On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Side One: Oshiro Sapphire Aiko

“Phew, all done.” I wiped sweat from my brow as I started to pack my bow away in its case. “Wow it’s hot. Summer sure is starting early.” Sweat was running down under my muneate chestplate, soaking the cloth beneath. I did really like Kyūdō, Japanese archery, but doing it in the summer heat could be a little miserable.

As I shifted my chestplate someone pushed a dry towel at me. Turning I saw that it was Eri-chan, holding out the towel with her typical gentle smile. Wow, like I know we are both girls and all, but Eri-chan is really cute. She gets prettier as she gets older. Shame she is so shy though, still I wonder if that is part of what makes her so damn cute?

“Thanks Eri-Chan.” I smiled and began to mop away my sweat with the towel. My robe was turning a little transparent due to all the sweat, but luckily our traditional archery classes, like all other sporting clubs, were separated by gender. It made sense, I guess, to protect the modesty of the girls, but in a school like ours with a low population, it meant that most clubs only had a handful of members. In the Kyūdō club there was just me and a couple of other girls, one of which wasn’t even here today.

“Don’t mention it. I just arrived, so I thought you could use a towel. It’s hot again today.” She shaded her eyes with her hands and stared up at the blue sky.

Wow, yeah, totally adorable. If I was a guy, I’d totally be into Eri-chan. Of course, she only has eyes for my brother, not sure why. I mean, big bro is pretty cool, but Eri-chan could be a model or an idol if she wanted… I guess the impact of that day was too much for her heart and she’s been his ever since… his back, it was… kinda shining that day I admit… In a way they were both perfect for each other. Ever since we were kids I’d been childhood friends with Eri-chan, so naturally my big bro was the one who had to look after us, and then who played with us when we grew older, making sure we were safe, whatever happened. Eri-chan had always been super shy, but my big bro was pretty much one of the only people she would open up to. Still, she never had the courage to say what was on her mind, and of course my bro was way too dense to notice. I’m guessing he thought she just liked him as a younger sister would.

So yeah, strangely enough they are perfect for each other. If only they would realise…

My chest twinged a little. Maybe I’d be a tiny bit jealous if they got together, as they’d have something I couldn’t be a part of, despite us sharing everything for all these years, but it’d definitely be for the best. Otherwise my big bro is likely to die a virgin. I doubt very much he’s been making many female friends on his own in Tokyo.

“Well, wow, you aren’t wrong.” I replied as I cleaned myself up. My fellow club-mate was already in the changing room, no doubt hitting the showers. A cold shower sounded just heavenly to me right now as well. I couldn’t go to class all stinky anyway. Wow, I’d just die of shame if everyone thought I wasn't a clean girl. “Still, it’s super nice of you to come and get me before classes.”

“Don’t I always?” Eri-chan gave an adorable little giggle. “I don’t have any clubs to go to myself, do I?”

“No, I guess not.” Eri-chan wouldn’t get along well in clubs, and she leant more on academic activities anyway. The rare times when we weren’t together you’d most likely find her with a book in hand.

We walked back together to the changing room. Opening up my wooden locker where my school uniform was hanging I noticed the message light on my phone was blinking. Pulling it out of my skirt pocket I took a look.

“Wow, a message from big bro moonstone. That’s a rarity, he usually doesn’t contact me first.” The insensitive idiot. Doesn’t he know it’s really rude to keep an awesome little sister like me waiting for news? It’s not like he couldn’t talk to me or Eri-chan far more than he does, that jerk… As I scanned the message my eyes went wide. I couldn’t help but grin, causing Eri-chan to ask me what was up.

“Wow, just wow.” I exclaimed in response. “It looks like big bro can make it back for a few days this summer after all. That’s awesome.” As I watched Eri-chan smile shyly I couldn’t help but tease her. It would be criminal not to. “You look pretty happy to get to see my big bro again. Maybe this time you’ll finally tell him how you feel, right? He was asking after you, you know.”

“How… how… I feel?” Eri-chan stammered, flushing a delightful shade of red. “I don’t…. Akio-kun… and I…”

“Akio-kun, wow.” I interjected. “Why don’t you call him big brother like you used to?”

Somehow Eri-chan managed to blush even redder, like a ripe tomato. “I mean… I….”

Wow, this is just too adorable. If we weren’t both girls I’d eat her up myself right now. “I’m just teasing. Calm down. Besides, he might bring his girlfriend anyway, so…” I trailed off quickly after my joke as Eri-chan froze. Her head turned towards me almost robotically.

“Akio-kun… has a girlfriend… in Tokyo?” Her words came out clearly but slowly, as if she was a computer working through a difficult task.

“Uh… maybe…? Well, he has been out there a few years and…. Nah, probably not, you know how he is, right?” Wow. I backpedalled quickly as Eri-chan stared at me. For some reason I felt really nervous. I hadn’t seen her looking that… pissed off … before. She was normally so quiet. I guess I really hit a nerve.

“I … see.” Eri-chan turned that through her head. Wow, this is bad. I have to change the subject really quickly. Flipping my phone I pulled in close to Eri and grabbed her shoulder. “Come on, let’s send him a picture. If he can see how gorgeous we’ve become since he saw us last at New Years' he’ll be eager to get back here all the quicker, right?” I winked at Eri-chan, who smiled nervously.

“I don’t know…” she began, but I cut her off and made a peace sign with my off-hand.

“Too late. We are doing this. Big smile now.” And with that, the phone made a noise and the picture was taken. “I’ll send it to him now.” I quickly typed out a return message and attached the picture, ignoring Eri-chan’s shy protests.

“Uhh, you know, if you don’t get ready soon you’ll be late for class?” Eri-chan said softly, snapping me out of my reverie.

“Oh wow, you’re right. I’ll have to hurry.” I practically threw my sweaty clothing off and dashed into the shower, leaving Eri-chan to tidy up after me. Really, she is too nice for my big bro. But then she does deserve to be happy…

********

As I hurried into the classroom, just beating the bell, Eri-chan behind me, I was greeted by one of the girls at the front of our small class.

“Cutting it fine Ai-chan.” The girl said with a broad grin. “And you look pretty happy. Something good happen?”

“I just got a mail from my big bro. he’s going to be back for a bit this summer.” I answered. “I don’t think I look that happy though?”

“Sure you do.” Another girl chimed in from beside her. The pair of them were dressed in our summer uniforms, but the skirts were short, and the shirts were accessorised. They were the so-called ‘fashionable duo’, with bleached blonde hair and plentiful make-up, Chihiya Yae and Masui Rika. If I was being honest I wasn’t entirely comfortable with these two. It’s not like we had any problems or anything, but we had different interests and hobbies. Still, in a rural area like ours with only a few small towns and only one school around, everyone was kind of forced to be friends.

“That’s right.” The first girl, Yae-san, said. “But then all of us here know you are really fond of your brother.”

At that comment laughter sounded from the rest of the class, girls and boys alike, and I could feel my face heating up. That just made everyone laugh harder. Wow, this is embarrassing.

“All right, all right.” Yae-san continued. “And little Ri-Ri behind you is pretty happy as well, I bet. She’s been friends with him since she was tiny, right? I don’t think I’ve even ever seen her speak with another boy than him unless forced to.”

At this only the girls laughed, and even I could see the boys looked kind of… grumpy. Eri-chan was super popular with the boys in school, not that they would get anywhere with a girl as shy as her without a miracle. Eri-chan had closed in behind me at the nickname, and only got off when we had to separate when we reached our own desks.

“Come on, knock it off.” I said as firmly as I could manage. “You know Eri-chan gets upset by that stupid nickname of yours.”

Before she could answer the bell rang and the teacher entered. Sighing to myself I switched my mind to classroom mode, wishing I was as smart as my big bro. He really ate up learning and stuff like that…

********

As the bell rang for lunch and everyone started packing up around me Yae-san and Rika-san came over to my desk. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could Yae-san was talking.

“Don’t mind us earlier, we were only having a bit of fun, right? Nothing else to do here but gossip, is there?”

I let out a long sigh. “I guess you’re right. But try not to tease Eri-chan too much okay? You know she doesn’t like it.”

“We won’t. Ri-Ri is simply too adorable. If she dressed up a bit more and used the right make-up there wouldn’t be a boy alive who wouldn’t fall for her.”

“It’s a shame it’s a man she is after and not a boy though, right?” Rika-san interjected. I could see Eri-chan flushing at her desk so decided to change the subject, but before I could Yae-san ran off on a tangent.

“We should all meet up with your brother when he comes back.” she said, twiddling with her blond hair with one finger.

Wow! That was unexpected. As I wasn’t sure how to feel, she continued.

“It isn’t like many people from here ever get to move to Tokyo, let alone go to a university and get a job there. Plus he isn’t that much older than us. I bet he can tell us all sorts of cool things, about karaoke bars, shopping malls, campus life…”

Oh, so you meant that. For a moment I thought Eri-chan had a new rival. I should have known better, my big bro will never be popular with girls like these, they are way too up-front and pushy for a shy guy like him.

“Yoshida-kun’s big brother went to live out in a large town…” Rika-san interjected.

“Yeah, but that’s hardly the same as Tokyo, is it?” Yae-san pointed out, to which Rika-san nodded. “Anyway, be sure to let us know when your brother is coming back so we can plan something. Even better, get him to bring us some presents. He’s working now, right, he must have the cash rolling in, not like around here where working on farms and boring stuff like that is the only thing to do.”

“I think you may be overestimating him a bit…” Wow, this is soooooooo annoying. I know everyone knows everyone in our local villages, but even so, they never showed much interest in him before. Still, I have to admit, getting to go to Tokyo is kind of cool. If all goes well I’ll go to university there too. But then that means more studying if I want to pass the entrance exams… and then, can I actually afford it? Big bro had to work a ton to make up the fees… oh wow. So much to think about… having dreams is hard, just like bro says.

“I’ll ask him.” I allowed, ignoring the pleading gaze from Eri-chan. Stay strong and I’ll make it up to you later, I promise! “I’m sure he can tell some great stories about the big city. As for presents… well, do you think you are worth it?”

“Of course. Any guy would love to give a gorgeous high-schooler like me a gift. Maybe if he’s really cool now I’d let him ask me out for the summer festival at Chairoakitara shrine.”

“Hey, don’t you have a boyfriend already?” one of the other girls asked, laughing meanly.

“Yeah, but it isn’t like we are serious or anything. Plus he’s a bit boring. All he has going for him is he is a little bit good at baseball. All the boys around here are dull or lack ambition. I want a man who is going places, who has done things and will sweep me off my feet…”

Groaning inwardly at the glares the boys in the room directed at us I sighed. Wow, I can feel a headache coming on. Plus Eri-chan looks like she is going to cry. How did today turn into this…?

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