The soft hum of cicadas filled the air as Yamano sat under a shady tree near a river behind the orphanage, gazing into the distance. The evening sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting long shadows that danced across the backyard. As the rhythmic chirping of insects surrounded him, Yamano found himself lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts. He remembered the yesterday event where the nekogirl he rescued yesterday accused Yamano for something he is not and said the line...
I knew human still can't be trusted.
Fifteen years ago, a bloody tragedy had struck a peaceful town, leaving scars that time could not fully heal. Until now, the scars from the event caused the monster-girls losing their trust to human. The event echoed in Yamano's mind like a haunting melody. He somehow feel the weight of that fateful day, the pain etched into his soul. The loss of loved ones and the shattered innocence of a once close-knit community lingered in the air, an unspoken specter that colored every aspect of his life.
Yamano's gaze focused on the distant mountains, their peaks bathed in the last rays of sunlight. He couldn't escape the past, the unanswered questions that whispered in the wind. What if things had been different? What if the event did not happened in the first place?
Lost in contemplation, he was jolted back to the present by the sound of footsteps approaching. His younger sister, Hikari the blonde-haired succubus, appeared, concern etched across her face.
"Yamano-niichan, you've been out here for a while. What's on your mind?" Hikari's voice was gentle, a reassuring presence in the midst of his turbulent thoughts.
Yamano sighed, tearing his gaze away from the mountains. "Just thinking about , Hikari. It's been fifteen years."
" Don't tell me you're thinking about that massacre? Onii-chan, you promised me you won't talk about this, right?" said Hikari as her face left a worry expression.
Yamano leaned on the tree and closed his eyes. Yamano's thoughts were a tempest of emotions as he looked at his sister. "Hikari, do you ever wonder who I am to you? I mean, after everything that happened..."
Hikari's gaze met his, her eyes reflecting the same turmoil. "Onii-chan, you're my brother. That hasn't changed."
"But," Yamano hesitated, the weight of the unspoken words heavy in the air, "you're a monster-girl and I am a human. And fifteen years ago, humans declared war against monster-girls. It was a massacre, and I can't help but feel like... like I'm a part of that darkness."
Hikari's expression softened with understanding, her hand reaching out to rest on Yamano's. "Yamano-niichan, you're not responsible for the actions of others. You've never treated me and others any differently. Look around you. Even if you are the only human in this orphanage, you treated us with such kindness that made us believes that human can still change. "
Yamano took a deep breath, the words heavy on his tongue. "But, Hikari-chan, what if I'm a reminder of the pain caused by humans to your kind? What if my presence is a constant link to that tragedy?"
Hikari shook her head, her eyes searching his. "You are not responsible for the actions of others, Yamano. Yes, it was a dark time, and many lives were lost on both sides. But you, you're my brother, even if we just not related. Our bond is stronger than any war."
Yamano's shoulders slumped, a mixture of relief and uncertainty coursing through him. "I just don't want to be a burden to you and the others as well, Hikari-chan. I love you, and I don't want my existence to cause you and the others pain."
Hikari smiled gently, squeezing his hand. "You're not a burden, Yamano-niichan. This family is what we make of it. It's about love and understanding and..."
" It's true that some history can leave a scars in all of us but we can't change the past, but we can choose how we move forward."
A sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed Yamano as he grappled with the depth of Hikari's understanding. Unable to contain his feelings any longer, tears spilled down his cheeks, each droplet carrying the weight of years of uncertainty and fear.
Hikari's eyes widened in panic, her hand instinctively reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Yamano-niichan, I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know that you're not alone in this. Please forgive me."
Yamano shook his head, a mixture of sadness and relief in his teary eyes. "No, Hikari-chan, you didn't upset me. It's the opposite. Knowing that you see me as your brother and not just any human, regardless of everything that happened, it's... it's a huge relief."
Hikari exhaled, her anxiety fading as she realized the depth of Yamano's emotions. She gently squeezed his hand in return, offering a silent reassurance.
Yamano managed a soft smile through his tears, reaching over to tenderly pet Hikari's head. "Thank you, Hikari-chan. Thank you for understanding, for accepting me despite the shadows of the past. I can't express how much that means to me."
Hikari leaned into his touch, a subtle purr escaping her lips as she found comfort in the warmth of her brother's hand. "We're family, Yamano-niichan. No matter what happened, you are still our beloved big brother."
Yamano wiped away his tears, a newfound sense of peace settling within him. "Thank you. You know what? I'm feeling better now."
Both of them leaned on the tree together. As they enjoyed the view, Hikari asked Yamano a question regarding yesterday's event about Yamano rescuing a nekogirl from injuring herself rolling down the hill.
"Onii-chan. Can I ask you something? What's the deal with yesterday? I heard from the girls that someone called you a pervert." Hikari asked Yamano.
" Who told you that? Is it Mama Lumina?" Yamano asked Hikari who told her about the incident yesterday.
Hikari tried to remember the rumour that she heard from the other orphans. " Hmm... Misaki-neechan told me that she heard Rei-chan said that she heard the conversation between Airi-neechan and Ai-chan about you told Mama Lumina about someone called you a pervert."
Yamano just blankly stared at Hikari after what she said. A quiet moment standing between them. Suddenly, Yamano delivered a light chop on Hikari's head.
*bonk*
" OW!!! It hurts!! Why did you do that for?" Hikari rubbed his head.
" Is that how you summarised it? You should have told me that you heard it from Mama Lumina." Yamano scolded Hikari.
" ...but that doesn't mean that you have to bonk my head like that. Onii-chan baka!!" Hikari retaliated.
Yamano calmed down and continue to lean on the tree and said that the rumour being true. " About the rumour... Yes. I rescued a nekogirl yesterday from rolling down the hill and she called me a pervert for being the only human that lives inside this orphanage, surrounded by monster-girls like you guys."
Hikari began to lose her temper about the rumor. " What the hell was she talking about? You can't just blamed someone like that especially to the person who saved you. Who does that? I swear if I found this nekogirl, I gonna give her a piece of my mind."
Yamano giggled, knowing that Hikari would be in her "protective mode" when someone insulted his favourite big brother.
" Hey! Why did you giggled? You should be angry about this, you know." Hikari told Yamano.
" Yes, I know. Strangely, I don't feel mad at all. Besides that, what about you, Hikari-neechan? Do you think I am a pervert?" Yamano asked Hikari.
Hikari smiled because she knew how Yamano was. " Of course no. You are the best big brother anyone could asked for. You treated all of us with such cares." Hikari confessed.
" That's good to hear. That is why I'm not feeling angry because you said it yourself." Yamano said while pet Hikari's head.
As they spent their time together, a pixie monster-girl orphan named Nozomi heading towards Yamano and Hikari. " Yamano-niichan. Here you are! Me and the others have been searching everywhere for you."
" Nozomi-chan? What happened?" Hikari asked.
" Mama Lumina sent me. She said that there are two people waiting for you at the hall. Sounds like urgent," Nozomi chimed, her tiny voice carrying an air of urgency.
Yamano nodded, looking at Hikari. "I need to go and see who they are. Nozomi, would you mind flying with me?"
Nozomi grinned and nodded, landing gently on Yamano's shoulder. However, before Yamano could take a step, Hikari interjected, "Wait, Yamano-niichan. Why don't you carry me too?"
Yamano chuckled, "Hikari, you have wings. You can fly."
Hikari pouted, crossing her arms. "But I want to be carried too."
Yamano raised an eyebrow, teasingly, "You know, carrying you might be a bit difficult. I mean, you're heavy."
Hikari's eyes narrowed, and she shot him a playful glare. "Excuse me? I'm not heavy! You're just being lazy."
Yamano laughed, "Alright, alright. No need to get all feisty. But really, with those wings, you're practically weightless. I can't say the same for myself."
As they made their way to the orphanage, Yamano carried Nozomi on one shoulder, and Hikari fluttered her wings beside them. Hikari couldn't resist scolding Yamano for his cheekiness.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood, or I'd make you regret calling me heavy," Hikari teased, giving Yamano a light nudge.
Yamano grinned, "I'll be sure to watch my words next time. I don't want to incur the wrath of my little sisters."
Nozomi giggled because of the interaction between these two. " Yamano-niichan, you can't said things like that. You know Hikari-neechan gets angry when someone mentioned her being heavy."
" I know." Yamano said.
As they reached the orphanage hall, they saw Mama Lumina sit with two people. One was a familiar face. The man is actually the owner of the bakery that gave Yamano a loaf of potato bread for free. Another person is a nekogirl... that awfully look familiar. It's the same nekogirl that called Yamano a pervert.
" YOU!!!" Yamano said while pointing his finger at the nekogirl angrily.
(TO BE CONTINUE)