Back to the main story.

I woke up because of a ringtone that has rung who knows how many times.

When I open my heavy eyelids, what enters my sight is not an unknown ceiling, but the ceiling that I have been seeing for a long time. I even remember the number of stains on it, and their location.

It seems that I’m drenched in sweat, so I wipe my forehead with a big sigh.

— I had a very long dream. Or so it feels like. I think that it wasn’t a bad dream at all. But what was it about?

“…Hmm?”

Why am I sprawled on the floor like I had rolled down? My back and the back of my head kinda hurt. I wonder if I fell while half asleep.

“Neechan it’s already 9 o’clock! Don’t fall asleep a third time!! …Wait, why are you like that again?”

The one to vigorously open the door to the max is my younger brother Touka. He looks quite flashy since his hair is of a blond color that violates the school’s regulations, and he wears hairpins for women. And he keeps getting his ears pierced. This flashy guy! Maybe the cause is that he attends a mysterious private middle school that won’t utter a complaint as long as his grades are good, but aah~, I truly want to meet the past him who had black hair~ This flashy guy! He used to stick to me like a shadow and follow me around while going, ‘Love you neechan~’, he was so cute~.1 This flashy guy!

As I recollected about this, unknowingly my brother comes closer and used his ap.r.o.n to scrub my face. And he pulls me up.

“Whoah you’re sweaty, did your summer cold come back?”

“I’m fine. Rather than that, don’t wipe my sweat with your ap.r.o.n, it’s unsanitary.”

“The cooking preparations are over and I’ll be doing the laundry after this, so there’s no problem.”

This pink and frilly ap.r.o.n is the number one souvenir bought by oniichan in his trip to Tokyo. Why did you buy something a newly-wed wife would wear as a souvenir! At least bring back some Tokyo Banana sweets!2 It seems that he found it in a shop that wasn’t a cosplay shop from Akihabara, and he fell in love with it at first sight so he bought it. Apparently what he really wanted was a maid dress. I complain about it, but the one who faithfully wears it is this younger brother of mine, and this younger brother alone. But since it fits me, I feel troubled about it. However neechan will never wear it, y’know.

“Mother and father contacted me, they said, ‘We finally got to Hawaii. We will return home as soon as we end our vacation. HEART’.3 Should they really be leaving on a wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii while leaving their children behind at their age?”

“I guess it’s okay, besides they’ll be back in a week. Moreover it’s summer vacation now, it won’t cause any problems whether they’re here or not.”

“Who do you think has been cooking all this while?”

“I’m fine with junk food.”

“That’s bad for your body.”

I’m glad to have a brother who is excessively homely. Please don’t go get married.

“Hurry up, come down quickly. I can’t wait for you forever to clean everything up! I won’t be microwaving your food for you either.”

“Eh…?”

“I already called you down earlier, didn’t I?”

Earlier? Let’s see, had he come wake me up before this? Maybe I had been only half awake so I don’t remember.

After I reluctantly say ‘Understoo

d’ to the back of my younger brother who had already left the room, I extend my hand towards the closet to change out of my pajamas. I take out some black shorts that I wear at home and a white whirt and put them on. When I wear the gla.s.ses that were on top the desk, and look at myself in the full-length mirror, I can see that the white s.h.i.+rt is written with the brushy characters: “Speak up against the world!”4 s.h.i.+rts with words on them are fun. I can’t wear it outside, though.

…I wonder why. I feel a sense of incompatibility with my figure somehow. My black hair is tied at the back, and is of the same color as my eyes. This skin is the color unique to the j.a.panese, although it’s not that burnt since I don’t go out much.

“Well, whatever.”

What just happened is a common thing. Where am I and who am I? It’s not to that extent, but that suits me all right.

By the way, that ‘earlier’ was when? Yesterday I lost a fight over a hamburger and I came to sulk in bed out of spite, then I fell asleep just like that… I guess I may have been only half awake after all. But how did I fall out of bed while half awake? That’s too idiotic.

I went out of the room while rubbing my hurting head, and felt a something soft snuggling up to me at my feet.

“Heya, Hana, good morning.”

It’s my home’s idol kitty, Hana.5 She comes towards me acting all sweet and making purring noises.

“I forgot your breakfast; come down with me, I’ll prepare it now.”

Ahh, just like always, today’s a peaceful day too.

—-End of Arc I: Dragon Life—-