I tugged at my locks, staring at the dark colour of my raven hair as I frowned. I tugged my cheeks looking at my own dark orbs staring back at me as I made faces in the mirror before sighing.
"Wow... I look... exactly the same as usual... But Strawberry had such fluffy and cute pink hair... It reminded me more of cotton candy... Should I dye mine?" I pouted to myself as I inspected my hair while staring in the mirror.
My fringe is a little long... Can't really stand it... feels ticklish.
I dug through the drawer, finding a pair of scissors as I pulled it out to trim the edges of my fringe when there was a loud sound by the door which startled me. My hands slipped as I jumped from the shock, next thing I knew, a loud gasp resounded before the scissors from my hand was slapped away and I was pinned to the ground.
"Lucien! Don't do it! Even if you lost your memories, there is much to live for!" Strawberry cried as his fluff of pink covered my entire view.
"What...? I—"
[... wasn't planning on doing anything stupid.]
[... I messed my hair up because of you, you dimwit!]
... Wh-what are these options...? But hair... my hair?
I pushed him off to the side, sitting him down as I ignored the options and headed straight for the mirror. I hesitantly lifted it up, noticing how my hands trembled.
"Calm down, calm down. I'm sure it's not that bad." I decided to calm myself down as I tilted the mirror to look at my reflection.
***
"Guh—! It should be fine to select the angry option! I've lived all my life being laughed at and bullied by my sister since she claimed to look much better than me despite being identical twins. I still believe my face is my only asset so how could you... you..." I shook my finger angrily at Strawberry but couldn't finish my sentence as I hovered over the options.
Despite wanting him to 'feel my wrath', if I were to select this option and it turns out to be the short end of the stick and possibly lead to a bad ending... I guess I would have to suck it up and select the right option...
I weighed my options, staring at the box of texts before a small light bulb popped up by Strawberry's tear stained face. I blinked a few times, studying it before coming to a conclusion that it was most likely a hint.
Hmm... there usually are payments involved with hints. I should use mine more sparingly until I can learn where to farm them.
I sighed, unfolding my arms as I decided to follow through with the idea of playing it safe. I selected the prior option and finished my sentence from before as he hugged me.
I waited for the sound of the affection raising but there wasn't any. I frowned as I realised that not every option could cause a shift in affections.
I stroked his back, deciding that I should at least suck it up and treat him as nicely as I could even if I were raging mad. It sucks, but if I were to make wrong choices, things could end badly for me.
***
In the end, the sister helped cut my hair a whole lot shorter than I initially wanted. However, at least it was even for now. I better not hold anything dangerous while he is around or I may end up injured by accident and I can't even get mad at him.
However, as I panned to the left and glanced briefly at Strawberry who seemed rather out of place from the other children at the orphanage, it was hard to stay angry at him.
He smiled sweetly upon seeing me, totally zero look of remorse on his face for making me get such a short hairstyle. But I guess for someone who looked so innocent, that should be called for.
I nodded a response and shifted my gaze elsewhere as I tried piecing together where I could possibly be. It could only be one of those text based storytelling interactive gameplay simulator for girls or something, but I don't even play those bullshit.
It's always locked behind paywall or ads or... you should get it... Only my sister is a fool to fall for those... Hmm... Hmmm???
"AH! SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN!" I exclaimed, getting up from my seat as I stormed out of the dining room and exited the orphanage in a rampage.
***
Outside
I stared at a brightly lit town, it's lights illuminating the otherwise dark void below as I leaned on my palm that was resting on my folded legs.
"Must be that game I agreed to play on a whim since she said my dating game was beyond abyssal and that I could learn something from the game." I mumbled to myself, staring into the distance before I felt an irate sensation overwhelm me.
"ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEEE! AS IF A PIXELATED 2D BOY IS BETTER THAN THE REAL 3D HD 4K RESOLUTION REAL DEALLL!" I got up, stomping my feet on the stone not too far from where I was as I yelled out into the distance.
Huffing and panting for air, the anger that welled up inside me seemed to be quelled upon letting it all out and hearing my voice echo off into the distance.
After venting it out to the silence, I sat myself back onto the ground and dangled my feet off the cliff before lying down on my back. The stars that spread above me looked beautiful and surreal, almost like I could touch them.
"... I guess I didn't actually need to play the game when I thought about it. But she really pissed me off. Dissing her only brother like that... she's a terrible sister." I frowned to myself before a memory of her standing up for me when I wasn't present flashed through my mind.
"... She could have said it slightly gentler... She herself knows I have a fragile heart." I pout to myself as I recalled a time when we had the same fancy for one guy but he ended up dating another girl.
My sister was over him so fast, perhaps because it was a mild crush but I took it terribly. I had known him for many years and we had a good thing going on but... it probably wasn't the same for him since he was more into girls.
I sighed to myself as I folded my arms behind me and stared up at the sky. I saw a star glinting rather brightly but paid it no heed when I heard the trees rustle from behind me.
I sat up and twisted my body around to see who it was but was a tad slow when my eyes were clasped by chubby fingers. My nose picked up a rather pleasant scent of strawberries as I touched the hand to pull it off.
"No~ Guess who it is~" the person asked in a cheery tone as I sighed.
"Strawberry?" I made a supposedly wild guess when I could already tell by the scent of strawberries.
"Ding, ding, ding~ Correct! Here. I brought you some snacks since you didn't eat dinner." Strawberry handed me a handkerchief with some cookies resting on them as I blinked and accepted them.
I wonder where he pulled it out from since his hands were on my eyes.
I bit into the cookies, my teeth crunching on something as I froze. I warily lifted my gaze to his, noticing the rather sparkly and excited gaze in his eyes before lowering my gaze to the cookies which had countless eggshells in them.
Ah... He made this on his own, didn't he.
I half expected the option boxes to appear, but they didn't. I was only egged on for a response from Strawberry as his hopeful gaze lingered on me. I swear I see sparkles flying at me.
"It... it's good... Just try to make sure no eggshells drop inside next time." I said as I finished the cookies.
I peeked at his expression and sighed in relief as he burst into a wide grin. I could tell how elated he was from my respond so I suppose it was a good response.
"Here... lie down beside me." I patted the ground beside me as Strawberry stared blankly at me.
"Umm... You can rest your head on my arm." I extended my arm as he beamed and cuddled next to me.
"Since you came here to get me, might as well show you how pretty the sky looks. It always seems much brighter with someone else to gaze at them." I said as I tilted from my head from him and glanced up at the long strip of stars that lined the sky.
"Indeed... it's so... pretty..." Strawberry whispered in a soft tone as my mind drifted back and forth from the past till now before I decided to shrug it off.
"Shall we head back in? It's probably cold." I tried to get up but halted when I noticed how Strawberry was fast asleep on my arm.
... Maybe for a little while longer.