The Undying Voice |『 Female OC 』• Oshi no Ko

Verse 4: Family's Gentle Chorus

Under the tender caress of the sun, the garden was a sanctuary of tranquillity, where every leaf and petal basked in the golden light. Chizawa lost in her world and, behind the lens, found solace in capturing the beauty of nature.

The delicate dance of a butterfly on a flower caught her eye. Its wings were a delicate tapestry of colours, fluttering gracefully upon a vibrant flower. She took a small step back to find the right angle before taking the picture, just in time for the butterfly to fly away to another flower.

Looking at the result, Chizawa smiled, but it barely touched her eyes before tilting her head. With a sigh, Chizawa shook her head and refocused on finding something to capture. 'I can find something better,' she told herself before clicking and taking another picture.

Umeko watched from a distance, a soft smile gracing her lips at the sight of Chizawa. 'She is so focused on her photography,' she realised, seeing her sister taking another picture. Yet, as the smile reached her eyes, it faltered as fast.

Umeko observed her sister with a bittersweet pang tightening in her chest. She witnessed Chizawa's hollow smile again, making her grip her arm in soft sorrow. She knew how important photography was to her sister. It was her way to cope and capture moments that could be taken away from her...just like Ai.

Shaking her head, Umeko took a hesitant step toward her sister. "Chizawa-neesan..." she called softly, making Chizawa turn, the ghost of a smile still lingering. "Umeko? You are awake this early?" she asked, making the younger nod softly. "Y-yeah, I wanted to do something. So I put on an alarm," she said as Chizawa hummed.

Seeing her sister's expression, Chizawa tilted her head. "Did you need something?" she asked. Clearing her throat softly, Umeko hesitated, the words she wanted to say suddenly seeming inadequate. Tapping her fingers on her arms, she gathered her nerves.

"Well, the regional qualifiers are coming up soon..." she lingered before swallowing her nervousness. Gathering her resolve, she locked eyes with Chizawa. "...would you want to see me perform?" she asked.

The question lingered in the air, making Umeko shift nervously. "I-I know you are busy, but..." she paused before biting her lower lip. "I would enjoy it if you could be there," she said, not looking at her sister.

Chizawa lowered her camera, her gaze lingering on the butterfly as if the answer lay in its wings. "Umeko, I..." she trailed off before her gaze drifted back to her camera.

"You know I support you, right?" she asked, making Umeko nod. "So, I know that with or without me, you will shine. You don't need my presence to validate your talent," said Chizawa.

A sharp pang of hurt sliced through Umeko. "It's not about validation. It's about experiencing those moments together..." lingered Umeko before looking away. "Like we used to," she said, her voice quivering softly.

A shadow flickered across Chizawa's features, a storm of past grief clouding her eyes. "Ever since...ever since Ai passed away, you haven't been the same at all," reminded Umeko. Then, grabbing her arm, Umeko looked at the ground.

"I know it hurt. I know it changed everything," she said before closing her eyes. "Especially you..." she paused, locking eyes with her sister. "Ever since that day, I have barely seen Chizawa-neesan smile," she said with sorrow.