"Aoi…"
Her teary eyes locked onto me, waiting for an answer I wasn't ready to give.
I took a deep breath, forcing my voice to stay calm. "I… can't accept that."
Her face instantly crumbled.
"You're my sister. Family. I can't… I shouldn't think of you that way. What you're feeling—it's just a phase. You'll grow out of it."
I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought pushing her away would protect her from pain, from ridicule, from something society would never accept.
But then—
"…Liar."
Her whisper shook. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks like fragile glass breaking.
"You always say you'll protect me… but now you're the one hurting me most."
My chest tightened painfully.
She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders trembling. "I know it's wrong… I know people will hate me… but my heart won't stop loving you! And no matter what you say, I can't change that. So why… why are you rejecting me when you know how much it hurts me?"
I froze.
Aoi's crying was something I could never handle. Ever since we were kids, the sight of her tears felt like knives in my chest. I used to go out of my way, do anything—absolutely anything—just to make her smile again.
And now… I was the one making her cry.
"Aoi…" I whispered, my hands trembling. Before I realized it, I reached out and pulled her into my arms.
She gasped, her tears soaking my shirt.
"I can't… I can't stand seeing you like this," I admitted, my voice breaking. "Even if it's wrong… even if I'm not supposed to… I can't push you away."
Her small hands clutched the back of my shirt desperately, as if afraid I'd let go.
"…Does that mean… you'll accept me?" she asked between sobs.
I closed my eyes. My heart was screaming, torn between reason and the warmth of the girl trembling in my arms.
"…Yes," I whispered. "I'll accept you. I'll be the one you love."
Her tears didn't stop, but this time… they were mixed with a fragile smile.
And as I held her tighter, I knew there was no turning back.