the future, but for now, I'm content with staying here with Haru.
It didn't take long until we arrived at our destination, an unassuming traditional-style house, the likes of which can be found all over Okukozome. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the sight of an elderly man in the midst of some gardening work. Initially, he didn't recognize any of us, but upon hearing Ryouhei's name, as well as mine and Haru's names, he greeted us warmly and introduced himself as Mishima Junichi. Like Ryouhei had said, his parents were friends with the elderly man and his wife, and the two of us he recognized due to our last name – our grandparents were very well-known and respected in these parts, as we had come to know during our time here, so it didn't come as a surprise. When Mishima asked who Tomoya was, he introduced himself as a friend of Sakagami Tomoyo, causing the old man's eyes to first widen in surprise, before his expression morphed into something far from the cheerfulness he had initially shown us. Tomoya went on to explain that he had heard about the Mishimas from Tomoyo, and knew of the situation with their daughter and granddaughter. After hearing Tomoya out, the old man apologized for his sudden change in demeanour, and invited the four of us inside for some tea. Seeing no reason to refuse, we accepted and followed him inside.
The interior of the house was as one would expect from this style of house, with nothing sticking out as we were lead through it until we reached a larger room with a low table, several chairs, and a sofa facing towards a television. The old man asked us to wait for a moment so he could prepare the tea and get his wife, and we acquiesced with his request as he left through one of the side doors. Being left on our own inside what constituted as practically a stranger's house, the atmosphere quickly turned awkward, with none of us really knowing what to say. Thankfully, it didn't take long until the awkwardness was broken by a figure emerging from the same door the old man had left through – his wife. She introduced herself to us as Mishima Kana, and we in turn introduced ourselves to her – just like her husband, she recognized us once she heard our last name – with Tomoya explaining shortly how he was friends with their granddaughter's older half-sister, and knew of their circumstances. Similar to her husband, a wave of melancholy seemed to wash over the old woman as Tomoya mentioned their granddaughter, and it even peaked my interest. Ryouhei said the daughter of this old couple had some psychological problems, but what exactly does that mean? In any case, I can tell it weighs heavily on the minds of her parents…
The old woman offered us a place to sit on the couch to wait for her husband to return, while she herself sat on one of the chairs nearby. Accepting her offer, we sat down on the couch, with myself, Haru and Ryouhei fitting on it, while Tomoya moved one of the other chairs close and took a seat on it. Perhaps not wanting to ask about her granddaughter before her husband returned, she instead asked Tomoya what he came to Okukozome for, as he was clearly not a local. Tomoya briefly explained that we had just returned from our vacation, and that he had come here with us due to him now being our legal guardian. Upon hearing this, the old woman suddenly apologized, then offered her condolences to me and Haru regarding our parents. Pretty much everyone here had heard of our circumstances by now, but apparently she felt the need to specifically address it, since this was our first time meeting. Haru and I thanked her, but assured that we had gotten over the incident already, which seemed to give the old woman some form of peace of mind.
Mishima Kana continued to ask Haru and I questions for a few more minutes, until her husband returned, now having changed out of the overalls he had worn while outside and carrying with him a tray, upon which sat a teapot and a number of cups. First distributing the cups among all of us, he then set the tray down with the teapot on the low table, and we took turns pouring ourselves a cup of tea as he sat down next to his wife. After we settled down with our drinks, the old man glanced at his wife, then cleared his throat as he turned to Tomoya.
"Okazaki-san, you… said that you were a friend of Sakagami Tomoyo, whom our dear granddaughter is currently living with." Mishima Junichi began, and Tomoya nodded to him slowly. "Is… Is Tomo doing well? Her half-sister sends us messages every now and then, but… we haven't seen her in such a long time…" Tomoya took a quick sip from his teacup, then reached down to place it on the table before replying.
"I already told this to your wife, but I've only recently returned to Japan from a trip overseas. However, I did meet with Tomoyo before I came here to Okukozome with the twins, and she told me that Tomo is doing well. My wife and I occasionally help with taking care of her, and she's good friends with our own daughter, Ushio. She's adjusted well into life in Hikarizaka, and is quite happy living together with her older sister." Tomoya finished with a smile, and the old couple relaxed, clearly relieved by his words.
"Thank you, that is good to hear. We were worried, given the state of her mother and how it affected Tomo before she moved. We would have otherwise taken care of her ourselves, but we are getting old, and trying to raise a child of that age here…" Mishima Junichi trailed off, then shook his head before clearing his throat and continuing. Things certainly haven't been easy for them, huh? "Ahem, my apologies. We are very glad to hear that our Tomo is doing well."
"Do you know if she might be able to visit us some time?" Mishima Kana asked from Tomoya.
"When Tomoyo met Haruka and Sora a couple days back and learned that they lived in Okukozome, she did say that she'd want to come back here and visit again at some point – to come see both them and you. I can't tell you when exactly they might come, but you can rest assured knowing that you'll get to see your granddaughter soon enough." Tomoya replied with a smile, which the old woman returned to him.
"Thank you again, Okazaki-san. We are truly relieved to hear that Tomo is doing better in Hikarizaka." Mishima Junichi thanked Tomoya again and bowed his head slightly, causing Tomoya to smile in an embarrassed manner. "But, to move on to a different subject, what brings you here to Okukozome? You mentioned that you came here with the Kasugano twins?" He then continued, looking to Haru and I briefly.
"Ah, yes, It's… a bit of a long story, but… You know of the reason why Haruka and Sora initially moved to Okukozome, right?" Tomoya asked in turn, and Junichi nodded to him, then looked to us with a sympathetic expression, and we simply smiled at him in return while lightly shaking our heads. "Well, me and my wife met the two of them on our vacation, and ended up taking the place of their closest relatives as their legal guardians. The official side of things hasn't been finalized yet, but by all other accounts, me and my wife are now Haruka's and Sora's legal guardians, and that's why I came here with them for this weekend. Having helped Tomoyo around with taking care of her half-sister and then learning from her that you lived here as well, I decided that I'd at least come and introduce myself." Tomoya explained to the old couple, with Haru nodding alongside him, while I simply lifted my teacup for a sip. Like Tomoya-san said, the full story is quite long, and we'd rather not spell it out for every person we meet, even if this old couple is kinda nice.
"I see, I see. It's good that the two of them have at least someone taking care of them. Although, since all of us here are indebted to your grandparents one way or another, just about anyone is willing to help you two in whatever way they can – so don't be shy in asking for help!" Mishima Junichi turned to Haru and I with a warm smile, which we returned to him.
"...We'll keep that in mind, thank you." Haru said and bowed his head slightly towards the old man, and I copied his gesture. We've been doing just fine on our own… But maybe it isn't too bad to take the help that everyone is offering us.
"You aren't planning on moving here, then, Okazaki-san? You mentioned a wife and child back in Hikarizaka, so I wondered how you were going to manage taking care of both them and the Kasugano twins here." Mishima Kana then asked.
"No, I'm not planning on moving. My wife and I are Haruka's and Sora's legal guardians now, but we'll be living away from them, as the law does not expressly state that we have to live together with them. We will be supporting them financially when needed, as well as make frequent trips here, but mostly we'll be trusting Sora and Haruka to be able to take care of themselves." Tomoya replied and then turned to us with a smile. "They may be living here in solitude, but they are not alone. They've got each other, and are surrounded by friends, so I'm sure they'll do just fine." At Tomoya's words, Haru and I looked at each other and smiled, then nodded towards the old couple while Ryouhei placed a hand on my brother's shoulder and grinned happily. That's right, Haru and I will never be alone, because we'll always be together. No matter what the world throws at us, we'll be fine.
The next several minutes passed pleasantly as we sipped our tea and conversed with the old couple. Slowly, they turned from strangers who were sympathetic towards us into something different – I wouldn't say we became particularly close with the Mishimas, but I'd now consider them at least neighbours. They told Tomoya about Okukozome (though there wasn't much he hadn't already heard from others since coming here, I guessed), and in turn Tomoya told them – and by extension, Ryouhei – things about Hikarizaka. The old me would have seen the entire thing as a waste of time, and while I still found it somewhat boring, it was far from unpleasant. There were worse ways one could spend their time in Okukozome, I figured.
After we all finished with our drinks, we decided that it was time for us to leave and move on with our plans for today. We bid farewell to the Mishimas, with Tomoya promising that the next time around he'd come together Tomoyo and their granddaughter, then started to make our way towards the local shrine to meet up with Akira. Ryouhei decided to stick around with us, idly conversing with Haru and Tomoya on the way, while I joined in occasionally. While I had definitely changed when it came to how I interacted with and reacted to other people, I was still nowhere near as chatty as Haru was – and I didn't really aim to be like that anyway. Despite being twins, the two of us were very different from one another, and that was perfectly fine.
While summer vacation may have ended, the weather was still warm, and the sun shining brightly above definitely didn't make walking around this much any easier for me and my limited stamina. However, with a slow enough pace and frequent short breaks, it was perfectly manageable, and I didn't find it to be that bad at all.
That was, until we finally reached the shrine and I remembered why I didn't like frequenting it.
"You doing okay, Sora?" Haru asked as he looked back, stopping on the stairs leading up to the shrine as I leaned on one of the torii gates, a few steps behind my brother.
"I'm… fine." I replied as I took a deep breath and continued up the stairs, passing by my brother. "I can get up some stairs just fine." I heard my brother sigh behind me, then start moving again as he caught up with me. I know I'm being stubborn, but… I want to be able to do at least this much on my own. Not only to show Haru, but also myself.
"Whatever you say, Sora. Just don't overexert yourself." Haru replied with a smile and slowed his gait to match mine. I need to be strong so Haru can lean on me someday. I don't want to hold him back – I want to stand with him as an equal, like in any true relationship.
Boosting my own confidence as I quickened my pace, I looked upwards, my gaze going past Ryouhei and Tomoya further up the path, and past the red torii gates until I saw the blue sky above. Thankfully, the canopy provided by the trees here shielded us against the sun and gave us some much-needed time in the shade after walking here completely at the sun's mercy – I don't think any amount of confidence would have allowed me to make it all the way up to the shrine without collapsing if I had to endure the scorching sun at the same time. Eventually, we made it to the top and were greeted by the empty shrine grounds, with Tomoya admiring the scenery while I leaned on my brother's shoulder to catch my breath.
"...You sure that you're fine, Sora?" My brother asked and stroked my hair gently.
"Yes, I am. Just… walking around in the sun so much beforehand took a lot out of me. But, we made it here, and that's what counts." I replied, took a few more deep breaths, then stopped leaning on my brother and walked towards Ryouhei and Tomoya.
"This place is quite pretty. There aren't really any shrines around Hikarizaka, you kind of have to go out of the city more to find any like this." Tomoya commented as he looked around with intrigue. "It's kind of… empty, though. I would have expected there to be more people around, but I suppose Okukozome isn't that big of a place."
"Yeah, Akira's the only shrine maiden here, and apart from her, there are only a few other caretakers around. It gets really busy around summer festivals, though – this shrine is the only thing that draws people to Okukozome from other places, and it does it well." Ryouhei explained to Tomoya. Ah, the summer festival… We probably missed the yearly one by being away, huh? I kind of wanted to go with Haru… "This place is dedicated to Princess Sayori, and the lake behind the shrine is supposedly sacred. Akira will be able to tell you more, if you're interested."
"Shall we go find her, then?" My brother asked and gestured towards the buildings on the other side of the shrine grounds. "It shouldn't be too difficult to locate her." Ryouhei and Tomoya nodded to my brother, and we all began to walk around the shrine grounds, looking for Akira.
Looking to get out of the sun and into some shade again, I made my way to the central shrine building and looked around while Ryouhei called her out by name and Haru made his way to the building Akira lived in. As I was glancing around, a sudden sound startled me, and I turned to its source to find a pair of small eyes staring back at me from the shadows. At first, I froze in momentary fear, but as my eyes locked onto something swaying from side to side behind the eyes, I realized what the small form hiding from the scorching sun actually was.
"...A cat?" Taking a step forwards and leaning down for a closer look, it became clear that the pair of eyes looking up at me curiously belonged to a small, black-furred cat, hiding behind the offering box of the shrine. "What are you doing here?" I crouched down and extended my hand out, and the black cat meowed as it walked close to me, sniffing my hand before rubbing its face against it. Akira didn't mention owning a cat… Perhaps it belongs to one of the other caretakers of the shrine? Or is it a stray? I can't see a collar or anything on it… As I was petting the now happily purring cat, rapid footsteps coming from my left alerted me, and I saw a familiar girl approaching as I turned to look.
"Oh, Sora-chan! You came!" Akira greeted me as she hurried over, now dressed in her shrine maiden outfit, rather than the casual clothes I had seen her wear when we met earlier. Once she saw that I was petting a cat, her eyes widened in surprise. "Ah, so this is where you disappeared off to! I was looking for you everywhere." Akira said, presumably to the cat, and knelt down next to me, reaching to pet the cat as well.
"I didn't know you had a cat, Akira." I said as I watched the cat rub against Akira's hand affectionately, while Akira shook her head at me.
"He isn't mine, unfortunately. Just a little kitty who likes to come to the shrine often. At first I thought he was owned by someone who lives nearby, but lately he's been coming to the shrine more frequently, so it seems like he might be a stray." Akira explained as she lifted the cat and stood up, gently placing the feline on top of her head as I stood up as well. "I've been asking around, but no-one seems to know anything about a missing cat, nor does anyone recognize him."
"I see. Oh, the others are still probably looking for you." I turned around and walked out into the open again, with Akira following after me. "Haruuuu!" I called out to my brother and waved my hand in the air, catching the attention of Haru, Ryouhei and Tomoya, the three of them quickly noticing Akira was with me and making their way over to us.
"Hello, Haru-kun, Ryouhei-kun and Okazaki-san! Now that you've had a look around, what do you think of Okukozome?" Akira asked from Tomoya as the trio approached, and I saw my brother's eyes move to the cat on Akira's head.
"It's a quiet, but nice little town. Has its charm, but living out here must have some challenges." Tomoya replied to the girl.
"I suppose that's true, but we all make do. Like the old man here says, it's the people who make Okukozome into the place it is. By working together and helping one another as good neighbours, and by paying respects to Princess Sayori, we can overcome whatever hardship we may face." Akira said with a smile, which then turned into an awkward grin as she averted her gaze. "...Though I wouldn't say no to some things being more easily accessible, ahahaa…" She's not wrong about that, just like Ryouhei said to Tomoya-san earlier about having to commute to the city for things not found here. "Ahem. Do you want to have a look around the shrine, Okazaki-san? I could tell you a little about the location and the legends here."
"Sure thing. It's not often that I get to visit a shrine like this." Tomoya replied and looked to the rest of us with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, before that, we visited Ifukube-san, and she asked to bring this to you." Haru said and handed the plastic bag he had been carrying to Akira, who took it from him and peeked inside.
"Ah! Of course, thank you, Haru-kun. I'll quickly go and drop this off inside, then. Just a moment!" We nodded to Akira, and she began to quickly make her way towards one of the side buildings. As she moved past us, the cat on her head jumped off towards me, and I just about managed to catch it. "Sorry, could you take care of him for a moment, Sora-chan?" Akira asked as she stopped briefly.
"No problem." The girl smiled at me in reply, then continued on her way. I adjusted my hold on the cat, who was currently playing with my necklace with its paws, and began to scratch behind its ears.
"Did Amatsume-san have a cat?" My brother asked as he moved closer to inspect the black feline, who meowed at his approach.
"Akira said that it wasn't hers. Apparently, it's a stray that likes to come to the shrine often." I replied to my brother and stroked the cat's back gently while the others watched it intently.
"Yeah, I think Akira has mentioned something like that to us before. I remember her asking if any of us had heard someone asking about a missing cat. Seems like no-one's come and claimed the cat as their own yet, if it's still hanging around here." Ryouhei elaborated. I wonder where it came from, then..?
"...If no-one in Okukozome is missing a cat, where could this little fella have come from, then?" Haru asked from no-one in particular, putting my thoughts into words and proving that we were twins.
"No idea. We've suggested that she keep it, at least for the time being, but Akira's been hesitant."
"I can understand her hesitance somewhat. I've never had a pet, but my old dorm mother from my high school days used to take care of a stray cat, and I can safely say that it isn't an easy task." Tomoya chimed in, becoming thoughtful for a moment. "Although, I suppose that cat wasn't quite normal… Ah, sorry, just talking to myself." Tomoya shook his head, then continued. "So, yeah, adopting a pet is not something to be done on a whim, and requires careful consideration and planning." Haru and Ryouhei nodded to Tomoya, while I let my gaze fall down to the cat I was holding onto. Adopting a pet… We never had any pets while growing up, but maybe it's something Haru and I could consider now that we're living here on out own? Heh, if we got a cat, I'm sure Yukino-san would be delighted whenever she decides to visit…
"Sorry for the wait, I'm back!" Akira's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and we all turned to her as she approached us. "So, Okazaki-san, you wanted to hear more about the shrine, right?" Akira asked as she turned to Tomoya, who nodded to her in reply. "Alright, follow me and I'll show you around – and you all are free to join as well!"
With nothing else to do at the moment, we ended up following Akira as she showed Tomoya around the shrine, retelling him the tale of Princess Sayori and the legends about the lake behind the shrine. We followed after Akira as she took us up the path to the lake, and Tomoya seemed to be quite impressed with the sight, apparently regretting that he hadn't taken a camera with him. When I first saw the lake again, a mixture of feelings bubbled up inside of me, but they shortly calmed down, and I smiled to myself as I took a hold of my brother's hand. The lake may not have given us the chance to be reborn, like the legends say, but that night definitely changed both of our lives completely and irreversibly – and I know either of us wouldn't have it any other way.
We stayed at the lake for some time, taking in all its glory, but eventually Akira advised us to leave – she might get scolded if one of the older caretakers found out she was taking visitors to the sacred lake like this. After we returned to the shrine, Akira offered us some refreshments, and we happily obliged, entering with her into the living quarters at the shrine, primarily inhabited by Akira herself.
"...Everyone seems to be offering us something today, huh?" Haru commented as the four of us sat around a small table in Akira's living quarters while we waited for her to return. "Not that I'm complaining about all the hospitality. I just… didn't exactly expect everything to go so smoothly." Haru is right. We were both very scared about coming home, because we didn't know how the people back here would react to our relationship.
"Everyone is happy to have you two back, no doubt." Ryouhei replied to my brother with a smile, placing a hand on his shoulder, while Tomoya nodded at him. "I can understand that you were undoubtedly nervous, coming back here… well, together like this. But, what matters is that things worked out, right?"
"...Yeah, that's true. Sorry, didn't mean to be gloomy or anything. Thanks, Ryouhei." My brother thanked him, and Ryouhei replied with a grin.
"Don't mention it. This is what friends do." Looking at the two of them, I felt a smile of my own growing on my face, and a small chuckle escaped my mouth.
"I suppose you really aren't as bad of a person as I first made you out to be." I said, and Ryouhei's happy expression turned into a dejected one.
"Eh? W-what do you mean by that, Sora-chan? I've always been nothing but a delight, right?" I averted my gaze from Ryouhei, and watched in the corner of my eye as he turned to Haru. "Wait, Haruka, you can back me up on this!" My brother let out an awkward laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck, and Ryouhei slumped down in defeat. "Aw, man…"
"Look on the bright side – at least now Sora thinks positively of you." Tomoya said with a smile, then chuckled lightly. "Though, your chances with her are long gone, I'm afraid." Tomoya's words seemed to return Ryouhei's lost confidence to him, as he sprang back up energetically.
"You're right! Thank you, Okazaki-san, and thank you, Sora-chan! Now, you wouldn't happen to know any cute girls, would you?" Ryouhei asked as he turned to me.
"Sorry, but you're on your own." With just a couple of words, I was able to make Ryouhei dejected again, and I smiled in amusement. I can definitely understand why Yumiko-san and Yukino-san enjoyed teasing Hikigaya-kun so much. While I do prefer seeing Haru's natural reactions, teasing someone like Ryouhei isn't too bad either.
"I'm back!" Akira announced her return as she entered the room, carrying with her a tray full of different things – drinking glasses, cookies, a bag of candy, and a carton of what looked like iced tea. "I would have brewed some proper tea for you guys, but I didn't want to make you wait too long… and I'm also almost out of tea." She continued as she walked up and set the tray onto the table. This… is quite a bit of stuff. Far more than the 'some refreshments' she promised us.
"Amatsume-san… we don't need this much… Just the tea would have been enough." Haru said as he looked at everything Akira had brought us. Don't tell me the cookies are homemade? No, I think I recognize them, those are store-bought ones… But, still…
"This is my treat to you, Haru-kun, Sora-chan. Welcome back home." Akira simply said to us with a smile. I looked to my brother, and he met my eyes with his own.
"...If you say so." Haru said after a few silent moments.
"...Alright, but I still feel like this is too much." I continued after my brother, and Akira let out a small giggle.
"You've changed, Sora-chan." She said to me with a gentle smile. "But I don't dislike that change. Quite the opposite." Looking at the girl, I couldn't help but smile as well.
"I know." And I don't hate it either. A surprise, considering what I was like before… I guess this is what they call 'maturing', huh… Moving forwards in life like this isn't so bad, as long as I get to do it together with Haru.
Feeling content with my positive thoughts, I let myself get swallowed by the pleasant atmosphere as we ate and chatted with Akira and Ryouhei – with our friends.
AN: Fucking hell I took forever with this chapter. It didn't help that around halfway through I started writing a new chapter for one of my other stories, but that's what I get for writing three stories at once. The initial delay for this chapter can be chalked up to the exams I had in March, but after that… It's just my own laziness. When you're staying home for extended periods of time, the days end up melting together and before you realize it, a month has passed by and you've done nothing productive at all.
In any case, here's hoping I won't take as long with the next update, but we'll see. As before, keep an eye out on my profile for updates regarding my stories. I might also be looking into another way of communicating with my readers, so there's more transparency about what I'm doing at any given time. Nothing's set in stone quite yet, though.
Now, until next time, I bid you all farewell, and cheerio!