Chereads / Seed Of The Stars / Chapter 16 - Sibling Bond

Chapter 16 - Sibling Bond

「I'm tired..」[Nova]

Nova was wandering the halls of the school, aimlessly.

「Maybe I should go say hi to Oswald's sister..」[Nova]

Whenever he thought of it, he thought of her face.

「I.. can't get her out of my mind.」[Nova]

As he was walking around, he rounded the corner blankly.

That was when he collided with someone, and they both fell over.

『Ouch.. I'm sorry, are you okay?』[Nova]

That's when he realized who it was.

It was Oswald's little sister.

『...』[???]

Nova stood up, and offered his hand to her.

She looked at it reluctantly, before taking it.

『Oh. My name is Nova. What's your name?』[Nova]

『..Anastasia. Anastasia Soryl.』[Anastasia]

She glared at him, but then looked away with a complicated expression.

『..Do you have something against me?』[Nova]

She looked taken aback.

『No.』[Anastasia]

『Then.. Would you come with me for a moment?』[Nova]

『..For what reason?』[Anastasia]

『As an apology. Please, follow me.』[Nova]

She had that complicated look in her eyes again, but she ended up reluctantly nodding.

『..Alright.』[Anastasia]

She followed Nova from a distance until they came across a vending machine.

Nova bought 2 drinks from the vending machine with his student ID.

『..Would you listen to me for a moment?』[Nova]

『..Sure.』[Anastasia]

They sat on a cushioned bench, with some distance between them.

『Here.』[Nova]

Nova handed her a black coffee.

『I.. Haven't talked to many friends of my age before.』[Nova]

She stared at him with a puzzled look.

『...?』[Anastasia]

『I.. 』[Nova]

『...Get straight to the point.』[Anastasia]

『..I want to become friends with you.』[Nova]

Anastasia's face went blank.

『..Why?』[Anastasia]

『...You are Oswald's sister. He's been there for me.』[Nova]

She stared at him, with her emotionless face.

『Do you want to?』[Nova]

He smiled at her, even as she stared back blankly.

『..Are you sure?』[Anastasia]

『Yeah.』[Nova]

She looked forward with a conflicted look.

『...』[Anastasia]

『Could I see your student ID?』[Nova]

She grabbed it from her chest pocket and handed it to Nova.

Nova took the two and put them on top of each other for about 10 seconds.

They made a clicking noise, then Nova handed it back to her.

『If you have anything at all to talk about, please let me know.』[Nova]

『..Are.. 』[Anastasia]

She was slightly taken aback.

『I'm sure.』[Nova]

Nova stared confidently into her eyes.

『..』[Anastasia]

Anastasia broke eye contact.

『Will you?』[Nova]

『Why..?』[Anastasia]

『I feel like you get treated differently from us normal civilians. I want to treat you as I would anyone else.』[Nova]

Although Nova couldn't see her face, her ears were bright red.

『..I... I'll be honest with you.』[Anastasia]

『Please.』[Nova]

『I've been watching you.』[Anastasia]

Now it was Nova's turn to be taken aback.

『..Huh?』[Nova]

『Every day since you've awakened your seed, I've been watching you.』[Anastasia]

A creeping feeling crawled its way down Nova's spine.

『Under Soryl family orders, I've even seen you while you were sleeping.』[Anastasia]

He suddenly remembered the "intruder" that Rai talked about.

『I.. Uh..』[Nova]

『And you would still ask me to be by your side?』[Anastasia]

『...Well. Sure.』[Nova]

『..You would become friends with someone who has gone against you?』[Anastasia]

Nova nodded his head.

『Yeah.』[Nova]

『And if I betray you in the future?』[Anastasia]

『..If you wanted to do that you wouldn't have told me.』[Nova]

『...That's okay. But I am the future lady of the Soryl house, are you sure that it is a burden you.. can handle?』[Anastasia]

『...Yes.』[Nova]

『Very well… from now on.. please take care of me.』[Anastasia]

As she said that last part, she walked off.

Nova looked at her gradually shrinking figure.

『...Yeah.』[Nova]

Nova felt perturbed, but it was the least he could do for Oswald... he thinks.

----

Nova sat there for a little while longer.

『Yo! Nova!』[Oswald]

Nova looked up at Oswald.

『.."Yo?"』[Nova]

『Yeah, I heard it was friendly than "Hello" or my normal greeting, so that's what I'm trying! Hahaha!』[Oswald]

『I see..』[Nova]

『..Are you alright Nova?』[Oswald]

『I'm having trouble with something.』[Nova]

『..I see. This is serious. I'll sit here and listen to your concerns. Like an older brother.』[Oswald]

That last line made Nova freeze for a moment.

「Hm.. I wonder why he doesn't get along with his younger sister..」[Nova]

『Master. Can I call you Os-bro?』[Nova]

Oswald's concerned face froze.

『...Yes. Just do it, already.』[Oswald]

「This is.. the peak of my existence. I'm finally a true.. older brother.」[Oswald]

『Okay. Os-bro.』[Nova]

Oswald got into a posture reminiscent of Nova's, to better match him.

『So, why was this a problem?』[Oswald]

『I felt like we were just as close as Hanzo and Rai, and I felt master was too stiff.』[Nova]

『..Yes.. that's great, Nova.』[Oswald]

『..Yes.』[Nova]

Nova removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose.

『Is there anything else?』[Oswald]

『...』[Nova]

Nova began to burn in a deep azure flame.

『..Nova?! Surely it can't be that bad right?!』[Oswald]

『I succeeded.』[Nova]

『In what?!』[Oswald]

『The food challenge.��[Nova]

Nova's flame began to disappear.

『..Hah..You really are a monster. That challenge wasn't created to be finished by humans. You made me think you didn't succeed. What did you get as a reward?』[Oswald]

『..100 merits.』[Nova]

『Woah! That's an amazing amount for just the first day of moving in.』[Oswald]

『..and a kiss on the cheek from the person in the kitchen...』[Nova]

『...Nova.』[Oswald]

Nova looked up at Oswald…

To find that he had become very similar to a dried up husk!

『...Not even I have gotten a kiss on the cheek yet...』[Oswald]

『...Oh.』[Nova]

『Well, less about myself- I can't really see that as a problem.』[Oswald]

『But.. Well you know! Kissing turns into dating- wait was that the other way around? Well, then I have to date her! Then I get married!』[Nova]

Oswald laughed while rubbing his nose with his knuckle.

『That's not a problem! The problem is I barely know her!』[Nova]

『Well, get to know her Nova! As long as you aren't two-timing!』[Oswald]

Nova froze up and started a cold sweat.

『Hahaha! Ha… ha?』[Oswald]

Oswald's laugh ended with him beginning a cold sweat as well.

『Nova? Are you..?』[Oswald]

『Well, no. I just wanted to play with you a bit.』[Nova]

Oswald breathed out a sigh of relief.

『You're picking up some bad habits from Sarena..』[Oswald]