Chapter 2 | My Stepsister’s Sense of Distance Feels Off Since She Came Back

“W-Well, um, I’m Utsurogi Yuuri.”

“Oh, thanks for the polite introduction. I’m Utsurogi Mahito.”

“”………………””

Facing each other in the living room, the two exchanged greetings with the awkwardness of distant relatives meeting for the first time.

The girl who had become his stepsister fidgeted, twirling her silver hair around her finger, her eyes darting nervously.

This is how Yuuri acts in front of strangers…

Come to think of it, when she was little, she was painfully shy, always hiding behind Mahito. Whenever she had to talk to someone she didn’t know, she’d get like this right away.

Mahito had seen her act this way with others, but it was the first time she’d directed this expression at him. Having been avoided for so long, the Yuuri who had forgotten him felt like a completely different person.

Since she remembers everything else, she probably doesn’t think she’s changed at all. But that only made it harder for Mahito to figure out how to approach her.

That said, Yuuri was likely the one who felt more lost. From her perspective, this was practically a first meeting with a “stepbrother” who hadn’t even visited her once during her hospitalization. It’s only natural they’d have this kind of distance.

In a way, though, that was a stroke of luck. Yuuri’s current behavior was like polite small talk, the kind you’d use with someone you just met.

At the very least, this wasn’t the Yuuri who had once brutally “slaughtered” that sleazy guy with her sharp tongue. Mahito wouldn’t have to face that kind of wrath without warning.

For that fact alone, Mahito was grateful.

But still…

—This is awkward…

He had no idea what to talk about. He thought he’d come to terms with her forgetting him, but that wasn’t the real issue.

—You two aren’t blood-related siblings.

That fact was something he hadn’t even begun to process.

Just how was he supposed to interact with Yuuri, his stepsister, from now on? The idea of “step-siblings” sounded like something out of a yakuza story, full of tough, formal exchanges, but what kind of conversations were stepbrother and stepsister supposed to have?

The lack of a blood connection didn’t mean he had to change how he acted. Blood or no blood, Mahito was Yuuri’s brother, and Yuuri was his sister.

He understood that, but the problem was they hadn’t had a proper conversation in over a year. Even a week ago, before she lost her memories, when Yuuri tried talking to him, they barely exchanged a word or two.

Not changing his attitude meant turning his back on his sister, staying silent, and avoiding her. Even Mahito knew that was the worst thing he could do right now.

So, what should he do? This wasn’t like catching up with an old middle school classmate after years apart.

—Get it together. The one who’s really struggling right now isn’t me—it’s Yuuri, isn’t it?

What did it matter if they weren’t blood-related? The one suffering was the stepsister who had to live with a stepbrother she didn’t even remember.

Determined to show some brotherly dignity, Mahito spoke first.

“Um!”

“Y-Yes!”

Facing his tense stepsister, Mahito mustered all his courage and made a suggestion.

“…W-Would you like some tea?”

“Oh, no need to trouble yourself…”

Why was he talking like this to family in his own home? Still, since he’d brought it up, Mahito started to head to the kitchen, but Yuuri stood up too.

“I-I’ll help!”

“Th-Then, could you grab some glasses?”

Making tea was just a matter of pulling barley tea from the fridge and pouring it. The glasses were all matching glass ones, so Yuuri quickly picked them up.

“The dishes… there really are four of each…”

She still seemed unable to believe it. Counting the glasses, Yuuri muttered as if she couldn’t quite grasp the reality of it.

Seeing his stepsister like this, Mahito felt a sense of unease.

—Uh-oh, she’s about to trip…

As if proving his hunch, Yuuri, lost in thought while carrying the glasses to the table, caught her foot on the carpet.

“Ah—”

“—Whoa, careful!”

Anticipating it, Mahito quickly reached out to steady her.

“You always trip there, so watch out, okay?”

The carpet, creased from countless stumbles, seemed almost designed to trip the unwary.

Mahito had meant to steady her by the waist, but in her panic, Yuuri clung to his arm, gripping it tightly. Thankfully, the glasses remained unscathed in her hands.

“~~!”

Yuuri’s face flushed a vivid red. In her desperate grab, she’d pressed two unexpectedly soft mounds against his arm.

—Oh no, she’s gonna hate me for this.

Mahito quickly withdrew his arm. “S-Sorry! That was too familiar, wasn’t it?”

“N-No, it’s not like that…”

What began as a simple errand for tea had somehow deepened the awkwardness between them. They returned to the living room in silence, the air heavy with unspoken tension.

For now, they poured ice and barley tea into two matching glasses, adding straws from their stash of plastic ones—kept at home since paper straws or extra charges had become the norm.

—Why am I so nervous around my own sister…?

Mahito sipped his tea, cradling his head in frustration. Across from him, Yuuri sipped hers, her eyes darting restlessly, betraying her unease.

While Mahito wrestled with his own shortcomings, Yuuri broke the silence.

“U-Um…”

“Y-Yes! What is it?”

She’d spoken to ease the awkwardness but seemed unsure of what to say next. Her gaze wandering, Yuuri ventured, “So, um… w-what are your hobbies?”

It felt like they were strangers on a blind date, not siblings.

Still, his stepsister had summoned the courage to speak, so Mahito answered earnestly. “Oh, uh, in my free time, I play video games a bit…”

“Games are nice, aren’t they? I play some on my phone, too.”

“”Hahaha…””

Their dry laughs faded into silence once more.

—What are we even talking about…?

The absurdity struck Mahito, and a strange urge to laugh bubbled up.

“……Pfft.”

Apparently, Yuuri felt it too. Mahito glanced up to see her covering her mouth, trembling as she stifled a giggle.

—Yeah, it’s pretty laughable…

The tension suddenly seemed ridiculous, and the weight on Mahito’s shoulders lifted.

“Look, I know it’s hard to feel at ease until your memories come back, but I want you to feel comfortable here, like you always have. Not that I’m saying you have to force yourself to get along with me—just, you know, relax like this is your home.” Mahito struggled to find the right words but pressed on. “If it’s awkward to be around each other, we can stagger meal times or something. So, you don’t have to push yourself, okay?”

“…! Thank you. Um… O-Onii-san.”

Yuuri offered a shy smile, not the razor-sharp one she usually wore but a soft, warm one.

How long had it been since he’d seen his stepsister smile like that? Lately, she’d mostly ignored him when he tried talking to her. A strange, tight feeling gripped his chest.

—W-Wait… was Yuuri always this cute…?

He’d never thought she was unattractive—quite the opposite, he’d always found her pretty. But while he’d seen her as beautiful, “cute” wasn’t a word he’d associated with her before.

This smile wasn’t the icy one from before; it felt like the same smile she’d had as a kid, unchanged.

—Or… maybe it’s different somehow…

It was—how to put it—more feminine, perhaps.

He knew his sister was a girl, but that wasn’t what he meant. She’d always been “his sister,” a distinct entity, but now she felt… different. He couldn’t quite pin down the shift, but her cuteness was almost mesmerizing, despite being his sister.

As Mahito floundered, Yuuri spoke again, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. “Um, thank you for earlier, too. For catching me when I almost fell.”

“Oh, no, don’t worry about it.”

It was just instinct.

But Yuuri’s smile brightened. “You seemed so used to it, Onii-san. I bet you’ve helped me like that before, haven’t you? It really made me feel like you’re my brother.”

“R-Really? That’s good, then.”

His stepsister was finally talking naturally, but now Mahito was the one stumbling over his words.

Taking a small breath to calm himself, he spoke again. “Oh, and you don’t have to use polite speech with me, you know?”

“Oh… r-right. But I kind of talk like this all the time…”

Come to think of it, Mahito didn’t know what Yuuri was like at school. Since starting middle school, they hadn’t walked to school together, and with different grades, they rarely saw each other there.

—So her polite speech isn’t just for me.

Now that he thought about it, she’d been using polite speech with the family lately, too. Since he was the first one she’d started speaking to that way, it had felt like she was keeping him at a distance. Realizing he hadn’t noticed this before made him feel a bit down, but he shook his head to brush it off.

“Just talk however feels comfortable for you. Like I said, don’t force yourself.”

“Okay… Then, um, I’ll keep talking like this for now…”

It’s probably hard for someone used to polite speech to suddenly switch to casual talk. For Mahito, who’d barely spoken to her lately, it didn’t make much difference.

Then, Yuuri tightly gripped the hem of her skirt and looked up at Mahito with a formal air. “Um, Onii-san.”

“What’s up?”

Tilting his head, Mahito watched as Yuuri suddenly bowed deeply. “I’m so sorry, Onii-san!”

Mahito nearly spat out the tea he was drinking. “W-What’s wrong?”

Seeing his stepsister on the verge of tears, Mahito panicked. “I mean, forgetting only you, Onii-san… that’s so heartless, isn’t it? I feel really awful about it…”

“Oh, that’s what this is about.”

Mahito shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Back then… when we were told we were step-siblings, you were way more shocked than I was. And then you got into that accident, so it’s not your fault.”

He didn’t blame Yuuri at all for the memory loss. Yes, this was the one thing he’d fully come to terms with… though, thanks to that, he’d forgotten about the other issue, which was why things were so awkward now.

Yuuri murmured, sounding a little sad. “We were close, weren’t we? You and me…”

“Huh?”

Mahito let out an odd noise, and Yuuri tilted her head. “…? Did I say something strange?”

Mahito quickly cleared his throat. “N-No, not at all. We were… close, yeah.”

He’d blurted out a lie without thinking.

Yuuri’s face lit up brightly. “I knew it! You’re so kind, Onii-san, and being around you feels so comforting.”

Her innocent smile made Mahito feel a pang of guilt.

—I can’t tell her we barely talked!

Unable to meet her eyes out of guilt, Mahito didn’t notice Yuuri’s relieved smile. She scooped up her long hair with one hand, tucking it behind her ear, and brought the straw to her pale pink lips. Her shapely ear peeked out, and for some reason, Mahito didn’t know where to look.

Even a simple gesture like that felt so feminine, different from how she used to be.

—A year makes a big difference, huh…

But then, Mahito noticed something. “Yuuri, um… that’s my glass.”

“Fnyaa!?”

Hurriedly placing the glass back on the table, Yuuri covered her face with both hands. Well, given the situation, she was probably just as overwhelmed.

“S-S-S-Sorry, Onii-san!”

“No, it’s fine since they’re the same glasses. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

They’re siblings, after all. Sharing a glass—or rather, a straw—wasn’t a big deal. Passing a drink back and forth is pretty normal, right?

—Yeah, it’s normal. Totally normal… Is it normal?

He wasn’t sure. When they were kids—maybe in early elementary school—they’d done stuff like that, but it felt like something you wouldn’t do once you hit middle or high school.

Then, those words floated back into his mind.

—You two aren’t blood-related siblings.

For some reason, he felt his face grow hot.

“”…………””

Silence.

Yuuri, her eyes wandering as if searching for words, suddenly glanced at the TV. There, the controller Mahito had been using was still lying around. Until Yuuri came home, he’d been too restless to focus on anything, idly messing with games.

“W-What kind of games do you play, Onii-san?”

“Oh, uh, I play pretty much anything. But lately, I’ve been into action games mostly. Wanna give it a try, Yuuri?”

At that, Yuuri shook her head. “No, I’m not great with reflexes for those. I think I enjoy watching more.”

“Watching can be fun on its own?”

“Don’t you think let’s-play videos are entertaining?”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I get that…”

Mahito had always thought games were meant to be played, but there was definitely a demand for watching them, too.

“Since we’re here, want me to show you something? I’m not as good as those let’s-players, though.”

“I’d love to watch!”

Finally finding a common topic, Yuuri nodded eagerly. Picking up the controller and moving to the sofa in front of the TV, Yuuri sat down right next to him. A sweet, floral, comforting scent tickled his nose—apparently, she’d been able to bathe properly even in the hospital.

“…Nnh?”

At that moment, Mahito felt confused. She sat next to him. That was true, but somehow…

—Isn’t this distance kind of weird?

First, their shoulders lightly bumped. That was fine, sure. But they were close enough that their thighs were touching, too. From her knees to her hips, they were practically pressed together. At this distance, sitting straight was impossible, so her shoulder and arm ended up behind Mahito. It was the kind of position you’d take to peek at someone’s phone from behind—like being crammed together on a packed train.

He’d meant to play a game, but reality seemed to have triggered some kind of positioning glitch.

—She smells really nice…

She’d mentioned being able to shower at the hospital. Maybe it was her shampoo or something—a sweet, floral scent. Glancing at Yuuri’s profile, she didn’t seem to find anything odd about it, her eyes fixed on the TV screen.

—Wait, am I overthinking this?

Still confused, he started the game since it had loaded.

“Oh, watch out!” “Whoa, you got ‘em!” “Aah, you died!” “Eek, something crazy showed up!”

Yuuri really did enjoy just watching, reacting with excitement and worry while observing Mahito’s gameplay.

—What do I do? I can’t focus on the game at all…

Come to think of it, Yuuri had always been the type to move around a lot when playing games. That hadn’t changed when watching someone else play, either—she flinched, swayed side to side, and was generally fidgety. He didn’t mind that, but the problem was that she was doing it while practically glued to him.

Something soft is ganging up on me…

A girl’s arm was surprisingly soft, sure, but her thighs were soft, too, and her silky hair brushed against him softly as well. And then there were those—well, naturally, as a girl, she had those two soft mounds. Back in middle school, he hadn’t paid them any mind, but at some point, they’d grown impressively.

They’re like bombs! They swayed and bumped into him every time Yuuri moved, as if she had no idea what kind of weapons she was wielding.

—Like a girl—

He recalled the feeling when he saw Yuuri’s smiling face earlier. That was it. What a revelation. His stepsister was a girl. Only now did Mahito truly grasp what that meant.

“That game looks… really tough, huh?”

“Well, it’s a soulslike, so yeah.”

[T/N: “Soulslike” refers to a genre of action RPGs inspired by FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, known for their punishing difficulty and intricate world design.]

Mahito was playing Elden Ring, an action game infamous for its high difficulty. It was the kind of soulslike where even regular enemies could slaughter you one-on-one. With new DLC recently released, the game had reignited players’ enthusiasm.

Naturally, there was no way he could focus in this situation, so Mahito kept dying and restarting over and over. It was a soulslike, sure, but he hadn’t died this much since his blind playthrough.

—Calm down. She’s just your sister.

Right, it was a bit surprising, but a sister was just a sister.

—There’s nothing to be scared of.

Trying to empty his mind like a serene Buddha statue, Mahito was startled when Yuuri gently rested her head on his shoulder. If some random guy did this on a packed train, it’d spark murderous rage. But when his stepsister did it, his heart leapt with a loud thud. On the game screen, his character miraculously dodged an enemy attack with an unexpected jump.

—Wha—?! Why? Did she fall asleep? No, she’s awake, right? Do siblings do this kind of thing?

Unable to grasp his stepsister’s intentions, Mahito’s hands trembled on the controller.

“Your heartbeat’s really fast, Onii-san.”

“Well, it’s a boss fight, so…”

The fact that she could feel his heartbeat through their closeness only made Mahito’s emotions spiral further. Oblivious to his turmoil, Yuuri smiled innocently.

“Actually, I’ve always dreamed of being close to you like this, Onii-san… Sounds weird, right? You’ve always been my brother, after all.”

“No, I… I get it.”

His attempt at zen shattered, Mahito pressed a hand to his forehead. On the screen, his character got stomped to death by a boss’s jump attack, but that couldn’t be helped.

—Maybe the old Yuuri felt like this, too…

But during puberty, she might not have been able to express it. Shouldn’t Mahito have tried harder to talk to his sister, even if she was avoiding him?

—No, it’s not too late to start now!

Steeling himself, Mahito responded. “I mean, it doesn’t feel bad when you’re close like this, so you can do it anytime, okay?”

“Really?”

Beaming up at him, Yuuri suddenly froze. They were so close that their noses were almost touching. Her smiling face, still frozen, flushed bright red.

“Fweh?! S-S-S-S-Sorry! I was too close, wasn’t I?!”

“N-No, it’s fine!”

Apparently, she hadn’t even realized. Covering her cheeks with both hands as if to hide her face with her silver hair, the gesture was so adorable that Mahito worried it might drive people insane if she did it in public.

Yuuri finally scooted away—only by about a fist’s width, but still—allowing Mahito to focus on the game again. The game served as a convenient excuse to gloss over their mutual embarrassment.

They kept playing until their parents came home. Staring at the game screen seemed to ease the awkwardness, and Yuuri was back to cheering and reacting loudly as she watched. They didn’t talk much, but Mahito felt like they’d at least started to figure out their sense of distance.

They couldn’t instantly go back to how things were before—whatever that even was—but maybe they could gradually grow closer. Thinking that way, this first interaction wasn’t bad at all.

But still, he thought. His stepsister, having lost her memories, had started being affectionate again, like she used to be.

—But is that a good thing?

He hadn’t reconciled with the Yuuri from before her memory loss… It felt like a betrayal, stirring up a sense of guilt.

Mahito shook his head.

—No, that’s my own issue. It’s not a reason to push the current Yuuri away.

This time, he’d be a proper brother and support his sister. That was the one thing he could do right now.

◇

Before dinner, Yuuri had returned to her room. Since coming home, she’d been talking with her stepbrother or watching him play games, so she hadn’t even unpacked her things.

Hurriedly pulling out laundry and such, she looked around her room. The room was exactly as it had been a week ago. On the desk, a novel lay open—I’ll have to fix the creases—and her favorite stuffed animal sat proudly on the bed. The only difference was that the bedding was neatly folded, probably by her mom.

It almost felt like her hospitalization had been a lie.

If anything had changed, it was the new uniform hanging on the wall. It was a uniform freshly adjusted to her size. Looking at it made her feel a bit embarrassed.

—To think my chest got so tight I could barely wear it…

In the spring of her third year of middle school, her chest hadn’t been that big. If anything, she’d been on the flatter side. But then, as if her growth spurt hit all at once, it started getting bigger around fall, forcing her to replace her underwear multiple times. Thanks to that, she couldn’t see her feet as well, which led to a lot of tripping. Even though the uniform had been made with extra room, when she tried it on, the buttons felt like they might pop off.

It was way too embarrassing to tell anyone about.

Apparently, she’d been hit by a car the night she went to pick up that uniform. She vaguely remembered the accident itself, but why she’d been out in the middle of the night, she couldn’t recall at all. According to her parents, Yuuri had run out of the house in a panic, but she had no idea why she’d been so upset.

“I really wanted to go to the entrance ceremony…” she muttered to herself without thinking.

She’d had so many plans for high school—making friends, joining clubs. Being a whole week behind was a painful setback.

Then she thought of her best friend. “Oh, I need to LIME Tsukki and tell her I’m out of the hospital.”

Tsukki, or Yamanashi Hitomi, had been her best friend since elementary school. While she’d been separated from other friends, this best friend had gone on to the same high school as her.

Meeting her stepbrother had taken up all her attention. Digging her phone out of her bag, she tapped the green icon shaped like a lime. There were tons of SNS apps, but for this kind of communication, LIME was still the best.

After letting her best friend know she’d been discharged, the inevitable question came up about her stepbrother.

[How’d it go meeting your onii-san?]

Her fingers froze on the phone.

Right. What Yuuri had to face now was the sudden appearance of a “brother she wasn’t blood-related to.” She’d thought that kind of thing only existed in stories.

While she was mulling over how to reply, her mom’s voice called from downstairs. “Yuuri, go take a bath first!”

“Okay!”

After a moment’s hesitation, she typed just [It went fine for now] and sent it. Then she opened her dresser to prepare for a change of clothes, but…

“Huh? Did I have this…?”

A pair of unfamiliar pajamas, neatly folded, sat in the drawer.

—Did Mom buy this for me?

She usually bought her own clothes, but her mom still occasionally slipped in something she thought Yuuri would like. Whether it matched Yuuri’s taste was about a fifty-fifty shot.

“Well then, this should be fine.”

While hospitalized, she’d been causing trouble for everyone. At times like this, it was only right to go along with Mom’s preferences. Gathering the laundry, Yuuri hugged her nightwear and headed to the bathroom. It was a bit early for a bath, but the thought of soaking in a tub after a week was delightful.

Due to her memory issues, she’d ended up using a private room as is. It came with a unit bathroom featuring a toilet and shower, but no bathtub.

Entering the washroom, she locked the door. To keep her favorite ribbon from getting damaged, she untied it first and placed it on a shelf. Then, quickly tossing her shed clothes into the washing machine, she stepped under the shower. The hospital had treated her well, but nothing beat the familiar shampoo and conditioner from home.

As she washed her hair, words slipped out naturally. “Onii-san was kind, wasn’t he…”

She’d been anxious the whole time in the hospital, wondering if he might be scary. Back in middle school, she struggled with the boys in her class. They were loud, cracking vulgar jokes, acting all high and mighty, yet they’d look hurt and scared when she glared at them in disgust—unaware of the lethal force behind her glare—and she wanted as little to do with them as possible.

In contrast, her stepbrother was calm, kind, and incredibly gentlemanly. Despite being only a year older, he felt so mature.

—And, somehow, he was kind of cute.

He wasn’t particularly tall, maybe a fist’s height above Yuuri’s 154 centimeters. Even in middle school, plenty of boys were taller. It might be rude to think this about a guy, but his features were almost girlish, baby-faced even.

She’d never seen a guy who’d look good in girls’ clothes before. That, among other things, made him approachable and likable.

—I want to get close to him…

She didn’t know how close they were before, but she wanted to build a bond just as strong, if not stronger.

“But why did I forget…?”

That was all she could think about during her hospital stay.

Yes, she has a brother. Apparently, she’s always had one. A brother she’s lived with for fifteen years. Yet, somehow, Yuuri forgot him.

That alone was shocking enough, but to top it off, this brother was her stepbrother, not related by blood. She even wondered if her family was pulling some elaborate prank, but it seemed to be the truth.

—Can something like that really happen…?

Rinsing out the shampoo and working conditioner through the ends of her hair, she tied it into a bun with a rubber band and started washing her body.

—It still doesn’t feel real, but coming home, there were clear signs someone else lived here. The dishes and chairs were for four, not new but worn in the same way. Looking at the living room, there was no sense of furniture being added out of place.

There was also the odd feeling of playing with someone as a child but not recalling their face. If that someone was her stepbrother, it all clicked into place. So, she believed it was true that she forgot.

The real issue lay beyond that. The brother who was forgotten was probably angry. If your family forgot only you after living together all this time, anyone would be furious. She wouldn’t blame him for despising her.

Yuuri had braced herself for harsh words. If he slapped her, she’d hate it, but she wouldn’t have the right to fight back. Yet, her stepbrother welcomed her kindly. He even suggested staggering meal times if she felt awkward, showing concern for her comfort. When she asked to watch his game, he let her sit beside him without a hint of annoyance, despite her plopping down so close out of nowhere.

She wasn’t sure if she could think of them as family or siblings yet, but she felt they could at least talk and live together properly.

Then, Yuuri caught her reflection in the mirror, sporting a sloppy expression. “Huwaa, embarrassing…”

Unable to contain her goofy smile, she sprayed the mirror with the shower to erase it. Quickly rinsing off, she slipped into the bathtub. The comforting warmth melted away her fatigue. Sinking until her mouth was submerged, she blew bubbles in the water.

“I bet I really loved Onii-san, didn’t I…?”

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sat so close so casually. If he’s always been this kind, there was no reason she’d dislike him. So why did she forget?

As her anxiety faded, guilt started to fill her chest.

Realizing she’d been soaking for quite a while, she snapped out of it. “Oh no, it’s almost dinner time.”

Climbing out of the tub, she hurried to dry her hair. Even in a rush, her long hair took time to dry. Honestly, it was such a hassle she’d considered cutting it, but for some reason, she kept letting it grow.

—Come to think of it, why did I start growing my hair out?

She’d been teased about her hair since she was little, yet she’d never thought to cut or dye it.

—Tracing her memories, Yuuri let out an “Ah.”

—I love your hair, Yuuri. It’s beautiful—

“Someone told me it was beautiful, didn’t they…?”

Those words had saved her. She couldn’t recall who said it. She wasn’t sure if it was a boy or a girl, but they seemed like a child. From then on, she started to accept her hair color, didn’t she?

It should be a precious memory, yet she could barely picture the person’s face. No wonder she couldn’t trust her own memories.

—But, could it be…

An idea struck her, but then Yuuri tilted her head. “…Wait, Mom, you got the size wrong.”

After drying her hair and slipping into the nightwear, she noticed it was far too big. Her school uniform was too small and needed resizing, so maybe Mom got her something oversized on purpose, but this was just too baggy. With no other choice, she rolled up the sleeves and hem.

“But it’s kinda comfy, actually.”

Unexpectedly fond of it, Yuuri buried her face in the oversized sleeve. It smelled oddly comforting. Lately, all her clothes had felt tight. Maybe loose-fitting stuff like this wasn’t so bad.

In high spirits, Yuuri left the bathroom. Entering the living room, she was greeted by the fragrant aroma of spices and butter. Dinner seemed ready. Dad was already seated, while Mom and her stepbrother were serving.

Dad usually came home late, but today, likely because of Yuuri’s discharge, he was back early.

The living room connected to a counter-style kitchen, making it easy to bring food over. When Yuuri offered to help, Mahito shook his head.

“We’re almost done, so just sit.”

“Oh, okay? Sorry, I took so long.”

“No, it’s fine. We just finished.”

Then she noticed. “Wait, did Onii-san make dinner?”

Mahito was the one dishing out food from a frying pan in the kitchen. His apron looked oddly fitting, like he was used to this.

Mahito shrugged. “Just jambalaya, though.”

“You can make jambalaya…?”

Having never cooked, Yuuri was genuinely impressed.

—My Onii-san’s specs are way too high…

Was he really only a year older than her? Back in middle school, hardly any classmates could cook. Did it just come naturally when you got to high school? No, that couldn’t be it.

Mahito said casually, “While you were in the hospital, I wasn’t doing much, so I figured I’d at least cook.”

Was this what they called being dependable? Feeling a sense of reliability, Yuuri bowed repeatedly. “Th-thank you so much!”

The jambalaya Mahito made was a vibrant orange. The spicy aroma of seasonings teased her nose, and her stomach growled in anticipation.

—It looks insanely delicious…

Jambalaya was one of Yuuri’s favorite dishes. This one smelled like it was guaranteed to be amazing. She had to focus to keep herself from drooling.

As Yuuri moved to sit, Mahito suddenly looked startled. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh, what’s with that…”

He hesitated, then spoke reluctantly. “Yuuri, that’s my pajamas…”

“Huh?!”

Thrown by the unexpected words, Yuuri let out a confused squeak. “No way, that can’t be…”

“But it’s too big for you, isn’t it?”

Even though Mahito wasn’t that tall, he was about five centimeters taller than her. The way the sleeves hung did suggest that kind of difference.

—I thought Mom just got the size wrong…

But this was way too big, even for a mistake.

Mom nodded in agreement. “Oh, you’re right. Those are Mahito’s. Come to think of it, they haven’t shown up in the laundry lately.”

“You didn’t buy them, Mom?”

“Nope.”

Yuuri hurriedly started unbuttoning. “S-sorry, Onii-san! I’ll give them back right away!”

“Where are you planning to change?!”

As Yuuri started to strip right there, her flustered stepbrother stopped her. “Let’s eat first, okay?”

“…Okay.”

Covering her face in embarrassment, Yuuri sat down. Maybe the laundry got mixed up and ended up with her stuff.

—I messed up big time…

Just when her stepbrother was being so nice, what was she doing? It’s not like she recognized the pajamas, so she should’ve checked before putting them on. And to think she buried her face in the sleeves and sniffed them.

Too embarrassed to look Onii-san in the eye.

Trying to distract herself from the shame, Yuuri scooped some jambalaya and widened her eyes.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong? Not to your taste?”

Hearing Mahito’s concerned voice, Yuuri quickly shook her head. “No, it’s crazy delicious! It’s just… it feels nostalgic, like it’s so familiar, like I’ve eaten it before…”

At that, Dad nodded. “That makes sense. Mahito often makes dinner.”

“Really?”

Mahito shrugged like it was no big deal. “Often’s a stretch. Maybe once or twice a week, just dinner. And only simple stuff.”

“Jambalaya counts as simple?”

She was pretty sure it wasn’t just a matter of stir-frying. Seeing Yuuri’s skeptical look, Mahito laughed.

“It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it.”

“Is that how it works…?”

Whether it was simple or not, she must’ve been eating it regularly. Dad had probably phrased it vaguely to be considerate.

—I don’t even remember that…

Even if her mind had forgotten, her stomach seemed to remember. Yuuri dug into the jambalaya eagerly.

“Onii-san, this is so good!”

“Glad you like it. There’s more if you want.”

“…! Onii-san, you’d make a great wife!”

Overcome with emotion, she blurted it out, and Mahito’s face twitched. “I’d rather be a husband, thanks…”

Despite his wry expression, he laughed, and their parents finally seemed to relax. Yuuri realized, belatedly, how much worry she’d caused them. Then, she murmured softly, “Maybe I should learn to cook, too.”

“If you’re interested, wanna try making something together sometime?”

“Uh, well, maybe later…”

“That’s code for never doing it.”

“Auu…”

Even as he teased her, Mahito smiled brightly. True to his word that she didn’t have to force herself, he accepted her jokes and whims.

—He’s so kind…

She felt like she could live with him comfortably. At the same time, she was struck by a renewed desire to properly remember this kind stepbrother. Even if she couldn’t recall, she could still build a bond from now on.

—First, I’ll make sure to say what I’m thinking out loud!

You couldn’t get close to someone without sharing yourself. Fifteen years of memories were gone. If she didn’t voice even the small things, there was no way to fill that gap.

Resolving herself, she paused.

—But why were Onii-san’s pajamas in my dresser?

It wasn’t impossible for laundry to get mixed up, but wouldn’t she notice when putting it away? Why would she keep it without returning it? She was the one who’d messed up, but it felt oddly puzzling.

—Was there a reason I couldn’t return it?

What could that reason be? She hadn’t heard anything about Mahito being away from home for a long time, and if he was, she could’ve just put it back in his room. Or maybe she couldn’t return it because he was here—like she needed to sneak it back. But why would she, as family, not just return mixed-up laundry normally? If there was a reason…

—No way… could we have been on such bad terms that we couldn’t even talk properly?

Already grappling with a question she couldn’t voice, she shook her head, dismissing it. At the very least, Mahito had been kind to her. If they were on bad terms, he wouldn’t treat her this way, especially after she forgot him.

“Yuuri, want seconds?”

“Yes!”

Holding out her empty plate, Yuuri stopped thinking about it. Or perhaps, she instinctively sensed it. Thinking further—trying to remember—might be dangerous.

The truth was always cruel.

Why her brother’s pajamas were in her dresser…