Chapter 5 – The Duo Family Secret

Wh-What…Wh-What the hell? Wh-What the hell is happening? M-More like…wh-what the hell just happened? What Mugi just told me…sh-she's my…my…my…half-sister?! Is that even a thing?! How did that even happen?! I'm so confused!

Mom…what kind of messed-up country is this?

Mugi and I sat in the Tamura's shared room behind the front counter. Both completely uncomfortable of the other's presence. And we had every right to act such a way. With what I was told not even a day after I moved to Japan.

I don't think I can handle the craziness much longer…

"*sigh*Aw, damn. Where to start?" Yoriko was rubbing her head in mild confliction as she stared at the both of us.

"S-So is it true, Yoriko?" I asked. "I-Is Mugi…"

"Yes. It's true. The two of you are indeed half-sisters."

"N…No way. J-Just how? How did this happen?"

"Well…" Yoriko then turned her attention towards Mugi. "…how much do you know?"

"Honestly…not much at all. I was only told this about a year ago by my father. But I was denied any details."

"*sigh* I figured so. Mikuru."

"Yes, Mother?" Mikuru asked as she came inside the small space.

"Please check on the guests that overheard the yelling. We don't want them to be concerned."

"Yes, Mother. I shall return." Mikuru then left to do such job. Leaving us three alone once more.

"I don't want her to hear this. You understand, right?"

"Well, it depends on what we're about to hear." I said.

"True." Yoriko let out another sigh before continuing on. "You see, Miharu. Your parents were…rather experimental before they got married."

"Experimental? What do you mean?"

"Well…I'm sure that at least Akiyo told you about how she and your father met, right?"

"Yeah, she did. She said that it was a college class trip to Paris and she got separated from the group. Dad helped her and then the rest was history. Correct?"

"Y-Yes. B-But that "history" part…it goes way deeper than you think it does."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"Well, you see…a year or two after they started dating, Akiyo and your father…they decided to try out being…sw-swingers."

I literally had to replay that sentence in my head a couple of times to fully understand what this woman had just told me about my parents.

"Wh-Wh-What?! M-Mom and Dad?! Sw-Swingers?! The hell?!"

And even then, I still didn't understand.

"At the time, their relationship was failing hard. And they were looking for a way to save it. As I said, they were really experimental."

"B-B-B-B-But…why would they do THAT of all things?! I-I-I don't really…"

"M-Miharu-chan." Mugi said to me. "L-Let's have Tamura-san explain it more."

"B-B-But…"

"F…Fine. I-I guess you're right, Mugi." I said with a stressed-out sigh.

"S-So, from what Akiyo told me…it was a year or two after they first got together and their relationship was in trouble. So, they tried this swinging thing and met two people while your father was visiting one weekend. I don't really remember much about them. But the name that they went by was…"

"Kotobuki…wasn't it?" Mugi asked.

"Yep. On the nose."

"I see…" I can tell that Mugi was just as upset about this as I was. Despite her saying that she knew a little more about it than I did. I mean, she is the reason why we're being told this 17 years later.

By a family friend and NOT by either one of our parents, I might add.

"S-So…I-I can't believe I'm about to ask this. B-But how did…h-how did we become…you know." The amount of blush on my face is indescribable right now.

"You really want to know that?" Yoriko asked.

"Tamura-san. I think it is in our best interest that we know…th-that part." Mugi said. "A-After all…we don't exactly look similar enough to be quarter-sisters. Let alone, half-sisters."

Mugi had pointed out that our hair color is completely different, our eye color is different, her eyebrows are thicker than mine, I'm a little taller than her, and the biggest difference…Mugi's 100% Japanese. I'm mostly French.

If people were to look at us, they surely wouldn't buy the whole "half-sister" thing. I sure wouldn't.

"Well…you do have a point." Yoriko then went silent for a bit. "How it happened is…the two groups would often switch partners and it's to be believed that…the semen from both of your fathers mixed inside the eggs of your mothers and…well, there you go."

"O-Oh, wow." This was all we could say as our faces became even redder than before.

Maybe we were better off not knowing that part…

"S-So I have Kotobuki DNA inside of me?" I asked.

"It isn't enough to be noticed. But that is the case. The same for Kotobuki-san. You both have minor similarities like the length of hair, height, tone of skin color, your noses are quite the same, your body builds, too. And…"

Yoriko went silent once more as she looked at the two of us.

"…And the breast size. Definitely the breast size. No mistaking it."

"Gee. Thanks." Mugi and I said with a sweatdrop. Kinda weirded out that we have the same breast size thanks to our parent's miscellaneous sex adventures.

"And so, this has remained a double family secret for many years. It wasn't until Akiyo got terminally ill that it got brought up again. Which is how I'm guessing you found out. Right, Kotobuki-san?"

"Yes, that is correct. But as I stated before, my father didn't go into details. All he said was that I have a half-sister somewhere in France and that her name was…" Mugi then went silent as she turned to look at me. And soon after, I did the same.

"Miharu Neroni…" Mugi said.

"Tsumugi Kotobuki…" I said.

"S-So…We really are sisters." We both said. Still with some form of disbelief.

"W-Well…more like 50% sisters. But I guess it still counts." Yoriko said.

"Wow…"

"Mother. I am finished." Mikuru said as she came in the small area.

"How are they, Mikuru?"

"They seem to be fine. I explained that it was a private issue between staff. Everything has calmed down now."

"*sigh* That's a relief. At least they're not suspicious or anything."

"I'm sorry for causing such a disturbance." Mugi said. "I don't think I've ever lost my temper like that before."

"I'm sorry too, Yoriko." I added. "It's just all of this was so sudden and…"

"I understand. I doubt anyone could control their temper during a spur of the moment like that. I'm just glad it didn't get physical."

"Although…if it did get physical…"

"Mugi…" I retorted as she (for some reason) grew a small smile on her face.

"S-So…wh-who it this guest?" Mikuru asked.

"Oh, right. Mikuru, this is Tsumugi Kotobuki. And she's…well…she's my half-sister."

"Half…sister?" Mikuru looked confused.

"It's complicated. But also true."

"I-I see…"

"This is my daughter, Mikuru. She's 14." Yoriko said to Mugi.

"I see. Nice to meet you, Mikuru-chan."

"Ah. N-Nice to meet you…K-Kotobuki-san."

"She's a little shy. But she is a nice girl from what I've seen so far." I whispered to Mugi.

"I see. She really is cute."

*INSERT RINGTONE CHIME HERE*

"Oh, dear. I gotta get home. I didn't think I was here for so long."

"I'll walk you out."

"Thank you, Miharu-chan." Mugi said with a giggle.


The two of us left the small Tamura residence and were currently standing near the front entrance. About to part ways for the day. For real, this time.

"S-So are you…with your parents…" I asked.

"N-No. A-At least…not tonight. A lot was told to me at once and I really need to think it over."

"Yeah. Same here. I probably won't call my dad for a while. Need some space, you know."

"I can understand." Mugi then went silent for a bit. "H-Hey…Miharu-chan."

"Yeah?"

"I-I'm…a-about what I said about your mother. I-I didn't know she had passed away."

"*sigh* It's fine. I wasn't planning to bring it up, anyway."

"Is her death…the reason you're here?"

"Yeah, kinda. Her one wish was to bring me here and show me what Japanese life and culture is like. She never got the chance. So, I'm doing it for her."

I then went silent on my own. Thinking of the events that took place on freaking day 1 of my new life.

"Although…now that I think about it, did she plan on telling me all of this? And introducing me to you?"

"I'm afraid I can't really answer that, Miharu-chan."

"R-Right." I said while rubbing the back of my head.

"Well, I must be going. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Sure. Oh hey, Mugi."

"Yes?"

"Um…well…I might drop by your clubroom tomorrow. Just to…I don't know…do something."

Mugi began to giggle at me. I'm guessing that she figured out what I was trying to say. And as part of her response, she grabbed my hand and held it with hers.

"We'll be expecting your arrival, Miharu-chan. *giggle*"

"Geez. It's like you already know me."

"Well, I kinda have to now…Sis."

"Tch! S-Sis?!" I tensed up with shock. And seeing this made Mugi blush a little.

"T-Too soon?"

"W-WAY too soon."

"Y-Yeah. I was hesitating in my mind. But I guess it didn't work out."

"I see."

The atmosphere went uncomfortably silent for a short while as we were trying to forget that embarrassing moment that happened just seconds ago.

"W-Well, I'm going to go now. See you tomorrow…Miharu-chan."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow…Mugi."

The awkwardness quickly left once Mugi went out the door. My nerves were slowly going down and so was my energy. I was tired as hell. And if I knew one normal thing that came out of this day, it's that I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight.

Ugh. Japanese life is so tiring…

Author's Note: Hearing the secrets of their parent's younger days, Miharu and Mugi learn the truth about their relation to each other. Of course, it's going to be hard to move on from this. Meeting/learning about your half-sister for the first time in your 17 years of life isn't something you easily get over.

I'm not sure how long this story's going to be. But I am stopping for now. I've got other stories currently active and this one's just a side project. It'll be back soon, though.

Thanks for reading. Later.