"Am I being haunted by a monster again?"
Guo Shan's voice was very soft.
And hoarse.
"Again?"
"A monster?"
"Shanshan, what do you know?"
"Shanshan..."
"I told her."
Seeing the little girl looking as though she might faint, Xiao Xiao shook his head slightly and spoke up to help Guo Shan out.
"...Huh?"
Guo Shan turned to look at Xiao Xiao.
Guo Shan also stared at him blankly.
Her lips trembled.
No sound came out.
"Your behavior over those two years fooled other people, but it was hard to fool your younger sister, who was with you every day."
Xiao Xiao's expression was gentle.
"Guo Shan is very clever."
"And you treated me differently from other people."
"She came to ask me about your situation."
"She was very worried about you."
"I told her she could ask you herself."
"But she came to see me many times."
"In the end, I told her you'd been haunted by a bad monster."
"But it was all right now."
"I'd gotten rid of the bad monster."
Guo Shan's face showed a mixture of dawning realization and bewilderment.
"...I had no idea."
"I'm sorry, Brother."
Guo Shan's eyes reddened.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
His younger sister's choked voice flustered Guo Shan.
"Hey, Shanshan, why are you crying?"
"Your brother isn't blaming you."
"Your brother knows you were worried about him..."
"Don't cry..."
Guo Shan gently patted his sister's back.
That wasn't it.
Guo Shan's tears fell even harder.
She'd finally managed to say she was sorry.
Though she'd done it in a rather sly way.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
I'm sorry, Brother.
You were such a brave brother.
And I was such a cowardly little sister.
I'm truly... so sorry.
Guo Shan lowered her head.
Her hands clenched into fists.
She