Saviour: Syo

Part 1

"Good morning!" Sora (age 15) sang as she entered the kitchen for breakfast.

"Good morning, Aneki!" Syo (age 8) replied. Sora smiled at him brightly and gave him a big hug, then proceeded to making french toast while humming, despite a ready batch sitting beside the stove. Syo tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Hey, Onii, Aneki has been very cheery lately, no?"

"Eh?" Shoya (age 10) looked up from his book and threw a distasteful look at his older sister. "I don't know and I don't care."

"Now, now, Shoya, don't say it like that!" Souta (age 12) said, smiling kindly at Syo, who was pouting at his brother's stinginess. "It's because Aneki's got a boyfriend."

"Oh? Really?" Syo asked, eyes bright and bulging as they found his sister.

"Oh, Souta, you're embarrassing me!" Sora sighed, hands on her blushing face. "Don't say it out loud!"

"Yes, yes," Souta sighed.

Sora turned back to her brothers, and her eyes fell on Syo, who was thoughtfully chewing his french toast. She went over to his side and slid into the seat next to him.

"You know, Syo," Sora whispered, and Syo leaned in to listen. "You know how I'm really happy? You know why?"

"Why?" Syo asked.

"Because this is the feeling of love~" Sora sang cheerfully, and they heard Shoya make a distinct 'tsk' sound. "No matter what, love will always make you happy~ It really is an amazing feeling~"

"Love is that much of an awesome feeling?" Syo asked brightly.

"Yes, yes, so if you want to be all happy like Aneki, you need to find love!" Sora concluded.

"Oh, okay!" Syo nodded.

Sora suddenly had a dark aura. "What are you talking about, Syo? You don't need to find a girlfriend, Aneki has got more than enough love for you."

"So basically, you're saying Syo shouldn't have a girlfriend?" Souta said, sprinkling sugar on his toast.

"That's not what I'm saying!" Sora insisted. "I just doubt anybody can love Syo more than meeeeeee!" She squeezed Syo tightly, and Shoya, sick of the over-intimacy, left his breakfast half-eaten and pulled on his bag.

"I'm off...."

"Wait, Shoya, you need to ensure Syo safely reached school!" Sora screamed after him.

"Eh? He can go with Haruna, no?" Shoya scoffed. "See ya."

"Oy, Shoya! Haruna is only a little girl and you're a big, strong boy! And you need to protect Syo when Aneki cannot!" Sora yelled, charging after him. "Shoya! Are you listening?! SHOYA!"

Syo glanced back down at his french toast and smiled softly. Love is supposed to be an amazing feeling...

It's supposed to make you happy.

I grew up with that belief.

***

(4 years later)

The young boy of average height was walking calmly along the the street, despite all the excitement around him for the first day junior high. Shoya had already gone ahead. His face displayed no expression whatsoever as he browsed through his pamphlet and walked.