The True Elites

Chapter 4.5-5: A Future Challenge

Just as I started to think my words didn't move her, Shiro finally spoke:

"If it were Nii... we wouldn't be sitting... so far apart..."

We made eye contact, and it was clear to me what Shiro needed to feel comfortable. With my gaze, I gave her permission.

She inched across bench, cautiously dipping her toe in the water as she got closer to my side. Then, as she neared close enough that we could touch, Shiro leaned into me.

I move my arm to let her be more comfortable, wrapping it around her back and resting my hand on her opposite arm.

It stayed like this for a little bit. Shiro's face didn't appear to be at peace, but it didn't look distressed, either.

Eventually, words came out. "Nii is... making new friends..."

With her eyes closed, Shiro started to describe her problems. While I'm sure that my body felt completely different to Sora's, I tried my best to let her feel like she was in a familiar situation.

"Indeed. Is that something bad?" I asked, in the closest tone to Sora's that I could create.

"No, no! Of course not... but... well... maybe..."

"I see. Then, allow me to rephrase my question. Is that something bad for you?"

"..."

This was something that Shiro could never admit to the real Sora. You're neglecting your sister and causing her distress. If such a thing were heard just as he was beginning to come out of his shell, Sora would retreat back into it and never again emerge.

"I think... I'm afraid... Nii won't need me anymore..."

Their whole lives, Sora had been nigh-unable to function without his sister by his side. Now that he was starting to overcome this weakness, it wasn't surprising that his other half would feel like her purpose is lost.

A tear escaped Shiro's closed eyelids, and slowly rolled down her soft cheek.

"I don't... want to be... left behind...!"

A small hand grabbed onto my shirt tightly, squeezing it tightly to avoid crying more.

Shiro's body trembled in my embrace, and despite sensing that she felt better getting it all out, I felt that actually saying it had also caused the emotions to run higher.

With my thumb, I gently wiped away the tear from her wet face.

"Shiro. I can't say much about you and Sora, or how he'll handle this new experience. But the one thing that everybody is absolutely certain of, is that Sora will never not need you by his side."

"How can you be sure... How can you know that...?"

It was strange. Despite Sora's constant praise and compliments, and him saying that he's always done everything he can to be worthy of being Shiro's brother, Shiro seemed to have the idea that it was her that didn't deserve him.

It wasn't that Shiro didn't believe in Sora, but that she didn't believe in herself. She saw herself as not good enough for him.

Until she overcame this warped view of her own worth, it would be impossible for Shiro to accept that Sora needs her.

No matter how many times she was told, it couldn't be true. Nobody could ever need somebody like me. Such thoughts would always be at the back of Shiro's mind.

"I know because Blank is, and always has been a duo. Just like how when you feel out of your depth, Sora is there for you, you do the same for him, too. I know how much you idolize your brother, but the truth is that there are things that he can't do. For those things, he'll always need your help."