Fuyu Monogatari

Chapter Thirty-One: Something to Prove

Aika stood in the alley, the cool evening air swirling around her, but the tension between her and Cobra was far thicker than the chill. For weeks now, she had been avoiding this confrontation, hoping that her brother would come to his senses on his own. But now, standing in front of him, she knew that wasn't going to happen. Cobra wasn't the type to let things go, especially when it came to the people he loved—and right now, his protective instincts were making him blind to who she had become.

"Nii-chan," Aika started, her voice steady, though a storm of emotions brewed inside her, "are you going to keep avoiding me forever?"

Cobra didn't answer right away. He stood there, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, refusing to meet her gaze. His jaw was clenched, his body stiff with unspoken tension. "I'm not avoiding you," he muttered, though they both knew it wasn't true.

"Bullshit," Aika snapped, her frustration finally spilling over. "You haven't talked to me properly since I got back. You act like I don't exist. What's going on with you?"

Finally, Cobra looked at her, his eyes hard and filled with a mix of anger and disappointment. "You know what's going on, Aika. You made your choice."

"My choice?" Aika repeated, incredulous. "What are you even talking about?"

"You chose him," Cobra growled, stepping forward, his voice harsh. "You chose Murayama."

Aika's breath hitched in her chest. She had expected this. She knew Cobra wouldn't be able to handle her relationship with Murayama easily, but hearing him say it out loud—accusing her of betrayal—it stung more than she thought it would. "Nii-chan, it's not like that."

Cobra's eyes flared with frustration. "Then what is it like? You're with him. You live with him. And now I hear all these rumors about you. About how you were some kind of brutal fighter when you were gone. Like I don't even know who you are anymore."

Aika bit her lip, holding back the wave of emotions threatening to crash over her. She took a step closer, trying to make him understand. "You don't know the whole story, Nii-chan. You think Murayama manipulated me, that he somehow tricked me into being with him, but you're wrong. I pursued him. I made the choice."

Cobra blinked, confusion flashing across his face. "What are you talking about? You were just a kid."

Aika shook her head. "I wasn't a kid. I've been in love with him for years, long before you even realized. But you never took me seriously. You thought it was just some silly crush."

"That's not the point!" Cobra shouted, his voice louder now, filled with anger and hurt. "I didn't raise you to throw your life away for some guy!"

Aika flinched at his words, the weight of his accusation slamming into her like a physical blow. "You didn't raise me," she said quietly but firmly. "You looked out for me, and I love you for that, but this isn't about choosing between you and Murayama. This is my life, Nii-chan. My choice."

Cobra's expression hardened again. "And what about the rumors? Are they true? Did you really fight in those places? Did you really become... that person?"

Aika felt a lump rise in her throat. She knew this was coming, and part of her had dreaded it. But there was no point in lying. "Yes," she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. "It's true."

Cobra's fists clenched at his sides, his anger barely contained. "How could you do that, Aika? How could you live that life?"

"Because I had to!" Aika shot back, her frustration boiling over. "I didn't have you or Sannoh. I was alone. And fighting... it was the only way I knew how to survive."