A sudden clap of thunder echoed through the neighborhood, and then, as if on cue, the entire house was plunged into darkness. Kazuki, who had been lounging on the couch, groaned. "Seriously? No warning at all?"
Aoi's voice floated from the kitchen. "Onii-chan! The power's out!" she called, her tone a mix of surprise and irritation.
"I noticed," Kazuki replied dryly, getting up to find a flashlight. The dim evening light coming through the windows wasn't much help, and he stubbed his toe on the coffee table.
"Ow! Dang it!"
Aoi came into the living room, holding a flickering candle. "You're so clumsy, Onii-chan," she teased, clearly amused by his predicament.
"Yeah, laugh it up," Kazuki muttered, taking the candle from her and setting it on the table. "Did you at least grab something useful from the kitchen?"
"I got snacks," Aoi said proudly, holding up a bag of chips. "Priorities, Onii-chan!"
Kazuki sighed but couldn't help smiling. "Yeah, you've got your priorities straight, alright."
Just then, another loud rumble of thunder shook the house, and the faint sound of rain hitting the windows grew louder. Aoi jumped and grabbed Kazuki's arm.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"It's just thunder," Kazuki said, though his voice was more annoyed than reassuring.
"But what if it's not? What if—what if there's something out there?" Aoi asked, her eyes wide.
Kazuki sighed, rolling his eyes. "Aoi, it's a storm, not a horror movie."
As if to mock him, a sudden loud crash came from the kitchen. Both of them froze.
"What… was that?" Aoi whispered, clutching his arm tighter.
Kazuki hesitated before grabbing a broom that was propped up nearby. "Stay here. I'll check it out."
"No way!" Aoi hissed. "What if it's a ghost? I'm coming with you!"
"Aoi, it's probably just something falling over," Kazuki replied, though he wasn't entirely convinced himself.
Together, they crept toward the kitchen, Kazuki holding the broom like a weapon while Aoi clung to his sleeve. The candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
As they entered the kitchen, Kazuki cautiously peeked around the corner. His eyes landed on the culprit—a stray cat had somehow managed to sneak in through an open window and was now batting at a fallen pot on the floor.
Relief flooded him, and he lowered the broom. "It's just a cat, Aoi," he said, shaking his head.
Aoi peered around him and sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. For a second, I thought it was—"
"BOO!" Kazuki shouted, turning to her suddenly.
Aoi screamed and smacked him on the shoulder. "Onii-chan! Don't do that!" she yelled, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance.
Kazuki laughed, clutching his stomach. "Your face was priceless!"
"You're so mean!" Aoi pouted, crossing her arms.
After chasing the cat out and closing the window, the siblings returned to the living room. Aoi was still sulking, and Kazuki was trying his best not to laugh again.
"To make up for scaring me, you have to tell me a story," Aoi demanded, plopping onto the couch and hugging a pillow.
"A story? What am I, a storyteller?" Kazuki asked, sitting beside her.
"Come on, Onii-chan! A fun one! Or I'll never forgive you!"
Kazuki sighed dramatically but eventually gave in. He began weaving a ridiculous tale about a heroic brother and his mischievous little sister battling "The Thunder Monster." Aoi's giggles filled the room as Kazuki exaggerated every detail, adding silly sound effects and over-the-top actions.
By the time the power finally came back on, the two of them were laughing so hard they could barely breathe. The house felt warm and alive again, even with the storm still raging outside.
Aoi looked at Kazuki, her laughter fading into a warm smile. "Thanks, Onii-chan," she said softly.
Kazuki ruffled her hair. "Don't mention it. Just don't tell anyone I was being this nice, okay? Gotta protect my reputation."
Aoi grinned. "Your secret's safe with me. For now."