Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the series. The original サヨナラを教えて series is owned by FOOO嘉

For a while now, I've thought about how your name means "to bring happiness."

That day, that moment when you found me back then, from that moment on, you've given me a countless amount of happiness.

I wonder, what kind of face would you make if I told you that?

"Thank you for finding me."

What would you think if I told you such a thing?

.

I felt a soft touch on my cheek that soon spread throughout my face. My body trembled at the sensation, caught yet not resisting at all.

"Ha…"

As I put strength in my arms for a hug, a soft, glossy voice reached my ears.

I took a deep a deep breath and my lungs filled up with a faintly sweet smell, a gentle low-key flower-like scent. Hidden behind the light odor of sweat and aroma of body soap, it was a scent that could only be found when one was this close.

The power of the arms wrapped around my head increased and my face was covered by a soft warmth.

Feeling like I was losing, I tightened my arms wrapped around her back. I wanted to be as close as possible, to fill as many gaps between us as possible.

I didn't feel the hard poke of a wire. A shudder traveled down my spine from the feeling of her chest pressing onto me, separated by only a thin cloth.

Even though I was at peace, my body couldn't help but get excited.

How pitiful to be still dictated by my lower areas. I feel sorry for myself.

"Just what do you wear when you go to bed?"

"Have some delicacy."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Shi Shi Shi," Yotsuba smiled happily as she cradled my head.

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Shortly after graduating from university, I got married.

I had met my wife in high school, and after various events that wouldn't have been out of place of a manga, we started to date when I entered university.

The only problem was that, besides my wife, there were other women who fell for me. I honestly had no idea why but it became a troublesome thing. When I tried to talk about it with my then future wife, well, there was a lot of trouble.

I intended to get to know more about her and the dating process first, but my wife was a strong yet jealous woman. In addition to my lack of experience in having a romantic relationship, I also lacked in simple interpersonal ones as well so the feelings of love, jealousy, and whatnot directed at me were too much out of my depth.

In the end, the only other person I could look to for consultation was Yotsuba.

Yotsuba was one of my few friends in high school, one that somehow stuck around and became a person I could consult. It's ironic how things have turned from me teaching her. When I decided to start dating my wife, it was only Yotsuba who hugged me and gave me her blessing.

She hadn't changed much from how she was in high school. Even then, I struggled keeping up with her very puppy-like energy.

We went out to go drinking, planning my future dating courses or just common complaints about university life.

When I started to date my wife, Yotsuba had also started to live alone. Her place was the perfect place for two people to drink rather than just at a pub. For a poor person like me, Yotsuba's apartment was a good place where two people could settle down, consult with each other, or just fill in for a cheap place to drink.

Whenever I didn't know what to do, I directed such problems at Yotsuba who listened to my stories wholeheartedly. Sometimes she didn't always have the right advice but having her listen was enough to lighten the weight on my heart.

Yotsuba would then tell me about the boyfriend she was dating at the time. However, unlike myself, Yotsuba's stories were innocent.

He was a person who was clumsy but very kind and also smart. Just from hearing how soft and gentle her normally loud voice could get; it was clear how much Yotsuba liked that man.

Every time I heard such a story, I felt the back of my heart tighten.

Every time I saw the happy face of Yotsuba, something hot boiled at the bottom of my belly.

Well, Yotsuba was not only my friend but also someone I could consider a sister. It may not have been nice for anyone to hear their siblings talk so glowingly about a stranger, after all.

That's how organized my feelings on the matter.

That's what I told myself.

.

When I graduated from university and settled into a workplace, my wife who I had been still dating started to talk about marriage more often. Such things didn't come as a surprise. Even back then, she's always had the desire to marry but it seemed her feelings on the matter had finally peaked.

Back then, it wasn't that I didn't want to but I never could take that final step. There was something that made me hesitate from buying a ring that I couldn't figure out.

Habits are horrible. There are some you just couldn't stop so I naturally went to Yotsuba.

Even though it was a problem I should've thought about myself, I still presented her which such a shameless story.

Ever since we both started to work, there were fewer opportunities to meet than we did in university so it had been quite some time. Soon, we started to drift away from my marriage consultation into other topics.

About work, about relationships, small minor things. Our talk gradually went back to the past. The times back in university, back in high school.

Since we started to talk about more on the past than the present, does that mean we've finally become adults?

It's almost like a lie how easily I could look back at so many memories.

When I was studying in high school the only memory, I could look back to was of "that girl" I met in Kyoto. If those memories were film, they'd have been long worn out by now. In high school, I would repeatedly look back at those memories of my trip in Kyoto.

The hard times. The sad times. The lost times.

I remembered how many times I used it to encourage and inspire myself to go concentrate on my studies.

About that girl in Kyoto—About Rena—About Yotsuba.

.

"Well, you were the one I consulted when I started to date her, weren't you?"

"It seems the easily embarrassed Uesugi-san has finally decided to get married…. How admirable."

"I remember when I first told you about it. You were having trouble taking care of that ribbon of yours and then decided to start drinking without stop. I'm pretty sure you vomited at some point."

"I'm really sorry for inconveniencing you like that."

"Well, you've always been like that since High school…It's much too late now."

"Ahahaha!"

I felt myself involuntarily smile at Yotsuba's soft laughter. It's been a long time since my heart lightened. I missed this. I felt such relief that I could feel my shoulders loosen.

"Hey, what happened to your boyfriend?"

"Eh?"

"You know. That boyfriend you always used as an example."

"Oh…well, that's right." Awkwardly, she turned her eyes to the side, looking away from my gaze. "In fact, that whole boyfriend thing was actually a lie."

"A lie?"

"Well, what kind of university student didn't have at least one lover right? Ahahaha!"

Yotsuba's voice shook lightly as she laughed, rubbing the back of her head with one hand. It was clear she was slightly embarrassed from such a façade but was willing to laugh off her past actions.

Really, she hasn't changed. Even since back then, she's always been honest and pure.

"Uuu…You heard something awful."

I shook my head. "Well, don't worry about it. It's pretty embarrassing for you but I've done my fair share of lies too. I don't know why you'd do such a thing in the first place."

Besides, she's bad at lying.

"Well, don't worry about it. It's just shameful that I have to lie like that."

She continued to mumble out excuses so I did what I needed to do to stop her.

"That's enough."

I hugged her involuntarily. It must have been the drinks going through me but it's not like we haven't done such skinship before.

There was no need for Yotsuba to talk about something that painful.

At that time, there was no way she was lying when she talked about her lover. Those were words and feelings that must have come from the bottom of her heart.

I can only guess at how a lie became another lie.

Yotsuba's shoulders trembled in my arms.

"…Uesugi-san…"

She lifted her head, and looked up at me with gentle blue eyes. They were not of a puppy but that of a pretty girl.

"Please get married."

My heart skipped a beat.

I couldn't say a word in return.

An unknown emotion overflowed from my chest as I looked down at Yotsuba.

She smiled.

"You both look good together."

"Eh…"

"Please by happy, Uesugi-san," breathed Yotsuba as she leaned her head on my shoulder. "You've always accepted people for who they are and never gave up no matter how hard things got. No matter how anxious you may feel, if it's Uesugi-san, then I'm sure things will work out."

Her arms wrap around my back. I feel something soft press against my chest.

"In addition, if you ever want to consult something, just ask. Because I'm absolutely Uesugi-san's friend."

"I will always support you."

With a smile, soft lips gently pressed against my cheek.

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"Uesugi-san, you should return home soon."

"Nnn…"

A voice whispered in my ear. The clock by the bedside had passed an hour from the time I last checked it.

Yotsuba's hand stroked my head many times.

"You're going to worry your wife."

"I told her that I'll work overtime today."

There was one hour left until I was supposed to meet my wife. It was sad to let go of such warmth and I tried to draw as much from her radiating body.

"C'mon…It'll be only harder if you fall back to sleep now."

"Ugh…"

In the back of my groggy mind, memories of demon-like incoming calls and messages on my phone whenever I exceed our scheduled appointments played back. It would always take a lot of trouble to correct her mood after.

Yotsuba slipped out of my arms and picked up my jacket and bag strewn across the floor. I shook my head as I walked to the front door of the apartment and then passed my arms through the sleeves of the jacket, she handed to me.

I turned to face her.

"Sorry, about that."

"Shi Shi Shi, Uesugi-san can apologize obediently too, I see." Yotsuba stretched out her hand to comb the top of my hair, fixing any loose strands that may have come undone.

"You can't complain too much to your wife, right? Uesugi-san worries too much but it's also the sign of your love for her. You can hit me with anything you have."

"I know."

I wrapped my arms around Yotsuba's waist, embracing her.

"Woah, Uesugi-san!"

"What is it?"

"…N-nothing."

"Right."

"It's normal for friends to hug each other after all!" With a red face, Yotsuba wrapped her arms around my neck.

Her cheek felt soft against my own, moist.

"Please come anytime."

"Ah…"

"I will always be by Uesugi-san's side."

"…"

Yotsuba's voice was a whisper, as soft as the silent pain flowing through my chest. For whatever reason, tears started flowing down my face and I buried my face into the crook of her neck.

Chapter 1: You can't teach goodbye.

TN: I'm back baby. I found this story interesting and so decided to adapt it into english, mainly for myself so I can read it in English when I want to. Note that this story involves heavy themes later on so reader discretion is advised.

This may seem a bit of a weak start but it does get much better at the later parts. This was written around Sisters War so some characterization may seem off.