1
The summer heat became intolerable for the locals, fans in various household rotated on to full blast; elderly communities utilizing a handheld rattan fan to cool down their faces whereas, younger generations douses their heaty figure in either a tub of ice cubes or rolling on the floor. Animals taking cover to keep off of the heatwave tarmac.
Farmers, on the other hand, labouring under the humidity around the paddy field their expectations of reaping a fruitful gain at the end of the outcome.
Aside from the awful summer fever, a group of chirpy ten-year-olds bounces unbothered by their perspiration; their fingers sticky by the melting ice-cream gripped tightly. Their shrill voices transmitting across the streets.
On the ground, shadows play trick from the leaves. A single truck parked at the corner.
Lamp post's trailed on either side, tall cable pole tracks from every direction within the neighbourhood. A peaceful panorama. The small lanes empty exception of the children heading back home after school.
"Bye!" one of the girls paused at the front entrance of her home.
"See you tomorrow!"
"Don't forget to write in the journal I have borrowed you!"
"Okay!"
The small entourage continued forth to their destination all three, comprising of a bubbly girl-Aizen Mieko-they tag after her. Upon reaching her residence, Mieko, as well as, her best friends took off their school shoes before entering inside the broad house. She examined the expressions of awestruck noticeable on their innocent faces. One of the intentions all of them enjoyed dropping by after extra-curricular activities at school.
Their other purpose to often visit Mieko at her home emerged in front of the shy girls-a handsome chap in his early teenage years. He's gentle gaze lighting on each one before halting onto Mieko, who's copper-shade eyes brightens exhibiting juvenile devotion.
"Welcome home, Mieko," Aizen Sosuke smiles while greeting in a smooth voice. "Are you hungry? I have cooked a light lunch for all of us."
"Yeah!" Mieko punches the air earning laughter from the male. "My friends will be staying over until evening, is there enough portion for everyone?"
"Of course, freshen up yourselves before walking into the kitchen," he spoke over his shoulder. "In the meantime, I'll set up the table."
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Burning up the midnight oil, Mieko slaves over an open textbook, preparing herself for an upcoming mock test. Yawning audibly for the umpteenth times, her study desk beside an open window. Eventually, unable to stay up the studious child fell asleep face-first on the table surface.
"... Ko... Mieko..."
"Umm..."
"Mieko, wake up, you'll hurt your neck."
"No..."
"Mieko, come on now, wake up."
Ultimately, Mieko flickers her heavy-lidded eyes open momentarily staring at the white wall. A few seconds ticked by when she felt a sharp pain on the base of her neck. Unable to move because of the stinging sensation. On the other hand, Sosuke carefully places his hands one on the fragile neck to lift her upright. Listening to Mieko's tiny mewling noises, he chuckles.
"Time for you to sleep," he began clearing up the cluttered desk. "Hurry up, go to bed."
"Okay," she croaked a whisper, at the same time, rubbing two fists on her eyes. "Wait, my books-"
"I'll assist with packing up your bag," he cut her sentence off.
"Brother Sosuke," Mieko called out to the older lad. She was especially closer to him now, months after an introduction between them. "Is it true that holding hands with a boy can make us pregnant?"
"Now, who told you that?" Sosuke hesitated while gathering up the volumes.
"My friend, Emi, she accidentally touched a boy's hand," Mieko continued naively, not noticing his grinning feature. "The teachers have to console her, she's worried about a baby growing inside her stomach."
"I didn't see Emi earlier," he tilted his head sideways, fixing the black-rimmed glasses on his sharp nose.
"Emi's mother picked her up..." her words cut off by another yawn.
"Don't think too much," Sosuke came to a stop by her bedside, a free hand caressing her forehead. "Nobody will be pregnant just by touching a boy's hand. Mieko, you clutch onto mine quite often. Will that make you pregnant?"
"Ew! No!" she adorably crinkles her nose, as well as, giggling. "You are my brother, I don't want your baby!"
"And you won't," he crouched by the bed to poke a digit on her button nose. "Close your eyes."
"I love you, brother Sosuke."
"I love you too," he reciprocates her smile, patiently waiting for the child to doze off in a deep slumber before exiting the bedroom.
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The pitch of verbal voices escalated toward Mieko's bedroom when the doorway opens up to reveal a stony-faced Sosuke. Albeit, the teenager alters his expression upon noticing Meiko's bony figure trembling in the middle of the mattress.
So as not to alarm the adults below, Sosuke shut the door before strolling over forward. Without a word, the child launches herself against his frame. Stubby fingers clutching his shirt; soft cries emitting. Pulling Mieko in an embrace while adjusting on the bed. In the meantime, Mieko comfortably sitting on his lap.
"Why are they always fighting?" Mieko whispers pressing her face against his chest. "I don't like it when they argue."
"Ignore them," Sosuke sighs in a display of weariness. One hand cupping the small face and the other, rubbing on her spinely back.
"Your father is so kind," she continued, the sensation of his hand on her back pausing before resuming the tender show of his brotherly love. "I wish my mother will stop yelling."
Unaware of that same hand circling on the spine curled into a tight fist, the teenager remained calm and collected in front of the adolescent figure. His brain working up a storm, because both the delusional mother and her daughter were associated with the Aizen clan.
His goal was to achieve the family crescent, to be the polar opposite of his sympathetic father. Hazel-coloured orbs flickered over the top of Mieko's head, yet, in his untrained heart, he cares for her deeply. He ofttimes witnesses the grown-up misbehave with her daughter. Her flesh and blood.
Figuring out, Mieko was Nakamura Hana's least favourite being. He had learned from his older man that Hana gave birth to Mieko by an unwanted encounter. Assuming Hana might have been a rape victim. As for now, the woman's careless behaviour rub on the wrong side of Sosuke.
"Brother Sosuke, you won't leave me, right?" a child's voice brought him out of the funk.
"Hm?" Sosuke lowers his head closer to hear her better when Mieko repeated, he tugs on the girl's chin so their gazes were locked. At that moment, he has decided to leave this boring town. "I am leaving for Tokyo, big brother has many responsibilities that must be attended to."
"But what about me?" Mieko inhales in surprise, guppy eyes filling up with fat tears.
"You stay here and take care of this house," he grinned, snickering in response to her facial expression.
"Take me with you!" she put up a fight by hitting him on the shoulder. "I dont want to be here by myself!"
"Mieko," Sosuke silence her using his terse voice. "Do not argue with me."
"Okay," she replied a hushed tone slightly perturbed by his change of attitude.
True to his words, Sosuke renounced from home unmoved by the elder Aizen's threat, rather, the young lad's intelligent mindset pose a danger to the said person. A leader was born.
