"Big Sis, who are they?"
"Oniichan, who is that?"
We all stood there at the entrance of the train station. Ryouta stood behind me, and Mitsuya's sisters did the same.
"Sorry, I brought them over because they were nagging me to come... They won't be a problem, I promise." Mitsuya apologized and bowed his head.
"It's okay, this one here did the same thing."
(flashback)
"Where are you going, Big Sis?"
"The beach. You're not invited." I retorted as I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my bag.
"Awhhhh, but I wanna come alonggggggggg..."
"No, go play your games."
"Don't wanna! I wanna go with you!"
"Ryou..."
Then my dad walked downstairs and asked what was going on. He told him about where I was going and Ryou isn't invited.
"Well... At least let him come along just this once. You are the eldest, after all." My dad gave a small chuckle.
"But dad..."
"Just this once. Only for today, or I'll buy you a car."
"Fine. Ryou, listen up."
My little brother stood at attention with a salute.
"You have exactly 5 minutes to get ready for a trip to the beach. Spare clothes and beach clothes, towel, soap, slippers, water bottle all in a small bag. In 3, 2, 1, go!"
Ryou ran upstairs and packed his things into his Super Ranger backpack. Like a cheetah marking his eyes on a sleeping gazelle, he reaches for the items above with pinpoint accuracy.
"Done!" He said as he jumped down to the front door.
"Good, I was about to ditch you. We'll be going, dad!"
"Don't be late!"
(back to the present)
"Oh, it'll be fine." Sakura said with a friendly smile and knelt down so that she was at the kids' height.
"Ne ne, what's your name?"
"I am Mitsuya Luna." A small girl with pigtails spoke.
"Mai name ish Mitshuya Mana.
"Wow! You speak very nicely! How old are you two?"
Luna said she was still in elementary school and Mana was in kindergarten.
"Wow, how nice! And what about you, Ryou-chan? It's been a while since I've last seen you."
Both Rin and Sakura knew I had a little brother ever since we first met. Rin had a big brother who was working in New York and Sakura was an only child.
"Would you like to introduce yourself, Ryou-chan?"
He gave a quick introduction with a burst of energy. Apparently, Ryouta was a year older than Luna.
"Oh! You're that big already huh? Since you're the biggest one here, I want you to take care of these two sisters, okay?"
"Okay!" Ryouta then glanced over at Mitsuya's sisters and gave a bright smile. "Let's take care of each other together!"
Mana nodded her head vigorously, but I saw Luna nod with a small blush. Ryouta didn't seem to notice, though.
"Okay! Let's go!"
We prepared our ICs and walked to the electronic ticket checkpoint. Ryouta, Luna, and Mana grabbed their one-use train tokens for kids and slotted them into the checkpoints. Ryouta had to lift Mana for her to insert her token.
"Thank you, Ryou-nii!"
Ryouta gave a smile in response.
"Heh... You two already have another oniichan, eh? Guess you don't need meeeeeeeeee." Mitsuya teased.
"No! Taka-nii is also nice!"
After a short train ride, we've arrived at our destination. Souya and Sakura set down our stuff and laid a picnic blanket on a flat empty space while Mitsuya and I went to change into our swimsuits. Mitsuya brought my brother into the men's room, while I brought his sisters into the women's room.
"Wow... Oniichan is pretty!" Luna complimented me as I wore it on.
"Pwetty!" Mana repeated.
"Awh, thank you~ You two look adorable!"
After we were done, I saw Mitsuya and Ryouta standing outside, waiting for us. Ryouta was in his blue one-piece, while Mitsuya had put on his... white trunks?
"Big sis, you're slow!"
"I had to help these two girls. Of course, I had to take a while."
"Thanks, y/n. They always had to go into the men's changing room with me every time we went swimming." Mitsuya spoke.
"It's alright. I hope my lil brother wasn't a bother."
"He's okay." Mitsuya answered. "He's pretty excited is all."
"Now then, why don't you lead these two girls back to where Sakura-neechan is? I trust you will have no problems?"
"Okay! Let's go!"
Ryouta held both their hands and walked back to the picnic spot we chose. My, oh, my, what a man my little twerpy brother has become.
"Wow, he's practically doing all the work for me." Mitsuya muttered.
"Shall we head back?"
We went back and told Souya and Sakura that it was their turn to change into their swimsuits. After a while, they returned back from the changing rooms.
"Tada~ What do you think?"
Sakura twirled around for Mitsuya to see. Then I realized that Mitsuya's trunks matched with Sakura's bikini.
"It's perfect for you." Mitsuya smiled.
"Wahhh... Pretty lady!"
"Pwetty!"
I looked over to Souya. He wore a grey hooded vest and a pair of lined swim trunks.
"You look dashing today." I complimented.
"Just as good as you, ma'am."
Now then, first up on the list was some beach volleyball. The three children were making sandcastles with each other so we got some free time.
"Hup!" Sakura did the first spike.
Everyone started to hit the inflated beach ball around. A brown dog even joined in the fun and bounced it around with its nose. The owner had to take him away because he kept hogging the ball.
10 minutes had passed and we were all tired out. The losers... were Sakura and Mitsuya. Sakura could throw a powerful spike, but her blocking needs a little more work.
"God dammit..." Sakura moaned.
"Language."
"Yes, sorry, I know."
Before we played the match, we made a bet. Whoever lost had to do the winners' bidding.
"Thank God we won. I don't even wanna know what Sakura would make us do." I spoke to Souya.
"Indeed. She can be quite the troublemaker." He replied as he bounced the giant beachball around.
"So what should we make them do?"
Souya thought for a while and eventually let me make a decision.
"Kiss him."
Mitsuya and Sakura turned their heads at me simultaneously with a flustered face.
"W-what are you saying! T-the kids are watching and there's about a hundred people around-"
Unfortunately for Mitsuya, he got caught off as Sakura jumped onto him and gave him a kiss on the lips. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was on show for everyone around them.
"My, my, what a cute couple..."
"Awhhhh, that was so adorable~"
Words were muttered about Sakura and Mitsuya. Sakura had a big grin on her red face, while Mitsuya wanted to bury his face in the sand. No but seriously, he started to dig a hole right before Sakura dragged him away.
"I bet many people saw that..."
"Hehehe, sorry Mitsy~"
"I'm not talking to you." Mitsuya started to walk back to our beach spot.
"Mitsyyyyy, I'm sorryyyyyyy..."
We picked up the ball and went back to our beach spot. Mitsuya looked away from us to not let us see his flustered face and was taunted relentlessly by Luna and Mana.
"Taka-nii is a red tomato!"
"Tomato!" Mana repeated.
We all sat down and laid out the food. Souya prepared juice and soda (just as I expected), Mitsuya and Sakura brought sandwiches and onigiri, and the cold cut fruit was brought by me.
"Wait..." I looked around. "Where's Ryou?"
"He borrowed my pail and went to the other side of the beach." Luna answered.
"Ryou-nii slow!" Mana retorted.
Just then, I see my little brother running towards us, with a small blue pail. I hefted it down on the sand and gave a proud grin.
"I caught these!"
Everyone looked inside and saw nearly a dozen crabs. Big ones, too.
"Don't put your finger in! I got pinched twice just now!"
While everyone was gazing in awe, I just sighed. This is why I don't let him come to the beach. He picks up anything that catches his eye.
It's a wonder how he hasn't picked up any jellyfish yet.
(Omake)
I sat down with Souya under the large umbrella. Sakura and Mitsuya were in the water, splashing each other, while Ryou, Mana and Luna were tossing pebbles into the ocean to see who could throw the farthest.
My thoughts were interrupted when a yellow beachball brushed against my knee. A young boy with a cowlick (I think?) came approaching me.
"Sorry about that!" He apologized.
"It's okay." I spoke as I kicked it lightly towards him. He gave a bow and walked back to his friends.
"You suck, Tadano!"
"You're the one who threw it too far, Najimi..."
author's note:
FINALLY. It's finally done. School just reopened for me, and homework came flooding in like water in the Titanic. Thanks to everyone who has read up until this point, and stay tuned for the next few chapters!