Chapter 38: Telepathy

(POV Kaito)

We’ve finally arrived in Hokkaido…  Ugh, my back hurts.
I always seem to feel a bit queasy during plane rides… Not the best start after landing at New Chitose Airport (Hokkaido).

However, dressing warmly turned out to be a wise decision, considering the chilling temperature in here.
I collected our luggage from the conveyor belt and stepped outside, immediately feeling the cold breeze brush against my skin.

“Ohh! It’s cold!” Chiaki said

“Your body temperature must be different…” Chinatsu said.

“It’s chilly.” Chifuyu said

“Should we all give each other a hug?” Chiharu added

Now, first things first, head to the inn to drop off our luggage.
Then, we can enjoy a leisurely lunch and visit the Chitose Aquarium.
Afterward, we’ll indulge in some delectable food at the inn and ensure a restful night’s sleep.

Tomorrow, we’ll have some tasty food at the airport before heading back home.

The plan is perfectly set.
Now, let’s go.

“Alright, first, let’s drop off our luggage at the nearby inn,” I said.

As I took the lead and started walking, the four of them followed suit.
Each of them carried a backpack, walking in a single-file line.
Impressively, they walked vertically instead of horizontally, showing consideration for other pedestrians.

After walking for about ten minutes, we arrived at a large inn.
We had two rooms, one for the sisters and one for me.
Our rooms were on the third floor, with tatami flooring and a great view of the outside scenery.
We checked in and quickly left the inn, carrying only the essentials with us.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

We left our backpacks, which contained our clothes and other belongings, at the spacious inn where we were staying.
Once we had set them down, we quickly joined Onii-san in the adjoining room and headed outside to enjoy some delicious food.

“Fufufu, we’ll play cards together tonight.” Chiaki said.

“Aki-nee really loves playing cards.” Chifuyu remarked.

“It’s because it’s fun when we all play together!”

Chiharu grinned as she took out the cards from her backpack.
Indeed, playing cards was enjoyable.
But I must say, Onii-san’s thoughtfulness is the same as always.
Having two rooms must cost extra money.

Perhaps due to our age or some other reason, he never insisted on us being too close to him.
This sense of reassurance was comforting, knowing that we didn’t have to force ourselves into uncomfortable situations.

We would always be grateful as long as we felt indebted to him.
Nevertheless, Onii-san never imposed that gratitude or expected exaggerated thanks.

Effortlessly, he fostered an environment where we could almost feel like a normal family, devoid of any pressure.
I was aware that not everyone possessed this ability.

And so, we learned to have ordinary affection in our everyday lives and learned to have normal family memories.
The changes that come with being able to provide these things are clear to see.

“Chiharu! Let’s go quickly!”

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Seeing Chiaki’s innocent smile, I couldn’t help but smile as well.
However, even Chiaki, who always has a smile on her face, carries her own darkness.
She is truly a beacon of energy and vitality.
We have all been saved by that smile countless times.

Still, I wonder what Chiaki is sometimes thinking.
There are things that even I, as her older sister, can’t grasp.
For example, what is hidden beneath that smile……Ah, this is not the right moment to ponder such thoughts…

The reason I find myself caught up in such complex thoughts might not be because I’ve been capable of thinking that way, but perhaps it’s because I’ve become that kind of person.

As the older sister, I turned out to be able to do so…

“Goodness, I’m starving! Let’s hurry like hamsters scurrying along!” Chiaki said.

Chiaki took my hand, pulling me outside.
Onii-san, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu were waiting for us outside the room.

“All right, let’s go have some delicious seafood.
I’ve already done some research,” Onii-san said.

“Chifuyu is really looking forward to it….” Chifuyu chimed in.

“So am I.” Chinatsu added

“Me too! And you too, Chiharu, right?” Chiaki asked.

“….Yeah”

…I know that being happy is not something ordinary or taken for granted.
I’ve thought about it many times.
But for now, let’s just obediently follow Onii-san without overthinking things.
I don’t know how much I can truly indulge myself…

Still, we came all the way here on this trip.

◆◆

 (POV Kaito) 

Well, well, here we are at that famous seafood restaurant.
 The main reason I chose this place for our lunch outing was its excellent online reputation.
Additionally, I’ve heard they not only serve their famous seafood dishes but also offer a variety of other delectable options, such as zangi (Hokkaido’s special fried chicken).
This provides us with the perfect opportunity to indulge in a diverse range of flavors.

“Welcome! Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, I made a reservation under the name Kuro.”
 

“…Ah, the one with that peculiar last name… cough Well then, allow me to escort you to your table.”

Wait, did he just make a remark about my last name? Well, I guess it’s not a big deal.

“Gulp, it smells so delicious.” Chiaki voiced out.

“Chifuyu is not a large rat or a small rat… but even so, the aroma is making my mouth water involuntarily…”

“H-hey, Haru, can we really eat anything we want today?” Chinatsu asked her sister.

“I believe so.
After all, that’s precisely why Onii-san brought us here today.”

It appears that all four of them are eager to satisfy their appetites.
Well, so am I.

We were escorted to a private room, where the five of us gathered around the table, attentively studying the menu.
The room boasted traditional Japanese-style seating, with cushions arranged on the floor.
The seclusion from the other areas of the restaurant seemed to create a sense of freedom.

“Kaito, Kaito! Can I order this sashimi set, zangi, and pork bowl?”

“Oh, go ahead and order whatever you all want.”

“”””Ohhhh!””””

The voices of surprise and joy echoed from everyone.
This is what they had been looking forward to all along.
Now, should I refrain from ordering too much? It wouldn’t be fair to the restaurant if the four of them ordered too much and couldn’t finish it.
I’ll take care of their leftovers then.

“Well, as for me… it seems like they have pizza here.
But then again, I also want some seafood.” Chinatsu said.

“Chinatsu, you can have both.”

“O-okay then… I’ll have both.”

“Chifuyu wants….the sashimi set…”

“Is that all you want? They also have shrimp fry, you know.”

“W-Well, I’ll have that too… Um, please understand that Chifuyu is definitely not a glutton! I want you to know that!”

“I know that.”

While everyone made their orders, Chiharu was still looking at the menu, it seems like she didn’t have any specific food in mind.
Knowing Chiharu, she might even be considering having the girls’ leftovers like me.

“What about Chiharu?”

“I’ll go with this mini-mini-sashimi set.”

“That alone won’t be enough.
They have options like mackerel simmered in miso or deep-fried tuna.
Maybe Chiharu is considering eating what your sisters would leave behind, but that’s my responsibility.
Just order what you genuinely want.”

“…Then, I’ll have the two that Oniisn mentioned…”

“Understood.”

“…Thank you, Onii-san.”

“You’re welcome.”

So she was indeed considering having her sisters’ leftovers.
While thinking about that, I pressed the button to call the waiter and ordered.

“Here I am, sir.
May I take your order?”

“Well, we’ll have this and this, and this and this and this, and this and this and this.
Also, this and this, and while we’re at it, these, these, and these, please.”

“Alright.
Let me repeat your order… this and this, and this and this and this, and this and this and this.
Also, this and this, and these, these, and these, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Just a moment, please.”

That waiter-san must be a seasoned pro.
The way he repeated our order was incredibly smooth.

“I’m so hungry!”

“Well, just wait,  Aki-nee; the food will be here soon.” Chifuyu said.

“I wonder if it’s alright to order this much.”

“Don’t worry, Chinatsu; you’re worrying too much.”

Oh well, it’s quite nerve-wracking and unsettled while waiting for the food to arrive.

“Kaito, what did you order?”

“I ordered steamed crab legs and lobster sashimi.”

“Wow… steamed crab legs and lobster sashimi… Kaito, let’s share!”

“Sure thing.”

Chiaki was incredibly straightforward and had an insatiable love for food.
What’s more, despite her voracious appetite, she never seemed to gain weight, a characteristic that can make other girls her age a little jealous.

“Ah, then, Chifuyu will share too..”

“Of course.”

To ensure that everyone could experience a wide range of dishes, I carefully selected items that wouldn’t overlap with the choices of the four of them.
Although Chinatsu and Chiharu haven’t said anything, it should be fine if I offer them some as well.

“Sorry for the wait.
Here it is, your pork bowl! ” The waiter said.

“Yes, yes, yesss! It’s for me (Atashi)! No, I mean, it’s for me, (ware)!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” the waiter warned before leaving, like the ebb and flow of the sea.

Without wasting any time, Chiaki broke her chopsticks apart and glanced around.

“Chiaki, you can go ahead and start eating on your own.
Is it okay with everyone else?” 

When I asked the three others, they all nodded their heads in agreement.

“Let’s dig in! Mmm, it’s… delicious,” Chiaki said as she savored her first bite.

…I should definitely try making pork bowls myself sometime.

“The flavor of the pork fat and sauce is amazing,” Chiaki remarked.

Chiaki’s enjoyment of the meal made it look even more appetizing.
Just watching her eat naturally made everyone else hungry.
It was like watching a TV show about ramen and suddenly craving a bowl of ramen yourself.
In fact, Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu were all watching her intently.

“Gulp… Is it really that delicious? I want a pork bowl too…” Chinatsu murmured.

“Chifuyu is starting to feel hungry too…” Chifuyu added.

“Chiaki is so adorable…” Chiharu said.

Chiaki naturally drew everyone’s attention.
It was only natural for things to turn out this way.

“Chiaki, since we’re all here, why don’t we share it together?” I suggested.

“Oh yeah! That’s a great idea!” Chiaki agreed.

Saying that, Chiaki used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of pork and rice, bringing it close to Chinatsu’s mouth.

“Here you go, say ‘ahhh’,” 

“…A-ahhh. Chew chew… Gulp… It’s… so delicious,” Chinatsu expressed with delight.

“Now, Chifuyu,” Chiaki continued.

“Ahhh… Chew chew… Gulp… It’s delicious,” Chifuyu said.

“And now, Chiharu too,” 

“Ahhh… Chew chew… Gulp… It’s delicious.
The sauce has a rich flavor,” Chiharu commented.

Just as planned.
The main purpose is to share.
There’s also a high possibility of discovering or even creating Chiharu’s new favorite dish.
I’ve taken that into consideration as well.

“Kaito! Say ‘ahhh’!”

“Is that alright?”

“Yeah!”

Chiaki leaned in close to my seat, offering me a bite.
I hadn’t anticipated this, but I’ll graciously accept her kind gesture.

“…Mmm, it’s delicious.
This pork bowl.”

“Want some more?”

“No, it’s better if Chiaki has it.
Besides, we still have more dishes coming up.”

“Yeah.”

Saying that, Chiaki took her seat again, wearing a radiant smile as she began to enjoy the pork bowl.
Just then, the waiter arrived right on time.

“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here’s your sashimi set and shrimp fry!”

That must be Chifuyu’s order.
A lavish feast was placed on her side of the table.
However, instead of immediately digging in, Chifuyu generously spooned out a shrimp fry generously coated in tartar sauce onto a small plate and brought it over to me.

“Ka-Kaito-san… Ah, I want you to… say ‘ahhh’…”

Her hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly, and Chifuyu, with a bashful expression, glanced downward while sneakily sending fleeting glances in my direction.

“I-Is it alright?”

“Y-Yes, of course…”

“Well then… This is delicious too.
Thank you, Chifuyu.”

“N-No problem… A-Also, later… w-when Kaito-san gets his food he can give to Chifuyu….
N-Never mind…”

Chifuyu’s face turned bright red as she returned to her seat.

“Hey, hey, can I have some shrimp fry too~~?”

“I want to try it too~~!”

“I-I know already…”

Chifuyu, sandwiched between Chiaki and Chinatsu, hurriedly divided the shrimp fry among them.
You could tell that she was a reliable, kind, and intelligent girl.

…What should I do? I couldn’t figure out how to respond to her furtive glances and attempts to divert her gaze.
Hence, I found myself repeatedly raising and lowering my gaze while taking a sip of water from time to time, when suddenly…

“Sorry to keep you waiting!  Here you go, steamed crab bowl and fresh lobster sashimi, .”

My dish had arrived.

“Kaito! ‘ahhh’.” Chiaki said. 

“Ah, yes.
Right.”

I scooped up some of the steamed carb bowl with a spoon and brought it to Chiaki’s mouth.

“Ahhh… Mmm, delicious! Give me some sashimi too!”

“Sure thing.”

Using chopsticks, I dipped a translucent shrimp sashimi into soy sauce and brought it to her mouth.

“Mmm! It’s delicious! I’ll do the same for you later!”

“Thank you.”

In a seamless transition, Chifuyu shyly moved closer and sat down.

“W-well, um, let’s start with the steamed bowl…” I said

“T-Thank you very muck… um very much, ‘ahhh’… it’s delishious, um, delicious… 

“Well, next thing is the sashimi…”

“…It’s delicious… Thank you, Kaito-san.
We’ll do this again later, then…”

Saying that, Chifuyu returned to her seat… I pretended not to notice her shy yet hopeful gaze.

I…

For now…Let’s not think about it.

I divided the sashimi and steamed crab bowl onto two small plates and brought them over to Chinatsu and Chiharu.

“Is that alright?”

“It’s fine, Chinatsu.
Just enjoy the food without any worries.”

“Thank you…”

Chinatsu used her chopsticks to eat the sashimi, and her face lit up with happiness.

“Onii-san, thank you for your kindness.”

“Yeah.”

I was glad to see that Chiharu also happily enjoyed the lobster sashimi.

◆◆

 (POV Chiharu) 

We all had a satisfying lunch with a wide variety of dishes.
However, as expected, we couldn’t finish everything and ended up feeling full, but Oniisan kindly finished it off for us.

At that moment, Chifuyu bashfully whispered to herself that this can be considered as an indirect kiss, although only I knew about it.
 

After our delicious meal, we went sightseeing at the Salmon Hometown Chitose Aquarium.
It was conveniently accessible by train from New Chitose Airport Station to Chitose Station, and it took us just a ten-minute walk to reach our destination.
The aquarium was filled with an abundance of fish, ensuring we never grew bored.
We not only observed them but also engaged in various activities.
For instance, Chiaki, with a delightful giggle, immersed her bare feet in one of the aquarium tanks—how cute.

“This is amazing, it’s a doctor fish! Ah, hehe, it tickles…”

Unable to resist, I borrowed Oniisan’s smartphone and captured these precious moments of Chiaki.
I long-pressed the button and captured her on camera.

“Haru-nee, you should tone down the pictures.” Chifuyu said.

“Let’s capture the cute Chifuyu too, Click.”

“Ah, please delete that one! If it’s going to remain on Kaito-san’s phone, I want my eyes to be more wide open in the picture!”

“…Okay, then, one more time.
Ready, say cheese.”

“…so…how…did it turn out?”

“It’s cute.
And also precious.”

“Do you think we can edit it….”

“There’s no need to.”

I couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of Oniisan.
Even though he was by Chiaki’s side, he still had us within his line of sight.

“Hey, Haru! I heard there’s a zone for fish from around the world over there!”

It was great to see Chinatsu enjoying herself as well.
I snapped a picture of her cuteness.

“I’ll go tell Oniisan, so wait here.”

Right then, Chiaki and Oniisan returned from the experience zone.

“Oniisan, you want to go to the zone with fish from around the world?”

“Yeah, I do.
Alright, let’s go.
But before that, can I borrow the smartphone for a moment, Chiharu?”

“Sure.”

I handed the smartphone to Oniisan, and he immediately turned the lens towards us.

“Is it okay if I take a picture?”

“Huh? Oh, um, yes…”

“Alright, say cheese.”

With a click, the shutter sound echoed.
Oniisan turned the screen towards me.
There was a photo of me with an indescribable expression on my face.
It was incomparable to the pictures I took of Chinatsu, Chifuyu, and Chiaki.

“As expected of quadruplets.
Equally cute,” Oniisan remarked.

“…That’s…”

“It’s not a lie or anything.
Now, let’s go to the zone with fish from around the world!”

“Yay!”

Chiaki raised her arms towards the sky, clearly looking forward to it.
Although I had indescribable feelings inside, as we walked through the aquarium together, I gradually forgot about those emotions.

◆◆

 (POV Chiharu) 

We were currently soaking in an open-air hot spring bath.
It’s undeniable how time seems to slip away effortlessly when you’re thoroughly enjoying yourself.
The experience we had at the aquarium felt like a mere blink of an eye, yet in reality, it had been more than three hours, which surprised me quite a bit.

I felt a sense of frustration watching Chiaki throw a tantrum about not wanting to go home.
However, when she heard from Oniisan that there was a dinner at the inn, she immediately changed her tune and agreed to head back.
In that moment, all I could think of was how….
honest and cute she was.

After indulging in a tasty buffet-style dinner at the inn, we temporarily bid farewell to Oniisan and eventually found ourselves here, in the open-air bath.

The water enveloping us felt warm and truly pleasant.

“Ah, this water feels so good…” Chifuyu remarked

“Zzz.”

“Hey, Aki! Don’t fall asleep in the water!” Chinatsu said.

Chifuyu had a blissful expression on her face as she relaxed in the warm water.
Wrapped in a bath towel, her chest appeared slightly more developed than before.
The same could be said for Chinatsu and Chiaki.
It seemed like evidence that they were maturing both physically and mentally.

Chiaki fell asleep for two reasons: she was tired from having a fun-filled long day, and the hot water felt too good.
I hurriedly supported her body while Chinatsu lightly tapped her shoulder to wake her up.

Chifuyu also tapped the other shoulder in a similar manner.

“Hmm?”

“It’s time to wake up.”

“Huh…morning?”

“No, it’s bath time.” Chiufyu said.

“Sleeping in the bath…well, after making that much commotion, it’s only natural.” Chinatsu said

I could hear the gentle splashing sounds as they playfully interacted in the bath, like enchanting lake fairies.
Watching my sisters in the bathroom, I could never get tired of their joyful conversations.

Their fair, supple skin was so beautiful.
I wondered if it would be okay to touch it.

The surrounding female guests were also probably starting to mistake this place not as a hot spring but as a fountain of fairies when they looked at Chiaki and the others.

“Ak, it’s getting bad for you, so let’s get out soon.” Chinastu suggested.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Chifuyu agreed.

“Hmm…”

Chiaki seemed extremely sleepy, so we hurriedly made our way to the changing room.
After drying our wet bodies, we put on the yukatas provided by the inn, dried our hair, and gathered our belongings before leaving the changing room.
On the other side of the red curtain, Oniisan was waiting, also dressed in a yukata.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Oniisan.”

“No, I haven’t been waiting at all… Chiaki looks like she’s about to fall asleep any moment now.”

“Yes, it seems like she used up all her energy from today’s fun activities.”

“Well, then she should go to sleep as soon as possible.”

“Hmm, I want to play cards… I-I want to play…” Chiaki muttered, looking like she might doze off any second.

Even though she wanted to play cards, Chiaki seemed on the verge of falling asleep.
Her belly was full, and after soaking in the hot spring, her body temperature was higher than usual.
Considering how we had enjoyed ourselves to the fullest throughout the day, it was no wonder she was so sleepy.

“We’ll play cards another time.”

“Hmm, today…”

Hand in hand with Chiaki, we walked together to our room and bid farewell to Oniisan in front of the door.

“Thank you, Kaito-san.”

“Thank you very much.”

Chifuyu and Chinatsu expressed their gratitude to Oniisan, who smiled and told them not to worry about it.

“Oniisan, thank you so much.”

“Make sure to go to bed early.”

With those words, Oniisan closed the door.
Chiaki rubbed her eyelids, muttering about playing cards, but as soon as I laid her down on the futon, covered her with a blanket, and gently stroked her head, she fell asleep within seconds, making soft breathing sounds.

“Let’s go to sleep early too, both of you.
You’ve had a lot of fun and must be tired.
We still have tomorrow ahead of us.”

Saying that, I dimmed the lights in the room, and both of them settled down on their futons.
The three of us lay side by side in a row, with our futons arranged like the shape of a river.

My heart felt lighter as I looked at the blissful faces of the three of them.

Today was wonderful.
I hope we can continue to enjoy ourselves tomorrow just like this.

◆◆

(POV Kaito) 

―Help 

―Help me!

―Kaito!

Those words echoed suddenly in my mind, like someone speaking to me in a dream.
The voice sounded familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before.
It was Chiaki’s.

I jolted awake, startled.
Checking the time on my phone, it was eleven o’clock at night.
Was that voice just my imagination, or was it something else?

Telepathy… I had fragmentary information that Chiaki possessed the ability to transmit her own thoughts to others, although she couldn’t read their thoughts.
In the game, when her ability first manifested, all her thoughts flowed into her parents and sisters, which made her parents freak out, calling her a demon (yokai) and a monster.

It seemed that she had a difficult time controlling her own abilities as well.
Unaware of the extent of her powers, she found herself lost and bewildered for a period of time.
However, she managed to gain some control over them afterwards.

Was that just now…

Could it be that it was due to her telepathic ability? The fact that she said, “Help me,” suggests that something might have happened.
I hurriedly left the room and headed to the adjacent one.
Before I could even knock, the door swung open.

“Kaito… I was just about to come find you…”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her face contorted with fear.
It was not her usual smiling face, but rather a darkened expression.

Judging from her current state, she might have been using telepathy unconsciously, without even realizing it.
As for the supernatural powers, it didn’t matter at the moment.
I needed to find out more about Chiaki’s situation.

“What’s wrong?”

“I had another scary dream… and I wanted to talk to you, Kaito…”

“I see.
Well, let’s talk then…”

Speaking in the hallway might not be ideal.
While being in the room with Chiharu and the others may provide her with a sense of security, it might also disturb them.

If that’s the case, would my room be okay? But being alone in my room might be scary.
That’s what worries me…

“I don’t want to wake the others, so how about my room…?”

“Yeah…”

Looking at Chiaki, who seemed weakened, I felt my own spirits dampen.
Chiaki locked the door to our room and tightly gripped my hand, stronger than usual.
Her hand was trembling as she kept her head down.

Slowly, I led Chiaki into the room, holding her hand.

“Don’t turn on the lights… I don’t want to be seen right now…”

“Understood.”

However, in the pitch-black room where nothing could be seen, I moved towards the faint moonlight.
It was a place where things weren’t too visible, yet not completely invisible.
I positioned myself in the moonlight so that my face could be seen clearly, providing a sense of reassurance.
Even if Chiaki didn’t want to be seen, complete darkness would be frightening.
It’s easier to have a conversation when you can see someone’s face rather than talking to darkness.
So I sat down there.

“What kind of dream was it…?”

I sat down, still holding her hand, and asked Chiaki, trying not to put too much pressure on her.

“If you don’t feel like talking about it, we can discuss something completely unrelated.
Like what kind of food you want to eat or something that happened at school before the break.”

“…I want to talk about the dream.”

“Understood.
Take your time, and talk at your own pace.”

“Yeah…”

It’s not good to rush or push.
Waiting is important.
The room was filled with silence for a few seconds. 

Chiaki trembled and finally spoke.

“I had the same kind of dream again… Being pulled by my hair, throwing a remote at me, getting kicked, and hitting my head… Just a really scary dream… It’s so much scarier than before, I can’t even compare… Hey, Kaito, you won’t abandon us, right? You promised, right? That you won’t abandon us…”

“That’s right.
I won’t abandon you.
So please, trust me.”

“Thank you, Kaito…”

Chiaki’s trembling hand seemed to calm down slightly, giving me a sense of relief.

“Everyone is feeling unstable… It’s like we’re on the edge, ready to collapse at any moment.
It wouldn’t be strange if we cried or felt sad.
The fear that arises when we remember the past, amidst our current happiness, is indescribable.
Every time that happens, my heart goes back to that time, and I become scared all over again.”

“I see…”

“Do you think we’re troublesome?”

“Not at all.
It’s not like that.
So please, trust that everything will be okay.”

“Yeah, I feel relieved.”

Chiaki’s voice, now calm and gentle, sounded more mature than usual.
Feeling relieved, I suddenly felt her embracing me tightly.

She wrapped her arms around my back as I sat cross-legged, pressing her head firmly against my chest.

“Do like this…”

“Okay.”

“And please, stroke my head…”

“Alright, I understand.”

“And call me by my name.”

“Chiaki…”

“…I love you, Kaito…”

“Thank you… I love you too, Chiaki.”

While stroking her head, I wrapped my arms around Chiaki’s back and held her tightly.
Chiaki began to sob again, but I realized it wasn’t from sadness but from joy.

“Kaito, listen.
I don’t have a reason to hide it anymore.”

“I understand.”

“I (watashi)… In the past, I wasn’t this smiley, I didn’t talk much, and I never referred to myself as “I” (ware).”

“… “

“I was introverted, and among my sisters, I was the one who spoke the least.
I couldn’t speak.
Our conversations were minimal, and I rarely talked to my sisters.
It was normal for me to hide behind their backs.
But back then, everyone was crying, and the atmosphere was so gloomy… I felt like I had to do something, like I had to change… So, I impulsively decided to play a character, a character I didn’t quite understand.
At first, Chiahru, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu were surprised, but they laughed.
They were like, ‘What happened all of a sudden? It’s strange, but funny.’ They didn’t know I had that side to me… That’s when I made up my mind.”

Chiaki’s story revealed a change in her.
The catalyst for that change was her sisters.
She truly is a kind-hearted girl.

“I(watashiwa)… I(warewa)… I want to be the one who laughs the most joyfully, talks the most, and has the most fun, supporting my sisters.
I wanted to change my introverted self, always hiding behind them and remaining silent,” Chiaki said.

“That’s incredible… Not everyone can do something like that,” I remarked.

“Thank you.
It makes me happy to hear you say that.
But, initially, I thought I was doing it for the sake of my sisters.
However, now I feel more genuine and truly believe that being a Chuunibyou is cool deep down in my heart.
I can be proud of my way of life, and I love who I am now,” Chiaki expressed.

“I see.
Changing for someone else ended up benefiting yourself,” 

“Yeah.
They say that acts of kindness are not done for oneself, right? I learned that recently,” Chiaki replied.

“That’s right, you’re smart and cool.
You’re like a sage,” 

“Ehehe… This is our secret, just between you and me, Kaito.
I haven’t told the others,” Chiaki whispered.

“Understood,” I nodded.

“…I have other secrets too, but we can talk about those another time… Can I talk to you more?” Chiaki asked.

“Of course.
Tomorrow, the day after, in a year, or even ten years from now, you can always talk to me,” I reassured her.

“… I really like Kaito.”

“Thank you… me too.”

Chiaki took her head off my chest as she looked up at me.
The moonlight illuminated her face.
Her eyes were slightly swollen, but I felt that they were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen.

“I want to stay like this today… Just like this, sleeping here,” Chiaki said.

“You’ll catch a cold,” I warned.

“The room is heated, so it’s fine.” 

“I see.
I understand…” I replied.

Chiaki pressed her head against my chest once again, resting her body against mine, and peacefully drifted off to sleep.
I lifted her up, gently laying her sideways on the bed, and settled down beside her.

In that moment, I closed my eyes as well.

********

TN: Bro said he understands, but doesn’t understand he may be in deep trouble tomorrow lol

TN: Also this perfectly explains why Chiaki sometime forgets her Chuuni tendencies when she gets too excited.

TN: there was great play in words from Chiharu that I couldn’t let it pass on you guys, when she said “I’ll go with this mini-mini-sashimi set.” In Japanese she actually said, “mini mini sashimi ni shimasu”

For any error you spot, feel free to point it out.