Although transformed into a gaudy love-nest resembling a love hotel, the building itself still retained hints of its gymnasium origins.
Celebratory banners and trophies hung incongruously over neon lights and pink walls. At the building's front stood a massive screen, looping footage of a gymnast's graceful silhouette.
Above the screen was bold lettering:
[Congratulations to the Gymnastics Champion of the Entire Universe: Yoshizawa ■]
"Huh? What's that last character? It's obscured, like someone deliberately scribbled over it..."
"Come on, Senpai, let's hurry inside~!"
Kasumi, completely denying Rinto any chance to examine further, firmly grasped his hand and led him forward.
Watching Kasumi's determined back, Rinto vaguely understood.
Sisters—especially twins—must have a pretty complicated dynamic…
It wasn't something he could simply interfere with, no matter how close he was to both of them.
As they stepped into the equally luxurious main hall, Rinto changed the subject:
"So, Kasumi, what exactly is your Persona? Can you finally show me now?"
"Hehe~?" Kasumi clearly had been waiting eagerly for this question. Proudly placing her hands on her hips, she posed dramatically:
"Quiz time, Rinto-senpai! When you think of fairytale characters whose names serve as the titles of their stories, who comes to mind first?"
"Oh, it's that kind of Persona…" Rinto immediately became intrigued. "There are quite a few, though. Let me see… How about 'Sleeping Beauty'?"
"Pfft~ (○｀ 3′○)! Do I look like some princess who just waits around for a prince's kiss? Wrong answer!"
Kasumi crossed her arms and pouted playfully.
Rinto thought again. "Then, maybe 'Snow White'? Wait, no—that's pretty similar to Sleeping Beauty. If we're talking about someone more proactive… How about 'Rapunzel' or 'Cinderella'?"
Kasumi laughed lightly, "I do like Rapunzel, but I don't think we have much in common. As for Cinderella… If anyone fits Cinderella, it would probably be Sumire. After all, I'm the oppressive older sister."
She actually described herself as the villain in her own sister's fairytale... Rinto suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Kasumi.
But Kasumi had never been the type who needed pity.
She was genuinely strong.
As strong and transparent as everlasting ice—unyielding and thoroughly true to herself.
"You still don't know your fairytales well enough, Senpai~ My question had an obvious hint, didn't it? I said the story is titled after a character's name—not necessarily the heroine."
"Oh…" Realization struck Rinto immediately.
Kasumi raised her chin proudly, smiling like a queen:
"Now, witness our true beauty, and let it steal your heart!—[Snow Queen]!"
It really was the villain…
To name an entire story after its antagonist—perhaps even Hans Christian Andersen had a twisted sense of humor.
Under Rinto's attentive gaze, amidst swirling, crystalline snowflakes, Kasumi transformed into an even more striking figure.
She now wore a long, icy-blue gown, and though her heels were sharp as skating blades, she stood elegantly upon the ice as if it were solid ground—proud as a queen.
No, she truly was a queen.
This wasn't a story of a princess awaiting rescue, but of a queen conquering love by her own strength.
In that moment, as Kasumi's confident smile captivated him completely, Rinto knew with absolute certainty—he was utterly entranced.
"Ugh…!"
Meanwhile, sitting alone in her room, Sumire suddenly felt an inexplicable pain gripping her heart.
Her bed was covered in clothes stolen from Rinto—about seven or eight outfits by now.
She'd found countless excuses to buy Rinto new clothes, quietly taking his old ones as treasures. Each time she saw him wearing clothes she'd gifted him, her heart filled with enough sweet satisfaction to momentarily push away her anxiety.
But these days, that little trick was no longer working as well.
When she was by Rinto's side, everything was fine. She was happy. But whenever he left her sight, insecurity oozed out like black tar from her chest, threatening to choke her.
Now she had no choice but to wrap herself in those stolen clothes, hugging them desperately each night, imagining a faint trace of her idol's scent to soothe herself…
But this sudden pain in her heart was far worse than usual.
What's happening to me...?
Sumire couldn't help but burst into tears.
They spilled uncontrollably from her eyes, choking her throat until she couldn't even sob properly. Her head felt feverish, yet the warmth rapidly drained from her fingertips, leaving her too weak even to stand.
She desperately needed to hear Rinto's voice, immediately grabbing her phone and dialing his number.
[We're sorry, the number you dialed is currently unreachable…]
Even this simple automated message felt like rejection, as though the entire world had abandoned her.
"...Onee-chan… Onee-chan!"
Sumire stumbled to her feet and ran toward her sister's room next door.
Kasumi's door wasn't locked—but naturally, she wasn't inside either.
Sumire entered the room—identical to hers except for the color—and collapsed hopelessly onto the floor.
Despite having no proof, she had a dreadful, gut-wrenching certainty:
Rinto was definitely with Kasumi right now.
They had secrets from her, their relationship deepening without her knowledge.
She had been left behind.
Like the forgotten little servant girl, covered in soot and ashes.
Forced to watch her sisters dressed in beautiful new gowns going to the ball, swallowing her ugly jealousy in silence…
[They're coming for you.]
Through tear-blurred eyes, Sumire saw those golden eyes again.
Another version of herself stood before her, identical except for those cold, golden eyes, looking down at her impassively.
The shadow spoke coldly:
[They'll destroy your desires, take away your lust and envy. You'll forget everything, and you won't have to suffer anymore.]
"Forget everything…? What do you mean…?"
Sumire clutched at the painful tightness in her chest, gasping.
The golden-eyed shadow continued:
[You'll forget your yearning for him, the pain of your insecurity. You'll forget your jealousy toward your other half—no more struggling to keep up.]
[You'll accept your mediocrity and happily support those truly special. They'll still love you, and you'll still love them. You simply won't recall these feelings anymore. You'll return to a blissful laziness, living a carefree life without desire.]
"…Forget? Won't recall anymore…? You're telling me… to forget Senpai? To forget how much I love him?"
The shadow didn't reply.
Though it shared her own face down to every detail—more identical than even Kasumi's face—Sumire only felt an eerie dread looking into those inhuman golden eyes.
She knew it wasn't bluffing.
She truly would forget she ever loved Rinto, and the jealousy and pain of never catching up to her sister would vanish completely.
She could accept her mediocrity without anxiety, without distress.
She would sit quietly in the audience, applauding as the real prince and princess walked down the red carpet, kissing blissfully in front of her—
SMACK!!
It should've been impossible, yet Sumire's palm truly landed.
Her hand stung sharply, her first slap burning fiercely.
She had struck her own Shadow right across the face!
"Don't just decide things on your own!"
Sumire—always a sweet, obedient girl who never lost her temper—was enraged for the first time in her life.
Eyes blazing furiously, she didn't even notice her tears had stopped:
"Rinto-senpai is my miracle! I'll never let anyone take him away! Choosing gymnastics together with Onee-chan was also my own decision! The pain, the discomfort, even jealousy strong enough to kill me—they're all mine!"
[...Then you know exactly what you must do.]
The Shadow calmly vanished, hand still covering its slapped cheek.
Shaking, Sumire reached for her phone again without hesitation.
She immediately opened the Navigation App.