"Arisu, have you ever heard of 'disenchantment'?"
Kitagawa Ryo stepped out from the shadowy part of the hallway, then immediately answered his own question:
"In layman's terms, it refers to the removal of mystery, sanctity, or allure from science and knowledge. It's commonly used in religious and sociological contexts."
"But actually, it can also apply to human emotions at times."
"The reason Suzune was deceived by a single sentence from Horikita Manabu for so many years is because her feelings for him were rooted in blind reverence."
Ryo let out a small laugh. He wouldn't even be surprised if someone used Manabu's name to threaten Suzune—she might willingly give up her dignity and interests.
"It's as if she worshipped him like a divine idol."
"Every word he said was treated like an oracle—memorized, digested, and swallowed like sacred scripture."
"She placed herself at the lowest point, and made him her goal and final destination. How could she ever surpass that?"
Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head.
"We're not here to talk about Horikita Suzune. We're here to talk about us."
"This is exactly about us," Ryo replied seriously.
"In any human relationship, the worst thing you can do is to look up or down on someone from the start."
"Disenchantment means stripping away the imaginary halo you place on someone. At the end of the day, everyone eats, drinks, and uses the bathroom like anyone else."
"That includes me."
"So, sorry, but I actually don't know how to play 'Moonlight Sonata.'"
After saying this, Kitagawa Ryo turned around decisively and walked back into the stairwell. He was heading home.
"Still refusing to go back, huh?"
Sakayanagi Arisu sighed softly, gazing at Ryo's back until it disappeared completely from her view.
-------------------------------------
Horikita Suzune abruptly abandoned her tightly packed schedule. During the time she was supposed to be practicing piano, she instead stood dazed in front of the mirror.
Something she had clung to for so many years was surprisingly easy to let go of. What once seemed eternal could vanish in a single moment of realization.
Suzune felt like she had just woken from a long, long dream. If that were the case, perhaps she should even be grateful to Sakayanagi Arisu for waking her up early.
She had been nothing more than a foolish little sister who always chased after her older brother.
In the mirror, the figure she saw seemed to overlap with her past self.
Looking back, more than half of her life had been spent as a counterfeit version of someone else.
She had kept telling herself, "This is the kind of sister my brother wants."
Her appearance, her personality, her academic performance—everything had been for her brother.
A false self, built solely to gain her brother's recognition.
"...Idiot."
Suzune muttered the insult quietly to herself.
She could still vaguely recall the day her brother left to attend school elsewhere. But everything between then and now felt like a blur, like those memories had been erased. Just as Kitagawa Ryo had said, she had returned to square one.
"I like long hair."
The version of her who had grown it out so carefully had wanted nothing more than to show it off to Horikita Manabu.
She toyed with the ends of her hair.
Opening the cabinet under the sink, she found a pair of scissors and cut off a lock of her long hair.
For years, Suzune had treasured that hair above all else.
Yet at this moment, a strange sense of joy surged within her—as if she'd finally taken revenge.
"What are you doing?"
Kitagawa Ryo's voice suddenly came from behind her, followed by his reflection appearing in the mirror.
"If you're thinking of going for a lighter hairstyle, I'd suggest a proper salon. Otherwise, if it ends up looking like a dog chewed on it, that's not a good look."
Noticing the scissors and the cut hair in her hand, Ryo shrugged.
"...I thought you'd left with her."
"Why would I? I still need to watch you give Horikita Manabu a good beating."
"He did just completely fool me with one lie, after all."
"Which is exactly why you have more reason—more motivation. Isn't that right?"
Ryo smiled as he looked at the lock of hair in Suzune's hand.
"If you're cutting it off in a hurry, it just proves that you haven't really grown at all."
Her life up to this point had been like a machine following a preset program—simple, straightforward, without confusion or introspection.
Life, at its core, might be inherently meaningless. Like a solitary island adrift on the sea.
So people often try to anchor their lives to others—through promises, friendships, revenge, curses, or fate.
Anything would do.
It's those ties to others that give meaning to existence.
Ryo could clearly see it: with the illusion of Horikita Manabu now shattered, Suzune had entered the most chaotic and lost phase of her life.
He needed to give her a new goal.
The mission was to help her break free from Manabu's shadow. But unlike with Karuizawa Kei, the mission didn't require her to become independent.
Which meant—
He could simply have someone else take Manabu's place.
It would be the most efficient shortcut.
But...
That wasn't the result Kitagawa Ryo wanted.
If she simply replaced one shadow with another, Suzune would never truly be free.
"Of course, if you really believe your current feelings are your true will, I can get in touch with Tony the stylist right away."
Ryo whistled and gave her a mischievous grin.
"The question is: are you cutting your hair in angry retaliation, or because you truly think short hair suits you better?"
"...I don't know."
Suzune looked startled. She stared at her reflection.
She had grown so used to seeing herself with long hair, she could barely remember what she looked like with short hair anymore.
"Then wait. Wait until you've made up your mind."
Ryo waved his hand.
"Tonight's lesson is canceled. Get some rest."
"Okay."
Suzune rubbed the strand of hair she had cut.
In a way, hair is like a symbol of memory. And they share a trait:
They take a long time to grow, but letting go of them is easy—so easy it makes you question if the time they carried was ever real at all.
-------------------------------------
"So, are you an idiot or what?"
Kitagawa Ryo placed the cup of hot water he brought on the bedside table, propping his head on one hand as he stared helplessly at the little figure tightly wrapped in blankets on the bed.
"I know you couldn't sleep last night, but the fact that you still remembered your duties as an executive committee member, got up, worked on the design drafts until you passed out and caught a cold... That's just unbelievable for someone like Horikita Suzune."
"..."
Whether it was because she was truly weak or simply had no comeback, the usually argumentative Suzune stayed silent. Her dark hair spilled over the pillow, her eyes closed as if lost in thought.
The old Suzune would have stubbornly gone to class despite being sick. After all, she was known for never being late, never leaving early, never missing a day.
But Ryo had already called in sick on her behalf.
He had expected her to put up a fight, but instead she obediently crawled back into bed.
She was starting to resemble a child more and more.
Then again, it wasn't surprising. Years of belief had been overturned in an instant—it must feel like the sky had fallen.
It was also probably the culmination of all the torment he'd put her through these past few weeks.
It had just happened to erupt now.
"So, how much work is left?"
Ryo handed her a thermometer and asked casually.
He admired this about Suzune. Just like in the previous simulation when she served as Class D's leader and endured loss after loss, once she was in a position of responsibility, she gave it her all—regardless of success or failure.
"Half of it's still unfinished. Just a pile of random suggestions so far."
Her throat, raw from fever, dulled her usual crisp tone. Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times before she finally opened her eyes, violet-red pupils hazy with confusion.
"You should rest."
Ryo glanced at her and pulled the blanket up.
"Want some water?"
"This is the seventh cup, isn't it? I don't want anymore."
She struggled a little, seemingly restless, and ended up propping herself halfway up against the headboard.
"What? Can't handle being idle?"
"If you want to get better faster, take your medicine."
At his words, Suzune instantly dove back under the covers, wrapping herself up like a cocoon.
"Is it that bad?"
Ryo sniffed the concoction in the bowl, puzzled. Hotaru had always taken medicine without complaint.
"Come out and take your medicine. Bitter medicine cures the illness."
No movement.
"..."
Shaking his head, he put the medicine down and walked over to her desk. Her laptop screen was still on, showing a half-finished design.
From a slit in the blankets, Suzune watched as Ryo inspected her sloppy work with interest. Embarrassment unexpectedly crept over her.
She threw the covers aside.
"I think I should take my medicine."
Then flopped back down, looking up at him expectantly.
"It's on your nightstand."
"You don't expect me to need coaxing, do you? You're not really a child."
Ryo sat beside her and feigned seriousness:
"Alright, good girl, drink it down. That's it. Great job."
"...Ryo, shut up."
She glared at him, though her weakened state made it less intimidating.
Still, she drank the concoction in one go. It wasn't even that bitter; it just required a little courage. Ryo had checked everything himself, especially the expiration date—he'd learned his lesson before.
After washing the bowl, he picked up a white pill set aside earlier—the real challenge.
With its pungent odor, it was more terrifying than powder or capsules.
Even Hotaru resisted this one.
The girl now hiding under the blankets was proof enough.
Ryo wondered how she had managed on her own all this time.
He thought back to how he used to help Hotaru with this, then went to the kitchen and grabbed a few oranges meant for juicing. He carefully inserted the pill into one segment.
Hotaru used to complain this would reduce the medicine's effectiveness, but Ryo couldn't stand watching her force down a handful of pills every time. He just wanted to make it easier.
He'd invented this method back then.
"Suzune, have some fruit first. We'll take the medicine later."
He lured her out.
"Mm..."
"No chewing. Swallow it all at once."
His sudden stern tone startled her, and she gulped down the orange slice whole.
"Perfect. Now get some more rest. I took the day off."
Ryo clapped his hands and smiled at her.
After taking the medicine, Suzune yawned and lay back down.
He adjusted her pillow and tucked in the blanket.
It was the first time she had ever been cared for like this.
She didn't hate it.
She woke up once in the middle of the night, thirsty.
"Want some water?"
Ryo was sitting right beside her.
"Ah... yeah."
Half-asleep, Suzune blinked for a while before accepting the cup he offered and downing it in one go. Then she drifted back to sleep.
Watching her, Ryo went to the kitchen and boiled another kettle of water. He poured a glass to cool and used an empty cup to transfer the liquid back and forth—a trick he'd learned while caring for Hotaru to cool water faster.
The silence was so still, it felt like you could hear the dust dancing in the air.
Ryo placed the perfectly tempered glass of hot water on the nightstand, so Suzune would see it the moment she woke up.
Even if this was just a game of pretending to be a family.
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