"Do you want media attention, Ryoka?" asks Miyamoto as they walk to the Food Hall.
"No, spare me from them, please," Ryoka replied.
Miyamoto smiled and said, "I figured as much. We'll fill in for you. Anyway, go meet Aiko after you finish eating. I heard she's giving you a day off." They parted ways, as Miyamoto was headed to the Field.
The Field was the name given to the training ground. It might not have been the best name, considering everything there seemed very high-tech.
Ryoka was eager for a day off since there was someone he wanted to meet. Someone precious to him. So, he ate his meal in a storm out of eagerness.
Aiko's office was just a minute's walk from the food hall, but it took him three minutes since he got lost halfway. Once he was finally standing by the door, he gave a few gentle knocks. "Come in," he heard a muffled voice from inside. He opened the door and stood in front of her table.
"You got permission to have a day off today," she said without looking at him. She's busy doing some paperwork. Ryoka gave a slight bow of appreciation and took his leave.
Just right before he left the room, "Ryoka, enjoy it. You never know if this could be your last. Have a nice day with whoever you treasure. At least they won't regret a thing if... Just use the day to the fullest," Aiko said. She looked at Ryoka with a tight face. Then, she continued her chores.
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Why did she say that? She just gave a turbulence in my mood. She got no tact at all, he thought to himself and let out a sigh. He was standing in front of a door house. He grabbed the knob, twisted it, and waved open the door.
He softly called, "Fumi-chan, I'm home!"
A high yet cute voice replies to the call, "Huh, you're back? No, please go out. You're going to make our house swarmed with cameras," she appears from her room.
Ryoka turned his eyebrows, "Wait, you know?"
Fumiko is a 15-year-old girl who has lived with her older brother, Ryoka, since she was five. Over the years, Ryoka has developed a deep affection for her and has become protective of his little sister, taking care of her as their only support. With no one else to turn to, they leaned on each other and also sought help from their grandpa. Above all, Fumiko is now Ryoka's only remaining relative.
Fumiko sighed, "The whole of Japan knew by now. You're now a special individual for this country whether you like it or not," she walked to the kitchen to prepare Ryoka a drink and some light snacks.
Ryoka took off his shoes and noticed a pair of girls' shoes nearby. "Did your friend come over, Fumi?"
Fumiko nodded as she brought out a jug of orange juice.
Ryoka was pretty sure it was a girl, but he felt the need to ask, "Is it a—"
"Yes, it's a girl, you sister-complex," she sighed, then sat down on one of the chairs surrounding the dinner table.
"It's my job to care about you since grandpa's now-" he accidentally slipped his tongue.
Fumiko who was just now smiling turned upside down. He glares at his brother, "You don't need to repeat that. I know. I've had enough in my dreams about him," tears start to leak out.
Ryoka seemed speechless by his own mistake. So, he kept quiet and listened to his sister's meddle.
"I- I don't get to say goodbye. I wanted to say a lot of things but-" she sobbed. She couldn't hold back tears anymore. So, she cried.
Ryoka's heart ached for a moment, she always hated to see his sister cry.
When Fumiko was a child, she once fell and cried. Back then, he had no strength or will to help her, so he stood next to her and cried with her.
Each time she cried, Ryoka always wanted to join her cries. She hated it that it made him to cry. Even at that moment, he almost let out a tear. He had to stop her from crying. He got close to her and hugged her gently. Ryoka patted her silky hair subtly.
He could feel her heart racing, and she was trembling with sobs. He knew he was doing a great job of soothing her, but for some reason, things didn't change. She continued to cry loudly, seeking her friend in the other room to take a peek.
Fumiko yelled out of spite yet a clue of worries, "You're going to leave me too! If you die- I- I'll be all alone," she kept crying.
Her words startled Ryoka. He struggled to find a resolution for a moment. He smiled through his tears as she gently patted her sister's hair once more. "I won't die, I promise you that. You'll be my number one reason to keep going. And I don't plan on dying like a hero anyway. For my cute little Fumi, I'll do anything, even if I need to break the boundaries. I promise."
Fumiko smiled as she heard those reassuring words, and her tears gradually subsided. He asked for reassurance once more, "You promise?"
Ryoka scoffed and replied, "Yes, my dear sister. Pinky promise. My, my... Look at my Fumi-chan, crying all over," He locked their pinkies together, and they both smiled. Suddenly, the sun shone down, enveloping them in a soothing, warm light.
At the end of the day, he accomplished a worthy day off. He will treasure this day and any other day when he'll get the chance to meet her sister. That's Ryoka, a new Reikon Responder of Japan who will one day put his life on the line for others.
But, what's different from any other hero; he'll use anything to keep him alive. Even-