Chapter 38 - Different

Kira didn't wait nor let Zeri reply. Instead, he suddenly pinched her cheek right after whispering in her ear before he held her shoulders and made her face the door. He quickly reached out for the door knob and pushed the door opened.

"Now get inside." He said while pushing her. As soon as she was inside, Kira abruptly pulled the door close behind her before Zeri could even turn and look at him.

Zeri blinked as she stared at the closed door. She heard Jiro's voice coming from the kitchen calling her but Zeri didn't respond. She instead hastily opened the door again and peeked outside, looking for Android.

When she saw him already boarding a black car that just stopped before him, she sighed. After the car left, she locked the door and walked straight to the kitchen.

She saw his younger brother preparing her food and she could only smile. Jiro was just 13 years old but he was already such a responsible young man. He was a big help to Zeri and he was very good in doing household chores, even better than her. Their grandmother trained him well despite being a boy and despite his age, maybe because she knew back then that she too would leave them alone in this world.

Zeri, Jiro and their youngest sibling, Rena, were the only ones living in their house. Their parents died in a car accident eight years ago and Rena was not even one-year-old yet when that tragedy happen. The three of them were separated since then.

Jiro and Rena stayed with their grandmother while Zeri was sent to the country side. She was 9 years-old that time. She lived with her old aunt in a small island and she lived there for eight years. She was seventeen when she returned to this place.

Their grandmother was a very nice woman. But unfortunately, their grandmother fell ill shortly after Zeri returned until she eventually left them as well. The three siblings were left alone to live together. The money their late parents left was only enough for Jiro and Rena's schooling and needs, so Zeri needed to work to support herself. They went through a lot but they were living fine and were a happy family, maybe because Rena and Jiro were still cheerful despite it all. Their neighbors were also very loving and they were helping them out a lot so to them, their life was absolutely not that bad, because the most important thing for them was that the three of them are together.

Glancing at the wall clock, Zeri pursed her lips seeing that it was already pretty late.

"I'm sorry. I am pretty late tonight. Don't wait for me like this next time, okay?" She said as she sat but the boy shook his head.

"It's alright sis, I have lots of homework so I'm staying up late anyway. And I can't sleep if you're not home yet. Sigh… I want to work too." Jiro rested his face on the table. He looked worried and Zeri knew that the boy was feeling bad again. He had been telling her that he too wanted to work so he could help her.

"Listen, you're already working very hard okay? You're the one taking good care of Rena and everything in the house..."

"Sorry sis, I'm just… I'm just worried about you." The boy buried his face on his arms on the table and Zeri's lips curved up.

She stretched out her hand and ruffled the boy's black hair, looking at him like a proud mother. "Don't worry about me, did you forget what kind of person this sister of yours is?" she playfully asked and the boy chuckled.

"Haha, how could I forget? There's no one like you in this universe sis."

Time passed and the sibling's conversation continued until Zeri was done eating. Jiro immediately stood to clean the table when his sister spoke.

"Jiro, I have something to tell you." she said, serious, causing Jiro to pause and look at her. He then sat again and waited for what she was about to say.

"I have a boyfriend." She confessed.

A short silence passed by between them before Jiro choked and stood noisily, even slamming his palm on the table as he leaned in on her.

"Cough, cough. W-what? Sis, you have a b-boyfriend?!!" Jiro was extremely shocked. He knew about his sister's condition and he saw how scared she was around men with his own two eyes, so how come that his dear big sister suddenly had a boyfriend? Could it be that she was already cured?

"Sis, you're cured?!" he exclaimed again but Zeri shook her head.

"I don't think so. I'm still scared of men."

"Then how come..."

"I don't know. He is… he is strange. I think he's the same as you… I'm not scared of him."

"Wait… how old is he?"

"I think he's the same age as me."

"…"

"I don't know why but since the first time I saw him… I'm never scared of him."

Jiro was silenced. If the man she was talking about was the same age as her, then it was indeed strange.

"Right now, I am still trying to find out why."

"Wait… sis… this person is also your boyfriend?"

"Mm."

". . ." Jiro was speechless. He just couldn't believe that this sister of his suddenly had a boyfriend. It was definitely something that was a bit shpcking for him. Well, Jiro knew everything about his sister more than anyone else. He knew about her peculiarities and attitudes. Even he could say that his sister was weird sometimes but very cute. He even knew about her tricks in school to avoid males and Zeri always share her encounters and even experiences to him.

"Uhm… sis, this person, I mean your boyfriend… how did you two met? More like when did you even…"

"Hmm… I think he asked me to be his girlfriend two days after our first encounter."

"T-two days?! And… you agreed?"

When Zeri nodded, Jiro's mouth could only part in disbelief.

Jiro wasn't reacting like this just because of Zeri's condition. That day he first met her sister again after many years of separation, Jiro found everything about Zeri very strange. He couldn't remember what kind of person she was before they got separated but the Zeri that returned to them was very different. Different in a sense that she seemed to have come from another world or something. She was very kind, she didn't even know how to swear and she doesn't talk if not asked. Technologies and skyscr.a.p.ers even freaked her out, as if she never saw them before. She was damn strong, unbelievably fast and extremely intelligent and yet she was strangely very ignorant about a lot of things and was innocent like a child. Jiro always wanted to ask, to know more about what happened to her or what kind of life she had but when their grandmother was still alive, the old woman warned Jiro not to ask her about her past and just wait for her to open up so until now, Jiro still didn't know a thing about his sister's life before she returned home.

Of course, Jiro knew that Zeri was at least much better now compared to herself from a year ago but he was still worried. He knew that his sister was absolutely more than just a girlfriend material. She was beautiful, intelligent and very strong but more than anyone else, he knew that this sister of her was new to these kind of things. The last time he asked her, she didn't even once have a crush or anyone she liked and yet, she now suddenly had a boyfriend?!

"Uhm… sis, your boyfriend, can I meet him?"

"You want to meet him?"

"Of course."

"Okay, I'll introduce him to you next time."

...

Meanwhile, inside a spacious and luxurious gray toned bedroom, Kira was unable to sleep. His mind was full of his squirrel and no matter how much he turned and twisted on his bed, it was just impossible to annihilate the popping little squirrels appearing in his head.

"Ugh!" he groaned as he looked at the clock. When he saw that it was already past midnight, Kira sighed and he rose. He stepped out of his room and walked towards Rei's room downstairs.

He knocked impatiently and the half-n.a.k.e.d Rei opened the door. His black hair was messy, looking like he just woke up.

"What is it?"

"Rei, come over, I want you to hear about my plan."

"Huh? Plan?"

"About the date this Saturday."

"… hey, do you know what time is it?"

"It's past midnight."

"Then why are you…"

"I'll wait for you in the study."

". . ." Rei was speechless as he watched Kira's back as he left. Sigh...