Head Over Heels From The Scarf I Lent Her Chapter 10

“I’m home.”

She calls out from the entrance but finds no response.
That’s how it usually is anyway. Satsuki puts away her shoes and walks farther down the hall.

“I’m home.”

She calls out again into the living room where she a.s.sumed her parents to be.
That’s not something she normally would do, but chalk it up to her feeling generous because she got to go out with Tooru.
Though, of course, her parents didn’t even bat an eye at her.

Satsuki hangs her head down and walks past the living room, towards the stairs. At the top was Amane waiting on all fours, grinning down at her stepsister.

She kept her head down and tried to slip by, only to be grabbed by the wrist by Amane.

“What is it?”
“So, how are you two progressing?”

Her voice was laden with thorns—an obvious sign that Amane is annoyed.
Trying her best to not incur the wrath of her older sister, Satsuki swallows all her feelings and looks straight at Amane.

“We aren’t. We only went to watch a movie and then I cooked him dinner, as per usual. That’s it.”
“That’s it? How disappointing. Just pathetic.”

Her words stung. Not only that, but they’re aggravating.

The time Satsuki shares with Tooru is irreplaceable. Nothing else in her life is nearly as fun.
Then, Amane suddenly lets go of Satsuki’s wrist and looks up at her with a grin.

“So? Whatcha planning on doing then?”
“I am fine with how we are now, no matter what may happen.”
“… that right? You two really aren’t gettin’ anywhere, are ya?”

Amane spat her words out.
They’ve lived together for over a decade, so Satsuki more or less knows how her temper is.

It probably ticks her off that Satsuki went out to have fun.
Amane has a lot of friends—or perhaps more accurately, servants—so it’s not as if it’d be difficult for her to find someone to hang out with. But for whatever reason, the idea that Satsuki made a friend really grinds her gears.

And that brings us to today. Amane is angry that Satsuki found someone to be her friend.
Even though it’s really none of Amane’s business. There’s no reason for her to be mad. Satsuki doesn’t have a slightest clue on what goes through her older sister’s mind.

“Just so you know, don’t expect your happy days to last. Learn your place, you leech.”
“Hold on. Don’t bad-mouth…”
“Stop pretending you’re oh-so-innocent. Did you forget how I said all men are dogs? He’s only after your body.”
“He’s not like that…”
“Oh, I wonder. If you’re so confident, then I’ll have to give him a taste.”

Amane licks her lips and instinctively, a feeling of disgust shoots through Satsuki.

“Please, don’t be like this…”
“What? He’s your man and what’s yours is mine, isn’t that right?”

Amane stands up as she pats Satsuki on the shoulder, sending goose b.u.mps all over her body.
If this were to go on, it might just spell trouble for Tooru. In order to protect him, Satsuki backs down, but Amane wasn’t about to let it go.

“In this household, anything my dad or I say goes!”

Her words brought back memories of the past.

Amane’s personality simply had never been pleasant. She has always left pain in her wake—the effects usually felt by Satsuki.
If they were at the park, Amane would hit her little sister or push her off the swing.

Their father wouldn’t say anything, let alone scold her for it. His love was not for Satsuki, but only for Amane.
He is an average man with an average build, worked in a company, and pays the bills for the family. Even then, he played favorites with his children.

Amane is his own child but Satsuki was baggage brought along by his wife. Sometimes, he would ignore her beauty. As gorgeous as Satsuki is, he viewed her as only the sp.a.w.n of another man.

Their mother, too, is bewitchingly beautiful. They met in the diner she worked at and he instantly fell in love and proposed.

However, she was mentally fragile. She was met with violence when she warned Amane not to bully Satsuki. It wore her down and, eventually, was hospitalized because of it. Now, she is but a husk of a human being, only capable of doing the simplest household ch.o.r.es.

Their father fronted the money to financially support her, but did nothing to save their mother. Still, for the sake of their children, they are married in name.
Their mother gradually lost the will to stand up for herself and Satsuki and now, she has no say within the family. The same goes for Satsuki.

Ever since then, Satsuki had been alone. She had no place to be herself, to call home.

“If you get what I’m saying, then stop pus.h.i.+ng your luck. A leech like you should just entertain me by writhing and suffering.”

Amane then punches the wall to her left before returning to her room.
Oddly enough, Satsuki isn’t frightened anymore. Tooru wanted to be her friend, despite knowing what he knows about Amane.

Satsuki looked ahead and headed for her room. She plopped on her bed, still in her street clothes.
Tooru was kind as she expected him to be. Her chest is throbbing. What is this feeling?

She had never spoke to a boy like this until now. And unlike her father, Tooru is gentle and sincere.
How will things turn out between us? How do I want us to turn out?

She would like Tooru to keep being her friend. Or, at least until Amane changes her mind about things.

“… Tooru…”

Her anguish reverberated through the room before disappearing completely.