The next day.
The next ones to visit were Rio and Riza-san.
“Hello, Akito-kun. You look well.”
“Well, yeah. Aside from my memory being gone, I’m mostly doing fine.”
Sometimes it feels like something is catching in the back of my mind, but that feeling disappears quickly.
Then, Riza-san pinched my cheek.
“Whaf are you foing?”
“Hmm, have you gotten a bit fatteR? Well, it cannot be helpeD, since you have not been able to exercisE.”
“Shut up.”
Don’t shove reality in my face when I’m actually a bit concerned about it.
Perhaps because it was their first time here, the two of them were obsessively looking around the place.
Everyone who comes here for the first time has the same reaction, so I’m used to it by now.
I led them to the living room, and we sat down to talk as usual.
“So, can I hear it right away? There must be a reason the two of you were called here, right?”
“That’s right. I wonder where I should start explaining...”
“Rion-san. Leave this to mE.”
Riza-san cleared her throat lightly and held the hand of Ryūguūin sitting next to her.
“I want you to listen calmlY. First, Rion and I are connected by the red thread of fatE.”
“Oh... oh, is that so? Congratulations.”
Come to think of it, they mentioned it in class on the day the red threads became visible. They said that for homosexual people, their fated person would appear as someone of the same sex.
I see, so those two were like that.
“uM. And from the boy, we are to receive a sperm donatioN.”
“Heh.”
...................................................Wait, what?
“Huh?”
“Wait, Riza-san. You jumped ahead too far.”
“Is that sO? It is difficulT...”
“Geez... Akito-kun, let me explain.”
“O-Oh?”
I feel like I just heard some very disturbing words.
Anyway, let’s listen to Rio’s story.
“First of all, the Ryūguūin family is a very old-fashioned house. I was told to give birth to an heir after graduation.”
“How traditional.”
“Exactly. But I like women. And I’m connected to Riza-san by the red thread. We can’t produce an heir.”
Well, they are the same sex. That’s an unavoidable, insurmountable wall, so to speak.
“So, it was decided that we would receive a sperm donation from you.”
“That’s a huge leap?!”
Why is the word 'so' being used there?! There should be something more in between!
“Oh? Was I wrong?”
“nO, I believe that is correcT.”
“Right?”
Hey! Don’t just conclude things between the two of you!
“Does Riran know about this?”
“Whether she knows or not, she’s one of the involved parties. Well, I’m skipping a lot of details...”
“I want you to explain without skipping those details.”
I mean, that’s probably the most important part...
“Um, Rio’s family has very old-fashioned views, so if they found out she loved someone of the same sex and her fated partner was also the same sex, there was a risk she’d be disowned.”
“...I can kind of imagine that.”
“So, the choices presented by Rio’s parents were being disowned or receiving a sperm donation.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”
Why would the choices of being disowned or a sperm donation even come up there?
“Now, now, just listen. If she chose to be disowned, Rio would have to quit school. But if she received a sperm donation, the two of them could walk toward a happy future with everyone’s blessing... That’s how it turned out.”
“But why does that mean it has to be me?”
“We decided we didn’t want a stranger’s from a sperm bank. That’s when the arrow of choice landed on you.”
No, yeah... yeah, I see that I don’t understand.
Even though it’s already something that happened in the past, I have no idea how or why it ended up like that.
“Well, it’s not like it’s happening right now; it’s after Akito and I graduate from university, so it’s quite far off.”
“I-I see.”
That’s a relief... No, is it a relief?
“How about it? Did you remember anything?”
“Not at all. It’s less that I can’t remember and more that I don’t want to remember...”
“My, my. Do you intend to not recognize these children?”
“That is cruel, boY. We are seriouS.”
“Hey, you two, don’t rub your stomachs, don’t rub your stomachs.”
It’s after university graduation, so there’s nothing there yet.
“So, that’s about it for the events we had with you over this past half-year.”
“It is a bit late to asK, but what kind of life does the boy lead for things to turn out like thiS?”
“That’s what I want to know most!”
Is this also an effect of the 'Red Thread of Fate'?
The red thread is terrifying...
◆
“I don’t know what’s what anymore!”
After Rio and the others left, it was just Riran and me in the living room.
Over the past few days, I’ve been told all sorts of things by various people, but I really don’t get it. What is going on with all this? Someone tell me, please!
“Is there any more...? There isn’t any more, right...?”
“Let’s see... You’ve already heard about Hiyori, right?”
“Yeah. While I was in the hospital.”
Because she suddenly said, “Did you forget that you confessed to me?!”
“We also talked about how we ended up living in this house the other day.”
“Yeah, the thing about the Suwabe family, right?”
“That’s right. Which means there’s only one person left.”
“There’s still more...? Who is it?”
“You could even call them the main part.”
What... there was still someone like that? Who could it be?
As I was feeling fed up, Riran thrust out her large chest as much as possible and showed me a triumphant face.
“My story is still left! It’s the holidays starting tomorrow, so I’ll spend the whole day telling you all about us!”