𝟭. 𝙃𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 || 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 [✔]

Chapter 33: Bonds

𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖍𝖊'𝖘 𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞
#101023
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Aeris woke up to the sound of commotion downstairs. Curiosity tugging at her, she decided to investigate. Descending the stairs, she found her cousin Ken already in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Nanachan," Ken greeted her with a mischievous smile.

"Good morning. What's happening?" Aeris questioned, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Oh, you know Okasan," Ken sighed, referring to their mother. "She kept yelling."

"Why?" Aeris inquired, perplexed.

Ken shrugged, a tired expression on his face. "Okasan is just stressing about something."

Aeris nodded, understanding all too well. Harumi-san, her aunt, had a tendency to stress about every little thing, literally everything.

Just then, Harumi-san emerged from the living room, her apologetic voice filling the air. "Good morning, Aeris-chan. I'm sorry for waking you up. The kids have been loud, and I kept scolding them to keep it down since you're taking a rest."

"It's okay, Harumi-san. It's fine," Aeris assured her, a gentle smile on her lips. "So, what are you planning to do today?"

Harumi-san's eyes lit up as she shared her plan. "We're going hiking today. I've heard there's a good food spot near Mt. Aoi."

Aeris's curiosity piqued. "That sounds exciting! Where are Hide-san and Kenna?"

"Oh, they're at the hospital," Harumi-san explained.

"There are some new things happening, so your uncle and Kenna went there. But they'll meet us at Mt. Aoi later."

Aeris nodded, absorbing the information. "Why don't you eat your breakfast first? We don't want you hiking on an empty stomach."

Harumi-san smiled gratefully.

As they drove along the winding road towards Mt. Aoi, the anticipation hung thick in the air. The journey would take at least an hour, providing ample time for conversation.

"Nanachan, how's Tobio-niisan?" Ken inquired, breaking the silence. His eyes glimmered with curiosity.

"He's doing well," Aeris replied, a sparkle of pride in her voice. "Yesterday, they played in the Inter-Preliminaries and won against a mighty opponent."

Impressed, Harumi-san interjected, "Wow, he has improved so much! It's quite different from how you talked about him last month."

Aeris's smile widened as she thought about her brother's progress. "Yes, I couldn't be prouder of him," she admitted wholeheartedly.

Curiosity sparked within Ken's eyes once more, and he couldn't contain himself. "So, are you planning to join the volleyball team again?"

"Ken-chan!" Harumi-san's face became possessed by worry, fearing that the mention of volleyball might evoke painful memories for Aeris. But before she could interject

Aeris calmly reassured her, "It's fine, Harumi-san. In fact, there's something I wanted to tell you." Leaning forward, everyone held their breath in anticipation.

"I've decided to rejoin the volleyball team," Aeris finally revealed, her voice filled with determination.

The shock was palpable. Harumi-san and Ken couldn't contain their excitement, exclaiming in unison, "What? Really!"

Aeris's eyes gleamed with newfound enthusiasm. "Yes! really, Nanachan. I can't wait to watch you play again." Ken said

Harumi-san's worries were tinged with a hint of concern. "Are you sure? Are you ready?" she asked with a tender voice, her creativity blossoming.

Aeris's resolve showed no signs of faltering. Looking straight into Harumi-san's eyes, she replied, "I've had time to reflect and heal. I feel ready to embrace my passion once more."

A sense of relief washed over Harumi-san's face as she offered support. "Then, I can't wait to cheer you on, Aeris-chan. We'll be right there, rooting for you no matter what."

"I've heard that you'll study to become a doctor, Harumi-san," Aeris said brightly.

Harumi-san sighed, the weariness evident in her voice. "Did your uncle tell you?"

"No, Mom told me," Aeris replied with a smile.

Harumi-san's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "When did she call you?"

"Last week," Aeris answered, her voice tinged with warmth.

"She's my sister, I love her, but why doesn't she call you frequently? Argh, I am so mad at her. I really want to... grrr," she let out a frustrated rant.

"It's fine, Harumi-san. I'm good, and don't worry about me." Aeris forced a smile, appreciating Harumi-san's concern. But deep down, Aeris missed her parents so much. She wanted to harbor resentment towards them, but she couldn't help but long for their presence.

Changing the subject, Aeris asked, "What will you specialize in if you become a doctor?"

Harumi-san welcomed the opportunity to shift the conversation.

She was grateful for Aeris's genuine interest. It gave her a momentary respite from the ache in her heart. With a newfound determination, she replied, "I think I want to specialize in Family Physician."

Aeris's eyes lit up in admiration. "That's amazing, Harumi-san. You'll make a difference in so many lives."

As they stood on the edge of the mountain, marveling at the breathtaking view, Kenna couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. "Too bad Okasan can't see this view, this is worth dying for," she said softly.

Ken turned to look at her, a puzzled expression on his face. "Yeah, why did she jinx it though?" he questioned, his eyes still fixed on the magnificent landscape before them.

Just as they arrived at the parking lot of Mt. Aoi, Harumi-san, received an urgent call from the hospital. There had been a terrible bus accident, and more nurses were desperately needed. She glanced at Aeris, her eyes filled with regret, before rushing off to fulfill her duty.

"Hey, don't be like that," Aeris scolded gently. "Your mom is saving lives, and mocking about it is not good."

The twins sighed and nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for her previous comment. "Sorry, Nanachan," they mumbled, her gaze still fixed on the majestic mountains in the distance.

A few moments later, Aeris's uncle arrived with bags of food, eager to join them on their adventure. They sat down on a blanket spread out on the ground, enjoying the delicious meal while engaging in lighthearted conversation.

Aeris shared her plans to join the school's volleyball team, her eyes sparkling with excitement. As the conversation continued, Tobio's name came up. He had recently won against a strong team.

« ֪ ׅ ֹ =͟͞ ♡ 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗.