After visiting various department stores and shops, it was time for us to head back. I drove the car, making my way home. Chiharu was the one now sitting in the passenger seat.
When I checked in the rearview mirror, Chiaki, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu were all sleeping with their eyes closed. They must have gotten tired from playing all day.
The warm glow of the evening sun streamed in through the windows. Chiharu, who was sitting next to me, seemed to be awake.
“Wanna play Shiritori (word game) or something?” I asked.
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“I just thought we should do something to keep me awake while driving.”
“…Apple (Ringo),” She started.
“Gold… Dragon… Nova.”
I felt like I had already won twice, but being the mature one, I chose not to mention it. Pretending not to notice anything, I casually engaged in a game of shiritori with Chiharu. And then, in the middle of it all, Chiharu fell silent.
“Playing shiritori gets boring after a while,” she said.
“Well, considering how many times we play it in our life.”
“….That’s right. Let’s stop. We shouldn’t do pointless things that would just make Onii-san more sleepy.”
“I’m not feeling sleepy.”
“Because you drive way too cautiously, Onii-san.”
Superficial conversations, meaningless words—it felt oddly comfortable to leave out anything impactful. I already realized that this had become second nature for us, in the truest sense of the term.
“I guess… It’s been two years already.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
I was surprised by the vast passage of time I hadn’t noticed. Chiharu, too, seemed to reminisce as she gazed out the window at the passing scenery.
“They’ve changed… all three of them,” Chiharu said.
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Of course, in a good way.”
“Well, I’m glad you think so.”
The car gently swayed as it traversed the road, creating a slight sense of movement within. A brief silence settled in the car, but soon enough, Chiharu broke it with her words.
“I wonder… if I’ve also changed. Do you think I’ve changed at all?”
“I think you’ve changed for the better in a good way. Your strong devotion to your younger sisters hasn’t changed, though,” I replied.
“It’s not that I’m devoted to my sisters; it’s just that they’re the only ones I have to direct my emotions toward. Just like you, Onii-san.”
“Me too, huh…”
“Yeah, that’s how I feel… By the way, didn’t we talk about us having some kind of mysterious powers before?”
I didn’t expect Chiharu to initiate this conversation. After all, it didn’t seem like she really wanted to talk about her supernatural powers. With a slight quiver of her lips, Chiharu continued――
“――What if everything, all the precious things to you, were to freeze? How would you feel about that?”
“…I wonder…”
“As for me, I’d freeze everything. It’s been that way since I was born. I can’t control myself. My emotions amplify the differences in my abilities.”
“That must be tough.”
“Yeah, but you know, because I have my sisters――”
“――Chiharu, it’s okay. You won’t be alone.”
“Wh-… Why?”
Chiharu couldn’t control her own power. She feared freezing everything, and that fear caused her abilities to spiral out of control along with her emotions. So she sealed it by loving her sisters strongly.
But now, with the three of them beginning to change, there was an underlying sense of urgency. If she were to be left alone, her power would once again spiral out of control.
Such concerns existed in the game as well. While this world was real, I could tell from interacting with Chiharu that she had fears and anxieties about facing loneliness if she were to become alone.
“It’s alright. The three of them will always be by your side. It might not be a significant support, but I’ll be here too,” I said.
“…It’s just that it feels lonely without the three of them.”
“They won’t be gone.”
“…I’m not so sure. I don’t know. I feel like you might take them away from me.”
“I won’t take them away.”
“It’s good if that’s the case. Yeah… If the three of them were to leave, then I’d have to find comfort in you, Onii-san. I’d continue to live for your sake.”
“I don’t think it would come to that. As long as you hold your sisters dear, Chiharu, we’ll stay together forever, just like we always have.”
Chiharu stared out of the car window. However, through the mirror, it felt as if she was looking directly into my eyes. Her blue eyes seemed to penetrate, holding me in their unwavering focus. It was a sensation, but one from which there was no escape.
For a brief moment, I felt like prey being hunted by a hunter—a fleeting sensation that was likely just my imagination.
Before I knew it, two years had passed. The four of them were now sixth graders, soon to become junior high students next year. It felt both long and short. Yet I believed that tomorrow and the days to come would remain unchanged.
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