The person who likes me is a yandere.

"I see, Ayase too. She can't sleep after changing her pillow."

Ayase didn't seem to notice what I had just done.

"I do have a pillowcase, but I hope I won't get yelled at for using it here."

"What does it matter? It's just using my own pillow."

"And yes, that's right. Yeah."

What's the point of this conversation? What's she even here for?

The restraint she felt when she left the ward had vanished; she now appeared very relaxed, laughing naturally even when discussing trivial topics.

"Brother, you think this kind of topic is boring, right?"

"what?"

Ayase narrowed her eyes, unexpectedly striking a chord with me.

"No, that's not it..."

"Definitely. Ayase knows everything about her brother."

Ayase pouted, pretending to be angry, and then laughed mischievously.

Hey, what's going on? That smile... She's already incredibly cute, but her smile is so sweet, it's almost cruel! My previously calm chest started pounding like a clock. Calm down, this girl is my sister! How can I possibly fall for her?

"Th-that, Chinese characters!"

"what?"

No matter what, she couldn't hear my heartbeat... but I still managed to ask loudly in order to cover up the sound of my heartbeat.

"How do you write my name? The doctor told me it's Aragaki Asagao, but I have absolutely no idea what the corresponding characters are."

"Ah, yes. You can't figure it out just by listening to the pronunciation. Uh, 'shallow whisper' means speaking in a low voice."

It really is that one.

"Then, Aragaki is... First, write the radical for 'earth' (土), then write it like this, like this, and like this again."

She traced words in the air with her index finger. Because of the dim light and the fact that the words were upside down from my perspective, I couldn't read them. I'd had a vague feeling before that this child seemed a bit slow.

"Also, you shouldn't call him 'Doctor,' you should call him 'Dr. Miyazaki.' Dr. Miyazaki has been taking care of us since we were three years old, so we can't be rude to him."

Ayase raised her index finger, showing the demeanor of a senior.

"By the way, the Chinese characters for 'Shallow Language' are written like this, like this..."

Everyone says they can't understand it.

"Let's forget about Chinese characters. What is Ayase?"

"Huh?"

No, I meant the name.

"whee……"

"Ok?"

Ayase muttered something inexplicable, then paused for a moment—.

Hehehehehe

A laugh escaped from her beautiful lips. It was a happy laugh, a laugh she couldn't suppress.

What are you talking about in Chapter Four?

A laugh escaped from her beautiful lips. It was a happy laugh, a laugh she couldn't suppress.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. It's just that they called me Ayase after so long, and I'm so happy... Hey, call me a few more times, brother!"

"Ayase...?"

"ah-"

Hey, don't do that in front of your brother... And me too, don't let your heart race so easily.

"Brother, brother, call me again! This time, use that gentle scolding tone you would use on a child throwing a tantrum..."

This is probably her own signature phrase—an idol-like self-introduction, complete with a pose. I find her behavior a bit annoying; perhaps this is just how siblings are.

"How old are you?"

How old do you think I am?

"Stop fooling around."

"Hehe, 15 years old. An invincible first-year high school girl! My older brother and Mengmeng are in their final year of high school at the same school, he's 17."

"...We're exactly two years apart...What's your birthday? And your blood type? Your zodiac sign? Also, uh, what are your hobbies?"

"Wow, this feels like a blind date!"

"It's not a question for you, it's a question for me!"

Perhaps because I've been alone and thinking for a long time, a lot of questions have come to mind. Who am I? What kind of person am I? In short, I need information.

"Just kidding, don't be angry. Uh, my brother's birthday is July 20th, Cancer. It's a shame, he's Deathmask. Shaka is two months later, isn't that great?"

Yeah, that really makes me envious. The fact that I can remember the order of the Gold Saints means my brain categorizes Saint Seiya as "common knowledge" and saves it in the "essential for survival" folder. Even Athena would be astonished by that!

"We both have blood type O, and as for hobbies... um? What are my brother's hobbies again? If I had to say, it would be taking photos, right?"

"Taking photos... Oh? That's pretty ordinary."

"Brother, how are you feeling?"

The bed creaked under the weight of the blankets, and Ayase immediately brought her face close.

"Did you remember anything?"

"No...it still doesn't work, I can't remember anything."

I tried to search my memory, but I couldn't find any trace of the pain that had flashed through my mind. All I knew was that she had suddenly brought her face close, making my body feel hot.

"Oh... is there anything else you want to ask? Ayase can answer anything."

"Hmm, let me think..."

School matters, friends' matters, past events—various issues surfaced and then dissipated...

"I want to... ask about Dad and Mom."

I still want to start with this question.

"Hmm, that's true."

Ayase seemed to have anticipated my question, and nodded before saying...

"Our mother was a very beautiful person. She was very earnest, a great cook, and very intelligent. However, she was very frail and passed away from illness when Ayase was in her first year of junior high school."

"...I see."

Ayase calmly recounted her mother's death, as if reading an instruction manual.

...What's causing this strange feeling?

When you're being praised by your mother, does she first compliment your appearance? And Ayase said she was in her first year of junior high at the time, while I, two years older, was in my second year—that was three years ago. It hasn't been that long, yet she's sealed that experience away in her memories far too quickly. Rather, it wouldn't be surprising if such an event directly triggered deep-seated trauma… However, neither in my heart nor on Ayase's profile could I find any emotional fluctuation. Ayase's heart was as calm as still water, her face adorned only with a beautiful smile.

"Then, not long after my mother passed away... less than six months later, my father also passed away."

"It's like a double suicide pact, is it because they have the same disease?"

"Sick? No, Dad died abroad."

"……foreign?"

"Yes. My dad is a journalist, and a war correspondent overseas."

The answer was completely unexpected – a war correspondent!

"My father was rarely home. He hadn't been home for several years when he died."

"So, did Dad die while gathering materials? Was he hit by a stray bullet or killed by a landmine?"

Who knows?

Ayase stared at the dim ceiling, tilting her head slightly.

"Hey, don't you know how Dad died?"

"Um"

"You must be kidding, right? Those things are written on the death certificate, aren't they?"

"They don't know."

...What nonsense is this girl spouting? That's the cause of death of your closest relative! Why don't you know? Why don't you want to know?

"Is Dad really dead?"

"...Brother, what are you saying?"

At that moment, Ayase finally turned around to face me.

"Didn't my brother tell me all this?"

With a faint smile on her face, she said this to me.

"Me? I said that to you before the accident?"

"Um"

"Did I only tell you that your dad died?"

"Um"

What's going on?

I felt a wave of dizziness. Even if my father had been working dangerous jobs overseas for years without returning home, did she really believe he was dead based on just one sentence from me? That's impossible, what is this girl thinking? Ayase sensed the doubt in my gaze and smiled slightly in the dim light. That smile was so alluring; I felt as if my entire soul had been captured by her.

Why? Why can you still laugh at a time like this?