Chapter 164: Reality Shrouded in Darkness
"what……"

Sakurai Shio was so frightened that her body trembled. She stopped and looked back and forth at Shimizu Ken and her own hands in surprise.

But Qingshui Jian did not let go. He felt that if he let go of her hand, she would run away like a shy cat.

"I did say something wrong just now, but..."

"No, but what..."

Sakurai Shio didn't dare to look directly at Shimizu's face. She twisted her body awkwardly, as if she was trying to put up some weak resistance to see if Shimizu would let go. She looked like a cat that didn't want its paw to touch the water. Shimizu really wanted to let go, but before he finished speaking, he still wanted to hold her tightly.

"I want to say... as a sister, you underestimate Haruka."

"what?"

The unexpected answer made Sakurai Shio look at Shimizu in confusion, expressing her confusion.

Indeed, Sakurai Haruka's academic performance and talents and achievements in many fields are not as good as her sister Sakurai Shio's.

Because they are sisters, people often compare them, and come to the ridiculous conclusion that the younger sister is far inferior to the older sister.

In any case, Shimizu Mitsu really cannot agree with this.

He never thought that Sakurai Haruka was inferior to Sakurai Shio in any way.

"It may sound harsh to say this, but no matter how outstanding you are, your personality is overly distorted. In my opinion, Haruka doesn't need your help at all."

It has to be admitted that no matter from which aspect, Sakurai Shio is very outstanding, and she is also good at communicating with people and can get closer to others in a very short time.

In comparison, although Sakurai Haruka is a little clumsy, she is more straightforward than Sakurai Shio and is able to face her own heart.

She never hides her emotions, and always treats Miura Subaru, who she is not interested in, with a cold eye and never gives him a good face.

And in front of Shimizumi, she would express her sincere and deep love without reservation.

This has nothing to do with her yandere nature; it's just that Sakurai Haruka is simply following her true feelings.

However, although Sakurai Shio, who is highly praised by everyone, is good at communicating with people, she has always used her acting skills to conceal her true thoughts.

She always showed that professional smile to everyone.

When dealing with one's own inner feelings and facing the person one truly likes, one only dares to test the waters on the edge, hesitates, and never dares to take a step forward.

The straightforwardness and honesty that Sakurai Haruka possesses are exactly what Sakurai Shio lacks.

It takes a lot of courage to face one's own heart. In this regard, Sakurai Haruka is stronger than Sakurai Shio, who is unable to follow her true wishes due to excessive entanglement and inner distortion.

No, far better than her.

When Shimizu Mi said that Sakurai Haruka was far better than her in dealing with feelings and self-awareness, Sakurai Shio in front of her was obviously shaken.

This made him realize once again that no matter whether it was the older sister who had grown up or the little girl in front of Shimizu at this moment, the real thoughts in the hearts of both Sakurai Shio were that they did not want to sacrifice their own future.

From a principle point of view, Sakurai Shio's original intention of wanting to protect her sister is undoubtedly reasonable.

Protecting Sakurai Haruka is what she has always wanted to do and what she pursues. In other words, it can also be called "idealism".

However, there is a clear disconnect between this "idealism" and Sakurai Shio's views in reality.

In real life, she did make the same choice as the little girl in front of her during the cultural festival, which was to lend a helping hand to Sakurai Haruka.

However, there are significant differences between the two.

In real life, Sakurai Shio can honestly say that she does not want to sacrifice her future and happiness by helping Sakurai Haruka.

But the little girl in front of me has fallen into over-interpretation and distortion of the role of her sister.

She always stood on the side of an older sister, using the childish excuse of protecting her younger sister to forcibly avoid her true feelings. All her actions were to cover up her inner anxiety and contradictions.

To put it bluntly, Sakurai Shio is most likely a sister-con.

The two complicated emotions of not wanting to sacrifice her own future and wanting to protect Sakurai Haruka intertwined in her heart, leading to her current distortion and contradiction.

However, the Sakurai Shio that Shimizu Mi knew in reality was not as twisted as this.

Shimizu Mi guessed that maybe Sakurai Shio experienced something special in the next few years of her life, or maybe she met someone who was extremely important to her, and that person helped and corrected her distorted thoughts.

After having a younger sister, Reina Shimizu, Shimizu Mi can actually understand Sakurai Shio's strong desire to protect her sister.

But precisely because of this, he couldn't ignore the distorted Sakurai Shio in front of him at this moment.

"At least Haruka won't fool herself."

After saying the first sentence, Qing Shuijian let out a huge sigh of relief in his heart.

"You are deceiving yourself... No, that's not the case. I just want to help Yao, so..."

Sakurai Shio tried to defend herself, and from her hesitant words, it could be seen that she knew very well that she was just avoiding it, and what Shimizu Mi had to do was to help her face her own feelings.

"Help her...is that really the case?"

Qing Shuijian turned the breath in his heart into reality and sighed out.

"Only the stupidest people in this world would be so arrogant as to distort and change someone else's life, and unilaterally think they are helping her."

"Compared to you like this, I think Haruka is a hundred times stronger than you."

"you!"

Sakurai Shio frowned, feeling that she was being scolded by Shimizu again.

It was the first time that Qingshuijian scolded someone like this, especially since the other person was a very young girl.

But——Qiyomizu didn’t stop talking.

"So, please let me twist your life."

Qing Shuijian forced himself to inhale and exhale shallow breaths repeatedly. In order to avoid saying the wrong thing, he took a long time to finish each word and each sentence.

"Wha, what?"

Sakurai Shio was like a baby who had just learned to speak. Her mouth opened and closed, and after a long while she uttered short words somewhat stiffly.

"Why, do you think I'm not stupid enough or qualified enough?"

At this moment, Shimizu felt that he was the stupidest person in the world for saying these words, and he was really embarrassed.

But even so, Shimizu Mi still held Sakurai Shio's hand tightly.

"Eh? No, that's not it... Now what on earth is this..."

Because her right hand was held by Shimizumi, Sakurai Shio could only use her left hand to cover her mouth and slightly flushed cheeks. Her shy look was just like a girl in first love who was confessed to by the boy she liked.

“It may sound a little arrogant, but please allow me to redefine your life.”

When Shimizu was speaking, Sakurai Shio did not interrupt, but just stared into his eyes silently.

Shimizumi cannot read the other person's thoughts just by looking at each other.

Perhaps in Sakurai Shio's eyes, the boy who was younger than her and standing in front of her actually said such arrogant words as redefining her life must have made her feel very childish.

Maybe she is laughing secretly in her heart now...

Shimizu began to regret saying these words in a moment of impulse. His right hand gradually lost strength and his grip on Sakurai Shio gradually loosened and fell down weakly.

However, Sakurai Shio did not run away, but stayed where she was.

"You...what you said just now meant...is..." After a long hesitation, Sakurai Shio gave a disjointed and incoherent answer.

She was speechless and lowered her head as if shy, holding the wrist that Qingmizu had just grabbed. She wanted to say something several times, but immediately closed her mouth and swallowed the air back into her mouth.

During this time, neither of them spoke, with only the cold wind whistling past the window.

Rather than continuing in silence like this, it would be better if there was no sound at all.

Just when Shimizu was about to speak again, Sakurai Shio raised her head slightly and smiled at him gently.

"Really..."

She held Shimizu's hand again.

"Don't you know that when you confess to a girl, you must say "I like you" in person, otherwise you will lose points."

"...Confession?"

Why did Shimizu feel that he suddenly couldn't keep up with Sakurai Shio's pace?

"I thought it would be more romantic when I was confessed to for the first time, but it turned out to be just some stupid insults."

Sakurai Shio coquettishly punched Shimizu lightly on the chest, but since she didn't use any strength at all, he was not shaken.

"If it were any other girl, they would have rejected you immediately."

On the surface, Sakurai Shio's words seemed like a complaint, but in contrast, Shimizu Mi's face tensed.

He had seen this kind of situation and this kind of scene many times - in Amemiya Iori and Sakurai Haruka.

Sakurai Shio's reaction now is similar to that.

"So...you have to thank me."

Sakurai Shio's words were surprisingly gentle, causing Shimizu to look over reflexively, and saw a familiar gentle smile on the corner of her mouth - the same familiar smile that Sakurai Shio had as the older sister in real life.

"It seems that the agreement between Yao and I will be broken..."

Sakurai Shio lowered her head a little dejectedly and muttered something, then immediately raised her head.

"Really... you're actually even more twisted than me."

Sakurai Shio's words were a mixture of joking and self-mockery, and she smiled again after she finished speaking.

She looked straight into Qing Shuijian's eyes, then took a step forward and whispered softly in his ear:
"Don't ever forget. It was you who turned me from a good sister into a liar. So you must take responsibility, my boyfriend..."

Sakurai Shio smiled with great interest, her beautiful yet twisted smile exuding a certain pressure.

Looking at Sakurai Shio in this state, Shimizu realized that he seemed to have messed up something... But this is just Sakurai Haruka's memory, not the real world, so it should be okay, right?

Just as Qingshui had this thought, a deafening noise came from the outside world again.

The ceiling above my head began to shake violently, as if it would collapse at any time, and rubble fell down like hail before a rainstorm.

Qingshuijian quickly turned his head and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a giant's arm smashing on the wall like a mountain, instantly creating a huge hole, with rubble flying everywhere and smoke and dust filling the air.

What was even more terrifying was that the giant arm continued to stretch out, with its five fingers like hooks, stretching straight towards Qingshuijian, as if it wanted to grab and crush him.

"This, this is?!"

Sakurai Shio next to her had a look of horror and fear on her face.

Obviously, she could now see the terrifying giant.

[Countdown to World Collapse: 13:52]

The remaining time is becoming increasingly tight.

"Come on!"

The outstretched giant hand approached quickly, and Qingshui's heart tightened. His body had already reacted. He stretched out his hand to grab Sakurai Shio and hide together.

However, this time, his hand failed to grasp Sakurai Shio.

Shimizu looked in astonishment at his arm which was gradually becoming illusory and transparent, and passed through Sakurai Shio's body like a phantom.

"Ah! You, your hand..."

……

……

On the other side, in the real world.

Amemiya Iori couldn't understand what the doctor said at all.

"We tried our best... but it's a pity."

It wasn't because she didn't hear the conversation clearly.

The person who walked out of the operating room was a male doctor who was about 40 or 50 years old.

His words were clear, and although the volume was not loud, they echoed slightly in the silent hospital corridor late at night.

"What did you just say..."

Amamiya Iori subconsciously asked the doctor for confirmation again, praying to hear a different answer.

However, the male doctor in dark blue surgical gown did not answer.

This is only natural, since the doctor was not speaking to Amamiya Iori.

A girl of about sixteen or seventeen, wearing the school uniform of Kaikawa Academy, with tearful eyes, reminiscent of someone familiar to Amamiya Iori.

This girl who looks somewhat like Shimizu Ken reveals deep sorrow. She is Shimizu Ken's sister - Shimizu Reina.

Her face was as pale as a piece of white paper, without a trace of blood, and her lips trembled slightly as if she was trying to suppress the grief in her heart.

"My brother...my brother...really...has..."

The words came out of Shimizu Reina's mouth word by word, as if confirming the doctor's reaction.

"When he was sent here, it was almost beyond repair."

The male doctor bowed his head deeply.

"No, it's impossible. How could my brother... How could it be possible!?"

Shimizu Reina clenched her hands tightly together, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
She couldn't understand what the doctor was saying.

Even though I knew the doctor was speaking Japanese, I still couldn't understand what he meant.

Rena Shimizu's body and mind refused to understand and acknowledge this reality.

All the sounds around gradually faded away, as if blocked by an invisible barrier, and only the rumbling noise could be heard in the ears.

The doctor was still speaking, but his voice seemed to come from another world and could not be translated into meaningful words. It reached the ears of Shimizu Reina and Amamiya Iori who were standing in the corridor.

Just tinnitus...

Although they were in the real world, the two girls seemed to be in a dream shrouded in darkness.

Shimizu Reina felt dizzy, her body lost its sense of balance, and she couldn't even tell the difference between front, back, left, and right...

(End of this chapter)