Episode 5 – Sound of absolute collapse

9:00 pm.
I went to the fridge to get a drink. Basically, I’m holed up in my room because my older sister and younger sister are in the living room and it’s too noisy.

“Ah! The TV has changed!~”

My little sister, who was lying slumped on the leather sofa reading a magazine, voiced her dissatisfaction. She was probably only listening to the TV as background music.

Oh, by the way, the morning news said there was going to be a press conference starting at this time.

The screen showed what appeared to be a researcher in a white lab coat, an adult in a suit, and the prime minister.

The press conference begins as the moderator proceeds.
At the conference, the declining population and depopulation were mentioned, including the accelerating aging of the population with a declining birthrate.　

“We believe that with the drugs we are developing now, there is a high probability of normal babies being delivered between blood-bearing siblings.”

So says a researcher in a white coat.

Wow, that’s great ……. As I recall, I’ve heard that babies can be born to other siblings who are related by blood, but there is a high possibility of some kind of aftereffects due to the large amount of the same blood in them. I guess technology is evolving.

I just listen to the conference and put the tea and snacks down in the kitchen one after the other.

“This is about as good as it gets.”

I was about to go back to my room with the things I was taking with me.

“A new law will be enacted to allow marriages between siblings who are related by blood.”

Hearing those words, I stopped in my tracks.

……Siblings married to each other?

I hadn’t heard much about the drug since it was being developed, so I was surprised to suddenly hear about it.

At the bottom of the screen, the message [The prime minister plans to enact a law allowing marriage between siblings who are related by blood] appeared.

“………..”
“……….”

The living room fell silent. Everyone was glued to the TV.

You can get married with a sibling. In other words, the two people in front of me are also sisters, and they are …….

When the press conference ended and the broadcast switched over, the two were quiet, just staring at the TV in amazement. but ……

“Heyy”

My older sister calls me.

“What is it?”

“…… do you have any thoughts on this press conference?”

—–Haaa?”

My first thought was why ask such a question?

Because it should be none of my business.

“Such cute sisters can look as the opposite gender, not as siblings? Of course Onii chan is happy~”

My younger sister looks at me with a smirk on her face.

Ah, I think I understand something.

I’ve got the ingredients. It’s called this Sibling marriage and they are cursing me again.

“What do you say?”
“Is onii chan embarrassed~?”

The sisters are crowding me. I have no choice but to open my mouth.

“The best feeling I have about the siblings marriage is surprise.”

The two said “hmmm,” uninterestedly so, even though they had heard about it.

Oh, I don’t know, I don’t care anymore.

“Hey”

My mouth opened naturally.

“I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to have marriage between two siblings, but it doesn’t matter to us. Because we …… are finished as siblings to begin with.”

When I said this, they suddenly fell silent as if I had hit on the right point. I continued to say more words to the two stunned people.

“What do you think you did to me? Being overworked and cold… No matter how much sibling, I’m beyond the category of bullying. I’m not your housekeeper.”

The two look away awkwardly at my words. They look down their faces as if they are being blamed for something.

They are trying to say something, but their mouths keep opening and closing, and no words come out at all.

-After all, you don’t say anything back.

“Well it’s okay”

If I say any more, they will probably remain silent anyway.

I give up and quietly leave the living room and go upstairs to my room without turning on the light.

I laid down on my bed without touching the snacks and drinks I had brought.

“What the hell was that?”

Boo booo boo boo—

The phone on my desk is ringing, but I don’t feel like answering it.
Right now I’m full of myself.

…… Siblings marriage? Don’t be silly. Do something about that attitude rather than thinking about marriage.

I was expecting such a sibling fight, with both sides arguing, getting angry, crying, and exposing everything ……. And yet, they say nothing. No apologies. Can’t we even exchange opinions?

…… Oh, of course we hate each other.

I look up at the ceiling and think in a daze.

Looking back, my older sister and younger sister became a little more distant from me in junior high school and elementary school, respectively, and our conversations tended to be more interrupted, and we gradually drifted apart.

I don’t recall doing anything that would cause dissatisfaction, but that may simply be because I am unaware of it.

[I’m always here to listen.]

Runa brushes aside my worries with a gentle smile. She listens to me kindly and gives me full affirmation. But now, I can’t even get her to listen to me.

Moonlight shining through the slightly open curtains. The light is dazzling today. Is it a full moon?

I wonder what my face looks like in the moonlight. I am sure I am not smiling. I am sure that I am not smiling, that I have tears in the corner of my eyes, and that I am confused.

“Aah, why am I like this….?”

◆◇

The space that had been lively just a few minutes earlier changed dramatically in a matter of minutes.

Bota, Botabota

Small circles of water fall on the floor. Tears.

“…..”
“U,Uuu….”

Arika, the older sister, turns her head down and Sumika, the younger sister, sobs.

The two left in the living room were filled with guilt over their brother Towa.

They flash back in their minds the deeds they have been doing.

Why did they do that?
They didn’t want to be cold.
They tried to be normal siblings.

— Ah, love regrets.