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There’s no other way to describe my relationship with them. I still can’t think of them as important people in my life but that’s something I’ll need to take time and build up to. Though if I have to say, the fact that I don’t have many opportunities to be with them is a problem. It’s going to be tough from here on out.

「Would you stop ignoring us as you did before?」
「I will. I was also apologizing for that.」
「Big sister is now sane!?」

Ahh, as I thought, that’s how they’ll react too, huh. Well, sure, it’s normal to be surprised by this much personality change. Also, I guess I’ve gotten used to this reaction now. Everyone reacts the same way, after all. Rather, little bro. Can’t you speak?

「B-big sis?」
「You finally talked. Now, what is it, Tateha?」
「Big sis, are you really going to be our sister?」

Kotone frankly didn’t act like a sister to them. Since she completely ignored their existence, they haven’t talked either. Despite eating together with them at breakfast, she immediately goes back to her room after eating. And the twins, being sharp, don’t try to call out to her either. They really haven’t done anything sibling-like at all.

「I’m really sorry about the past. From now on, you can freely talk to me as you like, okay? I’ll work hard to be a proper sister too.」

I don’t have any idea what being a proper sister is. Still, I’ll at least make an effort to connect with them as family. This is the least I can do to make up for Kotone’s lackings.

「Still, big sis, huh. I haven’t been called that up until, so it feels a bit awkward.」
「I can’t?」
「Use it as much as you like.」

Still, little bro. Why can’t I see you as a boy at all? Your face is on the cute side too, wouldn’t you be mistaken as a girl if not for the clothes? You’re really reminding me of my former self, you know? And you, little sis. Why are your eyes glistening like that?

「Big sister, you’re so tough and cool now.」
「How I talk is different, after all.」
「And how you move. May I sit next to you?」
「Me too!」
「I don’t really mind.」
「Oh my, look who’s fawning over big sis now.」

Mother, this is no time to be smiling. I just recalled it now but thinking of the Kisaragi bloodline. Isn’t this completely spot on with your prediction?

「Mom, this is…」
「Just as anticipated, it seems. Do your best, big sis.」

The most I can do is hope that their symptoms are only light. Besides, since I don’t live with them, there shouldn’t be that many chances for any problem to happen. Though I don’t know if that’ll be the same if they join the academy next year.

「Why don’t we put the candles on the cake now?」

Escaping reality, we celebrate the twins’ birthday. Sakiko and Misaki are joining us here but it’s probably shabby for a rich family’s party. Still, none of the people here care much about that at all. I guess that’s what being with family means.¹

「Big sister, how does your life at school go? We will be enrolling next year, so I would like to hear about it for reference.」
「I’m quite curious about that myself.」
「Mom, haven’t you been asking about it from the principal?」
「I only ask about whether you’ve caused a problem or not. So I have not a single clue about the specific details.」

Hmm, I actually thought that they knew everything that happened through the principal, but I guess that isn’t the case. Still, where do I even start? By the way, I’ve left managing Misaki to Sakiko. She might eat the whole cake if left be, after all.

「My classmates have been a great help. Though at first, they wouldn’t reply even when I talked to them.」
「You made peace with them quite quickly.」
「If that incident didn’t happen, I’m sure it would’ve taken a lot longer.」

Mother has a pretty complicated expression. Knowing that your daughter’s situation improved because of the trouble with Udzuki, feeling conflicted is just natural. After all, even I still feel conflicted about it.

「W-well, it’s great that you’ve made friends.」
「Also, while only as a temporary officer, I’ve joined the student council.」
「Bpft-!?」

She spat out her tea. I know exactly how you feel. You’d think: How did you join the student council after all the trouble you caused last year? I don’t even understand how it ended like this either. I do know what caused it though.

「That’s amazing, big sister.」
「Big sis, amazing.」
「I’d love to know the circumstances leading to that, though.」
「The principal commissioned me to help them and, when I did, I was scouted by the student council. The end.」
「I don’t understand it at all.」

Well, this is how it’d be if briefly summarised. To start with, I don’t have an understanding of why it ended up this way either.

「Also, I’ve been eating with someone from the Fumidzuki family, getting some snacks from my classmates, I’m having fun.」

I’m most grateful for the fact that I don’t need to be concerned about other people’s eyes inside the classroom anymore. After all, at first, even just me being present made the mood terrible. It’s honestly exhausting to be attentive about this all the time. Still, after I say the snack part, everyone except the twins who don’t know my situation, are looking at me with concern.

「Are you sure you don’t need more?」
「I don’t. I don’t have any issues at present and I have a lot right now from the recent events.」

Regarding my destroyed things, the academy has mostly compensated for them. Thanks to that, I barely used up any of the extra allowances. Even accounting for Misaki’s expenses, it still was a lot of money. It was in an envelope and all. The excess amount is all safely in my passbook savings.

「Nonetheless, Kotone. Are you close with the other members of the twelve families?」
「Well, Hadzuki is the student council president, Fumidzuki is friendly with me for some reason, and principal Satsuki is a problem that needs solving, I guess.」
「The fact that the principal is included there is very strange.」

I think so myself. It’s a complete mystery why the academy’s highest authority would be close with me, and no one would probably ever guess that I’m giving him love advice. Moreover, a lot of my acquaintances are adults for some reason.

「Nonetheless, Kotone.」
「What?」
「You’re this capable at connecting with other people, so why didn’t you do this from the start?」
「Because I had no interest other than father, right?」

Mother has her head between her hands, understandable. Kotone’s specs are strangely high. And that applies to both her academic and physical abilities. It’s clearly different compared to my own in the past, so I’m completely aware of it. And her not making use of this at all is the absolute worst part. Even her looks are actually good, after all.

「Big sister, have you given up on father?」
「It’s more like I’ve awoken from a dream. Now, I don’t have any interest in him at all. And I don’t even want to see him.」
「Big sis is completely opposite from before.」

From an objective point of view, can you even call that a father? Like Kotone, he has no interest in anyone other than grandma. I absolutely don’t think that a person like that is fit to be a good father. I’m not really one to have much of anything to say about fathers, though.²

「You two, how do you see him?」
「For us, that person is simply someone in the category of a father.」
「Agreed. He’s not really a father, just a person connected by blood.」

In other words, they likely don’t think of him as family. I’m surprised that the family hasn’t collapsed yet but I guess that’s because mother managed to work around this well.

「Seems to me like it’d be peaceful if he’s out of the picture.」
「It wouldn’t have been a problem if that was possible.」

Seeing me and mother let out a deep sigh, the twins could only look with a complicated expression. We’re pretty much discussing how to get rid of their biological father, so yeah, it’d be hard to react. Still, there is a way. The last card called Call grandma, that is. However, I have a hunch that I won’t get out unscathed after using it.

1. Lyly: This whole arc is sponsored by Dominic Toretto
2. Lyly: **Oh, so we’re going on that direct, huh**