「Mizuki? What’s up?」

     『What time do you think it is, exactly?』

     「Huh? …8 PM.」

     『…It’s already so late. Why aren’t you home yet?』

     「Oh, uh… I already told mom, but I’m staying at a friend’s tonight.」

     『Who?』

     She spoke with a sharpness in her voice. Feeling something indescribable, I reached for the white scarf on the hanger. Today, too, it smelled like lemon tea. It was a scent different from fabric softener or detergent, something nostalgic and calming.

     『Let me guess. …You’re at Sorahashi-san’s.』

     「…Yeah.」

     『How many times have you stayed over already? You’re not even friends. …Is she holding something over you?』

     In a manner of speaking, I supposed so. Or maybe one could say she had a hold on me. Our relationship was so complicated that I didn’t know how to explain it, so I couldn’t say anything.

     The conversation fell silent.

     I could hear Mizuki’s breathing over the phone. It was clear that she was unhappy that I was at Sorahashi-san’s house.

     「It’s fine. Sorahashi-san’s really nice. She’s not holding anything over me or anything like that.」

     『Then, can I come over too?』

     「What.」

     『She’s nice, right? Then wouldn’t she forgive you if your little sister showed up all of a sudden?』

     「Okay, that’s…」

     「Kurumi, is something the matter?」

     Sorahashi-san had returned with a cup in hand. She placed it on the table and looked over at me.

     『…Put her on the phone.』

     That was Mizuki’s voice.

     I had no choice but to hand the call over.

     「Ah, Mizuki-chan? Oh, yes, of course! I’ve been hoping for a chance to speak to you, Mizuki-chan. Um, my address is…」

     Sorahashi-san was beaming as she spoke to Mizuki. She seemed to be the type to love talking to others.

     No matter the situation, Sorahashi-san was still Sorahashi-san. Was it really okay to invite Mizuki over? As I fidgeted, she gently took my hand. The total contrast between her confident expression and the collar on her neck truly hammered in the reality of how abnormal our relationship was.

     We really were so…

     So, so hopeless.

     「Mizuki-chan said she was heading over right now. Ah, but is she going to be safe? She’s in middle school, right? Won’t it be dangerous?」

     「…I’ll go get her.」

     「Really? Then I’ll prepare some more tea for her and wait for you both.」

     It wasn’t that late yet, but I was still afraid to let her walk here alone. I messaged her to say that I’d come pick her up, and then put on my coat and scarf. For some reason, the soft scent of lemon tea wafting around me made me feel like I was under attack.

     It was awfully cold outside, and my nose almost immediately started to hurt.

     As I got to the station, I noticed a message on my phone.

     『Don’t need to come get me. I can walk by myself.』

     It was a curt message, devoid of emojis or stickers. After some hesitation, I bought a ticket from the machine.

     I waited for her on a bench at the platform. As I buried my face in my scarf to escape the temperature, the bitter cold of the evening wind penetrated through even that. Could Mizuki really make it this far by herself? I hoped she didn’t get into an accident or run into someone dangerous.

     The train arrived and came to a halt. Its doors opened, then closed, and then it departed again.

     As I continued to gaze out at the tracks, I truly felt that I was alone. Mizuki was nowhere among the rush of people in suits and kids in uniforms, so I cast my gaze downward. I wondered if I should buy a warm drink for her. But if she arrived while I was doing that, we would miss each other.

     As I was thinking over this and that, I suddenly felt a presence right in front of me. A pair of familiar shoes entered my field of vision. I looked up to see Mizuki.

     「Why are you here?」

     「I wanted to come pick you up.」

     「You could have just waited at Sorahashi-san’s house for me. I know you’re bad with the cold.」

     That was certainly true. I wouldn’t be feeling so cold if I had went back the moment I got the text telling me she didn’t need to be picked up.

     Even so, I thought it was better to wait for her at the station.

     I didn’t know if that was for her sake or mine, though.

     「…Your hands look like they’re freezing. Wait here.」

     She gave my hands a touch and then quickly walked off somewhere.

     I heard a thunk from afar. When Mizuki returned, she handed me a can. It looked to be hot cocoa.

     「Drink it. You’re gonna get sick.」

     「Thank you, Mizuki.」

     「…It’s nothing.」

     I opened the can and took a sip. It was sweet, and somehow tasted of loneliness. As I wondered why I felt that way, I suddenly began to recall something. Come to think of it, I used to drink hot cocoa with Mizuki all the time during the winter.

     I chuckled.

     「Is something funny?」

     「No, that’s not it. Remember that one time you made your own hot cocoa? You were all like “It’s not as good as the one Onee-chan makes!” while half crying.」

     「When even was that? You should stop reminiscing about the past. It makes you sound like an old lady.」

     「It wasn’t that long ago, though…」

     We had practically been living by ourselves for over ten years. I had so many memories of those times, and looking back on them made me feel a little warm inside. But I also knew that those times were all over now, and nothing could turn things back to the way they used to be. That’s why they were also painful memories.

     As I got up, it really sank in how much taller Mizuki was. She was properly standing tall with her face forward, nary a trace of her former spoiled self.

     I wanted her to call me Onee-chan.

     But there was no way I could tell her that.

     I took one more sip of the cocoa and then started walking. A cold wind blew through between us. Even though we were only a few dozen centimeters apart, the distance separating us made me feel like we were walking through different worlds.

     We continued on like this out through the ticket gate.

     Mizuki kept looking at her phone. I looked over from next to her to see a navigation app displayed on the screen. Even though I could give her directions too.

     She continued to look down at her phone as she walked.

     In the past, I might have told her that it was dangerous to look at your phone while walking. For some reason, though, even those words failed to come out of my mouth.

     I pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

     「Hey, Mizuki. Do you remember that time we played cat’s cradle together?」

     I was just trying to make small talk.

     But my voice was unexpectedly dark and heavy, as if there was some sort of intention hidden behind my words that even I didn’t understand.

     Mizuki stopped dead in her tracks.

     「…You mean when I was in 2nd grade?」

     「Yeah, that’s it. I was really weird back then, huh. Saying how I wanted to be spoiled and all that.」

     「I guess. But there’s nothing wrong with that being weird. That was supposed to be an embarrassing secret, after all.」

     「Ahaha, you’re right.」

     I laughed and sipped my now-lukewarm cocoa.

     「…I didn’t think you’d remember that, Mizuki. I thought you’d already forgotten.」

     「I’m not the one who forgot…」

     Mizuki bit her lip.

     Then, as if realizing something, she looked over at me.

     Her gaze was piercing.

     「…Hey, by any chance… Did you tell Sorahashi-san about that?」

     「By that, do you mean… that secret?」

     Without even a nod, Mizuki stared into my eyes.

     Unable to return her gaze, I looked away.

     「Yeah. That was so long ago, so I told her during some small talk.」

     「…iar.」

     A hoarse tone came over her. My eyes widened.

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