"Haah!"' It's hot.'
"Cough! Cough!"
"Rito. It's alright." The coughing boy opened his eyes, gasping for air, and filled with vivid memories of his former life, which he had been dreaming about for the past year. 'Yuki Rito. That's [To Love-Ru] protagonist.'
'No! These are my memories.' 'Past life. It exists.' The young boy's expression changed to one of surprise as he gazed up at the ceiling until a small hand touched his head and obscured his vision.
"It's okay! Be strong." A worried voice echoed beside him, and looking at the side, a worried-looking young girl was staring at him, wearing a panicked expression on her face that made her look really cute.
'What am I thinking? She is my sister, idiot.' A sudden realization dawned upon Rito's mind as he shook off those ideas in the back of his mind.
As he found that there were subtle changes within his thinking manner and thought process due to the completion of his memories from his previous life.
"Rito!" Mikan noticed how Rito was starting to breathe normally, but his eyes looked dazed, and a slight sign of panic could be seen on his face.
"It's okay. I am just feeling really tired and all. Nothing out of the ordinary." He spoke, while not wanting to panic the little girl on his side, who still had that worried look, but could only accept his words.
"Okay! But I will be gone to get some food. So, rest for the time being, and take the juice on the side. It will make you feel a bit refreshed." Like a big sister, Mikan spoke. Although Rito was the older one among them, in his situation, he could only accept Mikan's kindness, and that's what he had been doing for all this time.
"Yes! I will." He answered, which caused Mikan to smile as she left the room, glancing sideways at Rito, who had already picked up the glass and was sipping the juice.
Mikan then smiled at Rito's obedience and left the room.
She had a feeling that something had changed within Rito at the moment, but there was no temperamental or physical change, which could be seen from naked eyes.
''Reincarnation with the help of God. This kind of thing exists." Rito thought. As he finally had the complete memories of his past, he finally remembered meeting the god and all.
But at that moment, he only considered how that could be a dream; he had never envisioned that the dream would actually come true for him.
After all, Rito's life and his memories from both worlds were so intricately detailed that he found it difficult to accept that it was still a dream.
'Then! Did I die in that world? Without anything great, living a useless life like that.'
A trace of anger arose within Rito's chest.
He felt angry about his past self and his current self, who had such a loving sister and family, and still just a useless guy.
'Fuck! I am so useless.' Rito's anger was valid.
He targeted his weak mind, not being able to enjoy anything in both worlds; today, in this fever, he could have died again.
Yes! He would have died again, without enjoying anything in either lifetime.
'Falling in love and not confessing to this date, or even trying to talk with that girl. Having a cute, loving sister and depending on her for living like this. All of this is so lame, and I had been taking all of this for granted all this time, really how useless I am.'
Rito felt indignation and finally made up his mind.
'Yes! I need to change; I don't have time for blaming myself.' He thought when the door to the room clicked and Mikan's smiling figure appeared in Rito's sight.
"Rito! I am coming in."
"Hmm. Good boy, completely finished it." She spoke with a contented smile as she gazed at the empty juice glass.
She then opened the lid to reveal a delicious rice gruel, which is easy to digest during a fever, and sat on the chair next to his bed.
"This time fever was long. It lasted for a whole two days, and you had passed out for a whole day this time." Mikan spoke.
There was a small tear in the corner of her eye because Rito's fever this time lasted so long and he was absent for the entire day, which caused her to worry all night long while she continued to care for him.
"You. Did you even sleep?" Rito attempted to reach out, but he felt extremely heavy and was only able to reach a few centimetres before he sagged.
"Moh! It's alright, baka, Rito. Just be at ease; also, this is not the first time, and I can also take a nap beside you, so I had a nice sleep too." Little girl grabbed Rito's hand.
"It's not Rito's fault, and I also don't want to see you suffer." Rito stiffened slightly at the sensation of her hand warmth and her nostalgic scent, sensing that this was a moment he would never forget.
Also, along with that came a wave of complicated emotions, as he felt choked within those emotions, and his mind started to accept the fact that this girl was really a part of his life.
'Someday! I'll make her the happiest little sister ever.' With a silent curse, he was embraced by the girl, and since he had finished his meal, he became drowsy and fell asleep.
'Ahh! Right, Mikan from the anime was a bit different.' Those were his last thoughts before his sleep.
But in reality.
Mikan in this world changed.
After Rito had a life-threatening fever.
She recalled how trembling Rito had been that evening, the danger of witnessing Rito in that state, the Mikan pretence play she always performed before him completely shattered, and her sincere desire to soothe Rito's state of mind took her mind.
It was from that day.
She started to look at Rito differently.
And she realized how Rito had been thinking for him all that time, although it was childish and all, but having realized how Rito might leave her one day, she genuinely felt the fear and love she had for Rito.
Although it was a bit improper for being brother and sister, she felt it was really unladylike for herself, but it was better to enjoy the feeling than rejecting it outright.
'Even if you don't know. I will always be beside you, Rito.' She silently spoke. With an endearing smile on her face, Mikan looked at Rito, who was sleeping soundly on his bed.
And with a slight tilt, she entered within the blanket on the other side and slept beside him, looking at his face, as her tension was starting to dissolve and her eyes started to close off due to tiredness.
They did not notice their father's figure coming into the room to smile at the two of them while they were sleeping like logs.
He was struck by Mikan's dependability and was relieved to see her sleeping like this with the food bowl on the side, knowing that Rito had woken up and eaten as well.
'Might as well wash the dishes.' He thought of scratching his head and taking all the things from the room before closing the door and letting two of them sleep and rest.
'They sure look cute like that. As if seeing them from the past.'