Chapter 110: Chapter 109 - My Favorite Person

Finally, the summer firework festival was here. Also, this could only mean one thing, total and utter chaos.

The Kurogane family had barely made it outside to the festival when chaos began. First there was Akari who couldn’t find her hairpin, and there was Aoi who couldn’t find her sister Akari, and Shizuka who couldn’t find her brother Daichi, and Daichi couldn’t find his wallet, yet Kuro somehow was left to solve all four of these problems before the festival event even started.

"Why is this happening?" Kuro said to himself as he walked through the crowd.

"Because we are family," Akari said matter-of-factly.

This statement by Akari did explain everything and nothing all in the same breath.

The festival grounds seemed to be packed with crowds and food stalls lining the streets and children running around with lit-up toys and the smell of grilled food wafting through the air, along with music playing in every direction; the festival atmosphere seemed to have life all its own.

It took Akari approximately 2 minutes to disappear from Kuro at the festival.

It then took Kuro the next 5 minutes to find his sister Akari where she was playing a shooting game.

It took another 10 minutes for Kuro to find Akari again so that she could buy snacks for herself.

It took another 15 minutes for Kuro to find Akari again and this time Akari was arguing with a goldfish vendor.

It took another 20 minutes to find Akari because nobody could say where she was.

Kuro sighed. This was typical Akari.

Aoi, as was her usual, was calm, moved on with her mother and watched her sister Akari create chaos.

Should we find her? Shizuka asked at this point.

"Yes, we should," replied Kuro.

"Will we," questioned Shizuka.

Kuro glanced toward the distant part of the crowd that was forming and he knew that he would find his sister Akari.

Eventually, Aoi gave a nod that conveyed his agreement to this answer. So the search for him began. However, the size of the festival made it more challenging. Equally challenging for the Kuro family was Akari’s amazing ability to disappear. Eventually, they separated in order to find Akari.

Shizuka and Daichi searched for Akari in one area while Aoi searched in another area and Kuro searched for Akari in all areas.

Just as Kuro expected he would after approximately 15 minutes of searching, he finally located Akari. He found Akari sitting on a small hill above the festival.

She was located away from the crowd, above the noise and above the chaos below her.

As strange as it was...

...for her...

...to be just sitting there quietly.

Kuro had developed a feeling of suspicion toward her.

"Are you alright?" Kuro asked.

Akari looked up at Kuro. "Maybe."

This made Kuro even more suspicious.

Kuro sat down next to Akari to hear the sounds of the festival echoing below for several minutes. Neither spoke during this time.

Fireworks began to launch; and then there was a brilliant flash of color as the red, gold and blue exploded in the sky, followed by loud cheering from the crowd below and then cheering by Akari.

The colors from the fireworks danced in Akari’s eyes as she looked on silently. Akari appeared to be deep in thought about the fireworks.

What a dangerous condition to be in!

Eventually, after long silence, Akari spoke again.

"Kuro?"

"Yeah?"

Akari then paused for a moment. Then asked Kuro, "What are you to me?"

Kuro blinked his eyes. He had not anticipated this question from Akari. He was aware of the difficulty this question would bring to him in deciding how to answer.

Thinking carefully, it was evident there was significance in Kuro’s answer to Akari.

Finally, Kuro said to Akari while smiling at her, "You are my older sister. (precious)"

Silence echoed between them and both Kuro and Akari now had sustained catastrophic emotional damage.

Direct Hit!

Maximum Efficiency.

Akari’s spirit left her physical body.

It floated to the ceiling.

Looking at all the fireworks.

Then contemplated if she should ever go back.

"Kuro."

"Yeah."

"That hurt."

"What?"

"You don’t even know."

"I seriously have no clue."

As expected.

An absolute moron.

Kuro rubbed the side of his face.

Then continued speaking.

"You are loud."

Akari glared at Kuro.

"That was rude."

"You are irritating."

"That was also rude."

"You are a mess."

"Super rude!"

Kuro chuckled.

Then turned to face the sky.

Another explosion occurred above them.

The entire area lit up in bright gold.

Only for a brief moment.

Kuro’s expression became softer.

"But without you my life would be boring."

Complete silence ensued.

Akari did not move.

Kuro had not intended for what he said to have such significance.

Kuro did not realize it would affect her so much.

But somehow what Kuro said hit her 100 percent accurately.

Deep down, below all her thoughts.

Little by little, through all of her malicious actions.

Through everything she created in reference to how to achieve her goals.

Deep down inside of her, she desired to have an impact on the world and be remembered long after she was gone from this 3D worldly space.

Akari simply accomplished this through ANY measure possible.

Akari’s newly found confidence.

Akari chuckled.

"You still are annoying."

Kuro nodded.

"For sure."

Akari replied; "Everyone tells me so."

Kuro: "That’s right."

Akari laughed at herself.

The fireworks above them went on and on.

They were exploding and had been getting progressively larger.

They were very loud.

They were so beautiful.

For a short time... Nothing happened. There was no fighting, no verbal harassment, and no pandemonium.

Just two siblings who were relishing the moment together.

Then a few moments later, someone screamed from downstairs,

"I’ve found them!"

It was Aoi, of course.

Akari groaned, as the moment of tranquillity ended abruptly in keeping with tradition. Aoi ran up the hill with Shizuka and Daichi behind him asking Akari and Shizuka,

"Why are you two not playing?"

"We are not, we were just taking a break."

"Well you disappeared."

"That is not the same as hiding," Akari replied.

"I think it’s exactly the same."

The family arguing had begun, and nature had corrected itself, and everything went back to being as it should be!

After everyone went home that evening, Akari found herself sitting in her bed alone as she stared at an old familiar notebook sitting on her desk.

This notebook, the legendary notebook, supposedly the source of many of her mishaps throughout her life to date.

She slowly opened it and saw all she had done since she had originally purchased the book.

The first page contained a line entitled

"How to Get Kuro to Notice Me."

Akari sat silently looking at the words for several minutes, smiling a soft, warm, satisfied smile.

Picking up a pen, she crossed out the previously written words, leaving a thick black line across the page. One Chapter closed, one goal achieved.

She had fulfilled that goal very easily, knowing Kuro noticed her as far back as she could remember.

Maybe she just chose to be too stubborn to accept it as fact.

After a while she wrote in large lettering at the top of the next blank page of the notebook,

"How to Get Kuro to Appreciate Me More."

And, then for the first time since she completed the previous task, she paused and sighed deeply.

Next she said:

Current Status: In Progress

Akari reclined in her chair.

The war has yet to finish.

An ongoing battle.

However at least for tonight she was not concerned if she would win.

Because of the information gained from tonight’s question.

Outside her window; the sound of the distant fireworks slowly faded into darkness.

Akari closed her journal with a grin.

The summer’s fireworks display had finished; thus ended the family vacation.

Returning home has brought everyone back to their normal routines.

However, that did not last for long.

Three days later Kuro got a message from that unknown sender, but it did not have a greeting.

It did not contain any reason for the message.

All there was was a picture. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

A long time ago when Kuro was in elementary school.

He and a girl with very dark hair were standing together. Both were smiling.

There were four words written below the picture:

"You still remember?."

As Kuro stared at his screen something inside him stirred.

Memories were coming up.

Not as vivid as the originals.

They were incompletely feeble, but familiar never-the-less.

Before he could start thinking again about the previous message, Kuro received a second message.

"Just so you know, I am going to transfer schools very soon."

"I’m sure you will not faint when we see each other again."

Kuro’s eyes narrowed.

"Who the hell talks like that?"

On the other side of the city, an unknown female put her cellphone away and smiled.

She had a self-assured grin that was normally an indication of trouble.

"Kuro, you only have a few days left with me."

"I have found you again."

Back at the Kurogane’s home, Akari is arguing with Aoi, Daichi is pretending not to watch while Shizuka is fixing dinner.

Everything is the same as it was before.

Everything is still calm and peaceful and in a good place.

Kuro’s life was about to change forever.

His long-lost friend from the past will cause great turmoil in his future.

This new storm will give Akari a run for her money.

Kuro’s new adventure is just around the corner.