Chapter 318 – Volume 64 – I Don’t Want You to Be Happy (3)
“Rika, don’t just stand there, come in and sit down.”
“…Sister.”
On behalf of myself, who was staring blankly at Rika.
Rosaria took Rika’s hand and headed inside.
Only then did I exhale the breath I had been holding and come to my senses.
I had never imagined that Rika would suddenly come here.
I felt like my mind was becoming very complicated.
Has he come to run an errand for his father?
“Whoa…”
Rika looked like she couldn’t calm down for a while.
Are you surprised by this strange atmosphere that feels like a newlywed couple’s home?
Or is there a reason why I came here in the first place?
Fortunately, she seemed to be able to calm down as Rosaria drank her coffee.
Rika let go of her long hair and sat back in her chair in a comfortable position.
Watching the sparkling sunlight illuminate her hair, creating a mysterious atmosphere.
I asked cautiously.
“What’s going on here?”
“…I want to check something.”
“Check?”
“There is such a thing.”
“…If you’re not going to tell me, why did you come?”
“I won’t tell you, but I will find out.”
Although it was a very arbitrary statement.
Rather, it was difficult to refute it.
Why is my younger brother so confident?
“So Rika, you want to stay here?”
“…”
Seeing that he was silently avoiding eye contact, it seems that Rosaria’s prediction was correct.
Of course, this isn’t really the only home for me and Rosaria.
Rosaria didn’t like going back to her parents’ house, so it was natural to feel this way…
“Yeah, I like it.”
“Ugh!? W-what are you doing!”
“I used to hug you this often…”
“No, I told you to let go.”
In the past, I actually liked being held by Rosaria.
Now it feels like I’m running away.
… By the way, perhaps it’s because Rosaria’s breasts are small, but it’s strange that it feels like she’s acting like a fool.
If you tell me, I’m sure he’ll get angry.
“It doesn’t really matter. As long as Rika wants it.”
“…”
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s strange. I get so annoyed every time I see it. Are you accepting me in this situation?”
“Because he’s my younger brother.”
“…”
“What’s the matter?”
“I don’t know, shut up.”
Were you at least a little touched by what I said?
I think she blushed a little.
But looking at her foul mouth, it seems like she’s actually angry.
I don’t even know what this guy’s reaction is these days.
“Anyway, that’s surprising. Even if there’s something you want to know. I thought you wouldn’t come here.”
I wonder what I want to know here in the first place.
Because there are only three people living here: me, Rosaria, and Nike.
Have you tried asking Rika to find out how I am usually?
‘I can’t imagine.’
Of course, my father is a bit pushy.
If her father had told her to, I think Rika would have quietly followed suit.
I couldn’t imagine my father spying on my house and asking me to see how I was doing.
I think he will forcefully ask me about those things or check them himself.
“…Just. And don’t say things like ‘younger brother’ or anything like that. It makes me feel bad.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Just be careful what you say.
Of course, I have no intention of changing my behavior.
Even though our relationship has become like this, that child is my precious little brother.
“Tsk…”
This time my heart ached and I turned my head away.
Recalling memories from his past life, he rebelled against his father.
It was because of the part where I gave up on the sword path I had originally walked.
In other words, it also meant that I had given up on Rika.
Despite my lack of talent, I was able to hold a sword for a long time.
Because it was all to protect Rika.
Well, now you’re my precious little brother.
I myself am ridiculously foolish.
Because I have no right to do that.
‘Maybe it’s that way.’
Although this guy is pretending to be strong right now.
In reality, you’ve already heard something from your father?
He may have been told to leave because the family no longer needs him.
“…Why are you making that face?”
“Huh?”
“Do you hate seeing me so much that you look like you’re going to cry?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Why not!”
“…”
Rika couldn’t overcome her anger for a while and she huffed.
Maybe it’s because of her Rosaria who keeps her by her side and calms her down.
She didn’t make any big moves, but calmed down slowly.
“As expected, you know, right?”
“What?”
“My brother and I are not related by blood.”
“…!”
Although it was the order I expected.
Still, it was really quite painful to hear it come out of her mouth.
Her father really plans to kick her out of the family as soon as I give up on her…!
“Is this what your father said?”
“You knew it too?”
“That…”
I do not know what to say.
If I make a mistake with my words, the reason why I learned swordsmanship will be revealed.
…If that happens, Rika might feel guilty.
“So, you practice swordsmanship so hard…?”
“…!”
You even realized that?
But that’s too much of an intermediate leap in thinking.
The moment I was about to say something, she must have realized that she was right.
He told the next story as if he was pushing it.
“It’s like that too.”
“Rika.”
“You weren’t even my brother in the first place.”
“Rika…”
It’s hard to even say anything.
I quietly kept my mouth shut.
Because Rika was clearly only spouting the truth.
“Stop it, Rika.”
“…Sister?”
“Even so, Carly thought you were very precious.”
“It was precious?”
“Okay.”
“The person I said was precious left me alone for such a long time? I waited and waited…!”
“Rika…”
It’s not wrong.
In order to actually concentrate on swordsmanship, I drastically reduced the amount of time I spent playing with Rika.
It was around that time that our relationship started to grow apart.
Of course, I went there to play sometimes.
Rika, who was very upset, did not accept me.
No, it’s probably because I wasn’t mature enough.
‘I should have known that it was just a foolish thing and accepted it.’
There was a time when I wasn’t that old either.
Although there was a feeling that he was behaving like an adult for his age, such as taking care of Rika in his own way.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not a child.
I worked hard on my sword skills for Rika.
When he reached the point where he was rejected by Rika.
I was still young and had a hard time enduring that situation.
In the end, instead of persuading and comforting Rika, I ended up not approaching Rika either.
That’s why Rika started to hate me, and our relationship became uncontrollably distant.
“I’m sorry, Rika. I was young. No matter how hard it was, I should have taken care of you, my little sister.”
“No matter how much I cried and begged for my brother to return to swordsmanship. No matter how many times I begged and begged for him to give up swordsmanship because he had no talent for swordsmanship, my brother did not give up swordsmanship.”
“I am…”
“So, that’s why I eventually gave up that my brother wouldn’t come back. Why are you here now…!”
What should I do.
I do not know.
Not only did he get older, he must have also recalled memories of his past life.
I still felt dull and difficult about these things.
“I’m sorry brother.”
“…No, I’ve never had a brother like you.”
Although I reached out to Rika without realizing it.
Rika strongly shook off my hand and took a step back.
I wanted to run up to her and hug her, but she stopped when she realized I didn’t deserve it.
“That’s it. We’re both so excited.”
“…”
Rosaria separated us completely and tried to sort out the situation.
It was definitely a sudden situation, and her mind was complicated.
Rosaria would like to cool her head and talk again.
“Is Rika okay? She came running, so she’s covered in dirt and sweat. She’s a mess.”
“…”
“Now, go in, wash up properly, and come out. I’ll prepare you some clothes of your own size.”
“I’m not that human’s younger brother. Is it really okay for me to stay here?”
I didn’t mean it sarcastically.
The part where she just said that she did something that contradicted what she said.
The reaction was that it was difficult to understand why they wanted to do as they first said.
“You don’t have to be a blood brother to be a younger sister. Rika is still a close younger brother to me.”
“…”
“Now, go in and wash up.”
…I’m not sure about the exact thing.
The fact that Rika knows all of this means that something is wrong with her.
And there is a high probability that Rika will not be able to return to her family now.
In that case, it is right for us to become your temporary home.
“Thank you, Leah.”
“… Because it was something she had been planning on doing for some time.”
“I don’t think I’m ready.”
“It’s me, because I understand Rika’s feelings.”
Rika wasn’t the only one who was hurt by my brokenness at that time.
Rosaria was also in that situation, so she couldn’t help but be affected by my betrayal as a childhood friend.
The only thing that was slightly different was that Lia was able to shamelessly stay by my side.
The reason Rika hated Rosaria.
I think Rosalia’s appearance like that was because she thought she had me all to herself.
Of course, I, as a stranger, cannot completely know how that child felt.
“And you know Carly too, right?”
“Huh?”
“The reason Rika does that is because she likes Carly that much.”
“…She did.”
Now, it seems like that feeling has developed into something worse.
It’s my karma that it happened that way, and it’s a result I have to accept.
… It’s definitely hard because I’m running into her forgotten karma.
“Ka, Kali?”
“Sorry, I might have gotten a little nervous.”
After learning about my past life memories.
I gave up everything and started drawing.
I gave up everything I was holding on to in this world.
“Carly.”
“Yes, we’ll still have to meet face to face.”
But eventually, there comes a time when things have to be resolved like this.
I made a small promise to myself that I would solve everything, at least within this vacation.
