by Sato Tsutomu
I sighed and lowered my hand.
At that moment, I was about to turn on my heel and leave, however, I was a little too late.
The outward swinging door opened with a soft clink.
The door was opened in a way that took in consideration the fact that there might be someone standing in front of it. Thanks to that I did not end up with my nose struck by the door like a character in a poorly written slapstick comedy skit, but I had no leisure to put up a pretense and flee.
"Do you need something?"
Ani was acting as if he knew I had been standing there — in essence, now he knows it is right, but — he asked that upon showing his face.
"Uh, umm, er….."
"Yes."
Ani is waiting patiently on a reply from my incoherent self.
Although I call it waiting, it cannot be discerned from his poker face. Still, he is watching me.
Ani’s composed gaze increased my bewilderment.
"Er, is it alright if I come in?"
In this situation, I had, unfortunately, become a bit hysterical; that is to say, I was overcome by a sense of peril. Before I was completely overwhelmed, I regrettably tried to forcibly terminate it. After I carelessly spoke, I thought 'what are you going to do after you enter the room!?' However, that was way too late.
At that time, my face had probably turned red. Red faced and scowling — although I never intended to be glowering at him, but — in response to me who was staring at him fixedly, that person naturally widened his eyes but displayed no other sign of disturbance. He pushed the door away and invited me inside.
As usual his room was plain — that is to say there were not many things in it.
Within that deserted interior, the functional workstation made its presence known with a loud voice.
"Now, what exactly do you need?"
I could not answer Ani’s question.
At that time, my consciousness was drawn to the blatant code displayed at the workstation that was connected to a half dissected CAD. The monitor was crammed with an enumeration of numbers and letters.
Doesn’t this room look just like a CAD development lab………
To be honest, I lost my nerve.
However, the next word Ani spoke swiftly drew my consciousness back to him.
"Ojou-sama."
"Don’t call me Ojou-sama."
In response to me who had yelled, Ani froze in surprise.
For this person to look like he was at a loss for words is really unusual, but I do not think it was strange.
After all,
My voice just now was like a wail.
The voice sounded as if I was about to burst into tears.
"Uh….."
"………."
"Um, er…..that’s right! If you do not get accustomed to speaking to me normally now, you might slip up unexpectedly later on at somewhere else, right?"
Ani’s expression switched from ‘surprise’ to ‘suspicion’.
The mistrust in his gaze crushed me, but I whipped out a really bad excuse through sheer willpower.
"So please call me, Mi-Miyuki!"
However, that was as far as I could go.
When at last I finished speaking, that was my only thought as I squeezed my eyes shut.
Like a child afraid to be scolded, I grasped at the ploy of closing my eyes and bowing my head.
Although I did not know what I feared, I was indeed like a child who unconditionally feared a parent’s disapproval.
"…..Got it, Miyuki. Is that all?"
Ani’s reply was gentle.
It was not his usual adult like formality; he spoke casually as if he was speaking to a friend.
Ani probably spoke to people other than me like school friends and underclassmen in that tone of voice and informal language.
Ani was gazing at me with gentle eyes while speaking to me in a gentle manner.
"…..That is all."
I am indeed about to burst into tears this time.
It is all I can do to hold back my tears.
"Excuse me, I am going back to my room"
Since I did not have the endurance to do it for long, I escaped Ani’s presence.
Taking refuge in my own room, I buried my face in a pillow.
After all, I had unfortunately been aware of it.
That gentleness had only been an act.
Even the casual words that a brother would naturally direct toward his sister in a normal sibling relationship were only the output that came from cold calculation.
I had no evidence to back my unfortunate conclusion.
But, since I am that person’s sister......
It is only at these times that I can feel the bitterness of communicating through the bonds of siblings as I try to kill the sound of my weeping.
Chapter 14
August 11th, AD 2092 / Okinawa - Airforce base ~ Villa
The two days after that passed by normally.
That person followed me around as always, and I treated him the same as always.
I thought I’d try being nicer to my brother. —No, I still think so.
I thought that if I did so, something might be changed.
But it only served as a constant reminder that habits, once ingrained, cannot be so easily corrected.
Yesterday, and the day before, I again as always, treated him selfishly. There are seven days left of our two week vacation. In those seven days, I will most likely treat him the same again and again. I cannot overcome myself.
……If it were one week ago, I wouldn’t even have noticed.
Just what is happening to me?
I don’t understand myself. I don’t understand what it is I desire.
In a state of melancholy, I supposed I had to pass this day as well with such thoughts clouding my mind.
But, happily — saying so may be far too impudent, yet it seemed that would no longer be the case — I no longer have the luxury of such thoughts.
Just as I was finishing breakfast, emergency alerts started blaring from all the devices and equipment around.
The ones issuing the alarm were the armed forces.
In other words, an attack by a foreign power.
I stared intently at the screen, as if to devour it.
"An invasion is underway from the West sea."
"There has been no declaration of war."
"The attack force is a fleet of ballistic missile submarines."
"Currently, they are semi-submerged and are attacking the Kerama Islands."
At that flood of unfamiliar words, panic threatened to overwhelm me. The only words which stuck were ‘ballistic missile submarine’. Was the submarine we encountered on our cruise a harbinger of this event?
"Please allow me to convey this to Maya-sama as soon as possible!"
Sakurai-san could not hide her impatience as she made her request.
"Yes, please do."
And as she nodded, neither could Okaa-sama hide her nervousness.
I thought, no wonder.
I myself certainly hadn’t considered that we’d suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a war with no warning.
The TV anchor from earlier was making repeated calls for everyone to ‘please stay calm’, although he himself didn’t exactly look like a figure of composure either.
Of course. Saying something like ‘don’t panic’ in a situation like this is far more ludicrous.
The reason I wasn’t truly panicking was because I simply didn’t have that sense of reality. I think I saw everything as if it were someone else's problem, and kept myself in a sort of escapism.
But……what about this person?
My brother, reading in silence from a small terminal rapidly scrolling with data far more detailed than the TV reports, seemed to have misplaced his human emotions such as agitation and tension elsewhere.
In a calm atmosphere, seeming as if considering all this a mere intellectual exercise, if someone had called him a complex android I might ha
ve even been inclined to agree with them.
Does my brother not feel that this is really happening, the same as me?
Or does he really, simply not feel anything at all?
As I stared, my brother made an ‘oh?’ face.
Just as I was thinking "what is it?", my brother took a communication terminal out from the breast pocket of his summer jacket.
"Yes, this is Shiba……no, I should be thanking you for the other day……to the base, you say?"
From his response, I guessed that the ones on the line must be our recent acquaintances from the Defense Forces, the Captain and his squad. But the base should be in a state of war at the moment, what could it possibly be?
"I appreciate the offer, but……no……yes, I’ll try talking with my mother……alright, I’ll contact you later."
As he finished the call, it was no longer just me staring at my brother.
Turning to Okaa-sama who was seated on the couch, my brother stood up and bowed.
"Madam."
Facing his real mother, that person addressed her so.
Why, at such a time, does that pain come back to me, as if it was squeezing my heart?
This pain which I had never felt before one week ago.
"We have received an offer from Captain Kazama at Onna Air Force base, to shelter in the base."
"Eh!?"
Involuntarily, I let out a sound.
He’s only met us twice, and only one of them really counts as a meeting, so why……?
Unbelievable things were piling up one after the other such that my emotions were almost saturated, but the surprises didn’t stop there.
"Madam."
Sakurai-san held out a cordless voice communication unit, a so called ‘handset’.
"It’s a call from Maya-sama."
This time not even an ‘eh’ came out.
A call from Aunt?
To Okaa-sama?
Okaa-sama and Aunt are twins, and generally speaking it’s not too unusual for them to converse, but……it is an open secret amongst the Yotsuba that Okaa-sama and Aunt don’t really get along well.
They don’t openly come to blows, but their relationship is somewhat like the Cold War.
Which was why just earlier, without even Okaa-sama contacting her……
Before my eyes, a different sort of nervousness appearing on her face, Okaa-sama took the headset.
"Hello, Maya? ……Yes, it’s me. ……I see. I guess you’ve been using your influence…… But, wouldn’t moving be dangerous? ……I suppose……alright. Thanks."
After she finished talking, Okaa-sama handed the headset back to Sakurai-san.
"Madam. What did Maya-sama have to say?"
Taking the headset, Sakurai-san asked that natural question.
"She has arranged for us to shelter with the Defense Forces."
"Then, the call Tatsuya-kun received just now."
"That would be it, it seems."
"But, wouldn’t moving be dangerous?"
"That's what I said, but,"
……Why? Wouldn’t a military shelter be sturdier and safer than a private one?
"Although we are not in an official state of hostilities, against an opponent who would launch a surprise attack like this, expecting them to comply with all the rules of war would be too much of a leap of faith."
"That……I guess so……"
Seeing Okaa-sama and Sakurai-san, then my brother’s grim expression, it’s like I’m the only one who doesn’t understand the situation. Asking them to explain everything bit by bit would be demeaning however……I guess I’ll just keep quiet for now.
"Although it wouldn’t have been too difficult, she did make the effort, so let’s try doing as Maya says. Tatsuya."
"Yes."
My brother, who had been left standing all the while, reacted with a snap. ……Since the person himself wasn’t making a dissatisfied face, surely there was no reason for me to be feeling this.
"Contact the Captain and tell him, we accept. Also, request a pickup if possible."
"Certainly."
It almost seemed to me as if everything petty was being pushed onto my brother, but, I’m sure that was just me overthinking things.
Somehow, I had predicted this.
The soldier who came to take us to the base, was none other than Lance Corporal Joseph Higaki.
"Tatsuya, sorry to keep ya waiting!"
"Joe, thanks for coming all this way."
"C’mon man, there’s no need to be so formal."
Lance Corporal Higaki gave a bright cheerful smile.
My brother in contrast looked slightly reserved, but was still far more expressive than usual.
No matter how you look at it, the attitude he directed to this Lance Corporal whom we had just recently met was far friendlier than that he ever had towards our family.
Okaa-sama’s furrowed brow was no doubt in disapproval towards this rude behavior.
It couldn’t possibly be that she was displeased that my brother would open up more to others than his own relatives right?
Whether noticing Okaa-sama’s displeased expression, or Sakurai-san’s impatient manner, Lance Corporal Higaki stowed the familiar attitude and, snapping to attention, gave a salute.
"By order of Captain Kazama, I am here to pick you up!"
"Thank you for your efforts. Please take us there."
"Ma’am!"
As the Lance Corporal delivered his message in a somewhat more enthusiastic manner than strictly necessary, Sakurai-san replied with a bit of a wince.
Lance Corporal Higaki showed no sign of noticing.
……Truth be told I had wished I were more worried earlier, but now I was able to at least understand a bit better why they were concerned about getting to the base.
The roads were flooded with evacuating civilians, the blaring of the stuck military vehicle’s horn lost amidst the crucible of chaos — was a scene I didn’t see.
As if the island were quietly holding its breath, the only vehicles on the roads were dark toned military ones.
The atmosphere, rather than a state of alarm, seemed more like a state of martial law. —Although I’ve only ever seen both in videos before, so I don’t exactly know the truth.
Riding in a Defense Forces car, without once being stopped at a checkpoint, without once coming under attack from an enemy, we reached the base uneventfully.
An hour had already passed since the attack began, and despite being taken by complete surprise by the yet unidentified enemy, the Navy and Air Force seemed to be managing to hold them off at the shore.
Unless you had intel from the actual island in question, you’d have no way of knowing anything was actually happening and simply have to take the military’s word for it.
Surprisingly, we weren’t the only civilians who had been evacuated to the base.
Although it wasn’t quite in the hundreds, the number of people here seemed pretty close.
In addition to us, five other civilians had been guided to this underground shelter.
It’s none of my business, but I can’t help wondering that considering the threat of enemy attack, is it really okay to invite such a large number of unrelated and useless people?
Perhaps, even we—even I, will end up having to fight.
I cannot just rely on Sakurai-san. Okaa-sama was seated on a couch, still recovering. And it will be Sakurai-san’s duty to defend her.
Until today I have never had the experience of battle, but my combat magic abilities have been judged to be no less than those of a grown magician.
That was Sakurai-san’s judgement, so it’s reliable enough.
Yet that alone wasn’t enough to dispel my anxieties, and I glanced over subtly at the neighboring seat.
My brother had sat down on the chair next to mine.
Normally he’d always stand just a bit aside or behind me, but now we were sitting next to each other so as to not draw any attention.
/> In his breast pocket, two CADs were hidden and ready for use at any time.
I’m unsure if this person has anything which could be considered ‘combat experience’ either, but unlike me, he has plenty of experience killing people.
It wasn’t some paltry number like five or ten either.
I had not verified such scenes with my own eyes, but since there’s no benefit in lying to me about it, it’s definitely the truth.
In support of that experience, my brother maintained perfect composure.
His eyes didn’t wander nervously, nor did his body tremble.
Looking at my brother, my anxiety melted away just a little.
Once more……thinking that, I looked over again.
For some reason, our eyes met.
Eh? Eh? Wha? Why?
"Are you alright, Miyuki?"
……!
As agreed three days ago, that person called me ‘Miyuki’.
Unlike that time, not pretend-friendly, but a soft, gentle voice.
"I’m right here."
……That’s, cheating……!
I don’t know what expression I should make.
I don’t know what expression I’m making right now.
Hey! Get a grip me! This is just the suspension bridge effect![14] Like a horror house! Stockholm syndrome…
…Is somewhat different from this situation, but anyway, it’s all in my head!
Seriously, now of all times, hitting on your actual sister is way too inappropriate!
He himself probably had no such intention, but that’s totally irrelevant, no rather, that’s just infuriating!
I glared at my brother.
Doing so, my brother abruptly rose from his chair.
Eh? Was I really, making such an unpleasant face?
—Actually, as if not allowing my idealistic naivety to proceed any further, events were proceeding at a rapid pace. I found that out soon enough.
◊ ◊ ◊
It wasn’t just my brother who had suddenly stood up.
One breath later, Sakurai-san also knocked aside her chair.
The strangers seated with us, wearing startled expressions, stared at Sakurai-san and that person.
"Tatsuya-kun, that was……"
"Sakurai-san, you heard it as well?"