03. Her Lose Brother

Year after year passed. Dozens of spring, summer, autumn and winter have also passed without anything meaningful. Time has passed quite significantly, now the time has come for a cute girl named Akibara Rin to celebrate her 18th birthday.

The girl had now grown up, and would have assumed the title of a woman, if only she had been married. Time flies so fast.

Now that Rin has become a real girl, she is no longer a child who is limited in every movement.

At first, Rin was like a flower that was still not blooming, now the tiny bud has developed and shows its beauty.

To celebrate her birthday, the young girl Akibara used to spend the whole day alone in the temple, in order to say prayers and hope the god will grant her wish.

It's not that Rin doesn't want to hang out with people on her special day, it's just that this cheerful girl with a birthmark on her shoulder wants to focus more on worship alone, on a day where she is one year old. Worship with the aim of giving thanks for being given health and the opportunity to live life.

The girl never once asked for an object on her birthday. She didn't want things, accessories, or everything that girls her age would normally want. Rin doesn't need all the material she doesn't really want.

Rin just wants hopes about the return of her older brother named Akibara Yuuto, the boy who disappeared eleven years ago, come true. That's all she wishes every year, a prayer that can never be replaced.

Yuuto's disappearance is a wound that remains in the heart of the young Akibara girl who is having a birthday. Her brother left her, just when she really needed him by her side.

Rin is still very young, but has lost a person who loves her with all her heart. Whose heart does not hurt when the person they love the most?

Rin still remembers those times, the time when her brother disappeared for a dozen years.

That time was the time when the Akibara girl was too young, around seven years old. At that time, little Rin was sick. Rin's body shivered violently, and her face turned white. Even though she had already taken a prescription from a doctor, she even drank the traditional ingredients from her grandmother. However, the little girl's condition that did not improve made her parents worried.

Kaede and Hideki then devoted all their attention to Rin, not knowing what would happen to their other child. This made Rin regret in the end, why was her brother just ignored at that time?

Of course it is something that is natural. Because, little Rin should get extra attention because she is sick. However, they should at least pay attention to the 14 year old boy named Yuuto.

Rin still remembers everything clearly, how lost she was at that time. Everything is still stored well in her brain, causing wounds that sometimes make tears fall.

When she was lying weakly on the bed, Kaede, her mother looked at her with a worried look. It had been a long time ago, but it felt like it just happened to her yesterday. The memory seemed to show a series of old films playing on the big screen.

"Rin's fever hasn't subsided yet ...." Kaede said in a languid tone. She looked at her little daughter with worried eyes. Which mother doesn't feel anxious when her beloved child has a fever as high as 40 ° Celsius? Obviously, Kaede was in panic right now.

"Honey, did you really call the doctor?" asked the handsome woman anxiously to her husband. "Why did it take so long to come?"

Hideki who just came back from fetching drinking water in the kitchen nodded slowly. He handed a glass of water to his wife. "Of course I have," he replied. Hideki then looked at Rin who was lying weakly. "How is our daughter?" he asked. "Does she want something?"

Kaede stroked the top of her beloved child's head with great tenderness. Hearing the husband's question, she then asked her youngest child, "Rin, what do you want to eat, honey?"

Little Rin looked at her parents wistfully, the round-eyed girl's lips trembled in pain. "Rin ... not hungry, Mom," she replied softly. Her voice caught in her throat.

Kaede almost cried when she saw with her own eyes that her beloved son Rin seemed to have difficulty speaking. They have to do something fast.

If not, who knows what will happen to them later if something bad happens to their beloved daughter. Rin should not be left sick, the girl is the only hope of the Akibara family.

"Let's go to the hospital right away!"

Yuuto, who had just entered his younger sibling's room, immediately noticed his parents who seemed busy packing up their sister's needs if the girl had the possibility to be hospitalized. The 14 year old boy also wanted to help them, but he gave up his mind after seeing his younger brother lying alone.

Yuuto walked over to Rin and chose to sit next to his younger brother. He looked at the languid face of his beloved sister with great affection. "Rin, wait a minute," said Yuuto while holding his little sister's little fingers, gently stroking the cold hand. "Hang in there, Mom and Dad will take you to the hospital."

Yuuto smiled a little, what his younger sister needed now was calm and support in the form of enthusiasm. He must always be there to accompany his younger brother whenever Rin needs him.

Little sister is a little angel who was entrusted by God to take good care of her, and as a brother Yuuto must take care of her properly.

Suddenly, Rin spoke up. "Yuuto ... Rin ... is afraid to go to the doctor." The girl spoke with difficulty, as if her strength had drained at one point, namely in her throat.

Rin's lips looked a little pale and dry, Yuuto then rubbed his sister's cheek gently, trying to convey his support for the person he loved the most in this world. His younger brother's hand that he still held tightly, he stroked it slowly.

"There's no need to be afraid, little sister. Brother is here to support you," whispered Yuuto softly as he wiped the sweat soaking his younger brother's forehead.

Rin looked teary, she was touched by every gentle treatment given by her brother. A drop of clear water seemed to pool in the corner of her eye. Yuuto gasped when he saw his sister shed tears, she felt that something was wrong with her sister so that the little girl cried silently.

"What is wrong, Rin?" Yuuto asked quickly, afraid that something might happen to his sister. His face looked panicked. "Is there something that makes you uncomfortable? Is there a part of your body that hurts? Hurry up and tell Brother!"

Rin shook her head softly. The thin arch on her lips slowly lifted, looking so weak. The little girl then said, "No ... Yuuto. It's just ... Rin, Rin ... afraid to go to ... the hospital."

The worry that Yuuto had felt at once vanished, replaced by laughter at his younger sister's innocence. It turned out that his sister was crying out of fear, Yuuto thought something had happened to her. Yuuto then asked his younger sister, "Why be afraid? You have also been to the hospital."

Rin puffed her cheeks with an annoyed expression. Yuuto laughed, when his little sister could still joke. Rin then stuttered, "B-but, Rin is scared ... of being injected."

Yuuto, who is anxious about his younger sister, finally pinches his little sister's little nose slowly, their age which is seven years apart makes him have to act more mature than Rin. He was entrusted with looking after his younger sister, that's why he must be a good brother.

"No need to worry, Rin! The doctor is a divine angel who will heal you!" Yuuto said excitedly as he winked. "You have to be brave and go there, my sister. So that you get better quickly. Want it, will you?"

Rin just nodded slowly when she saw the spirit of her brother. She would dare herself to go to a place full of that medicinal smell for the sake of Yuuto who had encouraged him with sincerity. The little girl then looked around, like looking for something. "Brother ... where is Mimi?" she asked innocently. "Did you see her?"

"Mimi?" repeat Yuuto repeated the words of his younger sister. "So that's your cat's name?" he asked again. Yuuto then tries to remember the appearance of the black cat Rin found behind the house a week ago. "That cat isn't here, maybe it has returned to the forest," Yuuto said in a calm manner.

Such a wild cat, according to her, is very unsuitable to be on the side of his gentle sister.

Rin's face suddenly changed, the girl looked sad. Yuuto immediately panicked when he saw the gloom on his younger brother's face. It seems that Rin really loves her finding cat. "E-just take it easy, Rin!" Yuuto said, stuttering. "Brother will find the cat and bring it back to you! Wait, ya!"

Yuuto stroked Rin's head for a while, before running out of his sister's room excitedly. He then searched around the house and family shrine in search of his sister's pet cat.

When he couldn't find the cat in two locations, Yuuto chose to enter the forest behind the small shrine not too far from the main shrine.

Akibara Shrine does have two temples, one of which is the main shrine, the other is so small and not used for public.

Yuuto called out Rin's cat name repeatedly, while watching around with his slightly brown eyes.

Until suddenly an unknown voice came from. A vague voice that sounded similar to the sound of a cat made Yuuto hurriedly stepped his feet, intending to get out of the forest out of fear. Without realizing it, it turned out that he had entered the forest too far.

"MIMI! Is that you?" yelled Yuuto at an unknown voice. Yuuto panicked a little, he felt paranoid.

He then tried not to get close to the thicket that could have come out of a wild beast that would jump at him, Yuuto then looked timidly at his surroundings. The forest that his family always advised not to approach him.

The boy whose chin was slightly slit in the middle then continued on his way out of the forest with hasty steps. Really, he wouldn't have dared to linger there if only not to find the whereabouts of his sister's pet cat, Rin.

SRAK SRAK

Yuuto immediately stopped his steps, his ears caught the sound of a cat just a moment ago, and his direction wasn't too far from where he was now. Without a doubt, it must be Rin's cat that he had been looking for all this time. If that's true, then Yuuto will immediately bring the cat back home.

Ignoring his fear, Yuuto ran back into the forest, calling out the cat's name with yellow eyes that Rin loved so much. Yuuto must get it back! He did not want to see his sister sad again.

Yuuto then looked for the source of the sound by circling around the place. However, when he managed to find it, his body suddenly couldn't move.

Yuuto was wide-eyed where he stood while gazing timidly at the large, hairy creature, and from its mouth were huge long teeth that were dripping saliva. Yuuto could feel his legs trembling down there.

The alien figure who stood in front of Yuuto then approached, and began to make a cat sound that sounded pitiful, "Nyaa ... nyaa."

Yuuto stared at him again when he heard that voice. So the voice I heard earlier was this creature? Yuuto thought to himself. His teeth suddenly chattered. Cold sweat instantly soaked his temples.

The creature was again imitating the sound of a cat that was heard in need of help. Yuuto really felt like he had been lied to. A strange creature with pointy ears was getting closer, it was trying to reach Yuuto with its arms covered in hair and long black fingernails.

"NOOO !!!" yelled Yuuto hysterically.

The creature with large, blood-red eyes quickly lifted Yuuto up, and led him into the forest.

Yuuto continued to struggle, screaming and screaming for help. Hoping that someone will hear her scream. Yuuto wanted to tell him that he had been kidnapped by a huge, terrible creature who had dared to trap him, which then led him to enter another world portal.

Far away ... leaving his family and younger siblings whom he loved so much.