Chapter 10

With his computer on his lap, Betoy was sitting on the edge of the tent with all his favorite merch surrounding him. His back laid against his love pillow and he had his whole body, except for his face, buried inside a blanket. He relaxed his hand on a soft stuffed toy that looked like the same girl that was present on the screen of his laptop: a little girl with pigtails. His eyes were locked to the screen, carefully watching and paying attention to each frame and flow of movement. His lips parting every time a character speaks as if he knew every word they were going to say. What made it impressive was that what was coming out from their mouths wasn't in the English language.

"Hi, how's it going?" Tina said with an awkward laugh. Either she was really good at sneaking or Betoy was too focused on the screen he didn't even notice her. Nevertheless, once their eyes met he wrapped his arms around the little girl. Tina didn't expect it, her eyes widened in shock. The boy was embracing her tightly she couldn't move.

"What's this? Mood swings again?" Tina tried to tease him, but it sounded like she actually was worried. He muttered and He nodded yes. His voice was shrill as a child's. "Are you still mad?" Tina held her hands up to his back and gave him a pat. He shook his head no. Betoy's arm fell limp and he settled down. He stared at her for a moment. "I'm sorry for getting mad, I don't want to lose you too."

"Lose me?" Tina snickered a little before continuing, "Over a little fight? Stop being melodramatic!" A smirk formed on her face.

"You don't hate me?" He asked.

"I do hate some parts of you." Tina said without hesitation, "I can't read you because of these 'mood swings' of yours, you're an awful person at times, you're too stubborn for your own good and you're a perv—"

"Okay, enough already!" Betoy interrupted with his face red as a rose. That was one of the only questions of his that was answered, and it ended up slapping him with facts about how much of a mediocre human being he is.

He shook his head.

Enough thinking about anything else for now. Every time a lot of thoughts pile up inside his head, he couldn't enjoy the moment. He has a little sister for goodness sake, not everybody has a little sister. He knows full well that there are other imouto (sister) lovers out there that wishes to have someone like Tina, even though she wasn't as he expected her to be.

"You're doing it again." Tina tapped his shoulder, concerned. "Every time you become silent, murmuring to yourself like that, your mood shifts."

Betoy shook his head again and turned towards Tina. "I was only thinking of what to do. I'm not completely tired yet to call it a day. Any suggestions?" He didn't want this drama to continue any further; he only wanted to have some time with his pet Tilapia.

"I want to watch anime." She said as if she was genuinely interested. It sounded reeeally weird coming out from her mouth. She's like a mother trying too much to engage herself in pop culture. "The one you introduced to me a while ago fits my interest, at least let me watch the first episode before we sleep."

Betoy formed an amused grin and lifted a finger. "But first!"

"No, I will not say 'Onee-chan'."

"Yet you said it already!"

"Not according to the tone of your liking though."

"I know." He said disappointedly as he presses the spacebar on his laptop twice. The video restarted and it began with an opening sequence. The narrator was discussing how unnatural dreams are as countless images of human activity bombarded the screen. With hands fidgeting out of excitement, Tina had her eyes focused on the Laptop while leaning on Betoy's pillow. The episode rolled on, Betoy had his attention on Tina rather than the video he watched millions of times. The girl on each of Betoy's merch showed up, occupying each frame of the video and her voice which sounded like someone pinching their throat in order to make such a sound, came out of the laptop's speaker.

"She matters to you a lot, doesn't she?" Tina's eyes narrowed.

She wasn't referring to the girl on the screen.

"Yes. She does." He replied.

"I wish I can meet her." Tina said as she paused the video and locking eyes with Betoy once again.

"Yeah me too." Betoy's thoughts were flooded again, but the ones that stormed weren't questions, they were memories.

"Both of you would watch anime together, dish out half-baked insults to each other, make tons of corny jokes, trip at the same time, sing together, laugh together…" Betoy's voice turned shrill again. Tina held his hand and beamed.

"Onee-chan."

As her voice reaches to his ears Betoy's breath collapsed in awe. It was the wind chimes he was looking for. This confirmed it, she's a legit little sister. She sounded like a real twelve-year-old little girl would sound like! Maybe even younger!

A simper formed on her face. "Oh kuya you didn't have to unzip your pants!"

"You what!?" Kanor barged inside the tent. Both siblings were sent flying from their seats in shock.

"Relax ama it's just a joke!" Tina scurried to Kanor.

"An inappropriate one at that!" Kanor shouted. Tina looked down bashfully and apologized.

Betoy gave a disgusted stare. "Why are you eavesdropping on us?"

Kanor froze. "I wasn't. I was fixing the tent!"

"While we're inside the thing you're speaking of?" Betoy asked.

"No, I was… Hey, don't change the subject!"

"I'll change subjects whenever I want as long as you continued eavesdropping like a creep."

"I'm the creep? You're one to talk!"

"I'm guessing everyone is tired." Tina stood up. Both of her palms held up trying to calm the two boys down.

Kanor cleared his throat and readjusted his glasses. "Yes, Tina's correct, let's go to sleep. We had a long day, and we have another one tomorrow." Kanor gave one sounding clap to fold his hands.

"Tomorrow?" The siblings asked simultaneously.

"Not only tomorrow, we have a long week ahead of us. We're going to the zoo, amusement park, museum and much more." Kanor said, not trying to hide his own excitement as his spine tingled again. Tina was in on it, her eyes were sparkling, and she was gleaming, but Betoy didn't look too interested.

"What's the matter, Betoy?" Kanor asked. Betoy yawned one big yawn and stretched his arms arrogantly. "I want to stay inside the house until summer ends."

"Come on kuya don't be such a killjoy!" Tina turned around to her big brother and scowled. "Summer vacation is almost ending. You should make the most of it." Kanor added.

"I already did." Betoy smiled heartfully. Tina's face relaxed and Kanor nodded. There were no signs of a lie on what came out of him. Betoy didn't do much during summer break and Kanor knew that, but he also knew Betoy wasn't making an excuse to shut himself inside the room again. The tone of his voice, the way he said it, and the smile on his face, they were all genuine.

"If one of us is not onboard, let's cancel it then." Kanor stepped out of the tent. He said goodnight and reminded them to pray before sleeping and after waking up. He zipped the tent shut. He removed his glasses and placed it on top of the long table where they ate their dinner. He went to his sleeping bag which was lying on the fake grass and settled down. Crickets sung into the night, and the lanterns from outside the tent were illuminating the area. It was a peaceful night. He faced the stars which was as blurry as it can be without his glasses, but the little lights still managed to form a smile on his face.

"He's okay now Maya, no need to worry anymore."

After singing a prayer aloud side by side, the siblings did The Sign of the Cross simultaneously and laid down facing towards each other but Betoy's long pillow formed a wall between them. Most of his merch and other stuff were squished on his side leaving Tina nothing else but a blanket and a stuffed toy as her pillow. "Good night Kuya."

"Good night." He replied. "I love you." Immediately he was hit by the stuffed toy Tina was resting her head on. She sat upright and giggled, "You're so cheesy!" She exclaimed. She took back the stuffed toy she tossed and a plushie to come along with it and settled back.

His hands clenched on the blanket that covered him.

This is it.

He's about to sleep.

He's about to wake up from his dream.

This day was too good to be real. Nothing felt real in the first place. From waking up on his bed feeling good on a Monday morning, going downstairs with a smile, to meeting an unfamiliar face who claimed to be his pet Tilapia who died and reincarnated into a twelve-year-old girl. The disturbing feeling was there from the start and he didn't notice it where it was coming from until the fireworks display. He always wanted to be inside an anime, where he would be transported in a world where he is overpowered as hell, holding two swords in his hands and having a harem around him; but he never expected to be already inside one, and his favorite one to be exact. Where dreams made characters experience phenomena to change them into a better person. He knew full well that the dream would end once he sleeps. He already said his goodbye to his little sister who could only exist in one dream. This time he was ready to let go. He appreciated the short time he had with her and made the most of it. Betoy wasn't trying to be a creepy onee-chan; he wished he said those three words to his mother as well. He was glad that unlike then, he resolved the useless fights he started before saying goodbye.

He shut his eyes for a few seconds, the overwhelming echo of singing of crickets vanished, there was something soft against his back instead of tent fabric. He opened his eyes and to see his merch around him, he shoved them away lightly and what met him was a wall. He sat upright and looked around. Plushies lying around, some posters on the walls, the small desk near the footboard, the action figures with big heads above it, the two closets, one full of clothes, one full of stuffed-toys and more plushies. A half-hearted smile formed on his face when he realized he was inside his room.

"I knew it."