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From the moment Tsukasa had woken up, he knew something felt off about him.
Maybe it was the heaviness in his eyes, or the slight stir in his stomach. Either way, his body couldn’t help but struggle to get out of bed. Tsukasa was practically a morning person even if he had issues managing his time wisely, not to mention he rarely overslept. So in the end, he’d have no problem getting ready for school today. As much as didn’t want to, Tsukasa had gotten up from bed, admittedly a bit too fast for his comfort. A small bout of dizziness hit the blonde like a wave, and he closed his eyes to make sure it passed quickly; and to his surprise, it did.
Maybe I just didn’t sleep right. The thought crossed Tsukasa’s mind as he brushed his teeth, but deep down, a pit of anxiety shot through his body at the thought that this was something more. Could he be coming down with a bug? No, that’s totally impossible! He had a pretty good immune system, and he could count on one hand the amount of times he’s been sick in his life; however, those worries were immediately dominated by Tsukasa’s pure confidence alone. He was not sick, and he had nothing to worry about. He already had other things to tackle, not to mention being a shining star on the Phoenix Wonderland stage. He wouldn’t want to worry Saki either. If she found out, she’d be all over him; just as that thought came, he attempted to wipe it away with better ones.
As he sat with Saki for breakfast, the thoughts that he tried to expel had only worsened just looking at Saki. As they talked about the coming day, along with random little stories about the simplest of things, Tsukasa’s worries only grew along with the discomfort that he felt when he woke up. With each bite of breakfast, he could feel it become anything but appetizing as they went down his throat. Even after finishing it, he couldn’t shake off that discomfort; but he had to. If he looked even remotely unwell, his parents or Saki would notice. After Saki had caught that fever two months ago, he couldn’t worry his parents with another sick child. If he worried anyone, his parents would be stressed again. Saki would get worried, and he didn’t need anyone to worry about him. He was not sick, he was Tsukasa Tenma, star of Phoenix Wonderla-
“Onii-chan?”
The sound of a familiar voice perked him up. Looking up, he realized it was Saki calling out to him. He was definitely too lost in thought to notice.
“Are you okay? You seem a little tired.” Saki asked.
Crap. Tsukasa’s mind was puzzled to think of something to say. He was good at improvising, so why wouldn’t his brain cooperate in this mess? After a few seconds of silence, his brain finally clicked.
“Haha, sorry Saki! Nothing’s wrong, just a bit tired from studying for exams.” Tsukasa replied.
Bingo . He actually did study for exams last night, although he couldn’t get through it all from the whiplash of jam-packed shows at Phoenix Wonderland. He was totally going to ace his English exam , a thought that retreated to the back of his mind given how uncomfortable his body felt.
“Ah, I see.” Saki replied.
“I was wondering why your light was on last night. Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
“I’ll be just fine, Saki. Your big brother’s ready for anything that steps in his way.” Tsukasa replied with a smile of a warrior.
Man, I’m feeling fired up already! That sick feeling in his stomach felt nonexistent. It was temporary after all, nothing to worry about in the slightest. If it could go away that fast, then it wasn’t a big deal, right? As he packed his bag for school, it felt like a weight was carried off his shoulders. With sheer willpower alone, nothing could stop him from being the best brother and the best star the world had ever seen.
-
With sheer willpower alone, nothing could’ve prepared him for the hell that the school day prepared for him. As he sat down in his seat, that uncomfortable feeling returned as if on cue; and the more he thought about it, the worse it felt. It was obvious his stomach wasn’t handling his breakfast with care, carrying out a performance with chaos that could rival even Emu. He wasn’t going to let it get to him that easily though. Sickness would lead to calling parents, then Saki finding out about it, and the worst ensues. The thought of it made his head hurt, and his mind immediately tried to brush away those thoughts. Class was starting, and he had an exam to get ready for in a few hours.
As the morning passed, his mind began to regret his previous decisions. Sitting in class felt like a modern torture method as he struggled to take in the teacher’s words. Tsukasa was lucky that he wasn’t called on to read a single thing throughout each period, and the exam he studied for last night? If he had descended to hell, this situation would be the ultimate punishment. Tsukasa’s attempt to focus only grew harder as felt his body grow colder by the minute, even as he wore his winter uniform. By the time lunch rolled around, he actively avoided the cafeteria. Just the thought of food brought a wave of nausea to his throat, and to his surprise, he was able to hold it down.
The day was halfway over—all he had to do was survive afternoon classes, get through this afternoon’s show, and he’ll be able to rest for as long as he needs to when he gets home; and for the rest of the school day, as much as he wanted to deny it, he couldn’t help but realize his situation was getting much worse. He almost dreaded wanting to perform today, but it was nice to see the others and perform with them. Not to mention he’ll definitely need to apologize for ditching Nene and Rui for lunch. Now that he thought about it, it felt colder as he rode the train to the theme park. He couldn’t tell whether the floor was merging with his shoes or if it was just the motions of the train. He could feel a sickly groan emitting from his stomach as the train swayed slightly. Tsukasa suppressed the urge to put a hand to his mouth, and swallowed up his nausea the best he could. Before he knew it, he’d arrived at the lively little theme park. Despite how he felt, he couldn’t help but muster up a smile. Seeing the smiles of so many people reminded him of the faces he sees when he performs, although he wasn’t sure if he was fully up for it today. Walking backstage, he composed himself the best he could.
“Tsukasa-kun, Tsukasa-kun!”
Emu ran over to Tsukasa, giving him a hug filled with all the energy she had.
“H-Hey! That’s a bit much, you know.” Tsukasa replied.
Attempting to get away from Emu’s grasp, he shimmied away from her.
“Tsukasa-kun. You forgot about lunch today.” Nene said, approaching Tsukasa along with Rui.
“It’s not like you to forget.” Rui said.
“Did you forget to bring your head with you today?”
“Nope, just Emu.” Tsukasa replied, attempting to divert attention away from him.
“You’re mean, Tsukasa-kun!” Emu wailed.
“What if I took yours instead...like right now maybe?”
He knew what was coming next. Emu ran towards him, and he instantly went running.
“I’m gonna get you!”
Emu’s laughter began to turn to mush in his brain. Just a few seconds after Tsukasa ran off, alarm signals rang in his brain. The world around him started to spin at an unhealthy level, and he could feel something unpleasant creeping up his throat.
“Haha, Tsukasa-kun! You’ve been cornered!”
“..Tsukasa-kun?”
As Emu was about to pounce onto the blonde, she stopped in her tracks. He looked wobbly on his feet, as if his knees were going to give out at any moment. His cheeks looked flushed, and the cheerful color of his face had paled several shades.
“Tsukasa-kun, are you ok?” Emu said, rushing to his side.
“You look like a ghost.”
Emu had rushed to his side, standing next to him as she made herself alert. Tsukasa attempted to mutter something, but those words became nonexistent as the blonde let out a sickly hiccup. Given her experience caring for her grandfather, the signals in her brain knew what was going to happen next.
“You’ll be okay. Breathe.” Emu said.
“I’m with you.”
At this point, Emu and Tsukasa were crouched down next to the grass. Tsukasa hiccuped again, shaking at the thought of what was to come. Even with the time he’s had taking care of Saki, he hated vomit, and knowing that he was very close to throwing up put him on edge.
Emu put a hand on the blonde’s back, and began to rub in small circles. She could feel him shaking as she moved her hand softly on his back, and whispered more reassurances to him.
“I-I don’t want—” A violent groan emitted from his stomach, as if protesting the presence of sickness in his body. Emu’s eyes widened at this, and she couldn’t help but laugh a little.
“Your stomach is so mean.” Emu said, trying to brighten the mood.
“Letting it out will make it feel better. I know you can do it.”
Tsukasa replied with a whimper. Emu patted Tsukasa’s back a little, prompting a small belch from him in return. As much as it made Emu a bit squeamish, she knew that was progress. As she had one hand on his back, she let another lead to the blonde’s stomach. As soon as she put her hand on the area, she could instantly tell he was having major stomach trouble. If anything, he probably caught a stomach bug of sorts. She softly circled her palm around his stomach in an attempt to soothe the area; it seemed to work, with Tsukasa’s form becoming a tad less tense. Emu took a deep breath, and whispered to Tsukasa.
“Don’t murder me, Tsukasa-kun.” Emu smiled.
Stopping the circular motion she’d had on his stomach, she gently pressed it, making sure to get that exact pressure point.
The blonde instantly shuddered, letting out a distressed groan in response. He could feel that sickly sensation rising up his throat, impossible to let down. Emu patted his back once more, and Tsukasa let out a sickly, guttural belch. He felt his stomach lurch forward, and gagged in response. Emu made sure the boy stayed steady, and as if on cue, one cough was all it took to get a stream of vomit out of his system. He didn’t want this to happen. He knew it had to, but thinking about the aftermath of it all made his eyes water. Emu noticed Tsukasa’s eyes glistening, and wiped them with her finger.
“You’re doing great, Tsukasa-kun. Let it all out.”
As Tsukasa attempted to conceal a sob, another belch led the boy to puke up another stream of vomit. Tsukasa couldn’t stop a set of tears from running down his face, and a sob shook his body. Emu’s wrapped a hand around the blonde, trying to soothe him. It was hard to see Tsukasa like this, and it was a complete turnaround from Tsukasa’s usual demeanor. It was difficult to see the blonde scared, and even so, he was still being as stubborn as ever. That same stubbornness reminded her of her grandpa, who would always try to reassure Emu that they always overloaded their care; yet in the end he’d always succumb to their help after spitting words back and forth for god knows how long. Patting Tsukasa’s back again, another wave of nausea hit the blonde, leading to a thick stream of puke on the grass. His pants had been stained a bit, but based on Emu's Intuition, this seemed to be the last stream of sickness for the time being. The sound of footsteps could be heard from the distance, and Emu looked back to see Nene and Rui running towards her and Tsukasa. She could see Nene’s expression change from the moment she’d noticed the situation at hand.
“T-Tsukasa-kun?” Nene stuttered.
“This is bad. This is really bad.”
“I’ll go get some water.” Rui said, running back in pursuit of a vending machine.
Nene eyed Tsukasa anxiously. Emu helped the boy wipe his mouth, with Nene trying to ignore the putrid smell of sickness in the air. It definitely heightened her anxiety, but she tried her best to not let it get to her.
“Hey, Nene-chan?” Emu asked.
“This seems like a biiiiiiiig favor to ask, but would you be able to perform without me today?”
“H-Huh?!” Nene jumped.
“You want Rui-kun and I to perform alone today? But the performance today was meant for everyone...there’s no way it would work without the four of us.”
“I know you’ll find a way to make it work. You and Rui-kun are super super cool!” Emu replied with a smile.
“I’m going to take Tsukasa-kun home and call Honami-chan.”
“Ah, I see.” Nene replied, her anxiety dying down a bit. It was definitely a sticky situation for Nene and Rui to perform alone, but with Rui by her side, she knew she'd be capable of putting on an amazing performance. With Nene’s vocals and Rui’s wit, they’d be able to make the audience smile even with their absence.
“We won’t let you down.” Nene replied with a small smile. Just as the conversation died down, Rui had finally come over with a bottle of water, handing it to Emu.
“Waah! Rui-kun, you’re the best!” Emu said, shining. Rui chuckled in response to her energy, and watched as she helped the blonde down a sip of water. Touching his cheek, Emu could tell the boy was feverish. Not only was his skin incredibly warm, but his face looked flushed, almost like he was a tomato. Nene filled Rui in on what Emu had told her, and he nodded with each point given to him.
“You know where Tsukasa-kun’s house is, right?” Rui asked.
“I have a pretty good idea!” Emu replied.
“I’ll get the captain back aboard the ship!”
With a solemn wonderhoi, Nene and Rui couldn’t help but laugh a bit. With today’s performance closing in, Nene and Rui returned towards the stage, wishing well to Tsukasa, who gave a small goodbye in return. A small bit of his energy had returned, and letting that sickness out of his system did make him feel a bit better. With the help of Emu, Tsukasa attempted to stand as his vision spun faster than any top. Emu steadied Tsukasa once again, and helped him on the way home. As the journey home went along, Emu noticed Tsukasa’s face beginning to pale again. She made sure that he was comfortable despite all the discomfort in his body, and if he needed to stop, she made sure they did. There were two times where it seemed like the blonde would get sick again, but to their luck they were all false alarms.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, they’d finally arrived at Tsukasa’s house. Tsukasa slowly gave Emu the key, and opened the door to find themselves the only ones present. The two walked to Tsukasa’s room, and the blonde instantly plopped down on the mattress. Emu helped the boy take off his sick-stained cardigan and pants, getting a set of silky pajamas from his dresser to help him put on. As soon as the boy absorbed the comfort, Emu had tucked him under the covers, and went to the kitchen to prepare a wet towel for his head. It didn’t take as much time as she’d thought, and as soon as she finished, she placed it on Tsukasa’s forehead. When the boy closed his eyes, Emu had walked out of the room and took out her phone. Scrolling through her contacts, she pressed Honami’s number as the phone began to process her call.
-
“Good work today, everyone.”
Ichika let out a sigh as her fingers strummed the strings of her guitar. After many sessions, the group of friends had finally nailed a near-perfect performance of Stella. It felt like a breath of fresh air for the girls, and their chatter increased as they prepared to practice their next song.
“Man, if we could rock every song like this, I’d feel totally unstoppable!” Shiho smirked.
“I can imagine the crowd going nuts if we played this live.”
“God, right?” Saki replied, beaming with energy.
“It was heart-pounding, like everything we had inside of us spread into the song...like jelly!”
“I’m not exactly sure what to think of that, Saki.” Ichika said, laughing.
‘Come on, it’s totally perfect! Admit it, Ichika!” Saki replied, hugging Ichika in return.
“You know you like it!”
“S-Saki, let go of me!” Ichika giggled.
“My, it seems we’re all fairly lively today.” Honami said.
“It’s no wonder we’re all fired up. Perhaps we can show this to Miku-chan and Luka-san sometime.”
The other girls agreed in unison, and it seemed like everything was going perfectly. They were getting better with each rehearsal, and even with their slip-ups, they still had fun otherwise. Suddenly, a vibration could be heard from Honami’s bag, catching the brunette off guard.
“Who could that be?” Saki asked.
“Hopefully it isn’t another flower thief.” Shiho said, smirking.
‘H-Hey! I for one will tell you that the incident in question was no fun.” Honami said, puffing her cheeks. Reaching out for her phone, an unexpected name popped up as the caller: Otori Emu. Accepting the call, she put her phone to her ear.
“Hello? Emu-chan?” Honami answered.
The other girls darted their eyes towards Honami at the mention of the girl’s name. The other girls didn’t know Emu particularly well, although she was known for being in more clubs that anyone could count, not to mention working with Saki’s brother at Phoenix Wonderland.
“W-What about Tsukasa-kun?” Honami replied.
From the moment Saki had heard his name, a tinge of worry began to stir in her chest. The other girls noticed this, and awaited another response.
“I see. I’ll be there with Saki right away. Thank you so much.” Honami said, and ended the call. Honami took a deep breath in, which to the other girls already seemed like a bad sign.
“Saki-chan, Emu just contacted me.” Honami said, packing up her things.
“H-Hey, what’s going on?” Shiho asked.
“We still have the practice room for another hour!”
“Tsukasa’s fallen ill, Shiho-chan.” Honami replied. As soon as she’d said that, Saki’s eyes widened.
“My brother’s sick?” Saki said anxiously.
“How long has he felt like this?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know. Neither does Emu-chan.” Honami replied.
“She has to go home soon, which is why she contacted me. She also wanted to let you know about this as well.”
In the blink of an eye, Saki has immediately begun packing her piano. Overcome by anxiety, she clapped her cheeks together in an attempt to compose herself.
“Man, it really sucks to have a part-time job today.” Shiho groaned.
“Tell Tsukasa we said hi.” Ichika said to Saki.
‘Shiho and I will come over when we can.”
Saki nodded, and rushed with Honami out the door. Luckily, their location wasn’t too far from Saki’s house. They kept their pace steady, but it was obvious to Honami that Saki’s worries were building up. Tsukasa was never one to get sick, a complete one-eighty compared to Saki’s conditions. It nearly felt like an hour before the two arrived at her house, and Saki quickly opened the front door with her keys.
From the moment she’d entered the house, the sound of coughing could be heard. It was rough and forceful, pained almost. Honami quietly walked through the corridor of the house, only to notice a sickly odor as she went closer to the source of the sound itself. Approaching the restroom, she witnessed an unexpected sight: A (very) sick Tsukasa. She saw Emu as she whispered words of reassurance as the boy coughed into the toilet bowl. His grip on it’s rim painted his knuckles nearly white, and a small drip of bile could be seen running from his chin. Emu turned to notice Honami and Saki behind her, with the sister definitely paling as she witnessed her brother in that condition. Emu mouthed a set of words to Honami, with the brunette giving a nod in response.
“Can you get the water from his room? Emu-chan said it’s in there.” Honami whispered to Saki. Swallowing her anxieties, Saki nodded in return and dashed to Tsukasa’s room. As soon as her eyes were set on the bottle, her hands instantly went to grab it. As she began to step out of the room, a familiar memory popped up in her head.
She remembered it as clear as day. It was one of Saki’s worst days when her condition was deemed far worse than it is now. Her forehead felt like it was on fire, and she’d already vomited a few times in the process. Back then, the experience felt so painful she couldn’t help but cry even with her parent’s words of reassurance.
Onii-chan, I’m scared. Everything hurts.
It was always her brother who made sure she wasn’t alone. There were a lot of things she was scared of. She didn’t want to feel like that anymore, nor did she want to lose any of her friends. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to have any fun, because in the back of her mind, a voice of self-doubt made her believe that she’d be like this for the rest of her life; even so, her brother always made sure that demon would disappear.
It’s okay to be scared, Saki! You’re brave, and you’re stronger than any monster ever!
Even Godzilla would be afraid of you, because that’s just how cool you are!
Saki resisted the urge to let a tear slip. Even now, when she’d gotten sick just a few weeks earlier, Tsukasa was always there. He cared, and so did the rest of her friends in Leo/Need. She took a shaky breath, and smiled. It was strange to see the roles being reversed like this, but Saki knew she needed to be the best sister she could for her brother. After all, she was stronger than any monster, and some tiny little bug wasn’t going to get in her way.
Saki returned to Honami with the bottle, and handed it over to her as she passed it to Emu afterwards. Emu wiped the blonde’s mouth, and held the bottle in her other hand.
“Here, Tsukasa-kun.” Emu said, smiling softly at Tsukasa. Shakily grabbing the bottle, he slowly brought it to his lips and drank. Emu let out a sigh of relief, happy he had enough energy to hold up the bottle himself. That didn’t stop her from wanting to help either way; as if she’d let him push himself too hard.
“Thanks, Emu-chan.” Tsukasa said, letting out a sigh from the refreshing nature of the water. Scanning the small bathroom, he saw two new figures squished near the door. As he allowed his eyes to focus, to his surprise, it was Honami, looking at him with concern in her eyes. As for the girl next to her…
“S-Saki?” Anxiety ran through his brain, and he attempted to push it away. He knew he had to face this himself, but he was afraid of how Saki would react. As he attempted to say another word, Saki put a finger to his lips.
“No other words, Onii-chan!” Saki said, smiling to brighten the mood.
“Stars need their rest to shine, right? You look like a dying one if anything.”
“Tsukasa-kun’s a dwarf! A white one!” Emu replied with a sparkle in her eyes.
‘From this point forward, I dub thee Dwarf-kun!”
“Who’re you calling a dwarf?” Tsukasa replied, as Honami held back a snicker.
“Hahaha...I will always be a star, even in the highs and lows. Tsukasa Tenma is a star that will never die, and can rival even the sun!”
“There you go again.” Saki giggled.
Emu got up from the floor, and smiled.
“Welp, I’ve gotta go!” Emu said.
“Take care of Dwarf-kun for me, ok?”
Saki and Honami nodded. Tsukasa glared at Emu, with her giving a blep in return.
“I hope you feel better soon! Nene-chan and Rui-kun want you to get better too!” Emu smiled.
“You too, Saki-chan and Honami-chan!”
As Emu left to leave, a soft smile painted her face.
Haha, Grandpa’s so stubborn! He looks like a dwarf!
Emu-chan, you really are a strange child. You’re just like your father in every way.
Emu knew she’d done a good job taking care of Tsukasa. But Tsukasa was stubborn, and she knew Saki wouldn’t have any of that. Tsukasa was totally used to being the caring big brother, but perhaps he could face his true feelings once again with Saki. Emu puffed her cheeks, and smiled. She knew he could do it; and if it weren't for him, the Phoenix Wonderland stage would’ve been gone much sooner.
Tsukasa-kun, I know you’ll be able to shine! I know it!
-
Tsukasa wasn’t used to being stuck in bed. He was used to being out and about, but now that he was forced to be bedridden by Saki, it all felt super strange in his eyes. As this thought passed, Saki brought a small cup of Ginger tea along with a reasonable portion of soup that could rest in his stomach easily.
“When you’re done, just let me know.” Saki said.
“I’ll be here the whole time just in case anything happens!”
Tsukasa couldn’t help but feel awkward about the way Saki was treating him. Perhaps it was just him not used to being taken care of, but he appreciated it a lot. Glancing towards him every so often, Saki worked on her homework with ease. Tsukasa could tell the Saki was glad to be back in school, noticing her happiness even in the littlest of things. He was glad that Saki was doing better, but in the back of his mind, worrisome thoughts began to spread. Was Saki worried? Was she upset at him falling ill? Was Saki angry at him? All those thoughts swirled in his head as he bit the inside of his cheek.
“Onii-chan? You’re making a scary face.” Saki said. Tsukasa played with his fingers, struggling to give his sister a proper answer.
“If you’re feeling nauseous, I can take you to the bathroom again.”
‘It’s not that, Saki.” Tsukasa finally responded.
“How do I say it? I’m just not used to this sort of thing.”
“Ah, I get it!” Saki replied.
‘You’re always taking care of me, so it’s probably weird that I’m taking care of you now. I’m the super sibling now!”
“You are not stealing that title. Being older means automatic super sibling rights.” Tsukasa smirked. Saki puffed her cheeks, and groaned.
“You always ruin that for me. No fair!” Saki replied. Tsukasa laughed, and stared out the window. Saki seemed happy, which was a big relief to him. Although, that anxious feeling couldn’t seem to go away from his chest.
“Onii-chan, you’re spacing out again.” Tsukasa whipped his head in Saki’s direction, and her expression turned from one of laughter to worry.
“Is something bothering you?” Saki asked.
“You were acting like this during breakfast too. You can tell me anything, you know.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.” Tsukasa replied, wishing for the conversation to end.
“You aren’t even looking at me when you speak!” Saki said, plopping on the side of Tsukasa’s bed in an attempt to get closer to him.
“Just because you’re my big brother doesn’t mean you can’t share your feelings with me. Even big brothers need help sometimes, you know!”
A shiver ran up Tsukasa’s spine, and he took in a deep breath.
“I was scared of how you’d feel if I was sick.” Tsukasa said.
“I didn’t want you to worry about me, and I didn’t want mom and dad to stress either. They already had to deal with one sick kid. I just don’t want them to worry about another.”
As Tsukasa turned to look at his sister, his eyes widened.
Saki was crying.
A set of tears flowed from her eyes in an instant, and she held her brother’s warm hand inside of hers. This is what Tsukasa feared would happen. Saki was crying because of him, and if he wasn’t so careless and went through the performance as normal, this wouldn't be happening.
“Onii-Chan, you idiot!” Saki cried.
“Do you really think that your well-being isn’t important to any of us?”
“N-No!” Tsukasa stuttered.
“I just—I thought it would be a burden—crap.”
“That’s the same thing!” Saki replied.
“I care about you, and so do our parents! What, do you think I’d hate you for getting sick?”
“Why do you think I didn’t say anything?!” As soon as the words slipped out of Tsukasa’s mouth, a hand flew to his mouth. Not out of sickness, but from the mistake he’d just made. Saki looked at her brother with her eyes widened at the words he’d blurted out.
“Y-You what?” Saki muttered. Gritting her teeth, another set of tears left her eyes as she stared her brother down straight.
“How long have you been feeling like this?!” Reluctant to answer his sister, he gave a straightforward answer.
“Since this morning.” Tsukasa answered. Saki’s expression turned more frustrated at his response.
“So you lied to me?” Saki asked, with Tsukasa giving her a nod in return. She knew how these sorts of situations ended up. She’d tried the same thing two months ago, and it only left her feeling worse than she initially was. But I’m her heart, she couldn’t ease those feelings of hers. She cared for her brother lots, and knowing that her brother willingly lied to her face about his health made her heart ache even more
“Y-You idiot.” Saki said, her voice cracking as she left the room. There was nothing else she could mutter up other than those awful words. If she’d said anymore, she would’ve definitely said something she’d regret in an instant. Another set of tears fell from her face as her concerns only grew, and buried her head in her knees. Saki knew Tsukasa cared about her a lot, but why did he have to feel like this?
If I was stronger, maybe I wouldn’t worry my brother so much.
She didn’t feel strong like her brother said she was. If Godzilla brought destruction upon Japan, Saki wouldn’t even last a second; however, there was one place she could retreat to.
Tsukasa wanted to be anywhere but his room at the moment. The emotional turmoil of the situation made his head ache.
If I were stronger, maybe I wouldn’t be so selfish.
It was almost as if both siblings read each other’s minds without knowing. With a simple swipe, and a tap on the screen, the world around each twin began to crackle, and their worlds were enveloped in shards.
This was the power of Sekai indeed.
-
A familiar sound rang in Luka’s ear.
It was the sound of a new presence, an entrance to the vibrants halls of the Classroom Sekai.
“Do you hear that, Luka?” Miku asked.
“It sounds like one of the girls has arrived.”
“You’re correct, Miku.” Luka said, smiling.
“I wonder who we’ll be meeting today, hm?”
As the door to the classroom opened, Luka’s eyes widened when she saw the blonde girl enter the room.
“Ah, hello again Saki.” Luka said. To her surprise, no response had come from Saki. She slid onto one of the desks, and sighed.
“What's got you down, Saki?” Miku asked.
“Seems like you’ve got something on your mind.”
As soon as Miku finished her sentence, Saki gave out an audible groan.
“My brother can be such an idiot sometimes!” Saki said, scratching her head.
“First, he lies to me in front of my face. The next he says he feels like a burden and that he didn’t want to tell anyone he was sick. He even said he thought I’d hate him for getting sick!”
“Sick? Tsukasa-kun, right?” Luka asks, getting a nod from Saki in return. Luka turns to Miku, signalling that she’ll respond first.
“Remember when you came to me when you felt under the weather?” Luka said.
“You were crying. You were afraid those ‘times’ were going to go away, right?”
“What does this have to do with now?” Saki replied.
“Your feelings, Saki.” Luka replied.
“It might be a bit hard to understand how your brother is feeling, but I’ve figured out something in common with these stories. You were afraid that you’d lose your friends, right?”
“Then, Onii-chan..” Saki’s mind began to fill with all sorts of memories.
Onii-chan, even the doctor’s said I’m fine to go!
I guess so...don’t push yourself too hard, okay?
I’m glad you’re doing good, Saki.
God, Onii-chan’s still such a worrywart after all this time.
I didn’t want you to worry about me, and I didn’t want mom and dad to stress either. They already had to deal with one sick kid. I just don’t want them to worry about another .
“Onii-chan...he wanted to be strong for me.” Saki said, realizing the words that slipped from her mouth.
“He didn’t want me to worry about him because he thought I’d be in pain.”
“Ah, I think you’ve got it, Saki.” Luka said with a smile.
“Even though you’re slowly beginning to understand your own feelings, it’s important to think about the feelings of others as well.”
“They may not always be good, but if you’re able to understand Tsukasa-kun’s feelings, I think you’ll be able to help him realize more of his own.” Miku said.
“If you try to understand his feelings, then you’ll definitely be able to help him out!”
Miku and Luka are right.
Saki could immediately sense a feeling of regret creeping up her back. She wished she hadn’t called her brother an idiot, and she definitely regretted getting angry at him for feeling the way he did. What he did wasn’t healthy at all, but she couldn't help but feel selfish for letting her own feelings get in the way of his. Saki rose from the desk, and smiled softly.
“Thanks a lot, guys. I know what I have to do now.” Saki said.
“Take care!” Luka and Miku said in unison, almost in a perfect harmony.
As quickly as Saki had entered, she’d left just as fast carrying the advice given to her.
-
“UWAAH!”
The plushies jumped as the stage of the Wonderland Sekai sparkled. A familiar noise swept across the room as translucent shards began to appear.
“What is it? What is it?”
“It could be a big scary monster!”
“Ooh, Ooh! Is Len-kun coming over for a playdate again?”
The Plushies buzzed on as the shards circulated together. Curious of all the commotion, Miku and Kaito arrived on the scene.
“What’s getting all of you so worked up?” Kaito asked.
“Kaito, you big dummy! Someone’s coming over!” Miku said, crowding around the shards in excitement.
“Miku, be careful! You know how sharp those things can be.” Kaito replied, grabbing Miku and slowly pulling her back.
“No faaair!! Kaito, you meanie.” Miku said, puffing her cheeks at Kaito.
The shards slowly began to dissolve, and almost like a magic trick, Tsukasa appeared out of thin air.
“Tsukasa-kun, It’s you!!” Miku said, jumping up and down with joy.
“What brings you here, Tsukasa-kun?” Kaito asked.
“Do you want to put on a show? It seems it’s just you today, though.”
“Haha, you’re right about the second part.” Tsukasa replied.
‘I’m not in the mood to perform today, though.”
“I see.” Kaito said, putting a finger to his chin in order to think. Meanwhile, Miku had other ways of thinking, not some boring gesture. Miku shuffled her feet over to Tsukasa, and looked him straight in the eyes. Tsukasa pushed Miku away, being that she was a bit too close for comfort. That warning was completely ignored by the twin-tailed singer, pinching him on the cheek just seconds after being pushed away.
“Tsukasa-kun’s super warm!’ Miku said.
“Tsukasa-kun’s a giant heater...makes me really sleepy...”
“Hey, don’t just fall asleep on me!” Tsukasa replied, pushing Miku off of him again. That dizzying feeling came back to haunt him though, as he slowly sat down criss crossed on the floor. The flying bunny plush put a fluffy hand to his cheek just as Miku had, and put it to his forehead afterwards, coming to a shocking conclusion.
“Miku-chan, Kaito-san! I think Tsukasa-kun is sick!” The Bunny said, with the other plushies letting out a mutual gasp. It reminded Tsukasa of a sitcom, the exception being that the situation was actually happening in real-time.
“That could explain why you aren’t as chipper today.” Kaito replied, and Tsukasa responded with only a small nod.
“A lot’s happened today. I may or may not have lied to her about getting sick and now she probably hates me for that!” Tsukasa said, frustrated. Kaito’s smile faded, and Miku looked at Tsukasa with a puzzled expression.
“What makes you think she doesn’t like you anymore, huh?” Miku asked. She scurried to his side and plopped down next to him, copying his exact posture.
“Well, I lied to her about being sick. That’s a start.” Tsukasa replied.
“But I did it so she wouldn’t have to worry about me. She’s already had enough to worry about coming out of the hospital, and my parents are keeping a good eye on her too.”
“Was she sick for a super long time?” Miku asked, getting a nod in return from Tsukasa.
“I’ve always tried to make her smile, no matter how lonely she felt.” Tsukasa replied.
When I saw that performance with Saki for the first time, she was smiling so much. I want her to be happy, and if she didn’t have to worry about me, then..”
With a hand straight like steel, Miku bonked Tsukasa on the head. The blonde jumped in return, and massaged the place where he’d been assaulted by the singer’s hand.
“What was that for?!” Tsukasa shouted.
“Tsukasa-kun, dummy!” Miku shouted, sticking her tongue out at the boy. Tsukasa looked her in the eyes, terrified for his life and simultaneously confused.
“When you get a booboo, what do you do?” Miku asked.
Who uses the word ’booboo’ anymore? Tsukasa chuckled in confusion, and answered Miku.
“You put a bandaid on it?” Tsukasa replied.
“The band aid will help it heal!” Miku replied.
“But, there are kinds of icky booboos that can’t be fixed that fast. If Kaito sawed me in half, what would I do?
That went dark way too fast!
“Call for help, although I’d probably be dead by the time an ambulance arrives…” Tsukasa replied with an uncomfortable laugh.
“But you let someone help you, right?” Miku said, beaming with energy.
“Because you told them about the problem, it made you feel better! Len-kun would stitch me up and I’d be all better!”
Despite Tsukasa’s growing even more confused, Miku gently touched her forehead onto his.
“It’s like that with feelings too! If you’re feeling sad and you keep those icky feelings to yourself, it’ll make you want to cry even more!” Miku said.
“But if you’re honest about those feelings, they’ll heal better than any medicine! If you talk to your sister about your icky feelings, she can help them go away even if it’s only a teeny bit!”
Despite the whirlwind of questionable scenarios Tsukasa had just sat through, Miku’s words rang clearly in his head. In the end, he wasn’t doing what was best after all. All the worries that rocked his brain had only made him feel more exhausted physically and mentally. The thought of worrying Saki was nothing but an excuse to hide his anxieties from her. Now that he realized it, his face had started to feel a bit wet. Could he have been crying? His thoughts were immediately confirmed when he felt a slender finger wipe what felt like tears from his face. He could sense Kaito’s smile in the distance as the twin-tailed singer sat with Tsukasa in silence. After a few seconds, Tsukasa finally looked Miku in the eyes.
“Hey, where’s your smile Tsukasa-kun?” Miku asked.
“Oh no, did I wipe it away? Kaito, help me!!”
Hearing that comment, Tsukasa couldn’t help but laugh. Turning to face Tsukasa, Miku and Kaito wore larger than life smiles as Kaito whispered in Miku’s ear.
“I can?!” Miku said, gleaming as Kaito responded with a nod.
“Wait, she’s going to do what?” Tsukasa asked. Miku hopped over to the blonde, and stretched her arms out for the big event. A familiar hand gesture from earlier had come back for vengeance.
“MIKU-MIKU CHOP!!” Miku shouted.
As soon as Tsukasa had felt the impact of Miku’s ultimate power move, he could feel the colors beginning to shift as the wonderland around him began to fade away in an instant.
-
It was almost like their fates had intertwined, as both siblings had returned from Sekai at equal times, even if they were unaware of it themselves.
The door to Tsukasa’s room opened as Saki emerged from the hallway. Closing the door behind her, she sat down on the side of Tsukasa’s bed and turned to face her brother.
“I’m sorry for calling you an idiot, Onii-chan.” Saki said, breaking the tension that filled the air.
“Well, I can’t say I didn’t deserve that.” Tsukasa replied.
“Hiding my feelings from you made things a lot worse.”
“H-Hey, it’s okay!” Saki replied in reassurance.
“Even if it was a terrible thing to do, I can’t really blame you. You’ve always been by my side for as long as I can remember, caring for me and making me laugh. But it’s important for you to take care of yourself too!”
“I guess you’re right.” Tsukasa replied.
“It was pretty crappy of me to lie. I know mom and dad have been stressing about you ever since you got cleared to go to school. Even I was startled when I found you home sick two months ago. I just didn’t want you guys to worry about anything else—especially you, Saki.”
“Onii-chan, I have a right to worry!” Saki asked.
“Things have been stressful since getting out of the hospital. You’ve done so much to help me, but...it’s ok to come for help, ok?”
Look, if you hide things from others, people are going to worry. When I found out you were sick, I got really scared, and it made me even more anxious knowing that you lied to me about it. No one’s going to be fine all the time, I know that! But, if you just share how you feel, it’ll make things better. At least, that’s what I think.”
Tsukasa looked at Saki, wide-eyed after her bold statement.
“To be honest, I just wanted to be the best brother I could to you.” Tsukasa replied.
“It was pretty bad, but there was this thought in my mind that if I told you I was sick, everything would start crumbling. You’d get stressed along with mom and dad, so much so that maybe you’d even get sick— again.”
“So I just went with it, and as you can see now...not such an outstanding move after all.” Tsukasa said, letting out a sigh as he put a hand to his face. He could feel something grasp his opposite hand, and entangle itself between his fingers.
“Onii-Chan, it’s ok.” Saki said with a smile. She could feel a tear rolling down her cheeks.
“You—You’re such a worrywart.”
Saki couldn’t help but muster a laugh, and seconds later, Tsukasa had joined in as well. After a few seconds of laughter, Saki was preparing to return the dishes to the kitchen when a force pulled her back. A set of arms wrapped around her to form a hug, her head burrowed on her brother’s silly pajamas.
“Thanks for taking care of me, Saki.” Tsukasa said. As Saki’s eyes began to water, she embraced the hug given to her. No matter what, Tsukasa was her big brother. There may be upside downs, but their relationship will always be shining no matter the circumstance.
On that day, the siblings took down the monster with ease.