Chapter 83

So I sat on the couch in the living room, watching my mother and Natsumi converse happily.

My dad merely looked at me with a smile that said 'I know how it feels'

I smiled back at him and looked towards the window.

Today I arrived from Petra and the sky was still a morning blue.

I messaged Natsumi early in the morning, merely informing her that I'd be arriving today. She'd woken up early for some reason and we facetimed while I was on the train.

After a nap and shower, I was surprised by the sight of her talking with my mom in the living room.

"Natsumi, why are you here this early?"

I asked her after mother and she ended their gossip, or whatever.

Mother took Natsumi's hand and told me with excitement, "Actually, Natsumi also came over the other day and hung out with us and Charlotte. She and Charlotte went out shopping!"

I raised my eyebrows, "Natsumi, I thought we were best friends? How could you hide such a secret from me?"

She laughed, "I wanted it to be a surprise! But we also baked, look," she pointed towards a bag on the table with cookies.

"You and Charlotte baked cookies?"

"No, no, no."

She denied, but the expression in her face told me there was something more to it.

My dad from the side patted my back.

"All four of us tried baking. The burnt ones are mine, Charlotte's are the decorated round ones, and Natsumi's are the snowmen."

I frowned, "No wonder the kitchen smelled like dough."

Natsumi and my dad burst into laughter while my mom looked to the side with a pout.

My dad held her hand and soothed her, "Alright, alright. Don't act so cute in front of the children."

I stared at them with dead fish eyes while Natsumi covered her smile with her hand.

I moved the conversation before I ripped out my eyes watching them have a moment of PDA, "I thought you said mom baked?"

"Yeah, but she was disappointed in her cookies and sent them to the garbage."

Natsumi stopped her laughter and frowned, "Auntie, I told you the cookies tasted good."

"...They weren't pretty."

"But they tasted good."

"Mom's cookies indeed taste good," I nodded at Natsumi's remark.

It's only natural that her cookies are good; she's always liked the idea of baking.

Mother frowned at me, "I've never baked cookies for you before…"

I almost coughed. I mixed my memories with Earth's memories. How will I explain to her that I know she's always wanted to run a cute little cafe shop?

"I just know Mother's cookies are good,"

"You flatterer," she hugged my arm.

"But seeing as how you all made a mess in the kitchen, next time I will be the head chef in this kitchen."

Mother pouted, and Dad chuckled as she hit his shoulder.

Their happiness reached me as I stared at them.

I see the secret to youth now. It is to live a life full of laughter, happiness, and love.

I nodded to myself while staring at the two youngsters.

"Let's watch a movie today!" Mother suddenly yelled childishly.

Dad patted her head, "Alright alright, Charlotte is still sleeping. Shhhh."

She leaned into his hand with a blissful smile.

I nodded again. The key to youth is love, happiness, and laughter.

"What movie are we watching?"

Mother asked, even though we hadn't agreed on watching a movie.

"...Hmm. I dunno!"

Natsumi yelled back.

"What did Dad say about yelling?" I shhh'd her and patted her hand.

Her eyes squinted and darted between my parents and me before ultimately responding with a very delayed, "Okey…"

"Let's watch a horror movie."

Dad suggested.

"No."

Mother denied.

"The guest decides," I reminded respectfully.

Mother bopped the back of my head.

"Eh? You dare call her a guest? This is her house now."

I almost fell on the floor from how unexpected the head slap was.

Rubbing my head, I turned to Natsumi, "Do you want to watch a horror movie?"

Mother looked at Natsumi pleadingly, but I did not miss the familiar twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

That's what happens when you slap my head.

"Yes, I'm sure Auntie would also love to watch a horror movie. Rather, I've been recommended some great movies!"

Natsumi and Dad highfived and I quickly pulled on Natsumi's ear.

"You like bullying my mom?"

I asked in mock anger as she pouted at me.

A familiar hand slapped the back of my head again, this time with more force.

"You dare bully your best friend?"

I pulled on my mother's ear with no force at all,

"You dare hit your son who is trying to protect you?"

Shamelessly, she squeaked in pain and looked towards my dad with watery eyes.

He helplessly smiled at her, knowing full well what was happening.

Even I myself that knew I was merely touching her ear began to feel terrible.

I let go and she immediately jumped to dad, pulled her eyelid down and stuck out her tongue.

Natsumi giggled at my mother's childish antics.

"Akanbe," she said quietly.

My mother tilted her head, "Akanbe?"

"Yes, that's what it's called in Japanese." She covered her laughing mouth as her eyes turned to crescents.

My mother hugged her with twinkling eyes, "Natsumi, you're adorable."

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Never in my life would I ever think that Charlotte would get along this well with Natsumi.

Especially when the first thing she told me about her was that she didn't trust her and seemed suspicious.

I was currently pushing the grocery store cart while they walked to my sides.

Charlotte had woken up not too long ago and mother said we should go buy snacks and ingredients for cookies that we would bake before watching the movie.

Today was supposed to be my date with Natsumi, but judging from her blissful smile, I guess she likes this way more.

They chatted as I looked around the aisles looking for something to spark some creativity.

"Charlie so what'd you do in Petra?" Charlotte asked curiously.

"He went to a strip c—" I quickly covered her sinister mouth. I had told her Rykun suggested we go there and now she thought it was funny to mention it.

"Hold on, he what?!"

Charlotte stopped abruptly, yelled and began pulling on my ear.

"Huh? Explain yourself, young man."

"Ah, Natsumi was joking, just joking." I tapped her hand to let my ear go.

Seeing as she wouldn't let go, I grabbed her hand tightly and pushed the cart with my other hand.

Natsumi from the other side came to Charlotte's side and squished Charlotte in between us, not wanting to be left out.

"Rykun joked that we should go to the club but not to mention the fact that I'm underage, I also have no interest in such things."

"And your reputation would die and rot." Charlotte nodded morbidly.

"Yes, yes. After you had misunderstood that we had done perverted things I'm sure he knows what not to do." Natsumi swung Charlotte's hand around and reminded her of the moment when I called her a pervert for thinking such things of us.

She had the shame to turn red and look down at the floor while we looked at her with teasing eyes.

"Petra was fun, we should go there sometime. I'll show you some pictures when we're back at home."

Charlotte nodded and swung our hands while walking.

"Rykun was there too. We went to a comic convention." I stopped to stare at her, "Did you know we also met Tom Peterson?"

"What?! Really?"

I squeezed her hand. All three girls in this family are loud.

"He's the actor for Spiderman, right?" Natsumi inquired.

At the word 'actor', Charlotte's eyes sparkled.

Charlotte grabbed Natsumi's hand, "Are you kidding? Haven't you watched The Spiderman?"

Natsumi smiled softly and shook her head.

"How about we watch it next time?" I looked over at her with gentle eyes and suggested.

"Mhm, next time!" She nodded at me with determination.

"What was he like? Wow, you really met him?"

"Yes, yes. He loves acting and is a pretty fun guy. Honestly, he seems a little too much like Peter Parker…"

"What? Really? I mean, it has happened before that I start acting like one of the characters I try out…"

She remarked thoughtfully.

"No wonder you suddenly became a rascal. I was wondering how you got so good at that."

She squeezed my hand very tightly and frowned at me.

"Ah, it hurts." I did my worst impression of being in pain.

She pouted and headbutted my shoulder.

"Okay okay, Charlotte. Don't hurt your older brother." Natsumi patted her head.

Charlotte looked in shock and betrayal at Natsumi.

"I thought it was Sisters before Misters," Charlotte looked tearfully at Natsumi.

…

I scratched my head looking at the system statboard.

[Title: Trending, Hot Topic!, Streamer

Silver Pearl

Stats:

Luck: * *

Intelligence: 16

Charm: 12

16,230 → 16,562 achievement points.

8573/? Achievement egg]

Last time I opened an Achievement Egg, I received game-breaking benefits, so it's not unreasonable that I want to open this thing as fast as I can.

Rather, it'd be weird for me not actively trying to break this gift open.

My projects for achievement points right now:

Finish Warriors song.

Transcribe a composition to be my 2nd officially published song.

Better singing for the song 'Talking to the Moon'

And improve my acting for the future.

The most urgent one right now is to finish Warriors. It'll be a new year soon and the game company will release the game in Spring break when gamers are bored and out of school.

I have the original song as a guide, but it'll be a little difficult to perfect this into a masterpiece, especially without much experience.

I'll refine these shortcomings with hard work and creativity…

I wrote into my written notes for the song: 'Choir' and tapped my pencil against my hand.

Yes, that will be the finishing touch.

The gears inside my mind began working.

The cloud of hard work hidden inside my brain engulfed my brain and the unneeded senses and oblique thoughts that distracted my purpose had been removed.

Cellos at the beginning playing a small melody with a powerful deep tune will act in the beginning to glue the originally pop song into a more orchestral piece.

Different instruments played inside my head at the same time, each playing a different part to bring a masterpiece into creation.

There was no sense of time, nothing other than the different sounds that began playing in my head to form the masterpiece in my head.

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I will need to head to Petra once again to discuss with my employers about hiring and recording a small orchestra ensemble as the instrumental for the song.

A live recording rather than digital noises will ensure this sounds as beautiful as possible, but I just do not have the money to hire the orchestra myself.

Hmm, money…

Ah, but of course! I slapped my head as the rest of my classmates turned to stare at me at the loud noise.

Knife Agency can provide for the costs!

Having a powerful backer is indeed an artist's best interest.

Okay, so I will only go to Petra now after I finish the recording.

"Students, the International Schools Competition will be no later than a few weeks from now on. Let us do our best to bring the best for ourselves."

If we did good, we'd get more funding and more prestige which would better our education and facilities.

Like this, every student is incentivized to do their absolute best; and for good reason.

And thus, with the system I have decided that I will do my absolute best to ensure that Charlotte and my future generations that stay in Weath will have the absolute best education they can have.

Though this may seem to be distracting me from my other goals, it is okay sometimes to focus on other things.

After all, if I burn myself out before I can reach my best, what was all the burning out worth for?

So I will have fun competing now.

Elle tapped me from behind, "By the way Charlie, have you thought about entering with us to the theatre club to perform?"

I turned to look towards her and Juniper, the two actors of our friend group that convinced all of us to get in. I smiled having made up my mind long ago. This will be fun, but also help me in developing my acting.

She recognized my smile and nodded.

"At what time do we meet up?"

"After school."

I nodded, "Hey, we should perform in the Theatrics section of the competition."

I suggested, optimistic at the prospect of having fun but also competing.

Juniper hesitated and shook her head, "The competition will be in a few weeks. Though it is possible, we'd have to burn ourselves through many hours every day just to catch up to the people that have been practicing for months. Not to mention they probably have years of experience while our newest members do not have as much experience."

I nodded at her reasoning while formulating plans inside my head, "I see…"

In the fashion show at Regalia, when I had acted a proper own script with my partners with zero planning, zero mention of anything of the sort, we acted a mystical piece into the show.

I know that my Charm's passives allowed this to happen. Perhaps, something magical could come from this.

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