Kapitel 13: Otomedori-5

With the sword in his hands, Kazuki slashed the air in front of him, causing reality to split apart and creating a shimmering portal. He made the sword disappear before stepping into the portal, determined to change his little sister's tragic past.

When he emerged from the portal, he noticed something strange that made him smile. Unlike outside, it was noon here.

"Star, am I at the correct place?" Kazuki mentally asked.

"Yes, you are at the correct place," the Star system confirmed.

After getting the confirmation, Kazuki began to look around and then hurriedly ran toward the park where the incident had occurred.

Reaching the place, he sat on a public bench and waited. Soon, he could hear the trio's voices approaching.

"Onii-chan, you need to choose between us now."

"Choose what, Rinka?"

"You need to choose who you are going to marry in the future. Is it me or Otome?"

"You can't marry your brother, Rinka-chan."

"Why can't I?"

"Because it's forbidden by the world."

"What? Why? I want to marry you after growing up, Onii-chan."

"Otome-chan is speaking correctly. We can't marry each other as we are brother and sister."

Kazuki saw three figures: the younger versions of himself, Otome, and Rinka. By using his sword that could cut through anything, he had come to the past to the fateful day when his little sister became the target of those old men.

Soon, Otome grabbed little Kazuki's hand and increased their walking speed, leaving Rinka behind, who started to cry.

Seeing those tears, Kazuki felt his heart aching. He wanted nothing more than to go there, hug her, and tell her how much he loved her, but he knew he couldn't do that.

If he did, he would change the future in unpredictable ways, and his star points might not be able to keep the change from happening.

He kept watching the crying Rinka and soon noticed five old men sneaking behind her.

"Can I kill them, Star?" Kazuki asked, his anger flaring.

"You cannot unless you want your future timeline to become unstable," the Star system replied.

"Then can I beat them at least?" Kazuki asked.

"Yes, you can."

"Nice." Kazuki happily stood up from his seat and quickly ran toward the group of old men.

Before any of them could react, he punched one, kicked another, and then punched a third. After knocking them down, he turned his attention to the remaining two, who looked at him with frightened expressions.

"Where did you come from?" one of them asked, confused.

They had made sure no one was present, yet when they decided to take action, this young man had appeared out of nowhere.

"I was always here, you dimwit," Kazuki said mockingly and began to fight the other two as well.

Thanks to his invisibility, courtesy of the Star system, he was unseen till now. And with his peak human physique, It was only a matter of minutes before he subdued them.

He continued to beat them even after they were unconscious, only stopping when he heard clapping from behind.

Turning around, he saw Rinka giggling, watching the old men being beaten.

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Kazuki asked with an amused smile.

"You were so cool there, Onii-chan," Rinka said excitedly as she walked closer. "It felt so good to see them getting beaten."

The previous fear and anxiety had disappeared from Rinka's mind, replaced by the knowledge that someone was willing to protect her.

For her, his appearance was like a knight saving the princess from evil people.

"I might be a bad guy, you know," Kazuki said, ruffling her hair. "It's not a good thing to get close to strangers you have only met once."

"But I feel quite close to you, Onii-chan," Rinka said with an innocent smile. "And I only feel this toward my Onii-chan, but he left me here..."

Seeing her so sad, Kazuki pinched her cheeks. "He was a fool, but you shouldn't think that he left you here. Maybe he might be looking for you right now?"

Hearing his words, a smile appeared on Rinka's face. "You are right, Onii-chan. He must be searching for me right now."

"It's time for you to go back, Darien," the Star system suddenly spoke in his mind, causing him to shake his head in disappointment.

He wanted to spend more time with the little Rinka but knew he didn't have enough star points.

"I'll take my leave now, so take care of yourself and never leave your elder brother's side," Kazuki said with a smile. "The world is filled with a lot of bad people, but you will be safe by your elder brother's side."

As he started to walk away, Rinka anxiously called after him. "Onii-chan, w-what is your name?"

"My name?" Kazuki paused and turned around with a smile. "My name is Darien Dragonheart."

"Darien..." Rinka mumbled with a smile. "Will you marry me, Onii-chan, when I grow up?"

"No, I won't," Darien replied as his body began to disappear slowly, causing her eyes to widen in shock. "You deserve someone who will love you wholeheartedly."

Seeing him disappear, a sad smile appeared on her face. "But I only love you, Onii-chan..."

As she stood there motionless, Otome and little Kazuki came to her with worried expressions, asking why she didn't follow them or if she was okay.

Rinka calmly replied and didn't explain too much about the Onii-chan who had saved her. She simply glanced at the unconscious old men before heading home, followed by the duo.

"Let's leave now, Star," Kazuki, now invisible thanks to the Star system, headed back to the place where he had created the portal earlier.

The portal hadn't disappeared. Instead, it had been turned invisible by the Star system and was prohibited for anyone other than him to enter.

Entering the portal, he reappeared in his world, where it was still night.

He glanced at his surroundings before heading toward his house, a smile playing on his face as he thought about the changes he had just made.

His little sister wouldn't have to live like a half-dead person anymore. She wouldn't have to think about those nightmares and old men.

As he reached home, he first checked on his little sister. When he was sure she was still sleeping soundly, he walked into his room, ready to sleep.

~~~~~~~

The next morning, Kazuki was woken up by the constant notifications on his phone. Annoyed, he sat up and checked his phone, only to see multiple bank messages indicating credited money.

Officer Nakamura had also sent him a text, saying that the government had transferred the reward money for helping catch the criminals.

Smiling at his new bank balance, Kazuki got up and headed to the bathroom to clean himself before putting on his school clothes.

After combing his hair, he went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for himself and his little sister. He was up early today, and the kitchen was quiet and empty.

As he prepared breakfast, Rinka soon joined him, clad in her school uniform. They exchanged good mornings and worked together to finish preparing the meal.

After they finished preparing breakfast, they sat down to eat at the dining table. The peaceful morning was suddenly interrupted when Rinka spoke up, her voice hesitant.

"Onii-chan, I had a strange dream last night... or maybe it was real, I don't know..."

Kazuki looked at her, intrigued. "What do you mean, Rinka? What did you see in your dream?"

Rinka looked down at her plate, picking at her food. "I saw you... on that day when those old men tried to catch me. The same men who are all over the news now."

Kazuki asked curiously. "You saw me? What happened in your dream?"

Rinka's eyes met his, a mix of confusion and hope in them. "I remember crying because I was left behind. And then, this man appeared and saved me from those men. He looked exactly like you, Onii-chan. That's why I'm so confused. He was so strong and brave... He reminded me of you, but it couldn't have been you, right?"

Kazuki spoke with a smile. "He looked exactly like me? What did he do?"

"He told me to stay close to you, Onii-chan because the world is full of bad people. He fought off those old men and made sure I was safe. Then he just left, disappearing right before my eyes. It felt so real, Onii-chan. Do you think it was just a dream?"

Kazuki smiled gently, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. "Dreams can feel very real sometimes, Rinka. Maybe it was your mind's way of reminding you that you're never alone and that you always have someone looking out for you."

Rinka nodded slowly, a small smile forming on her lips. "Maybe you're right, Onii-chan. It just felt so comforting to see someone there for me."

Kazuki's smile widened. "Well, I'm always here for you, Rinka. No matter what. And I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again."

Rinka's eyes sparkled with gratitude. "I know you would, Onii-chan."

They finished their breakfast in companionable silence, each lost in their thoughts. As they gathered their things and prepared to leave for school, Kazuki felt quite pleased to see Rinka's cheerful expression.

It was genuine, free from the shadows of pain and anger that used to haunt her.

As they exited the house, her cheerfulness was evident in the way she moved, her steps light and her face radiant.

In the past, Rinka only showed her true feelings to Kazuki and Otome, hiding her pain and anger from everyone else due to the abuse she had experienced since she was a child.

But now, with the past altered, those traumatic experiences had never occurred. She was a pure, joyful 15-year-old girl.

Kazuki watched as Rinka happily greeted the neighbours, her smile bright and welcoming. They greeted her back warmly, finding nothing strange in her behaviour. Their memories had been seamlessly altered by the changes Kazuki had made in the past.

"Good morning, Rinka-chan!" Mrs. Yamamoto from next door called out with a friendly wave.

"Good morning!" Rinka replied, her voice full of genuine happiness.

Kazuki felt a surge of relief and satisfaction. This was the life he had always wanted for his sister—a life where she could be happy and carefree, unburdened by the horrors of the past.

As they walked to school, Otome joined them, her usually bright and confident demeanour noticeably subdued. She kept her eyes downcast, her cheeks tinged with a light blush as she recalled the events of the previous night.

Her steps were hesitant, and she walked a little behind Kazuki and Rinka, clearly feeling shy after indirectly confessing her feelings to Kazuki.

Kazuki, ever perceptive, noticed the change in Otome's behaviour. He glanced back at her and offered a warm smile, hoping to ease her embarrassment.

Rinka, unaware of the undercurrents between her brother and their friend, was bubbling with excitement about the idea of joining a club today.

"What club are we going to join?" Rinka asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she turned to Kazuki and Otome.

Otome's face lit up with relief at the change of topic, her shyness momentarily forgotten. "I want to join the cooking club!" she exclaimed, her usual enthusiasm returning. "I really enjoy cooking, and I think it would be fun to learn new recipes and techniques."

Rinka nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great! I'm thinking about joining the photography club. Whenever I see those good photos on television, I feel quite intrigued."

They both turned to Kazuki, expecting him to share his thoughts. "What about you, Kazuki-kun? Which club are you interested in joining?"

Kazuki smiled thoughtfully. "I'm considering either the chess club or the basketball club. I've always enjoyed chess, and it's a great way to challenge the mind. Basketball, on the other hand, would be a good way to stay active and work as part of a team."

He initially thought about joining the manga club, but he decided to try something new in this new life.

Rinka and Otome both nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea," Rinka said.

Otome, feeling more at ease with the conversation flowing naturally, joined in with renewed enthusiasm. "I can't wait to start the cooking club! Maybe I'll bring some of the dishes I learned to our picnics."

As they continued their walk to school, the trio chatted animatedly about their plans and the clubs that they were going to join soon.

After entering the school, the trio parted ways, each heading to their respective classrooms. Kazuki made his way to the second floor, where his classroom was located.

As he walked through the hallways, he was greeted enthusiastically by several girls. They waved and smiled, some even calling out his name. Kazuki acknowledged them with polite nods and smiles, maintaining a friendly demeanour.

He could feel the eyes of the boys on him, their gazes narrowed and tinged with jealousy.

It was understandable; Otome was the most beautiful and kind-hearted girl in the school, admired by almost every boy. Yet, she only seemed to show interest in Kazuki, which didn't sit well with many of his male peers.

The girls, on the other hand, were more understanding and amicable toward Kazuki. They appreciated the bond he shared with Otome and respected him for it.

This, however, did not change the fact that he often found himself under the scrutiny of envious boys who wished they could be in his shoes.

Kazuki's little sister, Rinka, had also become quite popular after the changes he made to the past. She was now a cheerful and outgoing girl, admired by many of the first-year students.

Her bright personality and friendly nature made her a favourite among her peers, adding to the attention Kazuki received.

Being connected to the two most famous girls in the school meant that Kazuki was always in the spotlight. The girls saw him as someone special because of his close relationships with Otome and Rinka, while the boys envied him for the same reason.

As he entered his classroom, everything changed to normal. His classmates treated him like any other student, without the extra attention or envy he faced elsewhere.

They saw him as just another member of the class, and this normalcy was a relief to Kazuki.

He took his seat, feeling more at ease among his classmates. The conversations here were about homework, upcoming tests, and the clubs, nothing out of the ordinary.

It was a stark contrast to the exaggerated reactions he faced in the hallways.