3 Chapter 2; Awakening || Mikan
Enjoy the Valentine day special...
***
A faint sliver of morning light slipped through the blinds, creating a thin stripe across the boy's pale face as he stirred on the bed.
Groaning, he forced his eyelids open, revealing his eyes clouded with exhaustion. His head throbbed, as memories surged.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him, sending the room spinning and he swallowed hard.
For some time he lay there, his eyes staring at the ceiling.
During this time, he felt something sticking close to his hand and chest, he checked his body. Slowly, his hand rose, trembling slightly.
He reached for the tangled mess of wires and tubes. It took several attempts before his clumsy fingers managed to grasp the first needle, gradually he detached the needles and devices with care.
He appeared to know what he was doing, though his movements were amateurish.
Finally, with a click and a hiss, the last IV line disconnected. He sank back against the pillows, his chest heaving.
Slowly, he sat up, every muscle screamed in protest to make any movement, unused and weak.
Calmy, scanned the room, taking a glance at the posters of anime and superheroes on the walls, his expression turned a mixture of longing and nostalgia, as his eyes wandered on the posters on the walls.
Memories felt like fragments from another lifetime, hazy and distant.
He looked down at his bandaged arm and sighed.
'I wonder if I can check my status.' As he thought about it, a screen appeared before him.
×××××
[Status]
…
[Name: Yūki Sora]
[Age: 15-Year-old]
[Race: Inferior Human]
…
[Stats]
[Strength]: 0.35 → 0.41
[Vitality]: 0.17 → 0.56
[Agility]: 0.21 → 0.22
[Endurance]: 0.09 → 0.29
[Intelligence]: 37.76 → 37.76
[Sense]: 0.07 → 0.15
***
{Traits}
• [Cursed Soul]:
• [Evolver]
• [True Singularity]
__________________
{Skills}
× [Adaptability]
× [Enhanced Physique]
___________________
Evaluation: Yūki Sora, a 15-year-old Inferior Human, suffered from chronic disease, someone weaker than a middle-schooler, sitting on a deathbed for quite a while, yet miraculously now recovering from it.
Physical capabilities are still below the level of teenagers(>1), yet more intelligent than any human.]
…
Oh my, I almost mistook you for a girl! :3
You've got that adorable charm, but hey, a few more days of recovery, and you might upgrade to the next level of cuteness.
[Advice: Consider giving your brainy charm some company with a bit of physical training. It's the perfect combo, trust me cutie!]
××××
Sora noticed his increase in the stats, all due to his new skill.
Yet, his eyes laid on the evaluation, reading it made him funny.
His pale-skinned cheeks turned rosy giving away his innocent look, as he read in embarrassment.
Sora wasn't blind to his own appearance. With how unique he looked with those unique hairs mixed of black and white cascading down to his shoulders, he did have a certain charm…
His gaze lingered on the 'Advice,' and a puzzled expression crept onto his face.
"Become stronger..." he mumbled, tilting his head.
He glanced at his somewhat malnourished body, understanding, whatever or whoever has given him another chance, wants to convey.
Groooooooooooooowl~
A growl rumbled in his stomach.
'Yeah, I should eat.' he mumbled, rubbing his skinny tummy with a sigh.
With a deep breath, he pushed himself up, his legs wobbly and weak, he rose from the bed.
Just as he was about to take his first step, his leg wobbled, nearly sending him crashing on the floor. His body didn't respond as he wanted, but at least he wasn't hurt.
In the end, he clung to the edge of the bed, slowly regaining his balance.
'I haven't moved my body for so long.' Slowly regaining his balance, He shuffled towards the door, using the wall for support.
Each step needs some effort to make, his movements are clumsy and slow.
'Are they In school?' he wondered, glancing at the clock.
While descending the stairs, Sora's skeletal frame creaked like a rusty swing set, his eyes wandered, memories of a healthy childhood surfacing, when he wasn't that sick, and the disease didn't affect him so much.
Reaching the dining room, he searched for any leftovers.
Approaching the refrigerator, he discovered pudding, vegetables, and covered dishes.
Sora piled everything he could onto a plate, a smile tugged his lips, while he salivated from his mouth, looking at the food.
He hadn't eaten for so long, he nearly forgot the taste of a proper meal.
"Itadakimasu." Taking a nearby seat, he cupped both hands together before eagerly digging into the food.
"Tasty~" Delight filled his voice as he sat at the table. He devoured the food like a rabid raccoon who had been starving for years, without any manners, leaving nothing but an empty plate and the untouched pudding.
His face was covered in food pieces yet he didn't stop, taking out the pudding, with stars in his eyes, he slowly took the spoon, savouring the first bite.
Excitement painted his rosy cheeks as he indulged in.
"Ummmm~~~" he moaned in delight.
…
Sora pushed the last spoonful of pudding into his mouth, the sweetness lingering on his tongue.
After finishing eating. Sora sat there, his belly bulging, wondering what he should do in the empty house.
"Should I watch something?" he mumbled, It was the only thing he could think of.
He pushed himself up, he wandered into the living room, his steps lighter now, the awkward stiffness wasn't no longer there. And already gotten used to the weight of his own body again.
While he missed his parents and siblings.
and wanted to meet them, he decided to wait until they were back.
Switching on the TV, Sora sat on the couch, watching rerun episodes of Magical Girl Kyouko.
While watching the show, drowsiness took over him as he gradually fell asleep, his body was still recovering and he was tired.
…
…
…
"I'm back," a soft whisper echoed as the door clicked open. The hallway was dimly lit.
She heard a faint noise coming from the living room.
"Dad must be back early from work," she murmured, glancing around before heading upstairs to change in her room.
After changing, she returned to the living room.
"Dad?" she called out, but the sight that met her eyes stopped her breathing.
On the couch, with a little glow of the TV, lay a sleeping figure with a cascade of black and white hair.
Her heartbeat fastened, and she ran towards him, now sleeping like a baby on the sofa with the TV still on, showing some show.
"Onii-chan?" Mikan's voice trembled, her whisper, carrying both relief and fear. She knelt beside him, scanning his thin body for any sign of harm.
"Are you alright?" asked, a mix of concern and curiosity in their voice, similar to a parent reunited with their child after being lost.
"How did you get here?" She questioned, sensing something unusual.
"Umm…" Sora mumbled in his sleep. He stirred on the sofa, his eyes fluttering open to see his sister's bewildered expression.
He blinked, confused for a moment, his vision cloudy before recognition came, as his gaze met hers.
"M…Mikan? You're back from school?" He questioned, his voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, holding a mix of surprise and genuine happiness, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"But... how? Where...?" Words seemed to fail her, her hands covering her mouth.
Without saying a word, Mikan quickly hugged him, catching him off-guard and pushing him back against the sofa.
His body stiffened for a moment, then melted into her arms.
"Ah~" Relief washed over him, as her small body embraced him.
How long had he wanted a hug like this, full of warmth, at that moment a small droplet of tears came from his eyes.
"Thank goodness..." she whispered.
She buried her face in his shoulder, clinging to him as if afraid he might disappear again. Sora felt the dampness of her tears soaking into his shirt.
However, his reaction wasn't any different from hers, tears streamed down from his eyes.
Feeling wetness on her shoulder, she pulled herself away slightly but still held tight onto him, she stared at his tear-filled eyes, yet a smile remained on his lips.
Sora could see that she had matured a lot. He couldn't forget the thing she had done for him, Sora felt forever indebted to her.
Slowly, his trembling hand reached out, gently cupping her tear-streaked cheek, his expression full of affection.
"I'm… back, Mikan." he whispered, his voice choking with all emotion, more than that he was happy to see her.
Another tear fell, landing on her cheek.
He embraced her again not wanting to let her go, and the feeling was mutual as he felt her hold on him tighten too.
How much has he hurt them? He questioned himself.
"You don't know how worried I was?" she whispered, her voice a mix of relief, worry, and happiness.
They exchanged no words, just the comforting touch of a brother and sister. He felt how small her body was, yet it gave him warmth.
His heartbeat fastened.
"I'm sorry…" he muttered, what she said was true he couldn't understand, but he accepted it all.
"No… it wasn't your fault." Mikan shook her head, her grip tightening around him.
Both clung to each other, a silent moment for both of them needed after so long.
…
After calming down, having been filled with warmth, they finally pulled apart, and both of them had a smile on their lips.
"Mikan…"
"Onii-chan?"
"I feel itchy… I want a bath." Sora said, feeling something weird around his body, someone sticky yet, not right.
Milan smiles at him.
"Okay, come with me." She helped him stand, his lean frame very light in her arms.
Leading him to the bathroom, she turned on the warm water, the steam swirling around them.
"Onii-chan, sit here for a bit, okay?" she instructed, guiding him onto a stool.
"I will come after calling Dad." she left with a smile.
"Umm." Sora nodded obediently, patiently waiting for Mikan to come back.
…
…
…
"Is the water good, Onii-chan?" she asked, the soft trickle of the showerhead echoing with her words.
"Mm, good," he hummed, a sense of relaxation washing over him with each pour of the warm water.
This was a completely different sensation from the hospital.
Unlike the hospital, where they would only wipe him down with warm towels, Mikan was giving him a thorough cleaning.
She took care with every movement, a hint of sadness in her eyes as she observed his frail condition.
He was too light, too small for his age.
At fifteen, Sora should be a healthy boy, yet here he was even smaller than Mikan, both standing at 147 cm and 149 cm respectively.
The significant age gap made his physical state more apparent – a 15-year-old weighing only 33 kg.
"Is something wrong, Mikan?" Titling his body, he peeked up at her, before he could see a glimpse of sadness in her eyes, Mikan whispered.
"Nothing," she said too quickly, ruffling his shampoo-laden hair she smiled warmly.
He hasn't grown much, despite his carefree behavior, he seemed more fragile than ever.
"It's just... your hair is so pretty," she added softly, running her fingers through the strands.
"Is it? But you're even prettier," he whispered, turning his back to her, and allowing her to continue to wash him. A small smile touched his lips.
"Hehe~ Is that so, Onii-chan?" she murmured, her voice small, her fingers lingered on his scalp.
…
"Go sit in the bathtub, I'll be there soon," Mikan instructed, gently rinsing the last of the shampoo from his hair.
"Yes~" Sora nodded obediently, sinking into the warm water with a soft sigh. He leaned his head against the cool porcelain wall, watching her movements.
…
Splash~ Splash~
After cleaning herself, Mikan sank into the tub behind Sora, the warm water tickling her toes. He leaned back resting against her chest.
They sat in comfortable silence, their bodies sticking close to each other.
The only sound is the gentle splashing of water and the thump of their shared heartbeat.
"How long has it been since we last bathed together?" Sora's voice echoed in the silence, his voice carrying a tinge of nostalgia.
Mikan closed her eyes, picturing summers spent splashing in their tub.
"Two, maybe three years," she replied softly.
A heavy silence descended, filled only by the quiet splashes of the water. Nevertheless, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.
"You know, Onee-chan, I wanna see the whole wide world! Taste your yummy cooking under the biggest sky ever, and walk for miles and miles without getting tired... there's so much I wanna do!"." Finally, Sora spoke again, his voice barely a whisper against her neck.
His words filled with a longing for something, he had a dream to roam, no longer wanting to be stuck in any room or anywhere.
"You can, once you get better," she whispered, her voice soft and filled with hope, but a hint of worry lingered beneath the surface.
"Mmm~ Okay." Sora hummed, his eyes remaining closed.
He nestled closer to her, feeling comfort in her embrace. Mikan wrapped her hands around his small body.
"Onee-chan," he breathed, his voice barely audible.
"Yes, otouto?" He opened his eyes, meeting hers with a gaze filled with gratitude.
"Thank you for always being there."
"It's nothing, Onii-chan," she whispered back, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts.
But even as she spoke, she knew it wasn't "nothing." It was everything.
"It was lonely." He said, his voice barely audible, but in the confinement of the bathroom, Mikan heard his voice crystal clear.
She reached out for his hand, squeezing it gently.
"I felt myself getting further away from you, it was dark and cold. That's why, thank you for always being there for me." Sora felt shiver remembering the dark.
"Don't worry, I'm always here for you. Always. Remember that. If the darkness closes in again, close your eyes and run to me, no matter what." she whispered, her voice firm and full of tenderness.
"Mmm." Sora nodded.
Both of them wanted to convey 'We're in this together. Always.'
…..
<Extra>
In Sora's previous life, he didn't have Adaptation Skills, which means, he was constantly getting weakened, and his body was turning brittle and weak, the situation turned worse when even a slight push on his skin, it would become swollen, even hot and cold water affects him greatly.
He needed constant care whether he was awake or not.
On the other hand, in this life, although he has Adaptation, it wasn't working well, and his body was adapting, but the effect of a corrupted soul affects even adaptation skill.
{As previously stated Traits are Superior than Skills}
Though, after getting the Enhanced Physique, his body began to adapt, for how long who knows.
***
To be continued…
See ya, my readers, enjoy your valentine…
***
Bless me with Power Stones…
****
Word Count: 2518
***
A/N: I don't have experience writing such a scene, tell me how it was. I will write more scene like this, but won't cross the line hehe~
Also I want to portray Mikan as mature, just like shown in anime, and Sora, a boy immature and lacking in common sense.
Mikan's lack of shyness and embarrassment is because she is the one who took care of him most of the time, there will be some moments but in future.
For now they need to spend some time together and develop.
However I can't downgrade his intelligence, can I? There's a lot of room of improvement in his character. Sometimes writing will be awkward but bear with me.
****
Let's meet next week...
