Sisters

Finally! Back at my home after all that time!

Those were the thoughts that filled Seigi Fumio's head the moment she stepped through the doorstep of her house.

A sense of fulfillment winning a rigged trial. The relief of knowing that the girl you saved today is alive and well, and lastly the loneliness that awaited her at an empty home.

"Sigh... Welcome home."

She mumbled to herself in her lonesome.

Seigi Fumio. Successful lawyer. Prodigy of the court. One of the best defense attorneys in the country. Has never dated once in her life.

Honestly, it was quite obvious if you thought about if for a minute.

Being a lawyer isn't an easy thing to do and getting into the job even more so. Studying law, getting into an agency, getting work experience, etc.

If it weren't for the support of her family, it would have probably taken a lot longer to go independent as a law agency.

But from now it's always going to be downhill drive, or uphill depending from the perspective you are looking at.

While she was successful and made a name for herself, all trials she received until now were mostly minor cases with the occasional middle case sprinkled in. No big fish to catch so to say.

Her first trial was the one she recently helped solving.

Defending the budding hero prospect Rumi Usagiyama. Eligible candidate to be ranked in the top 10 heroes of this country and her kouhai at school 7 or so years ago.

Thinking back at her life, it was fulfilling yet void at the same time. Full because she learned a lot and got far with her career path.

Empty, because she didn't stop for a moment to look back at what she accomplished.

The people she met, her family, her clients. Trying to think back at them, Fumio noticed that her memories weren't as clear as she thought they would be.

She couldn't remember a single clear detail about her clients, all of those memories solving their troubles were blurring together.

Friends... did she even have any?

And it has been quite a while since she last contacted her family.

Once again, the loneliness in her heart started to gnaw at her heart, that was until she was pulled out of her thoughts by the ringtone of her phone.

"Justice Agencies. What can I help you with?"

From the other side of the receiver, an audible gasp could be heard.

"Woah, how professional middle big sister. You sound more professional than usual for some reason? Gasp-, is it because you won your first proper trial? Congrats on that."

Hearing the cheery voice on the other end, Fumio couldn't help but smile. It was her adorable, playful little twin sister, Seigi Etsuko.

An airhead with a cheery personality that just like her kohai, was a prospect that had a change to be named one of the top 10 heroes of the country.

"What is the reason you call me, Etsuko?"

"What~? Can't a little sister call her esteemed middle big sister? I was just a bit concerned about you. Especially since you didn't take my call for a day straight. Aren't their countless messages that you missed like a 100 calls or something?"

Looking at her phone display it indeed showed that she missed 62 calls. Fumio felt a little bad upon seeing that, that means that her little sister tried to reach out to her twice in an hour.

"It says 62."

"That still is a lot! Can you tell me why?"

"I was just a bit distracted."

"Distracted with what!"

"It's a long story..."

"I have time to listen to your long story, esteemed middle sister!"

Hearing her little sisters insistence, Fumio ran out of excuses to not tell her. So, at first with a bit resignation, she started her story at about when she left the trial and gradually warming up with every part, she ended the story with a bit excitement at the point where she returned home again.

All the while, Etsuko listened to Fumio's story intently.

"Fumio. Let me guess, you are at your computer right now, despite your broken arm, right?"

"Oh my, as expected of someone who works under a detective."

After that exchange, a moment of silence followed.

"So, should I tell my boss that you want us to investigate a certain orphanage?"

"That would be nice of you, yes. You know how much I dislike Mado-san."

"Got it, anything else?"

After her little sister asked her that, Fumio needed a moment to think, until something indeed came to her mind.

"Actually yeah. First I'd of course like to meet the human scum of an orphanage director that treats a disabled child like that. You know, to figure out if this country is rotten that high up already."

"Got it, anything else?"

"Oh my, you call me professional, but aren't you quite professional yourself, my little sister? Well, as for the second thing, what do you think of me adopting that little girl, Etsuko?"

Upon receiving that reply, it needed a hot second for Etsuko to process what her big sister just said and the moment it hit her mind.

"Wha-"

Fumio could hear the sound of someone tripping and planting face first into concrete.

"That came out of nowhere!"

It indeed did.

"But well, you are an adult already. A pretty responsible one at that. It's your decision, nobody can really interfere with whatever decision you make. Not even our parents, though it would be certainly nice if you informed them. All I can say is, just don't regret whatever decision you make."

Fumio smiled at her little sisters reply. That was so like her to avoid giving her own opinion on a personal topic.

"Well, I promised to myself that I am going to save this girl. So, there is nothing that can stop my decision at this point."

"Fufu. I am glad I could re-affirm your resolve then, big sister."

For a moment, laughter was exchanged between the two sisters as this seemed to be the end of this conversation topic.

"Now why did you call me, Etsuko?"

"Huh~? What? Can't a little sister call her bigger sister out of worry?"

"..."

"..."

"No ice cream for you."

"Wha- Wait, don't hang up!

Fumio did. Without hesitation, before yeeting her phone out the window.

"I might come to regret throwing my phone like that, won't I?"

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the phone, a certain hero was looking at her phone screen as it told her "No Signal".

Despite the casual nature of her conversation right now, it was quite a bad time for her to stare at her phone screen.

Why?

Because she was in the middle of a mission.

"Don't move or I'll blow a hole through this lass' skull."

A third rate line from a fourth rate "villain". Villain was too much to label his kind. He was a random thug. Nameless mook number 3123. The kind of enemy you'd see copy pasted and re-skinned countless times in a game.

It was honestly quite pathetic of her kohai to get caught by one of them.

"Shut it."

She said with a quite menacing gaze inside her eyes. Her killing intent was tangible, slightly shaking that thugs resolve for a moment.

"D-didn't you hear what I said? We have the numbers advantage and I have a gun pointed right at her head. No matter how competent a hero, a good old 460 caliber round in your skull and you are dead. This S&W can blow a brick wall to bits. Now put your weapon down and kneel-"

Hearing their apparently leader said that, the other mooks started to chuckle among themselves, quite sure of their victory.

"Tell me. Do you like your odds?"

Hearing that, everyone shut up again. Despite their advantage, they still didn't feel confident facing Etsuko.

Hell, she wasn't even one of the top 10 heroes yet, but they still couldn't help but feel intimidated by her.

"Is that sweat I see? You have me surrounded and a hostage. Yet, you don't feel confident facing me, how pathe-"

BANG!

The guy pulled his trigger, but not aiming at his hostages head, but slightly past it.

"I said don't move. Now put your weapon down. Kneel. A show your hands so I can see them."

"s-senpai..."

The little trainee hero had tears in her eyes, bawling her eyes out. It was obvious that she was very scared. Especially after a gun shell flew past her head.

Seeing this situation, Etsuko couldn't help but sigh in annoyance.

Her job wasn't to babysit new fledgling heroes. Yet, she had to do such a job, because her boss owed someone a favor.

How annoying.

Following the instruction, Etsuko lifted her sword up, getting a visible reaction from the thugs that were very ready to attack.

For the thugs relief, Etsuko just dropped the blade. A loud clang could be heard as the metal hit the concrete. Then the promising hero kneeled down and put her hands behind her head.

"My, my, my. For someone who has rumors around them getting in the top 10 soon, you sure are stupid. I never promised to release her, did I now?"

The moment he said this, his companions rushed out, ready to pounce on the hero. Their expressions revealing untoward intentions to the two heroes.

Once again, Etsuko just sighed seeing this stereotypical development.

A strange glow visible in her eye and in the next moment, Etsuko already stood behind the thug with the hostage, sheathing her sword.

"Omae wa mou shindeiru."

"No way..."

In a flash, countless sword paths appeared and disappeared as all the thugs fell unconscious, riddled with sword wounds all over them.

The little kohai who closed her eyes as she saw Etsuko get jumped like that, opened them again. Blinking surprised at the scene in front of her, before turning around and gazing at Etsuko with eyes full of admiration.

"How incredible! As expected of the serene flower at the apex of heaven! You defeated all of these villains in the blink of an eye! How can I repay you back?"

Etsuko just turned around and flicked the girls forehead.

"Incompetent. Getting caught by villains like that. What do they teach you nowadays for that to happen? How to create a positive image for yourself? Get famous and rich really quick? How to make pictures? That was an abysmal performance and you know it. If I could, I would send you back to school, but I can't."

Hearing Etsuko tear into her like that, the young hero trainee got tears into her eyes. Awfully close to crying.

Seeing that, Etsuko almost couldn't believe it. That wasn't the average, right? You can't seriously tell her that the mentality of those fledgling heroes was seriously this weak, was it?

Exactly in that moment, Etsuko gave up any hope and just sighed and scratched her head.

"Nevermind. Just buy me some Häagen Dazs. After all I still saved your life just now."

The moment she said this, the tears in the young heroes eyes disappeared as if that was a lie just now.

"Umu. Yes!"

A decision she would come to regret, as she will spend about 15.000 Yen in ice cream.

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Waking up, Fumio felt slight regret.

"Shit-"

As she woke up leaning on her broken arm. It was still in deep pain to say the least.

"Sigh. Yesterday was real, wasn't it?"

Still half-asleep, Fumio once again pondered the events of the last days. No matter how long she thought about, even with a refreshed mind that just woke up from sleep, it was still an incredible turn of events.

A turn of events she thought couldn't be real, but here she lied. With a broken arm.

Standing up, she tried her best to do her morning routine. Going to the toilet, brushing her teeth, washing her face, taking a shower, dressing up.

Sadly, half of those things were really difficult with an arm bound to your body.

Taking longer than usual, she arrived in her kitchen. Ready to make breakfast.

...

Nevermind, seeing her arm in that state she decided to just go eat out.

"Should I visit Akane today? I have a feeling that despite everything, it's going to be a good day."

Fumio said to herself as she left her house with a smile on her face.

That's when she noticed something vibrating in her lawn. It was the phone she threw out last night. Surprised that it held up, Fumio walked over and picked it up.

"Justice Agencies here. What can I help you with?"

"Woah-. My little sister is quite professional, isn't she? Anyways..."

Fumio hung up. That was something to deal with later.

Oh hey. Her phone rang again. Who could it be?

"Hey! Your nee-sama opened time in her schedule and that's how you react? That quite cold of you Fumio."

"Interesting coming from you, who ran away from home."

"Our parents being one thing, but do you also have to be so cold to Akasuki-"

Hung up and blocked. Yep, still not going to forgive that one.

Anyways, visiting Akane!

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Ice Cream:

"Senpai! Please stop eating..."

A certain hero newbie said while crying, trying to pull her senpai away from her bowl of ice cream.

Her senpai held steadfast, greedily devouring the cold desert like a wild beast.

"It's your 12th serving already. Doesn't your stomach get upset?"

At this point, she was getting desperate. Her finances didn't allow her to spend that much in a month and with the pace her senpai was going, it seemed she was never going to stop.

Resigning to her fate that she probably will get in debt, the hero trainee just sat down in defeat.

Luckily for her, her savior came in that moment.

"Etsuko, there you are! About the request you just send me..."

It was a handsome young man with dark eyes and short black hairs. He wore a long brown coat above what looked like a suit jacket, his neck was covered with a checkered a scarf and the glasses were framing his face in a way that made him look more handsome.

The trainee fell in love at first sight.

Then her senpai just shyly walked up to him and gave the handsome man a quick peck on his lips.

"Woah, quite unexpected of you to show me that much affection-"

He shouldn't have said that. He was hit as a result. For her, it was just a gentle, playful punch. For him, getting hit by her was quite painful, even with all the layers of clothing he was wearing.

Seeing the two of them lovey-dovey like that...

...I dig that more! Senpai could make such a face. It's so great! As the two left for their own world, I sat there uncomfortably as the two started talking about things I didn't understand and couple talk.

Alone with Senpai's coffee ice cream she just left standing there to melt.

Ugh... I dislike bitter stuff. But it's a waste of good ice cream and I paid for it with my money. So, might as well eat it.

I took a bite out of the coffee flavored ice cream...

...

It was sweet.