A Brother's Sacrifice

The Reika that I know before isn't the Reika that is in front of me. She is totally acting differently when she is talking about her boyfriend, Imai Murasaki.

"It was love at first sight for me. He was dashing and elegant when he first appeared in my life. And before I knew it, he was the one who asked me out."

Her eyes were sparkling and lively. She was remembering those moments as if it was the most important and beautiful moments in her life. That fact made me a little bit jealous.

"So what you are saying is, he is a womanizer?"

Reika glared at me furiously for making that statement. Of course, she would be angry because I'm insulting her boyfriend.

"Okay okay, don't be so furious at me."

She turned her head away from my direction.

"So, what's my role in your tragic love story?"

"Tragic?... Are you implying that my boyfriend will leave me?"

"...Nnnoooo..."

Reika had a doubtful look on her face. I turned my line of sight away from her direction. She tried to shrug the matter off by coming straight to the point.

"Anyway, I want you to do the role of supporting us."

"Like what?"

"Like helping with our date, which is why I wanted help from you right now."

"But why me? You could've just asked one of your friends."

Reika was troubled by my question. She didn't know how to reply to me.

"You want to know the reason? You won't get mad?"

I nodded slightly to her words. But why would I get mad at her? Is the reason that bad for me? I braced for her reply.

"You are the only person that I know who already have experience about those type of things...That's why I approached you."

The next thing that I saw after that phrase of hers, was a picture of a girl who was appearing vividly in my head. That girl's existence was known to me but,... I didn't want to know her.

I was trying to escape from the hallucination in my head but that girl's existence was filling my head endlessly.

"Br...Broth.....Brother!?!?"

I jumped from my illusions to reality. Reika was grabbing both my shoulders. It seemed like she was trying to shake me in order to disrupt my hallucinations.

"Are you alright Brother? You just froze upon my words."

It was like I had a headache. So I shook my head a little to regain my senses.

"It's alright, I'm just tired due to the heat."

Reika walked to one of the drawers near my bed and took out some clean cloth that is used for tending wounds. She approached near me and was about to apply it to my face but I suddenly stopped her.

"What's that for?"

"You're bleeding, on your mouth."

"Wha...?"

Now that I think about it, my mouth tasted like metal. I touched my mouth and blood was clearly on my hand. I wanted to wipe the blood off with my hands. The moment I started to wipe it, Reika interrupted me this time.

"Don't wipe it off using your hands, it won't come off that easily."

Her face went near mine and she used the cloth to clean my mouth.

"You were biting your own mouth when you were frozen just now. It was more than just the heat..."

She informed me in a small tone. I guess thinking about that girl was really bad for me. That's why she was feeling uneasy when trying to warn me.

"It's because I said all those things that you harmed yourself. That's why it's my fault. I'm sorry..."

That habit of hers won't go away. Tch, because of me, she is blaming herself. I must prevent her from doing so since this is the only useful thing that I can do right now.

"What things were you talking about? I don't seem to remember."

"The thing about-"

"I can't hear you!"

"As I sai-"

"Still can't hear you!"

Reika had a dumb look on her face. I made fun of her by laughing at her look. She was even trying to bring the topic of that girl but I kept denying it every time. I changed the topic by accepting her request for her date.

"Alright, I will help you."

"Really?"

"Yes. When will your date take place?"

"Umm,...tomorrow."

I facepalmed. This is too much tiring.

"...And you tell me that now?"

"It was difficult for me to ask you. This morning, you just went out quickly so I didn't get to talk to you." She pouted slightly as she said that.

I sighed. She is making my life much more tiring. Oh well, I guess I can't help it. After all, she is my precious little sister.

"Okay let's go to your room and I'll organise everything."

"Right now?"

"Well duh. We don't have much time."

After that, I went to Reika's room and gathered all the information including the places and time of the date.

Taking these pieces of information into consideration, I and Reika worked together on trying every clothes for the date. All kinds of style of fashion were tried on.

We stayed up late at night until we found the perfect dress. All the preparations were all set for the date.

I'm like a father dressing his daughter for her marriage. When I think about that, I started to feel a bit sad. While I know someday Reika will leave me, I just would be really lonely.

...

I woke up pretty late as I was busy preparing Reika for her date. Apparently, the date was supposed to be a little bit before lunchtime. Reika and Imai Murasaki would meet up at a place to eat, then would go to a cinema.

After that, I don't know. So that means that there's plenty of time before the date. I saw Reika who was brushing her teeth. She also woke up late for the same reason.

Then we took our time to eat breakfast as we were still drained out of energy. Mom told Reika to buy some things from the supermarket.

I told Reika that I would accompany her but she said it was okay. Regardless of her opinion, I still went with her. She easily gave up on dissuading me.

I was giving her tips on what to do on her date while walking down the streets.

"When you are on your date, don't look for your own happiness, look for the other person's. That way, he will think that you are very attentive towards him. Understood?"

"I understand. Brother, you sound like a teacher."

"Are you being serious?"

"Kinda."

"You should be focusing on your date, not me."

"Now you really sound like a teacher."

We made these random conversations when we arrived at the supermarket. It was filled with people. As it was Sunday, many people were free.

Nevertheless, we started to find those things mom needed. After some time, when we were about to leave, we saw two figures who were talking loudly.

It was disturbing the surrounding people. I tried to look carefully at the noisy people.

"Is it Aki?"

I looked at Reika and said,

"Go back home safely. I'm gonna go deal with someone."

"...Is it your friend?"

"Yes. It's something urgent."

"...Okay. Be sure to come home early."

"Hey, I am supposed to say that to you."

She had a small smile that showed how much delighted she was.

"And also good luck on your date."

"...Thank you."

She was easily embarrassed about that subject. I left her to go home and scanned at the two people who were fighting. One was definitely Aki, although the other one was unknown to me.

I walked to the two of them to break their little fight.

'This is a chance to get to know about my most valuable tool, Aki."