31st December, New Yearās Eve. The Mitsuki who shouldāve gone out with Takayanagi, came home crying, causing my heart to beat out of my chest with surprise.
Although I had an arrangement to spend New Yearās Eve with Soutarou, I couldnāt leave Mitsuki as she is, crying. I immediately contacted Soutarou and told him I may contact him again depending on Mitsukiās state of mind.
āWhatās wrong, Mitsuki? Did Takayanagi-senpai do something unpleasant to you?ā
I donāt, really donāt think so but did Takayanagi forcibly doĀ thisĀ orĀ thatĀ kind of thing to her? No way, right? He aināt Junya, itās hard to think that Takayanagi would force and be rough on an unwilling Mitsuki. But in that case, the true reason Mitsukiās crying so hard canāt be found.
I make Mitsuki sit on the sofa and peek at her face. Sheās shaking her head lightly while crying.Translator: nakimushitl
āYasuchika-senpai told me he likes me, and I, was surprised.ā
āTakayanagi-senpai told you he likes you huh, Mitsuki.ā
Mitsuki gives a deep nod with hesitance.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought Takayanagi would confess to Mitsuki before 31st March. I unconsciously made a face like a pigeon shot by a peashooter.
However, if it was thought of as normal romance, it wasnāt like oneĀ mustĀ wait till 31st March to confess. Things seem to be going well between them recently, the development of Takayanagi confessing to Mitsuki is expected.Ā IfĀ this was a normal romance.
This is the world of an otome game called Hearthrob Love Revolution. Thatās why Mitsuki will definitely be confessed to on the 31st of March. Isnāt it tacit agreement to not confess or date while giving rise to the atmosphere of āJust date already, you guys!ā often found in otome games?Translator: nakimushitl
āMitsuki, do you not like Takayanagi?ā
From what Iāve seen of them so far, Mitsukiās behaviour didnāt seem against it.
Therefore, there shouldāve been a chance that she wouldāve given him the okay on the spot. Even if she didnāt agree to date, she wouldnāt have come back crying so hard.
āI like him, ⦠I think.āTranslator: nakimushitl
āWhy are you crying then? It canāt be out of joy, right?ā
āBecause, because⦠Mako-chan.ā
Mitsuki raises the head sheād been hanging and look at me.
Mitsuki, whoād risen to being the schoolās Madonna now, is terribly cute even in tears. Truly a beautiful moon[1], this must be what they mean by the name representing the body.
Her large eyes stare at me quietly. When her lips open slightly, they tremble with hesitation and close again. Then tears again pour from those pretty eyes and she cover her face with her small palm.
āMitsuki, I wonāt understand if you donāt say it.ā
Perhaps having resolved herself upon my words, Mitsuki slowly raise her head again, suck in a small breath and say shocking words.
āBecause, Mako-chan will⦠I had the feeling that Mako-chan will disappear once I date someoneā¦ā
āEhā¦?āTranslator: nakimushitl
āThatās impossible, right? Because Mako-chan had always been the Mako-chan with me since we were born. My irreplaceable twin onii-chan.ā
My heart chills as though it was pierced through by a sharp needle.
Mitsuki mumbles āIām an idiotā while laughing and wiping her tears.
āBut sometimes it feels like Mako-chan is going somewhere far away. Thatās why I thought, wouldnāt Mako-chan leave for sure this time if I have someone more important than him? I couldnāt tell Yasuchika-senpai I like him once I thought of that. Because I,Ā needĀ Mako-chan.ā
I couldnāt say a thing. I couldnāt bring myself to say a thing.
I was shocked that Mitsuki had realised the truth about me, way more than I expected. At the same time, I was filled with feelings of apology. Because I wasnāt truly Mitsukiās important older brother, her āMako-chanā. Naturally, I was neither born from the stomach of the same mother as Mitsuki, nor am I a resident of this world, Iām not even a guy.
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
Realising that anew makes me feel so guilty I want to puke.
Because Iām lying to my beloved and precious Mitsuki.
āMitsukiā¦, IāmāĀ [2]
āTo me, Mako-chan is cooler than anyone and treasures me more than anyone. Sometimes calling me ācute, cuteā till Iām embarrassed, someone whoād tell me they like me. Thatās why, even if Mako-chan is no longer Mako-chan, to me, Mako-chan is Mako-chan. So I donāt want you to disappear all of a sudden.āTranslator: nakimushitl
Mitsuki may be a lot more discerning than I thought.
I no longer care whether her words mean that she realised Iām not Sakurai Makoto or not. Itās fine as long as Mitsuki is fine with me being her older brother.
Iām not Mitsukiās real onii-chan, Iām not a guy, those worries devoured my heart again and again. However, if the people I treasure say itās fine, well, let it be so.
However, itās highly probable that Iāll return to the real world if Mitsuki dates Takayanagi. Rather, if I donāt return, I donāt think I can ever return to the real world so not returning is also quite troubling.
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
āDonāt worry. I wonāt disappear all of a sudden.ā
āYeah. Thank goodnessā¦ā
āThatās why you can do as you like, Mitsuki. You can tell Takayanagi you like him if you do. Iām still Mitsukiās onii-chan even if you tell senpai you like him.ā
At the same time I think of returning, the feeling of not wanting to return pass by too. Even though I wanted to return so badly, I gained too many precious people in this world.
Of course, when the time comes, Iāll choose to return, hestitatingly. Thatās the one unchangeable truth.
Like what Subaru said once upon a time, the romantic feelings of youths are just measles. You can make new lovers, but my real family isnāt something that can be made nor something that can be easily thrown away.
āYou like senpai, right? Isnāt the answer obvious then?ā
ā⦠Un. Thanks, Mako-chan. Iāll give Yasuchika-senpai a response. Clearly, a āI like you too.āā
Will I return to the real world the moment Mitsuki tells Takayanagi her feelings? Or will it be postponed for a little?
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
After watching Mitsuki from the entranceway as she leaves to meet Takayanagi again, I knock the gate of the Yurino house in order to meet Subaru.
Speaking of Subaru, sheās carefreely reading BL manga while eating an ice cream called Yukimi Mochi. Itās somewhat a relief to see that figure that never changes. Coincidentally, Yurino-sensei is going out. I can consult Subaru with a peace of mind.
āHeyļ½, Mitsuki fell to Takayanagi, huh? When the official recommendation is Princeļ½ā
āWill things be fine with the closing roll when the confession ending isnāt on 31st March, under the legendary tree, or the church she played at when she was a kid, or the memory-filled lighthouse? Will we be able to return to the real world..?ā
āI donāt know. But I think the chance of returning isnāt zero. Because if we canāt return with this, weāll lose our hope of returning, you know?ā
Itās as Subaru says.Translator: nakimushitl
Itās more troubling if we canāt return with this. Itās troubling butā¦
āAre you more for not returning, Mako? Youāve totally become lovers with Soutarou huhļ½. Is it SouMako as expected? Or is it already MakoSou?ā
āDonāt poke fun at me. I, will return. I like Soutarou but I think Iāll regret someday if I donāt return now. Not being able to see my family again, is too great a price to stay with Soutarou and the rest.ā
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
āWell, thatās true. You wouldnāt be so troubled if we could come and go as we likeļ½ā
Thatās right. If I could come and go between the real world and the world of Hearthrob Love revolution as I like, I wouldnāt be troubled. In the first place, if I could come and go as I please, I wouldāve returned to the real world the moment I came here, and wouldnāt have come to like Soutarou.
āHasnāt Mitsuki-chan gone to confess? Is it okay, Mako? Not going to see Soutarou. You may not be able to see him ever again, isnāt it better to see him one last time?ā
āNah. It would be unnecessarily painful.ā
āMakoā¦āTranslator: nakimushitl
If I, meet Soutarou now, I may want to not return.
ā⦠u, IDIOT! Meet him properly. Youāll regret if you return, yāknow! Stop putting on airs of being sentimental!ā
Subaru gave me a strong jab. I unconsciously give a bitter smile at the usual Subaru nee-san.
Even if I meet Soutarou once more, the ending of the tale wonāt change. Even if I think āI definitely donāt want to returnā after seeing Soutarouās face, even if itās painful to be separated, the logic behind this incomprehensible trip to another world wonāt change. Probably. I will return when itās time to, and I wonāt if I canāt.
I donāt know who transported Subaru and I or what they want to do by transporting us, but no one can go against that person. If so, I should at least do what I want to do most now.
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
The one I want to see now is Soutarou.
See Soutarou and spend an ordinary time together, quietly waiting for my fate.
āSubaru, sorry. Iām, going to Soutarouās place.ā
āāKay, go, go. While youāre at it, you should go all the way!ā
ā⦠Iām relieved to see you never change, Subaruā¦ā
I donāt really know what to say after meeting Soutarou. I may not be able to say a thing. In the first place, I donāt quite know if there is time left for us to talk.
Returning to the real world. The reality of that still hasnāt taken place yet, there arenāt even tears coming out. Thereās only the feeling of absent-mindedly thinking āI guess I may be able to returnā.Translator: nakimushitl
āāLet us meet in the real worldā, I suppose I should say that?ā
āDunno. But itād be embarrassing to meet you as a female after all this time, Subaru.ā
Read at the translatorās site or moonbunnycafe.
āTrue. When the time comes, Iāll tell you āNice to meet you for the first time, Makoto-chan.āā
With Subaru pushing my back, I leave the Yurino house behind.
Opening the app, I text Soutarou. When I send just one sentence,ćI want to see youć, the āReadā word appears and I receive a textćIāll go to Makoās house immediatelyć. However, Iām too impatient to wait for that, and decide to walk towards Soutarouās house.
I walk straight on the street so dark as though oneās face is buried in a pillow. I blow white breaths on fingertips that grew numb with the cold.
My pace quickens slightly when I think that I may disappear while walking here and return home. I want to see him. I want to see him before disappearing.
āMako!āTranslator: nakimushitl
āSoutarouā¦ā
āEven though I said Iād come meet you.ā
Soutarou grasps my hand.
His heat transmits from our grasped hands, somehow making me very happy.