Vapor: The Tagaytay Timeline

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sibling Bonds

It was a quiet Saturday morning, and Vapor was enjoying a rare moment of peace at home. The sun shone brightly through the window, casting a warm glow over the living room. For once, there was no school, no chaos, and no teasing from Valore or Irish. Just a calm day to relax—or so Vapor hoped.

As he stretched out on the couch, flipping through a comic book, the front door swung open, and in walked his younger sister, Amber, with a bright, mischievous grin on her face. At 11 years old, Amber had a knack for stirring up trouble, but she always meant well. She tossed her backpack onto the floor and plopped down beside Vapor.

“Morning, big bro! Whatcha reading?” she asked, peeking over his shoulder.

Vapor smiled and held up the comic book for her to see. “Just a Naruto volume. Trying to catch up.”

Amber raised an eyebrow. “Naruto? Didn’t you say you liked Jujutsu Kaisen more? Didn’t you use that ‘Nah, I’d win’ line to mess with Valore the other day?”

Vapor chuckled. “Yeah, but Naruto’s still cool. Plus, I like to mix things up.”

Before Amber could reply, the sound of footsteps echoed from upstairs. Esper, their eldest sister at 19, was descending the stairs, her usual serious expression in place. As the eldest sibling, Esper took on a lot of responsibility, especially since their parents were no longer around. Her protective nature often clashed with Vapor's more carefree personality, but they always found common ground in the end.

Esper glanced at Vapor and Amber, her arms crossed. “I hope you two don’t plan on lazing around all day. There’s plenty of chores to be done.”

Amber groaned dramatically, leaning back against the couch. “But it’s Saturday, Esper! Can’t we just relax for once?”

Esper sighed, shaking her head. “There’s more to life than video games and comic books, you know. We’ve got to keep things in order around here.”

Vapor sat up, sensing the tension. He didn’t want another argument to start. “Hey, we’ll help out in a bit. Just let us enjoy the morning for a little while, okay?”

Esper narrowed her eyes slightly but then softened. “Fine. Just don’t forget, we still have things to do.”

As Esper walked into the kitchen, Amber nudged Vapor. “She’s so serious all the time. How do you even handle it?”

Vapor shrugged. “She’s just looking out for us. Ever since... you know... she’s had a lot on her plate.”

Amber’s expression shifted to one of understanding. Though their parents were gone, Esper had stepped up to take care of them. It hadn’t been easy, but they had all grown closer as a result.

After a few minutes, Amber leaned in, grinning. “Hey, did you talk to Rosie yet about that whole dress thing? I heard from Miles that you looked hilarious in those clothes.”

Vapor groaned, remembering the embarrassing bet. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. But guess what? Rosie thought I looked cute, so joke’s on you.”

Amber snickered. “Ew, gross. Keep your romance stuff to yourself, Vapor.”

The banter between them continued until Esper returned from the kitchen, carrying a tray of sandwiches. She set it down on the coffee table with a small smile. “I made lunch.”

Vapor raised an eyebrow, surprised by the gesture. “Thanks, Esper. You didn’t have to do that.”

Esper shrugged. “I know. But I figured it’d be nice to do something for you two.”

Amber grabbed a sandwich and took a big bite, her eyes lighting up. “Mmm! This is really good, Esper!”

Vapor took one as well, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, this is great. Thanks.”

For a moment, the three siblings sat together in comfortable silence, eating their lunch and enjoying the rare peacefulness of the day. It was moments like this that made Vapor appreciate his family more than anything. Despite the ups and downs, the teasing, and the occasional arguments, they always had each other’s backs.

After they finished eating, Amber jumped up from the couch, full of energy. “Okay, fine! I’ll do some chores now. But you owe me, Vapor!”

Vapor grinned. “Deal.”

Amber darted off to start her tasks, leaving Vapor and Esper alone in the living room. Esper leaned back against the couch, looking more relaxed than she had all morning.

“You know, you’re doing a good job with everything, Vapor,” she said suddenly.

Vapor blinked in surprise. Esper wasn’t one to hand out compliments often. “Thanks, Esper. I try.”

She nodded, a rare smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I know. And... about Rosie. I know I’ve been a little harsh about the whole age gap thing, but I trust you. Just... be careful, okay?”

Vapor met her gaze, appreciating the honesty. “I will. I care about her a lot. And you don’t have to worry—I’m not rushing into anything.”

Esper nodded, satisfied with his response. “Good. That’s all I ask.”

The rest of the day passed smoothly, with Vapor and Amber helping out around the house while Esper handled some errands. By the time evening rolled around, the siblings gathered together for dinner, laughing and chatting about their day.

As the night drew to a close, Vapor sat in his room, reflecting on the day’s events. Despite the occasional challenges, he couldn’t imagine his life without his sisters. They were his rock, his support system, and he knew that no matter what, they would always be there for each other.

With a content sigh, Vapor leaned back in his chair, a soft smile on his face. Life wasn’t perfect, but it was moments like these that made it all worthwhile.

End of Chapter 9