Natsuiro Rekka, the Natsuiro family's second kid, was a bit of a puzzle. This tall, really handsome teenager, now in his second year of high school, was always one of the top three good-looking guys in school. Girls from every grade, freshmen to seniors, totally looked up to him. On Valentine's Day, he'd always get so much chocolate he'd have to ask his older sister to help him carry it all home!
But even with all that popularity, nobody ever dared to confess to him. Back in freshman year, one brave senior girl actually tried, but Rekka just turned her down. It was kinda cold, almost like he didn't care at all. After that, a rumor spread like crazy that Rekka was a "psychopath with no heart." So, yeah, he was popular, but people just admired him from afar, like he was a super cool, untouchable statue.
Students called Rekka cruel, but folks who really knew him saw things differently. He just couldn't show feelings, plain and simple. Even when he was little and his pet cat died, he couldn't cry. He just stood there, watching his older sister bawl her eyes out over their beloved cat. His face was just... blank, even when he was sad.
And wouldn't you know it, this emotionless guy was currently crashed out, fast asleep in class! He was in that prime back-row seat by the window – you know, the one they call 'the protagonist's seat' in all those school-life anime.
Rekka's homeroom teacher, right in the middle of a big announcement, spotted him. Oh man, a vein was practically throbbing on her forehead. Someone sleeping while she was talking?! No way! She took a sharp breath and just let loose!
"Natsuiro Rekka-kun!" The teacher's voice cut right through the classroom noise. But Rekka, completely out cold, didn't even twitch.
"NATSUIRO REKKA!!" The teacher was getting super mad now because Rekka was still deep in dreamland.
His classmates started chuckling a little, trying to hold it in. A girl sitting next to Rekka felt the teacher's fury and got a little worried for him. She decided to wake Rekka up, giving his body a little shake. "Natsuiro-kun, Sensei called you. Natsuiro-kun?"
Finally, after she tried for a bit, Rekka woke up from his nap. And what did he see when he opened his eyes? The surprised, pretty face of a girl who definitely looked Korean.
Her lips were full and kinda alluring, her eyes tiny but captivating, all set in a lovely face framed by straight black hair that just flowed beautifully down her back. Rekka knew that stunning face – she was one of his classmates, for sure. But then, this weird, deeper feeling of knowing her, like he knew her from somewhere else, hit him.
Suddenly, a rush of unfamiliar memories made Rekka feel super dizzy. He blinked, looking back at the girl, and a name just kinda slipped out, whispered almost without him even thinking about it, "... Joy?"
The girl he'd just called Joy looked totally confused. Thinking her friend was still dreaming, she tried waking him up again. "Natsuiro-kun, we're still in class! Sensei is furious that you're sleeping!"
"Are you still asleep, Natsuiro Rekka-kun?!" the teacher thundered, clearly at her wit's end.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Sensei," Rekka replied, totally baffled. "I haven't slept for a few days? Hmm... why haven't I gotten enough sleep?" He mumbled, honestly confused by his own words.
"How would I know?!" the teacher snapped. "Sit up, quick! If only you could be a model student like Matsuri-kun, your older sister!" With a final huff, she turned back to the rest of the class, wrapping up her homeroom session. "Okay, class, remember what I said earlier! And stay focused on today's lesson, especially you, Natsuiro-kun!"
The teacher marched out of the classroom, with Rekka's classmates' muffled laughter following right behind her.
Rekka, still wrestling with the strange memories buzzing in his head, slowly sat up straight. After a second, he just pushed those weird thoughts away, turning to the friend beside him with a big, almost dazzling smile. "Thanks for waking me up, Park-san."
Park Soo-Young, the girl he'd just thanked, actually jumped back a little, startled. "You?" she gasped, her eyes wide.
"Hmm? Is something wrong with what I said?" Rekka asked, his eyes subtly checking her reaction, like he was watching her rather than truly confused.
"Did you just... smile?"
"Is it wrong that I smile?" Rekka shot back, still keeping up the innocent confusion.
"You can smile, too," Soo-Young insisted, still bewildered.
"Hmmm... what are you talking about? Of course, I can smile!" Rekka replied, sounding a bit offended, though he quickly thought about how to play off this unexpected change in his usual behavior.
"Hahaha... never mind, never mind," Soo-Young laughed awkwardly, waving her hands.
======= LUNCH BREAK
Even with half the class gone, the classroom felt even louder! Some students headed out to the cafeteria for lunch, while others, who'd brought their own food, just chilled in the classroom.
Most of the girls stayed put, chatting while they ate. Rekka, still stuck in his swirl of weird phantom memories, hadn't moved from his chair. A little later, a familiar voice broke through his thoughts.
"Oi, Rekka!" his male friend called out.
The shout snapped him out of his deep thinking. Rekka turned to his friend. "What's up?"
"Your sister came to visit you," his friend announced with a teasing grin, giving him a playful nudge.
"Alright, hold on," Rekka replied, getting up from his chair.
Stepping out of the classroom, Rekka found his older sister waiting for him. She was just bursting with energy, a real bright spot in the hallway. Natsuiro Matsuri was a beautiful girl, radiating pure excitement. Her shiny brown hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, tied with a black ribbon that seemed to bounce as she moved. Her turquoise-blue eyes, just like his, sparkled with her lively vibe. She wasn't just a model student; she was super popular all over the school.
"Nee-san... why'd you come to my class?" Rekka asked, a slight little frown on his face.
"Am I not allowed to visit my little brother?" Matsuri chirped, spinning around to face him, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"URGH... it's not like that! Whatever... what do you want?" Rekka sighed, already bracing himself for her craziness.
"This afternoon, come with me to grab some groceries. Plus, you don't have anything else to do, right?" Matsuri asked, leaning in close like she was sharing a secret.
"Looks like it. Okay, then we'll go together later."
After Rekka agreed, Matsuri leaned even closer, putting her lips right up to Rekka's ear in a stage whisper. "I haven't gone on a date with Rekka-chan in ages~."
"Nee-san!" Rekka hissed, a rare blush creeping up his cheeks. He quickly looked around, totally scared his classmates might have heard her suggestive words. Luckily, nobody seemed to be listening. At least, that's what he thought.
At school, Matsuri could totally trick anyone into thinking she was just a perfect, prim model student. But Rekka knew the real deal: his older sister was an absolute wild card, a cheerful bundle of crazy energy who loved acting like a total 'perverted uncle.' She was quick to blurt out suggestive comments and dirty jokes, with no shame at all. That was the real Natsuiro Matsuri.
But then, Rekka saw something new, something that made his mind race. A look of genuine surprise, even a little bit of fear, crossed Matsuri's face. Her eyes got wide, staring at him like he was a stranger, or maybe a ghost.
"Are you really my little brother?! Who are you?! What did you do to my little brother?!" she shrieked, her voice echoing down the hall and instantly grabbing the attention of every nosy student nearby.
Rekka, used to her dramatic flair, just gave her a familiar flick on the forehead. "What are you even talking about?! You're embarrassing me! Of course, I'm your little brother!" he shot back, a hint of his usual, subtle amusement hiding under his annoyance.
"Then why did you... oh, forget it. We'll talk about this later at home," Matsuri mumbled, cutting herself off, but still eyeing Rekka weirdly. Then she whispered to herself, too soft for him to hear, "But Rekka-chan's embarrassed face isn't bad, hehe..."
Rekka couldn't hear his older sister's quiet words. He just sighed at her usual strange behavior, though a part of him mentally tucked away her odd reaction for later thinking.
While the two siblings were caught up in their usual back-and-forth, someone new walked up to them. A friendly voice broke in, "You two are seriously siblings. I'm kinda jealous!"
"You are...!" Rekka started, his eyes getting wide.
======== SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY IN THE UNIVERSE
Five women, all wearing really wild, unique clothes that showed they weren't from around here, gathered at a perfectly round table. They were chilling in a cosmic void, light-years away from Rekka's normal high school. Just being near them would instantly tell anyone with special senses that these weren't just regular humans.
"I feel some disturbance to the Force!" A woman with striking red hair and eyes that practically sparkled with chaotic energy announced. Her crimson robes seemed to gently shimmer.
The others just stared. Then, a woman with amazing poise, long, flowing blue hair, and sharp, elegant features, sighed tiredly and shot back, "You still say the most random stuff at the most random times."
"But I truly felt a huge disturbance in nature!" the red-haired woman insisted, her voice getting more urgent. "Something wild, something never-before-seen, just happened."
"What do you mean, 'wild'?" the blue-haired woman drawled, preening a little as she ran a hand through her perfectly styled hair. "Because I'm wild."
"Shut up, you narcissist!" the red-haired woman snapped, running a hand through her bright hair. "Sigh... we gotta check this out. Remember, no more screw-ups like before! No more accidental time travelers, no more messing with the world's natural rules."
"Tch... you always bring that up," the blue-haired woman grumbled, crossing her arms, a little annoyed look on her usually calm face.
Ignoring her friend's grumpy tone, the red-haired woman, who clearly called the shots, gave the others an intense look. "Council, investigate this right away and report back ASAP!"
In a flash, the four figures disappeared from their seats, leaving the red-haired woman all alone. She wrung her hands, nervously muttering to herself, "Please, let this not be a bad thing."