It seemed to Yukinoshita Haruno that the umbrella was obstructing her view, so she simply closed it. Her medium-length hair swayed lightly in the falling snow.
"Can you be honest about everything?" Kiyono asked.
"Yes, I can."
"Everyone might get hurt," Haruno said.
"As long as we hold hands again, it'll be fine."
"Can I really face it properly?" Haruno asked again.
"I believe in you."
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to say something more—when light footsteps came from behind. Both of them turned at the same time and saw Yukino Yukinoshita, holding an umbrella, her presence purer than the untouched snow around them.
However, the moment the girl opened her mouth, she ruined the atmosphere.
"An exam isn't a sprint. Why did you run out so fast?"
Yukino complained in a mocking tone.
"Because she couldn't wait to see her little sister, right?"
Haruno casually cut in, then smoothed her expression, turned to face Yukino, and asked with concern,
"Yukino, how do you feel you did?"
"Who do you think I am?"
Yukino's bright black eyes were full of seriousness and confidence, with no trace of doubt or evasion. She was still the same as always.
"Mm, I believe in Yukino. That means both of you will get into this university."
Haruno looked at the two in front of her, her eyes narrowing faintly, as if touched by something.
"Soon you'll both be university students. I feel a bit lonely."
Yukino raised an eyebrow.
"Even you feel lonely, Sister?"
"Maybe I'm more fragile than you'd imagine."
Haruno smiled, walked over, and stepped under Yukino's umbrella with her, saying softly,
"Does loneliness always end in sadness?"
"Maybe sadness and loneliness are just two sides of the same coin," Kiyono replied just as seriously.
"You two are acting a bit strange today."
Still annoyingly strange. And it felt like the two of them were developing more and more chemistry… Yukino clicked her tongue quietly as she glanced between them.
Haruno flashed a dazzling smile.
"Will this be the last time?"
"The last…" Yukino paused; something tugged at her chest, and her thoughts grew a little muddled.
"Yes. Our last winter."
Haruno looked up at the snowflakes falling from the silver-gray sky. The flakes landed on her eyelashes and melted at once into tiny droplets.
The seasons marched forward on their own. The snow-laden wind was slightly cold.
In winters to come, would she still be able to see snow this pure?
In the next season, would the three of them still be able to speak with such ease?
Mirror, mirror.
—Even if I'm just lingering snow that will melt when spring arrives.
That afternoon, two ordinary-looking envelopes were delivered to the Yukinoshita family home.
The family gathered together, looking down at the letters of acceptance that symbolized the highest institution of learning, each of them filled with emotion. The most moved, without question, was Yukinoshita's mother. Two members of the family had been admitted to Tokyo University. Coupled with Kiyono's literary achievements, the Yukinoshita family could now be considered a true household of learning.
At that moment, Haruno and Yukino exchanged a look. They both understood.
—The time to make choices and give their answers had come.
In the century-old courtyard, sorrowful cherry blossoms fell like snow. A thin layer of frost coated the karesansui in front of the veranda. The bamboo water-filler knocked hollowly as it tipped and filled, and the blossoms that had fallen into the pond looked like lonely red coral.
Haruno and Yukino walked along the bluestone path. They had walked this path for more than ten years, leaving countless faint traces behind; normally, they could have walked it with their eyes closed. But now, their steps were careful and slow, as if they were on the verge of losing something.
Haruno watched her sister's profile, her gaze gentle, as if looking at some precious treasure.
In the end, Haruno was the first to quicken her pace, stepping into the tearoom. Yukino followed quietly behind.
Three people. Three cups of tea.
The floor was still covered in tatami. The three members of the Yukinoshita family sat in seiza in their respective places. The air grew subtly heavy; even the rising steam from their teacups couldn't dispel the chill.
Silently, they had agreed not to involve Kiyono in this conversation. He would only make the situation more complicated.
Outside, the snowflakes whispered against the paper doors.
Yukinoshita's mother and Yukino both wore serious expressions, backs straight, posture formal. Only Haruno seemed unconcerned, resting her chin in one hand, her pupils unfocused… she even had the leisure to think about things that had nothing to do with the moment.
How did inheritance work in other great families? Was it a bloody struggle until only one remained? Or harmonious, with siblings treating each other with courtesy?
If it were a chaebol dynasty, it would surely be the former. If it were just ordinary family assets, surely the latter. The Yukinoshita family lay somewhere in between, in that ambiguous space—just like their current family relationships.
Even so, other girls still envied Yukinoshita Haruno. To control a household as a woman, to hold both money and power in her own hands, was completely different from throwing herself on a man for support.
But Haruno herself was already lost. Everything felt blurred. She had kept going until now purely out of responsibility. And though she had achieved "perfection" under that sense of duty, her mother was clearly still unsatisfied, while she herself had long since lost any sense of purpose. Now she only wanted to chase music… This house felt like a cage.
The reason she was here now wasn't to fight for the heir's seat, but to await an answer.
Because she still had one last sliver of hope.
Haruno finally returned from her drifting thoughts and looked toward her mother.
Yukinoshita's mother set her teacup down on the low table, formally opening the conversation.
"First, once again, congratulations on getting into Tokyo University, Yukino."
Yukino nodded with a small hum of acknowledgment. To her, her mother's words felt like… a preliminary recognition.
Her mother smiled faintly and continued,
"Since Yukino is serious and has worked hard to prove herself, I believe she should be given a fair chance to compete with Haruno. Haruno, what do you think? You've been slackening lately. Isn't it about time you developed a sense of urgency?"
Her mother's style was the same as ever: her tone gentle and kind, yet carrying irresistible force.
Yukino tightened both her fists, eyes turning toward her sister. This was the first time she had ever faced Haruno as a competitor—anticipation, joy, fear, affection… Really, she only wanted to prove herself, and earn recognition.
Haruno was quiet for a moment.
She wanted to praise Yukino. She wanted to hug her. She wanted to stroke her sister's head and tell her how great she was, that she had done something even her big sister couldn't do, that she was truly amazing.
But all that pure joy, under their mother's comparison, twisted into gloomy, pitch-black emotion.
A thin, cold smile curled onto her lips.
"Yes, yes, yes~ My opinion is very important~" she said lightly. "You pretend to ask, but in the end, you haven't given me any choice at all, have you, Mother?"
Her sarcastic tone and disrespectful address landed like a steel knife stabbed suddenly into the table. Yukino's eyes flew wide as she stared at Haruno in disbelief. Sister, are you crazy!?
Yukinoshita's mother frowned. She immediately noticed her eldest daughter's abnormal attitude.
In the past, when Kiyono was around, she had always turned a blind eye to Haruno's small antics, letting her keep her dignity. But now…
Her graceful face gradually hardened. With her words, a heavy pressure descended over the room.
"Haruno, is that how you speak to your mother?"
Mother truly never changed: always strong, always righteous, always unshakable. For a child, such a powerful and beautiful mother would naturally be an object of deep admiration.
Haruno took a slow breath and straightened her back. The poise and grace of a young lady returned to her figure.
It's fine, she thought. Kiyono said he wouldn't abandon me no matter what happened.
She looked at her mother with the bearing of the old Yukinoshita Haruno—
Elegant and beautiful, dignified yet ethereal.
She wanted to speak out the words that had been bottled up inside her for so long. Words that had become mud-streaked and misshapen with time. Sometimes she nearly forgot them herself, but whenever she reached down to the bottom of the lake of her heart, they were still vivid.
"Is this fair?"
She did her best to suppress her emotions, to keep her voice level, but the gloom seeped through anyway—resentment, unwillingness, accusation.
Her mother frowned and slowly asked,
"Haruno, what do you think is unfair?"
Her chest suddenly felt hot.
Haruno remembered what Kiyono had told her—how he said that even if she tore off her mask, he would still stay by her side.
But… sorry, foolish boy. This wasn't resistance. It was just one last, desperate accusation.
Forget it.
A tiny spark flickered in her heart.
She balled her hand into a tight fist, drew in a deep breath—
"Yes, Yukino works very hard, but if she just opens her mouth, you'll hand her everything? Then what about my past ten-plus years? Did you ever once consider my feelings?"
She said it.
In that instant, she understood.
Even with the chance to start over, why had she still walked the same path?
Why had she gritted her teeth and endured until now?
Because she had wanted proof.
Proof that her mother actually loved her.
Proof that Yukino and she held the same place in their mother's heart.
Proof that all she had done was not in vain—that all her efforts had been right.
Haruno looked straight at her mother.
What would she think? Would she feel guilty? Try to comfort her? Rebuke her coldly? As long as her mother would show her something, even only on the surface, she would accept it.
This was her final gamble—
She wanted to hear what she'd always wanted to hear, and at the same time, she didn't want to hear anything at all.
Then—
"This is merely fair competition."
Her mother let out a soft sigh.
In truth, her ideal successor had always been Haruno. Not only because her personality was more suitable, but because Haruno had always applied herself diligently. But now, too many things had become entangled with that goal. Yukino and Kiyono had a vague, unclear relationship, and she couldn't bring herself to simply…
"You've accumulated experience and been tempered for more than ten years, becoming stronger, more accomplished, holding more capital. Aren't those your advantages? Or—" Her mother's eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you perhaps afraid of losing to Yukino?"
Haruno's mind went blank.
So this is what Mother thinks.
All the strength seemed to drain from her body. When her spirit shattered, the calm that followed was almost eerie.
Haruno let out a small laugh.
"You're wrong, Mother. You're wrong. The moment you seriously decided to have Yukino compete with me, your stance was already very clear… Forget it."
She couldn't put everything into words, but—
She felt hollow.
It was meaningless.
She had completely given up hope.
"I quit."
Yes. There was no need to keep going. Whoever wanted this so-called heir position could take it. There was no need for her to remain in this house any longer. If a place had no love, could it still be called home? Anywhere else was fine. Anything else was fine. Just leave—just get far away.
"I quit."
Haruno enunciated every word.
Her calm declaration left both her mother and Yukino stunned.
Yukino stared at her, unease slowly spreading through her heart. Had she made Big Sister angry? …She had only wanted to move forward together with her. If Haruno threw it away—
Her mother's brow furrowed even deeper, her voice dropping low.
"Haruno, are you throwing a childish tantrum? What did I teach you before? You don't give up over something of this magnitude. You face difficulties head-on and try to crush them."
She had said something like that before, Haruno thought.
She rose to her feet, expression indifferent. True disappointment wasn't rage or hysteria—it was this, this stillness.
"If you give up, there won't be a second chance."
Her mother's tone was equally calm, as detached as ever. No matter when, she remained that strict mother. Not only Haruno, but she herself was shackled by that long-standing image.
"Ah, ah, do as you like," Haruno replied casually.
Her mother sighed.
"Since you've said this much, I will at least fulfill my responsibility as a mother and provide you with financial support. In return, do whatever you wish—but you are not to call yourself the heir of the Yukinoshita family ever again—"
—Her chest hurt.