“Hey, Yoru, what did you draw?”
“I’m also curious about your drawing,”
“I want to seeee!”
Azumi, Renge, and Yuki, my teammates, interrupt my self-praise. With confidence, I show them my artwork.
……
But to my surprise, they stare at it for a moment without saying anything.
Did they find it difficult to understand? But it’s just a simple family portrait, right?
“Um… do you like aliens?”
“Huh?!”
Again with aliens?! Can’t they see it’s my mother, sister, and Reisuke?
Ah, maybe they didn’t recognize them because they depicted three women.
“No, Azumi, this is a representation of this world, mourning but still holding on to a glimmer of hope, inspired by Picasso’s later period. I don’t know the exact title, but maybe ‘Pandoran’s Box’?”
“No, that’s not it?! It’s just a family portrait!”
“I…I think I’m a villain from ‘Bougenger’ that airs on Sundays…”
“What’s ‘Bougenger’?! Are you just spouting nonsense?! Are you a villain or a hero? I can’t tell anymore!”
“Aliens!!”
“Pandoran!!”
“Ah, villains!!”
Each of them expresses their own opinion, and I’m left feeling puzzled, unable to deny that they are all wrong. I watch their debate unfold, unable to comprehend any further damage to my wounded heart.
“Oh, Yoru-kun, you drew our picture, didn’t you?”
“Sis?!”
Suddenly, I hear my sister’s voice from behind. When I turn around, she stands there with a smile on her face.
“Sis, why are you here?”
“I came to see how you’re doing during lunch break. But more importantly… you drew our picture, right?”
“Um, yeah, the teacher told us to draw whatever we like.”
“Sis!!”
With an overwhelmed expression, Tsuki embraces me tightly.
“Yoru-kun… You’re…!”
“Sis?!”
Her voice indicates happiness, but I have no idea what expression she has on her face. And being hugged by my sister, who is still very much a child, is not particularly comfortable.
Well… since she understood what I drew, I should accept this as a small victory, even if it means enduring it.
