The awkward moment from yesterday refused to leave my head.
Aoi's red face… her trembling voice…
"What if I was?"
No matter how much I tried to laugh it off, it echoed in my ears like a curse.
Of course, she didn't mean it. She couldn't mean it. She's my sister.
Or at least, that's what I kept telling myself.
"Haruto, can I… talk to you for a bit?"
Her voice startled me. We were in the living room, the TV humming softly in the background. Mom had gone to visit a neighbor, so it was just the two of us.
I glanced at Aoi. She sat beside me on the couch, unusually fidgety. Her hands clutched the hem of her skirt, her eyes refusing to meet mine.
"…You're acting weird again," I said, trying to sound casual.
"Because it's important," she whispered.
That tone—serious, nervous, yet determined—made my heart tighten.
She finally lifted her gaze, and in her eyes I saw something I'd never seen before: a mix of fear and longing.
"Haruto… I wasn't joking yesterday."
My breath caught.
"I… I love you. Not just as my brother. I've loved you for a long time, as a girl."
The world froze.
Aoi's words didn't stop there. They spilled out, trembling yet desperate, like she'd been holding them in for years.
"Do you remember when I was in middle school, and I got bullied? You were the only one who stood up for me. Everyone else laughed, ignored me, or told me to toughen up. But you… you fought for me, even when it got you in trouble."
My chest ached. I remembered that day clearly.
"And when I failed my exams and cried all night… you stayed by my side, telling me that it didn't matter, that I was still amazing. You were always there, Haruto. Always protecting me, always cheering me up, always making me feel like I wasn't worthless."
Her voice broke.
"You're more than just a brother to me. You're the person I look up to, the one I trust most, the one who makes my heart race whenever you smile at me. I know it's wrong. I know people wouldn't understand. But… my feelings won't go away."
Silence swallowed the room.
Aoi's face was crimson, her hands trembling as she clenched her skirt.
"…So, if you hate me for this, just say so. But I don't want to lie anymore."
My lips parted, but no words came out. I wanted to tell her she was mistaken, that she'd grow out of it, that she was just confused.
But deep inside, my heart was beating too fast. And for the first time, I realized I was afraid.
Afraid of losing the bond we had. Afraid of how real her feelings were. Afraid of my own reaction.
"…Aoi…" I whispered.
She looked at me with teary eyes, waiting for my answer.