x
A gentle hum filled the air as the scent of sizzling eggs and freshly brewed coffee drifted through the cozy kitchen. The soft clatter of utensils and the bubbling of something simmering on the stove blended with the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the kitchen, illuminating the neat countertops and the wooden dining table where Olivia Tatsuya sat, scrolling through her phone.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkhbRo5zvS
One leg propped up on the chair, the other on the ground as she taps her foot against the floor, she lazily took a bite of toast, her expression relaxed as if she had all the time in the world. She glanced at the time on her phone before smirking.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdsxyG78OB
“Hey, Mom,” she said, stretching out her arms with a yawn. “Bet you anything that Kai’Kai is still knocked out, drooling all over his pillow.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jbTbtxJb7
Their mother, busy at the stove flipping an omelet, sighed as she glanced at the clock. “That boy’s still asleep?”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgEqIJkfVy
“Yup.” Olivia barely looked up from her screen. “That kid’s a professional sleeper. If there were an award for best at ignoring alarms, he’d win by a landslide.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5S8lGHhEkR
Their mother shook her head, wiping her hands on a dish towel before peeking into the hallway. “Kaida, sweetheart! Time to get up! You’ll be late!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMoaMn6WC9
Silence.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg0sULPiWl
Olivia chuckled under her breath. “Mom, do you really think calling him is gonna do anything? That boy could sleep through a tornado.” She set her phone down and stood, rolling her shoulders. “Watch and learn. I got this.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsj69d21ON
“Olivia, dear, I don’t think that’s—”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAAtgLUtH3
Before their mother could finish, Olivia was already marching down the hallway with purpose.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgE7ia6jZua
Kaida Tatsuya was completely and utterly dead to the world.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9Ys4Ivnom
Sprawled out across his bed, limbs tangled in his blanket, he snored softly, lost in whatever dreamland he had wandered into. His light brown hair was messy, sticking to his forehead, his face turned slightly into his pillow. The room was still, peaceful—until the door slammed open.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JfIZ11IvV
Olivia stood at the threshold, hands on her hips, surveying her sleeping brother like a hunter sizing up its prey. She took a step forward, then another, her smirk widening.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjI6GzHKKl
“Aww… how cute,” she mused, watching him sleep.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXMu9AJfjg
Then, without hesitation—
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAIPlcPZ7q
She leaped into the air and body-slammed directly onto him.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWVrDmIA8g
“GOOD MORNING, LAZY BONES!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRKLKi8qCx
“AUGH!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboJO4ZLRIy
Kaida’s peaceful morning came to a painful and abrupt end. A loud oof escaped him as Olivia knocked the air from his lungs, his limbs flailing as he struggled to comprehend what just happened.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgbAnPCKGG
“Wh—What the hell?!” he coughed, squirming under her weight.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ1xjRlgvq
Olivia grinned, resting her elbow on his back. “You weren’t waking up, so I figured a little encouragement was needed.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzatYWLsiL
Kaida groaned, his face smushed into the mattress. “Get off me! You’re crushing me!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5nebjTRze
Olivia feigned offense, gasping dramatically. “Are you implying that your lovely, kind-hearted sister is heavy?”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FHduLGuez
“Implying? No. Stating? Absolutely.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGo30cmHrSU
A dark aura seemed to form around Olivia as she cracked her knuckles. “Oh, you little—”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlppvNdOUQ
Before Kaida could react, she had him in a headlock, gripping him tightly.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhA3bVYgc4
“Say it again, Kaida. I dare you.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iQhphICBn
Kaida flailed, tapping out like a wrestler in defeat. “A-Alright, alright! I take it back!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjS7kjqEFy
Their mother’s sharp voice rang through the house.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLcnY2xgBA
“KAIDA! OLIVIA! If you don’t stop roughhousing this instant, so help me—”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GchHb8NOl
Immediately, the two froze before hastily separating.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjFhTOUdnu
“S-Sorry, Mom!” Olivia called out.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZyPuwzacS
“Y-Yeah, sorry…” Kaida mumbled, rubbing his sore neck.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwyabBSTiS
Olivia grinned, ruffling his already messy hair before hopping off the bed. “C’mon, hurry up before Mom loses it.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORTBpsxyBl
Kaida shot her a half-hearted glare before dragging himself toward the bathroom.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVD3TSvdyv
By the time Kaida finally made it to the dining room, freshly showered and dressed in his school uniform, Olivia was already back in her seat, scrolling through her phone as if nothing had happened.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiR703b1r2i
She glanced up at him and smirked. “Oh, you’re finally awake? Good morning, Kai’Kai.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJOrDvjVoQ
Kaida narrowed his eyes at the nickname but chose to ignore it as he sat down at the table.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMttbOlQ5sc
“You’re annoying.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZFAIcWhLe
“And you’re dramatic.” Olivia shot back.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnNDQeL0J8
Their mother placed a plate of food in front of him, shaking her head. “You two are always at each other’s throats.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJnt0PAJrf
Kaida huffed, taking a bite of his eggs. “She started it.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwmAESVqce
Olivia grinned. “And I’ll finish it.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoMNUuU8yC
Their mother sighed, placing her hands on her hips. “You two will miss each other when you grow up, you know.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcWad1uguS
Kaida and Olivia shared a glance.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdGZHuHJPg
“Doubt it.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6M0Tkidbbb
“Not a chance.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubGo5qFweO
Their mother just chuckled, shaking her head.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTQux2H5Jr
After finishing breakfast, Kaida and Olivia grabbed their bags and headed for the door.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TVGWdewjN
“Alright, Mom, we’re off,” Olivia called over her shoulder.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0WwOTtFeB
“Have a good day, you two! And don’t get into trouble!”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtk6JI9ApXE
“No promises,” Olivia said with a grin.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtku5eA9uE
Kaida snorted as they stepped outside.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZFqEe9L61
The morning air was crisp, a slight breeze rustling the trees as students filled the streets, all heading toward the same destination.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr1rLGlFar
As they walked, Olivia glanced at Kaida from the corner of her eye.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GgZQaEkl1
“Seriously, though. You should start thinking about what you wanna do after school.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcs69oD5Se
Kaida groaned. “Not this again.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiZsuH0rNa
“I’m serious. If you don’t plan something, you’ll end up working at Dad’s shop.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJAIqbWhEx
Kaida shuddered. “God, no.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA4seqoXtF
“Then start thinking.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6xUUzisGZ
Kaida sighed, staring up at the sky. “I don’t know, Liv. I guess I wanna do something exciting. Something that actually matters.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6M2rqwlej
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Exciting, huh? Like what?”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc9HzfBLjC
Kaida thought for a moment before shrugging. “I dunno. Maybe something heroic. Like a firefighter, or maybe join the police force. Hell, maybe even the military. Something where I get to actually make a difference.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91sjT3Alei
Olivia looked at him for a moment before a small smirk formed on her lips. “Heroic, huh?”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRHRzvrN5K
She reached over and ruffled his hair.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjmbU1AVr6
“You’re a good kid, Kai’Kai.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUv1hxHPI1G
Kaida swatted her hand away, but he couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at his lips.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fOKW5q2Py
“If you follow your heart, maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5XDGrgaVW
As they reached the school gates, Olivia stretched. “Welp, this is where we part ways. Try not to embarrass yourself.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdH7X2zE2M
Kaida smirked. “Maybe you should focus on not embarrassing me.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd1Wb1qLm2
Olivia grinned, ruffling his hair one last time. “Where’s the fun in that? Later, Kai’Kai.”
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUK5NHgw8Fn
Kaida watched Olivia disappear into the crowd before turning toward the main entrance of the school. He barely had time to scan the area before a familiar voice called out.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzbgMafxky
“Yo! Kaida! Over here!”
