The person who likes me is a yandere.

...What the hell is this?

...Hey, the old me.

...What the hell are you doing?

"This disgusting diary that gives me goosebumps, what the hell is this?!"

My voice echoed through the room for the sixth time today. This time it was a scream from the depths of my soul.

Seriously, what the hell is that? It's awful! "Aww, aww~ So cute," what's with that? What's with the three head-patting energizing spell? "Cute like a squirrel," what's with that?! Ayase is Ayase, why are you calling her Ayase-chan?! Hey, what are you doing messing around with my man?! What kind of stuff are you recording all year round?!

"Besides, what's with this 'Reading Ayase's Diary' thing?!"

这诡异的命名方式，你以为是声优的博客啊！另外『3』是啥啊！前面还有『1』『2』么？还想继续写『4』『5』『6』么！

"Let me give up!"

I threw the Ayase diary into the open drawer, shoved it back into the table with my knee, and continued to spin the chair in anger.

Damn it, that thing isn't a diary, it's more like a crime-ridden little sister observation log! I thought I'd find clues to recovering my memories, what an idiot I was. Give it back to me, give me back all the joy, excitement, and market-going I felt just minutes ago!

"Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora!"

I angrily spun the chair around, accelerating the rotation. After about forty or fifty rotations, my anger was replaced by a feeling of nausea.

"Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh"

...Damn it, I'm dizzy and lightheaded. What am I even doing in my own home?

How terrifying. The drawer truly is a canvas for the owner's inner world; it starkly reveals what kind of person I was before the incident. Faced with this situation, I have no choice but to admit it.

—Aragaki Asago is a siscon of criminal caliber.

I'm about to cry, and I don't know if the source of my tears is sadness, anger, or disappointment. What is this feeling...? I just wanted to retrieve my memories, so why am I unearthing these indescribable emotions?

"Brother, the bathwater is ready!"

Ayase-chan's shouts came from downstairs.

Taking a bath... It's a rare treat these days. I'll soak my whole body in hot water and clear my head... Hmm, that's strange.

Just as I was about to get up, the touch of the opposite finger felt a little strange.

"What?! This is..."

The strange reason was a note. One of those self-adhesive yellow sticky notes that you see everywhere in offices all over the world, stuck to my little finger. When did it get there…? There were a few words written in big marker on the note.

...No wood?

The paper is torn, only this part remains. What's written on the rest? The handwriting matches the one in the notebook earlier; it's my handwriting, I wrote it.

"Don't be wooden—"

...No wood ear mushrooms?

"No wood"

...Not Jupiter?

No magnolia flower? No wooden figure? No wooden sweater or wooden virtue? I tried to guess what came next, but the possibilities were too wide, and all I could think of were nonsensical words.

"Brother, it's time to take a bath!"

"Ah, I understand, I'll go right away."

I crumpled the note and stood up.

Forget it. Thinking about it now is just idle speculation. I aimed at the trash can in the corner of the room and tossed the crumpled piece of paper there. The crumpled paper missed the edge and landed neatly in the trash can.

"it is good!".

Faced with this great shot, I instinctively struck a victory pose.

This feels like the first time I've felt completely at ease since I woke up.

Chapter Fifteen: Abnormal Nature of Crime

"Do you remember this should be... like this?"

My fingers still remembered how to tie a tie. I tied the knot into a triangle in one go, with just the right length and balance.

After putting on my dark blue jacket, I stood in front of the full-length mirror and looked at myself.

"Wow, that's awesome! You're so handsome, brother. How does it feel to see your own dashing figure in the mirror?"

Ayase stepped between me and the mirror, and the mirror only reflected my sister's back in her sailor uniform.

"Hey~whoosh"

"Yeah~"

...So, I pulled Ayase by the shoulder and moved her aside, and then a man with a stern face appeared from behind the sailor uniform. No matter how long I looked at him, I still couldn't stand him.

What's wrong with this man? How long does he intend to stand there so rudely in the mirror? Huh? And you're still so arrogantly leaving the front buttons open, button them up properly!

"Brother, how are you feeling? Has anything come to mind?"

"I can't remember anything. This doesn't seem like a good opportunity... By the way, does this fit?"

As I buttoned up the front of my jacket, I turned my shoulders to check my appearance.

"It fits perfectly, and the older brother is so handsome. He's absolutely smitten!"

"Hey, didn't I tell you not to say things like that! Okay, let's go."

To avoid her seeing my face flush instantly, I lowered my head and left the living room. Involuntarily, I imagined her 'My heart is pounding!' paired with the flesh-colored shadow I'd seen in the bathroom yesterday… I absolutely cannot tell her about this.

"Hey, wait for Ayase! Ayase wants to go out too!"

I ignored it. I paid no heed to Ayase's calls and quickly put on my shoes in the entryway.

"Wait a minute! I forgot my bento! Ouch! Brother, wait a minute, brother. Why are you being naughty? I brought my bento, ouch!"

I continued to ignore it. I left Ayase, who was still clumsily adjusting her clothes, in the living room and left the entryway... At this moment, I suddenly stopped.

"Brother, wait a minute... Huh? Wow, they really are waiting for Ayase!"

Yes, I'm waiting for you. Because I don't know the way...

"Seriously, brother, this is what they call tsundere~. In the end, he still wants to go to school with Ayase. Really, really, oh dear, oh dear."

"It's so noisy! No way! Okay, this time I'm really leaving."

"Yay, it's been so long since I went to school with my brother!"

"Don't hug me!"

A gentle spring breeze caressed my flushed face. The cherry blossom trees, now stripped of their pink hues, swayed their branches, bidding farewell to me as I embarked on my first day of school.

"Brother, turn right here."

Once again acting as a navigator, Ayase spreads out her palms to point out the intersection with the convenience store.

"The Aragaki siblings often stop by that convenience store on their way home from school; it's a favorite date spot for them. Would you like to check it out, traveler?"

"don't go"

Also, who are the passengers?

"Ah, someone's eating a cream puff! I'm so envious~. But I already ate a lot for breakfast... Waaah, I have to resist the urge. Ayase's selling point is her slim figure."

I don't know what you're selling. Ayase reluctantly looked away from the boy having a breakfast meeting in the convenience store parking lot and turned left at the intersection.

"Gurgle, I can actually start my morning with cream puffs... and they're even the kind of delicious cream puffs that come exclusively from convenience stores... soft on the outside and smooth on the inside, one bite and I'm in heaven..."

But Ayase still seemed unable to give it up, and unwillingly imitated the action of eating a cream puff.

"Are you alright? Are you really going after all?"

"No need. But brother, are you alright?"

"I'm not hungry. Just say you want to go. Ayase, after you take a bite and ascend to heaven, I can still take over the rest."

"Wow, that's such a great idea! Stop talking about it, it's making me want to go too. No, that's not it, Ayase is talking about school!"

...Oh, that's true. That's why I changed the subject.

Yesterday evening, I told her that I would be going back to school starting tomorrow, and this conversation was repeated countless times. I didn't know how to explain my situation, or how to make others accept it, and as a result, Ayase became extremely worried every hour.

"Of course I'm worried! My brother was in a coma for a week, and he even went to school the day after he was discharged from the hospital. What if he faints while pushing himself like that..."

"No, not at all, I won't force you."

"Um, but... are you sure it's okay? Wouldn't it be better if we both rested for another day? Today is already Friday, and we can go back to class next week..."

"Ugh, this is so troublesome. Everyone said everything was fine. And didn't Dr. Miyazaki say we should try to live a normal life as much as possible, because we don't know where the trigger for memory recovery will come from? I want to recover my memories as soon as possible too!"

“Ayase knows that too, but…”

...Well, that's not the only reason.

To be honest, I feel like I'd go crazy if Ayase and I were alone in that house for a while.

Last night, Ayase naturally crawled into my bed. I insisted she leave me alone for another day, and it took me half an hour to convince her, and another half hour to get her out of the room. After that, I regretted not sleeping together, and that took another hour... Because of this, I woke up this morning severely sleep-deprived.

The problem isn't just during sleep. Ayase says it's common sense to feed each other the first bite when we eat, and it's common sense to hold hands while watching TV, leaving me no time to rest.

I'm afraid that staying in that house will eventually lead me to be brainwashed by the common sense of the Renjo siblings. Therefore, I want to escape that place, breathe some fresh air, and verify the common sense in society. I want to interact with people other than Ayase to restore my inner balance.

In addition, I would like to confirm that I am not a criminal pervert who would harm my own sister.

"Oh, brother's burning with passion! Ayase knows, Ayase will help too!"

"Wow! Don't just suddenly hug me from the side while we're talking!"

"But shouldn't it be like usual? When the Aragaki siblings go to and from school, holding hands is the default arrangement."

"Forget about that common sense!"

Oh no, this is terrible. My little sister is just so adorable. She's so cute, I can understand why I took so many pictures of her… But, before this happened, my actions were wrong. Please, I'm serious, we're not some kind of perverted criminal who lusts after our sister, are we? You held onto your bottom line, didn't you? I believe in you. If you dare betray my expectations, I'll kill you.

"Brother, when you get to that park, turn right and you'll reach the school. By the way, that park is where you and Ayase first shared your first passionate kiss; it's a place full of memories..."

Okay, I'll kill you. I'm going to kill you.

"...that would be great~~-"