Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon - Volume 1 - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - I hate it

It's been quite a long while since they last met but her half-sister was just as beautiful as ever.

Her unchanging gorgeous good-looks and how elegantly she carried herself. Every movement she made attracted the gaze of people walking by. With one look, anyone could see that she was a lady of high standing.

That pure, untainted angelic smile of hers caused men walking along the streets to stop in their tracks and do a double-take.

However, Miyo knew better. Under that angelic facade, the words that come out of that child's mouth would most definitely not be anything soothing to her heart.

"Fufu, I didn't expect to see you here. How surprising, I didn't think that you'd still alive."

And here Kaya was, wondering where Miyo's corpse might have been.

Kaya's lips curled into a gentle smile but the contempt in her eyes was clear as day. From afar, where one couldn't hear the words that came out of those lips. People would probably see a pretty lady caring for an impoverished woman that didn't seem well.

Just like that, everyone was fooled by the rGood girlj mask Kaya had on.

"Ah, but seeing that you're wandering about on the streets in such a shabby appearance, you must have been thrown out by Kudou-sama, haven't you? Oh, my poor Onee-sama."

"T-That kind of thing is..."

Miyo was unable to form a proper reply. Her mouth was dry and her mind was blank.

"Kaya, sto—"

"Please do not interrupt, Kouji-san."

Kaya cut him off with a smile and forbade Kouji from saying any more. And that expression on her face. She seemed excited just thinking about what other words she could say to ridicule Miyo.

In a place like that with a mass of people around them. Kaya shouldn't be able to attack her so blatantly.

Despite knowing that, the fear that had been deeply ingrained into her very bones, still made her subconsciously shrink away. The only way she knew how to deal with this situation was to silently accept the scorn coming her way.

"Well, I suppose it couldn't be helped. After all, someone like Onee-sama could never be a good match for someone such as Kudou-sama. It's no wonder you were kicked out. I suppose you'll be able to earn if you live."

"..."

"Or perhaps, you were met with something that made you think that offing yourself would be a better option? I'm sorry, I can’t quite tell when you're dressed like a beggar."

Kaya snickered to herself.

Being able to humiliate that half-sister of hers after such a long time put her in a very good mood. She then clung onto Kouji's arm to show off to Miyo who could only lower her head and shudder in her presence.

"...That's enough, let's go, Kaya."

"Didn't I tell you to remain silent, Kouji-san? Onee-sama... if you're in need of money, please do tell me! If you crawl on the ground and desperately beg me for it, I might consider lending you some."

"I...I..."

She had to say something back...

Up until now, Miyo could never say anything to Kaya, but now was the time to do it. She had already left the Saimori house and would likely never return to that place. If so, shouldn't she vent out all her bitterness and grudges that had accumulated over the years of suffering she had been subjected to?

But alas, despite having those thoughts...

Miyo couldn't voice any of those words out to Kaya's face.

"Aiya, it appears nothing has changed. I guess you really never change no matter where you may be, Onee-sama."

"M... My deepest apologies!"

It can only be said that Miyo was the one who disappointed herself the most.

Even after being scolded by Kiyoka, telling her not to apologise incessantly, and she did in fact, try her best to do just that. But when she stands before her half-sister, she immediately goes back to square one.

At the end of the day, there was nothing she could do about it. She was dominated by the fear deeply ingrained in her consciousness.

She subconsciously gripped her hands so hard that they turned white.

The walls which protected her heart had slowly been chipped away by Kiyoka and Yurie’s kindness. She felt like she was about to fall apart as tears welled up in her eyes.

(But, I can't cry here.)

She couldn't give Kaya the chance to see her weakness, to see how vulnerable she had become.

"Miyo-sama"

She got a surprise from the voice that came from behind her. When she turned around, Miyo saw Yurie, who had returned from shopping, standing there.

"Sorry, to have kept you waiting... Who might this be?"

"S-She is..."

"Hello, are you Onee-sama's colleague? My name is Kaya, I'm the younger sister of Saimori Miyo. Thank you for taking care of her."

Kaya titled her head at Yurie and gave her a gentle smile that people loved. There was no doubt that anyone who saw this would think that Kaya had a kind-hearted personality and would naturally be inclined to take her side.

Ah, given how it is, Yurie would probably prefer Kaya to Miyo wouldn’t she? Choosing to be on her side over Miyo's. And perhaps, one day—even Kiyoka.

(No, only that... I definitely don't want that.)

What could she do to prevent that from happening?

Miyo desperately racked her brains over what she should do, but no matter how hard she thought, nothing came to mind. There wasn’t any part of her that could win against Kaya, nor did she have anything that could make them stay.

However, just as she sunk deeper and deeper into her pool of self-pity, a pair of hands rescued Miyo from the darkness.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Yurie. It's absolutely preposterous for someone like me to be mistaken as Miyo-sama's colleague! Miyo-sama is an important person who would become the wife of my lord."

The warmth coming from Yurie's hand on her back made Miyo's breathing feel a little easier.

"Wife?"

"Yes, Miyo-sama is the future wife of Kudou Kiyoka, whom I serve."

"......!"

The tone of Yurie's voice was more stern and firm than Miyo had ever heard her. It even made Kaya a little nervous.

"A-Aiya, would Kudou-sama be content with someone like Onee-sama as his wife? How kind of him. Or perhaps he simply couldn't care less who his wife is? One really can't trust the rumours in the streets."

She sounded just as bubbly as before, but hid her mouth behind her sleeves to readjust her expression. As expected, a mask she's worn for so many years wouldn't be peeled off so easily.

However, it didn't seem like she would openly speak ill of Miyo in front of Yurie.

"Well then, Onee-sama that would be all. This is where we say goodbye."

Kaya chuckled and left while pulling onto Kouji's arm with a gentle smile still plastered on her face.

Miyo finally exhaled the breath she had been holding. She finally felt the tension in her body disperse and her strength returned to her body.

"Let's head home, Miyo-sama."
"...Yes."

Miyo didn't catch Yurie's expression but she must've witnessed how pathetic she was. The miserable sight of her only being able to keep her head down, unable to fight back in any way as her half-sister bullied her.

Would Yurie lose faith in her as Kiyoka's fiance?

At this point, Kaya's rude remarks were the last thing that was on her mind.

After all was said and done, Kaya was already gone and that was that. Although Miyo was upset by her own cowardice against Kaya, being unable to talk back to her. What Miyo was most concerned with right now was how Yurie thought of her. She was afraid that Yurie was disappointed in her.

Despite knowing full well that she was unsuited to be Kiyoka's wife, she couldn't help but feel terrified of being told once again that she was unbefitting.

All the light and fluffy feelings she had when she was mulling over Kiyoka's gift had all sunk to the bottom of the earth.

(I hate myself for being the way that I am... I really hate it.)

Miyo stayed silent the entire journey home. While Yurie seemed to have realised something but kept quiet and the two of them continued on their way in silence.

When they arrived back home, Yurie finally opened her mouth.

"Miyo-sama, let's have lunch now, shall we?"

"...It's fine, I'm not hungry."

"Miyo-sama..."

"Thank you for accompanying me today, Yurie-san. You should also head back to rest."

Miyo didn't dare meet Yurie's eyes. She was afraid of finding out what kind of light Yurie saw her in after that incident.

She left Yurie at the entrance and locked herself in her room.

(...I'm really incapable of doing anything.)

Why was it that way?

Why was there so much that she couldn't do?

In the eyes of most people, she was probably inferior to her half-sister in every other way.

She felt so miserable.

She doesn't know how she would face the rest of her days.