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“You really were able…to destroy it all.” Mai said in her soft voice, as if all the hatred she thought she held for her sister in her short life was gone.
The air was salty, in an almost nostalgic tone. Waves sloshing against their legs, wind in their hair. Here, there was no worries. No Zenin clan, no jujutsu, just twins who were greatly wronged by the hands of fate.
The heavenly restricted teenager looks fondly at her sister. “I’m um, I’m sorry. Mai. Truly, I am.”
Mai closed her eyes and shook her head, wanting to change the subject desperately. “It’s okay. I’m still prettier.”
Maki laughs, and it’s warm, full of love. The love they never got to have but so truly deserved. “You are.”
“You actually giving me a compliment?” The younger sister crossed her arms with a teasing smug look on her face.
“I should have gave you more.” Maki replied without hesitation. “You were always…trying to keep the peace in our shitty family. Not wanting to cause issues, doing what everyone told you.”
“It made it easier.” She shrugged. “I understood my place. You didn’t. Simple as that.” Maki rolled her eyes.
“Not much room from argument from *them* now, is there?”
“Good one.” Mai smiled slightly. She looked up at the bright blue of the sky.
Maki looked at her sister’s arm, unharmed, and found she could touch it, rubbing small circles on her wrist. Mai looked up in confusion.
“Have you finally gone off the deep end?”
“Thought that was already obvious?”
“I haven’t spoken to you for longer than 5 minutes since we were children. I’m taking this chance while I got it.” Maki answered before taking a deep cold breath.
“I didn’t…I didn’t want any of this, y’know? 2 weeks ago, you were alive.” The stabbing in her heart saying that was unbearable. “Everything was…I would have changed so much had I-“
“Stop. I’m serious. Don’t make me out to be on a pedestal as perfect. You…did what you needed to do. Did I hate you for it? Yeah. Should I have? I’m still not sure.” The younger one answered.
“I wish we had more time.” Maki said. Her twin replied with a nod. “We can agree on that.”
“About Mother…” Maki starts. Mai shakes her head. “That’s a whole can of worms I do not want to open.” Maki left it at that.
“When I had…when I had made it to Shibuya,” Small waves appeared under Mai’s feet as she rocked back and forth in them, almost anxiously.
“I didn’t know what had happened to you. I…I would have come earlier. When I found out, I was downright terrified. Even considered going back home and doing anything they would have wanted to help you survive. Of course, you made it without my help. Just wanted you to know that.”
Maki nodded. “I wish you hadn’t gone to Shibuya at all. Miracle either of us made it out breathing.”
Maki hesitates- and for the first time in her life she’s scared to hear her sister’s voice.
“Did- Did Naoya-“ He cuts herself short. She cant say it. If she says it, it’ll make it too real for her. She…She needs to know. If he was just saying it to piss her off, great, done, no need to worry about it. But if he-
Mai’s mouth opens slightly before the faux salty air fills her lungs. “It doesn’t matter now.” Her twin’s eyes start to water, and she doesn’t want them to turn into the ocean they’re standing in so she shakes her head. “I blamed you. For so long, for leaving me to him. But I promise, It wasn’t your fault.”
Maki shook her head, as if denying it would erase the pain Mai went through in her short life. She didn’t think anything would ever hurt more then the flames that engulfed her body that day. “I’m sorry…” She gasped out. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t you dare be a crybaby over me. I’m serious. There’s nothing you could have done-“
“I would have punched in his skull earlier.”
Mai laughs. “I know.”
“Why didn’t-“ Maki panted.
She put her hand out. “If you’re about to ask me why I didn’t tell you, I’m going to haunt you for the rest of your life more than I already am. What was I supposed to do? Call you up and tell you Naoya was raping me?” Maki felt her blood vessels’ go icy cold.
Mai sighed, running a hand through her hair and grabbing a seashell from the water they were standing it.
“I just- I should have. Any normal person would tell their sister.” She trailed the pattern on the shell with her index finger. “I had to leave. I couldn’t- I wanted to follow after you but, I also needed to get out. I debated joining the Tokyo school but, at that time, I couldn’t bear to see your face. After you left it was hell most nights. He knew you weren’t there to “protect” me so…that was that.” Mai whispered. She looked up to see Maki’s stone cold stare in horror. “Hey, you asked.” She handed her the shell.
Maki didn’t want to look down at what her sister gave her. Last time she did that, Mai was dead the next time she blinked. She opted just to put it in her pocket.
“When I had left, I wanted to come back as clan head. Make everything safe for you to have a happy life. Seems I only made it worse.” Mai cut her off.
“Maki…All I wanted was you. I would have been happy if you were just there to pat me on the back.” She sighed. “We’re just full of would’ve, could’ve, should’ve’s, aren’t we?” Maki let the corners of her lips twitch up at that.
“You remember how you’re six minutes older?”
“Never forgotten.”
Mai laughs. And it’s so sweet. Like they’re innocent children again, when their biggest concern was pissing off their father by being late to do chores.
Maki tilts her head. “I always thought that was how it was going to be. Forever.” She lets a tear fall like a child would, but she really doesn’t care.
“I don’t want to be a month older, a year, ten years.” Her voice cracks with that last part. The realization that she hasn’t grieved her sister is worse than the split second decision to murder her entire family.
Mai walks over to her in the water and takes her hands. Maki’s heart feels like a pile of burnt ashes that will never be whole again.
“I know. I…I’m sorry. I-“ Her throat closes. “I love you, Maki.”
That’s all she ever wanted to hear. Last time she remembered that being said by her sister, they were innocent in the world, and nothing could ever tear them apart. Maki doesn’t understand. She really doesn’t. So many things she would have done different. She doesn’t want to add to the list anymore.
“I love you too. Mai.”
She couldn’t hide her smile. “Big softie still.” Mai punched her sister’s upper arm. Maki smiled.
“Now go kill him. For me.” Mai finished with a hitch in her voice. All Maki needed to do was nod for the younger twin to understand.
The split soul katana slices through the cursed spirit Naoya. For the first time in a long time, Maki felt like she had made her sister proud.