Chapter thirteen. Uncollected family debts

Kyoko had a faint smile on her face the whole time it took her to walk home. However, as soon as the place where her younger sister was at the moment appeared in front of her, the smile slipped from her face and was replaced by a rather gloomy expression. Kyoko briefly wondered what exactly she should do.

Immediately making claims to her younger sister like this upon coming home was a rotten idea, primarily because, with arguments, it would be easier to pin her to the wall and shake out the truth about her actions and motives. Therefore, Kyoko decided to initially behave exactly as she was probably expected by the one after whose actions her date did not take place, and the guy she was really waiting for did not come all day.

Moreover, such behavior did not require any excessive effort from her. She could have been a better actress, but she did learn some tricks. And in order to look like an unhappy victim after today, she didn't even have to try. As soon as she remembered, at least for a moment, her current realization and understanding that Hideki not only did not come but was lured away and something bad was most likely done to him, tears welled up in her eyes.

Having shown herself the memory of the call and conversation with Yumiko, Hideki's sister, she went into the house. I managed to notice a very quick smile on my sister's face, satisfied with her expression, which she disguised as laughing at something in the Line, then she immediately expressed concern for her sister on her face. Well, yes, they both studied under the same acting teacher at one time.

"Sister Kyoko's, is something wrong?" Katari jumped up to her.

"I don't want to talk about it," Kyoko said in a strangled voice, as if choking back her tears, "I'm going to my room."

She quickly climbed the stairs to her room and collapsed on the bed.

"Little sister, little sister, why are you doing this!" — Kyoko was very uneasy about how she could now live with someone who behaved like her consistent enemy. She felt extremely uncomfortable in her own home.

"Nothing has been proven yet," Kyoko told herself. And she didn't believe herself. In her sister's defense, she could only say that she hadn't planned much against Kyoko herself.

In order to confirm her suspicions, she had to find a way to somehow look at Katari's phone, and this was not an entirely simple task. Katari rarely let go of her phone, but at home and generally only in the shower, and even there behaved, she did not always use it. It was still possible to try to sneak into that room at night, but this was already a plan for a very extreme case: Katari slept too sensitively.

Kyoko didn't have to wait long because it was already evening, and Katari, unlike her, preferred to lie in the bathroom in the evening rather than take a shower in the morning. Some time passed, and the sound of water was heard; Katari began to fill the bathroom. The bathroom door banged, and the sound of the water died down. Great, so Katari finally got inside.

Kyoko listened; it seemed quiet, so Katari wasn't listening to anything on the phone, and she could try to check it out. Kyoko opened the bathroom door a crack, and Katari was singing softly. Could you open the phone, facial recognition is still working; he and his sister look too much alike. Unfortunately, in both directions, this quite explains how a message about the wrong time was sent from her phone to Hideki. And nothing. Empty. No memorized phone number for Gila. Not a single message is somehow related to the last events. Empty. The water in the shower stopped pouring. Kyoko put the phone back in its place and silently closed the door. Was she mistaken?! Did it all start with a coincidence?! No, there's no chance. Think, Kyoko.

Katari always walks with a smartphone, which she received as a gift after… Exactly. He breaks up with him only in the shower and at... rehearsals. Kyoko just remembered Katari's pink smartphone, which she parted with only during rehearsals. Stop. The smartphone she was looking at in the bathroom had a red case. And this means that Katari may have… There is another one.

So, put on a hoodie, throw a comb and ribbons in your pocket, put on a hood and do not show your face; even if Katari notices that something is wrong, it will be too late.

— Katari, I'll go out for a while, take a walk — more tears in my voice and ignore Katari's words.

The sweatshirt is a slightly different shade, and the inscription is not Boshi-san but Boshi-chan. But he won't notice right away.

It's pretty close to the studio and it's still early enough, and Katari is common there on weekends. However, usually earlier.

— Good evening, Kikari-chan. Do you want to train again?

— That's right, the guard-san, nya, — to make a long-untrained, but hammered-in cute "sis" gesture.

The key is on the right, as always... on the left of the locker at the entrance. You have to stand on a chair to get it. I should have stood on a chair earlier; now she's reaching out anyway.

The door is open and in front of her is an empty dark hall full of repeatedly reflected black shadows. It's even a little scary. Kyoko flicks the switch, and the room looks the way it should look. Mirrored walls, full-length handrails, a hall for dancing, ballet… Or the training room of an idol group.

So. And where she could have left it. Locker. Please don't open it. And if so? Kyoko took a nail file with her today. Turn like this… Turn out. No…

— Csr, and where could she have hurt him?

***

The older sister was upset today. However, just for the last episode, Katari did not feel any remorse at all. Even if it was her idea to lower her sister a little in the school hierarchy. Yes, the general plan and method were hers, but everything was in order for her sister to understand that she had no one but her family.… And anyway, it's all for her… She just had to apologize... well, not Katari! Katari didn't do anything like that! Only…

And anyway, how dare this potbellied man touch her sister. Although initially, it seemed to her a good revenge, that is, a good reason for her sister to come to her… Like before… As she went to see her sister… But later, Katari thought about it a lot and decided that she had made a little mistake with this strategy.

At first, everything worked out, and Kyoko spat with him, but instead of talking to her, Katari, for some reason, her sister later changed her mind and started running after this fat man. Also, Aoi, the elder sister, helped... some sorcery. How could her sister even fall for this squalor?! He studies poorly ... to be honest, he is average, but very average… In general, in all subjects. Sport? Sports and a fat man are not even funny. Except that he only has a serious part-time job, but still…

Katari suddenly felt short of air and wanted to go out and get some fresh air, too. She reached for her hoodie but found only her sister's hoodie! Stop! Why?! Ame took her hoodie… And okay, if by chance, but if not?! Katari opened a box of accessories. It seems that her ribbons are not all in the box; a couple are missing. Did your sister find out? She shouldn't have found out! And if she gets there, still finds her phone, and checks, disaster is imminent… In any case, we need to hide it. Even if it's an accident and a false alarm. We need to re-hide it. For the future…

And Katari rushed into the studio as fast as she could.

"Kikari—chan, is that you again?" — it rang out from the entrance. The guard was surprised but did not stop Katari.

Again?! Which means again. She went to work out for about an hour this afternoon. Is that why again? Or?! Oh, it doesn't matter.

I'm not up to the guard right now. There is no key; the studio is open... is it dark, and there is no one? Although she doesn't need the light…

No! I have to make it! She must! In the junk locker in the left corner, under some old manga…

"What's that supposed to mean, little sister?" — came from the entrance…

Kyoko found it… Katari sank weakly onto the smooth floor of the studio… She's screwed.

***

Hearing quick footsteps on the stairwell, Kyoko did what she could manage. She turned off the light and stood in a small niche near the entrance to the studio. Once, there was a second stairwell, but later, it was closed and bricked up, and the niche remained.

After all, Katari, even after some time, realized that she had not just gone out for a walk; after all, she and her sister knew each other too well. It was good that she did not give in to her resentment, but thought a little. And she seemed to understand why Katari had done that a way that she herself would not have done in any case.

And so that's where she hid it! Well, go ahead about time. We'll catch it on the hot one!

— So what do you mean, little sister?

Katari was confused, and her hands relaxed for a second. That miserable second was enough for Kyoko to snatch the phone from her younger sister's hands.

— Give it back! Katari twitched, but it was too late.

— So there is something there after all. Good. Ame's tone was more sad than furious, "Why did you betray me, my little sister?

To deny and declare that everything was an accident and Ame was wrong, to her credit, Katari did not:

"I... don't… I didn't want that fat man to spoil your image, Sister.

— You're not lying. But that's not all. And what else? "It all started with Hideki—kun, didn't it?" Wasn't there something else?

— And also, — her beloved younger sister's tone became unexpectedly sharp — I wanted you to feel what it was like not to get what you wanted.

— But you won! Did I leave?! Why would you be offended?

Katari grunted, too disappointed for her age.:

— I wanted to win by myself! — the last word was underlined and sounded almost like a growl — Sama! Not to get a handout but to win! Win by yourself! Like Kikari's left twin! Or the right one! It doesn't matter! But by myself!

"And you wanted to make a fool of me first." Kyoko said rather disappointedly, "And when it didn't work out, she wanted to take away the guy I stubbornly wanted to get." Out of revenge. Okay, I can still figure that out. Not to forgive. I can understand why you wanted to leave me without a boyfriend and take revenge. I can't understand the other one. Tell me yourself, Katari," Kyoko's tone became extremely disappointed, "Tell me, and so that I understand why my sister decided to help the bastards in kidnapping, beating, and trying to maim a guy? Almost successful. What do you think, little sister? Did he deserve this?!

— But they said they'd just beat him up a little bit and make sure he didn't come near you anymore."

— And you believed them?! People, you don't know at all? I won't tell you the details too much... — Kyoko thought that Hideki would be annoyed if someone else found out about it and decided not to spread it — In general, I won't. But trust your older sister, whom you've known since birth; if I was even half an hour late, then Hideki would have had to cut off her hands with a very high chance.

Katari turned pale.

"And you would have been involved in this, little sister. Although Hideki probably wouldn't have given you away because he thought it was me.…

"You see, he couldn't even tell you apart from me," Katari tried her best to justify herself somehow. It turned out poorly.

—... or thought I was involved in it." but istinguished you from me; heYou helped a lot," Kyoko finished her sentence. And I decided to respond to my sister's statement, "But he distinguished you from me; he said that your smile was a little different.

Katari leaned against the wall and just slid down. She looked down at the floor and felt her shoulders slump. She looked like a pathetic wet rabbit that she wanted to feel sorry for.

But Kyoko decided that now was not the time to feel sorry for her, sat down next to her, half-turned, also sitting on the floor, and decided to repeat her question.

— Sis, you still haven't answered me. I asked: Not "why"? I asked, "Why"? Not about the reasons, but about what goal you wanted to achieve. To see me unhappy?

Katari was silent. Well, yes, it was partly true. The first of her goals was to make Kyoko unhappy. The second one is for her sister to come with her so that they become as close again as before this stupid competition. But Katari didn't know how to say it or what words to try to explain it in. Knowing roughly what she was thinking, Kyoko decided to explain directly to her about the consequences of her actions. Things that Kikari couldn't even have suspected. And Kyoko needed to choose her words more carefully.

— You know, you almost did it. Your sister almost became the one who gets put under the right person. Are you happy?

- what? The look of shock on Katari's face was genuine.

—I see,- Kyoko shrugged, —my little sister is just a fool. And I'm a fool, too. I found something to worry about. And one falling leaf heralds the coming of autumn. I should have known from the beginning. Okay, I'll start with the leading question number one: do you know why I started dating Hideki?

Katari's uncomprehending look told Kyoko enough, and she repeated her question.:

— With Hideki Kazumi, whom some idiots also call Anpan-kun?

— He forced you to blackmail. However, it seems that the material for blackmail should not have gotten to him. But why did you start dating him again after you left him? I do not know! Katari's tone was confident, but Kyoko's look made her voice tremble —but this is wrong!

— I see. Listen, Katari; you're not a complete for needed to choose her words more. However, he forced me, so why did he come and take care of me?

— So he was in love with you, that's why he forced you. And then you succumbed to the wrong feelings, the Stogolam syndrome is called when you fall in love with an aggressor.

Kyoko couldn't find the words. — Katari, a classmate, forced me to confess my love for him. And she blackmailed me... leading question number two is how she found out that I went to school without underwear.

— Well, — Katari was already beginning to realize that she had messed up a lot, but she hadn't realized how much yet. — Your girlfriend, Gila Terikoto, came up to me and asked me to tell her some secret. You don't like to talk about... that kind of music, so I told you the first thing that comes to mind. I did it by accident, really. And you came to school fine.

— And why did you throw the clean one? Kyoko exhaled resignedly.

— I was collecting dirty… And one pair fell into your locker.… I put everything in the laundry. And when I was passing by the bathroom, I looked in and automatically took it. I realized everything only when I was already going to school.

— Well, how did Gila find out about this?

—Well," Katari lowered her gaze —half by accident. I dropped a phrase, something like, "And how Kyoko showed up without panties."

"Does that explain how you started talking to her?" And how did this lead to my sister almost becoming involved in almost crippling a guy?

— She spoke to me… She said that…

"Did Hideki blackmail me into dating him?" I'm afraid somehow, it doesn't fit with your desire to deprive me of it... ah, Stockholm syndrome… It's clear. Really? Aren't you lying to me right now, Katari?

— No, check it yourself. You have the phone.

— It's closed. She glanced at Ame's phone. — Six digits. I hope I won't have to hack it for four years. She smiled wryly.

— Password... your birthday…

— Okay.… It's clear. Little sister," Ame smiled. After all, her sister hadn't completely betrayed her and, in some ways, even tried to protect her. Even if it is extremely stupid. "I forgive you, but you will apologize to Hideki-kun.

— Good…

— And now, — Kyoko walked a few steps, connected the phone to the speakers, and a slightly forgotten tune sounded from them, the very song that she did not dance as well as she could on the next selection round. — Shall we dance, little sister?

Trying to keep up with her sister's dancing and realize what had happened at the same time, Katari realized that her sister had really forgiven her. I'll have to apologize to Hideki-kun. Apologize properly and in such a way that it was also for the benefit of her older sister; even if she did not demand a special apology, she and her sister still talked and clarified everything. Which means he's fat... which means Anpan… That is, older brother Kazumi Hid definitely deserves her sincere gratitude.