Tsubasa Family

“What’s the matter, honour student? Adding ‘nya nya’ at the end of every line, that’s your character design… isn’t it?!”

The cat – Hanekawa,

became quiet for a moment when I pointed this out – and like she was finally giving up,

“Well now.”

she said this.

In the same tone as the very beginning.

“Oh, maybe that should be ‘well nya’… oh well. Um. Hmm. When did you find out?”

It was a strangely bright attitude from which no guilt can be felt, filled with good grace.

Yes. It was Hanekawa as usual.

A Hanekawa-like – Hanekawa.

She wasn’t – not like her.

No.

Hanekawa not being like Hanekawa – not once did that ever happen.

Hanekawa not being Hanekawa, or,

Being similar to Hanekawa but not being her.

None of it.

A great part of her consciousness remained – that wasn’t it.

It was a split personality – and it wasn’t.

It was not an exterior and interior, nor was it black and white.

If you flip the back, you would find the front.

The dark side is, at the same time, the complete Hanekawa. And.

You can turn her around and you can turn her dark, but she will still be herself.

Hanekawa is – Hanekawa.

No matter when, no matter where.

No matter what the crime is, no matter what the misdeed is.

No matter what the mischief is.

They were all – things that she herself did.

It went just like the tale of the hindering cat.

Except they didn’t change places.

But then – that’s like Hanekawa was never possessed to begin with –

Something that looked like a ghost – only to turn out to be withered grass. [1]

<>

“Don’t be absurd – I’m having a hard time, too. I have things that I can and can’t do. I’m human, too.”

“No, you’re not.”

I interrupted her.

“You surrendered yourself to the abnormality. The way you are now, you don’t get to call yourself human.”

” – That was cruel, Araragi-kun.”

Even so, Hanekawa spoke – with a smile.

As though she was blaming me.

<>

“I will never pity you.”

I repeated myself.

As though I was pressing her, as though I was striking her – I.

Spoke.

I blamed her.

“You’re the one who got me back on my feet – the hell am I supposed to do if you go all delinquent on me?!”

Don’t let the cat be your reason.

Don’t let the abnormality be your excuse.

Don’t let the monster be your opportunity.

Don’t let misfortune be your trigger to grow up.

Even if you do that – in the end, aren’t you just clawing at yourself?

Don’t you know – that abnormalities really don’t exist?

That.

Was all lies.

<>

“You, really are the worst, Araragi-kun.”

It was making her head hurt.

That’s what she said.

“Even if you become a star, you won’t be a hero. Right, Araragi-kun?”

“I won’t be a star, either.”

I shook my head.

“The only thing I can be, is a vampire.”

And I – even failed at that.

“I see.”

So you’re not going to be – my hero.

You’re not.

“I’ve thought this for a while now, but you actually hate me, don’t you, Araragi-kun?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded.

“I really hate you, Hanekawa.”

“Yep. And I, really hate Araragi-kun.”

Saying this, Hanekawa,

“Just die.”

glanced away from me, as though in contempt – and she muttered, so quietly that it seemed her voice had disappeared.

“Just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
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just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
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just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
just die, just die, just die, just die,
– someone like me, should just die nya.”


[1]

Yuurei no shoutai mitari kareobana is a Japanese saying, meaning ‘something that looks like a ghost, but with a closer look turns out to be heads of withered grass’. The phrase describes when the thing one had so feared turns out to be surprisingly insignificant.

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