Chapter 17. What's it like having an older sister?

"Nothing important," I said, shaking my head, trying to brush off the topic.

Tomoe pouted theatrically, her lips jutting out like a sulking child. 

"Oh, don't be like that. It's your first real trip — aren't you excited?"

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a curious look. 

"I should be asking you the same question. You've been practically bouncing off the walls since we left. What's going on?"

"Umm…" Tomoe hesitated for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the question. "I forget sometimes what kind of little brother I have."

"Well, this is what you got," I shrugged, smirking as I added in a mock-sad tone, "But would you rather have a different little brother?"

She snorted, catching onto my teasing. "I didn't say I wanted to return you."

"Well, for returns, you'd have to ask..." I glanced over at Mom, who raised an eyebrow as if daring me to finish the sentence. "...Anyway, returns are non-refundable."

"I wouldn't want another little brother," Tomoe sighed, playfully ruffling my hair. "Especially when everyone else gets annoying, clingy brats, and I've got... a serious, mature, sweet, well-mannered one."

"Okay, okay, enough!" I interrupted, waving a hand in embarrassment. I didn't mind the compliments, but hearing them from my eleven-year-old sister felt... weird. "So why are you so hyped about this trip?"

"Am I?" She blinked innocently, feigning ignorance like she had no idea what I was talking about.

"You're a terrible liar." I shot her a skeptical look, narrowing my eyes.

"That doesn't mean I'm just going to spill everything," she replied, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she glanced away, clearly enjoying dragging this out.

"Here we go with the riddles again," I groaned, trying not to sound too frustrated. "Just give me something, or I'm going to lose it from the suspense."

Tomoe's smirk grew as her eyes glinted with amusement. She was definitely enjoying this little game of cat and mouse.

"Lose it, huh?" She leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a huge secret. "I thought you were too 'mature and important' for such things."

"Very funny," I sighed, fighting the smile creeping onto my face. "Just tell me what's so special about this trip. You've been to Kyoto before, so I doubt it's just a regular visit that's got you all worked up."

She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment as if deciding whether to keep teasing or finally come clean.

"Alright, alright," she relented with a small wave of her hand. "We've got a little surprise planned for you..." I raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed with the vague answer. Tomoe noticed my expression and made a face. "And why can't I just be excited that we're finally going on a trip together? It's a rare thing, you know!"

"Fair point." I relaxed, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "Even without surprises, I'm glad we're doing this as a family."

These two — Mom and Tomoe — were my family. And despite all the challenges, I always valued the moments I spent with them. My past life had made it abundantly clear that family is the most precious thing you have, especially when you're the kind of person who got splattered across the pavement by a car.

"So... what's the surprise?" I couldn't resist, giving in to my curiosity.

"Nope!" Tomoe laughed, clearly enjoying the anticipation of my inevitable frustration.

"Seriously?" I snorted. "You're planning to keep me in the dark for the whole trip?"

"Why not?" She shot me a playful glance, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "That's the fun part!"

I sighed quietly, realizing it wouldn't be easy to coax the truth out of her. But honestly, this mystery wasn't exactly unsolvable...

Not to brag, but being a pretty diligent student with a decent memory, I'd picked up quite a bit about the supernatural world over the past six months — about as much as any well-informed member of it. So, let's break down the facts. Kyoto, besides being Japan's former capital, is also the capital of the West Youkai Faction. It's a key political and spiritual center, important not just for the supernatural world, but for Japan's cultural heritage too. Then, there's the East Youkai Faction, located in the Kanto region. Makes sense, since its capital is Tokyo, just a stone's throw from Kuoh.

This little fact highlights just how well supernatural races conceal themselves. Even with my Pure Eyes, I hadn't noticed anything suspicious in Kuoh — aside from Akeno's parents, of course. Though, to be fair, I wasn't exactly looking for trouble. At least, nothing seemed off during my trips to school or the park. But stepping anywhere near churches? Yeah, not happening. Not in my previous life, and definitely not in this one. Churches have always been hotbeds for intrigue and manipulation, and getting mixed up with that isn't the best idea... especially when your mom and sister are witches.

Now, back to Tomoe and her oh-so-secretive plans. I couldn't help but speculate on the real reason behind her behavior. Sure, we lived near the East Youkai Faction, and she never seemed too interested in them. But that didn't mean her indifference stretched to the West Faction. This time, Tomoe was acting way too playful, way too pleased — and this wasn't just childlike excitement over a simple trip.

Of course, you might say, "She's only eleven." But let's not forget: Tomoe is a young witch. She matured faster than her peers, and her education shaped her thoughts and actions to be more... refined. Yeah, no normal kids in our family, and I'm pretty sure Mom was thrilled about that.

So, my conclusion was obvious: this had something to do with the Youkai of the West Faction. Maybe not the whole faction, but likely someone specific. And if my hunch was right, it meant I was about to meet my first real supernatural… entity. Though, I should probably keep the whole "entity" thing to myself. Calling someone — or something — that might not go over so well.

As Sherlock Holmes said, "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

"Don't do that," Tomoe's voice suddenly cut through my thoughts.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused by what she meant.

"That look," she muttered, glaring at me like I'd just committed some unspeakable crime.

"The look?" I stared at her, completely at a loss.

"Yeah, that look of yours," Tomoe waved her hand dismissively, like she could flick my expression off my face like an annoying bug.

"But I can't see it, can I? I mean, it's just my face…" I tilted my head, trying to figure out what had set her off.

"Yeah, and your face says, 'I already know exactly what's going on here,'" she shot back, clearly trying to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Well, I kinda do," I said, flashing her a smug smile just to rile her up even more.

"No, you don't!" Tomoe huffed, narrowing her eyes in frustration. "So wipe that look off your face before I wipe it off for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry — who's the smart one here again?" I teased, dragging out the words just to be annoying.

"Yeah, it's me," she replied with a confident smirk, though there was a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Want me to be honest or sugarcoat it?" I tilted my head, pretending to consider how to provoke her further.

"At our next sparring session, there won't be anything left of you," Tomoe hissed through clenched teeth, but her smile never wavered.

"Weren't you supposed to outsmart me with that big brain of yours? What, giving up already?" My voice was pure provocation. I knew I was asking for a beating, but if I was gonna poke the bear, I might as well go all in. Make it worth it.

"Why wait? We could step outside right now," her voice turned sickly sweet, and the smile creeping onto her face promised nothing but trouble. "I'd only need about twenty seconds to teach you a lesson."

"So, you do think?" I pulled a mock-surprised face, feigning disbelief.

What had started as a casual chat had now taken a very familiar turn… Yeah, we had that classic sibling dynamic: I'd push her buttons constantly, and she'd tolerate it, and tolerate it some more… until she snapped and handed me a world-class beatdown during training. Then the world would seem a little brighter — well, until it all started again.

That's the circle of life... sibling life.