33

I looked down at my feet, confused. A heavy metal shackle was locked around my ankle. While I was still trying to process what was happening, my sister calmly attached the other end of the chain to the leg of the bed. The sound of the chain rattled in the quiet room.

"W-wait, what are you doing, Sis?"

As the situation slowly became clear to me, I started to panic. What was this? My sister had just locked a shackle around my ankle? Even as I understood what was happening, it didn't make any sense.

"I'm sorry, Kaya. This was the only sturdy option I could find. Later, I'll get you a softer, leather one that's kinder to your skin."

"No, that's not the point! What are you doing?"

"Hmm?"

"Hmm? I'm asking why you're putting a shackle on me!"

I tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge. Why would she suddenly do something like this?

"Because if I don't, you might try to die again, right? And there's no way you can take it off, so don't struggle, Kaya. You might hurt yourself."

With that, she gently held my hands, stopping my frantic attempts to remove the shackle.

"S-Sis?"

Her touch was soft, but it scared me. She was smiling, but her eyes... her eyes weren't. What had happened to my sister?

"Why? You heard my plan, right? I said I'd leave home after middle school graduation, and I promised I wouldn't try to die again."

"Yes, I heard you. But how can I be sure you won't? And if you go somewhere I can't see you, you might decide to die again. This is the only way, Kaya. Please understand."

So she was still mad because I lied and died that last time.

"You don't understand! I'm really sorry for lying before, and I promise I won't do it again. So please, just take it off!"

"I can't do that. And I'm not angry. It's okay, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore. Everything will be fine now."

What should I do? She wasn't listening to anything I said.

"...But if you do this, Mom and Dad will come in any minute. So—"

"No, they won't. Don't worry, they won't be coming here. Oh, and don't worry, they're not… dead or anything. But I've dealt with them, so they won't be around anymore. You won't have to see them again. Isn't that what you wanted? They're alive, we're alive—there's nothing wrong with that, right?"

Now that she mentioned it, it was strange that Mom and Dad hadn't come in, even with all the noise we were making.

"But we don't need to do this. Please, Sis, can't we just do it the normal way? Go to school, and then I'll leave afterward. You even said you agreed with my plan."

"Hehe, let's just go to sleep for now. Just like before, we'll sleep together."

"Uh... okay, but you'll take it off in the morning, right? We have the entrance ceremony tomorrow."

It felt like I was being brushed off, but arguing any further wouldn't get me anywhere. It didn't seem like she'd let me go tonight, so I decided to give in and go to bed with her. As I drifted off, the cold feeling around my right ankle was slowly replaced by the warmth of my sister's presence.