My love game with them that will lead to certain death

The words her brother had said earlier were still lingering in her ears, but because the curly-haired boy seemed to be consciously controlling the volume of his voice, only the two of them could hear the facts he told her from beginning to end.

However, her brother, with a smile on his face, did not give her much time to think.

"Isn't this considered as repaying the favor?"

Boom! !

With a dull sound of flesh colliding, Eriri, who was attacked unexpectedly on the back of her neck, turned black and fainted - and the instigator, Ming Hai, slowly withdrew his knife, supported his unsteady body with a crutch, and hugged his limp sister in his arms.

This was probably the last hug, and Ming Hai knew this very well, so he gently put his other hand around his sister, and his action was particularly gentle.

"what happened?"

Yukinoshita Yukino rushed to the brother and sister as soon as possible. Not realizing that it was the curly-haired boy who knocked her sister unconscious, she wanted to go forward and help the two of them down the mountain without saying a word - but her action of extending her hand was stopped in mid-air because of Minghai's action of gently pushing Eriri out.

The boy didn't say anything, but the meaning of the straightforward look he gave Yukinoshita Yukino was self-evident.

"Please fulfill my previous request"——this request was conveyed in his eyes.

"Oh, really. Someone else has to clean up my mess every time."

While Yukinoshita Yukino was standing there in a daze, another hand took over the unconscious Eriri.

"It's amazing that a patient like you can knock your sister out in one go."

Yamada Ryo took the unconscious Eriri tacitly without asking any questions, and Ming Hai did not seem surprised by her sudden help. His face was calm, as if he had already expected Yamada to help him.

"Ah, because she had to pass out here."

The young man raised his head and looked at the sky which was covered with more and more black cumulus clouds, feeling as if the disaster was about to strike in the next second.

"Just like one of us twins has to end himself here. If it's not me, it will be Eriri."

"What's the meaning…?"

After these words were spoken, Yukinoshita could no longer remain calm and rational. In her heart, she still had the ideal idea of ​​returning safely with everyone.

"It's not like you to speculate pessimistically about things that may not necessarily happen."

But facing the curly-haired boy with a peaceful smile, she couldn't come up with any strong evidence to refute his decision, so she could only use such blunt words to express her unhappiness.

"Although I still can't figure out whether we are talking about the same person - but once he decides on something, he will definitely follow through to the end. This is indeed Xiaohai's style."

Yamada put Eriri's hand on his shoulder, bearing most of her weight, and then turned his gaze to Yukinoshita Yukino who was still hesitating.

We can't persuade him - she tried to state this fact in a calm tone.

“Because the end is coming.”

Ming Hai couldn't explain to the two of them that this was just a simulation, and simulations were destined to end.

"Even if I avoid this destined ending today, when will the next one be?"

This feeling of being out of control was not very comfortable, and he would rather hold the opportunity to choose death in his own hands.

"Ah, it's just a death anyway. Although I want to refute this fact, it is true that we have failed to prevent similar incidents from happening before."

Yamada's tone was still so calm that no emotion could be heard, but her eyes seemed to be filled with an unspeakable loneliness.

"...No matter what, you can't escape the fate of dying young. What's the difference between you and the rockers in the 27-year-old club?"

This was the second time for her.

Witnessing the boy's death as if it were happening again yesterday and being unable to do anything about it, or even having to stand by and watch because I could understand his actions - this feeling of being played around by fate is terrible.

However, in order to achieve the ending he wanted, Yamada Ryo did not intend to express this emotion. After all, it would only become an obstacle for him to achieve his goal.

"I was mentally prepared for this before I came here."

Yamada looked at Yukinoshita Yukino without changing his expression, as if trying to persuade her to understand him.

"The second young lady of the Yukinoshita family, don't you have this awareness?"

Or rather, did she really think she could stop what was about to happen by herself?

"........."

Yukino, who was originally planning to use reason to convince the boy, fell silent.

"…I'm sorry to have dragged you into this. If it reminds you of the unpleasant things that happened in the past and causes you to have a stress reaction, I'm very sorry."

However, Ming Hai was really grateful from the bottom of his heart that they would accompany him until this point.

Ignoring the increasingly strong wind and the gradually falling rain, Minghai turned his gaze to Eriri, who was leaning on Yamada's shoulder and had long lost consciousness.

"But I am really worried about this child, so I may need you two to take care of him."

How can a twin sister who has lost half of her body accept a world without her brother?

Having someone he could trust take care of her was the most likely way he could think of to comfort Eriri - even though Ming Hai knew that once the death simulation came to an end, all the cleanup work he did would be in vain.

But perhaps it is the setting of being an "older brother" that is still driving him, and this is the only explanation.

"After all, my 'life' should end here, but both you and Eriri should continue."

After saying this, he turned around and walked towards the small square of the shrine with his crutches.

Yamada patted Yukinoshita, and no matter how reluctant the latter was, he had to follow Yamada and walk down the mountain.

"You owe me an explanation, Archer."

But before leaving, she still reluctantly left these words as a reminder.

"…If there's a chance, definitely, Yukinoshita."

The curly-haired boy turned around and gave her a weak smile, which made her seem to catch a glimpse of the person who was lingering in her mind.

The rainstorm has arrived, the wind is blowing hard, and everything around is becoming more and more like Eriri's nightmare.

Yamada and Yukinoshita returned to the car with Eriri all the way down the mountain. The moment they looked up, they saw an unforgettable scene -

"…Is that a meteor or a meteorite?"

The dazzling spots of light that cut through the air currents in the sky gradually became brighter and brighter, accompanied by strange rumbling sounds.

The young man on the top of the mountain also saw this scene, but he showed an extremely free and easy smile. After throwing away his crutches, he turned around and sat down calmly on the steps of the shrine.

"I haven't experienced what it would feel like to be killed by a meteorite."

But this can be considered a success - he sneaked under the nose of fate and replaced the lamb that was supposed to be sacrificed.

"Live your own life, Eriri."

With the best wishes for his sister, Ming Hai closed his eyes.

On the way to leaving the town in a hurry, Yamada looked out the window and rubbed her eyes. Eriri, who was sleeping on her lap, also shed tears without leaving a trace.

She seemed to have dreamed that nightmare again.

But at the end of the nightmare, the figure who quietly turned and approached the shrine looked very similar to her, but it was the outline of a young boy.

Then, a blinding white light swept over everything, and her consciousness sank to the deepest part along with the dream.

It seemed as if something was suddenly shattered, but in the end it was gradually pieced together to its original complete appearance.

It seemed to be her soul.

Chapter 55 He Disappeared

On the winding road that seemed endless, Yukinoshita Yukino, who was sitting in the driver's seat, wiped away the moisture that seeped from her eyes.

This is the second time.

The road, the journey, the separation, and the self that is powerless to do anything.

Memories of the past came to her mind again, along with the sweetness and bitterness that once tore her apart, sweeping over her like a meteorite that suddenly streaked across the sky, leaving a vivid mark in her heart.

She vaguely remembered that the current development was very similar to the plot of a movie she had discussed with "that person" in her ward.

"In order to save each other, the young boy and girl who fell in love with each other tried their best to reverse the tragic ending caused by the meteorite crash and save the town from the disaster - oh my, what a romantic and youthful story."

In my memory, the third-rate novelist was narrating this in a nonchalant and teasing tone, sitting with his legs crossed in a casual manner.

"It always feels a bit unstable to tie the survival of an entire town to the love between a boy and a girl."

She was still lying on the hospital bed when she made such a disappointing point.

"Alas, in fake literary creations, there is always room for unrealistic situations. Furthermore, from the creator's perspective, such a plot arrangement is only because the author wants to emphasize that the "love" between the two protagonists has surpassed everything else."

He looked down at the third-rate magazine that published his article, with a smile on his face.

"Maybe the starting point was not to save the town, but just to save that person. If it were me, I would also arrange for the protagonist to sacrifice for the most important person in his life - although it is a very cliché plot, this is the best destination for this character, isn't it?"

The best destination...?

"As expected... he still looks death in the face with equanimity."

Yukinoshita Yukino, who had never been able to understand why he did this, became particularly relieved after she figured it out.

Because that's who he is, both before and now.

But if only this were all just a dream.

However, the loud roar in the sky and the sight of the dazzling lights that made people squint their eyes rushing towards the town were too visually impactful. It was difficult for her and Yamada Ryo, who was sitting in the back seat taking care of Eriri, to regard what was happening before their eyes as a dream.

Only Eriri was lying quietly on Yamada's lap with her eyes closed. Although her sleeping face looked extremely peaceful, her brows were furrowed from beginning to end.

She was trapped in a dream and couldn't find a way out.

The dilapidated shrine, the curly-haired boy standing on the steps and quietly gazing at her smile, the hazy environment was too beautiful.

She wanted to rush forward to hug her brother and take him back, but every time she touched him, he would dissipate like smoke, until Eriri distanced herself from him again and then he would condense into shape again.

Her brother was smiling the whole time, as if he was encouraging her to keep trying to reach out to him, and as if he was lightly mocking her that everything she did was in vain.

Ying Lili struggled back and forth like this for a long time, and finally she was exhausted and sat down weakly in front of her brother.

Maybe this was all just a dream from the beginning.

Annoying yet dependable, a brother to whom I have unknowingly treated him as the most important person, and all the bizarre and strange experiences he has had.

"If that's the case... would you feel better about it, Eriri?"

Just when she was sitting there dejectedly, no longer able to muster the strength to stand up, her "brother" who had been just staring at her suddenly spoke.

He still had a warm smile on his face, but the words he said made Eriri feel confused.

The young man smiled and clapped his hands at her, then gradually approached her. When he was very close to her, he bent down and gently hugged her shoulders.

Her brother's hug was no longer the same as before, which disappeared in an instant. Instead, it gave Eriri a real feeling.

"It's okay. You'll be fine."

The words from her brother sounded like both a promise and a comfort, and both of them gradually calmed Eriri's originally restless heart.

When she opened her eyes again, what she saw was the ceiling of her bedroom.

"……Eh?"

Everywhere I look, I see familiar things, but that is precisely why everything seems so strange.

The first thing that flashed through Eriri's mind was the last scene before she fell into a coma, when she was trying to pull her brother, who was on crutches, away from the dangerous shrine.

But then everything went black before her eyes, and she couldn't remember what happened afterwards - the only thing she had left of her memory was the inexplicable dream and the confusing hug.

"Where's Tooru? If I'm home now... is he back with me?"

Ying Lili looked around. Her living environment had not changed at all. It seemed that not too long had passed since she fell into a coma.

After checking her clothes, Eriri opened the door and strode through the corridor. When she was about to go downstairs, she saw her mother Sayuri sitting on the sofa in the living room from a distance.

"Mom...? Why are you back again..."

"Ah, Eriri, you finally woke up? That's great—!"

Sayuri rushed over without saying a word and gave Eriri a tight bear hug, even though this made Eriri, who had just woken up, a little confused.

"Mom was so worried about you...! The place you and your friends were traveling to yesterday was hit by a meteorite. Luckily, they brought you back safely!"

Sayuri held her baby daughter's face and began to look at her carefully to see if there was anything wrong with her. She looked haggard, as if she had left her work and rushed back overnight after receiving the news.

"Meteorite..."

Eriri came to her senses belatedly and realized that the thing she had been unwilling to face had actually happened.

"Mom, Mom!! Then——"