Yukinoshita Yukino took a deep breath and said seriously:
"It really is surprising. This may sound rude, but I still have to say it—your parents are either blind or not right in the head. Hating someone like you is just absurd."
"Right? Right? You think it's ridiculous too, don't you?" Shiina Mahiru's eyes lit up, and she completely opened up.
Yukino then heard Mahiru's story in detail. By the end, she understood why Mahiru had said, "I only have him."
Compared to Mahiru, Yukino felt she was downright blessed. Her mother—strict and controlling as she was—still cared for her. Her father doted on her. Her elder sister looked after her. And that scoundrel liked her, too.
But Mahiru had only that scoundrel.
Yukino thought that if she were Mahiru, she'd probably fall head over heels for him as well.
Looking at Mahiru's warm smile and gentle eyes, Yukino felt a little guilty.
"Shiina-san, how do you want me to help you?" She finally showed her stance—she was willing to help.
Mahiru took her small hand and said softly, "It's simple. Let's take good care of Maki-kun together, okay? Yukinoshita-san, let's get along from now on."
"Okay." Not having to fight was best; Yukino had no desire to butt heads with someone this kind. Getting along was the true win-win.
Mahiru and Yukino exchanged contact info and started chatting pleasantly. When the topic turned to Hayashi Maki, Yukino was mortified. The two young women even started roasting Hayashi Maki for his inhuman stamina.
Even after they parted, Yukino still wasn't quite satisfied. Looking at her contacts, she was overjoyed. Had she finally made a female friend? Then, remembering that this new friend came about because of that big jerk, she couldn't help feeling a touch resentful. That trouble-magnet of a scoundrel.
…
In high spirits, Mahiru said goodbye to Yukino. After spending time together, she found Yukino wasn't as icy as the rumors—more a bit awkward, even cute. She could be blunt, yes, but she was often spot-on, cutting right to the heart of things.
Maybe their "home" would be even more harmonious from now on. Mahiru preferred a warm household to endless love-triangle battlefields. After being completely cast off by her parents, she'd made her peace with it. From now on, she would live only for the people who mattered and show her gentleness only to them.
With the big cleanup done and an understanding reached with Yukino, she planned to head to Youko-san's convenience store to work a shift, then buy some good food to nourish Maki-kun.
That dummy—even if he likes that sort of thing, he needs to show some restraint. Health comes first. Yukino lived too far away to keep him in line; Mahiru couldn't just leave it be. Besides, she hadn't forgotten her plan to pamper Hayashi Maki into a spoiled couch potato—a chubby one at that.
Just as she was about to leave, a girl's voice sounded behind her.
"You're Shiina Mahiru, right? Could we talk?"
Mahiru turned, puzzled, and saw a twin-tailed girl with ash-blond hair wearing the Hakuo Academy second-year uniform.
"Um, senpai, may I ask who you are?"
"Pardon me—I'm Shiina Minatsu. I don't know if you've heard of me?"
Mahiru's smile froze. Of course she knew; Aunt Koyuki had told her. Minatsu was one of Shiina Asahi's illegitimate daughters.
"I've heard about you from Aunt Koyuki. So… Minatsu-senpai, what did you want with me?"
Minatsu took a deep breath and spoke earnestly: "Let's sit at that café over there. I have something important to tell you."
"…All right." Mahiru didn't want to face this person, but she decided to hear her out. Of course, if this girl tried to bully or put her down, she wouldn't back down.
She was overthinking it—Minatsu wasn't the type to bully her younger sister.
At the café, they ordered two coffees and the new pudding. Both girls were in complicated moods. After organizing her thoughts, Minatsu glanced at Mahiru and began slowly.
"Mahiru, I'm a year older than you—your sister, technically. We share a father."
"Mm. And?" Mahiru listened politely; the little angel's manners were impeccable.
Minatsu gave a wry smile and spoke earnestly.
"My sister Mafuyu and I just moved into that house. We're staying in the guest room. Your room—and the photos and belongings inside—we haven't touched them."
"Mahiru, how about you come back and live there?"
Mahiru stared in surprise. "Minatsu-nee, does that man know you're inviting me?"
"I haven't told him yet, but he'll agree. And that house is yours to begin with. My sister and I are outsiders. Kicking you out to make room for us… that's not something a father should do."
"Mafuyu and I never knew our father growing up, so we got used to being called fatherless children. We used to dream about what our father might be like, and recently that dream finally came true."
"Yes, he's been good to us. He brought us and our mother to live with him, and she doesn't have to work so hard anymore. But… I can't accept a father who welcomes us while driving out his own daughter."
Listening to Minatsu speak from the heart, Mahiru couldn't help sighing before she smiled.
"Thank you for telling me this, Minatsu-nee. But I don't plan to go back. You should use that room—there's nothing there I'm attached to…"
"Oh—right. There's a photo album in the closet—Aunt Koyuki kept pictures of me from when I was little. If you have time, could you bring it to me?" She flushed a little as she said it. She'd just claimed there was nothing to miss and immediately contradicted herself.
Minatsu nodded quickly and took Mahiru's hand.
"Of course. But you really won't come back? Mafuyu and I aren't the type to steal another's nest, and we don't want our presence to leave you homeless. That man is too much—I can't accept someone like that as my father. Yet he has been good to Mafuyu and me, so I don't have grounds to scold him, either."
Mahiru shook her head with a smile.
"I'm not going back, Minatsu-nee. I already have a home of my own, so I don't care what those two think anymore—Aunt Koyuki is my guardian. You just get along well with each other. Don't let me be the reason there's a rift."
Seeing the resolve in Mahiru's eyes, Minatsu knew there was no persuading her, and her guilt deepened. She felt her family had hurt Mahiru badly and owed her.
But Mahiru didn't think Minatsu needed to pay for Asahi's mistakes. If he didn't recognize her as his daughter, that was his loss—and Mahiru would live better than ever. As long as she was happy, whatever happened to the rest of them didn't matter much.
Unable to convince her, Minatsu exchanged contact info with Mahiru and promised earnestly, "If you need help with anything, please tell me. No matter what happens, I'm your sister, and Mafuyu is your sister too—even if you'd rather not acknowledge me…"
"Mm, I know. Thank you, Minatsu-nee."
They parted ways.
Watching Mahiru's receding back, Minatsu felt increasingly upset. Was their father out of his mind? How could he not like such a wonderful daughter? As for such a lovely little sister—Minatsu herself adored her to bits.