I Can Distinguish the Twin Sister - Chapter 29

” …haah, Akito-kun “

　I whispered to myself.

　The sun had already set, and it was so dark that I could not see out the window of my room.

　After some time, my eyes got used to it to some extent, and I could see far away, but my mind kept thinking back to that evening in such darkness.

” …fufu “

　When I think back, my heart is filled with happiness and warmth.

　To tell the truth, I could have made it through that scene without someone’s help… but Akito-kun saved me.

　At that time, I only felt subtle nostalgia, but when he told me that word, I remembered.

　He had saved me when I was a little girl… and he saved me again as if he were reliving that past moment.

“I’m so hot… when I think about Akito-kun. …ugh, it wasn’t like this a while ago.”

　Yes, it’s never been like this before.

　I’m just happy to be around him, exchange words with him, and talk about him with Yomi… I’m happy to see Akito-kun and Yomi getting along with each other… but for some reason, I feel an indescribable pain in my chest.

” …huh. Let’s drink some warm water and calm down.”

　On my way to the living room, I pass by Yomi’s room.

　I smile, wondering if she is already asleep since there is no sound from inside the room… I chuckled, thinking that she must be already asleep since she is a good sleeper to the extent of surprising even me.

” …lights? “

　The light was still on when I went to the living room.

　I opened the door and walked in to see my mother bending over weirdly, thinking that it was about 10:00 p.m., and my parents should be asleep.

“Oh… what’s wrong? “

“I’m the one who should ask you what’s wrong with you, mother.”

　Normally I would never say “you” to my mother, but if my mother had suddenly stretched out in our living room when I thought she was asleep, anyone would react as I did.

　Bending over… regardless of why she was doing it, I do have a connection with the act of bending over itself.

“Whew… I was just moving around a little bit. I don’t know why I’m stretching subconsciously.”

“Are you okay? “

“Don’t look at me like that, my daughter.

” …….. “

　My mother is a… freak, to put it bluntly.

　Sometimes I wonder how he married my mother when my father is a very decent person… With that being said, she is still a dear mother and an important existence to Yomi and me, and she was always there for us.

( Important existence… important person… ahhh )

　My face gets hot again, thinking of what Akito-kun said to me in the evening.

　My mother looked at me with a roll of her eyes and then came to my side with a grin as if she had guessed something.

　I had a bad feeling when she led me to the sofa and told me to sit down.

“You… have found someone you like?? “

” …like!? “

　I could not smile back at my mother’s words.

　I like…I like Akito-kun. Maybe I love him… it is not something to be ashamed of, and it is something that I suddenly realized today.

　But when I thought about the definition of love again… I felt my face burning more than ever today.

“Who is it? Who is it that makes you like this when you have never been interested in such things!? “

“Ugh, stop talking! “

　I make a clenched fist and point it at my mother even though she is in front of me…

　My mother dodged my fist gracefully and stood at the living room entrance as if doing a soundless cartwheel, looking at me and waving her hands in the air.
(Cartwheel in gymnastics.)

“Well, you’re in high school, so I’m not worried. But… I guess this is why Yomi seems to be enjoying herself lately… I think something interesting is going to happen this year.”

　….My mother is really annoying sometimes.

　However, there is a part of me that can’t deny all of my mother’s words… Am I in love with Akito-kun?

　I wonder if that’s why my heart ached to see him and Yomi getting along like that.

“…I’m … in love with Akito-kun.”

　I can’t help but let out a sigh.

　I was a little worried about how I should look at him… when I met Akito-kun next time and whether I could talk with him comfortably as before.

* * *

” ……Hm? “

[ What’s wrong? ]

“No, it’s nothing.”

　I thought I heard a noise outside for a second, but I must have just imagined it.

“So… After that――”

　It was after 10 p.m., and I was on the phone with Akito-kun.

　Aneki and my parents must think I’m sleeping at this time of night… but I’m not. I’m having a great time on the phone with Akito-kun.

　To be honest, I’m sleepy…… very sleepy, but I want to talk to Akito-kun more, so I was constantly pinching my stomach to keep the pain from making me sleepy.

[ Hey Yomi, can I tell you something? ]

“W, what?”

[ If you want to sleep, you can sleep. I mean, just go to bed. ]

“No! I want to talk more! “

[ …… ]

　It’s okay to put up with it! Because we’re having so much fun!

[ …just a little bit more, okay? ]

“Okay! “

　I’m so happy …that I got some more time to talk to him.

( I… I can’t believe how much I love Akito-kun )

　I love… I love Akito-kun.

　Since the haze of memories stuck in my mind has cleared up, just talking with Akito-kun makes me happy… I wish this time would last forever, I really do.

( I have an inferiority complex about Aneki and worry about it when it occurs to me…but Akito-kun’s words always keep me calm. )

　I laugh at myself for being so naive.

　But still, I’m glad ―we’re having a great time.

[ But you know what? It’s refreshing to talk to a girl like this before bed ]

“Not bad, right? “

[ I guess so… Yeah, it’s not bad. It’s gonna be a good night’s sleep. ]

“Fufu, is that so?”

　I was glad to hear that.

　But this makes me feel like I will talk on and on, and I keep wishing that the call with Akito-kun would never end.

　That would make …… him unable to sleep.

　That’s a no-no, I chuckle.

“But you’re right. It’s nighttime, and we shouldn’t be on the phone too long. I think it’s time to end this.”

[ Okay. That’s too bad. ]

“So you wanna talk for a couple more hours? “

[ That would be too hard for both of us. ]

　Akito-kun and I giggled and talked for a while, and then I ended the call with Akito-kun.

　After the call ended, I held my phone to my chest for a while.

　I enjoyed talking with Akito-kun so much that I forgot about the passage of time.

” Akito-kun… “

　Akito-kun… is good friends with Aneki as well as me.

　It’s not that I hate to see that, and I’m happy to see that the three of us are getting along… but sometimes I think the worst thing, I wish he would be closer to me than with Aneki.

　Such selfishness would only annoy Akito-kun… and most of all, I know it would make Aneki feel bad.

“But… I would want something like that.”

　In the corner of my mind, I wish I could.

　Why do I think so much? Why do I care so much? …I kept thinking about it until I fell asleep.