Arisawa remained silent for a moment. Her eyes dropped softly before slowly lifting to look directly at Hiyori and me. That gaze… wasn't filled with anger or resentment—but it was chillingly cold, forged by experience, restraint, and hidden wounds.
"I believe…" she began, her voice firm and deliberate, "it would be better if you two didn't know."
Hiyori and I exchanged glances as our hearts skipped a beat.
"I refuse to answer," Arisawa continued—calm, but with absolute finality. It felt like a door locked tightly from the inside, leaving no crack for anyone else to open.
The air in the room fell utterly still. Hiyori lowered her gaze, biting her lip silently. I clutched the blanket softly. Her answer… was understandably hard to accept, but I understood. Some pain cannot be shared. Or simply… the time hasn't come.
SLAM!The door suddenly burst open, shattering the oppressive silence. The door hit the wall with a dull clack, and then—
"HUH!! YOU'RE ALIVE, BROTHER?!"
A high-pitched male voice rang with concern—and too much optimism. The sound hit me like a punch.
I blinked toward the door."You're not dying that easily, Renji-kun…" I replied wearily, though a smile tugged at my lips.
The blond boy burst in like a whirlwind, carrying a massive bag in one hand and a heavy backpack. He looked hurried and clumsy.
"Is that so? HAHAHA! I knew it!" Renji exclaimed, his face beaming. "Onii-chan's tough as an ox—on top of being strong! How could you die?! Though, you did scare me half to death!"
He dropped the bag onto a chair, sighing as though awakening from a nightmare.
I chuckled softly, pained but relieved:"You kid…"
My voice was hoarse—but warm. For a moment, the atmosphere brightened. The gloom and coldness lifted, replaced by laughter, friendship, family—the things that make you feel… alive.
Honestly, I have a "little brother," even though nobody officially called him that. His name is Hoshigawa Renji, a first-year student at AGI Yokohama High—where I'm also enrolled. He's energetic and… quite a handful.
I don't recall exactly when we met. Maybe at a school assembly or in the library, we reached for the same book. It's blurry. But one thing sticks clear: since that day, he called me "Onii-chan."
"Big brother this," "big brother that." Makes me feel like some underworld figure—but in reality, I'm normal. Simple life, ordinary student, no entourage trailing behind me.
Still, Renji insists. I've gotten too lazy to correct him. If he wants to call me that—fine. If destiny says so, so be it.
Never mind how bothersome he can be—always bursting in with excess noise and dramatics. But I have to admit: he's special.
And incredibly talented.Hoshigawa Renji is in Class 1-A—the elite freshman class. I? I'm stuck in 2-D—the lowest ranking sophomore class. A commoner in a kingdom, so to speak.
Yet… I'm still his "big brother." That's enough, right?
"So, why are you bandaging your head like that, Onii-chan?" Renji sat beside my bed, eyes full of curious worry. His sly mouth never seemed to stop moving.
I touched the bandages on my scalp; they still felt cool. I answered with mild self-mockery:"I have a mild brain concussion. I'll be discharged soon."
"Oh, that's a relief!" Renji sighed, smiling like clouds had cleared after a storm.
I exhaled. He always oscillates between being absurd and carefree—but when he truly cares, his eyes shine like a child's. Maybe that's why I don't mind him as much as I thought.
"So, who's this girl? When I came in, the atmosphere was so… cozy," Renji narrowed his eyes, glancing at Arisawa then me, mischievous as if discovering something fun.
I cleared my throat, braced myself to sit up a bit even though I still felt woozy.
"This is the person who saved me from the incident in Alleyway No. 7—around the Coffee‑fit shop," I said—slowly—and with clearly visible respect.
Renji's eyes widened. Suddenly, he bowed deeply toward Arisawa, his hands clasped theatrically as if on stage.
"Oh-o-oh… thank you, esteemed sister, for aiding my big brother. Should I bow and thank you? I vow to remember this debt for life—and repay it!" His voice carried as if sworn loyalty.
I nearly choked from laughter.
"No need," Arisawa replied in her calm, composed tone. But I thought—perhaps I just imagined it—her lips curved in a faint smile.
The cheerful vibe suddenly dimmed as Hiyori spoke, eyes gentle but full of concern.
"Arisawa-san… now you don't have a family, no place to belong, and no job..." Hiyori hesitated, hands clenched together, then softly asked, "…What will you do?"
Her question hung in the air. A breeze drifted in from the window, rustling the white curtain silently.
Arisawa turned slightly, speaking slowly—like she'd never considered the question before:"I… I don't know. Maybe... sleep on the street." Her voice was small, tinged with bitterness—and a loneliness so palpable.
My chest tightened. No one should have to say that aloud—especially a young woman who'd just sacrificed everything to stop a catastrophe.
But Hiyori didn't hesitate. She nearly jumped up, eyes lighting up with a sudden idea:
"Well then, why don't you live with us? Our home only has Onii-chan and me!" Her tone flared with excitement and hope—as if inviting a sister she'd long admired.
Arisawa froze. Her gaze moved from Hiyori to me—as if seeking confirmation. But she didn't hurry to reply—just sighed softly.
"Such a request... is it okay?" she spoke slowly, her eyes serious. "I'd be intruding on your lives—and... I doubt your parents would agree."
That remark cast a peculiar quietness around the room. Hiyori and I exchanged looks. Parents?
I knew: sooner or later, we'd have to explain.
"My parents passed away—a marine accident…" Hiyori answered, voice faint as if each word touched painful memories. Her eyes shimmered, but she still managed a weak, brave smile.
Arisawa paused. She lowered her head, voice light like a breeze:"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked that..."
In that moment, time seemed to slow. I looked at the two girls—one carrying the weight of a past family tragedy, the other healing from a new loss. And me—a man who returned from death—now became the intersection of both their stories.
I cleared my throat, breaking the silence with a half-joking line:
"So if you want to live at my house, does that mean I'll have to support two people?"
"Hey!" Hiyori frowned, slight puff to her cheeks—clearly unhappy with my tone. "Isn't she kind of pitiful? She saved you too! Let her stay with us!"
Her wide, shining eyes stared at me as if using an absolutely persuasive weapon she knew would work.
"You still saying no? You owe Arisawa-san a debt, you know!" she pressed firmly, hand on her chest in conviction.
I gazed at her for a moment, then sighed and gave in.
"All right," I said, sincerity now in my voice. "You can stay with us—but three conditions."
They both looked at me. I raised three fingers—my index trembling slightly from the lingering injury.
"First, you must help my sister around the house—because our home is not a hotel."
Arisawa nodded slowly.
"Second, you'll need to work at my place—in the café—for income. I don't support freeloaders."
She blinked, surprised—but said nothing.
"Third," I paused, meeting her gaze, "please help protect us if anything happens. You do have power... right?"
The room fell silent. A breeze brushed the curtain, light reflecting off Arisawa's deep eyes.
"Huh?" she blinked, then let out a soft half-smile. "You set strict conditions for returning a favor?"
Her tone carried a trace of mild complaint—but not annoyance. Finally, she nodded lightly:
"Well... that's fine. As long as I've got a place to sleep and eat, I'll manage."
I raised my lips in a faint smile, then leaned back and closed my eyes.
"I still have a lot to ask you," I said, voice serious now. "But this isn't the place. We can talk later."
Outside the window, the morning sun poured in—warm but hazy. As if the world paused in a short fragile stillness... before everything begins spinning again.
"Good. From now on, our official relationship will be... allies." I said, tone low and decisive. "We will help each other—and if we can... we will stand together against the rise of AGI."
We paused. A gentle wind carried the rustle of trees outside the hospital courtyard.
Arisawa Misaki locked eyes with me—unwavering, unblinking. She nodded. Her gaze had shed its initial chill and instead held a faint empathy—as if an invisible bond had formed between us.
"Yes. Understood," she replied calmly. "Either way... it benefits us both."
Simple... and yet not hollow.
In that moment, amid the white-lit hospital room and early morning light, I recognized something had shifted. As if fate's gears had started turning with this silent agreement.
Thus... the human branch and the psychic branch officially became allies.
A simple declaration, but the foundation of a historic alliance.
It may be that neither of us yet truly understands each other's secrets. Or fully trusts the other.
But even with lingering doubt, pain, and the past yet to heal...
This alliance...
Could shift the balance of the world.
No one knows what the future holds. Yet from today, a new chapter begins.