Birthday Gift

"Kiatsu! Shiatsu! Your brother ran away. What do you guys do if that happens?"

"The answer is as clear as day, dead eyes! We follow Ishigami till the ends of the earth!"

"Hahaha! We're running from the police!"

"Alright then, brats! Last one to find Ishigami has to smell Uncle Jerry's socks!"

|...|

Barely slipping past the ocean-like crowd, Kiatsu, Shiatsu, and I ran like there's no tomorrow, simultaneously fleeing from the police and chasing after Ishigami.

As the brats and I ran, Shiatsu suddenly halted and said, "Dead eyes! Kiatsu is grasping for air! He can't keep on like this!"

I halted and asked, "Kiatsu, can you still run?"

"Hahaha... s-sorry... Miles... I can't..."

That's apparent. Kiatsu is on his knees... Ah! What should I do?! There's a considerable distance between the guards and our group, but they're still on our trail.

The brats and I have only been running in one direction, so I guess we should split up... But I can't leave them! I'm only acting as their older sibling, but believe it or not, I actually like these devil spawns! I can't leave them on their own!

With sharp eyes filled with determination, Shiatsu requested, "Dead eyes! I'll take Kiatsu, and you find Ishigami! Please!"

"Hold on, Shiatsu! I can't leave both of you alone!"

Shiatsu threw himself on the floor and begged, "Please, dead eyes! I'm begging you! Find our brother!"

My mouth subconsciously opened out of shock.

Shiatsu is... bowing down to me?! I never would've imagined that in a million years!

Kiatsu followed Shiatsu's lead and muttered, "Hahaha... Please... Miles... save our... brother."

You kids... are something else. You three hell spawns put me through so much pain, but now you're bowing down to me? I suppose I do need to give them an earful later on.

"Raise your heads... it feels weird. I got it! I'll find your brother."

"Really?! Tha-"

Before Shiatsu and Kiatsu reacted, I wrapped my arms around both of them and whispered, "Don't you ever bow your heads to me. I'm your big brother... It's my job to spoil my siblings."

"..."

Oh... Both of them are speechless. Heck, they're tearing up! You brats are still kids, after all.

I stood up, started running, and looked back to yell, "Enough wasting time now! Stay safe, okay?"

|...|

That was embarrassing! But I felt a delightful sensation in my chest. Ah! If only I had siblings in the previous world!

But! Time to come back down to earth. Ishigami couldn't have gone too far, and he doesn't come to downtown Midway that much, so he could get lost.

I should stop and think. I can't run around aimlessly. Where would Ishigami go? Think like Ishigami, Miles!

Before I could finish thinking, a voice yelled.

"This is the guards! You! The shirtless guy! Stop right there!"

The guards are here! They're faster than I thought!

After hearing the guards, I sprinted without thought.

|...|

I'm still shirtless... Ah! No time for that! Where the hell would Ishigami go?! Think, Miles! You're his big brother! How can you not know!

Wait a minute! Shirtless... I'm shirtless. Ishigami said he'd buy me a shirt! Knowing that brat, even after a fight, he'd keep his words. He doesn't have any money right now, so the only place he could get a shirt from is...

|...|

While gasping for air, I muttered, "Finally... I... made it!"

I arrived at the homeless center! It took me five minutes of constantly running at full speed to get here... you should be grateful, Ishigami!

The homeless center has a freebie market where you could buy stuff in exchange for doing community service. Since Ishigami doesn't have money to buy a shirt, he'll probably be here.

I approached the receptionist's desk and asked, "Excuse me, ma'am. Did you see an eleven-year-old kid wearing a white jacket?! He looks similar to me. Have you seen him?!"

"Uhh... and you are?"

What the hell is with this skinny receptionist? That's an unprofessional response, I'd say!

"I have no time, ma'am. Please answer my question!"

"Do you have an elf or dwarf blood?"

Weird question... And does that matter? It's a homeless center, so?

"Ma'am. I really don't have time! I'm looking for a kid!"

In a hostile tone, the receptionist replied, "We don't serve elves or dwarves."

After hearing those words, something strange occurred. For a brief moment, it felt like another person possessed my body... an evil one.

"Drop dead, you elf or dwarf scumbag."

My body moved on its own. I grabbed the pen by the receptionist's desk, pointed it at her neck, and whispered, "I don't want to die yet, bitch... answer the question, or else you're the one who'll drop dead!"

With her body frozen out of fear, the receptionist stuttered, "I-I did s-see one! W-We t-turned him away! D-Don't kill me, p-please!"

"Well done, bitch! I'll spare you... but on second thought!"

Before I could thrust the pen into her neck, I glanced at the mirror by the desk and saw myself with pitch-black eyes and black lines on my face as if they were cracks. After witnessing this, I instantly snapped out of it...

"..."

What the... hell am I doing?! I felt like... I was being controlled. My eyes were pitch black, and I had cracks on my face... This must be the dark elf syndrome!

The timing can't get any worse!

The receptionist begged, "D-Don't kill me, please!"

I looked around the area to see if anybody witnessed what happened, but luckily, no one seemed to... I also looked for surveillance cameras, but I found none.

As I shiver from panic, I heard a familiar voice whisper out of nowhere... It was Nori.

"Master... touch the receptionist's forehead! Sorry! I let the other Miles take over!"

Nori?! I didn't know she could whisper in my head, but that's convenient! So it was the other Miles responsible, huh? On second thought, we may not be similar at all! But now's not the time to worry about that! I need to find Ishigami!

I placed my index finger on the receptionist's forehead and muttered, "Ms. Receptionist... I need you to stay quiet."

She froze?! She's stuck in place! Nori, this better be safe!

|...|

I walked away from the homeless center and continued to search for Ishigami. It was beginning to look hopeless until...

Behind the homeless center, near the rear entrance, there stands a lone tree with a lonely boy sitting under its shade. He sat with his leg crossed, and his face looked down on the ground... it was Ishigami.

So this is where you've been, Ishigami... The way you sit under the shade of the tree reminds me of me.

I casually walk towards Ishigami... and sat beside him.

"Ishigami... how is your day so far?"

"..."

No response, huh?

"Ishigami... I'm here, you know?"

"..."

Still silence?

"Ishiga-"

Before I could finish, with a shaky voice, Ishigami said, "They told me..."

"They told you what?"

"I'll be better off dying."

"Hmm... who said that?"

He turned his face, and with teary eyes, he muttered, "Everybody."

Everybody, huh? A truly petrifying coincidence. Ishigami and I look alike and lived alike. I know how it feels, my little brother.

"Is that it?"

In an enraged tone, Ishigami stood up and yelled, "What do you know?! You've never experienced what I did!"

"I could say the same right now, Ishigami, but I had people... even if everybody thinks I'm better off dying, as long as I had them, I'm fine. Now tell me... do you have those people?"

While his entire body shivered and a river of tears flowed from his eyes, he uttered, "My brothers..."

"You're missing somebody, Ishigami."

"Uncle Jerry?"

"One more..."

"Who is it, Miles?"

I raised my hand, gently hit him in the head, and said, "It's me, you dumb fuck."

"..."

Same reaction, huh? Ishigami is speechless... with his eyes widened and his mouth open.

"So Ishigami, you're done being a wuss now? Lets head ho-"

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt a warm and delightful sensation wrapping around my body... Ishigami hugged me.

Who knew Ishigami was capable of compassion?! But! I won't complain! There's a warm and fuzzy sensation in my chest... seriously, where was this in the previous world?

"Are you done, Ishigami? I'm shirtless, you know!"

While still embracing Ishigami, I felt yet another sensation... a painful one.

"*Thud!"

"Argghhh!"

This brat! He kicked me in the balls again!

"Ishigami! Come back here, you ungrateful brat!"

As he ran away, Ishigami yelled, "You let your guard down, Miles! Consider that my birthday gift!"