Didn't bother proofreading this chapter, because it should be obvious how condescending it would be for everyone to read letter after letter to Kagami instead of communicating more naturally and mutually. So, if anyone notices anything mentioned about "summer" or starting college "next fall", please let me know, okay?
CHAPTER 26
"No! No! No! Fuck this shit! Fuck all of you! I'm getting the fuck out of here!" Kagami angrily retorted to her friends' and family's display of how much they wanted to help her and she turned and headed for the exit.
Patty however was there to block the door. "I'm afraid I can't let you go, Kagami. This all has to stop today."
Kagami stood before Patty with her angry eyes mounting a violent assault. "Get out of my way, Patty, or I will break your fucking neck right where you stand!"
The golden-haired girl tried to hide her fear of the enraged twin-tailed girl but couldn't help but gulp and replied. "Then do it, Kagami, because I would rather be dead than to see you like this."
Kagami quickly latched onto Patty's top and pulled her close, triggering Konata and Ayano to leap up and rush over as everyone stood and readied themselves to break up an impending fight. Kagami held onto Patty and panted her teeth-rearing rancor stare at the foreign girl as Ayano latched onto Kagami's arm while Konata gripped the other.
"Hiiragi-chan, please calm down and just listen to us talk for half an hour." Ayano whispered affectionately but with clear fright in her voice. "Just half an hour. That's all we're asking of you. What's half an hour out of your entire day?"
Konata nodded. "Listen to her, Kagami. Don't be mad at Patty. This intervention was my idea so if you're going to hurt anybody, hurt me. All we want is to talk to you. It'll be just like your appointment with Kishimoto. All you have to do is sit and listen to us for thirty minutes and then we'll put the ball back in your court."
Kagami still gripped Patty who still stared back at her while trying to hide her fear. Patty cleared her throat and whispered, "Please, Kagami. Thirty minutes. That's all."
Kagami still panted ferociously at Patty with an animalistic stare of pure hatred while grinding her teeth. The twin-tailed girl finally took a deep breath and released Patty and pushed her back. With an attitude to match her angry stare, Kagami turned and stomped to the circle of chairs and for the first time, she realized that she was standing in a museum of herself. All of the Hiiragi family photo moments that Tsukasa worked so feverishly to decorate the room with hung from the walls around her and Kagami felt as if she was drowning in a sea of her own pixilated smiles. Kagami sat down next to Tsukasa, the latter trembling with fright and even disgust over her older sister's incredibly revealing outfit.
"Fine I'll go along with this little fucked up skit and then I'm out of here!" Kagami barked and it made Tsukasa cringe.
"Please don't use such language, Kagami. Tsukasa is scared." Inori weakly whispered as she knew how delicate this situation was.
However, Kagami suddenly found backup in an unlikely source in Kishimoto when she said, "Now, now, we must let Kagami express herself as she feels fit. This is her life after all and she shouldn't feel censored in anyway."
Kagami however viewed Kishimoto as another enemy and hissed, "I suppose I have you to thank for all this shit as well."
Kishimoto formed a small yet confident smirk and shook her head. "Not at all, Kagami. This intervention was your friend's idea like she said. I was just invited by your mother and father to oversee it and I really wanted to see you too and that's the truth."
The angry twin-tailed girl was still confused by Kishimoto's never-ending confidence and kindness, even in the face of Kagami's drug-fueled temper. Kagami huffed as she crossed her arms and legs as a body language gesture to shield herself and she replied, "I thought everything I told you was going to be kept confident."
"It still is. Your family and friends don't know anything about what we talked about because I promised you I would never let it leave my office." Kishimoto replied while keeping her small smile.
"That's true. It was me who told your family that you went to the appointment…and I also planned this intervention with them." Konata replied while looking at the floor.
"Yes, but enough of that for now. We're all here and Kagami is here, which is the most important part so let's begin." Kishimoto said. "Kagami…I truly envy you and I believe that you are the luckiest girl in the world. When I was your age, I never had as many friends and supporters as you do now. We're all here today because we're very distraught over the decisions you've been making and we want to help you. Now all of your friends and family have written you letters filled with their inner most thoughts and feelings about you and I'm just going to sit back and let them speak. Let's begin with you, Miki-san."
Miki nodded back to the therapist and she shifted her body towards Kagami, who still kept her arms and legs crossed in a hostile display while staring into space. Miki lifted the piece of paper to her face and began.
"I love you, Kagami. Those are the first words I want you to hear from me. You're my daughter, my flesh and blood, my heart, my soul, my life. You have made me so proud over the years and I'm still very proud of you…but you have hurt us deeply. I will admit that I scrutinized and criticized you when I should have gotten you help, and for that I am sorry. However, I still cannot simply look past what you have done to all of us. Your addiction to drugs has broken our family after you were forced to suffer two unimaginably tragic losses in your life. You have not only hurt us mentally, but physically. Your need to hide drugs in the house also caused Tsukasa to accidentally have a slight overdose and the police made us wait outside while they searched it for more drugs while we were forced to watch. Despite all of that, I cannot and will not deny the fact that I still love you and that I want to help you. You will never know how truly sorry I am for the pain you feel and I would redirect it to me in a second if I could. This is not how I envisioned your life would be. From the moment I first held you in my arms, I saw your entire life before you had even lived it. I saw you making lots of friends, doing well in school, going to college, meeting that extra special someone, and to one day know the true joy of becoming a mother yourself one day. The same joy I felt everyday when I would wake up in the morning and see your beautiful, smiling face. Just simply knowing you were there sent a constant beam of happiness into my body and my soul felt warm and as colorful as every shade in the rainbow. But now…my rainbow has faded. Knowing that you are out in the streets doing these things to yourself has turned the beautiful and perfect spring meadow that was my vision of you into a dark and frightening forest on a stormy night. What you're doing with yourself now has hurt me deeply and I'm afraid for you and of you, Kagami. I'm scared of what you've become, what you've done, and what you'll do next. No matter what you decide to do from here on out, I will always be your mother and you will always be my daughter…but I'll always be in pain like you are knowing that I did all I could for you and that I couldn't save you. Please, Kagami. Please accept any help that is offered to you today. Please let yourself become better. Please build your life the way it was supposed to be built; on pillars of strength, not on syringes. I love you, Kagami." Miki's eyes flooded as she finished her letter and lowered it from her face as she dripped the water and her husband was there to wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her tight.
"That's very nice, Miki-san." Kishimoto said and observed Kagami, who looked unfazed by the letter so she turned to the next person inline. "Tadao-san, if you would please."
"Yes, ma'am." He said and looked at Kagami who refused to look at him as he read his letter. "Dear Kagami. I'll never forget that one hot summer night on July 7th when our family doctor delivered you and happily proclaimed that I had a third daughter, a blessing I truly felt was a sign from the gods above us. I remember the first time you looked at me in your baby blanket as I held you. You stared at me for the longest time with your beautiful eyes and you suddenly lifted your arms up and whimpered, as if you were trying to pull me close. I held my index finger out and you latched onto it with a strong grip and laughed happily. It was at that moment that I knew that you were going to be a strong woman, both physically and mentally. You weren't fazed by anything as a child and your dedication to your twin sister made you my personal hero. Like I told you before awhile ago in your room after your friend was tragically taken from us; your grandfather, Taichi, would be so proud if he could see what you've accomplished so far and that you have proved his beliefs that women are truly remarkable and strong entities that have strength within them that cannot be measured. But Kagami…what you have been doing to yourself has hurt me so much that I have spent many hours at night crying. To think that one of my daughters is using her body; a work of divine vision and a sacred vessel for ushering in new life into this world as a source of income to purchase means to destroy it…the pain is indescribable. I have no idea who you've been staying with or where you acquired these drugs…or even who these 'men' are that have done unspeakable things to your body…but Kagami…you deserve so much better than this. You deserve to live in only the finest of settings and living in the streets is far from what I want for you. So here I sit as your father on his knees begging you to let us help you. Your mother and sisters and I miss you. We miss your strong charisma, your independent persona, your side that is never afraid to show affection to the ones you love the most…but most of all…we miss who you were. You were our Kagami Hiiragi, the one who would always make us laugh, make us smile, make us think…make us live. Please prove your grandfather Taichi right once again by showing us the strength we all know you have to pull yourself up and beat this illness so we can be a family again. Remember Kagami…I love you. I'll always love you…and I'll always think about you and pray for you. Please come back to us, Kagami."
Tadao joined his wife in trying to hide the moisture in his eyes as he lowered his letter and Kagami pulled herself tighter as a way of strengthening her shields. Dr. Kishimoto however nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Tadao-san. Inori-san, I believe you're next."
Inori gulped and felt a chill as she cleared her throat and looked at her letter. "Kagami…I'll never forget the first day mom told us she was pregnant with Matsuri. I was the oldest and only child up until then and I'll admit that I wanted it to stay that way. But when Matsuri was born, the two of us not only became sisters, but best friends as well. I was overjoyed when mom came back to us and told us that she was pregnant again but with twins this time. As dad said, I remember that one July 7th when I was allowed to hold you in my arms and I tickled your belly and you laughed. I felt so happy when you laughed. I miss that now, Kagami. I haven't heard you laugh since Matsuri passed away in that tragic accident and I can't even begin to tell you how much I want to see you smile and laugh again. I also always wanted to be the leader of our group where you and Matsuri and Tsukasa could come to me for anything…but you never needed to do that because you already became strong for Tsukasa's sake. In a way, we all allowed ourselves to become a little weaker because you were always strong and level-headed enough for all of us. But you were never afraid to show us just how much you loved us and wanted to take part in all the things that made our family special. Remember when you received your first Miko outfit when you were six years old? We were all so happy and Tsukasa also got hers at the same time and the two of you in your little outfits became our Christmas card that year. There were times that even Matsuri didn't want to take part in our shrine…but you were always there to persuade her because you knew how important it was to mom and dad. If Matsuri was alive today and could see you now…what would she say? These drugs just numb the pain; they don't make it go away. We can make the pain go away forever but we'll need to work together. Please let us help you. We all know the road to recovery will be long and hard but we'll always be here for you, Kagami. Please let us help you get better. Please come home to us. Please be our pillar of strength and source of inspiration again. I love you, baby sister."
Inori tried to remain strong unlike her parents but it too proved impossible when she removed the letter from her face, showing the extent of the leaking from her eyes. "Thank you for that, Inori-san. Tsukasa-chan has requested to go last so with that let's move onto you, Patty-chan."
The golden-haired girl nodded and began to read her letter. "Dear Kagami. First off I wish to apologize for deceiving you the way I did, but I feel my actions were justified because I really wanted to say these things to you today. Even before I met you and your sister at the cosplay café that Konata and I work at, Konata would only talk about you and how much her friendship to you meant. Even before I met you…I wanted you and I to have a friendship like that. The way Konata described you and how truly remarkable you are…I was always envious of Konata for being able to have a friend like you. When we started hanging out more, I knew that she wasn't exaggerating. I know I never told you this, Kagami, but I always looked up to you and wanted us to be closer friends, but it was something that simply wasn't meant to be. Remember when I got all of us to do the cheerleading routine for the school festival's opening act? And remember when you got angry with me for falling off track and you began to give out orders and coordinate everything? That was all on purpose. I wanted to find a choreography routine that would not only give off an otaku vibe, but I wanted it to be graceful and majestic so everyone could see how incredible and talented you are…and you know what? It was worth it. I knew everyone in that audience was clapping for you the most when we were done and they were right to do so. Konata and I are a lot alike where we didn't have many friends growing up because of our interests, but we're also a lot alike because we had you in our lives. You were truly a dream for us, Kagami. A very intelligent, beautiful, and popular girl who accepted us into your life and didn't shun or ostracize us from your shadow. But this new side of you is nothing short of a disgrace to the person you once were and the person who I believe you still are underneath. With that said, I'm afraid that I cannot be your friend anymore if you choose to stay this way. Even though you and I were never best friends, I still promise to support you and be there for you if you go to rehab and get clean. If you can do this…I just want what I believe everyone else wants; for everything to go back to the way it used to be and for you to be a part of all of us again. We love you, Kagami. Please get clean for yourself and for us."
Patty folded her letter and sat back down with a slight blush on her face indicating her flaring emotions. Dr. Kishimoto nodded again as she played with her pen and smiled. "Thank you, Patty-chan, that was very deep. Tamura-san, I believe you're next."
Hiyori Tamura nodded and slowly raised her letter up and adjusted her glasses as she readied to vocalize her words. She glanced at Kagami, who was still remaining unresponsive to any of the words coming from her friends and family, but it was what was happening inside Kagami that was the real event. A hurricane cloud of nothing but utter rage and violence was beginning to form inside the troubled Hiiragi daughter and it was coming to a boiling point. Yuka Miyakawa's experiment on Kagami with the Satan's Blood drug may not have been a failure after all.
"Dear Kagami, I wrote my letter with Patty-chan because a lot of our feelings about you are the same. We didn't have many friends when we were younger and we always looked at you as a source of inspiration and leadership. You know that I'm not the kind of person who would pry into your family or personal life, but I cannot sit idly by anymore, which is why I'm here today. Please stop hurting us. Not just your friends, but also your family, too. I know what it's like to feel pain and act out on it. When I was in middle school before I went to Ryoo, I went through a phase where I was very dark and I dressed and acted like it because I too was suffering. I won't say I know how it feels to lose a sibling or a friend, but I still acted out and I hurt my family a lot until I finally got my act together. I was able to get my act together…because of people like you, Kagami. People who weren't afraid of any kind of challenge and didn't know how to quit on the ones they love. Your parents remind me a lot of my family; people with immeasurable strength who loved me so much so I beg of you, Kagami, please let all of us help you and get you clean and trust your family. If we're not able to save you, I will also feel responsible in my own way because I was in your position at one point where I had given up on life. If you keep giving up and one day something truly terrible and irreversible happens to you, it'll not only mean the end of our friendship, but also the end of the very definition of the word hope. Just like what Patty-chan said; please get clean for yourself and for us so that everything can go back to the way it used to be. We just want you to be a part of our lives again and if you can do that, then we'll be overjoyed and accept you again with no questions asked because you're just that treasured to us, Kagami. Thank you for listening to me."
Hiyori tried in vain to hide her sniffle as she tucked her letter away and Kagami shifted slightly in her chair while looking at the floor, still unfazed outwardly by the words but her eyes were beginning to turn a shade of red as her anger continued to slowly boil. Dr Kishimoto adjusted her glasses again and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Tamura-san, and I understand how you feel. Minegishi-san, I believe you're next so if you would please."
Ayano took a deep breath and looked at Kagami, who for the first time shifted her eyes upward and looked at someone and it was her. The orange-haired girl gulped and began her letter. "Hiiragi-chan…we've known each other for a long time and despite everything that has happened so far, I'm still proud to call you my friend. Most of my memories with you and…Misa-chan…are filled with being buried in layers of our laughter and so many times we shared our stories, our secrets, and our happiness. But…when Misa-chan was taken from us…we were forced to share something else together. Our pain. I knew Misao Kusakabe for a long time, too, and what you've become is no way to honor her memory. Your drug abuse is destroying not only your relationship with your family, it's also destroying your relationship with me. My family won't even speak your name anymore or let me go to your home, if not to simply check on the rest of your family. When I heard that you were walking the streets of the Aku District late at night and getting in cars with horrible people, I never felt so sick in my life. I believe that I am one of the only ones in this room that can honestly say I know how you feel and that I can easily put myself in your shoes because Misa-chan was my best friend…even before we met you. Like I said before…I still consider you my friend despite all that you've done and I still want us to be friends because I need you, Kagami Hiiragi. I need you in my life now that Misa-chan is gone. I need to know that I will get through this. I need to know that everything will be all right. I need to know that as I get older and I start going to college and start to tackle life…that I'm not alone and that you'll always be near me…either in reality or in spirit. You are not with me now. The Kagami Hiiragi that sits before me is a stranger that I know will not be able to help me or give me strength when I need it the most. I request that you seek any help that is offered to you today…because I miss the sounds of our laughter, Hiiragi-chan. I miss everything that used to be us every day. Please…please…seek help for yourself so you can help me mend the scar on my heart. I love you."
When Ayano finished her letter and revealed that she was fully crying as the water droplets slid down her cheeks, Tsukasa couldn't take it anymore. She quickly covered her face and was instantly comforted by Inori who sat next to her. Patty also hugged Tsukasa as Dr. Kishimoto also tried to remain professional and keep the water in her eyes from rising.
"Thank you, Ayano, that was very heartfelt and meaningful." Dr. Kishimoto added and shifted her focus to the smallest girl in the room. "Yutaka-chan…please share your thoughts to Kagami and the rest of us."
When the short, salmon-haired girl looked at Kagami and saw the redness of contempt swirling within her eyes, Yutaka gulped. Regardless, she knew Minami and Konata were there with her so she cleared her throat and began her letter. "Dear Kagami, I'll never forget the first day we met when you and your sister came to my cousin's house. I said that onee-chan had told me a lot about you and when you asked what she told you, I hesitated and gave you a confused look, and you got frustrated with her. To be honest, I think the bigger question should be 'what hasn't she told me about you. Even before I moved into her house for school, she would go on and on about you and how much she cherished you as a friend. After I met you and got to know you on a more personal level, I soon saw why Konata cherished you so much. I quickly saw you as something that I always wanted to be; strong in more ways than just one. You know that I have a weak constitution and that I easily get sick, but whenever I was near you, it made me feel stronger. In a way, I also sought to bring strong people in my life so I could always be around people like you, Kagami, and Minami-chan is also another example of that. However, more people rely on your strength, confidence, and leadership other than just your twin sister. We all look to you, Kagami…my cousin especially. I may be Konata's cousin and we may be joined by blood, but you are still able to give Konata an essence in her life that is still stronger than blood in this case. I can't even begin to tell you how hard it is to hear my cousin, Konata Izumi, the usual charismatic, vibrant, and happy girl cry herself to sleep through the walls every night since this all began. Please stop doing all of this, Kagami. Please stop making everyone who loves you cry and seek help. I don't want to leave here tonight with no hope or closure for either myself, your family, your friends, and especially my cousin. Please give us hope, Kagami. We love you so much. Thank you."
Yutaka tucked her letter away as Minami patted her gently on the shoulders. "Thank you, Yutaka-chan. Minami-chan?"
The green-haired girl nodded and held her letter up. "Kagami…I know we never got the opportunity to become close friends…and I regret that folly now more than ever. I always relied on Miyuki to be the mediator between me and you and the rest of your friends…and for never getting fully involved or telling you how much I care…I truly am sorry. Everyone knows that I'm not the biggest speaker in the world and I don't always say what's on my mind, but I am with the rest of our friends when I say that I cannot sit and stay quiet anymore. I wish that I had a friend like you when I was younger, Kagami. When I was younger, I would always get picked on and teased because of either my height or…my other quality about myself that I don't particularly care for. However, I was able to change so much about how I viewed myself when I started Ryoo High School and I met Yutaka. I instantly saw parallels between you and your twin sister. It was when I became friends with Yutaka that it made me change myself into a stronger person because I wanted to be just like you, Kagami. I wanted Yutaka to see me as a big sister that would be there to love her and protect her and support her…just like how you always did for Tsukasa. But in lieu of everything that has happened since you graduated high school…I'm sorry to say that I do not want to be like you anymore. I do not want to make people hurt over my words and actions. I do not want to abandon people when they need me, especially the ones who need me the most. Addiction is a horrible journey, but recovery is the destination. Please Kagami, let Dr. Kishimoto and the rest of us help you today. Continue to be my source of inspiration of who I want to be in my life and for the people I care about. Please do this for us and yourself, Kagami. Thank you for listening to me and I hope that one day we can all look back on this event in our lives as a growing and bonding experience."
Dr. Kishimoto nodded and looked at Kagami, who glanced at her watch with a tightening frown in hopes that this would be over soon. "I hope so too, Minami-chan. Miyuki-san…take it away."
The pink-haired girl unfolded her letter and held it to her glasses. Her voice squeaked at first but she was able to reinforce it as she read. "Kagami-san…there is so much I want to say to you…yet there are so little words in any language that would be able to accurately communicate my true feelings for you…but I will do my best. I guess…I should start with saying that I love you so much. I remember when Konata-san came to my home awhile ago and told me about this intervention she was planning and I immediately jumped onboard because I wanted to be here today to tell you this and so many other things. To be honest Kagami-san…I always viewed you as one of my best friends and someone that I could truly relate to on more levels than just one. You were always honest and straightforward with me on everything, which was a quality that I always admired, and we both had tremendous respect for our academics and the concept of studying, which was one of the many things that I believe has bounded us closer together. However, I must ask…do you remember the last time we saw each other? It was at our high school graduation and you were having second thoughts about what you wanted to pursue in college and that we promised to meet each other at least one more time before I went to France. Well Kagami-san…this was not how I wanted us to meet again…and remember what I told you about your second thoughts about school? I told you to enjoy your life and youth and that there was no need to rush to any rash decisions. I believe that you are not enjoying yourself…but addiction is capable of so much and I know that it is not you who is making all these bad decisions. Kagami-san…I love you so much and if you cannot get clean…then I won't be able to go to France. I wouldn't be able to focus or even wake up in the morning knowing that you are throwing your life away. Please listen to everyone who has come out here today and accept any options that are given to you to help yourself. I don't want to lose you, Kagami-san. I love you. As I said before…I cannot effectively communicate everything I want to say to you on a simple piece of paper…so I'll once again say the only four words that are the most honest and sincere. I love you, Kagami-san. Thank you."
Miyuki refolded her letter and stared at Kagami, who still looked disinterested and almost oblivious to her surroundings and Miyuki was afraid that Kagami was high and that everyone's words thus far were in vain.
"Very good, Miyuki-san. And now…I believe that Konata-san has a lot to say to you, Kagami." Dr. Kishimoto said.
Konata took a deep breath and tried to fight back her own tears as she made her first gesture, which took everyone by surprise. She slowly stood, walked over to Kagami, and hugged her. Konata held her friend close while Kagami's hidden rage was beginning to reach new heights.
"Get off me, Konata." Kagami commanded strictly.
Konata only hugged her tighter and began to choke on her emotions. "I don't want to, Kagami. I'm so afraid that I'm going to lose you that I just wasn't to hold onto you forever…"
After a silent moment that was only interrupted by Tsukasa's whimpering, Kagami spoke again. "I said get off me, Konata, or I will kick you off and storm right out of this fucking charade right now."
Heeding the disgruntled Hiiragi's warning, Konata released Kagami and backed off. Quickly wiping a tear, Konata sat back down and began to vocalize her letter. "Dear Kagami…the first thing I want you to hear from me is that you're my best friend and I have never in my entire life met anyone like you. From the moment I first met Tsukasa, who then introduced me to you…I knew that we were going to be best friends. You always used to scrutinize or criticize me for living in the gaming world too much and wonder if I ever had any other friends besides you and Tsukasa…and the real truth is no…I didn't…but that was by design. I always believed that as long as I had you by my side…I didn't need anyone nor did I want anyone else. When you lost your sister and Kusakabe and started doing these horrible things…it took every bit of my strength not to start joining you. I care so much about you that I was prepared to abuse drugs and even prostitute myself with you…if for no other reason so that you wouldn't feel alone in doing them. With you gone and self-destructing…I found myself as the one who had to be there for Tsukasa, which also riddled me with endless guilt every time I would see her cry because I believed that I was failing her as a friend. And I also believe that I failed you as a friend too, Kagami Hiiragi. So I, right alongside everyone else here today, am here to show you and tell you that the only thing on my mind is getting you better and showing you that you'll never be alone. However, I must also be honest with you on something. I can't go on like this forever. I can't wake up every morning either feeling intense optimism that you'll turn your life around…or wake up only to feel searing fear that today will be the day that I'll learn that Yui-nee-san had found your body. I'm not going to ask, beg, or even plead that you go to rehab and get yourself clean. I am going to demand it of you right here and now. If you will not do this and you walk out that door by yourself…then I cannot be your friend anymore. Instead…I will have no choice but to take over your role as the protector and keeper of Tsukasa…because you have made a choice to be with the drugs and be with those sleazy men over your own family. Go to rehab, Kagami, and I promise you I'll visit as often as I can. I love you. Thank you."
Konata quickly mopped another tear and tucked her letter away. Dr. Kishimoto sighed and said, "Very good, Konata-san, very good. And now…I believe that you have quite a bit you want to say to your sister. Right, Tsukasa-chan?"
All eyes turned to the youngest Hiiragi daughter, who couldn't hide her crying anymore. She had been crying for the longest time now and she wiped her tears and nodded to the psychologist. Before Tsukasa unfolded her letter to Kagami, she went to the walls surrounding the room and began to take off some of the framed pictures hanging on them. When her task was complete, she returned with the bundles of pictures and instead of sitting in her chair, she crouched to her knees before Kagami, who refused to look at her.
Whimpering and crying as she did it, Tsukasa took her letter out but had a simple request first. "…Sis…may I…may I…hug…you…? Please…?"
The twin-tailed Hiiragi remained cold and distant to the one who probably loved her the most and still did despite everything that Kagami had done to her. Kagami rolled her eyes in annoyance at her twin's simple request but still opened her arms as an invitation. Tsukasa jumped at the opportunity and hugged Kagami tightly and began crying loudly on her shoulder, making everyone in the room tear-up at the sight; all except for Kagami.
"Jesus Christ, pull yourself together, Tsukasa! You're nothing but an embarrassment!" Kagami snapped and pushed Tsukasa off her, who nearly fell on her buttocks and it nearly triggered Miki and Tadao to react, but it was Tsukasa who called them off as she held her letter up.
She cleared her throat and began. "Kagami…sis…sissy…I love you so much. When we were younger and I was able to comprehend the fact that I had a twin sister, all I wanted to do was follow in her footsteps and worship her. I never saw myself as a leader or even a strong or brave girl, but I was never afraid either because I always knew you were there for me. You weren't just there for me during the bad times…but you were also there for me during the good times and we have shared so many precious memories, which is why I brought all these pictures today. I want to show some of the more memorable ones with you today."
Tsukasa placed her letter aside for the moment and began to hold up the pictures for Kagami, who looked at them but with a lifeless stare. The first picture was of Miki in a hospital bed holding the newborn twins. Next, the baby twins were in highchairs and Kagami was holding a spoonful of food out to Tsukasa sitting next to her, who was struggling to reach it. The third one showed the twins still as babies but in their pajamas on a couch with the sleeping Tsukasa resting her head on Kagami's shoulder, who rested her head on the top of Tsukasa's cranium. The fourth picture showed the twins in the bathtub together and they were hugging each other with large smiles on their faces. The fifth was when they were older and walking by this point and they were holding each other's hands as they walked down a sidewalk. Another one revealed Tsukasa after her failed attempt at learning how to ride a bicycle as she sat on the driveway with a skinned knee and was crying but Kagami was there putting a band-aid over the small wound. The seventh showed the twins at the amusement park together with the now vibrant Tsukasa begging to go back on the rollercoaster. The eighth image showed the twins at their induction ceremony at Ryoo High School, thus ushering in a major chapter in their lives. The ninth picture showed Kagami and Tsukasa after the infamous cheerleading act with the usual collective Kagami with her right arm wrapped around her sister's torso while she stuck her tongue out and pulled on her lower eyelid happily while Tsukasa held her pom-poms out also with a smile on her face. The final picture showed the twins in their graduation gowns in front of Ryoo High School; the last picture they ever took together.
Tsukasa put the pictures aside and returned to her letter. "I brought all these pictures with me today because I only wanted to remind you of all the precious times we shared together and how much you taught me about everything. You taught me how to live, to laugh, to love, everything. However, it was our father who taught me something that became a very sacred lesson to me; the fact that we are young woman and how incredible that makes us. We are women; jewels of the Earth that are hailed as sacrosanct creatures who are capable of such strength and such love at the same time. When we were growing up, I always knew dad and grandfather Taichi were right when they said these things because you are all the proof of that, Kagami. Sadly…I can no longer say that about you, sis. The person that you have become is not the wonderful, picturesque girl that I had the privilege and honor of calling my sister…and I must refer to you as a 'person' because you are not doing what our family believes is what defines a woman. A woman only knows strength against insurmountable odds. A woman knows how to be the strong and even hardened leader…but also the loving and affectionate mother and wife at the end of the day. Our own mother is the true epiphany of all of that. A woman leads by example. A woman only knows how to make choices that betters her life and the people she allows into her life. Sadly…the fact that you have done all these terrible things to yourself and the ones you love shows me that you have made a choice. You are choosing to hurt yourself and all of us who have come here today to help you. As a result…I am forced to go through sleepless nights worrying and crying over you because of your choices. I don't want to keep going on like this, sis. I want everything to go back to the way it used to be. I want all of us to be innocent and pure again. I want us to honor Matsuri by healing ourselves and moving on and showing the world our true strength as women. We lost someone very valuable to us…but as father always said to us; we're women…and we have a strength within us that cannot be measured by any Earthly system. Please show me the strength that I know lies within you, Kagami. Please show me not only your strength, but also hope that I too can one day be as strong and as incredible as you once were. I want…I want you back. I want…I want my sissy back. Please…come home with me, Kagami. Please don't leave me alone anymore. I love you, big sister Kagami Hiiragi."
Tsukasa continued to cry her eyes out as she finished her intervention speech and everyone had finally spoken their deepest and most affectionately true words to Kagami. All eyes were on Kagami as she lowered her head to shield her face in her long and dirty hair and everyone awaited her decision. The ball was now in her court and everyone was about to find out if Konata's intervention was going to be a big success or a massive calamity as the only noise left in the setup was the sound of Tsukasa's crying as she still rested on her knees before her twin sister.