Saori…
Murmuring her name, a lithe figure with a long blade and fearless eyes rose unbidden in Shiratori Kiyoya's mind.
"Kiyoya, I've been working really hard."
"Saori isn't stupid, you know."
"I'm going to marry you!"
"You're leaving? You'll come back… right?"
"Kiyoya…"
The girl's clear voice came back with her face, and Kiyoya's brows knit; his once-calm heart felt off.
What does Shione want with her?
"Brother-in-law?"
"Brother-in-law? Big brother?"
On the phone, Hojo Suzune called him a few times with no response and pouted.
She puffed out her rosy lips, took a deep breath, and yelled:
"Shiratori Kiyoya!"
Her coquettish shout exploded in his ear, making him jolt. He snapped back, rubbed his ear, and groused, "What? Why so loud?"
Hearing his testy tone, Suzune puckered up, aggrieved. "Sorry…"
"But, brother-in-law, what are you doing, ignoring me like that…?"
"Nothing. Something just crossed my mind."
"Oh."
Something you can't tell me? Suzune narrowed her eyes, grumbled inwardly, then shelved the doubt and slipped into a pleading tone:
"Brother-in-law, what do you think?"
"What do I think about what?"
"I want to go to Tokyo too…"
"But you're in your senior year. If you want a good university in Tokyo, shouldn't you be drilling problems every day right now?"
"What's the rush? Worst case I'll do special admissions like my sister. I was planning on Tokyo University of the Arts anyway…"
That didn't surprise him. He went with it. "Then shouldn't you be spending more time at the piano? And do your parents know you're not prepping for the general exam? Are they okay with the path you want?"
"Whether they agree or not—what's it to me? It's not like they take care of me."
Lying by the bed, she propped her white-stockinged legs up on the wall, hair spilling over the mattress edge, and stared at the ceiling. "They didn't say anything when Sis did art school either. If I get famous, they'll be thrilled, bragging it's 'in the genes'… when they don't know a thing about music."
Kiyoya went quiet. She wasn't wrong. Next to two daughters with outlier musical talent, the Hojos were tone-deaf—reading a staff line gave them a headache. Before he met them, he'd assumed it was a musical household. It wasn't. Given the girls, "genetic mutation" felt like the only explanation.
Shione's mom taught junior high; her dad worked at a company—electronics, he thought. Maybe because both were busy and her dad was out schmoozing all the time, the couple fought constantly…
No wonder Suzune had once run away.
He couldn't help thinking of their first meeting in Hokkaido; time had flown—she was about to graduate high school. She'd been so tiny then—
Well, still tiny now. Most girls don't get taller after high school anyway.
The image of her in a skirt popped up; a smile crept onto his face before he knew it.
She couldn't see it—she just felt ignored after babbling on and got annoyed. She kicked her legs, toes curling in their white socks, and wheedled:
"So are you saying yes or not, brother~?"
He came to and sighed. "Even with you sweet-talking me, I can't make it happen."
"But you promised before."
"My memory's not as good as yours, but it's only been two days—I don't think you can rewrite history that fast. I didn't actually agree."
"But…"
Backed into a corner, she played her last card. "My birthday's next week. You didn't remember?"
"… "
He froze. He hadn't memorized Suzune's birthday. When he went silent, her mouth drooped; her eyes prickled as she muttered resentfully:
"Knew it. You remember Sis's birthday perfectly, though."
He closed his eyes and rubbed his brow. "Look… my memory's awful; early-onset senior moments. I don't even really remember your sister's."
"Yeah? Do you, though?" She skewered the lie without mercy. "You dated her for over two years—she had exactly two birthdays. I know exactly what you did: fireworks, candles, flowers and gifts… and a brand-new song you wrote just for her."
Her grip on the phone tightened, knuckles whitening. She ground out, "How romantic."
"…"
At that point there was no point playing dumb. He shut up. Sometimes playing dead is best.
Seeing he wasn't going to pretend anymore, she let the sister stuff drop and pleaded, small-voiced:
"Brother~ I'm turning eighteen. Can't you grant my wish to 'visit Tokyo'?"
For a second, he almost said yes.
The words circled his tongue; he cooled and said, "If you're calling it a wish… I can agree."
A jewel-bright light flashed in her eyes. She dropped her legs, shot upright, and blurted, "Really?! Then—"
"But."
He doused her excitement with one word.
"Only if your sister and your parents agree."
Her face fell visibly; her lips curved down again. "That's basically a 'no'…"
Mom and Dad would be easy—explain a little, bat her eyes, done. But Shione… no way. First, she'd never allow a Tokyo trip—stricter than their parents. Second, if she said it was to see Kiyoya, the little vinegar jar would refuse on the spot.
If she actually asked Shione, she'd probably get a cold snort and a "figure it out yourself" look.
Suzune figured Kiyoya had no idea what her sister had become over the past half year—probably still thought she was gentle as before.
She bit her lip; she wasn't about to tell him about that change. If it made him feel sorry for Sis, she'd lose the play.
Hearing her grumble, he explained, "That's not an outrageous condition, is it? You can't sneak to Tokyo behind your family's back. What if something happens?"
"And an eighteenth birthday—spending it with family means more, doesn't it?"
She pouted; her eyes rimmed red with a hint of a sob. "You're just bullying me…"
"You were there for her birthday…"