Part 121

*sigh*
Today's been a very long day.
I'm mentally tired from eating dinner in this unfamiliar mansion and my conversations with Akiha and everyone else.
After all that, the howling is just background noise.
I close my eyes and gently fall asleep.

There's no WAY I can sleep. I just can't... sleep. Mmm... sleep.... zzzzzzz.

Music: play track 7

There was not a single cloud in the blue sky that day.
The start of autumn.
I was led away from the Tohno mansion.

But a little before that...
That girl had come to see me, sneaking past the eyes of the adults.

Hisui's such a sweetie

The sky was blue.
Below that deep blue sky that seemed to extend forever, she waited for me.
As far as I knew, this was the first time she had left the mansion to come outside.

"Take this."
Saying that, she undid the ribbon that bound her hair and handed it to me.
I guess it was her farewell gift to me, but as a child, I didn't even feel happy about it.

...... After all, what kind of a nine year old boy would feel happy about receiving a ribbon?

"That ribbon is my favorite, so give it back to me later, okay?"
But those were the words that saved me.

"Give it back," she said.
"Come back," is what I heard from those words.

---Just that was good enough for me.
That last day, with no one to even see me off.
For her, who I had never even spoken to, to say that to me... it made me happy.

She wanted him to feel loved!

A distant dream of what happened on one fine day.
Under the cloudless blue sky.

Music: stop

"---Good morning."

...... I hear an unfamiliar voice.
The dream quickly fades away as a voice calls me back to reality.

"It is morning. Time to wake up, Shiki-sama."

An unfamiliar voice greets me.
...... Stop calling me Shiki-sama already.
I told you yesterday, it sends chills down my back----

Music: play track 2

"Yeah, I came home, right..."
I push myself up, and look around the room.

Outside the window, the weather is great.
A blue sky like the one I saw in my dream.
"Good morning, Hisui. Thanks for coming to wake me."

"There is no need to thank me. It is my duty to come and wake you, Shiki-sama."
Hisui answers indifferently, completely expressionless.

*sigh*
"...... Why do you have to be so formal, Hisui?"
It's really a shame.
If Hisui only had half of Kohaku's brightness, she would be really cute.

...and eight years later, in his deepest gratitude, Shiki wishes she were as hot as her sister.

"---Do you need something?"
Realizing I am looking at her, Hisui stares straight back at me.

"Ah, no, nothing at all. Waking up and seeing your face, I just felt like I'm really at the Tohno mansion..."
Hisui's eyes are like cold ice.
Seeing that all of a sudden, something reminiscent of a dream flashes through my mind---
"-----I, see."
I remember it completely.
That day, that girl who gave me the ribbon right before I left was the one who always watched us from that window.
That is, in other words---
"It was...... Hisui."

Yeah, we figured that part out already.

...and she doesn't even remember it anyway. These two are the least romantic people ever, they deserve each other! <>

...... She doesn't remember the promise.
But, it isn't anything I can hold against her.
Even though it was maybe just a childish promise, it really did help me to face forward into the future back then.

"You say that, but you do not have much time. It takes about thirty minutes to go from the mansion to your school. You only have twenty minutes to eat breakfast and get ready."
"Eh----that's right, this isn't Arimas' house!"
I'm filled with horror.
I was so used to the Arima house being only twenty minutes away from school, but from here, I don't even know a shortcut.

"Your uniform is folded and awaits you over there. Please come to the sitting room after you have changed."

"Damn it, if you're going to wake, me, wake me up earlier..."
Muttering selfishly to myself, I reach for the uniform.
It's folded neatly, and the shirt has even been ironed.
Passing my wrists through the sleeves feels good. It's that fresh, brand-new feeling.

Shiki thinks that as though he truly wishes breakfast hadn't been so long ago for everybody besides him.

Haven't done this one yet...

Is that a hint that Akiha's endings are pretty much the most depressing endings ever?

"Took my time? It's barely past seven! It only takes thirty minutes to get to school from here, so I'm actually up early."
"So you're saying you're going to finish breakfast in just ten minutes? You're not some starving dog, so if you're going to eat breakfast, I'd like you to take your time."
"------"
Akiha's words really do have thorns.

Chapter 86

Kohaku reminds Akiha that she has to leave, and Akiha grudgingly does so. Shiki briefly thinks about fucking his sister, then eats breakfast. He meets up with Hisui and Kohaku in the lobby where Kohaku gives him a small box left to him by his departed father. Inside of the box is an antique pocketknife with 'Nanatsu-yoru' engraved on the back. Shiki certainly wouldn't think of stabbing anybody so he pockets it and takes it to school.

Hisui sees him off and, at her asking, he tells her that he'll be back around four o'clock. He notices a distinct lack of students heading towards school from the same direction he is and wishes Yumizuka were there to walk with him. When he arrives at school, the entire classroom is gossiping about a classmate that supposedly ran away. As it turns out, Yumizuka is the only one that doesn't show up for class.

Opposite of last time...

"...... Yeah, it's not like it's been confirmed yet or anything."
Maybe Yumizuka was just late.
It would be a better idea to see how things go for a little while longer before asking the teacher.

Yeah, that must be it. She's just late, right, guys? ...right?

Music: play track 1

"......"
Other people's problems, huh?
Arihiko's words are too close to the truth.

Of course they are, nobody knows you like Arihiko does

"Huh? You're not with Inui-kun today?"
"...... Senpai? What are you doing in our classroom?"
"Well, I thought I'd have lunch with you guys... Tohno-kun, aren't you going to eat something?"
Senpai sits down on the desk, looking at me anxiously.

"Nah, I just don't seem to have any appetite today."
"Ahh... Are you not feeling well?"
"...... Something like that. Don't worry about me, you go on to the dining hall. Arihiko's probably already there."

"Oh, you're not energetic at all! I don't know what happened, but if you don't eat lunch, you'll just feel even worse."
"That's... true, but..."

"But if Arihiko catches me having lunch alone with a woman after turning him down, he'll really get the wrong idea..."

While we didn't get this choice last time, it auto-picked 1 for us. So...

"...... Sorry. I really don't feel too good right now. I'm going to the clinic, so please just have lunch with Arihiko."

"That's it. I'll send the girl to him, that way he won't misunderstand."

Senpai sighs.
"...... I don't know what is going on, but please do not push yourself, Tohno-kun."
"Haha--I'm going to the clinic so I won't push myself."

Forcing a smile, I leave the classroom.

Music: stop

Aww, he's thinking of her

"......"
I suddenly stop as I walk up the hill.
Yesterday, at this same time.
I remember how natural the parting was between Yumizuka and I.

Aww... he's thinking of... another... woman...

Music: play track 1

Aww, she waited for him

"Thanks, Hisui...... Um, forgive me for asking, but have you been waiting for me here the whole time?"

"No, not the whole time. I have only waited for half an hour. Is there something wrong?"
She speaks extremely matter-of-factly.
...... Wait a minute, waiting for me like that is going overboard.

But she wubs you!

"---I'm really happy that you waited to greet me, but you don't have to go that far. Wearing that and standing so conspicuously, I feel a little embarrassed."
Plus it is autumn. It'll get pretty cold out soon.

...and he's too worried that Arihiko will catch her.

"........................"
Hisui is silent.
She might be part foreigner, as her blue eyes are like finely crafted glass, staring at me lifelessly without emotion.
A brief silence ensues.

Way to fuck it up, Shiki

When we reach the entrance, Hisui whooshes past me.
"Uwaa!"
I instinctively jump back.

"...... What is it, Shiki-sama?"
"Uh, no-----nothing, it's nothing."
"..............."

She silently opens the front door.
She must have moved ahead of me to do so.

Waiting behind her master until her turn arises and quietly fulfilling her duty.
Perhaps that is the duty of a maid, but it makes a normal person like me a little nervous to have her attending my every move.
...... This isn't good at all. This just makes me feel like a perpetual guest in my own home.

I think she already knows, dude.

"...... I do not understand, are you telling me to be more strict?"
"No, that's definitely not it. I just want to live as relaxed as possible."
"...... I am deeply sorry. I do not appear to understand what you are saying, Shiki-sama."
"...... Um, that's why I'm saying--you don't have to look so serious."
...... This is troubling.
Last night when I talked to her a little about this I had a premonition, but I didn't know she took things this seriously.

"I... think she... sort of responded... maybe... oh, I give up."

"I understand. But you do not have to worry about me, Shiki-sama."

----Argh, she doesn't understand at all.........

Hisui swiftly swishes to the side to make way for me.

I sigh.
...... I am really taken aback...
All this devotion really does make me happy, but I think it'll be good if she was just half as cheerful as Kohaku-san.
She has such a beautiful atmosphere around her, maybe if I just relax a little bit, that would be--

...and for all of Hisui's efforts, Shiki still has the hots for her sister.

"Shiki-sama, are you not going to return to your room?"
"No, I was just thinking about something."

"No, no, I was just thinking... about your sis- I mean... something. I was thinking about something."

I turn to the side and face the stairs.
Hisui looks rather longingly at the bag in my hand.
...... I think she wants me to let her carry it.
She already went through all this trouble just to greet me, and now she wants to carry my bag.
I ignore her longing attitude as I quickly walk towards my room.

It doesn't get much more straightforward than that. "Please, take your clothes off... and if you need anything, you just let ME know..." Of course, Shiki doesn't get it.

"...... Huh? My old man's business inheritance? Is she talking with a lawyer or something?"
"Yes. It seems that she is being informed about all of the administration policies, so she will be extremely busy until dinner time."
"..............."
Well, the old man DID suddenly pass away, so he probably didn't tell her anything about his company.

"Sorry for taking your time. I'll call you if anything happens, so you can return to what you were doing."

"I understand. Well, then, please excuse me."

Music: stop

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