Have you ever found yourself lying half-awake, staring at the ceiling, so absorbed in the sensations around you that nothing else seems to matter?
The rays of the sun gently warmed my face, while a subtle gust of wind came through the open window, rustling the curtains softly and carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers. The distant sound of birds chirping filled the air, harmonizing with the gentle rustle of leaves in the trees.
The ceiling above me felt incredibly familiar, yet at the same time, it was like a distant memory my mind was trying its hardest to reject.
Only when the notion came to me, did I understand why I felt that way.
This was none other than the ceiling of my old house, back when I was just a normal Japanese guy.
Before everything, this had been Akira Bashira's home.
Can't say I don't feel a lingering nostalgia now.
I've been treated on a whole other level, enjoyed luxury beyond what little old me would ever be able to see in his life.
Yet, none of those things could compare to this small home, which was tied to most of my important memories.
Even so, I couldn't just keep lazing off like this forever.
I lifted myself from the bed.
Despite having some mixed feelings over this, I wasn't particularly surprised.
For some reason, it felt like it's not the first time I'm thrown into strange situations I cannot understand.
There was a small feeling, like there was something missing, but I soon dismissed it. Figuring out what was happening took the precedence, for now.
I looked around for a while, until I came to the conclusion that this must be a dream.
The System does not respond to my calls. I cannot use any of my skills, or Magic, and I can't hear Yui either.
The only conclusion was that I was in a dream-like state.
'I mean, I was pretty tired, like Yui said, but would I fall asleep so easily?'
Superhumans have a certain degree of control over their body, this is no surprise.
But even among them, I have an edge. I possess multiple body-perfecting skills, which should be easily able to counter lack of sleep for even more than 72 hours without any issue. In fact, I was planning to find some time to sleep after dealing with the introduction to the 4th Trial.
But the point is, even all those methods did not work, and I fell asleep, somehow.
"...Don't tell me, the Trial's setting is to be asleep until a certain amount of time has passed, or something?" I muttered to myself.
That was the conclusion I came to, but for now, it was just an idea. It wasn't even that important right now. I have to return to the real world, to deal with whatever's happening out there.
Unlike usual dreams, though, I was aware that it was one.
'Is there a special meaning behind it, or was it not intended?'
Well, whatever the case was, it's alright.
I'll get to the bottom of this either way...
Although I kept my calm, there was one doubt in my heart.
If I opened that door leading outside of my room, would I see... my family?
I didn't know what to feel about this.
While my heart had certainly been stirred by Alexia, and now recently, Yui as well, I still considered those two as matters after the Trials had begun.
I didn't remember when I started thinking of it this way, but it was like everything before them was a bit... blurry.
It was similar to my strange calm state even when I was told I died.
A sense of alienation that couldn't be shaken off.
All of those things... I should give less consideration to, given the extremely long journey ahead.
I rationalized that it was natural to end up thinking this way, but even so, could the current situation be resolved with rationale?
...A sigh escaped my lips.
Since this was a dream, there must be a reason I ended up in my old home. It felt like my subconscious was gritting its teeth and shouting at me, "Carve those memories onto your very being, so that even if, one day, your mind will forget, your heart will not."
With this resolve, I opened the door, ready to see what was in store for me.
And indeed, I wasn't surprised by what I saw when it fully opened.
Standing with her back against the wall was a girl with striking red eyes and black hair, mirroring my own features.
She wore a slightly annoyed expression that only softened a little when she saw me.
Her attire was just as striking: a black hoodie with silver zipper detailing, matching black choker and earrings, and a pair of crimson-red hairpins that stood out vividly against her dark hair.
The cross-shaped earrings dangled slightly as she shifted her weight.
Yeah. She was my sister, Izumi Bashira.
"What are you waiting for? We'll be late for class if you don't hurry."
Her appearance and manner of speaking might make one think she was just a rude gangster, but I knew better.
My sister could be misunderstood by anyone but me.
I noticed I now had my old high school uniform on, but I didn't care much about it at all.
I crossed the distance between us and put an arm on her shoulder while snickering. "You should've just gone ahead without me, but I'm thankful you didn't."
She, who was acting all angry just a second ago, blushed a little as she whisked my arm away. "S-Shut up..." she couldn't hold it anymore as she looked away.
Cute.
I laughed a little.
'Right, this was the kind of relationship we had'
Siblings would often fight each other, and we were no different. But at the very least, I truly cared about her.
"Let's go, let's go~"
We quickly made our way through the house. Memories flooded my mind at every step: the time we celebrated my tenth birthday with a surprise party in the living room, the nights we stayed up late watching horror movies, the countless meals shared at the dining table.
Each memory was a temptation to stop and reminisce, but my feet kept moving toward the door. I instinctively knew this was not what I came for today.
When we reached the door leading outside our house, I realized these would be the last few moments this short dream would last. Even though I gained nothing concrete and couldn't uncover any hidden truths, my heart felt satisfied.
My sister and I bickered lightly as we walked, her playful scolding matching my teasing retorts.
It was comforting, familiar.
Something I've missed.
But alas, all things must come to an end.
As I gripped the doorknob, I paused and turned to look at her, meeting her crimson eyes with my own.
"I'll see you later, Izumi" I said, smiling widely.
She looked surprised, not understanding what I meant. But despite all of that, she didn't question it.
Had she caught onto something?
Impressive.
She was my sister, after all. I was proud to have a little sister like her.
But even so, I didn't feel like disclosing my true feelings to someone who was merely a recollection crafted by my own dream.
No, such words should be directed to the real Izumi Bashira.
...I'll make sure to do that, someday in the future.
---
Author's Note:
The Sister got officially introduced. We'll get more pieces of Akira's background as we progress in the novel.
The real question now: are they important to the story, as characters?
Short answer: yes
Long answer: Multiple things will be connected to form a clearer picture in the future. For now, just take it as it is, and trust the cooking :D. You won't regret it.
I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter. There are a few reasons. I have 2 exams coming up the same day, so I'm crushing onto studying as much as I can.
Other than that, I had to completely scrap the first, and even the second version of this chapter. I simply did not like the end product.
Instead of releasing chapters I don't like just for the sake of it, I honestly prefer to wait it out until the combination of time and inspiration makes me release something I'm proud to call my work.
Any thoughts?
Next chapter is the starting of the 4th Trial, I swear <: