Collapse and Expectation

“Yurina, welcome home! Oh, and who is this…?”

Shizuki Ryoko was surprised, and a little panicked.

This was the first time her daughter had brought a boy home.

And Kanzaki Takuya was very handsome, looking at her daughter with an unusual gaze that easily brought to mind a playboy who would defile girls everywhere. Shizuki Ryoko couldn’t help but worry.

However, after a brief interaction, Kanzaki Takuya behaved politely and maturely, completely unlike her daughter’s previous dubious friends. Only then did Shizuki Ryoko feel a little relieved.

“Actually, Kanzaki-kun has always been helping me with my studies.” Ochi Mana also knew that suddenly bringing a man home presented a big safety issue, so she quickly explained, even using the introduction from the fan handbook: “And, Mom, you don’t know, Kanzaki-kun is really amazing. He’s the top student in our grade, great at all sports, and last year he even…”

What Mana didn’t know was that until the body swap, Yurina had always been uninterested in studying.

Fortunately, Shizuki Ryoko was usually at work and not home, and Yurina wasn’t fond of staying home either, so the explanation that she studied with Kanzaki Takuya was barely acceptable to Shizuki Ryoko.

The problem was that her eager introduction of Kanzaki Takuya’s virtues, in others’ eyes, seemed like a plea for her mother to approve of her boyfriend…

Knowing Mana’s true intentions, Kanzaki Takuya cleared his throat, interrupting her before Shizuki Ryoko could completely misunderstand:

“Actually, Shizuki-san’s academic improvement is entirely due to her own efforts.”

Kanzaki Takuya was skilled at leaving important information in his words, then enticing the other party to ask questions to emphasize the content’s importance, as people rarely value words spoken too easily.

“Grades?”

Shizuki Ryoko, concerned for her daughter, predictably noticed.

“Yes, in the new semester’s placement test, Shizuki-san scored eighty points, and the teacher even praised her.”

“That’s wonderful.”

Shizuki Ryoko knew her daughter usually struggled to even pass, so scoring eighty points indicated she had truly put in a lot of hard work.

As for the truthfulness of this news, she had seen Yurina studying diligently in the evenings, so she naturally wouldn’t doubt it.

Mana wanted to say she didn’t get that score, but seeing Shizuki Ryoko’s expression, she instantly understood—this score was already more exaggerated than usual.

‘Ahhh, why was she so stupid as to score so high? How would she cover up the lie later?’

Kanzaki Takuya glanced at the embarrassed Yurina and said, “Shizuki-san actually has a great talent for learning and a very good foundation. I believe that as long as she keeps it up, she will definitely achieve even better grades in the future.”

“Foundation…” At this, Shizuki Ryoko couldn’t help but think of three years ago, when Yurina was indeed a clever and bright child.

‘(Is everything starting to return to how it was?)’

After lunch, watching the two diligently studying, and the scene of them cooperatively tutoring Misaki, Shizuki Ryoko couldn’t help but shake her head, a warm smile gracing her face.

‘(No, they are starting to move forward again.)’

At 9:30 PM, after seeing Kanzaki Takuya off, Shizuki Ryoko gently embraced her daughter.

“Yurina, don’t push yourself too hard. No matter what, you are Mom’s beloved daughter.”

The daughter in her arms stiffened slightly, then quickly showed a gentle, somewhat heartbreaking smile.

“Mm, I won’t push myself.”

‘(I once again took away Yurina’s happiness.)’

Using the excuse of needing to prepare bathing supplies, Mana returned to the bedroom, her previously joyful face instantly crumbling.

It was so painful, so agonizing. Why was she the one enjoying all this?

Why were they so kind to her?

Her phone suddenly chimed with a message notification. Opening it, she saw it was from Kanzaki Takuya.

“What a warm family.”

Tears welled up.

Her composure completely shattered.

Whether in the past or now, this was undoubtedly what she longed for.

She didn’t know what she used to think, but regarding her master’s teachings, she must have tried, but in the end, she failed, deviated from the path, and became a beast that caused great harm.

Whether she used amnesia as an excuse, or begged for forgiveness through repentance.

She didn’t want to become “Ochi Takuro.”

So she tried again.

Tried to do well.

But it was only in her thoughts. Maintaining relationships, not damaging Yurina’s image, not exposing her relationship with Kanzaki Takuya… she hadn’t done a single thing right.

Yet, ironically, no matter how many mistakes she made, no matter how clumsy her acting, everything she wanted would come to her.

Simply because she was “Shizuki Yurina.”

It had nothing to do with anything else.

All efforts were meaningless.

None of it compared to usurping someone else’s place.

Neither “Ochi Takuro” nor “Ochi Mana” had any reason to exist in this world.

“Sister… what’s wrong?”

Shizuki Misaki, who had returned to the bedroom to get something, was startled by her, crying by the wall.

‘No good.’

Mana immediately wiped her face with her hand, trying to force a smile, but her tear ducts wouldn’t stop, and the corners of her mouth twitched, refusing to turn upwards.

Misaki quickly closed the door, handed Mana tissues, and asked with a worried face, “Sister, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Or did Misaki do something to make you angry again?”

“Why…” Seeing that Misaki knew not to let Shizuki Ryoko find out, Mana cried even more sorrowfully. “Why are you so good to me?”

Most children are very perceptive and observe adults very carefully, and Misaki was no exception.

She had long since noticed that Yurina was enduring something, and last time when she praised Yurina, Yurina had also shown signs of wavering.

So this time, she said nothing, just silently offered tissues.

Seeing Misaki remain silent, Mana cried even more helplessly, thinking how she, a grown man, was so pathetic as to confide in a child and cry uncontrollably. How useless was she?

But even though she understood it mentally, her emotional defenses burst like a flood.

“If I weren’t Yurina, if I weren’t your sister, would you still care about me?”

Misaki began to understand. Yurina was still feeling guilty about the past, thinking that no matter what she did, she couldn’t make it up to her; feeling that if she didn’t have the identity of “sister,” she would never forgive herself.

However, Misaki had already anticipated this in her heart.

She was indeed young, but she wasn’t ignorant.

There were classmates who had blood relatives but didn’t have good relationships with them. Maintaining ties with such relatives was merely being constrained by social consensus and moral ethics.

In Misaki’s view, the intent to maintain the “family” relationship was more important than the bond of blood.

Even the old Yurina actually had this intention, let alone the current sister who was so considerate of her.

Therefore—

“Yes, because you also care a lot about Misaki.”

Mana was stunned. She hadn’t expected Misaki to answer like that. After a long sob, she said:

“I… I’m just playing the role of a sister.”

“Misaki is also playing the role of a younger sister, but this isn’t playing house. Misaki likes Sister.”

‘Sister must also like Misaki.’

Mana seemed to hear these unspoken words.

She could no longer cry.

She could understand Misaki’s line of reasoning.

Honestly, setting aside the fact that she was impersonating Yurina, she would indeed grow to like Misaki, this sensible child, and regard her as a sweet younger sister.

Similarly, her performance was very poor, but she was trying hard to be a sister worthy of Misaki.

It was because of this intention that Misaki liked her.

Even if they weren’t sisters, they would certainly have a very good elder-junior relationship.

It was just embarrassing that she, the elder, was being comforted by a junior.

“Misaki, thank you,” she said with a gentle smile.

‘Thanks to you, my efforts have become meaningful again.’

“No, it should be Misaki thanking you,” Misaki said.

Because of her current sister, the family had gotten better, Mom could live comfortably as she did now, and she too could smile at home.

Unfortunately, this unspoken thought in Misaki’s heart couldn’t be conveyed to Mana.

“I must try even harder.”

Leaving the bedroom and entering the bathroom, Mana encouraged herself in front of the mirror.

Her existence had meaning, her efforts had rewards.

But she was still superfluous.

If it were the real Yurina, doing the same things would undoubtedly be more meaningful and more appropriate.

“What a warm family.”

After sending this message, Kanzaki Takuya typed a bunch of worried words, but eventually deleted them.

Yurina’s guilt was very strong, especially when facing her family. It was clear she was on the verge of breaking down… However, Shizuki Ryoko and Shizuki Misaki clearly both liked this Yurina, and if it were them, they would surely be able to give Yurina great comfort.

The one who tied the bell must untie it. He didn’t need to do anything superfluous—

“Damn it, I really want to figure out what’s going on,” Kanzaki Takuya couldn’t help but exclaim.

If Yurina was fake, then no matter how guilty or self-reproaching an ordinary person was, they wouldn’t regard the Shizuki mother and daughter as family like she did.

But if he were to explain it as “long-lost twin sisters,” Kanzaki Takuya felt his own speculation was too outlandish and melodramatic.

The most likely possibilities were “doppelganger ability” or “being subjected to a soul-splitting spell.” In that case, it would explain why the Illusion-Breaking Ring didn’t work.

But a “doppelganger ability” seemed like a superfluous act; she had no need to hide her true form at school, and Kanzaki Takuya hadn’t found any criminals at the school. As for the latter possibility, Yurina’s behavior didn’t suggest she was anxious to lift a curse.

There were simply too many unknowns, but that’s precisely what made it exciting.

Moreover, one thing was certain: Yurina, at home, behaved just as she did at school—as a gentle and kind girl.

“The ability to make others happy is the best ability in this world…” Kanzaki Takuya suddenly recalled this phrase, a nostalgic expression on his face.

It was a sentence he heard when he had just become sensible, during the darkest period of his life.

“Ten years… all because you said something like that, now I even consider it when looking for a partner.”