Chapter 95 — Reunion and Farewell (Reincarnated as a Beautiful Girl and Aim to Become a Top Actress!)

 

95 — Reunion and Farewell

The warehouse lit by fluorescent lights was neatly organized. But since it probably wasn’t cleaned every day, there was dust and tiny specks scattered on the floor. And lying there was a person, their legs and body tightly wrapped with yellow and black rope.

When I first saw them, I couldn’t help but stare, wondering, “Who could this be?” They were much thinner than my sister the last time I saw her. I’d heard she had been sent to an extremely strict school, something like a reform facility, but seeing her now, lean and toned, I felt I could catch a glimpse of how strict that school was.

“…Sis?”

The chief had guided me here, and the office staff were playing at being gatekeepers, so there was no doubt my sister was here. Surely, this person wrapped up like a cocoon before me was my sister, but I just couldn’t match the face to her memory and called out to confirm.

She moved slightly, then with a sudden spin, her head turned toward me like a doll from a horror movie. Her glare was sharp, and I almost gasped. But calmly thinking it through, she had no reason to glare at me like that. There was absolutely no reason for her to be angry at me, so I steadied my footing, refusing to back down.

After all, I’m the victim intruded upon this time, so I have no obligation to absorb my sister’s unreasonable anger. So it wasn’t strange or mocking when I looked down at her and sneered.

“What’s with that look? You’re like a cocoon. Crawling on the ground like that, maybe a being caterpillar suits you better?”

I wasn’t used to saying such mean things, so my voice almost trembled. Maybe the conditioning from my past life, where my sister was a superior I had to obey, was kicking in, making me feel she was scary and I couldn’t oppose her. But I’m an actress. I have to bluff a little like this. I decided to make this experience something I could use in my future acting career.

“Shut up! Locking me up in a place like this!!”

“Well, you smashed office equipment when you tried to storm out, so the office people had every right to tie up and confine a dangerous person like you.”

With an exasperated sigh, she clammed up as if I’d hit a sore spot. But frankly, I didn’t want to have a long talk with her. I’d say what I needed to quickly, then leave it up to Azusa-san and the office—whether that meant calling the police or child protective services. After thinking on the way here, that was the decision I made.

But before that, there was something I wanted to ask. From her perspective, she had shamelessly begged me for money, and I coldly refused. Surely she didn’t want to see me. From her side, that was true, but from mine, that phone call was practically a threat.

Still, somehow she had actually come all the way to this Tokyo office, which meant she must have been in desperate straits. She probably didn’t know the office’s location and had to look it up.

So what was the real reason? Was it really the tuition she mentioned on the phone? If it was her character, wouldn’t she have gone to our parents or grandparents instead of coming to me, her disliked and looked-down-on sister? Coming to me meant there was a reason she couldn’t do that.

“So, the reason you came here today, sis, was that money thing you talked about on the phone, right? I thought I turned you down properly. Did you think if you showed up in person I’d just give in and hand over the money you want?”

“…You’re living here as you like now because of me—because I applied to that audition for you. Normally you should be grateful and happily give me money or whatever. But you’re ungrateful.”

She muttered that in a low voice, ending with a spit of disdain. That twisted logic almost made me laugh. She had applied to that audition in my name to ruin me. There was no good reason. Meeting Director Kanzaki there was a coincidence, and Azusa-san approved me because of my talent. There was nothing to thank my sister for.

When I bluntly said so, she zipped her lips tightly and fell silent. Good — if she really thought that way, I didn’t know what I’d do. She probably realized her argument was flawed and couldn’t retort. If she really believed that, she’d have raged and cursed me by now.

“There really are people who can’t have a normal conversation, huh. That surprises me.”

Yoko-san, who had stayed behind to listen so as not to interrupt us, murmured that with some disbelief. And I understood why. Her thinking hadn’t changed since the last time I saw her in elementary school. It was like one of those internet memes about someone not growing up.

But maybe my sister acted like this because it was me, the person she despised most. If she lived in a dorm, she’d have to interact with others, so I hope she treated other dorm residents more normally. But when I saw her glare sharply at Yoko-san after Yoko said that, my confidence in that hope deflated.

“So, no other reason then? You came to me, your sister, to ask for money for your tuition. That’s all there is, right?”

Her reaction suggested there might be another reason, but I had no obligation to kindly ask and solve it. ‘But you’re family?’ or ‘You’re an adult!’ — those guilt-inducing words came to mind, but solving her problems wasn’t my responsibility. That was for our parents first.

Even on the way here, I thought honestly—I’m really angry at our parents. On the night I told them I was going to Tokyo, I promised to face my sister properly. They not only broke that promise but ignored my letter report for a long time, resulting in this mess.

I’ve already paid back the money used to move to Tokyo, so maybe cutting ties with my family isn’t such a bad idea. I could accept the adoption offer Azusa-san mentioned, live quietly as a stage actress, manage the dorm, work as a housekeeper for Azusa-san, and teach talented kids acting. That’d be enough.

They probably won’t just send my sister home alone. Whether both parents come or just one, someone should pick her up. I’ll ask what they plan to do then, and if I’m unsatisfied with the answer, I’m ready to distance myself from my family.

My sister’s answers were just repeated in different words: ‘There’s no other reason,’ ‘It’s natural for the sister to give what the elder sister asks for,’ ‘This money is just easy money from a job like play, so hurry up and hand it over.’ Ugh, no. If I stayed listening here any longer, I think Yoko-san would lose her temper before me.

I tried offering a thread of hope, but she rejected it herself. So be it. It’s up to her and our parents, her guardians, to handle it. I’m done, it’s none of my business.

“Well then, I have nothing more to do here, so I’m leaving. We probably won’t meet again, but take care.”

I said that and turned my back. My sister screamed desperately, “Wait, where am I supposed to stay tonight!?” What was she thinking? Did she expect to stay in my room or have me prepare a hotel? For someone who did all this, thinking she’d sleep in a warm bed was just naive.

I thought it useless to argue and walked out with Yoko-san. The warehouse went dark again as the lights switched off. If she went wild with the stuff inside again, it’d be trouble. Her muffled shouting came from behind the door, but the soundproofing was good enough that it faded quickly as we moved away.

“Good work, Sumire. Talking to someone who won’t listen is exhausting.”

Yoko sighed, and I could only smile wryly. I felt sorry for causing trouble with family. While I was talking to my sister, Azusa-san contacted me. My sister, after dark, would be gagged and bagged and taken to a temple Azusa-san was close with. Even if she was confined in a hotel or room, if she caused trouble, it’d bother people around her.

“If they had a sign saying ‘Filming a variety show’ or something, people probably wouldn’t find it strange.”

The male office staff laughed awkwardly, but I felt guilty making people deal with such almost criminal things because of family. I bowed to him, the chief, and the desk staff once again, then went home to the dorm.

I was so mentally exhausted that my body felt heavy. I collapsed on my bed without bathing and fell asleep.