Volume 10 - CH 26

Moon: [Symbol]

Morning, I wake up.

When I was heading to the kitchen to make breakfast, I heard a noise.

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What?

This place is a high-security apartment so I don’t think that it’s an intruder……

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“Misuzu?”

“……!?”

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The flustered Misuzu came out of the kitchen and awkwardly stood still.

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“This is rare, I never took you to be such an early riser?”

“Mi, Misuzu just got thirsty so Misuzu came to grab some tea…….”

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Judging from Misuzu’s expression I can see that I caught her at a bad time.

As her older sister, I can tell.

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“That’s right! How about we have breakfast together today? You can trust my skill you know!”

“No way. Can you not talk to Misuzu.”

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Misuzu coldly brushed me off and walked past me.

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“……… I should start on the bento.”

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While feeling a sense of emptiness, I started making a side dish for today’s bento.

As usual, I put them beside the rice.

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After that, I spread butter on a slice of bread and have a simple breakfast.

I think back on how I invited Misuzu to have breakfast with me since she woke up early today.

It seems that she’s been skipping breakfast every day too. I want her to eat something since it’s not good for her health…….

While thinking about my beloved younger sister, I headed to school.

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“Morning, MI-TSU-KI!” Emi’s greeting gave me the energy to go through school today.

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“Thanks, Emi! Let’s do our best today too!”

“Ehhhh……….”

“………….”

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On the contrary, my words seem to have dampened Emi’s enthusiasm……..

Without Haruka retorting to our usual antics, the loneliness starts to well up inside me…….

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Still can not get over the absence of Haruka, and I dejectedly go through the morning lessons. 

Once lunch break comes, I rendezvous with Takeru on the roof.

After having our lunch, we’d go around asking about a [Curse Breaking] Gift as usual.

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Lunchtime with Takeru is the only time my heart can be healed.

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“I made one for you again, Takeru.”

“OOH! I’ll gladly take it!”

“Come on, Takeru…….”

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Even though I made one for him every day, Takeru still happily received it with a childlike smile on his face.

I can’t get over how cute he is.

I watch him eating with a smile.

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“Ahh! So delicious! As I thought, the way Mitsuki seasoned the meat is the best.”

“I see.”

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I was overwhelmed with joy at Takeru’s praise.

It was when I opened my own bento……….

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“!………Ugh…..”

“Ta, Takeru!?”

“GAh……”

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Suddenly Takeru started groaning in pain.

Just like that, he collapsed to the floor.

His face is drenched in sweat and he’s hyperventilating.

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“Takeru!? TAKERU!?”

“Uu…..argh………”

“Am, Ambulance! I have to call an ambulance……….”

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I took out my phone and immediately called an ambulance.

Just like when Haruka disappeared from my life, my world turned upside down——

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Accompanied by a teacher, Takeru was put in the ambulance.

His younger sister, Risa-san, was crying as she accompanied him.

I don’t understand, what just happened……?

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After Takeru collapsed, everything seemed to be changing at a dizzying speed as though I just wandered into a fictional world.

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“………..Nn?”

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I saw Misuzu among the crowd. Her face was pale.

When she noticed my gaze, she ran into the school building with a guilty look on her face.

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Just like the time with Haruka, I would probably get turned away even if I follow Takeru to the hospital.

Holding down my feeling to run to Takeru’s side, I went back to class.

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It was the first time in my life that I couldn’t concentrate on my class at all.

The 5th period was math class but it was self-study today so I passed my time staring into nothing.

Even in the 6th period, I was so restless I couldn’t focus at all on the physics class.

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After finishing the afternoon classes, I tried to call Takeru’s phone but there was no use.

I also want to contact Risa-san but I don’t know her number.

I need to find out.

I called Towa and asked her if she had Risa-san’s number.

Towa answered the call with a dark tone and gave me Risa-san’s number. 

When I called her to check on Takeru, she told me that he was already out of the emergency room.

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Before I knew it, I was already in a taxi to the hospital.

After a 20-minute drive, I joined up with Risa-san.

However, Risa-san greeted me with an accusing look.

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“……..they told me that Nii-san may have been poisoned.”

“…….eh? Poison?”

“Mitsuki-san is the only one who can do that right? How could you……..”

“I, I didn’t!? I, I would never do that to Takeru.”

“I would never do it either. But who………?”

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I just made him a bento today as usual……….?

……….eh?

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[[This is rare, I never took you to be such an early riser?]]

[[Mi, Misuzu just got thirsty so Misuzu came to grab some tea…….]]

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I think back to how awkward Misuzu was this morning.

She was walking out of the kitchen then right……….?

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“………..”

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And what’s up with the guilt on Misuzu’s face earlier?

Why did she run back to the school building like she was trying to run away from me……..?

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“It can’t be……”

“Mi, Mitsuki-san…….”

“I know who did it…….”

“Eh? Mi, Mitsuki-san!?”

“I’m sorry….. …..I can’t say for certain but it might have been my sister’s doing.”

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I apologized to Risa-san.

How could Misuzu do something so stupid? 

My tears won’t stop.

In the end, I cried so much that Risa-san had to comfort me.

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Takeru……

Takeru……

Takeru……

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“………., Misuzu! I won’t forgive you this time………as your sister, it’s the first time I truly hate you……..”

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I call Misuzu.

However, she refused to pick up and it went to the automatic message.

Until now Misuzu never picked up my calls but she has never switched off her phone.

But this time she did.

I can sense that she’s intentionally avoiding me.

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“……., I see, so you did it after all. I will find you. Count on that, Misuzu……”

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The dark sky spread out before me as though it was trying to dye my heart black.

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[[She’s your twin, I understand how you feel. ………but if you keep her around, she will definitely hurt you someday.]]

[[The day will come when you will be forced to abandon Misuzu. I’m simply stating that I made up my mind earlier than you, Mitsuki…….]]

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With my father’s words coming back to me, I ran.

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Unforgivable.

Don’t think you can escape me after you did that to Takeru.

Anger has taken over me and I headed back to the academy.

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I don’t know where she normally spends her time.

A karaoke box? An arcade? A manga cafe?

I don’t know what Misuzu does in her private time at all.

That’s why the academy was the first place that came to my mind.

Passing the students who were heading home after their club activities, I rushed into the school building.

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“………Misuzu, where are you?”

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First, I went to Misuzu’s class.

I knew that she probably wouldn’t be there so I’m not surprised to not find her.

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My next destination was the infirmary. I know that she frequents the place but it’s locked so she wouldn’t be here.

The possibility that she locked it herself occurred to me but the door to the infirmary can only be locked from the outside so I denied it.

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“Where is she? Is she not at school anymore?”

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Without a clue, I search the classrooms.

No.

She’s not here.

I can’t find her.

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Running around made me sweaty.

I was in an empty classroom so I opened the window to let some wind in.

A cool breeze soothes my fatigued body.

While wiping my sweat with my handkerchief. It was when I decided to leave school and search the town that I heard a man and a woman outside.

The voices were too unusual for the students doing club activities so I took a look.

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“………found you, Misuzu.”

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It was dark and hard to see but behind the school building, I found Misuzu being cornered by two people.

I couldn’t care less about the others but my mouth immediately distorted to the shape of a crescent moon when I spotted my target.

Let’s fight, Misuzu…….

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I quickly shut the window and headed to the back of the building.

And there they are.

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[[Orah, Orah, Orah, you tried to kill Takeru eh!? Don’t get ahead of yourself you ugly bi**ch!]]

[[No, …….Misuzu didn’t mean to…….Misuzu….., Misuzu just……….]]

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Tap Tap Tap

I approach the three while intentionally making my footsteps audible.

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[[!? Hideyori-kun, someone’s coming!?”

[[HAA!?]]

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Hideyori?

I thought that it might be him.

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“Yo, what are you doing? Having a quarrel?”

“Oh, Ohhh, well if it isn’t Takeru’s girlfriend Tsuki-san.”

“Hi, Hideyori-kun, wha, what do we do?”

“Stop panicking you idiot.”

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The face of the third person came into view.

Seeing her face, I was shocked.

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“E, Eimi…….?”

“Nope, she’s not Eimi. She’s Emi.”

(TLN: It’s too confusing so let’s give her an additional -i-”

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Akechi immediately said so.

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“She’s so terrible right, Eimi I mean. Toying with my feelings like that. I actually wanted Eimi but I got stuck with Emi you know.”

“Haa? W, What are you talking about?”

“Ahh, my bad. I’m pissed at your little sister so much I ended up ranting about my first love huh………”

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This Emi girl does look a lot like Eimi but Eimi doesn’t tie her hair up like her. She also doesn’t have a black mole under her left eye.

Realizing that she was a different person, I lost interest and shifted my attention to Misuzu but the moment I laid eyes on her my killing intent just swelled up.

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“O, Onee-sama…….”

“……..did you poison him?”

“Misuzu only…….”

“Did you poison him?”

“Mi, Misuzu didn’t intend to hurt Takeru-san……..”

“Did you poison him?”

“………..”

“You poisoned him right? This morning, I don’t know whether you put it in the meat or the seasoning but you did it didn’t you.”

“………………”

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Misuzu froze from fear.

A silent affirmation huh…….

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“Oh, leave the sister fight for later okay? This ugly bi**ch’s mine…….”

“I wanted to ask you something too.”

“Ah?”

“Haruka’s arrest. You did something right?”

“Haa? What if I did?”

“………..”

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—–I’ll destroy everything.

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“Gift activated. [Solitary World of the Moon.]”

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As though to grant me freedom, the condition to activate my Gift has been met.

The moon was shining on us…….

As if to say that these vile beasts must be punished, the moon, my symbol of boundless freedom shone upon me……

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————–

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“Nn……..?”

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It felt like I was seeing a long dream.

When I opened my eyes, I was in my room in my apartment.

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In the dream, I activated my Gift……

No, what kind of dream would make me activate my Gift, it’s too confusing.

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“Am I, crying……?”

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A drop of liquid fell on my pajamas and left a stain.

When I touched the tears on my face, a flood of regret overwhelmed me.

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It was like I was seeing a very happy dream that suddenly turned into a nightmare.

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It was probably…….a dream where the worst older sister lay her hand on her beloved younger sister…….

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“Uu……, Uu……..”

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Without understanding why, the tears pierced my heart like a barrage of unforgivable sin………

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Author Note: In the game, Takeru collapsed, and the story progressed from Mitsuki’s POV.

It was also depicted in the game that Mitsuki found Hideyori, Emi, and Misuzu together.

However, Eimi did not exist in the first game so the line about Hideyori’s first love was not there.

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Incidentally, Hideyori was seriously pissed at Misuzu for poisoning Takeru.

He’s such a troublesome fan.

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Mitsuki is the loop interrogation disciple of Towa-chan.

Towa has already started doing it since her elementary school era.

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Condition for activating [Solitary World of the Moon].

Must be a moonlit night.

I will reveal what it can do later.

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With this, the [Moon] chapters are done.

The continuation will be in the [Bell] chapters.

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I was planning to continue with the [Bell] chapters immediately but I wrote a lot of [Moon] chapters than I expected so it’s hard for me to continue at this time so we will be back to Scumbag Best Friend for the time being.

I thought that there would be 10 [Moon] and [Bell] chapters in total but [Moon] chapters alone already filled that quota…….

I empathize with Mitsuki and Misuzu quite a bit.

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Next up, what does Hideyori do to cheer up the troubled Yamamoto……?