In order to save the villainous twin sisters from falling into darkness, the mob character worked hard, and as a result, ended up being doted on by both of them.
“……Mm.”
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the stiff, unfamiliar bed of a hospital.
I had prepared myself for death, but somehow, miraculously, I survived.
Apparently, I hadn’t fallen into the river as I thought but onto the nearby dirt ground, and from a height of only about two meters, which resulted in just a fractured ankle (and bruises all over my body).
Even so, it was still a serious injury, but compared to losing my life, it felt much lighter emotionally.
It’s been over a month since I’ve been hospitalized, and my condition has steadily improved.
Since this injury was the result of my own actions, I’ve come to terms with it.
“Well… that’s fine, that part is.”
But what I couldn’t accept far more easily was the situation unfolding right now.
“Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling? Are you hungry, Touko?”
Touko… that’s my name.
Shirahane Touko, the name of an insignificant background character.
And the one saying my name is Futami Saki, the villainess of the story and the older twin sister.
“Um… no, I’m not hungry since I just woke up.”
Hospital life is boring, so falling back asleep too easily must have been my mistake.
At some point, there she was, sitting casually beside me like it was normal.
“I see. Then how about some fruit? Soyoka, do we have an apple?”
“Nope, sorry~. Touko-chan likes pears, Saki-chan.”
“…”
Soyoka, the younger twin sister, was also here.
And honestly, there were so many things I wanted to question.
Why were they in my hospital room? Why were they so insistent on feeding me? How did they know my preferences? (I don’t remember ever telling them.)
It was all a mystery.
“In that case, let’s go with pears.”
“Okay, here you go.”
Soyoka pulled a container out of her bag, and Saki took it from her.
Had they cut it at home? The pear was already sliced, placed neatly on a plate with a fork, and handed to me.
“It’s a pear.”
“…Yeah, I can see that.”
The pressure to eat it was intense.
“Are you particular about where it’s from? It’s a famous variety from Chiba Prefecture, known for being delicious.”
“N-No, I’m grateful, but I’m not picky about that kind of thing.”
I mean, I’ve never even thought about it.
It almost made me feel guilty that they were putting so much effort into this.
“Oh, I get it now. Sorry, I didn’t realize.”
“Huh? Ah, um, yeah.”
Perhaps interpreting my silence, Saki took the plate back from me.
It seemed she finally understood my confusion.
Just as I was about to say, “Put it in the fridge for later…”—
—Crunch.
A crisp sound rang out as the fork pierced the pear, and before I knew it, the piece of fruit was brought right to my mouth.
“Say ‘ah.’”
“…Eh?”
The bizarre situation was escalating.
Why was Saki trying to feed me like this?
And since when did “say ah” carry such intense pressure?
“What’s wrong? Isn’t it hard to move after being bedridden? Don’t hesitate, let us help you.”
“N-No, really, I’m fine! My injury’s in my leg, not my arms!”
I wasn’t *that* weak.
It seems my silence led Saki to misunderstand the situation entirely.
But still, did she really need to be this attentive?
“Oh, I see! You must be having trouble chewing. Hold on, I’ll go prepare some finely chopped pear for you…”
“No, no! My mouth’s fine too! I can chew and swallow anything!”
I stopped Soyoka as she tried to leave with her bag.
I didn’t want them going through any unnecessary trouble for me.
Taking the plate back from Saki, I grabbed the fork and ate the slice of pear myself.
—Crunch, crunch.
Its unique texture and refreshing juice quenched my throat.
No, it was delicious.
Delicious, but I still couldn’t process the situation…
“Do you want more? If you do, just say so.”
“We’ve got apples, peaches, oranges, and more prepared~.”
What’s with this overly protective vibe?
And wait, they really prepared all those fruits?
“N-No, I’m good, really. This is more than enough.”
Ever since I was hospitalized, these sisters have been acting like this.
The difference in their attitude before and after my fall is staggering.
At first, I thought they felt guilty, but they visit me every single day, to the point where *I’m* starting to feel bad.
“U-Um… I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to visit me every day, you know? Taking breaks is fine too.”
Hospital life is boring, but it’s not unbearable.
My private room gives me some personal space, and my phone keeps me entertained.
I exercise during rehab sessions, and honestly, I’ve been managing just fine on my own.
“I see… I guess you wouldn’t want to see someone like me, a jinx.”
“Yeah… We can’t atone for our sins, so they’re still sins, right?”
—Thump.
The light streaming into the room dimmed, and the atmosphere grew heavier, almost suffocating.
Looking closely, the twins’ eyes lost their shine, and their lips curled into strained smiles.
It was terrifying. Plainly terrifying.
“Alright, let’s leave, Soyoka. And maybe… disappear from this world altogether.”
“That’s right, Saki-chan. If we do, Touko-chan’s world will be purified.”
Their voices were flat, exchanging ominous intentions.
“W-Wait! Just kidding! I was joking! Actually, I’d really appreciate it if you stayed! I get lonely by myself!”
The scariest part? They were completely serious about vanishing.
In the original story timeline, the Futami twins were supposed to stop appearing around this time.
That’s why I couldn’t outright reject them—I feared their descent into darkness could resurface at any moment.
After all, it would defeat the purpose if they reverted back to their old ways because of me.
“Really? That’s good to hear. For a moment, I thought you never wanted to see my face again.”
“No, that’s not true at all… I want you, Saki, to stay healthy and happy.”
“Same goes for me! If my existence ever becomes a burden for you, just let me know, and I’ll lighten it, okay?”
“I’m fine, really. You’ve always been helping me, Soyoka.”
Finally, the spark returned to their eyes, and their expressions regained emotion.
The room brightened again, though their cheerful faces still belied their dark undertones.
But I didn’t dwell on it. Overthinking this situation would drive me crazy.
“Still, you don’t need to feel guilty about me… What happened was entirely my own doing.”
An insignificant mob character had foolishly tried to save someone, ended up falling, and got injured.
In short, it was self-inflicted.
I understood their lingering guilt, but they seemed to carry it far beyond what was necessary.
For me, as long as the Futami twins lived happily, that was enough.
“That’s impossible.”
“Yeah, making such a request is troubling~.”
“Ah…”
They shot down my words instantly.
What drove them to feel this way?
Back on the bridge, they clearly distanced themselves from me.
“Touko, you’re our savior. No matter what we do, it’ll never be enough to repay you.”
“Touko-chan saved us, so we have to dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to her.”
“…I-I see.”
Hmm…
Were the Futami twins truly free from their descent into darkness?
Or had their warped feelings simply redirected toward me?
If that were the case, it meant they could easily slip back into dangerous behavior.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t truly saved.
“If there’s anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“If there’s anything I can do, please tell me~.”
“…Okay.”
All I could do was nod in response to their synchronized words.
It was heartwarming, but… honestly, this situation was the most troublesome.
Though I couldn’t exactly say that out loud.