I'm Being Threatened by My Sister's Ex-girlfriend. (GL) - Chapter 15
In the afternoon, we wandered around the campus, visiting one corner after another. We wore wide-brimmed summer hats, teased the swimsuit section, browsed the new books at the bookstore, and sat on benches in the break area while eating melon-flavored soft serve.
Every moment felt like the perfect scene from a date.
When we finished our waffle cones, I spotted a bulletin board in the corner of my eye. Posters for various events were pinned up—things like a flea market for families, a goldfish scooping contest, and a night walk.
One poster caught my attention: it was for a fireworks display.
That made me wonder—when was the last time I saw fireworks in person?
I tried to recall. In my fading memory, there was a lantern bridge stretching across the dimly lit night sky, and the sound of taiko drums playing for the Bon dance.
I remembered a figure in an indigo yukata, fluttering as they walked along the packed dirt path. Their hair, tied up with a light blue scrunchie, framed their slender neck.
Their face, glowing in the light of the food stalls, looked just like mine.
My mother had tied my obi, and on it, little goldfish swam. I watched her disappear into the crowd, her figure blending in and slowly fading away. I was left behind. In a flash, I felt a chill run down my spine, and fear gripped my feet, making it hard to move.
Then, I heard it.
“Big sister.”
“Big sister?”
For a moment, I thought I had unconsciously spoken the words myself.
I glanced to the side. Hakobe’s lips were slightly parted in surprise.
Ahead of us was a woman, probably around my age, with a striking resemblance to Hakobe.
She was tall, wearing a sleeveless dress with ease. A sheer, young grass-colored cardigan complemented her neatly styled brown hair.
She was, in every way, a picture-perfect beauty. If there’s such a thing as a perfect “college girl” image, it would look exactly like her.
She slowly turned her gaze toward us, and when she recognized Hakobe’s face, she furrowed her brows.
“…Hakobe?”
Her voice was clear and cold, like ice—beautiful but sharp.
“Y-You are…?”
Her eyes locked onto me. Her large, dark eyes widened in surprise.
Was I mistaken for someone else? The memories of being confused for someone else back in elementary school resurfaced.
But she quickly nodded, as if she had realized something, and gave me a small bow. Her glossy lips curved into a friendly, welcoming smile.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Serinana, Hakobe’s older sister. You’re Shinonome Ichika’s twin sister, right?”
“…Yeah.”
If what I had heard from Hakobe before was true, Serinana was Ichika’s roommate. It wouldn’t be surprising if she knew about me. In fact, it was probably expected.
“You really do look alike… though I shouldn’t say that, it’s rude. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, I’m used to it.”
Just exchanging a few words, I could feel an invisible pressure. As expected, beauty has a kind of violence to it.
The woman named Serinana was flawless in every way. Her appearance, her manners—there was no sign of weakness. If Hakobe were a doll, then Serinana was like a Greek sculpture.
“Big sis, why are you…?”
Hakobe spoke hesitantly. The unfamiliar sound of her voice made my chest stir. There was a mixture of shrinking back and dependency. This was the first time I’d seen her show that side of herself.
On the other hand, Serinana’s attitude toward her younger sister was cold.
“Is it strange I’m here? It’s the weekend. I can go shopping too.”
“Oh, right, yeah.”
“The clasp on my bag broke, so I just came to get it fixed.”
“Ah, I see.”
Hakobe’s throat subtly moved up and down.
“…Are you here alone today?”
The nuance behind those words was so obvious it almost felt rude. It was full of quiet anticipation and anxiety. A faint heat.
Serinana’s perfectly shaped eyebrows raised slightly, and her expression showed either anger or disdain.
“Today…”
She paused as if to emphasize her words.
“Yes, I’m alone. Ichika is out with a circle junior.”
“I see.”
“You seem disappointed.”
The words were said casually, but there was an obvious sting to them. Hakobe’s cheeks flushed red as if she’d been seen through.
“It’s not like that. It’s just… if Ichika-senpai is here, then…”
“Enough already.”
“Huh?”
“Ichika is my roommate and partner now. She’s not your senpai anymore. Stop hanging around like you’re still a junior.”
Her tone was sharp, almost as if she had slapped Hakobe’s cheek. Hakobe bit her pink lower lip, her pearly white teeth visible, and clenched her fist, ready to argue.
“Even if I’m not a junior anymore…”
“What?”
“Even if I’m not a junior, I’m still her ex. It’s fine to meet, right?”
“Ex, huh?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Serina’s attitude was filled with blatant disbelief and disdain. Whether she realized it or not, Hakobe’s voice grew rougher.
“She’s your ex, right?! You confessed properly and dated her!”
A man passing by looked at the two of them, shocked. Serina glanced at him, then let out an exaggerated sigh.
“I didn’t say anything. And don’t yell.”
“We held hands, went on dates, and—”
“Hmm.”
“We even kissed…”
“Oh, really?” Serina sneered, a cold smile spreading across her face as she twirled her hair around her finger. Then, in a tone like she was casually commenting on the heat of summer, she said:
“By the way, I had s3x with Ichika yesterday after three days.”
For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears.
Serina, seeing Hakobe’s stunned expression, piled on more words.
“So? What do you want Ichika to do? You’re stalking even her twin sister. It’s disgusting.”
The atmosphere after Serina left was nothing short of hellish.
Hakobe slumped onto the bench, like a boxer who’d just been beaten in the first round, while I simply watched her.
When I left to buy a drink, she vanished.
I was left holding two plastic cups of café au lait. I drank one on the spot and kept the other in my hand as I left the mall.
The sky looked like someone had splashed blue paint thinned with water all over it. The setting sun colored the windows of the station building orange.
On the way, a LINE notification pinged. It was a message from Hakobe.
“I’m sorry.”
I wondered what she was apologizing for. Was it for running away? It didn’t matter to me.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“Everyone has moments when they just want to run away, right?”
The read receipt came quickly, but the reply took a while.
As I slowly finished the second cup of café au lait while walking down the red brick steps, I finally got a response.
“You’re kind, Tsuguno.”
The message had a sticker attached. A strange creature was holding out a pink heart.
A sharp pain shot through my chest.
With that pain, a part of me seemed to peel away and fall deeper.
This really isn’t good, I thought. My heart was telling me that I needed to think things through.
Serina’s words were right. Hakobe was a creepy person. That much was clear.
And yet…
If she were within three meters of me right now, I might actually want to warm her cold hands.
I needed to understand why I was thinking that way. I needed to figure out the reasons behind it.
Gripping the strap, I gazed out at the seaside town as it darkened. The setting sun was hidden from view, but the dark blue sky, so deep it almost looked black, stretched out to the horizon, carrying with it countless fish hiding beneath the surface.