It kept repeating in his head.
"... Your words are way too precious to top. I can't think of anything but 'I like you too'... I hope that's okay?"
Kei called Satsuki last night, to ask how she is. And it looks like she didn't mean to pick up. He heard Taishi confessing to Satsuki and he heard her giggle. And when Taishi told her to close her eyes...
He felt betrayed. Satsuki would always say 'I got it' or 'Yes, I know' whenever he reminded her not to fall in love and not to be in a relationship with a guy. He trusted her.
And he also trusts Taishi...
"Nii-chan, this is Taishi. My bestfriend at school. Taishi, this is Aragaki Kei. My brother"
Kei forced a smile as he shook the young lad's hand. Taishi was smiling more and less fake than him.
When Satsuki went upstairs and left them, Kei's smile immediately disappeared and he walked to the kitchen, completely ignoring Taishi. Taishi followed him. "Ano sa..! (Um..!)"
Kei looked at him with uninterested eyes. Taishi cleared his throat and started speaking.
"Satsuki told me things about you."
"That's normal. I'm her brother." Kei said in a low tone and took his eyes off him. "Yes, you are. P-- please... Hear me out." Taishi stammered.
Kei looked back again down on him with cold eyes.
"To Satsuki... you're the most important existence. You are special to her and she treasures every bit of time you spend together. But nowadays, you're spending less and less time with her and she gets lonely. She feels like she's always alone.
For her, you're the only person that she thinks can make her happy. She detaches herself from people because this is what she believes will satisfy you. Don't you think it's... sad? To let herself feel alone just to prove you're special to her...
I'm telling you this because, I don't want Satsuki to feel that way. I don't want her to only depend on you. I hope you also let me be someone she can rely on. I can't surpass the way you make her happy but... at least I know I can. At least I'll give it a shot." Taishi looked him straight in the eyes while saying these. He wasn't nervous at all. Kei saw the dedication to his words.
He isn't sure he heard the same dedication in Taishi's confession last night but he still isn't allowing it. That nightmare just mustn't repeat itself. Not now that he can do something to stop it.
"What are you listening to?" Taishi asked his girlfriend. "A song Mirei asked me to listen to." Satsuki answered. "Eh~ Who sang it?" Taishi moved to sit on front of her to get her attention. They're already in the park but she wouldn't stop reading a book Mirei also lent her.
"Nee~ Let me listen to it too!" Taishi said in a childlike tone. Satsuki glanced at him and shook her head, smiling. Taishi looked at her...
Satsuki felt his hand take off the left earphone. She looked up then Taishi rested his forehead on hers, the missing earphone now plugged on his hear. He closed his eyes as he listened to the music. Satsuki only watched him from up close. "Taishi--"
He put his finger over her lips "Shh.. I'm listening to the song"
Kei stopped and froze on his spot as he saw them in the park, only a few steps away. "Satsuki..." he called and she looked around, searching for who called her then she finally looked his way. "Nii-chan..." Satsuki whispered and Taishi opened his eyes and he turned to look at Kei's direction. Their eyes met and he looked at Satsuki...
Kei and Satsuki went home together, but they weren't talking. "Nii-chan..." Satsuki called as they entered the house. Kei didn't even turn to look at her.
The silent treatment continued... and got worse.
Satsuki woke up the next day, but Kei wasn't in the kitchen as usual. She went upstairs and knocked on his room. No answer. She quietly opened the door and she saw him still sleeping.
He wouldn't make breakfast or bento for her anymore.
She would come home alone, she wouldn't ask Taishi to bring her home of course. She'd see Kei eating cup noodles at the dining table and sometimes she wouldn't see him at all for the whole day. He'd be up locked in his room and wouldn't come out.
This made Satsuki feel guilty about her and Taishi so she started being cold to him. Taishi understood why and so he didn't bother her anymore.
And again Satsuki felt alone. No. She felt more alone than she used to. Taishi did stay with her, but she can't stay with him. Kei is with her, but she couldn't feel that.
Does she need to make a choice?
Satsuki cried in her room as she thought about this. She took her phone and dialed for someone...
"Ye-- tsk! Yes I know! But I need more lollipops I only have like..." she glanced at under her desk "Only 1 box left. How am I supposed to live with that. Yes! You're coming home tomorrow anyway! Okay. Okay. Yes, I know! Okay, bye"
Mirei threw her phone across the room, hitting the door and she ran to her box of lollipops. Her phone rang again. "WHAT" she grunted. She walked to across the room to pick it up. "Satsuki?"
