Someone's calling me!?
In a sparsely decorated room set up for video games, with a desk holding a few books, a young boy struggled to wake up, as if trapped in an endless dream; he was slightly sweating.
With a jerk, he opened his eyes, his hair a mess and his gaze unfocused. Although he had just woken up, there was no trace of a dream; it was more like he had completely forgotten it.
Nevertheless, he felt unusually heavy, and after a quick glance around, the reason was clear: he had forgotten about his sister, who had the bad habit of sleeping beside him; she often snuggled under the sheets.
"Theos."
"Louise."
"Theos."
Simultaneously, a voice called out—his mother's voice, addressing him by his name, Theos, while the girl clinging to him was his younger sister, Louise.
Theos gently shook his sister, hoping to wake her without rushing her.
"It's really a bad habit she should try to break; at her age, it's a real handicap," were some of the thoughts that crossed Theos's mind whenever this situation occurred.
This wasn't the first time. As far back as he could remember, Louise had suffered from nightmares, and sleeping with her brother was the only thing that provided her comfort through the night.
The common belief was that she would eventually grow out of it as she aged. They had even sought consultation, but only their mother knew the results of the diagnosis, which apparently revealed nothing serious, just speculation about the causes.
The outcome was a 15-year-old girl who still clung to her brother, although fortunately, the frequency of her nightmares had decreased over time.
Upon hearing his sister's cute groan of not wanting to wake up, he smiled before getting up himself.
"We have to get up sometime."
"We're coming!"
Theos was accustomed to this routine; he cherished his sister and often wondered about the nightmares that plagued her, as well as the dreams she might have when she slept beside him.
He left his still half-asleep sister, confident she would wake once she noticed he had moved.
Theos walked to the bathroom, handled his morning routine, and then prepared a bath for his sister, considering her needs thoughtfully.
"Louise, your bath is ready."
Theos and his family lived in a ten-story building, and while they did not occupy an entire floor for personal reasons, their apartment on the sixth floor was spacious. The dining room extended into an open kitchen, and Theos pulled out a chair. Breakfast was already prepared, and he could see his mother busy in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Theos."
A beautiful day seemed to be taking shape in Theos's heart—can you predict the weather based on someone's mood?
Theos wondered, and in his heart, the answer was yes; his mother, the most beautiful woman in the world, greeted him cheerfully, and he adored her gentle morning tone.
"Good morning, Mom."
Her straight black hair was tied back, her pink apron adorned with a crudely drawn rabbit and the logo "ykc," and she turned to smile at him.
"Did you sleep well, Theos?"
Theos Martin—his full name—had an unusual first name, but it didn't bother him much.
"Yes, although waking up was rather heavy."
Of course, he was referring to his little sister, and thankfully, she wasn't there at the moment.
She approached the dining table and took a seat across from Theos, observing him eat his breakfast.
"Louise," she began, with Louise being their family name, "seems like the nightmares are acting up again."
It seemed natural to consult a specialist in such situations, but everyone had their own opinions on the matter, and the cause was becoming increasingly obscure—what about her unusual bond with her brother?
She waved away her thoughts, focusing instead on her son.
"Eat up or you'll be late."
Theos's mother smiled, and he returned the smile.
"I almost forgot I'm running a bit late." After finishing his breakfast, he returned to his room to gather his things. Louise had awakened by then and presumably taken her bath, as her slightly damp hair indicated. She was heading towards the living room.
In the hallway, she stopped in front of Theos, who did the same. Louise seemed a bit agitated; she had something to ask me, he thought?
As her older brother, Theos always endeavored to fulfill her requests. Their bond was strong and unusual; Louise's requests were always reasonable, and even when they bordered on the impossible, Theos would consider them seriously.
"Well, I didn't want to bother Mom about it, but I need some money!"
Theos understood what his sister needed without her having to say more. "Well, you know, I'm not just a walking wallet," he joked silently to himself.
He couldn't refuse his sister anything, especially not such a reasonable request.
"Do what you always do, but don't bankrupt me, Louise."
He didn't inquire about the money's purpose—Louise surely had her reasons—or how much she required. Theos was frugal and always had savings, managing his finances prudently.
"Sure thing, big brother," replied the girl cheerfully.
"Say it again."
She smiled at him again, and Theos wondered if she possessed the ability to read his mind.
He patted Louise's head.
Yet, he thought, perhaps she should remain a child forever. Reflecting on his sister's psychological state, Theos experienced a complex mix of emotions. "Am I to blame for her not outgrowing some of her habits?"
Seeing her looking embarrassed, he realized he was running late. "I better get going." He grabbed his bag and left.
Exiting the apartment, he took the elevator and exchanged greetings with a few people disembarking at the same time as him.
His high school wasn't far, so he could walk there comfortably, though his tardiness bothered him somewhat.
He began walking at a steady pace. "I won't run either, to avoid breaking into a sweat."
Zi Yun Esiah, a girl from a dominant class family, her father being the owner of AITech Industries. Currently in her senior year at the mixed Genius Matter high school, contrary to what one might believe, it was not a particularly elitist structure; the "genius" in the name stemmed from a pronounced marketing strategy, and it wasn't a dump either.