The Aftermath of Family Meeting

The time was 9.42 PM. It was already past curfew, yet Suzuka Kasugano was still awake.

Sitting on her swivel, Suzuka rested her upper body on her desk; her folded arms on the surface of her study desk became a pillow for her head.

She just finished her homework late because of the family meeting that happened after dinner.

At this time, she was wearing a lavender-colored Pajama; she let loose her long purple hair.

"So, parallel worlds exist, and Onii-chan was a genius space magician in his past life," Suzuka muttered under her breath. "Honestly, it sounds like a plot of a cheap fantasy story."

Although Suzuka had seen the so-called magic, her mind had yet to accept it fully. It was natural to have a hard time accepting something outrageous and unscientific like that.

Before tonight, Suzuka was blissfully unaware of the fact that the supernatural existed. If not in this world, then in another world.

Suzuka didn't know what to think about that. It was something unknown, and humans were creatures that were scared of the unknown the most. Fear of the unknown was humanity's motivation to understand everything in the universe.

Suzuka would be lying if she said she wasn't scared of the unknown, and magic was something she deemed as "unknown." It was unscientific, after all.

What if magic exists in her world too?

Was there a hidden community of magic users somewhere?

Were they good people?

Were they bad people?

Would they abuse their magic?

Do evil magicians exit?

How could she defend herself from a supernatural threat?

Could police deal with it?

The more Suzuka pondered, the more scary and hopeless it became.

'Do ghosts also exist?' Suzuka wondered and dearly hoped that ghosts didn't exist.

Suzuka became overly conscious of her surroundings. She turned her head and body around, her eyes viewing her room; her gaze lingered on the dark gap under her bed.

Suzuka got spooked and felt silly for being scared of a fictional monster or ghost. After all, that kind of story was something that adults used to scare children so children would behave obediently.

But, what if they actually existed? Could her chili spray and taser make them disappear? Perhaps, she could use salt? Such questions popped up in her distressed mind.

Suzuka suddenly shivered and then hugged her legs on her bosom.

"Ugh! Get a grip, Suzuka! Ghosts and monsters don't exist! That's just silly! Yup! You're paranoid for nothing!"

Suzuka tried to assure herself, yet a part of her was still scared. She felt unsafe in her own room, which usually gave her safety and comfort.

"Onii-chan is stupid! Uuu~ What should I do now?" Suzuka became teary-eyed and asked herself with a helpless tone. "I wonder if Onii-chan will mind if I sleep with him tonight?"

Usually, Suzuka would feel embarrassed about thinking such a thing. However, the crippling fear of the unknown lowered her inhibition.

For a while, Suzuka weighed her options. But, the longer she stayed alone in her bedroom, her fear became harder to ignore. In the end, she succumbed to her paranoia and decided to evacuate to her brother's bedroom.

"All right, let's evacuate to Onii-chan's room!"

***

While lying on her bed, Sora Kasugano was blankly staring at the ceiling of her bedroom. Just like her stepsister, Sora was mulling over the topic of her family meeting.

Sora would be lying if she said that she wasn't disturbed by the topic. To think her twin was a reincarnated magician. Thinking back at her twin's status, Sora couldn't help but become concerned about her twin.

Sora might look headstrong, willful, lazy, withdrawn, and apathetic, but she really cared, no, loved her brother. And her love for him was more than familial love.

She, Sora Kasugano, loved Haruka Kasugano as a woman. She even fantasized about having sex with her twin and used him to relieve her sexual frustration; she began doing so after her puberty began, and she started showing interest to her opposite gender.

However, the catalyst that planted the seed of romantic feeling for her twin brother in her heart was their first kiss in their grandparent's clinic in the countryside. Without that event, Sora wouldn't be conscious of her twin brother as a male.

"Haah," Sora closed her eyes and sighed in the mix of exasperation and resignation.

A moment later, Sora opened her eyes and had glazed eyes as she recalled their kiss at lunch. It had been so long since they kissed like that. Usually, she would secretly kiss her brother when he was sleeping.

Sora really enjoyed their kiss, and she preferred this version of her brother. After all, he was decisive.

It was when Sora made up her mind.

"Reincarnation or not, Magician or not, Haru is Haru. He has promised to be always at my side. My Haru..."

Thinking about her brother, Sora suddenly wanted to see him. No, she needed to see him, or she wouldn't be able to calm her restless heart.

"Would Haru mind it if I crash into his room?"

Sora contemplated for little.

"I don't think that he will mind it. Not with his more decisive personality. I guess his chance isn't bad. Okay! Let's sleep with Haru tonight!"

Just like that, Sora left her bed and walked out of her room. She then stopped in front of her twin's room. Unfortunately, before she could knock the door, someone called her.

***

"Ah! You! Why are you standing outside Onii-chan's room? What are you planning?"

Frowning, Suzuka gave Sora a suspicious gaze.

Right after Suzuka exited her room, she found Sora, wearing her sleeping gown while carrying her doll, standing in front of Haru's room. She knew just how degenerate her stepsister really was and became guarded.

In the past, Suzuka had accidentally seen Sora masturbating while calling out Haru's name. That event just exacerbated their rivalry further.

And no, that incident didn't give her idea how to release her pent up frustration safely and pleasantly, alright! Never mind that! Let's return to the topic!

"Not your damn business," Sora curtly replied while giving Suzuka a condescending look from the corner of her eyes.

Suzuka inflated her cheeks and pouted in vexation and resentment. She also sent a mean glare to her rival.

Sora ignored Suzuka's pitiful attempt to intimidate her and turned her gaze to Haru's room. She then knocked on the door and loudly called out the room's owner.

"Haru! It's me, Sora. Are you awake?"

Sora waited for any answer from the other side. In the meantime, Suzuka stopped her petulant, childish tantrum and fretfully looked at the door of Haru's room.

Before long, they heard Haru's voice, shouting "Coming!" from inside. A moment later, they saw the door open.

Sora and Suzuka became speechless. They never expected Haru to wear only boxers and display so much skin. Red hue smeared their lovely face to the tip of their ears; they got stimulated by Haru's half-naked appearance. However, unlike Sora, who shamelessly ogled her twin's slender yet masculine figure, Suzuka was unable to endure the stimulation and averted her eyes quickly.

Haru raised his brow at their flustered reaction and then grinned knowingly. "Do you like what you see, ladies?" He teased them while wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

"O-Onii-chan! What are you saying?! Why are you wearing nothing?! Are you a pervert?!" Suzuka uttered in a high pitched voice.

Meanwhile, Sora had a different reaction. She nodded her head approvingly and shamelessly said: "Yup. I like it."

She even raised her thumb to show her honest opinion.

Suzuka turned her head to Sora immediately, apparently scandalized. "You! How could you be so shameless?!"

"What's your problem? There's nothing to be ashamed of." Sora narrowed her eyes and glared at Suzuka, seemingly displeased by Suzuka's admonishment.

"You! You!" Suzuka pointed her shaking finger at Sora and was at a loss for words. She was outraged by her stepsister's shamelessness.

"Girls! Stop it!" Haru suddenly exclaimed, stopping the girls before their fight could escalate.

In the past, Sora and Suzuka would ignore Haru when he attempted to stop their fight, but it was different this time. They flinched and stopped their confrontation because of the sternness in Haru's voice. It reminded them that their beloved brother had changed. In truth, they had complicated feelings regarding his changes.

Haru seemed more mature and dependable. A part of them was happy and proud of it. No girl doesn't want to have a man she can depend on; even the most independent woman needs a break and a shoulder to rely on sometimes.

On the other hand, they felt losing something precious and a bit lonely because the unreliable Haru was no more. They would be lying if they said that they weren't happy from being relied on by Haru.

"So," Haru continued, snapping them out of their thoughts, "Why are you here?"

Sora and Suzuka unconsciously turned their heads to each other and silently conversed with their gaze. They decided to have a truce and nodded at each other. After that, they turned their heads to Haru and said,

"Onii-chan, can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Haru, lemme sleep with you tonight."

Caught off guard, Haru blinked his eyes and looked at his sisters with an uncomprehending gaze. He then nodded and said, "Okay. Come inside!"