Ayase's face lost all color, turning deeply pale. She clenched her hand tightly, her sharp nails piercing right through her face, dragging a line of blood.
"Si…sister… I'm sorry…!"
Feeling blood drench her face, Ayase crawled to her sister, hugging her legs as she pleaded.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Reika-chan, I didn't mean to…"
"Ayase-chan, it's okay."
Reika replied kindly as she crouched down. She softly patted Ayase's hair, gently caressing her hair like an older sister would.
Ayase fell silent, her hands stopping. She looked at her with a hopeful smile.
But then, Reika tilted her head, smiling wryly.
"It's fine, after all, you're much more important than me, right? Much more important than everyone else."
"The very special, unique Ayase-chan."
Ayase's hopeful face lost all of its blood instantly. She shook her head, desperately denying it.
"No! That's not true… that's not true…!"
"But if that's the case, why did you survive and not me?"
