Sibling Love (Sequel to I Just Want To Be Loved)

The Story

Kirika was so curious about what was the history between Shu and her parents that she totally forgot about her birthday presents.

"Aren't you going to open your presents?" asked Valt in surprise.

Kirika shook her pink head. "No, I'm just curious. What is the story anyway?"

Valt and Shu looked at each other. Shu patted Kirika's bed. "Sit down," he said. "There's something I have to tell you."

Kirika sat down on her bed. She was now wearing her unicorn pyjamas. If Rantaro Kiyama saw the girl in her pyjamas, he would have run away screaming.

"When I was little, our parents didn't care about me at all," said Shu. "I was initially taken care of by our Aunt Hinata, but she passed away when I was three."

"I met Shu back in kindergarten, and he was so shy back then," said Valt. "If he made a simple mistake like spilling his water, he would apologize a thousand times. Actually, it was more like ten times, but you get what I mean."

"When I met Toko and Nika as babies, I wanted a sibling too," said Shu. "But Mom and Dad, they called me a mistake and said that they didn't want any children at all. I was so hurt and..." Shu's eyes filled with tears.

Valt hugged Shu. "Hey, it's okay."

"They said that to you?" asked Kirika. "That's sad."

"I got older and our parents continued to neglect me," said Shu. "They never celebrated my birthday. Once I almost drowned at the beach and ended up at the hospital. Mom and Dad just yelled at me."

"Then when I was ten, I got Valtryek for Christmas," said Valt. "Shu later got Spryzen and we had our first battle. I was initially better than him, but Shu improved and overtook me."

"I won the District Tournament that year," said Shu. "Then I entered the National Tournament and... Lost to Lui Shirosagi."

Kirika already knew that part, for once she had persuaded Fubuki to let her see a rerun of Shu's first National Tournament matches. Kirika had been amazed at how young Shu looked. When she saw Spryzen hit Shu's eye, she had screamed.

"A year after that, I started the Beigoma Academy Beyclub," said Valt. "Shu initially refused to join, but changed his mind later on. Then I entered the District Tournament. We both promised to meet in the finals, and we did. But..."

"I hurt my shoulder," said Shu. "The doctor told me to rest, but I didn't listen. Valt got really concerned about me and even said that he would forfeit our match so that I would rest."

"What happened?" asked Kirika.

"Well, Shu managed to win against me, even though he was injured," said Valt. "But it took a toll on his health. He went to see Xander's grandfather and he agreed to take it easy."

"And then I went up against Lui again in the National Tournament," said Shu. "I almost beat him, but Spryzen broke."

Kirika gasped. "Was Spryzen..."

"I managed to fix Spryzen," said Shu. "I became a member of the Raging Bulls and Valt went to BC Sol. And I... I..."

Shu's eyes filled with tears. "I can't say this part." He ran outside crying.

"Valt, why was Shu crying?" asked Kirika.

Valt sighed. "Kirika, have you heard about Red Eye?"

Kirika nodded. "One of Amber's siblings is a blader, and she told me about a rumour about some ruthless blader called Red Eye who destroyed beys. I had nightmares about him after hearing that."

"Funny you should say that," said Valt. "Because Red Eye was Shu."

"What?" asked Kirika. "No, my big brother would never destroy beys. He's too kind."

"I know," said Valt. "I didn't want to believe it either. But it's true, and it wasn't his fault. The previous manager of the Raging Bulls, Theodore Glass, manipulated him into abandoning his old life when he was in a fragile state. I managed to bring him back, but the mental scars still remain to this day."

"Shu..." said Kirika softly.

"Whatever you do, you can't mention the Red Eye incident to Shu," said Valt. "It's still too painful for him. He apologized to everyone whose beys he had destroyed, and actually managed to find common ground with Lui. Everyone forgave him except for himself."

"I won't say a word to him," said Kirika. She felt really bad for Shu now.

"Well, a few months later, our school had to do a project about family, and it made Shu really sad," said Valt. "Then he fell sick and I looked after him. That was how I met your Mom. She forced Shu to do the dishes I carelessly left in the sink although he wasn't up to it, and he ended up collapsing and sent to the hospital."

Kirika gasped. "My Mom is a monster?" she asked.

"Well, the next thing we knew, your Mom was pregnant with you and she wanted to abort you!"

Kirika looked confused. "Wait, what's abort?"

Valt went quiet. He didn't know what to say to that.

"She wanted to kill you in her womb," said Shu. He had come back inside. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "I couldn't let her do it, so I persuaded her to leave you with me. I was the one who named you."

Kirika gasped. "You saved my life?"

"Kirika, when I was tasked with raising you, I was determined to love you the way I wished our parents had loved me. I  love you sis, and I would never let anything bad to happen to you."

"I love you too, big brother," said Kirika. She hugged Shu. "Did you mind? Having to raise me while having a full-time job as a teenager?"

Shu sighed. "It was hard, but I wouldn't change anything for the world. You are my little sister, and I am glad that I have you."

Kirika smiled. She realized that she was actually very lucky compared to her brother, who had sacrificed his childhood for her.