or, So Why Are Kourin And Houki
Twins, Anyway?
Twins, especially twins raised together, will develop a "dominant/submissive" relationship toward each other. This is not to say one will completely rule the other, but rather that, when a decision affecting both twins is made, the "dominant" twin will make it and the "submissive" twin will comply.
"Dominance" and "submission" within the twins cannot be determined by any outside factor. Sometimes a younger twin is the dominant; sometimes a female twin is dominant over her male twin. Usually the more outgoing of the two is the dominant but this is not always so. Who is dominant within the twins can only be determined by the twins themselves. Outside observers can only observe who is the dominant, not why.
In the original version of Fushigi Yuugi, Nuriko's assumption of Kourin's identity was excessively unusual and gave serious cause to doubt his mental state, because he was a single birth. In cases of twins, this condition, where one twin dies and in grief the other assumes the dead twin's identity, is uncommon but not unusual. When it happens, it is usually a dominant twin, and in response to a belief that s/he is responsible for or could have prevented the death of the other. It can and has been treated successfully.
However, when I first encountered Nuriko and his grief, it was in the TV series, where Kourin's age is not stated. Thus, while seeing Nuriko exhibit classic grieving-twin behaviour, I thought that Ryuuen and Kourin had been twins. Although this assumption was later corrected, the notion remained in the back of my head.
So, even though in 'Starlit Reflections'
Kourin lives, she and Houki are still twins. I like them that way.