After ordering with the waiter, Sawamura Haruno lifted the glass of water on the table and took a small sip.
He was thinking about how to bring up the matter of Maki. Not only did he need to find a way to deal with the problem itself—he also needed to figure out how to ask about the so-called "truth."
Even if he couldn't get a direct answer, at the very least he needed some useful information. That way, the system's task might trigger another change.
But this involved the other party's family privacy. Asking too bluntly would be impolite.
Fortunately, Miyazawa Mana—sitting across from him—saw through his thoughts almost immediately.
As the gentle older sister, she paused briefly, then took the initiative to ask:
"Has Maki caused you a lot of trouble these past couple of days?"
"…I wouldn't say trouble."
Haruno's gaze flickered slightly. For some reason, the first thing that came to mind was that afternoon's ambiguous scene.
Maki clinging softly to him, gently sucking on his finger, that addictive sensation—so vivid it still lingered in his memory.
No—that wasn't the main reason the memory felt so fresh.
The real problem was that someone who looked exactly like her was sitting right in front of him.
If he followed that line of thought any further, it was almost easy to imagine Mana herself treating him with the same extreme gentleness.
And given her personality—the type who would indulge the person she loved completely—that wasn't even unrealistic. Back when they were dating, this side of her had already been apparent. Otherwise, someone as well-behaved as Mana would never have followed him on trips or taken their relationship further.
"What's wrong? Your expression looks kind of strange."
Mana looked at him with some confusion. She had assumed her sister had seriously troubled him, and concern showed in her eyes.
"Maki probably threw another tantrum, didn't she? That's why she fought with Mom back then and ended up running away from home."
Mana sighed softly.
"I suppose this is partly my fault too. Before I graduated, I didn't notice the change in her mindset. By the time things got bad, it was already too late."
"…If you ask me, I think that's more her own issue."
Haruno raised the glass again and took a few large gulps, using the water to suppress the inexplicable restlessness in his chest.
He cleared his throat and spoke in a lower voice.
"At noon today, Maki came to my school. One of my classmates mistook her for you and dragged her over to eat together."
"Huh? So she even ran into you?"
"Yeah. I was having lunch with friends, and we ended up sitting together."
Haruno paused, then gave a helpless smile.
"She said some things she really shouldn't have—in front of other people. Stuff about our trip to Atami. When you go to campus next week, you'll probably hear rumors about it."
"Atami?"
Mana was visibly startled.
She didn't remember telling Maki about that.
…No, that wasn't it.
It wasn't that she hadn't told her—it was that Maki hadn't wanted to listen.
"What exactly did she say?" Mana asked hesitantly. "She didn't… use my face to say something that made things awkward for you, did she?"
"I was fine. It didn't really affect me," Haruno shrugged lightly. "But letting her talk nonsense like that isn't good. You might want to worry about yourself—what she said at noon was pretty over the line."
"Honestly… that girl."
Mana puffed out her cheeks, looking a little annoyed.
But Haruno knew her well. That anger was just for show—she could never truly be mad at her twin sister.
Unlike Maki, who found her older sister annoying, Mana cherished her deeply. Even so, there were things she couldn't always notice.
Back in high school, Mana had been too focused on herself. Then in her third year, she devoted everything to entrance exams. By the time Maki's inner pressure finally exploded into self-destructive behavior, Mana had only realized it when it was already too late.
Even so, she had never given up on her sister.
From her actions alone, it was clear—Maki was the person closest to her heart.
Which meant that the "secret" Maki had mentioned…
Might actually have been Mana's own hidden thoughts—something she'd subconsciously revealed to her twin.
Should he ask her directly?
Ask about the real reason behind their breakup.
Ask whether it truly had anything to do with that somewhat perverse preference Maki had hinted at.
"I want to ask you something, Mana."
Haruno's gaze sank slightly, his voice dropping without him realizing it.
"I know it might be too late to ask now. But if I don't clear this up, it's going to keep bothering me."
"…Hm?"
Mana tilted her head, confused.
"Why did you want to break up with me back then?"
Haruno asked quietly.
He chose to put everything on the table. There was no point in circling around the issue—Mana understood him too well. Even if he didn't ask outright, she would see through him eventually.
"…Why did I want to break up…"
Mana was clearly startled by the question.
She tugged lightly at the ribbon on her collar, her expression troubled.
Under the table, her long, pale legs shifted restlessly, betraying her embarrassment.
"Well… how should I put it…"
After a long pause, she finally averted her gaze, gently biting her lower lip.
"Why ask something like that now?"
"Can't I ask?"
"It's not that you can't…"
Her hands tightened, then loosened again. In the end, she smiled helplessly.
"It's just that—back then, when I said we should break up, you didn't hesitate at all. You agreed immediately. And now, after all this time, you suddenly ask me why… isn't that a bit unfair?"
"You know what kind of person I am," Haruno said softly.
"I hate it when people treat breakups like a joke."
"Since you knew that and still brought it up, that's why I agreed so cleanly back then."
"…That's true. I know that about you."
Mana muttered quietly.
Her hand, which had been clutching her collar, had somehow moved to her hair.
She absentmindedly played with her smooth, long locks while her legs gently swayed beneath the table, looking like a confused girl caught between hesitation and clarity.
Yet the words she spoke next were unmistakably direct.
"Maki told you something, didn't she?"
"About what happened between you and me."
She tilted her head again, her gaze toward Haruno carrying an unreadable nuance.
"I'm guessing… she told you what she thinks was the real reason we broke up?"
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