Chapter 19 - I Don’T Want This Smile To Disappear

After Yuuki had finished telling me everything, she took a deep breath and started speaking.

"I understand that it may seem convenient for me to say this, but I promise I won't do something like this ever again. Because I realized the importance of what I had."

Saying that… Yuuki stared into my eyes.

"Yukishiro, would you like to start over with me just one more time? Won't you give me one more chance?"

She had a serious look in her eyes, as if she would never do something like that again.

But…

"…Sorry. Honestly, having been treated like that, it's hard to believe you."

Besides, I now have something far more important than Yuuki.

Eri-chan and Miho-san's presence.

I can't just let them go and put Yuuki first.

I want to help those two people to be happy, to be safe and to enjoy their lives…

"And besides, there's someone more important to me than you. I can't just abandon that person and get infatuated with someone else."

…I feel like it's a bit of payback.

"A-Are those people that important to you? W-We were together for two years, weren't we?"

"Yeah, there are many things that can't be measured by time alone. And to be honest, you spent about half of that time with Rei-kun."

"T-That's… Hey, please. Go out with me once more!"

And then she hugged me.

Even the hugs that would have made me happy when we were together didn't move me at all. I felt empty and unfeeling.

I pulled Yuuki away.

"I'm sorry, no matter how much you say, my heart is not moved. I want to make them happy. Bye."

"W-Wait!"

I stood up and left the room.

"Y-Yukishiro!"

I ran out of Yuuki's room, shaking off her holding me back.

…I desperately wanted to meet Eri-chan and Miho-san.

I want to see Eri-chan's cute, innocent smile.

I want the mature Miho-san to rely on me to spoil her.

I rushed back to my house.

When I opened the front door, Eri-chan came out of her room, perhaps noticing the sound, and immediately rushed towards me and embraced me tightly.

"Welcome back, Yukishiro-Onii-san."

"I'm home, Eri-chan."

"…Hey, Yukishiro-Onii-san. It's a bit tight. I'm happy, though."

"S-Sorry. That was a bit strong."

"…I like it just the way it is. No, hold me tighter."

When I hugged her tighter as requested, she uttered "Nnn…" and laughed with a "Mufufu" voice.

I don't want this smile to disappear.