Chapter 52: A New Morning

"Onii, you seem a bit slimmer."

It's the morning of the new school term in the Yonekura household. With my head spinning around, I go down to the living room to see Karen munching on french toast.

"It's like I lost one month's worth of calories in ten days."

As I say that, I take a seat. Compared to last month, it feels like there's a smaller resistance from the chair on my ass.

Meow

"Ah, Syrup!"

Out of nowhere, I feel a fluffy sensation. Seems like Syrup is rubbing himself against my feet. Maybe it's just me, but his purrs seem a lot more sweeter.

"Wow, you're more attached to me than ever. It's like you think I'm dead or something, haha."

"Onii, you were always in your room for the past ten days, so he's probably just lonely."

"Oh.... I see, I see, Syrup got lonely."

What a cutie.

Pat pat pat pat stroke stroke stroke

Purr

Briskly, Syrup heads off to his feeder. He then looks at me as if he was ordering me to get him food.

"Ahh, seems like you're back to normal now."

"After a week of loneliness, it only took him ten seconds to recover?"

Now I'm the one feeling lonely. After I finish pouring a slightly larger portion for Syrup, I go back to my chair.

"Here Onii, your grub."

"Hey, who are you treating like a cat? Well, thanks anyways."

As I sit down, I put the chive toast into my mouth. Yep, it's delicious. The taste feels like it's penetrating my internal organs.

"That's the first time I saw anyone react this way to eating chive toast."

"Well, I've been fasting like a monk recently."

"So the entire spring break, you were in your room mediating like a monk?"

"Not meditating, writing."

I continue to stuff my cheeks with chives toast. Again, it's delicious. But while it's delicious, something doesn't feel satisfying. Oh yeah...

I haven't eaten Rin's cooking in ten days. I want to eat Rin's homemade bamboo rice, I can taste right now. I should request it today. No, maybe she already put it in the bento?

"You aren't writing today?"

"Not today! How do you expect me to do that!? I can't even feel my fingers."

Today is my rest day after all, I promised her after all.

"Well, that's good to hear."

I lean my back on the chair, as I drown myself in the refreshing feelings of fulfillment and accomplishment. My body is completely worn out, but my heart feels completely satisfied.

"You did your best Onii."

She gives me sympathetic words, as if I was returning home from the battlefield.

"Yeah... thanks."

I'm surprised by how gentle my voice is, I'm usually not this kind with Karen.

"Oh yeah, Onii."

"Hmm?"

After we finished eating our laidback breakfast, Karen opens her mouth as if she has good news to tell.

"Yukito-kun is coming over today."

"Yukito-kun?"

"Oh, Ishikawa-kun."

"What the fuck!?"

It's happening!?

"Onii's new story completely changed his life, so he wants to come over and say thanks."

"Ahahaha, I can't wait to see Ishikawa-kun."

Where did the sushi takeout pamphlet go? Nothing but the highest grade of sushi will do for this occasion. Hmm...? Wait a minute...

"Hey Karen."

"What?"

"Since when did you start calling Ishikawa-kun by his first name?"

"Uh? Oh, uhh..."

Karen starts scratching her cheeks, and turns beet red in response to my question.

"It's fine, it's not a big deal."

ISHIKAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

YOU MOTHERFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKER!!!!!!!

How...

How dare you take my younger sister! She's not up for sale! I swear, I'm not a blind siscon, this is just the right attitude to take as a caring older brother. But if something happens that makes Karen cry, things will go down. Ishikawa-kun will find himself in Kanagawa. Uh, does that make me a siscon? Ha, no waaaay.

"What wild delusions you have, it's different. Yukito-kun is not like that at all."

"Really now?"

"Wuah, what kind of smile are you making?"

"That's rude. That smile is a blessing from the bottom of my heart!"

"Like I said, it's not like that. Stop being so gross. It's because you've been thinking about romcoms non-stop lately."

While she was saying those prickly words, her face turns all red. Her facial expression isn't all that bad if I do say so myself. I'm happy that my mouth is all loosened up since I naturally curve the corners of my mouth into a smile in response.

Do your best Karen, I'll send you encouragement from the bottom of my heart. Embrace your feelings now, because for every emotion humans have, this is the most precious one. That's what I truly believe. In terms of everyone else's relationship, there may be cases where things don't match up well, but I have faith in Ishikawa-kun. We haven't met yet, but I fully believe that.

"You know what..."

Karen opens her mouth, but her tone of voice seems to have gone up.

"I like Onii better when he's writing romance stories rather than fantasy stories."

"What was that all of sudden? Are you a rental sister of something?"

"You're mean Onii. I was praising you."

"Are you sure!?"

Oh...

"Whenever you try and praise, I literally don't know how to react. Well anyways, I'll be happy for the time being."

"You're acting like a child."

"Anyone will be childish when they're happy. Alright, this is your chance Karen, it's time for your sweet, sentimental romcom to begin!"

"Did you read it?"

"Hmm?"

What did she just say?

"Did you.. read it?"

Hearing that shook me to my core. Karen hasn't read my stories once at all. Looking away bashfully, Karen speaks up, her voice a little shrill.

"Ishikawa-kun sent me a link on LINE. He said it was really interesting so what did you expect me to do?"

Whether it was because of sheer curiosity or because Ishikawa-kun recommended it to her, I don't know for sure. However...

"I should ask you, what were you writing? The contents were super embarrassing to read. And knowing that Onii wrote it made it even more embarrassing."

With her fifth grader vocabulary being so limited, I started welling up with emotions seeing the things she can't express on her.

"But..."

Karen continues to evaluate my story with her embarrassed voice.

"I really like the heroine a lot.... it made my chest... a bit tight... and I felt emotional."

Ah, that's good. I'm happy to hear that. I said that if I could make one specific reader happy, then I would be satisfied. That's what I believe. However, conveying the emotions that I've been harbouring and wanting to let out to others readers besides the one isn't bad either. I confirm this within myself as I feel inexplicable joy that I can't even express. Writing is such a powerful art, from the bottom of my heart, I truly believe that.

"Onii-chan, if you keep on writing, I'll help out too."

She continues calmly.

"I might read it again... if I feel like it."

Suddenly, Karen turns her face away. But I can see that her mouth relaxes into a smile.

Ding Dong

"Hey Onii, your dear heroine has arrived."

"Who is the heroine now?"

With a grin, Karen seemed to have said that as payback for before. With a pained smile, I get my things ready. It's been a while since I saw my backpack, but it's lighter than usual. That's because my laptop isn't in there.

"Alright, let's go."

"Off we go!"

We leave the living room and put on our shoes. With a breath, I slowly pen the front door.

"Good morning, Tohru-kun."

I see jet black hair swaying to and fro because of the warm spring breeze. Before I know it, I'm gasping in shock looking at those regal features once again. Before my eyes is Rin, with her uniform on neatly and standing tall with her back straight.