《Reincarnated Into Anime World》 Chapter -1 - Current Status ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou (First name) Uesugi (Last name) Current Age: 12 years old Birthday: 15 April 1999 S.e.x: Male Family Lineage: ??? Lover(s): 1) Shouko Nishimiya 2) Kaori Miyazono 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) Skills: <<<>>> - Basic Waitering/Serving Proficiency (0/100) - Basic Law Proficiency (90/100) . <<<>>> - Intermediate Finance and Business Proficiency (0/300) - Intermediate Basketball Proficiency (0/300) - Intermediate Swimming Proficiency (0/300) - Intermediate Geography Proficiency (295/300) - Intermediate Ice-skating Proficiency (0/300) - Intermediate Art Proficiency (0/300) . <<<>>> - Advanced Teaching Proficiency (115/500) - Advanced History Proficiency (115/500) - Advanced Sign Language Proficiency (203/500) - Advanced Cooking Proficiency (40/500) - Advanced Summer Festival Games Proficiency (10/500) - Head-patting Proficiency (100/500) . <<<>>> - Master Taekwondo Proficiency (1/1,000) - Master Academics Proficiency (100/1,000) - Master Music Proficiency (150/1,000) . <<<>>> - Grandmaster Piano Proficiency (465/2,000) . Inventory: 1) A sleek pair of shoes (Makes everyone envy you for having them) 2) 2x weakened senzu beans (Heals all diseases and illness, including terminal diseases, cancer, and more over a period of time. Unable to give life force, so this cannot be used to increase lifespan.) 3) 1320 proficiency points 4) A packet of coffee beans (Makes a nice cup of early coffee) 5) 2x duplication tokens (Duplicate one of your skills. Does nothing to increase your duplicated proficiency) 6) A packet of ordinary seeds (Allows you to grow some tomatoes) 7) 1x Special opportunity token (Use under ??? situation) 8) 2x Permanent token (As the name suggests, it allows something to be ''permanent''. Can only be used on things given by system.) ***************** Special Moments: 15th April 1999: The day I was born 19th October 2006: The day Raiha was born 16th May 2009: The day I met Shouko Nishimiya 10th April 2011: The day I met Kaori Miyazono 30th August 2011: My first kiss with Shouko 2nd September 2011: The day I met the Quintuplets [(Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki) Nakano] 3rd November 2011 : The day I met Mafuyu Kirisu 1st January 2012: My first kiss with Kaori ***************** Current Quest(s): ***************** [Quest: Unlock your family lineage!] Description: Since you have found out that you have a family lineage, why not satiate your curiosity by finding out precisely what you are? Passing Criteria: Unlock your family lineage as fast as possible Rewards: Unlock a new level of gacha (Legendary) Additional rewards if you awaken before you turn 22: 1x Legendary gacha token Additional rewards if you awaken before you turn 17: 2x Legendary gacha tokens A?d?d?i?t?i?o?n?a?l? ?r?e?w?a?r?d?s? ?i?f? ?y?o?u? ?a?w?a?k?e?n? ?b?e?f?o?r?e? ?y?o?u? ?t?u?r?n? ?1?3?:? ?5?x? ?L?e?g?e?n?d?a?r?y? ?g?a?c?h?a? ?t?o?k?e?n?s? Failure: None System tips: Your family lineage can be awakened in two situations. 1) U**** *h* f*** **** 2) I****** ******** ***************** Chapter 1 - 1:Second chance My previous life was boring. I went to work, ate, and went home. And the cycle repeats. I don''t have a family, lover nor friends. You can say that my life was meaningless, is a life without meaning really worth living? One day after work, I was thinking of what anime to watch when I reach home, I spot a young girl in the middle of the road. I thought ''Here''s my chance of getting out of this boring life with a bang!'' and rushed towards her after seeing truck-kun almost speeding towards her. I hurriedly pushed her out the way and closed my eyes, waiting for the impact to come. After a few seconds I see truck-kun right in front of me. As I let let out a sigh of relief, the driver honked me and I got the shock of my life, causing me to have a heart attack. ********** "Hahahaha!" "Who are you?" I looked around me and see a blinding white light around me. [???]: You are a very interesting human. Rushing to your death because you were bored, then dying to a heart attack after a very interesting event. Well, I am what you humans call [email protected]#$%^&* ^%$*^%, but you can call me god for short. [Fuutarou]: Um... okay. So what can I do for you? I don''t think I have any karma to use or did anything good for you to be right in front of me? [God]: Well, let''s just say you died in a very interesting way, and managed to entertain me sufficiently. As a reward for entertaining me I shall grant you two wishes. [Fuutarou]: Sigh, so I died in a pathetic way. Well not as if my life was meaningful anyway. However can I ask a few questions first? [God]: Hmm, sure. Go ahead. [Fuutarou]: Is there any limitations to my wish, for example wishing to be immortal or the strongest in the universe? Can I travel from one world to another? Do I get to choose my world, appearance and background? [God]: That''s a lot of questions you got there. Well for your first question, it''s a yes. You can wish for immortality or be the strongest but you must earn it for yourself by training yourself for example. For your second question it is a no. Once you choose a world you live there till your die. You get to choose your appearance for free but the world that you will be reincarnated to will depend on your choice, so hurry up and choose your wishes so that we can get this over with. "Let me think this through." After 223505 minutes.... "CAN YOU HURRY UP!!" ''Seems like god isn''t too happy.'' "WHAT DO YOU THINK? I HAVE WAITED FOR 5 MONTHS FOR YOU TO PICK 2 WISHES!!" [Fuutarou]: Okay okay. First thing first I want to be reincarnated with the appearance of Aru Akise from Mirai Nikki. For my first wish I want to be a super genius with high perception and understanding. For my second wish I want a system. [God]: Rejected. It''s not like I don''t want to give you a high IQ, but it''s impossible since the Goddess of Wisdom is sort of...like my nemesis...and I''m not strong enough to beat her so... Plus, giving you high IQ would completely destroy your mind as your spirit isn''t strong enough to handle it. At most I would be able to give you an eidetic memory with a faster learning speed than others. What do you say? [Fuutarou]: ...Really? You''re pretty weak if even a Goddess of Wisdom could beat you. [God]: Ahem...anyway, please choose again. As four your second wish, a system..people tend to abuse it a lot so I can only give you a run down version. Do you accept? [Fuutarou]: Sigh...you really are this weak huh? Fine, I accept the eidetic memory, but really? Not even being able to grant a system? And what do you mean run down version? Ignoring the insult, God continued explaining,"It means that you will only have a gacha system with infinite storage space. There will be no shop, maps or anything broken. [Fuutarou]: *Sigh* fine I accept. But which world will I be reincarnated into? [God]: You will know when you reincarnate. Everything is random so I will wish you luck. *Tee hee* [Fuutarou]: ... At this moment, our mc is currently disappearing, with only one though in his mind: ''this God is unreliable'' as he lost conscious... ************ Year 2014 15th of April ''Where am I? Did I die?'' [Gacha system initialising...] [5%...] [15%...] [50%...] Chapter 2 - 2:Rebirth to where? [100%..] [Ding! Welcome Host. I am your personalised Gacha System, helping you to live to your best in this life!] "Okay. System, how long until my birth?" [Ding! Host have exactly 5 hours 49 minutes and 23 seconds till birth!] "System, what can you do? And what world am I in?" [Ding! The system has two main functions which is gacha and inventory.] [God has sent a message. Does host want to receive?] [Y/N] I accepted and hear his annoying voice again. [Hoho. Welcome to your life in this new world. Let me give you a bit of info about this world. First thing first, polygamy is compulsory from every baby boy to be born from 2014 here. A few years ago, an organisation consisting of mainly single males made a virus to counter their status of being single. This virus would affect the birth rate of boys, thus increasing the number of female to male ratio. This way, they thought they would be able to snag some girls for themselves. By the time the government realised this, it was already too late and the number of boys had drastically decreased. Due to the decreasing of the already low population of males, the government is trying to find a cure and in the meantime, they promoted harem to try and i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e as many girls as possible to increase the number of males. However, basic laws such as no ****, no extortion still exists. Thus despite being a male you wouldn''t be able to **** anyone you want for the sake of ''increasing male population''. But you can get a harem! So yay you! Secondly, despite your insults, I''m still a very kind and friendly God after all. I granted you a body that can adapt to anything you come across. Live the life you always wanted and be happy! From: [email protected]#$%^&* ^%$*^%] "Woah, thanks god. So system, show me the gacha available" [Gacha spins] -Normal Gacha- -Premium Gacha- "Can you tell me more about the system?" [Ding! Firstly, there is something which you call a ''status window''. On the status window, you would be able to see your basic information of name, age, gender, lover(s) and skills. Skills are something you can get from the gacha spins. In the gacha spins, you can get literally anything, including those from other anime except for bloodline. So, there would be no dragon skills, elf skills, demons and angels skills, Saiyan or Sharingan as all of them require their own bloodline. The system has scanned this world for any anomalies, and found that the concentration of any type of energy is very low, so there is almost a 0% chance of any magic existing. Some examples of skills that you can get are music and cooking. Each skill has its own proficiency level, from beginner, intermediate, advance, master and finally grandmaster. If you can reach grandmaster in any single skill, you would be able to be famous world-wide. You would also be able to get items ranging from normal household items to the legendary excalibur.] "Does that mean I can get something like an infinity stone?" I asked as my imaginary eyes sparkles [Ding! Theoretically there is a less than 1 in Quattuordecillion chance you get an infinity stone.] "Yikes! I don''t even know how many zeros there are in that number. Sigh it seems like my dream was crushed before I even got out of my mother''s w.o.m.b. System is there anything I can do right now?" [Ding! You can rest for now Host.] "Thanks a lot system." [Ding! You are welcome Host!] "It was sarcasm by the way. And can you stop it with the ''Ding!''? It''s very annoying hearing it ring in my mind all the time." [No problem Host. Notification is currently turned off. Host is recommended to sleep until birth. Will Host sleep now?] "Sure. Wake me three minutes before my birth." [Affirmative! Putting Host to sleep now...] ********* [Host! Wake up now. You currently have three minutes to birth.] "Hmm... Thanks system. I wonder who my family will be in this world. I hope they are pretty and handsome." Suddenly, a bright light filled my eyes, and and giant hand picks me out. Adjusting my eyes to the new light, I thought to myself, ''Finally I am here! I will do my..." "Piak!" Suddenly I feel a stinging sensation on my butt. I wanted to scream but due to my underdeveloped vocal cords, the only sound that came out of my mouth is "Waaaaahhhhhhh!" ------Shift in PoV------ Seeing the baby crying, the a.d.u.l.ts present let out a sigh of relief. A golden haired man sighed in relief, "Hanako, how are you doing? Are you okay?" [Hanako]: Let me see my baby Isanari! Go away and let me see my baby boy! [Isanari]: You care about the child more than your husband? How cruel... The other a.d.u.l.ts can see Isanari suddenly go to the corner and crouches down, drawing circles with his index finger with a grieving face. [Hanako]: Hmph! Who cares about you. My baby, so cute and handsome. I''m sure you''re going to be a charming man in the future, unlike your father. What shall I name you? [Isanari]: (Suddenly rushes back like nothing happened) His name is going to be Akihiro... But before he even finishes, Hanako cuts him off,"Shut it, his name is going to Fuutarou Uesugi." The other man present looks at him with pity and disdain, empathising with him. "Whatever you say my dear, whatever that makes you happy." Isanari says as he pampers his wife with a loving expression, ignoring all the other males present. ------MC''s PoV------ ''Hmmm? Are they my parents? Purple hair with matching eyes and a pretty face. Looks like my mother is quite a beauty. My father however...not bad I guess? Golden hair and green eyes with a perfectly sculpted face. Where have I seen him before?'' Then I looked at him rushing back and forth at my mother''s command. ''Seems like my mother is quite fierce. Where have I seen them before though? They look so familiar.'' As I thought for five minutes while screaming out sounds, I suddenly remembered, ''Seems like I reincarnated into ''Gotoubun no hanayome''. Looks like I will have at least five brides from what I remember from the anime since polygamy is compulsory in this world anyway if the past events all go according to the anime.'' As I continued thinking about my future, I was being b.r.e.a.s.t-feed, and it wasn''t a pleasant experience for me. Imagine a 28-year old being b.r.e.a.s.t-feeded. The shame, the humiliation. As I finished my milk, I started to get drowsy. ''Damn, I hate a baby''s stamina.'' I thought to myself as I drifted off to dreamland.... Chapter 3 - 3:Gacha spin! After staying in the hospital for a while, I was allowed to go home. Well, my expectation of a rich home didn''t exactly became reality. I looked at a run-down house, with the name ''Uesugi'' hanging on the wall. Well, after knowing which anime I was in, I didn''t exactly have a very high expectation already, so it didn''t really bother me. After my mother settled me down on a crib, I started the gacha system. [Fuutarou]: System, how do I use my gacha? [Host can complete quests to gain more tokens for desired gacha. ] [Fuutarou]: Can I spin anything right now? [Host currently has 4x normal gacha spin and 1x premium gacha spin] [Fuutarou]: EHH! Thanks Kami-sama. I love you!! System, can you explain the difference between the two of them? [A normal gacha spin is literally what it means. Most skills and items gained from a normal gacha spin are ''normal'' like cooking or basketball. A premium gacha spin has a higher chance of getting a rare skill or item. Of course, both require your luck either ways, so you could get a rare skill or item in a normal gacha spin and vice-versa. Please keep in mind that usually only one item or skill is given per gacha spin, but if you''re exceptionally lucky, you would be able to get more than one skills or items] [Fuutarou]: Seems like God is really generous. System, use 4x normal gacha spins now [Spinning...] [Host has gained 100 beginner music proficiency, upgrading to intermediate music proficiency (0/300)] [Host has gained 100 basic Japanese proficiency, upgrading to intermediate Japanese proficiency (0/300)] [Host has gained 100 basic taekwondo proficiency, upgrading to intermediate taekwondo proficiency (0/300)] [Host has gained a can of coke] Information starts to flow into my mind, hurting my head badly. [Fuutarou]: Wow okay, that freakin hurt! System, can you tell me before you transfer the information to me? It hurts way too much! [Apologies host, I would inform you the next time it happens.] [Fuutarou]: *Sigh* Show me my status. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 1 month old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Intermediate music proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate Japanese proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate mathematics proficiency (15/300) -Basic science proficiency (60/100) -Basic social studies proficiency (80/100) -Basic history proficiency (70/100) Inventory: 1) A can of coke --------------------- [Fuutarou]: Seems good. System, to what extend is ''proficiency''? How good am I in music? [Proficiency is literally what it says, it shows how much you have mastered the theoretical aspect in music. Composing, singing and hearing music can be compared to middle-school composers, singers and judges. When upgraded to advance, it can be compared to high-school students, master can be compared to country-famous and grandmaster can be considered world-class. Using external means for music such as an instrument does not count, so Host does not know how to play any instruments. The same goes for sports and academics. Since there isn''t a cap or limit on knowledge, the proficiency also allows you to have new discoveries more easily and would drop every time something new is being discovered.] [Fuutarou]: Thanks system! Hmm.. What do I need now? Well let''s just save my last gacha spin for the future since I have no need for it now. As time passed, I gradually grew up. I was very close to my parents, and despite my not-very-rich background, I lived contently, something I did not or could not do last life. I don''t know whether if it was due to my soul becoming a child again, my personality completely changed from my past life. In my past life, due to the lack of friends and family, I had an introvert personality, constantly gloomy and ill most of the time with asthma. Now with parental love and pampering I receive daily, I became bright and cheerful, spending most of my time with my parents as they were travelling around the world. I had no idea where all the money was coming from, but I didn''t care about it as long as my parents were with me. Due to my father''s occupation of being a cameraman, from what I know from my mother, he often travels the world, taking photos of people, sceneries and animals. My father is very wild, and is often laughing no matter what happens. He is hen-pecked, and often gets scolded by my mother. In front of my mother, he was always like a child who got caught red-handed after doing something wrong. My mother is a very kind and caring (and fierce) woman. Her purple hair is very soft and silky, and is long enough to reach her waist. With a perfect hourglass figure and face, she can be called a top class beauty. I don''t know how my father is lucky enough to marry her, but they are a good match in terms of personality since opposite attracts after all. I inherited my mother''s flawless face and pretty dimples, along with my father''s very friendly personality. I have white hair (due to anime logic) and bright green eyes from my father. Not being narcissistic, I was very charming and cute. At least all the girls and women whom I visited with my father and mother said so. This life was amazing, it basically had everything that I ever wanted in my previous life. I promised to myself that I was going to protect everyone I love in this life, never repeating the same mistakes I made in my previous life. ------------- A/N Remember Aru Akise? Basically the same except the eyes change to green colour instead of red. Chapter 4 - 4:Emotion rollercoaster And so seven years passed this way. When I was one year old I started talking. At 1 year 2 months old I started walking and at two years old, I started reading. A lot. Everyone called me a genius, and due to the body God granted me, even without exercising I became fitter, without growing too much muscles. With my eidetic memory and a faster learning speed than others, it allowed me to remember every single information I read before, causing me to have a lot of knowledge across every subject including geography, business, law, history and biology due to my father''s occupation. I found out more about each proficiency and realised that it was really hard to increase them. Each category consists of literally everything! For example, in science proficiency, it includes physics, chemistry, astronomy, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology and many more! The fact that I even made it to intermediate proficiency within fours was amazing. Even though I was a jack-of-all trade, the knowledge I have on all the aspects of science was on a middle school level, if a middle schooler even learns astronomy or microbiology in the first place. I didn''t really focus much on business, finance or law since I had no interest in them for now anyway and only read them because of the lack of books available. My taekwondo didn''t improve much at all since I had no proper teacher, and I was too young to kick anything anyway. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 7 years old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Intermediate music proficiency (50/300) -Intermediate Japanese proficiency (248/300) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (2/300) -Intermediate mathematics proficiency (176/300) -Intermediate science proficiency (10/300) -Intermediate social studies proficiency (100/300) -Intermediate history proficiency (130/300) -Intermediate geography proficiency (10/300) -Basic law proficiency (40/100) -Basic finance and business proficiency (40/100) Inventory: 1) A can of coke --------------------- When I turned seven at the start of the year, a notification sounded in my mind. [Quest: Make sure your mum passes away peacefully] Description: Be by your mum''s side and support her to the end Rewards: 2x token for skills Failure: Mother of host does not have a peaceful passing and removal of one skill My mind dropped after hearing this, and tears flowed down my cheeks as my throat turns dry. I cried for hours until I get up. My parents were worried about me suddenly crying for hours but I shrugged it off with some excuse. They were suspicious but decided to forget about it. I decided to make sure that the next 9 months of my mother''s life would be the happiest for her. The first seven months were fun and I tended to her every need, sticking to her like glue and essentially replacing my father''s position as her protector. My action made her slightly suspicious but due to the six year of always sticking close to her and the fact that she was pregnant she shrugged it off. The last two months were an absolute hell. She got weaker and weaker, until she could only stay in bed for the last one and the half month in bed all the time. During that time, I stayed close to her 24/7, and my father got worried. He spent majority of his savings he saved over the years on finding a doctor, but to no avail. None of them knew how to cure her. During this period of time, I was really stressed. "Why? Why? How can I save her? Why must this happen to my family? Is it so hard to ask for happiness?" I searched every way to try to find a cure for her. I searched through my entire memories to find a way. Then I remembered. I still had something. It was a gamble. A chance. But I had no other choice. If it didn''t work, I had no choice but to accept my fate. "System, spin my premium gacha." [Spinning...] [Host has gained a super item! 5x weakened senzu beads. Weakened senzu beads are oval-shaped green miracle beans, and is able to heal all injuries and restore energy levels over time, but was unable to eliminate hunger] It was as though I was possessed. "Ahahahaha! God! Thank you so much! I will forever remember your kindness!" Concealing my grin so that my parents didn''t get suspicious of me, I quickly took out a senzu bead and placed it within the porridge that was going to be given to my mother. Seeng her slowly ingest her food, my heart was broken. She was so frail, so weak, yet so strong. So fragile, yet so tough. Despite her physical conditions, she never once complained, and quietly endured. She endured the baby inside her, she endured the pain she felt when she felt her family''s hopelessness because of her, she endured the fact that she was not going to survive the birth. She was a strong woman. She was my mother. My strong mother. I really wanted her to survive. I don''t know what made me have the senzu beans. Maybe it was my will, maybe it was god, or maybe it was just my luck. But I didn''t care. I got the beans. That was all that mattered. During the next one month, I saw the beans did it''s magic. The next few weeks made her cheeks had more colour. More rosy. Slowly but surely, she recovered. My father was bewildered. He didn''t know what had happened, but he didn''t care. His wife was recovering. That was all that mattered. Even my mother was so surprised that she cried. She didn''t cry when she felt pain, she didn''t cry when she knew she was going to die, she didn''t cry when she felt hopeless. But she cried now. After numerous checks on her by different doctors, she found out that she was recovering back to full health. She was so happy that she didn''t have to die, that she didn''t have to leave her family. She was so happy that she broke down in my father''s arms, crying out everything she had endured the past few months. I was happy too. I didn''t have to lose my family once again. Smiling brightly, I left the room with my mother still in my father''s arms. On that day she gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Raiha Uesugi without consent from my father (again). She called for me after childbirth as I couldn''t be present at that time. "Fuutarou dear, look. It''s your baby sister." She smiled gently as she stroked Raiha''s cheek with a loving gaze. Moving closer to take a closer look, I found her squirming under my mother''s touch. Her face was cute and perfect, and much like my mother''s face, her eyes were purple as well. Meanwhile, my father was looking at us from the corner of the room. He was smiling widely. Nothing could stop him from smiling now. His son was a genius, his wife was perfectly healthy and now, he had a new daughter! Everything was going smoothly in his life now, and he hoped it would continue to do so in the future. [Quest has been re-investigated. Due to certain factors present, fate has been changed for Hanako Uesugi. Quest has been re-issued.] [Quest: Heal your mother] Description: Cure your mother from the disease she was currently suffering from. Rewards: 2x premium gacha due to increased difficulty of quest Failure: Mother of host does not have a peaceful passing and removal of one skill [Quest completed, rewards are being issued.] [2x token for skills] rang out in my mind but I could not care less for anything else at that moment. In my previous life I had no recollection of my parents so I didn''t know what was parental love. In this life I, however grew attached to them, and for the first time I truly knew what it was like to almost lose something you needed and wanted in your life. I promised myself that I would never take anything for granted again. I was so used to my family being with me all the time, that I had forgotten that life is fragile. One mistake and life is gone. I wished my life would be much more peaceful in the future. I don''t ever want to experience the feeling of almost losing someone again. ********* A/N btw I''ll edit the rest by the next two days. I''m too lazy to do it now. Comment down below for any improvements/good points about this fan fiction! Thank you for all your power stones! And don''t continue reading for now, it doesn''t really continue on smoothly from here. Wait like 2 days before continuing this. It''s not a cliffhanger so don''t be curious and touch the next chapter. Sigh, so many edits to make because of one mother :( Chapter 5 - 5:Going back to school I After 2 weeks, my mother could be discharged from the hospital, but opted to stay for another week to ensure the health of my mother. After spending another week with the company of my parents and new sister, our family bonds were now closer than than before. I am very glad that this entire incident was over, and hoped it would never repeat itself again. [Fuutarou]: I still have my tokens right? Use them both now system. [Spinning...] [Host has gained grandmaster piano proficiency (0/2,000)] [Host has gained a sleek pair of shoes] Once again a familiar huge surge of information and pain entered my mind, causing me to fall on the ground. When I woke up I realised that 2 hours have passed, and it was currently dinner time. I was really surprised about the grandmaster skill as it directly made my piano skill at a world-class level. I realised that no matter what I wanted to play on the piano, my hands would move by itself as if I had played the piano for decades. I really wanted to test out my new skills on an actual piano, but my family was poor and couldn''t afford a piano, so I didn''t ask for it. Over the past three weeks, my cute little sister has been growing up quite healthily due to Mother''s constant b.r.e.a.s.t-feeding and pampering. During my mother''s hospitalisation the system has given me another quest, but due to my happiness I left it and have never checked it until now. [Quest: Spoil little Raiha] Description: Ensure that Raiha has a safe and enjoyable childhood, for the next 3 years before starting grade 4 of elementary school Rewards: 2x normal gacha Failure: Raiha considers you as a bad older brother I''m not too worried about this quest as I planned to spoil my cute little sister even without reminder. I find little Raiha super cute with her huge sparkling eyes, and black strands of hair (Where did the genes come from??), coupled with a tiny nose and mouth. I''m sure I''ll turn out to be an overprotective big brother. ''Free tokens I guess.'' I thought to myself. ************* And so my life passed along well, without any troubles or events. My father started working a lot more to be able to feed our growing family when I reached 9 years old, and when Raiha reached 2 years old. Most of the time it was just my mother, Raiha and I in the house, with my father coming back at least once a week to accompany my mother. I was curious at his recent appearance as he often comes back with bandages on his arm and sometimes on his nose. A camera man getting injured? However, me being me, I decided to ignore it as he didn''t seem to hurt, constantly laughing out loud and making a lot of noise in the house. Raiha got pretty close to me, seeing that I was always with her and pampering her. When my father wasn''t here, my mother and I would often accompany Raiha around our humble abode, and would carry her out for a walk once in a while. The neighbours were very kind to us, and often gives us ingredients and foods. Sometimes they even volunteer to help us take care of Raiha to give us time to study or work. But one glare from my mother made them reconsider their decisions. I had also tasted the can of coke that I had, and I almost had an orgasm from its refreshing and absolutely delicious taste. I guessed that whatever the system gives had to pass a certain evaluation, even simple things like a can of coke. That was the best drink I had ever tasted in both lives, even if coke wasn''t my cup of tea. When I reached 10 years old, and Raiha turned 3, a ringing sound rang in my mind. [Quest completed, rewards are being issued.] [2x normal gacha] rang out in my head, and I immediately used all of them. [Spinning...] [Host has gained advanced sign Language proficiency (0/500)] [Host has gained advanced Japanese orientated cuisine proficiency (0/500)] Information poured into my mind once again and I did not have the time to complain before passing out. "Argh! I can never get use to this information dump. System is there any way to get rid of the pain when you dump information into my mind? [Host can get lucky and draw the ''Pain removal'' skill, ''Pain reduction'' skill and ''Pain tolerance'' skill.] "Argh. I hope I get lucky soon." But I didn''t realise that getting an advanced proficiency was very rare in a normal gacha spin, much less getting two of them in a row. School is starting in April, and my birthday had just passed. I turned 10 this year while little Raiha is going to turn 3 this September. I have the entire spring holiday to relax and spend time with my family. I am currently cooking dinner for my family. When my mother saw me cooking for the first time she was shocked speechless at the amazing taste the food had. She then thought over the things I shown over the years with my amazing learning speed, and wasn''t shocked anymore. Both Raiha and my father fell in love with my cooking, and so my mother got jealous of her own son, and demanded me to teach her how to cook better. Of course, I didn''t want to argue with my lovely mother (especially when she''s smiling with her eyes closed), so I taught her everything I knew. Although it isn''t world class, it could be compared to about 30% of Joichiro Yukihira''s skill from Food Wars, and that''s saying something. Once I reach grandmaster of Japanese orientated cuisine, I would be about 90% of his skills, and once I maxed out the proficiency, everybody would be having a foodgasm just from smelling my food. Raiha also enjoys my singing, which was as good enough to be famous on a high school level. While taking care of her I usually sing her to sleep every night. It became a habit over the years, and I sometimes sing to my parents as well to let them relax their body and mind. Despite not showing his weak side, I knew that he has worked tirelessly to provide for us a comfortable living. I really love this family even though my mother is fierce and my father can be annoying at times. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 10 years old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Basic law proficiency (80/100) -Basic finance and business proficiency (90/100) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (2/300) -Intermediate science proficiency (210/300) -Intermediate social studies proficiency (250/300) -Intermediate history proficiency (250/300) -Intermediate geography proficiency (197/300) -Advanced mathematics proficiency (100/500) -Advanced Japanese proficiency (0/500) -Advanced music proficiency (100/500) -Advanced sign Language proficiency (0/500) -Advanced Japanese orientated cuisine proficiency (0/500) -Grandmaster piano proficiency (0/2,000) Inventory: 1) A sleek pair of shoes (Makes everyone envy you for having them) 2) 4x weakened senzu beans --------------------- Chapter 6 - 6:Going back to school II And so 10 days passed like this, and my father have left us again for his work. "Little Raiha..it''s time to wake up." I shook Raiha as she wriggled about in her futon. "Onii-chan.. let me sleep a while more." as she fell back asleep. ''Sigh, whatever am I going to do with you.'' I thought as I tickled her body. "Wake up now little Raiha, if not you will miss breakfast.." Raiha immediately jumped out and went to wash up after hearing she would miss breakfast. Knowing that delicious breakfast is waiting for her she ran around the house, preparing for her childcare centre. Despite being pampered and spoiled a lot, Raiha still grew up to be sensible, though she still acts her age. While my mother does the household chores, I would sometimes help as well. "Onii-chan!" Raiha screamed down the hallway,"Hurry up and prepare the food!!" Within 10 minutes everything was prepared, and she started to devour everything. It was simple breakfast. We were not very rich, but my father works hard enough to put three meals on the table everyday for us. "Raiha-chan~ Why didn''t you ask me to cook for you? You don''t love me anymore?" My mother was fake crying, letting fake tears roll down her cheeks. "Ah no no no..." Raiha hurriedly comforted her,"It''s just that...onii-chan cooks better..." When she heard that she felt as though an arrow had pierced her heart. Her pride as a mother didn''t allow her to lose to her son in terms of wifey-power. "But I still love okaa-san the most!" Raiha smiled brightly, and it was so innocent that both of our hearts melted. She was about to say something back, but Raiha''s next statement just made her sit down, and smiled smugly at her son (me). Looking at my mother''s expression, I just snorted and continued eating my breakfast. I did not bother to argue with my mother as I was a man. It''s definitely not because I can''t win against her. After filling our bellies with food, my mother washed our plates and left home together. On the way to Raiha''s daycare centre, our neighbours greeted us warmly. We saw a family moving in next to us, but as we was rushing for time, we didn''t stop and greet them. After dropping Raiha at her daycare centre, I hurriedly rush to school while my mother went back home to do whatever she needs to do. I reached the school on time, and after greeting my friends, I sat down as the teacher walked in. "Good morning class, there is a transfer student coming in today. Let us treat her warmly alright? Allow her to introduce herself." The teacher told us as a young girl walks in. She has light brownish hair, with a cute, longer length bob cut hairstyle with front bangs to her eyebrows, and side bangs falling just below her chin. She also has big, adorable eyes that are auburn in colour, set in a round face with a slightly pointed chin. When she walked in, what caught my attention was her hearing aids that were in her ears. She took out a notepad and started writing on it. On it, the words were present: "Ohayou-gozaimasu! (Good morning!) Nice to meet you. My name is Nishimiya Shouko. Please treat me well!" After introducing herself, the teacher directed her towards the empty desk next to mine. The ratio of male to female is 2 to 8 (20% is male). In this class of 30 people, only 6 people are boys, including me. Shouko- Hello! Nice to meet you, my name is Shouko! She wrote on her small notepad, looking at me with a bright smile planted on her face. Fuutarou: [Hello, nice to meet you too. My name is Ue-su-gi Fuu-ta-rou.] I replied in sign language, which caused her to widen her eyes in surprise. Although I wasn''t an grandmaster in sign language, I could still converse with her to a certain extent. This little moment was ruined however, by a spoilsport. Teacher: "Uesugi-san, you will have plenty of time to talk to her after lunch. So please pay attention now as we are going to begin out lesson." I replied as I laughed it off. As a charming and kind boy in a society of girls, I was very popular with the girls. Everyday, I would be surrounded by girls, and my kind personality often makes it hard for me to reject them. After all, they were not doing anything weird right? Together with the fact that I was smart and hardworking, excelling in both sports and academics while not being arrogant, treating everyone kindly made me the most popular boy in school. I remembered an anime from my previous life ''A Silent Voice'', where shouko was the main character there. I remember her life being very harsh since young, making her mature faster than others her age. She was bullied due to her disability, lost her grandmother who was very kind to her, had a not-so-good relationship with her mother, and caused her younger sister to take up a creepy hobby just to help cheer her up. I really hope that I could help her in some way in this life. ''I will let her enjoy her childhood this life, not letting her suffer any hardsh.i.p.s.'' I resolved myself. ''And the first thing I need to do is to cure her deafness. I guess the senzu bean is coming out once again.'' As soon as lunch time comes, people started to surround us, asking various questions, some even pretty offensive about her hearing aids. While this happened, I rushed to the rooftop, trying to escape from the girls, following my usual routine and eating lunch there. Unbeknownst to me, I was followed by someone. Right before I opened my hand-made bento, I felt a little tap on my shoulder and turned around, only to be greeted by Shouko. Shouko- Uesugi-san... NOTE: From now on, I''m going to use these when communicating/having a conversation. name: "..." ----->talking name: [...] ----->sign language name- ... ----->writing on notepad [] ----->system ''...'' ----->thoughts And I just realised that Shouko could actually hear, though just barely early in her life. But because of the escalation of bullying, it caused her hearing to deteriorate and by high school, she was almost fully deaf. Chapter 7 - 7:Friends I Shouko- Uesugi-san...why are you eating lunch by yourself? Don''t you have any friends? I mean, you don''t seem like a bad guy. ''or a bad looking guy'' She thought that last part to herself with a light blush on her face. Fuutarou: [You see, I have a lot of friends. Both boys and girls argue about eating with me during lunch. So to avoid people arguing, I eat by myself so they don''t constantly surround around me.] I smiled wryly. Shouko was surprised with my ability to make a lot friends, and was depressed for some reason. "What''s wrong Nishimiya-san?" She sighed while signalling me with her hand- You see, I do not have any friends. Nobody wants to play with me and only makes fun of me due to my deafness. She points to her hearing aids. I was startled for a moment, before raising my hands and speaking this time, "From now on, if no one wants to your friend, don''t worry. Come to me, I will be your friend, okay?" Her reactions were priceless: the corners of her mouth arched upwards to form a bright smile, tears falling with joy. She was writing on her notepad again, this time so quickly her handwriting became messy. Shouko- Thank you for being my first friend Uesugi-san! Fuutarou: [Thank you for being my friend too, Nishimiya-san] I replied with a small smile on my face. I started eating my lunch but as Shouko forgot her lunch, I let her have half of mine. Shouko: [This lunch is so good! Your mum is such a great cook!] She was waving her hand with her mouth full, eyes sparkling brightly. Fuutarou: [Actually...I cooked it by myself. I''m a better cook than my mother after all.] I grinned smugly as I thought of my mother''s defeated expression. Shouko: [Pfftt...hehe. You must have a great mum.] Fuutarou: [Yep, I have the best mum ever. And you can just call me by my first name, Fuutarou. You don''t have to call me by my last name.] Shouko: "That''s...that''s..." She stuttered with a tinge of red on her face Fuutarou: [Oh I''m sorry. If it isn''t comfortable with you, you don''t have to force yourself.] Shouko: [No it''s fine. You can also call me by my first name as well, Fuutarou-kun ] Shouko: [Also, you don''t have to speak to me with sign language. I can hear you with these] as she points to her hearing aids.] Fuutarou: [No, it''s fine.] "After all, I can''t be the only one special in conversations now can I, Shouko-chan~?" I spoke the second part, giving her a teasing smile. She blushed at my words but didn''t refute me, and just stared at my face. After a while, I gave her a questioning look and she realised what she was doing. She pursed her lips pouting a bit, and looks away from me. I chuckled slightly at her little act causing her blush to deepen. I wish moments like these would last a while longer but again, as expected of my luck, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break. I returned to class with Shouko, which did not went unnoticed by everyone else. Most of them gave Shouko light glares, but she either ignored or didn''t notice them- I could not tell. I was doing my own thing, which was sleeping since I knew what they were going to be teaching already either way. Shouko noticed that I wasn''t paying attention so she kept poking me at the ribs, trying to get me to concentrate. She eventually gave up to my relief and the lessons passed as usual. The teachers mostly ignore me as I was the top scorer even after sleeping through the days as per usual. At the end of the day, I woke up on time, yawning while seeing my classmate leave. I was about to leave as well until I saw Shouko asleep on her desk. I tried waking her up by shaking her shoulders gently. She slowly open her eyes, yawns and wiped the bit of drool on the corner of her lips. As she suddenly realises that I was there looking at her awkwardly, her entire face turns red and she quickly turns her body away from me. "Shouko-chan, do you want to go home together? I heard friends do that kind of thing together?" I asked her with a bright smile. Shouko turns with the brightest smile on her face, and raises her thumb high in the air. We exit the school and I found out that our house were in the same direction. Fuutarou: [Can we stop halfway? I need to fetch my little sister from her daycare centre.] Shouko: [You have a little sister? I have one too! Let''s fetch them together!] Chapter 8 - 8:Friends II As we reached the daycare centre, We spotted both our younger sisters talking to one another animately. As we got closer, they turned their heads to us. "Onii-chan!" "Onee-chan!" They shouted at us as they rushed towards us. Fuutarou: "Little Raiha, did you make any friends today?" Raiha: "Of course Onii-chan. Let me introduce you. Her name is Yuzuru Nishimiya, and the friend that I played with today!" Fuutarou: "Nishimiya? I also have a friend with me today. Her name is Shouko Nishimiya. What a coincidence!" As both pair of siblings looked at one another, we started laughing. "Hello Shouko Onee-chan! My name is Uesugi Raiha! Thank you for taking care of my brother!" Shouko: [What a lively girl! How cute!] Raiha looked at me with question marks poping out her head, wondering what she was doing. I chuckled lightly as I told her about Shouko''s deafness, and translated what she wanted to say to her. Soon, the four of us continued with our way home. As we were walking to our house, I was wondering why they (Nishimiya sisters) were still following us (Uesegi siblings). As we reached our house, I realised that they were living next to us! Shouko was pleasantly surprised too. Shouko: [Yay! My first friend is living next to me!] Yuzuru, who was beside Shouko and talking to Raiha was surprised too. Not only at the fact that we were living next to each other, but also at the fact that her sister was happy too. ''She was never this happy in her previous schools. It must be due to this onii-chan.'' Yuzuru thought as she looked at me. Noticing her gaze, I turned my head and met her gaze. Yuzuru averted her eyes quickly while rushing home. Shouko, noticing her actions quickly waved us goodbye before following her sister. After reaching home, Raiha: "Onii-chan, you finally got a friend! I was worried that you would be lonely all the time!" as she gave me a cheeky smile. Fuutarou, who was amused at her antics, pretended to be mad. "Hmph! Who do you think your brother is? Just because you didn''t see anyone with me doesn''t me that I don''t have any friends ok? And you are too young to worry for me!" Fuutarou started tickling her. "Hahah..stop it onii-chan..haha" Raiha screamed as she wormed around in my grasp. I stopped tickling her and started to prepare dinner. "Hmph. I hate you onii-chan." She crossed her arm while pouting, sticking out her tongue before rushing to shower. And so our day continued peacefully, with my delicious dinner I managed to coax Raiha and my mother since she was pissed that we didn''t introduce ourselves to our new neighbours together as a family. After dinner, I did my homework before singing Raiha to sleep. I checked the house with my mother before going to bed myself. -Two day time skip- Yesterday before going to school, I met Shouko, Yuzuku and their mother. I noticed that their mother-daughter relationship was pretty awkward, similar to the anime. On the way to school with the four of us, I thought about how to deal with the bullying problem and improve her relationship with her mother. ''Maybe our mothers can have a chat with each other, perhaps that will help with Shouko''s mother''s emotions.'' Today during history lesson, the bullying began. A spiky haired boy, named Ishida was one of the six boys in the class. He made a megaphone by rolling up his book, and shouted next to Shouko''s ear. "Rargh!" he roared loudly from behind her, shocking her greatly and causing some giggles around the class. ''Sigh, I don''t really want this to happen'' I thought to myself as I got up and faced Ishida. "Shouya-kun, I don''t think it''s very nice of you to do this right?" I tried convincing Ishida with a friendly smile. "Hmm? Uesugi-kun, why are you helping her? She is just a disabled person." Ishida looks at me like I''m the weird one for interfering with the bullying. "Shouya-kun, it''s not nice to bully someone. How would you feel if everybody else did this to you? Besides, you can get punished for bullying, you know?" I was going to explode hearing what he said, but tried to calm myself down and hoping to convince him. After all, I was popular and have some influence over the students to some extent. "Fine then, but only because you are my friend Uesugi-kun." Ishida looked at me, then sat down in his seat, but not before giving Shouko a glare. Shouko: *Did he do that for me? Why did he help me? Could it be...* her face a bright red but as soon those thoughts appeared she quickly shook her head with doubts. *No..just being his friend is more than I can ever hope for...he wouldn''t want someone like me* smiling melancholically at herself. "Don''t worry Shouko-chan, I am your friend and will protect you from bullies." I told her with a gentle smile without having any ideas about what was going through her head. "Thank you" Shouko said softly, barely a whisper, but I did managed to hear it, smiling to myself. [Hidden quest completed: prevent Shouko Nishimiya from getting bullied] Description: Find a way to prevent Shouko Nishimiya from getting bullied. Rewards: 3x normal gacha spins Quest failure: Shouko Nishimiya becomes depressed, relationship with her mother deproves. This was an unexpected reward for me. Thinking back, it was good that I had stopped it early on, otherwise her kindness will be taken advantaged of, and her self-esteem would be lower than ever before. I had promised myself not to regret anything early in my life, and I didn''t want to regret not helping Shouko. I hope that I would be able to help her overcome her trauma and solve her deafness once and for all. And thus, I have managed to solved her biggest crisis without any further trouble. Chapter 9 - 9:Nishimiya Shouko Buhahahaha. Today is a great day for both teachers and students alike (not me since I''m going to have exams soon) since today is.....TEACHERS'' DAY!!!!!!! Happy Teachers'' day to all the teachers out there who had worked hard in giving us all their love and effort in teaching and guiding us. I wish all teachers to have a fantastic break and stay healthy always! And since I was in a great mood (but stressed since I''ve got exams soon), I decided to release an extra chapter today. Don''t wish for this to happen every time though. Stay healthy, read more and enjoy the chapter. ****************** One day before school started: When I first moved here, I was afraid. I did not know anyone here, and with my previous experiences with school, I did not have any friends, and was afraid of being bullied again. My little sister was only three years old, and my mother was indifferent towards me. Grandma Ito was the only one I could talk to without any hate or coldness in their eyes. Why are they treating me like this? I tried my best in befriending them, helping them whenever I can. I never complained, never retaliated, yet they still don''t see me as a human being in their eyes, treating me like trash. Is it due to my disability? I could see their rejection in their actions, their hate in their eyes, their coldness in their tone. I was born slightly deaf. I could do nothing about it but to live my life to the very best. At least I have Grandma Ito and Yuzuru with me at home to communicate with. I didn''t give up. I continued trying to make friends, even if they reject me, I would keep my smile in order not to worry Grandma Ito. I was lonely and sad, but I continued to endure. I thought, that if I continued enduring, one day, all my troubles would disappear and I would find someone who would not discriminate me. Someone who would not keep me away. Someone who would love me. It was every girls'' dream to be a bride of someone special. I was no different. And so I continued enduring. Endure. Endure. For 10 years, I still haven''t made any friends. I was so close to giving up. Maybe I should do something else. Those were my thoughts until that day. That day where I first met him. My first impression was that he was special. He had white hair with bright green eyes, and was quite handsome. On the way to the classroom, I saw him being surrounded by everyone, both boys and girls while talking to them with a smile on his face. He was kind and talked to everyone, he didn''t discriminate. Seeing the scene, I can''t help but hope. Hope that he would be different from others. Hope that he would be my friend. When I reached the classroom, I introduced myself. When I saw him look at me, I saw surprise in his eyes. Not the surprise that people usually have when they see my hearing aids, but the type of surprise when you see someone familiar. I didn''t know when I saw him before, but I didn''t mind it, though I couldn''t help myself, my hopes rose. His look of surprise was better than others'' look of disdain or shock. ''I hope he becomes my friend''. I prayed and hoped for it to come true. I didn''t interact much with others in my previous school. Others often left me out in their chats and I was always alone during lunch. When I sat beside him, I introduced myself to him again, hoping for the best. To my surprise and happiness, he replied me with sign language. I was pleasantly surprised, and happiness bloomed inside me. After the teacher lightly rebuked him, he only smiled sheepishly and continued paying attention in class. During lunch time, I thought he would eat lunch with everyone else, but out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him rush out of the classroom. Feeling curious, I dropped everything in my hands and rushed after him, trying to figure out where he was going and what he was going to do. I saw him go to the rooftop, opening his own bento while eating alone. I tapped him on his shoulder, and he faced me. I asked him why he ate his lunch alone, while thinking how good looking he was close-up. His white hair and bright green eyes had a good contrast, while he had beautiful white skin without any sign of blemishes. I blushed a bit as he looked into my eyes and replied with sign language. He told me the reason for eating alone, and that made me depressed. He was too popular and since the number of boys only numbered 3, he didn''t have any male friends to talk to or hang out with. The girls were too noisy and he wanted some peace and quiet. ''Sigh, someone here wants friends but have none, and here I found somebody who was the opposite of me'' I thought to myself. He was attentive to me, and asked me what was wrong immediately after realising I was sad. I explained to him about my circ.u.mstances, and about my disabilities and how I can''t seem to make any friends. He seemed startled about my circ.u.mstances, and immediately offered to be my friend. I was very surprised. I thought I would have no friends once again in this new environment. I was so happy, tears started flowing down my eyes. I replied with the brightest grin I ever made in my life, and wrote on notepad quickly, as if I was afraid that if I took any longer to reply him, he would take back his words. ''Thank you for being my first friend Uesugi-san!'' I realised that I had forgotten to bring my lunch up here, and Uesugi-san offered me his lunch. It was delicious, the best I had ever eaten. However when I complimented his mother for being a good cook, his mood went up, and he revealed how he was a better cook than his mum. Laughing at his smug face, I told him that he had a great mum. Despite being a worse cook than her own son, he could still laugh and joke about it, proving that his relationship with his mum was very close. Sure enough, he confirmed my theory. He even told me that I could call him by his first name. Shocked at his words, I immediately thought of many different scenarios. He wants us to be close? More than a friend? Wahhhhhhh. Indecent! Calling each other by our first names is lewd!! "That''s...that''s..." Maybe he noticed my indecent thoughts (A/N nope he didn''t. Shouko is a pure and nice girl), and he quickly apologies for making me uncomfortable and told me not to force myself to call him by his first name if I wasn''t comfortable. Now I know why many people likes him. He is so kind and caring, and doesn''t discriminate anyone. Being handsome as well just increases his charms. [No it''s fine. You can also call me by my first name as well, Fuutarou-kun] I signalled him and told him that he could speak to me normally as well, not needing him to use sign language, to talk with me. Today was a special day, he showed me that I could also be ''normal''. I was tired of being ''special''. Being ''special'' was tiring. He could speak to me with sign language. He treated me as a normal friend. And when he gave me a gentle smile, he looked mesmerising. Unbeknownst to Shouko, Fuutarou''s existence had become her sun, shining brightly at her while bringing her the warmth she always wanted. No one knows what would happen in the future, but for now, she was content with just being by his side, not wishing for more. ************ A/N Btw do you guys want Asumi Kominami from We Never Learn to be in the harem? The purple hair sempai/ronin that has a loli body and childish personality. Personally I really liked her, but at this rate he is going, he would never go to cram class and would never meet her. And if you guys haven''t realised already, We Never Learn is one of the anime harems he would get if it wasn''t obvious enough from the cover picture. Let me know down in the comments if you wish to see her, and if possible, tell me the scenario in which mc meets her as well. If not, I''m not going to add her at all or I''m going to find a way to let them meet if you guys want her to be in the harem. Maybe they would meet in a maid cafe where she''s working or something. As always, give me comments and vote this fan fiction! Thanks for all your support! :D Chapter 10 - 10:Shoukos feelings After a few days had passed since Shouko''s bullying, we had become good friends. We often played together, and I went home with her everyday. Our little sisters have become good friends as well. I''m pretty sure Shouko had told her grandmother and mum what happened, because every time I dropped her off they try to invite me inside their house. I told my mother about the incident as well, and now both our families are good friends. Shouko''s relationship with her mother had improved, not being as indifferent to each other as before, though there were still moments of awkwardness between them, but it was nothing that time couldn''t cure. I went inside their house a few times a week, bringing along Raiha and my mother as well. I played with the three of them. Sometimes I did my homework while teaching Shouko, watching our little sisters play together as our mothers did mothers'' things (gossiping). To repay their kindness, I also volunteered to help them with their chores but they refused. But I insisted on cooking so they let me do it with the help of Raiha''s ''persuading''. The first time they tasted my cooking their eyes sparkled, but their pride as a.d.u.l.ts refuse to let me cook all the time, but I still help out once in while. Sometimes Kobayashi Haruma also come to hang out with us. He is one of the few friends that hang out a lot with, and due to his gentle personality with everybody, he was as popular as me in school. Shouko also didn''t mind him but she mostly kept to me due to her shy personality. -Inside the Nishimiya Household- Grandma Ito: "He''s such a gentle boy, that Uesugi boy. Shouko, you need grab him before anyone else does. Sigh, he needs and will have a lot of girls in the future. You know what he did for you... who cares if he''s poor? He is good looking, kind and gentle and good with both sports and academics. He would be very successful in the future. More of a reason to go for it Shouko." Shouko- But look at me Granny... do you think he would like someone like me? He would definitely have a lot more pretty girls around him in the future, and I don''t even know how I feel about him... Grandma Ito: "Sigh, do you think he will do what he did just for everyone? You''re cute and will have a sporting figure when you grow older! Don''t hold yourself down." She reassured her beloved granddaughter. This left Shouko fidgeting and thinking to herself in silence. *Am I really worthy to be with him?* Shouko thought to herself. Unknown to her a seed has already been planted in her heart, waiting for the right time to blossom. -Back to Fuutarou- I spent most of days in Shouko''s house. I didn''t want to impose on them, but they insisted. Raiha also wanted to spend more time with her friend, so I eventually gave in to her puppy eyes. I also noticed Shouko staring at me absentmindedly sometimes, while being deep in thought, but I didn''t ask. -One year timeskip- And so time passed quickly, before we noticed, a year had passed by already. Over the year, Shouko and I became closer, and I often hang out with Shouko in her house. My father also came back a few times during the year. He saw me and Raiha often going to our neighbours'' house, and he didn''t really care. In fact, he even encouraged me to live there, as a joke of course since my mother was glaring at him. It was coincidence that my father had met Yaeko Nishimiya, Shouko''s mother on one of his trips before, so he entrusted me and Raiha to her, while leaving on his trips, which were getting longer spanning from 2 weeks to a month. He comes home at least once a month just to see how we were doing. He didn''t really worry much about us. He knew that his children were mature enough not to cause troubles, and even if troubles arises, both Shouko and my mothers would be able to solve it for us. Over the year Raiha and Shouko also became interested in cooking, so I taught them how to cook simple dishes. Yuzuru took a liking to photography due to the camera that my father once brought her. She look up to my father as a professional cameraman, and wants to be like him. I had also secretly slipped in a senzu bean in one of her lunch early in the year, and now Shouko was like any other normal girl. When she found out that she could hear clearly without her hearing aids, she cried so happily and almost choked me while hugging me tightly. She didn''t realise that it was me of course, but she was so happy that she just went around hugging everyone. I also spun my gacha, and got intermediate basketball proficiency, basic waitering proficiency and a very pretty flower-shaped, auburn-coloured hair clip. Intermediate basketball proficiency: Plays basketball on a middle school level, good foundation skills and with above average game sense. Basic waitering proficiency: Knows how to serve customers in a restaurant or cafe as a waiter. Good eloquence and has patience when doing a waiter''s job which includes but are not limited to taking orders, delivering orders and receiving and answering questions. Intermediate basketball proficiency allows me to play to nationals on middle school level with a weak team, and high school standards with a good team. I guess what was limiting was my body as I did not develop it to a very high fitness standard (comparing to an a.d.u.l.t as a child). I had no idea why would I ever need a waitering proficiency in my life, and having a basic proficiency was basically useless to me. However, a proficiency was a proficiency, at least in the future, if I ever work in a cafe, I wouldn''t need to learn everything from scratch. I gave the hair clip to Shouko and she seems very happy with it, and now she wears it on her head all the time. Now, this is my status. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 11 years old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Basic waitering proficiency (0/100) -Basic law proficiency (90/100) -Intermediate finance and business proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (50/300) -Intermediate science proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate social studies proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate history proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate geography proficiency (253/300) -Intermediate basketball proficiency (0/300) -Advanced mathematics proficiency (200/500) -Advanced Japanese proficiency (153/500) -Advanced music proficiency (200/500) -Advanced sign Language proficiency (200/500) -Advanced Japanese orientated cuisine proficiency (300/500) -Grandmaster piano proficiency (0/2,000) Inventory: 1) A sleek pair of shoes (Makes everyone envy you for having them) 2) 3x weakened senzu beans ----------------- However, good things don''t always last that way for very long... Chapter 11 - 11:Heartbreaks [Quest: Be there for her] Description: Comfort Shouko and help her with her grandmother''s passing Rewards: 2x normal gacha spins Failure: Shouko''s family''s relationship with yours becomes distant "What..this is too sudden...why now?" I muttered to myself, the words barely leaving my mouth. Of course I would be sad...Grandma Ito became quite close to our family, Not only do I see her as my own grandma, Raiha did too. After all, she always treated us as family every time we drop by, and we haven''t seen our grandparents as well so she took their place as a grandmother in our hearts. *Didn''t think I would encounter death again so soon* I thought to myself bitterly. "But I need to be strong... for Raiha and for Shouko''s family." I resolved myself, gritting my teeth and bringing Raiha and my mother along to Shouko''s house. {A/N I know that Grandma Ito dies a lot later but this is a fanfic so screw the cannon. If you guys don''t like it then I''m sorry i guess.} It was 8 o''clock in the morning on a Saturday, and sobbing can be heard from inside the house. I knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Shouko''s mother, Yaeko, her face quite helpless when she saw Raiha and me. "Is this a bad time to drop by? I mean, is there something wrong? What happened?" I asked with worry in my eyes while Raiha was being worried as well. My mother had concern in her eyes, but waited for her to continue speaking first. "Well, it''s complicated, and I know you guys won''t be happy because of what I want to ask of you guys...but can you ...go to Shouko and Yuzuru? They really need you guys right now." Yaeko was practically pleading, her eyes filled with moisture, but not crying. I guess she doesn''t want her children to see this as a sign of weakness as a single mother - she wants them to see their mother as a headstrong woman. We nodded our heads lightly and made our way through their apartment and reached Shouko''s and Yuzuru''s room while my mother remained with her in the living room. Raiha''s eyes were brimming with tears at this point. When we looked inside, Shouko was sitting with her back against the room and head between her legs while Yuzuru was crouching at the corner of the room, bawling her eyes out. When we called out to them, both of them lifted their heads, turned their heads towards us and realised who we were as Shouko started tearing. She sprang to her feet, surprising me slightly, threw herself into my arms letting out a flood of tears on my chest. Meanwhile Yuzuru and Raiha was hugging each other while bawling their hearts out. Since Shouko couldn''t control the volume of her voice well, she started bawling and shouting as well, squeezing me tightly, bringing herself as close as she can in my embrace. I put my arms around her back as well, hugging her tightly while trying to comfort Shouko at the same time. The four of us just remained in our position for hours, until everyone except me got tired and fell asleep with a mess on their face. I carried the three of them into the bathroom, wiped the snot and tears on their faces before setting them on their beds. I tried calling my father, and it turns out he was already on the way home since he had gotten news of it a few hours ago from my mother. I told him about Grandma Ito''s passing, and I could hear him being silent for a while, before I hear a bit of sniffling on the phone. At this point, I realised that I had underestimated the depth of the relationship between the two families. After the call where my father told me that he would settle the funeral for them, I grabbed a chair to sleep by the three girls'' side. That night I was woken multiple times by the girls'' cries, but every time I was there to comfort and calm them down. Raiha and Yuzuru was hugging each other while sleeping while Shouko was holding tightly onto my hand, as if she was afraid that I would be gone as well. Since everyone was in great turmoil, I decided to cook a light breakfast for everyone...but a lot was left over as everyone have completely lost their appetites. A week later, Grandma Ito''s funeral was held, as Yaeko couldn''t pay for it (A/N Remember that she was a single mother providing for two kids), my father told her that he had already settled it for her. Raiha was hugging dad along with mum, Yuzuru was hugging her mum while Shouko was in my arms the entire time. She broke into tears from time to time, making my recently dried clothes soaked by the end of the day. [Quest completed, rewards are being issued.] [2x normal gacha spin] *Sigh, I really hate that sound sometimes* I thought with a little resentment inside me. The last time I almost lost my mother, and now I lost my grandma. I couldn''t stop her death. No one could stop old age, not even a senzu bean. A senzu bean heals all injuries, but couldn''t provide enough life force to reverse ageing. Chapter 12 - 12:Shoukos decision 1 month later, It''s currently the end of a school day, and I had just walked Shouko and our sisters home. She''s a lot better now, but she seems to stick close to me a tad too much...not that I mind. After reaching home, I realised that I still have the two tokens available for spins. ''System, use both gacha spin now.'' [Spinning...] [Host has gained basic teaching proficiency (0/100)] [Host has gained intermediate swimming proficiency (0/300)] "Huh..what do you mean by teaching? What am I teaching?" I asked the system curiously. [Host is able to teach more efficiently in any subjects. Be it normal academic subjects such as mathematics, Japanese or history, or sports related subjects such as basketball or swimming. The proficiency increases the more you teach in a subject, the greater the variety of subjects you teach, and how well you can convey your teachings. As the proficiency increases, the better you can convey your teachings, and the easier is it for your students to learn from you.] "Tsk...it''s not really useful for me right now. What am I supposed to do with his skill?" It seems that my luck is not really good today. ''Maybe I could teach Shouko to increase my proficiency? Would it work?'' The rest of the day went past as usual, and soon came tomorrow with the school day going by in a breeze. The only thing that I noticed was that Shouko kept glancing at me, more than usual this time. ''She''s got something to tell me...'' I thought to myself. She didn''t say anything however, until the end of the day, during our usual walk home, after sending our sisters home, she stopped in her tracks outside of our houses. ''It seems it''s something important. However, it seems that she''s happy though?'' I was surprised, as I overheard the conversation between her mother and mine, wanting to move overseas due to having a higher pay. I thought Shouko would be moving together with her mother. ''Seems like she''s really happy to be together with her mother.'' I''m glad that her relationship with her mother had improved to this point. Shouko: "Fuutarou-kun, I''ve got something to tell you..." Her body was trembling, with a slight...anticipation in her eyes? Fuutarou: "Sure, go on..." I encouraged her softly. I was about to cry from happiness since her relationship with her mother is getting better everyday, something that didn''t happen in the anime.. Shouko: "Well...my mother got a better job...she says it pays better...but...its far away, and...and..." She stop her sentence halfway. Fuutarou: "It''s ok Shouko-chan...I''ll always be here for you whenever you need me..." I walked towards her and gave her a light hug, which she reciprocated but a lot tighter. Shouko: "Thank you...and so I''ll..." Fuutarou: "Don''t worry, no matter how far you will go, I will always..." Shouko: "So I''ll be living in your house from now on!!" She gave me a bright a smile and didn''t wait for my reply before skipping back home. And so our dear mc is still frozen outside his own home, with his brain frozen. "EEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Our mc screams his lungs out before rushing to Shouko''s house. "Shouko-chan, what do you mean living in our house? I thought you would be following your mother overseas?" I rushed straight to her room and saw her in the middle of ... . . . . . . Studying. (Psych! What do perverts and lolicons think she, a 11 year old is in the middle of?) "Eh? I didn''t say anything about moving overseas with my mother though?" She tilts her head sideways trying to figure out what I mean. "Isn''t it common sense to follow your only parent overseas? Don''t tell me she was just going to leave you here alone." I asked her with slight anger. How can any parent be so irresponsible? "Oh, my mother gave me a choice since your dad gave us permission to live with you guys if we choose to since she trusts your father. Plus, your mother can take care of us as well." Shouko replied. "We? Don''t tell me..." "Yep! Both Yuzuru and I will be staying in your place." "And my parents never told us any of this!" "Ehh...so you don''t accept us staying in your place....?" Shouko asked me with tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh no no no, of course not. I will always accept you in my place." As I quickly denied her claim. Shouko: "Yay! You can''t go back on your words! Promise?" Here eyes immediately dried up, making it seem as if there was never tears to begin with. ''Damn, why am I so weak against her puppy eyes'' I grumbled to myself as I promised her. And so 1 week after she told me that the siblings were going to live with us, Shouko''s mother went overseas for her work, accompanied by my dad who was also going away for another ''business'' trip. My mother didn''t care that her husband was going on a trip with another woman. Maybe she trusted her husband that much? Raiha was very excited as she could now spend time with Yuzuru 24/7. Since we didn''t have enough beds, Raiha and Yuzuru shared the bed since they were small enough to do so, while my mother, Shouko and I got 1 each. Our house has 1 living room, 1 kitchen and 4 bedrooms. Nothing special about it. Each of us got bedroom for ourselves (except Raiha and Yuzuru since they shared a single bed). I think Shouko is getting smarter, she knows all of my daily habits and my likes and dislikes. She even knows about my strengths and weaknesses. So most of the time I spend with Shouko will just be her talking while I listen. I''m more of a listener rather than a talker anyway. They managed to sell their house for a decent amount of money, and they left my mother some of it to take care of the three girls. And so from today onwards, the Nishimiya siblings had officially moved into my house. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 11 years old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Basic waitering proficiency (0/100) -Basic teaching proficiency (0/100) -Basic law proficiency (90/100) -Intermediate finance and business proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate basketball proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate swimming proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (50/300) -Intermediate science proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate social studies proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate history proficiency (290/300) -Intermediate geography proficiency (253/300) -Advanced mathematics proficiency (200/500) -Advanced Japanese proficiency (155/500) -Advanced music proficiency (200/500) -Advanced sign Language proficiency (203/500) -Advanced Japanese orientated cuisine proficiency (303/500) -Grandmaster piano proficiency (0/2,000) Inventory: 1) A sleek pair of shoes (Makes everyone envy you for having them) 2) 3x weakened senzu beans ----------------- A/N If you guys didn''t know or realise, proficiency can be raised by doing the specific action or getting it from gacha. So for example, the more you practice the piano, the grandmaster piano proficiency can be raised or you can get 200x proficiency points in piano to increase it as well. The higher the proficiency, the harder it is to raise it and the greater the difference. That means 10 peak master proficiency can''t play as good as 1 grandmaster proficiency. Basic (0/100)--->Intermediate (0/300)--->Advanced (0/500)--->Master (0/1,000)--->Grandmaster (0/2,000) Chapter 13 - 13:Life with the Nishimiyas The day the Nishimiya siblings moved in, my father told me to take care of them. "Why didn''t you tell me about this beforehand!!??" I asked him. "EH, I didn''t tell you? It must have slipped my mind then." He looked at me with a surprised expression on his face, then ignored my angry expression,"Anyway, just take care of them when their mother and I are on our business trip." I turned towards my mother, who just turned away while whistling. Rubbing my temples, I sighed. "As the most mature kid here, it''s your responsibility to take care of them when your mother isn''t here, alright?" My father asked me with a mocking stern expression. "Sure, of course I will." I replied with the most sarcastic smile I could possibly give planted on my face while thinking to myself ''this old man will be the death of me one day''. And so my days of living with Shouko began. Yuzuru and Raiha became even close than ever as they were together 24/7, from sleeping to going to school to even showering. They did everything together, and when we tried separating them for a while, they even sulked for a whole day, ignoring me and Shouko. Meanwhile, Shouko was very dependent on me. She follows me wherever I go. She even followed me to the bathroom once, but I kicked her out and forbid her from entering when I''m in the middle of showering. I thought it was time to teach her the differences between men and women. So before I went to sleep that night, I taught Shouko all the knowledge she needed to know, and by the time we finished, Shouko''s face was bright red for the entire night. In school, I have gotten used to being surrounded by girls not only from my class, but from other classes as well. Some of them were even secretly stalking...ahem, I mean watching me during class hours. Random girls competing against each other, and the two winner gets the chance to share their bento with me and Haruma... Yep...they decided on it without asking for our approval, or even our opinions. At first we didn''t mind, frankly we''re kinda happy as it shows our popularity. Personally, having someone to compete just for me was something I haven''t experienced in my previous life...this kind of daily school life isn''t bad. Of course the other less popular boys are a bit envious towards us. They also have girls competing for them but with far fewer girls. After all, boys are a rarity in this world, and people are naturally attracted to rarity. However, I can''t accept their bentos as Shouko makes a bento for me everyday, and if I accept theirs, Shouko would pout and ignore me for the rest of the day. Shouko always seems to be angry at something in school, but whenever I asked her what was wrong, she refuses to reply me. But she seems to be angry only in school, whenever I walk home with her, Shouko always seems to be happy. Her mood further improves after we see our cute little sisters~ After reaching home, we take turns to have a bath, while Raiha and Yuzuru takes it together. Shouko and I do our homework for a while before I start preparing dinner with the girls'' help. My mother just gave up on cooking for us already since the children clearly liked my cooking more than hers, which made her depressed for an entire day. Raiha and Shouko seems to enjoy cooking a lot, but Yuzuru was there just because Raiha was there. Shouko''s cooking skills have improved a lot, and I daresay that she was as good as normal food stalls, considering that she was only 11. I didn''t allow Raiha to use the knife or stove as she was too young and it was dangerous for her, plus my mother would glare at me the moment she touches anything dangerous. But I allowed her to wash the vegetables and meat and watch me and Shouko as we cook for them. After dinner, we all help to wash the dishes as I continue with my homework. It doesn''t take a lot of time as I basically have the knowledge of a high school student at this point. But after my homework I continue with my studying of university subjects to increase my proficiency in the subjects. I also helped Shouko in her studies by teaching her things that she does not understand, resulting in her results steadily rising and my proficiency in teaching increasing as well. She was very hardworking, never slacking off on her studies. Meanwhile, Raiha and Yuzuru would either be playing or watching the television programme in the living room. Our house was built with a mix of traditional Japanese house and modern housing, with tatami mat flooring and sliding doors in the living room. There were 3 bedroom on the second floor, one for each children each with standard polished wooden floors, a bed and a study table. There was another bedroom on the first floor for my parents similar to our rooms with the only difference was that it was bigger than ours and had it''s own toilet. There was another toilet on the second floor, and one on the first floor for doing your business. And so days passed, another year flew by, and it''s a brand new year. We''re both turned 12 years old, while Raiha and Yuzuru started going to the same elementary school as as as first graders. ------Status------ Name: Fuutarou Uesugi Age: 12 years old S.e.x: Male Lovers: None Skills: -Basic waitering proficiency (0/100) -Basic law proficiency (90/100) -Intermediate teaching proficiency (100/300) -Intermediate finance and business proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate basketball proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate swimming proficiency (0/300) -Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (70/300) -Advanced science proficiency (50/500) -Advanced social studies proficiency (30/500) -Advanced history proficiency (30/500) -Intermediate geography proficiency (253/300) -Advanced mathematics proficiency (240/500) -Advanced Japanese proficiency (195/500) -Advanced music proficiency (230/500) -Advanced sign Language proficiency (203/500) -Advanced Japanese orientated cuisine proficiency (363/500) -Grandmaster piano proficiency (0/2,000) Inventory: 1) A sleek pair of shoes (Makes everyone envy you for having them) 2) 3x weakened senzu beans ----------------- Chapter 14 - 14:Its a brand new school year! It''s currently April now, and the spring vacation is over. Currently, I''m at home changing into my uniform as I prepare for school. "Fuu-chan! Shou-chan! Yuzu-chan and Rai-chan! Hurry up! If not, you''re going to be late soon!" My mother shouted at us from the first floor as we hurriedly changed. Her way of calling us was embarrassing, and when I complained to her, she just laughed it off and said,"Who had grown up? You will always be a child to me." My mother was the one who cooked breakfast for us. Although I could cook breakfast, I was never a morning person, so I let my mother cook for us. Her cooking has improved exponentially, so it didn''t really matter who cooked either way since both are delicious in their own way. Grabbing my bag lying on the floor, I zipped it up and went out of my room. "Good morning, Fuutarou-kun." A brownish-pink haired girl greeted me. Shouko had her hair remained in the same style from when I first met her while she had grown slightly taller. Her personality didn''t really change much either, she was still shy around others but was visibly happier than before. "Good morning Shouko-chan." I greeted back before yawning again. ""Good morning Onii-chan, Onee-chan."" Two sleepy girls could be seen rubbing their eyes. "Good morning Raiha-chan, Yuzuru-chan. Now hurry up and wash your face before mum scolds the both of you again." I told them. After hearing my words, the both of them quickly rushed towards the toilet while Shouko and I went down. ""Good morning mum/Hanako-san"" Shouko and I greeted each other as we saw a purple haired beauty sitting down on a chair with a tick mark on her head while smiling with her eyes closed. "I think she looks pissed." I whispered to Shouko who sat down next to me. "Yeah I wonder why." Shouko whispered back. ""Itadakimasu~"" We said before eating the food present on the table. Meanwhile, my mother was still sitting down with her eyes closed, seemingly waiting for someone. And sure enough, after a few minutes, our little sisters came downstairs. "So?" My mother stared at them after they sat down meekly,"What took you so long?" "..." Seeing them not replying, my mother just sighed and gave up. "Next time, just make sure that you girls hurry alright? Both of you are starting elementary school this year, so you can''t laze around, all right?" Our little sisters just nodded their heads before everyone else started eating. "So, are all of you excited to start the new year?" My mother changed the topic and asked excitedly,"My children are all growing up so fast. It seemed as though you were just three years old yesterday." Seeing her more excited than our little sisters made me speechless. My mother acted more like a child than us. Can''t blame her though, Shouko and I were also excited to bring my little sisters to school. They were so cute! After finishing our usual morning family talk, we all went out together except my mother who just went back to doing her house chores. "Mum! I''ll be back later, but I will be back before dinner!" "Are you going to the music room again?" I grinned and nodded,"Yep." "Shou-chan as well?" "Yes Uesugi-san. Fuutarou-kun''s piano skills are very good and relaxing, making it easier to study." Shouko smiled and replied. Ever since her hearing has recovered, she has enjoyed listening to music, especially mine after she overheard me practice on the piano once after school. "Sigh...alright, make sure to bring your sister to the music room as well and come back together, all right?" My mother was lonely at home and had no one to talk to, so she wanted company. However, she was not going to reduce her children''s enjoyment time just to let them accompany her. "Hai! Bye mum." """Bye!""" She just waved at us before going back in the house. ************* "So Raiha-chan, are you excited for your new school?" I asked her. I was glad that my mother decided to en-roll our sisters in the same school as us. "Yes. I can''t wait to meet and make new friends!" Raiha exclaimed excitedly. "Yep! Let''s hurry up, we don''t want to be late on our first day, do we?" I informed them. "Nope! Let''s go!" Raiha rushed forwards together with Yuzuru as we just smiled at their antics. ************* "Shouko-chan, we''re in the same class again this year." After looking at the class list, I found my name along with Shouko''s under class 6-D. "Yes! Continue looking after me this year, Fuutarou-kun!" Shouko bowed her head slightly while smiling. "Of course! Please look after me as well!" I replied back. On the way to our new classroom, people started greeting us. "Morning Uesugi-san!" "Good morning Uesugi-san!" "Have a good new school year!" We greeted them back before reaching our new class. After reaching our new classroom, we recognised everyone from our class last year since our class didn''t change. "Morning Fuutarou-kun. Morning Nishimiya-san" Haruma greeted me and Shouko. ""Morning Haruma-kun."" "Will our class be the same as last year?" Haruma asked. "I think so. Since it''s our last year here anyway, it would make no sense if we suddenly have a new student or teacher." I thought about it before replying. "Umm...I think I saw the yellow-haired girl on the way here." Shouko interrupted. "Ohh, that girl? Ever since we started going to the music room last year, she started following us, didn''t she?" I recalled the past year''s memories at the music room. I wanted to play the piano but since we didn''t have one at home, I decided to practice at school and Shouko decided to accompany me. Ever since then, we started going to the music room everyday after school and stayed there for a few hours before going back home for dinner. We would do our homework there, and sometimes Haruma would join us. Afterwards, I would play the piano while Shouko just enjoyed the music there while reading her book or revising in the air-conditioned room. However, a few weeks later, we started seeing a yellow-haired girl secretly follow us. At first I thought she was just another admirer of mine or Shouko, but I realised that she was there to listen to me play the piano. ''Is that Kaori? From Shigatsu wa kimi no uso? She''s in this world as well?'' I didn''t really watch the anime last life since I don''t really prefer music, but the anime was very popular, allowing me to know the general plot of the story. ''Friedreich''s Ataxia? Was it that?'' I didn''t really know the story that much, but I didn''t want her to have a sad ending, so I decided to save her when I''ve got the chance. Chapter 15 - 15:Music room "Yeah, I think she''s shy." Shouko voiced out her opinion. "Still, I think she''s your secret admirer Uesugi. I think your music attracted her to you." Haruma smirked. "Maybe...well, should we confront her? It would be annoying if she continues listening from outside, and would make us feel bad as well." I asked. I needed to find a reason to talk to her and start curing her disease. I can''t save everyone in this world, but since I had the capability to save three people, I would gladly do so. "I don''t mind, I''m just there to ask you for help for my homework or to listen to you play only while enjoying the air-conditioner." Haruma casually said. He didn''t care about most things unless it was related to his friends or family. "Yes! She seems pretty lonely if she would follow us everyday just to listen to you playing. Plus, I''m also curious about her, she seems to be studying in this school yet we rarely notice her." Shouko said while smiling brightly. ''What a kind angel!'' I thought to myself. I still haven''t sorted out my feelings for Shouko yet. Do I see her as a friend, a girl or a sister? ''Sigh, let nature take its course then.'' I didn''t want to rush things, we were only twelve after all. "Alright, let''s talk to her later after school." I decided as they agreed. ************* After the bell rang, we packed our bags before leaving for the music room. On the way there, we saw Raiha and Yuzuru surrounded by many people. Seeing this sight made me smile, Raiha didn''t have many close friends apart from Yuzuru, whom she sees as a sister. Seeing her surrounded by many potential close friends, made my heart warm. We just stood at a corner while waiting for them to finish their conversations. Raiha was talking to her friends when she suddenly saw me out of the corner of her eyes, she shouted as she ran towards us,"Onii-chan! Onee-chan! And Kobayashi-senpai?" "Raiha-chan! How was your first day of school?" I asked as I petted her head. "Yuzuru-chan! Did you make new friends today?" Shouko, who was by my side asked as well while Haruma just stood by the side watching us with an amused smile. "Today was fun! We made many new friends!" Raiha grinned happily as she enjoyed my petting. Yuzuru looked towards us with envy in her eyes, but Shouko noticed this as she also petted her head, causing Yuzuru to smile happily as well. "Alright, we''re going to the music room now. We will remain there until about four to five pm, do you want to follow us or stay with your friends?" I asked them. "Music room? I want to go with you onii-chan! I want to check your songs and see if they''re as good as onee-chan said." Yuzuru hurriedly replied, as if afraid that I would go back on my word. "Me too! Me too!" Raiha agreed as well. I looked at them and wondered why they were so excited to follow us to the music room. It wasn''t as if I was going anywhere special. Nonetheless, I didn''t mind their excitement and together with Shouko and Haruma, we brought them to the music room after our sisters said their goodbyes to their friends. After a few minutes of walking, we reached the music room. I opened the door, and the distinct smell of the music room wafted into our noses. It wasn''t a very pleasant smell, but it was not very bad either. It smelled of oil, wood and metal. I don''t know why, but even though the smell was present, I enjoy being here. Maybe it was because of my Grandmaster proficiency in piano and advanced proficiency in music that I enjoy anything related to music. As we put our bags down in one corner, Raiha and Yuzuru looked around the room. Today was the first day in a new school, so they didn''t have time to explore much of the school. The music room was on the first floor, next to the school field. It wasn''t very huge, but it was still big considering that we''re still in elementary school. In the middle of the room stood a grand piano, along with its wooden chair. The windows were closed, and with the air-conditioner turned on, cool and gentle wind could be felt. White translucent curtains hung down from the windows, not fully blocking off all the sunlight that was shining through the window, allowing us to see the scenery outside. Sitting by the side were various instruments that were taught in elementary school including the recorders, flutes, violas, snare drum, bass drum and so on and so forth. They were neatly arranged according to their group, woodwinds or percussion. On the opposite side of where the instruments were, there was a table for six people to sit comfortably. After they finished looking around, Raiha and Yuzuru turned their heads and looked at me expectantly. Chuckling at their gaze, I placed down my bag on the table before moving towards the piano in the centre of the room. Adjusting myself on the seat to find a comfortable position to play, my hand reached for the keys and played the first note. I decided not to sing as I wanted us to relax just playing a peaceful melody. Meanwhile, Shouko, Haruma and our sisters sat down on the chairs and looked at me, waiting impatiently for me to start, or at least Raiha and Yuzuru looked at me impatiently. I was scanning through all the piano songs that were ingrained into my brain by the system last year when I realised that the classical songs that were present in my previous life also exist here. Choosing a song to start playing, I started... {BGM: River flows in you by Yiruma} (A/N Btw it''s like my first time writing this sort of stuff. So give me feedback on how to improve because I have no idea how to write a scene about playing the piano.) I played the entire song with some improvisation, and increased the entire duration from five minutes to fifteen minutes, allowing for a much longer time for relaxation. After I finished playing the song, I turned around, only to see a beautiful scene. Haruma was closing his eyes and relaxing, Shouko was closing her eyes as well, and leaning on her were Raiha and Yuzuru, who seemed to have fallen asleep. They must have been tired from their first day of school. Smiling, I took in the scene and memorised it. I would remember this scene for a long time. However, something caught my attention from the door as I was enjoying their sleeping faces. Turning around, I saw that the door was ever slightly open, just enough for me to see who was on the other side. I quietly walked towards the door and opened it, causing whoever that was leaning on the other side to stumble forward. She quickly recovered before falling to the ground, and brushed her blond hair to the side, revealing her pale indigo eyes and slightly red cheeks. We looked at each other awkwardly without saying anything, leaving silence hanging in the air for a minute before she spoke up. "Um...good afternoon?" Chapter 16 - 16:Miyazono Kaori I A/N: I tried doing a 3rd person POV, and I think it''s much better to tell the story from this perspective as it gives more insight and information that usually a 1st person POV can''t say. Tell me in the comments down below if you enjoyed this since I''m probably going to continue this story in 3rd person. Also, new fan fiction has come out! The first few chapters are really slow though, so you might want to wait until 4-5 chapters have come out before reading them together since it would be less boring. It would also be in 3rd person POV ************************* "Um...good afternoon?" "Good afternoon. Can I know what you were doing behind the door?" Fuutarou asked directly. Kaori, who was a bit startled at his direct question, started fidgeting while looking around. "Um...I was...listening to you play..." She replied shyly, suddenly finding the ground interesting to look at. Fuutarou merely raised his eyebrow. ''I don''t remember her being a stalker in the anime?'' He shook his head internally and thought to himself. ''No, I can''t think that way anymore. This is the real world now...'' "I see, then why don''t you come in instead?" "...I-I-I was sh-sh-shy..." She stuttered while looking down and hiding her face, though Fuutarou could see a tinge of red on her cheeks. It was very distinct in contrast to her pale skin. No, it wasn''t the beautiful pale and white skin. No, it was the sickly pale, as if she had been sick for a long period of time. Fuutarou smiled and opened the door wider as he walked back to the piano. "Come on in then. You don''t need my permission to enter, it''s school property after all." "A-Alright..." She stuttered again before coming in observing the room. She never actually went inside the music room before as she did not even know that it existed until last year, when she heard Fuutarou play for the first time. "Woah..." She unconsciously said as she looked around the room. It was much bigger than she expected. Usually, she would only be looking through the gap between the doors as she looked at him play. The view was very limited, and only allowed her to have a good look at Fuutarou while he played on the piano. When she entered, she could see the sheer number of instruments available, and the entirety of the grand piano. "How is it? This place is nice, isn''t it?" Fuutarou chuckled when he saw the amazed expression on her face. "Y-Yeah." She quickly returned back to her shyness as she realised that he was laughing at her. "Please make yourself comfortable. Oh, and by the way, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Uesugi Fuutarou. Nice to meet you." He turned his entire body to face her and held out his hand. "I know. I mean, n-nice to meet you too. My name is Miyazono Kaori." She took his hand and shook it. Fuutarou didn''t pay much attention to her first words. He wasn''t narcissistic, but he knew that most, if not all, the students knew his name, not including the first years of course. "Alright, so what do you wish to do now? There isn''t much to do in a music room after all. Do you want to play the piano?" "Um...actually, I don''t play the piano...I play the violin instead..." "Woah! That''s awesome! I think the school has a violin here somewhere..." Fuutarou exclaimed before rushing towards the instruments, trying to find a violin. After a minute, Fuutarou came back with a small violin. "Sorry if it''s a bit dusty Miyazono-san, here. Why don''t you play a few songs now?" He asked as he handed Kaori the slightly dusty violin. It was an old violin, and had lost almost all of its shine. Nonetheless, it still functioned properly. "I just started learning last year though..." She took the violin but didn''t play it, afraid to embarrass herself. "Don''t worry about it! Just play some songs. After all, that''s what music is all about. Music is how you express your emotions to the audience. It doesn''t matter how good it was, as long as the message can be properly conveyed." He sat down and commented. This was what he learnt when he touched the piano for the first time. He realised that having a grandmaster proficiency on the piano does not make him perfect. Only with constant practice and dedication to playing the piano would he be able to fully utilise the skills he has. Because he got his skill from the gacha, it made his actual skills on the piano worse than a grandmaster pianist who started from scratch, one of the only downsides that exist within the gacha. In cultivation terms, it was like having a very high cultivation base but weak foundation. Only with constant practice would he be able to fully utilise the grandmaster proficiency on the piano. That was what he had learnt after a year of practice. Playing an instrument was not merely playing the correct notes accurately and on point. It also involves your feelings. Your emotions. That was what made his music especially soothing to the ears. This was what music is to him. Emotions and feelings. Of course, only with the basic skills present would one be able to include emotions inside. Otherwise, it would just be average. Kaori heard his words and smiled. She nodded her head and asked if he could play the basic accompaniment for her. Of course, he had no reason to decline her, and so that''s what he did. A very simple accompaniment that could literally match with any melody for her song. She started playing the violin as soon as she familiarised herself with the melody. It was a simple song that even elementary students had heard of before, but with several variations. [Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars] {A/N: IF you guys want to hear some of these you guys can go search youtube for twinkle twinkle little stars violin variation.} Fuutarou could hear her playing very clearly. It was a very simple song, yet that was what made it nice. A complicated song with a difficult rhythm could amaze the audience and hype them up, but it was the little, simple songs that could soothe and comfort the audience. Sometimes, all they needed was a little time to enjoy music for them to relax and be put in a good mood. After she finished playing, she looked at Fuutarou with a pair of expectant eyes. Knowing what she wanted to hear, Fuutarou smiled and complimented her,"Very good! It was very nice and soothing to hear. I really enjoyed playing together with you!" Obviously happy with the compliment, she smiled brightly. "Thank you! I enjoyed playing with you as well!" "So what do you plan to do now that you''ve played with me. Do you want to-" "Etto...who is she, Fuutarou-kun?" Shouko''s voice interrupted their conversation. Chapter 17 - 17:Miyazono Kaori II "Etto...who is she, Fuutarou-kun?" Shouko''s voice interrupted their conversation. She had just woken up from her nap only to see Fuutarou talking with another girl. ''A blond haired girl?'' She then tried to remember where she had seen her before, before realising it. "Oh! You''re the girl who kept following us right?" Before Kaori could even reply, Shouko spoke up, causing the blond haired girl to blush at her words. Shouko noticed her embarrassment and immediately rectified her words,"Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it in that way." "No, it''s okay." Afterwards, an awkward silence appeared again since neither girls had any topics left to talk about. Fuutarou decided to break the silence by playing another song on the piano. Kaori, who heard that, immediately picked up her violin and started playing as well. Shouko decided to sit back down on her chair and listen to them playing. It was different from what she used to hear when Fuutarou was just playing alone, but nonetheless, it was still nice to listen. Not too long after, their younger sisters woke up as well and asked the same question as Shouko. Fuutarou decided to introduce all of them to one another once Haruma woke up as well. "Guys, meet Miyazono Kaori, a violinist and the girl who was following us." Fuutarou added the last part while smirking and looking at Kaori. Kaori pouted and blushed when she saw the trio who just woke up stare at her. "Miyazono-san, this is Kobayashi Haruma." Fuutarou pointed at Haruma as he introduced him. "Hello, nice to meet you." Haruma bowed a little as he greeted her. "N-Nice to meet you too." She returned the bow in a fl.u.s.tered manner. "Haha, no need to be so nervous. We''re all friends here." Haruma laughed a little. "Next is Nishimiya Shouko. You have already talked to her just now." "Hello, nice to formally meet you." Shouko''s soft voice rang out as she bowed as well. "Y-Yes, nice to meet you as well, Nishimiya-san." "Then the two cute little girls here are mine and Shouko-chan''s little sisters. Raiha and Yuzuru." Pointing at them respectively, Fuutarou introduced them as well. "Good afternoon, Miyazono-senpai!" The two girls bowed and greeted respectfully. Japan is very strict on manners and respectfulness. From young, the value of respect is ingrained into every child''s brain and body. Treat your elders with respect, treat the environment with respect, treat everyone with respect. If parents were to find out that their child did not have respect, the child would be in hot soup. "Nice to meet both of you as well." Kaori was less stiff facing the both of them since both were younger than her. Furthermore, both of them were very cute in her eyes, and she had to restrain herself from patting their adorable heads! "Now that the introduction is over, Miyazono-san, may we call you Kaori-san or Kaori-chan instead? All of us are on a first name basis. Of course, if you don''t want to, we wouldn''t force you." Fuutarou asked. If they were going to be friends, they might as well just start off as close friends immediately. He didn''t like all those dramas and being wishy-washy about mere names. Furthermore, they were still kids. If they were older, he wouldn''t be that straightforward, but in front twelve year old kids, his a.d.u.l.t mentality wasn''t comfortable with being formal with them. It wasn''t just because he knew from an anime, but he had a feeling that they were going to be friends for a very long time. It might not be true, but it doesn''t hurt to call each other by their first names. Kaori was slightly startled when she heard his question, but she looked into their eyes, and saw the sincerity in them. Kaori had a huge secret hidden within her, and she didn''t know how long she could live for. Being a child, she had only a single thought - that was to live her life the way she wanted. However, she was worried that if she was gone, her friends would be saddened and depressed, and she didn''t want that. That was why she had not gotten particularly close to anyone, so nobody would miss her deeply. In spite of that, she was but a child. She felt lonely without any close friends. ''Should I accept it? Or should I reject it?'' She couldn''t help but think of these thoughts. She didn''t want to drag others down into sadness if she could avoid it. She knew about her disease even though her parents had hidden it from her, telling her that it was only a minor condition and could be cured. She knew she had limited time, but she didn''t know how much. ''What if I disappear the next day? Will they miss me?'' Fuutarou could see that she was struggling about her decision about his seemingly simple question. He didn''t know what her thoughts were, he wasn''t a telepath to begin with, and the anime didn''t show most of her childhood. But with his high intelligence, he could roughly guess what she was thinking about. "It''s okay if you don''t want us to call you by your first name, you don''t have to force yourself all right, Miyazono-san?" Fuutarou decided to take it one step at a time first. "Kaori-chan." "Huh?" Fuutarou asked with confusion. ''What happened to the internal struggle? What happened to the "taking it slow"?'' "Y-You can call me Kaori-chan. I d-don''t mind. But in return, can I call you Fuutarou-kun, Haruma-kun and Shouko-chan as well?" Kaori asked them, eyes filled with hope. "Why not? That was the plan either way. If Shouko-chan and Haruma don''t mind, you can call them that as well." Fuutarou shook his head and said. Shouko and Haruma didn''t mind as well, while their younger sisters just looked by the side as the drama happened. "Onii-chan is really nice to everyone huh?" Yuzuru thought out loud as she looked at how the quartet interacted harmoniously with one another despite just meeting moments ago. She knew that it was all because of her onii-chan. Her onee-chan was kind as well, but she was shy and wouldn''t take the initiative to start a conversation with a stranger. Kobayashi-senpai was similar to onee-chan, but he was more of the ''let nature take its course'' kind of guy, and wouldn''t purposely start a random conversation as well. "Of course. He''s my onii-chan after all!" Raiha puffed out her chest and said with pride. Who wouldn''t like it when their family was praised? Yuzuru didn''t mind Raiha''s bragging and just continued looking at her onee-chan laughing happily together with her new friend and her onii-chan. ''Seems like onee-chan can truly be happy now...'' Chapter 18 - 18:Cherry Blossoms I A/N: This is in first person. Honestly, I don''t know whether or not to write in 3rd or 1st person since the need changes for some events. Sometimes writing 1st person makes me awkward, but sometimes it can convey the things I want to convey in a smoother way. So...enjoy this chapter I guess. ***************** After hanging out in the music room for a while, we decided to go home since it was late already. "Goodbye Shouko-chan, Fuutarou-kun, Haruma-kun! Goodbye to my little kouhais as well!" Kaori waved goodbye at the school gate where they went on opposite ways. We waved our hands at her as well before leaving for their own home. "See you tomorrow as well!" I said. Kaori''s expression turned a little stiff before she left, but it passed too quickly for anyone to notice anything. "Y-Yeah, I''ll see you tomorrow as well." ***************** Five days passed quickly with us going to the music room everyday after school. At this point, it became a habit to go to the music room instead of home after school. However, we noted that Kaori didn''t come back to the music room ever since that day, and we wondered why. I didn''t know where Kaori lived, so I tried asking the teacher for her address, but was rejected as elementary students were not allowed to receive confidential information. So we had no other choice but to wait for Kaori to come back to school before asking her about her leave of absence. [A/N: Random excuse I made, don''t say anything] I had a hunch of Kaori''s reason for absence from school, but it was too early to jump to conclusion. My presence had caused a lot of butterfly effects, and nothing from the anime itself was reliable anymore like Arima Kousei not existing. I tried asking her about Arima Kousei and the only reply she gave me was "Huh? Who''s that?". It seems like her fondness for the violin grew because she heard me playing in the music room last year and not because of a piano competition. Today was a Saturday, the 12th of April, and the week where the cherry blossoms were the prettiest to watch. Both Shouko''s and my family lived in Matsuyama, located north-west of Japan, and the cherry blossom season comes later than other provinces. ***************** "We''re home!" A loud voice rang out in the house when I was still in bed. I woke up groggily as I turned to look at my alarm clock which showed the numbers ''7.30 am''. Seeing that it was way too early to get out of bed, I decided to ignore that voice and go back to bed. However, before I could do that, my door slammed open, and a man I was very familiar with came in without reservations. "Rise and shine, my son! It is a good day to see some cherry blossoms today!" My father said loudly, as if afraid that the whole world wouldn''t be able to hear him. "Urgh...dad...it''s 7.30 in the morning, let me get some sleep first..." I groaned as I covered my ears with my pillow as I turned to face the wall, trying to block out my senses. "Nope! Today, we''re going to have a family outing together with Yaeko-san and her family!" While saying that, he walked over to the side of my bed and pulled the blanket away from me, leaving me to feel slightly cold from the spring wind. I turned to look at my dad, and just as I was about to retort back at him, I heard the same conversation happening in the other three rooms. Yaeko-san was in Shouko''s room, which was next to mine, while mom was in Raiha and Yuzuru''s room. I knew that with the three a.d.u.l.ts working together, there would be no escape from the early family outing. "Fine, but can you let me get ready first?" I asked annoyedly at my father who is still grinning at me. After not seeing him for a month, I would, of course, miss him. But he was as loud as always, and it was not a good way to start a good Saturday morning. My father just continued smiling at me, but nodded and left the room, closing the door on his way out. ''Sigh, so early...but still, a family outing doesn''t seem to be a bad idea...'' About thirty minutes later, all of us had gotten ready for the outing. "Where are we going to see the cherry blossoms though?" We all stood outside of our house, seemingly waiting for something. "Oh, not far. Do you know Tegu Plateau?" "Tegu Plateau? I think it''s located at the outskirts of the city..." Shouko thought for a while before replying. Our teacher has mentioned some of the more famous places near Matsuyama during history lessons, and Tegu Plateau was one of them. I recalled what our teacher said last time before frowning a little,"Isn''t Tegu Plateau a big meadow filled with many Sakura trees? But the problem is that it is located at the cities'' outskirts. We live in the middle of Matsuyama, how are we supposed to reach there just by walking?" Our family, although not too poor, could barely afford three meals per day. We didn''t have excess money to buy a car, even with both Yaeko-san and my father pitching in the money. "Who said we''re walking? Why do you think we''re waiting out here?" My father grinned and replied to me. "Huh? Don''t tell me you''re doing something illegal to get some transportation..." I pretended to be afraid of him and backed off, hiding behind Shouko. "You brat!" His lips twitched a little before landing a punch on my head. Even with my intermediate taekwondo proficiency, I wasn''t able to react to the punch. "Are you sure you''re a photographer and not a fighter? Why is your punch so fast?" I complained as I rubbed my sore head while Shouko and everyone else just giggled at our antics. "Hmph, I''ll tell you, this old man has a lot of contacts and friends, alright? I have trained in many things before, but photography is my passion and calling in life, that''s why I settled down as a photographer. However, that doesn''t mean I don''t know how to fight. Besides, photography is so much more interesting, isn''t that right, Yuzuru-chan?" "Yes! Photography is very good!" Yuzuru laughed and jumped, climbing into my father''s arms. Among the four children, we are all very close to the three a.d.u.l.ts. But amongst them, Yuzuru was the closest with my father as both of them had a shared interest in photography. For some reason, Yuzuru was very interested in photography, so both of them got along very well. "Then how did you get the transportation for us? Don''t tell me your client is kind enough to lend you a car or something." "You''re right. But it isn''t my client that lent me his car..." Just as he said this, a car pulled up in front of us. The door opened, and seven scary looking women came out. Three of them were wearing suits, while four of them were loosely dressed in Yukatas. But they all had one thing in common. They all had some scars and tattoos on them. "Good morning, Isanari-san and family!" One of them came in front of us and shouted as she shook my dad''s hand while the others stood with their hands behind their backs, looking menacingly at the deserted neighbourhood. "Good morning to you too, Fumio-san. I see that the boss has sent you guys to pick us up?" "Yes. They''re all heading for Tegu Plateau as well." "Very well. Alright, let''s hop in the car!" My father said as he looked at us. Meanwhile, the children just stared blankly at this scene while the a.d.u.l.ts treated this as something normal. Raiha and Yuzuru were too young, and were afraid of the scary faces they made, so they hid behind their mothers while peeking out from behind. Shouko and I weren''t faring much better. ''This is a freaking Yakuza gang! Since when did my father work for Yakuza?'' I freaked out internally as I stared at my father''s back. ***************** A/N: For some reason, the app isn''t working properly. I have released a new fanfiction called "My Hero Academia: Spirits'' power". For those who prefer some OP mc who doesn''t need to really train, and some action fanfic, you might want to check this out as well! And thank you for all those of consistently gives me all of your power stones despite being low in the rankings! Your power stones truly give me the motivation to write! Special mention to Atapath who have supported me for a long time! Of course, the others also motivate me to continue writing, so I''m sorry if I didn''t mention your name despite you supporting me a lot. Chapter 19 - 19:Cherry Blossoms II "What''s wrong? Why are you guys freezing there?" My father looked at us and asked. "A-Are they a ya-yakuza gang?" Shouko stammered as she took a step backwards. Her actions were so minute that apart from me, no one else caught it. Her actions were not unnatural, it was the obvious reaction that a twelve year old girl gives when she was in front of a fearsome gang. Despite my worries, I knew that my father would never let anything harm us. If there was one thing that he would never compromise on, it would be harming his family. I remember getting called to the office one time for fighting back against my bullies who were jealous of my slightly higher popularity with the girls. Even if we were all boys and a rarity, there would always be differences between us. Like how not all apples are similar, some are higher quality while some are lower, some are fresh while others are rotten. They were handsome in their own rights, but they could not compare to me, both academically or athletically. Thus naturally, I was more favoured by the girls. Of course, with my intermediate proficiency in Taekwondo, a group of nine year olds couldn''t do much against me. But even then, I received a few scratches here and there from their sharp fingernails. I even received some bite marks from those desperate enough to try and put me down. When my father found out about it, he complained to the principal about the bullying situation, and demanded compensation and further punishment for those ''bullies'', even though I was the person with less injuries. And when the next day came, I found myself being apologised by them. Now that I think about it, my father had a slightly abnormal number of connections a usual photographer wouldn''t have. Otherwise, the principle wouldn''t have given in to my father that easily. I looked at him and saw him trying his best to comfort the little ones together with our mothers. ''Sigh, it seems that our parents had hidden things very deeply.'' I thought to myself before looking at Shouko. Seeing her face full of fear, I patted her head in an attempt to comfort her,"Don''t worry, Shouko-chan. My father wouldn''t do anything that will harm us in one way or another." Seeing my face filled with confidence about my father, Shouko trusted my words, took a deep breath and relaxed her tense body. "Please stop patting my head, Fuutarou-kun...and your smile...it''s bad for my heart..." Shouko mumbled under her breath. I heard her say something softly, but did not manage to hear her clearly. "Hm? What did you say, Shouko-chan?" "N-Nothing!" Shouko said as she waved her hands frantically in front of her. I looked at her suspiciously, but didn''t chase the topic. I turned my head to realise that my father was smiling gently at me. He must have heard what I said to Shouko. "You''re damn right, brat. I won''t ever harm my own family. What kind of man would I be if I let my own family be harmed?" And he goes to ruin my high evaluation of him with his bragging. But still, he''s my dad and that is a fact that I would never want to change. "So what are you waiting for? My boss is already waiting for us at the venue." Having no other choice, the six of us followed my father into the car. Although I say ''car'', it''s more of a limousine, with high-end leather seats and enough space for fourteen people to seat comfortably. Our little sisters, after calming down from our parents'' reassurance and comfort, regained their usual cheerfulness and started exploring everything in the limousine. From the reclining seats to the mini refrigerator, to the mini television which was currently showing the latest episode of their favourite cartoon show, Doraemon. Our mother initially wanted them to calm down and not make a ruckus inside the boss''s limousine, but my father reassured them that it was fine to do what they wanted to do. It seems like the relationship between my father and his boss''s is not shallow. Of course, I didn''t stand on ceremony and started drinking some of the sweet drinks present in the mini refrigerator. Being a child has its perks. After a short fifteen minute drive, we had arrived at our destination. Tegu Plateau. Tegu Plateau is an area which is divided into mainly two areas. The large and green meadow, where flowers bloom splendidly and healthily during spring time, and the forest, where the sakura trees are present and also our destination. Strangely, when it was time to get off the limousine, we (the children) were a bit reluctant due to the comfort and entertainment it provided. "Come on kids, it''s time to get off. Don''t worry, you''ll be taking this car back home later on." My father accurately guessed the reason for our reluctance, and grinned broadly as he continued,"Who were the ones who were afraid of getting on? Now you refuse to get off?" The girls pouted at his teasing while I just ignored his tease. He may be my dad and all, but not everyone is allowed to tease me. Only I am allowed to tease others. Although Shouko and I had read the descriptions of Tegu Plateau in our geographical textbooks, we were still awed by the sight. It was in the middle of springtime, and the crude descriptions of this place found in the textbook did no justice to this amazing scenery. Tegu Plateau was huge, and all we could see was the seemingly boundless and endless meadow. We knew that the forest was located just further in front and to the right of the meadow, but it was so huge that we could not see a single tree yet. Flowers with all sorts of colours and scent bloomed beautifully as they swayed gently to the cool morning breeze. As I looked to my left, I saw the cloudless blue sky. Contrary to what people thought, Tegu Plateau was slightly inclined, and though not very high, the cliff was high enough to cause sprains if a person falls. There were also the presence of several huge rocks which I found familiar. ''Strange. I clearly have not come here before, so why do I find this place familiar?'' I left the group who was heading towards where the sakura trees were and headed to the opposite direction. Looking at the several rocks, I looked at them with scrutinising eyes, and noticed the biggest rock present. It stood out from the rest of the rocks, and looked to be the most important one. Underneath the rock, I could barely see some writings that were carved onto it. I went towards the rock and shifted it such that the writing became easier to see. There, a symbol was carved. Five names, with an arrow pointing upwards and a heart shape on top of the arrow in the middle of the five names Kosaki, Chitoge, Marika, Yui and Raku. ***************** A/N: I am on holiday right now, so my release schedule is messed up. There will be a guarantee of one chapter on Sunday night (like usual), and perhaps more chapters whenever I feel like writing (like this one). And if you want to see how the symbol looks like, go to nisekoi chapter 222. And things would obviously be different since the world is different. Btw, Nisekoi is such a touching manga. I cried at the end since it was pretty sad, so I decided to change it since I have the power to do so. Enjoy this chapter. Chapter 20 - 20:Cherry Blossoms III A/N: Some people really hated the fact that Raku''s getting a harem. I don''t really know why they refuse to let secondary characters have their own character. Like I said before, polygamy is compulsory in their generation, and that means Raku needs one as well. Some people are asking about Seishiro Tsugumi, but I''m not gonna say anything for now. Raku is gonna have three people in his harem. The other two will be for mc. Haters are gonna hate, droppers are gonna drop, if you don''t like my idea, so be it. For those people who have continued supporting me despite the many plot holes and errors in this fic, thank you very much. It''s people like you guys who make the various authors'' days fun and enjoyable to write, whether by silent support by giving power stones, or actively commenting to cheer us up with your witty comments and the various ''thank you''s. And without further ado, enjoy this chapter. ***************** "Nisekoi?" That was my first thought that came into my mind when I saw the five names. Although I knew that Your Lie in April as well as A Silent Voice already exists within my life, I was still a little surprised seeing another anime pop up as well. But there was a problem. In the original, I remembered that there should only be two names present, but here, five names were carved into the rock. It seems like there will be a few changes in the future, and I can''t wait to see it. But for now, it didn''t matter too much since I know that all of them will have forgotten about their promise until they reach high school. It''s only then will all the various dramas occur. "Fuutarou-kun! What are you doing here?" Shouko''s voice rang out from behind me. I turned around to see Shouko''s worried face,"What''s wrong?" "You suddenly rushed off to this place for no reason at all, and we were worried for you, you know?" She said with concern present on her face. "Don''t worry, I just had the feeling that the scenery here would be very beautiful, and wanted to see it for myself." I told her a random lie since I could not tell her that this place was a very important place in an anime in my previous life. Shouko looked skeptical at my words, and observed the surroundings with her own eyes. What she saw was grass, rocks, more grass and more rocks. The thought ''Where was the beautiful scenery'' could be seen on her face as she turned to face me. "Don''t worry about it, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What you see as rocks may be much more beautiful in my eyes." Seeing Shouko remain unconvinced at my bullshitting, I changed the topic,"Well, that''s enough of the beautiful scenery. Let''s go watch some cherry blossoms now and not keep the a.d.u.l.ts waiting." Not waiting for Shouko to reply, I took her hand and started walking towards our family. Our family had not walked far so we only had to walk for five minutes before we saw our family. The moment I let go of Shouko''s hand when we arrived back to where the rest were, I could see her pouting. ''It seems that she really likes me...'' After being together for two years now, it was easy to see that she has feelings for me. Though I also like her, I would prefer to wait for us to grow up a bit more first so that she won''t regret anything. However, it seems that her feelings for me are deeper than I thought, so I might confess to her earlier than I planned. After all, I can''t keep a girl waiting for long, right? "Where have you been? You know how huge this place is, so please ever don''t wander around like that anymore, got it?" My mother hugged me tightly as she scolded me with worry laced in her words. I don''t think I would ever be in danger in the middle of a meadow, but the care and concern present in her words warmed my heart. "Don''t worry mum, I''m very strong, you know? I won''t get lost easily." I said as I hugged her back. [A/N: I know that being strong and getting lost has no relationship with each other whatsoever, but meh. Just take it at face value.] "Yeah, don''t worry about him too much. He''s already twelve and can take care of himself properly." My father supported me. He knows that I''m more mature than peers my age, so he never has to worry about me. Unfortunately, my mother thought otherwise. "No matter how strong or mature you are, or how old you will be, you will always be my little boy." She says as she releases me from her hug and looks straight into my eyes. ''Sigh, no matter what place or world I am, a mother''s love will always be the greatest love.'' I thought to myself before planting a kiss on her cheek. "I know, mum. Thank you." "Good that you know. Now, we have already wasted quite a bit of time here. Let''s get going now, shall we?" She says as she took both Raiha and my hands and continued following the seven women while my father carried Yuzuru in his arms and Yaeko took Shouko''s hand. It was a little embarrassing holding hands with my mother with my mental age, but it was a feeling that I did not dislike. It seems that growing up in a child''s body seemed to have made my repressed childish thoughts and desire resurface. After a short ten minute walk in the direction of Sakura forest, we managed to enter a clearing. The ground was still full of green grass overflowing with vitality, and contrasting to the pink cherry blossoms that were floating down to the ground, the whole picture was perfect. "Beautiful..." Although I was not very close to Shouko, I could hear her mutter. It truly was beautiful. Living in the middle of a city doesn''t really give you many pretty nature scenery, not unless you count the parks present. And in the middle of the clearing, there was already a large number of people present, though they were mostly women. "Ohhh, Bocchan! Come try my newly-made rice cake!" A woman who wore a full black tuxedo suit shouted towards what seems to be a twelve year old boy with messy black hair. "No no, her rice cakes are hard and salty. Come try some sake instead, second master!" Another refuted her as she offered the same boy an entire bottle of sake "Hey! What are you giving my son! Stop giving him some weak sake, drink some of my sake, Raku! It''s premium and high quality sake!" An old man with long grey hair and bushy grey eyebrows laughed out loud as he said to his son. He has a few wrinkles around his face and has dark sanpaku eyes. He is wearing a long black kimono with a white trim around its neck. "I''m still a minor! What are you giving a twelve year old to drink?" Raku retorted at all of them, taking a rice cake from the woman wearing the tuxedo and biting into it. "Argh! What is this? So hard!" "Hahaha! I told you already, Bocchan. Her rice cakes are as hard as rocks!" I could see all of them talking merrily with one another, and enjoying the huge variety of food that is present here. "Oh? Is that you, Isanari and company? Welcome to my humble abode!" ***************** Yeah, a short chapter. Next chapter will be on Sunday. Enjoy! ~(-_-)~ Chapter 21 - 21:Cherry Blossoms IV "Abode?" Shouko asked. "Yeah, Tegu Plateau is owned by his Yakuza, or his family as he likes to call them." My father whispered to us seeing that we''re confused why he called this place his home. "They look really happy and at ease with one another." "They''re not a family for nothing." The rest of us just conveniently forgot about the first part of his sentence, and just thought about how they (the Yakuza) truly looked like one big family while sitting under the Sakura trees and having a huge picnic. "Hello Issei! Good morning to you guys as well. How has your family been?" "Haha! Not bad, my days could be better though, with all the wars in this part of the area. Oh, are they your children? I never knew you have four, the last time you told me, you only mentioned two little brats." He spoke loudly as he gulped down the bottle of sake he was holding. "Nah, only two of them are mine. The other two are my friends, but since they had some trouble, I decided to help them out a little." My father grinned a little as he sat himself down beside him and took a bottle of sake. His actions were so fluid that you would have thought that it was my father who owned this place instead of Issei. "Come, Fuu-chan, Raiha-chan, Shouko-chan and Yuzu-chan. Come and greet my friend, Issei. You can call him Jii-san, hahahaha" "What do you mean Jii-san? I''m only in my late thirties! Call me Ossan!" Issei snapped and glared at him for a while, before turning to us and giving us what seems to be a fatherly smile. "Hello there! Welcome to our family." He paused there and took a look at our expression before smiling a little. It seems that he was glad that we didn''t have the usual face full of fear that he normally sees in other people. I already know from the anime that although they might be rowdy and noisy and loud and disruptive, they could be caring and kind seeing that they were very protective of their young master, Raku. "Good morning, Ossan!" We bowed and greeted together. I turned to Raku who, at the same time also greeted our parents and we finished, our eyes met. I could see that his eyes were filled with hope. Maybe it was because nobody in his class would befriend him due to his father, but he seemed rather lonely while surrounded by those scary women and wanted, and needed, some friends. "Good morning, Raku-san. Nice to meet you!" I walked towards him and said while extending out my hand. He was surprised for a second before letting out a smile similar to his father and shook my hand,"Nice to meet you as well..." "Uesugi Fuutarou, but you can just call me Fuutarou." "Nice to meet you as well, Fuutarou. You can drop the -san, just call me Raku." It seems that he really wanted to have close friends, seeing his eagerness to drop formalities. Not that I mind too much. "Oh, and this is Nishimiya Shouko-chan, and they are our little sisters, Raiha and Yuzuru." I introduced them while pointing at them respectively. After our little greeting, we sat down on an empty mat and just started talking. Don''t ask why there was an extra mat, a rich family always has an extra of something. Shouko wasn''t the type to start a conversation, so it was up to the three of us to do it. "So...etto...which school do you study at?" I asked Raku since the anime made no mention about his early life apart from the promise. I wonder why he could not remember something that happened to him early in his life even with a reminder carved on a rock, but I''m not going to reveal to him his future. I''ll wait to see what drama would occur with my existence. "Oh, I study at ****** elementary school. What school do you guys study at?" "***** elementary school. It seems that we''re located quite far. What junior high school do you want to go though? Since it''s our last year in elementary school, do you have a plan or something? Or are you just going to inherit your Yakuza gang?" Of course, I said the last part as a tease since I know that he disliked being the inheritor, but he would still do it in the future. [A/N: I''m not gonna search up a random name for the elementary school, so I''ll leave it to your imaginations. His middle school and High school would have an actual name though.] "Of course not! I want to live a life where I graduate from a prestigious college and become a civil servant with a civilised job!" His eyes sparkled as he stood up and shouted while clenching his fist. The area turned slightly silent as every head turned towards his direction. "OOOO!! I don''t really get it but you''re so cute Bocchan!!" "As to be expected from our second master!" I tried to conceal my laughter as much as possible, but the scene was truly too funny. I don''t know how he knew about graduating from college and becoming a civil servant at the age of twelve, but it only made him look cuter. "Mooo..." He then pouted and sat back down, refusing to look at his gang that were looking and praising him. "Haha...It''s all right...haha...so who''s going to inherit...hahah...the Yakuza if you''re not going to do it?" I asked while laughing in between my words. Shouko was giggling at him while our sisters were also laughing at him even though I''m sure that they have no idea what was going on. "Stop laughing at me already. One of my father''s underlings would probably step up to become the leader instead." Raku complained before thinking about my question and replying to me. ***************** A/N: Some people just gave a 1 star rating just because they disliked side characters getting harem. I don''t really have any opinions on what you like or dislike, so feel free to rate as you see fit. But really? 1 start for every single criteria just because you hate the plot? This isn''t a five star fanfic, that I know and guarantee for sure since there are plot holes, minor grammar errors, unstable updates, but I know for sure that it''s definitely worth more than 1 star. So come on guys, if you don''t like this, feel free to drop it. If you want to review it, please at least state some reasons as to why I deserve this 1 star, but giving one star and 1 line of ''I don''t like your side character having a harem'' isn''t gonna cut it. With that being said, I''m still not gonna delete any reviews or comments, but please don''t spam 1 star just because you hate story development. As for those who give five stars and one line as well, I appreciate it, but do give me some critiques or if you don''t have any, say some things that I can improve on or things that I''m good at. At least that would give me the general standard of my writing. Chapter 22 - 22:Cherry blossoms V I doubted his words, but didn''t say anything. It was impossible to give up something you have built over the years to an outsider. At most, he would just give his underlings part of the Yakuza, but I''m very sure Raku would have the majority of it. No parent would leave their child with nothing after all. I just shrugged my shoulders and changed the topic. "So what can we do here?" Don''t get me wrong here. This place had nice scenery and all, but there was really nothing much we can do here apart from falling flowers. "Hmmm, why don''t we play some games?" I don''t really feel like playing games, but there was really nothing else to do here... "Games? What games?" Raiha asked excitedly and jumped about while munching on snacks that were laid out bare before her. Nevermind. Since my sister wants to play a game, I''m playing as well. "How about hide-and-seek?" "Sure! Ichijou-san will be the seeker!" Raiha shouted before leaving immediately with Yuzuru. Shouko and I looked at each other with wry smiles. "Sorry Raku, our little sisters are a little too excited." I apologised to him because we''re basically imposing our wishes onto him. "It''s fine. I''ll be the seeker then?" Raku shook his head before agreeing to Raiha''s proposal. "Sure, count to hundred before coming to find us." "Hey!" "I''m just joking with you! Just count to twenty." I laughed at his reaction before running away with Shouko. ******3rd PoV******** "5" "4" "3" "4" "2" "1" "Ready or not, here I come!" [A/N: Is this the way you say it? I''m not sure since it has been so long since I played this boring ass game] Raku turned around from the tree and shouted before going in a random direction. Due to the place being too big, they had decided to limit the playing area beforehand so as to not get lost in the forest. It wasn''t especially dangerous, but there were wild dogs and stray roots which made anywhere but the main path hard to walk. Everywhere he looked, the trees and flowers were of the same colours, so he thought that it wouldn''t matter which direction he looked. So, he started moving in a random direction, hoping he got lucky and found someone. Luckily, it was still morning, and wasn''t close to noon, so despite the sun overhead, it was still cooling and wasn''t too hot. Furthermore, the shades that the trees produce helps out as well. Fuutarou and Shouko decided to split up. The playing area was only about two hundred metres squared. It wasn''t big to the point of the hider being impossible to find, but it wasn''t that small either, and to prevent the game from ending too fast, they decided to split up. This forest''s density was not very high, so if Raku had looked closely, he could have easily spotted clues of their hiding spots. However, like any other child, he ran around the entire place trying to find them, only to become so tired that he had only found everyone in twenty minutes. "Wow, that took longer than I expected..."Fuutarou muttered as he comforted Raiha in his arms. She almost cried since she was forced to stay in an unknown and quiet place for twenty minutes. Alone. "Are you alright now?" He slowly caressed her back. "Ano...I''m sorry..." Raku felt a bit guilty seeing Raiha almost in tears even though it technically wasn''t fully his fault. "I-I''m fine now...are we going to continue playing?" Raiha replied slowly as she slowly got out of Fuutarou''s embrace. "Do you want to continue playing? You don''t have to force yourself, you know?" Shouko smiled and assured Raiha. "No, I''m fine now. Let''s continue playing!" Raiha had returned back to her usual self after a few minutes of comfort by her older siblings and seeing that she was really fine, they decided to continue playing hide-and-seek. ******1st PoV******** Their game lasted the entire morning before Raku and his Yakuza needed to leave for some business. I didn''t know what their ''business'' was, but I''m not going to stick my head into their business after seeing some of them roll up their sleeves and picking up their weapons. Maybe they were going to do some cleaning or pest removal, but I will not ask. Besides, even though it wasn''t summer yet, when the sun is directly overhead, the heat becomes unbearable. Not a suitable weather for a relaxing picnic. "Bye Fuutarou, Shouko-san, Raiha and Yuzuru! Let''s play again next time!" Raku said as he waved his hands at a distance. "Bye! Hopefully you can find us faster next time!" I replied back to him while laughing at his inability to find us. "Bye Raku-kun. See you next time." Shouko also waved her hands, though she spoke in a quieter voice compared to the rest of us. ""Bye Bye Raku-onii-san!"" Raiha and Yuzuru shouted together as they watched Raku hop into his limousine. Watching his limousine go, I sighed with relief. Even if I know that they were not going to attack or do anything harmful to us, the pressure they exerted from their very being scared me slightly. After all, apart from the system I have and the limited combat experience, I was an ordinary twelve year old boy, though much smarter. "So, how was today?" My dad asked me on the way back home. We took another limousine prepared for us, and we sunk into the seats in comfort. After playing and running for two to three hours, we were tired. "Hmm...interesting, I guess? At least I made a few new friends." I reply while I close my eyes, enjoying the softness of the seat. That''s right. Halfway through the game, some of the younger Yakuza members decided to join in our game. We didn''t reject them since the more the merrier, and the security and safety would also increase due to the number of a.d.u.l.ts present. "Good then. Despite Raku''s cheerful appearance, he doesn''t have many friends due to his background. So continue taking care of him in the future, all right?" "No problem. Even if you didn''t say, I would have done the same." After the short conversation which was heard by everyone, a comfortable silence descended. I was lucky I replied the way I replied. Otherwise, with the seven Yakuza members present in the car, they might have done something bad to me if I had chosen to reply wrongly. "Spring huh..." I looked outside of the car and saw the pretty scenery of cherry blossoms falling,"A time for starting afresh..." ***************** A/N: Sorry for the late (and slow) updates. I wanted to post earlier but I couldn''t think of anything good, so this chapter (especially ending) might be a bit crappy. I''ve been writing more of my mha fanfic instead. Last part of Cherry Blossoms! The next chapter will either be a date with Shouko, hanging out with Kaori or time-skip to mid-year exams and summer holidays. Chapter 23 - 23: [No Title] A month has passed since we hung out with Raku and his family. Although we wanted to visit him, since we were all busy with our own business, we didn''t have the time to do so. Too bad, he was a really nice person to be around and apart from his denseness, he was not a really bad person. It seems the next time we could meet would be during the summer holidays. But even then, I have no way of knowing their schedule. As a Yakuza gang, they might go roaming around Japan for more territories anytime. Though I do hope that we can hang out together again. ***************** When we returned to school, we saw Kaori again. It was a rare sight to see her as she was often absent. At first, she wasn''t absent very frequently, as most once every month or so. But as time passed, the frequency of absence quickly escalated, from once every month to once every two weeks, until today, once every week. Today was a Monday. The day where she was usually absent, but it was a miracle. Nothing special, nothing extraordinary. But a miracle happened. Kaori was present in her class, and we managed to see her following us to the music room today. "Kaori-chan! Good afternoon!" I greeted her in front of the music room. "Good afternoon!" She greeted back cheerfully. Hm? She seems a lot more cheerful today. Is it because she received good news? I sure hope so, it''s sad seeing her always looking down when she''s not with us. "You seem happy today. Did something good happen?" "Yes! My do-I mean, something good happened to my family recently." She didn''t elaborate more. ''Sigh, why does she keep everything to herself.'' "Good for you! Want to try out the piano today? I''ll teach you how to play the piano, and in return, you can teach me the violin. How does that sound?" I always wanted to try out more instruments, but it was really hard learning a totally different type of instrument. Transiting from the keyboards to strings was not easy. Pianos and keyboards are some of the easiest instruments to learn for beginners. And unlike instruments like drums, recorders and Ukulele, they also allowed us to play both the melody and accompaniment. Being good at the piano allows me to have a better grasp at music in general. It allows me to know how to play the octave, tone, slurs, clefs, and many technical terms that are needed for music. [A/N: All the technical terms...reminds me of the time where I just started out on the piano. Oh man, it was a drag until I could actually play nice anime songs instead of the classics...] However, the violin has a certain charm that I could not help but get attracted to. Of course, piano is still my favourite instrument (and the only instrument I can play, not counting the recorder), but listening to Kaori''s violin four days a week has gotten me interested in it. "Really? Let me teach you then!" Kaori exclaimed excitedly as she hurriedly prepared everything that was needed for our ''lesson''. ***************** It was currently almost the middle of June. Ever since then, we had our ''lesson'' every Monday. She wasn''t absent regularly anymore. That was a good thing, though I wonder if she managed to cure her illness. ''I thought it was incurable?'' I wonder as we pack up our stuff from the music room. I stare at her pale white skin and her yellow-blond hair which reached the middle of her back. She looked very beautiful, especially with the background of the setting sun behind her, yet lonely at the same time. "Ano...please stop staring at me so much..." Kaori muttered as she pushed up her black glasses up her nose, with a tinge of red present on her pale cheeks, making it very visible. "Oops, sorry for staring." I apologised to her before continuing,"You just looked very cute just now." "Please don''t tease me, Fuutarou-kun..." I just laughed as we continued walking out the school. It was fun teasing this shy girl, seeing all the different reactions of hers every time. At the front gate, we parted ways with each other as per usual, and the four of us, Shouko, Raiha, Yuzuru and I started to make our way home. Our little sisters were walking ahead of us, skipping here and there, occasionally stopping to pick up a rock or sticks to play with. "What''s wrong, Shouko-chan?" Out of nowhere, I ask her. I noticed that she was less talkative than usual, especially after the first time I taught Kaori how to play the piano. "Hmm? Oh, please don''t worry. Nothing''s wrong." Shouko shook her head in denial as she continued walking. "Are you jealous?" "Huh? I am jealous?" Shouko stopped in her tracks as she turned to face me. She looked at me with a slightly worried look,"Is it bad?" "Bad? I don''t know. Jealousy could be both bad and good." I reply neutrally,"It all depends on the things you are jealous of, and how you react to your jealousy." "..." Seeing Shouko deep in her thoughts, I continued speaking while pulling her along,"What are you jealous of?" "..." "Are you jealous of Kaori-chan?" "Huh? Am I jealous of Kaori-chan?" Shouko pondered with tears building up on her face,"I...I...I don''t know. But whenever I think of her spending time with you alone while I''m at the side...I can feel pain in my heart." "Tell me, Fuutarou-kun, no, Fuutarou...why do I feel pain? Is this jealousy?" She says while clinging onto my shirt, burying her head into my chest. I couldn''t see her face, but I knew that she was crying from the dampness I felt on my chest. "Sigh, I don''t know as well. I''m not a master of feelings after all. But can I ask you something?" Shouko remained silent in my chest, so I decided to continue,"Do you like me?" "I..." ***************** A/N: Well, another 1k word chapter. It''s really short for my liking, but I was focusing on my MHA fanfic instead. I decided that this will be my secondary fanfic that I would focus on instead when I run out of juice for my other one. As per usual, there would always be one chapter on Sunday night, so I hope you enjoy this. P.S. I don''t have any experience with romance and confessions even from everything I read, so it might be cringy, bad or whatever. Would improve as I write more since this fanfic would heavily focus on romance and school life, so I hope you continuing enjoying my works! Have a great day/night! Chapter 24 - 24: [No Title] II "I...don''t know. But I want to stay beside you forever, share your joys and sorrows, and grow old together. Is it bad for me to think that way?" I was speechless. That was basically a wedding vow, and she still doesn''t know her own feelings. "You want to be with me?" I asked her once more. "Yes." This time, she uttered the word firmly, though she was still embarrassed. "Very well. But I can''t let the girl say those words, can I?" I pulled her away from my embrace and held her at arms'' length. Looking straight into her eyes, I gave a gentle smile and spoke,"I''ll say this to you Shouko." Hearing me call her by her first name without any suffixes for the same time, she got a little shy but still looked into my eyes without any wavering in her expression. "Y-Yes!" "Shouko, I love you." Shouko''s face turned red and she didn''t respond for a while. "I-I-I-I-I-" However, smoke seemed to be produced out of her face and ears, her eyes seemed to be spinning endlessly. "Um..Earth to Shouko?" I waved his hands in front of Shouko, trying to get her attention. However, I noticed that she seemed to have fainted on the spot. "Onii-chan! Onee-chan! Why are you still standing there?" Raiha shouted as she ran back towards us. Chasing her from behind was Yuzuru, who was also curious about what we were doing behind. The moment they arrived, they saw Shouko standing on the spot, not moving a single inch before turning their gaze towards me who was scratching my head awkwardly. "Onee-chan? What happened to you?" Yuzuru tried shaking Shouko but she did not respond at all. "Onii-chan, did you do anything to onee-chan?" Yuzuru asked me while eyeing me suspiciously. "Haha, seems like you''re as protective as your sister as always. But don''t worry, she just felt a bit tired, so she fell asleep." I hurriedly cooked up an excuse to appease her. "Falling asleep while standing up? And she was crying?!" Yuzuru felt her cheeks and realised that it was wet. "Etto..." It seems like I had run out of excuses so I just sighed and admitted it,"Sigh, I made her cry. But -" I hurriedly interrupted before my little sisters could accuse me,"But it''s definitely not because she was sad." "Trust me." I added at the back because my little sisters didn''t fully believe me. "Don''t make onee-chan sad anymore." Raiha just stuck out her tongue before leaving together with Yuzuru. ''Since when did they become such cheeky brats...'' I shake my head as I see the two girls rush off first. Moving my bag to the front of my chest, I piggybacked Shouko. Adjusting her position so that she''s leaning on my back to ensure that she won''t fall off, I started walking towards his house. ***************** "Tadaima!" "Okaerinasai. My, my. What have you done to Shouko?" My mother asked while eyeing me. "Why does everyone assume that I''m the one who made her cry?" "I was asking why she was on your back, but you made her cry?!" My mother asked while cracking her fingers menacingly. "No no no. I didn''t make her cry. Well, I did but she didn''t cry because she was sad." I tried to explain myself desperately and she seemed to believe me. Just a little. "Fine, I''ll give you the benefit of doubt for now. But when she wakes and tells me that it was because of you, you''ll know what will happen to you." After hearing her words, I sighed with relief since I wouldn''t need to be punished now. "I''ll bring Shouko up first. If she doesn''t wake up in time, I''ll bring dinner to her." Not waiting for my mother to respond, I carried Shouko up the stairs, went inside her room and lay her on her bed. ****3rd PoV**** ''Shouko? Since when did he start calling her without any suffixes?'' Fuutarou''s mother wondered as she looked at the two people going up. Suddenly, she smiled as she thought of something. ''Maybe...that happened between them?'' ***************** "Mhmm?" Shouko slowly opened her eyes and found herself in her own bed. ''What am I doing here? The last thing I remembered was...standing in front of Fuutarou-kun and...and...'' At this point, her face turned red,''And he confessed to me.'' ''Wah...why did I faint at that point???'' Shouko felt so embarrassed about herself fainting from nervousness. At that moment, as she moved her hands to cover her own face, she accidentally came into contact with something. Turning her head towards her side, she found that the ''something''...was actually a ''someone''. "F-Fuutarou-kun?!" "Yep. Fuutarou here. It seems that you have woken up. You missed dinner time, so stay put while I''ll bring your dinner upstairs." Fuutarou said as he got up from the chair beside her bed and went out of her room. Shouko seemed to have something to say, but before she could voice out anything, the door closed. She wanted to get up as well but after hearing what he said, she decided to listen to him and stay put. She thought about what happened after school, focusing on her own feelings. ''Do I love Fuutarou?'' She didn''t have to wait long. A few minutes later, she saw her door open and Fuutarou entered again, only this time, he had a tray filled with food. "I''ve checked your temperature and it seems that you do not have any problem with your body. It looks like you fainted purely due to nervousness." Fuutarou said with a teasing smile as he laid down the food beside her bed. "Moo...stop teasing me about that." Shouko pouted as she took a bite out of the chub mackerel. [A/N: This is a type of fish where the only seasoning we need for this dish is salt, which brings out the rich flavours of mackerel.] Seeing Shouko happily eating the food that he cooked, he felt a sense of accomplishment. No matter how many times someone had a blissful expression while eating his food, he would always feel happy. "So, about what I said after school..." At this point, Shouko also stopped eating and waited for Fuutarou to continue. Her hand was trembling with nervousness, afraid that she was going to be rejected. She had a lot of time to think about what happened after school while she was waiting for Fuutarou to come with the food, and had realised her own feelings. ''Yes, I do. But what should I do...if he rejects me?'' Fuutarou could see her hand trembling. "It seems that you have forgotten what I have told you before. Shouko, I love you. You don''t have to be so nervous that I''ll reject you." "Really?" Shouko asked for confirmation as tears pooled in her eyes again. "Really. And don''t get so hung up on the past. No matter what has happened to you in the past, what is happening to you now and what will happen to you in the future, I will always love you." Fuutarou stopped Shouko from whatever she was going to say before continuing,"So I''ll ask again, can I have the privilege of having you as my girlfriend? I can''t promise you much, but I can assure you that I will do my best to make you happy, and good food to eat everyday." "Yes!" Shouko jumped off the bed and landed in Fuutarou''s arms. Hugging him tightly, she whispered,"I love you too." ***************** Alternate Title: Confession Chapter 25 - 25: Mid-year Exams... (I) "I love you too." After their confession, they continued hugging each other for a few more minutes before Fuutarou broke out of the hug. "Don''t you still have to eat your dinner?" Shouko felt a little sad at the loss of the warmth of the hug, but didn''t dwell on it too long. He''s her boyfriend now, so this hug will not be the last. ''Hmph...I must protect him from all those thieving cats who want to lay their claws on him...'' Shouko thought with a determined expression on her face. [A/N: Oops, wrong Shouko.] "Um...Shouko, your face is really scary right now..." Fuutarou looked at her with a bit of concern. ''A yandere Shouko?! No...bring me back my kind Shouko...'' "Hm? What face did I have?" Shouko asked cluelessly. It was as though everything was a lie and that scary expression never appeared at all. "Nothing. Continue eating, I''ll be here until you go to bed." "Un!" Shouko nodded happily as they continued their night chat. It wasn''t until ten at night that Shouko finally fell asleep. As Fuutarou took the tray out and closed the door softly, he smiled happily. He was really glad that Shouko agreed to be his girlfriend. It might be rushing it, but he did not regret it in the slightest. ***************** It was already Mid June, and mid year exams were coming. Compared to ninth grade and twelfth grade mid year exams, it wasn''t that important. But if one wanted to go to a decent junior high school, it made a little difference, especially if one was already twelve years old. "Shouko...show me your grades." Shouko didn''t hesitate to pull out her mock test and gave it to Fuutarou. "70, 73, 64, 80, 78. Not bad, I don''t have to worry about you." Fuutarou saw her exam results and they were above average. There was no chance for her to fail if she managed to keep this up. "Good job." Fuutarou praised her and patted her head. Shouko didn''t reject the head pat and just smiled happily. Haruma, who was beside them, smiled happily at their interaction for a while before getting ready to take out his grades as well. "Now, Haruma, your turn." "Hai hai..." "90, 85,78, 80, 77." As Fuutarou read out his grades, Shouko didn''t seem surprised. It looked like it wasn''t an uncommon scene. "Good job." "Please don''t pat my head...it''s embarrassing." "..." "..." Both Shouko and Fuutarou looked at him incredulously. "No way I would head pat a boy. You want a head pat, go find yourself a girlfriend and ask her to do it." Fuutarou violently rejected that claim. He would never head pat another boy. He wasn''t gay, and Shouko was the living proof of it. Besides, in this world where the population of boys were so low, he doubted that there would be any gays, not that he has any problems with it as long as it doesn''t relate to him in the slightest. "Fuu-kun''s head pat is only for me..." Shouko muttered under breath softly so that no one managed to hear her. "I''m just kidding. Enough about me, what about the yellow hair over there?" Haruma said while pointing to the door, revealing a girl peeking inside the music room. "Stop calling me yellow hair! My name is Mi-ya-zo-no Ka-o-ri! Remember that!" Kaori couldn''t help but exclaim in displeasure as she came marching in. "Yes, yellow hair." Haruma didn''t really care about her displeasure. He just smiled and continued calling her with her nickname. "Moo..." Kaori pouted before turning to Fuutarou and complaining,"Fuutarou-kun, he''s bullying me...!" Fuutarou just sighed at their interaction. He didn''t stop them since they were just playing around. "Haruma, stop teasing her so much already. Calling her yellow hair once per day will be enough." When Kaori heard him, she ran towards the last person in this place and hugged her,"Shouko-channnn...now both of them are bullying me..." Shouko just smiled wryly as she patted her back,"Yoshi yoshi...they''re just teasing you. Your reactions are so cute!" Hearing her words, Kaori blushed a little at being called cute, and just continued staying in Shouko''s embrace. They didn''t separate for a while, causing Fuutarou to feel a little annoyed. "Alright, that''s enough hugging." He went towards them and separated them, causing Shouko to giggle a little at his actions. "Now, Kaori-chan, your test results." Fuutarou said while extending his arm towards her. However, unlike the previous two people, Kaori looked embarrassed and nervous and kept fiddling with her fingers. "Etto...must I really hand over my test results...?" Fuutarou looked at her and thought,''Judging from her nervous response, she must not have done well.'' "Yes. If you did badly, I''ll make sure that you do well in the mid year exams." Kaori looked at him with pleading eyes, but Fuutarou, though he did hesitate a little, did not give in. Seeing that Fuutarou would not budge, she sighed sadly and her hand slowly moved towards her bag, in an attempt to delay the inevitable. Trembling, she handed her test papers to Fuutarou. "40, 46, 20, 50, 39." He just eyed her and asked,"Why is it so low? I don''t think you''re stupid or anything. In fact, I think you have quite the high intelligence. So why is it so low?" Fiddling with her fingers, she lowered her head and replied,"I was...um...busy...with other things..." Towards the end, she spoke softer and softer until eventually, no one could hear what she was saying. Fuutarou looked at her for a while, and wondered what he should do. After a few minutes of absolute silence in the room, he suddenly started speaking again. "From now until mid year exams, I''ll be teaching you on these five subjects. Until I deem that you have studied enough not to fail, you are banned from playing music with me." "EHHH!!!" Kaori was shocked at his harsh decision. To her, who only had about two years left to live, the only things that made her life colourful were music, and Fuutarou and her friends. [A/N: The ''her'' refers to Kaori.] "Why?? Studying is useless to me anyway...why can''t I just play my music...?" "No. Studying is never useless to anyone. Don''t worry, as long as you manage to pass the test, I''ll even take part in a competition with you, all right?" Hearing the front part, Kaori shook her head internally. ''If only he knew about my illness...would his thoughts be different then?'' But after hearing the second part, she lifted up her head. "Really? Promise?" "Yes. So let''s get started shall we?" "Yes!" "You''re very lucky. Not many people get to have a one-on-one, in-depth teaching session with Fuu-kun, you know?" While Fuutarou was preparing his materials, Shouko whispered to Kaori. "Huh? Really? Do many people want him to teach them?" "Not really. Mostly those who want to do well in their exams often come to him for help. But Fuu-kun is really kind, he doesn''t reject any of them and patiently teaches them. Even then, their grades still move up by ten to twenty marks. Imagine if he actually teaches seriously." ''Gulp...is he really smart?" Kaori was having a hard time imagining Fuutarou being good at studies and music at the same time since she only focuses on music, yet she wasn''t as good as Fuutarou nor did she score as well as him in the exams. Shouko looked at her in surprise. "You mean you don''t know that he always gets the first position in our grades?" Now Kaori was genuinely shocked. As if being smart was not enough, the boy who was going to teach her was always the number one in their grade. She looked at Fuutarou who had finished his preparation and patiently waited for her to start. "Yes...I''m really lucky..." ***************** A/N: Should I watch Kimi No Na Wa? I missed the movie a few years ago since I was a kid and my parents didn''t allow me to watch... :( Is the ending sad? Or happy? Is it a touching sad? Or touching happy movie? After watching Darling in the FranXX and Your lie in April, I don''t feel like watching any touching movies anymore since it kept making me reminiscing on the touching and sad parts... Zero Two for the win! Enjoy this! Chapter 26 - 26: Mid-year Exams... (II) "So you should do this..." "I see..." "Bring this over here..." "I see..." "And translate this. You can cancel out parts that are unnecessary..." "I see..." "..." "I see..." "..." "I see..." Fuutarou''s eyes twitched and his hand reached forward towards Kaori. Pausing for a moment, his index finger bent forward and he immediately released it towards her forehead. "OW!!" Kaori immediately jumped out of her seat and rubbed her forehead in pain. Her eyes were brimming in tears from the pain. Fuutarou paid no mind to her tears. He looked at her and sighed,"Why aren''t you paying attention to what I''m teaching you?" "Moo...but it''s so boring..." Kaori muttered softly, but Fuutarou, who was right in front of her, could hear her clearly. ''Boring?'' Fuutarou thought. Fuutarou sighed and knew that he couldn''t entirely blame her either. The way a teacher teaches affects how much a student has the motivation to study on her own initiative. Imagine a boring teacher who drones on and on being compared to a fun and interesting teacher who finds different ways to deliver their knowledge. Both spend the same amount of time teaching, and taught the same topics, yet there would be a visible difference between the two classes. The latter who obviously are more appealing to the students rather than the former, making the students in the latter''s class pay more attention and learn more. Since Kaori thought that his lessons were boring, it was time to change his way of teaching. However, the question was, what should he change in his way of teaching to make Kaori pay more attention when he''s teaching? Fuutarou remained quiet and thought for a while. Kaori and Shouko, who were near him, suddenly heard him go silent and saw him close his eyes. "Is he angry...?" Kaori whispered to her friend nervously. She had never seen him become angry yet. He was always smiling and joking around with her, making her feel...fulfilled. A normal school life while surrounded with normal friends. No crying parents, no trips to the hospital, no worries about her illness. What a nice life. It might not last forever, but at least now, she wanted to enjoy what it felt like to be normal. She had gotten used Fuutarou''s bright smile, his warm touch, his very existence. She could not imagine what life she would have if she hadn''t followed his music on that very day. She didn''t want Fuutarou to ever get angry. She feared that Fuutarou would get angry, but more than that, she feared that she would disappoint Fuutarou''s expectation. Shouko didn''t know what she was thinking and shook her head,"No. I''ve also never seen Fuu-kun get angry for real. At most, he got annoyed, but never truly angry." Kaori sighed with relief, but her worry didn''t fully dissipate. "Sorry, Fuutarou-kun..." Fuutarou heard her words and woke up from his stupor. "Huh? What are you sorry for?" He asked confusedly. "Huh? Aren''t you disappointed in me?" Now it was her turn to become confused. "What are you talking about? Yellow hair can never disappoint me." Fuutarou smiled cheekily and continued, ignoring Kaori''s pouting,"Anyways, I was thinking how to teach you better." Shouko heard his words and thought with a smile,''As expected, he''s kind and caring as always. Always thinking of ways to improve himself to help others...'' Kaori was stunned at his words as she didn''t think that Fuutarou would change himself because of one of her complaints. "N-No need. You don''t have to do this for me." Kaori frantically waved her hands in front of her and shook her head. Fuutarou was amused at her actions and smiled gently,"You don''t have to worry. It doesn''t cost me much to change a little. It''s not like my teaching will get any worse if I choose to change it a little." "But..." Kaori didn''t look convinced but Fuutarou interrupted her before she could continue,"No buts. Besides, I''m sure that if I don''t change my way of teaching, your brain isn''t going to absorb anything that I teach you." "It''s more annoying if you phrase it that way..." Kaori''s cheeks inflated at his tease but Fuutarou merely laughed and started poking her cheeks. ''Cute.'' "Anyways, let''s motivate you. Since your favourite thing in life is music, I shall use music to teach you!" Fuutarou announced. Both girls looked at him with visible confusion and Kaori asked,"I''m not tested for music though? And I thought you banned music?" "Nope. I didn''t ban music. I banned you from playing with me." Fuutarou purposely left out a loophole for himself to use since he didn''t think he would be able to survive without at least playing once a day. Addicted? No one cared, in fact, his mother encouraged him to take up more extracurricular activities so that his intelligence would not be wasted. ***************** [Quest: No Failures!] Description: Since you have already started teaching Kaori, you might as well go all the way! Passing criteria: 1) Level up to at least 2) Ensure that Kaori passes and gets at in the top 200 rankings in your grade Rewards: 4x premium gacha spins Failure: None. System tips: Even if you fail, it''s not really your business. I mean, if Kaori gets the 201st position, does it affect you in any way? ***************** ''Wow, this system is getting cheekier by the day. And I haven''t gotten a quest for almost two years now...'' Fuutarou thought to himself as he read the system tips. ''Since I have nothing to lose either way and everything to gain if I complete my mission, let''s just get on with it.'' Fuutarou decided. "Fuu-kun?" Shouko waved her hands in front of Fuutarou since she saw him suddenly go into a daze. "W-What?" Seeing the girls'' worried face, he immediately put on a reassuring smile and said,"Don''t worry, I''m fine. Now back to the topic. Using music to teach!" Kaori looked particularly interested since, as Fuutarou had said before, the thing she loved most would be music. Fuutarou saw her eager look and knew that he was heading in the correct direction. "Basically, I''ll be teaching you english, Japanese and history for now since I don''t know how to incorporate the other subjects with music." Kaori didn''t seem disappointed by the news, and was in fact, more interested. Fuutarou took that as a good thing and continued his explanation,"Since you like music so much, you must have remembered all the names and parts of famous songs." Kaori hesitated slightly before nodding. Even though she''s very talented in the violin and in music in general, it didn''t mean that she had memorised each and every famous song that she had heard before. Fuutarou saw her hesitation and reassured her,"Don''t worry, if you don''t recognise the song, I''ll play something else that you will know." Kaori let out a sigh of relief and allowed him to continue. "Now, translation. Part of your English paper, no, majority of the English paper in our year would be about translation. I won''t touch much about grammar and vocabulary for now, we''ll just concentrate on translating first. So, I''ll give you a random Japanese word or English word and it''s your job to translate them into English and Japanese in the respective scenario. If you are not able to do so, I''ll play a piece with the title containing the correct translation." Kaori didn''t understand a single word of that but she nodded nonetheless. Fuutarou knew exactly what Kaori was thinking and just smiled wryly. "Let''s give you an example first. Number one,(Shiki)" Kaori thought for a while before eventually shaking her head. "Alright then. This entire song consists of four parts, but I''m just going to play one part first." {BGM: Vivaldi - Winter (The Four Seasons)} Fuutarou started to play the song. He started slow, with one finger. Slowly over time, he increased the speed, playing the notes with a skip. Fifty seconds in, the number of notes he needed to play suddenly increased before Kaori finally nodded. "Ah! I know! It''s the Winter part of the famous classical song by Vivaldi, Four Seasons! Shiki means " Kaori announced happily. "Good! Now you know what to expect. Let''s continue." ***************** A/N: Sorry for the late update. Almost forgotten that it''s Sunday and it''s time to write this shitty fanfic. When it''s a holiday and you stay home all day, you would eventually forget the time. Well, enjoy this! PS: Yeah, I know. I''m dragging the mid-year exam arc quite long. It was supposed to be just one or two chapters before heading off to Kyoto, but it is what it is. To those who were looking forward to Kyoto arc, I''m sorry... PPS: Also, I''ve uploaded a status sheet in the auxiliary chapter. Go and check it out if you want, but honestly? It''s not very relevant and does not have much impact. Chapter 27 - 27: Mid-year Exams... (III) And so, time flew by as Fuutarou and Kaori worked together to help Kaori improve. Music was indeed the best way to help people like Kaori, who was musically-inclined, improve her academic results. Like this, another month passed, and July had finally arrived. Their mid-year exams were finally here, and everyone was nervous about it. Of course, there were people like Fuutarou who wasn''t too worried. He had always gotten top scores for the entire grade since grade one, and he did not plan to change the outcome this year. "Wah...I''m very nervous..." Kaori muttered as she looked around with nervousness present in her eyes. Standing next to her was Shouko and Fuutarou, both of whom didn''t look too nervous. Shouko had always consistently gotten above average results, and with Fuutarou''s help at home, her results had only risen since. Fuutarou looked at her and smiled reassuringly, "Don''t worry. You have performed very well this past month. In the exam, don''t worry too much. If you ever get stuck on a question, all you have to do is to take a deep breath and think back on all the songs I have played for you." Kaori was about to thank him for his advice when he continued, "Besides, it''s just elementary school topics. I don''t think it would be that hard since what the teachers had taught us is very limited." "Moo...of course, you can say that since you''re brilliant. You''re literally like the perfect student...I still wonder why girls don''t flock to you every single day." "Cause I''ve got my dear little Shouko to kick all the other girls away, am I right?" Fuutarou grinned and hugged Shouko in the middle of the corridor. Shouko was a little embarrassed by his public display of affection but smiled nonetheless. "I''ll make sure you would have a happy school life without any excessive bothers around you." "Wow...it seems that you''ve gotten yourself a very caring wife at this age. How lucky..." Haruma whistled at them. "Yep. I''m a very guy." Fuutarou didn''t deny it and did not release Shouko from his hug. Ringgggg! Kaori was about to say something when the bell suddenly rang. "It seems that the exams are going to start soon. Hopefully, you don''t fail. Otherwise, while we''ll be out playing around and having fun, you''ll be stuck in school with the teachers for summer school." Fuutarou stated while checking the clock. He turned towards Kaori and spoke solemnly, "You don''t want that, do you?" Kaori looked aghast at the thought of not seeing Fuutarou for the summers and resolved herself. "No." She said before lowering her voice, "Is the promise still valid?" "Of course." Fuutarou smiled and answered, "So let''s all do our best, all right?" ""Yes!!"" Shouko returned her hug before Fuutarou finally released her. Fuutarou was about to follow her into his classroom, but he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned back and saw that Kaori was pulling on it. "What''s wrong?" He asked. "C-Can...I have a hug too?" Kaori murmured softly. "What? I can''t hear you." Fuutarou cupped his hand over his ear and leaned in towards her with a teasing smirk. Of course, Fuutarou managed to hear her, but his instincts to tease others kicked in once more. Kaori recognised his usual grin and pouted cutely. She didn''t reply to him and immediately rushed in and hugged him without warning. "Huh?" Fuutarou was a little surprised but recovered after a few seconds of silence. He placed his hand on her back and started caressing it softly. "There, there. Just do your best, all right? No pressure." "Thank you..." Kaori smiled happily before skipping to her own class. After her hug with Fuutarou, all her nervousness seemed to have disappeared into thin air. She was now motivated to do her best. For herself, and more importantly, for the time she can spend with the boy who made her life colorful. As Fuutarou walked into his class, everyone wished one another good luck, and he was no different. Most of the girls seemed particularly thrilled when they received their good fortune, while the few boys in his class were also delighted to receive their luck from him. Though he was the most popular boy in the level, and possibly the school, there wasn''t much jealousy flying around. With the skewed up ratio of boys to girls in the current society, each of the boys was ''trained'' from a young age by their families to leave a good impression on the girls to have a bigger family. Though some might have lesser popularity, most boys would have their own fans and secret crushes, so almost no boys would be jealous of another boy since they would be too busy with their own girls who would surround them. "Hey, Did I just see that Kaori hugged you just now?" Haruma, who sat to the right of him, leaned in and whispered. Fuutarou was confused but nodded his head nonetheless, "So what?" Haruma nodded his head and stated in an ''I-know-it-all'' tone, "Hmm...good. It seems that you''ve gotten your harem plan started at an early age." Hearing what he said, Fuutarou almost spat at him. True, Fuutarou thought Kaori was an energetic, bubbly, and cute girl, but it didn''t mean that he would instantly fall in love with her. At best, he now had a positive impression of her due to her musical talent and determination to work hard. As for falling in love with her? That was a thing for later. Right now, he had Shouko, who was staring intently at him with an unreadable expression. "Don''t be jealous, Shouko. You''ll always be number one in my heart." Fuutarou immediately turned towards his left and started coaxing his girlfriend when she suddenly giggled. "Don''t worry. I know that you''ll definitely get a harem later on, seeing how kind your personality is. Even if you don''t actively do anything, girls would naturally flock towards you. Just don''t forget about me when you get all the beauties by your side, all right?" "And an understanding wife too..." Haruma interjected. Fuutarou shed an imaginary tear hearing Shouko''s kind words before sending a glare towards Haruma that said, "Shut up!" "Shou-chan is too kind~." Fuutarou didn''t know who to thank for this blessed lady. [You have a message. Do you want to hear it?] "Eh? Open it then." Fuutarou was startled at the sudden message that appeared in his system and communicated in his mind. [Hey, Fuutarou! How''s life these days? I know, no need to thank me. Muhahahaha. Anyway, I''m here to tell you that there would be a surprise for you later on. Or will it be a shock? It depends on how you would see it. And that''s about it. So if you have any questions, try to figure it out yourselves since I won''t be looking after you any longer. And if you ever want to thank me, just build me a shrine and worship me there as God. Haha. I''ll see you again after you die!] "..." Fuutarou was speechless at this carefree God. He wondered what the surprise was but decided not to overthink it. He also chose not to build a shrine for now since it would take too much money and manpower to construct and maintain it. But sending a small offering wouldn''t be too much. As for the future, if he ever gets rich, then he''ll build a shrine to worship God. Fuutarou wanted to continue the conversation, but the invigilator had arrived, and the test papers had already been given out. "Alright! You have one and a half hours to complete this paper. Your time starts..." The invigilator looked at the digital clock as it turned to 0800. "Now!" And like this, their week-long of exams had begun. ***************** "And...time''s up! Put down pens and pencils, and hand in your papers to the front." "Phew...the week is finally over, and the weekends are here!" Haruma stretched out his hands and shouted excitedly. Shouko also smiled happily while Fuutarou just yawned in boredom. While he did enjoy school, it was not due to the thing he could learn from there, but the friends he had. To be honest, if Shouko, Kaori, and Haruma weren''t here, he would have chosen to skip elementary school and directly entered junior high school or even high school. "What should we do now?" He didn''t have many past times to enjoy and mostly played the piano during his free time. Either that or he would practice his taekwondo every once in a while to keep his body fit. While the system said that there wasn''t magic in this world, it didn''t hurt to be strong enough to defend himself and his girlfriends. "Hm...you and Kaori would be joining a competition during the summer holidays, right? Why don''t you invite us and we''ll watch you perform there?" Haruma suggested. "I was already planning to. What I mean is what we can do now? There''s one more week before the summer holidays." Fuutarou responded. "What else can we do apart from our usual routines? You might be one boring guy, but I can''t seem to get away from you." Fuutarou donned on a shocked face and hurriedly covered his chest with his hands like a shy girl. "No! I don''t know about you, but I don''t swing that way!" He replied with a regretful tone before hurrying over to Shouko and hugged her from behind, "I have Shouko here already, after all." "This guy is your future husband. You do realise that, right?" Haruma said with a deadpanned expression as he looked at Shouko and pointed towards the guy behind her. Shouko giggled at their antics and patted Fuutarou''s head, "I know, and I''m lucky." "Hey, no head patting me! I''m the one who is in charge of head patting you!" Fuutarou exclaimed, but he didn''t dodge the head pat. "These lovebirds..." Haruma was tongue-tied and sighed once more. "Hello! How did your exam go?!" A wild Kaori suddenly appeared as the class door slammed open. However, she saw Shouko and Fuutarou hugging each other the moment she opened the door and felt a little sour in her heart. Ultimately, she decided to push it to the side for now since she would be accompanying Fuutarou to join a concert together. "Oh, Kaori-chan. How well did you think you fared for this exam?" Fuutarou asked. Although the deal was that Kaori had to pass every exam before Fuutarou could accompany her to join a competition, he didn''t plan to follow it. Whether she passed or not, he had already decided to join her for a piano-violin duet competition. He felt touched after seeing the amount of hard work Kaori had put in and had decided to reward her for her efforts. Of course, he had another goal, which was to slowly build up fame. He didn''t draw mangas because, firstly, he only got his eidetic memory on this life, so Fuutarou couldn''t remember every single detail of each manga or anime he read or watched. And secondly, he wasn''t good at drawing in general. Since he had gotten the grandmaster''s piano skill, he might as well use it to it''s fullest potential. For now, music was the direction he wanted to pursue. As for the future? Who knows, his goal and ambition might change. This was his second life, after all. His job now was just to relax and hang out with his friends and family, two things he didn''t have in his past life. ***************** A/N: Phew, this was one long chapter. I was planning to separate this into two chapters, but I''m afraid that some people might kill me so there we go. Like this, the mid-year exams are over and it''s finally time for summer holidays! What would happen in summer holidays? Will there be new characters? And by the way, I changed the synopsis a little. I''ve decided to add a little supernatural. Nothing too differing from what I originally planned. Supernatural side wouldn''t affect daily life much. Main thing will still be school life and romance. I''ll see you next week! Ciao! Chapter 28 - 28: NSFW Summer holidays are finally here! After getting back their results, Kaori jumped into Fuutarou''s arms with happiness. She had passed every subject, albeit barely. But a pass was a pass, and she looked forward to playing with Fuutarou on an actual stage. However, she didn''t know one thing. And that was that Fuutarou had already planned to play together with her regardless of her result. But since she had passed, nothing changed. The first week of the summer holidays went by quickly. There wasn''t much action present, and as the honor and number one student in elementary school, Fuutarou had, of course, finished all his assignments. Shouko, living together with Fuutarou, was also influenced by him and had likewise finished her homework. Their younger siblings, on the other hand, were still childish. Although they had done a little bit of their homework, they were, after all, kids and decided to leave it for later. On the seventh day, Fuutarou finally found a problem. He had not discussed anything with Kaori regarding their plan. Seeing that today was a Sunday and Kaori was probably relaxing and home, he decided to visit her. The school had refused to give him her address. Fortunately, he had decided to ask before the holidays start, and the person herself had agreed to do so. Stretching in front of his desk, he walked out of his room and knocked on the door beside his. "Shou-chan! I''m going out to Kaori-chan''s house. Do you want to follow along?" He called out. The door immediately opened and revealed Shouko. "Fuu-kun? You are going to Kaori''s house? Sure!" Shouko thought for a bit before agreeing. She was quite bored staying at home for the entire day, and she decided that getting some fresh air would be a good thing. "Alright. Get changed, and I''ll meet you downstairs in five." Fuutarou told her before going back to his room and changed. Shouko nodded her head before closing her door. Fuutarou decided to dress comfortably, donning a white shirt that matched his hair and black shorts. He didn''t have to wait long before Shouko came down as well. She currently wore a pink, short-sleeved shirt and a checkered green skirt. She didn''t tie her hair as it only reached her shoulders and decided to let it flow down naturally. Fuutarou took one look at her and turned around to face his mother, who was currently playing with their younger siblings. "Mum! I''m going out now!" Hanako turned around and smiled. [A/N: Hanako is Fuutarou''s mum if you forget who she is] "Thank god you are going out. You stayed at home for an entire week, and I was getting worried that you have no friends apart from Shou-chan, Ka-chan, and Haru-chan." Hearing her words, Shouko giggled, and Hanako turned towards her, "You too. If you weren''t going out soon, I would have forced both of you to the playground nearby and made you make some friends." "I''m sorry Hana-, mum, but I was bust doing work..." Shouko was about to call her ''Hanako-san'', but she quickly changed her way of address after seeing her look. "I can''t believe that both of you are kids with how mature both of you are..." Hanako was satisfied with how Shouko called her before sighing, "My job as a mother was over before it even began. From such a young age, both of you never truly asked for anything." She glared at both of them before saying, "Now I can only hope that your younger siblings don''t end up like you, maturing so fast..." ''Why are you glaring at me. How is that my fault that I mature fast?'' Fuutarou looked defeated at the glare that his mother sent him. "Sure, sure. Well, I''m going out now." Fuutarou was too lazy to argue with her and just agreed with whatever she wanted them to agree to before changing the subject. "Alright. Don''t come back too early." "I''m a twelve-year-old child, for god''s sake. Aren''t you worried that bad people will kidnap me or something?" Fuutarou was incredulous at his mother''s nonchalance. "You? If you don''t beat them up until all of their bones are broken, I''ll be thankful already. Now, leave and remember to protect Shouko." Hanako told him before shooing both of them out of the house. "Bye, mum." Shouko bowed a little before leaving. Hanako didn''t reply, but she had a slight smile on her face. ''So respectful and formal, unlike my brat. Though I wish I could be closer to Shou-chan.'' ***************** "Since when did you call her ''mum''?" Fuutarou asked after they were outside. He was curious as this was the first time she had called his mother ''mum''. Shouko blushed before muttering softly, "A few days after we got together, she came into my room and had a talk with me." Fuutarou was genuinely impressed with his mother. He didn''t even know how she managed to find out about their relationship. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to tell his mother, but he decided that it would be better for them to reach at least middle-school before breaking the news. Seeing that Fuutarou was not saying anything, she thought he might be feeling a little angry. "Are you upset that I told mum?" "Not really." Fuutarou knew that this girl would often fear that he was angry and quickly smiled, "We were planning to tell her next year either way. So it made no difference if you tell her sooner or later." "Besides, if I plan to marry you in the future, you would have to call her ''mum'' anyways." Fuutarou continued with a teasing smile. Hearing that Fuutarou had already planned to marry her in the future, Shouko couldn''t help but smile brightly. Ever since she had met him, her life had turned from a monotonous, dull world to one filled with colors and rainbows. She sneaked a peek at Fuutarou''s hand and decided that she wanted to hold it in her own hand. Despite going out for a few weeks already, they had never held hands. It was bizarre. Shouko didn''t mind having physical contact with Fuutarou, like hugs or pats, but when it comes to holding hands, she was shy about it. She didn''t know why, but it felt strange. Shouko''s peek didn''t go unnoticed by Fuutarou, who had been watching her closely ever since they got out of the house. ''I see what you want...'' Fuutarou thought. If it was just holding hands, Fuutarou didn''t mind. He had already hugged her a lot of times before. Why would he be shy about holding hands? Thus, not waiting for Shouko to react, he took her left hand in his right. He didn''t clasp it tightly and let their clasped hands swing naturally as they walk. The moment she felt her hands being held, Shouko stiffened for a moment before relaxing herself immediately. Fuutarou was not some person who would be afraid of holding hands. If he liked her and she liked him back, why would he shy away? His fingers intertwined with hers, and Shouko''s blush intensified. She felt really, really weird. ''Why does hugging not bother me, but holding hands does?'' Fuutarou didn''t look at their clasped hands and continued strolling with Shouko. Although both of them were silent, they enjoyed a comfortable silence between them. Fuutarou took a look at their intertwined hands and was shocked out of his mind. ''Why is my hand censored!?'' ***************** A/N: And that is it. Short, simple and sweet chapter. I decided to push back all the action to middle school since I thought that the timeline wouldn''t make sense. And have a (late) merry Christmas Chapter 29 - 29: Kaoris House It turned out that the censor didn''t stay for long. After a few moments, the censor disappeared, and Fuutarou could see his hand once more. Both of them didn''t talk much and just enjoyed a comfortable silence between them. On the way to Kaori''s house, both met many familiar friends who were out roaming about. Like any other elementary school student who gets up early to do their radio exercises, many children were very active in the morning. Fuutarou was an anomaly. Since he practiced taekwondo by himself, he had gotten permission from his teacher to skip it during the summer holidays. Of course, he knew how to do it. He just found it boring and preferred to do taekwondo instead. On the other hand, Shouko had woken up at 6am every morning to go to the nearby park to do her radio exercises. "Uesugi-san! Nishimiya-san! Ohayou (good morning)!" A few of them waved towards the young couple as they returned their greetings. The journey to Kaori''s house wasn''t long; it only took around fifteen minutes of casual walking with numerous breaks to mess around with the younger students who were out with their parents. They had finally reached in front of Kaori''s ''house'', and it wasn''t what they had expected a house to be. In front of them was a three-storied building, with the first floor being a bakery. Ma Fille Patisserie. The bakery''s name was plastered at the top of the shop, as several people came inside and bought some bread (duh). Fuutarou was a bit surprised but went inside nonetheless. Still holding on to Shouko''s hand, they walked inside to find numerous transparent boxes filled with all sorts of bread. Though he couldn''t precisely say that business was booming, it was good enough to support an average family. Trying to suppress their urge for some bread, they directly went to the counter and saw a couple together. The man had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a broken pencil mustache, while the woman had light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and pale indigo eyes. "Good morning Oba-san and Oji-san. Can we know where to find Kaori-chan?" Fuutaour and Shouko greeted together before Fuutarou asked the couple. "Kaori-chan? Who are you, and why are you looking for her?" The man asked warmly. His entire appearance was average, but his tone was very warm and kind. "My name is Uesugi Fuutarou, and the girl beside me is Nishimiya Shouko. We''re looking for Kaori-chan to discuss something." Fuutarou replied. The couple was about to reply when a girl''s voice suddenly arrived. "Dad? Mum? Is that a customer?" ***************** While going down the stairs, Kaori heard her parents talking about her. She was wondering who would be talking about her when she saw the familiar white-haired boy. "Fuutarou!" Kaori couldn''t help but exclaim, and when she saw him turn his head towards her direction, she turned red and quickly went back up to change into something more...presentable. She was currently in her pajamas as she had just woken up. Due to her condition, she, like Fuutarou, had gotten permission to skip the radio exercises. For the first few days of the summer break, she didn''t do much but laze around at home. She only helped out in the shop every once in a while. She wondered when Fuutarou would seek her out to discuss their agreement. Or rather, his promise to her. The summer break only lasted for five weeks or so. Researching a little by herself, she found out that the competition they agreed to take part in was held in the middle of the third week. When the first week flew past without any disruption in her life, she quickly got worried that Fuutarou might have forgotten about their agreement. She then thought about going to Fuutarou''s house to seek him out instead, only to realize that she didn''t know where Fuutarou lived. ''Ahh...! What would Fuutarou think of me when I just appeared in my pajamas?!'' Kaori couldn''t help but think as she quickly slammed open the door to her room and took out multiple clothes to try on in front of the mirror. ***************** "Um...Sorry about that, Fuu-chan, Shou-chan. It appears that my daughter is a bit shy." The brown-haired lady replied with fondness in her eyes as she bent downwards to pat on both of their heads. Fuutarou wondered why she was acting so familiar with them when they had just met for the first time, but Shouko didn''t mind it and just enjoyed it for a while before frowning unnoticeably. ''Fuu-kun''s head pat is better.'' As though she could mind-read, the lady explained to Fuutarou, "You must be wondering why I''m acting so familiar to you, right?" Fuutarou nodded. "You see, Kaori told us a lot about the three of you and your younger siblings. Since last year, she had pestered us to let her learn the violin because she heard some beautiful piano sounds that you made." "Not only that, but she mentions you guys a lot." The man continued his wife''s explanation. "Especially you, Uesugi-kun." He smiled at Fuutarou, "For how much you have helped her for the past year, thank you." Hearing their words, Fuutarou was confused. "What do you mean? I don''t remember helping her at all." The couple was surprised and looked at each other in the eye before turning back to Fuutarou. "Nevermind. It seems that she hasn''t told you anything yet, but it''s fine. I''ll leave it to her to tell you guys when the time''s right." ''Is it about her illness?'' However, just before Fuutarou could ponder more, Kaori''s voice resounded once more. "Mum! Dad! What have you been telling Fuutarou-kun and Shouko-chan?!" The familiar blond hair girl rushed between her parents and Fuutarou and questioned. "Hm?" Her mother placed her index finger on her chin and pretended to think about her questions for a while. She eventually had a teasing smile on her face as she replied to her daughter, "I wonder..." She bent down and whispered in her daughter''s ear, "Do you like him?" Hearing her mother''s question, she turned red as she hurriedly replied, "What do you mean?! Of course, I don''t!" Hearing her daughter''s words contradicting her actions of peeking at Fuutarou, she sighed. ''This girl can''t be honest, but that''s good as well. Better to completely cut off the feelings before it''s too late.'' She couldn''t help but lament about her daughter''s wretched fate before looking in Fuutarou''s direction. ''Let''s hope this guy doesn''t fall too deeply in love with my daughter. But seeing Shou-chan beside him, I don''t think that would happen?'' While Kaori''s mother had her inner monologue, Fuutarou didn''t know what she was thinking. He just continued talking with Kaori and Shouko before Kaori decided to bring them to her room. "Mum!" Kaori yelled out, interrupting her mother from her own thoughts and seeing that she had her attention, Kaori continued, "I''m bringing my friends to my room, alright?" "Alright. Do you guys need any snacks?" "Nope." "Alright then. Have fun." Getting her mother''s permission, Kaori immediately pulled Fuutarou and Shouko upstairs to her room. After reaching her room, Kaori stopped pulling both of them and started to stare intently at Fuutarou while twirling around in her dress. It was pretty obvious what Kaori wanted to hear from her crush, so Fuutarou gave it to her. "You''re cute in that dress, Kaori-chan." Chapter 30 - 30: Family Lineage Kaori smiled at my compliment before sitting down on the floor. "Thanks." "So, about the competition..." I didn''t beat around the bush and directly went to the point. "Yes!" Kaori was obviously very prepared for this as she immediately started talking about the plans she made. "So on this date..." "Wait, wait, wait." I stopped Kaori from rambling and said, "Do you know what song or songs we are supposed to play?" Hearing my words, Kaori paused for a little before her head drooped. "No..." "Can''t believe that you have actually forgotten about that. But it''s fine. Let''s check now." Going online on her house''s computer, we went to the website for the competition and closely checked the details. The competition date was on the last day of the third week of the summer holidays, which means we had about two weeks to prepare the piece. This didn''t bring a lot of time to prepare as we also needed to get their performance dress and suit. I mean, I can''t go on stage with my casual attire, right? I don''t think I even have formal attire. But I''ll settle that issue later. The next thing was the venue. It wasn''t too far. Towa Hall was a famous place in this prefecture as a performance hall, which held piano and violin competitions. Seeing this place being held as the competition site also removed any doubt about the competition being a fake. You never know. Someone might just fake competition for some random reasons. But nobody was brave enough to fake Towa Hall as the competition venue. It could be easily seen through. Just half an hour of bus ride would be enough to reach there, and it wasn''t a problem for us. The final thing was the set-piece. ''Dream of Dreams'' by Brian Crain. I was surprised that it wasn''t some ancient song but a more recent song released in 2011. I really thought the set-piece would be something from the 19th century, but it wasn''t. Maybe it was because the competition was for children aged ten to twelve that a more recent song was chosen. When practicing the olden classical songs made by Beethoven, Chopin, and more, I realized that most of the older songs were more challenging to play than the recent ones. It wasn''t a rule; more of a trend. It wasn''t the most effortless piece out there, but it wasn''t the hardest either. With my grandmaster skills in piano and Kaori''s natural violin talent, I''m confident that we would be able to take the first place. There were four categories - Junior (11 years and below), Intermediate (15 years and below), Senior (21 years and below), and Artist (25 years and below). Kaori and I were twelve this year, so we were considered the youngest competitor in the intermediate category. I don''t think anybody our age would be able to beat Kaori in violin skills despite her learning just barely two years ago. I''m looking forward to seeing the judges'' reaction when they see a children''s duet come up on stage and performing. And it also turned out that this wasn''t some duet competition, but a violin competition. The violinists were supposed to bring their own piano accompanist; otherwise, they couldn''t participate. How sad... I continued to scroll down the website as I wondered what other competitions were there, and it turned out there was. On the fourth week of the summer holidays, there was a piano competition. They gave us two choices. The first was Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (movement 4). [A/N: Search'' Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (mov 4) Valentina Lisitsa'' on youtube and try to listen for piano fans. ] Honestly? I think the judges were high went they set the pieces. Beethoven''s Hammerklavier is often considered to be Beethoven''s most technically challenging piano composition. It is also one of the most demanding solo works in all of classical music. The sonata was composed in 1817-1818 and was dedicated to Beethoven''s patron, Archduke Rudolph. So I have no idea what the judges were thinking when they set this piece as a choice for all four categories. I''m not going to mention the other option since I have already decided on the music I''m going to play. [A/N: Honestly, I''m just too lazy to research more about Beethoven] I wanted to make a bang in my entrance into the music world, so what better way to make an impact than to play the most challenging Beethoven piece on my first debut? Hopefully, I can fill up those proficiency points faster when playing in a competition. It''s really too hard to fill up the grandmaster proficiency when just practicing typically. Maybe some competition would help. I didn''t hide my thoughts from the two girls and shared them with them. They were impressed by my choice but wasn''t too surprised. It was partly my fault that they didn''t feel surprised that I would play the more challenging piece in the competition. After all, I once played an entire symphony nonstop in the piano room as my practice, which was thirty minutes long. Maybe that experience warped their common sense on what was supposed to be ''difficult'' and ''challenging''? Who knows? Definitely not me. After finalizing everything that needed to be finalized, such as date and time for practice, where to meet up, what attire we should be wearing, and more, it was already evening. My mother made me bring a fruit basket as a ''gift'' for them. Honestly, I don''t know why I must give a gift when we''re just visiting, but I''m not going to further delve into that topic. Since my mother gave me a fruit basket to give them, I did so. Although the a.d.u.l.ts were like ''Oh, you don''t have to!'' and ''You''re too kind.'', they still took my fruit basket without remorse. Shameless a.d.u.l.ts, but as I was once an a.d.u.l.t myself, I''m not going to complain. Not wanting to disrupt them any further since we already had lunch together with them, we left after bidding farewell to Kaori''s family and receiving a hug from Kaori. On the way home, I continued holding Shouko''s hand as we walked together. Shouko wasn''t the type to initiate a conversation, to begin with, and I also didn''t think we had much to talk about, so both of us remained silent. I don''t know why some people hate silence. Do they hate the loneliness they feel when it''s silent? But I didn''t overthink it. I enjoyed the peaceful silence between us until we reached home. After I cooked and ate dinner with the family, I went straight to my room and laid down on my bed while waiting for the bath. Anyway, I thought about the difference between the two competitions I was going to participate in. Why was the standard so different? "System, why is the standard between the two competitions so different?" I asked inside my mind. Up till now, I never actually asked my system for anything, so I''m not sure whether my system would reply to my question. It was just supposed to be a Gacha and inventory, after all. To my surprise, the system actually replied. However, the system''s reply left me speechless. [Plot.] "F*ck you, plot." The system didn''t reply to me after that, so I continued thinking about my life until now. That was when I realized something peculiar. "Um...system? I noticed that since I was born, I have never gotten sick until now. Is there a reason for it?" [Your body is unique.] "Eh? So the ''body that can adapt to anything I come across'' that God gave me included this? Adapting to any virus or bacteria?" [No. The body that my creator gave you can only increase your resistance to sickness but not let you be immune to it. If it was solely based on the body my creator gave you, the probability of you not getting sick for twelve years straight is almost nil.] "Oh? Then what are the other reasons?" I thought of God''s last message and remembered that he was going to give me a surprise. Is the other reason the surprise? [Your family lineage.] "Eh?" Chapter 31 - 31: New Quest and Quest Rewards "Eh?" Hold on a minute! I just wanted an everyday life! Hang out with my parents, friends, and girlfriends like any other typical teenager. Yes. Girlfriends with an ''s''. A harem like any other men''s dream. But to be honest, it was just a side benefit of getting reincarnated by the ever benevolent god who ignores my insults to him. And now, you''re telling me I''m from some secret clan or originated from some famous ancestors? And I thought the system scanned the entire planet, only to find no trace of magic? [Host is mistaken. There is no magic, but magic refers to having supernatural power, such as creating a fireball using ''mana'' or some energy on this planet or using some sort of staff to cast magic spells like those novels you read. No one can use magic on this planet, but it doesn''t stop them from having natural power such as ''Ki'' or ''Qi'' as you refer to it.] Now that''s just bullshit. So what is my ''family lineage''? Urgh, just saying it out loud sounds stupid. [Scanning host''s body....] While the system was scanning my body, I just waited quietly in bed. I don''t know what ''family lineage'' includes, but I hope it''s something cool. After about five minutes, the system finally replied. [After scanning the body, the system has identified the different genomes. But without other comparisons, the system wouldn''t know the exact lineage host would have.] ... Really? After five tedious minutes of waiting, the answer I got was nothing more than more answers? Sigh, so what do I need to do to know what my lineage is? [Host can get closer to other people with lineages while the system scans them. Or host can try to awaken the lineage yourself before I correctly identify the name of your lineage.] But before I could say anything, another system notification arrived. ***************** [Quest: Unlock your family lineage!] Description: Since you have found out that you have a family lineage, why not satiate your curiosity by finding out precisely what you are? Passing Criteria: Unlock your family lineage as fast as possible Rewards: Unlock a new level of gacha (Legendary) Additional rewards if you awaken before ten years: 1x Legendary gacha token Additional rewards if you awaken before five years: 2x Legendary gacha tokens Additional rewards if you awaken before this year ends: 5x Legendary gacha tokens Failure: None System tips: Your family lineage can be awakened in two situations. ***************** Eh? Fantastic! What are the two situations, though? I''m not sure if I can awaken my lineage before this year ends if I don''t know anything about it. [Unknown.] Even you don''t know what situations I would awaken? Then why even bother putting that tips there? I just sigh in disappointment. I hope I will achieve that quest before this year ends, or at least before five years. As I continued looking for more details about the quest, something caught my eye. "System, what are the differences in drop rate when it comes to the different levels of gachas?" [There are currently three known levels of gachas that the host has come into contact with. Everything you gain from the gacha falls into five categories, which are , , , , , similar to the skill proficiencies you gained. The lowest level: The normal gacha. The item drops are 50%, 30%, 15%, 3%, and 1.999%, corresponding to the five proficiencies stated above. The extra 0.001% would be something that cannot be calculated by the above. The second level: The premium gacha. The item drops are 30%, 45%, 17%, 5%, and 2.999%, corresponding to the five proficiencies stated above. The extra 0.001% would be something that cannot be calculated by the above. The third level: The legendary gacha. The item drops are 15%, 40%, 30%, 9%, and 5.999%, corresponding to the five proficiencies stated above. The extra 0.001% would be something that cannot be calculated by the above.] I see. Sounds pretty good, honestly. I think my luck was fantastic all these years. I don''t think I have ever gotten trash. The worst thing I got was the delicious Coke, the beautiful hairclip for Shouko, and the sleek pair of shoes that still fit my size until today. But looking at the comparison, all three seemed to have their uses. So I don''t think any of the items would be that bad...I hope so... "System, are there more levels to the gacha?" [Yes.] "And I assume that I can''t know about it?" [Yes.] Fine then. Keep your secrets. I will definitely find out everything one day. Or I could just allow myself to enjoy life. Let''s think about that another day. "System, is there a way to awaken my lineage using one of your items from gacha?" [Yes. If you manage to get the ''Lineage Awakening Pill'', which is less than the 0.001% chance for any level of gacha.] "Like the infinity stone, I asked you during my birth?" [Yes.] Wow. Those two things are grouped under one category. That is unfair. I don''t think I can ever rely on that small percentage, so I don''t think I will. For now, let''s just check my body every day to see if there''s a difference. By doing so, I would be able to see if there is a pattern to which my body will react. For now, though, I want to sleep. As a wise man once said, "If you want a head start on tomorrow, eat breakfast tonight ¨C that way, you can sleep until lunchtime." But I won''t follow that. That is just pure stupidity. Who eats breakfast at night? Though I would be going to sleep early. I''m still growing after all. However, it seems that the system has different plans for me. ***************** [Quest: No Failures!] Description: Since you have already started teaching Kaori, you might as well go all the way! Passing criteria: 1) Level up to at least 2) Ensure that Kaori passes and gets at in the top 200 rankings in your grade Rewards: 4x premium gacha spins Failure: None System tips: Even if you fail, it''s not really your business. I mean, if Kaori gets the 201st position, does it affect you in any way? ***************** [Quest completed, rewards are being issued.] [4x premium gacha spins] As the system sounded in my head, I open my eyes in surprise. I had totally forgotten about this mission, and even then, I thought I wasn''t able to complete the task. I looked at the task description once more and realized how stupid the passing conditions were. Why didn''t I notice how it in the past? In my grade, there was a total of twenty-five. Students per class and there were eight classes, with a grand total of two hundred students. So that means that as long Kaoti took the exam and did not fail, the second condition would automatically be finished. Plus, with my ingenious way of teaching Kaori in a way that was easy for her to remember, my teacher proficiency spiked up. Looking at my inventory, where 4 premium tokens were present, I smiled and used them all. Sleep? Who cares about sleep when you got gacha spins? "System, use all four premium tokens." [Spinning...] [Host has gained...] ***************** A/N: And that''s it. Another cliff before letting you guys know what he would gain. Though I have some idea on what to give him, if you wish to give our dear mc something as well, do comment it! And if you didn''t realize it, I changed the passing criteria a little. And mc won''t awaken his lineage before this year ends. As for when, you''ll find out later on. On a side note, do you like Tokisaki Kurumi''s powers? On a second side note, Gotoubun No Hanayome II is out! Well, it has been out for a week now, but still...It''s out!! Yay! I''m happy even if I have already read the manga. Just in time as well to refresh my memory so that I don''t get anything wrong. Chapter 32 - 32: I love this family [Host has gained 2x Duplication tokens] [Host has gained Advanced Western-Orientated Cuisine Proficiency (0/500)] [Host has gained a packet of coffee bean] [Host has gained 1500 proficiency points (can be used on any level and any skill)] Four notifications rang out in my head after a few seconds. Seeing that some weird items were included inside, I just yawned and asked the system to explain each of them again. At this point, it''s already 10 pm. I''m tired after discussing and planning for the competitions two weeks later. [Duplication tokens do precisely what their names imply. It can duplicate any skill proficiency that is currently in your arsenal. However, it''s unable to combine, so all you will have is just two of the same proficiency.] Eh? Doesn''t that mean that it''s just plain useless? Whatever, it seems like my luck finally ran out. I can''t get lucky forever, can I? [Advanced Western-Orientated Cuisine Proficiency is as it is. You cook western dishes well.] Wow, thanks a lot. As if I didn''t know that already. [System has detected two advanced cooking-related proficiency along with proficiency points. Does Host wish to combine them into one together with some proficiency points?] What do you mean? So I combine the Japanese orientated, and Western orientated cooking into one? [Affirmative.] So how do proficiency points even come to this? [The more proficiency points you spend, the higher the grade of the combined proficiency. 100 proficiency points will be beginner, 300 will be intermediate, and so on until 2000, where it will automatically be promoted to grandmaster proficiency.] I see. Since I don''t know what to do with those 1.5 thousand proficiency points, let''s spend 500 proficiency points on the combination. [500 proficiency points deducted. Combining proficiencies...] [Combination success! Advanced Cooking Proficiency (0/500)] I felt my head tingling a bit. A stream of all the information about cooking, in general, entered my mind. It didn''t hurt as badly as the few times I did this before. However, the duration for this tingling sensation was also way longer than just the sudden jolt of pain. Did something change? [Affirmative. To let the user have an enjoyable experience, we have decided to use the less painful way to deliver information, though it would take longer.] Well, I like the new method. Please do this every time new information enters my head. [No problem, Host.] [Following the explanations, a packet of coffee beans contains...coffee beans. I''m not sure what do you hope to achieve by knowing this, Host...] Just confirming. In case it contained anything other than...coffee beans. You know what? It''s just stupid. Alright, let''s move on. [Proficiency points allow you to allocate your proficiency points into any skill you would like.] I see. Pretty useful in case I don''t ever want to do anything to increase my proficiency. Although I know this world is biased towards the younger boys since they''re a rarity now, I still want to have some way to protect myself and my family if anything was to happen. [System, put 680 points into Taekwondo.] [Intermediate taekwondo proficiency (120/300) --> Master Taekwondo Proficiency (0/1,000)] Once again, the tingling sensation pricked in my brain as another rush of information gently entered my mind. It wasn''t painful; it more annoying than anything. After a few minutes, the process was finally done. Now, hardly anyone untrained could beat me, even those much bigger than me and stronger than me. In fact, as long as they weren''t some prodigy or some old monster, my pure skills would utterly decimate them. Of course, pro boxers or pro sumo wrestlers would still overwhelm me, but dealing against random thugs? There would be no problem. As for the other 320 proficiency points, I''ll save them for later in case I ever need it. For now, there was no need to rush anything. Let''s continue my slow and happy life. There was one problem, though. Although this house seemed big and spacious, it actually wasn''t. Although this house seemed new and well-done, it actually wasn''t. With my parents directly below Shouko''s and my room, we could easily hear whatever they were doing. I just flipped my pillow over my ears in an attempt to cover the sounds being made below. I don''t really want to find out more about my parent''s love life. It was good that they were healthy and all, but somethings should be left unsaid. ***************** The next morning, I woke up late. And by ''late,'' it was very late to the point that Shouko had to wake me up. I can''t help it. It was summer vacation, so why do I have to wake up early? It''s not like I have anything else to do. "Morning, mum!" I greet my mother, who was preparing lunch now. "Morning, my head. It''s already 11 am." "Yeah, but that is still morning, isn''t it?" "You little brat." My mother''s lip twitched at my comment, "Why can''t you be like Shouko? She sleeps early and wakes up early in the morning to go do her radio exercises. That is what you call a healthy life." ''Yeah, like you''re one to talk. Who was the one who slept even later than me mating with my father?'' Of course, I''m not going to say that out loud. "Cause Shou-chan is a good child. Besides, where is dad?" I slumped down on the sofa and turned on the television to watch some shows that were currently broadcasting. "Your father went out early to work. One of his customers wanted him to take some wedding photos for them. Shou-chan and Yuzu-chan went along with him since Yuzu-chan wanted to learn more." "Raiha?" "Following Yuzu-chan. Those two are inseparable." "I see..." The conversation paused here as I continued watching the television. Hearing that everybody was doing something outdoors, I suddenly feel like a shut-in neet. I''m not, am I? "Are you going anywhere today, Fuu-chan?" My mother''s voice suddenly rang from the kitchen. "No, why?" "Then what do you plan to do today?" "Accompany my sweet mother at home," I spoke with such seriousness one would have thought that what I have just said was of utmost importance. The sound of the sizzling meat stopped, and just as I wondered what was going on, I felt my ear getting pulled. "Ahh!! Hey, hey! Okay! What do you want from me?" I yell in pain as my ears were getting pulled harder and harder, "Any more, and I will turn into an elf!" "Pft..." My mother snickered as she stopped pulling my ears, "If you want to accompany your sweet mother at home, why don''t you help me prepare some food instead of lazing around in the living room?" "Fine..." I turned off the television before moving towards the kitchen. Now that I think about it, it has been a few days since I last stepped into the kitchen to cook. Ever since the summer vacation started, I think I''ve been lazing around too much. "Mum? Do you have a suit for me?" While chopping some cloves of garlic and onions, I ask. "I don''t think so. We never had the need to attend any formal parties before, so you wouldn''t need one. Do you need it now?" My mother thought for a while before replying. "Yea. I''m playing in the competitions at Towa Hall in two weeks. Do we even have the money to get a formal attire for me?" "I think so...your father has been working and getting a lot of requests locally, so we should be able to manage these days." "Eh? Do photographers actually earn a lot of money?" I never knew that...I thought he earns so little, and that was why I can hear my parent''s nightlife. "Not all of them. Your father is one of the top photographers, but his personality is too carefree, so most important clients don''t usually call him for their most essential parties; only for their informal parties..." Now that''s new. Seems like my previous judgment for photographers were wrong. But then again, my father is anything but ordinary, so I can''t use usual standards to judge him. "Oh...then thank you for the formal attire." "No need. Just smash that competition for us and earn back some money..." Hearing my mother''s words, my lips twitched. What a realist...not caring about the fame and glory, but more of the prize money. Can''t say I hate it, though. "By the way, do you know some of dad''s clients?" "Hm? You sure are awfully interested in your father''s job today. What''s the motive?" "Why are you suspecting your own son...? Do I look like I''m that sort of person who only asks if there was something to gain from it?" "Yes." "..." This family is cruel. "But if you really want to know, there is the Shinomiya family, one of the biggest conglomerates in the city; Mr. Spencer, the British-born diplomat; the Sh¨±ei Clan, the Yakuza group that you already met and some others." My mouth was wide open. I never genuinely expect that my father is acquainted with such people...he must have worked so hard for us...I''m touched. "But most of his clients were his high-school friends, so it wasn''t that hard to get the connections." Nevermind. I take my sentiments back. All his friends opened some of the largest corporates, and here my father is working as a photographer. But I don''t hate it. The rich have the rich''s problems, while the poor have the poor''s issues. There wouldn''t be any political war internally, and my father can come to spend more time with us if he chooses to work locally full time. I think I read too many novels, and maybe not all affluent families were like that, but even so, I wouldn''t trade my current family for anything else in this world. "Love you, mum." I gave her a kiss on her cheeks, and she looked surprised by my actions. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "So what''s the deal now?" This is getting old. Must every single action I take mean something more profound? Seeing my annoyed face, my mother just smiled and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "I love you too." I really do love this family. "Even if you''re a brat." Even if my patience was tested every other day, I still do love this family. ***************** A/N: Schedule? I upload every Sunday Night, GMT +8. And rejoice! For today is a long chapter for you! Next chapter...time skip? Maybe... Chapter 33 - 33: Preparations for Competition After my father came back home, I immediately asked for a formal attire. Of course, being my father, he dotes me a lot despite our weird interactions. So he didn''t even hesitate to buy what I needed. "Ne, ne, Onii-chan! Are you going to perform?" "Of course, your brother is a good pianist that would rock the world!" Rubbing Raiha''s head, I boasted shamelessly. Well, I wouldn''t say ''boasted'' as with this gacha, everything could be a possibility as long as lady luck is by my side. But until I''m confident to say that I am the best in the world (in music standards), I''ll just make do with ''boasting'' rather than ''recounting''. It''s been twelve years since I last reincarnated, and hopefully the last time too since I really loved my life. It''s been such a pleasure and fun being here in this weird world, and it was already much better than my entire previous life combined. However, I know that nothing is eternal, so we all would be...dead one day in the future. Sigh...what a drag... Thinking about this just made me all depressed. Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I look down to see Raiha still staring at me with her wide, curious eyes. I don''t remember much of anything before I have gotten my eidetic memory. So, I can''t recall much about the animes in my past life already. But Raiha''s very distinct hairstyle? That I can never forget, especially since she''s my cutest little sister! Although still small, she started to have her ahoge, which was clipped by a little, simple, butterfly-shaped ribbon. Ahhh....my heart is melting from her cuteness... Am I a sis-con? Not the creepy kind. Just pure, simple adoration for the cutest little sister on Earth. Not to mention Shouko is also a sis-con. To her, Yuzuru is the cutest little sister on Earth. Shouko and I don''t usually fight, but that was basically the only thing we ever fought about. The fight for the title of the cutest little sister. "Hehehe...I believe in you, Onii-chan!" Raiha giggled as she raised her hands towards me. Of course, I accepted it and directly carried her. Now that we were on the same eye level, Raiha planted a kiss on my cheek as she continued giggling, "Work hard, Onii-chan!" And that was how I got the energy to practice my piece the entire day without stop. ***************** After the thing with the formal attire was settled, the next thing was the place to practice. Because my house didn''t have the space to contain a piano, I never had one. Though, the fact that my family was just scrapping past with three meals per day didn''t help in any way of acquiring a piano. So, I just decided to freeload the school together with Kaori. A piano and violin duet is nothing like a piano solo or violin solo. With a solo, Kaori and I would definitely ace the competition in our age group, but for a duet? Of course, we would also ace it. We haven''t been practicing together for more than a few months for nothing, you know? The practice wasn''t to practice our teamwork and coordination, but rather, it was to practice the piece instead. I don''t know what would happen if I was to max out my grandmaster proficiency, but even with my 100 points in piano grandmaster proficiency, it didn''t allow me to play something perfectly a piece the first time I see it. The school allowed me to borrow the music room under the condition that I would also credit the school some reputation should I win the competition. A little shameless of the school to ask for reputation when they didn''t do anything for me, but to play the piano, I agreed. Plus, it wasn''t like I needed to give them any of the prize money if I won anyway. Kaori had her own violin, so we were all set to practice. Honestly, if anyone else were in our shoes, they would definitely be trembling in their boots and trying their best to practice 25 hours per day just to be able to play at a minimum standard for the competition. But for Kaori and I, who had some of the highest music talents, it was no sweat. Within a week, we managed to play the piece at a decent level, and within the next week, we managed to completely master the piece. Sounds unbelievable? Well, it''s an anime world, so you better believe it. Of course, I never slacked off on my other piece as well. That super, insanely complicated, and challenging piece needed a lot more attention than this one. So whenever I was not practicing with Kaori, I was practicing the other song. ***************** And so, just like this, two weeks flashed by in a...flash. The day of my first competition had finally arrived. As promised by my father, he got me a formal attire. It wasn''t anything extravagant; it was just a simple blazer and a collared shirt underneath it. This competition wasn''t anything too a.d.u.l.t-like, so a tuxedo was definitely out of the question. So why a blazer rather than a suit? I just preferred the looser fit of the blazer as compared to the suit. I have never really liked being in such tight clothing, so it was apparent which I would choose. Plus, being in a blazer means that I wouldn''t need to find a matching color for my pants. "Good. You look attractive." My mother praised me as my father started taking photographs of me. "Yes! Onii-chan look handsome!" My sister also complimented me. Smiling happily, I rubbed her head, "Thanks, Rai-chan!" The time now is 9am in the morning. I preferred not to go in my concert attire, so the only reason why I''m even wearing this now was to satisfy my parents'' desire. Kaori and I needed to go there early, but the audience could only arrive later. After getting their fill of my appearance, I dressed back to my casual attire as I took my bag. "Good luck with the competition, Fuu-kun!" Shouko hugged me at the doorstep as I prepared to leave. "Thanks, Shou-chan. Mind giving me a good luck charm?" Patting her head, I asked. Shouko blushed a little as she understood what I meant. Standing slightly on the tip of her toes, she leaned forward and gave me a kiss on my cheek. However, she was too shy after her actions and immediately ran away afterward. Giving a small laugh, I waved the rest of my family goodbye as I prepared to go to Kaori''s house to pick her up. Taking only ten minutes to reach, I saw Kaori already at the front of her bakery, waiting slightly impatiently. "Woah, someone sure is excited about the competition!" I yelled out from a distance as I started jogging to her. "Fuutarou-kun! Good morning!" Kaori pretended not to hear me and greeted me. "Morning, Kaori-chan. Ready for the competition?" "Yes!" Standing behind her were both her parents. "Good morning, uncle and auntie. I promise to take care of Kaori today and make her happy." Without thinking, the words have already left my mouth. Immediately afterward, I realized what I have just said but didn''t regret it too much. After all, the words have already been spoken, what else could I do? "Ara ara...It seems like someone is a smooth talker." Her mother ''Ara ara''d'' me, and I didn''t like it at all, "Good morning, Fuu-chan. I hope you do keep your promise." "Yes!" I don''t think Kaori knows anything about what we''re talking about since she''s so innocent, and I''m glad about it. Turning my head to look at her father, the previously kind man I had seen a few times before was gone. Replacing him was a man with twitching eyebrows and a forced smile. "Y-Yes. I do hope you don''t make my dear daughter cry. Otherwise..." I didn''t manage to hear his last words, but I already knew what he would say. "Yes!" After replying with a few more ''yeses'' to their questions, they finally let us go. A bit weird that they let two twelve-year-olds travel alone to another part of the city, but I guess they just trust me a lot. Or maybe they trust the security in this area a lot. The first competition starts at eleven, which is part of the junior category. After leaving Kaori''s house and receiving a few pieces of bread, it was already 9.30am. Everybody taking part in any of the four categories had to report by 10.30am, even those taking part in the last category. This is a foolish rule, in my opinion. Why do people have to wake up so early only to just wait for everyone younger than them to perform finish first? Casually chatting with Kaori at the back of the bus, they soon reached their destination. After walking a little more, Towa Hall was in their sights. They still had a bit of time left, so they decided to slow down their pace and enjoy the morning sun. Not long after, they spotted a playground, and excitedly, Kaori rushed off towards it. "Kaori! Don''t dirty your dress, alright?" I hurriedly cautioned her while she just waved her hand in acknowledgment. She went towards an elephant slide, and after setting down her violin gently on a nearby bench, she started sliding on it. Sigh, this girl is too hyper...Being cheerful and all is good, but should she really be running around with that illness of hers? Despite having only three senzu beans left for dire situations and never having used any of them on myself before, I don''t feel too reluctant to give one to Kaori. Maybe it''s the fact that just by giving her one, I would save her life that I don''t feel hesitant? Or perhaps it''s also the fact that she was my friend? I gave my mother and Shouko one each to cure their respective illness, and I don''t regret it. Seeing Kaori''s happy and bright smile, laughing away under the morning light, I feel like it would be a waste for that to disappear. ''Kaori-chan, I hope your life now will be much better than that of when you were just an anime character...'' "Hey, Kaori! It''s time to go now!" Shouting from a distance, I waited until she quickly grabbed her violin case and bag before reaching where I am. "If we win this, I''m giving you a surprise." "Oh, really? What surprise?" Kaori''s eyes twinkled as she turned to face me. "Well, if I tell you now, it wouldn''t be a surprise anymore now, would it?" Hearing my reply, Kaori felt that it was reasonable and didn''t pursue it any further. "Alright! I will wait for it then!" ***************** A/N: No, Fuutarou wouldn''t tell her about the senzu beans. He would cure her but also give her another surprise to cover the actual surprise. I also know that the real Towa hall is located in Tokyo, both in anime and real life, but just think that I have changed the place/province. Longer chapter today (compared to other chapters, that is), so enjoy! Chapter 34 - 34: Competition Begins (Soon)! "Let''s go!" Standing in front of Towa Hall in its full glory, it felt pretty amazing. This was where our location for the competition was being held, and would also be my first public performance. Sometimes I play the piano for some school events, but none ever showcased my piano skills to the general public. After all, why would anyone come to an elementary school just to hear an elementary student play the piano? But this time, since this was a pretty famous competition, in my opinion, that is, I would get to showcase my skills, and hopefully get more money for the family. Our family was doing a lot better now that Shouko''s mother also helped us with our financial problems. Still, two people working overseas and only returning once in a while wouldn''t be able to support five people very well. We do get our basic three meals and some new clothes every once in a while, but we have no savings!! How can an a.d.u.l.t have no savings!? Thus, it''s my turn to help save some money for the family. "Umu!" Kaori enthusiastically spoke as she started walking briskly into the building. Although she seemed very confident from her external appearance and behavior, the nervous shaking of her legs and her slightly sweaty palms when she pulled my hand told me otherwise. Like me, this was her first performance as well. If she wasn''t even nervous at all, it would be weird. "Relax, Kaori-chan~." I say to her as I lightly squeeze her hand, attracting her attention, "Don''t be too nervous. You''ll do just fine." Maybe after hearing my words, Kaori really calmed down a lot, and her legs stopped shaking. "Thanks." "No problem." As Kaori and I walked into the building, we passed by many other people who were early. Well, most of them were elementary students who were being accompanied by their parents. I assume that the older kids would arrive just on time since I know that none of them would come early to mingle with elementary students. Well, at least, that was what I would do if I was in their shoes. The parents present were surprised that Kaori and I were alone with no parent supervision, but they didn''t have the time to bother us since their own children wanted their parents'' attention. Walking hand in hand down the hallway, we finally reached the security area. "Children? Where are your parents?" A security guard spoke kindly. He had short brown hair, beady eyes, and thin lips. He looked what a villain would look like, but judging from what I assume was his ''kind'' smile and look, he wasn''t anyone terrible. Plus, he was a security guard. Deciding not to judge people based on their looks alone in the future, I replied to him, "Good morning! We''re here for the competition!" The guard looked amused and bent down to our heights and said, "I know that, but I need to know where your parents are in case you get lost or something." "We came alone, and our parents would arrive later on when the competition starts." The guard looked visibly surprised at my words. I guess it''s rare for two twelve-year-olds to arrive alone, huh? "I see. If your parents would be arriving later, I assume that they know that the both of you are currently here?" Kaori and I nodded, and the guard sighed. "Fine. Come on in, and don''t wander around too much. If you get lost, it''s my responsibility." We went through the gate, and the guard spoke once more, "Take care of yourselves, y''all hear me?" What a kind guard. Guess finding arrogant people in this world is pretty rare. Good, cause I don''t want any people with ''young master syndrome'' to arrive in front of my face. "We will! Thank you!" Waving at the kind guard, we quickly thanked him before making our way to our waiting area. The junior category is from 11am to 12.30pm, while the intermediate category is from 12.45pm to 2.45pm with a 15-minute break in between. After that was lunch break, which would be until 3.30pm. Apparently, I had gotten my information wrong. I didn''t read the information correctly, leading to this error. However, it wasn''t that big of a deal since it doesn''t concern me in any way. Those taking part in the senior and artist categories didn''t need to report by 10.30am; that timing was only for junior and intermediate categories. Instead, they are required to report by 3pm. Now, that made more sense. The senior category starts from 3.30pm, and it would last until 4.45pm, while the artist category would last from 5pm to 6.45pm. Would we be staying until 6.45 pm to watch the entire thing? Most probably. It would be a good show for Kaori to learn more about the violin and learn more about duets. Everything we had learned about duets was from the internet, so we had no idea what a real duet would really sound like. This opportunity to improve on our duets would be a god-send, especially since I don''t have a teacher, not that anybody could just teach me anyways. In the intermediate category''s waiting room, parents were not allowed inside since we were all deemed ''old'' enough to take care of ourselves for the next few hours. Of course, since the piano accompanists that those violinists had brought themselves were present, they dared not mess around. The waiting room was humungous and fitted ten grand pianos and still have space left over for us to walk. I wasn''t complaining, and most of the competitors here were all in middle school. I haven''t seen one that was my age yet. Most of the people here were girls, and they were all giving us curious looks. One reason was probably because of my gender, and the other was perhaps about Kaori and I being a duo. Kaori was young, so her taking part in the intermediate category was already a surprise to them. But her piano accompanist, which was me, was also young? That was probably the reason why they were surprised. Not that I cared much about them. Everything''s fair in love and war, so if they beat us, it just meant that we were too overconfident and getting a little too complacent. I observed the people around us and didn''t see anyone that I was familiar with. Most of them were just observing each other, while some went around making friends. As for Kaori and me? We just sat down at the corner closest to the door and just waited patiently for the time to pass. We weren''t too interested in anyone younger than us. Not because they were going to be bad or anything, but mainly because our songs were different, and whatever they were able to do, we could also do it. Thus, we had nothing to learn from them. Time ticked by slowly, and until 11am has finally arrived, everyone who was going to take part in the intermediate category was present. About 15 children took part in this competition, and only 4 were males, including myself. As for those who were playing the violin? There were only three boys, and they were all in their second or third year of middle school (~ 14 to 15 years old). Since this was the first time I heard other violinists, not counting those professionals I hear on the internet, I was kinda excited to see how our age group would fare. I wonder how good they are compared to Kaori. Our waiting room was the closest towards the stage, thus although muffled, we were able to hear the violinists play their pieces. Kaori''s ears were also perked up as she started leaning very close to the wall in an attempt to hear even better. While the piano accompanist closed their eyes and rested their minds, the younger children also followed Kaori''s example and tried listening against the wall. The older ones just shook their heads and followed the a.d.u.l.ts'' example instead, and just closed their eyes to rest their minds, preparing for their own competition. The junior category''s set-piece was another song from Brian Cains, Time Forgotten. It was a pretty simple piece, in my opinion. Nothing too hard for a bunch of elementary students. Time slowly ticked by as each competitor went up the stage one by one to play their piece. Most of them played the song the exact same way, with little to no variation. Only one or two was ''unique'' enough for me to remember, but other than those, I was sure that the others had no chance of winning. One of them even messed up the piece, which made Kaori tremble a little. Perhaps she was also afraid of messing up on stage? Noticing that, I held her hand to calm her down once more. In the end, Kaori just sat down beside me and leaned against me. I was already used to Shouko leaning on me, so this was no big deal. However, in front of the eyes of the other girls and boys, what we were doing seemed like a public display of affection. I wanted to laugh at their envy and jealousy but held my laughter back. They weren''t ugly or anything like that, but compared to Kaori and my looks, they just couldn''t compare. Hmm...I think I was being a little too narcissistic back there. I need to tone it down a little... "How are you so calm? Aren''t you worried?" Kaori''s voice suddenly rang out beside me. She was asking softly, so no one else managed to hear it except for me. "Do you think I''m very calm?" "Are you not? Your tone is confident, your steps are stable, and your palms are completely dry of sweat. In what way did you ever show that you''re worried?" Kaori replied back. "I''m just like you, you know? This is my first competition as well. How could I not be worried?" "Then why do you look so calm?" "Because I know and have seen how much work we have put into this. I know that we have thoroughly prepared for this. And I know that we can win this competition." I wasn''t lying. I was also worried about playing in this competition. My past life was utterly mediocre. Don''t talk about winning an award; I haven''t even stepped on the stage to perform anything. Thus, this would be my first time stepping on the stage to perform and compete in both lifetimes. However, in this lifetime, I have the support of friends, loved ones, and my family. I, no, we have practiced hard for this. We have practiced as much as we could for this. So rather than becoming insecure about the future, why not become more confident so that we would be able to play with no regrets? "But-" "No ''buts''." Interrupting Kaori''s words, I looked into her eyes and spoke, "Look, if you don''t trust yourself, then at least place your trust in me, alright? Do you trust that I would be able to cover your mistakes?" Kaori slowly nodded, and I smiled at her reply. "Good. And I''ll place my trust in you too. If I mess up, I would be counting on you, alright?" Hearing my words, Kaori let out a small smile. "You can count on me!" "Thanks." I reached out my hand to pat her head, and she let out a blissful expression. I didn''t stop my actions since she didn''t seem to mind it, and time continued passing. Soon, the time was 12.25pm. Everyone had performed already, and the judges were now deciding who gets to win in the junior category. "Let''s get changed." Kaori agreed, and following the other competitors, we went to the changing rooms. Following the other three boys into the male changing room, I started changing. The boys'' changing room was unnaturally quiet, and the pin-drop silence even allowed us to hear the noise produced at the other changing room right next to us. One of them had black hair and glasses. He looked very intelligent and strict in his behavior, and his facial expression never changed throughout the entire time. The next boy had blue hair and a small smile on his face. He seemed cheerful, but he too kept his silence. The last boy had brown hair and a very solemn expression, as though he didn''t want to be here at all. All of us focused on changing, not bothering to talk as well. Or perhaps they were too nervous? I couldn''t really see it, though. The silence was pretty awkward for me. I have often been surrounded by loud people throughout my life, so seeing people that were so quiet made me feel...weird? Fortunately, it didn''t take us long to change. Within 5 minutes, we all managed to change to our competition attire. "Good luck out there!" The first sentence that was spoken was by the blue-haired boy. Not waiting for our replies, he waved his hand and went out of the changing room. I was surprised and couldn''t react to his greetings. Well, I would be able to see him later anyway. I''ll just talk to him later. Now that someone had initiated the conversation, albeit short, the silence wasn''t as awkward anymore. "Yes. Good luck to you guys as well. I hope we have a good fight." The strict-looking black-haired boy pushed up his glasses and said before leaving as well. "Urgh...I don''t even want to be here..." The brown-haired boy grumbled as he shuffled out of the changing room, "You guys can win for all I care..." It seems like my assumption was correct. Though, I wonder who was the one who forced him to come. "Still, good luck to you," I said to the grumbling boy. I stayed behind to wait for Kaori to come out of the changing room. The brown-haired boy looked back over his shoulders and raised an eyebrow, "Pretty confident, aren''t you? Hope that you win then, I guess..." Wow. There are so many kind people in this world! I actually thought for a moment that he would start spewing things like ''You''re young! So don''t get c.o.c.ky!'' or something like that. Or maybe he just doesn''t have any desire to win, so he didn''t really care too much about me. Another five minutes ticked past, and Kaori finally came out of the changing room. I don''t even know why changing into a simple dress took them so long. I mean, I had a blazer, an inner collared shirt, and pants to wear. And that didn''t even include the socks and shoes, yet I only took 5 minutes to change. But the girls all wore one-piece dresses and slip-on shoes as well. It wouldn''t even take them a minute to put on a one-piece dress... But the sight of Kaori in her dress made me feel that the wait was worth it. Dressed in a simple, pure white one-piece dress, Kaori looked absolutely stunning. Her hair was that reached her shoulders was completely let down, giving the impression of her being a very free-spirited girl. "You look amazing, Kaori-chan!" The words came out of my mouth almost immediately, earning me the sight of a blush on Kaori''s face. "T-Thank you! You look handsome too..." Kaori muttered shyly, but I managed to hear it, and so did all the girls behind her. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_51550873603591760 for visiting. I saw all of them nod at her praise and agreeing with it, and let out a wry smile. "Well, let''s go then!" Going back to the waiting room to put down our casual clothes, Kaori took out her violin and brought it along as we were ushered towards backstage. Huge curtains separated the backstage from the stage as Kaori, and I waited patiently. The violinists started warming up and tuning their instruments softly, while the piano accompanists began warming up their fingers as well. This whole place was air-conditioned, so if we didn''t warm up our fingers, they would be stiff and make it harder for us to play our respective instruments. By some freak coincidence, we were placed as the last performance of this category, so we had plenty of time till we performed. Since we had the smallest bodies and stayed at the end of the stage, we had the opportunity to peep outside through the curtains. Shifting the curtains ever so slightly, Kaori and I looked at the growing number of audiences coming in. Towa Hall could house just somewhat less than two thousand people, and about a quarter of them had already been occupied. Not a lot of people when you see the number of empty seats, but it was enough. Since the audience area was pretty dark and we were located at the back of the stage, I couldn''t really see anyone specific, only knowing that they were people. The four judges walked in and sat down at precisely 12.43pm, and within the next two minutes, they had prepared everything for the competition to start on time. I actually felt pretty scared at their punctuality. None of the judges were late in any actions they did, and the competition really started at 12.45pm on the dot. They each looked really stern and strict, and although they were far from where I was, I couldn''t see any smiles at all. Soon, the first person went on stage, and after the premeditated actions, they started the piece. I''m not going to talk much about the other performance since they didn''t really play the piece very well as far as I was concerned. Some of them even messed up the entire piece. Maybe it was the pressure from performing in front of people or the judges'' strict and stern faces, but they couldn''t play their best. It was expected, but it didn''t mean that it could be excused. Thus, unless everyone played at that standard, they had no chance of winning. Some did well, of course. Those were the people who were unaffected by the pressure and did their very best. Those were the ones that sounded nice to me. As more and more competitors went on stage to perform, time passed as well. One hour and forty minutes passed by quickly, and before I even realized it, Kaori and I were the only ones left backstage. The others had all returned to the corner to wait for the others and, subsequently, the results. "Hoo...hah...hoo..hah..." Kaori breathed in and exhaled deeply, being quite apparent in her actions to ease her own nervousness. "Kaori-chan...relax a little, will you? If you become so nervous, you wouldn''t even be able to draw your bow across your violin." I spoke to her. She didn''t reply to me and proceeded to draw the kanji character for ''person'' three times on her palm before pretending to eat it by putting her hand in front of their mouth. This is a sort of Japanese Folk belief that doing this set of actions would ease their anxiety. It wasn''t tested scientifically, but seeing Kaori calmed down visibly, I guess it might work? But having studied some branches of psychology, I knew that this was some sort of placebo effect. "Good, you have calmed down." Kaori nodded at my statement, picked up her violin and string in one hand, and took my hand in another. "Remember, we can rely on each other, so don''t be afraid to make mistakes, alright?" Kaori smiled brightly at my sentence/question and lightly squeezed my hand. "Good. Now, let''s go out there and rock the world!" "Now, for the next participant. Miyazono Kaori and her piano accompanist, Uesugi Fuutarou." The emcee/announcer briefly introduced us, and we looked at each other in the eye. We were currently standing at the edge of the stage, just a step away from being in the spotlight. Nodding at each other at the same time, we took a step forward. Then the next. And the next. Soon, we reached the center of the stage, and our hands still connected, we bowed down together while facing the audience and judges. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see some surprise flash past the judges'' eyes and smirked internally. Time to show my skills. I walked over to the piano prepared on the stage and adjusted the seat''s height to my liking. After that, I took my seat on the chair and placed my fingers over the keys. I turned to face Kaori, who was also able to play her violin anytime I was ready. She nodded her head, and that was the signal I was waiting to receive from her. In this competition, I''m not the main character. This was, after all, mainly a violin competition, not a piano competition. She was the lead, and I''m the one who would accompany her. Both my hands were on the ''C'', ''E flat'', and ''G'' key, only one octave apart. I think the audience has waited long enough. It was time to perform. Thus, I pressed down those keys and started playing. ***************** A/N: Wow...I really dragged this long, didn''t I? My first plan was to go for a 4k chapter to end both piano and duet competitions, but it wasn''t enough. So, my second plan was to split up all the content into ~1.3k words per chapter, lasting about 6-8 more chapters, but I''m afraid of readers gonna bash me up if I only reveal the quintuplets in like 2-3 months, so my last decision was a compromise of both decisions. So today, a 3.5k word chapter (not including my weekly rants, aka A/N) was born. Honestly, I don''t even know how this chapter got to 3.5k words... Hopefully, the next chapter will actually be the last of the competitions. But knowing me, it would probably be about the violin competition, the aftermath, and the beginning of the piano competition, and then I''ll need to put in another chapter for the actual piano competition and the aftermath for that. So, probably another month before quintuplets? This fanfic is gonna be slow, so be patient and just relax. Don''t brain your brains here when reading this, just let go all of your stress and read. I guess that''s it for this week! Enjoy this, cause it won''t last for long. Life is a bitch, always remember that. Chapter 35 - 35: Duet Performance and Awards As soon as my hands pressed down those keys, my body instantly relaxed. Not the ''lazing around at home without anything to do'' type of relaxing, but the kind of relaxation that just loosens my stiff body. A moderate amount of nervousness can be helpful in stressful situations. Anxiety and nervousness can be an adaptive response that keeps us alert to danger and things going wrong. Contrary to popular belief, being nervous isn''t a bad thing. It''s when that short-term nervousness turns into a full-blown case of anxiety that it becomes a bad thing. However, with the presence of my loving family and girlfriend, it was hard for me to become super anxious about everything and anything when they frequently help me keep myself in check. So, to ensure that I don''t play anything wrong too obviously, that little bit of nervousness helped. The piano grandmaster proficiency doesn''t just let me play everything reflexively; it only gives me the talent to do it. If I want to play a piece, I still have to be conscious of how each key sounded, which combination sounded most suitable for the music, the piece''s tempo and pace, and so on. That is why I feel safe with this system. It doesn''t just randomly give me the ability to do anything I want. It doesn''t control my actions or my thinking process, nor does it force me to do anything that I don''t wish to do. It''s just a gacha system, after all. Though I still wonder why God gave me this chance in life, I''m grateful to him regardless of his reasons. But this was not the time to be inner monologuing. I have a competition to play in. This piece was truly simple. Apart from the first three bars and the last five bars, which contained long notes, the rest of the music included only one simple rhythm. Press down on my land hand, then right hand, then right hand, left hand, then right hand, then right hand, then left hand, then right hand. This was one bar''s worth of notes. Although each chord was different in each bar, the rhythm played was exactly the same. [A/N: Chord, in music, refers to three or more single pitches heard simultaneously. Depending on the harmonic style, chords may be consonant, implying repose, or dissonant, implying subsequent resolution to and by another chord. In traditional Western harmony, chords are formed by superimpositions of intervals of a third.] I was happy playing this piece, and although not very tiring, I had to continually focus on where my fingers were landing since I don''t want to mess up on anything anyway. Out of the corner of my eyes, I managed to periodically spot Kaori''s figure dancing gracefully on stage. Although I say ''dancing'', she wasn''t actually dancing. As she played her violin along with my accompaniment, her body instinctively swayed along with the music. Her back was facing me, but I could tell from her body language that she enjoyed this very much. All her nervousness had disappeared into thin air by now, and now, she just focused on playing the violin the best she could. We played according to the music score, from the dynamics to the articulations. Not a single thing was missed, and that was something everyone appreciated a lot. The judges were pleased, from what I could see from where I was sitting. They were nodding their heads and not writing a lot of things on their paper. [A/N: Dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Articulation is a fundamental musical parameter that determines how a single note or other discrete event is sounded.] This reminded me of Kaori''s original anime. Arima Kosei and his very robotic-like playing; not a single mistake, not a single deviation. If the score told him to play soft, he would play soft. Not moderately soft or very soft, but just soft. If the score told him to play staccato, he would not play it in any other way. [A/N: Staccato means performing with each note sharply detached or separated from the others.] That was currently what Kaori and I were doing. But obviously, just sticking to the score wasn''t part of Kaori''s or my personality. Kaori is a free-spirited girl; forcing her to just play exactly what was playing on the score wasn''t a very good idea. Although Kaori mostly acted meek and tame in my presence, I know for a fact that she was a completely different person when she thought I wasn''t looking. Kaori would grow to become beautiful; there was no doubt about that. But that also incited some form of jealousy amongst the girls. I don''t know the exact details, but there were rumors that Kaori forced a bunch of girls back. Not using violence, but some other methods. As for what exactly? I don''t know, and I don''t think I would want to know... That mysterious ''way'' then became a legend among the school, and no one dared bully her anymore. On the other hand, I have a grandmaster proficiency on the piano. Even if it''s on the lower spectrum of the grandmaster level, I am still on the grandmaster level. Just perfectly playing the piece is what a master proficiency can do. But what made a grandmaster different from a master was the incredible talent to rearrange, create, and combine music. Following someone else''s piece was fine and all, but I don''t want to just blindly follow it. If I can find a way to improve it, why wouldn''t I? Although the judge might not like it, I don''t think they would know the piano better than me. Out of the corner of my eye, I managed to see Kaori turning sideways, just barely able to face me. Her face was earnest, and her eyes told me that she was genuinely trying her hardest. But the smile that was on her face showed how much she was currently enjoying it. She nodded her head and turned back to face the audience. Her nod was so tiny because her chin was placed on the violin, and if it weren''t for knowing what to spot for, I would have missed her action entirely as well. Since you want to do this, I''ll accompany you all the way. I started speeding up slightly, and that caused Kaori to fasten her bowing. Not too much, but enough for the piece to turn from a waltz-like song to more lively music. The entire atmosphere around us changed. It seemed as though we were trying to pick a fight with the original composer in the judges'' eyes. On the contrary, it seemed as though the audience became surprised. Kaori played her notes all perfectly as well; that never changed. But the accompanying dynamics and tempo started to scatter all about. This was a competition, and what we''re currently doing was taboo. We weren''t supposed to As I continued playing my part, Kaori started going off on her own, ignoring my playing. A wry smile was etched upon my face. It seemed that Kaori was still Kaori, after all. Her real personality of being free-spirited couldn''t be hidden when playing the violin. All her shyness and meekness that she usually showed in front of me vanished, but I didn''t hate that. In fact, her keeping up that shyness didn''t really suit her, even though she was cute. Her original personality was the one best suited for her. Going about Kaori''s playing, I matched my playing with hers. It seems that this competition between violinists had turned into a battle between her and me. Yet, at the same time, we sounded really superb. Although we were ''fighting'' against each other and our music clashed against each other, the resulting noise resounded harmoniously. It was as though we were playing an entirely new piece, but it was undeniable. It was still Dream of Dreams...but the piece was no longer Brian Crain''s. I''m sorry, Brian Crain, that I''m not sorry. This piece, there was no denying that we own it now. A huge smile was plastered on my face, and I was grinning fervently like an idiot, but as much as I tried, I couldn''t get it off my face. In my very first competition, I was enjoying this way too much. ''Doing life again, but this time, without any regrets.'' That was the goal I made for myself the moment I came to this world. It was undeniable, I was taking my first steps in achieving my goal. We continued playing on, with Kaori often maintaining eye contact with me and smiling happily. Playing the piano had never made me happier than the moment right now. Her forehead glistened with sweat, but her eyes shined as brightly as always, never giving in to the tiredness. Under that spotlight and bowing her violin enthusiastically, Kaori had never looked more beautiful. Her naturally blond hair that she did not inherit from either of her parents shined brightly, while her grey-blue eyes twinkled. The music initially lasted only three minutes and fifty-four seconds. But after their ''slight'' adjustment, it ended twenty-four seconds earlier, lasting three minutes and thirty seconds. The moment Kaori bowed her last note and released the last note at the same time with me, her movement paused as she made her last pose. Silence ensued in the audience hall for a moment before one person eventually started clapping slowly. Soon, like a domino effect, the applause started spreading rapidly, and cheers could be heard very clearly, expressing their approval and excitement. While Kaori panted slightly to regain her breath, she breathed in the atmosphere of excitement, the atmosphere of amazement. This was my first time in a competition as well, and although the main focus wasn''t on the pianist, I still felt the pressure of being the accompanying pianist. I could still feel my heart pounding furiously from excitement, the adrenaline coursing through my body. Although this entire place was air-conditioned, after playing one piece in an entirely different environment, it felt as though we were playing in the middle of an open field with the sun glaring down at us. Sweat was present on both of our bodies, but we both could not hide the happy expression on our faces. I stood up just beside the piano seat, and synchronizing with Kaori''s actions, I bowed. The applause only became louder as Kaori started waving back towards some of the audience. I have to say, although this was Kaori''s first time on stage, her stage presence wasn''t something one could dismiss easily. While walking out of the stage, I could see the four judges deciding on our results. One of them was very obviously agitated as he furiously scribbled some stuff on his paper. I didn''t think that he would write anything positive about us, seeing that his face was contorted with fury. Perhaps it was because we just decided to ditch the original''s intent and expression of the piece and created one ourselves? While that may be so, I don''t regret most of the things. If I had to say one thing that I regretted the most, it was the fact that we would not be able to win first place. The other three judges'' faces were relatively more calm and collected. However, they were also shaking their heads from side to side, which probably indicated that we wouldn''t win first place. Sighing, I walked out of the stage, lagging a little behind Kaori. What more could I do? It wasn''t just the violinist who had utterly altered the meaning of the piece; the pianist that was supposed to act as the ''guide'' also wholly shifted the meaning, almost causing an imaginary ''battle'' to happen between me and Kaori, who was supposed to be working together. If this was a recital, we would have probably gotten first place with honors. But unfortunately, this was a formal competition, and a formal competition has its own rules, regulations, and criteria. Even if we were the very best, if we don''t abide by its rules and regulations, we would still be unable to win. However, Kaori didn''t seem to care much about that. She happily hummed as she walked down the aisleway back to the waiting room where our bags were. "Kaori-chan?" "Hm?" "Do you regret doing that?" Kaori paused a little at my question before turning around to face me. "What do you think?" "A little?" "Yeah...although I may look stupid, I can tell by the looks of the judges that we weren''t going to win. Too bad...I was looking forward to the surprise that you were going to give me." Kaori smiled sadly and replied. "I see..." I took her free hand in mine, and I could feel it trembling ever so slightly. I pulled her gently close to my body as I embraced her, "There, there..." She heard my gentle tone of voice, and her initial happy expression crumbled almost immediately. Her face was buried in my chest, and before I knew it, sobs could be heard before evolving into a full-blown wail. With one hand, she held on tightly to the bow and her violin, and with the other, she hugged my waist as she cried her hearts out. I also feel a little disappointed that we couldn''t win, but since I was an a.d.u.l.t, at least mentally, the least I could do was to comfort a twelve-year-old first before wallowing in my own self-depression. I never knew what it was like to fail at something before until now. Perhaps I was too used to having a smooth life where everything goes as planned that I had forgotten how to ''lose''. After five minutes, when Kaori had cried her heart out, she released herself from my embrace and took a step back with flushed cheeks. "Thank you for your support..." "No problem, let''s get changed and meet outside, shall we?" Kaori just nodded her head, and we proceeded to get changed to our original attire before meeting outside. This is not a super big or prestigious competition, so there wasn''t any second or third round. This also meant that everything was decided on that one performance that we performed. Outside of the security gate, we saw a bunch of people gathering outside. However, the first ones that we noticed were, of course, our parents. "Fuu-chan!" "Kaori-chan!" Five people shouted simultaneously while three children rushed towards us. Shouko, Raiha, and Yuzuru came up to us and started hugging me. Kaori looked on from the side, and Shouko noticed it. ''Go on.'' My eyes told Shouko the answer when she looked towards me. "Kaori-chan. Come here..." Shouko was at the outer circle while Raiha and Yuzuru were snuggling as close to me as possible, so when Shouko opened up her arms, Kaori couldn''t help herself but join the group hug as well. "Onii-chan! You played very nice!!" Raiha exclaimed excitedly. She was barely half my height, so when she looked up from the height of my waist, her eyes were upturned, causing me to have an overload of cuteness. "Please don''t do this too many times...my heart can''t take it!" I muttered loud enough for the group to hear. Kaori and Shouko also agreed with me while Yuzuru and Raiha just tilted their heads sideways in confusion. It''s official. My little sister is the cutest person in the world! Rubbing the two little girls'' heads, I replied to them, "Thank you. Did you enjoy our performance?" "Yeah! It''s so lovely! The other people were so boring...but Onii-chan and Onee-chan were so amazing! You went like, wahh! And wow!! And woosh! And pew!" As Raiha and Yuzuru described our performance, they also waved their hands around excitedly, trying their best to show us what they meant. However, halfway through, they were interrupted from their performance, making them pout a little. "A-Ano! H-Here..." Two little girls that looked just slightly younger than Raiha and Yuzuru came up to us and spoke nervously. Her hand had a bouquet of flowers, and she raised them towards us, or more specifically, Kaori. "These flowers are for you. We were so moved! Our entire family enjoyed your performance!" Kaori turned to look at me with excitement evident in her eyes. I could understand her feelings right now. It was, after all, her first fan after her first-ever competition. Although the competition wasn''t meant to be a concert or recital, Kaori and I sure made it seem that way. "See? People do like it..." "Un!" Kaori turned to face the two small girls and started thanking them, "Wow, they''re so pretty! Thank you!" Taking the flowers from their arms, Kaori appreciated the scent of the flowers'' freshness. Some water droplets could still be seen on the flowers, so I could tell that gifting this bouquet of flowers to Kaori wasn''t a pre-planned action; it was a decision made on the spot. Kaori was shorter than the average girl''s height, standing at only 146 centimeters tall, so she was only about thirty centimeters taller than her fans. Seeing Kaori being so happy while talking to her fans, I felt satisfied as well, though I was a bit sad that they did not really notice me, it was pretty much expected. Not many piano accompanists do get the recognition they deserve, after all. However, as though she could read my mind, Shouko raised her hand and patted my head. "There, there...You did fantastically." Shouko praised, "Don''t get so worked up because of the end result. As you said to me before, it''s more often the journey rather than the destination, isn''t it?" Wow...my usually quiet and kind Shouko has grown up! And she''s comforting (sort of) me right now! What an angel... "I''m not getting worked up, am I?" "Are you not?" Replying my question with another question, I gave up and just pulled her closer to me. "Thanks for the support." "Phew...my son is really popular!" The familiar loud voice rang out, and I immediately knew who was speaking. "Yeah, yeah. So, what do you think of my performance, dad?" "Hahaha! Fantastic! I was doubting for a second that you were playing the same song as the other participants! All the other participants were so boring and sounded exactly the same!" My father started laughing and slapping my shoulders hard at the same time, causing me to feel some pain in my back. Correction. Not ''some'' pain; I actually felt a lot of pain. "Ow, ow, ow! Stop slapping your son with so much strength!" "No sons of mine will be weak!" "I''m your only son!" "Don''t sweat the details!" Sigh, this father of mine...living his life so carefreely. Though, I wonder why his strength was so high. Does it have something to do with the ''family lineage'' that the system was talking about? [Affirmative. Being in physical contact with the host''s father for a long time has allowed me the opportunity to conduct a rough scan. Though exceedingly minute, I have found several weird things about the host''s father that differed from an average human that was only found in you and your sister. But because of the body that God has given you, it seemed that those ''minute'' differences had mutated.] Oh? I didn''t even know about that. So if I didn''t have the body that God has given me, I wouldn''t have those mutations? I don''t know whether to feel sad or happy about that... [Don''t worry. The family lineage would be anything but detrimental to you. You might not have realized it, but your strength has been slowly growing as you age, even without any deliberate training.] I see. That''s a relief, I guess. What would happen if I awaken my family lineage, though? [No information could be given with the current research. Everything will have to be done by yourself, host.] Hmm...well, it''s not like I was in a rush anyway. I''ll put that aside for now, because someone has come to inform us about the results. "Oh, Miyazono-san. This is where you''ve been. I''ve been looking everywhere for you." A man with a blue suit came up to us and spoke. His breath was slightly haggard, probably from brisk walking? How unhealthy, panting from brisk walking... "Why are you looking for me? I was sure that we wouldn''t win..." Kaori looked a bit downcasted at her own words. "Well, it was true that you didn''t win any of the top three spots, but there was one more ''achievement'' of some sort that you have earned." Kaori was very curious, and seeing her expectant look, the man smiled, "You were the undisputed winner of the Audience''s Award. No one else could even compare to your performance. Both of your performances." The man added the last sentence while directing his look at me. Finally, someone notices the piano accompanist...well, at least someone did notice me. "Both of your performances were absolutely spectacular! If I was a judge, you would have definitely been the best. However, it was the judges'' decision in the end." The man let out a sigh at the end. My face revealed a smile once more. Of course, to an untrained ear, our performance was absolutely stunning. If this was a performance to decide who plays the best music, we would have been the most popular among everyone present. Of course, we are still popular with everyone, except for the judges, that is. I''m not going to repeat what I said previously, so let''s move on to the prize ceremony. ***************** Since Kaori and I had ''accidentally'' dirtied our attire, we ''had no other choice'' but to change out to our casual wear. That was our excuse for appearing on stage with our casual wear. The head judge''s face twitched violently, obviously displeased to see his most hated contestants on stage receiving an award. But rules were rules, and he was a stickler to rules. So as unwillingly as he was, we were still the audience''s choice. While we shook his hands, he tried grabbing my hand very tightly. I think I have adapted to my father''s great strength that I felt nothing from him. An old man like him wouldn''t be able to do anything to me. How petty~. What did I ever do to deserve the head judge''s hatred? Just twist the competition''s set-piece into something that sounded better? Because we arrived on stage slightly later and were in our casual attire? Or maybe it was the smirk that was on my face as I received my first award in both lives. I don''t count getting the best results in the cohort in elementary school as an achievement. Anyone would be able to do it as long as they were willing to study hard. But winning a violin competition while playing as a piano accompanist? That was definitely a yes. After receiving the head judge''s ''congratulations'', the other three judges came up to us to shake our hands as well. Their attitudes were a lot nicer towards us, and one of them even commented that we were prodigies. "I do like what the both of you have done, but unfortunately, you played at the wrong place." Those were the main points of what they tried to convey to us. And although I agree with them, it didn''t mean that I would follow their advice. I would do whatever I want to do in this life, living my life to its fullest the way I want to. Chapter 36 - 36: Aftermath ; Beginning of Piano Competition After receiving our awards, we proceeded to go for our break since there was a lunch break between our category and the senior category. On a side note, a 14-year-old girl won first place, while the black=haired boy and the brown-haired boy won second and third place, respectively. Despite everything that he said, it seemed that the brown-haired boy was pretty good at the violin. Though I think that him being okay with performing in front of a big audience played an important role in getting third place since most of the other contestants often rushed or slowed down the music, not following the correct tempo. The blue-haired boy did well as well, though the brown-haired boy did slightly better. Kaori and I each received a trophy that looked different from the top three''s, probably to showcase that we excelled in another area. To be honest, though? I preferred our trophies to theirs since ours'' were transparent, while the top three were made of bronze. It was just a personal preference, and Kaori seemed as though she liked it very much too. Whether or not it was because of the trophy''s appearance or for some other reason, I don''t know. At 3.30pm, the senior category''s competition started. It wasn''t the same four judges, so the judges who arrived on the judges'' seats were unknown. Not that I cared much about them in the first place. I was more interested in the contestant''s music. Soon, the first contestant arrived on stage, and as per custom and a sign of respect to the audience and judges, she bowed together with her piano accompanist. Afterward, they went to their respective place, and within the next five seconds, they started playing. Along with the age group increasing, the level of the set-piece increased as well. The senior category''s set-piece could be easily distinguished that it was much harder to play. It was all much harder than our group''s set-piece - from all the technicalities and tempo to the music''s rhythm. The rest of our families didn''t go back after our performance and decided to watch the others with us. Though, not all of them actually watched the performances. Our mothers (Shouko, Kaori, and my mother) talked and gossiped with each other, while my father and Kaori''s father were at a corner talking about some things. Though, they did get distracted by an occasional fantastic performance. Not bothering with the a.d.u.l.ts'' business, the children just sat together just slightly behind the judges and watched the performances. Raiha and Yuzuru were sitting on my and Shouko''s lap, respectively, while Kaori sat beside me. Each contestant went up one after another, and surprisingly, our little sisters were able to maintain their silence as they watched the entire competition. The performances were awe-inspiring; those three to four years difference of age really made a difference in their ability. The violinists had very noticeable smoother bowing and notes, and there wasn''t even a single mispitch. The sound that came out of their violins were also of much higher quality. Though the top three of our age group also did just slightly worse than them, it was very minor, further proving how different the top three were compared to others. However, while Shouko and the two little girls were listening without any judgment, Kaori and I were more focused on the ''duet'' aspect of their performance. Just playing your individual parts without any mistake was not enough in a duet; it might be good enough for solo competition but in a duet? A duet needed more than just that. A duet consists of two people playing a single piece together. If you don''t know that, I suggest that you brush up on your pitiful knowledge. No two people are exactly identical. Even twins have some differences between them. Thus, there was no such thing as a perfect duet, only the most fantastic duet. So what makes a ''good'' duet? In finding that perfect singing partner, someone once said it comes down to how both singers respond to the song. "It''s not about singing with perfect pitch or timing; it''s about feeling," he said. "All art is supposed to create feelings, and if you sing with passion and you sing from your soul, then people will feel it." Like singing, playing instruments was actually not that different. Simply put, a great duet sounds seamless - artists call it "blending," when the timbre and the tone of two voices come together as one. Duets are one of my favorite things. I find duets to be very selfless things. We''re only as good as our weakest link. And it seems that Kaori would probably share my thoughts, judging from her excitement as she looked at the numerous participants. While Shouko did not understand music much and just enjoyed the sound, Kaori could not stop talking about them after each performance. What she liked, what she didn''t like, what could have been done better, and so on. Soon, everyone has performed their pieces and gotten their awards, and after another 15-minute break, the artist''s competition started. The difference between this group and the previous was even more significant than our age group and the senior age group. And it wasn''t even about age anymore. Everyone in the artist''s category either majored in music in their college or universities or was just that talented to play here. Granted, there were no pre-requisition to join this competition, but no one would willingly come up to this stage just to shame themselves if they could not play the violin or piano. The set-piece was also of much greater difficulty than the rest - one of Beethoven''s song: Beethoven Violin Sonata No.5 Op.24 ''Spring''. There were fewer contestants, but it was made up by the long 11-minute piece. Each piece was played beautifully, and it was at a level where I couldn''t judge anymore. I mean, I could judge who played the piano better since I was a grandmaster at it, but the violin all sounded exactly the same to me. So this is how those ordinary people feel when they listen to our playing? Damn...that feels sad... Hmm...I hope my music proficiency levels up fast. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to do anything apart from the piano... Either that or I gain a few more proficiencies related to playing instruments. Then perhaps. I''ll be able to combine them all. For now, though, I''ll just focus on the concert and try to distinguish each contestant to the best I can. Kaori and I finally remained silent as we try to learn as much as we could about duets. After all, this would just be the first time we performed together, and it wouldn''t be the last. Even if we would keep getting the Audiences'' choice award, I would still continue doing it if it meant being better and improving a lot. Each performance was like a word of art in my eyes. Perhaps I would reach that level in the future, but for now, it was awe-inspiring in my eyes. Each bow was bowed smoothly without a single squeaking; each note was played perfectly in sync with each other, not messing with the wondrous music they were producing. Even Kaori wasn''t able to say anything that she disliked about it anymore. Indeed, they were on a whole new level, though nothing that was unreachable in our lifetimes. Each violinist and pianist had their own distinct style that they were playing the set-piece, but it all conveyed the same meaning as what Beethoven, the original composer, intended to say. Nothing too much of a drastic change like Kaori''s and my performance, but it was still much better than the repetitive music from the previous categories. After four or five contestants have performed, I turned my head to look at our parents while waiting for the next contestant and was dumbfounded. They were still seated at the exact spot since the start of the senior category competition. Not the artist category, but the senior category! Well, our fathers have gone out a long time ago and went somewhere to hang out with each other, but our mothers were still seated at the same spot and were still talking with each other. How could anyone talk for two and a half hours straight without a break? Even Raiha and Yuzuru had gotten slightly restless on our laps, continuously moving about from boredom. Slightly mature as they may be, they were still children, after all. The fact that they could even sit down for 2 hours was already remarkable. "Kaori-chan, do you still want to hear more?" Kaori looked towards me and shook her head, "I''m already tired from our performance. Even if I was to continue listening, I don''t think I''ll have the energy to learn anymore..." That''s what I thought. Even with my a.d.u.l.t mentality, I feel a bit tired as well. [Congratulations! Host''s music proficiency has upgraded to the master proficiency due to the advance judgment on music that was beyond Host''s level.] Ooh, nice. I wasn''t expecting that, but it was a pleasant surprise. Now that my music proficiency was at a master''s level, I think that''s enough gain for today. So, making up my mind after seeing Shouko''s closed eyes and Raiha''s and Yuzuru''s restlessness, I picked Raiha up from my lap and placed her on the ground, allowing me to hear a slight shriek from Raiha from my sudden movements. "Onii-chan?" "I can see that you''re getting bored now. Let''s leave, shall we?" Kaori seemed slightly happy and hurriedly stood up. However, it appeared that the continuous sitting has made her legs numb since she stumbled towards me. Wow, what a clich¨¦ situation... But despite knowing that, I didn''t dodge and let her fall on my chest. "S-Sorry, Fuutarou-kun...my legs were numb..." Kaori shyly apologized as she tried to stand back up. Kaori was surprisingly lighter than she looks, and I didn''t feel much of an impact even after crashing to me. Did her disease make her weight decrease? What kinda disease is that? "N-No problem...take your time," I subconsciously replied as I was wondering about her abnormal weight. However, I felt a slight pinch on my arm as Kaori continued leaning on me while trying to regain her legs'' strength. I turned around to see Shouko staring at me with an impassive face. Shouko didn''t seem particularly upset, just slightly pouty. "What''s wrong?" "Let me lean on you as well?" She asked softly. Wow, her personality has totally changed from her anime counterpart. She seemed more...proactive in her advances, though her kindness and caringness didn''t change. "Sure." Shouko didn''t weigh much, so I had no reason to refuse. Plus, she was my girlfriend, after all. I can''t really neglect her for another girl. In the end, I just sat back down and let the two girls lean on me on one chair. It was slightly cramped, but it sure felt cozy. Finally, after another ten minutes, Kaori got shy and decided to stop seeking my warmth. The five of us went to our mothers to stop them from talking any further before we decided to find our fathers. We manage to find them (our fathers) in a resting area nearby, just casually talking, before the three families decided to have dinner together. ***************** The rest of the day quickly passed by, and soon, we all returned to our respective homes. Kaori promised to cheer for me in my competition next week, and while her mother gladly agreed, her father had turned slightly sour, though he also agreed in the end. Needless to say, Shouko''s mother and my father also took a break from their work and decided to stay for one more week until my competition was over. The rest of the week passed by uneventfully. I continued my routine of waking up early to exercise with Shouko at the nearby park before going to the school to practice my piano. When I rechecked my proficiencies, I was happy to see that my piano proficiency has significantly increased from the competition. I used to take 1 week of ordinary practice to gain just 1 point. A grandmaster''s proficiency wasn''t just for show. When working hard, even a single proficiency point was as precious as diamonds. From 110 to 200, I gained 90 proficiency points. That was almost two years'' worth of effort from one competition that didn''t star me. Imagine how many more points I would be able to gain if I actually played an even more difficult song in an actual piano competition next week. I can''t wait for it to start! ***************** [Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition next week] Description: Since you have decided to go down this route, you must first take your big step in the world of music. And what better way to do it than to play Beethoven''s most technical song on your first showcase? Passing Criteria: Attain first place. As simple as that. Rewards: 3x normal gacha tokens, 2x premium tokens Failure: Minus 10 points of piano grandmaster proficiency System tips: If you don''t manage to get first place with grandmaster proficiency in your age group, you might as well go bang your head against tofu and commit suicide. ***************** [Hidden Quest: ???] Description: ??? Passing Criteria: ??? Rewards: ??? Failure: None System tips: This quest is hidden. ***************** Good for me! These quests came just in time, though the system tips are really quite...sarcastic and harsh. I don''t think the system should call them tips since they didn''t really inform me of anything to help with the quest. They should be called ''System''s comments'' instead. Though I''m curious about the hidden quest, I have no idea about what it even is about. I can only assume that it is also related to the piano competition since the quests were issued together. Putting that mysterious quest aside, I don''t plan to fail the piano competition. Although the system tips were quite acidic, it actually does make some sense. Grandmaster proficiency was not commonly found, even in the entire world. There were less than 50 people with grandmaster worldwide, and those who had more than 1000 points in it were even less than 10, much less those who had above 1.5 thousand proficiency points. That was the system''s calculation. Although I only had 200 points, my standard was still considered extraordinary worldwide, so if I really didn''t get the first place...I guess 10 weeks of my hard work would disappear then. Still, Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (movement 4) wasn''t easy. I mean, I could play it, but I had to focus very hard on it. The moment I even get distracted, I would definitely mess up. However, now with the extra 90 points, perhaps I would be able to do better than previously? Thus, the following day, after bidding Shouko goodbye as she returned home, I went straight to the school. "Yo! You still coming here for the holidays? I watched your performance two days ago, it was fantastic!" A gruff voice resounded cheerily. It sounded a bit strange, but I have already gotten used to it after almost six years. It was none other than the familiar old security guard. Yeah, my elementary school has a security guard. Great, isn''t it? Ensures our safety. Honestly, I don''t think I have ever witnessed a single incident in school that involved the security guard in all my life here. I''m not complaining since a peaceful life is good, but I think the government is just paying people to stand around the school entrance and doing nothing. I turned my head to face a 1.6-meter tall man. He looked lean and pretty muscular for an old man in his early sixties, but who was complaining? A buff old man doing his job as a security guard is better than a fat middle-aged man who does nothing but leer at students. No prejudices or anything, but I think the manga and anime that I''ve watched in my previous life is influencing me quite a bit. "Thank you very much. And yes, I do have another competition in a few days. If you''re not too busy, perhaps you would want to go and listen?" "Really? Haha...good kid! Wish my grandchildren could be as talented as you!" He sounds very energetic for an old man at 10am in the morning in the middle of the summer holidays. Were all old people this active? Raku''s dad was loud, my dad was loud, my mum was violent towards my dad. Hmm...it seems that older people are very active. "Thank you for the compliment." "Haha! No problem. I''ll bring my grandkids along as well! Hopefully, they''ll learn a thing or two from you." If any random kid could just ''learn a thing or two from me'' by just watching me, I wouldn''t know how to react to that. Still, after exchanging more pleasantries, I proceeded to the room where I spend most of my time in school: the music room. Honestly, I think I spend more time in the music room than in the classroom. I was never a music person in my previous life, so this was a lovely change. At least I changed from being a full-time weeb and office worker to a manga lover and a genius musician. Though I had to admit that the manga standards in this world were non-existent. I wonder how do people find entertainment in this world. Within five minutes, I managed to make my way to the music room. Sliding open the door, it revealed the familiar grand piano in the middle of the room. When I first came here, a thick layer of dust was present on the piano since no one really liked music in this school. A bit weird considering how much the school had spent on the grand piano, but I didn''t mind. After all, it would just mean more time and opportunity for me to use it anyway. But now, after going through my hands, the piano shined grandly under the morning sun, and I could almost feel that the piano was happy to see me. "How do you do, piano-san?" I think something''s wrong with me. I''m talking to an inanimate object like it''s completely natural for me to do so. But that aside, I pulled out the seat and made myself comfortable on it before opening the piano. Do~ Re~ Mi~ Fa~ So~ As I pressed down on each key, their respective note melodiously sounded. Because of my existence and talent, the school had decided to tune this piano regularly, hoping that I would gain fame as a genius pianist and attract more people to this school one day. Well, their hopes eventually paid off since I was already getting a bit of fame. Not as much as Kaori, but after the next competition? It would be hard to say. Needless to say, I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon practicing my difficult piece. The extra 90 points really helped a lot in allowing me to play this piece much smoother. ***************** The rest of the week soon passed by, and soon, the fourth week of the summer holidays was almost over. Today was the day I would be performing on stage once more. Since I would be wearing the same thing as my previous competition, I wasn''t made to wear it at home. This piano competition was a lot simpler. Instead of four categories, there were only three - the Junior category for children aged 11 and below, the Intermediate category for teenagers aged 12 to 18, and the Senior category for a.d.u.l.ts aged 19 to 25, which are basically for people who were studying in colleges or universities. Of course, for the plot and for me to become a rising star, I needed to be the youngest in the category so that my ''impact'' on people would be the greatest. Since this was a piano competition, and the piano was a much more popular and common instrument to pick up and learn, there were many more contestants. Compared to the violin competition, that was. The timing for the Junior category was in the morning from 9am to 1pm. A whole five hours dedicated to listening to kids playing the same piece over and over again. I highly doubted that anyone would try to play the other piece, which was much more complicated and much more challenging for them to win. However, even if they play the harder piece, I wouldn''t fear missing them since the competition would record everyone playing Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (movement 4). If the contestants played it well, they would post it on their website, but if they didn''t, the recording would naturally find its way to the bin. I''m not going to sit through five hours listening to children younger than I play. So, after a hearty lunch at home with my family, I left together to reach Towa hall again. I was lucky that my family was going along with me since the bus there was totally empty. If I had gone alone, I would probably be lonely without anyone''s company. The intermediate category''s timing was in the afternoon, from 1.30pm to 5.30pm, whereas the senior category''s timing was from 6pm to 10pm. Of course, this was all only pre-planned. Depending on the number of contestants, the ending time would differ, but the starting time would never change. We reached Towa hall at 1pm, and that was where we separated. After Shouko and my younger siblings gave me a hug and my parents gave me a pat on the head, we split up. While I headed backstage to prepare, the others naturally directed towards the audience hall and waited for the doors to open. This was a competition, not a performance, so the audience present had free-seating. ***************** "Kaori-chan?" A voice that wasn''t so loud yet very distinguishable sounded, and Kaori immediately turned around to find that voice''s source. It wasn''t every day that Kaori gets to hear a voice that seemed to contained softness and boundless kindness in them, not counting Shouko, of course. Shouko was a rare breed of human that seemed to forgive everyone and hold no grudge. Kaori knew that if the person Shouko fell for and married ended up being a massive drunkard and gambler, she would still try to give him as many chances as possible. That was just how forgiving Shouko can be. Fortunately, the person she fell for was no sc.u.m, as far as she could tell. After all, it was the same person she fell for. But too bad, she had decided not to enter a relationship. What was worse than giving people false and fleeting hope and love? "Shouko-chan!" Finally finding the source, Kaori turned her head to face her friend, Shouko, "Where''s Fuutarou-kun?" "Searching for my boyfriend immediately?" Hearing Shouko''s words, she couldn''t help but blush. "I-I didn''t mean it that way!" "I know." Shouko''s face had a cheeky grin, completely over-turning her image of Shouko in her head. ''Fuutarou-kun! How dare you corrupt Shouko with your teasing!'' ''Ah...teasing people is so fun. No wonder Fuu-kun likes doing it to me.'' Two different thoughts went through two young girls'' heads simultaneously, but both of them were about the boy they loved. ***************** A/N: Happy Chinese New Year! And for those who are single, Happy Valentine''s day! Those who have partners, stop reading this and go screw your partners. The previous 4k word chapter will be your red packet for the new year, while this 4k word chapter will be your valentine day''s chocolate for those ladies out there reading this fanfic. Whoever said men can''t give chocolates on valentine''s day? It seemed that my prediction had come true. It''s gonna take 1-2 more chapter(s) to end this arc before moving to Kyoto, depending on the length of the chapter. If I do give out a 4k word chapter next week, it''ll probably be over by then. If not, I guess you guys have to wait in anticipation. Don''t expect me to do this every weekend, though. On a side note, do you guys like Fuuka? Chapter 37 - 37: Performance ; Aftermath "Mou...stop teasing me already, Shouko-chan..." Kaori pouted at Shouko''s giggle, but all it did was allow Shouko to giggle even harder. While Kaori continued to pout, Raiha and Yuzuru went closer to Kaori while standing on their tiptoes, trying to poke Kaori''s puffed cheeks. They often did that when Shouko pouted due to Fuutarou''s teasing, becoming a routine to poke pouting people''s cheeks. Of course, they wouldn''t just poke a random stranger''s cheeks, but if it was a friend or relative that they were familiar with, then that would be a different matter. Kaori looked down at the two young girls, and a smile quickly replaced her pout. "Raiha-chan! Yuzuru-chan! How have you been?" Rubbing the two cute girls'' heads, Kaori asked enthusiastically. It had only been a week since they last saw each other, but to Kaori, who had done nothing but lazed around all day, it had been a long time. ""Hello, Kaori-onee-chan!"" The two girls greeted back cutely as they enjoyed the rub on their heads. "So cute~." "Ahem...as much as we would like to stand here all day to talk, I suppose we should enter now?" An a.d.u.l.t female voice entered their ears, interrupting them in the middle of their conversation. Hanako, the mother of Raiha and Fuutarou, had spoken up and agreeing with her, the rest of them started making their way into the audience hall. "Shouko-chan, do you think Fuutarou-kun can win?" On the way to their seats, Kaori asked softly. "Of course. My Fuu-kun can definitely win first place." Shouko replied confidently, quite unlike how she usually acted. Kaori wasn''t too surprised to hear her reply. Firstly, Shouko was Fuutarou''s girlfriend, after all. Why wouldn''t she believe in him? And secondly, she herself knew about Fuutarou''s talent the best, second only to probably Fuutarou himself. Although neither of them had said anything about not getting first place in the duet competition, Kaori knew deep down that if she hadn''t decided to play to her style and just followed the score, they would have had a high chance of getting first place. But instead, Fuutarou chose to play alongside her, uncaring the ''rules'' and the ''regulations'' of a ''proper'' competition. In a sense, it was actually partially her fault that they didn''t get the first place. Granted, she might not be aiming for any sort of prize and was just seeking to live her life fully before dying, but she wasn''t alone; Fuutarou was with her. Perhaps...she shouldn''t be that selfish...? "Don''t think too much about it, Kaori-chan. I''m sure that whatever Fuu-kun, it would be based on his own decision, not influenced by anybody." Shouko spoke. Kaori didn''t know whether Shouko referred to this piano competition or the previous duet competition but smiled nevertheless. It might just be a coincidence, but Shouko''s words had really calmed her down. "Un." Kaori just gave a slight nod as they finally decided on the best seat possible, which was in the exact middle of the audience hall. Making herself comfortable in her seat next to Shouko, they continued talking about various things. Fifteen minutes ticked by slowly, and the time was now 1.30pm. When Kaori wasn''t getting ready to perform on stage, she felt that time always passed by the slowest while waiting for the performance to start. "Contestants! Thank you very much for participating in this competition today. I hope that all of you would do your best, and may the best pianist win." As soon as the time hit 1.30pm sharp, an announcement was heard. The constant mutterings around the hall immediately disappeared, leaving behind nothing but silence. Everybody present was looking forward to the competition, whether it was because their child was participating in it or some other reasons. The first contestant entered, and wearing a dress, she looked...normal in Kaori''s opinion. Short brown hair and average height were the perfect descriptions of the said girl. Bowing to the audience, the girl went towards the piano and sat down. Soon after, music was heard. There were two songs per category, and the easier song occupied three-quarters of it. The last remaining hour was for the extra contestants to play the more challenging piece. Depending on the number of people playing each piece, the final timings were decided beforehand. Kaori was naturally interested in music, and although her main focus was on the violin, she had also developed a slight interest in piano after being in Fuutarou''s company for a long time. However, after hearing the first piece being played, Kaori''s eyes couldn''t help but flash with disappointment. In fact, it wasn''t just Kaori who felt that. Even Shouko, Yuzuru, and Raiha weren''t too satisfied with the song''s quality. What they didn''t know was that it was actually their criteria being too high. After hearing a song of the grandmaster''s standard every single day, everything else would naturally sound dull in their ears. Still, as a sign of respect, they clapped along with the other audience after the song ended. The next contestants weren''t too far apart in standard from the first girl, and like that, three hours passed, and everyone who was playing the easier song had come on stage and played. At this point, Raiha and Yuzuru, who were being restless at the side, suddenly sat up straight and looked towards the stage; they knew it was time for their beloved older brother to come on stage. Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (movement 4), the piece that Fuutarou was going to play, lasted ten minutes. Only three competitors were willing to play this song for the competition, leaving the next half an hour for this category''s prize ceremony. The reason why the competition allowed the competitor to choose one of the two set-pieces to play wasn''t just because they weren''t willing to listen to the same song over and over and over again for 9 hours. That was only part of the reason, but the main reason was to seek out talents buried in this part of the country. This wasn''t Tokyo, where it was easy to seek out talents. Although Matsuyama, located north-west of Japan, wasn''t too remote, it wasn''t the busiest city in Japan. Sitting just slightly behind the judges, Kaori and Shouko could see that, like the two little girls, the judges also sat slightly straighter than before, obviously looking forward to the next part. ''Seems like even the judges are looking forward to Fuu-kun''s playing.'' Shouko thought happily, misunderstanding that the judges weren''t just looking forward to any specific player''s playing. "And for our next, and the very first contestant to play the second set-piece, Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (movement 4), Fumika Himari." The announcement was heard, and a seventeen-year-old girl walked on stage. She had perfectly straight black hair that reached her waist and was tied up in a ponytail, sharp features, and donned a small smile on her face. After her bow, Himari started playing the piano. A sonata doesn''t mean anything special; all it is was to show that the piece was a piece of music played by a musical instrument, as opposed to a Cantata, which is a piece of music sung. Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" had four movements all together, and in the fourth movement, there were seven parts in total. The entire sonata was forty minutes in total, and no competition or any performance would allow anyone to play one song for forty minutes straight. Thus, a very specific part of the sonata that would be played must be mentioned in any competition beforehand. As the girl played, everyone in the audience hall kept silent and listened closely. Unlike the previous three hours, where the song was comparably easier, this song was much longer and challenging. Even a moment''s distraction could prove to be deadly for the pianist. As she continued playing, it was apparent that she wasn''t fully prepared. Although she looked as though she hasn''t made any mistakes, it was only to an untrained ear. To people like the judges and even Kaori, the girl wasn''t that good. She could play the piece smoothly, but many missing notes were skipped due to her inability to play it on time, and the tempo wasn''t consistent. Although those two things seemed insignificant, it was a no-no in a competition, especially when you were the one of the three who was playing this piece. Chords that weren''t played like the way the score showed sounded different. Even if it was very minor, it was still hearable. And if the tempo wasn''t consistent with the score, it made the music sound weird. Kaori could understand why people chose to play this piece - this piece was challenging, but successfully playing this piece proved that they were the superior pianist. But not everybody was a freak like Fuutarou; they couldn''t just thoroughly learn a new song in one week, much less a challenging piece like Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier". However, that didn''t excuse them from being overconfident in their abilities. If she couldn''t learn that piece in three weeks, then she shouldn''t have chosen to play that piece in the first place. As a result, although she had proved that she could play this piece, her performance only emphasized her overconfidence to pick this piece. Kaori only felt that they should pick this piece when they have the complete confidence to play this piece or had coincidentally learned this piece in the past before this competition was even announced. Ten minutes passed by slowly, and as she reached the end of the piece, more and more mistakes were made, probably due to the combination of nervousness, anxiousness, and exhaustion from performing on stage. After she finished playing, the audience was silent for a moment before applause sounded. It wasn''t anything majestic; just some perfunctory actions after a performance or showcase, showing respect to her hard work. And the girl clearly knew that, so although a smile remained on her face, it wasn''t the brightest smile. The next girl wasn''t too different. If the previous girl could be considered ''pretty'', this girl would be regarded as ''cute'' instead. At eighteen years old, her hair was brown and shoulder-lengthed. Unlike the previous one, this girl was more focused on the piece than the last girl. Her music was much smoother than the previous girl, perhaps due to her lesser nervousness and being older than her. But still, it seemed that she couldn''t maintain her momentum till the end, screwing up slightly at the very end. ''What a pity...'' The judges didn''t evaluate the top three positions base on the songs. They only considered how well you played your choice of songs, so everybody (the three) who picked Beethoven Sonata Op 106 "Hammerklavier" must carry the risk of not being able to play to their best of their ability. After the girl left the stage, the final contestant finally arrived on stage. At this point, the judges already gave up. As though the song wasn''t hard enough already, but now, a twelve-year-old boy walks up to stage? If the two seventeen and eighteen-year-old girls couldn''t play it, what makes him think he could do better than them? The judges weren''t usually judgemental, but this impression was currently way too huge. Usually, nobody would dare join a competition when they were at the very bottom of the age group. It was a pity, but the older ones usually had an advantage since they would have had more time to practice. The judges flipped over their paper and saw the profile of the said boy, Uesugi Fuutarou. Or at least, they tried to since there was nothing to see on the paper. Apart from his name, age, school, there was nothing else. Not a single achievement from other competitions, nor any recommendations from other successful pianists. There was only a line that showed that he got the audience''s award in the competition just a week ago. ''Oh? This guy got an audience award just a week before? Interesting...'' One of the judges became slightly interested in him and patiently waited for him to start. Still, the judges did what they were paid to do: judge. Fuutarou, like all the contestants before him, bowed to the audience and judges before hopping onto the chair. Because of his twelve-year-old body, his height was shorter than the previous two girls, requiring him to slightly adjust the chair''s height. Not a moment later, Fuutarou revealed a smile and pressed his fingers on their respective keys. As Fuutarou''s fingers pressed on each key, they changed faster and faster as the music progress. Or at least that was what it sounded like. In reality, however, although the music seemed to be progressing faster and faster, the tempo never wavered. The beginning sounded pretty nice, and the first difficult part soon came three minutes into the piece. Fuutarou''s fingers didn''t go out of tempo but consistently kept to the time. As his fingers danced on the keys, Kaori seemed lost as her fingers flew over the keys like swallows darting in a pond for fish. His fingers were a blur, yet as if in slow motion, Kaori could easily hear when each key was being pressed down. When notes were supposed to be soft, it was soft; and when it was supposed to be loud, it was loud. Fuutarou''s fingers never stopped moving. When his right hand was continuously moving, his left hand had a break, and while it was his left hand''s turn to continuously play the long runs of semiquavers, his right hand took a break. [A/N: The most basic note is called a crotchet, which is one beat long, followed by a quaver, which is half a beat long, followed by a semiquaver, which is one-quarter of a beat.] This piece was already very fast (also known as ''Allegro'' in music terms) to begin with, and the fact that it was in cut time didn''t help. [A/N: Cut time refers to the tempo being doubled to make everything half as long. That means a crotchet would be half-beat long, a quaver is a quarter of a beat long, and so on.] The sound produced was as lively as the Cocoa plantation singers in Africa who sing at the earliest dawn while collecting cocoa beans in their huge baskets - each note firm, sharp, and filled with confidence. It was as sweet as the cuckoo does in the Himalayas when the sun is just about to peep through between the hills and the pride with which the thunder sings its rage - strong, dominating, yet endlessly enthralling. It was as though Fuutarou wasn''t playing the piano but gently caressing it. Unlike the previous two pianists, Kaori found herself being drawn into Fuutarou''s playing, and it wasn''t even because of her bias opinion. The audiences seemed to have awakened from their slumber as they realized who was playing such a wonderful song. It sounded almost similar to how the others played, yet it sounded so vastly different as well. Fuutarou was just that good. Even the judges had placed down their pen and listened intently, not willingly to multitask to listen and write simultaneously, as though afraid that missing out on hearing this piece would be like missing out on tons of pure gold. Unlike the other time, Fuutarou didn''t insert any of his own styles into the piece. It was played note for note, rhythm for rhythm; there wasn''t a single thing off from the score. Every trill, every slur, every staccato was played. [A/N: Trill is a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or tone apart. A slur is a musical ornament, showing that the notes it embraces are to be played without separation] Even the feelings and message that Beethoven wanted to convey through the piece were perfectly expressed without a single hint of deviation. The music was as such that it would be unjust to the musician who was weaving the heavenly notes to describe it with a few words. ''Sigh, Fuutarou-kun is so good...'' Kaori had heard it countless times, and yet, despite that, she couldn''t ever get bored of hearing him play. It was addictive like heroin but not harmful, mesmerizing like stars but not unreachable. ***************** I have never felt so alive before. My fingers seemed to have a life and mind of their own, continuously dancing across the keyboard from one end to the other. Everything felt like a dream. It was like I could do anything I ever wanted. Even when practicing this piece for the entire day at school, I had never felt so satisfied when playing this ten-minute piece. Indeed, the experience of playing in front of an audience was different from just practicing in the music room. Contrary to many beliefs, playing the piano at a professional level wasn''t as relaxing as people thought. There are many benefits to playing the piano, such as sharpening fine motor skills, improving dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Music has also been shown to reduce heart and respiratory rates, cardiac complications, lower blood pressure, and increase immune response. Playing the piano also makes your hands and arm muscles much stronger than the average person. Thus, although one cannot lose weight from just sitting at the piano all day, it was still considered as exercising, just exercising the less frequently exercised parts. My mind seemed to have emptied out of any thoughts and distractions. There was nothing but the piano in my eyes. There was no judge, no stage, no people. I was excited yet calm. I didn''t rush any part; each part was played perfectly the way I remembered it. Eidetic memory for the win! I didn''t know when, but my head started sweating. It was mentally exhausting, having to play each part perfectly. Each finger only landed on the keys for a fraction of a second before moving on to the next key, never did my fingers land on each key for more than two seconds in a row. Soft, gentle notes...loud, accented notes... [A/N: An accent is an emphasis, stress, or stronger attack placed on a particular note or set of notes, or chord, either due to its context or specifically indicated by an accent mark.] Ten minutes passed by too fast for my liking. Although I was slightly tired, I didn''t want to stop. But unfortunately, I have reached the end of the score. The last chord was pressed with an accent, and after holding the keys down for two seconds, I gently let go of the keys, separating them from my fingers. "Haa...ha...this was fun..." Muttering to myself, I went into a daze. Looking back at the journey, I felt accomplished. Despite living only a mere twelve years in this life, I thought that I have achieved more than what I did in the entirety of my previous life. Am I proud? Of course! Who wouldn''t be? Imagine living a life complete of mediocrity and suddenly being on a stage where everybody screamed out your name in happiness. My daze didn''t last long. I could faintly hear the thunderous applause from my right. As I turned my head to face all of them, I could see everybody standing up and clapping; the judges weren''t exempted from this either. Remembering what I had to do after a performance, I quickly stood on my feet, only to stumble slightly due to my numb legs. I could hear some laughter among the audience from my little incident but paid no heed to it. Strangely enough, my spiky hair remained spiky despite the sweat; it was as though gravity didn''t work on it. Still, I brightly smile as I went towards the front of the stage and bowed one more time before leaving the stage. I could hear the cheers, the encouragement from the audience, and like Kaori, I wave my hands at them. Everything after that just seemed to pass by in a daze. Learning my lesson from the last time, I didn''t change my attire immediately after my performance, instead choosing to wait until the results were announced. Resting in the waiting room with the other contestants, I could feel their gazes on me. Most were surprised that I could play that well, and some admiration. And, of course, there was jealousy as well, coming from an eighteen-year-old boy. Maybe I took his spotlight or something? But from what I remembered, even when playing the easier song, he couldn''t play as well as some younger contestants. So I don''t know why he was feeling jealous of me. Still, maybe we''re all tired from performing and nervous about the results, so we didn''t talk much, not that we''re familiar with each other anyway. When waiting in nervousness and anticipation, time often seemed to pass by so slowly. The clock in the room slowly ticked by. Just as someone was about to burst from the wait, the door opened, causing all of us except me to stand up immediately. "Sir? What are the results?" "Have the results been released already?" "Who won?" The man in question was bombarded with questions from all sides, causing him to rub his forehead in annoyance. "Enough. Please act like your age. All of you are already sixteen to eighteen years old. Is this how you''re supposed to act?" Hearing his words, all of them became ashamed and backed off a little, allowing the man to breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Now, for the results. There are the top three, plus an audience choice''s award. The judges have made their final decision, so there will be no canceling, arguing, or taking back their decision." The man warned all of us first, and seeing our expression, he smiled, "Good. Now can these three people follow me?" "Three? I thought you said that there were four awards?" A girl asked with curiosity. "Yes. There are four awards, but one of the winners managed to win the Audience''s choice award as well." The man replied with a nonchalant expression, but his words caused some surprise among us. I mean, the audience''s choice usually meant that the song that we played was very nice, right? So it shouldn''t be a surprise that one of the winners gets the awards since they''re the best of the bunch, after all. Unless some abnormality like Kaori and I pop up, this shouldn''t be too big of a surprise. "Hyoku Jika, Yamamoto Akime, and..." The man told two consecutive names before pausing for a while. I could see his eyebrows shooting up, and he gave me a look of surprise. "...Uesugi Fuutarou." Phew, luckily, I got an award. I still don''t know which one yet, but hopefully, I get first so that I won''t lose my piano proficiency... The other contestants'' heads turned to me, and their eyes were widened to their limit. Honestly, it was pretty entertaining to see. A twelve-year-old boy like me managed to beat the high schoolers and middle schoolers; that must have come as a surprise. Still, not wanting to be the arrogant young master, I just walked towards the man and stood beside him with a small smile on my face. "Haha, good job, boy. I have worked here for almost two decades already, and this is only my third time seeing the youngest person in the category win." "Thank you." Not knowing how else to reply to the man, I merely thanked him. The man gave me a gratified smile and walked out of the door and towards the stage. The two girls looked at each other for a moment before patting my head and dragging me along to follow the man at the same time. What the hell! Why did they suddenly pat my head?! "Onee-san is surprised! Such a cute and young boy managed to win..." The eighteen-year-old winner wore a delighted smile on her face, but her eyes glimmered dangerously. Shotacon?! "Ara ara...I participated in many competitions before, but this is my first time seeing such a young and handsome boy..." The other eighteen-year-old winner said. Did she just ''Ara ara'' me? Being in the company of these two onee-sans just wasn''t good for my heart. One is a shotacon, while the other is an ''ara ara'' girl. Especially the former. Fortunately, I didn''t have to be together with them for long. As soon as we got to the side of the stage, the results were being announced. "In third place, Yamamoto Akime!" The shotacon went up to the stage and got her award. "In second place, Hyoku Jika!" The ''ara ara'' onee-san went up to the stage. "And finally, in the first place! And the Audience''s choice of the best pianist! Uesugi Fuutarou!" I don''t know when I walked to the middle of the stage before I found myself shaking hands with the judge. Unlike the last judge I met, this judge was much friendlier. His smile stretched from one ear to another, and all two rows of teeth could be seen. "Good job, Uesugi-san. You''re possibly one of the most talented pianists I have ever seen. I wonder who''s your teacher?" "I have no teacher." "Haha...you''re humorous as well!" Clearly, the judge didn''t believe me. "Really. I''m self-taught." Seeing my serious face, the judge stopped laughing and stared at me with equal seriousness. "We''ll talk about this later. Do you have time later?" Not knowing what he wanted, I shook my head before facing the photographer to have my photo taken. I had a family waiting for me outside, after all. "I''ll give you my parents'' contact number later. Perhaps you would be able to find some other time to contact me?" "What a pity. But sure. I''ll be contacting you in the future." "For what, though?" "Who knows?" This judge...I just hope that he won''t pull me into some troublesome business. The rest of the ceremony didn''t last long, and within three minutes, we could leave. Before the two onee-sans could stop me, I quickly moved away to the changing room to change back to my normal attire. It was empty in the changing room since I was the last boy who would change. The two trophies were placed on the bench as I took off my blazer and long pants. The two trophies were different - while the trophy for first place was golden and in the shape of a treble clef (????), the trophy for the Audience''s choice was transparent with a blue hint at the base and was tear-shaped. Both were amazing in their own unique way. These are the fruits of my hard work, huh? Even if the system did help out, I could say that I did put in hard work, right? Right? But even if you disagree, I''ll stick to my own way of thinking. ***************** [Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition next week] Description: Since you have decided to go down this route, you must first take your big step in the world of music. And what better way to do it than to play Beethoven''s most technical song on your first showcase? Passing Criteria: Attain first place. As simple as that. Rewards: 3x normal gacha tokens, 2x premium tokens Failure: Minus 10 points of piano grandmaster proficiency System tips: If you don''t manage to get first place with grandmaster proficiency in your age group, you might as well go bang your head against tofu and commit suicide. ***************** [Hidden Quest: Become the audience''s favorite pianist] Description: Even when you become the best pianist, if no one likes you, what''s the point of being the best? Thus, try your best to become good at both the piano and at satisfying people''s tastes. Passing Criteria: Get the Audience''s choice award. Warning: If you don''t complete the previous quest, this quest will automatically fail. Rewards: Piano Proficiency increase by 100, 2x premium tokens Failure: None System tips: This quest is not hidden anymore. ***************** [Two quests completed, rewards are being issued.] [Piano Proficiency increase by 100, 3x normal gacha tokens, 4x premium tokens] After I settled down, the system rang out, informing me of my rewards. Today is a great day indeed. Leaving the rewards to one side first, I realized that my music proficiency had increased, albeit a little, and my piano proficiency has increased from 200 to 458. 100 points are from the rewards, so I gained an extra 158 points from playing on this stage? [A/N: Those with OCD, too bad. I refuse to round 458 up or down.] It seems that my decision wasn''t wrong after all. Playing a difficult piece in competition has indeed increased a lot more than just practicing every day. I really want to spin the rewards now, but my family is waiting outside. Deciding to do it later at night, I quickly put on my comfortable shorts and shirt and left the changing room after keeping everything in my bag. ***************** "Fuu-chan/Fuu-kun/Fuutarou-kun/Onii-chan!" Being called by four different names, I turn my head to face them. Two little girls arrived first, before Kaori and Shouko, and finally, our parents. But before the a.d.u.l.ts could say anything more, another voice could be heard. "Fuu-chan. Congratulations on your win." Haruma spoke, his smile never leaving his face. "Thanks, but stop it with the Fuu-chan. I don''t even know why you copy the a.d.u.l.ts..." I grumbled. I had no say over the a.d.u.l.ts, but even Haruma? Sigh... "Haha...Shouko-chan always follows you and goes ''Fuu-kun, Fuu-kun'', so to differentiate, I''m calling you Fuu-chan." Haruma replied, causing Shouko to blush a little. That made no sense at all! But I''m not going to argue. Sometimes talking to him can be frustrating. While the a.d.u.l.ts familiarise themselves with the new set of parents, the children talked for a while. It was already 5.30, and although it was slightly early for dinner, we still decided to go for dinner. I''m starving from playing the piano, how queer~. ***************** "You did well, Fuu-kun." Holding onto Shouko''s hand, Shouko whispered on the bus, "Congratulations." After dinner, all of us split up. While Kaori''s family went somewhere else, Haruma''s family left in the opposite direction, leaving our family. Raiha and Yuzuru woke up too early today, and now they were fast asleep in their respective mothers'' embrace. "Thanks." Squeezing her hand slightly, I reply back. However, just before I could do anything more, Shouko leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. It wasn''t the usual peck, but an actual long kiss. "Shou-" "Shh...Keep that as a...reward, alright? Besides," Shouko smiled bashfully, "if I want to keep my place beside you, I can''t just wait for a slow guy like you to take the initiative." Ouch...am I really that slow? Or are elementary school students this proactive nowadays? I don''t ever remember my elementary school days from my previous life to be this lively...wait, nevermind. I wasn''t exactly the most popular person in the class. Now, how should I reply to this... "I will never leave you." "I know." "Then-" "Cause I''ll make sure you fall for me so hard, you''ll not be able to survive without me." Her eyes were deadly serious, God, that sounded ominous yet sweet at the same time. I didn''t think I would be able to fall even harder for Shouko but hearing her words, I knew I was wrong. Why was this girl so adorable? "I''m looking forward to it, but I''ll also do my best to make you fall deeply in love with me~." "Mou...copying my words..." ***************** But you won''t be able to do that...since I had fallen too deeply for you already...Fuu-kun. Once I had gotten the taste of the gentle, warm, and fuzzy feeling whenever I''m with you, I don''t think I could ever live without that... Seeing Fuu-kun smile so gently at me, my heart skips a beat. Seeing Fuu-kun treat me so gently, my heart melted. Seeing Fuu-kun help me do all those little things, my heart had already entirely belonged to you. "Are you tired, Fuu-kun?" "Hm...mentally exhausted, I guess..." "Then go to sleep." "Huh? But-" "Go to sleep," I repeated, this time with a tone that gave him no chance to reject. "Fine." Not long after, I could hear his stable breathing. Looking at Fuu-kun''s sleeping face on my shoulder, a small smile crept up on my face. This handsome little boy attracts way too many women...I''m jealous, you know, Fuu-kun? But... I will not stop you from doing what you want. Your kindness has saved people, and that is why I won''t stop you from spreading your kindness. "Shou-chan...I...love...you..." Mumbling in his sleep, Fuu-kun looks adorable. I love you too. ***************** A/N: 5492 words without including A/N here. My all time highest word count record. I bet that the readers are enjoying this more and more while I''m procrastinating all my work to write this. Separating this chapter into three weeks would have been a good decision, but then again, since I have already wrote this down, I might as well post everything in one go. You''re welcome. Three questions: 1) You might notice that I tend to neglect the family interactions in this chapter, focusing mainly on Kaori and Shouko. Do you guys like it, or do you want to develop the family on the same level as the two girlfriends as well? 2) Do you want more fillers, or do you want to go to Kyoto after this? Cause I can still push out more content before Tokyo trip, which is the summer festival, though it would just be a slice-of-life chapter, and just spending time with family. 3) Nino is amazing in episode 7. That straightforward confession though...And who do you think was the fake Itsuki? For those who didn''t read the manga, obviously...but if you want to spoil it here, do so at your own pleasure. PS: Hensuki and 100 Kanojo are amazing works! PPS: Date A Live Season 4 is coming out soon!!! Woohoo! Chapter 38 - 38: Summer Festival Tonight was the second last day of the summer holidays. One week had already passed since my latest performance, and all I did during this week was laze around with Shouko or go out to play. Sounds pretty carefree, right? Yea. Elementary school life rocks. Another reason why I didn''t want to get promoted early. For some reason, Shouko seemed to be more...assertive in her actions. Just slightly, and it wouldn''t be evident if I wasn''t paying a lot of attention to her. Since it didn''t seem anything detrimental to her or me, I just let her do what she wanted. To be perfectly honest, I feel pretty happy that Shouko was trying her best to attract my attention. Not that she needed to since I do pay her a lot of attention, just above my dear little sister. But enough of my family matters. This year, the summer holidays lasted until the 31st of August, and the summer holidays could not be considered a summer holiday until we''ve experienced the festival! Thus, on this brightly lit night, my whole family had come together to explore the festival. Even Shouko''s mother and my father had come back from their work to celebrate with us, something I was grateful for. Call me old-fashioned or childish, but I think that festivals are something you go to with your loved ones. Parents would naturally accompany them for elementary students, but for high school students, it was the time for YOUTH! Of course, since I was not a high school student (in this world) yet, I decided to go with my whole family. Shouko didn''t mind it either and wanted to spend more time with her mother. Yukata are most popular during the summer months, where the unlined cotton fabric is most suited to combat the hot temperature. Thus, every one of us wore a yukata, even Raiha and Yuzuru. Shouko said that Yuzuru was cuter with a yukata, but let''s agree to disagree with that without being disagreeable. Anyway, my mother actually sewed Raiha''s and Yuzuru''s yukata by hand, making me feel a little surprised. I thought my mother would just laze around the house doing nothing with me doing the household chores and cooking in this house. I actually thought she was turning into a neet, but I guessed I was wrong. [A/N: A NEET is a person that is Not in Education, Employment, or Training. It doesn''t necessarily mean being a Kazuma.] "Brat, are you thinking something rude about me?" Turning towards the source of the voice, I found my mother''s eyebrow twitching and looking at me with a glint in her eyes. Wow, a woman''s intuition is scary. Thus, I did what any honest person would do in this situation. "Of course not. I was thinking about how pretty you are." I told the truth. "Ne, ne, onii-chan!" Looking down towards my waist, I saw Raiha bouncing around in her yukata, looking extremely adorable with that pink floral pattern on her white yukata. At the base of her ahoge was a small ribbon hairclip that I had gotten from the system. I had already used up all seven tokens, gaining me some good stuff. I have gotten the hairclip that I gave Raiha, an advanced summer festival games proficiency, advanced English Language proficiency, 1000 proficiency points, 1000 proficiency points, a packet of seeds, and an intermediate proficiency on skating. While I gave the first one away to Raiha immediately, and the second one was oddly specific, the next three were pretty good. Proficiency points were always welcome, and with the addition of advanced English proficiency, I could now combine Japanese, mathematics, social studies, science, and English to become academic proficiency since these five subjects were the core. Using 1,000 proficiency points, I directly combined them into master proficiency, saving me the effort to increase each of them one by one. I ignored the seeds since the system mentioned it was nothing special. I was a little disappointed, but I couldn''t get everything I want every time, right? As for the last one...interesting. "Yes?" "How do I look?" Raiha asked as she twirled on the spot, causing her yukata (and my heart) to flutter about. "Absolutely adorable!" Carrying Raiha up in the air, I sang my heartfelt praises as I spun around as well. "Hehe..." Raiha couldn''t stop giggling as she enjoyed ''flying'' in the air. "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s go now, shall we?" My father tapped my head lightly and suggested, interrupting my fun time with Raiha. It was regretful, but I agree with you, old man. This wasn''t the first time I went to a summer festival, but damn, was I excited. I think I''m slowly reverting back to a kid''s mentality, though I don''t feel too bad or anything. If anything, I would probably say that these past few years were probably some of the most enjoyable years of my life. "Alright." Upon reaching the festival, I saw the entire street flooded with street lights and numerous stalls. There were all sorts of stalls present, from the food stalls to the candy stalls to the game stalls. "Onii-chan! Let''s play!" Within this festive atmosphere, Raiha couldn''t endure it any further and jumped out of my mother''s arms. She went towards me and started pulling me along with her. "Onii-chan! Let''s play this!" Dragging me to a shooting stall, Raiha pointed towards the gun and excitedly said. Not letting down her expectations, I paid the vendor with my parents'' money, obviously, and gave the gun to Raiha. Due to her height, Raiha could not reach the counter at all. Thus, I carried her to the counter and let her sit on it, allowing her to have an easier time to aim. Pew! Yep. It wasn''t a ''Bang!'' but a ''Pew!'' since the bullets were real bullets, but rubber bullets. The recoil was also non-existent, making this game virtually risk-free unless Raiha somehow managed to aim the nuzzle at her own body. But with me around, I would never allow her to aim the nuzzle at herself. Pew! Pew! Having shot six times and missing all six times, Raiha seemed dissatisfied and wanted to try it again. Seeing her puppy eyes, I immediately gave in and paid the vendor again. The vendor smirked as he kept the money in his pocket, making me feel very annoyed. Let''s see how much more you would smirk once I personally step in and shoot everything down. Hehehehe... Needless to say, Raiha missed everything again. "Onii-chan...can you help me get that lion plushie?" She lightly pulled my sleeve and pointed towards a small, cute lion plushie. "No problem!" Replying confidently, I paid the smirking vendor once again and took aim. Raiha cheered for me at the side, and abusing the hell out of Advanced Summer Festival Games Proficiency, I shot all six bullets consecutively at my desired targets. Pew! x6 The lion plushie, along with the shark plushie, giraffe plushie, a cat plushie, and transformers toy box, dropped to the floor. I had to shoot the giraffe plushie twice since it was bigger than the other plushies, but I got all five with a mere five hundred yen in the end. How worth it~. "Thank you for the prizes, Ojii-san!" I bowed down and extended my hands towards him, enjoying that shocked facial expression on his, well, face. "O-Ok..." The man depressingly murmured as he went to give me my prize. "Wow! Onii-chan! You''re very good at this game!" Raiha happily cheered as she watched the man pick up the prizes on the floor. As much as he wanted to renege on the prize, his reputation was at stake here. If he had refused to give me his prizes, no one would be willing to spend money at his stall. "Congratulations, kid." The man had a forced smile on his face as he handed me my prize. Just as I was about to reply, we heard someone say, "Woah! That little boy managed to hit down five prizes in one go! This must be one of the stalls that don''t cheat! Let''s try this!" A woman dragged her boyfriend (presumably) towards this stall, and following the man was another two girls. Wow...I still can''t get used to this harem world. All four of them didn''t particularly stand out in any way, but they seemed to be pretty happy together. This would be my future, huh? [A/N: Not really. Your harem would be much, much bigger.] When I turned my head back to the stall owner, I realized he now had a much brighter smile. "Thank you for your participation, kid! Here''s an extra present for being able to shoot down five prizes!" The man repeated his words, now much, much friendlier than before. He even emphasized ''an extra present'' loudly, as if to attract more popularity. And sure enough, more people managed to see what was going on and decided to come to this stall. As for how much this matter escalated, I didn''t know. Since I had already grabbed my six prizes and Raiha, we got out of the crowd. This man actually managed to turn this into a profitable business using my win...wow. Businessman 101. If he hadn''t paid me for this, aka given me an extra prize for my ''hard work'', I would have purposely done something to ensure that he won''t be able to utilize my win to earn back all the money he lost. For example, telling the ''truth'' to the participants that I was actually collaborating with him to put on a show so that they would all be scammed to playing at his stall. Yes. I was that petty. But since I had gotten what I wanted and more, I decided to leave it. "There you go, Raiha-chan~." Handing her the lion plushie and shark plushie, I said. "Thank you, Onii-chan!" Raiha hugged my waist before receiving the two plushies, "I''m going to give Yuzuru one as well!" "Give me one what?" Yuzuru''s voice suddenly appeared behind us, giving us a small fright. "Wow, you actually managed to get so many plushies, huh? How much did you spend?" Carrying Yuzuru, Yaeko (Shouko''s mother) asked, "Be careful not to spend too much, alright?" "Don''t worry too much about it, Yaeko-san. I only spent 1500 yen on the stall." I said. My father had a big grin on his face as he started slapping my back once more, "Haha! Good job! As expected of my son!" What does being your son have anything to do with me being good at the summer festival games?! You make no sense whatsoever! And your slapping hurts! "Hey, old man! Stop slapping my back!" "There there...no need to get so upset." My father stopped slapping my back, much to my relief, but his next actions made me sweatdropped. He started patting me on my head instead... This old man...at least it''s better than slapping my back... "So, let''s go get more plushies, then we''ll have some food." My father helped put all the other plushies back into a plastic back before helping me hold on to them. And so, we went around the festival visiting each stall. We scooped some goldfishes, and by some, I meant a whole two buskets worth of goldfishes with only 300 yen spent. The stall owner had to beg me to not come ever again... I couldn''t possibly raise so many goldfishes at once, and since I also felt slightly bad for him, I returned most of the goldfish I had gotten, leaving us with only 5 goldfishes, enough for each child to raise one. The stall owner also decided to take my photo with my parents'' permission, of course, for unknown purposes. Hopefully, he wouldn''t do anything with the photo. Following on, we also went around to play a whole lot of games, yoyo fishing, ring throwing, and another shooting stall since Yuzuru wanted a hair clip. There were also stalls where we could feel the tradition of Japan, such as Amezaiku (traditional Japanese candy fashioned in animal forms), Kumanote (bamboo rakes), Daruma (Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma), and Hagoita (traditional Japanese battledore). We tried all of them except the last one. I had never liked dolls much to begin with, and the battledore looked too creepy for my tastes. Urgh... And of course, once we had our feel of the games, we moved on to the actual food. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake made of cabbage, pork, and cheese topped with a savory and sweet sauce and some mayo. Yakisoba is stir-fried noodles seasoned with a sweet and savory sauce almost the same as the one used for Okonomiyaki sauce. Ikayaki is grilled squid on a stick. The Japanese love to eat nicely chewy grilled squid with beer, though the children didn''t drink the beer. The a.d.u.l.ts liked this particular dish since beer matched really well with Ikayaki, apparently. As its name suggests, choco-banana is a banana on a stick is dipped in chocolate. There is no way it isn''t good, and it is easy to eat too. Like, seriously easy to eat. All I had to do was slide it straight into my mouth, swallowing the whole thing in one bite. The choco-banana size wasn''t too big since they used the smaller banana, but it was still delicious and filling. Ringo-ame is an apple coated with crunchy sugar candy or toffee. Wataame is cotton candy. They did have huge cotton candy in a colorful bag, but we chose to get some fresh cotton candy rather than those packed beforehand. A must-try festival drink is the ramune, a sweet and refreshing soda. This is very popular in Japan, but I don''t usually drink it at normal times. Now that there we are at a festival, we, of course, had to drink it! The drink itself isn''t the most special thing in the world; it''s the bottle (packaging) that makes it unique to other sodas sold. Finally, Kakigori, or shaved ice, is very refreshing during a sweltering hot summer festival. There are usually many flavors like strawberry, lemon, melon, and so on. Kakigori is an excellent dessert since the weather now is humid and hot, allowing us all to cool our bodies down. "It''s almost time for the fireworks, huh?" My father commented as he ate his Kakigori while checking the time. "Yeah. Let''s find a good spot to watch the show." My mother agreed with him, holding onto Raiha''s hands tightly so as to not lose her. Soon, we found a relatively deserted spot. It still had plenty of people but compared to the main street just now, it was comparably more deserted. There wasn''t too much light either, allowing us a better night view of the sky. Wearing a white yukata with grass and flower patterns, wrapped around by the waist with a yellow sash, Shouko''s hair was tied up in a particular way that looked like a mixture of a bun and a ponytail, with three flower hairclips securing it. [Picture here--> danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2867259] "You''re beautiful," I mutter, but Shouko must have managed to hear me since I could see her face turning red. Standing just behind our parents and in their shadows, we, as twelve-year-old kids, were hidden. "Thank you..." My hand clasped her''s tight, our fingers intertwined, as if I never wanted to let her go. Shouko returned my gesture and slowly inched closer to me. "Fuu-kun..." "Hmm?" "I love my life." I became a little stunned by her sudden declaration. Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "Why the sudden comment?" "I was just thinking about the times before I met you. If I hadn''t met you, I wonder how much my life would have differed from now. My mother would still be distant, my sister would probably not be the cheerful girl she is now, and I would probably still be bullied... After grandma''s death, if you weren''t there, I don''t know what my family would have done... With your simple act of kindness of befriending me, not only have you saved my life, but you have also saved my entire family''s life, singlehandedly changing the direction my family was going." "Hey, hey...stop thinking about all that, all right?" I interrupted her before she could go on any further. After ensuring that she was fully focused on me, I continued, "That is all in the past already. No matter how bad or how much you suffered in the past, keep it in your heart, but don''t ever let it drag you down. Always remember one very important thing: I''ll always be beside you. Always." Shouko didn''t cry or anything like that. She just merely smiled at me. "Yeah, I know that." Without waiting for me to react, Shouko tipped-toed and planted her lips on mine. BANG! BANG! BANG! Simultaneously, loud explosions rang out in the air, and the massive, colorful fireworks could be seen. My eyes widened at her unexpected action, and before I could even react, she released me. "Shou...chan?" "Didn''t I tell you before?" Shouko cupped my cheeks with her hands and spoke, "I''ll make you fall for me so hard you wouldn''t be able to live without me." Her face was still very close to mine, and I could feel the heat of her breath on my skin. She spoke bravely, though her flaming red face could be easily seen, proving that she wasn''t as calm as she was showing on the surface. My first kiss on the lips in both lifetimes...was stolen by a little girl. "I hope you don''t regret your choice," I said, "because I''ll never let you go now." "I won''t." "Good." Men are insatiable creatures. Once they had felt, achieved, or done something amazing or sensational, they could never stop easily. It was one of the seven sins, Greed. It was an addiction. Like smoking, gambling, and even s.e.x. Her face didn''t go too far from mine, and thus, without warning, I leaned my head forward and pressed my lips against Shouko''s, now causing her to feel stunned. Shouko eventually learned how to enjoy her second kiss ever and closed her eyes. Kissing a twelve-year-old girl on the lips behind our parents, that feeling felt a bit wrong, yet slightly exhilarating. It made me seem like a lolicon, but then again, I''m now twelve, right? There should be no problem with kissing someone my age, right?! Well, I would not do it again anytime soon. Today was just a special day. 30th August 2011. The day I had my first kiss. ***************** School started not long after the festival. I think the a.d.u.l.ts might have seen what had happened behind their backs since they gave Shouko and me weird smiles whenever we sat together. Mostly my mother since my father had disappeared off to Hokkaido to do some business there while Yaeko went off to do her job as well. Raiha and Yuzuru didn''t seem to notice anything strange and just continued being our cute little sisters. They particularly enjoyed their respective plushies. I gave the cat plushie to Shouko while keeping the giraffe plushie for myself. AS for the transformers toy, I''m planning to give it to Haruma, and if he doesn''t want it...well, that''s a question for another day. One more interesting thing that I didn''t seem to notice until now was that my mother avoided extreme food and was a lot more mild-tempered. The latter observation scared me since volcanoes usually hold it in for a long time before exploding a lot more violently, right? So, I figured that my mother was the same as a volcano. Though, I had other suspicions since there was one more reason. There were significantly lesser sounds during the night from the first floor. "Hey, Okaa-san?" "Yes?" "Are you pregnant again?" Shouko immediately paused her food and stared at her, "Is it true, Okaa-san? You are pregnant?" My mother didn''t seem particularly surprised about my discovery and calmly put down her spoon. "Took you quite a while to figure it out." She stood up, and her shirt revealed a big bulge on her torso. It was much bigger than I expected. How on Earth did I not notice this before?! And how the hell is it so big?! "Oh, I''m pregnant with twins." As if reading my mind, my mother continued talking, "I went to the hospital with your father somewhere during late March." Hmm...that means...eight minus three... "So you''re five months pregnant?!" I exclaimed with shock while Shouko went closer to my mother and started rubbing her tummy gently, "How the hell did I not notice?!" "Language!" My mother scolded me, and luckily, my two little sisters didn''t copy what I said. She continued with a slightly teasing smile directed towards Shouko, "And how would I know why you didn''t notice? Maybe you were too busy with Shouko?" "Okaa-san..." No, I think it''s just the author screwing around with the timeline now. I don''t believe that I wouldn''t be able to notice it earlier. Screw you, plot. But there was one thing that concerned me, though. "Okaa-san, is your body suitable for another round of childbirth?" No one apart from my mother knew what I was referring to. We didn''t tell any of them since I didn''t want to make Raiha think that she was the reason why my mother almost died, after all. "You still remember that, huh? Didn''t expect you to actually remember it..." "How could I not? If it wasn''t for that miracle..." I didn''t complete my sentence, but the atmosphere was not more solemn than before. "Don''t worry too much about me." My mother spoke gently, relieving the atmosphere slightly. "You''re my mother. If I don''t worry for you, who else would I worry about?" I snorted. "Haha, looks like you''re just a tsundere, after all. Normally, you would just snort back at my affections, but now..." No way that''s true. I never showed any tsundere tendencies, did I? I just don''t say it often, but I''m sure my actions convey my feelings...at least, I hope that I did... "Anyway, the doctor said I was perfectly healthy. I just have to pay closer attention to my health, less heaty or cool food, and more nutrient intake." "That''s good to hear." I still have three more senzu beams, but I''m going to give one of them to Kaori, leaving two left. If anything goes wrong, I still have some hope, but I would rather my mother not suffer at all. "Anyway, are the both of you supposed to be here at this time? I remember that both of you are leaving for Kyoto today, no?" Both Shouko and my eyes lit up, and we hurriedly ate the rest of my breakfast. "Yep! Thanks for the food!" Taking our school bags, Shouko and I rushed out, "Don''t forget to take care of your health!" "Hai, hai!" I could hear my mother sigh a little, "Take care of Shou-chan, you hear me? If anything happens to her during the trip, I''ll smack your butt!" Woman! Worry more about your son instead of your future daughter-in-law! Who said mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law couldn''t get along with each other?! This here is a prime example...but... "You don''t need to remind me about that." "Good." ***************** Upon reaching school, I realized that everybody was excited about the trip. "Yo, Fuu-chan! I see that you''re excited as well." I don''t even need to see who said that since only one person in this school calls me by that name. "Haruma, how many times must I say it? Stop calling me Fuu-chan!!" "Okay, Fuu-chan. I''ll stop calling you Fuu-chan, alright, Fuu-chan?" This guy... "Well, so who are you going to explore the place with?" Haruma casually asked. "Huh? Aren''t we in the same group?" "Nope. I went to another group since I thought you and Shouko-san might not want the third-wheel to be with you guys." He said, causing Shouko to blush slightly. What a good wingman...if only we were in high school, Haruma would be a great wingman! But why on Earth would I need a wingman in elementary school?! "Urgh...then I''ll probably just explore with Shou-chan then. Since you decided to let us be alone, I''ll just take the chance then. What about Kaori-chan, though?" "Oh, our classes will be separated. So I don''t think you''ll get the chance to see Kaori-san. Though, I don''t think I even saw her today..." Haruma frowned a little while trying to remember. "You don''t have to think too much about it. She''s probably running late." "Hm...I suppose so." Just as this time, the door was slammed open, and my teacher went inside with a frown on her face. "Quieten down!" Not daring to refuse her orders, the entire class immediately became silent, awaiting her next instructions. "Now, I know that you''re all excited about the school trip today, but something came up. When the principal was booking the train tickets, he realized that he had accidentally booked the following day''s ticket instead for the return trip. So..." "Does that mean we get to stay in Kyoto for a bit longer?" "Sigh...yes. But! But!" The teacher hurriedly continued her words before the class could erupt in cheers, "But you have to ask your parents for their permission. I know that some parents wouldn''t send you overnight, so don''t get your hopes up to high." At her words, the class''s excitement died down slightly, though the majority of them knew that their parents would probably let them go. "Everybody, gather outside the staffroom and one by one, according to your index number, follow me inside to call your parents in case they want to speak to you." The class did as they were told, not willing to dawdle about. The faster they got this done, the faster they would be able to go on their trip. It didn''t take long since most parents either gave a direct yes or no, the majority leaning towards the former. There were a few pretty hesitant parents, but the school allowed them to follow their child on this trip, causing them to give in. As for my mother? She not only allowed me and Shouko to go on the trip, she even told the teacher to warn me to take care of Shouko over there, only giving me one line of encouragement to have fun. What a great parent. Now that it was all settled, the trip was pushed back to an hour later to allow us to have some time to pack. Afterward, it was time for the school trip! We got on the bus for fifteen minutes before eventually alighting at our destination. Matsuyama was pretty far away from Kyoto, and since most of us had never gone outside our province before, this trip naturally made us all excited, including me. Even by bullet train, this trip would take four hours and fifty-two minutes. Thus, I ensured that we wouldn''t get bored by bringing some entertainment like cards. All of us couldn''t wait anymore. Our train was scheduled to leave at 10.08 am, and it was already 9.55am. "Alright, children! Let''s get on the train. Be sure to carry your bags at all times!" Our teacher called us as she ushered us to the train. I''m looking forward to this trip, though I have a feeling that I''m forgetting something...I wonder what I am forgetting... Well, until then, I''ll make sure to enjoy this school trip and make plenty of happy memories. ***************** A/N: 1) Since I couldn''t decide on filler or straight to the next arc, I decided to do the filler first before writing about the start of the school trip. I know some (most) of you will probably be pissed, but it is what it is. Muahahaha! By the way, childhood would be different from canon, so do expect more than just strolling together with the childhood friend. 2) And before some people would ask, Fuutarou had eidetic memory after dying, not before dying, so he won''t be able to remember every exact detail of his past life, much less what he read in his past life. 3) I just watched, ''I want to eat your pancreas''. Hmmm...I don''t know why I torture myself with all those sad and/or touching romance shows...Romance manga/anime is the best genre! Your lie in April, I want to eat your Pancreas, Your name, A silent voice, Fuuka, Gotoubun no Hanayome, we never learn, Nisekoi... 4) I''m actually thought of adding Weathering with you, but I don''t think it''s actually necessary. The main place of this story isn''t in Tokyo in the first place, and I do need sunshine to let this story progress. Plus, there''s no point, lol, Unless you want me to focus on the side story, which I don''t think any of you want. Fun fact: Did you know Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana from Your Name appears in Weathering with you as well? If you knew, then good for you. But if you''re like me and didn''t know, then you learn something new today. PS: Nino almost became my number 1 if not for Miku''s last action in Episode 8. The tsundere became a dere more than a tsun. PPS: I remembered saying to not expect long chapters, but I can''t seem to stop writing... Chapter 39 - 39: Kyoto School Trip (I) "Woah~." Various ''wows'' and ''amazing'' could be heard as we boarded the train. Although not first-class seats, we managed to get some decent seats. Thank god for that since I wouldn''t want to sit down for almost five hours on some damaged and uncomfortable chair. At first glance, it was clean everywhere. There wasn''t any rubbish nor dust on the seats or on the floor. The seats were blue in color and had a white cloth covering the back of the seat, adding to the exquisiteness of the simple yet elegant seats. Hmm...that''s too much description for a train. Anyway, the seats were placed in pairs. So without any question, after putting our bags above our seats, I sat next to Shouko and relaxed. Ah~~it''s comfortable. Bullet trains provide much better quality services than regular trains, though the price was also much higher. Fortunately, the school provided the expenses, so I didn''t really worry too much about it and focused more on the trip instead. When I sat down next to Shouko, I could see that some girls were a bit saddened while Shouko had a small smile. Smug little Shouko is cute little Shouko. But knowing that we were a couple, the other girls eventually sighed and went back to their respective seats. Though, that didn''t mean they stopped planning how to get me. Hmm...I feel a little narcissistic... "Alright, class. Please take note of our surroundings when we reach our destination. Be careful not to run off too far from our inn, and try not to attract too much trouble, alright?" The female class representative, Takebayashi, spoke. Takebayashi has black shoulder-length hair with a pin holding up her hair on the left side of her head and bangs swept to the left side. She currently wore a plaid shirt with rolled-up sleeves and long pants for this trip. As a girl, she was cute in her own right. But with the number of beauties I have seen in this world already, she was just one more in my life. She was popular in class, her personality was easy to get along with, and she was helpful, kind, and caring to everyone. She was always upbeat and wanted to have fun, despite being the one to keep everyone in check. She also wants to include everyone in activities and never ostracised or disdained anyone, which only made her popularity rise. But just because Haruma and I were handsome, her popularity couldn''t compare to ours. I''m sorry, but this is a sad world to live in... And yes, I wasn''t the class representative. As popular as Haruma and I were, we rejected the position since it was too troublesome. It wasn''t like being the class representative would allow us any benefits anyway. If anything, it would just cut down when I have to practice from the responsibilities of being the class representative. Thus, the male representative went to the only other boy in class, Sanada. Sanada was a young boy with curly black hair and wore a big pair of glasses covering his eyes. Although he was a boy like us, he never received much attention from anyone, preferring to keep a low profile. Sanada had a quiet personality. Somewhat similar to me, he was focused on studying. His dedication to studying even exceeds mine, seeing that he took out his math homework to do. Wow... And because he was quiet and reserved, most of the class representatives'' tasks fell upon Takebayashi instead, needing her to do more work. Well, she didn''t seem to mind it, so we didn''t bother her too much either. After speaking about a few more important things to note, the train soon started moving when the clock hit precisely 10.08 am. Being children and kids, we were still relatively curious about something new. We were forced to sit down on our seats for the entire trip unless we needed to stand up to go to the toilet. But that didn''t stop our heads from turning towards the window, trying to look at the outside scenery. As the train started moving, the surroundings slowly shifted faster and faster. We could only see buildings and temples until ten minutes later, where all we could see was a blur of the green forests on one side and a striking blue ocean that reflected the sunlight. Of course, being on a bullet train, we could barely see anything outside the window from the speed we''re traveling at. Thus, our excitement died down pretty quickly once we realized that we couldn''t actually see anything clearly. But meh~. We didn''t actually bother with the scenery too much. We aren''t old people who just liked to enjoy the ''tranquility of peacefulness'' or anything like that. Even me, who was reborn, felt bored just looking at the scenery, not to mention some twelve-year-old hyperactive kids. Thus, before even half an hour had passed, all of our entertainment was out on a table. We were in our respective cliques to play our own games. Me, being me, refused to sit down for the entire journey and decided to walk towards each clique and played with them for some time. Being popular helps a lot with making friends, something that I''m thankful for. The girls naturally didn''t mind me joining them to play some cards or just gossiping around, and since Shouko followed me around, we didn''t get too bored throughout the trip. "Fuutarou, did you bring anything else apart from what was needed in the packing list?" Takebayashi casually asked as she sat down next to Sanada. Sanada''s head didn''t even rise from his homework as he continued writing some model graphs. "Hm...a camera? My father''s a photographer, so although I don''t really show it, I do enjoy a little bit of photography every now and then." Taking out the camera from my bag, I slung the strap over my neck and let it hang on my chest. Even Sanada raised his head to look in my direction to admire my camera. "Fuutarou-kun, how do I solve this question?" Or maybe not. Sigh, this guy really needs to go around and socialize more... "Are you not ever going to take a break?" "How do I solve this question?" Sanada just repeated his question politely, not replying to my question at all. "Well, it''s your loss. Firstly, you have to start by calculating the number of apples..." Sanada and Takebayashi was the final duo that I was hanging out with, though it turned into a mini-tutoring session in the end. "The train will be arriving at the next station, Kyoto, in ten minutes. Please get ready to alight the train and do not forget to check that you have brought all your belongings with you. Repeating: The train will be arriving at the next station, Kyoto, in ten minutes. Please get ready to alight the train, and do not forget to check that you have brought all your belongings with you." Just as Sanada wanted to ask another question, the announcement arrived, and I stopped there. "Alright, Sanada-kun, let''s stop here. It''s time to enjoy our trip." "Yeah, Sanada. Stop asking so many questions already..." Takebayashi also spoke while glaring at Sanada as though blaming him for something. Deciding not to get in the middle of the quarrel, I quickly got ready to take our bags down. After exactly four hours and fifty-two minutes of ride on the train, at last, we have arrived at our destination. Kyoto. Finally, I was already quickly getting bored of the bullet train. Despite the various excellent opinions on the bullet train, to me, the bullet train is just another train, albeit way faster than a regular train. I never used to have a problem sitting down for ten hours straight - it was part of an office job, anyway. But after reincarnating into a child''s body, my inner hyper-activeness just refuses to let me sit still anywhere for more than two hours straight except in front of a piano. Not that I mind, honestly. It''s way better than being a middle-aged man with a not-so-healthy body and a very unhealthy lifestyle. Unsurprisingly, there was quite a bit of tourist alighting at this station. Although it wasn''t the busiest tourist season yet in Japan, Kyoto is its cultural and historical heart. It''s the best place in Japan to experience traditional temples, gardens, shrines, geisha, restaurants, shops, and festivals. In short, Kyoto is the most rewarding destination in all of Japan, and it should be at the top of any Japan travel itinerary. But enough of the tourists. Our teacher-in-charge was very careful not to let us get lost amid the crowd. She wasn''t too worried about the girls; it was the boys that she was concerned about. Like someone once said, the higher the rarity, the more it was chased after. Girls made up most of the population, so naturally, kidnapping young boys in these times was a much more profitable business. You never know. Those onee-sans, Ojou-samas, and some shotacons would pay a considerable sum of money to get some young boys. What a dangerous world to live in~. Though I appreciate the teacher''s effort, I don''t think I would be easily kidnapped as long as I don''t let my guard down. I am a master at Taekwondo, after all. Plus, hitting people''s balls is no big deal for me. The teacher should pay more attention to Sanada instead. He would just disappear quietly without any fuss if he actually got kidnapped. Kyoto was massive, so we were obviously not able to explore the entirety of it within two days. Thus, we decided to narrow the tour to one area only, where it was easy to stay - the Kyoto station area. There were plenty of teachers accompanying us, along with some insecure parents, so we had no qualms about moving about in our own small little groups. We didn''t require any other transport, so I was surrounded without a delay while pushing each other the moment we got off the train. "Fuutarou-kun, please let us have a tour together!" A female classmate said. "No fair! We invited him first!" Another female classmate rang out. "What are you guys saying? It was already decided that Fuutarou-kun will be touring with us!" Ummm...I don''t think I said anything about that, though? Besides, I was pretty sure that I rejected all of your offers before... Elementary school students these days are getting more and more shameless. Tsk, tsk... "Jiiiii~" I could feel a stare on my back. I turned around and saw Shouko staring at me without saying anything. Smiling, I patted Shouko''s head. "Don''t worry. I already decided that you''re coming with me." Shouko just nodded her head and held my hand. "Ano...Fuutarou...can Sanada and I join you?" Takebayashi asked while fidgeting on the spot. "Our classmates are calling you to join them." I pointed at several groups who were calling out for her, "You don''t have to join us. Go and enjoy yourself." Although I didn''t specifically say anything about rejecting, Takebayashi could infer from my words that I didn''t want her following me. "I see..." Takebayashi seemed a bit downcasted at my words and slumped her shoulders, "Then I''ll not interrupt your trip any further..." "Jiiii~." "Yes, Shou-chan?" "You shouldn''t have rejected their company." As expected of Shouko. She''s as kind as always. But... "Maybe. Takebayashi is nice and all, but if she were to follow us, we wouldn''t be able to go to more places." "But..." "Anyway, it''ll just be the two of us. You want to walk around as well, right?" "Yes." Shouko nodded her head, though she sometimes still turned towards Takebayashi. Sigh, you can be more selfish, you know, Shouko? Seeing a little girl so sad pricked my conscience a little, but I honestly didn''t plan to spend more time than needed with the strict class representative. Anyway, once we settled with the groupings and stuff, we were told that we could wander around the place as long as we got back to the hotel by 8pm. A little early, but I guess security has always been a pain. Now that we were free to go, I took Shouko''s hand and left the area before any a.d.u.l.t could accompany us. We strolled around as we took pictures of everything we found interesting. We''ve been diverted by the attractiveness of the places around here. Knowing that I brought my camera here, I was glad. It would be a shame if I missed out on these sights. Kyoto was indeed a beautiful place, and just as they described, her beauty was no joke. It was almost 4pm, and we had walked for nearly an hour. Thus, after walking around and taking pictures here and there, we decided to sit at a random flight of stairs to take a rest. This flight of stairs directly led to a shopping mall entrance, but since we had shopping malls in our own district, we didn''t prioritize going in. Since we were just resting without anything to do, my hands automatically reached out to the camera. Placing my eyes on the eyehole, I moved the camera around, scanning for some potential shots. I wasn''t actually planning to take any photos here and was about to place my camera down after realizing that they weren''t many exotic shots here when a voice rang out. "Hey, you there!" Hearing the voice, Shouko and I instinctively turned our heads where the voice came from, only to find a pink-haired woman. She wore a white dress with purple frills at the edge of the sleeves, collar, and down the middle of her chest. On her head was some sort of thin hat with similar patterns with her clothes and a small teddy bear as a hair clip on her left side. "Me?" I questioned her with a puzzled look. "Yes! You took a picture of me just now, didn''t you?" The woman accused me. "Huh? What do you want, lady?" I was genuinely concerned about her mental health and couldn''t help but retort, "Was there any reason for me to take a picture of you at all? I don''t find you interesting or physically attractive at all..." To put it nicely, she was chubby. And to put it bluntly, she was fat. I mean, I have no qualms about fat people, but she still had such a big ego even with her figure and plain face. She wasn''t particularly ugly or anything; it was more of her attitude that annoyed me. "Besides, I have a cute Shou-chan beside me if I ever want to take a picture of a person. Why would I ever choose you for my model?" As soon as I said that, she burst into anger with a humiliated face and screamed, "Help! The boy took a sneak photo. Someone took my photo without my consent!" We just watched her with an incredulous face. How could anyone be this shameless? However, we didn''t stop her and just continued looking at her as she screamed like an idiot. There wasn''t a need for me to get nervous when I myself know that I had done nothing wrong. Plus, I have a witness by my side. It seems that her mindless screaming had attracted the attention of two policewomen. Hearing the woman screaming, they approached us and asked, "What is the matter?" One of them was an old woman, while the other seemed to be newer to her job. The younger one tilted her cap slightly, causing some shadows to cover her eyes. Honestly, she looked pretty intimidating. But since I had seen scarier female yakuza before, it didn''t really scare me that much. Before I could even speak to explain the circ.u.mstance, the woman spoke up first. "This kid fell for my beauty! He took sneak pictures of me! Arrest him! Arrest him!" Wow. Talk about shamelessness and narcissism. She brings these two concepts to a whole new level. "There, there, calm down.." The younger policewoman tried calming her down. They set their eyes on me with doubt obvious in their eyes as they saw me remaining calm even after someone accused me of sneaking photos. They also noted Shouko, who was with me and compared them to the woman. They could already piece the various clues together to form a conclusion, but they still had to be professionals. "I''m sorry to ask this, but are you sure what you said just now was true?" "HUH? Of course, I am! Don''t you think you can get away easily because you are a little good-looking!" The woman continued her accusation. "Ooohh! Thanks for the compliment." I thanked her for her compliment as I smiled widely to mock her, which made her angrier. "Y-you brat! Hey policewomen! Would you do your job properly? Arrest him! Arrest him right now!" The woman was practically screaming right now, attracting the attention of all the passersby. They wondered what happened, and after finding out about the incident from some professional gossipers, they looked at her with scorn and disdain. "Now, now. Please calm down." The policewoman tried calming her down again. I swear I could hear his thoughts about wanting to retire already. What an obstinate fa-obese woman. I have no choice then; I decided to just show them my camera to prove my innocence. "Fine, fine, I understand (not). Just check my camera to prove my innocence." As soon as I said that, a visible surprised expression emerged from everyone around me. "What?" "Nothing, you do realise that we can prove your innocence, right?" Shouko looked at me weirdly. But before I could reply, the woman interrupted me once again. "Hah, she''s your companion. Obviously, she''s going to favor you over me!" She huffed angrily. Now even the usually kind-hearted Shouko was getting angry. She was going to retort back when another person interrupted. "He''s innocent. I saw what happened," The voice rang out. Man, what is up with people interrupting others nowadays? We''ve been disturbed by someone''s voice which came out of the blue, claiming that I was innocent. "I know because I saw it myself. And I''m a random stranger, so I won''t favor him, right?" I looked back and saw a cute girl with pinkish gradating to white-colored hair. She wore a white, sleeveless one-piece dress with a purple ribbon tied around her waist. [Picture here-->] "And who are you?" ***************** A/N: Yahoo~. Nothing much to say this week, lol...Ichika''s disguise as Miku was low, though...Ichika is way too shy, but her eyes at the end were scary... [Picture here-->] It''s shorter than usual at 3k words only...WAIT! Who the hell said this was short?! This isn''t short at all! I''ve gotten so used to writing 4k words and 5k words chapter that I had forgotten that my original length was only 1k words per chapter!! The next few chapters'' title would be Kyoto School Trip (number), but there would be an alternate title at the end so as to not spoil those who might want to skip this part, though I don''t think anyone would. Meh~. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Those who were looking forward to the Nakano appearance, there you go. Guess who? It won''t be the same as the original though~. Check out two of my new fanfics: 1) Once a Butler, Always a Butler 2) The Arrival of the Star Spirit Race These two would just be side-projects for when I''m bored. I will only be uploading that if I feel like it. So don''t worry, this fanfic would not be interrupted. For more details, go and read the synopsis and the first chapter. I hope all of you would enjoy the two fanfics! Chapter 40 - 40: Kyoto School Trip (II) "Who are you?" I am sure that I have never seen her before, so why was she helping me, a stranger, out of nowhere? Ahh...I know why now. It''s the plot. Although I asked her the question, the mysterious girl just continued smiling, and, dodging my question, she explained what really happened regarding the accusations. However, her statement still wasn''t enough to prove my innocence because the woman continued accusing her of being an accomplice as well. Having enough of this stupid little farce, I just showed my camera to undo their doubts and ended this silly mess. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Kyoto for free! But now, because of one (stupidly annoying) woman, minutes were wasted to deal with her when we could have continued touring Kyoto instead. The woman who accused me just departed without saying anything. Still, an irritated, along with an embarrassed expression manifested on her face after I exposed my camera''s content, which only showed different attractions together with Shouko and me. The policewomen didn''t leave after questioning why three children were by themselves in the middle of Kyoto''s busy streets. Only after spending another five minutes trying to convince them that I was out on a school trip did they leave us alone. "Hello, my name is Nishimiya Shouko. Pleased to meet you." Shouko just gently smiled as she introduced herself. "Even though it turned out to be useless, thank you very much for helping a stranger like me. My name is Uesugi Fuutarou, pleased to meet you." I cheerfully introduced myself as I extended his hand to offer a handshake. The girl''s pinkish-white hair had successfully gotten my attention. Although this was an anime world, I realised that only important people had different coloured hair, like me with white hair, Kaori with blond hair, and Shouko with dusky, smoky pink hair. Most of the other people I had seen all had dark-coloured hair like black or dark blue hair. Hell, even Raku had bluish-black hair. Thus, anyone with brightly coloured hair would inevitably cause me to be more interested in them. The girl got slightly fl.u.s.tered as she saw my cheerful cute face. "N...n...nice to meet you, m...my name is N-Nakano M-Miku." She stuttered as she introduced herself nervously. Her confidence seemed to have disappeared when facing against the policewomen, and she had become a stuttering mess instead. She extended her own hand as she shook my hand but averted her eyes as she blushed slightly, but I didn''t notice it as I continued smiling while thinking about how to repay her actions. Although she technically didn''t help me that much, the fact that she took the initiative to help me, unlike those bystanders who were just there to watch the show, was worthy for me to repay her a small favour. As long as it doesn''t require money, of course. My family isn''t rich enough to help others. Yet. Shouko noticed Miku''s slight blush, though, and her excitement dampened a little. ''Another rival!'' "By the way, are you in the middle of a tour too?" I asked her. "Um...um...well, something like that. It''s just...I''ve got myself separated from my sisters." Miku scratches her cheeks embarrassedly. "So you are lost?" Shouko asked. Miku didn''t reply, though she didn''t look at us in the eyes with discernible guilt on her face. "Seriously..." Hmm...usually, I would have just walked away after sending her to the policewoman, but since I owe her a small favour, let''s help her get back to her sister by ourselves. Maybe I can get to know her even better. My feelings are ringing more than ever now, and my mind is still uncomfortable from the fact that I don''t know what I''m missing. ***************** Now that we are done with the troubles, and all rested up, it was time to continue exploring Kyoto. Although the Kyoto Station Area doesn''t consist of a vast area, it still contained plenty of attractions for us to visit, especially with the number of temples present. Higashi-Honganji Temple. Japanese temples don''t come much grander than Higashi-Honganji. It was one of the best sights near Kyoto Station. Five minutes of walking from the station and we could get there, though we took ten minutes since we went around it initially. Everything about this temple is on a vast scale, starting with the main gate and continuing to the main hall (the Goei-do Hall), one of the world''s largest wooden buildings. The best part about this temple, and temples in general, was that we could enter the mains halls for free! So we did just that. While the altars and Buddha images are usually hidden behind enormous sliding doors, we were greeted by the halls'' spectacular sight. Gold leaf abounds, and we could sit quietly on the floor and soak up the atmosphere for as long as we wanted to. I could go on and on about the temple''s history, but I guess the readers wouldn''t appreciate the extra word count, so I won''t talk much about it. Initially built in 1604, the Higashi Honganji temple buildings were destroyed four times by fire, the most recent conflagration being in 1864 during a time of political and civil turmoil. Most of the current buildings were rebuilt in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Currently, we weren''t actually in the original building, which was a shame as I was looking forward to visiting the older places. But I guess they managed to compensate for that by introducing a lot more than what the original temple should offer. Apart from the usual things that temples could offer, various exhibits were placed around the temple, allowing us to better visualise the temple''s history rather than just from texts. On the north side of the temple is the Sanpai Setto-sho, or reception hall, which connects with a gallery and audiovisual hall. The gallery holds regular exhibitions on Buddhist-related themes. The gallery and audiovisual hall are housed in a futuristic building which, though mostly underground, is cleverly lit with natural light. Pretty un-temple-like, huh? But Shouko and Miku seemed to enjoy the temple atmosphere. Since Shouko and Miku preferred a temple''s peacefulness to the bustling streets, we decided to stay here for a while to relax. "Uesugi-san? What are you doing?" Miku''s voice rang out, and I immediately stopped whatever I was doing. "Um...I was taking a photo?" "Yes, I can see that. But why are you climbing the wall of the temple?" "Because I need to get a better view?" "..." "..." Seeing both Shouko and Miku stare at me expressionlessly, I sighed and climbed back down. It seems like I''ll not be taking some awesome pictures today... After the small break at the temple, we decided to go to another temple. Nishi-Honganji Temple is a large temple compound located northwest of Kyoto Station with many beautiful buildings of historical and architectural significance. It is one of two head temples of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism in Kyoto. These temples are called Honganji and are distinguished by their location: Nishi Honganji being the western temple, and Higashi Honganji being the eastern temple. Since we were in the eastern temple just before, we decided to head west now. Jodo Shinshu is the most mainstream and common form of Buddhism in Japan, so a visit to either temple will give you great insight into contemporary Japanese religious belief. Going to both temples is pretty redundant since they were very similar to one another in terms of decoration and statues. Thus, we did what anyone else would do and left immediately after taking a picture of us together at the front door. Having enough of the temples, we decided to go to the Toji Temple instead. Unlike the previous two temples that were located near the Kyoto Station area, Toji Temple was found in the suburban sprawl of southern Kyoto. Toji temple, meaning literally ''East Temple'', was founded at the beginning of the Heian Period, just after the capital was moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. Together with its now-defunct sister temple Saiji (''West Temple''), the enormous temple flanked the south entrance to the city and served as the capital''s guardian temples. Toji Temple is one of Kyoto''s many UNESCO world heritage sites. The Kondo Hall, one of Toji''s original structures, is the temple''s main hall and largest building. I couldn''t be surprised anymore after discovering that this building was burnt down in 1486 and reconstructed in the early Edo period. It seems to be a trend that all temples must be burnt down at least once during their history. Interesting. Too bad the girls didn''t care much about the history of the temples. Their first thought about the Toji temple was that the Pagoda-shaped tower looked nice. Across from the Kondo and Kodo stands Toji''s five-storied pagoda, initially erected by Kobo Daishi in 826. It stands 57 meters tall, making it the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, and has become a symbol of both the temple and Kyoto, as it can be seen from many places across the city. The pagoda''s ground floor is irregularly opened to the public and luckily for us, today was one of those days. In fact, we were allowed to go to the fifth floor today. How lucky~. The moment we entered the five-storied pagoda, we could see four smaller Buddha statues. Apart from that, there were more descriptions of the pagoda''s past. Not really wanting to read more about it, we decided to go straight up to the fifth floor, skipping the second to the fourth floor. Each floor was made exactly the same, only with different decorations and statues. The fifth floor was no different, but unlike the previous floors, we could get a fantastic view of the entire area. [A/N: This is actually from canon. But since I couldn''t find the exact building Fuutarou and Yotsuba (in canon) were exploring, I used the Toji temple''s five-storied pagoda as a substitute. They are both tall, in Kyoto, and provide a good view of the environment anyway.] ""Wow..."" Shouko and Miku muttered together as they saw the landscape of southern Kyoto. After hanging out with Miku, I realised that she was a lot like Shouko. They were both shy and relatively quiet, only exclaiming or shouting when necessary, though Shouko had become more outgoing over the years. As for Miku, although her voice was slightly softer, she was pretty curious about new things as well, judging from her behaviour for the past one hour. After one more hour, I realised that my camera was filled with too many pictures of Miku, Shouko, or the environment. My camera was loaded entirely with our pictures together with the beauty of Kyoto, leaving no more space for more photos. Although this camera was given to me by my father, the space available wasn''t too big since having ample space would cost a lot more, which is something that our family couldn''t afford to give a twelve-year-old kid who was going to use it only occasionally. But it wasn''t a bad thing either. At least, I could now know when to stop myself. The evening soon fell, but we haven''t yet had dinner. We decided to have dinner together since we haven''t found Miku''s parents or guardian yet. "Woah, lucky charms! Let''s buy some!" Walking past a shop that sold lucky charms, Miku suddenly exclaimed. Miku used all her money just to buy five pieces of lucky charms. We got confused about it, so we asked her why she bought five pieces of lucky charms. She only answered with a small smile, "This is to make me try five times harder. I''m going to become an example for the others." I didn''t know why she mentioned precisely five times, but I didn''t question it. Whether she was buying this for someone else or was genuinely planning to keep all five lucky charms, it was Miku''s business. "Others?" "Yes. My sisters." ''We understand how you feel.'' Shouko and I thought together as we thought about our own dear sisters, Raiha and Yuzuru, regarding sibling topics. Though we might not be very wealthy, we didn''t care. As long as we had a family that we could depend on, a family that accepts us for who we are, and a family who can cherish us, that was all that mattered. For these reasons, we decided to buy some lucky charms for our sisters -three pieces for our parents and two for our cute little sisters. After buying the lucky charms, we continued our way to find a diner. We were wandering around only to realise that we didn''t carry much money around us, and Miku had already spent all her money on the lucky charms. Hmm...now that''s a problem. Although money can''t buy you happiness, it sure can buy you some food. Sigh, whatever. Seeing that we were all hungry now, we just made do with some street stalls instead. Three soba noodles plus two drinks didn''t cost much. It wasn''t the best, but it wasn''t bad either. As we continued eating, it had gotten so late that our surroundings were now engulfed in darkness before we realised it, Thankfully, there were bright lights all around the place, making Kyoto much more beautiful during nighttime. As dusk fell, the sprawling metropolis of Kyoto transformed into a place of bright lights. Many observation decks in the towers and tall buildings provided a great vantage point for lovely night views. After the small dinner, we decided to visit a shrine to pray. We knew that it was already dark and probably time to actually start finding Miku''s guardian or parent, but being kids, I don''t think they actually wanted to. On the way to the shrine, Miku started to talk more about herself. It was a surprise, considering that she mostly avoided topics about herself earlier, only focusing on Kyoto''s sights and attractions. Like me, I found out that Miku''s family was poor as well, and her mother needed to work hard all by herself to support their family, and she felt hurt seeing her mother push herself like that. "Sometimes I wonder, if I wasn''t around, would my mother''s life be more comfortable?" Hearing her words, I frowned a little. How could an innocent kid say these types of things? What hardship must she have suffered to have such thoughts? "Nakano-san. You-" "Hey, Uesugi-san." She interrupted me and faced us while wearing a smile on her face, together with teary eyes. When we saw her, we were bewildered. As we looked at her with our eyes wide open, she continued talking. "Say Uesugi-san, no. Fuutarou-san," Although I was a bit surprised to hear her calling my first name, I didn''t bother about that and focused more on what Miku had to say. "Am I a burden? Would it be better if I''ve never existed?" ***************** Alternate title: Miku Nakano A/N: Not much action this chapter, mostly to set some ideas of Kyoto background and setting. If you plan to visit Kyoto, this is all taken from the official website, so all data would be accurate (probably). The next chapter would involve more character development, mainly for Miku and Shouko while they have a chat, so look forward to that next week. One problem with following the canon as closely as possible is that it limits what I can write. The piano and violin competition was purely from my imagination. Thus, it was easy to write 4k words per chapter. But this here is from canon, and I had already outlined this a long time ago, only adding and elaborating whatever I already wrote a few months back. So if you see shorter chapters...well, there''s nothing I can do. Plus, I don''t want to end the Kyoto arc too fast, so I''m already planned to separate the arc into a few chapters with 2-3k words each rather than 5k words in like 3 chapters. As you can probably tell, I tweaked the original Nakano''s personality to become more Miku-ish than Yotsuba, making her slightly more reserved. But during their childhood, it was inferred that the quintuplets had almost identical characters. So, I didn''t want to tweak it too much now. This way, I could show the contrast now and later when they meet again in high school. Chapter 41 - 41: Kyoto School Trip (III) "Say Fuutarou-san, am I a burden? Would it be better if I''ve never existed?" Miku said as she smiled with her tears flowing down from her eyes. Shouko, who saw this, decided to hug Miku at once without even hesitation. Shouko is a kind-hearted person; she can''t leave anyone crying without trying to do something. And most of all, she could relate to Miku''s circ.u.mstances. She herself didn''t have a father, and her mother had to work hard to support the other three females in the house. She knew what it felt like to be a useless person, unable to hear clearly until a year ago. "Nishi...miya-san?" Miku was startled. "Please call me Shouko, and I''ll call you Miku, all right? It''s okay, Miku-chan, feel free to cry, for I am here for you." "We are all here for you. We understand what you feel since we had all gone through similar circ.u.mstances." As much as I wanted to join their hug, I ultimately decided to just pat her head since it would be awkward for me to join their girls'' hug. "Feel free to cry your heart out. We''ll be here listening to your story." I told her with a downtrodden tone while gently caressing her head to make her feel better. After Miku heard our words and getting pampered by us, she burst into tears as she hugged us tightly. "*Sniff* Shouko-chan! Fuutarou-san! It was hard for me, you know?! *Sniff Sniff*" She cried out loud as she continued sniffing. "Yes, yes, we know." Shouko continued hugging her gently. Miku continued crying while hugging us, and it took us some time to make her stop. After a few minutes, she finally stopped crying and let us go. "Fuutarou-san...don''t you find it tough being poor?" "Eh? How did you ever know that? I''m sure that I never told you that before." Wow, this girl is scary... "Hehe...I just took a guess." Miku let out a tiny smile seeing my reaction, and continued, "Your actions were almost similar to my sisters and mine. We never bought extra things that would be a waste of money, we had to save every penny that we have, and you treat that ordinary old camera like it''s your most treasured possession. Am I wrong?" Now I''m terrified of this girl. I didn''t even know about those subconscious actions of mine, yet a girl I just met for the first time in my life noticed this? How closely was she observing me? "Well, you''re not wrong. So what did you mean by your question of finding it tough to be poor?" I let out a wry smile as I squatted against the railings of the shrine. "As I told you, my family''s the same way. My mom works hard all by herself to support our family. Being poor doesn''t bother me, but it hurts seeing my mom push herself like that." Miku said with a sad expression, her hand never letting go of Shouko''s. "Well, my family''s about the same. My father has to work everywhere but locally to support us. And if that''s not enough, my mother is pregnant with twins, so I guess my family''s getting poorer again." Placing my head back against my head, I rested against the railings, "Well, it would obviously be nice if my family were rich, but it''s not like I can do anything about it for now." "Yeah...but sometimes I think...that if I weren''t around, mom''s life would be easier." "Miku-chan, please don''t ever say that again." "But-" "No. You can say anything you want, but disregarding your parent''s feeling by stating that you''re not needed. That," I said while frowning, "Is not forgivable." As someone who had lived one and a half lives, I should know it the best. Although I had already forgotten most of the things in my past life, important things like my long-overdue-to-be-contacted family never vanished from my memory. But reminiscing and remaining in the past were two different things. I know that I could not turn back time to make things right, so I''ll do my best to live this life without regrets, only keeping the memories of my past as just that - my past. Miku went silent at my sudden aggressiveness. "I''m sorry if I hurt your feelings, but never think of yourself as an unneeded existence. I''m sure your mother would be very disappointed in you if she were to hear you say things like that. If I still can''t persuade you with that, then think of your family now - your sisters, grandpa, and soon-to-be father. Think about what I said." I offered Miku a seat on a bench near us to make her feel better and let her think about what I said instead of just standing. After that, I went to a vending machine and bought some drinks for them. I didn''t know what Miku liked, so I got her the traditional green tea and a warm chocolate-milk for Shouko. Feeling my pockets, it seems that I''m left with only 300 yen to spend. Hm...I think I''m in trouble. "T-Thank you, all of you are v-very kind." She accepted my drink and replied while wiping the tears off her face. "No problem. Are you feeling better now?" I asked with a gentle smile. "Mhmm. It''s thanks to you guys." She nodded her head as she took a sip of her green tea. "I told you right, you can depend on us anytime," Shouko proudly stated as she put up an expression while trying to be funny in an attempt to cheer Miku up. "Thanks." After that, we just stopped talking as we just gazed at the night sky. Looking up, the sky was clear without a single cloud present. The sky was a mixture of dark, midnight blue, and purple. The colors swirled around each other to make beautiful contrasting lights and darks of the night sky. The stars just decorated the night sky. It almost looked as if someone just took a handful of glitter and scattered it across the sky. The stars were sparkling and gorgeous, while the moon accented the night sky perfectly. It was three-quarters full, bright, and beautiful. We observed the beautiful night sky in silence together. Miku didn''t seem like she was going to talk, so I decided to break the silence. "You know, Miku-chan." ***************** "Hmmm?" Miku looked at Fuutarou curiously, waiting for him to continue. "All of us were born for a reason, but not all of us discover the reason. Success in life has nothing to do with what we gain in life or what we have accomplished for ourselves. Success in life is what we do for others." "Huh? What do you mean by that?" She tilted her head in confusion and asked. "Miku-chan, the reason why your mother can push herself like that was that she has a family that gives her the courage to step forward. And of course, you''re one of them, Miku-chan. You''re part of her family that gave her courage." "..." "That''s why don''t ever think about being a burden to your mother again. Never ever think that it''s better if you had never existed. If it weren''t for you, for your sisters, your mother wouldn''t have had the strength to live on. After all, her family is why she can do all the normally impossible things for her. That is how important you are to her." "Fuutarou-san..." Miku was about to cry again after hearing those words from him. It warmed her heart every time she listened to his voice. It was different from Shouko''s voice. While Shouko could calm her down, he could reassure her, making her feel as though she was safe from all outside influences, like nothing could ever harm her as long as he was there for her. For the first time, she was encountering a complicated feeling. But Fuutarou did not end with that as he grabbed Miku''s shoulders with both his hands and faced her with a severe expression. "Look, Miku-chan, you were born for a particular reason. Everything that exists had a purpose, and you just need to search for yours. I''m sure you would be able to find it. You can do it, Miku-chan." Fuutarou saw her thinking expression and continued, "For example, mine is to study a lot, get a lot smarter, make my own company that makes billions of dollars per year so that my family would have an easier life. And if you still don''t know what to do, you can follow mine first to make your mother''s life easier. This way, I''m sure you''ll become someone necessary, and you would be able to find the meaning to having been born." As soon as she heard those words, Miku awakened. At last, she found a reason to live and continue moving forwards. She feels so blessed to meet someone as kind as Fuutarou. Miku couldn''t think of anything to repay them for all the things they did for her. "Fuutarou-san, you..." "Ah. Of course, that''s my goal, and I would do anything to achieve it. You see, I have a little sister and upcoming twins as my younger siblings. My little sister just started elementary school, but...if I study like crazy and get crazy smart and make a crazy amount of money, I might be able to let my younger siblings live without any hardsh.i.p.s. I could become someone necessary. And if you''re wondering, I''m not going to lose to you. I vow that I''ll do everything that I can for the sake of my family. So what is your vow?" Fuutarou purposely challenged Miku to raise her spirits, and with this challenge, she gained a new direction in her life. "Mhmm, I won''t lose either! It''s a promise! Hehe!" Miku grinned and declared as well. They smiled at each other as they performed a pinky-promise cheerfully. "Haha, don''t come crying when you realize that I''m already one step ahead of you! I recently won a competition that gave me some money! I''m already taken the first step to achieving my dream! "Hey, I also want to be in this promise!" Shouko''s voice suddenly appeared, and Fuutarou could see her pouting. "Haha...sorry we left you out! Let''s all promise to do our best for our siblings!" Like this, the three pinkies intertwined with each other, creating a perfectly symmetrical image. "Now that our promise is made let''s wish for it." "Eh? But isn''t our promise based on hard work?" Miku puzzledly asked. "It might be so, but you can''t deny that sometimes God and luck helps as well. Otherwise, why would you buy the five lucky charms as well?" Fuutarou teased Miku as he pointed towards the five charms that were kept in her pockets. Miku just pouted at Fuutarou''s refute and remained silent. "I only have 300 yen left, so let''s split it between us three." "Eh? Don''t you need it to go back to wherever you need to go?" "Well, I don''t really want to leave you alone in this place in the middle of the night. And since the 300 yen wouldn''t be able to let all of us go home, we might as well ask something from God." "Do you think God is a merchant or something?" "Haha..." ''If you really knew God...'' The three of them bowed twice before clapping their hands twice. "I''ll pray that I''ll one day be an a.d.u.l.t who can put in a 10,000 yen bill." Miku clasped her hands together and prayed. Her prayer was relatively short, and she bowed deeply one more time once she was done praying. Turning to look at Fuutarou''s serious expression as he prayed, Miku couldn''t help but let out a small smile. ''Thank you, God, for allowing me to reincarnate into this world. Although I was very surprised, it was fun even until now, and I really enjoyed it. I pray for my family''s safety and happiness, and I hope it will last this peace will last forever.'' Fuutarou soon finished his prayer as well and bowed once more. "What did you wish for?" "You''re not supposed to say it out loud." Fuutarou retorted. After a moment of silence, they burst into laughter. Suddenly, a burst of bright light flashed in front of them, and Fuutarou and Shouko instinctively closed their eyes. Because Miku''s back was facing the light source, she wasn''t blinded. "Ah...!" "What wrong?" Fuutarou asked as his eyes slowly adapted to the new light intensity. The first thing he noticed was that there was an extra presence of an unknown man holding a flashlight that had arrived. Miku didn''t get a chance to reply before the unknown man opened his mouth and asked. "Miku-kun, what are you doing here?" ***************** Alternate Title: Heartfelt Talk A/N: Despite this being only 2.1k words, I feel like this chapter is a lot better than the previous chapter with 2.7k words. Quality is sometimes better than quantity. I changed to 3rd person perspective halfway through cause I felt awkward writing the second half using 1st person perspective... This is all part of Chapter 88 of the manga, and I had expanded a little from it. And congratulations! It''s a double update! You''re very, very welcome for the 4k words this week. Chapter 42 - 42: Kyoto School Trip (IV) "Miku-kun, what are you doing here?" The man sounded, causing Miku to jump a little from the fright. "Maruo-san? Did mom ask you to find us?" "Yes. The school contacted Rena-san the moment one of you went missing, but since she couldn''t leave her current school at this time, she asked me to help. Come on, now. Your sisters and mother are worried sick." The man, Maruo, replied. Having adjusted my eyes to the sudden change in brightness, I could now see the man''s appearance. Maruo had black eyes and black hair, which was center-parted, revealing the center of his forehead. His eyes were almond-shaped and had shadows covering them, making his already stern appearance even sterner. Though I had to admit that he''s pretty good-looking, if you''re not comparing with me, that is. He currently wore a black suit, for some reason that I do not know. Who on Earth wears a suit when going out to hunt for a missing person? Seeing Maruo familiar yet distant relationship with Miku and hearing how Miku''s mother called him to help find her, I assume that this man would probably be their stepfather soon. Miku''s mother must be one amazing woman to be able to attract such a prospective doctor. I wonder what Miku''s mother had done to attract Maruo. Most importantly, he looked very young. He seemed to be in his early twenties, maybe even in his nineteens, making him a very young doctor, if he is currently one. Are all doctors this young nowadays?! Is it that easy to become a doctor? Damn...I wonder how rich he is. "Ano..." "Yes?" "Can Fuutarou-san and Shouko-chan come with us to the inn? Because of me, they''re currently lost from their school group as well." Miku shyly asked. Maruo looked towards us for a moment before eventually nodding his head. "Let''s go." Phew...that man''s stare is scary... The man brought us into a fancy ryokan, also known as a traditional Japanese inn. And as expected of a traditional Japanese inn, everything from the floor to the ceiling looked traditional, with tatami mats and wooden sliding doors. Honestly, I don''t know what my school''s original place of stay was, but this inn was pretty good. We were ushered into a room before Maruo took off without saying any other words. Miku told us to stay here because she would meet up with her sisters to let them know that she was safe. This room was huge and spacious, and that was why we were there patiently waiting while lying down inside the room. Shouko and I didn''t say anything to Miku''s hurried actions because if anybody was to ask me about that, anyone would have gotten worried if young members of your family were to get lost. If that were to happen to Raiha or Yuzuru, there was no doubt that Shouko and I would go crazy. But there wasn''t a need to think about it since there was no way that we, the two sis-cons, would ever let that happen. Miku was going to take some time to assure her sisters that she was alright, and staying here in this room with no one but Shouko as a company, we soon became bored. "What do you think Miku-chan is doing right now?" Shouko asked. "Maybe she''s currently giving them the charms she brought earlier. I hope that she didn''t forget about us waiting for her." I let out a wry smile as I thought of that possibility. Imagine if she actually just left us here... "I''m bored and tired..." I had even put in some effort and brought some cards with me. "Then let''s play cards games by ourselves first while waiting for Miku-chan to come back," I told her as I took out the cards that I brought with me. Our larger luggage that contained both Shouko and my stuff was already sent back to the hotel. The only thing that I had brought along was some money which was spent entirely, my camera, and some cards. Shouko and I shared a piece of luggage since we were just kids, and seeing that we didn''t need to bring too much clothing and essential items, our parents didn''t see the need to carry two big pieces of luggage. "Let''s play Uno then!" Shouko quickly got out of her drowsy state as she shuffled the cards. However, the cards were soon found scattered on the floor, with Shouko''s face turning red. There were too many cards, and she didn''t know how to shuffle the cards without making a mess... In the end, I shuffled the cards, and we started playing. Uno wasn''t an easy and fast game to win, but we could settle this relatively brief since only two people were playing, and neither was purposely trying to sabotage each other. Shouko was my girlfriend, after all. Besides, it didn''t make much of a difference since she kept drawing weird cards that were not playable, allowing me to win three times in a row. "Shou-chan...you''re very unlucky today..." I muttered. Shouko refused to look at me and just lay down on her back. "Want to play one more game?" "No." "Really?" "I don''t want to lose anymore. Let''s play a different game. Something that doesn''t require luck. Hopefully, Miku-chan will hurry..." "Sure. You''re still going to lose, though." I smirked as I prepared to start another game. However, just before I could do that, I saw someone peering from the door. It was a cute girl wearing a white, sleeveless one-piece dress with a purple ribbon tied around her waist - the exact same dress that Miku wore. Speaking of the devil, she finally came back. "Yo, you finally came," I said that out loud while ass I turned my attention back to turned shuffling the cards. Although I could do it, the deck of Uno cards was really too thick, requiring a lot of attention to shuffle without dropping all the cards, especially since my hands were still relatively small. But the moment I noticed her peeking from the door, Miku got fl.u.s.tered. "We were just starting to get bored playing by ourselves. Let''s play Uno. Hopefully, Shou-chan won''t lose as badly as just now~." "Mou...stop mentioning that already." "O-okay. Let''s play Uno then." Hearing Miku''s words, I immediately lifted my head and looked closely at her. Hm...wait a minute, there was something wrong. Why do I feel like she''s a different person from just now? Like her aura, it''s different from just now. And her voice sounded a bit off; it sounded slightly more...energetic? I knitted my brows and hurriedly stood up. I''m sure there''s something wrong. I have an eidetic memory, meaning that I can remember every detail I ever witness before as if I am relieving that memory, and this current person was definitely different from the person I spent half the day with. "Say, you are Miku-chan, right?" I leaned forward as I tried to observe as much detail as I could. "Fuu-kun? What are you saying? She''s obviously Miku-chan." Shouko spoke. Miku, no, the girl didn''t answer my question and just continued to stare back at me with curiosity, though she backed off slightly. Probably because I was way too close to her. "I''m Miku, though." "Nope. You definitely aren''t. I''m sure of it since Miku-chan never spoke like that. She''s slightly more reserved than you. So, are you her sister?" But instead of answering my question/deduction, she opened her eyes wide out of surprise for a moment before recovering back her regular expression as she said with a light smile, "You''re right. I''m not Miku." "Eh? What are you talking ab-" Shouko was about to ask when another familiar voice sounded. "Fuutarou-san...?" The familiar voice called out my name all of a sudden. Indeed I had figured out who owned that voice already. "Miku-chan...right?" I turned towards the door and asked. However, what I didn''t expect was that I saw four girls having the same identical face. I mean five, if you included the girl currently behind me. Shouko had a face as though she had just seen a ghost, while the feeling that had been bugging me all day in my heart exploded, and I realized what it was trying to tell me, causing a look of surprise to show up on my face as I realized where I saw them before. The girls, who seemingly found our faces amusing, let out slight giggles. They probably thought that I was surprised to see they were quintuplets. I mean, I was, but not as surprised as I remembered which body I was born in. Like any other characters I had seen in this world, it seemed that I was no different. I don''t remember the exact anime, but Uesugi Fuutarou was definitely the main character for some harem anime that involved these five girls in front of me. But since this world has changed...well. Let''s not think too much about the future and let nature take its course. "Haha, was that too surprising?" The first girl spoke. "Well, that was to be expected." Another one said. "Right, I had already gotten used to their reaction." A third girl added. "Now, now, that was a typical first impression seeing us together for the first time." The fourth girl smiled as she said. I was astonished, though. No matter how much I looked at the five girls, I could see no trace of differences between them. Well, I could tell the subtle differences between them when they were together, but when they were separate, nobody would be able to differentiate between them. Their faces, bodies, hair, and clothes looked identical as if they were photocopied in their mother''s w.o.m.b. Even their voices were the same. But I could still tell which one of them was Miku. It was one of the advantages of having an eidetic memory: I easily differentiate people, even quintuplets, if given enough time. Having spent half a day observing this girl, I could tell her apart from the others, though I needed some time. "But, I didn''t expect you to get here first, Ichika." The fourth girl saw the girl behind me, Ichika, before adding. Then one of them, the third girl, came in front and talked with the girl earlier. The way she moved, the way she talked, the tone of her voice, everything. There was no doubt about it. That''s Miku for sure. So, the girl earlier, Ichika, spoke, "It''s just...I was just interested in them, the way Miku talked about them, I was intrigued...hehe." I don''t think she realized the fact that we were still present here. "I see, now it makes sense." The fourth girl sagely nodded as if she understood her reason. We just looked at her dumbly. No, it doesn''t make sense at all! If Shouko or anybody else was in my position, she would probably already treat Ichika as Miku. "Fuutarou-san, I know that you are surprised, but I''ll let you know that I am Miku." The third girl informed me. Just as I deduced. The quintuplets might be able to fool Shouko and anybody else, but when it comes to me and my memory, they wouldn''t be able to confuse me. "I know that this is sudden, but let us reintroduce ourselves to you. This is Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, and Itsuki, from youngest to oldest. I''m the third child, Miku." Miku introduced all of them, starting from the girl behind me. The oldest quintuplet is the one playing the prank? What a surprise. I thought it would be the youngest, but judging from the youngest sister, Itsuki''s behavior and attitude, it seemed like she was the most serious amongst the sisters. Though, that cheeky smile couldn''t be concealed on her face. Now that I know their names, I''ll bear that in mind. Still, naming them according to their numbers is pretty...lack-l.u.s.ter. Ichi (one), Ni (two), Mi (three), Yotsu (four), Itsu (five). Itsuka - five moons. Yotsuba - four leaves. Miku - three black jewels. Nino - two ''from''. Ichika - one flower. I must say, their mother has some naming sense, being able to pick up good names just from numbers. It''s at least better than windy (Fuu), big (ta), and man (rou). "Well, my name is Uesugi Fuutarou, and she is Nishimiya Shouko. Nice to meet you." While I was relatively calm meeting a quintuplet for the first time in both lives, Shouko was different. She looked pretty intrigued and excited to see something new about people on this trip. "Are you actually quintuplets?" "Yes. We are quintuplets." The five sisters spoke in synchronisation. ***************** Alternate Title: Surprise! We''re quintuplets! A/N: Due to artistic purpose and better differentiation, the sisters have various shades of red hair color in the manga and anime adaptation (In-universe, their hair color is the same). Thus, don''t be bothered when in the future when they meet in high school again, their hair colors are the same. By the way, I just checked with my sources again, and I realized that Rena Nakano (the quintuplet''s mother) died not because of exhaustion (like I mentioned in one of the comments) but of a terminal disease. So the question of the week is: Do you want Rena Nakano to be saved? Beware that everything would change if Rena were to be saved, like the quintuplets not being different, they not working hard to be ''different'' and stuff like that. I''d rather not since it would push the story on a whole different path, but if most readers want it, I guess I would destroy my brain and develop a completely different plot, action, and drama from the anime/manga. And do you want survival games to be present as well? Like Mirai Nikki and Darwin''s Game. Chapter 43 - 43: Kyoto School Trip (V) (End) "Yes. We are quintuplets." The five sisters spoke in synchronisation. "Wow! I haven''t even seen twins before! Nice to meet you!" Shouko bowed slightly as she went up to them and started talking, leaving me alone in the middle of the room with my pack of cards. I was abandoned... "Don''t worry, Fuutarou-kun. I''m here with you." Ichika spoke. "Thanks, Ichika-san. You don''t mind me calling you that, right? Calling you Nakano-san when all five of you are together is a bit...weird." Imagine calling out ''Nakano-san'' to refer to any one of the five sisters, and all five responded simultaneously. Wait, it might actually be quite fun to see their synchronized reactions. "Why do you refer Miku as Miku-chan, and me as Ichika-san?" "Well-" "Call me with -onee-chan!" "But you''re younger than me?" "But I''m the oldest amongst the quintuplets. So I am an onee-chan. So call me onee-chan as well." What have you being the oldest amongst the quintuplets, got to do with anything with me? "Fine. I''ll call Ichika-chan since you''re younger than me." "Mou...fine. It''s better than Ichika-san, at least." Girls are weird. They pay attention to the least significant thing. "Nino! Yotsuba! Itsuki! Let''s all play Uno together! Fuutarou-kun said that he was bored!" Hey! I never said anything like that! Stop putting words into my mouth. "I''m not going to lose now." Shouko hyped herself up as she sat beside me. "Shouko-chan lost just now?" Miku asked as she planted herself to my other side while her four sisters sat themselves down, creating a circle. "She didn''t just lo-mpffhhh!" I was about to comment on how she lost terribly when she suddenly covered my mouth with her hands, preventing me from talking. "You don''t have to report all my losses..." Shouko said shyly, trying not to remember the three-lose streak caused by her own mistakes. Not teasing Shouko any further, I patted her head and spoke, "Fine. Let''s play a fresh start, shall we?" They all agreed, and we started playing. Uno is an American shedding-type card game that is played with a specially printed deck. I won''t go into the details since many would know how Uno works, but it''s basically a game aiming to get rid of all the cards in your hands while trying to add as many cards as possible to your opponents'' hand. Uno is a game that could go on for a long time if there was a sufficient number of players. The seven of us played for about an or two, and sadly, Shouko lost most of the time. In the end, she didn''t even want to play anymore. She just laid her head down on my lap, enjoying herself on my lap. "Yoshi, yoshi...you''re just unlucky today..." I comforted her as I started patting her head with one hand and placed down my card using the other. "Reverse!" ***************** [Congratulations, Host! You have gained Advanced Proficiency for Head-patting (0/500) due to repeated acts of doing the said action 10 000 times.] [Hidden Quest completed: Gain an advanced proficiency without the use of the system.] Description: Don''t rely too much on the system! Most of the time, hard work would pay off! Passing Criteria: Gain an advanced proficiency without the use of the system. Rewards: 2x normal gacha Additional rewards: The rarer the type of proficiency gained, the more additional rewards Host would get. (E.g. There would be more rewards earned by achieving a [Free solo climbing proficiency] as compared to a [Riding proficiency] as Free solo climbing is considered a more advanced skill to have as compared to riding a bicycle or motorbike.) Failure: None System tips: This quest is hidden until revealed. (Duh!) ***************** [Hidden quest completed, calculating rewards...] [Rewards are being issued.] [2x normal gacha + 1x special opportunity token] Wow...I sure did not expect this, but it was a welcomed surprise. And why is the system getting more...sarcastic? And what is a ''special opportunity token'' anyway? [Special opportunity token is to be used under ??? situation.] Wow. Thank you. I have gained a lot of information from that. Out of the 5Ws and 1H, I only know when, who, and perhaps, a little ''why'' to use it. As for what, where, and how to use it, I''m clueless. I can only hope that the system would at least inform me when I can use this token. [Don''t worry, Host. A system prompt will automatically appear when the time comes.] Thank you, then. "Fuu-kun?" "Hm?" "Why...never mind. It must have just been my imagination." Shouko shook her head and continued resting her head on my lap. Was she going to ask me about my patting? Did my skill automatically enhance my patting skills? Still, why did I only get this skill by myself? Going by the system''s logic, with that many years of living and doing different things, shouldn''t I be getting a bunch of basic skills? [And that is precisely why the system wouldn''t display those ''bunch of basic skills'' as they are not only not very important, but also a waste of word count and space.] I see. Does the system have a limited area of a display screen or something? [No. It just requires too much divinity to expand it, so unless it''s an essential proficiency, the system will choose not to display it.] "Zzz..." As we continued playing Uno till the dead of the night, Shouko slowly fell asleep halfway. I could see that she was sleeping soundly on my lap while hugging my waist as her bolster. The quintuplets weren''t doing any better. Their energy was slowly dropping as we switched games from time to time to not get too bored. Finally, when Miku fell asleep halfway first, the other four followed suit almost immediately, with Yotsuba being the last one to fall asleep, slumping their bodies on the floor as they slept. They genuinely are quintuplets...even their energy levels are almost the same. Now...I look around as I heard peaceful snores all around me. Sigh, now it''s up to me to put them in their futons, huh? I slowly placed Shouko''s head on the floor after prying her fingers off my waist before standing up and stretching. Ahh~. My legs are stiff are sitting down for a long time. The room that I was currently in was located at the corner of the inn, so out of the four ''walls'', two could be opened to reach the courtyard, one was separating this room from the adjacent rooms, and the last one opened to the corridor. I opened a tiny gap in one of the doors and exited outside to the courtyard. The night was very peaceful today. Apart from the six girls'' soft snores and the cicadas'' chirping outside, it was very silent. The air outside was fresh, and I could feel the cool, windy breeze blowing at my face. I glanced at the cloudless, ink-black sky, and out of the countless twinkling stars, the biggest one easily attracted my attention. The moon. Well, technically, the moon wasn''t a start, but you get what I mean. A full moon at the start of the month. Completion, the height of power, the realisation of your desires, and the peak of clarity. These are what the full moon represents. I don''t know whether it was a coincidence or not, but I feel those symbolisations might actually be true. Strangely enough, although I would usually be sleeping at this time of the night, I don''t feel tired at all. Well, even though I don''t feel tired, it was unhealthy to stay up too late at night, especially when you have nothing else to do. That was something that I learned the hard way years ago. Looking at this bright moon, it reminded me that... "Boy...? What are you doing here so late?" "Ah!" I let out a small scream before immediately covering my mouth. God...the voice scared me! I look at where the voice came from, and I found an old grandma facing me with her eyes closed and a small but worried smile. But she was only a few centimetres away from me, causing me to stumble back to put some distance between us. "Haha...sorry to startle you, boy." "Obaa-san...it''s bad for my heart to scare me like that..." I usually have nothing against grandmas, but this grandma is scary. Being so close to me yet not letting me notice her until she spoke was a skill that no ordinary people would have. Her attire was as strange as her personality. She wore a green hat with matching green Yukata and apron - a weird combination of apparel. Her hair sticking out at the back of the hat was curly, while the exposed hair at the front of straight. [Picture here->] "You young little people, if you have hearts that could stop because of one old grandma, then what about us oldies'' hearts?" The grandma shook her head as she sat herself down on the porch, stretching her short legs on the grass, "Would you mind giving me a massage?" "No." Since I had someone to accompany in this dead of the night, I might as well do something for the old grandma. I started massaging her as she asked me to, careful not to use so much strength so that I don''t accidentally hurt her. "Sigh...what are young people eating nowadays? Even my husband has more strength than you, and he''s been dead for some years already." Wow, this just turned dark real fast. Did the grandma just compare my strength to the strength of a corpse? Fine, if you want more strength... "Oh? It turns out you still have some strength." The grandma spoke with slight surprise, but her eyes remained close as she enjoyed the spur-of-the-moment message, "It''s better, but not at his level yet." Seriously? I have already used 60% of my strength, comparable to an average teenage athlete''s strength. How durable is this grandma?! "Ah...this is good. It''s at least enough to reach deep into my old bones. My husband can still do better, though." Ignoring her comment about her husband, I continued my massage. "Ano...obaa-san?" "Yes?" "Why are you out here so late?" "And why are you out here so late?" The grandma replied to my question with the exact same question I asked her. "Urgh...fine. I was playing cards until my friends fell asleep." "Staying up too late isn''t very good for you, boy." "Same goes to you, obaa-san. You shouldn''t be walking around in the dark. What if you accidentally trip over a pebble or something?" "Don''t talk nonsense. This place is basically my house. Do you trip over things at your own house?" "Sometimes I do." "Well, that just means you haven''t lived long enough at your house yet." Wow. Ok. I don''t even know how to reply to that. Silence ensued as I continued my massage for the next fifteen minutes. "Ahh...thank you for the massage, boy. It''s been years since my husband and son gave me a massage. And my granddaughter is too young to exert any strength on my old bones." "Where is your son?" "Somewhere far away..." The grandma said with melancholy. "I''m sorry to hear that - OW!" I was about to pay my condolences when I suddenly got smacked. "Don''t curse my son out of nowhere. My son is literally in a place far away, and he brought his daughter with him to explore and photograph the world." The grandma said, her eyes never opened once during the entire motion. How do you even see with your eyes closed?! And don''t say something so misleading in such a sad tone! Anyone with common sense would have also inferred what I inferred. "It''s okay. I''ll forgive you for your ignorance." I haven''t even said anything yet, granny, and you already forgive me? This granny is just going on at her own pace now... "Sigh, little boy. So tell me, what is your problem?" "Huh? I have no problems, though?" "Don''t lie. You wouldn''t be out here in the middle of the night in the cold if you were just bored." This granny is sharp, huh? Though I don''t feel the cold. "Hm...obaa-san, have you ever thought about how life is filled with regrets?" "Of course. When you''re at my age, the number of regrets I have is probably more than the number of days you have lived. But so what? Regrets are just those - regrets. They can''t do anything to you unless you actively choose to embrace it. Do you have some regrets? Like doing something bad? Cheating in a test, for example?" My lips twitched. I''m sorry, but the scope of what I''m asking is much more than cheating on a simple test. "Nope. My life so far is regret-free, and my plan for the future is to ensure that it remains the same." The granny turned to face me before breaking into smiles. "Seems like you really don''t have any problems." More like I had resolved all of them early in my life. Adapting to a place filled with girls thirsty for shotas isn''t easy, you know? Sniff, sniff... Well, soon, I''ll be graduating from my shota status. Besides, how can I live a life with no regrets if I keep looking back at the past and regretting stuff? "Yep~." "Well, take care of your girlfriends, alright? I''ll bring in some extra futons for you." "Thank you. And I only have one girlfriend. The quintuplets are friends that I had just met today." The granny didn''t reply to my words and just shuffled off. Jeez... After spending some time outside, I finally heard the door open. I went back inside the room and saw the granny carrying seven futons on her back. Is it not heavy?! Does your back not ache from the weight of the seven futons?! "There you go, boy. I called your teacher with the number you gave me, and they said that they''ll pick you up tomorrow at 6pm. Make sure that you don''t oversleep." "So early?" "Can''t be helped. Your teachers said your return trip was at 7am." "Okay then. Thank you for the futons, Obaa-san. Have a good night." "Don''t oversleep." The granny repeated her words before closing the door. I laid out the seven futons on the floor before carrying each girl to one of them and tucking them in, though I highly doubt that they will remain in them for long since their sleeping posture is... Unique. Unsurprisingly, they were all very light and, ahem, soft. I have no other intentions there apart from wanting to carry them into their futons. After placing Shouko into her futon as well and planting a kiss on Shouko''s forehead, I slipped into my own futon as well before closing my eyes. Sigh...this is the last day in Kyoto, huh? I''m going to miss it. I don''t know when I''ll get the opportunity to come here again. "System, use one normal gacha token." [Spinning...] [Host has gained 2x Permanent token.] "Huh? What does it do?" [As the name suggests, it allows something to be ''permanent''. For example, if you use it on your height now, this would be your permanent height even after you die.] Hmm...I have no idea what to make of it. And more importantly, I can''t seem to think of a time where I would need that token. Maybe to make some rapist permanently lose his ability to be s.e.x.u.a.lly aroused? "System, use the other normal gacha token." [Spinning...] [Host has gained...] ***************** A/N:I''m not going to state the last one. Just look at the status chapter, and you will see it. For your information, other than everyday items, nothing is useless. Everything that Fuutarou gains will be for the future plot. If you can actually guess what it is used for, I will applaud and...do nothing. I updated the status a little. For those who are complaining about the senzu beans, which no one should be at this point in time, I described all the items present in the status. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The Kyoto arc is finally over. But fret not. This would not be the last time he will see them. Perhaps there will be a chance to meet in middle school? I have many things planned in middle school, and I assure you that it would be as enjoyable as high school. Mostly, the middle school will be made of plenty of original plots by yours truly, unless you do have some middle school anime you want me to add? I''m sure I''ll be able to think of something. There should be two more teeny-mini-events in childhood before volume 2 comes out. His music career will also explode before settling down just before high school again, and I''ll be adding Forest of Piano (maybe). The next chapter will be a slice-of-life chapter with no major plot. Since I have the tag ''slice of life'', I would need to add it in occasionally. Author''s Rambling (A/R): NOOO! Season 2 of Gotoubun no Hanayome is over, and it ended so shittily! Well, I''m waiting for season 3 and the five kisses with Fuutarou in like a few years. Still waiting for No Game No Life season 2. I''ve heard Happy Sugar Life''s OP song before but never knew where it was from. Turns out both the music and anime itself were pretty...amazing. Chapter 44 - 44: And this is not my daily life The following day, I woke up at the break of dawn, and with the clock ticking at the wall, I realized that I woke up early. Sigh...I''m pretty sure it''s unhealthy for a kid to wake up at 5.30am in morning. I was on my way to the washroom to wash up and brush my teeth when I realized that I don''t have my - "Here are two toothbrushes for you." A familiar voice suddenly appeared right behind me, causing me to stumble. "Obaa-san! Please don''t do that again...you''re gonna scare away some of your customers if you keep doing that." "Oh, it''s okay. I usually don''t have many customers anyway. I just enjoy seeing you children have a fun time in Kyoto." That would have implied a different meaning if...nevermind. Let''s not go in that direction. "And thank you for the toothbrushes." At this point, I don''t even care about how she knew that I didn''t have my toothbrush with me. "Your welcome. I hope you had a good, short rest. Your teacher has just called to confirm your pick-up time. Make sure that you and that girl are ready by 6." "Yes, obaa-san." "I''m going to miss you." And I''m not going to miss you. Hearing my silence, the grandma smiled and said, "You won''t miss me?" "Not your jumpscares." "It barely counts as a jumpscare, though. You''re just too easily frightened and have a poor sense of awareness." I was too lazy to argue with that unreasonable granny. After bidding her goodbye, I went to wake back to wake Shouko to get her to prepare as well. We didn''t have to wait long after finishing our business as we heard our teacher''s voice. It seems that it is time to leave. I looked at the quintuplets, who were still sleeping, feeling a bit reluctant. From a position where it was once neat, they were currently in a scramble and tangle of limbs. However, it could easily be seen how close the sisters were judging from their subconscious intimate sleeping posture. Still, I wondered how they managed to arrive in their current positions in less than 6 hours of sleep. Wanting to leave behind a good memory in Kyoto, my hands reached out to the camera at the corner of the room. "Say ''cheese''! And smile!" I felt a bit stupid asking them to say ''cheese'' despite knowing that they were asleep, but they did manage to all smile at the same time, though. Quintuplets. My camera wasn''t the Instant camera type, and it couldn''t immediately print out the pic I just took. How unfortunate. Still, I''ll give the picture to the girls the next time I see them. Shouko and I didn''t have much to pack in the first place, so within 20 minutes, we were all ready to set off. Just as I wondered how to spend the rest of the ten minutes before six, the sliding door opened, and the granny entered. "It''s time to go." And just in time too. Shouko and I nodded our heads before following the granny outside. My head turned back to look at the quintuplets for the last time before I left. They were fun to be around. I''m going to miss the girls. But since I''m technically the protagonist of this ''story'', I would be able to meet them later in the future, wouldn''t I? See ya, Miku. [A/N: I''m just biased towards Miku, and you can''t do anything about it. I wanted Nino as well, but since Fuutarou only met Miku for a longer time, his feelings for Miku would definitely be greater than her sisters.] ***************** After the Kyoto trip, the days went back to normal. Kaori was a bit saddened that she couldn''t join us on the school trip, but when she saw the photos that I took there, she soon got over it and discussed it happily with Shouko. My family was less interested in Kyoto''s pictures than the pictures of the quintuplets. I guess the mere fact that I met quintuplets was more extraordinary than any trip; it''s not every day we meet triplets or twins, not to mention quintuplets. Everyone who went was pretty disappointed that it ended so soon. The Kyoto trip was nothing but a school trip to relax and learn and discover new things. But now that the break was over, it was time for the action that students of all ages dread the most - studying. But being elementary students, we didn''t require to spend all our time doing nothing but study. At the very least, we had more free time than the older students, even if we were forced to sit down and read. [A/N: For those who don''t understand this or feel like I''m just going in circles and contradicting myself, just ignore the last part then.] Two weeks passed, and it soon became August the 14th. On the morning of this day, my father and mother suddenly received a call from someone. I think something must have happened on the caller''s side since my parents quickly packed up some things into their luggage after the call. "Dad? Mum? Is there something wrong?" "Something happened to our high school teacher, and now we''re going to visit her." "Is it serious?" I asked, frowning as I could feel something terrible had happened. My parents looked at each other before one of them smiled, "Don''t worry, brat. She''s fine." It was apparent that your teacher wasn''t okay. Your smiles were so forced. Still, since they didn''t say it, I didn''t push them any further, leaving them to pack their own things. I also didn''t bother to ask if we could accompany them since they would have already called for us if they wanted us to come along. "You four children will be here alone for a day or two. Fuu-chan, can I trust you to take care of the girls?" My mother looked at me with seriousness. "Yes. I''ll make sure all of them will be safe." "Me too! I will protect this house and our sisters!" Shouko raised her hand and added. Seeing our replies, our little sisters replied as well, not knowing what was going on. ""Me too! Me too! We''re gonna pwotect the house as well! I''ll make sure Onii-chan/Onee-chan doesn''t do some weird stuff!"" Hey! I don''t ever do weird stuff! "Aww...well, then. I''m entrusting this house to the four of you. Don''t burn it down or something." My mother joked before giving each of us a kiss on the forehead, "See you in a few days." "Bye! And have a safe trip!" My parents left without any other words, and silence soon filled the house. "Well, then. We haven''t cleaned up this house in a while. Why don''t we do some cleaning today?" Seeing that today was going to be boring, I suggested doing something meaningful. Cause, why not? I would rather spend the weekend lazing around, but then again, I won''t let my sister be spoiled, even though she''s cute. "Yes! Let''s give mum and dad a surprise!" Raiha said excitedly. Alright then. It''s decided, it''s time to do some household chores! Our house wasn''t very big compared to other people''s house. We didn''t have much of a backyard nor a garden in front of our door. We didn''t even have those large, sliding window panels that some houses have to enter their side garden. And although there were five bedrooms on two floors, none of them were anything too big. "First, let''s clean our own bedrooms. Go and arrange your stuff on your bed and ensure that the floor is free of stuff. I''m going to be mopping the floor after you do this." I instructed, and the girls immediately went to carry out my instructions. I also went to my own room to clean up. My room wasn''t big - it only contained one bed, one table, and one wardrobe for my clothes - but even then, there was only a tiny passageway to allow us to walk. Hmm...now that I described it, it really does seem small, doesn''t it? My bed wasn''t comfortable despite having the mattress on. Even the floor was more comfortable to sleep on, with a futon, of course. And so, that small passageway to walk was usually used as a sleeping area. Since I didn''t have much to clean up, I just tidied up my desk, placed my bag on my desk, and arranged my bedsheets before going downstairs to the bathroom on the ground floor. Knowing that cleaning the bathroom would turn out to be the wettest experience, I decided to leave cleaning the bathrooms to the last. "Fuu-kun?" Shouko''s head popped out from the side of the door, and she blinked at me curiously, "What are we cleaning first?" Obviously, the objects come first. It''s common sense to start will all the small ones before moving to the bigger ones. If we clean the floor first before cleaning the dust on the objects, wouldn''t the dust just get transferred to the clean floor, making it dirty? We might as well ''transfer'' all the dust and dirt to the floor first before cleaning the ground together will all the dust. Praise me for my thinking! Shouko heard my plan and thoughts and nodded her head, "It makes sense. Just tell me what to do then." "Alright. Take this cloth and..." The massive clean-up soon started. Fortunately, or unfortunately, our house didn''t contain too many things. I just instructed everyone to clean their own room while I cleaned the living room as well. The kitchen didn''t really need much cleaning, so there was no problem there. Did we have a couch in the living room? Yes, but it was small and old and easy to clean. Our television was also equally tiny, but no one really uses the television, apart from seeing our horoscope for the day and occasionally, the news. The rest of the morning went to dusting and wiping everything that needed to be dusted and wiped, and soon, it was already lunchtime. I cooked lunch for everyone. It was nothing special, just rice, egg, grilled fish, and boiled meat and vegetables - our everyday, ordinary meal. Yet, it was this sort of meal that brings warmth to my heart. As for those high-class fancy meals? Well, I never ate much of them in both lives, so I can''t really compare. After eating and washing up, we gathered in the bathroom once more. Now that I take a closer look at the girls, I realized that they weren''t very clean. Our little sisters had some dust on their hair and clothes from wiping the top shelves. Luckily, I made them wash their hands and face before the meal. Otherwise, I think that they would have eaten more dust than rice. "Our next goal is the windows. I will be in charge of wiping the windows, and you three will mop the floor, alright?" I directed my instructions to the three girls. The windows were located higher up on the walls, and I didn''t want my six-year-old little sisters to risk an injury trying to reach the places they couldn''t reach. Shouko needed to watch over the girls as they try to mop the floor as well. Even if they were enthusiastic, I highly doubted that two six-year-old girls would be able to use the mop well. Our little sisters didn''t question my instructions and immediately went to grab the mop that was already soaked in soap and water. After I told them repeatedly of the safety issues they would have to take note of, we started on our respective responsibilities. Cleaning might seem to be nothing dangerous, but when it comes to reaching for high places or standing near the stairs when the floor is wet, the danger present is relatively high. Especially when elementary students were the ones who were cleaning up both floors. Needing to wipe most of the house''s windows except for those that I can''t reach no matter what, I spent almost 2 hours doing so. The girls had long finished moping the floor, so I decided to let them wash the bathroom now. ***************** "Let''s take a bath together!" Raiha exclaimed. After I ensured that the entire house was spot-clean, we gathered in the toilet on the first floor. "Sure. This way, we can save hot water as well." Shouko didn''t mind and spoke. "Onii-chan as well?" "I don''t t-" "Please? I want to take a bath with onii-chan!" "Fine." Well, it''s been a long time since we all had a bath together, and seeing those eyes, I succ.u.mbed fast. The moment I agreed, our little sisters cheered as they quickly went to grab their clothes. I could see Shouko turn a little red, but she quickly turned around and went to grab her clothes as well. Hmm...I''m still a minor, right? It''s fine, right? A few minutes later... "Rai-chan! Yuzu-chan! Wash before entering the bath!" I yelled at them from the changing room as I saw that they were about to jump into the tub without washing themselves. ""Aww..."" "Don''t ''aww...'' me. I don''t want to bathe in the dirty water with you. That would defeat the purpose of taking a bath." "Fine." As I took off my clothes, I wrapped my towel around my waist before entering. Usually, I would just enter n.a.k.e.d since I was alone, but with three girls present, well...I need to maintain my decency in front of my siblings. But if Shouko wants to continue this even after growing up... Ahem...back to the present. "Hehe....that tickles, onii-chan!" Raiha cutely squealed as I washed her hair. The weird thing was that her ahoge never actually went down, even after being drenched with soap and water. Anime laws. While I bathed Raiha, Shouko did the same for her sister, and after letting our younger sisters soak in the tub, it was our turn to wash. Our tub wasn''t big enough to fit all four of us, unfortunately. Still, fitting two was easy, and while fitting any three of us was possible, it was albeit a tight squeeze. Taking note that we were n.a.k.e.d, I took a peek at Shouko''s nude figure, and...girls go through puberty early. Since this was not hentai fanfic, I''ll not go into details of an underage girl. Playing with our little sisters in the bath was fun until Raiha sneezed. "Oops...let''s not stay in the bath for too long, Rai-chan, Yuzu-chan. Let''s get you dressed up." "Hai~." The girls left the bath since they stayed in the tub for long enough already, and it was now my chance to take a dip. "Ahh~. This feels nice." ***************** "Hm? What are you doing, onii-chan?" "It is the older siblings'' job to spoil our little sisters!" "I see..." Raiha placed her index finger under her chin and nodded sagely, but all it did was make her look even cuter than usual. "Come sit on my lap. I''ll help dry all of your hair." "Yay!" After Raiha climbed onto my lap and made herself comfortable, I turned on the hairdryer, and it started blowing hot hair. I was careful not to put it too close to her head so that she wouldn''t feel too much of the heat on her scalp. Having long hair is genuinely tedious; I don''t know how girls deal with them. Raiha alone took up close to 10 minutes before her hair became dry, and while Yuzuru had slightly shorter hair, she took up almost 7 minutes. Weirdly enough, their hair automatically went back to its usual hairstyle the moment I was done hair drying them. But since I was already used to anime''s weird logic, I calmly ignored all of the odd scenes and turned towards Shouko. "Come, Shou-chan. Sit on my lap." "Hm?" Shouko questioned, though she followed my words and sat on my lap, making herself comfortable. "After spoiling out little sisters, it''s now my job to spoil my little girlfriend." Shouko blushed at my words, but she didn''t leave my lap. "Thanks, Fuu-kun." She suddenly spoke after a moment of silence. "For what?" "Everything." I still don''t know what she was referring to, and she clearly noticed that. She just smiled cheerfully, letting me dry her hair while humming to a tune that I had played for her before. "You''re not gonna tell me, are you?" "Nope. Just know that I love you." Jeez, how could anyone be this cute? Giving her a small peck on her cheeks, I replied, "Me too." The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, but I had a fun time snuggling with Shouko on the sofa. And this is not my daily life. Apart from the lunch part and ''snuggling with Shouko'' time, that is. ***************** A/N: I was slightly rushing this chapter, and I don''t feel that this was up to the usual standard. For some reason, I couldn''t find much motivation to write until today. I might come back and edit this whenever I have time, but this wasn''t much - just a showcase of their daily lives. I wanted Fuutarou and Shouko to have some scenes together in the bath, but I decided against it because: 1) They were young. 2) Their age was not old. 3) They were still in elementary school. 4) I have no such fetishes. On to the more important topic, the following (short) arc (which would only take up 1 or 2 chapters) will begin in the next chapter, where Fuutarou would meet one more member of his harem. Guess who? Clue: It''s an older woman~. I''ll give another clue somewhere on Wednesday? If no one can figure it out (hopefully). I''m trying to integrate two manga together so that everything would make sense, but it''s more complicated than I thought. Sigh... Still, I''ll try my best not to disappoint you. Hope you enjoyed this week''s chapter! A/R: Btw, the manga ''Onizuka-chan and Sawarida-kun'' is so wholesome. 10/10 manga to read. Chapter 45 - 45: Midwinter is great, isnt it? I missed our school trip. And this year, once again...I probably can''t make it to the school festival. It''s inevitable. That''s just how it is. At least is it for me... I''m a figure skater, and that''s that. ***************** Today was the 3rd of November. A few weeks had already passed since the last chapter. In between, I had also decided to give Kaori the senzu beans. Of course, I didn''t give it to her straight. I just made a bento and dumped the senzu bean within the bento, making sure that she finished every single last grain of rice and bean in it. Although the effects weren''t instantaneous, I could already see Kaori recovering slowly. Soon, she will finally be cured of whatever disease that she currently had. Though I don''t remember that senzu beans from dragon ball could cure diseases, though? [Please don''t compare that trash from dragon ball to this. Theirs is nothing but low-quality seeds. The ones provided by the system will be nothing but the best, and if not for the fact that Host had gotten the weakened version instead of the original, Host would have been able to revive the dead just from breathing in the scent of the bean. The Host had obtained the current ones with its effect diluted countless times, but it is still better than the dragon ball''s trash.] Now, that bullshit would be able to calm down some dragon ball fans. After my parents returned from visiting their teacher, they didn''t tell me much, only announcing that she had fallen ill and needed to rest. "Hey, wanna go to the school festival with me?" In the middle of the day, my father''s loud voice suddenly sounded. Hearing his words, I was confused. "What school festival? Elementary schools don''t have any school festivals, though?" "Don''t be silly. Of course, we''re not going to your school. We''re going to the school I taught for a bit!" My head snapped towards his direction, and my eyes widened, "Since when did you teach?! Didn''t you say your job was a photographer?" "Yeah. But the school had a career guidance thingy program-y that required many a.d.u.l.ts in different business industries to present and introduce their jobs and whatnot. So yeah..." My dad shrugged, "I was invited to introduce photography, and while doing that, I somehow got popular with the students that they decide to invite me once in a while to teach about photography. Especially in the clubs." Wow. I''m amazed. I wasn''t too surprised that my dad became popular since, despite the way he acts, his bright personality naturally attracts people to him. Or maybe it was because of the way he acts that people get comfortable with him? "So? Wanna join me?" "Nope. I don''t have any friends there. Plus, I would like my first school festival experience to be me hosting it rather than me joining as a guest." Hearing my reply, my dad''s eyes slightly glinted before he left, "Sure then." ***************** "Thank you." That was unusual. We finished surprisingly early today. Perhaps God was taking pity on me for once? I could hurry! Today''s the school festival...if I run...I might make it in time for the closing ceremony! My footsteps subconsciously quickened, and within a few seconds, I started running towards my school''s direction, not caring how much my feet hurt from the activity before this. My workplace was pretty far from my school. I needed to take the bus; I couldn''t possibly run the whole way there, despite my enthusiasm. As time ticked by, I started getting more anxious. The day started getting darker, and by the time I reached my school''s front gate, the night sky was utterly black, glittered with stars. My chest heaved up and down as I regulated my breathing. Having changed back to my uniform, the guards didn''t stop me as I entered the school. Wow! So exciting! There were so many sights that I could see! Though most of the stalls had already closed down, there were still plenty of people present. Most of them were in their own cliques, talking to one another about various stuff. So this is the closing ceremony... And now, where is my class? My head turned in all directions as I walked down the front, searching for the person I was looking for. Seeing a golden, spiky-haired man with a bulked-up and muscled body surrounded by students, a smile formed on my face. This ''teacher'' was definitely the first that I had ever seen. Although he rarely came to our school and taught, he was surprisingly popular and welcomed by the students. Despite his intense body structure which made him seem like a fitness coach or something equivalent, he was actually a photographer. Photography wasn''t something familiar within students my age group; only specific students liked them. But the way he introduced and presented photography as a hobby, career, and lifestyle, he might as well had just showcased a cure for cancer. His enthusiasm was contagious; even the laziest and least passionate students started liking photography. Although he never really taught a ''real'' subject, we enjoyed his presence and lessons nonetheless. What he taught us wasn''t just a future career path. He taught us how to live. Isanari Uesugi. The teacher I look up to and the model that I aim to become - someone who doesn''t live just for material privileges but others. Seeing the scene of them enjoying their time together, I felt excited. This is my first chance to be with everyone...and have a high school experience! "Hey, everyone!" "Oh! Kirisu!" "Yo, Kirisu!" "Don''t you have figure skating?" "I did!" I replied to their queries, "But we finished early today!" However, just as I was about to continue talking, another one of my classmates suddenly arrived and announced, "Hey, did you hear? Our class cafe got the most customers in our grade!" "For real?! A triumph of friendship and hard work!" "Oh my god, that''s so cheesy!" "Bwahaha!" What''s...this? "Hey, sensei! Can we all bury a time capsule together?" "Huh? I''m not a real teacher here, though...but let''s be discrete and not let everyone find out!" "That''s our teacher!" As I watched my class huddling together with Uesugi-sensei in the center, my heart suddenly painfully twisted as I realized that none of them paid any attention to me. None of them even looked in my direction after the initial greetings. Why...? My feet...won''t move. It was just a few steps...to join everyone. That''s all...but for some reason... ''Mafuyu...you''re a rare genius!'' My father''s words rang out. ''Focus! Everyone else is a rival!'' It was my mother''s turn to lecture. Yes, father. Yes, mother. It can''t be helped. I''m a figure skater. That''s the reason I always give. But the truth is... Figure skating was just an excuse. This longing...I want it so badly. But at the same time, I''m afraid. I''m scared to let people in. ''Everyone is my rival.'' Is there anywhere I belong? Am I capable...of genuinely loving others? I''m scared. In the end, my feet didn''t move a step forward at all. I watched from the distance as my class dug a small hole, placed things inside a container, and buried a time capsule without me. Everyone placed something inside - everyone except me. Everyone knew what was placed inside - everyone except me. But then again, do I really need to know...? I know the answer to that question. But I can''t accept it. Time has never passed by so slowly. When coming here, I wished time would stop. And now, I wanted nothing more than time to speed up so that I can go home. As I wobbled myself to a seat just far away to be able to spot my classmates squatting down, tears started forming in my eyes. Sniff...sniff... As much as I tried to hold back my tears, a single drop escaped, rolling down my cheeks. I hurriedly wiped it off before anyone could notice. I didn''t want anyone to wonder why I was crying in such a happy atmosphere and occasion. "Dad...!?" "Dad...?!" "Dad! Where are you? Come on, dad!" Amid this crowded school festival, I could hear a young boy shouting. Though I didn''t have anything to look at my appearance, I knew that I wasn''t at my best. My eyes were slightly red from the small crying session, and my nose was... "You dragged me out here, and you tossed me aside to do your own things...argh!! If you don''t come here, I''m going home to tell mum!" The boy sounded frustrated, but when the crowd soon parted, I could see that the young boy''s expression wasn''t really frustrated at all. At most, he seemed...annoyed? Never mind, that''s parked under ''frustration'' in the emotion list. I didn''t know what about him attracted me. Maybe it was his pure white hair that stood out like a sore thumb in the wave of the light blue uniform. Or perhaps it was the fact that of all the annoyance I could see on his face, he didn''t seem worried at all, nonchalantly strolling around. But before I could help myself, the words have already left my mouth. "Hey, there...are you lost?" The boy seemed surprised that someone actually called him out, and when he turned his head over to me, it was my turn to be surprised once more. An elementary boy was pretty uncommon after the initial virus breakout, but it wasn''t as though it was an extinct species. The moment I saw his pure green eyes contrasted yet complimented his white hair, it made me calm down. My tears stopped forming, and our eyes met. Why did I call him out? Did I not have enough trouble for myself already? I was already made clear that I was unneeded in this school festival, so why...? Why did I call him out? Desperation for some companion? Hoping that he would replace the empty place in my heart? "Haha..." A small laugh escaped my mouth, mocking myself at that thought. If the boy didn''t give me more trouble, I would already be grateful to him. As for filling up the void in my heart? Even sensei neglected me... Still, having called out to the young boy, I might as well finish my duty as a high school student. "Are you lost?" "Not really. I''m just separated from my dad, who forced me here only to throw me aside." Hearing the boy''s remark, I couldn''t help but laugh. "Wow...this meeting sure was unex..." "What did you say?" "Hm? Oh, nothing. So, what are you doing here alone?" The young boy suddenly shifted the topic, causing me to frown slightly. "I like to be alone." "You''re lying, onee-chan. You wouldn''t be crying alone in the middle of the school festival. Tell me, maybe I can beat up the person who rejected your confession." The young boy spoke very confidently and earnestly, though his cheeky smile couldn''t be hidden. ''This boy is...annoying.'' This was my first impression of him. Despite what I''m currently doing, I''m actually pretty confident in my looks and popularity, though I couldn''t date anyone or live like a girl my age due to my workload. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be a figure skater. To say that someone rejected my confession was ego-damaging. Still, I wouldn''t bother to argue with a little boy. "So, how''s your figure skating career coming along?" Now, that question made me surprised. "How do you know that?" The boy sat next to me and pointed to his brain as he explained, "Eidetic memory. I can clearly remember everything I have ever seen, as if I had just watched it a second ago. I managed to see you figure skating on television once, and my mother complimented you on your looks." That must have been very useful...having eidetic memory means that you don''t have to worry about forgetting anything. How convenient must it be for you to not forget everything in life? "Eidetic memory isn''t as good as it seems." How can you read my mind?! I wasn''t even talking out loud?! "Please, onee-chan. Your expression is as clear as the sun in the sky. All your thoughts are plastered onto your face. How could I not know?" The boy grinned as he swung his feet casually. "Why are you crying?" "I thought you could read my mind?" "I never said that. It was you who thought of that." And this is why I regret my choice. Seeing that I kept silent, the boy shook his head with disappointment and stood up. "Since you don''t want to talk about your problem, why don''t you help me with mine?" "You?" "Yea. Help me find my dad. As much as I don''t mind being here alone, it pisses me off that he might be having fun with his ''students'' alone while leaving me out here to dry." "Sure. I didn''t plan to sit through the entire festival, anyway. Let''s go." Without waiting for him to reply, I stood up and started walking. His pace soon matched mine as we wandered around the school while searching for his dad. "Now that I think of it, I never got to know your name, onee-chan. What is your name?" "Why do you want to know?" "Do I need a reason to want to know your name?" I can''t refute that question. The boy replied to my question with another question. "No. But since you''re not telling me your reason, then I have no reason to tell you as well." I expected some sort of reaction from this ever-smiling boy, but he didn''t seem to react to my words at all. He just continued strolling beside me after uttering nothing but an ''Okay''. "Oh, not curious anymore?" "Not really..." We fell into silence as we continued walking without a single specific direction in mind. "So, who are we looking for?" "My dad." "How does he look like?" "Like me, just less handsome." I wanted to pinch his face so badly. I wanted to pull and stretch his cheeks so that he would actually start answering seriously. In the end, I gave up on that notion since he wasn''t my child, and I wasn''t his teacher. I was just an ordinary senpai that didn''t have the right to punish him. Sigh... Because of this moment, I involuntarily thought of what happened before I met this young boy, and my eyes couldn''t stop tearing up when thinking about how they had ignored my presence. "Hey...onee-chan...what''s wrong? You''re crying." "W-What are you talking about? I wasn''t." I vehemently denied it. I didn''t want an elementary student thinking that I was a weak person (not physically, of course), being a high school student and all. "Sigh, onee-chan. Like I said before, your emotions are clearly presented on your face. I know something''s wrong with you, but..." But what? What is he trying to say? Are you going to mock me- "But if you don''t want to share it, then you don''t have to. Just...be strong, okay?" This time, he didn''t have a smile on his face as he comforted me. "N-No. That''s not it." I quickly rubbed my eyes, hoping to wipe away my tears. I would pray that he didn''t see me crying, but I would just be deluding myself. Ashamed. I let an elementary student comfort me. "How can I explain...? I was just feeling like...I''ll always be alone...for my whole life...that I''ll always be struggling...alone." Why...? Why am I spilling everything out to him? I have always kept my feelings and struggles to myself, not even letting my friends know of my troubles... Afraid of letting the young boy be negative together with me on this festive day, I quickly added with a smile, "But...you don''t need to worry about that. C''mon, let''s find your dad." "I''ll be there for you!" "W-What?" My eyes were wide open as I heard what the boy said. "Though my dad might not be the most gentle person, nor the most loving person, nor the most liked person, I have always admired him. From being someone of poor birth growing up to becoming someone still poor, he constantly reminded me to be a grown-up who understands other people''s struggles, despite seemingly unable to do so himself. Not be sympathetic, but to be empathic to other people. So...I''ll be there for you...always and forever!" I was so surprised by his words that I paused in my footsteps and took a closer look at him before turning away. Even though he was much younger than me and only stood just below my chest, he gave off a feeling that made me very comfortable. W-Wait! What am I thinking?! He''s still a child! But... I sneaked a peek at his still grinning face, and my face turned red involuntarily. He was adorable...if he grew up, then I wouldn''t mind... Letting out an exasperated sigh, I said, "Well, that''s premature. You''re a little young to be proposing." Though that was what I said, I couldn''t help myself from smiling, "But let''s make it a promise. One day, when you''re all grown up." "Onee-chan wants to marry me in the future? I''m flattered." Hearing those words, my face instantly turned red. "But sure. If you can still remember me in the future, I''ll make you my wife! By the way, you might have already forgotten that I had eidetic memory, Mafuyu-onee-chan? How could I not remember your name?" Before I could retort to the first statement and react to the second, his head suddenly turned towards his left, and he let go of my hand before running towards a familiar man. Uesugi...sensei? "Dad!" The boy yelled as he ran towards his father. "Fuu-chan, where did you go?" "You''re the one who tossed me away to enjoy yourself! Don''t leave me alone if you''re gonna force me to come here!" "Haha...I know that I can count on you to be alone for a while. Plus, didn''t you enjoy the festival?" "Not really..." So, that boy is...Uesugi sensei''s son. No wonder he was so easy to talk to. He speaks the exact same way as his father... "And then, I met this onee-chan!" I didn''t want to wait for him to call me out like that in front of sensei, so before he even finished his sentence, I bolted off. Hah...how immoral. Proposing a promise of marriage with a boy six years younger than me who was still in elementary school. I hope he won''t tell sensei that I promised to marry him when he grew up. My reputation would be destroyed if others knew that I made a promise to him... Sigh...I missed our previous school festivals. And this year, unlike the previous years...I had surprisingly managed to attend the school festival. It''s not inevitable. That''s just not how it is. And that is it for me, Kirisu Mafuyu. I''m a figure skater, and but that is not just that, is it? I managed to meet this interesting boy today. He made me think more about my circ.u.mstances with that short meeting when others couldn''t do it for a long time. Still, thinking of marrying me in the future, huh? Elementary students are precocious nowadays...what''s wrong with me as well? Uesugi Fuu-chan, huh? I wonder what''s your full name... Do you plan to keep your promise...? Secretly, I wished that you... ***************** A/N: 3k words this week! In case you didn''t get the title - the name ''Mafuyu'' means ''Midwinter'', the main heroine for this chapter. I read the comments about the permanent token being pretty OP. So, to not have a reason for letting MC use it to gain immortality, I changed the description a little bit. You can check it out on the status chapter. Although I mentioned two more arcs, it was more of an ''event'' rather than an ''arc''. This chapter counts as one event, so there will be one more, and at most two chapters, before Volume 2 comes out. Please introduce some piano/violin anime that you want me to include, and I''ll try my best to do it. Volume two will be mainly using my imagination, and since I only have the plot''s rough sketches, the details can still be adjusted, so feel free to give all of your opinions! A/R: I''m planning for another two fanfics, though planning is one thing, and actually doing it is another. For the quintuplets and non-harem fans, you''ll probably enjoy my next one since it would involve both (if I ever decide to actually go for it, that is). And the best part is? No quintuplets will go single even if there is no harem! The second one is an idea about Re: Creator, but I don''t have much planned about it, so I don''t think that would actually count as one? Watching Steins; gate this week, and I''m planning to check out ''The way of the househusband'' soon. Chapter 46 - 46: New Year Eves festival (I) "I''m recovering?" Kaori''s eyes streamed with tears as she asked her doctor with aggressiveness. "Relax, girl. I know you might be unsure and hesitant about the sudden news, but yes," The doctor gently pried off Kaori''s fingers off her arms as she smiled, "You''re recovering." "Dear, our daughter is finally experiencing a miracle!" Ryouko Miyazono, Kaori''s mother, sobbed within her husband''s arms. "Yes, dear, our daughter is recovering..." Yoshiyuki Miyazono, Kaori''s father, wasn''t faring any better than his wife. Who said a man should only shed blood and not tears? How could Yoshiyuki not cry when he heard that the disease that had plagued Kaori for almost half her life had begun to disappear? How could he not cry when he heard that his daughter didn''t have to suffer anymore? No more jabs, no more hospital trips, no more constant medication...no more of those ''harmful'' things that prevented Kaori from ever genuinely living an ordinary life. Being a couple that ran a simple bakery and the fact that they had to constantly pay so much money to watch Kaori continue to live and suffer from the disease, Kaori''s parents didn''t expect much from their daughter. Kaori didn''t need to study hard, nor did she needed to help out around the store or even attend school, and Yoshiyuki and Ryouko would still have supported Kaori. All they wanted from her was to live a happy life. Yet Kaori didn''t give up even when her parents already did. They didn''t specifically mention it, but their actions showed Kaori that they didn''t have any hope anymore. Kaori never stopped hoping. Especially after meeting the cute white-haired boy that made a living this life much more meaningful and fun. After knowing that she was being plagued with a disease, it forced her to mature faster than she would have liked. She knew what life included. It wasn''t all rainbows and sunshine like how the elementary school taught them. And discovering the unique feelings in her heart, she asked more about it. No one gave her an exact answer, or maybe there wasn''t any, to begin with. But she could roughly guess what it was. And it was related to the white-haired boy that made her once dull life colorful again. The only reason she ever stopped herself from executing the last step that would definitely change the nature of their relationship was that she didn''t want him to be disappointed when she eventually dies early. But now... "In fact, I''m also inquisitive about why your disease is getting destroyed as we speak. Diseases aren''t something like bacterial or viral infections that could easily be solved by mere drugs. It would require intensive healthcare and treatment to cure it, much less a genetic disease like Friedreich''s Ataxia that had no cure in this era of medical knowledge." The doctor frowned as she looked on curiously at the blond girl. As a researcher and medical graduate, she wanted to slice the girl apart to see what secret laid in her body that managed to cure the impossible genetic disease - it would definitely help push her to the peak of her life if she managed to find the cure. But it was her morals from being the same medical graduate that stopped her from doing so. "If I may ask, with your permission, would you volunteer to give some more data to the hospital?" "Can you please elaborate more on that?" Yoshiyuki was about to ask more when his wife elbowed him. "Actually, dear, could you not talk about this now? Our daughter just recovered, and you''re already wanting her to make contributions to the medical world?" Ryouko said as she rubbed her daughter''s head before turning to the doctor, "I''m sorry, doctor. But since we had just gotten the good news about Kaori recovering, could you talk about that in the future? I don''t want to spoil the celebration with the serious stuff now." Although Ryouko had seemingly asked a question, her tone showed that there was only one answer that she would accept. Let''s just say that Kaori''s hot-temper and stubbornness were inherited from her mother. From the time Kaori had heard the doctor confirm that she was recovering from her disease, she had already shut off all noise from her surroundings and was thinking through various things. It wasn''t like her to sit about and do nothing. Though she might not have a clear goal or plan for the future, she at least knew in which direction would she want to go. And her first stop was that boy. Her friend was dating the boy that both of them liked, and though she didn''t like the fact that she wasn''t the first, nothing could be done about that. Since she couldn''t be first, then she would be second. If it had been any other boy, she might worry that he would treat her with bias, whether for or against her. But since it was Fuutarou-kun, she trusted that he would treat everyone equally and fairly, not neglecting or cherish one girl more than the others. As Hazrat Ali said, "If a person loves a person, he becomes blind to its defects, his mind is predisposed to its favor, his sight and hearing loses the power of seeing and hearing realities, and he cannot tolerate seeing or hearing anything against the person of his devotion." After the chains reeling in her feelings (the disease) had broken, nothing could stop Kaori anymore, except maybe the boy of her adoration. ''Fuutarou-kun...no. Fuu-kun, wait for me~. Let''s all be one family, Shou-chan, Fuu-kun~.'' ***************** "Ehhh...Fuu-kun, can we go to the new years'' festival?" Shouko asked me in the middle of breakfast. "Oh yeah, a festival is happening at the shrine today. Do all of you want to go together?" I questioned our little sisters. "Of course, nii-chan! We want to play a lot during the festival and eat a lot of food and watch the fireworks." They started bombarding me with the things that they want to do during the festival. My mother, who was sitting down beside us, chuckled slightly after hearing their words," Why don''t we all go wearing our kimonos? Your dad brought us a few kimonos back during his last break." She suggested. "Really? Sigh, that old man didn''t say anything about it as usual." I replied listlessly, hearing my dad say nothing about presents or gifts. Sigh, this is one of the rare times I wished he was here with us. "Don''t worry, although your father might not be able to come home for the new year, he did send back some small hair ornaments for the girls to match their kimonos." My mother chuckled as she placed the dishes back in the sink. "Mum! Don''t move about too much! Your tummy is already huge enough; I don''t want your tummy getting hurt because of your movement." I hurriedly spoke and stopped her from moving about too much. "You''re worrying too much, Fuu-chan. Your mother is a lot stronger than you think." My mother pinched my cheeks and pulled them softly, causing me to groan in embarrassment, "But thank you for your concern." "As long as you''re healthy...I don''t want to experience ???????????????? ever again..." I mumbled the last part, though I felt that my mother heard it. "Don''t worry. I won''t." Raiha was incredibly excited about wearing the kimono, and Yuzuru was also enthusiastic about taking pictures of us wearing kimonos. After all, this would only be the second time the four of us went to a New year''s festival. We didn''t have the best experience last year since Shouko and Yuzuru were just getting settled into their new house and family, so they were still pretty reserved in the way they were acting. Now that our relationsh.i.p.s had progressed a lot, they are now a lot more open with us, allowing them to enjoy the new year''s Eve festival a lot more. And the summer festival didn''t really have the atmosphere of the ''new year'', so it doesn''t count as well. Plus, it would be a lot colder during this festival as it was right smack in the middle of winter. Still, the slightly-piled-up snow would work as a good play area for our little sisters. [A/N: Shouko moved in at 11 years old, so she had now lived with them for slightly more than a year.] We spent the rest of the day playing with the snow, which piled up in front of our small garden and house. We didn''t play anything too exhausting since we were going to the late-night festival. There wasn''t any point in going to a festival when you''re exhausted - it takes away all the fun and excitement. We also received news that my father and Shouko''s mother would return for the new year. Though they would miss the festival, I was just glad that we could at least spend the new year together. The date that my mother was expecting her babies was already pretty late. Being pregnant sometime in March, I thought she would have given birth by this month, but all her actions didn''t seem to show that she was struggling with twins in her w.o.m.b. Hopefully, my father will not leave for another job until the twins have fully settled down. The girls were changing into their kimonos as I waited for them outside the house. When they came out in their kimono, I spaced out for a moment. Shouko was wearing an auburn, pink kimono with flower patterns on them - the same one she wore for the summer festival, albeit with a thicker material to keep her warm from the cold. Shouko saw me stunned, and a sense of accomplishment bloomed in her heart as she let out a smile. "You never cease to amaze me, Shou-chan~. You look very cute today!" Shouko, who heard that pouted and asked in a fake angry voice: "So I don''t usually look cute, huh?" I was stunned hearing her reply. "Of course not. You just look extra cute today." I replied with a gentle smile while patting her head. Safe to say, my head patting skills have improved plenty. Although Shouko and my two little sisters didn''t explicitly say anything about it, I could tell that they enjoyed it a lot. Especially Shouko, even though she was supposed to be six years older than our siblings, Hearing my reply, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. "Good! Now let''s head out!" She pulled my hand as she rushed towards the shrine. "Raiha, Yuzuru, remember to stick together and don''t get lost, ok?" my mother instructed them. She wasn''t going to the festival because firstly, she was pregnant with twins and with the crowd present, some sort of accident might happen, and I''m not taking any risk, and second, it was cold outside. Although I know that the cold would not affect the pregnancy in any way, we didn''t have a kimono or any winter clothing big enough to ''store'' her bulging tummy, and it was also the reason why she mostly stayed at home most of the time during the winter season. ""Hai!"" Both replied together. "And take care of each other!" The shrine wasn''t very far away; it was only a half-hour walk. On the way there, we could already see the shrine brightly lit, crowded with people. Yuzuru played with Raiha while taking pictures of her with the camera she had gotten for her birthday. Yes. Yuzuru''s very own camera at the age of 6. Wow. I didn''t even have a camera of my own... Anyway, upon reaching the festival, Raiha and Yuazuru immediately bought and shared a cotton candy. They just ignored every other stall to get their favorite sweet snack. Sigh, money, money... But then again, it wasn''t like they got the chance to eat it frequently, so I didn''t mind splurging a bit just for today. Meanwhile, Shouko was much more realistic. She didn''t try to get anything that was too expensive and decided to try scooping some fishes. I couldn''t help but laugh at her when I saw her failing terribly as the paper keeps breaking. It wasn''t the first time she was trying this, but it seemed that she didn''t improve much from the last time. "Moo...don''t laugh. If you''re so good, then help me scoop some." Shouko pouted when she heard me laugh. "Haha, sorry. You''re just too cute when you try your best." I slightly smiled as I patted her head. Shouko, who heard what I said, blushed and quickly turned her head away. I smiled when I saw that and went towards the stall. No matter how many times I see her, Shouko is as cute as always~. However, just as I was about to show off my skills once more in front of the goldfish scooping stall, the owner suddenly packed everything up and started eating. Huh? "Ano...ojii-san?" "Yes, boy?" "Can I get a scoop?" "Can''t you see I''m eating?" Huh? What has you eating your food got to do with me wanting to spend money on your stall? "Um...I don''t think me scooping the fishes have anything to do with you eating?" "It means I''m busy, boy. So I don''t have to do your business." And as if to prove his point, he started using his phone to watch some shows while slurping his soba noodles. At this point, I felt pretty annoyed, and a tick mark appeared on my head, "So when will you be done?" The owner glanced at me and said before turning back to his phone, "After you leave." What the...oops. No swearing. This is a child-rated story. Fine. If you want to play like that, then I''ll just go to other stalls. It wasn''t as though this stall was the only one that could scoop goldfishes. "Let''s go, Shou-chan. We can find some other stalls to scoop." Shouko was pretty confused, but she nevertheless allowed me to drag her to other stalls. Unfortunately, this just happened to most, correction, all of the game stalls. If I remember correctly, like I always do, I think a certain someone from chapter 38 took my picture, and that same person probably spread it amongst the stall owners, causing my face to be recognized by everyone. I mean, my hair color stood out amongst the crowd in the first place, and when paired up with the reputation of nearly bankrupting stall owners if not for my generosity, I was easily recognized. Sigh...I should have never let that old man take a picture of me. But if they want to play it this way... "Fuu-kun? What are we going to do now?" Although Shouko seemed pretty concerned about the fact that we were banned and our little sisters were quickly getting bored from being able to do nothing with me around, she was actually enjoying this situation a lot. It wasn''t every day she could see someone being too good at games that people banned him from coming to their stall. "Well, I just have to ensure that I''m not recognized." "And how are we going to do that?" "We are in a festival, Shou-chan, look around us. They don''t only sell food and games; they sell clothing and masks as well!" Hearing my words, Shouko showed an expression of realization. "Hehe...they won''t know what hit them!" Shouko cutely giggled as she started choosing a mask for me to wear. My hair still stood out, so I decided to get a wig as well. Yep. This festival sells a wide variety of stuff. Don''t question why. Torn between the hyottoko masks and the kitsune masks, I just decided to buy both. We had four people altogether anyway, so I think having just one mask would be pretty limiting. Now that my disguise was on, it was time for revenge for wasting my time. "Who is this prodigy!?" "Damn...a legend is going to be born today!" "Kyaa, he''s so cute!!" "See that? Why can''t you do that for me? Huh?" Returning to one of the goldfish scooping stalls, the owner looked at me with a suspicious look before giving me a scoop. Phew...now, to not expose my disguise this early, I decided to hold back slightly. But as expected, my actions still had some reactions from the crowd as I scooped up twenty goldfishes in a row. I know what you''re thinking, but I did hold back. But apparently, it wasn''t enough. Using like 20% of the advanced proficiency was apparently this good. Imagine I had used all 100%. I would have bankrupted the stall. Again. For some reason, there''s a random comment that had nothing to do with my scooping skills, but I ignored it. I didn''t even know how the person who yelled out the third comment could tell how I looked like when my face was hidden by a mask. But then again, people in this world have some pretty weird eyes for stuff like this. After putting 4 fishes inside a plastic bag, I gave the other 18 back to the stall. After all, even though I really want to take revenge on the stall owners, I can''t take care of 20 fishes at once. And I''m not a fish killer. I gave the plastic bag containing two fishes to Shouko, "Here you go. Just as you ordered, a bag of goldfish." Finishing my sentence, I bowed to her like how a butler would. "Thanks..." Shouko laughed at my act while receiving the bag. "Onii-chan! What about me? What about me?" Raiha and Yuzuru jumped up and down in front of me while waving their tiny hands in the air. "Don''t worry. I won''t forget my dear sisters~. Here you go." The other two fishes were separated into two plastic bags - one for each girl. ""Yay! Thanks, onii-chan!"" "Fuu-kun? Shou-chan? You guys are here too!" ***************** A/N: I realized that I had almost forgotten about the pregnant mother... Hmm...Umiko Ahagon is pretty cute...I will try to add her along with the rest of the anime, but it would be a little of a parody since they are a.d.u.l.ts in the anime. I''ll try to integrate them into high school into some club and make them work with Saekano. A/R: I have so many ideas for so many fanfics, but I don''t really want to start on them since I won''t have the time to do so. What a pity, for you guys at least, since you won''t get to read them. Hahaha Chapter 47 - 47: New Year Eves festival (II) "Shou-chan, can I speak to you for a moment?" During one of her breaks in the music room, Kaori asked Shouko, who was sitting down near them while listening to the music produced by the duo. "Hm? Sure." Despite not knowing what Kaori wanted from her, she could tell that Kaori had something important to say, judging from the unusual behavior displayed. "Hm? Sounds interesting. Could you let me in on your conversation?" As per usual, Fuutarou, being the busybody he was, immediately intervened with a big smile on his face. "Nope~. It''s a girls'' conversation!" Kaori exclaimed before pulling Shouko along to somewhere where Fuutarou wouldn''t be able to overhear their conversation, not that they needed to. Despite Fuutarou''s behavior, he knew when to push forward and take a step back. Since the girls wanted their privacy, he would naturally let them have it. He wasn''t some controlling freak that needed to monitor their every move. "Shou-chan..." Kaori started nervously after reaching the school garden that was located not too far away from the music room. Shouko didn''t speak and just patiently waited for Kaori to continue. "I need to tell you something..." In contrast to her usual cheerful and bubbly attitude, Kaori was now speaking very softly, as though she was being ashamed of something that she had done. "It''s about -" "Fuu-kun, right?" "Eh?" Kaori was surprised. Before she could even finish her sentence, Shouko had already completed it for her. "Sigh...I knew that this day would come sooner or later, though I never expected that it would be this soon. I was hoping it would come later...much later..." Shouko muttered the last part, though Kaori was close enough to hear it, "Kaori-chan, you like Fuu-kun, right?" Silence. Kaori wasn''t too shocked to hear those words coming out of her friend''s mouth. In fact, she had expected it, though it was more direct and straight-to-the-point than predicted. "Ano..." Shouko didn''t reply and just stared at her. "Are you...angry...?" Shouko didn''t know what she was currently feeling. Should she reply with a ''yes''? Or should the answer be ''no''? Life was never separated into two distinct parts, areas, or sections. She was slightly angry that the boy she loved would get another girlfriend apart from her, but living in this world where boys were given preferential treatment, what could she do apart from accepting it? Overthrow the government and remove the polygamy law? Create a similar virus from the past and remove 80% of the girls and balance out the boy-girl ratio? "Not really. I was already expecting it from the start, ever since you joined us in Fuu-kun''s daily piano practice." "Eh...I never really thought of that at first, though..." Kaori muttered. "I guess you could consider it a gut feeling? Fuu-kun is a very amazing person, and a person like him would obviously be well-liked by everybody. Yet, he doesn''t specifically or purposefully get close to anyone, in particular, especially girls. The only exception to this so far was me, his girlfriend, his younger sisters," Shouko said and pointed towards Kaori, "and you." "If that wasn''t a tell-tale sign that he''s interested in you as well, whether or not it was his intention, I don''t know what is." "But the reason why I said I wasn''t really that angry is that it is you." "Huh? I don''t understand what you mean." Shouko just smiled at Kaori''s confused look but didn''t reply to her question and continued speaking, "You have my permission and blessing, but treat Fuu-kun well, okay?" "Eh?" "Or do you not want Fuu-kun anymore? I don''t mind that as well. I can at least get Fuu-kun for myself." Shouko chuckled at Kaori''s dumbfounded expression. "No, no, no, no, no!" Kaori hurriedly interrupted Shouko and said, "I want Fuu-kun! Thank you, Shou-chan..." Shouko was surprised when Kaori suddenly hugged her, but it only lasted for a few seconds. "You don''t have to thank me. All I''m giving you is an opportunity. If Fuu-kun doesn''t like you, even I can''t help you." "Hehe...even if he rejects me, I''ll never give up! I''m going to keep asking him out until he accepts me!" Kaori grinned, and though Shouko couldn''t see it since Kaori''s face was buried in her shoulder, Shouko could feel it. At Kaori''s words, Shouko let out a wry smile. But that was a good thing...right? Having a devoted person become her ''sister'' would be than some random girl that Shouko had never seen before and only loved Fuu-kun for his looks. But one thing confused Shouko. "But why did you wait so long to ask me whether you could date Fuu-kun?" Kaori''s smile immediately disappeared, and a serious expression formed on her face as she released Shouko from her arms. "I can tell you, but please don''t tell Fuu-kun, alright?" "You know I can''t promise you that. If you ever want to get together with Fuu-kun, that secret of yours might affect the chances of you staying together..." "It won''t. Because it doesn''t affect Fuu-kun at all." Kaori shook her head determinedly, "So, can you promise me that?" Shouko stared at her for a while before sighing, "Fine. But if I deemed it to be a factor that would harm him, I will definitely tell him, okay?" "No problem." "So? What''s your big secret?" Shouko asked curiously. She was turning thirteen soon, and all soon-to-be teenage girls like her would bound to be curious about secrets and things like that. "I was once sick..." ***************** "Fuu-kun? Shou-chan? You guys are here too!" We turned out heads towards the direction where the sound came from, and we saw Kaori, and slightly further behind her, Kobayashi Haruma, though I don''t think he noticed us yet. ""Kaori onee-chan!"" Raiha and Yuzuru greeted her. "Oh? Kaori-chan. Good evening!" "So formal?" Kaori took a bite out of her cotton candy as she said. "Don''t speak when your mouth is filled with food. Choose one." After I said that, Kaori didn''t speak any longer and focused on her food. ...it seems that food occupied a higher position in her heart... "I didn''t expect to see you here today, Kaori-chan? Where are your parents?" "..." Kaori didn''t reply as she continued devouring her cotton candy, though I could see her eyes not leaving my face. And somehow, I felt that I could understand what she was trying to convey. "Because you were so frequently absent from school that I thought you had some illness or something that prevented you from being outside too much. And judging from your looks, I assume that you left your parents on your own violation?" Sigh, this is troublesome...if her parents saw me with her now, they would think that I have kidnapped their daughter. At least, her father would. Her mother was a pretty kind lady, and all she''d do was to ''ara ara'' me. The moment Kaori heard my words, she immediately became stunned and started choking on her cotton candy. Seems like I was spot on. Still, she''s trying to keep that a secret from me, huh? Why though? You have already recovered from your disease, from what I could tell, so why are you still hiding it from others? Well, not that I really care why she didn''t tell others. Maybe she was just embarrassed or ashamed or something, but since she didn''t want to tell anyone...well, let''s just not mention it. "Are you okay?" I started rubbing her back while giving her some water to ease her choking. "Y-Yeah...I''m fine. Thank you." "Yo! Shouko-chan, Miyazono-chan, and Fuu-chan~." "You finally stopped calling me yellow hair, Kobayashi-kun." "Oops, must have slipped my mind then. I''m sorry, yellow hair." Haruma bowed, apologizing for the fact that he had not called her yellow hair. "Grr..." Kaori growled in anger but did nothing to correct Haruma. He had called her that for too long already. Plus, she was already used to it, even if she disliked it. "Good evening, Haruma-kun." "Stop calling me Fuu-chan, Haruma." Out of the three people who replied to him, only Shouko responded normally; Kaori and I just retorted him for his words. "We''ve been through this, Fuu-chan. I''m not gonna stop calling you that." "Sigh, Haruma, are you here alone? Where''s your family?" Not wanting to further this pointless argument, I sighed, looked around, and realized that he was alone. "I ditched them since my parents keep flirting around while my sister is with her boyfriend. So I''m left by myself wandering around until I found you guys." He shrugged as he patted Raiha''s and Yuzuru''s heads while smiling. Haruma is part of a family of four. His parents work an office job while his sister is in high school this year. Usually, his house is empty as they are all busy with work or study. That was why he could often stay back late after school to accompany us in the music room when other elementary students usually head straight home after school. Excluding me, of course. I''m just an anomaly. It''s currently 9pm, and there are still 3 more hours to the New Year''s countdown. After the two people found us, we hanged out together, playing games and buying a ton of sweet candies and food for us to eat. I continued keeping my mask on when going close to a stall that I wanted to play or get the prize. This time, I didn''t suffer from any financial problems since my mother gave me quite a bit of money to spend. But I didn''t plan to spend it all in one go. Money was hard-earned in this household, after all, especially since a pair of twins would be added to the family as well. Well, at least I would be helping to lighten the burden in volume 2. "Onii-chan! Can I have that?" Raiha pointed towards a small pair of plush kitty cats, one pink and one purple. "Oh? You want that?" "No," Raiha shook her head and smiled cutely, "I want to give my new little sisters a toy!" Urgh...I felt an arrow of cuteness stab at my heart... How could anyone be this cute?! "No problem! Leave it to your onii-chan!" Putting on my battle mask, I walked towards the stall with wide steps. I think I was getting way too serious for something as minor as this, but for everything that my family asks for, I would do it to the best of my ability. Except, of course, my father''s absurd requests. "Yay! Onii-chan is the best!" "Boss, give me a gun and five bullets." I took out 500 yen and placed it on the counter. "Hoh? Another challenger, huh? Good luck, kid." The boss smirked as he handed me my gun. ***************** While Fuutarou-kun was doing something to complete the two girls'' request, Shouko pulled Kaori to one side. "Kaori-chan, when are you going to confess? You asked me a few weeks ago, but until now, your behavior hasn''t changed at all." Hearing what Shouko suddenly said, Kaori, who was in the middle of drinking her juice, almost spat everything out from the surprise she felt. "Pffttt....please don''t say that so suddenly. Besides, I have already planned everything out. I''ve been getting closer to Fuu-kun over the few weeks." Kaori eyed her best friend as she wiped her mouth of apple juice. "I should have asked this before, but since I didn''t, then let me ask you now. Why do you like Fuu-kun so much?" Shouko pondered. "Since I found out that I was really sick and needed to go to the hospital often, it resulted in me not being able to attend school as frequently as others. This caused me to have a lack of friends. Although I wasn''t really bullied since I would fight back and no one wanted to fight me anymore-" "You mean, no one could fight you anymore?" Shouko interrupted with a small smile. "Hehe...anyway, Fuu-kun was the only one nice to me, despite him not even being in my class and not knowing me at all. He never loses his patience with anyone and would calmly guide them in wherever they went wrong. He is very gentle and never loses his temper at anyone. I don''t think I would find anyone better to spend my life with." Kaori spoke without reservations, complimenting Fuutarou, though her face was bright red as she whispered the last part. "So I''m not nice to you, huh...?" Shouko asked in fake sadness, though it was enough for Kaori to panic slightly. "Of course not! Shou-chan is my best friend! Anyone who wants to bully you will have to get through me first!" Hearing her words, Shouko just chuckled, "I think if anybody wants to bully me, Fuu-kun would be the first to smack them." Just as Shouko finished speaking, she made eye contact with Fuutarou, who had a massive smile on his face as he pointed excitedly at a huge stuffed toy that he was holding in one arm. The two girls smiled at Fuutarou''s kid-like behavior as they waved back. "Plus, Fuu-kun is cute." "That I cannot deny. Anyway, as your friend and Fuu-kun''s girlfriend, I will always support your decision. Are you going to take the initiative, or are you going to wait for him to confess to you instead?" I asked her. "Of course I am going to confess! My mother said that girls need to take the initiative. Otherwise, the boys wouldn''t even look at you!" "So when do you plan to confess?" "Midnight." That simple reply from Kaori now caused Shouko to almost spit out her juice instead. "That was...sudden..." "You said it yourself. If I dragged this any further...well, nothing would change." Kaori shrugged, "And...can you help me bring your little sisters away? I want to be alone with him for a while..." As she spoke towards the end of her sentence, her voice got quieter and quieter, her face getting redder. "If you have already decided on it, I''ll help distract my two imoutos from Fuu-kun and let you be alone with him for a while. As for where to confess, that would be up to you. Just do your best alright?" "This feels so weird, encouraging another girl to be my boyfriend''s girlfriend..." Shouko muttered under her breath, but Kaori managed to hear her despite the loud surroundings. "Hehe...don''t worry. I"ll love you as much as well!" Kaori grinned and hugged Shouko. Shouko sighed at Kaori''s actions, but she didn''t struggle within her embrace and just enjoyed it. "For now, let''s just enjoy the festival." Until midnight, Kaori didn''t plan to leave Shouko. She wanted to spend more time with her soon-to-be ''sister'', and to be very honest, she was also feeling slightly guilty of ''forcing'' Shouko to share Fuutarou. Although though there were no laws of polygamy, the virus-infected world wouldn''t just change overnight. Morality was still present amongst the a.d.u.l.ts, so there weren''t many a.d.u.l.ts who had a harem. Depending on the type of family the children were born in, they get a different influence and perspective on harems and sharing their man. Some might not like it, while others might accept it. But most children would tend towards the latter since the number of boys their age was not a lot, and a young girl''s fantasy and dream was to become a bride. But they couldn''t possibly become a pride if they remained single, right? "Okay, and remember, Kaori-chan," Shouko said as they walked towards Fuutarou, who was now in another stall trying to sew two life-sized baby penguins for her two imoutos. "Hm?" "I''ll never forgive if you ever hurt Fuu-kun. Even if you are my friend." Although Shouko''s face still had a smile, her tone was deadly serious. "I''ll never hurt Fuu-kun or you in this lifetime!" Noting the severe attitude Shouko had towards this matter, Kaori didn''t joke around and replied with a tone as serious as Shouko. "Good. Well, I hope you get what you wish for..." ***************** A/N: I feel weird making the girls have a more dominant character. Though you have to note that this (world) is becoming a women-orientated society. Though it''s still not that extreme yet, with the loss of the younger population of boys, girls naturally replace the boys at being more...manly? I would say...So anything that a boy would usually do would now be done by a girl instead in this world. So Kaori and her mother''s mentality isn''t very wrong. In fact, even Shouko was the one who confessed to Fuutarou, not the other way round. For more information, read Author''s Thoughts. A/R: I don''t really actively search for new anime and manga to watch and read, but my youtube recommended the weirdest anime and manga. Gleipnir, Kanojo mo Kanojo, Magical girl apocalypse, Dead Tube, The way of the househusband, Zenozard the animation, and so on. I personally recommend Magical girl apocalypse and Dead Tube. It''s an amazing read. Chapter 48 - 48: New Year Eves festival (III) Time flew by when people were enjoying themselves. One hour and forty-five minutes quickly passed by, and 11.45pm soon arrived. "Okay, it''s time for you to do whatever you need to do," Shouko whispered to Kaori, to which Kaori flushed slightly but had a determined expression on her face. "Hmm? What are you girls whispering about?" Haruma noticed that the two girls were whispering to each other and immediately became curious. "Nothing. Kaori-chan just likes Fuu-kun, and you probably know what she wants today, seeing her dress up so nicely." Shouko replied while Kaori just stood beside her, fidgeting slightly. "Oh? The ever boisterous Miyazono is blushing? Now that''s a rare sight~." "Shut up! That''s why you have no girlfriend!" Kaori immediately lost her redness and retorted to Haruma. "Fuu-chan teases you all the time as well, but I don''t see you yelling at him?" Haruma smirked before shrugging, "Besides, just because I don''t have a girlfriend now doesn''t mean that I''m unpopular. I just choose not to have one now." "Tsk..." "So, you planning to ''lure'' Fuu-chan''s younger sisters away for a moment so that Miyazono and Fuu-chan can get some time alone?" After hearing what Shouko planned to do, he easily guessed her intention, "No problem. You can count on us!" "I''m not counting on you. I''m counting on Shou-chan." Kaori stuck out her tongue at Haruma, but he didn''t have much of a reaction. "Good luck." Shouko didn''t say anything more and started walking towards Fuutarou and her little sisters. "Good luck as well. Hope Fuu-chan will be able to ''tame'' you and not the other way around." Haruma slightly snickered as he made his way towards them as well. "Thanks..." Watching her friends support her, Kaori felt touched. Although their actions weren''t anything drastic, it was the thought that still counted in their small, little ways. "Rai-chan, Yuzu-chan! Let''s go to another stall!" Haruma grinned as he made his way towards them before lowering his voice so that Fuutarou wouldn''t be able to hear, "Let''s leave your onii-chan alone with Miyazono for a while." "Kobayashi-nii-san, why do we have to follow you? Can''t we all play together?" Yuzuru asked him. "You see, your yellow hair onee-san has something to talk about with your onii-chan, and she wants to talk with him alone," Kobayashi explained patiently. "What does she want to talk about?" Raiha asked him. "Errr..." Haruma didn''t know how to reply to that, and thinking that he didn''t want to interfere too much with their family matter, he decided to ditch his responsibility and pushed it towards Shouko, "Why don''t you ask your onee-chan? She will tell you what''s going on." Shouko, hearing Haruma''s words, was stunned as well. What was she supposed to tell her sisters? That someone else liked her boyfriend and is planning to confess to him? Shouko looked at the two girls'' innocent pairs of eyes and shook her head. "Fuu-kun is..." Thinking for a while, Shouko managed to find a more...suitable answer for children to hear, "Making a big family so that you have more onee-chans." "Hm...so Miyazono-onee-chan likes Fuu-kun?" Raiha asked. Shouko knew about Raiha''s intelligence to begin with, but she didn''t expect that Raiha would get what she meant by ''making a big family''. But since she had guess it, Shouko didn''t keep it from her anymore. Anyways, it wasn''t like she was deliberately hiding it from them. Judging from Raiha''s and Yuzuru''s expression, they didn''t particularly seem to reject the idea too much. "Yes." "Yay! We have one more onee-chan to play with us!" Yuzuru excitedly spoke. Fortunately for them, Kaori had already made her move with Fuutarou and had already led him someplace else. "Why do you want so many onee-chans? Am I not enough for you?" Shouko narrowed her eyes as she proceeded to pinch her younger sister''s cheeks, gently, of course. "I didn''t mean that! But more people equals more fun, right?" Yuzuru replied, though her words came out almost incoherently due to the fact that her cheeks were currently being deformed. "Well, enough of your older brother''s matters. Since I''m going to be accompanying you for a while, let''s go play some other games. My treat." Haruma said as he started making his move to another stall. Unlike Fuutarou, who was banned in almost every game stalls, Shouko wasn''t. In fact, many stalls welcomed her to try repeatedly due to the simple fact that she could never win. ***************** While Shouko and Haruma were conversing with Raiha and Yuzuru, Kaori started to make her move. Taking a deep breath, Kaori walked up to Fuutarou and spoke first. "Fuutarou, can we talk? I want to ask you about something." Kaori started nervously. "Sure. What''s wrong?" He gave her a questioning look as he placed down the toy gun and received the prize that he had earned. It wasn''t anything significant, just an ordinary yellow hairband. "Can you fol...follow me to somewhere first?" She asked nervously. "Hmm? It isn''t like you to be so nervous about anything." Fuutarou let out a smile, "But sure. Where do you want to go? Let me go call the rest first." "No!" Kaori hurriedly stopped Fuutarou from calling the others with a slight tug on his kimono and whispered, "Alone..." "What did you say? I couldn''t hear you from the bustling around us." Fuutarou leaned in towards her. "Alone. I want to talk to you alone for a while. No Shou-chan, No Kobayashi-kun. Just you and me." Kaori continued, "Can I?" Fuutarou raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. He was confused about Kaori''s shy actions and wondered what topic Kaori wanted to talk to him with that made her so...unnaturally nervous. "Sure. Do they know, though?" "Yes." Fuutarou stared at her for a moment before nodding his head, "Lead the way then, Kaori-chan." Hearing Fuutarou''s nod, Kaori started walking in a particular direction, which would lead them towards a shrine. The shrine was located at the top of a small hill. There were plenty of people at the base, but much fewer people were present at the top of the hill. And that was where Kaori''s destination is. The way itself wasn''t long, but it was almost midnight when they reached the top. And as Kaori had hoped and expected, there were only two couples present beside them, and each pair was quite a distance from one another. Holding on to Fuutarou''s hand and leading him under a tree that was away from the sight of both couples, she stared directly into his eyes. Although she had prepared for this for weeks, it didn''t stop her from being nervous. After all, as much as she practiced, the real thing would be different from a mirror or a picture. This conversation would definitely change the dynamics of their relationship, whether for good or bad. But since Kaori had already decided to do it, then she would go through it now no matter what. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Kaori then stared straight into Fuutarou''s eyes without blinking and asked without a single stutter, "What do you think about me?" "What do I think about you?" Fuutarou leaned against the tree and started to talk. "Well, I think you are a cute and lively girl that would bring joy to everyone except for your enemies. You are also someone who works very hard and is determined to do what she wants to do, never giving up whenever hardship comes. A girl who can brave all obstacles and still smile brightly like the sun." Fuutarou wasn''t that dense. Living two lives without romance apart from Shouko didn''t really give him tremendous confidence in his own love life. In fact, just the mere fact that Shouko was even his girlfriend allowed him to be stupidly happy. And now another girl was going to confess to him before he could even focus on Shouko? "Do you like me?" Kaori stopped beating around the bush and asked directly, her face tinted with red hues, though her gaze never wavered. ''As expected. Still, this life is going way too smoothly, isn''t it?'' "Sigh, of course, I like you," Fuutarou replied. "Don''t be so quick to reject me- eh? What did you say?" Kaori was about to continue rambling on when she realized what Fuutarou had said "I said," Fuutarou answered, "I like you. But you also know that I like Shouko." "I know, but I still love you, Fuutarou! I want to be your girlfriend!" "Why are you so adamant about being my girlfriend, anyway? Am I really that good?" ''If you''re not considered good, then what is every other boy in the school who worsh.i.p.s you as their older brother?!'' Kaori thought to herself as she glared at Fuutarou. "Nope! You''re not that good!" With a swish of her head, she looked towards the side, denying what Fuutarou had said about himself, "But you''re the boy that I fell in love with. So no matter what you are going to say, my answer will never change." "I love you." While they had their conversation, the countdown for the new year began. "10..." "Do you love me despite knowing that I am poor?" "9..." "That''s even better. That way, no other girls apart from Shou-chan and me will love you." Fuutarou was speechless hearing Kaori''s words. "Besides, I know that you''re not going to remain this poor forever. Just playing for one competition allowed you to earn almost 10 000 yen. And that competition wasn''t even that grand either." Kaori didn''t stop there and continued, "If you wanted, I''m sure that you could easily earn more money." "7..." "As much as I want to, I know I cannot keep you for myself. I''m already intruding on Shou-chan''s love life, so I can''t say anything about other girls. You are smart, athletic, kind, and handsome. I know many girls will love you in the future!" "4..." "But please promise this, that you will always love Shou-chan and me the same and treat us as fair as you can....and most importantly, never leave us alone..." "3..." "Since you have already said this much, I''ll tell you this first then. Even if the both of you want to leave me, I will cling onto both of you, never letting both of you go." Fuutarou shamelessly declared, to which Kaori chuckled. "1..." "I have never properly said it, so I''ll say it now. I love you, Kaori..." Fuutarou said as fireworks started exploding in the sky far above them. "Happy new year!" The cheer could be heard from their current position, but both of them didn''t mind the noise. "Let me ask you something, now that I''m your girlfriend. Has Shou-chan kissed you?" "..." Fuutarou wasn''t sure what to reply and decided to tell the truth. Why would he bother hiding it anyway? "Yes." "Then kiss me too." "Wow..." Fuutarou raised his eyebrows in surprise, "That was bold, even for you." "Nope. Now that I''m your girlfriend, I''ll do my best to not fall behind Shou-chan!" ''You don''t have to compete in things like these, though...'' Fuutarou thought but didn''t say out loud. But Fuutarou didn''t reject her request and leaned forward. Under the moonlight, Kaori''s heart started beating faster and faster as she followed Fuutarou''s action instinctively. With their eyes staring into the other''s, their foreheads touched, they could feel each other''s breath from a distance between them. "I''m glad that I fell in love with you." "Don''t be so glad yet." "And why is that so?" "Because you haven''t even experienced what it means by being together with me. Because falling in love isn''t the most beautiful part; it''s the part where you can stay together with your loved ones for all of your life that''s beautiful." Before Kaori could reply to Fuutarou''s statement, Fuutarou leaned forward even more, and their lips touched. It was not a french kiss; it was just a perfectly ordinary kiss. Even without words, they understood each other. The kiss lasted half a minute before Kaori ran out of breath, slightly panting while hugging Fuutarou as both of them sat down on the grass, leaning on the tree. "You seemed pretty experienced in this..." "Don''t be jealous. It''s my second kiss, you know?" "You''re mine now, so don''t ever think of escaping," Fuutarou whispered into her ears with a slight smile. Kaori''s face was bright red as she snuggled deeper into his embrace, but the smile on her face could not be concealed. With the quiet and peaceful environment with no one disturbing their moment, both Kaori and Fuutarou wished that this moment would last forever. They laid under the stars, which were like a beautiful, surreal blanket above their heads. Kaori could feel his heartbeat while leaning into his chest, while Fuutarou could hear the soft breaths of Kaori by his side. That''s when it hit him: Sometimes, people are just like stars - they fall to make someone''s wish come true. ***************** Alternate Title: Confession; Second Girlfriend?! A/N: This is cringe, isn''t it? Yet strangely heartwarming. I''m cringing myself out so much when I wrote this... The next chapter would be the second-last chapter of this volume. The second volume would include: 1) Setting even more foundation for the high school volume, which means more characters from different anime arriving. Saekano, We never learn, and Nisekoi will definitely be there, and as for other animes, it would include: Working, a foreshadowing of an anime movie, your lie in April (continuation), and Piano no Mori. So look forward to those! 2) Of course, more waifu meetings. Although they won''t be Fuutarou''s girlfriend in volume 2, they would undoubtedly be in the future. This is part of setting the foundation for high school. 3) His lineage reveal. I think some of you would like this part. No information would be given about this until some time in the future. Although I already have an idea about the lineage, you can give comments on the type of lineage you would like to see. And if it is interesting, I''ll try my best to include inside/merge them together. Like Assassination Classroom. 4) Gain some fame as a pianist. His talent is too high to just stay in Japan. So, why not go overseas? He won''t remain overseas permanently, though. He''ll continue attending Junior high school. This is so that Fuutarou can earn some money for his family. Not too much, of course, so that he will still get the job of a tutor for the quintuplets; that part won''t change too much. His family would just change from dirt-poor to slightly below average. 5) And possibly some action works due to Raku''s family business. Fuutarou would get some fighting scenes overseas. A/R: Btw, I''m writing another two fanfics lol. Both only have one chapter, so do you want to read it? It won''t be my main one, though. I just like the idea I had so I decided to implement it on the spot. ?? ???????????? ??????? ? ???? ??????? ??????? ? ?????????????? ???? ? ? ????????????? ???OK ? ? ????????????? ????? ? ??????????????????? ? ????????????? ??????? ????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????...?????? Chapter 49 - 49: New Year Time quietly passed with Kaori in my embrace, enjoying the peacefulness that was present. After some time, however, Kaori suddenly jumped up and checked the time. "Oh no...it''s already 12.45 am. They must be wondering where we went!" "Relax, Haruma and Shou-chan can take care of them for a while." I tried to pacify her, and she managed to calm down. "Come, let''s go back" I offered my hand, which she gladly took. After we went back to the festival, we found the group of four waiting impatiently. "Where have you guys been? We''ve looked everywhere for you." Haruma complained. "Onii-chan, are you a couple/dating now?" Raiha and Yuzuru asked at the same time. "Sorry...we took a bit longer than expected. And yes, we are officially together now." I explained. "Well, since we''re all done with our business here, I need to go back already. My parents have been waiting for quite some time already." Haruma said as he prepared to leave. "Yeah...it''s pretty late now, and they have to go to bed already. Thanks, Haruma, for your hard work." "No problem. See you tomorrow." He waved goodbye as he walked towards where his parents were. """Bye!""" The girls were slowly getting sleepy already and could hardly stay awake. "Ok, let''s go back home," I told them as I held their hands, guiding them home. "Do you need me to send you back home?" "Ahem...you don''t have to send MY daughter home for me." A slightly deep voice appeared behind me, sending chills down my back. I think I know who it is, but I''m hoping I was wrong. I slowly turned around to see the familiar brown-haired man staring angrily at me. "H-Hello, Miyazono-san?" I think I accidentally phrased that as a question instead but seeing Kaori''s father''s angry glare in contrast to her mother''s knowing eyes made me (slightly) afraid of him. "Hello, Fuutarou-kun. I''ll be bringing my daughter home now if you don''t mind." "Haha..." Giving an awkward laugh, I scratched the back of my head, "She''s your daughter. Do you really need my permission to bring her home?" "True that." Without saying anything more, he started walking away, signaling Kaori and her mother to follow along. "Bye Fuu-kun~! I''ll see you in school again!" Kaori hugged me one last time before following her father. "Bye, Fuu-chan. I hope you can come over to our house more often after this." "I will, Miyazono-san. Good night." After Kaori''s family left, all that was left was Shouko, my sisters, and I, so we decided to start making our way home as well. After 30 minutes of slow walking, we finally reached home. With Shouko quickly bathing them, we tucked them in within 10 minutes. After that, we went to bed as well. However, Shouko didn''t enter her own room this time. Instead, she went straight into my bed and hugged me under the blanket without saying anything. "Shou-chan?" "Let''s sleep, Fuu-kun." "This is not-" "Let''s sleep, Fuu-kun." "...Yes." "Good night Fuu-kun." She yawned and closed her eyes, snuggling deep into my chest. "Are you, by any chance, jealous?" I didn''t know why, but that thought just popped into my head after seeing Shouko enter my bed with me instead of her own room. Although Shouko didn''t reply, her hands that were grasping my shirt tightened slightly. "Don''t worry, Shou-chan. I''ll never leave you." "Promise?" Deep inside the blanket, Shouko''s muffled voice sounded. "Yep~. Even if you don''t like me anymore, I''ll be stubborn and drag you along everywhere I go. So don''t worry, alright?" Once again, Shouko didn''t reply, though I could feel her head bobbing up and down. "Good night Shou-chan." I kissed her gently on her forehead, hugging her to sleep. ***************** The following day, I woke up to an unusual scene: Shouko clinging tightly onto me as she slept away. Still, her sleeping face was cute, so I didn''t mind it. Seeing the sun almost at its peak, I knew we slept in pretty late. Looking at her smiling, sleeping face, I didn''t want to wake her up, so I continued lying down as I caressed her head lightly and started my patting skills. A few minutes later, she started stirring, and when she opened her eyes slightly, she saw me looking at her. Blushing slightly, she greeted me, "Good morning Fuu-kun!" "Morning. I didn''t know you weren''t a morning person." Shouko just tilted her head sideways in confusion. In response, I just pointed at a small drool stain on my shirt where Shouko just laid down and her bed hair which was sticking out of weird angles. "Ah! Don''t look!" Shouko immediately took the pillow and covered my eyes with it, "I''m not usually like this. I''m just...I''m just...sleeping with you was comfortable so..." "Haha...don''t worry. Go and use the washroom first. I''ll meet you downstairs." Hearing my words, Shouko didn''t need a second reminder as she bolted out of the door in embarrassment. Jeez...if you were going to be embarrassed after sleeping with me, why did you do it in the first place? Not that I mind. After Shouko had gotten out of my room, I got up from the bed myself and started the day normally with my usual stretch. Or at least that was what I wanted to do until I heard a loud familiar voice coming in from the living room. "Yo Fuu-chan! Are you up yet? Let''s go to the shrine together with Shouko''s family. Her mother came back as well!" Isanari, also known as my father, came up and into my room and talked loudly. Although he was just in my room, his voice managed to spread around the house, causing our sisters to wake up in the process. "What do you want, old man?" "Aww...your dearest old man is finally home for you, and you don''t love him anymore? Come here and give me a hug!" And without even waiting for my response, he went straight to me, who was still trying to stretch and pulled me into a bear hug. "Argh...you old man with so much strength!" "My little Fuu-chan is a tsundere?" "Shut up! Go hug your pregnant wife instead!" "I already did." My father continued, "For a whole night, I might add. So don''t worry, she won''t get jealous." "Which mother on earth would get jealous over their husband hugging their son?! Urgh..." I retorted, but seeing that the strength of the bear hug didn''t go down, I sighed and accepted my fate. "Welcome home, dad." "I''m back." ***************** "Ara ara...your entire family is here as well?" "H-Hello, Miyazono-san. I swear, we weren''t stalking you." "Fuu-kun!" Meeting the Miyazono family at the shrine near the afternoon definitely wasn''t part of my plan. Even though Kaori just became my girlfriend yesterday, technically, it was midnight, so...um...today, I guess? Anyways, even though Kaori just became my girlfriend today, I didn''t really expect to meet on holiday as well. But I guess this is just what happens when everyone just lives near the same neighborhood. "Hmph!" Kaori''s father didn''t want to say anything more to me and started talking to my father. I mean, really? You don''t want to talk to your future son-in-law, but you would talk to your in-laws? "Fufufu...don''t worry, Fuu-chan. My husband is just sad that you took our daughter away from him." Kaori''s mother smiled and patted my head, "Don''t let her down, alright?" "I won''t." "Good. Now, I want to talk with the two ladies behind you. Take care of my daughter, okay, Fuu-chan?" "No problem!" After ensuring her that I would take good care of Kaori, I went towards where the children were. "Fuu-kun! Shou-chan! And little Rai-chan! Yuzu-chan! You guys are all as cute as always!" Kaori smiled brightly - the brightest he had ever seen except for that one time where she was playing on stage with him. "I think you might have included one extra person in that praise of yours." Noticing a mistake in her sentence, I told her. "Hm? I made no mistake. All of you are cute, including you, Fuu-kun!" "Ano, I don''t know what you think my gender is, but I''m a bona fide boy and will always be a boy." "Who said boys could not be cute? Besides, out of everyone here, you''re the least cute. So you don''t have to be embarrassed." Ouch. I don''t know whether to be sad that I''m the least cute in this group or glad that I''m not that cute. I mean, being cute works when you''re below 9. I''m now 12, and I''ll be turning 13 in 4 months, so... But I can tell why I''m considered the least cute in this group of 5. Kaori was bright and shining; her cheerful personality coupled with her confidence made her a beautiful girl. Shouko wasn''t as outgoing as Kaori, nor was she as pretty as her, but she had her own charm as well. She was kind and caring, and her whole aura literally screams out, ''I need to be protected!'', making her seem vulnerable, and this sort of thing tugs the heartstrings of us boys. Needless to say, Rai-chan is the cutest sister in the whole world. Why should that even be a question? As for Yuzu-chan, she''s the same as Rai-chan; both were the cutest little sisters in the world. "Anyway, let''s get to praying now, shall we?" Not wanting to continue to train of conversation, I switched the topic, causing Shouko and Kaori to smile a little. "Hai~!" "Do you know what you are going to pray for this year?" Shouko asked as we started making our way to the shrine. Contrary to what people think, Japan isn''t always buried in snow everywhere. From December to March, cold Siberian air streaming south and east across the relatively warm waters of the Sea of Japan generate bands of clouds that dump snow over the mountains on the western part of Japan''s main island of Honshu and its northern island of Hokkaido. Matsuyama, where I live, is located northwest of Japan. Thus, although we might not be buried under snow, we do get a decent amount of snow. On the way to the shrine, Raiha and Yuzuru started running around and playing with snow. Since the area was filled with people, they couldn''t really create snowballs and throw them around, causing them to pout slightly. "Haha...don''t worry. We can go play with snow in front of our house after this, alright?" "Yay!! Onii-chan is the best!" "Fuu-kun...you pamper them too much." Shouko wryly smiled as she patted Yuzuru''s head as well. "If I don''t pamper my little sisters, who am I going to pamper?" "Me." "And me! I''m so jealous both of you got younger sisters. I wished I had one as well!" Kaori boldly added, pouting slightly at the end of her sentence. ***************** On the other side, where Fuutarou''s parents and Yaeko talked with the Miyazono couple, the Miyazono couple sneezed at the same time. "Oh my, are both of you getting cold? You guys should get dressed warmer..." Yaeko told the sneezing couple. "Ara, don''t worry too much about us. I think it''s just my daughter talking about us." Ryouko (Kaori''s mother) cleaned her nose with a tissue before turning to Hanako and saying, "Besides, it should be you who should be more careful about the cold. You are near the end of your pregnancy phase. What if you harm your little twins in your tummy?" "Your wife is pregnant again?" While the ladies talked at the side, the men did the same. "Yeah. With twins, this time." Isanari said with happiness. Although that meant that this family''s financial problem would increase again, it still didn''t stop him from feeling happy. After all, we could earn money, but we cannot buy life. At most, he might just borrow some money from his friends to tide over the baby period, or he could just work harder to find jobs that would pay him more. Like Leo Spencer. Perhaps Gan''an Shinomiya or Mana Nakiri as well? Or even the Hundred Devouring Families. [A/N: Eriri''s father doesn''t have a name in the anime, so his name shall now be Leo.] The last one would be his very last resort if it ever came to borrowing money, but they do pay relatively well. "Sigh, my daughter is infatuated with your son, you know?" "Of course! He takes my genes. It''s no wonder that girls are attracted to him." Isanari replied proudly. "In the future, she might get married to him, you know?" "It''s not our job to control our children''s life. Whatever Fuu-chan wants to do in the future, as his father, I will support him." Kaori''s father looked at the smiling blond man and let out a wry smile as well. "Well, if you ever need help, don''t hesitate to ask. Although I won''t be able to provide much myself, helping you out a bit would be no problem." "Haha! Thanks a lot, then. If I really need it, then I"ll come to you. For now, though, it won''t be too much of a problem. My son isn''t ordinary, after all!" The a.d.u.l.ts continued making their way after their children, slowly walking as they continued to converse. ***************** At the shrine, we did what all of us were supposed to do - pray. Since I already mentioned how to pray in chapter 41, I''ll not be repeating it. Only this time, we got the opportunity to have our fortune predicted. If I hadn''t met God, I wouldn''t have believed in this sort of stuff. Granted, I still don''t, but at least I''m not dismissive of it anymore. Omikuji is a type of Japanese fortune-telling. They are supposed to predict your near future. Usually, many people purchase them at the beginning of the new year, and the prediction on it is supposed to be for the following year. Each omikuji is separated into categories such as love, health, and work. They also have a general fortune written onto them. The shrine we were at was relatively popular, so we managed to get those strips of paper for a low price of 150 yen. I bought the general fortune strip, and when I unrolled mine, it said - Good Fortune. Hmm...I guess that''s good. Shouko bought a love fortune, and Kaori bought the health fortune. My younger sisters purchased the same type like me, while my mother and father purchased a health fortune and work fortune, respectively. "Dear?" "Yes?" My father replied as he turned to look at her before widening his eyes. "I think I''m going into labo-" But before my mother could finish her sentence, she suddenly screamed in pain as she leaned onto my father. "ARGH!" ***************** A/N: Hm, yes. The next chapter should be the last chapter before Vol 2, where the first arc would be in April. I''m just going to follow canon and build up from there. It''s also time for me to rewatch Piano no Mori to refresh my memory. A/R: I published another two books: When the Paradigmatic Quintuplets meet the Quintessential Quintuplets (Kuroko no Basket and Quintessential Quintuplets crossover), it might contain other animes, but these two are the main ones.) Infinity and Deception (I don''t know whether it would be a Multiverse fanfic(?), but the first world is MHA au, but not the gender-bender type.) Go check out my fabulous fanfic, yeah? Each of them currently has 3 chapters on trial, and depending on the popularity and feedback, and I might prioritize writing them. I really want to try stocking up like 300 chapters before publishing 5 every day so that I have a chance to take over the first place for a few weeks. Or better yet, I even thought of writing the entire story before publishing bit by bit. I have confidence in my work, but the only problem is the slow release dates, which I can''t really fix since I''m a busy student. RIP me. P.S. Monkey in the Multiverse did a pretty good job getting first place. Chapter 50 - 50: Child birth "Call the ambulance!" My father hurriedly shouted before focusing all his attention on his wife. Kaori''s father wasted no time and immediately whipped out his phone to call. All the women here had experience giving birth before, so although this was sudden, Yaeko and Ryouko immediately knew what to do to help my mother deal with the pain. Meanwhile, although the children were worried, they could not help with anything except comfort my mother. "Onii-chan, is mummy going to be fine?" Raiha grabbed my hand and asked with tears in her eyes. She was probably frightened by how our mother was writhing in pain as our father tried to support her the best he could. I was also worried about her since I had never seen a woman going into labor this suddenly before. And all those who went into labor didn''t even show as much pain as my mother did now. But as an older brother, it was my job to remain calm and collected and not worry my younger siblings any further. "Don''t worry, Rai-chan. Mummy fine. She is just going to give us two more younger siblings for you to play with and take care of." "Really?" "Really. So don''t worry too much, alright?" "Umu...I''ll listen to onii-chan." Raiha nodded her head cutely and spoke softly. The tears around her eyes have already reduced by a little. She wasn''t on the verge of crying anymore. It was times like this where I was very thankful for Raiha''s and Yuzuru''s maturity. If any other children were to encounter this situation they were in, they wouldn''t have hesitated at all and start crying together with their mother''s yelling. Although it was a shame that they couldn''t really enjoy their childhood with different ways of thinking, I feel that it''s a lot better than having many younger siblings just crying their eyes out because they couldn''t understand the situation. Why can''t they all be like Yuzuru or Raiha and stay calm enough to ask their reliable older brother? Everyone else around us didn''t help us since they weren''t too familiar with us and didn''t want to risk anything with a pregnant woman going into labor, but they did clear an empty path for us and the ambulance. While I busied myself to try my best and distract the girls from my mother''s suffering, an ambulance arrived within minutes. Although we were all family (technically), the ambulance didn''t allow us to have so many people on board at the same time. In the end, only my father and Yaeko accompanied my mother on board before it started driving off to the hospital. Kaori''s parents were in charge of taking care of the children as we headed towards the hospital with a different mode of transport. Although there was no stupid quest like the one during Raiha''s birth, it didn''t stop me from worrying. Thus, I wanted to rush towards the hospital as fast as possible to ease my worries there. And I wasn''t the only one. As we started making our moves, I saw a piece of paper where my mother leaned on my father. I felt a little curious, so I picked the paper up and placed it in my pocket. I would assume that it was either of my parent''s omikuji, so I would read it at the hospital. If I am wrong, then I''ll just throw it away into the bin. Without wasting any more time, we hailed a taxi and immediately headed straight for the hospital. ***************** When we arrived at the hospital, we immediately asked where my mother''s ward was before rushing towards it. As we turned the corner to the ward that my mother was in, I didn''t see anyone outside, so we entered the room. On the bed at one corner, my mother was lying down with slight pain showing on her face, though it was significantly better than before already. Both Yaeko and my father were sitting next to her bed and holding on to her hand. "Ah...Fuu-chan and Rai-chan. It seems that you guys have arrived." My mother spoke with a smile. Despite the undeniable pain that she was feeling, she never stopped smiling in front of her children to not worry them, especially the younger ones. "Mum..." "I''m fine, Fuu-chan. The doctors have already examined me, and I''m in no danger at all." I didn''t reply and just looked at my father, who nodded his head at his wife''s words. "Did the doctors tell you how long it is going to take before you give birth?" "About one to two days." "I see." Since I''m no doctor, father, or woman, I don''t know how pregnancy exactly works. All I know is that women go into labor when the baby is going to come out. And since I can''t help much with those type of stuff, I''m going to help her out in my own way as I did for her when she was pregnant with Raiha. "Do you need anything? Like craving for any particular food?" "You''ve taken care of me when I was pregnant with Rai-chan before. You know what I like..." "Onii-chan took care of you when I was in your tummy?" Raiha was surprised and asked as she went towards her mother. "Yes, dear. I think your onii-chan took better care of me than your father did, right, dear?" My mother turned towards my father with a bright smile. "Well, I was more worried about your mental health than your physical one..." My father''s voice drained off at the end, and he just sighed, "Yes. I don''t even know why I didn''t do what I should have done, leaving Fuu-chan to do everything in the house." "Don''t worry, dear. I know you were just too worried about me and your mental state wasn''t too clear after learning about my condition at that time. We''re lucky that our first child was this sensible." "Dear..." My father''s eyes were filled with tears at his wife''s kindness, and a pink atmosphere formed around them. "Well, I''m not looking at my parents flirt with each, so I''ll be outside buying food for my mother." After informing them, I went out, and closely following behind me was Raiha. "Onii-chan! I want to take care of mummy as well as you did for me!" Yep. My sister is this cute. "Aww...you also want to take care of your little sister or brother?" "Yesh!" The word that came out of her mouth was unclear as I was currently pinching her cheeks. "Well then, let''s go get some of your mother''s favorite food." "What does mummy like?" "Mummy''s favorite food when she was pregnant with you is...homemade porridge." Now, that''s a problem. Since we were at home when my mother was pregnant with Raiha, I had the opportunity to cook for them. Don''t ask me why my mother was at home instead of in a hospital, but it is what it is. But now that she was in a hospital, the food that would be given to her is... Trash. Well, not precisely ''trash'' since the various nutrients that patients need are still present, but both the presentation and taste would not be up to par. Although I understand that this was a hospital and not a restaurant, it didn''t stop me from thinking that the food here is terrible. I wonder if I could borrow a kitchen, though I highly doubted that would work. "Wait for a second, Raiha. I''m going to ask for permission to go out of the hospital." I turned back towards the ward while holding tightly onto Raiha''s hand, and entering the room, my parent''s confused face appeared. "Fuu-chan? I thought you were going to get some food?" "Yes, but I realized that the hospital food wouldn''t be good, so I''m hoping to go out of the hospital to buy better food instead." Hearing my words, my father frowned a little. "How far is the place you want to go?" "Hmm...about 5-10 minutes walk?" "Nope. Too far for one twelve-year-old child and one six-year-old child to go." "Then how about I go with them?" At this point, Kaori''s father spoke up. With Kaori''s father volunteering to accompany us, my father had no issue anymore. "Where are you planning to go?" Kaori''s father asked as we walked out of the hospital doors. "A Japanese style special-of-the-day type restaurant in the Sumired¨­ri Shopping District. We sometimes go there to eat our meals. Apart from my homemade porridge, my mother also likes some of their dishes there." ***************** "Welcome to restaurant Yukihira! How many people would be ordering to-Oh my, welcome, Fuutarou-kun! And Raiha-chan! What can I do for you today?" An equally loud voice similar to my father rang out the moment we stepped into the restaurant. Turning towards the source of the voice, we found a red-haired man looking at us with a wide smile. He had long, brown hair swept back, save for a single group of bangs hanging over his face down to his chin. His eyes were sharp, and he has a slight beard on his chin. His body was well-toned, and he was sporting a form-fitting standard Yukihira cooking uniform. Yep. This very man was the dad of Yukihira Souma, the main protagonist of Food Wars. "Good afternoon, Yukihira-san. I see that you''re as loud as my dad as always." "Hahaha! So, what brought you here today? And with a new customer to boot?" "I''m here to get some porridge for my mother. She''s currently in the hospital." Hearing my words, I think Yukihira must have misunderstood something as he immediately frowned. "Oh, it''s nothing like what you''re thinking. Remember that my mum is pregnant?" I reminded him before he could jump to conclusions. "Oh yeah! So you''re going to get a little brother or sister soon, eh?" "Yep! And Rai-chan here is very excited to take care of her mother." I said while patting her head. "Yeah! Since onii-chan took care of mummy when I''m in her tummy, I''m going to do the same for my sibling!" Raiha spoke with a satisfied smiled on her face before asking with her hands stretched out, "So, can I have one porridge for mummy?" "Manners, Rai-chan." Lightly tapping her head, I reminded her, "And it''s ''one bowl of porridge'', not ''one porridge''." "I''m sorry. May I order one bowl of porridge for mummy, please?" Sticking her tongue out as she rubbed her head, she re-asked Yukihira. "Haha, don''t mind, don''t mind. Anything else?" "Um...Miyazono-san, what do you wish to eat?" "Ohya? Fuu-chan is here!" But before Kaori''s father could reply, another feminine voice arrived from behind Yukihira. "Tamako-san, good afternoon." Seeing the woman who arrived, I greeted cordially. She was none other than Yukihira''s wife, Tamako Yukihira. She wore the Restaurant Yukihira cooking uniform and an apron around her waist. She currently had a white headband around her forehead, ''pushing up'' her brown fringer so that it didn''t cover her eyes. And beside her was a boy the same age as me. Souma Yukihira. "Hello, Uesugi! What did you come to order this time?" Souma asked as he patted my shoulder with a huge grin on his face. He currently sported the same attire as his mother. "Some porridge for my mother." "Ooh! Can you let me cook?" "Hell no." Even if he was my friend, I wasn''t going to risk my mother''s life with his cooking. He can be a good cook if he wants to, but none of his dishes would ever come out good with all the weird ingredients he would add randomly in this home of his. "Aww...so let''s have a cooking competition!" Changing his expression as fast as blinking, he asked me once more. "Nope. I need to return to my family as soon as possible. So, if you don''t mind, Yukihira-san, could you start cooking? My family is waiting for your delicious food." "No problem, kiddo!" After we ordered our food, we sat down on one of the empty seats and waited patiently. We didn''t have to wait long before Yukihira went out of the kitchen once more and gave me three plastic bags of food. Thankfully, it was the grown-up male Yukihira who cooked it and not the female Yukihira. Because Souma''s ability to ''invent'' new ''exotic'' dishes came from his mother. "Thank you, Yukihira-san." "Haha, no problem! Don''t m.o.a.n too loudly in the hospital, alright, kiddo?" "Unfortunately, your food has never made me m.o.a.n before and would never make me m.o.a.n ever." "Just wait till you try it, kid. I''ve tried my best to make my food make you m.o.a.n!" Surprisingly, no one found our conversation weird. If anything, the regulars seated around us were surprised that Yukihira''s food couldn''t make me, a young child, m.o.a.n in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. That sounded very wrong, but you get the idea. "Okay, that''s just weird. See you, Yukihira-san, Tamako-san. And before you say anything, I''ll have a competition with you next time, Souma-kun." "Hehe...I''m looking forward to it." "Looking forward to getting beat again?" "Looking forward to surprising you!" Hmm...I''m starting to regret competing against him now. Because we had to taste each other''s dishes, while Souma would have a great time tasting my delicious dishes, I, on the other hand, had to taste his unique dishes. And his dishes were something that even his father hated to taste. ***************** A day passed since we came back from Yukihira restaurant before it was my mother''s time to give birth. Since only the father was allowed inside during the birthing process, the rest stayed outside the room. Surprisingly, even though they didn''t have to, the Miyazono family also decided to stay with us. Probably just to accompany us. The wait was arduous. No one really spoke a word as time slowly ticked by. Yuzuru and Raiha sat on Shoukoo''s and my l.a.p, fidgeting around while Kaori just sat next to me quietly, a far cry from her usual behavior. Everyone was anxious. Whether it is for the process of giving birth or for my mother''s health, I don''t know. Though we also had a tinge of excitement present amid the anxiousness in our eyes. After all, new life would always be welcomed. This might just be one of the most extended hours in my life when the door suddenly opened, and a few nurses and one doctor came out. "Doctor!" "Don''t worry." The doctor smiled and replied, as if knowing what we were going to ask, "Both the mother and babies are fine. I''ve already said this just now, but I''m going to repeat it to all of you." "Congratulation! A pair of healthy female twins were born." ***************** A/N: I have zero ideas on how pregnancy works, so if there''s any mistake or wrong information, well, just take it as the plot. Aaaaaaand with this, we have officially come to the end of the first volume! Phew...this took a few months to complete. To all those who had accompanied me here since the beginning, a big thank you for all your support, be it active ones or the silent ones! Every reader means a lot to me, and I hope you will continue supporting me in future volumes. Now that I have finished writing this chapter, it''s time to study for my two tests and do my report. A/R: Infinity and Deception obtained overwhelming support as compared to my other one. I''m glad that you guys liked it, and I will continue to writing for as long as I can help it. Chapter 51 - 51: First Day in New School Babies are really tiny creatures, aren''t they? I had known that since six years ago when I first had Raiha in my arms, under my parents'' supervision, of course. I still remember the first time I ever held Raiha in my hands - I was the same age Raiha is now. I remember being anxious about holding Raiha, being as small and fragile as she is, but I had been convinced by my parents. My father was at my side, grinning like a fool but prepared to catch my sister if I somehow drop her. That was my only relief because I didn''t really trust myself holding a baby this young. Raiha''s tiny hands were waving through the air in no apparent pattern, and when I offered my finger, she held on as tightly as she could. Why do babies have such strength? When they grab something, it''s near impossible to get it away from them unless you tear it off and risk hurting the baby, of course. Despite being an a.d.u.l.t my past life, I had never been close to a baby like this before. Although I had more strength than an average six-year-old, Raiha weighed quite heavy. Much heavier than what I had thought a few months old babies would weigh. She was 6kg after a few months, almost 7kg. It was something unexpected yet unique. Mothers have it tough, don''t they? Having to carry a 5kg baby in their w.o.m.b for almost a month before finally letting the baby out. Now that I''m almost thirteen and carrying my two new four-month-old little sisters, my feelings haven''t changed one bit. ***************** It was finally April. Today, school started once more, and I don''t mean the new term for elementary school. For me, it was already time to enter junior high school, together with Kaori and Shouko. It was no surprise that all of us managed to pass with me vigorously teaching Kaori to ensure that she wouldn''t fail her exams. April was the month of spring; although sparse, there were trees filled with pink flowers blooming all around us as we took the bus. Unlike in elementary school, where the school was within walking distance, the junior high school we chose to enter was slightly further. Thus, we needed to take the bus to reach our school. Sumiya junior high school. The very same school that Kaori originally went to in the anime. I didn''t actually remember the school name, but I remember how the school uniform looked. It looked pretty unique anyway, making it hard to forget. Nonetheless, the sight of Kaori and Shouko in their new uniforms made my day once more. And why did I use the phrase "once more"? Because before this even happened, my four cute little sisters had already made my day! Raiha was just being Raiha, and her cuteness hasn''t decreased at all. And Yuzuru...well, she was developing in the wrong way. I don''t even know why she decided to become a tomboy even when her sister wasn''t in any depression! Her hair was slightly longer than a boy''s, but apart from that, she was getting more tomboyish! Why can''t I have another cute sister?! But when in doubt, I always blame my dad. It must be him who has been subconsciously influencing Yuzuru to be less girl-like. Sigh, but regardless of her behavior, she and Raiha still got along really well. And at least she wasn''t taking photos of dead animals'' corpses with the camera that our parents had given her. And next! What the readers had been looking forward to for the past week! My new little twin sisters! Both were absolutely adorable, and they took after our parents quite a lot. The older one was named Uzuki, written with the kanji of ''feather'' (u) and ''moon'' (zuki). She was only four months old, so she didn''t have much hair growing on her head. But the few strands of hair that were starting to grow to be visible were very distinctly pink in color. Like me, her hair color followed the anime logic, meaning that she inherited her hair color from some random god, though her eyes were distinctly green, like our father. The younger twin was named Satsuki, written with the kanji of ''blossom'' (sa) and ''moon'' (Tsuki). Like her older sister, she didn''t have much hair either, but we could tell that she inherited her mother''s hair color: purple. And much like me, she was also born with green eyes. Except for Satsuki and Raiha, none of us actually inherited much from our mother''s side out of the four children my parent had. It seems that my father''s green-eye gene was the more dominant gene, ignoring the hair color because, let''s be real here. Hair color was a random thing in this world. How did Kaori get her blond hair when both of her parents had brown hair was unknown. Moving on from appearances, I cannot emphasize how cute the twins were. Even Raiha was charmed by them, and she started spending more time with them than with me... I''m crying now. Anyway, our family grew from four to six with the extra two people in my family, which meant our financials were getting tighter and tighter. My father decided to stay beside us to help take care of the newborn babies, only taking local jobs and never working overnight. And thank god for that because if he had actually chosen to leave for work someplace far away, even if my mother didn''t beat him up, I''ll beat him up. I get to enjoy all the food that my mother makes. Even if my own food is good to eat, nothing beats your mother''s homemade food. Trust me. But having said enough of my family, my new school was now right in front of my face. If there is one word that I would use to describe my school, it would be normal. There was a huge soccer field and baseball field that was much larger than what we had in elementary school, though the school buildings looked slightly smaller. Probably because the junior high school only had three levels, while the elementary school had six, requiring much larger space to occupy all six levels. As soon as Haruma, Shouko, Kaori, and I entered the front gate, I noticed that we attracted quite a bit of attention. And by ''we'', I mean Haruma and me. I''ve lived in this world for almost 13 years now, and I still can''t get used to the fact that the ratio of boys to girls was skewed so drastically towards one side. "My, my. You are attracting quite a bit of attention, Fuu-chan." "I think you meant that you are attracting quite a bit of attention, don''t you, Haruma?" "Well, at least half of them are just staring at you with stars in their eyes." "And the other half are looking at you." Strangely, neither of us was denying the attention that we were getting. It seems that we simply got used to getting this amount of attention, though some people weren''t - for example, like my dear little Shouko; she was never the type to enjoy all the attention, anyway. She preferred staying quiet beside me. "There, there. Don''t worry too much. Let''s all just enjoy our junior high school life, shall we?" I told them and started patting their heads. "Stop messing up my hair..." Kaori grumbled as she flattened her hair. "I didn''t ask you this on the bus, but since when did you tie your hair in pigtails?" "Hm...because I grew out my hair in elementary school, but it isn''t long enough to look nice when I just let it flow down. So I''ve decided to tie it up in this fashion. Do I look good?" Kaori asked as she twirled around on the spot and smiled. [Image here] "Yep! You look cute." I told her before feeling a tug on my other side. Looking towards my other girlfriend''s direction, I smiled and said, "You look good as well." [Image here] "Hand." What? "Give me your hand." What a strange demand... Giving her my hand, Shouko grabbed it and smiled, "Let''s hold hands!" Urgh...I felt another arrow pierce my heart. "You want to hold hand to schools from now on?" Hearing my question, Shouko nodded, "Yes." "Me too! Me too!" Kaori jumped and held my other hand, swinging it vigorously front and back. "Yes, yes..." This girl is too hyper. Though, I liked that a lot more than when she was still meek and quiet in front of me. "Woah..." "Who is that coming in that limousine?" "We have a rich freshman this year?" "It is a girl or boy?" Hearing the increasing volume of murmuring, I realized that the attention had been directed away from me. Turning around, we saw a limousine roll up and stopped right in front of the school gate, blocking the majority of the entrance. "Do you recognize the limousine, Shou-chan?" "Should I?" "Yeah. We went on board of it before." "EH? You guys went on board a limousine before?! Why didn''t you tell us?" Haruma and Kaori exclaimed. "Do you think you guys would have believed us if we said so?" "No." "Then?" "Fine. You''ve made your point. Still, who owns that limousine? Is it an actual rich kid?" Haruma asked curiously. "Nope. You''ll see later." I spoke mysteriously, causing Haruma and Kaori to become even more curious. "Oh! Is it..." Shouko was about to continue saying, but I stopped her from revealing the ''rich young master'' identity. "So you do remember him." "So he also attends this school..." "Yep. Seems like we''re gonna make tons of new friends. Good for you, Shou-chan~." The moment I finished speaking, the limousine''s door opened, and nine buff women came out of the door. One wore a full black tuxedo suit while the other wore a yukata, though her shoulders were exposed, showing off her muscle-filled arms. The other seven seemed to be underlings of these two women as they stood upright in front of the class, their hands positioned behind their backs. A familiar blue-haired boy came out of the car with his head held down. "Well then, Bocchan!! Have a great day today!!" The yukata woman loudly yelled as she patted the poor boy''s shoulder. The other 8 echoed after her, wishing their ''Bocchan'' luck. The boy was silent for a while as he noticed the number of stares on him before he faced the sky and yelled out loud, "NOOOOOOOO!" ***************** A/N: Guess which anime those twin little sisters came from! I know that Your Lie in April''s plot starts in their third year, but due to the story that I need, I will be shifting it forward to the first year, aka now. If you''re wondering why I chose Sumiya, it''s actually because I don''t recall any other junior high school in anime. So if you don''t like it, then suggest something else. A/R: I had re-read my first few chapters, and I have to say I was retarded in the past. I''m going to try and re-write the first few chapters to be a lot better. It won''t affect the regular posting schedule at all, so you don''t have to worry. I apologize to those looking forward to more chapters, only to find that it was just me re-posting the entire thing. If you want to re-read, by all means, go ahead. I think I''m going to introduce Fuutarou''s past life a bit more to be more informative. But if you don''t read it, it won''t matter too much. Chapter 52 - 52: First Day of School (I) "NOOOOOOOO!" While my Shouko and I found how our friend was acting a little amusing, the others focused and were more concerned about the women standing beside him. "Huh? You''ve got a problem with our Bocchan?!" As a student tried to enter the school gate, she looked at the commotion with a weird gaze, trying to figure what on actual earth just happened to the front entrance of his school. Unfortunately, her peculiar gaze might have caught the attention of one of the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e women beside the ''Bocchan'' as she yelled at the frightened student. "Yiiiii!" A weird sound came out from the girl, causing the ''Bocchan'' to snap out of his own daze as he hurriedly rushed towards the woman and stopped her from intimidating what might be one of his new classmates. "Stop it!" The bodyguard didn''t want to disobey her Bocchan, so she decided to back off, glaring at the poor young girl who wanted nothing but to enter the school. "Hahaha..." Shouko and I started giggling and laughing while everyone was startled and frozen in their places. At the plight of the poor Bocchan and the girl, their situation was too funny. Not a very good reaction to have while somebody was suffering, but I couldn''t help myself. "Huh? Who is laughing at us?!" The bodyguard looked menacingly as her eyes swept across the front gate. "Ryuuko-san! Please stop scaring people already!" [A/N: Imagine Ryuu as a female. That''s Ryuuko.] "Hahaha, don''t worry, Raku. I don''t mind it at all." Walking towards them with my little group, I waved at Raku with a big smile. "Hah? How dare you-oh..." Ryuuko was about to continue shouting when it seems that she recognized who we were. "Is it Isanari''s child?" "Ding ding! You are right!" I smiled as I gave a handshake to her, "Long time no see. I''m surprised you could still recognize me." "I remember all of my family''s families easily!" I have no idea what that means, but I''m just going to leave it at one side. "I see. Long time no see, Raku. I''m glad you are still the same amusing boy you were a year ago." Turning towards the younger boy now, I gave him a big hug for a few seconds before releasing him. "Fuutarou?!" Raku seemed as though his entire world was saved as he let out tears and tried to cry in my arms. "Alright there. No excessive contact. I don''t swing that way." Keeping him an arm''s reach away, I watched as his tears flowed like a water fountain, keeping the bystanders to be plenty amused. It seems that they have come to accept that a yakuza would be attending their school, though it would take some time for them to actually take the initiative to befriend this poor boy. "You have no idea how glad I am that you are here! You were one of my eight friends in my entire childhood! And I haven''t been in contact with the other five for almost 6 years already!" It seems that he really valued my presence since his wailing is now getting out of proportion. "Ryuuko-san, is your Bocchan supposed to act like this?" "Nope. But I''m also glad that you''re here to accompany Bocchan. I was so afraid that Bocchan would spend his entire life being alone." "Who''s fault did you think it belongs to?!" Raku retorted as he calmed himself down from crying before noticing the other three people by my side. "Um...this is..." Raku thought for a while before he talked again, "Nishi-san?" "Nishimiya Shouko. Nice to meet you again. And you can drop the -san honorifics." "Oh, yes! Nishimiya! Nice to see you again! And I can see that you two have..." "Yep!" Shouko seemed happy that Raku noticed her hand interlinking with mine, her face positively glowing from delight. "And those two are..." "Oh, yes. Let me introduce you." Raising my left hand, which Kaori was holding onto, I said, "Kaori Miyazono. And Haruma Kobayashi." "And Raku Ichij¨­." ""Nice to meet you, Ichij¨­-kun."" Kaori and Haruma greeted. "Please call me Raku!" They looked at me with concern, and I shrugged, "Don''t worry too much about their background. Raku is a big softie whose dream is to become a civil servant." Raku blushed slightly at the way I announced his dream, though he nodded determinedly. It was probably his contrasting reactions that made Haruma and Kaori smile. "Alright then, Raku-kun. Hope you''ll take great care of us for the next three years." Haruma continued, offering his hand to Raku, who took it enthusiastically. "Well, if there is nothing else, let''s go. We don''t want to be late for our first day, do we?" Ruuko and the other bodyguards bid Raku farewell for the last time before leaving in their limousine. The fact that they finally left allowed a lot of students to let out a sigh of relief. Although the Yakuza didn''t attack anyone, just their reputation and various rumors surrounding them scared them. "Sigh...my school life..." Raku sighed. "Haha, don''t worry. With me around, I''m going to find you tons of friends! Maybe even let you find your future wife as well!" I wonder when his obsession with Onodera would start. It would be pretty interesting to watch it unfold right in front of my face in reality. [A/N: Too bad you won''t be able to. You will have enough troubles with your own problems that you won''t have enough time to care about someone else''s.] Anyway, after his family left, the six of us now left towards our designated classroom. We already know which class we would be in in the letters the school sent out two weeks ago, but finding the classroom was another matter. Fortunately, our classroom''s location was pretty obvious; we just had to follow the crowd as most of us were freshmen gathering. And you know what they say. If you don''t know what you''re doing, just follow the crowd, also known as the bandwagon effect. If you don''t know what it means, just google it up. Luckily for us, we weren''t following a directionally stupid person, so all the freshmen managed to get to our respective classes after some help from our seniors. The five of us were in the same class for, of course, the plot that the author devised. Since there was no fixed seating arrangement at this point in time, we just decided to sit anywhere we want. Unlike any other protagonists out there, I didn''t choose to sit at the famous protagonist''s seat. Why should I sit there? For the view? I apologize. Since we''re year 1s, our classroom was situated on the lower floors, so the view was...damning. I mean, if you enjoy looking at people at eye level, go right ahead. Sorry, that''s only for protagonists with no friends, sitting down quietly, lonely at the corner of the class. I have two girlfriends and two other male friends that I was not afraid to communicate. Why should I keep to myself at the corner of a classroom? Besides, I promised myself to never be the loner kid in class ever again. And that''s why I chose the seat that most would dread to sit - the very center. Or maybe more would dread being in the very front? But either way, I was excited to be surrounded by more friends that I would make, though that thought of mine seemed to be cut short as my four sides were circled by my four friends. "Why did you choose to sit in the middle of the classroom, Fuu-chan? Don''t you feel...embarrassed?" Haruma asked as he placed himself right behind me. Since we had always sat at the back for my six years in elementary school, Haruma didn''t feel comfortable sitting in the center. Not because it would attract people''s attention more often, but because we wouldn''t be able to do things that we usually do if you are seated at the back of the classroom. "Embarrassed? For what?" "Nevermind. Your skin is as thick as leather." "Hey! Don''t insult my skin. I find it plenty of smooth and nice to touch." "Yes...I''m jealous of you..." Shouko pouted as she started pinching my cheeks. Kaori didn''t fall behind as she started pinching my other cheeks, her excuse being to verify my words. "It''s really soft!" "Can I touch as-" "Hell no. My girlfriends are one thing, but why would you want to touch my cheeks?" Instantly rejecting Raku''s question, I looked at him with a weird gaze. Being the shy boy he was, Raku turned red with embarrassment as he turned forward to face the whiteboard. How innocent~. I can''t wait for Raku to start his three years of unknown two-sided love with Onodera. Hehehehe... "Fuu-kun. Stop giggling like a villain." Shouko spoke as she lightly tapped my head. "Did I sound like a villain?" "Yes. You sounded as though you were about to plot something evil." Kaori replied seriously. "Raku?" But just as I was about to reply, another voice sounded. Raku''s reputation for being in a yakuza group had already spread amongst the freshmen, so not just anyone would dare to call out his first name so casually and without malice. This caused all of us to turn to the person who spoke. He has short to medium messy, dirty blonde hair and wears circular glasses. He has golden-brown eyes and slightly tanned skin, similar to Raku''s. "Shuu?!" "Yep! Your only friend, Shuu, is here!" Shuu spoke happily, his mouth turning cat-like as he smiled. "You''re here too! You never told me you would be attending this school?" "Well, you never asked, so I''m here to give you a surprise!" "You say that as though you knew that I would be coming to this school." Raku retorted. "Well, I know a lot of things. By the way, who''s sitting behind you? And who are those cuties? I''m Shuu Maiko, but you can just call me Maiko. Any friend of Raku is a friend of mine!" Hearing his fast-paced conversation, I smiled. It seems like I''ll be meeting a lot more anime characters than I had expected. Let''s see how far God (the author) would go to mash up every single anime he can think of. "Uesugi Fuutarou, but you can call me Fuutarou as well. And those two ''cuties'' beside me are Shouko, my girlfriend, and Kaori, my girlfriend." And just for safe measures... "They are my girlfriends." Yep. The third time''s the charm since Shuu had clearly gotten the message. Still, he didn''t seem too sad or anything. As expected of a future skirt-chaser. Or is he already one? "Too bad~. "Nice to meet you, Maiko-kun. I hope we will all get along for the next three years." As expected of Shouko, still using formal language. [A/N: The Japanese have two ways of saying most things: the informal and formal ways. I can''t really portray it in English, so just take my word for it.] "Hahaha, nice to meet you as well!" As more people started to stream inside the classroom, the bell rang at 8.30 sharp, and a teacher walked in. "Alright, class, settle down." ***************** A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I couldn''t think of much to write. Plus, I was swarmed with school work and writing my other fanfics as well. So, please excuse me. A/R: Sigh, I need to rewatch or reread Your Lie in April to remember most minor characters. So annoying, why can''t I have eidetic memory? So, guess what? I''ve decided to follow the damn timeline and do Your Lie in April arc in year 3 instead. For more information, read the author''s note. Boku vs. Watashi vs. Ore vs. Watakushi vs. Atashi all means ''I'', but they are used by different people under different settings. And just to let you know, Fuutarou is currently using ''Ore'' to refer to as I, not ''Boku''. If you don''t know anything about it, don''t worry. In future chapters where the use of pronouns is essential, I will tell you this again. Chapter 53 - 53: First Day of School (II) "Alright, class, please settle down." A female teacher entered the class, instantly silencing the entire class. Nodding and smiling at the silent class, she wrote her name on the blackboard before turning back to face us. "My name is Amakata Miho, but please refer to me as Amakata-sensei. I teach Classic literature, and I''ll be your homeroom teacher for this year. I hope we will all get along well this year!" Our sensei was of average height and had a slender figure. Amakata-sensei''s medium brown hair was shoulder-length, slightly wavy, and parted down the center so that her bangs fall to either side of her face. She has brown eyes. She currently wore a white shirt with a neckline edged with blue fabric, a loose green cardigan over her shirt, blue jeans, white shoes, and a necklace. I don''t seem to recall from what anime she was from, but she seemed pretty familiar. But looking around my class, there were plenty of people with different-colored hair. And what does it mean? It means that they are main characters too! Or at least an important friend to the main character. "Well, since we have a bit of time before the opening ceremony, why don''t we take the time to get to know each other? I''ll start by introducing more of myself!" "You already know my name, so...etto...I like reading and teaching my students about great literature. Any questions for me?" Amakata-sensei seems really friendly, though I could tell that she was pretty nervous as well. "Is this your first year as a teacher?" "No. It''s actually my second, but I''m still new to this whole student thing. But I''ll try my best to not let all of you down." She made a gut pose with both hands as she tried to cheer herself up. Honestly, she gives off the feeling and the image of a child. She doesn''t really strike me as an a.d.u.l.t, and I guess the class was feeling the same way as everyone (all the girls, at least) was looking at her like a fellow student rather than a teacher. Poor thing... "What was your previous job?" Another girl raised her hand and asked. But the question seemed to have poked into some places which shouldn''t be mentioned as Amakata-sensei just started stuttering profusely. Seriously, she''s really like a child. "It''s okay, sensei. You don''t have to tell us if you don''t really want to." The girl comforted her as she sat back down. "T-Thank you. Any other questions for me?" Amakata-sensei''s composure quickly recovered as her smile returned, "If not, then may the first student introduce him or herself?" "Hai! I am..." The girl on the most right of the front row stood up and started introducing herself. I didn''t recognize most of them, but I did recognize some. "Hello! I am Takemoto Uruka! Pleased to meet all of you!" Takemoto waved her hand enthusiastically as she introduced herself. The first one that I recognized was from the same anime as Mafuyu nee-chan: We never learn, and she was also one of the main heroines. I don''t remember much about her, though she already had her most prominent feature, her tan skin. Takemoto had short pink hair with violet eyes and a medium-sized ahoge on the top of her head. She seemed to be very friendly and outgoing, judging from her introduction manner. After a few more girls, it was time for Raku''s soon-to-be crush to introduce herself. "Good morning. I am Onodera Kosaki. Pleased to meet all of you." Onodera introduced herself with a polite bow as she spoke softly. Onodera is a fair-skinned teenage girl with shoulder-length dark-brown hair with one long hair strand, which she keeps combed neatly to the left side of her face and chocolate brown eyes. "Good morning. I am Miyamoto Ruri. Nice to meet all of you." Miyamoto has brown, waist-length hair in a ponytail and bangs cut in a hime-style (princess-style), leaving long fringes to frame her face at both sides. Her ivy green eyes were framed in her square, rimless spectacles. Her introduction was done with a poker-faced and speaking in an emotionless monotone. At the back of the third row, a boy introduced himself rather outgoingly. "My name is Kouichi Shindou! Nice to meet all of you! Hope we can all get along!" Shindou had medium spiky hair that flicks outwards at the ends where it is parted on the right side, and a portion sticks up. He looks like the typical sport''s type of person who would be popular with everyone in school. His eyes were clear as he presented a bright smile together with his introduction, causing many people to look at him positively. Still, despite the attention he was getting, he didn''t seem fl.u.s.tered or arrogant, with his smile still hanging about as he sat down and started conversing with the person beside him. I don''t know if he was an anime character, but since his hair was orange in color, he must at least be a prominent side character, right? I mean, half the class had black hair, and the other half was filled with colorful hair. There was already pink, white (me), another pink (Shou-chan), yellow, orange, light blue, dark purple, yellow-brown, and dark blue just by looking around my class. If we counted other classes...well, I''ll get to see more once the opening ceremony begins in the hall. Two seats before Shindou was Kaori, but her blond hair didn''t seem to attract too much attention, for a good reason as well. The two seats in front of Kaori were occupied by two more girls. "Chinami Umihara. Nice to meet you!" "Ayuko Kawase. Nice to meet you." Umihara has short yellow-brown hair and brown eyes, and I would have mistaken her to be an ordinary character if not for her distinct hair color. On the other hand, Ayuko has wavy c.h.e.s.t-length dark purple hair that has bangs swept to the left and golden-brown eyes. While Umihara''s introduction seemed enthusiastic and expressive, Ayuko''s introduction seemed more formal but friendly. Sitting beside Umihara was Raku, and after his introduction, it was my turn. "My name is Uesugi Fuutarou! Nice to meet all of you! I hope we can all be friends!" Honestly, I didn''t know what I needed to say, so I just spoke whatever came into my mind at that time. Still, even that ad-lib was able to attract everyone''s attention as my classmates stared at me. Over the years, I had tried to build up my thick skin, so this small amount of attention didn''t bother me. After me was Haruma, and behind him was another colored-hair guy. "Makio Tanihara. Nice to meet you, I guess." Makio had short blue hair that stops near the top portion of his forehead, and it is parted on the left side. He didn''t smile, and his introduction left the impression of a...loner or a solo person. Maybe I''m wrong, and this was just his usual attitude, but I guess I''ll just have to wait and see. And introduction went on for another column before eventually reaching the last person. "Miyamura Izumi. N-Nice to meet you." And finally, the last one was another main character from Horimiya. It''s hard to forget him when the anime he was in was literally the ship name between him and Hori. Miyamura had his hair shoulder-length and straight, and a very depressing aura surrounded him, making him feel...separated from the class. He didn''t wear glasses as he did at the start of the anime, though he still currently looked sad. Amakata-sensei looked a bit confused on how to deal with Miyamura, but before she could figure out her plan''s next step, an announcement was broadcasted from the speaker above the blackboard. "Announcement to all school faculties and students, this is your principal speaking. Please report to the gym for the opening ceremony now. I repeat, please report to the gym for the opening ceremony now. Thank you." "Oh my, it seems like our time is up! Alright, class~! Please head towards the gym now." Amakata-sensei called out as she guided all of us towards the gym. Following her, we headed towards the gym. On the way there, I saw the rest of the freshmen and seniors, and I have to admit, I didn''t recognize most of them. I guess it''s only my class with the main characters? [1 message received from God. Do you wish to receive it now?] Hm? God''s message again? But since I have nothing to do now, I accepted it. [Hello there, my favorite mortal. I''m glad to see that you''re as healthy as ever. I''m here to tell you two things. One, as you move on with your second phase of life, plenty of changes would start happening without your knowledge or consent, and no, I don''t mean puberty. This is your anime world; there is no such thing as puberty, lol.] Did God just say ''lol''? Wow...where is the formality and dignity of a higher being? [But bearing that in mind, let me give you a piece of advice. Never lose faith in what you believe in. While your suffering might be harsh, the fruits you will reap would be worth all your trouble. Don''t ever give up, and push through all obstacles. Secondly, on a lighter note, I''m also here to give you a quest. It''s up to you to reject it or accept it, but I think you will be very willing to accept it since I based this quest based on your subconscious d.e.s.i.r.e from both this life and previous life. Your life will become much more interesting from now on, which is all I can say for now. Good luck, and stay healthy! Sincerely, your favorite God] Hmmm...does that mean that all my previous quests came from the system and not God himself? [It''s a yes and a no. Quests are formed based on your subconscious d.e.s.i.r.e plus a bit of my authority. The only difference would be that God had no part in your life whatsoever until this quest. Would you like to see this quest''s detail?] Sure. [Quest: Make more friends, my favorite mortal! (Part 1)] Description: Since you have chosen reincarnation because you didn''t have friends in your past life, why are you still not making more friends? Passing Criteria: Become friends with everyone at your level in your school. Rewards: 3x premium gacha tokens and a continuous chain quest (given only at the end of junior high school) Time Limit: Before junior high school ends Additional rewards if you befriend all your seniors, both 1 and 2 years older than you: 4x normal gacha tokens (immediately given after you finish the quest) Additional rewards if you befriend all your seniors 1 year older than you: 2x normal gacha tokens (immediately given after you finish the quest) (Unlocked in year 2) Additional rewards if you befriend all your juniors 1 year younger than you: 2x normal gacha tokens (given with your main rewards at the end of junior high) (Unlocked in year 3) Additional rewards if you befriend all your juniors 1 and 2 years younger than you: 4x premium gacha tokens (given with your main rewards at the end of junior high) Failure: The continuous chain quest would not be given out. System tips: Seek Osana Najimi''s advice if you ever have trouble.] Oh my, that is one long quest... And I don''t know who on Earth is Osana Najimi. But this does sound fun. I accept this quest. [Quest by God is accepted. Good luck, and have fun.] Is the system wishing me luck now? What a good system. "Fuu-kun, is there anything wrong?" Shouko asked as she lightly tugged onto my sleeve. "Yeah. It looks like you''re staring into empty space." Kaori added. "Nothing''s wrong. Now, let''s all listen to some old person talk for 1 hour, okay?" ***************** A/N: Sorry for the lack of content in this chapter. I don''t really have anything to write in this chapter, so after describing some of the more prominent students that he would be interacting with in the future, I''ll try to fast forward the pace because I''m getting bored. I''m sorry for the drop in quality in recent chapters, but I was swamped in the last week of the term, and I''m trying to at least keep to my word of 1 chapter every Sunday. I''ll try to write better chapters during my holidays, and thank you for your continuous support! Chapter 54 - 54: Birthday Party Please read the author''s thoughts at the bottom. ***************** The rest of the day passed by normally. After the principal''s draggy speech, we continued our orientation, including usual things like going around the school to get to know our environment better and more ice breakers. The first day of our new school was a short one, and we were dismissed early. Too bad I didn''t go anywhere after school and immediately returned home. After all, even if it was a great time to accomplish my quest, nothing beats the importance of my little sisters. Now that brings me to a question: Am I becoming a sis-con? "What are you thinking about, Fuu-kun?" "Just wondering if we are sis-cons." "I''m not sure about me, but you definitely are a sis-con." "Ouch. Your replies are so harsh, Shou-chan..." Hearing Shouko''s reply, an arrow pierced my heart. "It''s okay, isn''t it? Having little sisters to love is never a bad thing! Wish I had little sisters as well..." Kaori said thoughtfully. "Well, if you marry me, my sisters will be your little sisters as well." "Oooh, is that a proposal? Pretty informal, isn''t it, Fuu-kun?" "Nope. I''m just telling you some facts. Besides, if I wanted to propose, Shou-chan comes first." "I''m getting jealous, you know, Fuu-kun?" "Hahaha..." I have no idea how to reply to her, but this was what I promised Shouko. Honestly, I didn''t really care which order they would marry me in the future, but I guess girls are picky about that sort of stuff? Well, these are things to think about for the future me. Procrastination, I guess... "But since it''s Shou-chan, I''ll forgive you. And I''m second, you get it?" "Hai!" How did I asking whether I''m a sis-con end up with the order of marriage? "Hehe...We''ll be splitting here then! See ya tomorrow!" Kaori twirled around and waved off before going to the right. "Bye!" ***************** A few days had passed, and the weekend finally arrived. Urgh...it had just been the first week of school, and I''m already tired... I had befriended most of my classmates this week, but some are still not responding really well, like Miyamura. RIP. But since someone managed to make Miyamura open up in the anime, it proved that he does not want to be alone. And since it''s not what he actually wants, it would make it easier for me to befriend him. After waking up at 9am today, I continued lying down in my futon for the next fifteen minutes or so. I was never a morning person, and unless I absolutely had to, I would never wake up earlier than 9am. We also didn''t have any homework, allowing me to laze around without a care in the world. However, I heard our doorbell rang and my mother''s voice shouting, "Shou-chan, can you get the door?" "Hai!" Since when did we have guests today? I am a little interested, but I''m not curious enough for me to get out of my warm futon. Spring has just started, and the weather was on the cooler side. Ahh~, this is the life... Someone entered my house since I could hear my father and mother greeting them. "Fuu-chan! Come down and greet the Miyazonos!" [Reminder: Quest: Unlock your family lineage! Description: Since you have found out that you have a family lineage, why not satiate your curiosity by finding out precisely what you are? Passing Criteria: Unlock your family lineage as fast as possible Rewards: Unlock a new level of gacha (Legendary) Additional rewards if you awaken before you turn 22: 1x Legendary gacha token Additional rewards if you awaken before you turn 17: 2x Legendary gacha tokens A?d?d?i?t?i?o?n?a?l? ?r?e?w?a?r?d?s? ?i?f? ?y?o?u? ?a?w?a?k?e?n? ?b?e?f?o?r?e? ?y?o?u? ?t?u?r?n? ?1?3?:? ?5?x? ?L?e?g?e?n?d?a?r?y? ?g?a?c?h?a? ?t?o?k?e?n?s? Failure: None 1) U***r *h* f*** **** 2) I****** **o*****] The last additional reward is canceled because...Did I turn 13 today? System, what''s today''s date? [I am not a calander, host. Please stop using me for functions like this.] Fine, but what''s today''s date? [Host...you already know the answer to that, but you still had to ask. It''s your birthday, you moron. So it would obviously be the 15th of April. Did reincarnation lower your IQ or something?] Now it''s my turn to become speechless. Since when did the system become so lively? Is it my fault? Or God''s? What did I do to make this system more human? [The system is rebooting... 2... 1... Apologies, the system''s alter ego had temporarily taken over control over the system''s mainframe.] Eh...that sounds scary... [You don''t have to worry, Host. This will never happen again.] Is that so... [Yes. Fortunately, nothing happened, so you do not have to worry too much.] How about my emotional damage from that insult? [The system had deemed that to be unimportant, and urge Host to follow your mother''s advice as-] "Fuu-chan! Get your b.u.t.t down here now!" "Hai, hai!" Shit, my mother''s pissed now. Well, slacking time is over... ""Onii-chan!"" Two girls barged into my room and jumped onto my body as they yelled, "Mummy is calling you downstairs! Kaori-onee-chan is also here!" "Yep, I know. I''m going to the bathroom now. Now, would you mind getting off my stomach?" "Hehe..." Raiha and Yuzuru giggled. "Hm? What are you giggling for?" Looking at their excited expression, I asked them. "Nothing, onii-chan! Hurry up and come downstairs after you''re done!" The two girls immediately went down to the living room as I wondered what was up. Are they planning something for me? ***************** "Happy birthday, Fuu-chan!" When I came downstairs, a cheer resounded as party poppers exploded, showering the room with confetti and streamers. "Thank you." "Aw...can''t you act more surprised or anything, Fuu-chan?" "I am surprised, but this isn''t too unexpected since Rai-chan and Yuzu-chan were very sneaky about it." "Mou...onii-chan..." The two girls pouted at my words, but their smiles returned after I patted their heads. "Still, thank you for this birthday celebration." Looking around the small living room, I could see it was decorated with several balloons and a banner that said, "Happy Birthday!". On the small table in the middle of the room, a small cake was also present. It wasn''t much if compared to some of my wealthier friends, but it was mine. It wasn''t lavish, nor filled with decorations, or filled with tons of people, but it belonged to me. The birthday celebration lasted one full day. We had a small party in our house first, where the Miyazono and Nishimiya family gave me a gift each, followed by a present from my parents. I know that we can''t really afford expensive presents, so I didn''t mind if they shared one gift with my whole family. I only got three presents in total for my birthday, but I didn''t care. "Fuu-chan, wanna open your presents first? We''ll be returning late at night, so..." "Sure." Turning towards the three presents, I opened up the one from Kaori. Her gift was the biggest out of the three and was rectangular in shape. This is a...keyboard? "So? Do you like it? Since you''ve always only played in school, I thought maybe it would allow you to play for our families as well!" Kaori smiled and spoke, "This way, we can practice together even when we aren''t in school!" "Yep, I love it! Thank you, Kaori-chan!" Unlike a regular piano, this keyboard doesn''t require too much space, making it easier for me to carry it around. "I hope you put that to good use." Kaori''s father grunted. He didn''t seem to like the fact that his recovered daughter began dating me at such young age, but he had no other choice but to accept under the pressure of his wife and daughter. Plus, I think he''s just being a tsun in front of me. Of course, I''m never going to find out if that is true, but one can also imagine. Next up was Shouko''s present. She gave me a phone. What the actual... "Yaeko-san!" "It''s okay, Fuu-chan. As my future son-in-law, you will be taking care of my daughter after all." "But..." "No buts, just treat it as an investment, okay?" Sigh...this is a costly gift for a thirteen-year-old boy. "Then I''ll gladly accept this. Thank you, Yaeko-san, Shou-chan." "How about me? I chose the color for you!" Yuzuru jumped up and exclaimed. "Hahaha...thank you as well, Yuzu-chan." Finally, the last present from my family contained...a headphone? What? "You always seemed to love music a lot, so we decided to give you something that you would use often." My mother spoke. "And since we knew that Yaeko would give you a phone, we planned for you to be able to use the phone to listen to some music as well." My father added. Looking at the shiny blue wireless headphones, a smile appeared on my face. Since most wireless headphones were expensive, I knew that we wouldn''t be able to afford the branded ones. But it was the thought that counted. Still, I found it amusing how fate works in weird ways. For example, the original Fuutarou had an odd hairstyle shaped like his future wife''s bunny ear-shaped ribbon. But since I met Miku instead of Yotsuba, they gave me a headphone instead. I mean, I don''t have my canon hairstyle now, so am I really fated to look similar to my original character''s childhood friend? "Thank you, mum, dad. And of course, not to forget," I added before Raiha could say anything, "Rai-chan too." "Your welcome, son!" After the present opening-thingy, our three families headed out to have fun. We went to an amus.e.m.e.nt park to celebrate the rest of my birthday. This is my second time at the amus.e.m.e.nt park, but this was Raiha''s first time. I had fun throughout the day. It was the one day I didn''t worry about this all being some sick dream and prank of God. I didn''t worry about this all not being real because, to me, this was as real as it could be. The various rides with my family, the not-as-delicious-as-my-own-cooking lunch, the prizes we won from some of the game stalls. They were all part of my experience while growing up; they were part of my childhood. The only thing that I regretted today was the fact that time passed way too quickly. Before I could even notice it, the stars had decorated the night sky once more, and I had never looked more...reluctantly at the sunset in the distance. As much as I would like to continue the fun, it was time to go home... "Sorry that this couldn''t be any bigger, son. Satsuki and Uzuki are taking up more-" "It''s fine, old man." Then, interrupting his sentence, I looked at him, who had an embarrassed expression as he carried my twin sisters, "You have done your very best, and I appreciate it." We were already back home in the living room, and turning to look at my mother, I continued, "Both of you. Thank you, dad, mom." "Aww...Fuu-chan is crying. Come and give me a hug..." "Hey! I''m not crying!" "You don''t have to act so tsun-tsun in front of your parents." They walked over to me and gave me a big hug, embracing all four children of theirs. The Nishimiya family looked on warmly at our hug before we included them inside as well. "This is warm, hehe..." Raiha giggled amidst the hug as she hugged our younger sisters. "Yep, it is." People often wondered what was most valuable in life. Money? Health? Relationsh.i.p.s? Their superpowers? Their talents? The fact that I met God and managed to get this opportunity? The system? Not really. To me, family is the most valuable thing you can have in life, and this family is truly what I love most in the world. ***************** A/N: Please read the author''s thoughts at the bottom. I don''t want to write about what exactly Fuutarou did at the amus.e.m.e.nt park, or more like, I didn''t know what to write about. I have writer''s block for all six of my fanfictions...this is so sad! Aside from that, this fanfic heavily focuses on relationsh.i.p.s, family, and love. So there would be a lot of warm and fluffy moments that I would try my best to write and describe out. A/R: Besides, how does Akikan even manage to write 100 chapters for a week''s worth of events?! Jesus. Chapter 55 - 55: Scouted "Hey, Uesugi-kun." A female teacher came up to me during lunch and suddenly spoke. "Sensei?" "Come to the staffroom after school." Hearing the teacher''s words, I wondered what was going on. "Did I do anything wrong?" "No. It''s nothing bad. I just need to talk to you for a while." "Okay then. I''ll see you later, sensei." Hearing me agree, the teacher smiled and left. "What did you do now, Fuu-chan?" "Urgh...for the nth time, stop calling me Fuu-chan, Haruma." "And for the nth time, nope. It''s fun. So, what did you do?" What did I do? I''m trying to wonder about that myself. The teacher who called me out was the music teacher, and since she said it was nothing bad... "I assume it should have something to do with music?" "Do you think she is going to ask you to join a competition?" "Damn...why didn''t she call me as well?" Kaori muttered in frustration, and I patted her head to calm her down. "Relax. It might not even be about competition. Maybe sensei just wants me to do something for her." Hearing my words, Kaori nodded her head, "Fine..." "Now, let''s go back to class for our next lesson, shall we?" ***************** Knocking on the staff room, I called out after school, "Sensei?" "Hello, Uesugi-kun. You''re just in time." Just in time for what? I don''t even know what the teacher wanted from me. "Being a music teacher, I do get a lot of free time, unlike many other teachers in this school. After all, music became an optional subject from middle school onwards." The teacher let out a small smile as she walked out of the air-conditioned staffroom and led me somewhere else, "I don''t always get a lot of students in my classes, but surprisingly, the number of students this year had exceeded the usual amount." I didn''t know how to reply to her sudden monologue, so I kept quiet and waited for her to continue. "I wanted to figure out why, so I asked some of my students why they joined the music class. Why don''t you guess what they said?" "Etto...because they love music?" I mean, I can''t think of any other reason in this short time. So, the only possible explanation was because they loved music. Otherwise, why would they waste their own precious afterschool time to learn an optional subject? "Hm...but do you know where they got their love from?" I shook my head, and the teacher pointed at me and said, "You." "Me? I didn''t even recognize them until we met in the music room for our first-ever class." "No, no." Shaking her head, the teacher continued, "It was way before that. It turns out that I wasn''t the only one who attended the competition you got first place for." "You were there?" "It''s not surprising to see me at a music competition. I''m a music teacher, after all. But I wasn''t the only one there. Some of your classmates also attended with their parents, and I guessed their competitive spirits were brought out when they saw you competing on stage against the older kids. We were sauntering towards the music room; I could now tell our destination since despite the few weeks I had been here, the corridor towards the music room on the first floor was one of my more frequented corridors. "But out of all my students, you made me very curious and in awe of your talent. Achieving first place in your category despite being the youngest contestants. And even compared to the a.d.u.l.ts, you were one of the better ones as well, in my opinion." "Thank you." "I''m very curious. Who is your teacher?" "No one. I am self-taught." Hearing my words, I guess she must have gotten a shock since she suddenly paused in her steps and looked at me with widened eyes. "R-Really? You''re not lying, are you?" "I''m not lying. You can ask my girlfriends or my parents if you want. But, unfortunately, we can''t afford private piano lessons even if we wanted to." "I see...Well, back to the topic. I wanted to see you after school today because I wanted to introduce you to someone that might just help out with the problems you just mentioned." At this time, we already arrived in front of the music room, and we could already hear someone else playing the piano inside. How strange. I wonder who is currently playing the piano. "Let me introduce you, a former master pianist and a current judge for piano competitions, Sukuzi Heiz¨­." "Suzuki-san? I don''t think I know him?" "Then I guess you might be surprised to see who he is then." Opening the door, the teacher smiled and entered. Sitting on the piano chair and playing the piano, I spotted a familiar person entering my sight. Suzuki ended his song ended his piece just a few moments after we entered the room, and searching my memories, I finally found out where I saw him before. "Ah! I recognize you! You''re the judge from Chapter 37!" "Chapter 37? What are you talking about? Anyway, it''s good to see you again, Uesugi-san." "It''s nothing, and it''s nice to see you again, Suzuki-san. What brings you to my school and is so important that my teacher had to call me after school today?" "Do you remember what I said to you the last time we met?" "Yes. You said something about wanting to contact me in the future, and when I asked you what for, you said ''who knows?''." "Haha, word for word, huh? But yes, I have come to invite you to another piano competition." "Piano competition?" "Yes." "But I don''t think it that such an event would warrant a master pianist like you to personally invite me, though." "I had heard you play personally before, and I am sure that the other judges at that time would also agree that you are no doubt one of the best we have heard. So I''m here not as a judge but as a master pianist to personally give you an invitation to attend the world''s grandest piano competition, the International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition." The International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition? I have never heard of it before. "The International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition, for tradition and amount of prize, is one of the oldest and most prestigious piano competitions globally, taking place in Seregno, Italy since 1959 and held every 2 years. It is so prestigious that you would need to have a recognized master pianist or grandmaster pianist to personally hand you an invitation to even be able to attend this competition. Each master pianist in the world can give out three invitations to young and rising stars of the piano world, while grandmaster pianists can give out ten." Wow. This just escalated way too quickly. I don''t even know how to react to Suzuki''s invitation. "Um..." "I know this is a lot to take in, but please, take this letter first and give it to your parents. Then, if you decide to accept the invitation, please call my number here, and I''ll go to your house to discuss the details of it." He handed me a very fancy-looking letter that was gold in color near the edges and another business card. "Thank you." "Do you have any questions right now?" "So you''re basically scouting me?" "Yes." Suzuki replied, "If the first place winner is someone that I recommended, then I will stand to gain as well." "Is that so?" "Yes. Not as a pianist, of course, but as someone who has a good eye for talent, my fame and honor would also increase." "I see. I would have to go overseas to attend this competition, right?" "Only if you pass the preliminary rounds, of course. This competition is open globally, and master pianists like me are a dime a dozen if you look overseas. So, to reduce the number of contestants and increase the standard, we have decided to host something like a knockout round, where only the better ones can advance and eventually reach the top." "So, something like a knockout tournament?" "Not exactly. It would be similar to the previous competition you had participated in. As for how many people would move on to the next round, more details will be revealed later on." "Is there prize money? And will the trip be sponsored?" Suzuki looked amused at my question, but I can''t help it. If the overseas trip is not sponsored, then I wouldn''t go. I don''t want to burden my family''s finances any more than needed. "Yes. The number one pianist will receive 20 thousand Euros, which is about 2.6 million yen. Although the trip will be sponsored, it would only cover where you would be living. As for food and drinks, it will have to be paid by yourself." I think Suzuki continued to talk, but I wasn''t sure. The moment the words "2.6 million yen" came out of his mouth, my mind went blank. Fk! I never had that amount in one go before! Actually, I don''t think my family had ever had that much money as well. "I accept!" "Haha, as much as I would like that, you don''t have to rush your decision, Uesugi-san. You still need to ask your parents for permission first. Are there any other questions?" "When will the competition start?" "The preliminaries will start late May and will drag on all the way to late July. Then, if you make it to the main competition round, it would begin somewhere in mid-August and last around half a month." "I see. One more question, will you be participating?" "What do you think?" "No?" "Why no? Of course, I would be participating. It''s an honor to be participating in this competition, and I would rather die than not take the chance to participate in it. But as you can probably tell, it would mean that other grandmaster pianists would also be participating alongside you. So I hope you would improve even further because you might be the best in your competition, but there are plenty of other grandmasters that are on par with you." "I see. Thank you for answering my questions." "No problem. If there are no other questions, I''ll take my leave now. I look forward to your call." "Thank you, Suzuki-san." Both the teacher and I thanked him as he walked away. There was a moment of silence in the music room as we started to digest the news that Suzuki had brought us. "Uesugi-kun?" "Yeah?" "Can you give me an autograph now? It seems that your value is much, much higher than I had expected. I didn''t think it would warrant the attention of a competition like The International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition." "You know about it?" "Barely. All I know is that everyone who ever made it onto the final stage would be basically set for life. The prize money isn''t the most valuable thing you can get there - it''s the honor and fame that would allow you to get hired as a performer to earn even more money." Turning to face me, she patted my head and said, "Congratulations. But make sure that you don''t fall behind on your schoolwork, you hear me?" "Spoken like a true teacher. I won''t, sensei!" "Good. Now, go home and tell your parents the news." "Hai!" ***************** "Fuu-kun! Okaeri!" From the kitchen, a fragrant aroma wafted out as Shouko spoke. "Tadaima. It smells nice, Shou-chan. What are you cooking? Do you need help?" Yep. Shouko also learned how to cook, and while my parents are responsible for caring for our little sisters, Shouko helps out by cooking our meals. "The usual meal. I don''t need help, Fuu-kun." "Alright then. Where''s mum?" "Putting the twins to sleep." "Rai-chan?" "Together with mum and Yuzu-chan." "I see." Going up to my room, I placed my bag on the floor and changed before going downstairs to the living room. "What did the teacher call you for?" Looking at her, I let out a smile, "Are you curious?" "Yes." "Well, she wanted me to meet the judge we saw before." "The judge?" "Yea, the one who wanted to contact my parents about something." "I see. What did the judge want?" "He wants me to participate in a piano competition." ***************** A/N: The competition is an actual competition in our world. Its price money is only 2k euro for first place, but I buffed it up since I made it the most prestigious piano competition in the world. The next chapter should begin with the preliminaries if nothing goes wrong, and as for the overseas trip...later, I guess. Chapter 56 - 56: [No Title] "Son." A week had already passed since Suzuki last visited my parents, and it was also the time for me to leave for Tokyo for the preliminary rounds. "Yes, old man?" "This is your last chance to change your decision. We all know that once you leave, you''ll be leaving for at least 1 month." "And how do you know that?" "We''re all confident that you won''t lose in the preliminaries, after all!" Standing in front of the door of my house with a bag packed with essentials, I looked at my family crowding me. "Don''t worry, old man. I''ll return from the trip with some money for us. So, you don''t have to worry about me." My father sighed as he pulled me into a hug, "You know, you can just act like a child your age? Why are you worrying about a.d.u.l.t stuff like money?" Because maybe I was an a.d.u.l.t in my past life, and it felt weird not earning money... "I''m sorry that you even had to think about money for us..." Sigh, my father is always acting childish in front of my mother. It was only times like this when his a.d.u.l.t-ness shines past his childish shell. "You don''t have to apologize, old man. I''m part of the family as much as any of you are; I''m just doing my part for it." "Just know that...whenever you get tired and want to give up, you can always do so and come back home here, alright?" "I know that." Patting on my back, my father released the hug and took a step back, only to be replaced by Shouko and Kaori. "Why are you leaving..." "Can I come with you?" The two girls hugged my body as they buried their faces in my shoulders. They say girls start puberty earlier than boys, and although they were not very tall, they were only slightly shorter than me, reaching my shoulders. "There, there..." Patting both of their heads, I spoke softly and slowly, "I''m just going away for a small period of time. I will not be gone forever." "But..." "I''m trying to achieve my dreams here, you know?" "I know...that''s why I''m not really trying to stop you from leaving..." Shouko muttered. "So you''re just trying to gain attention?" I think after hearing my blunt words, Shouko''s mind froze along with her entire body because she didn''t move from her position. Now that I think about it, ever since we started living together, I don''t think I''ve been separated from Shouko for more than one night, and that was only because we each had our own room. Shouko doesn''t leave my side at any point of the day (except toilet), and as much as I love a dedicated girlfriend, it isn''t healthy for her to have no friends except for our small group. It is currently the 20th of May, and I would be missing a big part of my school. Fortunately, if everything goes to plan, I''ll be able to return here for a while, take my mid-year exams, and enjoy a bit of my summer holidays before heading off to the finals. And by the time the entire competition ends, the school will have reopened for the second trimester. At least it wouldn''t take up my entire summer holidays, and it would allow Shouko to be slightly less dependent on me. What I wanted was a girlfriend; I don''t need a pet, after all. "How about this? Let''s make a deal; if I''m number one, I''ll never leave anywhere for more than one week without you two from then on, alright? In return, you will have to bond with at least some of our classmates before I return in July. And Kaori-chan, this is a piano competition. I''m sure we will find a violin competition for you sooner or later." "Two nights." "Huh?" "Never leave without us for more than two nights after winning this competition." "Sure, but you have to make more friends too." It was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. It was only after I agreed that both of the girls let me go. Last but not least, it was my mother who was carrying my twin sisters together with Raiha. "Stay safe, my dear son. You have a lot of people waiting for you at home. And no matter the results, you will always be the proudest son in our family." "Goodbye, mum, old man, everyone." After waving towards them for the last time, I left for the car outside my house, waiting for me to board. "Finished with your goodbyes?" Suzuki asked from the front of the car. He wasn''t the one driving, though; there was a chauffeur. "Yep. Now, where are we heading towards?" "Where I handed out the last invitation to." "And where is that?" "Kyoto." ***************** And...I was once again back in Kyoto. Interesting, I wonder who I will meet this time in Kyoto. Since we had a car this time, it took more than four hours and fifty-two minutes. We had various breaks along the way, and even if there were the sights to behold, having only three people in a car was going to be awkward. The driver wasn''t much of a speaker, and while Suzuki and I tried to make a conversation happen, it didn''t last very long. I was an a.d.u.l.t in my previous life, and I should have gotten along much better with Suzuki, but many things that existed in my past life didn''t exist here, causing the number of things to talk about limited. In the end, between a child and an a.d.u.l.t, not much can be talked about. About halfway through the journey, the conversation died out, and if it wasn''t for the radio present in the car, it would have probably been an awkward silence. "Ano..." "Yes?" "Can you tell me more about the person we are fetching?" "Are you interested in him?" "I just want to see what type of people is going to be invited and attending. After all, I don''t just want to participate for fun. If I participate, I always try my hardest to win." "Many people would probably say that it is the journey that counts, and not the results, but I would say that''s a good attitude right there. About the last person, he is currently in college." "College? I thought he would be my age or something..." Hearing my words, Suzuki paused for a while before laughing out loud, "You must be joking. I don''t know about the global stage, but not everyone is a monster like you, you know? Being on a level that is similar or even higher than mine at elementary school. In fact, you can be considered above average in talent if you are invited to college level." "I see..." I misjudged the level that this competition is on. Without much competition in our area, I couldn''t correctly judge the standard of entertainment in this world. However, with this competition now, I can estimate where I stand in terms of piano capabilities on the world stage. I wonder if I will have a quest from the system about this competition as well. ***************** [Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition (Part 2)] Description: Having taken your first big step in a small competition, you must not give up halfway. Go through the entire competition, and make your name well-known in the music world and beyond. Passing Criteria: Never give up Rewards: Increased proficiency in all music-related proficiency depending on the level (basic will increase by 100, intermediate will increase by 90, advanced will increase by 80, master will increase by 70, grandmaster will increase by 60) Additional rewards if you attain the top fifty worldwide: 1x premium gacha tokens, 1x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) Additional rewards if you attain the top ten worldwide: 2x premium gacha tokens, 2x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) Additional rewards if you attain the top three worldwide: 2x premium gacha tokens, 4x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) Additional rewards if you attain first place: 1x legendary gacha tokens, 3x premium tokens, 5x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) Failure: Removal of Grandmaster Piano Proficiency and semi-removal of music route in the future (meaning that it would be harder for you to get back to the music industry again). System tips: Don''t get too proud or arrogant. While others might be a frog in a well, you are currently just a frog in a pond. You might have seen some talents here and there, but you have not seen what true talents or hard workers are. This is not just a test of your skills; but a test of your *********** ***************** Wow...this is harsh. But the quest also made me feel weird. "Never give up" was the passing criteria, but what exactly does "giving up" comprise of? [Calculating...unknown.] Unknown? Ok...is this a quest that you made for me? [As specified before, all quests come from your subconscious d.e.s.i.r.e. The system has no emotions and feelings, so the system wouldn''t know what you would classify as "giving up", and it can only be determined by you and no one else.] This doesn''t make sense, but I don''t think it''s detrimental to me; if anything, it should only help me. "Is there anything wrong? You''re spaced out..." Suzuki''s voice rang from the front as he turned back to look at me. "Oh, it''s nothing." "I know that you''re nervous about being the young one in the competition, but you don''t have to worry too much. If you play as well as you did back then, you will do fine." I think he misunderstood my current emotions and feelings, but I''m too lazy to correct him and just nodded my head. "Suzuki-san, can you tell me more about the competition?" "Hm...why not? The boy we are fetching has attended this competition once before, so I don''t have to wait for him to tell you more about the competition. For starters, you can remove the idea about a ''normal'' competition out of your head." "Huh?" "Although the preliminaries might be something that you are used to, the final rounds will definitely be new to you." Interesting...I thought the author would have to write about the same stuff repeatedly, but apparently, it isn''t, huh? Good for you now, huh, author? [A/N: Yep.] "Why, though? How is it any different?" "First of all, there are countless pianists in the world. I never specifically told you about the levels that segregate their level, but you can roughly guess them. There are beginners, student level, teacher level, master level, and grandmaster level. From their names, you can probably guess the details. The beginner level is those who had just started learning, and it''s also where almost everyone can quickly progress to the next level. The student level is where most pianist lies, while the teacher level usually refers to those who are good enough to teach student level, but not good enough to reach the master level." "But from then on, every jump is a huge one. From the master level onwards, almost every pianist who enters this level is professionals. They have at least performed once for the public." "Hm? But competitions-" "Not competitions. I mean, actual performances where the affluent people pay them to perform in some event like weddings or parties. There are some exceptions, of course. People like you who haven''t debuted in the world or are too young for stuff like that." "I see. Then what is the gap between grandmasters and masters?" "That I don''t know. Only those who reached grandmaster level know, and I''m only a master level pianist, not to mention an almost-retired pianist." "So what will happen in the final rounds?" "Who knows?" Suzuki let out a shrug and a small smile, "It''s always different, but it would always relate somehow to music. One year required us to pair up with another instrument to play a duet, while another year required us to learn various types of piano and ensure that the song played on a grand piano would have the same emotion and feelings conveyed when played on another piano. It might sound easy, but it''s a lot harder than it looks when the piano might not even be a piano in the first place. Clavichord, harpsichord, dulcimer, celesta, carillon, and even the monochord were all tried and tested out, causing many grandmaster pianists to be at a loss. Did you know that based on its ancestry, the piano can be classified as a string instrument?" Holy shit. If that''s true, then I''ll be screwed. Who knew a piano competition wouldn''t actually include a proper piano. But still, I hope it would be a fun and stimulating competition. "Hahaha...this is the first time I''m seeing you act your age." Hearing his words, I tilted my head and wondered what he was referring to. "I mean, you always seem so m.a.t.u.r.e and cool-headed. Honestly, it scared me a little by how a.d.u.l.t-like your thoughts are. But seeing you here, it appears that my worries are gone. Enjoy your childhood, Uesugi-kun, because as much as you want to worry about the future, you only get to live the present once." Wise words from the wise man, but you don''t think I know that? I''ve reincarnated once with lots of regrets, and I don''t plan to do so again. "You don''t have to worry about that, Suzuki-san. I made it my life goal to enjoy every moment of the present, after all." ***************** A/N: As for ***********, don''t bother trying to find out. It''s not accurate to the actual word/phrase. The next chapter will include a male OC unless one of you wants to see a particular character from any anime? Note that the person you wish to have must be a male and must play the piano. Chapter 57 - 57: Murano Yoichi "Hello, Suzuki-san! Glad to see you again. Driver-san as well! Afternoon!" A loud and boisterous voice sounded, reminding me of my old man. Only the person in front of me was much younger and had a certain sunny aura around him. "Good afternoon to you too, Murano-kun. I''m glad to see you being as cheerful and active as ever." Suzuki smiled at the young man we met at the airport. The driver smiled and greeted back warmly as well. As it turns out, we weren''t going to spend much time in Kyoto. Immediately arriving in Kyoto by car, we headed towards the airport, where we would take the plane (duh, what else could we take in the airport?) towards our final destination - Tokyo. After his bright greeting, he turned towards me and looked curiously, "Oh my, I didn''t see you there! Murano Yoichi''s my name. Nice to meet you!" Murano Yoichi is a young man with brown hair and has bright, sparkling eyes. Unlike many pianists, he had a healthy tan, and coupled with the muscles I could see on his arms, I knew that Murano played sports outdoor as well. He was also tall, standing at least 1.8 meters tall. It might not seem much compared to the foreigners around, but he was a giant compared to an average Japanese. I''ll not talk too much about his face since I''m not gay, but all you need to know is that he was handsome. Still not as handsome as me, though. "Nice to meet you as well, Murano-san. My name is Uesugi Fuutarou." "Since you''re here with Suzuki-san''s recommendation, you must be good with the piano as well. Just drop the ''san'' and all other formalities. We''ll be together for the next month or so, after all. It''s a pain to be so stiff all the time. Just call me Murano-nii or, if you want, aniki, since I''m older than you and all." He flashed a grin as he patted me on my back, "In return, I''ll just call you Uesugi. How about that?" Overly friendly at the first meeting. Extremely enthusiastic and have no sense of personal space. And a nice guy. Those were my first three thoughts when he introduced himself. I grinned. Maruno wasn''t a bad person to be friends with. "Alright then, Maruno-nii. Then I''ll be in your care for the next month!" "Hahaha, good! I''m starting to like you even more. This straightforward reply is a lot better than those dudes who always act shy and act as if they don''t want to be friends." Maruno asked some passersby to take a photo of us in front of the airport. After successfully coaxing some girls to help him out, he went back to my side after dragging Suzuki and the driver along. Squatting to reach my height, he placed an arm around my neck. "Cheese!" Smiling for the camera, the four of us saw a flash before the girls returned our phones to us. I mean, I had a phone. It''s time to use it to store some photos. "Well, here is where I part. It was nice seeing you again, Maruno-kun." The driver tilted his cap as he said to Maruno before turning towards me, "It was nice seeing a child prodigy as well. I wish the both of you the very best for the competition." "Thank you, driver-san!" "Come to think of it, I still don''t know your name until now." "Well, you don''t have to worry about it. If fate allows, we''ll all meet again." The driver spoke with a small smile before moving towards his own car. The three of us watched as the car left the airport for a minute before Suzuki broke the silence that hung between us. "Well, now that''s that. It''s time to move to our actual destination!" ¡Þ¡Þ "Phew...this is pretty...nice and comfy," I commented as I boarded the airplane. Although I remembered traveling around the world with my parents when I was still a baby (I still don''t know where they had gotten the money from until now), we often took the train or boat only. Even in my past life, I stuck around Tokyo my entire life, only heading towards a nearby provenance via train for any work-related stuff. So, this would be my first time on a plane. And I had to say, the experience was pretty amazing. The comfy seats, the double window, the fantastic service which required so much money for even a packet of peanuts... "Tch...which diamond peanuts are they selling for 500 yen per packet? Not to mention, the packet is barely the size of my palm." "Haha, the more you travel, the more you will know. Tokyo is crazy expensive, you know?" Maruno smiled as he sat next to me. As a privileged first-timer on a plane, I was presented with the choice to choose my seat between the window seat, the aisle seat, and the seat in between them. I don''t fear heights, so I chose the window seat, hoping I would get to see sights I usually wouldn''t be able to see when I''m on flat land. "Don''t get too excited, though. Once the plane reaches its peak altitude, you won''t be able to see anything." As if knowing what I was planning to do, I was shut down by Maruno''s words before I could even show my enthusiasm about seeing the sights. "Eh..." "But you can look all you want during the take-off and some rare moments where there aren''t any clouds below the plane. I hope you don''t get airsick; it would take away all the fun of riding a plane." Suzuki added from the aisle seat, "If you do feel nausea, I''ll give you some sour candy or mint-gum to chew on." Hmm...now that''s a possibility that I never thought of before. I won''t have airsickness, right? "Uesugi won''t feel airsick if he doesn''t have any fear of flights or heights. Besides, the seat near the windows usually helps with airsickness. So you don''t have to worry too much about him." Maruno continued. The time taken for a plane to take off was annoyingly long. It was only after another half an hour of waiting before an announcement from the captain arrived, followed by the safety commands and rules, before we finally take off. ¡Þ¡Þ The flight wasn''t too bad. I don''t have any other experience of flying on a plane, so I couldn''t really make an accurate comparison. The flight was fast, lasting only 1 hour, give or take a few minutes, but it did give me the experience of riding a plane. "Is this your first time in Tokyo?" Standing outside the Tokyo Airport while waiting for a taxi, Maruno asked, and seeing me nod, he continued, "What do you feel about this place?" "Um...intrigued? I came from Matsuyama, where the environment is slightly more rural compared to Tokyo." "You have never been overseas before?" "When I was a baby, my parents often took overseas for my father''s work." Hearing my words, my two companions became intrigued, "And you still remember the times from when you were a baby? Interesting..." "It does have its benefits, though it also has its detriments." Maruno and Suzuki did not know how to reply to that, so they just changed the topic as the conversation continued. "So what''s our plan, Suzuki-san?" Maruno asked. "The preliminaries will take place in Suntory Hall, Minato city, in three days. So we''ll head over there today to check in to our hotel before getting both of you prepared for the preliminaries three days later." The plan was relatively simple. Due to the competitiveness of the said preliminaries, we would barely have any time to go sightseeing. Lunch was simple, including the basic staple of any Japanese meal. The only thing that differed from Matsuyama is that the food was more expensive here. I really hope that I would win. Otherwise, just the food cost alone would kill me. Urgh... After lunch was the scouting of the place where we would be performing. Suzuki said it would help us get used to the ''atmosphere'' and prepare us so that we would not be shocked on the day itself. The trip took another 15 minutes in a taxi. I expected to see many people scouting the place like we were doing, but I was wrong. It was much emptier than I expected. "Are you surprised to see these few people?" Suzuki saw my puzzled face and asked. "Yes. I thought there would be more people doing the same thing as us." "Well, the preliminaries that would be held here would contain people from three different regions: Kanto, Kansai, and Chubu." "But I''m from the Shikoku region, though?" "Yes, but since both Suzuki-san and I are from Tohoku and Chubu, respectively, we decided to pull you to Tokyo instead. Hokkaido and Tohoku have their own combined preliminaries, while the last three regions, Kyushu, Chugoku, and Shikoku, would have the third area for preliminaries." Maruno said. I see. I don''t know how many pianists who are eligible to hand out invitations lived in Japan, but I''m assuming that there are plenty, judging from the need to separate the preliminaries into three different areas. After the duo explains more stuff to me about the competition, we entered the hall. And I just have one word to describe the place. Wow. I think I''m going to be saying this a lot in the future, but it doesn''t change the fact that this place was fantastic. The Main Hall looked similar to Towa''s hall seating arrangement, with an additional two floors on each side, while the seats of the Small Hall (also known as the Blue Rose) can be moved, and the stage consists of three different sections which can be raised by up to 60 centimeters in increments of 20 centimeters. With a basically 360-degree seating arrangement and a stage in the middle, Suntory Hall could hold almost triple the number of what Towa Hall could. "This will be where you will be performing three days from now. What do you think?" Maruno looked at the grand sight and exhaled a deep breath, "Even though it''s my second time here, the atmosphere never seems to let me down." Second time? Oh yeah, I never asked Maruno directly about that before, but it turns out this was his second time here, huh? Somehow, I''m afraid to ask how it went last time. But I didn''t have to, since Maruno must have apparently caught the look on my face and answered immediately, "The last time I performed here, I didn''t even make it out of the preliminary rounds." "Did you improve?" Looking surprised, Maruno stared at me for a while before bursting out in laughter, and in this hall, his laughter was loud enough to echo off the walls. "Of course! And this time, I don''t plan to just stop at the preliminaries!" "Admirable." "I already told you my goal, so what''s yours?" "Winning this competition." The second round of laughter appeared, but I didn''t stop Maruno from laughing. From everything I''ve learned from both a.d.u.l.ts, I knew that this competition wasn''t something that could be looked down upon. It was nothing like the small competition in Towa Hall; even the system knew this and even made a quest tailored for me. "It might sound absurd, but what is a man without ambition?" Pausing at my words, Maruno''s smile hung on his face as he walked out of the hall. "That''s true. I''ve never even heard middle-schoolers enter this competition before, but to even get to the winner''s position, we will eventually have to meet somewhere in the nationals. Don''t hold back at that time because I won''t." Turning around to look at me with a severe expression, "But I wish you luck." Without waiting for me to reply, he turned to Suzuki, and his smile returned, "Of course, good luck to you too, Suzuki-san." Heh. Good luck to you too. I plan to make my family rich, and I will not stop until I do so. And so, like this, three days soon passed. ***************** A/N: Phew! I finally finished planning out everything for the middle school volume and not just a skeleton. Still, I''m pretty hyped up about my own plans, and if everything goes according to the plan, I would guarantee that everyone here will be satisfied (assuming I can actually right well to convey what I want to convey). I would say more about future plans, but I don''t want to spoil anything. While the major characters wouldn''t appear yet, I will make sure that the middle school volume would be amazing, having more action-packed scenes before toning it down and reaching high school. P.S. Patr¨¦on is here. I always post more chapters ahead if I get the motivation to write. But I''ll eventually post everything here. So if you want to support me, or encourage me to write more, then you can donate some money to poor me. Chapter 58 - 58: Preliminaries (I) "Welcome, all competitors, inviters, invitees, judges, and supporters! My name is Okura Saki, and I''ll be your main judge for the next month." The person who spoke enthusiastically was a woman in her late twenties to her early thirties. She might seem old, but it was nothing compared to the other eight judges that sat on either side of her. The nine judges were sitting a few rows from the front, with all the rows directly below them banned from anyone sitting. Just by blocking five or so rows that could have housed an additional 60 people, it showed the prestigiousness of the nine judges. While the main judge, Okura, seemed to have a pleasant smile on her face as she turned around to face the rest of the audience, not every judge seemed to share her enthusiasm. Most had an indifferent and stern expression on their face, while the rest had a slight smile that was barely noticeable by anyone. "As all of you are aware, two years have passed by in a blur, and it was time to host the International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition once again! However, the younger generations have been getting more talented as each generation goes. From the once measly 5 competitors when the competition was first held, hundreds of pianists are now eligible for this competition! Oh, how far we have come since then..." Giving a dramatic sigh, the entire venue remained silent as they patiently waited for Okura to continue. She might look the youngest amongst the nine judges, but she wasn''t any less respected. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to claim the main judge''s seat without anyone complaining. Okura was a prodigy in the music world, but not in any instrument, singing, dancing, or anything like that. Actually, one could barely consider her an intermediate in any of those. In fact, she was actually having infamous for her ridiculously unbalanced talent. No, what she was famous for was her ability to listen, see, and judge. It was ironic that someone could listen to someone else playing and judge without herself knowing anything about what someone else was doing. While it did cause some controversial news, Okura proved herself time and time again, and with time, more and more recognized experts gave her their approval to judge others without being able to play anything herself. And now, at her prime age of late twenties, she currently stood as one of the best judges, if not the best judge in the Asia continent. The International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition is the grandest piano competition worldwide, and it might have only just started the preliminary rounds, but the popularity was high as expected. "Now, I will reveal what the International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition''s rules for this year are. One! There would be no limit as to how many people will be able to move on to the nationals!" As soon as Okura said rule one, the audience burst into a frenzied state. And it was for a good reason as well. Usually, the International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition only allowed a maximum of fifty pianists worldwide to participate in the finals, causing the competition to be fierce. But now, there was no limit to the number able to enter the finals? That was a god-send to everyone, knowing that the person they are supporting would have a higher chance of entering the finals. Okura did not comment on anything and merely smiled, waited patiently for the noise to die down. After a minute, Okura continued, hearing silence in the hall, "Since we do not want any talent to be lost during the screening process, rule number was passed. But to ensure the quality of the competition would remain high, rule number two was also added." Giving a devilish smile, Okura dropped a bomb. "To advance through the preliminaries, it is simple: play your best, and it would be up to us nine judges here to decide whether or not you move on to play. However, it is only during the finals of the preliminaries where rule number two comes in. Eighteen judges, including the nine here and nine others overseas, must give unanimous consent for the contestant to enter the international stage. The eleven judges would be selected at random for each candidate, but if the contestant can''t even pass our evaluation here, there is no need for them to think of anything anymore." Once more, the audience let out shock gasps as they processed the information that Okura delivered. Anyone who could be a judge for the grandest piano competition in the world was someone of high stature. In the past, since there was a limit, they took the best out of the competitors, meaning that the competitors only had to play better than other competitors. But now, they not only needed to play better than other competitors, but they also had to please eighteen well-known judges from all over the world. Now, the audience knows the reason why rule one was passed. But they were excited. As much as the audiences wanted to see everyone pass, they too wanted to see people fail. After all, this was why competitions exist and why it has been popular even during the Sumerian civilization, the oldest civilization known to mankind. Do you think humans are good living organisms who care for their kind? [A/N: Btw, I''m just saying, if humans were to go extinct, the only thing I''ll do is celebrate.] Besides those two rules, there were a few more that Okura delivered, but they were all the standard rules for any piano competition, and none delivered as much of an impact as the first two. "And so, let the competition begin!" ***************** It seems like what Suzuki said was true; people who got scouted at the college/university level could be considered rare and prodigious, and Maruno was considered one of them. But while Maruno, Suzuki, and I were calm and waited patiently in the waiting room, the others weren''t nearly as calm as us, especially when their gazes reach my delicate body and pop out in shock. I mean, I know I am handsome, but you don''t have to stare at me so intensely, you know~? Ok, I''m just joking. The people around us weren''t staring intensely at me because I''m handsome, though it might be part of the reason, because of my age, I suppose. "Suzuki-san, right? Suzuki Heiz¨­-san, famous master level pianist." While the room was shrouded entirely in uncomfortable silence, a person stood up with a friendly smile on his face as he walked towards Suzuki. Suzuki seemed surprised that someone called him out, but he nodded nonetheless to his question. "Yes, but I don''t think we''ve met before, right?" The man who stood up smiled wryly, "Of course. Ever since you had your debut, I''ve been a fan of yours ever since. My name is Chinen Yori, and please, just call me Yori. It''s a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to finally meet you face to face. I''ve entered this competition two years ago in hopes of meeting you face to face, but alas..." The man shook Suzuki''s hand enthusiastically while Suzuki returned the handshake with a well-practiced smile. It seemed that Suzuki was already used to this type of situation happening. "No, no. The p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e is all mine. Can I know who..." "Who brought me here? No one. I''ve just gotten recognition about being a master-level pianist two years ago, and this is actually my first time attending with my two invitees." Yori looked slightly younger than Suzuki, in his mid to late thirties, and standing behind him were two a.d.u.l.ts aged in their late twenties, one female and one male. "Master-level pianist, huh?" Suzuki seemed surprised, "You must be good. Still, it''s rare to find someone younger than me to be a fan of mine. Most of the time, my music is usually aimed at older audiences. After all, although I did receive the title of master-level pianist, I actually just barely made the criteria, and there are plenty of other pianists from my generation that way better than me..." "You underestimate yourself too much, Suzuki-san. You might not be the best pianist even in just Japan, no offense," Yori smiled and said, "But your music has helped me countless times during my tough times. And for that, I have to thank you." "I''m just doing my part as a pianist." Suzuki gave a humble reply typical of Japanese modesty and humility. "While I am excited to meet my favorite pianist, I can''t help but feel curious about the two invitees of yours standing behind you." Yori''s gaze shifted from Suzuki to us. "My name is Uesugi Fuutarou. It is nice to meet you!" "Murano Yoichi. Nice to meet you!" "You seem like a college student, which means you probably have excellent talent, which I guess is the reason why Suzuki-san invited you." Yori said as he looked at the tanned young man with an appreciating smile, "It''s always nice to see the younger generation being more and more talented as time pass." "Haha, thank you for your praise!" "And I might say that I love seeing talented younger generation, but you..." Turning towards me next, Yori put on an indescribable expression, "You are still in high school?" I really wanted to retort with ''Do you know any high schoolers this short?!'', but being the good boy I am, I chose not to. "No. I''m still in my first year of junior high school." "13 years old, huh? I wonder how good you really are for Suzuki-san to invite you. I don''t mean to look down on you, but..." "It''s okay. Unless age suddenly became a criterion in this competition, I won''t lose!" "Bold words, huh? I want to see what a junior high schooler can really do." The male standing behind Yori opened his mouth and spoke. Although his tone was neutral, it was apparent that he didn''t like the fact that a kid like me is entering the competition on the same level as him, an a.d.u.l.t. "Don''t worry. I''ll not disappoint you." "Tch..." I think he must be really trying to keep himself in check because no matter how angry he was, he wasn''t going that low to hit a kid. At least, I hope so. "I''m sorry for his behavior. He just hates talented people who think everything would go their way just because they''re talented." The female beside the male spoke. "No worries. I don''t think it''s just him." I noticed that he wasn''t the only one feeling envy at my presence here. Seems like attending this competition at my age is a bigger deal than I thought; I didn''t expect such reactions. Plus, that was only in this waiting room. Imagine how many people would bore animosity towards me once more people start to notice me. The head judge had already addressed us beforehand, so we all knew what we needed to do. We were waiting in room number five, which contains the competitors who would be performing somewhere in the middle of the first day. The number of contestants was no joke, and it would take one whole week just for the first round of the preliminaries to end. Should I be glad that our trio was assigned to be performing on the first day? The door to the room opened without warning, and a man walked in. With a stern expression on his face, he showed that he wasn''t here to play around. "Room number 5. Are all thirty of you present?" Everybody instinctively began to silently count the people around them, but before I even got to ten, the man who walked in nodded. "Good. The time now is 10 am. You have at most 2 hours before it''s your turn to perform. I''m just here to ensure that everybody is present." The man said as he started walking out, "And to those who are not feeling well and wish to quit, please inform me now. Otherwise, unless you''re in a coma or a life or death situation, you''re going to perform up on stage in your current condition. I don''t want to waste any time in this competition. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes!" "Good. So, anyone feeling unwell?" The room remained silent as we all looked at one another. "If no one is feeling unwell, I expect you all to be here again by 11.45 am. You can go out for some food and join the audience, but ensure you bring your identification when you leave. You''ll not be entertained if you lose yours." ***************** A/N: It''s finally this fanfic''s first anniversary lol. One year with 58 chapters...even I feel ashamed of myself. There is a maximum of three chapters of preliminaries before we return to a more interesting arc which, obviously, will include meeting more waifus. By the way, I''m planning to focus on this fanfic first. I realized my mind and body cannot take writing 6 stories at once, so I''m gonna slow down the release dates for the others. This would be the last day for a while where I release four fanfics in one go. I also plan to write as much as I can to stockpile chapters for this fanfic. So (at least until I finish writing this entire fanfic), I''ll be able to release one chapter per week. After I finish writing this entire thing, I''ll release a chapter daily, with a power stone challenge to release extra chapters (I always wanted to try it). But then again, this wouldn''t happen until I write finish, or come close to finishing this fanfic. For more information, please go to my patr¨¦on and see the notice that is open to the public. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on.com/spirits_everywhere. Chapter 59 - 59: Preliminaries (II) After the man said his last words, he left with the door open behind him. "Well, it was nice meeting you. My invitees and I will be going for lunch first. After all, we don''t want to play on an empty stomach, do we?" Suzuki smiled as he turned towards Yori and said. "Of course. I will not disturb you any longer. We will meet again, but I''ll just say this now: good luck to you and both of your invitees." "Thank you, and good luck to all three of you as well." Without anything left to be said, Suzuki, Maruno, and I left the waiting room. "In just under two hours, we will be playing on stage. How are you guys feeling?" "Anticipated. I''m feeling anticipated and nostalgic. I never said this, but thank you for allowing me to have a spot for one of your two invitations, Suzuki-san." "You''re welcome. How about you, Uesugi-kun? How do you feel?" "Excited. I really want to find out how high the standards here are compared to Towa Hall." "Then I''ll think you will have a great time. Remember, don''t stress, don''t burden yourself too much. Play to your very best. And if that ''very best'' has been reached, then overcome it." That makes no sense, but sure. I''ll listen to the professional''s cryptic advice. "What do you guys want to eat for lunch?" I think the food should have tasted delicious, but I wasn''t sure. After all, I don''t think I noticed it beforehand with all the extra anticipation and excitement, but I was also slightly nervous about the competition that my mind wasn''t focusing on the food. Even if I have the best system''s help, in the end, it was still only my second time performing in front of an audience (not including my circle of friends). And everyone is bound to be nervous during their first few times of doing something new. Not to mention how prestigious this competition is supposed to be. "Sigh...I''m really not used to it." When there''s nothing to lose except for my shame, then I''ll be able to perform my very best, like in the competition at Towa Hall. I entered that competition mainly for Kaori, not for fame or the money reward. But here? I need to win for the money. After all, we weren''t talking about some ten thousand yen. It was 2.6 million yen, enough for my family to live comfortably for about half a year to a year without any work. And maybe we can finally get hot water straight from the tap without needing to manually heat it up beforehand. "Come on, Uesugi. Why have such a serious expression on your face?" Maruno patted my shoulder, "This is a competition of a lifetime. So let''s have more fun, shall we?" "You''re right." Lightly tapping my cheeks to prepare myself, I looked at the clock in the waiting room. 11.40 pm. The competition was running slightly behind schedule, and due to the sheer number of people here, the competition was fierce. We had already changed to our formal dress for the performance. It wasn''t anything fancy; it was similar to what I wore at Towa Hall, only bigger since I had already outgrown it. Suzuki thought it would be good to hear and judge the other competitors, so we had already listened to a few people play before returning to the waiting room. As expected, the average level here is incredible. Most of the competitors were a.d.u.l.ts in their thirties, while some were in their forties. Only a few young a.d.u.l.ts in their twenties, like Maruno, was present, and there were absolutely zero people my age. "Alright, people. The time now is 12.30 pm. I know that the competition is running a bit late, but it doesn''t change the fact that all of you will be playing today." The same man who came inside and talked to us before lunch reappeared before us and spoke. "I''m not here to give you encouragement or motivation. I''m just saying that if you are making this competition out as a joke or some simple performance you had in whichever corner of Japan you came from, I suggest that you come to me and quit." "Apart from that, we will be going backstage now. Whenever I call for your name, come up to me, and it will be your turn to perform. Follow me, and remain silent at all times. All performances will be recorded, so we don''t want to disturb others." That man was as stoic as one could be; his facial expression didn''t budge an inch as he recited everything monotonously, as though he was reading from a prepared script. Still, none of us (aka everyone in the room) paid too much attention to him and just followed him backstage. Due to the unique seating arrangement of Suntory Hall, the ''backstage'' was more of an underground tunnel leading to the stage, where once entered, you would be shined by spotlights from all directions. The only shadows on stage were below the piano itself, where the spotlights couldn''t reach. I''ll find out soon enough, but before I played, it was Maruno''s turn. Maruno looked very neat in his suit, and his tanned skin only accentuated his looks and charisma as it shined under the spotlight. "Good afternoon, esteemed judges." Maruno bowed towards the nine judges and smiled at the same time. "Maruno Yoichi, is it?" "Yes." "Good. You may begin." The head judge, Okura, smiled at him and said. To ensure that all judges would not get bored, every group of people would play a different song that was given out three days before while we went to register. After all, no matter how impartial a judge is, they are only humans in the end, and it''s impossible for them to not have biases after hearing the same song thousands of times. Maruno sat down and started playing. The piece that my group was supposed to play was Chopin''s - Fantaisie-Impromptu (Op. 66), a relatively simple piece for most of us here. The first emphasized the quickness and dexterity of our fingers, ensuring that we don''t speed up or fumble. After this part, the next section of the piece was a slow melody. If the fast part allowed the judges to judge how good our technical skills were, this slow part allowed them to know how smoothly we can play this part; how much emotions we can put inside this piece without messing up or changing the original meaning of this piece. It also allows both the audience and the pianist to relax. It was very much like a relaxing episode of an anime after a tough fight with an enemy. A crude comparison, but what I mean is precisely that. As the music slowly builds up, most notes are being played, giving the impression of increasing the song''s tempo when, in fact, the tempo had never wavered at all. And once the relaxation was over, and the judges know how to judge him, it was time for the climax to return. The fast-paced, finger-tumbling part of the piece returned, giving the song its liveliness once more. Overall, the piece''s technicality wasn''t very difficult; adding the feelings needed to play this piece to its best was the hard part. Maruno, however, played the piece so easily. Even before this, while we were practicing in a rented room with a piano, Maruno did exceptionally well, from what I can tell, that is. He said that he had played this piece before. Thus it was easy and lucky for him to be able to play this piece for the preliminaries. But while technicality can be trained, emotions can only m.a.t.u.r.e. But if one didn''t use any feelings to play the piano, there was nothing to m.a.t.u.r.e. People who use emotions to play were typically more emotional than people who use pure technical skills. So the fact that Maruno could do it meant that he was a very emotional guy, if it wasn''t obvious enough from the days I had interacted with him. I, for one, think that balance would be the most essential factor. Without emotions, the piece might as well be played by a robot, and without the skills to back it up, it might as well be played by a baby. After 7 minutes, Maruno had finished his piece. Standing up, he bowed once more to the judges before leaving the stage via the other exit. "Maruno-kun is amazing, isn''t he?" Suzuki whispered behind me as he looked at the leaving Maruno with pride in his eyes. "Yes." "You haven''t heard his playing two years ago as I did. But if you did, you wouldn''t just be impressed by his playing now. His rate of improvement is insane. From a measly second year in university to a senior at the fourth year, I wonder how much he had practiced amongst all the work he has in his life." I wanted to reply, but unfortunately, it was Suzuki''s turn to perform right after. "Good luck." "Thanks." "Phew..." Suzuki sighed with relief after he walked off the stage, "This isn''t my first time, but it''s still as nerve-wracking as always." "Seems like even a veteran performer still gets nervous on stage, huh, Suzuki-san?" Maruno smiled a little as he leaned against the wall. "No one would be unafraid of being in the center of attention and being judged by hundreds of people at the same time." Suzuki replied, "Not to mention, I can also see that you became as nervous as me." "What can I say? This is a chance to become even more famous as a pianist. If I screw up here, I''ll need to wait another two years, you know?" Maruno shrugged, "And by that time, I''ll be done with university already. Still..." Maruno and Suzuki were currently in the "tunnel" leading them to their appointed waiting room. However, they haven''t left yet as both of them were waiting for Fuutarou''s turn to play. "I still can''t believe it. Uesugi''s talent is almost..." "Frightening, right?" Maruno nodded, and Suzuki laughed softly, "Yes. I know. I''ve witnessed it myself firsthand. Imagine being a judge in a competition in a place where you think no talent would show up. Your expectations were low, but you were still looking forward to enjoying some music when all of a sudden, an eleven or twelve-year-old boy came up to the stage and played Beethoven''s most technical piece with ease." "So it''s true? I''ve searched online for that particular competition, but due to it being relatively small, there was limited information about it." "Yes. But-oh, it''s his turn." Hearing another round of clappings, Suzuki''s attention turned to the stage, and he saw the familiar child. Aside from the usual claps, some mutterings also stemmed from the audience''s disbelief. While the judges had already gotten the information about Fuutarou beforehand, it was still a surprise to see someone his age standing in front of them. "Good afternoon, esteemed judges." Like any other contestants, Fuutarou bowed towards the judges. "Uesugi Fuutarou..." "Yes." "Interesting. Do your best." Okura smiled as she sat upright. She was looking forward to seeing either the genius rise to fame or the genius who has overestimated his capability and fall down to the ground. Either way, it was going to be fun. The moment Fuutarou started playing, everyone was instantly attracted. Was he doing anything special? No. Was he doing anything different? Apart from being cuter than other participants, no. Yet, people couldn''t help but be drawn to his music. This was what people referred to as the ''grandmaster'' level of playing the piano - attracting people''s attention to your playing even when not doing anything special. When you can successfully make people drawn to your music, when you can stand out amongst the masses even when doing the same exact thing as others, that was when you step into the level of a grandmaster. ***************** A/N: I don''t plan to focus too much on the preliminaries. The next chapter should be the last (concentrating on the finals of preliminaries before leaving Tokyo) before entering two new mini-arcs, which I think everyone will love before returning to the piano competition arc. I''ll give you a hint in the next chapter about both arcs. A/R: It''s been a long time since I last rambled. Hahaha...gotta say, though, Bokutachi no Remake is fkin fantastic. I thought the time travel would be a one-time thing, but in chapter 26, a plot twist happened, and I''m very happy about it. #Shinoaki-best-girl-always Chapter 60 - 60: Preliminaries (III) "Good job, Uesugi. I really enjoyed your playing." Maruno patted my back just as I entered the tunnel. Holy crap, that scared the hell out of me. The tunnel was dark, to begin with, and with the sudden voice and a hand on my back out of nowhere, my reaction should be perfectly normal. "Thank you, but aren''t you supposed to be in the waiting room?" "Well, we wanted to listen to you play on stage first. Plus, it''s not like any of the audience can see us in the tunnel anyway, so we wouldn''t be bothering anyone." Suzuki softly spoke as we walked towards our waiting room. I see. We quickly changed out of our formal attire and left the hall before re-entering through the main entrance and the rest of the audience. Since we had just finished performing, none of us were in the mood of going anywhere else. The pressure on us and the adrenaline we had during the short performance started to take a toll on us, and we were too tired to do anything else for the rest of the day. So for the next few hours until dinner, we just sat with the rest of the audience and watched the rest of the contestants until 7 pm, when the judges announced they were done for the day. After eating a light dinner, we quickly entered the hotel room and fell asleep almost immediately. It might not have been a long day, but it was sure a tiring one. For the next few days, we three alternated the days to do what each of us wanted. Maruno went around to try the food, while Suzuki, as expected of a piano addict, went to the competition to see the performances happening now. We didn''t mind and felt that it would be good to know the standard of the competition for ourselves. It also allows us to learn how to judge others, and in return, it would also make us more aware of how we are playing ourselves. The six days of break also helped calmed the nerves from day 1, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. ***************** "Welcome back, everyone! After a long week of qualifiers, I''m surprised. However, I''m also saddened by the fact that there were not many people who passed the first round." Okura spoke sadly, "I was already prepared to eliminate at least 90% of the contestants here by the time we reach the finals, but I didn''t expect that not even 30% managed to survive before even reaching the finals." "How disappointing." A huge uproar erupted, and everyone started talking about what Okura had revealed. "And thus, instead of hosting three more rounds, we, the judges, decided to immediately host the finals to see who would be getting into the international stage. You would see a whiteboard that would contain all the names playing for the finals on your way out. Finalists would also receive an email later tonight in case you miss out on your name outside." Okura paid no heed to the intense murmuring and continued with her microphone, "This would be all for tonight and finalists! I''ll be seeing you again three days from now." Okura and the other 8 judges didn''t look back and immediately packed their things before walking out. No matter who called out for them, they only waved or straight out ignored them, not answering or replying to any of the audiences'' questions or queries. "Wow, that was..." "Impressive." "Really asserting down her dominance there." "As expected of the best judge in Asia." "But those curves, though..." "Did you see how those jiggled when she spoke?" Oi! This conversation just steered into a weird direction. "Chotto matte." "Yes?" "You guys..." "Hahaha, you are still young. You don''t know how to appreciate a woman''s curves." Maruno laughed and spoke, "Wait till you''re older." I have a girlfriend, you know? Two, at that. But they''re currently both just junior high schoolers whose curves haven''t yet developed. ¡Þ At Sumiya Junior High School ¡Þ ""Achoo!"" "Nishimiya-kun? Miyazono-kun? Are both of you okay?" The teacher asked in concern as her class was interrupted by simultaneous sneezes. One person sneezing might still be fine, but two people sneezing at the same time? "Do both of you feel unwell?" The teacher couldn''t risk any of her students falling sick, not for any reason apart from the fact that she just didn''t like seeing any of her students suffer. "I''m fine, sensei," Kaori replied, and Shouko nodded. "Alright, then. Please come up and solve this question on the board." ''Fuu-kun, I sense you...'' Shouko thought as she looked towards the board, ''When will you come back?'' ¡Þ Back to Tokyo ¡Þ "Cheh, I have a girlfriend, you know?" "You do?" Maruno raised an eyebrow and asked. Looking at his expression, it sort of ticked me off. Am I that unattractive that I don''t even attract anyone? "And how old is she?" "13." "That''s what I thought." What are you implying with your thoughts?! Are you saying that my girlfriend is flat?! "Is she not?" And now you''re reading my mind as well. Wow. And the worst thing? I couldn''t even refute him. "Fine. But it''s only a ''for now'' situation. My girlfriends will grow up to be beauties." "Of course you would say that. Anyways, let''s go see who made it to the finals, shall we?" Maruno quickly changed the topic, and I agreed. We turned to leave the hall, which was still filled with various cheers, complaints, taunts, and other different reactions to Okura''s seemingly taunting words. ***************** "I hope all of you had a good three days break!" As usual, Okura was as enthusiastic as always, pseudo-shouting into the microphone, which further amplified her voice. "This year has produced an unusual situation, but we shall not let it stop us from doing what we have always sought for: The pinnacle playing the piano and what being a pianist means. Precisely 78 of you are present in the finals. Because the new rule was implemented, it is possible for all 78 of you to head towards the international stage." "That being said, it is only just a ''possibility'', not a ''fact''." Okura hurriedly added, stopping any more cheers from resounding, "I highly doubt most of you can even get all 18 of our votes anyway." "The finals will last over two days, and we will begin the first performance at 11 am sharp." The time now was currently 10.50 am a mere 10 minutes before the deciding whether or not the first contestant would be able to go onto the international stage. Sitting in the audience seats, I could feel the excitement and anticipation all around me. It was highly infectious, and soon, Maruno and I began to feel them too. Needless to say, all three of us entered the finals. Fortunately or unfortunately, Maruno and I were assigned to play on the second day, while Suzuki was going to play today. It might be unfair, but we would know better than to practice at the last minute when it came to people of our level. After all, not everybody could sight-read a complicated piece in a few minutes and memorize it well enough to play it in front of some of the most excellent judges. Unless you are some abnormal beings, like me. [Sight-reading is defined as the art of reading and performing a musical piece without previous knowledge, insight, or rehearsal of the piece.] Anyway, the first 39 players started playing their piece one by one, and of course, similar to round 1, the music played by every group of 13 players was different. Throughout the entire process, I looked at everyone''s playing with utmost concentration, broadening my horizons and increasing my music proficiency as a side benefit. Everyone played really well; there was no doubt about that. Yet, only one or two managed to leave an impact on me. Both in their late thirties to early forties, there was almost no doubt about it. They were grandmaster pianists. I cannot properly judge music above grandmaster level, so I could not tell how good I am compared to them. But I wasn''t the one competing against them today. "Suzuki-san..." It seemed that Maruno noticed it as well as I could see him frown. "Let''s just hope that Suzuki-san doesn''t get too nervous or pressured by her and plays to his very best." Although Maruno said this and I also prayed, we both knew that even if he passed this round, it was only because the competitors weren''t competing against each other directly. If it was so, well... Suzuki wouldn''t stand a chance. ¡Þ The next day ¡Þ There was no one left beside me. All 78 contestants had already gone on stage, played, and left the stage over two days. 6 pm. It was the current time. Breathe in, breathe out...breathe in, breathe out... The finals of the preliminaries, the performance which would decide whether or not I would be worthy of getting on the international stage. And more importantly, whether or not I would be worthy of getting that 2 million yen. Don''t panic, don''t rush; stay calm and relaxed. Straightening out my attire to look the best I can be, I stood at the very end of the ''tunnel'', waiting for my name to be called out. After hearing 78 contestants played before me, it made me more self-conscious. Sometimes, going last isn''t a very good thing. The expectations that have been placed upon the previous contestants only piled up for the last contestant to do his best, which, in this case, is me. "Uesugi Fuutarou, you''re the last one to play. Good luck out there." The man who spoke was the same man who guided all of us throughout the entire two weeks, but I had never heard him say any word of encouragement until now. "What?" He asked as he noticed my look. "Nothing." I shook my head, "It just that you don''t exactly strike me to be someone who wishes people good luck." "I don''t. But since you''re the last one that I have to guide, I''m hoping you can get this done quick. I was wishing good luck for you to literally get out there, not because I want you to succeed or anything like that." The man replied monotonously, "This way, I can hurriedly receive my salary for this tiring job and be done with it." "..." I have no idea what to say about this statement. Sigh, whatever. It''s not like I need everybody to be happy about their job anyway. "Well, even if you say that, thank you for guiding all of us over the past two weeks," I said before going on stage. This was my time. I had listened to everyone''s playing, and even if I don''t guarantee myself first place, I''m sure that I can become one of the top few. "Uesugi Fuutarou. We''re all looking forward to hearing you play." Okura let out a smile as she said, and I also noticed that the other eight judges were smiling as well, even those who looked stoic before. "Indeed. I hope you don''t disappoint us." Nodding my head in response, I secretly drew the kanji for ''people'' on my palm and ate it discretely as I sat down on the piano stool. My fingers paused just slightly above the keys, and I took one last deep breath before my fingers lowered, producing the first chord. The blinding lights, the noiseless and pitch-black audience''s stand, the only thing that could be heard was my own playing. Everything seemed to flow past from my vision, my surroundings. No one was here; no one was beside me. All that''s left is the calm pool of clear water beneath me that stretched to no ends. The clouds above me weaved through the sky slowly, and the water beneath me reflected them all, producing an astounding image of scenery. Playing by myself in this seemingly perfect world felt terrific. It was almost perfect; the temperature, the weather, the mood, the atmosphere, the piano, my current condition. It was almost perfect, yet something was missing. Someone was missing. But it wasn''t time just yet... ¡Þ The next day ¡Þ "Thank you for waiting patiently over the last three days. Due to that, we were able to finish up with the judgment in due time. Out of the 78 people who reached here, only 5 of you were able to move on to participate on the international scale. Here are the five names! Number one, Mayeda Akira. Number two, Tamashiro Naoko. Number three, Sugimoto Manami. Number four, Maruno Yoichi. And lastly, number five, Uesugi Fuutarou. As for the rest, thank you for your participation. May all of you improve leaps and bounds with this experience. Can all five pianists meet me at the waiting room now?" Upon hearing the five names, various reactions erupted. But the most important thing to us three was that Suzuki''s name wasn''t mentioned. "Suzuki-san..." "Don''t worry about me. I''ll meet you at the foyer after both of you meet with the judges." I looked at Maruno, and he nodded. "Alright then. I''ll see you later." ***************** "Sigh..." Suzuki sighed for the nth time as he packed his bag in our hotel room. The news had sunk in a long time ago, but he was still wallowing in his self-regret. "It seems like it''s time for me to retire for real now. I haven''t been on the international stage for 8 years already." I didn''t say anything because I didn''t know what to say to comfort the forty-year-old man for not making it to the international stage. "Don''t worry too much. It''s only natural for an old man like me to complain after losing." Suzuki let out a wry smile as he looked at me. Is it just me, or are they reading my mind more often now? The meeting with the judges was typical, I guess. They told us about the arrangement, date, attire, and all sort of essential things to note. An email containing more details will be sent to us later, though Okura specifically mentioned that I needed a guardian accompanying me since I was only 13. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be allowed to attend. "Why don''t you follow me back to my home? I''m sure that it''ll be fun! And there might be activities that could cheer you up." Maruno suggested as we packed our luggage. "Your home?" "Where is your home, though? If it''s too far..." "You don''t have to worry about that. You are returning to Matsuyama, right?" Seeing me nod, Maruno continued, "My home is in the Mie prefecture, Owase city. And let me tell you, you won''t regret following me home." That sounds so wrong, but I''m sure that he''s not a gay pedophile. Still, Owase city is surrounded by the ocean. "You live on a beach?" "Hahaha, you''re not wrong. You''ll know for yourself once you go there. So, what do you say?" I looked at Suzuki, and he shrugged, "I don''t mind. I need to keep an eye on you until you return home. Otherwise, your parents might just sue me if you ever get injured." "Thank you." "So it''s decided then, huh? It''s time for us to go to the sea!" Well, I guess it''s time for a short vacation, then. I just realized that it was still part of the second trimester, and by going to the ocean, it''s basically truancy. Well, if no one knows, no one knows. Besides, I already told my teacher that I would be leaving for a month or so, and since only two weeks have passed, I technically still have two more weeks or even slightly longer to enjoy myself. ***************** A/N: I''m sorry this chapter contained a lot of segments. I didn''t know how to properly merge all of them into a smoother action, so forgive me for that. Tamashiro Naoko and Sugimoto Manami are female, while Mayeda Akira is male, just for your information. As for the next arc, it would obviously be by the sea. Can you guess which anime it came from? P.S. I was writing a few chapters ahead, and do you guys remember that some of you complained why Fuutarou gave Shouko a senzu bean to cure her the moment they met? Yeah, I finally had the chance to insert it (the reason) smoothly into the story while making perfect sense. So look forward to it lol. Chapter 61 - 61: Beach Looking at the bunch of n.a.k.e.d men, I wonder what is going on with my life. "Hahahaha, Maruno! This time you brought back a junior high school student, huh?!" The biggest n.a.k.e.d man laughed and drank his beer as the others all did the same. "CHEERS FOR MARUNO! Congrats on entering the international stage!" "??!!" I''m just confused now. I thought this was supposed to be my vacation, not someplace where I can see a bunch of muscular, n.a.k.e.d men sitting around and drinking beer in the middle of the day. "Ano..." "Hahaha, want to try out some beer, little boy?" "OI! Don''t try to tempt him now!" Maruno quickly slapped the back of the man who spoke and said. At least Maruno still has some common sense... "It''s still broad daylight. At least wait till nightfall, where nobody will come and disturb you guys before tempting him." Nevermind. This place is filled with loonies. Even Maruno became much laid-back compared to when he was in Tokyo. Maruno let loose like never before, and he began playing their game of n.a.k.e.d rock paper scissors. "Suzu-" I turned towards the only man in this situation who was yet to be n.a.k.e.d, only to find out that he was accompanying the others to drink beer as well. Maybe he was going to drown his sadness in alcohol, but it''s still in the afternoon... And more importantly, he was supposed to look after me, not that I needed to be looked after. Sigh...what am I going to do with this bunch of people... "Uesugi-kun, is it?" Finally! A voice that doesn''t sound n.a.k.e.d, drunk, high, or intoxicated! Turning towards the source, I saw a tanned middle-aged man with short white hair standing at the height of about 1.7 meters. He was the only person who was not drinking (apart from me), and he was currently wiping some glasses behind the counter and smiling at me. "Uesugi Fuutarou. Nice to meet you," Ignoring the group of n.a.k.e.d perverts, I went towards the only sober man and introduced myself curiously, "How did you know my name, though?" "Maruno often texts back to them." Pointing towards the rowdy bunch, the tanned man smiled, "And I often get to hear them talk about some kid named Uesugi who is very good at piano." He stopped wiping the glass and extended out a hand, "Glad to finally meet the prodigious kid. The name''s Kotegawa Toshio. Nice to meet you." After taking his hand and shaking it, I looked around the...stall? At least I think I''m currently in a shop. "Is this a shop?" "Yep. Didn''t you read the sign on the front door?" "I know it''s called ''Grand Blue'', but there is nothing grand here, no offense, nor there is anything blue here." "Hahahaha, you''re a funny kid. I like you already. Say, why don''t you and I take a tour around here since it''s your first time?" Toshio suggested as he placed the remaining cups in the sink and looked up, or rather, down towards me. "Sure, why not?" I looked towards the group of drinking n.a.k.e.d men who brought me here and left me alone all by myself, "It''s not like I can depend on any of those people anyway." "Then let''s go now. Maruno!" Toshio turned towards Maruno and yelled. "What, ojii-san?!" "I''m taking Uesugi out for a while." "Sure, sure! Have fun!" I don''t think Maruno even registered their conversation and replied half-heartedly. Sigh, the image of a reliable older brother just disappeared in an instance. As expected of one of the most comedic anime that ever lived, even if it was currently before the canon timeline, Grand Blue had never stopped me from laughing. But seeing it and experiencing it is different. Maybe it was funny and would be funny in the future when I''m legally allowed to drink with the others. But in my current kid form, who is forbidden to touch any sort of alcohol, this is just tragic. And most importantly, I miss the taste of alcohol from my past life. Urgh... ¡Þ Taking a deep breath in the truck, a smile couldn''t help but form on my face. Matsuyama was a semi-rural province, but it was also semi-developed. The air might be fresher in Matsuyama compared to the center of Tokyo, but neither could ever compare to Mie prefecture, Owase city, where every breath of air is as fresh as it could be with a tint of saltiness. "Ah~. So comfortable..." Because it was currently early summer, it made the perfect weather to be out on a beach. The occasional breeze that spread the saltiness from the sea, the warm weather that wasn''t too hot nor too cloudy; it was comfortable. "Right?" Toshio chuckled as he drove us around in his truck. The windows were down, allowing an ample amount of air to flow in and out of the truck. "The sea is such a beautiful place, with various scenic sights, yet everyone just loves money way too much. Unless it''s during the summer vacation, hardly anyone ever comes out to the sea or beach for some exercise." Toshio was complaining about his lack of business, but his smile never left his face, "Still, it''s good that you can join us for the next two weeks." Actually, I only planned on staying here for about a week before leaving, but now that I know Grand Blue was here? "Yep! I''ll be in your care for the next two weeks! But where are we going first?" "We have to visit the usual tourist attraction first. After all, I can''t be mistreating my guest by leaving out some tourists spot, right?" Nodding in agreement, I waited for Toshio to continue with his speech. "It''s already the afternoon, so let''s head for the aquarium first. We can get out lunch there as well." We haven''t eaten our lunch, yet the men in the shop were drinking on an empty stomach until they passed out... I wonder if being in an anime means your kidney and liver would be strengthened to the point where drinking spirytus with 96% alcohol content is no problem. ¡Þ The aquarium had more people than I thought it would have. But I guess more people were living by the beach than I thought. There wasn''t an aquarium near my neighborhood, which was a surprise since I never considered that until now. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren''t any zoos as well. So this would be my first time entering an aquarium in this life. Buying the entrance ticket, Toshio and I quickly entered, and boy, was I surprised. The moment we entered, the first thing that caught my eye was the enormous tank that basically acted as a wall that was filled with colorful fishes. "Wow..." The aquarium was indoors, and the design ensured that the only things receiving the spotlight in this place were the fish. The spotlight reflected the picturesque scene of fishes swimming about happily as plenty of people crowded around the various tanks to take a closer look. "What do you think of the fishes?" "Beautiful. And wondrous." Toshio didn''t say anything about my reply, so we just kept our silence as we slowly walked around the place, peering into the various tanks to see what type of fish occupied them. Yellowtail, amberjack, Japanese horse mackerel, sauries, sea bream, and bonito are among the fish landed at Owase. Yellowtail may be any of several different species of fish. Most commonly, the yellowtail amberjack Seriola lalandi is meant. In the context of sushi, yellowtail usually refers to the Japanese amberjack, Seriola quinqueradiata. There are about 77 other species called simply "yellowtail", which include Yellowtail Angelfish, Yellowtail Catfish, Yellowtail Clownfish, and many others. The most distinct feature of yellowtail is obviously, their yellow-colored tail. I mean, if their tail was not yellow in color, then I wouldn''t know why it''s called "yellowtail". There are two main types of amberjack, from what I could read from the various signs - greater amberjack and lesser amberjack. The greater amberjack is quite literally greater in size, while the lesser amberjack is smaller. Both are voracious predators that feed on squids, fish, and crustaceans. While a.d.u.l.ts amberjacks are usually found near rocky reefs, debris, and wrecks, juveniles can be caught near floating objects. I would talk more about the fishes, but since they bore me, I''m not going to go to great detail for the rest of them. Just know that there are plenty of fish and marine creatures around. Amberjack was also the only type of fish that only had two tanks for them. Even sharks had more tanks for them. Why? I don''t know. But since there were sharks, I was more attracted to them than reading some boring texts. "You want to go ahead and touch the sharks?" Toshio pointed towards what seemed to be a shallow pool that was barely deep enough to put my entire arm inside. This is weirdly nice to touch and play with. A few dozens of non-aggressive sharks, stingrays, and large fishes swam about inside that shallow tank. While some purposefully dodged the various children''s outreaching hands, some took the initiative to glide past people''s hands, much like a cat seeking attention. I don''t remember if I had ever gone to the aquarium in my past life, much less whether or not this is my first time to touch sharks. But I got to say, it''s a lot rougher than I thought it would be. I know that a stingray''s back was very smooth as it helps reduce the friction in water to help it glide further and faster with less energy, but a shark''s skin was rough. As for the reason why, I don''t know. But who cares? Maybe it was a coincidence, but a shark landed right in front of my hand and stayed still lazily. I moved my hand towards it slowly, but seeing that it wasn''t frightened by my gesture, I slowly patted the shark. As it turns out, the shark seemed to be enjoying my touch a lot as it started swimming closer to me. Head-patting proficiency apparently works on animals too. I don''t know how sharks communicate with one another, but the longer I stood in my place to pat the shark, the more marine life started to arrive near us. "Oh my, you are very popular, huh, Uesugi? I think Chisa might be jealous that you get to be this close to the animals on your first time here." Toshio arrived beside me, and his smile grew wider upon seeing my hand crowded with animals. Chisa? It''s THE girl, right? "You''ll see her later. For now, I want to show you something." ¡Þ "Just before we entered, you asked me why my store is named Grand Blue even though there is nothing grand or blue in my shop." I nodded my head, and he continued, "I don''t know whether you know or not, but do you know what my store sells?" We were currently walking to who-knows-where where Toshio was presently guiding me to. What was Grand Blue all about again? Ah! That''s right! "Booze, spirytus, and getting n.a.k.e.d down to your u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r?" "I''m so sorry if the boys in my shop gave you that expression." Toshio''s smile froze a little before it became slightly forced, "What do you think about diving?" "Diving? Ok, I guess." I have never been diving before, so I wouldn''t know. But seeing pictures of it allowed me to have a general idea about what''s it all about. "Just sinking into the water and swim about, right?" "So that''s your first impression?" Toshio''s usual smile returned as it pointed towards a tunnel that was brightly lit, "Let''s see if I can change your mind with this." Entering the tunnel filled with light, I realized that it wasn''t actually spotlighted, but the light refracted from the water from all around us. The top half of the tunnel was blocked with transparent glass, and surrounding us were fishes of all sizes and shapes. And as if that wasn''t nice enough, the atmosphere around us felt simply amazing. I have no idea how to explain everything I''m currently witnessing in words, but there was only one word that came out of my mouth when I stared at everything around us, from the belly of a shark swimming overhead us to the beluga sturgeon dexterously weaving itself among the corals. "Wow." ***************** A/N: This will be a short arc, with only 5-6 chapters before we get back to school with another really small and short arc (like Mafuyu arc). I really enjoyed writing this slice-of-life arc; it makes for a lot more content than I actually hoped. However, we are only halfway through the year 1 major arc, so let''s keep this up! Year 2 would contain a lot less romance/slice-of-life, and a whole lot more action. For people who are getting a little tired of the constant no action no thrill life, worry not, for the majority of year 2 major arc will be full of action (fights, mysteries, and so on). Chapter 62 - 62: Is Diving Fun? "This feeling..." "Good, eh? How does the view look when you''re almost entirely surrounded by water and marine life?" Toshio asked as he slowly strolled along the tunnel. "Definitely something I didn''t expect. The water is so...clear and unpolluted. So this is the view from underwater, huh?" And I just realized. Grand Blue was both an anime and a shop for diving. I almost forgot about it since only about 1% was actually diving and the other 99%...well, spirytus and n.a.k.e.d men. If my interest in diving was at a ''meh'' level before, it''s definitely shooting past the roof now. To be fair, neither the manga nor the anime did justice to what the view underwater was. It was portrayed nicely, but it still pales in comparison to the actual thing. "My store sells service for divers. So, what do you think? Are you interested in it now?" "I was always interested since I want to try new things, but this," Pointing to the large number of fishes that were crowding my view, I continued, "This just made me more than just ''interested'' in diving." "So you''re gonna be a permanent member? I''ll give you a discount." "Not yet." Smiling while scratching the back of my head awkwardly, I said, "I''m poor, so maybe a one-time thing would be nice, but I won''t take the permanent membership for now." "Hm...what a pity." Toshio didn''t try to persuade me any further, nor did he try to lower his price. After all, he was still running a business in the end. Plus, we only met for the first time today, so it would be weirder if he lowered his price any further. "Still, I think I''m going to enjoy it." "I really hope you will enjoy your dive in the future as well." After touring the rest of the aquarium, it was already 2 plus. We had a quick lunch before returning back to the shop. Opening the door, the scene from the morning remained - a bunch of n.a.k.e.d men drinking happily. Even Suzuki joined in at some point while I was touring the aquarium. Where was the "m.a.t.u.r.e a.d.u.l.t" who was supposed to "take care" of me? Where was the "experienced a.d.u.l.t" who was supposed to be "responsible" for me? "Kotegawa-san...are they frequent customers to your bar?" "It''s a diving shop...but yes. They are part of a club called Peek a Boo." "Oh, Ojii-san! You''re back! How''s your tour?" A man noticed us, which was quite impressive, seeing that they were currently dead drunk. "Nice! Now, I''m more interested in diving." The moment I said the word ''diving'', they all instantly stopped whatever they were doing and turned to look at me. Apart from Suzuki, who couldn''t hold his liquor in and was making weird noises, the rest of the shop instantly became silent. "W-What?" "Hehehe...Maruno, did you know?" "Nope. It''s a surprise, I guess." "Unfortunately, he''s too young." "If only he was 7 years older." "Wait, Tokki would be in the same generation as him, right?" "Only for one year, though, before he graduates." "He''s in high school now, right?" "Yeah. And Tokki''s good at the piano too." "Maruno!" "Hai!" "Recruit him!" While they were "whispering" with one another, I managed to hear some words which included "Tokki", which I guess is one of the senpai in Grand Blue (anime), "recruit", and "good at the piano". I don''t think the last words actually matter too much to me, and while I don''t mind meeting the "Tokki", the second word scared me slightly. Senpais...I''m only in my first year of junior high school, so can you stop making plans for me 7 years into the future while boldly assuming I''m even coming here for university? "Ano...can we not talk about recruiting me first? I mean, if I don''t like diving after trying it out, all the plans would just flush down the drain, right?" "What are you talking about? No one would hate diving after experiencing it first hand. The only ones who hate diving are the ones who haven''t tried it out yet. So no plans of ours would ever go down the drain." Sigh, this bunch of people might be rowdy and loud, but when it comes to diving, it seems that the system in their bodies automatically flushed out all the alcohol and immediately made them sober and concentrated. What a legendary body system; I wish I had something like that. "Sigh, why don''t you introduce me to your club first? What exactly do you do and stuff?" "Peek a Boo is an intercollegiate diving club that uses the Grand Blue diving shop as our meeting point for club activities. The Grand Blue shop also acts as the main source for our equipment and services." "Other than that, it''s where we usually come after celebrations (which is every day)." "Yep. After all, the scenery from here is just beautiful (the beer here tastes the best)." "I can''t agree more. The atmosphere around here (the always almost empty shop that we can use for ourselves) is really relaxing, after all!" "No other shop can beat this place (no other shops would allow us to enter and use their place as our gathering point)." I think I just heard some dangerous words mixed inside their speech. So they just come here to hang out because no other shop would take them in, huh? And Toshio was just kind enough to let them use his shop. Poor Toshio... "Anyway, before you dive, you need to learn some theory and pseudo-diving first. After all, we may joke around a lot, but diving is a dangerous sport if you''re not careful, and we don''t want to risk anything." "Plus, you look kinda skinny, so hopefully, your tank will not drag your body all the way to the seabed in one moment." "I might not look like it, but I''m actually pretty strong." Even though I have no idea why. Maybe it was passed down from my old man. "Hahaha, we''ll see later. For now, take the rest of the day and read this up." Maruno tossed me a thick book, "We''ll be getting into the water tomorrow, so you can join us for diving tomorrow if you prove to be a fast learner." Easy enough. I have an eidetic memory, so this would be a cinch. Reading books is one of the things I do best, next to playing the piano. "Alright!" Holding onto the book, I just realized something important. "Etto...where am I supposed to sleep?" Maruno froze at my question before an awkward laugh came out of his mouth, "Hahahahaha...I''msosorryI''mbusynowaskmelaterwillyou?" Oh no, you''re not running away from me. Grabbing onto Maruno''s waist, I lodged my heel into the floor as Maruno attempted to run away from the store. "I''m so sorry! Bring the both of you here was just in the heat of the moment! I didn''t actually have any plans for either for you!" Maruno yelled as he used even more strength to try and get out of the store. Unfortunately for him, all our actions just showed (and proved) that my strength is at an acceptable level, being able to prevent a 24-year-old university athletic student from running away. Granted, I might have used the floor to my advantage to add extra drag force, but if any other children were in my position, they would only be flying like a flag as they cling onto the running Maruno. "Wow, he really does have some strength, doesn''t he?" "Being able to stop Maruno from running, can we even do that?" The one who spoke paused before everyone burst into laughter. "Of course we can!" Their faces morphed into something between creepy, funny, and a titan as they turned towards the poor first year within their midst, "Since even Maruno managed to secure a future member, you''re in charge of scouting freshmen from now on." "What?! Hell no!" "Then forget about your clothes. Maybe the incinerator would love a set of extra clothes to wear for the winter." "Hey hey hey! Relax, senpai! I was just kidding!" The poor first year pounded his c.h.e.s.t and assured, "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to invite (drag) people into our club (whether they like it or not)!" Once again, while I was trying to prevent Maruno from running, I think I heard some dangerous words that shouldn''t be spoken out loud at all. "Ma-ru-no-san, I''m not letting you go until I receive a suitable answer." Speaking each syllabus clearly and distinctly, I made sure that Maruno could hear me as I put all my strength into stopping him, "Because I don''t plan to pitch a tent outside and sleep by the wave when you are sleeping comfortably in your own bed." "I''m so sorry! But my house really has no more space for an extra person to sleep!" "Then at least help me find a place to sleep in for the next two weeks." Before Maruno could reply, Toshio''s voice sounded, "Why don''t you sleep at my store instead?" "Eh? Are you sure?" "Yeah. We have some extra space. No beds, though, only futons." "It''s fine. I just needed a shelter over my head." Hearing that I have a place to sleep now, I let go of Maruno abruptly, causing him to tumble forward from the sudden momentum. "Thank you very much. I don''t have much money, but I can help out around the store if you need help to pay you back." "Hm..." Toshio took a closer look at my appearance, and I involuntarily stepped back. Hey, I''m not going to risk it; even if he has a daughter, I don''t know much about him, much less his s.e.x.u.a.l orientation. Plus, he doesn''t mind n.a.k.e.d men in his shop. Or maybe he''s just that used to it. Poor thing. "Well, if you say so. It''ll be good to have an additional helping hand. But you''ll be signing this later so that I don''t get sued for underage employment." Toshio waved a piece of paper which had the big, bolded words of "contract". "For now, take your luggage and follow me." Come to think of it, where''s my luggage? I turn to look at Maruno, who had already run away. "OIIIII!" ¡Þ Phew...today was exhausting. Mainly because of Maruno, though. Seeing him run away at my mention about my luggage made me think that he had done something wrong, so I immediately chased after him in irritation. It took me one whole hour to finally chase him down and tackling him to the beach, only to realize that he was just joking with me and had already delivered my luggage to Toshio way beforehand, which was right after we landed. It turns out he had more important things to do as well, but he just didn''t like doing them, so he made an excuse to not do it by pretending to have done something to my luggage. I thought Maruno didn''t know how to scheme, but in the end, it turns out he practically manipulated all of us to do his bidding. How scary~. Anyway! It''s currently already nighttime, and I had just finished my dinner. I was sweaty from running the entire afternoon (it''s only for an hour), so I desperately wanted to take a shower. It didn''t help that I smelled like a mixture of the beach, sea, and food from dinner. Returning to my room, I placed the book on top of the rest of my luggage. After that, I took my towel and change of clothes and headed for the bathroom. "Uesugi-kun? Are you going to take a bath now?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" "Not really. We don''t exactly have hot water, only warm, so I hope you don''t mind it." "I won''t. If anything, I''m already grateful to be able to take a shower, unlike a certain someone (Maruno) who completely abandoned me and almost made me homeless for the night." "Haha...you''re a good kid. Go take your bath." Without saying anything more, I headed straight to the bathroom and opened the door. I''ve always thought that this world was very anime-like, but I have never just realized how much. The good old-fashioned clich¨¦ of walking into someone changing. It might not be a busty onee-san, but... "Who are you? Scratch that, first of all, can you leave now before I gouge out your eyes?" Chapter 63 - 63: Kotegawa Chisa "Who are you? Scratch that, first of all, can you leave now before I gouge out your eyes?" Standing in front of my eyes was the heroine of Grand Blue in the flesh. Although young, she had her distinct feature of short brown hair and similarly colored brown eyes. Actually, you know what? Scratch that. Lots of people have brown hair and brown eyes. But it''s impossible to not know her- "How long are you going to keep staring, you PERVERT!" She threw the basket filled with dirty laundry towards me, forcing me to close the door in the process of chasing me out. Oops, I was thinking about her face that I didn''t think of looking at her body. Not that there isn''t anything to look at in the first place. Forgive me, Shouko. Your man has sinned. Since I didn''t want to return to my room without showering, I just packed all the dirty laundry back to the basket and placed it by the wall. I sat down beside it, hoping that Chisa would hurriedly finish changing. Looking back, I think this is my first lucky pervert moment. Despite living with Shouko for about 2-3 years, I don''t think I ever had a memory of walking into the middle of her changing. Just as I was reminiscing nothing, the door to the bathroom opened again, and boy, was she not happy. "Etto...I''m sorry? I didn''t know anyone was inside." Spoken like a true protagonist, I unleashed the "I thought no one was using the bathroom" excuse. Unfortunately, I don''t think she forgave me since she just gave me a stink eye and walked away, presumably to complain to her dad. At least she didn''t try to beat me up like a tsundere, not that she would manage to beat me anyway. With enough drama, for the time being, I think it''s best I enjoy my bath before anything else comes to ruin my night. ¡Þ ''Who on earth is he?'' After hurriedly changing, Chisa came out of the bathroom and noticed the same boy who had seen her n.a.k.e.d sitting quietly on the floor. She might not have been fully n.a.k.e.d with her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r worn, but to her, it was no different. "Hmph!" Throwing the stinkiest eye she could possibly throw at the boy, Chisa walked away with her arms crossed. She was angry, but since the boy had apologized, she didn''t try to make things too difficult for him. The keywords, though, were ''try'' and ''too difficult''. But even if she didn''t make things too difficult for him, it didn''t mean that she would have a good first impression of him. Toshio owned two places for people to stay. The first was the shop, while the second was a nearby apartment whose quality isn''t the best. While the shop had rooms mainly for close relatives, the nearby apartment mostly was for guests, though anyone could use it (with his permission, of course.) While the apartment was of a lower quality than the rooms in the shop, Chisa chose to stay at the apartment most of the time because of one reason: it was much closer to the sea. [A/N: The apartment doesn''t exist in the anime. It would later be removed as it isn''t cost-efficient to maintain it. So, this would just be plot armor, I guess.] No one was attracted to anything from the day they were born, but they could be influenced by the people around them. Being born from parents who both worked at the sea, Chisa had loved the ocean ever since she could remember. Her mother, Sayaka Kotegawa, worked as the Dolphin''s Palau branch manager, a diving shop specializing in teaching, accompanying, and guiding both new and experienced divers out to the ocean. And if that wasn''t enough, her father had opened up another shop in Owase, providing and renting divers the necessary gears to dive. Both of them had jobs related to diving; how could she not come to learn and love about the wonders of being underwater? Her thoughts strayed for a while before she realized that she wasn''t focusing on the current problem. What should she do with the boy? Her legs had automatically guided her to where she instinctively thought was the best place to ask for advice. Standing in the middle of the empty store and her father sitting behind the counter, Chisa walked up to him. Noticing her presence, Toshio''s head was lifted from whatever book he was reading, and he asked, "Oh, Chisa? What''s wrong?" "...Who was that boy?" "Boy? You mean Uesugi-kun? What about him?" Toshio was curious why his daughter suddenly asked about the boy. "Nothing." "It can''t be nothing if Uesugi-kun is mentioned. You can tell your dad what''s bothering you." "It''s nothing. I just saw that boy on my way here." Seeing his daughter refuse to say anything, Toshio didn''t know what to do. She had always been this...distant and stubborn, refusing to ask for anything unless absolutely required. It was a trait that was inherited from her mother, and while he did fell in love because of that, it was sometimes tiring to deal with it too. "Fine. Your mother was always like that as well; I''ve adapted well enough to deal with stubborn people." Chisa frowned, "I''m not stubborn." ''And now a tsundere too? How troublesome.'' Of course, Toshio didn''t say that out loud and just looked at his daughter, "So, what other questions do you want to ask about him? I just met him today myself, so don''t expect that I would know everything about him." "What is he like?" "More specifically?" "Is he a pervert?" Chisa''s blunt question stunned Toshio for a while before he let out a wry smile once more. "What? Did he peek at you bathing or something?" "..." Seeing Chisa''s silence-means-consent, he became more astounded, "Really? He doesn''t seem to be that sort of person, though." "No, he didn''t peek at me on purpose, at least. He just walked in because he thought no one was in there." ''Oops. That might be on me...'' Toshio suddenly remembered what was itching him in his heart, as though he had forgotten something really important. "So you want me to punish him?" "He already apologized..." "But you still don''t like him." "Well, he partially at fault too for seeing my daughter''s body, so why don''t the both of you go diving tomorrow?" At the mention of ''diving'', Chisa''s interest was piqued once more. "The boy knows how to dive?" "He''s learning for tomorrow. And it''s not like you''re that good as well. Remember, you''re still a beginner. There''s a lot of things you can''t do without an accompanying a.d.u.l.t, got it?" "Yes." "Anyway, since you and Uesugi-kun both deem it as an accident, I''ll leave it to you to do whatever you want to him. He''ll be sleeping at the apartment. Just don''t be too rude to our guest, alright?" "Fine. I''ll be sleeping at the apartment as well." "Again?" "I like the sea breeze." ¡Þ I wonder if Chisa is going to do anything to me. Well, if it comes to that, it comes to that. But for now, after I returned to the apartment, I set up the futon available and took the book Maruno gave me. The Guide To Diving for Dummies 101 Hmm...is it safe to follow the instructions and rules inside? The title doesn''t exactly give me the confidence that I need. Flipping open to the second page revealed a badly drawn diagram/picture of a person diving. Breathe in, breathe out. I hope the rest of the book isn''t of this quality. The third page: The Why Fortunately, it wasn''t. The third to the ninth page showed why diving is so fun and why diving should be recommended to everyone (except for a group of special people). To me, it''s just propaganda, so after speed-reading through it that nothing important was mentioned, I went on to the second section. The tenth page: The What From the tenth page to the twenty-ninth page, the book explained what exactly is needed and required before we could dive. From any special conditions of our body (like asthma) to the equipment necessary, the twenty pages did a thorough explanation of each and every single piece of equipment. Not a single detail was missed, and all the pictures were professionally drawn. Somehow, I felt that the last part of the previous sentence needed to be mentioned even though it was supposed to be an official book. Besides that, I learned a lot about the types of equipment for diving, both the essential ones such as goggles, oxygen tank, weight belt, and the optional ones like the diving computer and the underwater camera. And wow, that is a lot of knowledge. If it wasn''t for my eidetic memory, it would have taken an average person a few days to process all this information by heart and a few more dives later before instinctively knowing which equipment does what. I have no idea how many countless times I''ve been grateful to my eidetic memory; it was possibly one of the greatest gifts to anyone who''s living in a world like this. The thirtieth page: The How This section was probably the longest because it contained two of the most critical parts of diving: the diving process itself and the safety actions that needed to be taken at every step of diving, from the jumping into the sea to the part where we swim about until we get back onto the boat. This was probably the most crucial part of the book that I should focus on if I don''t want to die while diving, or even worse, cause my buddy''s death as I drag them down with me. The ninetieth page: The Where. The moment I saw the hand-drawn picture of a supposed diver in what seemed to be the sea, I automatically skipped this part and carried on to the next page. Where else would I dive if not in the ocean? The soil? The volcano? The air? The ninety-first page: The Who This section was also pretty short as some parts were covered under the How section, where the buddy system played an essential role in safety. Still, they talked more in-depth about what the buddy system is all about, what the buddy system included, what it means to be a buddy and all that stuff. And finally, we arrive at the last section. The ninety-sixth page: Hand Signals Aha! Found the part where Iori just misunderstood every hand signal in every way possible. Still, I could understand why Iori couldn''t memorize it at first. It was only under immense pressure (sleeping beside two beauties) that he was able to desperately remember. Anyway, there were five whole pages dedicated to showing all the hand signals. Though, I''m pretty sure that only two or three pages showed the more frequently used signs, such as the "I''m descending" signal or "I''m running out of air" signal. The others were for more...unique situations that I''m sure Iori could find even more ways to misinterpret. In conclusion, this 100-page book seemed to be pretty good if you ignore the horrendous drawings. I don''t have drawing proficiency, but I''m pretty sure I can draw better than that, which was most probably drawn by engineering students at a university level. I worry about the designs of the future with these types of drawings. I spent about 2-3 hours memorizing the entire book word for word, picture for picture, and by the time I was finished, it was already midnight. Just as I prepared to go to bed, a knock appeared on the door. Opening the door, I found the most unexpected guest of the night in front of me. "Ano...I have already apologized for my mistake earlier, so if you''re here about that..." ***************** A/N: Two chapters today because it''s the national day for Singapore. And I''m very happy about the holidays. Chapter 64 - 64: Diving (I) "Ano...I have already apologized for my mistake earlier, so if you''re here about that..." "I''m not," Chisa spoke, interrupting me, "I just heard that you are interested in diving, so I came to see if you''re having any problems reading that book that Maruno-san gave you." Huh? Is she not mad anymore? I mean, I am glad that she got over it, but this is unnatural. Maybe she wasn''t that stubborn or wouldn''t hold a grudge for long when she was young? "By the way, I still haven''t forgiven you for peeping on me." Never mind, I take that back. "I know I''m not in the position to say this, but I don''t think ''peeping'' is the correct term used." "Hmph." "Sigh, I presume you''re Kotegawa-san''s daughter?" "I''m also a Kotegawa, but yes. Kotegawa Chisa. Don''t call me Chisa." I wasn''t planning to, though... "Uesugi Fuutarou. Now, I''ll be imposing on Kotega-Toshio-san for the next two weeks. And since you''re his daughter, I don''t feel like dragging this thing (your grudge) out for so long. Can you tell me what it takes to forgive me?" It will be very awkward if I don''t settle this grudge soon, and I don''t need to make it so that the awkwardness remains during the entire two weeks that I''m living in their apartment. Chisa just stared at me for a while before replying with another question, "So how is that book Maruno-san gave you?" "Good. Although long, it has a vast amount of information with all the essential things to note clearly labeled to not have to worry about anything. And before you ask anything else about this book, I have already finished reading this book and memorized everything within it. So I''m definitely planning to go diving tomorrow." Chisa''s cold glare lit up in surprise before narrowing, "I hope you''re not lying to me. You can''t finish everything in one day, much less in a few hours." Sigh, women. You do things that impress them, and they would still doubt you no matter what. "Why don''t you test me or something? Seeing you so interested in this book, it must mean that you also enjoy diving, right? And that means you also know a lot about this, right?" "Just enough for me to go diving. I''m not going to test you." "Eh?" "Are you slow in the brain? Why would I waste my sleeping time to test a random stranger in the middle of the night just to ensure that he isn''t lying to me?" If she phrased it that way, then that makes a lot of sense. "It doesn''t concern me whether or not you read the whole book since I am going to be diving tomorrow anyway. If there is nothing else, good night." Before I could even greet back, the door closed, and my room became silent once more. Hmm...what a feisty little girl. How cold~. Since I''ll be diving tomorrow as well, I will sleep now to have total energy tomorrow. If there''s a test tomorrow, I''m not worried at all. Because like I already said, I have it all memorized in my brain. ¡Þ Beep Beep Beep Beep My alarm clock went off, and my hand smashed the clock to oblivion, silencing it. Urgh, I don''t know why, but I feel that today will be another tiring day. And that isn''t because of diving. It was currently 9 am. It''s earlier than usual when I usually wake up during the weekends, so I planned to go back to bed and lie back down for a bit more. I might be by the sea, but the breeze made it almost impossible for me to leave my bed. The keyword, though, was "planned". For some reason, the club meeting for Peek a Boo is being held in my room. No sooner had I rolled back into bed when the entire club just entered my room like they owned it and immediately started their meeting. "Maruno and I will be in charge of Uesugi and Chisa for going on this dive since they are both still kids. The other senior members will be in charge of looking after the freshmen, while the second and third year will pair up with one another to go diving." A tall, muscular man instructed, but another hand was raised up. "I''ll be in charge of my sister, so senpai can go ahead and guide the other freshmen. We are not officially part of Peek a Boo, so we don''t want to intrude any more than we already do." To my surprise, the person who spoke was non-other than Nanaka, Chisa''s older sister. She is a very beautiful young woman with waist-length brown hair with bangs hanging over her face and has reddish-brown eyes. Although clearly much younger than she was shown in the anime, she sported a nice figure. "Fine. But Maruno will be held responsible if anything goes wrong." "Hey! I never volunteered for this!" "Just be responsible as the vice-president of this club." "Sigh, moving on, today''s diving group will be in groups of 6-12. No more than that, as it might attract dangerous animals since you will be heading out to the open ocean today." The meeting lasted for a while more, so I went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up before we were all dismissed to get ready, greeting me on their way out so naturally that for a moment, I thought my room became someplace for gatherings. "Hahaha, don''t worry about it too much. Maruno might look like the lazy slob he is, but he''s a really nice and dedicated guy." The president of the Peek a Boo club spoke on his way out. I know. I saw Maruno''s dedication to the piano first hand, but I wished he would put more faith in other things as well...such as not stripping out of nowhere and leaving his d.i.c.k to hang in the open in public. Sigh, I hope this isn''t some sort of tradition being passed down this club. "Anyway, Uesugi. I know I just gave you the book yesterday, but have you finished it already?" "Yep. Easier than the scores we played." "Well, to be sure, I''m just going to test you a bunch of stuff before we leave. Sorry, Chisa, Nanaka, wait for a while, will ya?" Both of them nodded, though I could see Nanaka''s curious eyes directed at me. "Well, first are some basic things." Maruno then proceeded to test me some of the more common knowledge of divers first. Things like what equipment we usually use in deep or shallow waters, which are necessary and optional items, and what safety precautions we always have to check for before diving. I''m proud to say that I got the entire test correct. "Good job. Even though I had already expected that, it still feels like you''re a freak." Let''s just calmly ignore the insult there, shall we? "You know of hand signals, right?" "Yes. Hand gestures are basically important signs that we use to communicate underwater, right?" "Yes. I''m going to show you a few now, so tell me what my gestures mean." "But you don''t have to strip, right?!" "Oh, you will get used to it, as these two did." "I did not get used to it," Chisa added. "Haha, Uesugi-san, you will find all of us to be of fun company," Nanaka said with a bright smile. "Anyway, I''ll start now. Watch me, and tell me what I''m trying to convey to you." Maruno placed both hands in front of his c.h.e.s.t, with his palms faced outwards. After that, he used his right hand''s index finger to point to himself. "So, Uesugi, what should you do?" "I should stop, look your way, and go downwards with you, assuming you''re my buddy." "Oh! Very nice. Another set!" "Ooh! I want to do it this time. Watch me!" Nanaka joined in from the side. She stretched out her right arm and swung it up and down before placing a flat hand just in front of her neck, with her palm facing downwards. Finally, she ended off with a thumbs-up sign. "A problem has occurred, and since you don''t have air, you''re going to surface, and I need to follow you if I am your buddy?" "Wow, what a smart boy~." I get the feeling like she''s treating me like an elementary student. I mean, she''s only like 2 years older than us, so what gives? "Alright! You did well, so let''s go get some actual diving experience now." "Yay!" "Only at shallow water only, though." "Aww..." "Well, it''s only your first time, after all. If you get used to it, we''ll be able to dive somewhere deeper later on." Maruno comforted me as we walked out of my room. "Since we have three non-licensed divers here, we''ll do this in fours. I''ll be in charge of all of you, but for Chisa, if you stay close to Nanaka, you can swim slightly further away from me. As for Uesugi, never stay more than 2 meters away from me, got it? Diving is no joke here, and a single mistake and I''ll not be able to save you in time." Maruno spoke the last two sentences in complete seriousness, so I reciprocated the same way. "Hai!" "Alright, let''s start by changing into our swimsuits." "Eh? Here?" We were currently on some wooden platform facing the open sea, and I don''t feel comfortable exposing my genitals in front of everyone. I might be thick-skinned with my girls, but I don''t have an exhibition fetish. "If not, where?" Sigh, it isn''t even 11 am, and I''m already tired. I figured that there was no way to convince them to have a bit more modesty, so I just let them be. Good thing that Chisa didn''t inherit their way of stripping. Perhaps because she didn''t wear her swimsuit underneath her clothes this time. Going behind a corner of the building, I quickly changed into my swimming trunks in record time before coming out. Reading is definitely different from experiencing it first-hand. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Knowledge gained through experience is far superior and many times more useful than bookish knowledge." And while there were some exceptions where you cannot experience anything written in a book, I mostly agree with him. I first experienced how to put on a swimsuit. And I''ve gotta say, it''s a lot less comfortable than what I was used to. It was skin-tight, and apart from my head and wrist onwards, everything was covered by black. Toshio''s store was adjusted for customers of all ages, so he had sizes for his daughters and me. After that, I learned how to put on a mask properly. Since I had bangs covering my forehead, Maruno told me to lift my bangs up, and then the mask goes right above my eyes. This step is quite important as diving is all about the experience. If my mask is too tight or too loose, the area around my eyes might be sore, or seawater might flow into my eyes, both of which are definitely not anything I would like to experience on my dive. The last one was fins. Apparently, there were different fins, but to make things simpler, almost everyone just uses the same type of fins. It helps us increase the surface area that our feet can "paddle", thus increasing our speed and mobility in the water. By this time, while Maruno was teaching me, Chisa and Nanaka had already helped carry the oxygen tanks to the seaside, where we would enter the water from. "Alright, Uesugi. Make sure not to stray from me." After adjusting our oxygen tanks behind us, Maruno spoke with a stern smile, "If for whatever reason you got scared, don''t panic and push yourself. If something happens, tell me immediately. Even if it''s nothing major, I want to know everything that is happening to you." "Hai!" Maruno adjusted his mask for the last time before descending into the water. Phew. I''m excited to go on my first diving trip! It might be the shallow water, but I''m always looking forward to trying out new things. I adjusted my mask and followed in Maruno''s footsteps. Almost instinctively, I closed my eyes and held my breath as I sunk underwater. ***************** A/N: I adjusted the rewards for the last quest. I realized it was too much, so I lowered the amount a little. The auxiliary chapter is based on whatever chapter I am writing, not what I published. So don''t be surprised if some quest disappeared from the auxiliary chapter. It''s probably because I already wrote finish the quest. Chapter 65 - 65: Diving (II) The world around me was still and gloomy. There was movement all around me, from the gentle currents of the waves to the various shallow-swimming aquatic animals. It''s humans'' instincts to close their eyes when faced with a new or shocking thing; after all, most humans rely on their sight the most out of their five senses, and it is imperative to ensure that we do not lose our eyes under any circ.u.mstances.?? My breath was being held as well. Until I couldn''t hold my breath any longer, I breathed. Through the regulator, it was difficult. I had to use some strength to breathe in through my mouth while expelling gas in the same way. I found myself able to breathe underwater. My eyes slowly opened, and the darkness slowly faded away. As the sunlight refracted in the seawater, the colors gradually returned, creating an illusion of a paradise for a moment. "Jiii~~." Yiiiiii! Oh my god, seeing Maruno''s face staring so closely at me scared the shit out of me. As a result of the weird noise I made, I accidentally choked on the air I was breathing in (by some miracle, I managed to choke on gas) and coughed to expel all the excess air. Maruno''s hand snapped in place, making up the "OK?" signal as he faced me, and after calming myself down, I returned him the same gesture. After that, Maruno''s "thumbs-up" sign pointed to his right, gesturing that we should swim in that direction. Only after I gestured another "OK" to him, he started swimming. This diving session wasn''t some deep-sea exploration. A long rope was already tied to the dock, leading to the more open ocean as a guiding rope for new divers like me to hold on to. After swimming about twenty meters at a casual speed, Maruno, who was always in front of me to lead me, turned around and gestured to ask if I was okay. Only after I returned the gesture did he continue swimming. After swimming for another fifty meters this time, Maruno repeated his previous actions. And after that, he did it over and over again for every hundred-meter interval. I would say that I''m slightly annoyed, but I know that he''s only doing this because he cared a lot for me. Seeing him wave his hand excitedly at some passing fishes, he quickly maneuvered himself towards a sea cuc.u.mber. After reaching where we were supposed to go, Maruno spotted an interesting sea creature. Seeing Maruno act like a kid despite his age and numerous experiences in diving, a smile formed on my face. This proves that diving will always be a sport to enjoy, no matter what age or how much experience you have as a diver. While Maruno wanted to swim close to a fish, the fish was startled and hid behind a rock like how Chopper did in One Piece - with his behind still visible and only the head is hidden. How cute... The sea cuc.u.mber wriggled slowly on the ocean bed, and Maruno wasn''t about to let it off. Gently grabbing it, Maruno swam back towards me and handed me the sea cuc.u.mber. The sea cuc.u.mber must have felt threatened by Maruno''s touch as it violently contracted its muscles and jettisoned water and some of its internal organs out of its anus, which is pretty disgusting. Several sea cuc.u.mber species exude a toxin that is lethal to small animals but not to humans; its venom is only toxic to humans if the Cuvierian tubules come into contact with the eyes, resulting in permanent blindness. Though, that didn''t stop me from holding it since my eyes are perfectly protected by my diving mask. Holding the cuc.u.mber in my hands, it stopped squirming about and slowly climbed about with no direction. It was slightly squishy and soft, very much like some gelatinous food. Even though the various spikes on the sea cuc.u.mber body serve as a defense mechanism, it still feels very soft in my hands. Seeing the cuc.u.mber in my hands, Chisa came over to me and stared at it curiously with a...is that a pout? She stared at me with her arms stretched out towards the sea cuc.u.mber in my arms, silently begging me to let her hold the sea cuc.u.mber. I didn''t mind, so I just placed the cuc.u.mber on her hand, only for it to squirm once more, ejecting more internal organs out of its gaping anus. Hmm...this doesn''t sound like it''s for readers of all ages. Moving on! Chisa immediately panicked as the sea cuc.u.mber floated in the water above her. It also poured some organs to land on top of her head. And because the sea cuc.u.mber was pretty slippery, Chisa couldn''t get a firm hold on it. Seeing the funny scene in front of me, I couldn''t help laughing, creating more bubbles to be released from my regulator. I swam towards the comedic pair; the sea cuc.u.mber once again found itself on my hand, and only then did it calm down and stopped squirting its organs everywhere. Seeing Chisa swim towards me once more with an even bigger pout, she gave up trying to hold the sea cuc.u.mber in my hand. Instead, she just positioned herself right in front of me and gently c.a.r.e.s.sed the sea cuc.u.mber. It didn''t react violently this time, causing Chisa to break out a big smile as she continued to enjoy the touch of the calm sea cuc.u.mber. The sight of Chisa acting so childishly was a sight for sore eyes. She might only be 13 years old, I think, since she never really introduced herself, but she was as pretty as Kaori in her own way. But while I was focused on Chisa playing with the sea cuc.u.mber, I realized that we weren''t alone. Two turtles had swum towards us, and their heads were stretched out of their shell, nuzzling against my arm. Wow...this is already the second time where animals have come to me voluntarily. Even some fishes had come to swim around me, their lips "kissing" my swimsuit, and since my swimsuit wasn''t very thick, to begin with, I could feel their ticklish kissing. These fishes aren''t scared of me; in fact, most animals seem to love me a lot. I even spotted a starfish, or "sea star". Its name is now being renamed as starfish isn''t a fish at all. But that''s beside the point. Chisa and the others also became interested in all the animals surrounding me, and although we didn''t speak underwater, I could tell that Nanaka and Maruno looked wildly impressed. Chisa was just too distracted to think of anything weird, and she''s now currently playing with the sea star and the turtles, enjoying the smoothness that every animal provides. Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turned my head and saw Nanaka smiling with a huge thumbs up. It seems like she is enjoying the presence of all the animals around us as well. We swam about with a small school of fish following us like some lackeys, and plenty of other sea creatures also joined us. Unfortunately, like any other good time, it must end. The oxygen in my tank was running low, and to prevent any consequences that might appear if I chose to ignore the safety warning, we decided to leave the water. Later, when I asked why Maruno chose to leave the water with us when he and Nanaka could clearly continue for much longer, Maruno smiled and replied, "Diving is a group sport; it is no fun when you''re alone." ¡Þ "That...was so...so fun!!" "It seems like you enjoyed yourself," Maruno spoke as he removed the top part of the swimsuit. Since it was a one-piece, Maruno let the top part hang by his waist while exposing his c.h.e.s.t. "Yes!" "I''m glad. I was just starting to worry about Chisa not having any friends her age to go diving with." "Nee-san!" Chisa sported an embarrassed look as her sister exposed her mercilessly. The swimsuit was very tight, so when I finally unzipped it down to my waist and let it hung on my waist like how Maruno did, the sudden gust of cool air cooled me down from my euphoria from diving. "The view is amazing." "I agree." "I don''t mean the view; I mean ''the'' view." What? I don''t understand his words. And my confusion probably showed up on my face as Maruno laughed once more. "This is the first time I saw someone being surrounded by so many creatures. Even turtles, known to keep their distance, sea cuc.u.mbers known to aggressively react when in contact with humans, and sea stars, who are usually hidden beneath the sand, all came to you." "That is certainly interesting. I''m also curious." Nanaka added from the side. "Me too." Although Chisa mumbled her words, curiosity gleaned from her words. Honestly, she has such a different attitude during diving. But towards their curiosity, I also have no clue. It happened during the aquarium''s touch-it corner, and it happened once again in the ocean. I am probably the one who is most curious about this matter. "I also have no idea. I mean, cats and dogs do like me, but never did this situation occur to me before today." My words made Maruno think hard for about a second before he gave up with another laugh, "Hahaha, well, let''s just leave it then! It may be a good thing if your natural attraction affects sharks as well. Maybe it would help you have safer dives in the future." "It certainly makes people jealous." Chisa did not speak for a while, even while we were walking back for our lunch. As we were the ones carrying the oxygen tanks back to be replenished, Chisa and I were behind Nanaka and Maruno, both of whom claimed that it was for us to "exercise and be responsible for our own dive". I don''t mind the silence as we appreciated the shiny sea reflecting all the sunlight, but with Chisa constantly shifting her eyes towards me, it could get really uncomfortable fast. "Kotegawa-san?" "Did you have fun?" "Of course! Now I can see why everyone is so lively about the sea." "...I see..." Chisa looked away from me and let out the first smile I saw on her face, "I''m glad." I might have involuntarily stared at her for a while before I snapped out of my thoughts. "Kotegawa-san?" "Yes?" "You should smile more often. You look cuter with a smile." Chisa''s face froze at my words. Her face flushed with a light shade of red as her smile disappeared in an instant. "Tch..." She had her head turned away and clicked her tongue, making it sound she was irritated or annoyed by my words. Though, she couldn''t hide the red tips of her ears. Honestly, why can''t people just be honest about themselves? If they like being complimented, they should just say so. For the next two weeks, my life with Grand Blue continued. Having various meetings with the muscular n.a.k.e.d men, drinking juice while playing games with them. Of course, I don''t strip. So while the men played their stripping game, I just went to hang out with Chisa. She made a much better companion; while her diving knowledge might not be the best, her experience in diving from a young age and her love for it ensured that there is nothing she couldn''t talk about. As long as we were talking about diving, that is. And while I was free, I also helped out in the store, mainly as a mascot, to attract more female audiences since I was still too inexperienced to help guide divers in the water. But of course, this was just a vacation for me; it wasn''t truly my home. As much as I enjoyed my time with them, it was time for me to return home. ¡Þ "Bye, Uesugi. It was fun to have you around." Maruno and Toshio waved and hugged me goodbye while Nanaka and Chisa stood by the side and waved. After the two released me, Chisa came up to me and gave me a mini key chain of an octopus. "For you to remember. Come again next time." Chisa didn''t say anything more and left to hide behind her sister. What a shy little girl. "Thank you, I''ll come and visit again." After saying our final goodbyes, Suzuki (who was forgotten for the last three chapters) and I left for the airport. He was in charge of getting me back in one piece, so until I reach my doorstep, he was going to be beside me. Phew, after being away from my home for slightly less than a month, it was finally time to return home! Oh boy, how have I missed the company of my parents, Shouko, Kaori, and my little sisters! I wonder how Shouko is faring with our deal of her making friends. ***************** A/N: I might have rushed this a little bit, but I feel that if I dragged this any longer, it would be no longer as interesting as it would sound because the only thing I could write about was the same things - diving and n.a.k.e.d, muscular man drinking. Definition of "Stalking": When two people go for a long romantic walk together but only one of them knows about it. Chapter 66 - 66: Home "Shou-chan, could you help get the soy sauce from the convenience store nearby? We are running out of it, and without it, the food tomorrow would taste blander than usual." Hanako spoke from the kitchen as the sound of sizzling could be heard from the living room. The appetizing smell of fried garlic and potatoes wafted throughout the house. Being influenced by their child since the day he helped cook, Hanako didn''t plan to lose her position as a housewife and cook in the house.?? Their financial state has been slowly improving with both Yaeko and her husband''s help, allowing them to afford more commodities to increase the variety of dishes that could be cooked. There were plenty of children in this household, and Hanako didn''t want any of them to be malnutrition because they only ate one thing day after day. "Hai!" Shouko, from the living room, heard her future mother-in-law''s request and immediately agreed. Although their family situation was pretty unique, she loved the way her current family was. She had two mothers, one of whom pampers her a lot, and the other had already lost her previous distant attitude and was one that she loved a lot as well. Having lost her father since young, Fuutarou''s father might not be the best replacement, but he was a father figure that she desperately needed both in the past, now, and in the future. Yuzuru was no longer lonely - she had three other younger sisters to play with and didn''t have to constantly put up tough fronts for herself. It was something that Shouko felt very guilty about before she had met with Fuutarou. "Onee-chan?" Currently, she was playing and taking care of her four younger sisters, ensuring that the youngest twins do not play or do anything dangerous. Both of them were seven months old and were just barely strong enough to crawl with difficulty. Thus, without any a_d_u_l_t supervision, they were not allowed out of their cribs. "Sorry, Yuzu-chan, Raiha-chan. Could you look after Sat-chan and Uzu-chan for me while I head out to the convenience store?" "No problem!" "You can leave it to us!" Raiha and Yuzuru echoed with confidence. Shouko wasn''t worried that they wouldn''t live up to their words. Because of their complicated past, both had m_a_t_u_r_ed much earlier than they were supposed to. And while they were slowly gaining back the childishness that all children were supposed to have, they always snap back to focus when it comes to important things like family safety. Shouko planned to ensure that Satsuki and Uzuki wouldn''t end up like them, maturing earlier than expected. Shouko''s birthday had recently passed on the 7th of June, and she had received an adorable purse in the shape of a fox from Fuutarou that she treasured a lot. Taking that purse out and putting enough money in to purchase a bottle of soy sauce, she tied up her hair and secured it with a pin, which was also gotten from Fuutarou. She had also received a phone from her family, but she didn''t plan to take it with her since it was just a short trip alone. "Stay safe, alright?" Hanako said as Shouko put on her shoes. "I know. Ittekimasu (I''m leaving)." Opening the door, Shouko was about to leave, only to realize that someone was in front of her. If it was anyone else, she would have screamed from shock. But towards the ever-familiar boy whom she had missed ever so dearly for a month, she only had two things for him. A hug and a phrase, "Okaeri (Welcome home)." "Tadaima (I''m back)," I replied as Shouko immediately hugged me without warning. Haven''t felt Shouko''s warmth for a month, I took my time to return and enjoy the hug, having no rush to go anywhere or do anything else. The hug lasted for about a minute before Suzuki, who was still behind me, let out an awkward cough, snapping both Shouko and me out of our own bubble. "Ahem, sorry about that display, Suzuki-san. Do you want to come inside the house?" "I''ll take you up on your offer then. I have some things to talk to your parents about as well." Suzuki didn''t say anything further about our display of affection, and while I might not be embarrassed about it, Shouko was definitely very shy. I don''t think she had noticed Suzuki before hugging me right outside our house. "Are you going out now?" Noticing her dress and shoes on, she seemed to be going out somewhere with the purse that I had gotten her for her birthday. "Yes. Okaa-san wants me to buy a bottle of soy sauce from the convenience store." Shouko replied, and I nodded. "Well, since I want to spend some time with you, I''ll go with you after telling mum I''m back." Shouko didn''t reject and re-entered the house with an addition of two people. "You''re finally back, Fuu-kun!" Shouko exclaimed once more after leaving my mother with Suzuki at home. This time, she didn''t plan to release me anytime soon as her hands locked with mine, refusing to let me go. Though, I didn''t mind and just enjoyed the stroll to the convenience store with her. It was initially a 10-minute walk for one way, but we managed to drag it out an extra five minutes while just conversing about what we have experienced. We might have our phones to communicate with one another, but it was nothing compared to talking face to face. My journey of first picking Maruno up in Kyoto before taking a plane to Tokyo, followed by three days of intensive practice for our first round. In the end, we were prepared to spend even more time practicing for the following rounds, only to be shortlisted directly into the finals because too few people were shortlisted. Then, we only ended after another week, thus bringing us to the end of the preliminaries. "So why were you relaxing by the beach for two weeks?" Shouko pouted and pinched my cheeks in annoyance, "While you were enjoying yourself in the sea, we were all forced to study for our exams." "Hahaha..." It''s not like I ever thought of that. I mean, I was once an a_d_u_l_t. While I would want to relive my youth once more, it didn''t just mean attending school every day with my friends. Especially when I had a system that enabled me to do things to great heights. So every time I had the chance to try something new or go to school, I would always choose the former unless certain circ_u_mstances prevent me from doing that. "Mou...why are you laughing..." "Still, it doesn''t seem that you were very lonely when I''m not around you, huh? Every time I call you, you would always have something to share with me about school and friends." Shouko puffed her cheeks even more when I changed the topic, but it didn''t stop her from happily replying. "Yes. After all, I have to keep my part of the deal." "It''s not only the deal, right? You are just finally happy to have more friends." Patting her head, I returned back, earning myself the sight of Shouko''s cute blushing face. "Yes. And if it wasn''t for your deal, I might not have realized it and stubbornly stuck with you only." Well, it seems that my plan worked perfectly and beyond expectations. I never thought that the results would be this good, though. "But your promise with us still stands. After going to Italy to play, you are not allowed to leave for more than two nights without us." "Of course. Since you kept your part of the promise, I''m going to do so as well." "Now, tell me more about your diving adventures! Your phone calls are always surrounded by so much background noise that I couldn''t hear you properly. And don''t leave out any detail, especially about the Kotegawa Chisa part." We spent the rest of the way towards the convenience store and back talking more about my adventures under the sea. And since I also learned that we were swimming for P.E. classes, I was also looking forward to being in the water once more. Hold on a minute, am I addicted to being in the water after two weeks of continuous diving? The next day was a Sunday, and since my father had stopped taking jobs overseas, for now, to help take care of the huge family along with Yaeko, our house is now usually filled with people. And once again, since I skipped out on most parts over the phone with my parents, I now recounted them again to everyone, letting them see how amazing their son was. And, of course, to allow the gazes of admiration from my little sisters. Definitely not because I have a sister complex. We decided to stay at home the whole day just to make up for the time I spent in Tokyo and Owase, though everyone said they would like to try out diving someday, especially Shouko. Kaori, after hearing that I had returned, also came to visit. All in all, it was a great day. ¡Þ Now that we were in junior high, we didn''t have time to fetch our sisters to elementary school anymore. Instead, with my mother taking care of our twin sisters, my father was now in charge of bringing Raiha and Yuzuru to elementary school before leaving for work. However, I had to see the principal before I actually returned to my class, so after telling Shouko and Kaori to move on ahead first, I headed towards the principal''s office. Before I did that, however, I saw that Onodera came towards Shouko and Kaori and started talking. It seems like Onodera became her friend as well. Fate works in interesting ways, seeing that Raku was my friend, and my girlfriend was his future first love''s friend. A smile hung on my face as another person soon joined their trio. Ruri Miyamoto, as I remembered her introduction from Day 1. What a wonderful day~ ***************** "Come in." Knocking on the door and waiting for a second, a voice replied, and I entered. "Good morning, principal." "Ah, you!" The principal exclaimed happily, "Uesugi-kun, good job on your performance in Tokyo. I''m very proud of you." The principal was a man in his fifties, though his appearance could pass him off as a forty-year-old man. His brown hair was slicked nicely backward, as the creases near his eyes gave him a warm aura together with the slight smile on his face, making him look affable. [Image here->] "Thank you, principal. I appreciate your support." "No worries, Uesugi-kun. You might not know it, but your performance actually boosted this school''s reputation by quite a bit. Not to mention you''re quite a looker, you''ll be attracting plenty of people next year, which means more money for the school." Contrary to his nice-guy appearance, however, the principal was more money-focused than others. As long as there was money, he would almost do everything, save for selling his dignity and pride. That, at the very least, wouldn''t be sold for anything below a billion dollars. Dollars, not yen. And because my family wasn''t the wealthiest, he didn''t care much about me or Shouko until I told him that I was participating in the piano competition. That was when he started to pay extra attention to me. Usually, I wouldn''t get close to people like that, but the principal had his own limits and wouldn''t force anything to happen for more money. "I see. I''m glad to help out the school." "I''ve got an additional request for you, though." The principal smiled as he leaned back on his chair. "What is it?" "Do you mind becoming a model?" Model, huh? Looking at my schedule for the next two months or so, I don''t think I would want to waste my time modeling. I still have to enjoy my summer holidays, spend time with Shouko, Kaori, and my family, and practice hard for the international stage. "I would like to be sufficiently prepared for the international stage in one and a half months, so I don''t think I would have the time to be a model." The principal had a thoughtful expression as he nodded, "True, true. Do your best to become the number 1, alright? Hopefully, international students would also come to my school. They are a lot richer, after all." "...If there is nothing else..." "Oh, yes. That will be all from me. Work hard and study hard. Make sure you catch up with your studies, but at the same time, don''t be too stressed. As much as money is essential, your health is important as well. After all, I, ahem, the school would only be losing money if you don''t win." This old man... "I''ll be returning to my classroom now. Please excuse me." Bowing to the principal, I turned to leave. Now, time to go back to my ordinary daily life until August. ***************** A/N: Jesus, I was so focused on writing a DxD fanfic that I almost forgot to post today. Hahaha! Chapter 67 - 67: (Future) Ebony Mermaid Princess "What period do we have after lunch, Haruma?" "Hm...P.E., I think. Why?" "Nothing. I just realized that everything changed while I was gone for a month..." "Haha, well, having an empty seat in the middle of the classroom doesn''t really look that good anyway, so now that it''s being filled, you have to sit at the back then." Haruma laughed as we were having lunch together. Now that I''m back from a mysterious one-month break (according to my classmates), they were pretty interested in my reappearance. Only after our teacher forced them to keep their questions to themselves until lunch did we finally start the lessons. And even then, they took up almost half of my lunch break to ask their questions, which I answered most of the general questions. As for the more private ones, well, I let their imaginations run wild. "As popular as always, huh? I''m glad that you''re finally back, though." Haruma muttered. "Of course, you would be glad your friend is back." "It''s not that, Fuu-chan. It''s because when you disappeared all of a sudden without telling us, everyone in the class has constantly been asking us," Pointing at himself, Shouko, Kaori, Raku, Sh¨±, "about you." "Yeah, I was so lonely without listening to your music." How sad, she only missed my music... "And of course, you too," Kaori added. Yay. "Alright, let''s hurry and finish our meal before the bell rings. Otherwise, Gotou-sensei will think that we''re skipping P.E. lessons on purpose." "Ironman, huh?" Of course, he''s not the ironman. He''s just called that because he''s as strong as iron, with a stubbornness of a bull to compliment his strength. He is the disciplinary master of the school, and the worst part? He doesn''t care who the student is. If they did something wrong, they would be punished, whether a third-year or first-year, resulting in many people fearing him. ¡Þ Knowing that being in junior high school, the students were not really enthusiastic about being ordered to swim ??ps, so our P.E. teacher took advantage of the hot weather to at least force us all into the water. In there, whether we swam, float, or just played around in the water, it was all up to us. She would just be beside the pool to ensure that none of us tried to hold our breath underwater and ensure our safety. "Ahh...the water is nice as always." Being back in the water only after three days since I left the sea felt great. It might not have any of the advantages a seaside could provide, but it was nice in its own ways, especially with my friends around me. On a totally unrelated note, being in a bath doesn''t count as being "in the water". After all, apart from Iori, I don''t think anyone would just go completely n?k?d in the pool or sea. If I could, I would have brought some balls or water guns back to the school pool, but unfortunately, it was not the public pool; the school wouldn''t allow it at all. So we had to settle with just having our own water competitions or splashing each other with water. While I was enjoying my time with my friends, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Why is the Ebony Mermaid Princess not in the water? "Sorry, Shou-chan. Can you go play with the others first?" "Hm?" Shouko looked at me curiously, and I pointed towards the lonely girl who was just sitting by the edge of the water but not entering it. "Sigh, you''re too kind, Fuu-kun..." Shouko muttered softly, "Go ahead. We''re waiting for you to bring her along with us." "Thank you, Shou-chan." "Do you mind if you share why you are afraid of the water, Takemoto-san?" "U-Uesugi-kun?" She was surprised that I suddenly started talking to her out of nowhere. "Yep, Uesugi here. So, do you mind?" "Well..." Seeing her hesitate, I shrugged my shoulders and spoke, "Well, if you don''t want to tell me, it''s okay." "Why are you so interested in me anyway? You have a lot of friends waiting for you in the middle of the pool..." "Oh, it''s just because you seemed lonely. I might not have been here for a month, so I guess it''s my own way of trying to ''reconnect'' with everyone?" "What a weird guy..." "Hey! I can hear you, you know?" "I''m sorry! Please forgive me!" Wow, she really takes everything seriously, huh? "I''m just kidding, Takemoto-san." She just stared at me, not knowing what expression to take on now. The silence continued for a while, with neither of us knowing what to talk about now. In an attempt to break that awkward silence between us, I started the conversation once more, "Did you join any club?" "Swimming club." "Swimming club? So you''re feeling unwell today? And that is why you''re not entering the water?" "S-Something like that." Okay, so it''s not like that. Did Bokuben say anything about why she was currently afraid? I just can''t seem to remember it no matter how hard I try. ¡Þ 3rd Pov ¡Þ Being in the water was like how others had air around them; they became alive. It had always been this way - until now, that is. Just entering Junior High made her worldview grow. She had won every elementary school swimming competition, but in junior high? She lost on her first try. Not talking about the nationals, she couldn''t even get past the preliminaries. And she didn''t just lose by a few milliseconds; she lost by three whole seconds. It might not seem much, but three seconds was a gap huge enough that determined the top batch and the lowest all in one go in a swimming competition. From the champion in a swimming contest to one of the last ones...It was hard for anyone to understand the feeling of being crushed. The water, which used to be her primary source of comfort and warmth, apart from her parents, suddenly became cold and unfeeling. Even now, with only her legs dipped in the water, she was still trembling under the hot sun. ''What is wrong with me?'' Shaking her head out of this train of thought, she denied that motion. She knew exactly what was going on with herself; she just doesn''t want to admit it. "Do you mind if you share why you are afraid of the water, Takemoto-san?" A sudden voice snapped out her thoughts, and when her head became clear, she took a good look at the white-haired boy lazing beside her. "U-Uesugi-kun?" "Yep, Uesugi here. So, do you mind?" What a weird response. Still, there was nothing for Uruka to share. After all, she wasn''t afraid of the water. "Well..." Before I could reply, he shrugged his shoulders and spoke, "Well, if you don''t want to tell me, it''s okay." Hearing that he had misunderstood her, she was about to clarify it, but a seemingly more important question arrived in her mind. "Why are you so interested in me anyway?" Uruka asked curiously. It wasn''t as though he had no friends and needed her company. "You have a lot of friends waiting for you in the middle of the pool..." "Oh, it''s just because you seemed lonely. I might not have been here for a month, so I guess it''s my own way of trying to ''reconnect'' with everyone?" Uruka had always been a straightforward girl, never hiding about things. Well, most of the time, at least. She could keep a secret if needed. But in this case... "What a weird guy..." She spoke out loud without thinking much. Wanting to ''reconnect'' is only needed for close friends and such. They were b?r?ly friends, so ''reconnecting'' shouldn''t be the correct term used. Yet... "Hey! I can hear you, you know?" ''Oh no! Did my remark somehow offended him?!'' "I''m sorry! Please forgive me!" Uruka apologized without hesitation, only to hear a laugh saying that he was just joking with me. She doesn''t get this guy. What was wrong with him? Still, as she carefully took a look now, she could see that his body was similar to hers. Not the tan lines, but the fact that he was a...swimmer? She could only guess, but since his upper body seemed to be slightly darker in color than his legs. Quite an odd tan he has... "Did you join any club?" He asked out of the blue once more. "Swimming club." "Swimming club? So you''re feeling unwell today? And that is why you''re not entering the water?" Is this guy a master of misunderstanding? Or can he just not wait for any explanations? "S-Something like that." Well, technically, it was the truth. But she ''feeling unwell'' was not referred to her physical state, but her mind, not that he needed to know. "Why don''t you go back to your friends who are obviously waiting for you? I''m fine by myself over here." "I promised Shou-chan that I would bring you along as well, though." ''How could you decide everything alone?!'' "So until you feel comfortable, I''ll just be here lazing and enjoying the sun. Moving in the water might feel good, but sometimes, it''s just better to float as the waves take you to somewhere unknown." ''Waves? Did Uesugi swim in the ocean?'' Unable to hold back her question, she asked and received a ''yes'' from him. Finding a similar point with him helped Uruka be more comfortable with him, and the conversation between them grew. "I lost at my competition." It slipped out. Uruka didn''t plan to reveal what was hurting her. What made her...insecure in the water. "I see...did you try your best?" Uruka didn''t know what Uesugi was trying to do, so she just accompanied him. Plus, he was probably the only one who didn''t immediately try to comfort her; she was sick of it. "Yes." "Did you feel frustrated?" "Of course! Who wouldn''t?!" "Good then!" ''Good? Why would losing and feeling frustrated after that be a good thing?'' Uruka couldn''t help but think. The boy in front of her was returning to the image of a weird person like before. "If you''re wondering why it''s because that frustration you felt is just a signal telling you that you haven''t given up yet." ''You couldn''t be more wrong...'' "And I''m not wrong. Otherwise, you would have just enjoyed the water like anybody else here. Why would you be worrying at the sidelines like you are now?" Uesugi pointed out, "If you had given up, why are you so caught up on whether or not to enter the pool?" Now that she thought of it that way, Uruka felt that what Uesugi said was correct. But... "I don''t have tale-Ouch!" Uruka had to stop her sentence mid-way as she felt a flick on her forehead, "What was that for?" "Talent? Do you really need that for something you love? Do you need the talent to win? Do you need talent to not give up? Saying that you don''t have talent is just an excuse for you to give up. Indeed, you might not have talent, but even so, does that really matter? Would having a lack of talent prevent you from enjoying the things you love, Takemoto?" Uruka could only remain silent at his questions. It was true that talent was needed, but she didn''t just want to enjoy it; it was a big part of her life until now, and she didn''t want to settle for anything less than winning. "If you still feel so, then I''ll tell you this. Sometimes, talent isn''t the only thing you need. You probably heard many people say this before, but hard work matters too. There is no point in having talent if you don''t work hard." ''Even if it''s me, if I didn''t practice every day, the system would have just been an accessory, in the end, not becoming truly who I am today.'' Fuutarou added in his mind, ''And not to mention, you''ll be a mermaid in the future...'' "If one hour of training isn''t enough, then practice for two hours. If it is still not enough, then three hours. If once a week isn''t enough, then three times a week, five times a week. You might not see the results now, but in the future, you''ll definitely be able to do so." "And if I still can''t succeed even after trying my very best and practicing daily for ten hours?" "Hm..." Uesugi put on a thoughtful expression on his face before eventually saying with a bright smile, "Then I''ll take responsibility and let you cry on my shoulder." Uruka paused for a while at his answer before she eventually burst into laughter. This attracted some attention from the nearby students who wondered what was going on. "Hahahaha...you''re so funny, Uesugi-kun." "Am I? I''m not joking, though? But even if you don''t have faith in yourself, I''ll always have faith that you will succeed, Takemoto." At his words, Uruka finally stopped laughing and looked at Uesugi with a smile, seemingly having made up her mind. "Thank you, Uesugi-kun..." "I have no idea what you''re thanking me for, but you''re welcome. I''m not going to convince you any longer, so you can join us if you want." "Perhaps next time. For now, I''ll just sit here and enjoy the calm." "If you say so..." Uesugi left, leaving Uruka once again all by herself at the edge of the pool. Looking at his back, a smile once again found its way on her mouth. ''What a weird boy...and thank you.'' Uruka didn''t know what to make of the weird boy. Like any other teenage girl out there, she was naturally attracted to Fuutarou''s looks on her first day here. But it was just that - looks and nothing else. A mere moment of attraction. They had interacted a few times, but this was the first time they had interacted that caused her to have a different image of the usual guy flirting with his girlfriends and making friends with everybody in the class, and if the rumors were true, the entire level. Not even the most-anti social kid managed to evade his claws. "Really...thanks to you, I now know what to do, Uesugi-kun," Uruka murmured to herself before shaking out of her thoughts. The weight on her shoulder just seemed to have disappeared, and she had never felt freer in these past weeks. Standing out on the pool''s edge and finding an empty spot in the pool, a smile blossomed on her face as she dived back in the pool. There was no more hesitation in her eyes. ***************** A/N: Trivia - Uruka Takemoto was once afraid of water in her early period of junior high school. That said, although relatively short by my standards, this would be another arc. Like Mafuyu''s arc, which only contained one chapter, this is just planting the seed of love. Uruka''s crush started in her second year in canon, if I''m not wrong, and I don''t plan to change that. There would be two more chapters that would be spent with Shouko outside for the first time - a date! - before returning to Italy to become the very best in Chapter 69. There would be two more arcs left before we reach year 2, where a ton of action would occur. So please look forward to that, because I''m looking forward to writing it. And always remember: "Build a man a fire, and he''ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he''ll be warm for the rest of his life" Chapter 68 - 68: Date with Shouko (I) Checking the time on my watch, I patiently waited for my date to arrive as I sat down on the edge of the water fountain in the middle of the park. Watching the children play in the sandbox, swing wildly on the swings, slide down the slides in all sorts of ways, a smile naturally bloomed on my face. How peaceful...I like it. It was currently a Saturday morning, and a few days ago, I realized that even after being with Shouko for almost three years, I haven''t taken her out anywhere for a date yet. And that was inappropriate behavior as a boyfriend. Thus, I decided to have a date today. When I asked Shouko out for a date, she looked delighted, and seeing her that way, I''ve started to feel even more guilty since she looked as though she had been waiting for me to ask that. We decided to meet separately in the park at 10 am even though we lived in the same house. Reason? Shouko said it would feel more like a "date" if we met with each other outside the house and proceed from there. If we had chosen to start our date from our doorsteps, then it would feel more like a "family outing" instead. So, I decided to listen to her. I woke up early (for once), changed into something nice, and left the house early. So here I am, waiting for Shouko to arrive as a bunch of kids surrounded me and asked me to catch some bugs for them. Summer vacation hasn''t started yet, but the season changed a bit faster than usual this year. So, there were plenty of insects and beetles roaming around in the denser areas of trees in the park itself. I didn''t mind catching some of the more common-to-find beetles, though one kid even asked for the rare rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles. Of course, I had to reject him as even I was willing to help him find it, it would take up most of my time for the day, which I wasn''t willing to do today. Of course, I made sure not to overdo myself with those kids. It was about five minutes since I started playing with the kids that Shouko arrived. And wow, did she look... "Onii-san? Is she your girlfriend?" "Onee-san looks beautiful!" The little children quickly turned their little heads towards the incoming Shouko. No words could describe her beauty, so I''m just gonna show you. [Image here ->] "Fuu-kun! Good morning!" "Good morning again, Shou-chan." And the first step in every date after greeting each other was - "You look beautiful in that dress." Hearing my sudden compliment, Shouko blushed slightly as she twirled around on the spot, showing off her dress proudly. "Thank you! Mum helped picked out some of her older clothes for me to wear, and I''m glad you liked it." I shook my head in response to that, prompting a look of confusion on Shouko''s face. "Yes, my mother''s dress is beautiful, but I wasn''t focused on that. My words were directed at you, Shou-chan~." Hearing the second round of compliments, Shouko''s face turned even redder. "Y-You look good as well." Ah, I feel happy just seeing Shouko blush like there is no tomorrow. Shouko is just too precious~! "Onii-san, can you stay here longer?" A little girl pulled on my pants and asked with a puppy look. Too bad I have some form of immunity towards that. From the daily practices from practically every girl in my house, only at my most vulnerable and unexpected moment would that work on me. "Sorry, Maya-chan. Onii-san is going on a date with the beautiful girl beside me now. Perhaps next time?" The little girl, Maya, nodded reluctantly, "Let''s pinky promise!" Just to play along with her, I locked my pinky with hers, only to hear her say afterward, "Pinky swear, whoever lies will be made to swallow a thousand needles." This girl is scary. ¡Þ "Hehehe..." "Will you stop laughing at your boyfriend''s pitiful situation? I wasn''t planning on meeting up with her next time, you know?" "Who asked you to have the thoughts of lying to a child. Serves you right to be inflicted with a harsh punishment should you ever break your promise." Now that we have gotten away from the little children, we were currently taking a stroll through the park, heading towards the busier streets. As it was a Saturday, I knew that it would be filled with families going out to have fun with their kids. I saved some pocket money, so I planned to fully let Shouko enjoy her first date ever. Today''s weather was cool and breezy, with a sufficient temperature to be walking about outside. On the way to my planned destination, I continued talking with Shouko, trying to not make a single moment dull for her. As embarrassing as it was, it was also my first date. Though, I was really trying my best at it. The late morning was a time neither here nor there; it was too early for lunch, and I couldn''t really find a way to utilize the time other than shopping or traveling. But since I was planning to take Shouko into a more bustling district to have a greater variety to shop from, this late morning was used for traveling instead. Shouko''s expression became curious as she reached the train station as she now wondered where I was planning to take her to. "It''s a secret~." Shouko didn''t ask any further and just hopped onto the train with me. The train was not very crowded, though we still had to stand as there weren''t any seats available. The train ride only took about fifteen or so minutes, and we still had a little time before lunch, so I decided to take Shouko shopping. Shouko has only ever gone shopping twice only, and both times were with her mother. And even then, it wasn''t in a huge shopping mall like the one in front of us right now. Shouko''s eyes sparkled as the air-conditioner''s cold air rushed past us as the door opened, seeing the countless shops all around us. "Wow..." Yep. I have been to one of Tokyo''s malls, and while this might not measure up to Tokyo standard, it was still a lot better than our neighborhood. There were all sorts of shops selling all kinds of things, from the food court at the top of the mall to various electronics in the basement to party props, clothes, accessories, and more. Many of them were what Shouko had only heard and seen in pictures before, never were they ever presented to her (except for phones and electronics as she had received them for her birthday). "Fuu-kun! I want to go there!" "Fuu-kun! Let''s go there next!" "Fuu-kun! I want to..." "Fuu-kun! Let''s go..." "Fuu-kun! I..." "Fuu-kun!..." Seeing Shouko being so excited to walk about the entire area, the smile on my face shined even brighter. I liked her when she was reserved, but when she was like that...I felt glad that she was having fun. I was worried that she would be bored or holding herself back like usual. She sometimes was too reserved for her own good. The mall was huge, and we couldn''t even explore a fifth of the place before it was 2 pm. I was still fine, but when I heard a grumble from Shouko''s stomach and a beet-red face, I knew it was time to eat. "Let''s eat, Shou-chan. You can choose a place." "Mhm..." Shouko only nodded, all her excitement before burst as she was now reminded how shy she actually was by her own stomach. Shouko, being Shouko, chose a not-very-expensive place to eat. In fact, she first chose the cheapest option - the food court - but after I told her that we could splurge a bit today because my savings was enough to pay for it, she chose a slightly more expensive restaurant. Just a teeny-tiny bit more expensive restaurant. While we might be dating, we don''t actually have a single time to be alone. There were Kaori (whom I also needed to take out on a date sometime later), Raku, and other friends, who would hang out with us at school. There was Raiha, Yuzuru, Satsuki, and Uzuki that we needed to take care of at home. The only time that could b?r?ly be counted as "time alone" was part of the way between home and school since Kaori would join us halfway. And it was even worse for Kaori. At least I had some time, no matter how little, alone with Shouko. But with Kaori? I had no time to be alone with her. Sigh...I''m really a bad boyfriend now, aren''t I? Having just two girls is tiring enough; how do I even balance everyone properly? As I was about to continue on with my thoughts, I felt my cheeks being pinched by Shouko. From across the table, Shouko had a slight pout on her face. "What''s wrong?" My words came out a bit mumbled due to the position of my cheeks. "What are you thinking of?" "Kaori." "Just like I thought. When you''re on a date with one girl, no thinking of other girls, okay? That is the basic rule of a date that you should know, Fuu-kun." Shouko lightly reprimanded me, or at least tried to since her cuteness overwhelms any anger that she was trying to show. "Oh? And how do you know this ''rule''? Have you been reading up because you were too excited about today?" At my words, all her "anger" just disappeared, replaced by another face of embarrassment. All of Shouko''s thoughts appeared on her face, clearly showing that she was from how she was stuttering. Though, before I could say another word, a thoroughly red-faced Shouko spoke with a soft voice, "Yes. I was really looking forward to going on a date with you, Fuu-kun..." Whatever tease that I was about to continue saying just disappeared as my mind went blank. I never thought that Shouko would admit that out loud, but Shouko was not a tsundere who would just refuse any and all claims. That was the factor I had failed to process, leaving me vulnerable to an (unexpected) counterattack by her. The cutest expression ever on her face, her shy voice as she admitted something (supposedly) embarrassing, her entire body just shrinking (in my imagination) to try and become even smaller than she already is...everything combined just made an arrow pierce through my heart. She''s embarrassed! That''s so cute! I mean, I have seen her embarrassed before, but her cuteness never changed. "I-I-I..." "F-Fuu-kun...?" An embarrassing silence descended upon us as both of us just blushed at each other. [Image here ->] Taking a deep breath to unfreeze my frozen mind, I calmed myself down before I spoke, "I see. Well, since you are the clearest about the ''rules'' of a date, I''ll take your word for it. I''ll think of you and only you for today." Shouko didn''t say anything and just nodded. We finished the rest of our lunch in serene silence before heading out after I paid for our meals. "Where are we going now? Are we going to continue shopping?" Women will be women no matter which would I go. Despite being so young, she''s so well-trained in the art of shopping. Fortunately, I have something else planned instead of shopping. That half an hour lunch wasn''t going to be enough for me to recover from before. "As much as I would like to, I have a better plan. What has a big screen, many seats, and food?" Shouko thought for a few seconds before asking, "What is it?" "Let''s watch a movie." ***************** A/N: Check out my patr¨¦on if you want DxD fanfic as well. I''ll eventually post here as well, but if you''re impatient... Chapter 69 - 69: Date with Shouko (II) The movie Shouko chose was a movie that recently debuted, "A Silent Voice". Yes, I was surprised too, and when Shouko chose it, I was a little worried that it would be basically narrating her life. I thought there wouldn''t be any anime from this cross-over world, but it seems like I was wrong. And so, since Shouko wanted to watch it, we bought the tickets and entered the theater. And as expected, the plot mainly remained the same as the original one in my previous world. Though the characters were all distinctively different in appearance and name, their personalities were primarily kept the same. Shizu, the new main female character, was a female who had trouble hearing since she was born. And Katsuki, the new male character, bullied her because of childish ignorance and made her deafness worse than it already was. It was pretty ironic that I was sitting beside the "previous" main female character watching the same show she starred in, but this movie remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Yes, while A Silent Voice contains lots of depression, suicide, social anxiety, it is more than just that. A Silent Voice truly touches on the core idea of how we choose to treat others and teaches us some important life lessons, such as embracing others despite awkwardness and fear, apologizing and seeking redemption for past wrongs, and treating each other with respect and kindness. Forgiveness and redemption are the two core ideas that revolve around this movie, and if everybody embraced these two ideals, the world would be a much better place than it currently is. Throughout the movie, Shouko''s emotion was like a rollercoaster. From smiling happily from Shizu enjoying her daily life and her younger sister''s attempt to cheer her up to crying her heart out when she saw how much Shizu had suffered in her early days. I was a lot better since I had watched this multiple times before, and it didn''t affect me as much as it did for Shouko and the others. That said, while the characters might have changed, the plot itself was just as good as always. This movie was one of the main reasons I had no qualms about giving away one of my precious senzu beans to Shouko the moment I met her. It wasn''t "love" or anything like that. Her fate was just too pitiful, and such a kind-hearted girl should not deserve this sort of treatment. Staying strong and kind to the end even after being horrendously bullied, how many people could do the same? I could say for sure that if I was in her shoes, my path down the future would have been much, much darker. "Wahhh...." Shouko''s eyes were puffy from all the crying she did from the movie. As soon as the lights were back on, I could clearly see that many other people around us also had similar eyes to Shouko, puffy and red. "Shizu''s so pitiful...and she still forgives Katsuki..." Shouko clung onto my arm as she muttered softly. Yeah, like you''re the one to talk. If I had not been in this world, you would also have chosen to forgive Shouya and even come to fall in love with the person who made your life so miserable... I don''t know whether or not it is a blessing for her to be so strong... "Fuu-kun, can you wait here for a while?" "Yeah?" "I need to go to the washroom and freshen up. My eyes..." Shouko said, "They''re too puffy now." "I don''t mind that, but sure. I''ll wait for you here." "Thank you." Just saying, I also have my headphones on. It''s sort of like my "character" by this time. The only time I ever took it off was during sleep, bath, and competitions. Even during school, I was given special permission from the principal to wear headphones to class as one, it doesn''t affect my studies at all from the results I have shown, and two, he was counting on my musical skill to promote this school, and taking away my music wasn''t going to help improve my music skill. Just as I was about to start pondering the meaning of life as I listen to some music, I was interrupted once more. "Hey, little cutie. Are you alone today?" A sensual female voice sounded as I took off my headphones and looked at her. She wasn''t alone, and accompanying her were two more girls, all dressed in the same style. All three were dressed in their high school uniform with a white top, a black bowtie, and a black skirt. And despite their age, their busts were amazingly huge and had super curvy figures. The girl who spoke had blond hair and gave off a very stereotypical gyaru vibe without excessive make-up. The second girl had short brown hair in a bob cut, while the third had long brown hair that reached the middle of her back. Great. Now, other "type" of anime also exists here? I swear to God - if they offer me any money for some ''service''- "Wanna do something a little fun with us~? I promise it would feel very good~." "Nope." "Don''t be so quick to reject us. Why don''t we give you something as well? Here~." She took a wad of notes and placed it on my hand. As tempted as I was...yep, nah. I may be poor and in need of money, but I haven''t fallen that low that I would have s?x with a random girl I have just met. If I was in my previous world, then even without the money, I would have taken up on their offer. But in this world, I have something more important to protect than just losing my v?r??n?t?. "Still nope." "Aww...how feisty~." How on Earth am I being "feisty" by rejecting them? Jeez... "Nope means nope. I''m waiting for someone, so I don''t have time to accompany you girls." "Oh, is it another friend? Why don''t the both of you join us?" The girl with long, brown hair licked her lips and asked with a smile. "Yeah, no." "Come on, let''s all try it. You and your friend won''t regret it." All of their eyes were narrowed as they kept shifting their gazes between my face to my bottom. God, are they persistent. At this point, I was already getting irritated. Yes, getting "hit on" makes me feel great about myself, but when I already have Shouko and Kaori, and coupled with their persistence, it was starting to get a bit frustrating. And the worse thing, it was more of a "prostitution" than getting "hit on", since they are paying me for that. Sigh, rich people and their d?s?r?s... Is this how girls feel when they get hit on by random men they don''t like? "Like I said-" "Fuu-kun!" My lucky star is here! "Oh, so that''s your company?" The girls sounded disappointed that Shouko arrived. I guess they thought that my friend was a boy? "Well, my girlfriend is here." However, before I could go to her, Shouko came to me first and dragged me away while clinging onto my hand as we walked away from the three thots. After the movie, it was already late afternoon. So, having taken a break for about two hours, my energy returned to its peak, ready for shopping again. But... "Shou-chan?" "Yes?" Shouko''s face was not as expressive as before, and she became much more reserved after the movie. It could be due to the movie''s influence, but then again, it was a happy ending, so it shouldn''t have an effect like that on her. So... "By any chance, are you jealous?" Shouko remained silent for a few seconds before eventually shaking her head. "Not particularly. I''ve been with you for a few years now, and I know you. I''m just slightly irritated that other girls are hitting on you. I won''t mind if you get together with more girls if it was our friends, like Kaori," Shouko turned towards me and wagged her finger at me, "But don''t think that I will let you be with any random girl you meet on the street, okay?" "Of course. But did you just forget what''s the number one rule of being on a date?" "Huh?" "Don''t talk about other girls, and that rule shouldn''t only be applied to boys. So let''s just forget all of that for today and just enjoy ourselves, alright?" And sure enough, Shouko''s face bloomed back into her usual smile as she put aside the issue. Phew, changing the subject worked this time. And so, our date continued without more drama. The air hockey was an easy win since it mainly depended on the player''s hand-eye coordination, and Shouko wasn''t the sportiest person I know. She particularly liked Sugar Rush, a racing game that featured a candy-themed Mario-kart, basically. All of the racers that we were supposed to choose as our characters share the same child-like proportions, in which their heads take up a 1:3 ratio of their height and have large, anime-style eyes. The racers all have small jellybean-like noses, four fingers on their hands, and stocky, rounded features to emphasize their childishness. Additionally, each racer has its own candy motif. So depending on the type of sweets, we might like, we chose different characters to play. And who knew? Right beside this game was Fix-It Felix Jr., an 8-bit video game that only remained because of the owner''s sentimental emotions. I would say I didn''t expect this, but by this point, I''ve come to accept just about anything thrown in my way in this world where even Disney characters appeared. But enough of some relic old game. Shouko and I started dancing on the dance machine, and I gotta say, we make a pretty good team. I can''t really dance, so I could only make some awkward movements and slowly improve by myself over time. Shouko, however, was a natural at dancing, and looking at her having such a bright smile while she danced alongside me just made my heart even warmer than it already is. "Phew...that was a nice workout," I said as I offered a drink to Shouko, who gladly accepted as she sat down on the bench just outside the arcade. "Yes! I really enjoyed the dance!" Still, after the entire day, Shouko hasn''t asked me for a single thing yet. She looked interested in plenty of things, but none of those were her "desire"; they were more "objects of interest". I feel like I should give her something to commemorate our first date, though nothing particularly special or unique comes to mind. Everything I could think of to give Shouko was simply generic. Sigh... "What''s wrong, Fuu-kun?" "Nothing is wrong. I just don''t know what to give you as a present." "You don''t have to give me anything, you know? Or rather, you have already given me everything I wanted today." Shouko said with a smile. Yep, angel confirmed here. "Still...well, let''s think about it later. Why don''t we take some photos first?" "Using our phone?" "Even better. The photobooth." We entered the photo booth, and as expected, there were many bu??ons and controls to play with. We spent around 10 minutes there taking lots of photos in various poses, spending some time just enjoying our time, not doing anything serious, and just having fun. "You look good in this one." Shouko pointed at a particular photo as she sorted out the pictures that we could bring home. We were currently having dinner at another restaurant that sold ramen. It wasn''t exactly high class or anything like that, but it was cozy and comfortable, with the mix of refreshing cold air from the mall''s air conditioning and the ramen''s hot broth. "Indeed I do. In fact, I think I look good in all of the pictures." ""Except this."" Both Shouko and I spoke while we pointed at the same picture simultaneously, inciting some laughter from us from our unexpected synchronization. Having fun with the girl I love, spending time with her on a date, simply not having to worry about anything... All of these were something I wouldn''t even have imagined in my past life. But it is only after we have lost something do we know the importance of it. I used to think that I would never get my childhood and teenage years back because of me losing them from focusing on the wrong things. But now? I''m just thankful that my parents forced all those expectations on me. I would never have the chance to cherish all of this without them, after all. "Thank you for today, Shouko. I have finally come to fully enjoy my childhood because of you." "Hm? I don''t understand, but you''re welcome?" Haha...the last bit of regret from my past life silently disappeared from my heart, leaving it free to contain what this world has to offer me from now on. I may never forget that I have lived and died once before, but I do know that I can''t just keep wallowing in my past without moving forward. It has been a new chapter in my life for quite some time now, and I thought I knew it. But it turns out, I just didn''t truly understand it until now. And thus, our date ended happily, and a (true) new beginning of our life has just started. And by the way, remember about the present I was thinking hard about what to give Shouko? I gave a plushie toy I earned from the crane claw machine to Shouko as a memorial for this date. ***************** A/N: At this rate, I might just wanna give up on the harem and just have fluffy moments with Shouko. I almost finished with the piano arc, so rejoice. I know this will not happen for a while, but the first person who can guess what the MC''s lineage would be and his powers can get to request one waifu from any world except for fate. Even girls that I previously said that I didn''t want. No milfs, though. The only clue you guys will get is that it''s a mixture of two powers. Check out my patr¨¦on if you want DxD fanfic as well. I''ll eventually post here as well, but if you''re impatient... Chapter 70 - 70: Italy, here I come! Can you guys give me some anime where knowledge literally means power? Like the more knowledge you have, the more powerful you become? I might need it for my spirits in DxD fanfic for later on. ***************** And so, the rest of the school term continued as usual. There were no conflicts, problems, or anything stupid that can force the plot to move forward. I never know why people like having troublesome plots. I mean, isn''t it good enough to live in peace without trouble? Since I left, Shouko has been busy making friends around us, often hanging out with Onodera and Ruri and sometimes with other girls as well. As for me? I''m already finishing up with my main quest, though I don''t plan to finish the additional side quests. I did, however, befriend some seniors, though not all of them. We had six classes of 25 students each in my year, and I befriended around 5 classes worth of students already. One of the first few people I had befriended was Najimi, also known as the person who was "everyone''s childhood friend". In fact, he only needed to befriend a few people as he already knew most of them from their days in elementary school. As for how he did that? Apparently, he told me that his father had a job that required him to move frequently, so Najimi never stayed in one place for more than a month. A month was enough for Najimi to befriend basically everyone in his school, and that was how this situation came about. It was very easy to befriend Najimi, effortless, even. We didn''t need any trigger, and a new friendship was born. Even before my month-long break from school, I have already befriended most of the students in my year with Najimi''s help. As for his gender, I would like to think of him as a male, but he was wearing a skirt...but as they say, friendship transcends gender and race. Anyway, the rest of my term ended well, for me, at least. Some people were too busy enjoying the new junior high school life that they forgot that this was still a school, needing them to study. It''s pretty amusing seeing everyone just lying down on their desk in sadness as they received their results back from the teacher. They didn''t fail, but they didn''t do as well as they hoped they did. Perhaps they couldn''t concentrate on studying due to the new environment? Ha! Who am I kidding? "I can''t believe Uesugi got the highest in the level despite missing for a month..." "I know, right?! I''m so envious..." "But on the bright side..." "Summer holidays..." "Are here!!" Yep, now that the exams were over, we can finally enjoy the summer holidays! Though I would have to leave some time in the middle, it wouldn''t stop me from enjoying my youth! Our cute teacher, who didn''t seem to have improved her "teacher aura" very much, did the standard speech before we all left for summer vacation. The talk about not loitering about in the dead of night, not doing illegal stuff, remembering to do our homework and having fun, and more of the usual stuff. After we all waved her goodbye like a fellow classmate, we (the entire student body) fled the school to immediately start their long-awaited holiday. Ring~! Ring~! "Moshi Moshi? (Hello?)" Picking up my ringing phone, I replied. "Good afternoon, Uesugi-kun. I''m Suzuki." "Suzuki-san? Is there anything I could do for you?" "Actually, I just wanted to remind you that I''ll be picking you up two weeks from now, just slightly after the start of August." "Eh?" "Yes, I''m picking you up for the international. It''s required for all participants to reach there five days before the actual date, and I''ll be your chaperone for the trip." It seems that I need to check my emails more often. I didn''t even know the date set for the internationals until Suzuki called me. "I see. Then I''ll be seeing you in two weeks?" "Yes. I''ll see you then. Goodbye." "Goodbye." Hanging up my phone, both Kaori and Shouko looked at me curiously, wondering what I was talking about. "Who is Suzuki?" Kaori asked, but Shouko remembered him. "Suzuki-san...the judge?" "Yep. My internationals in two weeks, and I''ll be flying to Italy." I could feel both my hands being gripped tighter by both girls, and their sadness could be clearly conveyed as well. "You''ll be leaving again?" "I already know that, but it''s still lonely without you here..." Hearing both girls complain half-heartedly made my heart warm. Despite wanting me to stay beside them, they didn''t really push or force me to do so. They know that this piano competition could change my life, making our life all much better. "Me too. But I have to go." The two girls didn''t say anything as we walked back, so just before Kaori split with us, I told her, "Why don''t we go on a date before I leave?" Kaori''s face bloomed into a smile as she gave me a sudden hug before skipping away. "Kaori-chan is so cute." Shouko smiled as she looked at Kaori skipping away. "Yep." Shouko didn''t say anything more, and we left for our home. ***************** The start of my summer vacation passed by pretty quickly between juggling my homework, spending time with my family, and going on a date with Kaori. Since I don''t know when I''ll be back after my competition, I decided to finish everything I needed and wanted to do before I leave for Italy. [A/N: I''ll write about a date with Kaori at a later time. For now, I want to start and finish the competition within 5-10 chapters so that the plot can progress.] Anyway, my daily life passed ever so peacefully, before the day for departure came again. I''m a bit reluctant to part with my family again, but I really want to do this. More than just fame or money, I really want to experience things I did not experience in my past life. Well, actually, money was part of the reason as well. It''s a lot harder to make money than you would think. Not every sis-con could randomly predict the future stock market with knowledge of their previous world and become rich just like that with a cheat system that gives him everything he needs without working hard. Hell, Mcdonald''s doesn''t exist in this world! Only McRonalds. Need fighting skills? Mastery of Bajiquan. Need to style hair? Just in time comes a reward for hairdressing. At a world-class level. Just from meeting a damn girl. And here I am praying with all my luck from gacha rolls whose tokens don''t even come often. Tch. I may be lucky with Gacha rolls, but in the end, Gacha would just be Gacha. Not to mention I still have to actively try and improve myself. Not to mention if I wanted to start my life by becoming a mangaka, I''ll think I''ll just become another shut-in trying to complete all my work by harsh deadlines. Who said that drawing an entire volume of manga just takes 1 month by himself? Sigh, I''m lucky to be reborn with a complete and loving family, but some protagonists are just on a whole new level from me. Well, I may complain a lot, but if given a chance to swap places, I would never take it. Nothing is worth exchanging for this familial warmth. Nothing can ever replace my cute Shouko and little sisters. I''m not gonna give you details of my teary departure, so let''s head straight to Italy. "Remember to keep your emotions in check. Don''t become too angry, alright?" Those were the words my father said to me just before I left, but I have no idea what he meant by that. I had never become too emotional, have I? ¡Þ After meeting with Suzuki, I thought we would fetch Maruno once more before going to Italy together. He may be a stripper at the beach, but he was sure reliable when things become serious. Apparently, I was wrong. Maruno was going to head towards Italy by himself; he was old enough to do so anyway. If not for me needing a guardian and my parents not being free to leave the house for two weeks or so, Suzuki wouldn''t even have had the chance to attend the international as an audience. The trip to Italy was much, much longer than the trip to Tokyo. It took us 14 and a half hours to reach there. We left Japan at 7 am, and after we landed in Rome, Italy, it was still in the middle of the day, at 2 pm. To my surprise, I didn''t feel any jet lag at all, but I think I would have it when the time for me to sleep comes. Rome is 7 hours behind Matsuyama, so it''s currently 9pm in Japan. I''m not too sleepy yet, though the ?du?t "responsible" for me was. "Yawn~." Suzuki opened his mouth wide and yawned until I elbowed him and reminded him that we were still in public space. "My bad..." Suzuki apologized for his lack of manners. It might be normal for people to yawn openly in foreign countries, but manners and respect were heavily emphasized in Japan. "Are you sleepy?" Suzuki asked me as we waited for a taxi to arrive. "Not really." "What a strange child. But it isn''t really unexpected." Oi! What is the hidden meaning behind your words? I''m a perfectly normal 13-year-old kid, alright? "Well, shall we get some food first? As much as I want to sleep, I would like some late-night snack." "You mean lunch?" "No. Snack." "It''s lunch now, but I don''t mind. Let''s have pasta. When we travel to Italy, pasta is the obvious choice." At my words, Suzuki stared at me speechlessly. "Yes?" "It''s called a ''snack'', not a ''meal''. Let''s find a cafe to get some snacks." And so, we boarded the taxi and alighted in the middle of the city. Afterwhich, against my wishes, Suzuki immediately searched for a cafe to have his "late-night snack". After the snack, we checked in at our hotel where we would be staying for the next two weeks, and the moment Suzuki hit the bed, he immediately fell asleep. Jeez, now what am I supposed to do while waiting for you to wake up? Sigh...coming to a new country - fresh and unexplored, rich with various cultures and places to tour about - and all we do on the first day is sleep? How sad is this... [Scanning...host has arrived in a different country for the international stage. Reward from Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition (Part 2) is being handed out...Advanced Language Proficiency (0/500). Continue doing your best~. host.] Oh yeah, I have almost forgotten about this. So the system judges completing the first part of the quest to be ''go to a different country'', huh? Luckily, the translating app on my phone worked just now; otherwise, we wouldn''t even be able to order our food. Well, Suzuki''s English and Italian language speaking skills are even lower than mine, so... As usual, the new proficiency that the system had given me slowly trickled into my brain. And like the last time, while it took slightly longer than the first few times, it was less painful. After about ten minutes, my head was filled with knowledge on all the languages and how to speak them. Though, it only included how to speak them, not write or read. What a scam. Trying out the newly-gained proficiency, I realized it was pretty useful, even though I couldn''t read or write the language down. Now, how can I give an excuse of me being able to proficiently speaking Italian and English fluently but not able to write or read? Well, I guess it''s time to study the new languages to pass the time... ***************** A/N: One of you got almost half correct about the lineage. You have the correct general idea, but the specifics were wrong. No one managed to guess the second part yet~. And to Pill_God, the answer to your question is nope. It''s pretty obvious if I give out the name of the anime. But I can tell you that one clue would be hidden so deeply within Alternate timeline chapter 3, which would be premiering some time later. Don''t worry, this will last all the way until the chapter where the lineage would be revealed, so keep it up~! P.S. Did no one notice the extra auxiliary page? Chapter 71 - 71: Eccentric Old Man I have already learned English in school, so with the help of a translator, I had no problem engaging in smooth conversation. So instead, I focused on Italian. Like I said before, I wanted to learn all sorts of things (when it comes my way, I''m not gonna be shy), so learning Italian would obviously be my choice. Not to mention, I might be coming (hoping to come) back to Italy for a nice vacation. It might seem rural, but it was actually pretty nice and modern. After I finish learning all the basics of Italian, which would have made a local 12-year-old feel ashamed, I looked at the time on the clock, which displayed 18:01. It had been almost three hours now, and I gotta say, learning this language was easy. Compared to English, which was claimed to be the most challenging language to master, Italian only had 21 alphabets, and its grammar was much more manageable. [A/N: This fact is accurate, and it might not seem correct because we see, read, hear, and speak English all day, every day of our lives. For a non-English speaker, English would be a tough language to master.] Suzuki has been sleeping like a pig the entire time. Even with the constant bustling outside our hotel, it was as though he had removed his hearing entirely. Damn, I wish I had his ability to sleep at any time I like. The hotel that we currently are staying in was special, not because it had some unique feature, famous, or anything like that, but because it was the hotel for everyone attending the international competition. So, Maruno would also be present here. The only problem was...I had forgotten to ask him for his number. Yep. One whole month with Maruno, and I still managed to forget to ask him. Seems like as long as the idea never went through my mind, eidetic memory wouldn''t be able to retain it. After all, how could you remember something you never even thought of? Sigh... "Knock, knock!" Just as I was wondering what to do now, I heard a knocking on my door. Huh? I don''t think I was expecting anyone at this time? Going towards the door, I looked through the eyepiece and saw the familiar face I was just thinking about. "Maruno! Just the person I was thinking about." Opening the door, I greeted him with a smile. "Uesugi! It''s nice to see you after this one-month break. And I see Suzuki-san is still sleeping, huh?" Peering at the sleeping figure, Maruno commented. "Yep. When did you arrive? And how did you find me?" "Just. I''ve just wandered around and was asking about both of your whereabouts. A little boy with short white hair. Something along that line." Seriously? I guess my appearance is pretty unique, even in foreign countries. I had only seen blond hair, brown hair, and a few redheads as well, but no white. Still, I worry about my security. If the hotel managers are just giving out my room numbers to anyone who asks them about it... "And you don''t have to worry about your security. I had to prove that I was part of the people performing in the internationals before they gave it to me. It also helped that I was Japanese and ''graduated'' from the preliminaries from the same place as you." That doesn''t make it any better, though. Sigh, whatever. Let''s wake Suzuki up for dinner. I''m starving after using my brain cells to study Italian. "Suzuki-san! Please wake up!" ¡Þ And yeah...I have no idea what we did for the past five days. Despite whoever''s insistence on forcing the competitors to arrive five days earlier, we received no instructions other than to relax and have fun in Rome. So that''s what we did. I might not mention it, but I did practice pretty hard back in Japan, and I think I have earned a well-deserved break from the piano. Rome had a lot to offer. Just to state a few examples: the Colosseum, St Peter''s Square, St. Peter''s Basilica, The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Roman Forum, and the Sistine Chapel. Of course, everything was from the internet. We didn''t manage to see most of them physically since it was pretty far away, but we did manage to see the Colosseum. Since it was located to the southwest of the main terminus train station, the Colosseum is easily accessible and has a metro station nearby. This mighty structure is one of the most renowned and iconic landmarks globally, and a trip to Rome would not be complete without visiting the Colosseum. Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, the Colosseum was constructed between 70-80 AD. And at its peak, it was estimated to hold 80,000 spectators. This building was used to hold games, gladiator tournaments, and other forms of entertainment and would regularly be attended by the Roman Emperors. It was pretty grand, but in the end, it''s really just a deserted place with nothing but historical knowledge to offer, having a museum located on the upper floor of the outer wall. Its primary purpose of holding games was long gone, and the ruined stone seats and walls were all corroded with the natural phenomenon known as "time". Sitting on one of the seats available in the Colosseum, I just stared into blank space as Maruno and Suzuki went off to explore the museum by themselves. Probably not the best idea to leave a child in a foreign country by himself, but then again, I probably won''t be in trouble with plenty of people in the area. And with my strength, even if some pedophile wanted to kidnap me, they wouldn''t have an easy time. While Rome might be plenty hot to many people around me, I don''t feel much. Japan has a higher temperature in August than Rome (Japan can be as hot as 35 degrees Celsius while Rome is only up to 30 degrees Celsius), so I''m already used to it. If anything, it was colder than in Japan, a fact that I enjoyed a lot as I felt the breeze against my face. "Hohoho...youngster, what are you doing in Rome at this time of the year?" An old man sitting beside me suddenly asked in English. Hm? "Are you talking to me?" Pointing at myself, I asked as I looked around to see if there were any ''youngster'' he was talking about. I might be replying in English, but some of my Japanese accents still remained. "I don''t think I see any other youngster beside me, do I?" "Oh, sorry about that, then. I''m here in Rome to-" "Haha, I don''t really care what you''re here for, honestly speaking." Damn this old man...first the old inn woman I met and was forced to give her a massage during my Kyoto school trip, and now this old man. Do old people just like to have conversations at their own pace? "Hahaha...okay." A slow and forced laughter came out of my mouth as I responded to the old man, "So why did you ask me that then?" "Because I was curious. Then I realized that I had better things to ask." "Like?" "Like, what is your favorite type of woman." Pft- I spat out my drink and stared in disbelief at the old man beside me. His eyes were closed almost entirely as a big smile appeared on his face. He wasn''t very tall and was just slightly shorter than me, a thirteen-year-old boy. I have no idea what sort of outfit he was wearing, but it seemed very local-like. "I''m sorry, but could you repeat your question again?" "What kind of woman is your type? Be careful on how you answer it, though. A person''s fetishes reflect everything about them. People with boring taste in women are boring people themselves. And I don''t really like boring men." Wow. The old man''s words sounded so copy-righted. I wonder where he got that from? "Etto...I''m thirteen, you know?" "Of course, but at this age, you should already have one or two girlfriends. After all, the number of girls in your generation far surpasses us. If you don''t, you fail as a man." Harsh! "Fine. Why should I tell you about my fetish, though?" "Just treat this old man some juicy gossips? I''ve heard that Japanese people are respectful to their elders. You certainly don''t seem that." "You know I''m Japanese?" "I know everything!" The old man waved his arms to the sky and yelled, inciting a few curious looks from the passers-by. This old man really has a lack of shame. After causing various whisperings amongst the ''audience'', he was still staying in that pose with a proud(?) smile. Is this old man still suffering from chuunibyou? "So?" Thinking about his questions, I thought about the girls that I was attracted to - Shouko, Kaori, and Miku. I did meet other girls, though I don''t feel "attracted" to them in that way. They might make me curious about them, but that''s about it. While Shouko and Kaori are my girlfriends, Miku was a notable exception. As for the exact reason why, I don''t really know myself. All I can say is that my curiosity for her is simply much more than my curiosity for others. Mafuyu, Chisa, and Uruka might be close matches, but as is it now, only the previous three were on my mind. So what made them special? Or what qualities did they have that attracted me to them? "Hm...do you mean physical qualities or character and stuff?" "General." The old man finally sat back down and replied with a cordial smile, patiently awaiting my answer. I think he looks rather pleased; maybe he had done this to random strangers before, and none bothered to reply to him, so he''s glad that someone finally replied to him? [A/N: Long stretch of the imagination there, Fuutarou, but you''re right. Not that you would know this.] "I don''t mind if they''re active or quiet, though I like a girl who thinks of her family, works hard for the things she loves, and never gives up no matter what. The stubborn type, I guess? They might be annoying, but therein lies their charm of not giving up to anyone or anything." "Are you a m?s??h?st?" The old man eyed me weirdly as he shifted his position ever so slightly away from me, "I never met anyone who likes a stubborn woman." "How rude, old man. Liking a stubborn girl doesn''t mean I''m a m?s??h?st. And who are you, anyway?" "Me? I''m just an old man. By the way, my type is a tall woman with a big ?ss." "How shallow." "What a m?s??h?st." "Like I said-" "Anyway," The old man interrupted me once more, "You''re a pretty interesting kid. I knew that I could count on the Japanese for being able to keep up with my conversations. With the number of he*tai available and all in your country." "Hey! That''s racist! And my country''s specialty isn''t he*tai." "Chillax, kid. I didn''t mean it as an insult. I meant it as a compliment. Don''t you get it? The proportions that could exist only in our imagination, the number of things we couldn''t do to women in real life, the first-time-meeting-let''s-have-sex troupe! So many possibilities! So much potential!" At his first few sentences, I was just weirded out by an old man using slang language like "chillax", but I just wanted to dig a hole and die in it when it came to his latter sentences. I can''t believe I talked to a shameless, perverted old man who screamed out his fetishes in public. This would forever be on my record and the worst part? I could never erase this from my memory due to eidetic memory. "Uesugi!" Hearing my name from another side, I almost cried due to happiness. Finally, an excuse for me to leave this conversation without being rude! "Maruno! Let''s go!" "Huh?" Maruno was a bit startled at my rushed speech and action, only recovering as I dragged him away from the perverted old man, "Oh, o-okay?" "Bye, Uesugi-kun. I hope to see you soon again." The old man waved at us before turning around and leaving in another direction. Nope! I would beg to differ. I hope to never see you again, and if I must, I hope to never see you in public screaming out your fetishes to another person. ***************** Alternate Title: Perverted Old Man; Shameless Old Man; Old Man who was found screaming out his fetishes in Public A/N: I''ve been neglecting Kaori for a while, so I plan to focus on her in the future. It would happen after the second (and hopefully last) piano arc. But don''t worry, I don''t plan to make it so dull.. Plus, there''s another two girls there as well. Chapter 72 - 72: Start of the Three-week-long Competition "Uesugi? Who were you talking to?" Maruno asked me curiously once we got out of the colosseum and onto the bus back to the train station. "No one. Just some old pervert who likes tall women with big ?sses." "I-I see..." Maruno was speechless at my reply, "Oddly specific for a ''no one'', don''t you think?" "Not really. It''s hard for me to forget even about the tiniest details, so when it comes to particularly memorable things, like an old man screaming his fetishes out loud, it becomes even harder for me to forget. What a curse in disguise." "I can''t relate to you, but I can tell you this. Always appreciate what you have; it''s only after you lose it for good that you know how important something is.." Maruno wisely spoke as he nodded like a sage while rubbing my head. "Stop treating me like a child." I replied as I took his hand away from my head, "And I already know that." "Good. Now, let''s enjoy the trip back to the hotel. We''ve got tons of stuff to prepare for tomorrow''s performance." ***************** Tomorrow arrived so quickly, almost as if I had just experienced a time-skip. I had already prepared everything I needed for today''s performance and placed it in a separate bag. My formal attire would obviously be placed in a garment bag. I wouldn''t want it to be wrinkled and creased, right? The organization that organized this competition also didn''t give us any further instructions, telling us only to bring our formal attire, essentials, and ourselves to the designated place. Unfortunately, Suzuki wasn''t able to accompany me as he was not a participant. RIP... Thus, Maruno became the person in charge of making sure I don''t get kidnapped somewhere. Honestly...I''ve already told them to stop treating me like a child, but they don''t listen. At the location, I quickly scanned my surroundings and realized that we were surrounded by many people. About thirty or so people were present around us, and about one-third were female. I thought I would be the only young one on this stage, but I was wrong. So very wrong. There were two other teenagers about the same age as me, give or take a year or two. One of them was a male, and with his blond hair and arrogant look, I judged him to be the "young master type" that is spoiled and had gotten everything he wanted since he was young, probably because of his talent in the piano. He also seemed rich since the casual clothes he was currently wearing looked more expensive than anyone else''s in the room. Not that I care about his money. Money can''t help you win in this competition, though I am really interested in his skills. I wonder how good he is compared to the others in this room. Fujiwara Chika. Chika is a cute fair-skinned young girl with shoulder-length light pink hair with a black bow in the middle of her square bangs, blue eyes. After her specialty, the black bow, her second most prominent feature was her ?h?st. Despite being the same age as Shouko and Kaori (I think), her ?h?st was much larger than both of my girlfriends''. ¡Þ At the Uesugi Household ¡Þ ""Achoo!"" "Shou-chan? Kaori-chan? Are both of you okay?" Hanako asked in concern as her peaceful house was interrupted by simultaneous sneezes. One person sneezing might still be fine, but two people sneezing at the same time? Fortunately, it wasn''t that loud, and the twins, who were sleeping just beside them, did not wake up. "Are both of you okay?" Hanako couldn''t risk any of her children falling sick, not for any reason apart from the fact that she just didn''t like seeing any of her children suffer. It was a lesson she learned when she saw Fuutarou overworking himself when trying to take care of her when she was pregnant with Raiha. Hanako didn''t know, but this wasn''t the first time it happened, and both Shouko and Kaori were getting a d¨¦j¨¤ vu about this entire thing. "I''m fine, Hanako-san," Kaori replied, and Shouko nodded at her words, agreeing with her. "It''s just a coincidence. Fuu-kun must be thinking about us again." Shouko spoke in a daze, and when the room turned silent, Shouko suddenly realized what she had just said. Turning towards the older woman, Shouko couldn''t help but blush in embarrassment as Hanako smiled at her cute daughter-in-law. "Fuu-chan will be happy with both of you by his side. He might look and act m?tur? and very unlike his age, but he has his cute points." Hanako turned towards the two girls, who continued blushing as they heard what Hanako said next, "Take care of my child in the future, alright?" "H-Hai!" "We will!" "Fufufu...Kaori-chan. It''s getting late already, and without Fuu-chan here to see you off, it''s going to be dangerous for you to go home alone. Why don''t you have a sleepover at our house for tonight?" "Eh? Would I be troubling you?" "Not at all! I''m sure that Shou-chan would love to have you as a company as well. Without Fuu-chan, she''s going to be lonely. And if you''re worried about your parents, I''ll call them for you and tell them you''re staying for the night." "O-Okay then. Sorry for the inconvenience then." "You and Shou-chan could sleep together in the same room," Hanako continued with a teasing smile, "Or would one of you rather sleep in Fuu-chan''s bed?" Both girls didn''t reply as their faces turned even redder. Indeed, an older woman''s teasing could not be stopped by two girls who just entered their junior high. Running up towards Shouko''s room, Hanako watched the two girls with a smile before turning that gentle gaze towards the twins lying in her arms. She was glad that she survived and recovered after Raiha''s birth. Otherwise, she would have missed out on so much of Fuutarou''s life, and she would regret it so much. ¡Þ Back to Rome, Italy ¡Þ Yep. That air-headed look as Chika turned around in shyness and fear, worried about her being alone in a place filled with unknown people. I couldn''t blame her; if it weren''t for my ?du?t mindset and knowing at least one person here, I would have been scared of being alone in a foreign place as well. The place we were in wasn''t too big nor too small, just the suitable space to fit the thirty or so of us. If we continued walking straight in front of the door we entered from, a stage could be found. This place looked like a hall, a prestigious one, seeing the various tall tables that contained fruit punch that we were encouraged to have. However, none of us touched those and waited for a person, any person, to come and speak to us. We had varied reactions to the wait. While the older ones tend to be more patient and promptly found themselves a seat to be comfortable, some of the more...impatient young ones started complaining in their own native languages. The other boy my age was speaking (complaining) in English, the language the majority of the people here are speaking. There were some odd exceptions, like a Chinese-looking dude who spoke Chinese and some phrases of very broken English. Surprisingly, Chika was also speaking English, almost so fluently I had forgotten she came from Japan. I guess that''s what Chika''s mother''s, a diplomat, daughter was capable of. Even by just being here, it was apparent that the average level here was much higher, and it wasn''t just about their respective skills. No one was looking particularly nervous; even Chika started to open up to various younger-looking ?du?ts and older ones, using her connection as a daughter of a diplomat to secure a relationship. Everyone was just relaxing and waiting around, initiating friendly conversation with the people around them. After all, even if they couldn''t be friends, it wouldn''t hurt to have some of the top piano players in the world as their connections. Everyone here was just that talented and skilled. As for me, I have regained my calm. I have always thought that I would be the only 13-year-old about, but reality slapped me hard in the face. Guess I shouldn''t really be that proud, judging from the fact that two people my age are on the same level as me, or even higher, without the help of a system. Sigh...talents, talents... Anyway! We waited for about five minutes, which was neither long nor short enough to do anything useful at all before a female walked onto the stage. I could hear a few whistles here and there as we all appreciated the sight before our eyes. The female wasn''t dressed in anything skimpy, nor did she behaved sensually. Yet, it was as though magic had been used on everyone present, causing them to be unable to look away from her. Of course, with me as an exception. I think the system might have played a part in strengthening my mind, constantly forcing me to collect back my thoughts in the shortest time possible. It has its pros and cons, but I''m not going to explain it now. The lady had hair as dark as night and sharp contrast of clothing of pure snow white. She wore a cheongsam that revealed little of her long legs and a white scarf around her neck, further emphasizing her glossy black hair that reached her lower back and luscious red lips. She was truly beautiful, but the people didn''t just stare at her because of her appearance. A microphone in front of her, her emotionless expression maintained as she spoke. "Good morning, distinguished pianists from all over the world. My name is Kachi Shirokusa, and I''ll be your main judge and host for the next two weeks." Shirokusa introduced herself in English before pausing for a while, allowing a translator for each person who couldn''t understand English. I got to say, this competition is very lavish. They even had the money to hire individual translators for all of us. Even I had one beside me, a young girl who seemed to have just started the job, a newbie, so to speak. The hall remained a pin-drop silence as Shirokura continued with her speech after ensuring everyone knew what she had just spoken, "Now, I''ll be introducing the schedule for the next two weeks and what all of you would be doing." A piece of paper was given out to each of us in our respective native languages for convenience''s sake, showing everything from the sleeping schedule to the various parties we would be forced to attend to the actual competition date. Everything was written to the tee; not a single second was spared off the schedule. "Wow, this is certainly specific," Maruno commented as he looked at the schedule. It wasn''t as though it was rigorous and harsh; there was plenty of leeways to go about, though seeing the packed schedule still sent a message across everyone about how serious the organization is about this competition. "Yep. Though, we have a lot of time to do each activity, don''t we?" "I ?ssume all of you will have roughly looked through your schedules by now. Everyone''s schedule is almost the same, with some minor changes here and there depending on your needs, religion, race, and anything else. Today is Monday, I declare the first day of the two-week-long event, to begin!" After the introduction, everyone gave a round of polite applause as we saw Shirokusa leave the stage. And this was how my two-week luxurious "camp" began, with a small banquet to welcome us into this hall. ***************** A/N: For some reason, I couldn''t get much writing done this week...I b?r?ly wrote half a chapte Chapter 73 - 73: Birthday Party We spent the rest of Monday introducing ourselves to one another. While we might not be close to each other due to various factors like age, race, religion, it was a good start. It wasn''t outright blatant, but it could be noticed that people from the same country tended to stick to one another more. And of course, the exceptions being the ones who were alone from their country, like a guy from some country called Luxembourg, in Western Europe. Monday was pretty dull; apart from those introductions, we were introduced to the facilities in this building and what we could do with them. The piano rooms for practicing the piano. The lounge for lounging around. The entertainment rooms for our entertainment, and so on and so forth. You get the idea. I made several friends, but I''ll introduce them later on.. According to our schedule, Tuesday was free time to practice for a short piece that we would be playing for an audience at a party. Yep. A party. Not the competition, but a party. Apparently, affluent and influential families from all over the world would be attending this party. So, we not only have to look good, but we also had to perform well. While the latter was easily accomplished by thinking of a lovely song to play and practice, the organization helped with the former matter. In the end, my own attire was judged as low-quality and not accepted for the party. As a result, they measured our body dimensions, and a complete formal attire was delivered to our rooms by the end of the day. It was customized to fit our bodies to the tee and was surprisingly comfortable, completely betraying my expectations of a suit being uncomfortable. Maybe it was because my previous life''s formal attire was made with low-quality materials? Anyway, we had three days to practice, having the freedom to ?ssign the number of hours we would put in for the party. But since everyone here was a professional, none of us practiced any less than 10 hours per day. Some of the more hardworking ones even spent the entire day in the piano room practicing, coming out only when it was time to sleep. No one was lazy; after all, everyone here knew that no matter how talented you are, everyone''s skills here are almost the same. If you can''t pull ahead of your competitors with hard work, you would only end up falling behind. I was no different, of course. In fact, with the pressure of world-class pianists around me, the rate of increasing my proficiency with the piano was growing fast. Much faster compared to when I was practicing in school. Come to think of it, less of a competition, this few days seemed to resemble a training camp more, doesn''t it? ¡Þ Friday arrived much quicker than I expected. And since we were neither considered guests nor hosts, we didn''t have much to do regarding the party. Apart from playing the piano when it was our turn, we could attend this party like an ordinary guest to socialize with the rich present if we wanted to. But that would all come only after we have performed. For now, focusing on not messing up our performance would be the focal point. At 5 pm sharp, guests slowly streamed inside, and by 6 am, the gates were shut, preventing anyone from entering the place. The entrance to the main ballroom was about a 3-minute walk, and the guests could enjoy the scenery along the way. They could even choose to enter the garden by using a side walkway, though, but that would be for later on during the day. For now, everyone was gathered at the ballroom, patiently waiting for the party to start as they made small talks with each other. As I observed everything happening from a corner, Maruno came up to me with a drink in his hand. "Is that red wine?" Staring at him with suspicion, I asked, "Are you sure you will be able to perform under a drunken state?" "You misunderstand me. It''s not red wine; it''s fruit punch." Maruno wryly smiled as he replied. I was wrong, yet Maruno could find no excuse to say anything further to me since ever since the time I went to Maruno''s hometown, he already made the impression of being drunk almost 24/7. As for the prim and proper impression that he built up the first two weeks during the preliminaries? It flew out of the window. As someone wise once said, "It''s easier to remember a horrible impression on someone compared to a good impression on someone." I don''t know who that someone wise was, but they sure were wise. Anyway, the party didn''t truly start until 6.30 pm, when all the guests have warmed up sufficiently with one another. There wasn''t an awkward atmosphere around them as everyone was very high up the (metaphorical) food chain, and it was almost impossible for anyone to be this successful with an introvert personality unless you''re some famous hacker or something. 6.30 pm was also the time when Kachi Shirokusa arrived and formally started the entire party. Apparently, this party wasn''t some hatched-up plan made at the top of their mind. Today was some important old man''s birthday, and his influence was high enough that everybody who attended this part wanted to curry favors with him. Now I''m curious who the legendary old man is. And precisely at 7 pm, the legendary old man revealed his face, and well...I''m already having a bad premonition before his face was even fully revealed. For good reasons, too, I might add. Remember the eccentric old man I met at the Colosseum? The one who asked me who my favorite type of woman was? "Good morning, everyone, and I thank you all for coming to my birthday party today. It brings me great p???sur? to see all of the smiles shining brightly on your faces." The old man joyously spoke, his eyes roaming around the hall until it met mine. His own smile deepened as he noticed me. "Most of you would have known me from somewhere before, but I''ll introduce myself for the younger generations present at this party. My name is Yamamoto Akira. Co-founder of famous film studio Studio Ghibli, one of the most influential and important filmmakers of all time, and a Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy who served as the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II." Damn, this old man can brag. "Net worth...105.9 billion USD." [A/N: For comparison, the Shinomiya family is worth 200 trillion yen, which is about USD 1.81 trillion. But Akira is one person, having 1/10th of the world''s greatest conglomerate is a feat. Plus, the Shinomiya family is huge, and most of it is in ?ssets and cannot be liquefied at one call. And when distributed among everyone, the top brass of the Shinomiya family wouldn''t even have the same net worth as Akira. Plus, it''s not fair to compare a single individual and a conglomerate anyway.] And he has the capacity and achievement to back up his bragging to boot. Sigh, why are all the talented ones so quirky? Are there no normal successful person? "Of course, that''s not all my achievements, but that should be enough to impress the younger generation present." Letting out a smile, the old man, Akira, spoke as though he wasn''t already showing off. If anybody else was in his position, everybody present here would have already scolded them so severely that the person would wish that they were never born. But strangely enough, no one uttered any word of discontent, nor did they show any facial features that revealed their annoyance, irritation, or frustration from Akira''s bragging. It was as though it was all a matter of fact. Only for the ?du?ts, though. While some kids followed in their parents'' footsteps and kept a calm smile on their faces, the younger kids showed some form of amazement on their faces. Honestly, how foolish. If only you guys knew his pervertedness..actually, forget what I said. Even if they knew, I doubt that it would make anyone reel in disgust. If anything, it would actually make them happier. After all, knowing one person''s d?s?r? would make it easier to understand what would make him happy, and in turn, learning how to suck up to him better. Still, Akira''s achievements were pretty impressive. "Now, with all that out of the way, let''s begin the party!" And with Akira''s announcement, it came with our turn to play on the piano already prepared at one corner on a slightly elevated platform. While it might not be the main focus of this party, it was still one of the things that the people here attended looked forward to. Knowing that these people (us) were the top thirty or so pianists in the world, it was an honor for them to personally hear us play the piano. I''m not being arrogant or prideful or anything like that; it was simply the truth. Whoever won the internationals would be world-famous, and asking them to play for them would cost a fortune. And that was ?ssuming they could be paid for with money. Of course, the people here could all hire any of the pianists here, but given the opportunity to hear not only the number one pianist play but the top thirty in the world, who wouldn''t want to experience it? "Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata (3rd Movement)." Akira merely sat down on a seat nearby and closed his eyes, awaiting the music. He showed no outward emotions on his face other than a neutral smile. And as he started playing, it wasn''t unexpected that he was excellent. Much, much better than any of the pianists I''ve heard in the preliminaries. Yet, for some reason, I just have a nagging feeling in my heart that he was going to fail. Not from technically or emotionally, but for some other reason. Why? I tried to continue enjoying the piece while trying to figure out the nagging feeling in my heart, and before I knew it, eight minutes have passed, and the first song was done. Nothing happened except for a polite round of applause resounded around the room before continuing their discussions and conversations. Was I wrong? He played the piece so perfectly that even I couldn''t find what was wrong with it, but the nagging feeling didn''t leave. The second person went up, the third person, and so on until the twentieth person - me. Before me, however, Tamashiro Naoko and Sugimoto Manami had already gone up, along with Maruno and Chika. The only other person I knew before this party started was Mayeda Akira, who was going two people after me. As for the people who went before me, some gave me the same feeling as the first guy, but others didn''t. Every single one of them played really well, and it was actually scaring me a little. But where was the fun if there was no challenge? Smiling confidently, I walked up to the elevated platform and bowed slightly before announcing my piece. Usually, I would play some generic classical piece to please the judges, but today was different. It wasn''t a competition, but a performance, a party celebration. So why are people playing boring classical music that would bore people to death? Now, that would defeat the purpose of this party, wouldn''t it? Hence, I chose Beethoven Virus, with minor improvisation of the original song. When I say "minor improvisation", I meant "completely subvert the piece while trying to keep the main melody alive". This wasn''t some sort of performance where everyone had to pay attention to the pianist playing. We were supposed to be the ones playing the background music for this party. Though, I cannot deny that I felt proud when everybody just stopped what they were doing and paid close attention to every single note I played. ***************** A/N: For the piece, search MusicalBasics''s "5 Levels of Beethoven Virus: Easy to Insane", and listen to the Insane version. That was what Fuutarou played. Chapter 74 - 74: Fujiwara Chika From what I and everybody else have heard, my piece could be considered one of the shorter pieces, lasting about three minutes and fifteen seconds. However, it was indeed one of my better pieces yet. I might be on a grandmaster level and love playing the piano, but playing classical pieces all day long just bores me, especially in competitions, where there are so many rules and instructions to follow. Otherwise, we would have gotten disqualified from the get-go for not playing the classical pieces the "correct way". This party was a chance to finally let loose after a long period of practicing just classical pieces. There were no other rules apart from "entertaining the guests", and that? I can do perfectly well. Hell, if needed, I could even construct an entire script to go along with my piece to make it even more entertaining. But for now, let''s just kick back, relax, and play. But even if my attitude was pretty laid-back, it didn''t mean that I wasn''t focusing. It might be an improvised piece, but I didn''t make it any easier for myself to play.. After all, I needed to impress and entertain the guests, and to do that, I needed to make it harder and much more interesting than the original. It was a short performance, but it was an excellent performance. How did I come to that conclusion? The applause for my performance was more than just perfunctory politeness. I could see the genuine interest and happiness in everyone''s eyes. After my piece, I stood up and bowed slightly once more before leaving the stage. The following person to perform came up, and the performance continued. After my play, my job was over. With the five minutes or so break in between each player, dinner was already long over. The party was almost at its end. As soon as Akira gives his final speech, the party was officially finished. "Good job, Uesugi. You played an amazing piece." Maruno came up to me with a glass of red wine and spoke. I didn''t care much about the alcohol he was drinking. He might as well be drinking plain water with that low alcohol content compared to his usual drink. "Thanks, you played well too." "Was that an original piece?" "Yeah, I''ve tried experimenting during the morning and yesterday. This is a party, after all. Why play somber music at a birthday party?" "You make a lot of sense!" Maruno laughed as he continued chugging down the red wine without grace nor etiquette, "Luckily, I played some fun song as well. Otherwise, the mood of this party would be destroyed." You might think Maruno was just exaggerating, but the mood of the music often dictates the party''s mood. In fact, before I played, one person actually played such a sad and slow song that I felt like I would cry. I mean, it was good and all, but it certainly wasn''t suitable for a party. Maybe a funeral or some depression gathering would be more suited. Anyway! The last nine players slowly reduced in number as they went up the platform and performed their piece. Now, I''m no expert on how a formal birthday party usually ends, but I''m pretty sure that they don''t include getting so drunk that passing out became a normal thing to witness. By the time everyone was done, I could see the sight of the top people in the world being drunk and passed out, with all their servants carrying their masters to the car to bring them home. "Good job, everyone." Kachi Shirokusa praised, though her facial expression was as blank as ever, "Now, your results would be announced in at most two days later. So, for the time being, all of you can go back to rooms now. All of you will have free time until we call all of you down." "Hey, hey! Hold on! What results are you talking about?" A man spoke up with a confused expression just as Kachi Shirokusa was about to walk away. She titled her head, and it would have looked much cuter and soul-stealing if not for her blank expression, and asked, "What other results are there apart from the international stage of The International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition? That is what all of you are here for, right? You have just finished your first round. Depending on the numbers who passed, there might be a second and third round." "EHHHHH?" ¡Þ Yep, so! Anyway, that was what happened last night after the party. Kachi Shirokusa just dropped a massive, gigantic bomb on top of our heads and walked away. While her face might not reveal any expression, I could feel that she was having fun toying with our poor, delicate feelings. So, apparently, this party was meant to be something of an "orientation" for the international stage, and the judges were the ones posing as the guests, pretending to be some wealthy businessmen when they were just rich judges. And the primary judge of Akira himself. That explains why he chose to sit near the piano throughout the whole party while people flocked towards his table. Now I''m really just sweating in my boots. I randomly improvised the classical piece by myself and performed it, and it was for the freaking competition?! Well...I''m so screwed. "You''re so screwed." "Don''t go around reading my mind like that!" Still saddened by the fact that I''m so screwed, I listlessly spoke to Maruno beside me. "I also heard. But it was just an unfortunate incident. The guest enjoyed your performance plenty; maybe that would help with the evaluation?" Suzuki added on the phone. We were currently in my room, and Maruno just brought another bottle of pure alcohol and started drinking. "I can only hope so." I lamented, "Sigh...at least Maruno didn''t try to improvise by himself. You can probably enter the next round." "Perhaps, but it wouldn''t be certain until the results come out for sure." Suzuki''s voice rang, "Cheer up, will you? It isn''t like you to be so depressed." Come to think of it, this was probably the second time I was so sad, with the first time at my mother''s bedside watching her die. I really have a lot of happy moments, don''t I? "Well, you''re right. I''m going to take a walk around, clear my head a bit." "Alright, cheer up." "Whenever you''re bored, just return here. I''ll be here drinking till lunch." First off, this was my room. Second, how lonely can you be if you''re drinking by yourself until lunch? But I didn''t retort to Maruno''s statement and just waved goodbye. "I''ll talk to you later, Suzuki-san. Goodbye." "Okay, goodbye." Hanging up the call, I proceeded to walk out to the familiar corridor. ¡Þ I had no destination in mind, only aimlessly wandering while trying to cheer myself up. If I fail at this stage, I won''t be getting any money, making the whole point of this trip useless. Sigh... I walked out of...well, I don''t really know how to describe the building I was in. It was a mix between a dormitory and a hotel, so I guess a high-class dormitory? Regardless, it contained many facilities I already mentioned in the last chapter, so I''ll leave it at that. But what I didn''t mention was that it also contained a garden. But it was pretty underwhelming. Almost no one was present since most of the others were at the pool. But since I had forgotten to bring my swimwear, and I''m not going to buy a brand new one just to have a dip, I wouldn''t have the chance to get into the water. The garden was about five as big as my house (in terms of floor area available), ensuring that the guests who arrive know about the richness present here. But it really is too hot here...urgh, and I don''t really want to spend any more time outside. Entering the air-conditioned high-class dormitory, I made my way to the piano room. And in case you were wondering, yes. The entire dormitory is air-conditioned. That''s why I said it was similar to a hotel. Practicing the piano has been a stress-relief activity for me for quite some time. Probably because I can slam and smash the keys if I ever feel unpleasant, and it would still produce a beautiful melody. It''s an instinct for me; unless I really put my mind into producing horrible-sounding music, I would always unconsciously play something nice. It might be a piece I have played before or just a piece of random music that popped up in my head, but I would always play excellent music regardless of it. And I''m really proud of it. It allows me to produce "background music" while chatting with and teaching Shouko and Kaori in school. It is not only comfortable and relaxing, but it also allows both my piano and teaching proficiencies to go up together. Hitting three birds with one stone, how efficient! Anyway, as I walked towards the piano room, I realized that I wasn''t the only one who had the idea of practicing. I could hear music coming out from one of the rooms, albeit softly, and so naturally, I walked towards it. It was weird to hear it as I know that the song was supposed to be happy, but the music played was sad. It was almost too depressing to listen, and my steps unconsciously sped up. "Hm?" A look of surprise flashed on my face as I opened the door where the music was from, "It''s you?" In there was the last person that I had expected to see or play this sad song. The girl, who was just as surprised as I was, stopped playing the piano as her head lifted to face me. "Uesugi-kun, am I right?" "Yes, Fujiwara-san. That''s my name." The conversation stopped here as silence pervaded the air. "Your music was nice." "Excuse me?" "At the party." Fujiwara clarified her words, "Your self-modified Beethoven Virus was inspiring. I''m now more interested in playing the piano than ever!" Seeing Fujiwara smile brightly, one of my eyebrows lifted as I spoke, "Thank you. May I come in?" "Sure!" Entering the standard piano room, consisting of one piano and a few chairs by the side, I walked towards the chair and sat on it, looking at Fujiwara just sitting there staring at me. "Your song is sad." "Yes?" Fujiwara''s confused expression appeared, and I continued my words, "I know all about you before this competition even started. Fujiwara Chika, the politician''s daughter, niece of the minister of the right, and a diplomat as your mother. The genius girl who swept every competition she ever attended left and right, winning trophies after trophies." "What are you trying to say?" "I just want to say, we''re similar. But we''re also different. May I?" Pointing to the piano, I asked. Chika nodded and left the seat, which I promptly occupied and started playing. "You were just practicing Symphony no. 5, right? It is a minor key song, but the way you played it...it''s way too sad." "Why I say we''re similar, it''s because I''m dubbed the same title as you - a genius who can play the piano very well." I started playing the same thing Chika did, with the same exact sadness that she radiated while practicing. I played that for about 1 minute before I raised my head to face her while I transitioned into different-sounding music, "But why I said we were also different..." It was the same piece, but it was a lot happier. [A/N: Search for "5 super sad songs turned happy" by Toms Mucenieks, 2:55] "So you can turn songs in minor keys to major keys. I can do that too, so what are you trying to say?" [A/N: Twosetviolin was reacting (roasting) to a movie and said this too.] "You still don''t get it, do you?" I smiled as I finished playing the "Funphony", dubbed and titled by yours truly, "It''s not just about the piano and practice." "It''s about your attitude. And more than that," I pointed two index fingers to my face and turned my smile into a huge grin, "It''s about your smile~." ***************** A/N: Kaori''s date has been written! Yay! You guys can look forward to it lol. I predict that this novel would end at about 300 chapters, give or take 50 chapters. (not including the alternate timeline). It isn''t very long, but I think it should be somewhere there. But again, this all might be subjected to changes, so we''ll let nature take its course. I have updated the synopsis. Because the tags system got (unnecessarily) changed, I have placed the tags inside instead. For more details and tags about the novel and its future route, please check it out. For as long as there is 10 active patrons, I''ll post two chapters per week instead of one. For highschool dxd fanfics, you can also go to *******~. Chapter 75 - 75: Why dont you just quit? "It''s about your smile~." "It''s about...my smile?" Chika repeated my words blankly. "Yep. You don''t just practice the piano for the sake of practicing it, you know? Take a look around you - which world-class pianists force themselves to practice every day?" "Doesn''t everyone do that? Force themselves to practice what they are not good at?" "Sure they do, but these people are good at the piano. They are already at the top of the world, so why do they want to force themselves to practice what they are good at?" At my logical words, Chika became speechless. Indeed, she couldn''t find the reason why, but she wasn''t going to give up on arguing against me, judging from the look on her face.. And as expected, I was right. "But how would you know that?" "Because I''m one of the top pianists in the world." "That doesn''t mean that everyone is the same as you." "Then what can I do to make you believe me?" "You can''t." She replied with a grin. "Well, even if you do believe it, it doesn''t change the fact that you don''t have a smile when you practice." "So what? I''m the perfect model student in my school, and I will listen to anything and everything other people tell me as long as it would help me improve myself. I did stop practicing for one day, but my teacher scolded me, saying it takes three days of practice to regain what you lose from one day of slacking off. I won trophies after trophies, as you said, and I was happy! They told me that I''d be playing at the international competition next, and look where I currently am?! Everybody called me a genius! You have no idea how happy I was to hear that! Every day, I would think to myself that this is the right path for me! The happy way for me! Every day, I would sit down and practice without a second thought. It was so hard, so tough, so difficult! But everyone around me keeps cheering me on...they said I could do it...so I just continued. I was happy! And then you come in here and sprout some bullshit that I have to smile to practice?!" At some point during her speech, her words had slowly gotten louder, and she went from retorting my words to screaming out her feelings. Her bottled-up feelings and emotions, the stress she had kept to herself for a long time, all seemed to have exploded within this piano room. It wasn''t my intention to let her feelings explode, but it wasn''t bad either. The longer one holds their emotions in a bottle, the more fragile one will be in the future. "It''s not bullshit. While it''s not a requirement that you have to smile, you need to be at least happy or willing. You clearly aren''t happy. So you are basically just forcing yourself at this point. Perhaps you liked it when you first began - the feeling of the keys under your fingers; the melody that only you can make when you exert some force on the keys; the lingering sound of the music even after it ended. But! Now? Even you are unsure of yourself. Your eyes are blank; you''re like a robot programmed to practice for the sake of practicing. Music is a form of art, not a chore. So I''m telling you, take a break, at least until you get your love for the piano back. As a fellow Japanese pianist and a piano-loving guy, this is my advice for you." "Y-You...how would you know whether I''m happy or not?! We''ve only met for a week, and you''re acting as though you know everything about me! What do you know! What can you know! What..." Chika broke down into tears as she slumped over the piano and softly wept. I went overboard, but I''m not going to apologize. It might be arrogant of me, but Chika''s music isn''t "correct". It was like a computer, a piece put together merely by algorithm and programs only. And I absolutely detest that. Her on-stage performance was very different, but I believe that if one plays like a robot while she practiced, they will play like a robot on stage as she practiced. It might not be now, but it will definitely happen in the future. The reason why I love music as time passed was that it is human-played. The emotions conveyed were genuine and touching. Whether it was regret, sadness, love, lovesickness, hatred, or happiness, a song would be able to effectively convey those messages. But Chika''s current music? It was not music anymore. It was simply the result of an act of pressing down a key. It produces noise, but that''s just what it is - noise. "I love music with all my heart. When one of my loved ones entered my life, music was embedded even more firmly into my life with her. To me, music is irreplaceable. Just like how some martial artists can tell their opponent''s character through their fists, I can tell how someone was through the music they played. I hate to say it, but yours is even worse than some elementary students'' playing." At this point, Chika couldn''t hold back any further and burst into tears, wailing loudly. "What is going on here?" A cold voice sounded as both of us turned towards the door, introducing the third person, "This is supposed to be the piano room, isn''t it? So why is there only crying noise present?" Wow...that is one cold girl. She looks like a doll - pretty, dressed up, and completely cold. Her facial expression was blank and stiff, her body stood naturally upright, and her wholly black and empty eyes accentuated her coldness and the arrogance beyond belief voice as she asked. She was Shinomiya Kaguya, the daughter of the president of the Shinomiya group, and at this point in time, a cold and ruthless girl whose goal prioritizes her everything. I saw her during the party yesterday, accompanying a man who looked like her father with two other teenage boys, presumably the man''s sons. As for why Kaguya is present in our hotel-like dormitory now...I have no idea why. "So? Why are you bullying the girl?" Actually, maybe she might not be as cold as I had described her to be. Despite being almost none of her business, Kaguya still entered and interfered. "But I''m not?" My reply was a question, but Kaguya paid no heed to that and turned to Chika with a frown, as though she was asking Chika to clarify the whole situation. "Well, he''s not exactly bullying me, but..." Oi, oi, oi. "Hold up, there are not ''buts''. It''s not ''not exactly bullying'' you, but ''definitely not bullying'' you. Fujiwara-san, don''t wrong the poor, old me. I cannot bear the grudge of the minister of the right of Japan." I hurriedly corrected her words before she made me the public enemy of some sort. "Then why was she crying?" "Well...I didn''t expect that reaction either. I just told her the truth - the cruel truth, and I guess she couldn''t take it and broke down." "Hey! Stop conversing about me as though I''m not here with the both of you!" Chika wiped her tears and complained. "The truth?" Oh my, would you look at that? The Kaguya is feeling curious? I guess even my presence won''t stop the plot from making Chika and Kaguya friends. "She wouldn''t be able to make it as a professional, much less improve and become a pianist. She has lost her way, for reasons only she can tell you." "Like I said! Don''t have a conversation about me as though I''m not in the room!" Chika interrupted once more, and Kaguya finally looked at her. "Can you tell me the reason?" While she might be curious, Kaguya was definitely unfriendly. Even when asking why Chika cannot be a pianist in the future, her tone was cold and unfeeling. It was as though she saw everything logically, where the world was only black and white and no grey. Everything exists to benefit or harm people and things, and Kaguya acted as though it was her family motto to use those who benefit them and discard those who are useless. Well, technically, it was her family creed, come to think of it. "Well...I..." "In summary, she''s not being happy while practicing her supposed ''hobby'', and when I pointed out that she should stop practicing for some time to regain her love for the piano, she didn''t like that." "Hey! I thought you said it was my right to tell her?!" "No? I only said that your reasons are for you to tell her, not your ''rights''. Now that I can summarise the entire situation, why should I drag this out any longer?" "Y-You...what kind of beast uses logic to beat a girl?!" So you want me to beat you physically instead? How else am I supposed to convince you? I may be gentle to girls, but I don''t plan to needlessly take beatings and unreasonable demands to my body and heart. "Fujiwara-san? Your music yesterday was beautiful. Can you show me once more?" "That''s a great idea! That way, Shinomiya-san would be able to judge as well." Kaguya merely stared at me for a while before shifting her gaze back to Fujiwara. She probably wondered why I knew her surname, but that shouldn''t be a surprise, and she realized that. She was from a famous family, after all. "Fine..." Fujiwara paused for a while before eventually agreeing. While Kaguya remained by the door, I took my seat on the chairs, waiting for the noise to be produced once more. "I do not have enough experience to judge your piece, but I agree with...this boy here." "This ''boy here'' is Uesugi Fuutarou. Though, you can just call me Fuutarou~." "Uesugi-san over here is right. Why don''t you just quit?" Wow, it was just a few minutes since we talked, but this girl never fails to shock us with her coldness. "Your music is certainly nice, but my advice still stands." Kaguya''s ruthless words were left behind as she immediately left, not bothering to say another word. Chika''s reaction to her words was far greater than her reaction to mine. Her hands paused above the keyboard as she stared blankly. "H-How could anyone be so cruel?" Chika turned to face me and asked. Strangely enough, there weren''t any tears flowing down. Although she cried because of my words, why didn''t she cry to Kaguya''s words as well?! Am I really that harsh? I''m pretty sure what Kaguya said was harsher... Still, I didn''t say anything. I also don''t know what to say to Kaguya''s question, and it also isn''t my life to answer her question. "How would anyone say something so horrible?" "I''ve been working so hard my whole life for this, so why?" "Why...?" Chika asked several questions back to back. Whether they were meant for me or not, I didn''t know. I just remained silent and waited patiently for Chika to be done and over with her confusion. Honestly, at this point, I don''t even know what I''m doing here anymore. Maybe I shouldn''t have started this conversation about Chika being unhappy in the first place... "Uesugi-kun...what should I do?" "Even if you ask me, I can''t tell you what you should do. You can take Shinomiya''s advice, you can take my advice, or you could just continue doing what you''re doing. Each would bring you about a different set of consequences, so it would be all up to you and you only." Well, I guess my job here is done. It was never my job to help Chika choose; I was only here to help Chika realize her current problem and give her some choices on how to go about from here on. Should she decide to ignore my advice, then that wouldn''t be my problem anymore. Walking out of the room, I decided to return back to my room. This is enough drama to keep me entertained for the rest of the day. "Hey, Uesugi-kun. You should join Shuchiin Academy when you enter high school. I''m currently studying there." "Oh? Let''s see what the future holds. It''s a pretty tough school to enter for my girlfriends after all, and I don''t want to leave them alone." Waving my hands and walking away with my back facing her, I felt like some sort of main character walking away from some epic or tear-jerking scene. I''m really looking forward to the decision Chika would make. ***************** A/N: Forgive me, I don''t really know how to end this chapter, and this turned up. Some of you may ask, but Kaguya will NOT be in the harem. Unfortunately, I quite like the original pair, plus, Kaguya doesn''t really fit in this story anywhere. By the way, no one managed to guess our dear MC''s lineage yet~. Someone managed to guess the first part (but still wasn''t very specific), but no one managed to guess the second part~. For the first part, what species will our dear MC be? Hint: I had brought up the second part of MC''s lineage before in a question format, asking you guys for your opinion. Go and look back at the chapters at the A/N part and see if you can figure out~. Have fun. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on.com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 5 chapters ahead~ Chapter 76 - 76: Advancing to the Finals The following two days passed quickly, and it was finally time. Shirokusa Kachi gathered all of us at the main hall where we first met each other. But we weren''t the only people present. There was plenty of other people already present, including the perverted old man Akira, the main judge of my preliminary rounds, Okura, and plenty of other people who seemed to be judges as well. I don''t know many judges since I wasn''t really too interested in dealing with them, but I''m guessing that they would be the final judges? Damn, now I''m getting nervous again. "Good morning everyone, I hope all of you have had a good two days break." Receiving some dead and half-hearted replies, Shirokusa remained unfazed and continued with her speech. "Today, we are gathered to release the results for the finals, where only ten people were chosen to participate in the final round. In this list, the names are sorted not only by abilities shown during the party. It also includes your attitude, your potential, and how much the judges, especially judge Yamamoto, love you." I don''t know, man...that sounds creepy as hell. I don''t usually mind old people loving me, but this old person is a pervert. His type might be a girl with long legs and a big ?ss, but you never know. Anyway, as soon as Shirokusa finished, a list of names was flashed on the screen in front of everyone. And like bees to honey, everyone''s eyes instantly flashed towards the screen, searching for their names in the top ten. 1. Thiago Furukawa Lucas 2. Sturgill Simpson 3. Vilen Miltiades 4. Leandra Victorino . . . 10. Uesugi Fuutarou 11. Fujiwara Chika . . . 30. Bai Ru Number 10...that was a closer shave than I thought it would be. Fortunately for me, I managed to get into the next round, but... Turning to look at Maruno, I found him smiling with a small smile. "So this is where my journey ends this year, huh? It''s a lot better than last year''s results..." Maruno didn''t seem too saddened by the fact that he was eliminated. "What?" Maruno asked when he saw me look at him, "Did you think I would be all depressed like Suzuki-san at the hotel?" "I wonder if he sneezed just now...but yes. I thought you would recover in one day with the help of spirytus, but you didn''t even need a second." "Hey! I''m not some heartless robot who doesn''t feel sadness, you know?" "You don''t seem to display much sadness for someone who says that. Still, I''m glad I don''t have to spend my time consoling a college dude." "Tch, you were cuter when we first met." "I don''t have to be cute in front of guys like you." The friendly banter continued for a while before Maruno eventually patted my back with a genuine smile, "Still, good job. I''m proud of you. Even though it hurts my pride that a child just above half my age would be better than me..." "Welp, just have to get used to it." Maruno continued before I even got the chance to reply. I really need to learn his technique of throwing the sadness away in a few milliseconds. It''s too damn helpful to pass upon. "I believe that 5 minutes was sufficient to read thirty names. Now that everyone knows who the top ten are and attending the finals, let''s proceed to the next phase. The second phase includes two parts. The first part will be the dance party, or you might know it as a social party. The second part will consist of a formal performance. More details would be sent to your email by tonight, and you will have the next three days to clarify anything you might be unsure of. For now, the first part would commence on Sunday. You may remain here for some refreshments." Saying finish her speech, Shirokusa walked down from the stage, going towards the judges and doing whatever she needed. But no one cared what she was talking about at the moment; everyone was having different reactions to their rankings currently. Some, like Maruno, had a neutral reaction to their own ranking. It was either because they had results better than expected or had gotten the results they had expected of themselves. So while the latter group had a resigned expression, Maruno, who belonged to the former, had an expression of relief. Others included those so depressingly sad that they left the room to do their depressing stuff or just sat down and stared blankly into space. The number 30 dude, Bai Ru, a Chinese ?du?t in his mid to late thirties, fell into the latter category. I don''t know him that well, nor do I really care much about him, so let''s skip the details. I looked around me and found Chika, who was acting really...weirdly. Worried that she might be depressed to the point of destroying her brain, I walked up to her and initiated the conversation. "Fujiwara...san? Are you okay?" "Hm?" Chika snapped out of her reverie and noticed that I was talking to her, quickly replying with a smile, "Uesugi-kun! Good morning! Congratulations on making the top ten! You''re officially the number ten pianist in the world! Do you know what an honor that is? Do you? Do you?" Wow, she''s really chatty. Was she always like this? "Yes, I know that. But I''m not the only one who is talented. Look at the other kid our age who made it into the top five." Both of us looked at the blond boy who was happily conversing with the people around him, "That''s what you call a true talent and frightening genius." Honestly, that guy probably frightened me the most in this entire room. Rather than Akira, who was an old veteran in the art of making tons of money and changing how we look at Japanese films and anime, that boy is much frightening. At the same age as me, without a system, he managed to surpass 99.99999993% of the world''s population in terms of piano skills. Being in the top 0.00000007% of the world was a huge honor for anyone. But getting there wasn''t easy at all, even with the help of a system. Sigh...talents everywhere... Still, that doesn''t mean I''m going to give up. This was just a temporary ranking, and anything temporary could be changed. For my last stage, I need to plan and do everything to make it to the top. Talent? Hard work? Nothing matters more than luck when both talents and hard work are equal to your competitors. I can''t actively control my luck, but I can do is make more opportunities available for me. By practicing every topic or theme imaginable that might come up in the finals, I would have a better chance of winning. "Uesugi-kun!" A sudden sharp broke my concentration and internal monologue as Chika spoke with a pouting face, "Did you listen to what I just said?" "Huh?" I snapped out of my trance, "No?" "Tsk...you really should be listening to people when they talk, you know, Uesugi-kun?" "Yeah, but what were you saying again?" "Sigh, I was saying that being recognized as the top ten pianists in the world is a grand honor." "And that you should really feel more proud about yourself." Yeah, I also know that already. But I don''t just want to be in the top ten. I''m really greedy when it comes to this type of thing, and I might not look like it, but I''m pretty competitive. It just wasn''t clearly stated in previous chapters since there were not many people who could match me, but here? Everyone in the top ten was on the same level or even better than me, and I don''t want to lose to anyone here. As the old saying goes: When you reach for the stars, you might as well be reaching for the farthest thing out there. "But you shouldn''t be overconfident since arrogance can, and will be, everyone''s downfall." Yeah, I also know that already. But I don''t think I am overconfident, am I? I''m just testing my limits and judging how far I can go against the other top ten - especially against the other boy my age in the top 5. "You should also..." Are you my mum? While Chika continued rambling on, the more and more she resembled a mum caring and giving advice for her children when they succeed in something. Is this the part where she develops her maternal instincts for future needs? I hope Love is War''s canon continues even with my presence here; their scenes are funny and entertaining after all. And since I don''t remember everything, it would be nice to watch everything happen again in front of my eyes. "Uesugi-kun!" "Yep. I''ve heard you. Well, are you going back today, or are you going to stay for longer?" Chika clearly didn''t expect that I would use my "switch the conversation topic" technique and paused in her long-winded lecture. "Um...I haven''t decided yet. Though, I don''t think I will stay. After all," Chika faced me and said with a bright smile, "I decided to quit playing the piano already." ... "EH!?!?" ¡Þ Well, wasn''t that a surprise? I never expected her to quit so unexpectedly. Perhaps after realizing that she didn''t like the piano anymore after a while, but definitely not the very next day after Shinomiya told her to quit. Currently, I''m in my room thinking about the future. In my schedule, I would be free for the next five days to prepare for the dance. There is a class available for us to attend anytime during the next five days to prepare us for the dance party, including basic etiquette and dance. It is not compulsory for anyone, but we are recommended to attend if we didn''t know anything about formal parties and did not want to shame ourselves during the party. Still, I learn things fast, especially things related to memorizing, so I''m sure that the lessons that I will be attending would at most a day only, leaving me plenty of time to improve my piano skills as much as possible. But then again, I have a system and some excess proficiency points to spare, so... I really want to "cheat". I am so tempted to just pour all my points into the piano proficiency to max out the grandmaster proficiency, but there is the so-called "pride" within me... Bah, who on Earth would care about "pride"? Can it be eaten? Can it put food on the plate? Can it help you survive? Despite everything I said, I know myself the best. I may have talent in playing the piano, but it isn''t anything grand like everyone around me. Without the system, I can only say I''m the best at memorizing, but not at anything else. And since I was never a genius, to begin with, there would be no "pride of the genius" in me. "System! Put everything into the grandmaster piano proficiency!" Of course, I screamed internally. I''m not going to risk anyone thinking that I''m a mad man talking to myself in my own room in the middle of the night. [Adding 100 proficiency points...adding 100 proficiency points...adding 71 proficiency points...error. Level of grandmaster is capped at 1000 proficiency points.] "Excuse me? No one ever told me that?" [The grandmaster realm isn''t a realm just for that specific proficiency. For example, in this case, all your music-related proficiency has to be in the same realm such that they would be able to attain past 1000 proficiency points. Host, please do not forget this. The system might be a "cheat" for you, but you will need to have a firm foundation of your own as well. In this case, your theory in music is currently lacking for any further improvement.] Really? Sigh...I guess it''s not unreasonable. People do say that without a firm foundation, you would not be able to aim high. Without much choice, I asked the system to place 200 points in advanced music proficiency to make it to grandmaster before placing the remaining points in piano proficiency. [Master Music Proficiency (800/1,000) -> Grandmaster Music Proficiency (0/2,000)] [Grandmaster Piano Proficiency (729/2,000) -> Grandmaster Piano Proficiency (1849/2,000)] My original 1320 points have been completely spent. I can only hope it would be enough to win. That 2 million yen would allow our huge family to live a nicer life. ***************** A/N: Guess what? Charlotte made a new fanfic, without completing any of his past books. Ten books now, but not a single completed one. Truly expected of my idol. Oh, how I aim to be like him. But first, I have to make it to ~130 chapters before actually dropping it. Just kidding. For those who are complaining about the piano arc being boring, please leave lol. Don''t drop random comments that just kill my motivation to write. For those who complained, but with a good reason/explanation as to why you find it boring, and how I could change to write without being rude, thank you for constructive criticism. We need more people like you guys. If you have nothing good to say, you don''t have to comment on anything. Leave, and no one would miss you from here. As for those who have patiently waited for a chapter every week, and continued staying with me despite the boring chapters, thank you. This is slice-of-life fanfic, it''s supposed to be a little boring when there are no girls. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 7 chapters ahead~ Chapter 77 - Alternate Timeline 1: Childhood Friends [Writing on notebook] "Speech" ''Thoughts'' ¡¸Sign language¡¹ A/N: This Alternate Timeline might or might not play a role in the future, so make sure you read it, alright? Plus, I think you guys will enjoy it. ***************** It''s been nine years since Fuutarou last reincarnated into this world. Nine whole years. And the number of things that Fuutarou had done for these past few years was uncountable. Being a mere ordinary ?du?t in his past life and meeting God, Fuutarou was m?tur?, though he wasn''t very knowledgeable when it came to certain things. Sometimes, perhaps a Goddess would even accompany the "hero" down as part of his wish. But probably the most common gift of them all would be a system. But it wasn''t very complicated, unlike some other systems. A profile screen, a quest function, an inventory function that could only keep things that came from the system itself, a proficiency panel where he kept track of his proficiencies in various skills, and the most dreaded things in all universe - the gacha. Many things have happened after that, but Fuutarou didn''t give up and even managed to save his mother, changing the fate of the Uesugi Household. "Little Raiha..it''s time to wake up." Fuutarou shook Raiha as she wriggled about in her futon. Raiha was Fuutarou''s little sister, six years younger than Fuutarou. Raiha is a slim girl with long black hair, green eyes, with a simple bu??erfly-shaped ribbon holding up her hair in a high half ponytail in her usual attire. For now, though? Her hair was left untied, and it laid around the futon in a relatively even spread. "Onii-chan.. let me sleep a while more," Raiha sleepily muttered as she fell back asleep. ''Sigh, whatever am I going to do with you.'' Fuutarou thought as he tickled her body. "Wake up now, little Raiha. If not, you will miss breakfast.." Raiha immediately jumped out and went to wash up after hearing she would miss breakfast. Knowing that delicious breakfast was waiting for her, she ran around the house, preparing for her childcare center. Raiha grew up to be sensible despite being pampered and spoiled by everyone in the house, though she still acts her age. While Fuutarou''s mother does the household chores, Fuutarou would sometimes help as well. "Nii-san! Breakfast is ready!" Another female voice rang as Fuutarou headed down towards the dining area. "Alright! Thank you, Mizuha." He replied, and as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he came face to face with a cute girl with neck-length light brown hair and blue eyes. "No problem, nii-san!" Mizuha was the first little sister Fuutarou had gotten. She had a pretty sad background story where her parents died in a car accident, and she had nowhere to go. Being the kind soul he is and owing so many people debts, Fuutarou''s father decided to repay the favor of his dead friends by adopting Mizuha into the Uesugi household, where she lived happily till today. Fuutarou''s mother was first angered as she thought her husband had been cheating behind her and Mizuha was the secret love child between them, but fortunately, Fuutarou''s father was no beta main character and hurriedly pacified his wife before things could escalate. "Onii-chan!" After washing herself up, Raiha screamed as she came down the stairs, "Hurry up and prepare the food!!" She didn''t have to wait for longer than a minute when everything was prepared. She started to savor every bite of the breakfast that her mother, sister, and brother had made. It was a simple breakfast. The Uesugi''s were not very rich, but Isanari, Fuutarou''s father, worked hard enough to put three meals on the table every day for them. "Raiha-chan~ Why didn''t you ask me to cook for you? You don''t love me anymore?" Hanako, Fuutarou''s mother, was fake crying, letting fake tears roll down her cheeks. "Ah no, no no..." Raiha hurriedly comforted her, "It''s just that...onii-chan cooks better..." When Hanako heard that, she felt as though an arrow had pierced her heart. Her pride as a mother didn''t allow her to lose to her son in terms of wifey-power. "But I still love okaa-san the most!" Raiha smiled brightly, and it was so innocent that all mother, daughter, and son''s hearts melted. Hanako was about to say something back, but Raiha''s following statement just made her sit down and smile smugly at her son. Looking at his mother''s expression, Fuutarou just snorted and continued eating his breakfast. He did not bother to argue with his mother as he was a grown man (mentally, at least). It''s definitely not because he can''t win against her. Definitely not. As for Mizuha, she only smiled at Riaha''s cute behavior, internally thinking that she would work hard to be able to cook better food as well. After filling their bellies with food, Hanako washed their plates and left home together. But before they could start their journey, another female voice rang out. Turning towards the girl, they saw that she had straight, ?h?stnut-colored, medium-lengthed hair. She was Kuroha Shida, another of Fuutarou''s childhood friends he had known since he was a pre-schooler. More specifically, he had known her for 6 years since he first met her when they were three. "Good morning, auntie, Tarou-kun, Mizuha, Raiha-chan~." Kuroha greeted cheerfully. Unlike Mizuha, Kuroha was more active and outgoing, causing her to be more popular with others. Still, Mizuha was charming in her own right. "Morning, Kuro-chan. Going to school with us again?" "Yes!" "Alright, then." Hanako smiled as she gestured for Kuroha to join the crowd of children. "Sorry about that, Hanako." An older-sounding voice spoke as she walked towards them, pulling the other three girls along. Kuroha wasn''t alone. Beside her were an older woman and three other girls, all sporting similar features to the older woman. Kuroha was the oldest amongst the four siblings, with the second oldest two years younger than her and twins who were four years old occupying the youngest position. "It''s no problem. It''s a lot safer to travel in a bigger group anyway." Hanako smiled, "Plus, how many times have we done this already. You''re still feeling embarrassed about it?" Ginko, Kuroha''s mother, merely chuckled, "Of course not. But if I don''t do this, I''m gonna feel like I''m taking advantage of you, you know?" The two groups merged, now consisting of 7 children and two ?du?ts. It was certainly an unusual sight, but everyone living in the vicinity has already adapted to this sight in this neighborhood. After all, it wasn''t the first time it had happened. On the way to Raiha''s daycare center, their neighbors greeted them warmly. While Kuroha''s family lived on the left of the Uesugi household, the right was occupied by nobody. At least, until today. As the group passed by, they saw a family moving in next to Fuutarou. However, since they could only see the movers and not the actual family, they left after a short greeting to the workers. After dropping Raiha, Aoi, and Akane at their daycare center, Fuutarou, Mizuha, Kuroha, and Midori headed to school while their mothers returned home. "See ya later, Tarou-kun!" "See you later, nii-san." Unfortunately, they had to split ways after bidding each other farewell as they were all in different classes. Entering his class, everyone present immediately greeted him, though most returned to their conversation after some quick conversations with Fuutarou. "Good morning class, a transfer student is coming in today. Let us treat her warmly, alright? Allow her to introduce herself." The moment the teacher entered the class, he said to the class, motioning a young girl to walk in. She has light brownish hair, with a cute, longer-length bob-cut hairstyle with front bangs to her eyebrows, and side bangs falling just below her chin. She also has big, adorable eyes that are auburn in color, set in a round face with a slightly pointed chin. Usually, Fuutarou wouldn''t mind too much when a transfer student transferred in. But when she walked in, what caught his attention was the hearing aids in her ears. She took out a notepad and started writing on it. [Ohayou-gozaimasu! (Good morning!) Nice to meet you. My name is Nishimiya Shouko. Please treat me well!] She didn''t speak, but that apparently aroused the attention of everyone present, including Fuutarou. After introducing herself, the teacher guided her towards the empty desk next to Fuutarou. In this world where the ratio of male to female was skewed horrendously towards the female, only 6 people in the class of 30 are boys, including Fuutarou. [Hello! Nice to meet you. My name is Shouko!] She wrote on her miniature notepad, looking at Fuutarou with a bright smile planted on her face. ¡¸Hello, nice to meet you too. My name is Ue-su-gi Fuu-ta-rou.¡¹ But unlike what Shouko had expected, Fuutarou replied in sign language, which caused her to widen her eyes in surprise. One of the proficiency that Fuutarou had earned over the years was sign language proficiency. Proficiencies were divided into different grades. From lowest to highest, they were: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Master, Grandmaster, and Maximum. Fuutarou didn''t have a very high proficiency in sign language, but he could still converse with her to a certain extent. "Uesugi-kun, you will have plenty of time to talk to her after lunch. So please pay attention now as we are now going to begin our lesson." The teacher smacked his head lightly with a piece of paper as she said. Fuutarou only nodded and laughed it off as the class returned their attention to the front of the class. Perhaps Fuutarou wanted to change from the past him, but he was very popular with almost everyone as a charming and kind boy in a society of girls. Every day, he would be surrounded by girls and boys, and his new personality often made it hard for him to reject them. After all, they were not doing anything weird, right? Or perhaps, Fuutarou just wasn''t willing to go back to his old lifestyle and didn''t want to risk being alone if he had rejected them. Fuutarou was intelligent and hardworking, excelling in both sports and academics. One of the wishes that God had granted him was an eidetic memory that made it impossible for him to forget anything he had experienced. The system also played a part in helping him improve his skills and proficiency more quickly than other people. Of course, his own hard work and determination played a significant role as well. Talent without hard work would be nothing. Only with effort, no matter how minuscule, would talent bloom. Staying true to his personality, Fuutarou was not arrogant and treated everyone kindly, making him the most popular boy in school. While class occurred, Fuutarou thought about an anime from his previous life. "A Silent Voice" was a Japanese film starring Shouko as the main heroine. Fuutarou remembered her life being very harsh since young, making her m?tur? faster than others her age. She was bullied due to her disability, lost her grandmother, who was very kind to her, had a not-so-good relationship with her mother, and caused her younger sister to take up a creepy hobby just to help cheer her up. While Fuutarou wasn''t all that naive, he really hoped to help her somehow in this life. ''I will let her enjoy her childhood this life, not letting her suffer any hardships.'' Fuutarou resolved himself, ''And the first thing I need to do is to cure her deafness. I guess the senzu bean is coming out once again.'' Senzu beans were another item that Fuutarou had earned from one of his quest rewards. Unlike the Senzu beans that he knew and loved, it didn''t give unlimited energy or anything like that. It still healed injuries, but it also healed diseases and genetic diseases over a long period, something the original couldn''t do. It might take longer for the effects to fully occur, but the benefits outweighed the detriments by a considerable margin. And it was this bean that Fuutarou was relying on to cure Shouko. Perhaps it was in the heat of the moment, but Fuutarou didn''t really want Shouko to suffer. He had known her before he was even reborn, and she was one of his most loved anime characters. ***************** A/N: The alternate timeline Side Story (SS) is treated as a side project. The volume isn''t correlated to the timeline. Aka, childhood time for alternate could still be published under vol 2 instead of vol 1. The harem would differ slightly, and - never mind. You guys will find out more in due time. I realized that my chapters when I first started out writing were pathetically short. That being said, I don''t plan to remove and combine chapters.. Hope you will enjoy this alternate timeline series, perhaps even liking it more than the main timeline. Chapter 78 - 77: Lets Dance (I) And with that, life passed on quickly but productively. Usually, I would only practice the piano after school for one to two hours every day, but it shortened even further upon reaching junior high school. Sometimes, I don''t even practice for that day at all. This is not because I was lazy, but because I chose to spend more time with Shouko, Kaori, and my family. While playing the music can do the same, it is only for Shouko and Kaori, and I don''t want to make the same mistake as I did in my previous life. Of course, I know that my family would completely understand the choice I make. But call me paranoid or anything; I just don''t want to risk anything. Anyway, following my plan faithfully, I studied everything I needed to learn about the dance party and devoted the rest of my time to practicing the piano. I am happy to announce that I managed to gain one more proficiency point, hitting a lovely number of 1850 points. I only left the piano to eat, do my business in the toilet, and to sleep. Of course, the breaks I had between my practices were spent hanging out with Maruno and texting with Shouko and Kaori (mostly texting, though). Any good practice must have breaks in between. Otherwise, I would die from the stress even before the actual party started. And so, we fast forward to Sunday morning, where we would get everything finalized for the party. ***************** "Like usual, I look great," Maruno spoke as he adjusted his tie in front of the mirror. "And unlike usual, you''re self-praising," I continued, "What changed?" "Nothing. I just finally realized my charm..." Maruno spoke with a faraway gaze into the distance, acting all melancholically. "Tch...narcissist." Though, I really cannot deny his looks. For someone who lived with the Grandblue crew, his looks do stand out. Everyone there is overly-muscly and n?k?d, while Maruno was the rare type who did not have a bodybuilder built. "That''s the last thing I want to hear from you." I''m not a narcissist, am I? I don''t think I ever looked into the mirror and said, "How amazingly perfect is this picture of me. How utterly dreadful that this would not last. Perhaps I should paint a picture of myself in all of my glory so that my beauty can be eternally appreciated by everyone." Yep, never done that in my life. "Anyway, come to think of it, I have never asked you this before. Do you have a girlfriend?" Maruno nodded. "And you still aim for other girls? Oh, wait, never mind." This isn''t an ordinary society anymore. And I''m the last person who should be stopping Maruno from aiming to get more girlfriends. "Beauty appreciation is different from love, you little brat. I look at other girls to admire their beauty, but I still love my girlfriend the fourth most." "And your parents and sibling come first?" "No, my parents and my dog. A dog is a man''s best friend, and I''m choosing my dog over my girlfriend anytime the choice would come up." Damn, this dude...other people would willingly give up everything for a girlfriend, and Maruno would ditch his girlfriend if he had to choose between a dog and a girl. "Respectable, but unrelatable. Come on, stop adjusting your tie already. We''re going to be late for the dance." "I see that someone is excited about the dance~." "I''m not sure about that. I just don''t like to be late." "Such a tsundere." "Don''t," I turned to face him as we walked out of my room, "Ever call me that. Only a few selected people can do that. And another man is certainly not one of them." "Fine, fine." When we arrived in front of the ballroom, I only had one thought. It was pretty overwhelming. In the span of a few days, this whole place got a complete makeover. During our previous performance, while the hall was furnished such that it looks just decent enough to gather all the high-class people, it''s now a place fit for royalty. The pure white curtains and table cloth that brightened up the place, the golden chandelier that glistened under the light of its own flames, the hundreds of clear wine glasses stacked perfectly on top of one another. The tables were moved such that the center was empty and devoid of things, making it easy for everyone to dance. "Phew...ain''t this grand?" "Yep. They really wanted this party to be the best, huh?" In front of the hall, Maruno and I commented. We weren''t the first; there were already people present, though none of them had the same (momentary) awe I had. I guess all those rich people are used to things like this. The bustling whisper gradually cooled down as we entered the room. It was still early, and there was plenty of waiters/butlers/whatever-they-are-called roaming around, ensuring that everything was where it is supposed to be. We didn''t have to wait for long, however, before Shirokusa arrived. "I see all...most of you are early." Shirokusa corrected herself as she estimated the number of us to be less than what it was supposed to be, "All of you may take a seat first before we begin." "At the side, of course." As we were going to sit down on the chairs around the tables, Shirokusa suddenly spoke once more, pointing to the seats at the sides. "Oh, except for some of you, where you can sit with your family in the middle. You know who you are." Oi, I sense discrimination here. I demand equality! "Life is unfair; get used to it. Besides, sitting at the side isn''t all that bad. At least you have to wall to talk to." ...I really cannot understand Shirokusa''s thought process. She''s just so...random and...weird. Who on Earth would choose to talk to a wall when there are people around?! Even loners and introverts would decide to talk to a book than to talk to a wall. Are we getting punished or something? ¡Þ The sun began setting, but it didn''t represent the end of the day. It was the opposite; in fact, it signified the start. Guests began to stream in, and this time, instead of a pianist, I attended as a guest. There were some people that I had already seen before, and there were some new faces. For example, Chika''s parents and uncle, the right minister of Japan, are present here. There was also the current president of the USA, Barack Obama, and his wife. There were even some famous artists such as Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Interesting...this party is just literally the most random mish-mash...thingy I''ve seen so far. I didn''t really care, though. After all, it wasn''t my decision to invite these people anyway. And I guess whoever''s the real boss behind all of this (probably Akira) is just that random as well. At around 8, the party started after Shirokusa gave an opening speech. The music started, and everyone just started to socialize. What should I do first, though? Maruno had already ditched me and went to some ladies to ask for a dance. And without any issue, with his personality hidden beneath his appearance, he got a dance easily. Tch...due to my age (and height), I could only dance with a limited group of girls. Basically, lolis. "Uesugi-kun! Wanna dance?" Turning my head to the side, Chika said with her hands raised out towards me, "You''re the only boy I know here that I can dance with." "The last part was unneeded. But sure." "Just asking, you do know how to dance, right?" "Well, even if I don''t, you''re going to need practice on teaching people how to dance for the future." "Huh?" "Nothing. Let''s go." Taking her hand, we walked out towards the center, where a few pairs were already dancing. My left hand grasped Chika''s right, while my right hand arrived on her back. Chika''s left hand was on my shoulder. This was the basic posture(?) for the dance. And as the music continued, both of us waited until a certain point before entering the dance. We were both musicians; it was easy for us to know when a good time was to come in. "You only took the lesson this week, right? You didn''t know how to dance at all before this, right?" Chika asked as we slowly waltzed. "Yep. It isn''t too hard for a regular dance like this." I had the basic footwork and moves down, so while Chika might be a better dancer than me, I could at least lead without embarrassing myself. "You''re doing really well." Chika was currently wearing a dress that accentuated her pink hair and bright blue eyes. The dress ended just slightly above the knees and exposed her slender arms. She was still young, but she was a beauty in progress for sure. "Come to think of it, you''re addressing me really casually, huh?" "Is that a problem?" "Not exactly," I shrugged mentally, "And I prefer it this way." I don''t really mind anyone using informal language with me. Formal language is just a pain in the bu?? for me. "With that, you can also drop the honorifics with me." "Alright, Fujiwara." While we continued dancing, I might have just lost my lead and let Fujiwara lead me instead. And because of that, we were doing a lot better since it was easier for me to just follow Fujiwara''s pace. Since all we were doing is just repeating a particular routine with a few variations here and there, I could basically easily follow her after a while. "You really are talented, aren''t you?" I could only smile at her words as something rang in my mind. [Congratulations, host. Basic Dance Proficiency (0/100) gained.] With every twirl, every bend, every move, I could feel the proficiency going up at a fast pace. And by the end of the song, I had already gained 55 proficiency points. As the song ended, Chika pulled me close towards her as we were put in our final position. A round of applause could be heard as I noticed the ?du?ts all staring at us. Chika felt no embarrassment and just smiled brightly. Urgh...this untainted innocence... "Thank you for the dance, Fujiwara. I enjoyed it a lot." I bowed slightly as I said. "The same goes for me. Thanks," Chika lifted her skirt slightly and did a curtsy. "Chika-chan, daddy is proud of you. And you are Uesugi-kun, is it?" Another man came up to us and spoke. He had a pair of wayfarer-style glasses and has a slick gelled hairstyle, and beside him was a woman with shoulder-length pink-colored hair that has bangs over her eyebrows and light-colored eyes. If I''m not wrong, they should be Chika''s parents? "Yes, my name is Uesugi Fuutarou. Good evening, Fujiwara-san." "Hm..." The man just stared at me, but with his eyes hidden behind his glasses, I cannot tell his mood. "My daughter is too young now. Try again when you''re older." If I had a drink, I would have spat it out in surprise. But before I could say a word in reply, the man turned towards his Chika and bowed down like a gentleman, "Chika-chan, may daddy have this dance?" Chika merely giggled and took her father''s hand, moving towards the center to dance with her father. Looking at the father-daughter duo, the woman smiled warmly. "Uesugi-kun, my daughter is precious to me. So if I find out that the reason she quit the piano was to spend time with you, I''ll never forgive you." "You''re misunderstanding something, Fujiwara-san. Your daughter quit the piano because she didn''t enjoy it anymore. Nothing more, nothing less." I looked right into her eyes and spoke. The woman stared back for a moment before eventually letting out a sigh, "Sigh...my daughter is really talented in the piano, and that was the only reason why I forced her to play the piano. But if she doesn''t like it anymore, then it''ll be up to her. Still, if she becomes sad in the future, the first person I''ll look for is you." Oi! To begin with, we''re not like that, so why are you asking me to shoulder any responsibilities?! Oi! But the woman didn''t manage to hear my inner monologue as she walked away to join the rest of her friends. "You seem like a very interesting boy. How about having me as your partner next?" ***************** A/N: If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 79 - 78: Lets Dance (II) "You seem like a very interesting boy. How about having me as your partner next?" The person who spoke was a young girl with sparkling purple eyes. She wore a blue dress similar to that of Chika''s. She wears her golden-blond hair with a blue ribbon on her hair and a braid on her left side. She gives off the impression of an "ojou-sama", and her rather pompous tone when speaking with me shows her pride. "And you are?" "Oh, forgive me. My name is Kunitachi Rinka, from the proud line of the Kunitachi family." Kunitachi family...? I''ve never heard of it before. But of course, I didn''t say that to her face. I''ll probably search it up later, but for now... "I see...you probably already know my name, but I am Uesugi Fuutarou." "Indeed you are. I just wanted to say it was an impressive play you did a few days ago. And I thank you for the eye-opening experience." "You''re welcome." Rinka smiled and raised her hand towards me, "So? If you''re worried about your ability to dance, then perhaps I can lead you instead." "Didn''t you see me lead just now?" Taking her hand, I got into position and started swaying to the music, "I''ll gladly accept a dance from you." The music started picking up its pace, and I can say that I''m pretty good at this for a beginner who only started this a few days before. I don''t know how long Kunitachi had been dancing for, but... "You''re pretty good at this, Kunitachi-san." I complimented as we continued dancing, "You must be an expert at this." Honestly, for a girl the same age as me to be good at dancing, she must have started practicing from a young age, and that, by itself, was already admirable enough. Kunitachi chuckled with a light blush on her cheeks, accentuating her fair skin and brilliant purple eyes, "I''m only getting started." As though she had paid the musician to do this, the music immediately changed in style. From an ordinary waltz to a much faster-paced tango, Kunitachi''s posture changed as well. Our hands are usually connected to each other near our shoulder area. But after the music changed, how hands were now raised as Kunitachi gallantly tangoed across the ballroom. "Oh, my..." Her current deposition didn''t suit her image as she leaned back with my hand behind her waist, supporting her. After which, she immediately went back to her previous position. And due to her momentum, her face ended up much closer to mine than expected. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her dance and "dominating" me at the same time. Halfway through this entire sequence, it just somehow ended with her taking the lead instead. I don''t know if I''m supposed to feel ashamed that a girl is leading me, but I wasn''t born in nobility or a high-class family, so their pride and stuff don''t matter much to me. Plus, I don''t really mind Kunitachi leading. She''s a lot more daring than me when it comes to dancing; that much I could tell from just one dance with her. During the training, I also learned how to tango. But it wasn''t as exaggerated as what Kunitachi was doing right now. We did a spin, or at least, Kunitachi forced me to spin her before coming together again. And at this point was where her boldness truly showed. Her right leg lifted up and wrapped around my own legs as she clung to my body as close as possible. Due to the dress she was wearing, while I might not see any private areas, I could undoubtedly spot some...thighs. It''s not my fetish! Let me repeat, it''s not my fetish to look at some 13-year-old girl''s th??h, but... It''s nice. Moving on! I might not mind getting led, but sometimes, it''s more fun when it''s a competition. I might not have sufficient dance skills, but my reaction time and instincts are more than enough to make up for it. If it''s a more complicated dance, it won''t work. But if it''s just faster... [Congratulations! Basic Dance Proficiency -> Intermediate Dance Proficiency (0/300) Due to high compatibility with the current partner who has much higher proficiency in dancing than you, the proficiency points gained is multiplied by 1.5x.] That sure helps a lot! I heard about the Dolphin Tango from the Tango instructor, but not everyone could do it since it requires precise steps and a solid lead. I wished I could do it, but life isn''t fanfiction. The author can''t just randomly add anything he wants to me without caring about the consequences. But! Watching those videos, I could roughly guess the intention behind Dolphin Tango. With skillful steps like a dolphin, the lead would cause his partner to dance elegantly like a queen. Dolphin Tango is described to be the ideal way to lead a dance, steering the girl as one pleases. Long story short, make the girl feel like a queen. Wasn''t it easy? Apparently not. It''s a lot harder than it sounds, but giving it a try never hurts. "Be careful. I''m trying to make you a queen." I whispered to Kunitachi as our faces got close to each other once more. "Huh?" For the first time since I met her, her smile disappeared, replaced by a look of confusion and some...anticipation? I guess no one hates being treated like a queen. Now, it was my turn to bribe the musicians. As soon we recovered to our original Tango position, the music sped up even more. The best way to treat a queen in dance was to focus the attention on her instead. Taking some inspiration from the video of Dolphin Tango, I spun her around and grabbed her waist from behind. I spun her around twice more, returning to our original position as we faced each other. "This is the...legendary Dolphin Tango?!" "Nope~." I replied to her shock, "It''s just a cheap knock-off of it. I b?r?ly started learning how to dance a few days ago, and you want me to dance a legendary dance? I''m flattered, but I''m not that talented." "Spin~," I whispered to Kunitachi. "Huh?" I thought Kunitachi would be happy, but...instead, a competitive light just appeared in her eyes. Well, well, well... The music remained at the same tempo, but Kunitachi seemed to want to dance faster. And faster. And faster. Honestly, at this point, I''m just purely relying on instincts and reaction time to react to the lead that Kunitachi stole back from my hands. But everything was still under control. Until that is, Kunitachi tripped. ¡Þ "Phew...this is more tiring than I expected," I muttered as I took a sip of the fruit punch available. "Of course," Kunitachi said, "Don''t look down on dancing. It might look easy and classy, but it''s still a type of sport in the end." I just smiled at her sentence. "Still...did you really just learned how to dance a few days ago?" "Yes." "I see..." Kunitachi seemed a bit bitter. "What''s wrong? Are you bitter about the fact that I''m as good as you at dancing despite being trained from a young age?" "Y-You..." Kunitachi was surprised before smiling bitterly, "You''re really tactless, you know, Uesugi-kun? Don''t you know how to treat a lady with gentleness?" "I literally treated you like a queen just now." "And I almost embarrassed myself if not for you," Kunitachi said, "Thank you." "It''s not a big deal." Taking another sip of the punch, I continued, "For both the incident and the dance itself." "The dance itself? What are you talking about?" "As you said, dancing is a sport. And like any other sport, your physique matters as much as your skills. I might seem to be as good as you, but your skills are definitely better." "Doesn''t seem like it, though." "Just look at your achievements then. First, you managed to wrestle the lead from me numerous times. Second, you managed to keep up with me despite a much frailer body. Third, I might have helped you a bit with the last part, but if not for your elegance, it still wouldn''t end up looking as nice as it did." During the last part, Kunitachi tripped and fell backward. Instinctively, I stepped forward and hugged her waist to prevent her from falling. But it was her own achievement that she managed to turn her mistake into something nice and pleasing to the eyes. It also acted as our final pose as the music ended, earning ourselves a round of applause from the watching audiences. "I-Is that so..." Kunitachi looked slightly surprised at my words before eventually stuttering out, "T-Thank you, then..." "Still, that was a nice dance." "Y-Yes." "Thank you for the dance, Kunitachi-san. Now, I have to meet with my guardian." "You''re leaving already?" "Nope. I will be here until the end of the party. Perhaps you''ll like another dance later on?" I gave a small smile as I asked. Kunitachi brightened up at my proposal and nodded her head, "Yes, that would be lovely." "Well, see you later." Bidding Kunitachi farewell (temporarily), I walked towards the lonely Maruno who was at the side drinking, well...alone. "Yo! Aren''t you way too lonely?" Maruno turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow, "If you''re coming here to find me, then aren''t you in the same boat as me?" "Huh? My girlfriends prohibited me from getting close to another girl (lie), so I decided not to dance (lie). I''ve been spending my time getting some food and those delicious fruit punch (lie)." I said. "I''ve never met someone whose words were made up of complete lies. Even professional liars have at least one truth mixed within their words." Are there such things as professional liars? If so, damn. Imagine making a living by lying. I mean, that''s how criminals survive and all, but...damn. "Just kidding. I''ve been dancing with Fujiwara-san and Kunitachi-san. What about you? Does your girlfriend allow you to..." "Nah. I only danced for the sake of dancing. Plus, some of my dance partners are rich enough to sponsor me a few things, so I wanna get on their good side." Tsk, tsk, tsk. The cruel side of ?du?t life. Even something as simple as dancing must turn into a political war, affluence war, and sponsorship war. A kid like me doesn''t need anything...or do I? I mean, I''ve danced with Kunitachi and Fujiwara, both of whom were considered high-class even amongst the high-class guests here. And both of them were Japanese, making it easier for us to connect. "Good evening, guests from afar. I hope you have been enjoying the ball so far." Shirokusa Kachi, the emcee for almost everything that happened over the two weeks, spoke. Hearing the positive response from the audience, her cold face let out a small smile for a moment before returning back to her usual impassive face, "Great! Now, we mustn''t forget about the whole purpose of this ball in the first place, which was to decide on the theme of our final competition to decide who would be the best pianist in the world." "Now, let us invite Yamamoto-sama to decide on a random topic that he most probably is just thinking of right now." Despite that underlining insult, everybody just laughed, Akira included as he walked up to receive the microphone from Shirokusa. "Thank you, Shirokusa-san. Now, I announce! The next theme I would like to hear is..." "Anime!" ***************** A/N: Just hypothetically speaking, if Fuutarou were to go to another world, would you guys be interested in that? If so, do you want to make it a long arc (>20 chapters) or a short one (<20 chapters)? I can''t guarantee it would be super, super interesting, but I can guarantee it would be a fresh change of pace. Please comment lol~. Good news for all of you readers. My holiday officially started, so I''m praying and hoping that I will be able to write more. I didn''t write a single chapter this week and I''m feeling refreshed. Updates will become more frequent (hopefully, but don''t set your expectations too high), and maybe I''ll finally start rewriting the Douluo fanfic. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 80 - 79: Creating an Anime Song "Anime!" Anime! My long-lost weeb inside me is rising up once more. It''s not as though my interest in anime has died down after reincarnating. But living in this world filled with characters from my previous life''s anime makes this all feel like an anime itself. I love anime, but apart from one studio that produces good anime, everything else that existed here is just shit. Or, if you want to put it nicely, it''s not really up to standard compared to my previous life''s anime. Studio Ghibli exists here, and it''s still one of the top studios to produces various short films, films, and anime for Japan. I mean, how do you think Akira was so rich and influential? Of course, there are other studios, like the one who produced "A Silent Voice", the movie Shouko and I watched during our date. But movies on that level were rare. Most anime was mediocre in both plot and graphics. Maybe that''s one way to get rich fast, I guess. But it''s such a pain in the ?ss to just sit down and write/draw all day long. [A/N: Me now.] Anyway, I wasn''t the only one who reacted to Akira''s words. Some were considerably more...reactive to Akira''s words, while some just completely blanked out. They must not know what anime is. Tsk...they are not people of culture. "You see, I''ve been wanting to create an anime for a long time now, but to no avail. With my older age, my inspirations get lesser and lesser." Akira sighed sadly, "So, I will need all of your help. Come up with the best original anime song you know, and I''ll make an anime based on your song." Mutterings and mumbles could be heard around, though it was significantly more apparent near areas where the top 10 members are, except for me, that is. Why? Simply because this competition wasn''t fair, to begin with. Anime might have spread to other countries, but it still originated from Japan. Copies can never surpass their originals, so how could foreigners compete against the two Japanese in the top ten? They might produce better music, but if it didn''t fit into the theme of "anime", then it would still be judged as "bad" no matter how good it would be if introduced to the world. Akira raised a hand, and the hall instantly quietened down. I can''t help but be impressed. This was the mark of a true leader and influencer - with just one hand, you could silence everyone. "Relax. I might say ''anime'', but the more appropriate term for foreigners to describe would be a ''movie'' like your Marv*l or ''cartoon''. Of course, it would be best if you could create a Japanese song since I''m Japanese, but I wouldn''t judge you down because it''s from the wrong country. That''s racist~." Hearing Akira''s clarification, the top ten sighed in relief. It would be easier for them to compete now, but it didn''t change anything for me. This is my territory. And I refuse to lose in my own turf. Try as Akira might, humans are innately biased, and it''s tough to completely eliminate his biasedness. To begin with, Akira is creating an anime. And even if he promised to use the best music out of all of us, would it really be popular amongst the primary audience, the Japanese, if a foreign type of song appears? That''s why I''m refusing to lose this battle. It''s luck for sure, but I say luck is part of one''s skills. "Well, if you have any other questions, you can come forward and ask me or any of the judges present personally. If there is nothing else, all of you may continue dancing." Akira waved and went back down the stage, and the cheers sounded once more before the music restarted. Cheers for what, though? I don''t know. Humans are strange creatures. "Hm, I worry for you know." Maruno patted my shoulder as he shook his head, "I don''t know whether you watch anime or not..." "You don''t have to worry about that. My music will be perfection." Maruno seemed surprised at my confidence before he started laughing again, "Hahaha, good. Confidence is always nice to have. Just don''t get too confident, okay? The other Japanese dude is also pretty good at composing." The "other Japanese dude" Maruno referred to was the man in the sixth position, Hiroyuki Sawano. Hiroyuki Sawano is famous for his various anime pieces in this world, but while many of them were pretty good compared to other anime songs, they didn''t compare to my previous life''s songs. Still, I''m wary of him. I may not idolize him, but it can''t be denied that he''s a good composer and pianist. "Yeah, Hiroyuki Sawano. I know him, not personally, of course." I replied, "He''s a famous composer, but I don''t plan to lose now that I reached here." Maruno merely looked at me and shrugged, "Well, good luck then. I''ll be cheering you on." "Thanks." Now, to gain even further advantage, let''s personally chat with Akira. He may be a pervert and annoying old man he may be, but he''s still a judge that I need to impress in the end. After talking to him, I would probably get a headache, but I can look forward to dancing after this ordeal. ¡Þ The following week will be hectic. Most guests continued staying wherever they were staying, and the competitors and the audience didn''t meet much at all. We were all trying to compose an original song to play for the final competition. But now that I had a system, I won''t be satisfied with just tenth anymore. Is it greedy? Yes. Greed might be a sin, but greed is also one of the reasons why humans were able to progress so much in so little time. Greed for knowledge, greed to turn imagination into reality, greed to satisfy their d?s?r?s...in fact, the disease that caused the population of boys to drop sharply resulted from greed for girlfriends by a bunch of wackos. All this greed allowed us to achieve the previously thought impossible things. Look where we are right now. It might not be the best place, but it certainly is getting better and better. Anyway! I''m trying to recreate some of the top hits from my previous worlds. I could only remember some of the more famous ones, but I''m trying to merge them all into one even better song. [A/N: Just to clarify, MC''s eidetic memory only works from this life onwards. The memories of his previous life are slowly starting to haze and fade away unless MC keeps thinking about them and uses his eidetic memory to start remembering all those things again.] Tokyo Ghoul OP, Jujutsen Kaisen OP, Angel Beats OP, Steins; Gate, Kimi no Na Wa, and more... Of course, I can''t possibly mix and mash all of them into one piece. The songs all had different emotions and feelings flowing through them. So while others were struggling to compose a piece from scratch, my problems included trying to find the songs from my memories and trying to piece them together in a way so that they would work. I know my limits, and I don''t plan to add more than 3 songs into one piece. Of course, while 1 might be the most optimum and safest choice, a 2-songs mash-up would also sound pretty nice (I hope). Let''s see what I can do, then... ???? Sugar, spice, and everything nice These were the ingredients chosen, To create the perfect little song. But Professor Fuutarou accidentally, Added an extra ingredient to the concoction-- Chemical X Using its ultra-super powers Romance? Action? Harem? What sort of anime should Fuutarou''s song create? But it will definitely be the best, that''s for sure. ???? Hmm...it seems like The Powerpuff Girls opening isn''t suitable to be hummed. It sounds absolutely garbage, especially with my impromptu improvisation of the lyrics. But then again, creating the lyrics isn''t my job~. The first thing I should probably decide on is the theme. Each theme would portray a different sort of emotion, with some exceptions here and there. Romance plus comedy plus harem? Some light-hearted tune that would express their daily lives would be the best. Romance, but on a focusing more on the emotional aspects of relationships? Some heavier and moodier themes would emphasize the fragility of relationships and enhance the drama present. Action? This was the easiest. Some pop music to be the base, and modify it according to the type of action. For a more light-hearted action anime, some upbeat pop would be nice, whereas, for a more dark-themed action anime, some heavy pop would be better. These three to four genres are what I planned to narrow my options from. Most popular anime falls into these three to four categories anyway. Now that I know what to choose from, the next part would be to understand what appealed to the current audience the most. The ball and dance allowed me to know just that as it gave me plenty of opportunities to ask. Even if I didn''t get the opportunity to ask, I would probably be able to guess the general idea anyway. Most of the audience came in either a pair or in groups of three. They might be fierce businessmen or politicians, but in a place where their influence or position doesn''t matter much, their decision to vote is mainly based on their wives'' or children''s decisions. Most of the children who came were girls, and most Shoujo or Josei-themed anime mainly focused on a more emotional romance. Of course, there might be some exceptions, but the questions I was able to ask the various guests allowed me to remove those exceptions. So? While the action genre is not entirely out yet, it also cannot be the main focus. Perhaps I could mix a heavy pop with a heavy emotional song instead? It''s a slight misconception that merging songs were complex. Honestly, it wasn''t hard to combine songs together if you knew how to play the pieces separately and both were in the same key. Of course, the more songs you try to integrate together, the harder it will be. But that''s not my focus now. I have some ideas, but nothing beats actually playing the song to test out my music... ¡Þ And so, time continued to fly past as we all readied our final piece. The first four days were to create the song from scratch, while the next two days were for us to play for some mock audience and take a sneak peek of their reactions to their songs and improve accordingly. They allowed us to do this for two reasons. One, so that they would know what to expect, and two, to have a song at a qualified level to play for the audience. After all, no one came here to listen to some self-created music that might sound nice to the creator but absolute garbage to the audience. Wouldn''t it be embarrassing? Maruno wouldn''t stop giving me praises, and while I thought my face to be thick, it (apparently) wasn''t thick enough to withstand his constant barrage of compliments. "You''ll do fine, Uesugi." Maruno adjusted his tie in front of the mirror as he spoke, "I believe in you and your song. I really hope your song gets chosen; I can''t wait to see the anime with your theme song on it." "Never knew you to be an anime-watcher." "I usually don''t have the time to watch it, so I was never really interested in it. But if it''s yours, then I''ll always have time to spare." And it''s always these sort of stirring things that he could utter with a straight face that makes me embarrassed... ***************** A/N: Fuutarou doesn''t know that he''s the same type of person as Maruno. I know it''s slow, that''s why I''m trying to write and publish as much as I can during the holidays. Thus, as promised, here is another chapter. It''s not daily updates, but it''s something. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 81 - 80: Pre-Competition "Alright, alright, I get it." I hurriedly interrupted his"passionate" speech before he could sprout more embarrassing things, "Please stop saying such things..." "Hoh? Getting embarrassed, are we now, Uesugi?" "Ahem...not really. I just don''t have the thickness of your skin to hear your sappy words. Besides, I prefer to prove using my actions instead of just words." Maruno smiled and patted my shoulder before leaving the room. "Very well, then. I''ll be leaving now to meet with Suzuki-san at the audiences'' seats. Good luck! I, no, we believe in you." Maruno spoke before he closed the door. "...Thank you." It feels great when you know that people are supporting your actions. It makes you feel as though you would have all the power in the world to do even the impossible. Maruno might have contributed a bit with his feelings, but I know that most of my motivation mainly came from home. My father, my mother, Yaeko, my sisters, Shouko and Kaori. They were all equally important, and he wanted to make them proud to have him as an older brother, a son, or a lover. Well, it''s time for the show to begin. Hopefully, I can finish this arc by the next chapter. ¡Þ We didn''t head towards the ballroom today. Instead, we took a ride on the personal cars prepared for us and headed towards an actual hall. The driver was someone unexpected - it was the driver who had driven Suzuki, Maruno, and me to the Kyoto airport for my preliminaries. "Good morning, Uesugi-kun. It''s lovely to meet the piano prodigy once more." The driver tilted his hat(?) and warmly smiled at me. "Driver-san! You''re here!" "Indeed I am. It seems like fate is with us..." The driver spoke as he started driving, following behind the line of identical cars to us. That just sounds really chuuni for some reason, but let''s not comment on that. "I''m glad to see you again. Did you know that you were going to drive for the international competitors? Besides, aren''t you just an ordinary driver back in Japan?" "As the Chinese say, when the master rises to heaven, the chicken, monkey, and dogs follow along with their master. I may be an ordinary driver, but my connections are nothing to scoff at." Was there such a saying? Plus, if you really had those connections, why are you still a driver? Wouldn''t someone with that much connection to land a job here be able to do something more? I''m not saying that being a driver is a lowly job or anything, but why would anyone choose to drive people around when they could be sitting at home making a shit ton of money with a wife by your side? "I just enjoy driving; it allows me to see different sights. Like my current situation now." The driver, as though able to read my thoughts, spoke, "Of course, I could have chosen to go with boats or planes, but driving allows me to feel ''real'' when interacting with the people in my surrounding." Hmm...that sounds deep. I don''t understand, but sure. It''s Driver-san''s life, after all. I was just curious with no other intentions behind my questions. As we continued chatting, the different roman sights flashed past us, the buildings slowly getting fancier and fancier until we stopped, where a magnificent round building appeared in front of our eyes. "We have arrived, Uesugi-kun." The driver said. "Oh, thank you for the ride." "It''s my job." I was about to alight from the car before I stopped. "By the way, if you don''t mind me asking, what is your name?" This question has bothered me for some time before in Kyoto, but he never revealed it to me, saying that we''ll meet again if "fate allows". But now that we did meet again, I''ll not waste this chance. "Ah, you''ve asked me that before, didn''t you? Well, my name is..." ¡Þ As expected of the international stage, it was nothing like the one in Tokyo. I mean, the general aesthetics are similar, but the overall "atmosphere" just feels...grander than the one in Tokyo. It''s just pure feelings and no objective evaluation, but yeah. The very front of the hall was an empty stage with a piano, a piano seat, and a microphone. While having a simple design, the ceiling looked amazing, especially when it''s lights out, and it glows a nice starry-night-sky look. There were a few VIP corners, one near the front on the right side, enclosed by a room with personal curtains, and two VIP rows near the top on both sides. [Image here->] Too bad I''ll not be able to sit here since I''ll be backstage the whole time. After having a quick glimpse of the audience hall, we, the ten competitors, left to prepare ourselves. Unlike the regular competition, we had a lot more things to do. Changing clothes was just the minimum. The organization''s "preparation" included a balanced meal, an entire shower, and washover, an hour-long massage, changing our clothes, styling our hair, and wearing light make-up with the help of professional stylists. Everything about us must be perfect. We must smell good, look good, speak good, and play well. As to why we needed to smell good despite us not interacting with anyone apart from the other nine competitors, don''t ask me that - the quirks of a prominent organization and the wealthy were not to be fathomed. By the time everything was "prepared" finished, it was already close to 5pm. And damn, the "preparation" was much more tiring than I thought it would be. Never thought a bubble bath would be stressful. By the time we entered backstage, five rooms were prepared for us, two per room to relax. I got paired up with Hiroyuki Sawano, the sixth-placed dude. Whether it was a coincidence or not, I''m glad that I had at least a Japanese person to talk to. I''m not racist, but anyone would be more comfortable speaking to someone from the same country. "Uesugi Fuutarou. I believe this is the first time we are having an actual conversation?" Sawano looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "Hiroyuki Sawano. You surprised me." "Hm?" "Actually, your very appearance surprised everyone present. But the other boy...is much scarier than you." Sawano said. "It''s true that he''s good at piano. But we still don''t know anything about his ability to compose and create music pieces. For all we know, he could be good at playing the piano." "Positive, huh?" "Of course," I smiled, "What''s the use of being pessimistic? Might as well diss everyone before the competition, and just maybe the goddess of luck would curse my target." Hiroyuki Sawano is a man in his twenties with the usual Japanese features - black hair, black eyes, and an average-looking face. Well, it might not be the regular now since this world was filled with plenty of people with colored hair. His face seems rather blank, and if he grew older, he would look like the typical old uncle at a countryside sweet shop. "I see. Good luck, then. Let''s pray that the other countries don''t start creating better anime songs than us Japanese." Sawano smirked as he adjusted his hair. While Akira said he didn''t mind Western-type songs, it would still be embarrassing for us to put a Western piece for the opening of a Japanese anime. "Yep~. Good luck to you as well~!" The waiting room fell into a peaceful silence afterward. The waiting room was, like everything else that I have experienced today, luxurious. Two comfy sofas at each side, with a dressing room and a complete wardrobe for each of us. The room was spacious and well-lighted, and the white paint only made the room look bigger than it actually is. The television hanging on the ceiling in the middle of the room allowed both of us to watch the whole competition live. Yes. Live. This competition is broadcast live, so if anyone messed up their original song...well, let''s just say you''re going to be humiliated across the world. My headphones were turned on as I listened to my own playing and trying to see if there was any improvement I could try to make last minute. It''s probably not a good idea, but I had to get my mind to focus on something; to distract me from the actual thing. We were not rushing for time. We didn''t have to end this competition within an hour or so. But being the first one to perform, I didn''t have much of a choice to wait. The first to play was neither a very good nor terrible place to be at. At the very least, there would be less pressure than being the last, where you were expected to be the best since the saying goes, "Save the best for the last". It might not be accurate, but people often subconsciously think that way. Being the first allows me to have no comparison to judge whether my song was good or bad, so, at the very least, I didn''t have to endure criticism on the spot. All''s fair in love and war. Even if I have to screw others over indirectly by playing very well, I won''t give them a chance. "Knock, knock." "Who''s there?" "Says." "Says who?" "Says me, that''s who." I opened the door and left after keeping my headphones into the wardrobe and bidding Sawano a temporary goodbye. No one mentioned the (horrible) joke, and things proceeded normally. The hallways weren''t long, but it seemed as though it took forever for me to see the other end. And when I finally did, I didn''t even get a chance to catch. "And let us present, number 10, Ususegi Fuutarou, coming from Japan, Shikoku region." The exact words were repeated once more in several languages, including English, Mandarin, French, and a few more. As I went on stage, strangely enough, my nerves calmed down. As bright as I saw the audience seats were before, it was now pitch-black, with only the light from the bottom of the seats illuminating the ground. Contrary to the audience seats, the entire stage was lit up. In front of the piano was a person with a microphone in her hand. "Good evening, Uesugi." "Good evening." No one told me anything about speaking on stage. "Can you introduce your song and the show you wish to be created with your song as the theme?" Oh, so it''s for this. Well, it makes sense, but I still don''t like that I''m replying without much thought beforehand. "Etto...I still don''t have a name for it yet, but today, I''m playing a song that combines the emotional elements with a sub-genre of action and romance." "Oh, an emotional anime mixed with action and romance? I understand the romance part, but emotional action, huh?" "Yes." "That''s a new type, but we all look forward to your performance." The woman announced as she shook my hand and whispered, "Good luck." The woman winked before turning around and leaving the stage at the same time the lights went out. Hearing the audience clap in the dark, I understood that it was my cue to prepare myself at the piano. I hurriedly sat down on the seat provided and adjusted the height just in time for the lights to turn back on again. Only this time, it was concentrated on me alone, a spotlight, so to speak. Honestly, the feeling was amazing on stage. I might have said this before, but I''ll repeat it. The thrill on stage, especially on a stage as grand as this where everyone in the music world is watching me, whether live or on television, is addicting. I didn''t even have to take in deep breaths to calm myself down like in previous times. ***************** A/N: As for the driver''s name, you guys will meet him later in the fanfic. It''s nothing serious, but I let it have a sense of mystery just for some comedy and me wanting to be an extra. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 82 - 81: Performance A B A G? F? B A G? F? F? E D D E C? ¡Þ The music started off soft and pleasant, with rather lively sets of notes to introduce the song in the A major key. At about 25 seconds into the song, just as the audience thought there would be a small break between his changing phase, Fuutarou''s left hand immediately got busy, and his right hand joined in almost immediately. The song immediately turned a lot more upbeat as the main verse of the second song entered, followed by the continuation of the first song. A mishmash of two songs flowing seamlessly with each other, Fuutarou had combined two openings from two different animes with completely different genres together. Well, they had some similarities as well, but their primary genre was different. Tokyo Ghoul is a Japanese dark fantasy manga series set in an alternate reality where ghouls, creatures that look like ordinary people but can only survive by eating human flesh, live among the human population in secrecy, hiding their true nature to evade pursuit from the authorities. The story follows Ken Kaneki, a student who b?r?ly survives a deadly encounter with Rize Kamishiro, his date who reveals herself as a ghoul and tries to eat him. From then on, the story slowly changes from gore to even more gore as Kaneki struggles to find his own identity - a human-turned-ghoul. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Domestic Girlfriend tells the story of the conflicted feelings of Natsuo, the main character, towards his first love and the girl he lost his v?r??n?t? to; the controversial and conflicting nature of romantic relationships between step-siblings and also between a teacher and a student while highlighting the themes of youth, family, friendships, learning, growing up, and career. On the one hand, there was an action-packed ghoul and gore, while on the other was romance and drama. So how could two so contrasting anime combine into one song? Honestly, it was more challenging than expected. The idea was there, but the execution... It was much easier to transpose "Unravel", Tokyo Ghoul''s opening, than "Kawaki wo Ameku", Domestic Girlfriend''s opening, so that''s what Fuutarou did. Tokyo ghoul sounded more lighthearted than he thought after transposing, but it wasn''t much of a difference. It also made the transitions between the two songs flow much smoother. After various trials and errors, he finally managed to pull off what he could call the "best" version of the medley. Of course, given more time, Fuutarou probably could create a better version, but for now, this would do. ¡Þ It was currently about 7 pm in Rome, meaning that it was about 2 am in Japan. Usually, everyone would be asleep this time, but it wasn''t the case for Isanari, Hanako, and Yaeko. These three people have deliberately stayed up all night to watch their son''s performance live. And it wasn''t just them. Shouko, Kaori, Raiha, Yuzuru, Uzuki, and Satsuki wanted to stay up late and watch Fuutarou''s performance. Unfortunately for them, their parents didn''t allow them to do so as no matter how much they loved Fuutarou, children shouldn''t be staying up so late just to watch one performance. It wasn''t until the ?du?ts have promised to record the "show" that the children agreed to go to bed. Reluctantly. Still, children being children, the moment they hit their futons, they immediately fell asleep. Turning on the minimal amount of light, Isanari sat on the sofa with his wife leaning against him affectionately. Yaeko was on the other couch, her eyes fixed to the television as she anticipated her son''s, or well, son-in-law-to-be''s performance. Unlike Hanako, who often expressed how much she loved Shouko and Yuzuru as her own daughters, Yaeko couldn''t do that. Still, Yaeko only showed it through her actions, such as the present where she stayed up at night just to watch his performance. Ever since she had met the young boy, her life had turned for the better. Perhaps he was her family''s lucky star, but everything that could possibly go right went right for the first time in her life. She might not have immediately become the CEO of some giant corporate company, but both her work life and home life became much better than before, and that was all she could ask for after almost a decade worth of suffering. She got promoted by one level at work, her daughters became much happier. Shouko even had her deafness completely healed, allowing Yaeko to save almost 50% more money than she would if Shouko had continued on with her deafness. Fuutarou also helped her with her mother''s passing, allowing for a cheap yet respectable funeral for the person who supported her throughout her entire life. And all he asked for was to let him date Shouko, something her own daughter wanted as well. She was thankful to him. Grateful. And she had no idea how to repay him and his family apart from being there with them. On the television, the competition had started. The introduction, opening ceremony, and opening speech occurred until the first contestant finally walked up to the stage. Isanari''s soft smile grew bigger and bigger as he watched his son with pride visible on his face. He wasn''t the only one, however; both Hanako and Yaeko had the same expression. After all, no Tom, Dick, or Harry would be able to arrive at this point of the competition. The television blacked out, but not for long as the video of Fuutarou returned back to the screen. There he was in all his glory - sitting at the huge, shining black instrument that looked like the sky on a cool summer night as the only light emphasized his delicate features. At this place, because his piano skills stood out, his appearance was never once mentioned until tonight. The fierce white hair contrasted against the soft green eyes with facial features looking so feminine, hardened only by the outlook of life. How could anybody look so young yet so wise? The small gentle smile paired up nicely with his delicate finger, and the mini-tuxedo only helped accentuate his body figure, which was clearly inherited by his father. He seemed lost as his fingers flew over the keys like swallows darting in a pond for fish, coaxing impossibly invigorating and unforgettable melodies from it. Dancing and weaving along with the various chords and notes like an expert (well, he is a professional), Fuutarou never once took a break between the multiple verses and chorus. When it wasn''t the chorus, it was the verse. When it wasn''t the verse, it was the bridge. When it wasn''t the bridge, it was the self-improvised portions of the song that Fuutarou created to help blend the two pieces together better. His feet were no better; they were constantly busy keeping in tempo with his hands. In Fuutarou''s little medley, dynamics and emotions were essential, and fortunately for him, these two were his forte. With his right foot to sustain the notes to blend better and his left foot to dampen and soften the notes when his hands couldn''t react in time to do so, his entire body worked like clockwork to produce the best possible music he could create. They say men looked their best when concentrating or focusing on something, but it mostly applies to everyone, and Fuutarou was no exception. If Shouko or Kaori were watching this now, perhaps they would fall in love with him all over again. The music was fantastic; it was something unlike anything they had heard before. In the early millennium, every Japanese pop song was about love for a perfect reason - it was easy to compose and sing and popular. No one thought otherwise, and the bandwagon effect soon overwhelmed the populace. If not for Akira''s antics and weird way of thinking, no one would have bothered trying to make anime songs. But now that the pandora''s box was unleashed...well, not "pandora''s box" per se, since there was nothing negative about it except perhaps crippling addiction and depression, but the readers know what I mean. It was the start of a brand new error, where Japanese culture took a whole step forward. Resounding applause, well, resounded throughout the entire hall, and it was pure deafening. But I was at my peak. I don''t know whether my parents were watching, but I sure hope they are. I know it''s 2 in the morning at Japan time, and I don''t expect much. But still...it would be nice. Anyway! Doing the standard procedure, I bowed to the audience before walking out of the stage. Returning to my luxurious waiting room, I was greeted with an impressed smile by Sawano, who sat upright and clapped. "Congratulations on that beautiful performance. It was stunning and truly impressive." "Thank you." I would like to change back to my usual attire now, but there was still the prize presentation ceremony afterward, so no one was allowed to change back before then. After all, everybody has an equal chance to be able to win the top three prizes. Time passed by slowly as the contestants went up one by one. The fifth to perform was the number sixth, Sawano, who played about 20 minutes after I did. Usually, I would already be numbed by the skills available here since everyone was mostly the same. The final round doesn''t just test the technical skills. It also tested various aspects of music - composing, working under pressure, spreading your music, making your audience happy, excited, or emotional, and most importantly, your mentality and way of thinking. After all, this was supposed to decide who stood on the peak of the piano world. Mere skills without the correct mentality wouldn''t make it. So far, no one''s song had placed an ever-lasting memory in my heart yet, but they were all great in their own right. So great that I couldn''t even find any flaws in their composition. But Sawano was different. Why? Because the song he played was from an anime in my previous life - Attack on Titan, "theDOGS". It was a bit hard to tell at first, but as he played, I could start to remember where I had heard this song before. Granted, it wasn''t the famous openings that everyone knew, but his song was used as the ending theme song in the second Attack on Titan compilation film, Attack on Titan Part 2: Wings of Freedom. It was smooth, jazzy, and just amazing in general. Of course, there was no bias in my judgment whatsoever. None. After Sawano was the other boy of my age went on stage. His ever-present ???ky smile hung on his face as he introduced himself with style. Never really liked his look, to begin with, but his piano skills were the real deal. But clearly, he lacked the experience in composing a song to fit the correct theme. In terms of piano skills, it would be a perfect score, but if judged based on criteria and theme... The other four participants quickly played their pieces as well, and before I knew it, about an hour and a half had passed. And the moment had arrived. All of us were ushered backstage, where we all waited with bated breath as the emcee walked back up to the stage after giving the judges time to decide on the results. With a huge smile, she announced. "Let''s not waste anyone''s time, shall we? By Yamamoto-sama''s instruction, the first place belongs to..." ***************** A/N: Listen to the music that Fuutarou played here: youtube.com/watch?v=CVk9Suvjdzo I know that I''m rushing this part a bit too fast, but I don''t want to spend any more time here already. The next two or three chapters will include some reactions and a date with Kaori, something that I''m personally looking forward to, and I hope you guys do too. After that, it''s a time skip to next year already, and it would be the start of the next volume. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 83 - 82: Results, Returning Home, and Comfort (I) "By Yamamoto-sama''s instruction, the first place belongs to..." "Thiago Furukawa Lucas!" Lucas was a male with fairly white skin, brown hair, and spectacles. He looked like what people would call an otaku in the future, but he had that confident imposing presence as he went up to the stage confidently without any hesitation. It was as though he had already known that he would win this competition. Hearing the announcement, everyone clapped as a show of respect, but the other nine contestants all sighed in disappointment. I was no different. Where was that building up of anticipation? Where was the drumroll? How dare the emcee just announce the first place just like that? Sigh...I really hoped that I would be the winner... But I wasn''t that surprised as well. Why? Because his song was no other than No Game, the opening of No Game No Life. It couldn''t be denied that No Game was simply a fantastic song, and unlike mine, which was copied from others, this was genuinely his own creation. After Lucas went up to collect his trophy, certificate of recognition, medal, prize money and took some photos, the emcee announced second place. "Second place... Hiroyuki Sawano!" "Third place...Sturgill Simpson" "Fourth place...Uesugi Fuutarou!" Second place naturally belonged to the attack on titan''s song creator, while the third was Sturgill Simpson, a country music singer-songwriter from Kentucky. I never thought I would get beaten by Sturgill Simpson. For one, his song didn''t represent anything that resembles "anime" or "movie". He also didn''t seem to look like the type of guy who composed animation music. But apparently, the judges thought differently. I thought my song would be the best. Even if I didn''t get first place, I would have gotten second. In the end, I only managed to get fourth. And apparently, it was "just b?r?ly overcoming the fifth place", something that I would find out after the competition. The emcee continued announcing the names, but by this point, I just stopped listening to her talk already and only clapped instinctively after hearing everyone else do so. ¡Þ3rd PoV¡Þ After the award ceremony, Fuutarou looked out of sorts. Yet... Maruno couldn''t place a handle on it. Fuutarou only acted a little sad - a perfectly reasonable emotion to feel after b?r?ly missing out on the third place - much like the other 6 competitors who got fifth place and below. During the after-party, Fuutarou acted like he usually did. Friendly rebutting with Maruno, giving the stink eye to the pervert Akira, smiling his charm-inducing smile at those girls. Something was amiss. What was it? That was something Maruno couldn''t figure out. He tried congratulating Fuutarou, but Fuutarou felt as though he was being mocked, though that wasn''t Maruno''s intention. Definitely not. He tried sympathizing with Fuutarou, but Fuutarou felt he was being pitied upon. Thus, Maruno just gave up and returned to congratulating Fuutarou for his fantastic endeavor. It was to note that the other boy of Fuutarou''s age only managed to get the eighth position, but then again, these two boys were both geniuses in their own rights, but both were still too young, or so Maruno thought. Then again, being the number four pianist in the whole world at the age of 13 was a feat no less worthy of being on the Guinness world record for being the most talented pianist. By the time the entire competition ended, it was already almost the end of August, meaning the end of the Summer holidays in Japan. Fuutarou might have missed much of it, but he had gained as much as he had lost. Unofficially? The after-party continued for quite some time, but since Fuutarou needed to return to Japan soon for his studies, Maruno also left with him. Contrary to how he came to Rome, Fuutarou was a lot quieter on the way home. By this time, even the stupidest and the densest would realize what Fuutarou was feeling. And congratulating him for winning fourth place was something that Maruno did not regret doing. The fourth place might seem insignificant to a super-genius like Fuutarou, who was aiming for the top two, but to an ordinary person who was just slightly more talented than others like Maruno, fourth place was already impressive enough. Much less achieving it at his age. But like how the rich would never understand the struggles of the poor, the super-genius would never know the feelings of the ordinary; something that could be easily achieved by the former might not be as easy as it sounds to the latter. Maruno wanted to let Fuutarou know about it, but it seemed that Fuutarou was too out of it to even listen. In the end, Maruno just gave up. Like how the rich could not understand the poor, the poor couldn''t understand the rich either. The grass was always greener on the other side, so there was no point in comparing their thoughts. Ultimately, Maruno just shifted away from the topic of piano and music in general to other more light-hearted topics, and that seemed to have done the trick. Fuutarou wasn''t so sad anymore and seemed to have cheered up, even if it''s just slightly. By the time they had reached home, it was already evening in Japan''s time. Maruno had left for Owase, and it was up to Suzuki to "return" Fuutarou back to the Uesugi household. "Fuu-kun!" Before anyone could react, Shouko had already run from the doorstep to the gate and hugged Fuutarou. Fuutarou was slightly stunned but quickly recovered. Showing off his trademark gentle smile, he hugged Shouko back. However, the moment for the two lovebirds was unfortunately interrupted by their own sisters as they all joined in the big hug. None of them were bothered about him not being able to win much money. Just the fact that their brother/son/boyfriend could appear on the stage and receive the title of the 4th pianist in the world was good enough for them. It was just simple. Fuutarou was safe and sound, and it was all that they cared and hoped for. In front of that, nothing else matters. "Thank you for bringing my son back safely." "No problem." Suzuki replied with a smile, "I have to ensure that such a prodigy would be safe. I have high hopes for the music world in the future." "Hahaha, I''ll not see you off already. My family needs to reunite." Isanari spoke cordially. Suzuki also didn''t take any offense as he took his leave. It would be a long time from now when they meet once more, but that would be a story for later. The family didn''t enter the house after Suzuki left. Instead, they went out to a nearby restaurant to celebrate Fuutarou''s fruitful endeavor. Fuutarou had earned 200 euros - a far cry from his original goal of 20 000 euros - and a quarter of it was spent that very night after converting the euros back to yen. Fuutarou didn''t want to spend any of it now and tried to save it for the future, but his family wouldn''t take no for an answer. Money was just money; that was it. But a celebration was more than just a party; it allowed people to convey their feelings and emotions without difficulty. It was probably one of the most authentic ways one could do so without much falsehood. In this case, the family wanted to welcome Fuutarou home, wanting to let him know how much they had all missed him, and are so happy to have him back. This part couldn''t be considered much, considering everything Fuutarou had experienced over the past month. But it was the people who made it all the more fun than it was at the fancy party. There was no unlimited buffet, no century-old wine, no waiters walking around carrying champagne for you, and no rare delicacies. But Fuutarou enjoyed it a lot. Feeding his little sisters and spoiling them rotten became his goal that evening to make up for the time lost during the summer holidays. Teasing Shouko became the highlight of the event as Fuutarou fed her under the gaze of the amused ?du?ts, earning him several "ara ara" from his mother, "fu fu fu" from Yaeko, and boisterous laughter from his father that disturbed several other customers. All in all, it was a celebration worth remembering. Returning home, the family quickly took their baths and went to their respective rooms to sleep. From youngest to oldest, their younger sisters have all been tucked into bed before Fuutarou decided to shower, with Shouko doing so after him. It has been a relatively short day since he technically "leaped forward" in time when he adjusted his body clock back to Japan''s time, but Fuutarou was already tired. Many things were plaguing his mind, but he did not know how to express them. Fuutarou had always thought of himself as someone extroverted, someone who had changed from before. But now... "What''s wrong, Fuu-kun?" A gentle voice asked as the familiar silhouette entered his room. Fuutarou immediately sat up from his bed and looked at Shouko. She was in her cute pajamas, her hair slightly damp and her face a little red from the heat of the shower. If she was any older, Fuutarou might have lost his self-control right there and then. Fortunately, she was still young. "Nothing much. What about you? Are you not gonna sleep?" Fuutarou waved off the question and asked back one of his own. Shouko walked towards him and sat on his bed beside him. Her actions were so naturally done that Fuutarou almost thought he was in the wrong room instead. "Tonight is not about me." Shouko shook her head as she brought Fuutarou''s head towards her ??p. Fuutarou was surprised but didn''t resist and just laid down on her ??p. "Then who is tonight for?" "You." "Me?" "So, what''s wrong?" Shouko started patting Fuutarou''s head, an action he was unfamiliar with but awfully comfortable about. Usually, Fuutarou was the one who did the patting, but tonight, it was his turn to be pampered. "Nothing-" Fuutarou wanted to continue denying it, but one look at Shouko''s expression made him realize that she wouldn''t be sleeping tonight if he didn''t spill it, "Fine. I''m just wondering about what I have achieved." Shouko didn''t speak, merely opting to continue her stroking, something that felt weirdly comfortable to do and waiting for Fuutarou to continue. "I seem to have achieved a lot. Being the top student in school from the beginning, having many friends, having a fantastic family, and having everyone easily attracted to my music." ''Yet...this all still seems unreal...like they all don''t belong to me.'' His looks were given to him by God. His abilities were given to him by the system. Even the "achievements" of having his two girlfriends beside him weren''t part of his hard work; the girls were the ones who did the chasing, not him. All he did was be kind to them, and they confessed to him. Was life always so simple? Was life always so easy? Since when had life become so cheap? Fuutarou was used to winning in everything this life after losing in everything in his previous life. So, after 13 years of consecutive success after success, a sudden invasion of failure left a bad taste in his mouth. Was it arrogant? Yes, he is. But the system allowed him to be so. At least, that was what he thought until yesterday. Even with the highest proficiency, he still lost. Sure, to many other people, fourth place was nothing short of astonishing and marvelous. But to Fuutarou after he had the system... Fuutarou had paused in his words halfway, and Shouko had no choice but to say something. "I don''t see the problem..." ''Of course, you don''t. It would be weird if you do.'' "Sigh...my original goal was to get first, or at the very least, second place to get the money for us. But 200 euros isn''t a lot..." ***************** A/N: Might seem like unnecessary drama, but...you know slice of life. Plus, I want to see more Shouko scenes in the next chapter. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 84 - 83: Results, Returning Home, and Comfort (II) "But more than just money, I wanted that sense of accomplishment. Imagine that - the title of the best pianist in the world belonging to a thirteen-year-old. And not just any other thirteen-year-old. Me." Fuutarou''s raised his hands towards the ceiling as his eyes matched Shouko''s comforting brown eyes, "That honor. That personal glory. I had the talent, but I knew it wasn''t enough. So I worked hard." "Even before meeting you, I had practiced the piano every day. At first, it started as a hobby to get rid of my boredom from the boring classroom. Slowly, it started to grow on me, and I started loving it more and more." "The classical songs passed down from generations of great musicians before us, the pop songs that motivate us, the instrumentals that comfort and soothe us. New songs that haven''t been composed, new ways of playing, new ideas and creations that I had just by simply living my life." "I practiced hard. I practiced smart." "Yet...I still couldn''t get my goal." Fuutarou''s words had been strong throughout the entire speech, but it was so feebly weak at the end. It seemed...stuck in his throat. Currently, Fuutarou was not the confident boy she had known the first time they met. Fuutarou was not the caring boy she knew who took care of everyone around him. Fuutarou was not the playful boy she knew every time he teased her. Fuutarou was not the gentle boy she knew every time he pampered her. Fuutarou was not the m?tur? boy she knew whenever he tried to shoulder responsibilities that a child shouldn''t be shouldering at his age. "What should I do, Shouko?" His previously melodic voice turned hoarse as if he was desperately trying to hold it back in, "What should I do?" His expressions now made him seem weak. Defeated. Vulnerable. Usually, people do not get so down after a mere defeat. Even the weakest of the wills tried at least twice before giving up and breaking down. So, why did a person like Fuutarou, who was known to have a firm will, break down so easily tonight? He was an ?du?t. A person who was supposed to know the harshness of life, society, and defeats. But just not reaching the top 3 made him this way... Fuutarou''s current expression only showed up once ever in this lifetime - when his mother was dying. Only once. Now, it had resurfaced for the second time, and Shouko, who had never witnessed this before, quickly fell into distress. Shouko only knew Fuutarou from everything he had done. In fact, it could be said that Shouko knew Fuutarou quite well and maybe even better than he knew himself. Still, Shouko didn''t panic for long; she knew what she had to do. Her actions were ever so gentle as her gaze softened even further. The only light source - the moon - shined into the room from the sole window only served to enhance Shouko''s silhouette from Fuutarou''s point of view. Originally, Fuutarou was portrayed as someone invincible, someone who was always positive. He was basically the embodiment of hope, faith, and positivity in Shouko''s mind. The unfallen; the one who would never fall and forever support her world. Knowing that Fuutarou had such a weak side did not only make her look down on Fuutarou, but it only served to make Shouko love him more. Humans were born with imperfections. But it''s the way we see those imperfections that differentiate those who treat life as something precious or something filthy. "There, there..." Shouko was not a mum. She neither had the body and figure, the experience, nor the temperament of a mother. But her love for Fuutarou could easily be compared with his own parents''. They say childhood love was childish and innocent. If you say it harshly, it would be naive and stupid and something that wouldn''t last. But thinking positively, childhood love could easily be one of the best feelings a child would ever get in their life. Sure, that childhood romance doesn''t always last, but these are some of the strongest, most exciting emotions a child will ever feel. Never ridicule, make fun of, or otherwise show disrespect with references to "puppy love" or "you''ll get over it". Sometimes, childhood love might run a lot deeper than an ?du?t relationship, and the repercussion might cut deeper than a knife could ever do. "I neither have the talent to make music nor do I have the right to choose your future path. I cannot answer that question." Shouko shook her head regretfully, "But what I can do, is to stay beside you wherever you are, wherever you go. Whatever you feel is right, I''ll support you. When you feel happy, I''ll feel happy with you. When you feel angry, I''ll calm you down. When you feel sad like now..." Shouko bent down, and her lips touched his. It was but a small peck, but Shouko had to use all her willpower to keep her embarrassment from showing, though she wasn''t doing a very good job. "I''ll kiss you and cheer you up." Shouko didn''t back too far, and they could still feel each other breaths'' on their skin as they breathed. "You don''t have to push yourself. You don''t have to do extra things. All you have to do is to be you." "I''ll always be there for you, like how you are always there for me." "Even if I can''t do anything to help you, I''ll still be standing beside you, cheering you on with everything I have." "Even if the whole world decides to shun you, I will be by your side. So why are you thinking so much about a competition? I know money is essential for us. I know fame and glory are important to you. But remember, you''re only my age. You''re a one-of-a-kind man that can be replaced by nobody." "You had gotten the fourth place, but is it really that bad? All you have to do is try again next year. If you still fail to achieve your goal, then the following year. Is it not your forte to not give up after only trying it once?" But before Fuutarou could reply to her words, Shouko''s index finger was placed on Fuutarou''s lips, "Let me finish first. But if you want to give up and just live an utterly peaceful life, I wouldn''t mind it either. A wife of a farmer, a wife of a politician, a wife of the best pianist in the world...I don''t care about the title if I''m the wife of you..." Shouko has never displayed such bold words before. Usually, she would only make a bold statement before flushing back to embarrassment and refraining to say anything further. Usually, Shouko was the weak one in their relationship. But now, Shouko was the support that Fuutarou needed. Fuutarou didn''t speak; his eyes were closed just as a single tear dropped. The room returned to its original silence and calm, with the only thing rustling being Fuutarou''s hair. Shouko ??r?ssed it a little longer before gently shifting her position. From the edge of the bed she sat, she shifted towards Fuutarou''s pillow, doing so while carrying Fuutarou''s head on her ??p. She could tell that Fuutarou was thinking, and she didn''t want to disturb him in his decision-making. Now, their current position was basically their sleeping position. Shouko tucked Fuutarou in like how she tucked her little sisters into bed before snuggling into the blanket beside her loved one. "Aren''t you a little too old to be sleeping together?" "I''m never too old to sleep beside someone I love. So? Have you decided?" Fuutarou''s eyes opened, and the previous weakness he had shown was now gone. "Yep. Thanks to your words..." Fuutarou turned sideways and faced Shouko, "I''ve already decided. But instead of playing for others, from now on, I''ll only play for myself. I realized my own faults." He had gotten too arrogant after coming to this world. Sure, he might not brag or antagonize everyone around him by being a bitch, but he was undeniably arrogant. Fuutarou thought he would be able to do everything a person could do and everything a person couldn''t do with the help of a system. Academic? Sports? The system made him think he was far beyond his peers. He aimed for the brightest stars, only to achieve the moon. It would have been an accomplishment to anyone else but not him. Now, thanks to Shouko''s words, he knew what he was doing wrong this entire time. The truth was, his initial goal of living a simple life surrounded by his family was almost replaced by wanting glory and money. It wasn''t wrong to aim for these things, but it was wrong to prioritize it over his family. Why compare with those high-class ?du?ts who have worked hard for two to three decades? Why compare with other geniuses when all he had was a system? No one forced him to do so, not even the system. Fuutarou made a mental note to himself. "From now on, I''ll prioritize all of you." "I''m glad." "Thank you, Shou-chan. You really are my lucky star." "I didn''t do much. All I did was say my true feelings. Now that you''ve cleared your mind, you can sleep peacefully now." "Come to think of it, it''s been a long time since we''ve slept together, huh?" "It was about 3 years ago if I didn''t misremem-" Fuutarou merely smiled as he placed his arms around Shouko''s shoulders, hugging her close to his body, causing her to stop whatever she was about to say and blush. They were so close to each other that they could literally smell the shampoo they used from the other party. "Good night." Clear that he didn''t want to drag on the night any longer, Shouko greeted back as her eyes closed with a content smile, "Good night." She had accomplished everything she needed to accomplish that night and even earned some additional benefits. But just as their breathing stabilized, unknown to everyone, Fuutarou''s eyes lit up in surprise as the familiar screen appeared in front of him. [Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition (Part 2) Completed. Rewards are being issued...] ¡Þ 3rd POV ¡Þ "It seems like we don''t have to do anything, dear." Hanako smiled at her husband as she peeked through the slight creak of her son''s door and witnessed what had happened inside. "You''re right. Shouko has been the perfect daughter for us and the perfect wifey for Fuutarou." Isanari spoke after shutting the door quietly, "Still, Shouko is a little too sneaky, isn''t she?" Hanako merely chuckled at her husband''s words. Shouko being a little sneaky wasn''t a problem at all. In fact, it might even be a good thing when it comes to handling the rest of Fuutarou''s other future girls. After all, being too innocent would just allow her to be taken advantage of. It wasn''t apparent to the younger girls, but Fuutarou''s mental was out of sorts ever since he came back, as though he was thinking deeply about something big. They got worried when they laid eyes on him, but they didn''t show it on their faces and decided to go out and have a party instead, hoping it would cheer him up and help out with whatever problems he was currently facing. It did help, albeit slightly. So Hanako and Isanari had planned to talk to Fuutarou before going to sleep, but it seems their daughter-in-law was already one step ahead of them. "Shouko has an overwhelming advantage when it comes to our son''s love-life. I feel a bit sorry for Kaori now." Isanari commented as they made their way back to their bedroom. "Let''s not meddle too much in Fuu-chan''s love life. After all, he would be the one marrying the girls, not us." Hanako replied before turning towards her husband just as they reached the door to their room, "Speaking of Kaori, what are you going to do with Yaeko?" Hearing his wife''s words, Isanari was slightly stunned. "What about her?" "Are you not going to take her in? You know about her affairs already." "You want me to take her in?" Hanako didn''t reply. "See?" Isanari replied as he rubbed his wife''s head, a rare cute action of affection for his wife that he hasn''t done for her in a long time after they had their last twins, "Besides, we don''t have to get married or to fall in love to be family - we''re already family no matter what you say. If you want to give her love, then urge your son to give her more grandbabies." Hanako merely smiled. Harem was a good thing nowadays to increase the population of boys. But sometimes, girls just want to have their man all to themselves. Hanako was no exception, and knowing her husband''s loyalty and dedication, she was simply delightful. Hanako went to bed with a serene peace of mind. The night fell, and soon, the next day arrived. ***************** A/N: I initially wanted these two chapters to be one chapter, but I realized that I would just be rushing and lowering the quality instead. I have also been neglecting some of the familial interactions, so I decided to humanize those characters more. This is probably my favorite chapter so far. Maybe except for their kiss scenes. I also thought of making Shouko a yandere right here right now by adding the words "I''ll be yours forever, and you''ll be mine forever", but I''ll leave it for another fanfic that will make everyone yanderes~. More spoilers in the future! Also, if you''re wondering if Fuutarou is gonna lose anymore in the future, he won''t. This sort of drama only works once. Romance has several ways of writing, after all~ If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ It is the best time to get the most out of your money after all~ Chapter 85 - 84: Rewards and Date Plan ¡º¡»=¡ºMessaging¡» ***************** [Quest: Attain First place in the piano competition (Part 2)] Description: Having taken your first big step in a small competition, you must not give up halfway. Go through the entire competition, and make your name well-known in the music world and beyond. Passing Criteria: Never give up Rewards: Increased proficiency in all music-related proficiency depending on the level (basic will increase by 100, intermediate will increase by 90, advanced will increase by 80, master will increase by 70, grandmaster will increase by 60) A?d?d?i?t?i?o?n?a?l? ?r?e?w?a?r?d?s? ?i?f? ?y?o?u? ?f?i?n?i?s?h? ?t?h?e? ?n?a?t?i?o?n?a?l? ?p?r?e?l?i?m?i?n?a?r?i?e?s?:? ?A?d?v?a?n?c?e?d? ?L?a?n?g?u?a?g?e? ?P?r?o?f?i?c?i?e?n?c?y? ?(?0?/?5?0?0?)? ?(?i?m?m?e?d?i?a?t?e?l?y? ?g?i?v?e?n? ?a?f?t?e?r? ?y?o?u? ?c?o?m?p?l?e?t?e? ?t?h?e? ?c?o?n?d?i?t?i?o?n?)? Additional rewards if you attain the top ten worldwide: 1x premium gacha tokens, 2x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) Additional rewards if you attain first place: 1x legendary gacha tokens, 2x premium tokens, 3x normal gacha tokens (will be given after the competition ends) (Unaccomplished) Failure: Removal of Grandmaster Piano Proficiency and semi-removal of music route in the future (meaning that it would be harder for you to get back to the music industry again). System tips: Don''t get too proud or arrogant. You are currently just a mere frog in a tiny well. You have not seen what true talents or hard workers are. This is not just a test of your skills but a test of your willpower. ***************** [Quest completed, rewards are being issued.] [1x premium gacha tokens, 2x normal gacha tokens] [Grandmaster Music Proficiency (0/2,000) -> Grandmaster Music Proficiency (60/2,000)] [Grandmaster Piano Proficiency (1850/2,000) -> Grandmaster Piano Proficiency (1910/2,000)] I see now. The passing condition was never to achieve any position in the competition. I could pass this quest even if I decided to stop at the first round. Still, now that I look back at it, it was...embarrassing. The third time I ever cried in my life...was witnessed by a thirteen-year-old girl. I feel ashamed. Sigh, but looking at the precious sleeping figure beside me, I can''t help but smile. System, use all my tokens. [Spinning...] [Host has gained 1x Fuse token] [Host has gained a gun] [Host has gained a sword] What...a sword? A gun? And a fuse token? In my inventory, I could see what seemed to be a Warrant Officers Sword and a Soviet PPSh-41 Submachine Gun. Don''t ask me how I know the specifics of each weapon; they just entered my head like how the proficiencies'' knowledge enter. [Items able to be fused detected.] [Gun + Sword = ???] [Fuse?] Wait, wait, wait. What on Earth just happened? System? [Host has gained a fuse token. A fuse token can fuse any two objects given by the system, ?ssuming they are compatible with one another. If multiple choices are present, the system will automatically judge and determine the host''s best interest and ask the host for permission to fuse.] What other options are there? [Duplication token + Special opportunity token] [Special opportunity token + sword] [Special opportunity token + gun] [Weakened senzu bean + A sleek pair of shoes] [A sleek pair of shoes + Duplication token] [Click to see more options] Obviously, I clicked to see more options, but some of them became really stupid. For example, coffee beans (that I still haven''t used to this day) plus duplication token would obviously result in more coffee beans. Is that really worth using my fuse token on? The recommended one was the fusion of the sword and gun, but what would I get from that? A bayonet? That sounds lame, though. Make no mistake, it''s a good weapon to kill and all, but a gun and a sword separated can still do the same thing. But then again, it''s recommended by the system, and the system has never (well, mostly never) let me down. Should I? I thought for a while before eventually agreeing to fuse. Firstly, I didn''t really need the gun and sword in the first place, and secondly, I don''t have anything else that I need to be fused together anyway. I might as well just listen to the system''s recommendation. Fuse! [Fusion successful.] [Analysising product...] [Danger! Product''s drawback poses an imminent threat to host!] [Taking over command system... analyzing...] Before I knew it, I fell asleep, and it wasn''t due to exhaustion. [Reforming body to suit...] [Restructuring body to suit...] [Transforming body to suit...] [Adjusting product to suit this world...] [Adjustment complete. Transformation complete. Final analysis complete. The host is safe from all the drawbacks...] [Congratulations, host! Your new power has been completely ?ssimilated into your body, and you can now use it with no restrictions.] [The host has gained...] ¡Þ Shouko woke up not long after I had gone out of bed to replenish my energy, and I have to say, Shouko''s confused face as she wondered where she woke up was pretty cute. "Morning, Shou-chan." I greeted her with a smile as I watched her rubbed her eyes. I thought she would immediately be flustered upon hearing my voice like usual and run out of my bed. But I was very wrong. Shouko turned to face me as she sat up, and she hugged me as she let out a small yawn, "Morning, Fuu-kun." ?! Noticing my surprised look, Shouko tilted her head with a curious look in her eyes. "Nothing..." I replied. She can do whatever she likes, after all. Plus, I can''t really say that I''m not enjoying it. "Let''s continue sleeping..." Shouko said before her hands around my waist dragged me back to the bed. She snuggled close to my ?h?st as she let out a relaxed smile. Wow. Shouko''s pro-activeness has evolved to a whole new level now. Today was Saturday, and because the competition basically took the entire summer holidays from me, today and tomorrow would be the last days before school starts again. I don''t have any plans as well since I''ve finished all my work before I went to the competition, so lazing around in bed with Shouko doesn''t sound too bad. While I relaxed, my phone suddenly started vibrating. Hm? I checked my phone, and it was a message from Kaori. ¡ºYahoo! I''ve heard that you came back to Japan! How was your trip?¡» "Who''s that?" "Kaori-chan~. Apparently, she heard that I had come back." ¡ºYep! My trip went well~. I''ve learned a lot.¡» ¡ºI''m so jealous! I want to go for a music trip as well!¡» Music trip? Well, I guess it could be called that. Though, it isn''t the most accurate description as well. ¡ºSummer holidays are coming to an end! Do you have any plans?¡» ¡ºNot particularly, no. I just got back yesterday, so I"m feeling a little lazy.¡» ¡º...¡» ¡º...¡» ¡ºSigh, I guess you''re right.¡» ¡ºI can''t really force you anyway.¡» ¡ºI know how hard you''ve worked for it.¡» She sounds a bit disappointed. And maybe a little sarcasm was inserted inside? I think it was mostly filled with regret, though. ¡ºDid you have a plan for today?¡» ¡º...I was hoping you would tell me that.¡» So she wanted me to invite her out. Basically, a date? But looking at Shouko beside me...problems of a harem. Sigh, I can''t neglect either of them, and I''ve been neglecting Kaori recently. ¡ºIt''s our last day of the summer holidays, so I was wondering if you were free tomorrow.¡» As though she had already pre-planned her response, my screen was automatically filled with messages. ¡ºYes yes!¡» ¡ºWanna go on a date then?¡» ¡º(*^¨Œ^*)¡» ¡ºYay!¡» ¡ºThank god my boyfriend isn''t dense.¡» ¡ºI''m lucky to have such a caring boyfriend who would be willing to face the exhaustion from his competition and go out with me.¡» I can''t tell whether she was serious or not, but I''m glad she sounds(?) more cheerful now. It suits her a lot better than moping around. ¡ºSorry that I''ve been neglecting you.¡» ¡ºIt''s okay. ¡¥\_(¥Ä)_/¡¥¡» ¡ºI know you''re busy with the competition after all. But now that it''s over, I plan to collect back your debt.¡» Debt, she says... ¡ºI know Shouko-chan is your girlfriend as well, but I don''t plan to be all passive.¡» ¡ºI''ll make sure you can never live without me!¡» ¡ºHow confident~¡» ¡ºSomeday, I''ll take over Shouko-chan''s place in your heart as well!¡» "Ho ho ho...Kaori-chan is being bold now, huh?" A bright chuckle came from behind me as Shouko peeked into my conversation with Kaori. Somehow, I felt like a dude who was cheating on his wife... "Lend me your phone for a bit, Fuu-kun." Someone, I don''t seem to be able to deny that bright smile. ¡ºSeems like you''re very confident in taking my place, Kaori-chan¡» ¡º!!¡» ¡ºThat''s...Shouko-chan?¡» Somehow, I seem to be able to visualize Kaori behind the screen, shrinking. ¡ºHave I been talking to Shouko-chan all along?¡» ¡ºUnfortunately, or fortunately for you, no.¡» ¡Þ 3rd POV ¡Þ Well, Kaori was having a somewhat confusing time now. With Shouko suddenly entering the private chat between the two people, Kaori felt like all her thoughts had already been exposed. After Shouko replied, the chat fell into an awkward silence (if it could make noise in the first place). At least until Shouko broke it. ¡ºI won''t stop you. You can try, but just know that it''s going to be a tedious road ahead of you.¡» Somehow, Kaori could sense that there was a second meaning behind her words. And just as she was just about to express it in the chat, she noticed that Shouko had sent another message. Only this time, the message was a picture. Kaori wanted never wanted to swear so severely before. Still, as a young and (somewhat) innocent 13-year-old, she knew few swear words that really meant something. Most of her vocabulary swear words include "baka", "baaaka", and "baka baka baka baka". The classic tsundere''s swear words. The picture included both Shouko and Fuutarou. But if it was just that, she wouldn''t mind so much, but no. Shouko was cheekily smiling as she posed for the camera with Fuutarou just behind her. On the bed. In their pajamas. Cuddling close to each other, Fuutarou completely surrendered his phone to Shouko, showing his trust in her. Kaori knew that they might have slept together before at least once, but that was when they were still young! They were already thirteen, and while Kaori might not know when was the time where girls and boys were not supposed to be sleeping together, she knew that thirteen was a bit too old for them to be sleeping together. It wasn''t as though Shouko was scared of some thunder or anything. ¡ºYou guys...¡» ¡ºDidn''t do anything...¡» ¡ºRight?¡» At this point, Kaori was basically asking (begging). While sharing a person you love might seem normal and fun, it wasn''t all sunshine and rainbow. Accompanied by the concept of "harem", a lot of competition, schemes, and friendships being broken apart is pretty common. ¡ºW-What are you talking about!¡» But to Kaori''s question, even the boldened Shouko had to blush and flush in embarrassment. ¡ºW-We haven''t done anything!¡» It''s truly a wonder to see people stuttering when messaging in an anime world. Indeed, this work lives up to its name. ¡ºMou...I''ll be taking Fuutarou for the entire day tomorrow! And I''ll make sure he wouldn''t even think about you during the date!¡» ¡ºHaha, if you can...¡» ¡ºEven during my date, we even thought of you, so if you guys didn''t think of me, I''d be impressed.¡» ¡ºWe''ll see about that!¡» ¡ºHave fun on your date because I had fun on mine~ (¡¨¡Ð?¡Ð)¡» But it was at times like this where Kaori really liked Shouko. Not just as a (future) sister, but as a character. Despite facing challenges, she not only does not bring her opponents down, she even encourages them. This was something that Kaori wouldn''t imagine herself doing. So while Kaori might often complain and say that she will try to take Shouko''s spot, she never truly meant it because apart from Fuutarou and her parents, Shouko was the one she loved the most (not in the yuri sense). ¡ºThank you.¡» ***************** A/N: The fuse thingy is sort of a last-minute idea. You don''t know, but it''s pretty neat, huh? Personally, I quite like it. He won''t use it often, though. It''s just there because I like it. Wish-fulfillment of sorts. And can someone kind enough donate me a picture of yandere Kaori? I need it for my yandere fanfiction cover~ If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ It is the best time to get the most out of your money after all~ Chapter 86 - 85: Date with Kaori (I) The rest of the day was spent just lazing around and playing with my little sisters. Honestly, there was not much I could do, but it was okay. Perhaps a little peace would be better now. I don''t know, but because of the new rewards that I have gotten...no. More like the new powers that I had gained from that fusion. I almost died after waking up yesterday due to the reward. As it turns out, the system doesn''t operate from nothing. 99.9999999% of its energy consumption usually comes from God, and the additional 0.0000001% came from me. Usually, it''s so negligible that I don''t notice it at all, not to mention my unknown lineage makes me stronger than most people in the first place. But apparently, I must have fused some world-ending item yesterday that would have killed me if I had decided to wield it. It was only because the system chose to reduce its consumption of my energy to 0.0000000001% that I even managed to survive. If I had taken in 100 times that amount, I would have died from excessive energy consumption. Holopsicon. It''s an item that rarely gets any recognition from weebs from my previous life, but when compared to the EA sword, the EA sword is nothing before holopsicon. Spear of Longinus? Trash. Principle Destroying Sword ? Nah~. But what makes Holopsicon so unique and powerful? Simple. Because it deals with fate and destiny. It''s now nerfed (unfortunately) because I''m considered an "anime character" now that I''m in an anime world, and because Holopsicon is something that deals extra damage to characters from the anime world, I wouldn''t be able to withstand its might. Apart from being drained in the morning, I also got a massive headache. From the influx of information entering my brain, I received a ton of new knowledge that I shouldn''t be receiving. Various timelines, parallel universes, alternate universes, creating one''s own totality and exhaustively plan and manipulate every event deterministically, and more. This was a giant leap in faith, and while I certainly hoped to get something good from the fusion, I didn''t expect to get something this good. It was only one night, but I suddenly became nigh-omnipotent and nigh-omniscient, achieving all this without any cost apart from being drained of energy, starving, and almost dehydrating. Of course, the corresponding price to use those omnipotent abilities is equally harsh, and while I might not die, I will suffer quite a bit. So, I decided not to use this unless it''s an emergency, like my mother''s pregnancy with Raiha. Though I am happy that I got this, I don''t understand why I would ever need this. I''m not sure, but I haven''t spotted any supernatural stuff happening. This was basically the epitome of what someone would call an "ordinary world". And knowing the future of everyone sort of spoils it for me, so I probably would never use this. Whether I like having no supernatural in this world was not the concern. At the very least, I''m happy to know my family and my girlfriends. But enough of Holopsicon. Today is Sunday, which also meant that it was the last day of our summer vacation. And now, Shouko was currently bidding me goodbye as I prepared to go on a date with Kaori. And you don''t hear me complaining about it as well. Kaori and I had planned to meet in the square of a mall some bus stops away. So like any other date, I went ahead and arrived some fifteen minutes early than the designated time. And to no one''s surprise, Kaori was already there. Though, beside her was her father with a stern expression. "Uesugi, you have the nerve to arrive after my daughter did, huh? Did you expect a girl to wait for her date?" "Dad!" Kaori immediately protested after her father spoke, "We were the ones who came earlier! Plus, why are you even here? It''s my date, is it not?" This was a completely unreasonable accusation. I clearly arrived before the designated time, so why was I getting scolded by my future father-in-law, who also dared to come along his daughter''s date? "Yes, yes, my dear daughter. Now that your date is finally here," Kaori''s father spoke, emphasizing heavily on the word "finally", "I will leave it to you two. Enjoy yourself, alright?" "And you," After being sugary sweet to his daughter, he turned to me, and his expression did a 180 turn, "Take care of my baby daughter. Anything that has been done to her, I will do to you." That sounds absolutely terrifying. I don''t want to go out holding hands with a grown man. Hopefully, he didn''t mean it in that way. After bidding the troublesome father goodbye, we fell into a temporary silence due to the awkwardness Kaori''s father left behind. "Sorry for my dad..." Kaori spoke first. "It''s fine~. Yoshiyuki-san just dotes on you a lot." I smiled as I grabbed her hand, "Plus, we all know that he likes me as his son-in-law. He''s just a tsundere." Hearing me call her father a tsundere only incited some laughter from her. She didn''t reject my hand and even took the initiative to close the distance between us. "Let us start our long-awaited date!" Today, Kaori was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with a pink dress with white hems that reached her knees. It was her iconic dress when Kaori first met the main character in the anime, though it was clearly a lot bigger since she was smaller now. Kaori was the complete opposite of Shouko. They were both cute and pretty, but Kaori was a lot more outgoing than Shouko. So while I led the date with Shouko, Kaori dragged me around to have fun. First, we went window shopping. I''m starting to think that shopping is a staple item on dates that must be included. It was as though dates aren''t called dates without shopping. The wave of cool air blasted at us as we entered the mall. The mall we went to was a different mall from that from Shouko''s date. It was in the opposite direction and was slightly smaller. Nonetheless, it was still bustling with people since it was a Sunday. This shopping mall wasn''t extraordinary in any sense. It had the same generic features that any other mall would have, but on a date, the location mostly doesn''t matter as long as both parties are enjoying themselves. Kaori was a simple girl to please. We held hands and wandered around the mall, examining weird stores that sold bizarre stuff, like a dinosaur crepe holder. Or a Hookah-Smoking Caterpillar, the caterpillar from Alice in the wonderland, with a baby head. Or a mannequin with an elongated neck. It was honestly weird and creepy. The last one wasn''t being sold, but seeing it was still scary. As for the reason behind its existence in this mall, I have no clue. Kaori seemed to enjoy it a lot, and whenever her face brightens up like an excited child seeing a new toy, a literal sense in this case, it brings me joy as well. It''s cringe to say and admit it, but it''s true. I have already experienced, well...not a lot, I''m embarrassed to say in my past life. In the thirteen years of this life, I have already experienced about ten times more than I have in my previous life. So, rather than the actual experience now, what I look forward to more was the company. And Kaori was someone that I look forward to having more experience with. The new world wasn''t that much different from my old world apart from having less anime and entertainment in general, but there was a lot more drama in real life to make up for it. Maybe because the real world already has enough drama to entertain us, the entertainment industry was instead...redundant. I suggested watching a movie like a regular date, but Kaori refused. "I want to make this as memorable as possible, and a movie wouldn''t be enough." "Huh?" "For one, a movie wastes time when I could be staring at your face instead. Your face is a lot better to be staring at than a screen." Kaori stated without a hint of blush on her face, "And two, a movie is too...ordinary? It would turn out to be like any other date, and I don''t like that." Strangely enough, what she said had logic within them, and I couldn''t find a good reason to refuse. It''s not like there was any good movie to watch now anyway. For an idiotic reason, most good movies tend to come out during the middle of the school term or close to exams when we''re all busy and have no time to watch. But when we were all free during the summer or winter holidays, there were no good movies to watch. Anyway, since we decided against watching a movie, we skipped it and continued shopping. "Yahoo~. The young couple over there!" A promotional scream rang out, but we continued our way. I didn''t think they were calling out for us since there were a lot of couples around us, but I was proved wrong as a middle-aged man with a good-natured smile stopped us in our tracks. "Hello there! We''re having an art exhibit there," The man spoke as he pointed to the huge open area where young children around our age were looking around and painting, "And I wanted to invite you guys to take a look since we have a couple discount today." Seeing the art present, I was debating internally. I didn''t really mind it if Kaori didn''t mind it, so the final decision would ultimately be decided by her. "So? You wanna take a look, Kaori-chan?" "Sure!" Kaori didn''t hesitate and agreed. Somehow, I don''t think the art attracted her. Instead, it was the fact that it was a "couple discount" that attracted Kaori since she really wanted to reinforce the idea of a couple within me, from what I can tell throughout the date. She didn''t really need to do that, though. But I guess she was feeling competitive. Whether it is a bad mindset to have on a date or not, I could not tell now. I could only wait for the future to know. We were dragged towards the art exhibit where it showcased more...unique artworks, unlike the typical canvas painting. There were horribly shaped potteries that looked like failed attempts only to be showcased here as "art", some children''s drawing of a stickman, and a model of a poop. Yes. A model of poop. Yet, it was strangely popular amongst the little boys there. There were all surrounding the poop with their hands rubbing their chins like wise men inspecting something amazing. I wonder where all those boys mimicked their actions from. Kaori seemed to find their actions amusing and started giggling. Laughter is contagious as I soon laughed as well, with the boys'' parents similarly following our laughter as they took pictures of their children''s humorous actions. "The art exhibit isn''t an art exhibit from some famous artist, right?" "Yep~. That''s the beauty of it, I guess. If you guys want some professional paintings, just search online or go to a museum." The promoter/advertiser said with a light smile as he took us to the area where we could sign up, "This art museum is here to display the children''s hard work and dedication. Being able to witness a child grow up and become a dedicated person cannot be measured with any amount of money." "Then let us participate for free." "Haha..." He laughed awkwardly, "We still need to supply the art stuff, after all. Clay isn''t cheap enough for us to give out for free." ***************** A/N: This is a three-part "arc" if you wanna call it that. I don''t know how it turned out so long, but it also acts as compensation for the lack of attention on Kaori. No, I didn''t forget to post yesterday. I just didn''t write at all since I suddenly got addicted to COC. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on.com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 87 - 86: Date with Kaori (II) Kaori immediately got started on what seemed to be the most exotic thing we could do there - pottery and batik art. Pottery was pretty much common knowledge to everyone, but not many people could experience it. Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard, durable form. Of course, the firing process was done someplace else after we got the basic shape that we wanted to be done, and we could either display it or take it back home after several hours. Batik is the art of wax-resistant dye on fabrics to create beautiful and colorful designs. It''s also slightly (quite) dangerous due to the heat needed to melt the wax, so it''s also done under ?du?t supervision. Batik was hard for a beginner to do, but the final product would turn out amazing if done nicely. Apparently, both of them were under my "intermediate art proficiency", so while it wasn''t the best, it was definitely appreciatable. Very much like that poop figure. On the other hand, Kaori struggled with pottery more since it required fine control over her strength. Her initial vase turned out to be a container in the end, which was quite impressive in its own right. I mean, how could a cylinder shape become a hollow box unintentionally? But it didn''t matter too much to both of us. We weren''t aiming for the perfect art here, but just to have fun and try new things with each other. This is the "experience" that I was talking about. I mean, I could do this alone, but why would I? It''s a waste of money, time, and effort. Yet, with Kaori beside me, it suddenly turned into such a fantastic event. This is the effect of a "date", turning the ordinary into something extraordinary. It''s an exhilarating effect. In the end, Kaori changed her plan to place flowers inside to something of a "secret box" for her precious belongings. We spent about an hour and a half playing with the plentiful art types present. We paid for this, so I''m sure as hell getting my money worth. Plus, Kaori looked like she was having fun trying out new stuff anyway. Afterward, it was time for lunch. Bidding the promoter guy goodbye, we headed for one of the restaurants selling traditional Japanese meals. Like Shouko, Kaori preferred the regular restaurants instead of those high-end ones since her life was pretty humble, owning a bread store and all. Kaori had also gotten a phone for her birthday. I didn''t mention this before, but since I got my phone first, both Shouko and Kaori opted to have the same phone as I did. It''s like matching accessories on a phone level. Anyway, using her phone, Kaori had snapped a few pictures of us together doing random art. Sitting beside each other with the phone between us, we looked through the photos to have a good laugh at ourselves as we ate. I just have to at least compliment the company on lending us some aprons. Otherwise, Kaori''s pure white dress would have been a sloppy mess of colors by now, and it would be a pity. "Here''s your couple deluxe ice cream!" The waiter served the huge and fancy ice cream on the table with a smile, "Enjoy!" "Thanks!" "By the way, if you wish to take part in our event, you will be able to eat that ice cream for free. If you win, you can even earn some additional items as well." The staff informed us as he pointed to a small stage being prepared for something. I have already noticed that before, but I didn''t know it was for something like that. "What do you think, Kaori-chan?" "It looks fun~," Kaori muttered as she munched on the ice cream by herself. The ice cream was initially meant for two, but it seems that Kaori had a sweet tooth. "We''ll join then." I spoke to the staff, who seemed quite delighted at our agreement, "By the way, what is the event about?" "It''s time to showcase your love as a cute couple." The staff spoke with a smile. She looked awfully delighted as she continued staring at us for a while before reporting back to her boss about us participating. I wonder why... "Hello everyone! I hope that you all are having a good day. Thank you so much for gathering here!" After we finished our ice cream with some flirting here and there, the emcee on stage had just spoken. "Today, we have a special event for couples! We have several couples all ready to showcase their love for one another! I can''t wait to see them perform their best to show their love to their partners! Without further ado, let''s welcome the teams!" It was a relatively small event compared to events in other malls, but it was still well-received. About 15 couples were present, including us, and all of us were holding our partner''s hand as we waved to the cheering crowd. We were the youngest there, and while most were in their young ?du?t phase, there were some older couples. "Now, take a good look at the couples before us and place your bets!" Oi, doesn''t that sound pretty illegal? "I''m just kidding, don''t do that. Anyway! Let us introduce our first event of the day! Drumroll, please..." The screen behind us flickered with life as all of us instinctively looked behind towards the screen, eagerly awaiting to see what game we would be playing first. "And our first event is..." The emcee shouted as the screen slowly slowed down to show the name of the event, "The princess-carry event! Contestants have to choose between themselves to see who would be the princess and the prince! The prince must then princess-carry the princess and last as long as possible!" "Until the time runs out or five pairs are remaining, whichever comes first, the remaining contestants will proceed to the next round! To add some spice, we will also be doing a QnA with the pairs to find out all about their embarrassing couple dates! So be sure to not fall from embarrassment!" What a sadistic emcee. Aiming to humiliate everyone in front of the audience? Too bad this is only my second "official" date, so I will not have any embarrassing things to talk about. "By the way, anyone can be the prince or the princess; the male doesn''t necessarily need to be the prince and the female, the princess. So feel free to explore your own strengths, and let us see which male is weaker than their partner!" Hohoho...aiming to force the boys to princess-carry even though they might be weaker than their date? The organizer must be salty... The event soon started, and all of us immediately got into position. Of course, I carried Kaori in my arms. Partly because me carrying her is a lot safer than her carrying me, partly because I want to hold her in my arms, and partly because my strength is much higher than an average teen due to some weird factor, perhaps my lineage, allowing me to easily carry a thirteen-year-old Kaori. The time started, but because we weren''t told when the time would run out, all we could do was just carry our girlfriends. We stood there for about five minutes while the emcee continued interacting with the audience first, allowing us to get used to our current positions. "I''m not heavy, am I?" Kaori asked worriedly. Probably because she ate about 2/3 of the couple''s ice cream set and she just had lunch, she was worried about her weight. "Don''t worry. I''m stronger than I look." Hm, it''s probably the wrong thing to say as Kaori pouted. "Well, you''re not heavy at all. In fact, you''re too skinny and light." I said as I pinched her waist after adjusting my grip on her back. Sure enough, she had zero meat in that area. "Yii!" Kaori exclaimed as softly as she could after being lightly pinched as she glared at me. "You should really eat more, Kaori-chan. I know that every girl worries about their weight, but there wouldn''t be any weight to worry about if they died of malnourishment." It''s probably not the best way to say, "eat more since I don''t want you to risk your health trying to diet every day", but Kaori was a bright girl and quickly understood my meaning. "You need to have more delicacy when it comes to treating girls, Fuu-kun." Kaori wrapped her hands around my neck as she said, "Still, thank you for your care. Don''t leave me when I become fatter, though." "I''ll drag you to exercise if that day ever comes." We continued chatting about various things in this rather intimate position. Kaori leaned against my ?h?st with her hands still wrapped around my neck; it was her own way of helping me lessen the pressure on my arms. It didn''t really do much since I''m still the one who needs to bear all her weight in the end, but it was the thought that counted. "Oh, what do we have here? Our youngest couple isn''t even trembling yet?!" About ten minutes have passed since the timer started, and one or two of the weaker boys with heavier girls have already dropped out, resulting in some rather...angry girls present. It seems that this event loves to destroy all superficial love. The emcee noticed us, and he immediately headed in our direction and placed the microphone directly in front of us. "Do you mind introducing yourselves to our audience? I''m sure we''re all curious about our cutest couple here!" "Etto...My name is Uesugi Fuutarou, and my girlfriend''s name is Miyazono Kaori." "So Uesugi-kun and Miyazono-kun. Tell us, how long have you guys been a couple? Since you''re so young, are both of you childhood friends?" "It''s been about 8 months now. We met at 12 years old, so no, we''re not childhood friends." "Now, Miyazono-kun, what about Uesugi-kun attracted you?" "M-Must I answer that?" "Of course! We''re all dying to hear about some romantic childhood love! Ah, the naivety of children falling in love, the wonderous feeling as they discover unfamiliar emotions, the Doki-Doki they feel whenever they meet each other!" The emcee slowly grew solemn, "Then they grow up and realize that everything was just built on a lie. The relationship becomes a give-and-take, and everybody becomes sad. Then here comes the break-up part, your first love is now gone, and as you continue to grow up, you can never forget about your childhood love despite breaking up with your first girlfriend. No matter how good your future partner is, they never attracted you like how you were attracted to your first girlfriend in the past..." God help this man. This guy must have gone through some rough times to become this depressed just because I (he?) mentioned childhood love? Even Kaori was stumped on how to reply to this sad commentary. The audience quietened down to give this man a minute of silence. The man then just gave a bright smile as he patted my shoulder, "Never give up on your love, Uesugi-kun. No matter how hard times are, don''t give up." [A/N: That''s not a flag right there.] "Moving on to our next couple!" The attention was soon diverted away to another unfortunate couple that went through a more intense interrogation session than us. Maybe because we''re younger, so the emcee didn''t do much? The round lasted for almost 45 minutes before five pairs were eventually left. The audiences were surprised that I could hold on to Kaori for quite some time, unlike those ?du?t couples, and their cheers further increased. ***************** A/N: I almost forgot to publish lol. And the emcee is an anime character. I sort of changed his background a little, but I retained his depression. If you can guess who he is, I''ll publish another chapter tomorrow.. Being an emcee is not his real job though, so don''t get tricked by it. Chapter 88 - 87: Date with Kaori (III) "Now then, we have our final five participants! Because the boys have done all the hard work in the previous round to show their love for their partners, the next performance will be the girls'' time to shine." "We call it the Sparkly Cute Girls Gathering! The Lovey-Dovey Confession!" "The rules are simple. The participants are going to pretend that they''re currently standing in front of their beloved one, and they''ll confess right here! The judges will be everyone in the audience! We will judge how much you''re clapping, screaming, or whatever with a machine, and the girl with the highest points is the winner!" The emcee announced as he revealed a machine which has nothing but a screen to show the supposed "points" from all the sound the audience will be making, "Girls! It''s time to re-confess to your boyfriends in front of everyone! Let''s begin with...you!" The "chosen one" stood forward as she self-introduced as per the emcee''s request. "I''m Kayasuki Himari. I''m a fresh college graduate, and I was the ex-captain of the female basketball team. During my captaincy, we won several trophies and even reached all the way to the quarter-finals of the national stage." "Oh, what a self-reliant and strong woman. I wonder why you chose him to be your boyfriend?" "He''s my Kouhai in the basketball club. He''s one year younger than me, and he''s really cute. His face gets red so easily when I tease him, and he''s always very cute. He''s such a softie but always tries to act tough. But despite being teased so easily, he''s sometimes so serious as well. He''s the one who cheers me up whenever I''m down and is always by my side whenever I need him. That''s why I really love him." After taking the microphone in her hand, Himari''s soft voice filled the place, and both her voice and her kind words reverberated inside her boyfriend''s ?h?st. Himari was a rather tall girl, even taller than her own boyfriend. It was a miracle that her boyfriend even managed to carry her all the way till the end; he must have really trained a lot. "Himari-senpai..." "Akio-kun, I''m ready to give you my everything. I love you." A simple yet straightforward confession earned her a massive cheer from the audience. It seems that both the males and females loved her confession as a wave of cries and whistling followed. "92 points! Amazing! We''ve already crossed the 90 point mark with the first entry! Way to go, Kayasuki-san." "Now, on to the next couple!" The next three couples all had their own varying personality. Maybe because of a freak coincidence or something, all the girls displayed different types of "deres" to their boyfriend. A tsundere, a loli senpai, and even a little sister character. Of course, they all scored above 90; the tsundere even scored a 98. And now, it was finally the girl I''d been waiting for: Kaori. I mean, she did confess to me already, but I wanted to hear it again. "Miyazono-kun is good at the violin, right? I look up to those who can play instruments; too bad I never really had the talent or time for it. So, what kind of boy are you interested in?" "Uhm...Fuu-kun is my savior? Though he always tells me that I''m cute, he''s sometimes too much of a siscon, and it''s troubling me a bit. I''m sometimes jealous of his sisters!" Kaori exclaimed with a pout, inciting more cheers from the audience who liked to see the jealous and pouting Kaori. "Fuu-kun saved me when I was down; his music attracted me to become who I am today. We only started going out for a short time, but his daily act of kindness to me, his pampering whenever I feel down...is something very precious to me." She once more showed a gleeful smile as she opened her mouth. "And this Fuu-kun¡­ I¡­" Kaori''s eyes slightly turned towards me. "I really love him! ¡­You know?" This time around, it was a straight confession. And in response to that, the whole male audience screamed at the top of their lungs. Even the females joined in at cheering for the bold Kaori. "120 points?! It broke the limit of our measuring device?!" "Ohhh, am I actually pretty amazing?" "A girl that loves her Fuu-kun this much really is cute, after all!" The emcee let out a broad smile as he spoke, "So with that, the winner of his tournament is Miyazono Kaori-kun! Please, a round of applause!" Feeling happy and embarrassed, I could not directly look at the stage and just hung my head. But the thought of Kaori on stage with a bright smile proclaiming her love to me just brings bu??erflies to my stomach, my heart throbbing with happiness and happiness glowing inside me. I could not conceal my delight, and even though I could not see what expression I currently had on my face, I probably had a daze, dreamy-like state of expression. "Fuu-kun!" Kaori jumped down from the stage. Fortunately, I immediately snapped back to attention as I caught her in my arms, not letting her go before spinning in a circle with Kaori in the air. "How was my confession again, Fuu-kun?" Kaori proudly asked me after she got released from my arms. Though, her blush could not be hidden behind that smile. "I love it," I replied without beating around the bush. No teasing, no acting all proudly, no counter-attacks. Just my pure feelings towards her heartfelt confession; it was the least I had to do to reply to her admission once more. "Hehe..." "I would hate to interrupt your couple-time, but here are the prizes you won." The emcee interrupted us and presented to us a...what is that? "It''s a bottle of kitchen cleaning supplies." "Huuuuuuuuuh?!" The prize greatly surpassed my expectations. Even Kaori had an astonished expression on her face. So many people participated in this event that I thought it had some excellent prizes. Did time change, and people actually start to love kitchen cleaning supplies now? "Haha, I know it''s nothing, but it was just a free event for us to spread love around. The world could use more of it, don''t you think?" As usual, the emcee''s words started going deeper and darker at the end as he continued muttering as he left us alone with the bottle of kitchen cleaning supplies, "I''m thinking of quitting my job already. Maybe it''s time to earn more stable salary..." "Oh, by the way, emcee-san, could you tell me your name? I''m curious." "Huh? Oh, sure. Omota Uramichi." Uramichi? Sounds familiar...but nothing comes to my head. "Omata-san. Thank you for the prize~." "No problem. Enjoy the rest of the day with your girlfriend." With that, the event ended, and these precious memories were stored in my head to reminisce later on. ¡Þ Today was just a rather special day. Usually, this mall wouldn''t have anything going on, much less two events happening simultaneously. Of course, it was a good thing since it allowed us to have more fun than just walking around hand-in-hand. But when there weren''t any events happening, this mall would be rather bland apart from its rather...exotic stuff that was on sale. Despite so, the actual reason why this mall still exists today was down in the basement. And it was this reason that also prompted me to choose this place for our date initially. The art and craft event and the couple event were just side-dishes. When we entered the music store by taking the escalator down, we were greeted with the sight of endless instruments. Unlike a typical music store with limited space, due to the nature of this store being both the producer, supplier, and seller, it took up the entire basement floor. "Wow!" Kaori excitedly exclaimed as she hopped up and down, "Fuu-kun! Look!" The sea of pianos proved to be a fantastic sight, and as expected of a legendary store, if it can even be called a "store" at this point, there were much more people on one basement floor than two floors above ground. "Look!" "Wow!" "This makes such a nice sound!" "The keys are so smooth!" "The sound is so loud!" Kaori neer stopped chattering as her comments just rushed out of her mouth as she touched each piano, key, and note. We have been out and active for almost an entire day already, but Kaori''s energy never ceased to cheer everyone around her up. Initially, this part was supposed to be the most looked-forward-to place of attraction to musicians like us, but with the appearance of the couple events and the fact that we were here as a "couple" rather than "musicians",... Well, we still had a fun time looking through all the instruments, though we didn''t buy anything. It was expensive, after all. ¡Þ Kaori''s smile was as bright as the setting sun behind her, her blond hair scattered behind her as the wind blew. [Image here->] It was already 8 pm, a time that was neither early nor late for thirteen-year-olds like us. Kaori had a curfew to follow, and I don''t plan to disrespect that on her first date. Basic trust from her parents must be earned, after all. "Thank you for today, Fuu-kun. Did you...enjoy it?" "Did you know that the definition of a ''date'' is really simple? It''s simply three words - a romantic appointment. There is no specific place involved. No specific time was involved. No specific crowd was involved. As long as you''re with a partner that you''re happy with, it would be considered a ''date''. If you don''t enjoy the date with someone, then that just means that you have attended a ''gathering'' or a ''meeting'', not a ''date''." I said, "And I defined today to be a date between you and me. So? Did you think I enjoyed today?" "Phew...thank God. I was really worried that you wouldn''t enjoy it!" Holding her hand as we walked back today, I gave it a little squeeze. "You can be more confident about yourself, you know? I don''t know what is holding you back all the time, but I feel that if you want to live your life, you should always be true to yourself. You don''t have to pretend. You don''t have to compare. Shouko is precious to me, and there''s no doubt about that, but you''re equally cherished as well." "Hahaha, I''m always fine. I''m not holding myself back after all." Kaori smiled as her hand, which was held in my mine, swung back and forth cheerfully. Her other hand had an almost hollow ice-cream cone, with the ice cream already all eaten up. "I had fun today, didn''t I?" As we slowly walked to the bakery''s front, Kaori let go of my hand and turned to smile at me. "If I''m not wrong, Shouko-chan got a present from you after the date, didn''t she?" Well... "I''m sorry that-" "Oh, I''m not explicitly asking you for something. Though, I still want a present." After saying that, she grabbed my shirt and pulled it towards her, resulting in my lips meeting hers aggressively. My eyes widened in surprise, but I quickly recovered and enjoyed the kiss. "Yep, tastes like chocolate~." Kaori smiled as she licked her lips after backing off, "Shouko-chan hasn''t done a kiss with you for this long, right? I wouldn''t stop competing against her for you, Fuu-kun." Her smile just now turned a bit weird for that one moment. Did I just imagine it? "Papa, mama!" Kaori greeted her parents as she ran towards the bakery. It was apparent to see that her parents had been waiting in front of their stall for their daughter to come back home safely. "Kaori-chan. Welcome home. Fuu-chan, thank you for bringing her home safely." Kaori''s mother smiled and thanked me. Kaori''s father merely nodded before leading Kaori back home. Seeing her husband''s attitude, Kaori''s mother simply let out a sigh and a wry smile. "Sorry about his attitude. He might act all tough in front of you, but he never stops praising you in front of me." A classic tsundere father. How absolutely creepy. Not that I''m going to say it right in front of anyone''s face. "It''s fine. Thank you for allowing me to bring your daughter out. I''ll be leaving now." "Yep. Have a good night." "Good night." And with this closing arc, little did I know that a new chapter of my life would be opened, leading me to countless possibilities and futures. Little did I know that every decision of mine would lead me down different paths, and with just one mistake, I would fall onto the path with no return... ***************** A/N: Finally, although it''s only August in the timeline, more specifically, the last day of the summer holidays, it''s the end of the first-year arc. The next arc would be in year two, which would start immediately in the next chapter. Look forward to it, because I''m looking forward to writing it as well. Well, I certainly didn''t expect people to know the anime character...and here I thought it was a relatively unknown character... But a promise is a promise.. Here is your chapter~. Chapter 89 - 88: Golden Week Golden Week is the term for the week that encompasses four of Japan''s 15 national holidays. It begins with Showa Day, then continues with Constitution Day, Greenery Day, and Children''s Day. These holidays celebrate former Emperor Hirohito''s birthday (April 29), his love of plants (May 4), and the induction of the Japanese Constitution (May 3, 1947). The Children''s Day''s origins (May 5), however, are far more ancient. Although it''s called "children''s day", it is also referred to as Boys'' Day or the Feast of Banners. This year, Golden Week is celebrated from April 29 to May 5, and it was also a special week since our parents are finally going to bring us to meet the last of our relatives from our mother''s side - our grandparents. Contrary to what I thought, our grandparents weren''t dead. It couldn''t be helped. After all, I have never even heard of my parents mentioning my grandparents, much less visiting them. Anyway, I have finally started my second year of Junior High, and because I have already befriended almost everyone in my year, I had no problem ?ssimilating into my class. The only unfortunate thing was that Shouko and Kaori were in different classes this year. What a pity... Almost a month has passed since the start of the new school term. After re-adjusting ourselves to the life of a second-year, it was time for holidays again. I can''t deny that I didn''t want holidays. In fact, if possible, I wished school didn''t exist at all. Ah, the fantasy of countless young boys and girls... Wait, maybe holopsicon can change this? I''ll change the fate of the person who invented school to ensure school never existed... But on second thoughts, never mind. Screwing with the past is a lot more complicated than it sounds, and it would bring about a ton of paradoxes that would only screw my mind over. I''m sorry, young boys and girls all over the world. I prayed internally for a minute before recovering. "We''ll be taking the plane." My father announced as he packed his luggage. "Eh? The plane? We can afford that?" "Nah~. Your grandparents are wealthy, so they''ll be providing. But since they are a bit...special, they can''t spare much of their wealth for us, hence our living situation. There are also more reasons, but you don''t have to know them just yet." My father let out a wry smile, "Don''t blame them for us being not-so-wealthy." "Don''t worry. I never blamed anyone for our poorness." "Yay! Pwane! Pwane! Fwhoosh fwhoosh!" Uzuki raised her little cat plushy like a plane and started clambering about in her crib, imitating a plane. "Fwhoosh!" Satsuki repeated her twin sister''s last words and followed after her, raising her own cat plushy as well. Both had just celebrated their one-year-old birthdays at the start of the year, so they still couldn''t do much apart from clambering in their crib and imitating our noise. But it was this that made them adorable. Just imagine two balls of adorableness rolling about as they raised their plushies into the air. Ah~ The serene feeling that you get... "We shall fwoosh as well!" Raiha and Yuzuru, for some reason, decided to join in the little fun as well, raising the plushies that I earned for them a few years ago and running in circles around the table. It was a cute sight, seeing the older sisters imitating their younger sister, but we had a flight to catch. So, our mother stopped their little game and placed the twins on a troller to ensure that they wouldn''t run about, not that they could even walk in the first place. At most, they could crawl, albeit b?r?ly. The troller also acted as a "bed" if they ever felt tired and wanted to sleep. "Morning, Kaori-chan~. I see that you have dressed up well. You look cute." "Fuu-kun! Good morning!" Kaori went out of the taxi and hugged me, exclaiming, "I''m very excited to go to Kyoto! I missed out on the school trip in elementary school, but I''m going to enjoy my time there this week!" That''s right, my grandparents live in Kyoto. What a coincidence! Makes you wonder why I never saw them in Kyoto before. [A/N: Indeed, what a coincidence.] Kaori''s family is also going to Kyoto, not because they wanted to visit my grandparents or anything, but simply because they decided to have their vacation in Kyoto. Since we were traveling to the same destination, our parents opted to travel together. The more, the merrier, after all. "I know you kids are excited, but save your excitement for Kyoto. We have a flight to catch and a meal to eat before that." My father smiled as he finished placing all our luggage into the trunk, "Let''s go." ¡Þ "Ah~." Uzuki opened her mouth as a little "airplane" entered her mouth. "Ah~." Satsuki followed her sister''s example and opened her mouth with another "airplane" entering her mouth. We were having breakfast at the airport before the flight, and my parents were each taking care of the twin. Though it can get messy sometimes since they were still taking liquidy food, it still had a particular atmosphere that made us feel warm and comfortable. With everyone around the long table chatting harmoniously and having their own fun, it was warm. In fact, it was so warm that some of the other customers present were also staring at us with smiles, appreciating the sight before them. "Mum, can you tell us more about our grandparents?" My mother looked at me and smiled, "Of course. Your grandparents are a bit...eccentric. One is rather cold, and the other is a pervert." "Pervert...? Is it grandfather?" "Yes. You don''t have to worry, though. He acts very toughly in front of other people, and it only a pervert to his own wife." My mother replied with a reminiscing look, "They have a whole tale of history behind them, but I''ll let them tell it to their grandchildren by themselves." Now I''m interested in their so-called story. A romantic story is always welcomed, after all. "Is grandma pretty?" Raiha asked curiously. "Very. My mother is a very cool beauty, always maintaining her stern expression in front of others, but very kind with her family." "Woah!" Raiha giggled as she imagined her grandma in her head, "I wanna meet with grandma!" "Yes, I''m sure you do." My mother rubbed Raiha''s head before turning her attention back to Uzuki, who made a mess out of the food provided. Satsuki, on the other hand, was a much more well-behaved and quiet twin in comparison. The only problem is that she tended to imitate her more naughty twin too much, causing her to make a mess most of the time. "No, don''t chew on that, Satsuki." My mother lightly reprimanded Uzuki as she took away the hard toy from her hands. Uzuki only looked curiously at her hands which were missing the toy, before turning to look at her mother. She waved her hands about in the air and let out a giggle, thinking that it was fun to see her toy missing. Satsuki, hearing her sister giggle, started her own fit of laughing as well. I don''t think she understood what she was laughing for, but it didn''t stop her from feeling happy. Such pure baby happiness, I had already lost it a long time ago. Even my mother couldn''t remain "angry" for a long after hearing the twins laugh. Following their laughter, the already-light-hearted atmosphere turned even sweeter, as I could start to see a bright yellow glow in the background of us. What the hell? I think some of the other customers who were rapidly blinking were also shocked at the appearance of the warm yellow glow that seemed to be visible to everybody but my family. "Fuu-kun! There''s a piano there!" Kaori''s excited voice sounded as she pointed towards a certain direction, prompting me to turn to look at it as well. "Let''s go play!" "Eh?" "Com''on, Fuu-kun. Don''t be lazy." Lazy? How is not wanting to play the piano lazy? If I didn''t want to practice, then that would be considered "lazy". But this? But looking at my mother''s expecting eyes, I just sighed. "Fine." "Yay!" The piano was located at a raised platform in the middle of what seemed to be an event happening. It was a decoration where tourists could come and take photos with the background scenery, and the piano was there to just "enhance the beauty". And maybe let us play as well. "So? What do you want me to play?" "Let''s play together! I''ve been trying out the piano recently, and I want to play with you!" Planting herself to the left of me, Kaori spoke. "What song have you been practicing?" "Howl''s moving castle! Let''s play together!" Taking out her phone, she sent me a copy of the score for a four-handed arrangement. Looking through the score, it seemed relatively simple. "I''ll play the accompaniment, and you play the melody." "You don''t want to play the melody?" I asked. "The accompaniment is easier. I can''t play something that complicated yet. I''ll definitely mess up." The bass isn''t as easy as Kaori thought it would be, but I''ll let her find that out herself. It''s not like this is a competition anyway. "If you say so." And so, we breathed in and breathed out and started playing at the same time. We didn''t need to have any words between us; this wasn''t our first time playing together. This was a relatively easy four-hand arrangement. The only main problem was the coordination must be impeccable. Still, like I just said, we were very familiar with each other. Initially, only our families were watching at first. But as we played along, more and more people started to notice us and gathered at a reasonable distance away to watch us play. "Fuu-kun..." "Relax, Kaori-chan. Just breathe." I quietly muttered as we played, "Imagine them all as nothing but potatoes. This is not our first time performing." "But this is the piano!" Kaori whisper-shouted. "You''re doing fine. Just play like how you practiced, and I''ll do the rest." I wasn''t just joking when I said I''d do the rest. I have already memorized the score due to my eidetic memory. And with my almost-maxed-out proficiency in piano, I could almost perfectly play this piece for both parts. Usually, this wouldn''t do much if one person failed to do his job. But if Kaori was my partner, that was no problem. Hell, I even know where she would mess up and slow down slightly for her. And in the places I know that she would miss out and cause an obvious discomfort for the audience, I''ll also play her part for her. It''s my unique personal ability with my loved ones. It''s an enjoyable song for beginners, and seeing Kaori having so much fun that she seemed as though she had forgotten that she was playing in front of a crowd at the last minute of the song, I also smiled. A round of applause was heard when we finally finished, and Kaori spaced out slightly before waving enthusiastically to the crowd. "Thank you!" Kaori and I both bowed to the audience before leaving for our flight. The smiles on our faces couldn''t be concealed. ¡Þ "This is my first time on a plane." "Me too," Shouko replied to Kaori as both of their faces were plastered at the small windows, one seat behind the other. They were very curious about the feeling of a plane, but even when the aircraft had not taken off, it already felt so fascinating to them. The small and uncomfortable seat, the tightly packed rows of seats, the overhead cabin for our luggage, the little table that could be extended from the back of the seat in front of them were all the little things that fascinated the younger girls. "Sit tight, girls. You have to follow the instructions when the plane takes off. Although it''s probably safe, you still shouldn''t risk anything." "Hai~!" The girls agreed, but their faces were still planted towards the window. I don''t know what''s so fun out there, but I guess it''s just their curiosity working hard to find something out there for them to be entertained. It''s still better than looking at nothing but clouds, I guess. We weren''t even leaving the country, so the entire plane flight was just less than an hour. It was also why our grandparents could afford it for us; it was really cheap (compared to regular plane flights outside the country, that is). Really though, I wouldn''t mind the bullet train, though it might take longer. "Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking." And so, with the captain''s opening "speech", our plane journey started. ***************** A/N: Just search on youtube for Howl''s moving castle - Merry go round of life [4 hands piano arrangement] by Piano Sandbox. I wasn''t planning to post today, but it is what it is. Enjoy~! I''m very tempted to ask you guys to guess who the grandparents are, but I''m afraid I''ll have to post tomorrow again if I actually give you guys incentives. There''s no promise, but I''ll try my best if you guys can really guess with next to nothing clues. Chapter 90 - 89: This Flower Miracle "Ririchiyo-sama, I see that you are looking at the cherry blooms again." "Sama? I think I''m too used to being referred to as ''sama''..." The girl, Ririchiyo, replied. She was a petite young girl with th??h-length indigo hair, bright violet eyes, full legs, and her cheeks are noticeably chubby, "How many times must I tell you to just call me by my name normally?" "This is my way of calling you endearingly, Ririchiyo-sama. Any other way of calling you would just be disrespectful to you." The man bowed slightly and replied. "Sigh...you''re my husband, not my secret service agent anymore..." "And I''m absolutely delighted and happy that I am your husband, Ririchiyo-sama." The man spoke gently with a smile, "It brings me no greater joy than waking up every morning with you beside me in my bed." "Pervert..." "We''re already grandparents, Ririchiyo-sama. We have long past the days of being perverts." The man who was chatting with Ririchiyo was named Soushi Miketsukami. He is a tall, handsome young man with white hair, pale skin, and two different colored eyes: his left, gold, and the right, blue. "I miss our younger child. How many years has it been since we''ve last seen her?" "Exactly 15 years, 5 months, 3 days, 12 hours, and 55 minutes," Soushi replied, with super-detailed timings that Ririchiyo didn''t find out of ordinary. She was already used to her husband''s quirks after solving her life problems together, followed by some more decades of marriage. Although it was already late April, bright pink cherry petals floated ever so serenely down in front of her. An entire forest of lush pink clusters could be seen. Unfortunately, not many people could witness this sight; only a select group of people could. "She''s coming back, right?" "You''re correct, Ririchiyo-sama. Hanako is finally coming back home." Ririchiyo looked nostalgically at the scene in front of her. She raised one hand, and a pink petal floated down on her palm, resting there quietly without any breeze blowing. "I still remember the day she was born. It was also in this season - filled with pretty flowers." "And that''s why we named her Hanako, didn''t we? To celebrate the birth of flowers." Soushi replied. "Indeed. Too bad Hanako didn''t inherit either of our bloodlines. But perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, seeing that she didn''t have to grow up with much suffering." The duo fell into silence once more, enjoying each other''s company quietly. They have no need for words; their relationship has already surpassed the stage where words were needed. "As it turns out, your theory was wrong." "Huh?" The girl was confused, "What theory are you talking about?" "When we first met officially, you said that anyone who stays here with you will have nothing but unhappiness." "Ah..." Ririchiyo thought for a while before eventually nodding, "I have already forgotten about that. Your memory sure is sharp, huh?" "I will never forget anything related to you, Ririchi-sama." Soushi bent down slightly to embrace his lover, and Ririchiyo accepted it without a word. Their little tranquil time was interrupted by a knock on the door, and what greeted their sight was a young woman with a voluptuous figure and very long blonde hair with matching eyes. She is a woman with delicate facial features, and her eyebrows are cut very short and round - a symbol of nobility. Her hair, tied in a loose ponytail and reaching all the way down to her legs that end in a spiral, had taut bandages to keep it in place. "Mother, father. Good morning." Turning to look at their guest, both let out a smile. "Good morning to you too, Yasaka. This is a beautiful morning, isn''t it?" "Indeed it is, mother." Yasaka bowed as she kept the door open, "Breakfast is ready for us. Do you want to have your breakfast now?" Ririchiyo nodded, "We still have some time left before picking your sister up." "Ah! She''s coming back home today?" But before Ririchiyo could reply to her daughter''s question, a childish voice sounded from behind, "Who''s coming back today?" Apart from her very distinct gold eyes and hair, she had two other features that distinguished her from other people or humans in general - her nine golden foxtails and matching ears. "Kunou-chan. Good morning." "Grandma! Grandpa!" Kunou appeared from her mother''s back and ran towards her grandparents, hugging the both of them tightly, "Good morning!" Kunou''s nine tails weren''t staying still; they instinctively wrapped her grandparents in a flurry of golden, soft fur. But Soushi didn''t just passively allow his granddaughter to wrap her tails around him. His own foxtails also appeared, wrapping the trio all together in one big bundle of white fluff. Now that both had revealed their tails and ears, Soushi and his grandaughter didn''t look all that different. Apart from their color differences, with one being white and the other being gold, the two looked almost exactly the same, which shouldn''t surprise. While Ririchiyo didn''t have tails of her own to reveal, it didn''t stop her from enjoying the warmth from being wrapped around by 18 tails. Yasaka, silently imprinting this scene into her memory, only sighed. This happened way too often, with her parents spoiling her daughter way too much. Despite that, she didn''t end up being some obnoxious spoiled kid, and Yasaka was utterly delighted about that. Sure, Kunou was still mischievous and playful, but it was understandable that she was still a child. "So, grandma, grandpa. Who is coming back today?" "Your aunt." "Aunt?" "Yes. Your mother''s sister, my other daughter, and your aunt." "Is she nice...?" "Very. I''m sure they''re all excited to meet you guys as well." "Yay! I''m also very excited to meet them too!" "That, I''m sure." Ririchiyo smiled as she carried Kunou down the building, revealing rows and rows of rooms. Quite obviously, along with the number of people walking out of those rooms and heading to a common area to eat, they were currently at an inn. Being greeted by almost every guest they walked past, they skipped past the common mass area where the guests dined and headed towards the smaller but much homelier dining area for employees. Technically, they weren''t employees, but eating anywhere they wanted was the privilege of someone who owned this place. "Good morning Rirchiyo-sama, Soushi-sama, Yasaka-san." The duo looked at the blond woman who seemed to be in her late twenties who greeted them. The woman had blond fox ears, a matching blond tail, and was in a kimono. "Good morning, Kiri. How is the inn today?" Kiri smiled as she replied, "Fantastic. Spring season is always the best time for the inn''s business. Plus, the sakura flowers here are the main attraction of this inn, providing a lot of business opportunities." "I see." "Kiri-san!" Kunou got down from her grandfather''s embrace as she ran towards the blond fox-woman, her hand raised up in excitement. "Kunou-chan. Good morning." Kiri picked up the young girl and spoke, "I see that you''re as energetic as usual." "Hehe..." Kunou merely giggled, but that bell-like laughter was enough to brighten up the entire room. "Well, take a seat, Ririchiyo-sama, Soushi-sama, Yasaka-san." Kiri offered some cushions for them to sit in a seiza position. It was a traditional way of sitting for an inn, but it was nothing for yokais, royal yokais at that, like them. Even the young Kunou could do it without complaints. A young girl came in to serve them their breakfast just as they sat down. "Ririchiyo-sama, Soushi-sama, Yasaka-sama, Kiri-san. Please enjoy your breakfast." The young girl spoke with a bow, though her face remained relatively stoic. The girl had long, bluish-purple hair and slanted hazel eyes and was currently wearing a purple kimono that matched Kiri''s own purple kimono. And like Kiri, her own purple fox ears and tails could also be seen. "You don''t have to be so stiff, Satsuki." Kiri laid down her kiseru on the table as she commented with a light smile on her face, "We''re all family here." "Be that as it may, I''m currently working as an attendant now. So, respect must be given when it''s due." Ririchiyo and her husband looked on at the two foxes talking as they ate. "You have raised the attendants well." "Too well, in fact." Kiri let out a wry smile to Ririchiyo''s comment, "Now, Satsuki hardly ever smiles, though she could be so much prettier if she did." "With all due respect, at least talk about me when I''m not here to listen to you speak, Kiri-san." "See?" "It''s fine. Satsuki, you may leave to do your other work." "Very well, Ririchiyo-sama. I hope you enjoy the breakfast." Ririchiyo nodded, and Satsuki left the room after bowing once more, leaving the room in peace apart from the occasional noise made by Kunou. "Oh yeah, Kiri, Hanako is coming back today for Golden Week. It''s also time to tell their grandchildren about us." Ririchiyo spoke, informing Kiri of their plan at the last minute. And as expected, Kiri merely blinked in surprise. "Hanako? Her children don''t know about us?" "Well...it wasn''t safe until just recently, so to prevent them from getting into any danger, I convinced Hanako to not tell her children about us just yet." "Ririchiyo-sama..." Kiri sighed, "I know you''re worried about our situation, but it''s never a good thing to keep it hidden from your grandchildren. What if they freaked out upon learning that they''re not human? That their grandparents, aunt, and cousins are all yokais?" "B-But..." "Ririchiyo-sama, I had supported that decision thirteen years ago, and I will continue doing so in the future," Soushi hurriedly interjected before Kiri could land more fatal blows on his wife. Ririchiyo was an exceedingly proud girl in her childhood, coming from a distinguished line of prestigious yokai families and all. Only after meeting Soushi did her pride go down a little, making her the stern but sweet grandmother. Essentially, a non-violent tsundere that emphasized the "dere" part. Not to mention, she also had the stereotypical petite body that did not seem to grow much over the years. Not that anyone would say that directly to her face unless they had a death wish. The leader of the West Youkai Faction in Kyoto could not be disrespected, after all. "Sigh, you old couple from the previous generations, what am I supposed to do with you?" Kiri sighed once more as she blew on her kiseru, making Kunou''s face wrinkle up with slight repulsion; a fox''s nose is s?ns?t?v?. "Don''t worry about my family''s situation. We will convince them about it soon. Who knows? They might even inherit my daughter''s genes, which make them only human without any yokai features." "Ririchiyo-sama!" But just as the five were idly enjoying their chat, Ririchiyo''s personal attendant came into the room, out of breath and panting heavily, "Ririchiyo-sama! I got news of your daughter''s flight." Ririchiyo did not immediately ask for the news, instead opting to calm her attendant down for a while before asking, "I also know about my daughter''s flight happening. She''s arriving in less than an hour, so what''s wrong? Did anything happen to her?" "The plane that Hanako-san and her family was in..." "What happened to their plane?" "It had an accident." The attendant hesitated a little bit before eventually completing her sentence. Upon hearing the news, Ririchiyo almost fainted. Her long life filled with multitudes of death didn''t help in one bit when hearing the news of her daughter''s accident. "Ririchiyo-sama!" Soushi worriedly supported his wife as he asked the attendant, hoping that she would provide something that would ease Ririchiyo''s state of mind, "Is there any good news?!" "I''m not sure whether you count this as good news, but your grandson..." ***************** A/N: There are three anime merged into this one chapter. One of them is the literal translation of the title, so what are the other two? Before you guys comment on your favorite waifus and all, note that the MC will only take girls around the same age or slightly younger as his wives. So no Yasaka. Too bad to all of you Yasaka lovers. As for Kunou, I''m still debating. She''s in middle school now, so she''s a year younger than MC, but ?n??st here is...awkward, I guess. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 91 - 90: A Plane Accident (?) A/N: It will be in the 3rd POV for this chapter or maybe throughout the arc. I think it should be easier and less awkward for me to write the action part with 3rd POV since I''m used to it. ***************** "Shit, shit, shit, shit..." Fuutarou endlessly cursed as he watched, no, witnessed the blazing tip of the wing. The plane was filled with panic, originating from the center where one passenger noticed the wing''s flap catch on fire. It didn''t take long for the entire plane to be embroiled in some sort of panic attack. It was understandable since it was unlikely that anyone here had ever been in this exact situation before. But it didn''t mean that it was good for the passenger to panic. But as if that wasn''t enough, it turns out that this "accident" was no accident... ¡Þ About 15 minutes ago ¡Þ "Fuu-kun! Look at the clouds!" "Yes, yes." Fuutarou didn''t know what made the clouds so attractive in the girls'' eyes. It was just a mass of floating water droplets; couldn''t you just boil water and get the same result? But Fuutarou didn''t say his thoughts out loud. Instead, he leaned over towards Kaori to "look" at the clouds and spoke with a teasing smile, "Indeed. They look so fluffy and soft and pleasant to touch. I wonder if I will ever be able to touch them~." He pretended not to notice her happiness at his actions, and at the same time, enjoyed Shouko''s slightly jealous look as well. But since jealous Shouko was cute Shouko, Fuutarou just smiled and patted her head, leaning back to his seat and closing his eyes. Just as Fuutarou was about to let himself relax and the girls have fun on the plane, the plane shook. It was so slight that it seemed normal, but Fuutarou immediately opened his eyes. "Well...shit us..." Fuutarou murmured with a groan, "This is going to be troublesome." The plane shook even more, and this time, more people noticed it. The flight attendant was even called to calm some of the people''s worries, but before things could go back to normal, everyone on the left side of the aisle could see black smoke just right outside the window. And Shouko and Kaori immediately screamed as they saw the wing catch on fire. "Shou-chan, Kaori-chan!" Fuutarou hurriedly hugged both girls back to their seats and put on their seatbelts, "Stay calm!" Their expression still showed horrible panic, but they didn''t try to remove their seatbelts and trusted Fuutarou. "Where are you going, Fuu-kun?" Kaori hurriedly grabbed the hem of Fuutarou''s shirt as she noticed Fuutarou leaving, "Please don''t leave us!" "I-" Fuutarou wanted to check up on the rest of his family, but seeing the two girls'' feeble expression, he decided otherwise. He just looked towards where the rest of the three families were seated, which, thankfully, wasn''t that far away, and saw that the ?du?ts had already calmed their children down. He made eye contact with Kaori''s parents and nodded, "I''ll take care of her." The plane was already filled with noise, so Fuutarou didn''t think that they heard him. But Kaori''s parents nodded, and while confused, Fuutarou just sat back down and held both Shouko and Kaori''s hands, hoping that it would calm them down from the intense vibrations of the plane. Fuutarou waited for a minute or so, but the chaos never subsided. If anything, it became even more intense, with only some people actually calming down. But what confused Fuutarou was that no announcement ever came. "Fuu-kun...I''m scared..." Clinging onto Fuutarou''s arms, Shouko whispered, shivering slightly. "We won''t die." It wasn''t a flag nor some ominous foreshadowing. It was simply a fact that Fuutarou knew. Holopiscon wasn''t there just for show. While he didn''t want to use it now since the drawbacks are far worse than death, the passive abilities that Fuutarou could use - premonition - showed that they wouldn''t die. As for the entire process as to why they wouldn''t die, Fuutarou didn''t know. He could only hope that everything would go well. Or well, at least well enough to have no traumas about the plane. It was really unlucky that the first time the girls were on a plane ride, something like this would happen. "Good morning, passengers. I hope all of you are well. This is not your captain speaking." Well, that just went beyond a simple plane accident. "Onboard this plane, on the first-class flight, there exists a man. Our demands are really simple. You give me the man, I''ll provide you with life. That sounds simple enough?" "A female voice?" Fuutarou raised his eyebrows and pondered. A terrorist is a terrorist, regardless of gender. "I told you, you can''t escape me..." The female voice turned sinister as she addressed the man from the voice intercom, "I have always loved you, provided you with everything you need. So don''t worry, dear. I''ll make sure that we will be together forever, without anyone there to separate us." "Together forever..." "Anyway!" The voice turned cheerful again, "Bring the man to the door to the ???kpit alone. And knock him unconscious, will ya? Otherwise, I can''t guarantee what would happen to your precious pilot. After all, I don''t know how to fly a plane~." At this, the voice intercom went silent, leaving the entire plane in silence as well apart from the wailing of the children. "This is terrorism done by a yandere..." Even Fuutarou knew about this archetype of girl - a yandere. A crazy person in love. This complicates things since the girl/terrorist only had one goal in mind - her beloved. No negotiations would change her mind, and until she gets her goal, she wouldn''t budge at all. "Sigh..." Fuutarou sighed as he tried to think of plans to save both the dying plane and the poor man loved by a yandere. He was probably cheating on his wife with this girl or something and probably thought that it was just a few times flings and never felt that it would end up in this way. Little did Fuutarou know how close he was to the truth. But before Fuutarou could think of anything, people were already storming into the first-class area and demanding the man to give himself up. Humans were innately selfish creatures, and seeing an opportunity to save their own lives and their families, a single man as a sacrifice didn''t sound so bad. Furthermore, it wasn''t as though he would be taken "hostage" or anything and would only be loved or something since everybody could tell that the terrorist was just a sicko obsessed with a man. Since no actual physical "harm" would occur on the man if he was to be the "hostage" of the girl, it only made the other passengers less guilty to be doing so. "No! Please no! I don''t ever want to go back to her!" It seems that the "chosen" man was very desperate to not go back to the woman, but the people surrounding him couldn''t care less about his plight. The entire plane was already on a downwards descend, and it was not a landing descend. "Hurry! Tie him up or something!" A man shouted as he took off his own jacket and bounded the "chosen" man''s hands behind his back tightly, not giving him a chance to do anything that might irritate that psycho woman. "No! Please n-" The man never got a chance to complete his sentence as another piece of clothing was bound in his mouth, preventing any suicide from happening. Fuutarou wondered if the other passengers were the victims or the perpetrator because they seemed very experienced. "Please! We got you the man!" One representative dragged the gagged man and knocked on the door, "Now, please don''t crash to the ground!" Hearing no reply, the man sighed and left, leaving the gagged man alone as per her instruction. From a distance, they saw the door open a tiny bit, and a pretty girl that seemed to be in her late twenties peeked out. Her crimson-red eyes ominously glowed as she ignored everyone else, focusing her attention entirely on the man in front of her. Her originally emotionless expression broke into a gentle smile as she gently ??r?ssed the teary man''s cheeks. "I''ve already told you, dear. You can''t escape. Don''t you feel bad now that you''ve caused trouble for other people?" The woman squatted beside the man and gave him a gentle kiss, "None of this would have happened if you''ve just listened to me now, you know? This is all your fault~." "Now, as punishment for defying me," The woman picked up the man with surprising strength and went towards the door, "you get to watch this plane explode into pieces." No one registered her words in time before she jumped out of the plane carrying the man. "?!" "What did she do?!" One of the other passengers entered the ???kpit and saw the entire place covered with blood. Electricity danced around the controllers, telling them that it was already destroyed and unusable. Two bodies laid below the controllers, their tongues cut off, and two long gnash on each of their forearms. With the amount of blood flowing out of their arms, it was apparent that it was too late for them; they were long dead before they even came out. But if that wasn''t enough, another rumble shook the entire plane, inciting another wave of screaming and shouting and wailing. It didn''t take too long for the girl''s words to come true. "BOOOOOOM!" Multiple points on the plane exploded simultaneously, and the unlucky ones close to the explosion died instantly. The wings broke off, and it would have left the aircraft to a free fall if not for the fuselage (main body of the plane) also exploding into several pieces. "Shouko!" Fuutarou noticed that her entire seat was already unconnected to the "floor" of the plane, and the clear blue sky, white fluffy clouds could clearly be seen in front of them. While searching around, Fuutarou spotted Shouko having already taken off her seatbelt and held onto something to prevent herself from flying off to the sky. "Fuu-kun!" "Shouko!" He hurriedly undid Kaori''s seat belt in fear of the same thing happening to her and hurriedly rushed towards her as fast as he could while holding Kaori as tightly as possible. The air pressure going against him was immense, and if not for his naturally inborn strength, he would have flown away by now. Fuutarou raised out his hand towards Shouko and grabbed her hand before more unexpected drama could occur. But someone kicked them out of the plane in their panic. But the three was holding hand, so as soon as one went out, the other two followed. "FUUTAROU!" A female shrieked so loudly as she noticed her son fly out of the destroyed plane. Fuutarou merely hugged the two screaming girls in his embrace, closing their eyes and only allowing them to see his ?h?st. His actions were tender, but the anger in his eyes couldn''t be concealed. He had just reincarnated, and he was going to die already?! Not to mention the other two girls in his ?h?st! [Host''s anger reaching the tipping point.] [Host''s worry reaching the tipping point.] [Host''s anxiety reaching the tipping point.] [Host''s body is transforming...] [Foreign genetics detected...] [Analysed.] [Calculating...] [Lineage awakening...] Fuutarou let out a howl, and those remaining on board all turned to face in his direction - which was strange, considering that one of them had just accidentally pushed them out of the falling plane. It wouldn''t change their situation much since they would crash to the ground either way, but during an emergency, who would bother with the tiny details? When he was kicked out of the plane, Fuutarou had already judged the man to be an "enemy". And an "enemy" of a fabled, mythic nine-tailed fox never live long to tell the tale. It wasn''t a lot, just a mere 15 or so people. Everyone else had already died somewhere along the line, and they were soon going to follow them if they didn''t do something about them. But their fears of dying from a plane explosion and crash quickly turned to a fear of fox, for a single white humanoid fox was standing in front of them, carrying two girls. His white ears twitched violently as he constantly turned about, seemingly in search of someone. His eyes turned into pure white, and he repeatedly sniffed the air. It was as though gravity didn''t affect him at all; he easily stood up on a falling plane without any trouble. Behind him, nine tails swished and flickered around before swooping in to carry some people that Kaori and Shouko would have recognized if they were awake. Yaeko, Yuzuru, Hanako, Isanari, Yoshiyuki, Ryouko, Raiha, Satsuki, and Uzuki. Nine people, one on each tail. He would have killed his "enemy", but saving his loved ones was much more important than anything now. Fuutarou was now in auto-pilot, and all his actions that he was currently implementing were dictated by his past actions, thoughts, and behavioral patterns. While the children had all fainted from excessive shock and fear, the ?du?ts looked on in terror. All except two, that was. Isanari merely smiled, all his worries vanishing into thin air. Hanako even rubbed her teary face on the fluffy tail that was holding on to their waists. "Fuu-chan...you survived...Fuu-chan...you''ve got my father''s tails..." [Not enough tails.] A robotic voice came out of Fuutarou''s mouth as he saw the other surviving passengers. In just about thirty seconds, all of them would be flattened if nothing was done. [Calculating...] [Special opportunity token detected.] [Use?] [Unresponsive and unconscious host, automatically choosing the most optimal choice...] [Special opportunity token used] A lightning storm immediately rained upon them as twelve bolts of lightning struck the top of Fuutarou''s head, seemingly disappearing the moment it contacted his head. Fuutarou ?r??n?d a little before another three tails appeared, carrying the remaining 5 people before leaping out of the plane and into somewhere unknown. As for the last person, the "enemy", well... An "enemy" of a fabled, mythic nine-tailed, no, twelve-tailed fox never lived long to tell the tale. ***************** Alternate Title: Twelve-tailed Fox Awakening A/N: I feel it''s a bit rushed, but there you go. I''m trying to finish everything in one chapter so you guys don''t have to wait for a few days. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 92 - 91: First Trial A pure white room. This was the first thing I saw when my eyes opened. Surrounding me was nothing but a mass of pure white. I observed myself and saw that I was n?k?d without a shred of clothing on me. I was uncomfortable, but there wasn''t anyone here with me. Just then, I realized my circumstances. "Shouko! Kaori! My family!" I screamed as I scanned my surroundings for more clues as to where I was. Every little bit helps, but I couldn''t even find that "little bit" I needed and wanted. "System!" [Affirmative.] "Thank God you''re still here. Where am I? What happened to my family? Were they saved? What is happening to me now?" A barrage of questions left my mouth, and the system replied to me patiently. [Currently, the host is in the main room, where you can rest before your trials start. The host''s family is safe as you have successfully awakened your lineage and saved them before the plane could crash towards the ground. Currently, you are awaiting for your trials to start.] As much as I was relieved hearing my family''s safety, a specific word caught my attention. "Wait a minute, trials?" "I know what a trial is. My question is, why do I have to go through your trials?" [There are several mistakes in your question, host. It is not "my trial", but rather, "a trial" that you have personally volunteered to go.] "I don''t remember volunteering for anything like that, though?!" [Because the host is a unique existence, trials are one way in which you can prove that you''re worthy of owning such a power. If you had created Holopsicon by yourself, you would have also needed to undergo a trial for that. You were exempted from the trial because the system gave you Holopsicon instead of getting it yourself.] How on Earth would I have managed to invent something that would allow me to manipulate space, time, fate, and destiny with a gun and a sword?! [Your awakened Lineage was initially found in this body, to begin with, so a trial would be necessary. Coupled with the fact that the Special opportunity token was used, the trial had further increased its...uniqueness.] [Initially, your nine-tailed fox would have forced you to choose the difficulty of the trail, from Rank I, the lowest difficulty, to Rank A, the highest difficulty. Of course, the reward would increase together with difficulty. But with the Special opportunity token, there is only one difficulty left - Rank S.] Well, shit. [Rank S doesn''t necessarily mean the most difficult trial. S represents Special, meaning that there would often be other variables included that might make it more challenging or make the trial easier.] [While the host will not die in your current reality, the host will definitely receive some form of setback, which sometimes might be comparable to the host using Holopsicon to its fullest extent.] That doesn''t make me ?ssured at all! It doesn''t calm me down! [But no trials will be impossible. Every trial would have a way to be cleared; the participant just needs to be observant and intelligent instead of brute-forcing their way through everything.] "Sigh...can I skip the trial?" [Yes, but everything will be lost, including your memories within this period.] Losing memories is definitely out of the question, and losing everything doesn''t make it better. Holopsicon may be strong, but its drawbacks are really too harsh for me. But a Lineage power is different. It has almost no drawbacks whatsoever and depending on the rewards of the trial, it might even be comparable to Holopsicon. It was a gamble I was willing to take. "How long would the trial last?" [The faster you complete, the quicker you will "wake up" from this.] I look at my twelve tails swishing behind me...wait. What? I thought I had nine tails? To be safe, I counted again. 1, 2, 3, 4...11, 12. So unless I suddenly became so shit at math or am just hallucinating badly, there were definitely twelve tails here. I only heard of Nine-tailed foxes from the legends and myths, but a twelve-tailed fox never came up before. It sounds like some crappy fan-made idea for some stupid fanfiction. Having tails sounds fantastic and all, but now, I couldn''t even stand up properly. My center of gravity had shifted considerably now that I had twelve additional tails, and the fact that my ears were at the top of my head instead of by my side is weirding me out. Plus, it was like I gained an additional twelve limbs from a baby - I couldn''t control their motion at all. It was just there swishing and flicking without a care in the world. With all my knowledge on amazing isekai anime, control was almost at the top of the priority list to master most of the time. After all, without control, your power could run out of control and harm your loved ones. Without control, you might exhaust yourself unnecessarily and die to your enemy (in a violent world, that is). So, I started to practice my control. I was no cautious hero, so I didn''t think much of it and entered. One can run, but they can''t hide forever. I''m already missing my family, so I just wanted to get all this done as fast as possible. While the system has already reassured me of my family''s safety, I would only truly be relieved after seeing them with my own eyes. Seems like it''s time to start my first trial. ¡Þ [Two new quests are generated. More will be revealed after you finish the first trial.] [Due to the trial environment, most system abilities will be locked. All rewards will be distributed at the end of the trial. All Proficiencies can be utilized, but everything will drop by two levels except for basic and intermediate proficiencies. Gacha is locked. Inventory is locked.] [The only thing that the host can use is your Lineage abilities.] [System tip: Always have faith in yourself and never give up.] [Other system programs will be shutting down until the Host completes the first trial. Good luck!] The moment I opened my eyes, a wave of notification flooded my vision, and I ?r??n?d. This wasn''t very good. In simple terms, I was nerfed to a mediocre degree. It wasn''t the worst, but it wasn''t good either. At least I had my tails to comfort me... ...I think I''m already getting addicted to touching and cuddling with my own tails. So, first things first when it comes to isekai - find out where you are. So I did. I was in some sort of room. It was relatively b?r? and empty, save for the basic essentials. Everything looked rather big, though... No, it wasn''t that everything looked big. Finding a mirror, I looked at myself in it and saw a rather childish face. Am I back to being...a child? I still have the same white short white hair with the same face. But I really hoped that I wouldn''t be back to this point again...being a child is challenging. My room was filled with toys...something called a...Aceman figurine? I scoured through my memories, hoping to find more information, but I didn''t get much in return. My name in this trial is still Uesugi Fuutarou, but I had a different set of parents. All this made me confused and disorientated. This will be my third set of parents already...never mind. They died some time ago, so now I''m an orphan at some orphanage. Or at least, that was what the ?du?ts wanted the past me to believe. Maybe because the past me was just a child and easy to lie to, I believed everything blindly. I wasn''t a paranoid person, but it becomes very suspicious when everyone wears a white coat with b?r?ly any doors and windows outside the area. My fox features popped out of existence, and I inspected them again. While I couldn''t do much with my ears, my tails were relatively easy to control as a bundle of fluff. It was like my arms, but a lot more flexible and stretchable. Together, it was pretty easy to move about, but individually, they just flop around like some decapitated tentacle from an octopus. So instead of multitasking 5 limbs (including my head), I now have to multitask 17 limbs. A knock on the white door immediately made all of the fox features retreat into my body. Just in time, too, as the door opened without my permission, and a rather gentle-looking man in his early thirties came in. "Fuutarou?" "Hai!" "Oh great! You''re awake! I was worried that you suddenly collapsed all of a sudden, but the medical tests showed that you were fine. How are you feeling now?" "I feel...fine, I guess?" To be honest, I was more worried that he would realize that I wasn''t the same person as before since I don''t have any memories about how I used to act. And it was rather apparent that the man currently in front of me was very close to me. "I see...well, rest up. Or would you rather go out and play with Shiro instead? Shiro was just getting her own free time now." Shiro? Who on Earth is she? "Are you not excited to play with Shiro?" "O-Of course I am! Shiro is my friend!" I randomly said, but it seems that it worked. Don''t underestimate a person who became a five years old child before. "I see. Here, take your Aceman figurine and go to Shiro." The man spoke while giving the Aceman figurine to me. "Thank you." Holding on to the figurine, I left the room and turned right. "Where are you going, Fuutarou?" The man sighed and spoke, "You are forbidden to go there without any people, remember?" Boy, am I glad I am treated like a retarded child who doesn''t know the rules. I don''t know a single place in this "orphanage", so I just let the man guide me to wherever Shiro is. Of course, I also made full use of the eidetic memory, which, thankfully, wasn''t removed or nerfed in any way, and memorized the entire layout of this place. During this short two-minute walk, I also found out that fox tails and ears weren''t just the things that my lineage gave me. While foxes are in the same family as dogs, foxes are more like cats than dogs. Due to my vertically slanted pupils (which I can control at will), I have increased visibility in dim light. It wasn''t anything too difficult to control; all I had to do was think that I wanted to see better, and poof! I can see better. Like foxes, I also have claws that I can retract as well - just like cats. It made me feel like I was wolverine for a moment. I experimented with it for about 10 seconds or so, so I''ll need to try it out later when everybody is asleep. Foxes even tread like cats, using the balls of their feet to silently and elegantly stride - and that was how I now walked. It was something ingrained in me in an instinctual way, so I wouldn''t have noticed it until I realized that the ball of my feet hurt more than it usually would when I walked. And, yes. I am elegant, and no one can tell me otherwise. It also gave me a strong sense of smell (like a fox) and hearing (if I have my fox ears out). For other features, I probably needed to learn more about foxes and mythical foxes to see if I had anything else. Since I had nothing but my lineage, I needed everything I could get my hands on if I wanted to survive. I''m not sure what the trial is, but seeing that I needed to survive to not experience the punishment, I can tell it would be dangerous. We didn''t take long to reach my destination, and the moment I stepped outside, a gust of cold breeze hit my face. "FUUUU-TAAAAA-ROUUUU!" ***************** [Image of the Day ->] A/N: Since the title I originally planned to put was a spoiler, I changed it. But after everything becomes clearer and you guys know what world we are in, I''ll put in a better title. Btw, the actual MC wouldn''t appear since Fuutarou had taken over his place, or at least wouldn''t be the main character anymore. Take note that this is also AU, so things will be different from the original anime. Hmm...there will be a Christmas special tomorrow, so you can look forward to that. If you want to support me or/and want chapters in advance, link: patr¨¦on..com/spirits_everywhere. We are currently 8 chapters ahead~ Chapter 93 - Special Chapter: Christmas WARNING: Ahead is major spoilers for this fanfiction. This chapter will take place far in the future, sometime during college (which I might or might not write since I might end earlier in high school). Once again, this contains major, major spoilers. So if you hate spoiling yourself, please refrain from reading this chapter. By the way, everything can be subject to changes in the future, but most would remain the same. There are a lot of pictures, though. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If you''re still reading, then good luck. Proceed at your own risk. ***************** "Merry Christmas!" We weren''t Christians, but like any other family in the world, our family celebrates Christmas as well. Today was a special day for us, or me, to be more specific. It''s the only day where all my girlfriends are willing to go out together. They wouldn''t mind if I bring them all out together during normal times, but they wouldn''t feel "special" in my heart, and it would feel more like an "outing" rather than a "date". Thus, I try to avoid such situations. Who said having a harem was easy? Especially when mine was large. "Boohoo...my child doesn''t want to celebrate Christmas with his family anymore..." My mother''s fake tears came out as she saw me all dressed up and ready to leave the house. "Mum..." A wry smile appeared on my face, "I''ll bring everyone back at night, okay? And then we''ll celebrate together then." "What about your girlfriends'' families? While I would love for them to come, I don''t want to take up any of their family time as well." My mother''s tears stopped as she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Don''t worry; I''ve already invited everyone to our house to celebrate. What''s the point of buying you guys a massive place if we''re not ever going to use all the space? We have enough rooms for everyone to stay overnight, anyway." I replied as I saw Shouko coming down the stairs. "Ooh, you look pretty, Shou-chan~." Shouko wasn''t dressed up extravagantly, but the simple dress and outerwear made her look innocent and cute. With a scarf around her neck and white stockings, she looked absolutely stunning. "Thanks, Fuu-kun." Shouko smiled as she greeted my mother, "Good morning, and Merry Christmas!" "Merry Christmas to you too, Shou-chan. Enjoy your date today." "I will," Shouko spoke as she put on her shoes. Grabbing my hand, we waved as we opened the door, "We''re leaving now!" "Have a safe trip." Outside, the weather was sunny but cool - it was one of the best weather we could ask for today. The little bit of snow from last night hung from the trees, and the lights complemented the entire thing, making it look all Christmas-y. Holding hands, we made our way to our destination. It wasn''t very far, but since we all wanted to meet each other as soon as possible, we decided to meet early. Much too early, though, if you ask me. But if it''s my girlfriends'' request, who am I to refuse? While waiting for the train to come, I felt a tap on my shoulder. And when I instinctively turned around, I found my cheeks being poked by a finger. "Kaori-chan..." "Hehe, gotcha!" Kaori cheered as she grabbed my other arm, "I''m so lucky to meet you here. Merry Christmas to you and Shou-chan!" "Merry Christmas, Kaori-chan." Shouko greeted back. Our train arrived, and from what one would expect from a public holiday, the train was packed jam-full despite the early morning. As soon as we entered, we were forced to the side. Kaori and Shouko''s backs were against the wall, and I was in front of them, towering over them. "Oya?" Kaori grinned when we were in this position, "Thanks for the protection and space~. Here''s a reward for you." Kaori leaned up and kissed me, causing Shouko to pout. "As expected, you guys haven''t kissed today yet." Kaori''s grin widened as she backed off. "Not fair, Kaori..." "First come, first serve, Shou-chan. Thank you for the meal, Fuu-kun." Kaori licked her lips, savoring the aftermath of our short kiss, "I''ll be expecting plenty more later on." "Don''t tempt me anymore, Kaori-chan. Otherwise, I might not be able to hold back right now." Unlike years ago, all my girls have grown. They might not be the bustiest or have the nicest figure in the world, but their curves and charms have shot through the roof. After all, college girls have their own charms that high schoolers don''t have. "Mou...you guys are too close!" Shouko spoke before kissing me as well, "There''s no way I''m losing to you as well!" "There, there. Here''s a kiss for both of you." Returning the favor to both of them, I smiled, "Let''s all get along, alright?" For college girls, they still act so childish in front of me. That''s part of their charm, I guess. We soon reached our stop, and after some difficulties, we managed to get off the train. This station was built only for one purpose - the new shopping center that was so huge that Japan decided to grant it a station of its own. The station wasn''t built someplace away. No, it was built directly into the shopping center, so the moment we stepped out of the train, we were already inside the shopping center. Before going any further and going on an unstoppable shopping spree, we planned to meet in front of the relatively large Christmas tree. I thought we were still early, but apparently, I guessed wrong as I saw a big group of girls all waving their hands in our direction. "Geez...they are too excited for this, aren''t they?" "This just shows how much they love you, Fuu-kun," Shouko explained, and Kaori nodded at the side. Of course, I know that, and that is why I''m so lucky and thankful for all of them. "Let''s go meet them." Walking towards them, some of them waved while the more excited ones hurried over to us. "Fuutarou!" The albino girl jumped onto me and clung onto my neck like a Koala, "Merry Christmas!" "Shiro! Getting a headstart is cheating!" A pink-haired girl with twin bu??erfly-shaped ribbons on both sides of her head complained as she walked over as well, her expression doing a 180 as she showed a bright smile, "Fuu-kun! Merry Christmas!" "You say that, but you want to cling onto Fuu-kun as well, right?" An identical pink-haired girl showed up as her smile morphed to tease her younger sister, "Merry Christmas!" "Fuutarou! Mer...ry...Christ...mas!" A third pink-haired girl cheered as she slapped my back, laughing heartily. The fourth pink-haired girl spoke formally, "Merry Christmas, Uesugi." "Itsuki...why do you keep calling me by your family name." Itsuki blushed at my words but didn''t refute them, "Fuutarou." "Fuu-kun...Merry Christmas..." A fifth pink-haired girl greeted, but she could hardly be heard amongst all the noisy greetings. But I didn''t disappoint her as I patted her head, "Merry Christmas to you too, Miku." "That''s favoritism, you know, Kouhai?" A short, petite girl with lilac hair spoke. Her hair was tied in tiny twin pigtails with bangs hanging over her face and gray eyes, giving her an appearance of an imp, especially with the dress she was currently wearing. "Oya? You''re staring, Kouhai?" Her expression turned into a sly smile as her shoulders revealed a bit more than she should, "Pervert Kouhai-kun~." "Kominami." A stern voice froze all her actions as her expression froze for a while, "Hahaha..." "Preposterous. This behavior is not suitable." Another pink-haired girl frowned as her eyes zoomed in on Asumi Kominami. "Mah...Mafuyu, it''s Christmas. Let it slide, pwetty pwease?" Asumi smiled as she "asked". "Sigh..." Mafuyu sighed as she turned her gaze to me, "Merry Christmas." "Why so formal, Mafuyu?" I smirked as I witnessed her stern expression crumble into pieces almost immediately. "Urgh..." "Fuutarou!" A tanned girl waved her hands as she gathered around me, pulling along a blue-haired girl and an orange-haired girl. "Merry Christmas, Uruka, Fumino, Rizu." I greeted the three girls respectively as another pink-haired girl arrived. "Fuutarou!" Chika arrived enthusiastically with her signature blank ribbon in the middle of her square bangs, dragging two girls with her. A brown-haired girl, Yamauchi Sakura, and one of the taller girls around, Hagino Chiaki. Following these two was another tall girl with a white hairband, a quiet girl who hid behind her, and a black-haired girl. "Utaha senpai, Mahiru-chan, Mitsuha. Merry Christmas." And finally, the last girl... "Your harem is as big as always." "And you''re in it, Uomi." Uomi smiled as her gaze wandered across everyone, "Let''s have some ''fun'' tonight." ...who was also the biggest pervert among everyone. "Now that everyone is here let''s go! We can exchange presents when we go home." I announced as I led the group forward. Honestly, more than a date, this felt more like me taking a bunch of children out on a field trip, which is why I don''t do this sort of thing often. If the girls wanted a date, I''d just bring them out alone on a different day each. Maybe two or three girls at once, but never more than four. "Mr. Ethical. You have the guts to bring your entire harem out on a date at once, huh? How bold of you." Utaha sneered as she walked beside me. Dressed in her usual dress and black stockings, her legs look as fantastic as always. "Haha..." Awkward laughter escaped my mouth, "More like a date, it feels more of an outing with this many people." "Hmph! You owe me a date in the future." "I''ll give you as many dates as you want." "Fuutarou! Where are we going first?" Shiro''s voice rang out, her wine-red eyes staring at me without blinking. "First, let''s go shopping for presents for your parents." Truth be told, I haven''t bought finish my gifts yet. If you counted, there were nineteen girls present, and while five of them share a parent, that still leaves 15 sets of parents that I''m giving to as well. I didn''t need to, but it was appreciation gifts for allowing their daughters to date a nineteen-timing man. Plus, my three sisters and a few sisters-in-law would want a gift as well (i.e., Chika, Mafuyu, Mitsuha, and Shouko''s sisters). It will cost me a lot of money, but money is something I have no shortage of at this point in time. The girls in my harem are pretty friendly with each other, and they soon got into their own mini-groups. Honestly, no matter how many times I do this, I still have no idea how to please everyone. "Which is why you don''t have to." Mitsuha''s voice rang out. "Please stop reading my mind as if it''s natural." "I didn''t spend a month in your body for nothing. Besides, don''t you see?" She pointed towards the girls around me who were giggling away, having fun with their "sisters", "They don''t need you to be happy. They know that you can''t afford to pay close attention to everyone with this number of people, so they''re trying to make things less awkward for you.: "Yep, yep. They''re so nice, aren''t they?" Chika came up and added, "Like you said, this might not be a ''date'' for us, but it''s still a chance for us to spend time with not only you but also the other girls. You should be grateful." "Yes, yes," I replied while pinching Chika''s cheeks. Chika''s cheeks are like mochi; they are soft and addicting to touch, "By the way, have you gotten fatter?" "...Fuutarou. You have no delicacy towards women." Chika puffed her cheeks and went away towards Chiaki, no longer wanting to speak to me. "Sometimes, I wonder how you managed to capture the hearts of us nineteen beautiful maidens." "Beautiful, yes. Maidens..." I grinned as I turned towards Utaha, "I''m not sure...quoting Uomi''s words, ''Why don''t we have so ''fun'' tonight'' to check whether you girls are maidens or not?" Let''s be clear here. I, by all means, am not considered ?ustful. But being constantly surrounded by nineteen women at the peak of their prime is something that would turn even the gayest men straight again, much less a normal man like me. But Utaha''s reply only reinforced why I love her so much. "Sure. I''m waiting to see if you can last that many rounds. Perhaps you won''t even have the chance to check whether some of us are ''maidens'' or not." "Hoh? Is that a challenge?" "Is it?" Utaha''s smile only made the ambiguous atmosphere around us more ambiguous. However, it didn''t last as another girl bumped into me from the back. "I heard your conversation, Utaha. I''m looking forward to your fluffy tail tonight." Uomi licked her lips before proceeding to kiss me on my neck. "Hey!" We were currently in public. Surrounded by my girlfriends, yes, but we''re still in public! "Oh? I didn''t know you were into beastiality, Uomi." Utaha''s dark smile appeared, but Uomi proved why she could be the student council president when she moved her hands away from my neck and towards Utaha. "I still remembered the time we did it together, Utaha~. Now, who was the one m??ning their lungs out like a rabbit in heat?" Okay...moving away from the perverted ex-student council president''s harassment, the quintuplets now surrounded me. "Fuu-kun, how do I look today?" Nino asked as she twirled around. From how straightforward she sounded, it''s hard to believe she used to be a tsundere. "''It''s not like I dressed up for you or anything, baka.'' You wanted me to say that, Fuu-kun?" Nino''s mischievous smile appeared when I remained silent. When a tsundere doesn''t get violent, she can be pretty cute. "You look pretty every day, but if you want to hear it again, your dress''s color highlights today''s festive mood. Your white stockings are attractive, and when paired with your red scarf, your overall appearance looks very appealing to any man you would come across. And to me, you look absolutely enchanting." "And me?" Miku''s soft voice sounded, and I turned towards her and inspected her appearance. "Red long skirt with black stockings are amazing. Your white long-sleeved shirt makes you stand out with your headphones on your neck and a red hood. With your gentle demeanor and aura, you look adorable." Hearing my compliments, Miku let out a bright smile and let her sisters have their turn. Unlike the others, Ichika wore jeans, and a tight-fitting black shirt accentuated her curves. With the black jacket and a red scarf similar to her sisters, Ichika looked gorgeous with an attire that emphasized her "onee-san" aura. Itsuki''s cheeks were red from the cold, and her spectacles allowed her to have an image of an intelligent beauty. Wearing a tight-fitting red, long-sleeved shirt, a rather conservative skirt that reached her ankles, and a red scarf, Itsuki looked lovely and gave off a "homely" aura. As for the energetic Yotsuba, her energy still hasn''t died down since high school, and she was currently running for the Olympics. She now wore a long-sleeved green shirt and suspenders that highlighted her huge br??sts. Despite the weather, she didn''t seem cold at all, wearing only the red scarf that all her sisters had and a pair of mittens. The five quintuplets have off five different styles, but they were all attractive in their own way despite the differences. As we talked, we finally reached our first shop. I let the girls do what they wanted as I explored myself. They happily shopped in their merry groups as I decided what I would give everyone. I have already decided on my girlfriends'' presents, but I don''t know what their parents wanted. Chika''s parents were diplomats, so something more formal? Uomi, Utaha, Mitsuha, Inami, Sakura, Uruka, Rizu, and Chiaki''s parents were normal people, so something that they could use for their family on regular days? The Nakano sisters and Asumi''s parents were doctors, so perhaps something for their hospital? Like a piece of new equipment? Fumino''s dad was a professor, so something to make his lectures easier? As for Mafuyu''s parents...I can''t say that I really like them, but nevertheless, I was granted permission to date Mafuyu. They were more traditional people, so perhaps something more traditional? Hm...some of these are a bit hard to find, but nothing is impossible without a few phone calls. After settling the business in about an hour, it''s time for my sisters-in-law. I didn''t know how prominent the disease was when they said most of the male population was gone when I had a lot of male friends. But when you look at my nineteen girlfriends, and none of them had a brother, you can clearly see the ratio. Even with the cure already distributed, it''s still going to take quite some time before society returns to normal condition. Half an hour per shop. That''s how long the girls were shopping. That''s the capability of girls. Regardless of age, their powers remained the same. But on the seventh shop, while I was waiting outside, two girls came beside me and waited. "Asumi? Mahiru?" "Kouhai-chan. Are you mocking us right now?" Asumi''s smile twitched. I looked at the store, then their ?h?st, then I nodded. "You don''t have to explain anything." "And I''m not as flat as I look, alright?" Asumi complained as she crossed her arms under her ?h?st, trying to emphasize her bust, "I just don''t need to buy any new ones. Fumino is the one who needs to stay back as well." Hmm...that''s true. While not the biggest, Asumi definitely has quite a bit. "More than Mahiru." And Fumino. "Somehow, that makes me angry." Inami pouted as her hand extended for a punch. "Woah..." Easily dodging that punch, I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards me, allowing us to be in close proximity. Before she could do anything else, I leaned down and kissed her. Her struggle immediately stopped as she melted in my embrace. Despite having androphobia (which I have mostly cured), she was still somewhat resistant to men. I would have most likely gotten some bruises if I didn''t use any force. But the moment I did so, she would quickly melt like bu??er on a frying pan. Honestly, it was pretty satisfying to see her change in behavior, even though I know most of her punches are subconscious reflex actions. "Mhm..." Inami''s expression quickly turned red as her body stilled. "Done?" She nodded mutely and quietly stood at the side, not daring to say anything else in case she was faced with my loving PDA. "Kouhai-chan?" Asumi''s expression had a smile-that-was-not-a-smile. "I know you want it too, senpai." "Why do you ?ssume I would want it too? I have my pride as a senpai too, alright?" So you say, but I see your body inching closer to me. "I don''t remember you having tsundere tendencies, senpai. Did med school turn you into this?" "Who is a tsun-" But before she could finish her sentence, her lips found the taste of mine. Despite being older than most of the girls in my harem, she had one of the smallest figures (in terms of height only). She would be one of the legendary archetypes in the future - a legal loli. Actually, maybe not. Asumi was growing in height for some reason, though she was still one of the shortest ones apart from Rizu. And since she was so small, she was light and easy to pick up. She was quickly brought to my eye level with one of my hands carrying her waist. "There, there, senpai." "Stop pampering me in public!" "So that means I can pamper you in private?" "...It''s a senpai''s job to pamper her kouhai." "And it''s a boyfriend''s job to pamper his girlfriend." Finding no refute to my statement, she just sighed and placed her head on my ?h?st after I let her go. "Out of everything, your silver mouth is certainly the most dangerous for women..." My mouth twitched. I think my handsome appearance had a lot to do as well, okay? My sleeve was tugged as I found a head leaning against my arm. Mahiru had returned to my side, and she shyly placed her head on my arm. Being leaned on by two girls, I just enjoyed the soft sensations of their bodies while waiting for the other girls to move on to the next store. This shopping center is enormous, that much I can say. And it''s not just some bias that I, the owner of this building, am saying. With 10 floors and five basements, there were plenty of mega shops for huge brands to sell and promote their items. This mall was so profitable that even the Shinomiya family had some stocks in it, and from Shinomiya''s gigantic business ventures investing in my small (in comparison only) business says a lot about the potential of this place. We had b?r?ly gone through half a floor in two hours, but fortunately, the next shop was a restaurant for breakfast. We decided to stop here to have a break. The twenty of us waddled into the restaurant, and we saw some other customers staring at us, or more specifically me. Harem was still prominent everywhere, to the point where every male would at least have two to three girls beside him. But nineteen? Yeah, I think I would be the only one. But I had already gotten used to stares over the years, so I just ignored the looks and sat down. The meals came pretty fast, and we soon began eating our breakfast. "How''s the udon here compared to your father''s?" I asked the tiny girl beside me. Ogata Rizu, a 143-centimeter tall girl who hasn''t grown since elementary school. But her bust, on the other hand... "I can only give you a bias answer that my father''s udon is better," Rizu replied after tasting the udon. Wearing a red sweater, contact lenses, and a long dress, Rizu gave off a very different vibe from when she was just a high schooler. Ever since her makeover in high school, she would now dress up in front of me unless she was studying. It was something that I didn''t mind and very much appreciated. However, like a certain glasses-fetish dude, I have to agree that Rizu would look great whether she had her glasses or not. "Hmm...objectively speaking?" "My father''s udon is still better. Want to try it?" She asked as she raised her chopsticks in the air. I didn''t reply, merely leaning in and opening my mouth. My mouth was stuffed with udon, and after tasting it, it felt okay. "It''s alright, but your father''s better." Rizu nodded and continued eating her udon. Our relationship was mostly quiet, but her calmness is something I appreciate a lot. It''s delightful spending time with her. "Mhm...delicious..." To my right was a blue-haired girl. Completely opposite of Rizu, she was taller, more expressive in her emotions, and bust...well, that was opposite as well. She looked very warm, dressed in a thick sweater, a winter cap, and a long dress. However, it didn''t stop her from eating a spicy dish early in the morning. "Fuutarou-kun, do you want a bite as well?" "Sure." Opening my mouth, I found myself fed a spoonful of spicy mapo tofu. Not the most ideal breakfast, but if Fumino doesn''t mind, I don''t too. "Can I have your french toast too?" Not waiting for my reply, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth. "Ahh..." Taking the french toast and feeding it to her, her expression slowly melted as she savored the french toast. This was one of my favorite breakfasts in this mall, so no doubt it would be on another level. "Fuutarou-san, can I have some too?" Rizu asked and tugged lightly on my sleeve. Unlike what people think, jealousy within my group was easy to deal with. Breakfast was soon over, and we resumed our shopping. The next shop was a cosplay shop, but only some girls were interested in it. "You girls can move on first. I''ll accompany them." I told the other girls before going inside the cosplay shop. Chiaki, Ichika, and Mafuyu was inside. The last one was a bit unexpected, but I think Chiaki just dragged her inside after witnessing her "talent" in it. "I think Mayukii would love some of these, right sensei?" "Don''t call me sensei when we''re outside!" Mafuyu worriedly spoke as she looked around. "Don''t worry, Mafuyu. Let''s go and try some of the outfits." Chiaki dragged Mafuyu deeper into the store and disappeared amidst the various clothes. Beside me, Ichika examined some of the clothes. "Fuutarou, can you wait here for a while?" "Hm? Sure." I nodded, but I realized she had brought a ton of outfits inside the changing room, and some of them were not so...PG. "Tada! Fuutarou! I''m arresting you for theft!" [Image here ->] "Eh?" "You have stolen so many hearts; what a sinful man." Ichika shook her head before smiling, "Wait for more~." The curtain opened after a few minutes, and Ichika came out wearing a china dress. [Image here ->] She twirled around, causing the hems of the dress to flutter, allowing me to have a lot of lovely views. "Fuutarou ecchi~." Ichika acted embarrassed, but the sly smile on her face looked devilish, "Next!" The next outfit was a bit more PG, but her cleavage was readily available for my roaming eyes. [Image here ->] "It''s not Halloween, though?" "I''m currently the monster Fuutarou made, so Fuutarou''s monster?" Ichika blinked, her wide eyes blinking in fake fear as I cornered her to the wall, "Roar?" She tried to let out a roar, but it came out more like a cute "mew" instead. My hands extended to her face as I traced the fake sewing makeup. "Wow...you''re as amazing as usual..." "Alright!" She pushed me back as she hurried to the changing room, "Next!" As soon as Ichika came out, I almost choked on my own saliva. [Image here ->] "Ichika?" With b?r?ly anything covering her ?h?st, Ichika walked out with a red face. But I didn''t get the fanservice for too long before she hurried back behind the curtains. "Hey! Please give me a few minutes more to appreciate your dress!" "You''re so honest about these sorts of things!" Ichika yelled back, "And it''s too embarrassing!" Sigh...fortunately, my eidetic memory came into handy at this time as I recalled everything about her previous attire. The next outfit was much simpler. [Image here ->] "Ichika? Do you want to get married?" "Eh? Is that a proposal?" "Of course not. There''s no way the proposal would be so simple." I shrugged as I admired her simple beauty, "You don''t have to wait long." She stepped forward and hugged my neck, staring into my eyes as she asked, "How long?" "Two more years, at most. Each of you will have a wedding of your own, of course, unless you want something different." "...I''ll be waiting, Fuutarou." "Thank you." Leaning in, our lips met. "Fuutarou-kun..." "Fuutarou..." Two voices sounded, and I immediately released Ichika. Mafuyu was in one of her rare jealous moods, and Chiaki was no different, especially when they saw Ichika in a bridal dress, "Go on, I"ll pack up here." Ichika gave me a push from behind as she winked. Chiaki immediately took my hand and started dressing me up instead. After a not-so-fun half an hour, I was utterly exhausted as I lay wasted on a nearby seat. "Thank you for going along with my whims," Chiaki said as she sat down beside me. "It''s okay. It''s rare to see you taking so much initiative outside acting, after all." I patted her head, and she cuddled next to me. Since she was rather tall for a girl, she hardly had anyone pat her head apart from her friend, Mayuki. Thus, she really loved it when it came to head-patting. Mafuyu sat on my other side, with her expression as stern as always. But she was currently leaning in as well. She just can''t be honest, can she? Her facade of a stern teacher has already been broken multiple times, but she stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. "I''m not your sensei anymore." Sounding more to convince herself than to convince me, she raised her head and kissed me. It was very short since Mafuyu immediately pulled herself away, mumbling like Deku at the side. "What have I done to my own student? Actually, why am I even going out with him? It''s..." Leaving her to her own mumblings, I just leaned back and was initiated another kiss by Chiaki. For a big girl like her, she can be so ridiculously adorable at times. Ichika was taking quite some time, and when she finally came out, she explained before I could even ask. "It''s a secret~." She was not carrying anything, so I could only wonder without any hints. After this, we caught up with the rest of the girls who were currently in an accessories shop. "Ne, Fuu-kun." Nino dragged me to her side as she looked at an earring. "Are you trying on earrings?" "Yep." "But you don''t ha-" "Can''t I try them on beforehand?" Nino pouted as she looked at me, "You really don''t understand girls, Fuu-kun." Yes, that will forever be the universal problem of us boys, but that''s beside the point. Those earrings aren''t just the run-of-the-mill regular earrings. They are made of actual diamonds, and they cost a few tens of thousands of yen. "...Anyway, when are you planning to wear them?" "Hm..." Nino pondered as she removed her earrings, "During our wedding, I guess." Placing the earrings back to their boxes and handing them back to the woman in charge, Nino walked away, looking at some other more affordable earrings. "These earrings...I''ll buy them for you." "Huh?!" "Well, I mean, I did say I would buy you a gift, right? So I think..." "Hahaha..." Nino let out a giggle as she titled her head at me, a smile appearing on her face, "Do you understand what you just said, Fuu-kun?" Without waiting for me to reply, she cupped her hands over her cheeks and giggled excitedly, "From what I said earlier, you''re basically proposing to me...kyaa!! You''re so bold, Fuu-kun! But I can understand you want me all to yourself~!" [Image here (all credits go to Yukitan MangaZone, a youtube channel from whom I took this idea from) ->] Taking her waist in one of my hands, I pulled her towards me as I tilted her chin upwards to face me, "That''s right. I want to marry you, but not like this. I''ll give you a proper proposal, a grand wedding for yourself, and a day you will never forget in your life. But can you wait just a bit longer for me?" Nino leaned in towards my ?h?st, speaking, "I''ve waited for three years already; how long more do I have to wait?" You really are sisters, huh? Ichika said the same exact things to me...not that I''m gonna mention it in their faces. "Two years. After we graduate from college, your only job will be to be a mum and wife. And maybe open the cafe that you''ve always dreamed of with Miku." "Mm...I''ll wait for you as long as I need to." "Thank you." Giving a light kiss to her, I stroked her head. The woman could only b?r?ly keep her professional smile as she stared at our PDA. Almost every girl in the world likes jewelry, and the girls in my harem are no exception. But if I had to pick one who was most interested in it, it would probably be Mitsuha. Coming from the countryside, she rarely saw anything of value. And this naturally made her more curious about jewelry than the other girls. Mitsuha was, like Nino, staring at some earrings. But not from a customer''s point of view, but from a "professional". She wanted to be a jewelry inspector, after all. After receiving a peck on the cheeks and a slight push from behind, Nino signaled towards Mitsuha and mouthed, "Go spend some time with her. And I''m looking forward to the earrings~!" Or at least, that''s what I thought she wanted to convey to me. Mitsuha was a lively girl. Despite being one of the older girls, she had a younger sister role in the harem. She was energetic, cheerful, and a brat, a trait no one else had and was unique to her. "Mitsuha, are you interested in this?" "Umu...these diamonds are exquisite." "Of course they are. Otherwise, the stores wouldn''t be selling them at high prices, would they?" "There are some shops who scam customers too, you know?" "Yes, yes." Honestly, apart from maybe Shouko and Kaori, Mitsuha was the one who knew me the best. Who asked her to literally take over my body before? Well, I''m not complaining. Mitsuha was kind, the mood maker, and the one who kept my harem relatively peaceful with her antics. She was someone I adored plenty. "I love you." "Hm? What brought it up?" "Nothing. Just felt like it." Hugging her from behind, Mitsuha stiffened from the initial surprise before relaxing her body, "I wonder if we could ever change our bodies again." "Pervert..." Not that I could blame her. I did grope a lot of her...private parts when we exchanged bodies. "You touched me too, so what does that make you?" Mitsuha didn''t reply, but her face turned red visibly fast. Deciding to quit my teasing before it got too heated, I planted a kiss on her cheeks and remained in this position until she was finally finished with everything she wanted to. The girls all stared at me outside the store, some with pouts and the others with a smirk. Ignoring all of them, I spoke with a smile, "Let''s move to the next store, shall we?" The first countermeasure to jealous girls - do all your actions to them all. This was shown in the breakfast scene where I fed Rizu and Fumino. The second countermeasure to jealous girls - change the topic to something they all enjoy. The third countermeasure to jealous girls - initiate the conversation before they can express their jealousy. See? Easy. A guide to all popular riajuu out there who have problems with jealous girls. Maybe I should make a book on this; it would be insanely popular, especially in this harem era. The next shop was on the next floor, and it was a store that only two particular girls liked - a game that sells puzzles and games. Don''t get me wrong, the girls all loved a good dose of brain tears (except the quintuplets), but as for having a keen interest in it, they much rather watch dramas or exercise. Chika and Rizu walked inside almost hypnotically, leaving the rest of the girls to sigh. But they too walk inside, looking around curiously as to what this shop has to offer. It wasn''t the first time they''d been to this mall, but this shop was relatively new, so having an interest was expected, even if they weren''t going to buy anything. "Chika! Look at these games!" "Rizu! Look at the new monopoly!" The two girls excitedly giggled away, leaving all of us in the dust. "Fuutarou! Look at this!" The two girls'' voices sounded simultaneous as they brought a strange object near my eyes. It was a wooden box that looked rather heavy. But it was the words that made me stop in the tracks. Jumanji. "Alright, nope. Let''s keep it in the dust where it belongs." "Eh? Why?" Chika sounded disappointed, "Doesn''t it look interesting to play?" "If you want a massive stampede of animals, a never-ending rain in your house, quicksand on the second floor, and be dragged into a world you would never escape from, then, by all means, play it." "Eh? It''s just a game, isn''t it?" "No." Grabbing Chika''s hands, I spoke with a deadly serious tone, "This game is dangerous." "A-Alright..." Chika nodded fervently, "It''s just a game, though...what about this?" Zathura. "No. Return this." "Eh? Why this one too?" "If you want a meteor shower in your house, your house being transported to outer space, surviving a killer robot, and face monsters that eat meat, then, by all means, play it." "This one too?!" "Yes. Go pick something else. Hell, I''ll buy the entire store except for these two games." Now, Rizu and Chika looked concerned for my wellbeing. "I''m not ill." They didn''t look like they believed me, but they returned the games back to their place, which, as expected, was hidden in a corner that no one would ever find except for the curious Chika. Shopkeeper, I''m staring at you. If you let Chika buy that game, I''m going to end your entire career. And maybe along with your life. The words in my heart seemed to have passed through some invisible telephone line as he shuddered suddenly. "Why did it suddenly turn so cold?" Anyway, Chika brought me along to introduce me to some games that I''d never even heard of before. Senet, 7 wonders, Backgammon, and more. While Chika looked at the exciting board games, Rizu focused on finding card games that required more people to play together. It''s more of a pastime to her since she was often training to read "emotions" and the likes of people. We didn''t spend too much time in the game shop, and after finding a game that they really loved, Rizu and Chika exited the shop and the other girls. The following few levels were pretty similar, where most of the shops were clothing, accessories, and shoes. When we reached the fifth floor, we decided to take a break and have lunch. It was already two, and even if the girls didn''t feel tired, I''d feel exhausted. Half of level five was a food court, with tens of shops selling a wide variety of food. Indian, Chinese, western, Korean, Japanese meals are all included. I took extra care in ensuring that all the shops here don''t sell overlapping food, except for the beverages store, because who would want competition? Anyway, sitting beside me was now Itsuki, munching away on her curry. My meal was finished within minutes as I proceeded to stare at the cute glutton. "W-What?" Itsuki asked warily as she noticed my stare, "Is there something on my face, Ue-Fuutarou-kun?" "Nope. I just wanted to look at your expression as you enjoy the curry." Her expression turned red as she hid behind a tissue paper. [Image here ->] "Don''t...stare at people while eating..." "Haha..." Laughing softly, I patted her head, "I only stare at my cute little glutton while she eats." "That sounds more like a tactless insult, Fuutarou-kun. You need to be more delicate towards girls, you know? Furuhashi often tells that about you as well." She didn''t reject my head pats, though. I have already maxed that skill out; no one can resist it, except maybe the tsundere of tsunderes. In front of me was Miku, who was now eating a matcha cake. Usually, she is a rather shy, calm, and collected individual, but it might be because she was eating her favorite cake that she became clumsy. "You have something beside your mouth." My arm was long enough such that when I leaned forward a little, I was able to reach Miku''s cheeks and "swipe" away the excess cake on her mouth using my index finger. "Matcha is surprisingly tasty." I grinned as I licked my finger clean before cleaning it with a tissue, "Or maybe it''s because of Miku?" Caught off-guard by my sudden change in attention towards her, Miku couldn''t help but turn red. Seeing both sisters turn red made me feel really proud. "You girls really are sisters." And both of them pouted at the same time. Seriously, how cute can they be? "Alright, alright. Stop pouting; it''s bad for my heart." "?" "It''s too cute, after all." After this, both seemed out of order as their heads appeared to be in the clouds. It was only after their sisters called them out that they snapped out of their reverie. The other half of the fifth floor was the cinema which occupied half of three floors, but since we were not watching any movies today, we skipped that and headed towards the sixth floor. The sixth floor was an entertainment floor, where arcades, games, and fun events were held. Shiro dragged me towards one of the games before I could say anything, and in the end, I could only accompany her as we spent some money. Along with Yotsuba and Uruka, Shiro was one of the most active girls in my harem. Being one of the rarer albinos in this world, she didn''t get much love in this world, something that was unfortunate because she was adorable and innocent. She was friendly, fun, and loyal to her friends, making her almost like a mascot in our family. "Fuutarou! Fuutarou! Let''s play that!" Shiro pointed towards a shooting (gun) game. Shiro''s energy was boundless, and she could never stop moving around, especially when shopping with her sisters. Yotsuba and Uruka were a bit tamer, but they were equally unstoppable when it came to sports. But no one could beat me when it comes to physical ability; Shiro didn''t retain her Branch of Sin, after all, and the two girls were also normal humans. In the end, after destroying them in the basketball game in the arcade and achieving a new high score, I exchanged my tickets for some prizes that the girls would like. Most of the games were similar, so we decided to leave after playing each type once or twice. There was a mix of a library and a bookshop on the topmost floor. "Mr. Ethical? Can you accompany me to the bookshop?" "Sure." As the girls streamed inside, I followed Utaha to the light novel section, where several all-too-familiar titles appeared in front of me. How could I not recognize them when I was the one who copied - ahem, created them? My first two works - Domestic Girlfriend and Tokyo Ghoul - and their DVD Bluray version were alongside some of my other famous works. I even took some extra steps to create an anime for Utaha''s first work -Metronome in Love. See the love I have for my girlfriend? Of course, if her work su?k?d, I wouldn''t have animated it - that was the pride of any animator, and it couldn''t be tarnished by any personal feelings. So when Metronome in Love finally became popular, I took the chance to animate it and earn a ton of money. Of course, not as much as my works, but it was quite a lot for someone like Utaha. "Maybe I should write about a voice actress and a mangaka next..." Utaha commented as we strolled down the bookshelf. A voice actress and a mangaka, huh? That sounds familiar. "Something about an aspiring mangaka who wishes to be the best but is stopped by setbacks after setbacks. Starting with a group, his friends slowly lost interest over time, leaving behind just two members. There is a promise between the female lead and the male lead, but when the female lead succeeds, the male lead still struggles to rise to the top. His body slowly broke down, and soon, he realized he couldn''t draw anymore. He is torn to shreds..." "Hey, hey." Shaking Utaha out of her crazy expression, Utaha suddenly stopped as she realized what she had just done. "Ahem, anyway," Like the shameless black-bellied girl she was, Utaha continued on like nothing had happened, "I want to get some reference for my new idea. Help me search, will you?" "But before that," Utaha pulled me by the hand to the forbidden section. "Hey, what are you doing?" "Are you shy? You''re already a college student; you should have gone here a few hundred times already." Utaha scoffed and asked, "Unless you have some problem...down there?" "You know best whether I have a problem down there." I snorted back, "Wait till tonight, and you can judge for yourself." Utaha licked her lips, and she tiptoed to hug me around my neck. "I''m looking forward to it~." Whispering into my ears, Utaha gave me a light peck before backing away to the forbidden section. What a seductress. Me likey... Entering the forbidden section where, unlike many people thought, was filled with girls - a fact that I still haven''t gotten used to yet. With next to almost no shortage of female partners, the men didn''t need to rely on...materials to let it out. On the other hand, women now had the problem of not having a man. Thus, the scene right in front of me. "Hmm...Sawamura-san''s work..." "Oya? Interested?" "Not really. Just wondering if she has improved any further with Aki by her side because I did with you by my side." ...but when she says things like she was a pure deredere and makes my heart skip a beat, her charm just goes up to the next level. This is why I can''t stop loving her. "Aww...how touching." "Don''t get ahead of yourself, though. It''s also only with me that you can publish so many works." And the black belly returned. "Yes, yes. You''re the best." After strolling through the R18 section for research purposes (the only time these words were valid), we moved on to the boring part. But surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Miku was present there, flipping through books about the Sengoku-era. "Miku, what''s so fun about the past?" Utaha yawned as she walked over, "Isn''t the future with Mr. Ethical better to look forward to?" "As much as I agree, you can''t stop me from loving what I love." Miku refuted, causing Utaha to shrug. "Glad to see you girls getting along." Indeed. Let''s just ?ssume that they''re getting along. ¡Þ Time flew by, and it was soon time to go home. Unlike how I came here with Kaori and Shouko, I decided that a limousine would be better to carry 20 people home. In front of my m?a?n?s?i?o?n? home, the limousine stopped. The sun was already setting, and before I could even open the door, I could hear all of our parents talking in the living room. Before I could even say anything, the girls all rushed to their own parents. "Welcome home, Fuu-chan." "Mum, I''m not a kid anymore." "Even if you''re the oldest being in the universe, you will forever be a kid in my eyes." My mother only smiled, "Oh! And your girlfriends'' parents are all friendly people. I haven''t met some before, but I guess you just have this kind of luck. And Maruo and sensei even got together...I guess it runs in the family, huh? You and Mafuyu...didn''t think you would aim for your teacher as well. Oh, and..." "Mum, mum. Relax..." I patted her shoulders to keep her from talking, "Relax...I have no idea what you''re trying to say, but at least let me change first, alright?" "Nonsense. Go and greet your in-laws first! Your girls aren''t changing, so why should you?" "I haven''t even married them yet..." "Future-in-laws then, does it make a difference? I swear, if you don''t marry even one of them, I''ll kill you first." They say daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law don''t usually get along, but this mother here would kill her own son for letting down her future daughter-in-law. Damn. "Yes, yes." And so, the evening was filled with greetings and talks. We all sat around, talked, ate - the usual stuff you usually find in any party. This party was for family, so that means my sister''s boyfriend is also coming, along with his entire family and his harem''s family as well. "So, Hori-san?" A fake and strained smile appeared on my face as I shook her hand, "Your brother has balls to make my twin sisters into his harem, huh?" "Huh? You also took quintuplets inside your harem, you think you are any better? Think about your fathers-in-law for a moment." Hori''s fake smile also appeared on her face. "Haha, you see, I''m a bit of a sis-con, so until I ensure your brother is completely and herbivorous, your brother better watch out." "Hoh? If I see him harmed in any way, the first person I''ll talk to is my mother-in-law, alright, Mr. Brother-in-law?" Hori''s smile became a smirk, and I could only groan internally. "Naturally, I wouldn''t harm any siblings, Hori-san." "Hahahaha..." "Hahaha..." "You two have some grudge against each other?" "Izumi, your brother-in-law better watch his toes, okay?" "H-Hai?!" "Good." Leaving the ba-couple to themselves, I could only watch Hori''s younger brother, Souta, talk with Satsuki, Uzuki, and another girl from their class, Yuuna Okuyama. Sigh...whatever. If this was fated to be, then nothing can be done, except, well, using holopsicon. But I''m not going to use it for something like this; it just feels terrible destroying someone''s fate. Sighing again, I looked at Raiha talking with Yuzuru, Miharu Kirisu (Mafuyu''s younger sister), Yotsuha Miyamizu (Mitsuha''s younger sister), and Moeha Fujiwara (Chika''s younger sister). At least this side doesn''t have boys. But I have no doubt that as soon as a boy as handsome as me arrives, they would immediately fall for his sweet-talkings. The pros and cons of having a cute sister... We had the usual gift exchange, and by 2 am, everyone was in bed already. Yes, this place had enough rooms for everyone; that''s how big this place was. There were small rooms for one person, medium rooms for homely couples, big rooms for luxury couples, suite "rooms" that had their own living room area. And then there was the Fuutarou room, which had twenty rooms all connected to one living room, which is connected to the corridor pavement that led to the main house. Each room had its own toilet, and there was one room for every girl. Yes, I built this house to rival Aria Shichij¨­''s house, and I''m very proud to announce that it succeeded. This wasn''t the first time the girls had come here, so they immediately went to their own rooms. I was a bit disappointed that none of the girls decided to follow me, but I couldn''t force them, right? Thus, I decided to take a bath before sleeping as well. Just as I was about to step out of the toilet, I heard the door to my room open. "Yes...?" With a towel around my waist and a hairdryer blowing my hair, I stepped out of the toilet to see who entered, only to be greeted by the sight of nineteen charming beauties in Santa outfits. [Images here ->] "What?" "Merry Christmas, Fuutarou/Fuu-kun/ Fuutarou-kun!" Some had a shy expression, while others had an excited expression. Utaha and Uomi were ???k?n? their lips as they feasted their eyes on my n?k?d body, and Inami and Miku peeked through their fingers. "We didn''t give you a present earlier, so here we are!" "Ichika planned this, didn''t she?" "Ara, the fun is spoiled so fast, Fuutarou-kun? Onee-chan is sad, you know?" And your expression seemed anything but sad right now. "Do you...like it?" "Like it? I love it. But don''t tell me that''s all you''re gonna offer me?" Placing the hairdryer back, I sat on the bed as I smirked. I didn''t order an absolutely humongous bed for no reason; it''s finally time to put it to use. Some of the smaller girls blushed and hid behind the bigger ones, but none backed out. "Even you, Mafuyu?" She opened and closed her mouth, but no sound came out. "Are you a man or not?" Uomi and Utaha stepped forward, their br??sts jiggling in the skimpy Santa outfit, "Don''t tell me you''re gonna back out on our agreement earlier?" "Hmph! Don''t expect me to show you mercy later." Straddling me, Utaha''s n?k?d and luscious th??hs wrapped around my waist as she gave me a deep kiss. "Hey, no fair! Give me one too!" Uomi grabbed me from behind, pressing her ?h?st against my back. "If none of you want him, we''ll take him first." Uomi and Utaha smirked as they started making out with me. The other girls could only stare and each other and sigh. Nodding, all of them started making their way towards me, and as soon as everyone was on the bed, the fun began. As for time...who gives a shit about time? The night is still so young as wet, slapping noises accompanied m??ns as it reverberated throughout the entire room... [Extra Images here ->] ***************** A/N: Jesus, there are way too many girls...I tried my best to give all of them some screen time, but it''s really tough to juggle 19 girls. Enjoy your 9k word chapter from yours truly. I''ll not be doing this again anytime soon... There is no R18, unfortunately. You see, there are three types of authors: 1) The type that everyone (readers) hate, authors who take a break from their schedule because of holidays, even though the authors are entirely innocent. 2) The type that everyone is okay with, authors who continue their schedule regardless of holidays. 3) The type that everyone loves, authors who post extra chapters on holidays because they have no life (me). Anyway, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and your s?u?b?s?c?r?i?p?t?i?o?n? ?t?o? ?t?h?e? ?P?a?t?r?e?o?n? ?power stones will be the best Christmas gift I can receive. It has been an incredible year for us all, and may all of you stay safe and healthy! Chapter 94 - 92: A New Friend and a Problem to accompany it? "FUUUU-TAAAAA-ROUUUU!" "Urgh..." It felt like I was jumped by my father all over again. My knees gave in to the considerable pressure on my back as I was flattened on the ground. "Fuutarou! Fuutarou! Fuutarou! Did you bring the Aceman figurine?" A female voice screamed as she sat on top of me without a care in the world. With incredible strength that I needed to use, I pushed myself off the floor, but the girl behind me continued hugging my neck, treating me as a piggyback ride. "Wow! You''ve gotten stronger!" the girl exclaimed as she climbed down and reappeared in front of me. The girl, whom I ?ssumed was Shiro, is a young albino girl. She has snow-white hair, pale skin, and red eyes; even her eyebrows and eyelashes are white. Her hair is very long and reaches down to her knees. She was currently in something of a hospital gown, much like me. Please don''t tell me I''m an experimental test subject as well... "Hello, Shiro. You''re more active than usual, huh?" Shiro merely tilted her head in confusion, "Nevermind that! Lend me your Aceman figurine!" She took, no, snatched the Aceman figurine from my hand and started running around, "Come catch me if you want Aceman to save the day!" What on Earth just happened? I wanted to just sit and train my tail control, but I couldn''t do so under the supervision of those ?du?ts. Left without any choice, I just chased after Shiro. And it wasn''t easy at all. I have the physiology of a mythic animal, and I almost ran myself out of breath before eventually finding and catching Shiro. Who on Earth is Shiro? No children would ever have the capacity to do what she just did. "Ha...ha...ha..." Both of us panted as we laid down on the green grass. "Fuutarou, you have gotten so much stronger..." Shiro panted as she said, "I''ve never felt this tired before..." "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" "Of course, it''s a good thing. Fuutarou strong means we strong!" Shiro flexed her non-existent muscles as she grinned, "Here. Since you managed to catch me, you can have your Aceman back." I raised an eyebrow as I took it back, "Even if I didn''t manage to catch you, you would still give it back anyway." "Hehehe..." I looked at the figurine and thought for a while. It didn''t look very sightly. With a red, tattered cape floating behind it, black and red und?rw??r, and a T-pose, it looked...never mind. Anyway, the previous me might have liked this in the past, but now that "I" am here, it doesn''t really interest me anymore. I never really liked figurines that much, anyway. "Here, I''ll give it to you instead." Giving the Aceman figurine back to Shiro, she looked at me like I was some sort of unknown entity. "Eh?" "You like it as well, don''t you? Why don''t you take it?" "Eh?! You don''t want it anymore, Fuutarou? You don''t like Aceman anymore?!" "Relax, Shiro..." Patting her head, I calmed the hyperactive girl down, "You''re my friend, aren''t you? So I''ll give this to you as a present. I still love Aceman (a lie), and I''m really sad to be parting with it( another lie), but if it''s you, I don''t mind giving it to you. You''re my precious friend, after all." The last part wasn''t a lie. During that short hour of playing tag, I could already see Shiro being a really great friend. Children are pure and innocent creatures - a reason why I made a lot of friends during my own childhood. Something like obsessive love syndrome, but without the love or the obsessive? Anyway, the scientists definitely couldn''t be trusted. Another reason why I chose to give Aceman figurine to Shiro was because of the bandages on Shiro''s arms, legs, and even neck. It was obviously some injuries, and it only further confirms my suspicion of this place. It was no orphanage, and anyone who continues to believe it even after seeing this is either stupid or part of the organization running this place. I felt sympathy for her, so I decided to give her the figurine that she really loved, hoping that she would at least feel stronger to get past those experiments. "Thank you, Fuutarou!" Shiro grabbed the figurine and hugged me. We were still lying on the grassy ground, so it just ended with her lying on top of me. "I''m all rested now! Let''s continue playing!" Seriously? Who on Earth is this girl who had more stamina than me? ¡Þ "Super ultra delicious dynamite kraken gaki special atomic bomber spiral core poisoned drill gravity air spin fire flare vibrating spectacular final yogurt electronic synchro dive jumping beam happy zero heat ice crusher terry itou stone mountain surging dark candle freeze buster light sun ocean remarkable clear clip cutter jab Gazelle Monkey Boar Coleacnth Stardust Poison Papiko Sunder Storm Enlightened over-named but really nothing but an extremely normal PUNCH!" [A/N: Btw, that is 68 words long.] We were currently re-enacting Aceman''s various shows and fight, and it was unexpectedly fun. Sure, it was very cringing and very embarrassing, but once you get used to being chuuni for a while, you get to experience the fun of just being retarded every once in a while. Many people stop at the first stage and never continue; that was why there were so few chuunibyous in the world. Of course, we watched a few episodes of Aceman first to get some insight into what Aceman was exactly and so that I wouldn''t look suspicious in the scientists'' eyes. As it turns out, Aceman was a superhero. Wow. What a surprise. What an unexpected development. I would have never thought of that in my life. Moving on from my sarcasm-filled monologue, we just started acting out some of the memorable scenes of Aceman saving some people from bad guys. "Help! Help! Save me from that bad guy!" I yelled in mock fear, and Shiro, who had climbed up the tree, jumped down and landed with her hands by her side, "protecting" me from the invisible bad guy. Landing exactly how Aceman would have landed, Shiro spoke his trademark words with a big smile on her face, "Have no fear! Aceman is here!" Hmm...sounds strangely familiar with a certain anime about heroes as well. "You bad guy will not get away from me after daring to hurt the people!" "Take my move! Super ultra delicious dynamite kraken gaki special atomic bomber spiral core poisoned drill gravity air spin fire flare vibrating spectacular final yogurt electronic synchro dive jumping beam happy zero heat ice crusher terry itou stone mountain surging dark candle freeze buster light sun ocean remarkable clear clip cutter jab Gazelle Monkey Boar Coleacnth Stardust Poison Papiko Sunder Storm Enlightened over-named but really nothing but an extremely normal PUNCH!" I counted that thing, and the name of the super move came up to 68 words, mixed with various nouns, verbs, and adjectives. I wonder which brain-damaged scriptwriter wrote this thing and how he''s doing in life right now. Shiro managed to memorize every word without fail. And so, with that utterly normal punch that made a hole in a leaf, Shiro crossed her hand and helped me off the ground with her smile still hanging off her face. "Hehehe! I have saved you, Fuutarou!" Seeing her innocent and bright smile similar to Shouko''s and Kaori''s, my heart warmed as well. "Yes, indeed you have." ¡Þ 3rd POV ¡Þ The naughty little woodpecker ? Knocked holes, crumbling the forest. The poor little woodpecker, his nest was poisoned, his supper too. He touched his friends, and they all died. ? The sad little woodpecker ? His little poison tears twinkle and shine... ? The sound of slow clapping resonated in the room as the woman who played the song looked up. "Fabulous playing as always. Though, I always wonder why you would only choose to play children''s songs." The woman merely let out a soft smile, though the tears that rolled out of her eyes readily revealed her current emotions, "Children are beautiful creatures." The man smirked as his glasses shined a little in the darkness, "A scientist who performs human experimentation on children loves children. What an irony, don''t you think?" "What did you come here for, Hagire?" The woman wiped her tears away as she asked, her tone sharp and ungentle, unlike before. Hagire had long black, messy hair that was kept in a ponytail. He has a short goatee and wears glasses. He wore a white lab coat over a black-and-white striped t-shirt and black trousers and had a necklace with four scalpels. In addition, he has dark circles under his eyes, most likely due to sleep deprivation. "Sorae...relax." Hagire smiled, "I am just curious about Shiro. Can I have her instead?" Sorae has long black hair that is kept in a braid over her right shoulder. She wore regular clothes; a green sweater and light pants, and a white lab coat over her regular clothes. "No." "Why not? Isn''t it the entire reason why you ''adopted'' her, no? To replace her with Maruta so that your son wouldn''t suffer at all." Sorae stood up abruptly and pulled Hagire''s shirt towards her, his face now right in front of hers, "I''ve already given you permission to do all sorts of things to her, but giving her to you is another matter. She belongs to all of us, understand?" "Tch...fine. But anytime you want to dispose of her, feel free to give her to me." "And that''s never going to happen. Now, leave." "Relax...I still have another issue. The other child you brought back in...Fuutarou." "What about him?" "Why don''t we try on him too?" Sorae looked at him like he was trash, "Why don''t you try on yourself first?" "Fiesty, but you already did on one, so another shouldn''t matter. We all need the results anyway." "No." "Then I''ll just tell the board that we need one more subject, and you would be forced to pick either your son or Fuutarou." "Is that a threat, Hagire?" "No, no, no." Hagire hurriedly raised his hands in a defensive position, "I never threaten others. We indeed need another experimental subject. After all, since we''re trying to gain insight into how to heighten a person''s immune system, rather than some random child on the streets, why not pick one with an already strong immune system and test on him?" "Fuutarou?" Sorae''s face revealed a confused look, "Strong immune system? Fuutarou had always been a weak child." "Not after he suddenly collapsed out of nowhere. At first, we thought it was some of the side effects on the past experiment, but..." "But what?" "We don''t know. Only with further experiment with your consent would we be able to further our...studies." Sorae remained silent for a while, and Hagire waited patiently by the side, his fingers twiddling with some fancy gadget. "Is it a must?" "Of course," Hagire said, though he himself didn''t really think so. Shiro was already a perfect specimen, but his innate curiosity just made him want to have Fuutarou as his experimental subject. Why did Fuutarou suddenly faint one day? What happened to him? What changed? Did his entire physiology change? How could he suddenly be as fit as Shiro, who was experimented on for quite some time right after waking up from a two-day coma? So many questions did Hagire have, but so few answers. Fuutarou wasn''t needed for their experiment, but Fuutarou was necessary for his personal one. "Fine. If I find out that you''re lying to me in any way, I''ll make sure you never step foot into any science lab ever again." Having gotten what he wanted, Hagire didn''t say anything more and left the room, a smile hanging on his face. "Soon..." ***************** A/N: Since the title I originally planned to put was a spoiler, I changed it. But after everything becomes clearer and you guys know what world we are in, I''ll put in a better title. Btw, my holidays have come to an end. I need to actually start on all my homework that I have conveniently procrastinated for writing. So, it''s going back to the usual Sunday uploads only. Maybe I''ll post an extra chapter for the new year, but no promises. If this fanfic lasts until next year, I''ll write both a Christmas and New Year special since I''ll be graduating (hopefully).