Welcome to Part 16 of Azure Striker Gunvolt: Fleeting Memories! If you missed any of parts 1 through 15, make sure you read those first.
Part 16
The next morning, Rei finished putting on his school uniform and grabbed a parcel from atop his desk and stuck it into his bag.
A fancy imported handkerchief was tightly wrapped in the little parcel. It was a ‘thank you’ gift for Himeshiro since she had helped him and Miu out yesterday.
If he was going to do this, he thought it would be best to buy something that was sensible and usable in everyday life. Since he came to the conclusion that he wanted to do something to thank her in the middle of the night, he settled with giving her something they already had at the house instead.
Fortunately since his aunt and uncle travel all over the place for work, they have things like fancy unused handkerchiefs from overseas just lying around the house. After much consideration, he decided that he didn’t want to get something that would garner a huge reaction, so he thought a handkerchief would be a safe bet.
He finished grooming himself, got himself together and headed down to the living room, where he was met by Miu donning an apron.
“Oh wow, Rei, you got up all by yourself!” Miu praised her brother with a sarcastic giggle.
“Oh knock it off, you don’t ALWAYS wake me up. Just sometimes, am I right?” Rei refuted.
“Hehe, yeah, not that I’d have a problem with waking you up each day though.”
“Gimme a break…”
Rei took a seat at the table. Before him, white rice, grilled fish, miso soup, and sauteed spinach were all set up ready to be chowed down.
This sort of breakfast was pretty much the shining example of a typical Japanese style breakfast. They have since moved away from having western style food every day for breakfast to a rotation of both Japanese style breakfast and western style breakfast.
“Thanks for the food, Miu.”
“No problem. Eat up!”, Miu said with a smile.
He sipped a spoonful of the miso soup, and from his tummy to his heart felt that pleasant warm feeling. This was definitely something he could get used to. He could swear that very thought was a line that sounded like an old miso soup commercial he remembered hearing when he was little.
Miu watched approvingly as her older brother enjoyed his food for a bit, then she unfastened her apron and sat down to enjoy her own food.
“Nice job, Miu.”
“You always do a nice job in the kitchen,” Rei added.
“Hmph,” Miu pouted.
“What’s wrong?”
“That’s all you ever say, just ‘nice’ this or ‘nice’ that. I mean, it makes me happy and all, but it just kind of feels like you’re saying it because you feel obligated to.” Miu looked slightly unnerved.
“Do you honestly think I’d do something messed up like that?” Rei questioned.
“No, that’s not what I meant…” Miu explained, “it’s just those kinds of mannerisms are very toxic in a normal, peaceful household. Sometimes it feels like that if there’s nothing new to stimulate you, our relationship will not be able to last for a long time.”
“What do you mean, relationship? You make it sound like we’re a married couple. We’re brother and sister, you know,” Rei scoffed.
“Heh, who knows Rei, maybe you’re actually my brother in law or something…”
“Nope, not at all. This isn’t a manga, Miu.”
“Ahhh, that’s too bad,” Miu said while cracking a smile and a letting out a little chuckle.
“For crying out loud…Oh yeah, Miu, yesterday your upperclassman…”
“You mean upperclassman Himeshiro?”
“Yeah, her. Do you know what class she’s in?” Rei asked his sister.
“Her class? She’s in class 3A, but why do you ask?”
“She really helped us out yesterday, and I was thinking that I’d like to give her something to thank her.”
“Wait a minute…” Miu remembered something. “Is that why you were rummaging around the house yesterday?”
“Yeah, I wanted to see if I could find something good around the house.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me!!” Her demeanor had completely changed; Miu was furious. As she jumped to her feet, the chair made a loud thud as it hit the ground.