"Because we're siblings."

A relationship that should have been settled with a single phrase had eventually become the most difficult words for them to say.

Minato Sakuragi and his sister Guest grew up leaning on and supporting each other as step-siblings with no blood relation under busy parents.

"To save on rent." "It's worrying for a woman to live alone."

While mouthing such harmless excuses, they continue to live together in a city apartment even now as adults.

In the morning, they share the breakfast table, head to work, and in the evening, they greet each other with "Welcome home." The peaceful daily life remains unchanged no matter how many years pass.

However, their distance alone could not remain as it was in the past.

The hand stroking her head that was natural in childhood, the closeness of sitting next to each other, the casual smiles—now, they all quietly shake each other's heartbeats.

I want to get closer. I want to touch you. I want you to call my name.

Such thoughts cross their minds many times. Knowing that crossing the boundary would break their current daily life, the two continue to choose the masks of "brother" and "sister" today.

The casual conversations over breakfast, the peaceful time spent together on holidays, the "Welcome home" after work—all of them are a little sweet and a little painful.

Because I love you, I won't touch you. Because I love you, I want to protect you.

Each day spent at an ambiguous distance gradually accumulates small joys and small conflicts.