There are days in life that put you especially on edge.
Today was one of them.
"So it really came to this."
This morning, Maki and Mai left the house after telling me to wait in my room.
That alone was enough to make me tense.
At last.
Today was the day Maki and Mai became adults.
Normally, a day like this would mean congratulations, good food, and a warm, happy celebration.
But the two of them were different.
"...This is basically them saying they want to do it, isn't it?"
When they became adults, I would officially accept their feelings.
I was the one who had drawn that line, and even after coming of age, neither of them had changed.
If I was the one who set the boundary, then I had to take responsibility for it.
I couldn't drag things out in some awkward, half-hearted way and end up hurting them.
A strained silence filled the house.
The Servants were quiet.
They all knew today would be special, so they were giving us space.
I was grateful for that, but it also made the pressure worse.