Hoshino POV
It was around five in the afternoon by the time I got home, which was later than usual for me. But I had to help a friend with his club, so it couldn't be helped.
Lily should have gotten home already. Judging by the fact that she didn't send me a text or anything, it was safe to assume that a scuffle hadn't broken out between her and Mom.
It was strange—Mom is a fighter. So the fact that nothing happened was… discomforting. The more I thought about it, the more this ominous feeling weighed on my chest.
I quietly took off my shoes and headed toward the fridge for a small snack. On my way there, I saw Mom sleeping on the couch—just like yesterday.
My gaze lingered on her longer than necessary. Of course, she wouldn't recover fully after just one day. Just like yesterday, there was a bottle of medication on the table next to her, along with a half-empty cup of water.
Everything looked perfectly normal.
The only problem was that the rim of the glass of water was too spotless.
At that moment, a cold vice gripped my heart.
I turned around and walked up the stairs to my room. I never managed to grab that snack.
I changed out of my uniform and into my comfy home clothes, then sank into my bed and closed my eyes, letting out a deep breath. The steady clicking of the clock lulled my mind—even as they gradually morphed into the sound of quiet steps. Those footsteps converged into the sound of a door pushed open.
My body shot up from the bed as I stared at my door.
It was still closed.
Which meant—
I sprang out of bed and rushed into the hallway, straight toward my Sister's room. I remained at the doorway to her room, while Lily stayed in bed. Aside from Lily and me, a third figure stood in there.
It was Mom.
She stared at Lily, then slowly turned her head until her eyes met mine.
Then… she smiled.
A shiver ran down my spine.
She turned away from me and took slow steps towards Lily. My Sister hurriedly crawled out of bed and stood upright.
"What are you doing here? I already told you, I don't care," Lily shot back, her voice absolute, but laced with a hint of fear.
Mom gently shook her head. "Yes, I know that, Lily. I… I just want to talk to you. That's all. Is it wrong for me to want to talk with my daughter?"
Mom took a step closer, and Lily staggered back. Her eyes darted around the room until they slipped past Mom and locked onto me. The moment they did, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she stared straight into Mom.
"Mom, please… get out of my room. There is nothing for us to talk about anymore."
Mom let out a sorrowful whimper—a soft, fractured sound that sat perfectly between a sob and a plea.
"You're right… I should leave you alone. But before I do, I want to apologize."
Mom then proceeded to… bow. She bowed her head toward her own daughter. Lily's eyes went wide—meanwhile, my entire body tensed. Then, I saw a faint sparkle fall from where Mom's head hung toward the floor. She was… crying.
"Lily… I'm sorry for what I did to you."
Mom slowly lifted her face for Lily to see. Lily's mouth opened and closed in shock, struggling to form proper words.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me, and I don't expect you to either," Mom continued. "But please… just let me watch over you a little longer."
"Y-you–"
Lily clenched her teeth, digging her nails into her palms.
"You… expect me to just believe you?" she snapped, her breath shaking. "Do you think I'm stupid or something?!"
Mom shook her head frantically—yet, every movement remained terrifyingly flawless.
"No, you're not. I know you're not a kid anymore. And nothing makes me happier than seeing you grow up into a beautiful young woman."
"Th-then, why–"
"I was wrong to get in your way, Lily. And for that, I'm sorry." She swallowed hard. "But, please, for your Mom's sake, just let me be your parent a little longer."
The rest of Mom's words caught in her throat.
She tried to force them out, but they collapsed into a broken stutter. She dug her nails into her chest and bit her lip, tears streaming down her face.
Lily watched her, eyes trembling. Her leg twitched, but she didn't move. She was torn between whether she should move forward or maintain her distance.
Lily closed her eyes. Then, she shook her head. When she did, her whole body seemed to relax.
She slowly walked up to Mom and embraced her in a tight hug. Mom gasped, then clutched Lily just as tightly, sobbing into her shoulder.
"L-Lily, I j-just want you to know that, without you…"
Mom paused, then looked at me from the reflection of the window in front of her. "And H-Hoshino too. Without my two lovely kids…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper. Lily stroked Mom on the head, silently urging her to continue. Mom gave Lily a firm nod.
"Without the two of you…"
Everything went silent.
"I think I'd rather just die."
And everything stopped.
Lily and I stood completely still, unable to do or say anything.
Then, Mom began to break down completely, sobbing into Lily's shoulder—breaking the silence. Lily held her tightly as tears finally spilled from her own eyes.
From my own reflection in the mirror, I saw my body go limp—and an all-enveloping black flicker in my eyes.
…And there it is.
"No. No, Mom…" Lily said desperately. "Don't say that…"
She shook her head again and again.
"I still need you," Lily sobbed. "No, not just me, Dad and Brother still need you too. You can't die."
Mom and Lily clung to each other, shedding tears together. And I just stood there by the door, watching this scene unfold.
Ah… what a happy ending.
With this, we can all be one big happy family….
…
Is that what I was supposed to think?
I couldn't help but let out a hollow chuckle. My chuckle echoed in my own ears, and with it, a sense of nothingness filled my entire being.
Do I doubt anything Mom is saying? No, I don't. I fully believe that if anything happened to Lily and me, she would just die. That much is a guarantee.
Do I doubt that Mom isn't trying her best? No, I know that she is trying her best in her own way.
Everything she does, and everything she says, is true. So, what's the problem here?
It's the fact that she openly said these things to us.
Does any normal parent tell their children they'd die without them?
No.
Do any of them openly cry to their kids? Clinging onto them for reassurance?
No.
While there may be exceptions, this case isn't one of them.
Everything she does—everything she says right now—is nothing but a ruse.
No—not just right now.
Everything since we have been born has been this way.
Being aware of it or not changes nothing.
No matter what happens, we will always be trapped in this cycle.
But mark my words…
Lily may be ignorant now.
But one day, she will find out.
I don't know what will happen when she does.
All I can hope is…
She won't become like me.
END OF VOLUME 1: An Older Brother.