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

Long ago, I saw a movie called "The Graduate."

It was on a lazy Sunday afternoon. My wife and I had no work at the moment so we were both just lounging by the sofa.

My wife flipped through the TV channels as we had lunch along with a cup of tea, a feeling of laziness in the air. She had full TV rights when she's at home because I never used it except for watching the news.

To think, she wanted to see a romance movie more than fifty years old.

I had heard of the title. That was when I didn't have such knowledge of romance when I started to dating my wife and had started reading up on such things to gather data on it. This movie being such data.

"We all watched this together before."

It was easy to understand the "we" here meant her sisters. This was probably the time back in high school when they were still all together.

The final scene was so famous even I knew about it. When it started, a feeling of "Oh, so that's what that was" came from as I watched what I could only describe as the feelings of the runaway mindless youth. While I've heard about it before, it was the first time I've actually seen the source material.

As expected, the movie ended when the hero ran away with the bride from her wedding and they both boarded a buss together.

"I remember thinking the last time we watched it how wonderful the ending was."

My wife smiled as I sipped my mug of coffee. It seemed the ending didn't resonate with her as much as it did in her memories.

"Don't women like that sort of thing?"

"It's not that I don't yearn for it at all but I've gotten married. I don't think it was that important if she didn't act sooner on it."

That's true but the situation of the main character is still difficult. Well, the story was complicated enough from the main character having an affair with the heroine's mother in the first place.

"What did you think? Honest impressions?"

"Hmm. I don't know how much the main characters had but I'm curious to know what happened next."

So, they get off somewhere in town to buy clothes. They couldn't look for an apartment in her wedding dress. Did they have money? At the very least, the bride didn't have a purse. Did she sell her wedding dress to make money for the time being? Would someone buy it in the first place? Did they secretly go back home to get money? Where did they get income?

As they sat on the bus, the smiles of the two characters slowly disappeared as if they were waking from a dream. The heroine looked at the hero uneasily while the hero had an empty expression and couldn't turn to her.

If I was empathetic to the hero and heroine's love then I might have blessed it as an honest and happy end.

I at least don't think the two were happy.

"In the first place, it would have been better if Benjamin only looked at Elaine from the beginning."

"It was a crazy plot because, chronologically, the affair came first, right?."

"That's where he went wrong."

As I wondered if the hero's behavior was truly unforgivable, my wife took of sip of her coffee. Unless rust came out of my body, I'm human enough to admit that I'm wrong when I make a mistake.

Even if someone could make such an irrevocable mistake, there was surely no point where there was no turning back.

"Yotsuba," my wife recalled. "She said found the leftover father of the bride cute.. Your wife had an affair while your daughter eloped with a man. After that, he will have to apologize the ell the guests and family members of the other party. What kind of face did they when they went back home?"

My wife mentioned Yotsuba's words full of kindness while smiling. I wondered if it was because she felt proud of her sister who was kind-hearted enough to worry about those who were left behind.

I had to agree with such a sentiment.

"It does seem like Yotsuba."

Surely, she must have been mindful of how much he left behind had been hurt.

It's amazing how kind she was

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"The air is great!"

While exhaling a white misty breath, Yotsuba looked up at the sky happily. The light of the day when it began to penetrate through the gaps of the trees shined along with the icy crystals in the sky.

I narrowed my eyes to see Yotsuba's shape, lightly walking through the contrast of the crystals that shined even in the deep shades of the trees.

It was as if she was passing through a river of stars.

Pushed along by the cold wind, Yotsuba's long bright hair danced with the powdery snow. Perhaps, it was her pale cream duffel coat but the outline of Yotsuba was faint in the snow. She seemed like such fleeting trick of the light that I unintentionally reached out my hand to her.

"Don't get lost now."

My right hand, which was stretched out halfway then lost its reach, was pushed back into my pocket.

"Is Uesugi-san okay" You don't get too much exercise so be careful."

"I'm not that dull."

"I guess so~"

"What's that strange face?"

"Hm~ Nothing."

Yotsuba turned back around, laughing.

Certrainly, I wouldn't say I'm physically fit but it's not like I had no sense of movement. I'm not useless.

However, the gaze of Yotsuba clearly said. "Don't push yourself, okay?". It's very annoying. What's more upsetting was that unlike the Yotsuba, I was already slightly out of breath.

My body was busy asking for oxygen as a biological instinct but I didn't have room in my lungs for air that tasted like defeat.

"Everyone will be up soon~"

"Aren't they asleep."

"it seems that they went bed late."

We had arrived at the inn an hour behind schedule due to the heavy traffic and deteriorating visibility of the road caused by the heavy snowstorm. We arrived just in time for the sun to be setting and from there we did our New Year greetings.

My dad was already finished but the Nakano sisters, thanks to the stress of traffic and the excitement of the new year, had a drinking spree from dinner until midnight.

"You guys basically ate all the food just so you could eat food like idiots in front of Itsuki."

"What's the matter?"

"I remembered something this morning."

"Oh."

"I remembered the Hyena documentary I saw once."

"I think I've seen that one too. They have a beautiful way of eating, don't you think?"

"Is that what you meant by beautiful?"

If that's beautiful, then I what did they consider horrifying?

I knew that they had bad sleeping postures but, in addition to that, there were numerous empty cans of alcohol and empty bottles of sake littered all over the place.

At least the Salvation army would have left dirty leftovers.

Was this just the result of the discipline and upbringing of the late Nakano matriarch or the insatiable gluttony of the youngest child?

"You're all too energetic."

I had fallen immediately asleep after a visit to the hot spring and eating dinner.

"Everyone slept in the car."

"That's right. They were all behaved."

"Uesugi-san had been driving for a long time but you fell asleep too soon."

Certainly, but this person had been my chatting partner in the passenger seat the whole time.

"But thanks to that, we woke up together for a morning walk. We got lucky." Yotsuba laughed, her flushed cheeks sticking out in the snow. Even I knew I should have seen it before, it felt like it was the first time I saw such an excited smile on her face.

"Ah."

Yotsuba's stopped. The top of the mountain entered my line of sight.

"How nostalgic."

"I've never been here before."

Yotsuba's gaze pointed to a towering bell close by.

"The Bell of Vows."

The snow had piled up, painting the top of the arc white. A lone bell stood lonely as if left behind, lightly swaying by the cold air.

I remember it well.

I remember what happened about seven years ago. When I had come her for a family trip, it had coincided with the Nakano's own.

"You were here on that trip when Grandpa was still alive."

When that old man was still alive, I was taught how to distinguish between the sisters.

"He was a healthy old man. He judo flipped me."

"Huh? Did Uesugi-san do something rude?"

"Why do you assume I did something wrong?"

"Because even if grandpa could be scary, he was also kind. Uesugi-san must have been very rude."

"To begin with, your preconceived assessments of my actions are just as rude."

Well, if it was the viewpoint of the old man, he would have as suspicious person harassing (Miku disguised as) Itsuki). If a stranger like me had been seen approaching her, then it was natural I'd be identified as an enemy.

"Uesugi-san…came here."

"It was to report my engagement at the time."

I looked back up at the bell. On the last day of the trip, I had a kiss in this place.

However, it as almost like an accident.

"That's right. It's just as the legend said."

If a man and a woman rang the bell together, they'd be connected forever.

My wife, who was the other party at the time, had come to the belief that the realization of this legend is "destiny".

"What do you think will happen if you do that kind of charm again?"

Hearing such words spoken with intonation, I shifted my gaze from Bell towards Yotsuba.

"Is it only effective at the very beginning? Or will it be updated?"

The eyes of Yotsuba that stared up at the bell were pure; a pure, deep blue, lake. Even though the lake was clear, the bottom was too deep to surface the emotions trailing deep below.

I was horrified by its depth.

"If it's a contract…"

Even so, no matter how terrified I was, I still couldn't keep my eyes off.

"…Then it's going to be renewed. No insurance, no load, no deposit account, there's no contract that can't be changed.

Before I noticed, I was uttering such a thing. It was a line without any romance in it but no one could have suspected such a thing from me anyways. Besides, I didn't think it was that clever anyways.

"Really, Uesugi-san is Uesugi-san."

"You were wrong to ask me."

Her mouth drew out a wry bitter smile, as if laughing how such a thing couldn't be helped.

"In the first place, I can't really say anything about it because I don't know the precedent."

"Do you want to try it…"

Words said light heartedly a heavy weight to them. To such weight, I had no words to return, all falling down my dry throat.

"…With me, Uesugi-san."

A familiar smile I had long since memorized held a pressure that they hadn't previously. It felt like I was shot from the light peeping from her narrowed pupils.

Her eyes that were as clear as a bottomless lake;

The soft curves of her cheeks that drew a tender pink;

Even her lips, slightly wet, were filled with joy.

All of these parts made up the Yotsuba I knew well but the expression on her face was something I had never seen before.

I couldn't look away.

My face was heating up.

"What's wrong Uesugi-san? Your face is red, ne?"

I frowned at the toothy grin a too pleased looking Yotsuba showed off. I don't even know what I was getting angry over.

"Don't say such things so easily."

"Like what kind of things?"

"That it's embarrassing or confusing. You're just misunderstanding."

I'm amazed at the words that left my mouth.

Am I a middle schooler? I didn't what her to see my face red, so I turned away.

"I can't?"

"It's no good. Those aren't words you should say to just anyone."

"No. I'll only say them to Uesugi-san."

"You know what I mean."

"Hm?"

"It's the intention in those words. You know them, don't you?"

"Uesugi-san's words are difficult so I don't understand. It's not weird to say that you're happy to take a walk with friends, right?"

"You should know well enough. We're not just friends." A sharp retort naturally followed, neither a yell nor a shout. I was close to venting it all out like a child who had reached his limit.

"So, what are we, Uesugi-san?"

The echoes of Yotsuba's voice cut straight through the chilly winter air.

"Are we former classmates?"

There's a small noise as she took a step on the snow.

"Are we good friends?"

One step.

"Right now, we're relatives."

Another step.

"Or are we tutor and student, after all?"

One more step.

"Partners…'

Stop.

"-Isn't it good enough, right?"

Her mouth curled enough for a smile.

"You're bothering me."

Eyes covered by a thin curtain of tears looked up, shaking. They looked like they would spill at the slightest touch. Maybe because of the cold, her small shoulders started to tremble, like a feeble puppy standing in the cold for the first time.

"Please don't listen to me."

"If you know that, don't say anything."

Lips curled up to the bare minimum of a smile. How irritating.

"Stop making that face."

"You're suddenly saying mean things."

"You've always had that expression since back then but…you're…I'm…"

A discomforting weight as heavy as stones spread through my stomach.

If I kicked the snow that had gathered on top my boots, the powder white would surely scatter through the air. It would be nice if I could do the same with the discomfort in my chest but it didn't' seem it would scatter so conveniently.

"I'm just letting you see your own face."

As the smiles that had floated above the surface disappeared, Yotsuba stared at me with those awful eyes like the oceans, endlessly waiting for something.

I took a step closer. In that moment, her shoulders shook and her right leg jerked upwards.

I couldn't help but laugh. Yotsuba blinked in wonder, unsure why I was laughing. It was because she was just like a puppy. It's hard to believe she was a woman turning 25.

Soon she was patting my chest, trying to stop me, a small self-deprecating smile on her face.

If I was still attracted to Yotsuba, I must have been more tired than I thought.

Idiot. Just how delicate was she? Try to be a bit more self-conscious of yourself.

"What kind of relationship is this?"

Right now, I'm about to make a mistake.

No, maybe I've been wrong for a long time now.

"What can't be said in words should be shown through action."

I exhaled a white breath.

My breath and Yotsuba's melted together in the snow as if sucked into the sky.

"…Do you want to run away?"

"Do you want me to run away?"

"Retuning questions with questions. Zero points."

Yotsuba's smile loosened a little.

"Well, can you tell me the correct answer?"

"As usual, you're still a student that gives me a hard time."

With a pleasant light-hearted response, I started an unforgivable deception,

Even though I knew it was all a lie, in my mind, I was making a fresh start

"...Nn….."

There was no way to distinguish from my breaths, Yotsuba's, or the melting white air around us.

"…You didn't run away?"

"What would you do if I ran away?"

"I'd follow you."

"Really?"

"Lie. I'd be depressed. Very."

Our lips met once more.

"Hmm…Hah…Shi Shi Shi Shi"

After releasing a hot breath, Yotsuba's shoulders shook as she laughed.

"I should have ran away."

"Hm?"

"Then I could comfort a depressed Uesugi-san."

This time it was Yotsuba.

"You have bad taste in men."

"I can't help it. Uesugi-san looks weak. It's hard but I want to give you a hug."

"That'd be bad. But I can understand a little."

Before she could say anything else, I captured her lips once again. Certainly, we've embraced like this before. That we're friends, best friend, or something like brother and sister, we've repeated the same excuses over and over.

"Yotsuba!"

"Uesugi…san."

"Nnm...m...nn"

Sighs leaked from the occasional gap between our overlapping lips. There was no other sound but the sticky smacks of liquids mixing and our combined hot breaths in the icy world.

"Hah, mm

Every time Yotsuba's throat shook, a sweet voice resounded in my ear. It echoed in the back of my head, as if melting away my mind. I couldn't think anymore.

Every moan and gasp peeled something away.

Reasons, or habits. Ethics, morals, or common sense. Guilt or immorality.

Things that had had been stacked between us over and over again.

"Mmm...nnn...Uesu...gi..."

Her sweet voice beat against my senses, sending a current through my spine. When I lightly opened my eyes, Yotsuba had her lips stuck out, cheeks flushed and eyes closed.

I wiped away the tears spilling out their corners with my fingertips.

"Nn...Chu...Hmmm..."

Her eyes wobbled as she opened them to look up, tears still dying her red cheeks wet. When I looked into her moist eyes, my own face is reflected.

There, A sense of accomplishment and pride was reflected on finally getting Yotsuba to start breathing hard. It was a part of myself I didn't know existed.

"…You can't blame the alcohol anymore."

"You can't pretend to be asleep."

"Did you notice?"

"You're a bad liar."

Smiling briskly, Yotsuba narrowed her eyes and scrunched her eyebrows.

"Uesugi-san…."

I thought she looked like a crying, troubled, angry kid about to confess to having done some mischief.

"I like you."

Yotsuba buried her face into my chest Powdered snow lightly piled up on a candy-like her that brightly shone as if it was burning.

Her body shivered as I pressed my lips against her exposed.

"I love you. I love you. I love Uesugi-san. I love you."

It felt she broke my heart and set it on fire each and every time. All the words came out of her throat was set fire to my whole.

Yotsuba's face, as she gently lifted it off my chest, was a mess of tears."

"What a hideous face…"

I laughed as I wrapped each of my palms around her cheek.

It was a terrible face.

It was an awful face but…

"Well, you're really cute."

It was not possible to call her beautiful at this point. After kissing her over and over, she had overcome her shyness and was now one that was cute and mischievous.

Still, was it enough for Yotsuba?

The face that was completely frightened by anxiety yet always held a smile. Even though she had tears and a runny nose, her smile was so awful and beautiful and cute, and I couldn't help but love everything about it.

Instead of words, we kissed each other multiple times.

Our tongues danced against each other, creating sloppy lewd sounds. My sighs mixed with her exhales and her breath mixed with my own.

At some point, Yotsuba's arms wrapped around my neck. I pulled my arms around her waist, as if accepting.

We kissed each other over and over.

I pressed a wobbly-legged Yotsuba against the pillars of the bell, placing my leg between her own so she couldn't escape; Like a caught butterfly I grabbed from the sky and pinned down.

I kept consuming as much of Yotsuba as I could as if trying to devour all of her.

Like distant thunder, I heard the sound of a bell somewhere in the distance.

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A long time ago, we sisters all watched a movie together.

It was during a time where we all studying for exams on a holiday. I remember Uesugi-san was at his other part-time job so I thought it was pretty boring. The atmosphere of study sessions was low as there was no real motivation to study or source of one.

"Let's stop for today!"

It was Ichika who complained first but since that what what everyone thinking anyways, someone who spoke up for the sisters who couldn't say anything. I saw how she was truly the eldest one who took care of us all. Maybe.

Ichika then turned on the TV, flipping channels until at a certain one.

Just from a glance, I could tell it was an old movie.

.

"I know this one," said Ichika who looked interested.

"it's an old movie," said Nino who had some resistance.

"it's not even a Japanese film…" said Miku who seemed to be disappointed.

"Well, it's Sunday lunch," said Itsuki giving the cookies priority.

.

The movie ended with Benjamin taking Elaine from the wedding then boarding a bus.

When asked my impression, I told my sisters "I think the leftovers are cute.", a nice but empty answer. Everyone smiled at me.

There was one impression that I didn't share that came to mind.

,

If there is such thing as a movie in which a man stole a bride,

Could there be a movie in which a woman stole a groom.

.

I wasn't even sure why I had thought up something like that.

I somehow felt hesitation so I didn't tell them.

I wondered why such an impression came out of me at that time.

No one can be happy. I don't know why.

.

But I feel like I understood now.

.

The feel of Uesugi-san's lips,

The softness of Uesugi-san's tongue,

The taste of Uesugi-san's saliva,

The heat of Uesugi-san's breath,

that I'm consuming.

.

The feel of my lips,

The softness of my tongue,

The taste of my saliva,

The heat of my breath,

That he's devouring.

.

After all that time, I feel like I could understand a little.

We sisters lived on instinct.

Rather than choosing what we have to do, we'd rather choose what we want to do.

I've become faithful to my instincts and desires.

.

And, I'm the same as everyone else, just like my sisters.

.

He buried his head against the crow of my neck and pressed his lips against it drawing out sweet and hot nectar that overflowed from the depts of my body.

My legs grew shaky and I felt myself falling.

Uesugi-san reached out to grab my collar but instead grabbed something else.

When I realized what it was, it was too late.

But even if I had noticed it earlier, I wouldn't have stopped it.

.

The sound of a bell that should be ringing overhead like a distant clap of thunder

Was it the sound of blessings?'

Was it a sound of omens?

I wouldn't know as I couldn't hear it over the sounds of our lips clashing against each other.

TN: I hate doing moans.