Chapter 62: The Broken Promise That I Never Expected.
—OoOoO—
“We're home!!”
Hachiman shouted in a slightly raspy voice as he entered his house. He even yawned lazily, as if driving from Chiba City to Choshi and back had completely drained his mental energy.
“Excuse me.”
Following behind him was Haruno with a tote bag slung over her left shoulder. She was no longer wearing the Miko outfit and elaborate makeup she had been using at her job earlier. Instead, she had removed it all and returned to her casual attire.
Despite receiving no response, the two individuals barged in, took off their shoes, and changed into indoor slippers. When they arrived in the living room, a girl not part of the Hikigaya family was sitting quietly on one of the sofas, hugging a pillow and staring at her smartphone.
“I was curious when I saw those unfamiliar shoes on the shelf, and it turned out to be you, Miura?” Hachiman muttered with a sigh.
The girl with long blonde hair raised her head and looked at the boy.
“Ah, welcome home, Hikio…,” Miura trailed off as she saw another figure behind the boy, “And Haruno-san too. I heard you guys have work in Choshi?”
"Hello, hello, Yumiko-chan! It's rare to see you here," Haruno greeted back as she walked over to the sofa.
Seeing her senior approaching, Yumiko shifted her body, squeezing herself against the edge of the sofa to make room for Haruno to sit. At the same time, Komachi entered from the back of the house, carrying a metal container in both hands, emitting the distinct aroma of grilled beef.
“Ah, Onii-chan and Haruno-san! Look, I grilled some steaks!”
Hachiman, who was about to open the refrigerator, turned around when he heard the cheerful voice. However, before he could respond, another scream rang out from the backyard.
“Komachi-san! Do I need to clear up the grill too?”
“It’s fine, Yuuji-san. Just leave it outside for now! We’ll do it later!” Komachi replied as she walked into the kitchen, “But please get two extra chairs from the shed for Haruno-san and Yumiko-san!”
“Copy that!!” Yuuji replied shortly.
Meanwhile, the delicious aroma emanating from the steaks the girl was carrying also attracted Haruno's attention.
“Wow, what kind of event is this that you’re making such a feast for?” asked the woman with short black hair.
“Nothing special, actually,” Komachi replied, setting out some cutlery. “I heard you were coming with Onii-chan, Haruno-san. And it just so happens that Yumiko-san is visiting too. So, why not?”
Hachiman didn't seem too concerned with what was going on in his little sister's mind. However, a slight annoyance washed over him as he saw his home, his last bastion of peaceful relaxation, being infiltrated by outsiders who would disturb his vacation. In fact, his mental energy seemed to be drained by the sight of Miura visiting, which made him want to immediately lock himself in his room and just go to sleep. But, of course, Komachi wouldn't allow that, and Haruno would probably break into his room.
“By the way, why are you here, Yumiko-chan?” Haruno asked.
The blonde girl glanced at her senior while gently scratching her cheek with her fingertips.
“Well, I was just discussing some things with Hiratsuka-sensei, like my career choices, my future, my cursed technique, and such. She said it would be best if I talked to you or Itadori, who’s more or less going through the same thing as me.”
Although he wasn't actively involved in the conversation, Hachiman still listened to what the girls were saying while he sat at the dining table with a glass of iced Milo to quench his thirst in the hot weather.
“I see. Is this why Shizuka-chan offered me a job in Choshi so I could have firsthand experience to pass on to you?” Haruno propped her head on the back of the sofa with her arms supporting it, “But, didn’t you say that you wanted to live as normally as possible? That choice is reasonable and not something impossible, you know?”
“Well, I know,” Yumiko replied with her head lowered, “But after joining the cursed spirit extermination mission two days ago, and learning more about my technique, I wanted to seriously consider my future.”
“Hmm…” Haruno muttered with a faint smile, “So, what do you want to ask? Or, should I start with the pros and cons first?”
Yumiko then looked at the girl and nodded slowly, giving Haruno a signal to continue speaking.
"I can't say it's an easy job, especially for people who migrated from a normal life like us. Actually, it's a very difficult profession because the first thing you need to do is be mentally prepared to see people die in front of you, whether they were killed or we killed them."
A memory flashed through her mind when Hachiman and Maki had shown her the moment they killed an illegal sorcerer. It was the exact same day Haruno finally regained consciousness from the incident in the abandoned tunnels in Narita. It was a horrific scene. A reality where becoming a proper jujutsu sorcerer meant the first step wasn't to learn anything remotely sorcerous, but to understand that it was a profession that could lead to the loss of life and sanity.
“Well, but as an individual, you can choose whether or not to kill. In fact, most of us have a policy of only killing bad guys, right?” Haruno looked at Hachiman for confirmation.
To which the boy immediately nodded lazily.
"Ultimately, it depends on the system,” Hachiman followed with some words, “If those in power deem someone dangerous even if they're actually a good person, the order to kill them will still be issued. That's why, no matter what your goal is to become a jujutsu sorcerer, it's crucial to possess first-grade power so you’ve the liberty to resist being swept away by the system."
“First grade, not a special grade like you?” Yumiko asked.
“Well, special grade is a level that is conceptually impossible to achieve if you just follow the existing learning curriculum, unless you’re truly talented like Gojo-sensei and Okkotsu.”
“And super amazing as well as has a unique and deep understanding like Onii-chan,” Komachi chimed in as she brought some cutlery to the table, “However, although it might not sound as spectacular compared to the special grades, the first grades are actually pretty strong, you know?”
“It’s not like I’m looking down on first-grade sorcerers,” Yumiko replied rather quietly, “It’s just that, when it comes to having the power to not be carried away by the system, what comes to mind is someone on the level of Hiratsuka-sensei and that Gojo Satoru guy.”
At the same time, Yuuji walked over to the dining table with an extra chair in his right hand and a stack of papers in the other. He rearranged the chairs around the table to accommodate six people, then placed the thick documents on the living room cabinet. His smile was so wide, it seemed as if he didn't mind the task at all.
“It’s done!” the boy said excitedly, “Komachi-san, is there anything else I can do?”
The short-haired girl saw the results of Yuuji's hard work and went back to the kitchen before answering him.
“Nothing, I guess. You can wash your hands first, Yuuji-san. I'm done with the plating and the side dishes. So, we’re ready to go.”
“Ay-yay, captain!”
The pink-haired boy headed straight for the kitchen sink and stood right next to Komachi. Their heights when standing next to each other differ significantly. Seeing that, Hachiman narrowed his eyes with his teeth chattering.
“Hey, you punk. If you’re done, come over here,” Hachiman said sarcastically.
“Somehow, I feel like I’ve done something wrong even though I didn’t do anything,” Yuuji muttered with a wry expression.
Meanwhile, on the couch, Haruno chuckled softly at the interaction. It was quite refreshing to see Hachiman's siscon side take over. However, she couldn't blame him. In fact, she understood how he felt, as she, too, would surely skin any man who tried to approach her sister until she was satisfied and saw his true colours.
Haruno sighed and turned her gaze back to Yumiko.
“Well, if you’re considering becoming a jujutsu sorcerer as a career option, Yumiko-chan, you’ll have to think about a few things besides securing your position in the association.”
Yumiko tilted her head.
“Like telling my parents?” the blonde girl asked.
Speaking of which, she chose not to tell them anything about her awakening as a jujutsu sorcerer. Or at least, she didn't have any plans to, and she didn't know if she would tell them someday.
"That's one thing, but you can keep it a secret if you want. After all, when you graduate from high school, it'll be easier when you're no longer living with them."
“So, if it’s not about my parents, then…,” Yumiko muttered.
To which, Haruno immediately responded with a nod.
“When you actually cross over into this world, having a normal relationship is incredibly difficult. Though, I suppose it's not my place to talk about it since I'm currently dating Hikigaya-kun myself.”
Hearing this, Hachiman's ears turned red, and he quickly took a sip of iced Milo to cover up his nervousness. Although practically everyone in the room already knew they were in a relationship, he still wasn't used to hearing it directly from Haruno in front of everyone.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible,” the oldest girl in the room continued, “It’s just that if your partner is also a jujutsu sorcerer, you have to be prepared to lose him someday during a mission. And it’ll be even harder if your partner is a normal man.”
There was no need to explain any further, as Yumiko should already understand that bit of insight. She might not be the most brilliant, but she had the emotional intelligence to understand the risks involved in a relationship if she chose this line of work. Even if she had difficulty imagining it, the Hikigaya family was a prime example.
Hikigaya Asuka, the mother of Hachiman and Komachi, never chose to become a jujutsu sorcerer after her parents died when she was quite young. Without the pressure, she thought she could live a normal life, since the destiny of being a sorcerer in her family would end in her generation, since she didn't possess a cursed technique. However, Hachiman was born with a unique talent, and Komachi inherited the cursed technique from one of the great sorcerers of the past and their ancestor, Abe no Seimei.
With just those two events, Asuka's household was thrown into chaos. Her husband thought their children were crazy and even took Komachi to a self-proclaimed shaman to cure her. However, that was a fatal blunder that allowed Komachi's cursed technique to spread and become known throughout Japan. Insane pressure mounted from all sides, leading their biological father to flee. It led to further chaos until Gojo Satoru granted the Hikigaya family asylum.
“That being said, if you already understand the cons, now we’ll talk about the pros,” Haruno continued with a sigh, “First and foremost, of course, you’ll make a lot of money in this job. In just one service in Choshi, and it was only about half an hour, I already made two hundred thousand Yen.”
Yumiko's jaw dropped when she heard the score that came out of her mouth. However, she could only stare blankly, unable to respond.
“Though, I didn’t charge them a penny because I already had plenty of money and just took the job on a whim,” Haruno continued with a nonchalant shrug.
“T-two hundred t-thousand Yen? Like, seriously?” the blonde girl muttered without listening to Haruno’s last words.
“But you also have to remember that getting a special client is quite difficult,” Hachiman added while downing his iced Milo, “To be independent, the most effective way is to go to the countryside where there are no sorcerers around. If you rely on associations, you need to be close to the Higher-Ups because they adhere to an oligarchic. Meanwhile, Hiratsuka-sensei’s circle emphasises a meritocratic system, so you need to prove yourself with achievements and experience that you’re worthy of being trusted to interact directly with the clients.”
With that additional explanation, Yuuji sat down at the dining table, across from Hachiman. He also brought several plates of sliced mango, melon, and watermelon.
“Wow, I never knew that not just anyone can get a job that directly deals with normal people,” said the pink-haired boy.
“Well, since we’re part of a secret society, after all,” Komachi joined in the conversation, “all this time, we have always disguised our activities using cultural and mythological masks. And some sorcerers have also started using a modern approach based on science psychology. That’s why the existence of jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits has never really been uncovered because we use so many layers to cover it up.”
The youngest Hikigaya joined the dining table, accompanied by the cursed spirits she had tamed to help her carry several plates of steak and other side dishes, including the favourite drinks of the people present at her house.
If you simply looked at the scene without context, it would feel like something straight out of a horror movie. A girl surrounded by cursed spirits the size of adult humans—it wasn't a normal sight at all. Even Yuuji had to take some time to get used to it the first time he saw it, and Yumiko still felt a pang of discomfort in her chest despite knowing the creatures were harmless.
“Done! Alright, everyone. Time to eat!” Komachi exclaimed excitedly once all the dishes were served on the table.
Simultaneously, the cursed spirits she summoned were enveloped in blue flames. They were instantly devoured by the manifestation of the cursed energy, returning to the talismans, which resembled a humanoid on a piece of paper.
Haruno took the lead by standing up from the sofa and walking to the dining table, followed by Yumiko. Haruno took a seat right next to Hachiman, with Komachi and Yumiko across from them, and Yuuji sat in the far end.
“The fragrant aroma of special spices, this isn't an ordinary steak, is it?” Haruno commented.
“Actually, I like to try different things when I cook,” Komachi replied to the question, “And this time, I marinated the twenty-one aged ribeyes we have in rendang pasta for a week.”
“Rendang? Isn’t that an Indonesian dish?” Haruno asked again.
To which Komachi immediately nodded.
“Our mother works at Aeon, and because of her position as head of the sales department, she often travels abroad, especially in the Southeast Asia.”
Haruno had heard the story before. More precisely, it was only recently that Hachiman had mentioned it at summer camp when he was making yakisoba with Southeast Asian spices as a base. But combining steak with rendang? She would never even consider it. Culinary-wise, it sounded diabolical. Professional chefs and strict adherents of tradition might be outraged upon hearing it, but Haruno couldn't wait to see what the combination of dry-aged beef and rendang would taste like when made into a steak.
"Rendang? Never heard about it," muttered Yumiko.
“You should try it. It’s really delicious,” Komachi replied enthusiastically, “The strong aroma of the spices might make Japanese a little worried that it’ll be too strong, but when you try it, it’s completely different from what you’d expect.”
“I mean, it's not like I doubt it. It's just, is it really okay to make a steak this way?”
Visually, the steaks before them appeared flawless. Komachi had even sliced them to achieve a perfect medium-rare. However, Yumiko had never before experienced the aroma of grilled meat and spices so strongly permeating the dish.
“Stop complaining, and if you don’t like it, you can go back to your place,” Hachiman said sarcastically, “You should be grateful that my sister is willing to treat you to a proper meal instead of just giving you fast food.”
Yumiko was taken aback by the sarcasm. However, before she could respond, Komachi cut her off.
“It's fine, isn't it, Onii-chan? You even often complain when your food has too many veggies. Besides, Yumiko-san went to the trouble of bringing us presents.”
Hachiman then glanced at the blonde girl who was puckering her lips.
“She even bought me a brand new jacket too,” Yuuji chimed in.
To which Komachi immediately nodded.
"These fruits are also from Yumiko-san. Besides that, she also gave me some of the latest makeup, a stylish pen and notebook for mom, and I heard Yumiko-san has something to give to Haruno-san."
“Oh, really?” Haruno replied quickly, raising an eyebrow.
Which was answered with a slow nod from Yumiko.
“Those are some reed diffusers, but I’m still trying to find a way to give them to you as naturally as possible, tho.”
This warm interaction, coupled with Yumiko's slightly nervous reaction, was a rare sight. Except in front of Hayama, the blonde rarely displayed such a holy maiden-like expression. However, Hachiman felt something was a little off, making his brow furrow slightly. No, it wasn't because Komachi was defending Yumiko, but rather something else.
“Wait, don’t you have something for me? Why am I the one who got left out?” the boy asked.
Komachi stared at her brother with blinking eyes, then an awkward smile appeared, and the girl immediately turned her gaze to Yumiko, who was sitting next to her.
“Well about that…,” Komachi trailed off, unsure how to answer.
“You know, I wasn’t sure what to get for you, but Hiratsuka-sensei said you liked sweets. So, something like dessert or such should be fine,” Yumiko squeaked, then immediately turned her face to the side, “However, since I didn’t know what to pick, I went for the others first, and by that time, I just realised that I had emptied my money.”
Yumiko's ears turned red, showing how embarrassed she was to admit her silliness.
“So, the only thing I can give you is a small bag of sugar,” the blonde girl concluded her story.
“Pfft….”
Haruno was the first to respond, trying to hold back her laughter, clutching her stomach with her right hand and covering her mouth with her left. Meanwhile, Hachiman could only blink a few times, his mouth agape.
“You know you can just give me a few cans of MAX Coffee, right?”
“Sorry. I forgot about that,” Yumiko replied slyly with her head bowed.
Hachiman sighed softly. It wasn't like he was expecting any gifts from anyone, and now he had plenty to buy whatever he wanted. However, knowing that someone had given him a bag of sugar left him speechless. It reminded. It reminded him of a childhood memory of his elementary school friend giving him some corn for his birthday when he was still living in the countryside.
"Well, can we just forget about that for a moment? I'm afraid the food will get cold while we're talking," Yuuji said, trying to change the subject.
“Cold food isn’t as delicious as warm food, indeed. But enjoying it slowly while chatting with everyone at the dinner table is much more enjoyable, isn’t it?” Komachi chimed in casually.
"Hey, you shouldn't be talking and wasting time while you're eating," said Hachiman, who was ready to put the first piece into his mouth.
“It's fine, isn't it? It's not like mom is here to nag us.”
Hachiman glared at his sister.
'Seriously, she really loves to do whatever she wants, but that's probably also my fault for spoiling her too much.'
Ignoring the siblings' argument, all eyes turned to the dishes on the plates before them. With a quiet prayer before eating, they began to stuff the steaks into their mouths.
“Wow, this is really tender and chewy,” Haruno said, chewing with the back of her hand covering her mouth. “The tenderness is unreal, and the spices don’t overpower the steak’s distinctive flavor at all. Instead, it has a thin layering, but enough to give a strong umami taste in the mouth.”
“Yeah, this is really better than I thought,” Komachi chimed in,
“But, how should I put it, the aftertaste is really sticky in the mouth,” Yuuji added after finishing three pieces of steak.
Meanwhile, Hachiman ate silently, observing those extroverts with his glazed eyes. He didn't understand why people were commenting on the things they were eating. Were they acting like food reactors or something? However, besides him, there was another person who didn't seem as enthusiastic as they were. Yumiko, after swallowing her first bite, seemed hesitant to pick at the other meat or touch the side dishes.
“Is something wrong, Yumiko-san? Is it not to your taste?” Komachi asked.
To which, the blonde girl immediately shook her head.
“No, it’s not. It tastes great, I have no problem at all. It’s just that I already had breakfast this morning, and if I eat another big meal now, I probably won’t even touch dinner tonight.”
The dishes served on the table weren't just steak. For side dishes, Komachi made mashed potatoes with egg rolls and tofu, and also served warm miso soup to neutralise the strong umami of the rendang-marinated steak. There were also fruits for dessert and some fresh juices.
“I understand what you’re thinking, and what I want to say right now is that one of the positive aspects of being a jujutsu sorcerer,” Haruno said after swallowing her third bite, “This job demands energy and stamina, and even the daily training itself is extremely high-intensity. In other words, your daily calorie intake increases significantly.”
Haruno paused briefly to take a fourth bite of her steak with her chopstick. She chewed it slowly, savouring every flavour sensation her tongue could register, and then swallowed it whole.
"To become a jujutsu sorcerer, your body also requires more protein, fat, and carbs. Even more than professional athletes. This means you can eat as much as you want without worrying about obesity."
Honestly, that was one of the key points that made Haruno so passionate about becoming a jujutsu sorcerer. She had always lived the life of a noble lady with all its restrictions. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy that lifestyle. However, if she had to nitpick, it was the slight annoyance of not being able to eat the food she wanted and whenever she wanted due to the need to maintain her perfect body proportions and health.
However, by becoming a jujutsu sorcerer, all of these limitations were lifted. Clean foods alone were sometimes insufficient to meet daily calorie needs. Therefore, junk food and desserts were always an alternative to fulfilling energy needs without worrying about the risk of developing serious diseases.
“Since I have a lot of money and born with a golden spoon, being able to eat whatever I want without worrying about my health is much more tempting to me,” Haruno concluded her explanation.
Haruno took a sip of the juice served to her to reset her palate. She observed Yumiko, who was looking down, her blonde hair partially obscuring her expression.
The girl didn't seem to be touching her food, not because she lacked appetite, but because her mind was preoccupied with worries about the future she would have to take. It wasn't just a trivial dilemma about choosing a career, but a fundamental issue concerning her entire existence. Fully blending into normal society and becoming a part of it meant being prepared to rely on fragile human relationships, which could be shaken by natural fears. However, embracing jujutsu society meant constantly living side by side with blood and tears, and possibly being misunderstood by the world, even though her sole goal was to seek strength to protect those closest to her.
“Well, whether you’re a jujutsu sorcerer or not, maybe you don’t have to worry about that,” Hachiman said after swallowing the last piece of his steak, “If it were the old me, I’d probably show you the worst side of being a jujutsu sorcerer, just like how Maki and I introduced this profession to Haruno-san.”
The boy with eyes like dead fish then raised his head to stare at the ceiling. Since then, and to this day, much has happened to him and those around him, including the world of jujutsu constantly changing.
“However, with Hiratsuka-sensei’s idea, I can see this place changing for the better,” Hachiman continued in a heavy voice. “Conflicts and disputes will likely arise in the pursuit of it, and bloodshed will likely be inevitable. However, I truly want to make this idea a reality.”
—OoOoO—
Freedom of thought and speech was the greatest gift ever bestowed upon humanity, wings that allow them to soar beyond instinct, destiny, and the limitations of nature. Yet, at the same time, those wings often become a burden, dragging humans down into an abyss of their own making. In freedom, humans found their dignity, but it was also there that they would create excuses to harm one another without remorse. Because freedom never stood on the concept of right or wrong. They were deaf to morals and blind to conscience.
All that remained were interests, whether group or individual, and the measure of power to enforce those wills. Ironically, in the name of the same freedom, humans robbed each other of their freedom, while convincing themselves that they alone had the right to determine the meaning of truth. Even though history had recorded the sins committed in the name of freedom, humans, with full awareness, would always repeat the same mistakes. Therefore, freedom was a cruel curse beautifully wrapped up as a product of civilisation.
Stability was often hailed as a blessing, a promise of order, tranquillity, and survival. But what did it mean when that stability was erected atop crumbling bodies, when the breath of so many must be cut off as compensation for the mistakes of a system that refused to acknowledge its own sins?
They called it peace, but it was a peace born of silence. They called it order, but it was an order maintained by fear. Ironically, just as the corrupt system was about to be shaken, a more cruel dilemma arose. Efforts to overthrow it promised far greater casualties. The revolution was then couched in the language of hope, of a new, higher, fairer, and more honest stability.
Yet, behind the slogans, the ground remained soaked in blood. The scattered corpses never participate in the discourse of idealism. They merely bear silent witness to the price that must be paid, not merely for change, but for the ego of humans seeking freedom from the old system without bearing their own guilt.
Therefore, the strongest weren’t those who ran away and abandoned everything for the sake of their own ego. Rather, the strongest were those who bravely bear the sins of generations, facing the curse even if it led them to the deepest abyss of hell.
For that reason, Yukinoshita Haruno would stop playing around as a noble daughter, stop being someone who enjoyed the thrill of playing around as a jujutsu sorcerer, and also stop maintaining her good name in front of her mother.
After hearing how people younger than her, especially Yumiko, who was mentally weaker than her, seriously considered their futures, and how Hachiman decided to embrace the new idea put forward by Hiratsuka Shizuka, the deepest recesses of her heart seemed to have been touched.
For the first time since she crossed over to that cursed world, Yukinoshita Haruno decided to face her family with her eyes set on her ideal future.
Standing before the automatic doors in the lobby of a luxury apartment building, Haruno stood with her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Her fingers began to dance over the mechanical keys, typing a combination. When she pressed "enter," the distinctive sound of an intercom connection came from the speaker, and before long, a low, wet voice came from the other end.
“Yes?”
“Yukino-chan, it's me,” Haruno said into the communication device in the lobby.
A harsh sigh was heard, indicating that the owner of the voice didn't seem too happy with her arrival.
“Nee-san, why are you here?”
“Let me in. There's something I have to tell you.”
—OoOoO—
Central Park East was a 33-story residential tower in the Makuhari Baytown area. It was an elite apartment complex, where the lowest monthly rent could cost more than half an office worker's salary, and the purchase price of a single unit could cover their entire fortune. On one of the tower's top floors, a high school girl lived in a penthouse with a 3-story apartment all to herself.
Haruno simply put her tote bag on the living room table and immediately threw her butt onto the sofa without paying attention to the host, who was staring at her sharply and had her arms folded across her chest.
“What business do you have here, Nee-san?” Yukino said sarcastically, her feet tapping the floor.
However, Haruno ignored the stares as her eyes roamed the room, and her gaze fell on a pile of papers on the table, which made the corners of her lips curl.
“Do you have some snacks and wine? They would be a good companion for our discussion today.”
"Are you crazy? How could I possibly have wine at my place?" Yukino sighed, "Besides, go to your own place if you want to drink."
“Oh, come on. Am I wrong for missing my own little sister and wanting to hang out with her?” Haruno said in a sulky tone.
Seeing her sister's behaviour, Yukino could only shake her head. Instead of responding to her, she went to the kitchen to prepare something.
“Would you like tea or coffee?” Yukino shouted from the kitchen.
Coffee, or tea. Haruno didn't feel like either. Earlier at the Hikigaya residence, she had enjoyed a cup of matcha to warm her stomach after a large meal, a juice, and also sampled Hachiman's iced Milo. Although she had called it a tasting, she had actually made a full cup for herself. However, his iced Milo recipe, which he claimed was a Malaysian speciality, was even more delicious than she had expected.
“Yukino-chan! Do you have some Milo? Do you know the recipe for Malaysian-style iced Milo?!” Haruno asked, shouting a little so her sister could hear her.
“Malaysian-style iced Milo?” Yukino arrived with two iced lemon teas on a tray. “I have heard their Milo is a little different from other Milos, like it is a little creamier. But I have never tried it myself.”
The young Yukinoshita placed a glass of iced lemon tea in front of her sister, which, of course, had a coaster on the bottom to prevent water droplets from the glass from wetting the table.
“Eh~?? You asked me what I wanted to drink, but you already brought me iced lemon tea?”
“Be grateful that I was kind enough to serve you something,” Yukino replied casually and immediately sat down on the single sofa.
The long-haired girl reached for a straw, still neatly wrapped, next to her drink. She tore open the paper wrapping without any difficulty, then dipped the straw into her drink, finally savouring it wholeheartedly.
“Besides, where did you get the idea, suddenly wanting iced Milo?” Yukino continued, putting her drink back on the coaster.
“I just came from Hikigaya-kun’s place, and I tried his homemade iced Milo.”
The young Yukinoshita's face immediately turned sour when she heard those words.
"Are you here just to show off your closeness with Hikigaya-kun, Nee-san? After the summer camp, didn't you say you were heading straight back to Ibaraki for your internship?"
“Well, I’m technically a student, so I can use my summer vacation card,” Haruno replied with a natural lie.
Yukinoshita Haruno was a second-year student at Chiba University, majoring in Pure Physics. Due to her outstanding academic ability, she took a wide range of subjects over two years, earning enough credits to qualify for an internship. While the narrative was entirely true, Haruno never actually interned on the JT-60SA project, the world's largest fusion energy research tokamak.
The internship program Yukino mentioned was a cover-up backed directly by her father, so that Haruno could go to Tokyo and practice jujutsu after her awakening without arousing suspicion from her mother.
"Please be a little more serious about what you are doing. The tokamak is an ambitious fusion energy project. Every top government official is watching it. You know what will happen if you do not take it seriously, right?"
Despite the warning, Haruno's face showed no concern. Instead, she was busy scrolling through her phone while leisurely drinking iced lemon tea through a straw.
It wasn't as if Haruno didn't understand what her sister was saying. After all, the Yukinoshita Family was one of Japan's conglomerates and a key player in Chiba Port, indirectly controlling the bottleneck at Japan's largest and one of the busiest ports. For companies involved in contracting, development, supply chain management, food security, shipping, and so on, the government was one of their key partners. If the heiress didn't demonstrate her competence, it would be detrimental to the family's future.
“Well, it’s not like I really want to be a top physics researcher, and everyone knows I entered that department on a whim,” Haruno replied casually.
Which, in turn, made Yukino even more furious.
Those words were usually only uttered by someone who had failed at something, trying to find excuses to console themselves. However, Haruno clearly didn’t fall into that category. Her college life has been far from a failure. Completing multiple subjects simultaneously and earning enough credits to take an internship in her second year were undeniable proofs. Furthermore, she did it with ease, as if even the difficulties of a bachelor's degree were nothing to her.
“Even so, that does not mean you have to do it half-heartedly, wouldn’t you agree?” Yukino said, hiding her emotions well, “Didn’t you say yourself that you hate people who do things half-heartedly? Oh, or did you realise that you are actually not that good, that is why you ran away to Chiba?”
Haruno nearly choked on the sarcasm. It wasn't out of anger, but she had to hold back her laughter, or the drink in her mouth would have spilt out.
“Your harsh words always hurt, Yukino-chan, but that's what makes you so cute.”
The eldest Yukinoshita placed her drink on the coaster and put her smartphone next to it. She seemed to adjust her sitting position, but remained relaxed, her back leaning against the corner of the sofa and her right leg bent over her left.
“However, if you feel that I’m not that great and will only bring shame to the family name as the Yukinoshita heiress, why don’t you step up and take my place?” Haruno continued her words with a slightly arrogant, provocative tone.
Despite that, Yukino seemed calm and unfazed by her sister's playful words. In fact, it gave her a glimpse of what had brought Haruno here uninvited.
"So, is that why you came to my place? You want to step down from your position, and I'll fill it?"
Haruno smiled faintly when she heard the question.
“It saves me time if you've already figured it out.”
“But why?” asked Yukino.
"Why not? Haven't you always wanted to be recognised by our mother as competent, and not merely as my substitute?"
The girl with long black hair tightly clutched the long skirt she was wearing, making it look a little dishevelled.
“I asked you, why? Stop going around in circles! Just say it is because of Hikigaya-kun!” Yukino shouted, her emotions on the verge of boiling over.
Which honestly made Haruno's eyes widen. She never expected her sister to raise her voice. However, in retrospect, it was perfectly normal.
Yukino had always lived in her shadow, a person known only as Yukinoshita Haruno's replacement. It put her in a difficult position. She couldn't hate Haruno because it wasn't her choice and was determined by their mother, the head of the family. However, she couldn't deny the mixed feelings of envy and admiration for her older sister.
If Haruno suddenly came and announced she was stepping down from the succession and giving way to Yukino, it would make it seem as if her efforts to defeat her older sister were in vain. And it wouldn't be because she was better and already beat the target she had been chasing for years, but because her target, the older sister of hers, chose to withdraw from the battlefield.
Haruno could have played behind her back, ensuring that Yukino would perfectly fill her vacated role without her even realising it. However, she rejected that approach. Leaving her younger sister to cling to the illusion of victory she orchestrated was crueller than conveying the fact that she truly had no interest in becoming heiress.
“Yes, you could say that the main reason I wanted to step down from the succession was because of Hikigaya-kun,” Haruno said calmly while looking straight into Yukino’s eyes, “Just like you always want to surpass me, I also end up having a lot of things I want to do together with him.”
Yukino bit her lower lip upon hearing her sister's reply. However, before she could utter a word, Haruno had already spoken.
“You envy me because people acknowledge my abilities, and they only see you as my replacement no matter how much the hard work you put in everything, right?”
Yukino narrowed her eyes at the question.
“Why are you suddenly asking that?” replied the long-haired girl.
“Heh,” Haruno smiled faintly with a sigh, “Just like you, I envy the freedom out mother gave you. If I had the freedom to determine my own future like you, I might never have returned to the main house.”
“Are you saying that my wish is in vain and just a stupid decision?”
“How could I possibly think like that, right? I mean, we're completely two different individuals despite sharing the same blood and genetics.”
Before continuing her words, Haruno's gaze lowered and fell on Yukino's chest, which made the short-haired girl snort in amusement.
“Or maybe not? In some ways, it seems my genetics are just that much better, after all.”
“Excuse me! Where do you think your eyes are looking?!” Yukino reflexively retorted while covering her chest.
It reminded her of her first encounter with Hachiman, when that shameless boy had been caught staring at her chest. Witnessing her sister suddenly do the same, Yukino couldn't believe it. Those two were truly a match made in heaven.
“Ahahaha! Sorry, sorry,” Haruno replied casually, waving her hand forward, “But since we come from the same factory, I’m sure you too will soon reach your ideal shape like mine.”
Yukino narrowed her eyes at her sister’s vulgar remark.
“Please, stop with that stupid joke. Did Hikigaya-kun really corrupt you that much?”
Yukino then took a deep breath and massaged her temples. She shifted her back slightly to find a more comfortable sitting position. Meanwhile, Haruno's laughter slowly faded, replaced by a faint, wistful smile, a jumble of emotions difficult to decipher.
“Do you know how angry I was when I found out that you, who had the freedom I had always longed for, were trying so hard to get this position that I never want?” Haruno asked softly.
Yukino gasped slightly, her breath catching in her throat as she heard this. It was the first time she had seen her sister so open, revealing a part of herself she had never even shown to the family.
“However, that was the old me, the me who was still naive and thought that my perspective was the most correct one,” Haruno explained while shaking her drink, “But when I thought that freedom was something abstract, something that couldn’t be judged from just one side, I started to realise that maybe you want a different form of freedom than I do.”
Yukino clenched her skirt tightly again as she listened to her sister's long words. However, no words came out of her mouth, only a cold stare that pierced her skin.
"Well, humans are greedy creatures, after all. They tend to seek what they don't have, even if what they already have is a blessing that others desperately desire," Haruno continued with a lopsided smile on her face.
However, the girl paused her speech for a moment to drink iced lemon tea through a straw, wetting her throat, which was starting to feel a little dry.
"The position I consider my curse is something you desire, but you don't have the freedom to choose it. Yet, your free life of insignificance in the family business is your curse that I desire the most."
Haruno put her drink back on the coaster.
“The irony sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?” she quipped to end the long sentence.
Yukino remained silent as she listened to her sister's chatter. She couldn't even refute Haruno's points. While Yukino didn't like her older sister's use of the term "curse" to describe their situation, which she thought was a bit overboard, Haruno's comments were all on point.
“I understand what you are trying to say, but still, I can’t accept the fact that I got that position because you stepped down,” the long, black-haired girl replied after a long silence.
“Oh, don't worry. I knew you'd say something like that.”
Haruno paused briefly to adjust her sitting position. She pulled her legs up onto the sofa, stretched out, and let her back rest against the soft corner.
“I did say that I would step down from my position as heiress, but that doesn’t mean you’re free from competition and have no opponents anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Yukino replied, narrowing her eyes.
"You may no longer be competing with me directly. However, you will have to face the standards I have set."
Yukino sighed as she closed her eyes.
“I see. So, you are saying that if I cannot surpass that minimum bar, I am not worthy of being in that position?”
"Well, our family businesses are the accumulation of our ancestors' efforts since World War II, after all. Even I would be very sad if I saw an incompetent person destroy their works," Haruno replied with a hint of mild provocation.
However, the provocation didn't stop there as she continued her words before Yukino could respond.
"Though, seeing you struggling because you don't have the competence to lead our family isn't a bad idea. I bet you would look so cute begging for my help because of your incompetence."
Despite the provocation, which made her temples twitch slightly and her hands clench tightly, Yukino didn't seem to overreact. She simply tossed back her flowing hair. Then, she folded her arms across her chest and glared at Haruno.
“Surpassing you is not a difficult thing. But if you put it that way, it sounds like I have been obsessed with defeating you all this time.”
“Oh…, are you not?” Haruno replied lightly with a mocking smile.
"Unlike you, who never had a clear goal, I have values that I always uphold, and becoming the Head of the Yukinoshita Family is just one instrument to achieve them. You say that I am obsessed with you, but no, you are just one of the stepping stones that I need to pass to achieve my goal," Yukino spat out her thoughts frankly.
Those words actually left Haruno speechless for a moment. She never expected her little sister to give such a blunt response. It wasn't like Haruno was surprised by Yukino's blunt statement. If it were just that, the long, black-haired girl would already be known for her unfiltered mouth. However, that was nothing more than a facade to hide the inferiority Yukino felt from years of being in her shadow. Her seemingly haughty and cold demeanour was an armour to protect her inability to express what she truly felt and wanted to do.
'The Yukino-chan I know is a girl who always pretends to be tough, but inside she's just an ordinary fragile girl. What's gotten into her suddenly?' Haruno thought to herself.
One thing Haruno didn't realise, something so trivial that even a genius like her could miss, was that she wasn't just an obsession or a target for Yukino to surpass. Haruno slightly underestimated the influence she had on Yukino. As such, she wouldn't be able to notice the changes her sister had experienced because of her decision.
More than Haruno expected, she wasn't just a final boss for Yukino to defeat. She was her moral compass. Whatever she excelled at, Yukino would subconsciously emulate, and whatever she lacked, she would criticise and even overcome it. If her sister did something stupid that led to the disaster, Yukino would take notes and avoid the same path. Haruno wasn't just a final obstacle, but also a blueprint for her to become the ideal successor to the family.
But what would happen if the figure she had always been looking up to confirmed that she was leaving without even giving her a fair and equal fight? Would Yukino feel betrayed? No, she had known from the start that Haruno never wanted to be in that position with the little rebellions her sister always had throughout her high school years.
What Yukino felt was a complex emotion. Her goal of becoming the next head of the family was one thing, but defeating and surpassing Yukinoshita Haruno was something fundamental, something Yukino had wanted to do since childhood. Therefore, when the opponent she had always admired suddenly withdrew from the battlefield, she poured out all her frustration-tainted thoughts, hoping it would be a provocation to bring Haruno back.
“I see. I understand it now. We, as sisters, should really communicate like this more often, I guess?” Haruno said with a faint smile, as if she had just realised something.
However, the short-haired girl elegantly covered up the muscles in her face that contained her genuine smile. She didn't cover it with her hand, but instead picked up her drink and drank straight from it without a straw.
“What do you mean?” Yukino replied with her eyes still narrowed.
"Nothing. I just want to be clear. Even though I'm no longer in the succession line, I still have a say and clear standards. If you want to be the heiress, go ahead. However, if you can't meet the minimum bar I've set, I'll reassume the position."
Haruno then put her drink back on the coaster and immediately stood up to stretch.
“Anyway, I’m a little tired from hanging out with Hikigaya-kun in Choshi all day and having a barbecue afterward,” Haruno said with a deep sigh, “So, I’ll borrow your room for a quick nap, okay? I’ll go back to the main house later.”
Without giving her sister a chance to respond, Haruno immediately stormed off, leaving Yukino stuttering in her place.
The long-haired girl wanted to scream, wanted to run and grab her sister's hand tightly. To hold her, to force her to stop before the distance between them became unreachable. But her mouth, which had opened, snapped shut again, as if her voice were locked by something heavier than fear. Her chest felt tight with an emotion she couldn't name. It wasn't just anxiety, but a slowly creeping, bitter premonition.
Each step her sister took away from her felt like a subtle crack in the world she knew. And deep down, she knew, it wasn't the distance that made her tremble, but the vague conviction that if she allowed the steps to continue without her stopping, they would never again be in the same world.
—OoOoO—
"Oh, my shoes didn't go missing today? I already prepared new ones packed in my bag, though," a little girl with long black hair said to herself.
The girl stood at her locker in the school lobby, with no other students around. The orange light seeping in from the windows and the gaps in the air vents gave the scene a cold, desolate feel. However, this solitude was actually a blessing for the girl. Without anyone watching, the emotions she had been holding in and the worries she had been slowly building began to evaporate from her, forming droplets that were about to seep from the corners of her eyes.
Or at least, that was what she thought before a very familiar voice called her name.
“Yukino-chan, there you are.”
The girl jumped as the voice suddenly reached her ears. However, she didn't dare turn around and could only grip the straps of her red backpack tightly, afraid that the person would see her sobs that threatened to break out.
“Nee-san, what are you doing here?” said little Yukino without looking her sister in the eye.
Instead of answering, the figure, whose features closely resembled the girl's, walked toward her sister. Hearing her footsteps echoing in the empty lobby made young Yukino's shoulders tense. However, her worries vanished as a hand gently stroked the top of her head.
“Don’t worry, Mom isn’t here to scold you. Well, I’m sure she wouldn’t actually do it even if she were here, though.”
After receiving such gentle treatment and words, young Yukino finally dared to look at her older sister. No matter how many times she saw her, she seemed like a reflection of herself three years in the future. However, unlike her usual crybaby, fragile self, her older sister seemed very mature, strong, flawless, and, most definitely, a figure who always looked admirable in her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” asked the girl.
“To pick you up, of course. What else could there be?”
However, instead of taking the reply at face value, Yukino narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Weird. You’re not planning something to play a trick on me, are you?” the girl quipped, taking a step back.
Which, in fact, made her sister let out a loud laugh.
“Ahahahaha…!”
Yukino puffed out her cheeks at the reaction her sister had given her. However, Haruno seemed oblivious to it, continuing to laugh until she was satisfied.
“I may like to tease you,” Haruno said after suppressing her impulses, “But I’m still an older sister who’ll walk in front of you whenever you need me or not, you know?”
With those words, Haruno extended her hand to Yukino, who looked at her questioningly. However, Yukino, feeling the warmth within her, immediately took it without a second thought.
“Then, Nee-san, you have to promise to always take care of me!” Yukino said enthusiastically.
"Well, I'm not a witch or a sorcerer. So, I don't have any special powers to watch you every second. Furthermore, I'm truly surprised that you're able to hide your problems so well, even though you're just an elementary school kid."
Yukino could feel her sister’s hands trembling despite her calm demeanour, as if she were trying to suppress a surge of emotion. Her expression darkened, as if she were ready to destroy anyone. This made Yukino realise that her decision to hide from her family that she was being bullied was not the right one.
However, it couldn't be helped. When her closest friend at school, Hayama, didn't help her and let the bullying fester, she believed she had to deal with it alone.
“You don’t need any special powers, Nee-san,” Yukino said, causing Haruno to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “One day, I will defeat you and surpass you. That way, you cannot take your eyes off me, right?”
Haruno smiled faintly upon hearing the declaration.
“That sounds interesting. However, you won’t be able to defeat me if you continue to be such a crybaby.”
These words made Yukino gasp. However, before she could voice her defence, Haruno had already spoken.
“First of all, you should be a little more selfish and stubborn, you know? That much shouldn't matter. Just like me, you're a Yukinoshita, after all.”
“Do not underestimate me,” Yukino quickly retorted, “More than that, you better be prepared because you must pay attention to me forever!”
"Sure, sure. I'm really looking forward to it," Haruno said in a slightly dismissive tone.
However, Yukino didn't care because it actually worked to her advantage. The more she was underestimated, the more powerful the final blow would be, and she would make sure to shock her sister.
“It is a promise, okay?”
“Well, Even if you never manage to beat me, we’ll always be together, and I’ll always be watching over you. I’m your big sis, after all.”
—OoOoO—
Sitting on the single sofa in the living room, Yukino's head hung down dejectedly, her long hair hanging down to hide her expression. Her body trembled slightly, her jaw clenched, and her hands clenched tightly. A sob escaped her lips, but Yukino held it in so as not to be heard by her sister, who was resting in her room.
“Didn’t you promise that we would always be together and that you would always look out for me? You are such a big liar, Nee-san.”
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: And cut. I'm very satisfied with this chapter, especially the second part, though I cut some dialogue because it was too long.
However, overall, I'm very satisfied. I didn't have such expectations, though, because the main idea I had in mind when writing this chapter was "Haruno will confront Yukino if she steps down from the succession." For the rest, I let Haruno and Yukino live in my head, translating their relationship and conflicts into writing.
Anyway, I wanted to give a little insight into Yumiko's technique in this chapter, but I decided to postpone it and reveal it when the time is right. I think it would be better than just a verbal explanation.
Well, that’s all from me. Stay safe and healthy. See you later, guys.