Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: Pink Tea
Chapter 154 Still, The Hero Does not Reach 2
「I’m home」「……」
When I opened the front door of the house, the words came out of my mouth naturally even though I knew that there would be no response.
Mai beside me says nothing. This difference was probably a result of her spending a lot of time truly alone in this house, where even I was not with her.
A change that seems trivial and yet serious.
「Well, I’m hungry, and I’m going to have dinner」
「Brother, let’s cook together once in a while」
「Cooking? Why all of a sudden?」
「A lovely sister that thinks of her brother so much, would want to happily cook as siblings from time to time.」
With that said, Mai smiles again.
That smile as gentle and soft.
Even though she merely wants to spend time with me, today that smile hurt.
「……Yea, Let"s make it together…… why. Well, just look at that and admire my cooking skills, Sister.」
I showed my emotions in a normal manner so as not to irritate the mind of Mai.
Also, I was nervous to take my eyes off her as she was right now.
「I don’t expect my brother to be good at cooking. First of all, my brother’s cooking experience is about cooking practice at school, isn’t it?」
「That’s not true……. and … No, no, that’s right. Well, if I have at least such experience, I at least can peel the vegetables.」
I felt like I could cook.
Well, there’s no basis for that, but perhaps I’ve had some cooking experience in period for which I have no memory.
In my dreams, I was traveling in a different world. Then, of course, I would have had the opportunity to cook.
(……I thought that I had to admit, but I think that the other world smoothly is because the memory is about to return)
「Really? I don"t care if you will end up cutting your fingers?」
「No, no, do not underestimate how dexterous are my hands.」
I feel that the demon inside Me is trying to pull the chain across the thin wall, shrug my shoulders and smile.
After washing her hands in the kitchen"s sink, Mai peeks into the refrigerator.
「What are you making?」
「Yes, meat and potatoes……. and… No, let’s make a curry.」
Mai gave me a sidelong glance and decided to switch the menu.
Apparently she read from my reaction what I would want to eat. In fact, when I saw the contents of the refrigerator, I imagined it would be a curry.
(…… From the point that even this gives me deja vu, I guess in that another world or whatever, I also was the one who would get a cooking done for him..)
That was the thought that crossed my mind while watching Mai who prepared quickly the ingredients for two people.
「…..Brother, you are really good with your hands.」
「Not as good as Mai.」
Standing next to Mai and peeling skin from vegetables I thought, I"m surprisingly used to using a kitchen knife. No, it’s not even about a kitchen knife, but blades in general.
(I’m not a murderer, am I?……)
Having blade in my hands felt just that natural, with my every new move I put the blade at the optimal angle without even being aware of it.
I felt anger from the old me being closer as it resonated with such disgusting imagination.
「……」
「? What’s wrong, Mai?」
「No, it’s just a little frustrating that brother is so good at handling a kitchen knife. It is cheating, why does it feel that you are better than Mai at something at which I worked for years.」
「Hehe, I told you, this is a good opportunity for you to renew your evaluation of your big brother.」
I said puffing my chest with pride.
Usually, at such times Mai would reply,『 You must not get full of yourself. Those who grow arrogant don"t live long, and this rate you soon will turn into useless brother. 』
But … …… no.
「As expected of my big brother, I"m very happy」
Mai says so and laughs again.
Even though I was praised by my precious sister, I was not happy at all.
「…Ouch.」
Because I was thinking about that. my hand slipped a little.
A vividly blood red line appears where I touched the knfe.
「Oh, I did it. Mai, a first-aid kit ………」
「Hamu.」
Like a fish on a bait, I caught my little sister on my finger.
The sensation of her tongue crawling over my wound.
「Mmm, mm.」
When I was in daze accompanied by the sound of the running water, she already let go of my hand.
「Puha ~, now it"s good. What left is to put a bandaid on it.」
With that said, Mai took out the first-aid kit from the back of the shelf on the edge of the kitchen.
Taking bandaid from there and taking hold of my hand she slapped bandaid on the wound.
「That won"t do, brother, you are so quick to get full of yourself..」
「Oh, dear. I’m sorry.」
I’ve never been in such situation before, so I thank her with a little bit of confusion.
Normally she wouldn’t do something like disinfecting a wound by licking, and would just stick bandaid after normally cleaning it with water.
「Even so, blood is surprisingly delicious, isn"t it? Brother.」
Saying that she licked her lips.
There was something weirdly fascinating about that, like in the uncertain beauty of the lonely flower, blooming at a riverside, that might disappear at any moment.
「Oh, but it is delicious because it is brother"s blood, other people’s blood worths less than nothing.」
「…… Idiot, stop saying stupid stuff and let"s get back to cooking already.」
「Oh, brother, it hurts. You’re so mean.」
「I don"t care, I don"t care..」
I gave a random reply and returned to the peeling of vegetables again.
I didn"t see the face of Mai, who was sulking so cutely.
No, I didn’t want to see it, so I looked the other side.
「…………」
So, I don’t know what kind of expression Mai was wearing at that time.
However, the curry I ate that day was delicious, but somehow I could not feel the taste.
————————
That day, after we had dinner, time pa.s.sed as usual.
No, it probably was somewhat unusual. Pressed by Mai as she was going to the bath, I now was sitting in front of the door that separates the bathroom and the dressing room.
Because of my back injury, I did not take a bath, and after wiping the area other than where the injury was with a wet towel, then I had Mai to apply suppurative salve on the wound on the back and had it wrapped it bandage.
I thought I would change the bandage on my head, but I just had it replaced in the hospital today, so I left it as it is.
After that I changed into sleepwear, and together with Mai watched a TV program, that wasn"t particularly interesting, while eating potato chips, and when the time came, both of us went to our rooms.
「……Time to go back to our rooms.」
「Yes, brother.」
Usually, each of goes to their own room, and about an hour later Mai would sneak into my bed when I sleep. Every time I sense her presence and wake up, but pretend that I"m sleeping, I get up as if nothing happened after waiting long enough for Mai to quietly retreat from the bed the next morning.
But today was different.
「Brother, Can I sleep with you today?」
「……」
Why would you bring up on purpose something that we already had unspoken agreemnt about?
「I don"t mind that much.」
「Then, brother, I will bring a pillow.」
In any case, if I can ease the worries of Mai even a little bit by sleeping next to her, then by all means, what else can I ask for.
Mai, smiling happily, returned to her room once. I went into my room first and leaving the lights on got into the futon and closed my eyes.
Tomorrow is school.
I guess I"ll use phone to look for a new hospital during the cla.s.s.
「……」
A screech of opening door.
Entering the room, she didn"t say anything in particular.
「Mai, turn off the lights.」
「……」
I asked her to turn off the light that was left on so she woudn"t fumble in the darkness. However, the light does not disappear, and the no reply came from her.
「Brother……. Brother.……」
「Mai?」
「I"m not turn off the lights.」
Mai slowly came closer to the bed, but aren"t trying to get inside.
There was something disturbing in the way she called me.
However, when I opened my eyes again and saw Mai, I felt like I was splashed with a cold water due to my late response.
「Brother, my brother, is mine and only mine big brother, right……?」
When Mai took my hand that I tried to move, it turned out to be handcuffed to the bed.
「Huh? Eh?」
And while I was still in a daze from surprise, the other hand and both feet are were smoothly bound bu handcuffs as well.
「Wha, h-hey, Mai, what are you doing?!?」
For some, the sight of me wriggling under a futon with my eyes wide open from shock and all limbs restrained by handcuffs surely looked ridiculous.
However, it was not a situation that could be laughed at from my current point of view.
「No, brother. If I turn off the light, you won’t be able to see me properly?」
「What are you talking about?…… Wait, calm down, for a joke you wen too far! If you’re mad at me, I won’t run, so just take this off.」
「That"s also useless. My big brother is a useless big brother, so I have to restrain you like this so you won"t escape, and you also would try to resists using common sense as excuse. So I will persuade you over and over, and until big brother yield he will remain like this.」
Mai with a glossy smile, like never seen before she pulled the futon off.
And then she straddled on top of me.
「Hey, what are you doing? …… Mai!!」
「it"s all big brother"s fault…….? It"s all because you were about to disappear from my sight. All because my you were going to disappear to someone else place, someone other than Mai.」
Snap, Snap, with one hand Mai was removing the b.u.t.tons of pajama.
From the cloth that has fallen down, smooth skin peeked.
「Hey, who is it? Who is ■■■■■-san? Who is ■■■■-san? Who is ■■■■-san? What kind of dreams you were having and why were you calling the names that don"t belong to Mai with such tenderness? Why, why, why are you trying to leave Mai?」
「Guh?!」
The names spoken by Mai are drown out by the noise, and at the same time, an intense headache as if a hand was stuck directly into my brain, attacks me.
While desperately endured the pain, I can see the face of my sister, who looked like a lost child, that was about to cry any moment now.
「Come on, brother. It’s better not to remember after all. I told my brother, didn’t I? You don’t need to remember anything if it pains you. If you are going to think about it, then please think only about me instead. Just think about staying by my side. Then, you will be happy.」
「Sto, I just did what I could not to worry you……」
The tip of the nail strongly bites in a little above the chest.
But it the headache, that though weakened a bit was still a lot stronger, made that insignificant.
The voice coming out from my mouth also weakens.
「Worry? Of course I will worry. Every day, I recall the day of the disappearance incident. I am afraid that my brother’s back that see when I wake in the morning might turn out to be an illusion. So, let’s cross the line between Brother/ and Mai《————–》？ Just think about Mai alone, and keep thinking here.. I will take care of everything you need. I’ll do anything. Isn’t that what happiness is?」
「Oh, come on, you’re gonna lock me up?……?」
The transient headache slowly pulled back, and the thoughts finally began to gather together.
Even though my mind was still dull and I barely grasped onto the words, but even in that state there was meaning to those words that I was able to catch, which left me dumbfounded.
「No, we can"t do that as siblings……」
「Yes, brother, you will deflower your little sister right now. Then the dutiful big brother won"t be able to separate from Mai for the rest of his life. No matter what happens, no matter what you remember, you will no longer be able to think of anything other than Mai, right? And if my you will leave me anyway……Ehe, ehehehe♪」
Showing an intoxicated, somewhat childish smile, she stopped talking.
「Are you seriously saying this?…」
「It"s okay, I believe. I’m sure my brother will choose me. At any time, he will choose Mai at the end. With a sense of guilt and a sense of pleasure that spices it … Ehehehehe♪」
Mai’s eyes were serious. Which made it obvious that she wasn"t sane.
It’s not just that. Mai was already at her limit.
「You’re kidding…….? d.a.m.n it!! With such toy handcuffs….! 」
「Oh, no, brother. Don"t thrash like that.. I chose the product what won"t break that easily, but if you want to run away from here, then I might need to give you a bit of a punishment? So do not resist, okay? Brother?」
「?」
Shivers run down my spine.
There was no light in the eyes of Mai who said so, and I felt a real danger she might do who knows what if I resists.
「Come on, brother, let’s take off your clothes?」
Mai reached out with her fingers for b.u.t.tons on my pajama.
「Stop, stop it, Mai! 」
「I will not♪」
I tried to get away by wrigling my body, but being restrained by handcuffs I hardly could make any movements, and so Mai was unfastening b.u.t.tons at surprising speed.
Before long, my pajama was open.
「Calm down and think it over!! This will bring both you and me nothing but unhappiness!」
「There is no such a thing, I will be happy with big brother by my side, looking only at me and loving me. Brother as well, you will be happy having all of your needs wholeheartedly taken care by me and being spoiled absolutely rotten, having all of you belong to me. Because you won"t be distracted by unnecessary things anymore」
「Even dad and mother will be sad.」
「That’s not true. Because, in the old days, when I said that I want to marry my brother, father and mother would laugh and say that it"s fine. There is no problem」
No good, she is deranged in the truest sense.
She cannot hear my voice.
Though she replies to the words she hears, she doesn"t really hear them.
「Hey, Brother, who do you want as a first child, a boy or a girl? I think that twin girls would be good.」
The pajamas that Mai was wearing fell and exposed to the light a black underwear and her bare skin.
I jerk my face in a hurry.
What to do, what to do what to do, if you do not stop Mai here, Mai really will be broken!!
(If it goes like this, Mai will never be able to go back again…… What is it?)
Anyway, it is time, something, I have to damped her mood somehow and reset this situation….
「No, big brother, this won"t do., look this way, look here. Look at me. I’ve maintained this figure for my brother. I never missed a care, so I would always be ready for a day like this. I’ve always cared about the way I look since I was a child. In order to be closer to your taste.」
「S-stop, Mai」
「Look, thickheaded brother? You have to open your eyes. It’s still a long night. I want to enjoy it slowly and thoughtfully. So open your eyes, brother.」
My face, which I turned to the side and closed my eyes, is gently wrapped by Mai’s hands.
An immature laugh that gently goes over one"s ears.
「Ah, brother, what do I do with you, useless brother is so rash.. If you already want to go further instead of staring at each other……」
「Mai! stop it, Mai!」
Smooth, gentle touch, going from my chest to the navel area, in panic, I opened my eyes.
When I"ve done so, I saw Mai"s face, which was so close to mine that I could feel her breath.
The distance at which we could peek at each other"s eyes.
Deep in her eyes, the real Mai was crying. She is so close and yet…
「Even if you won"t do this, I will stay by your side. I’m your brother after all.」
The words of persuasion that only good on ears will merely disappear into nothing.
I know that, but for some reason only such words, that I myself find trivial, come off my lips.
「Yes, my brother is mine brother. So, please throw away everything except Mai, okay?」
The only thing that was left for me is to play the wildcard.
「……Say, Mai. If you want me to erase anything but you, tell me one thing first.」
What is it? If you want to know something, I"ll answer anything. My three sizes are……」
「The drawer of the desk in Mai"s room, the bloodstained knife in there, what the h.e.l.l is that?」
「?」
The moment I uttered those words, there was a feeling that I touched the depths of her heart that I did not reach until now.
But that didn"t feel like a pull to my side, instead it merely pushed her away greatly.
It"s not even about a bet that can go good or bad.
I merely chose the bad outcome instead of the worst one.
「Ah, N-no, it"s, it"s not, it different. Why? How did you know?…… What? Why, why, why? No, don’t hate me, don’t hate me!? Brother!? I’m your sister, AAaaAaAaaAA?」
「Ma, Mai……」
The long hair is disheveled, and she burst into barrage of incoherent words.
Her breath turned shallow as if she was trying to get it in order as she was gasping for air, he eyes began to focus.
Trembling and covering both of her ears, tears were running down her cheeks.
「It"s, it"s, I couldn"t help it, blood, the blood, AaaaaaAAAA? Don"t stain me, not stained, don"t get in my way. Why, who, It"s him, it"s him, it"s him, it"s hiiiiiiiiiiiim!!!」
「Calm down, calm down, Mai.」
Seeing her clearly aberrant state, I started to have my doubts if I really made the right choise.
I feel like the action, that I chose to avoid heading for ruin, was a terrible mistake.
(No, what am I gonna do, losing my spirit here, I have to persuade her, we still can go back! )
「Mai, calm down, Mai, listen to me, talk to me. I won’t run away anymore! Neither from you, nor from my memoriless sels…. So…! 」
However, that moment of her wavering soon ended.
「………… Oh, I see, there are still those who will get in my way. There are still some who want to take from me. After all, if I don’t finish up everything, it’s no good」
Suddenly, Mai stopped shaking.
「There are people who have insinuated unnecessary things to my brother…..? It’s Okay. I’ll erase everything tomorrow.」
A bubbly smile that makes Mai look like she went back to an innocent, childish self.
「Yes. I’ll be fine After all, it is not good to throw a round on the way. What is it? I have failed. Just a little bit, but please wait, brother.」
「Mai……and … Listen to me……. and … Let’s stop it. There are so many things, you are tired. Let’s go to the hospital with me. It’s all right. let’s think about that knife together.」
「? A knife? What are you talking about? I’m going to finish everything, so you shouldn"t know about it?」
「What?!」
Mai did not seem to notice the absurdity of what she was saying.
Mai, who spoke in a tone that seemed to be normal, gave me a small kiss on a cheek like when we were kids.
「Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve kissed brother on a cheek. Please wait until tomorrow night, okay? …I’ll kill them all and make like that never happened.」
After she said so, Mai stood up and put back her clothes.
「Kill!? Wait, don"t do it, Mai! Whom do you want to kill, stop it?!! I know, you can keep me confined, so let’s talk about it, because it is absolutely irreparable, Mai」
Mai did not answer anything and turned off the electricity in the room.
「Brother, let’s go to bed today. Tomorrow is an important day. I have to get to it in a perfect condition. In time, you will understand that Mai is the only thing you have to treasure, right?」
「Mai…… What is it?」
I don’t know how many times I saw it today.
Mai laughed as if she was broken, with a an embarra.s.sed expression.
Mai, who now was wearing clothes again, came into my bed and got under the blanket.
「Good night, brother. I hope that tomorrow will be a good day」
Saying that Mai embraced me and happily closed her eyes.
I could not say anything to Mai who fell asleep immediately.
Merely earning a small leeway, I was unable to grasp Mai.
I was able to avoid the mistake that would lead us to ruin, but in the end, I did not get the result I wanted the most.
Then, my sister, who was on the brink, broke.