"Restock ingredients for the fridge—OK. Snacks Sora asked me to buy—OK. Practice animation paper—OK… Hmm, what else do I need to get?" Carrying two large bags in both hands, Kamiyā Yuu walked out of the supermarket. After going over his list several times to make sure he hadn't missed anything, he slowly made his way home.
By the time he got off the subway, it was around seven in the evening—right in the middle of Japan's rush hour. Not to mention the packed trains; along the way, Kamiyā Yuu could see endless lines of cars crawling forward like sluggish dragons with no visible end.
Tokyo at night glittered with neon lights and luxury, yet from the faces of passersby, he could hardly see any emotional fluctuation. Most were numb. Living in a fast-paced metropolis like Tokyo wasn't much better than surviving in a brutal jungle where only the strong preyed on the weak. Countless young people came here chasing dreams, only to be ruthlessly crushed by reality. When the pressure dulled them into numbness, that was when they truly became part of Tokyo—part of this rapidly developing, distorted society.
Click.
Kamiyā Yuu returned to the apartment. The moment he unlocked the door, Kamiyā Sora walked up to him. Seeing him drenched in sweat and struggling with two heavy bags, her expression immediately tightened.
She wore her school's sailor uniform—white top and black skirt. Because of the muggy weather, her slender, smooth legs were no longer wrapped in sheer black stockings; they were paired with cute white lace ankle socks and round-toed leather shoes. In her hand, she held a white rabbit plush toy—Kamiyā Yuu remembered giving it to her as a birthday present long ago.
"I'm back." After setting the bags down, Kamiyā Yuu let out a long breath. Carrying heavy loads for so long had nearly numbed his right hand.
"Mm. You worked hard." She placed the white rabbit plush onto the nearby phone cabinet and bent down, trying to lift one of the large bags. When she realized she couldn't lift it on her own, she tried picking up the lighter one instead.
"Yuu, why did you buy so many things at once? I already said it's fine to get my snacks tomorrow, and we still have enough ingredients at home. There's no need to buy everything all at once." Holding the smaller bag, Kamiyā Sora spoke in a reproachful tone. After opening it, she found it filled with her snacks and some stationery.
Changing into his indoor slippers, Kamiyā Yuu smiled. "Buying everything at once saves a lot of trouble." It was a habit from his previous life—he'd rather work harder once than make multiple trips.
"If you find it troublesome, then I won't ask you to buy these snacks for me anymore." Kamiyā Sora lightly bit her lower lip. She wasn't actually blaming him for what he said—she knew he would never refuse any of her requests, nor would he let her, with her frail body, carry heavy loads herself. She only said it because she didn't want him to buy so much at once.
She disliked troublesome things, so she used to push all such tasks onto Kamiyā Yuu. But ever since he fell ill, her thinking had gradually become conflicted. On one hand, she still left these matters to him; on the other, she wanted to share some of the burden.
Kamiyā Yuu paused for a moment. The current Kamiyā Sora was much more assertive than before. In the past, at most, she would show a trace of concern in her expression—so subtle that others wouldn't notice—but she had never expressed anything through words or actions.
"Sorry, I'll be more careful next time." He smiled gently and carried the heavy bags inside.
While he sorted out the kitchenware and prepared to cook, Kamiyā Sora carefully organized the ingredients and snacks he brought back, placing them into the refrigerator. After glancing back at Kamiyā Yuu, busy in the kitchen, she took out a carton of milk and walked in.
"Yuu, want some?"
"Mm, thanks." Only when she handed him the milk did Kamiyā Yuu realize how parched his throat was. His mind had been entirely focused on finishing the chores quickly so he could test his idea. If it worked, he would truly gain a foothold in this world, and he would have endless time to explore fields of knowledge beyond ordinary reach.
He gulped down several mouthfuls of the cold, smooth milk. The fresh aroma and pure taste dispelled the heat in his body. After returning the carton to Kamiyā Sora, he casually ruffled her hair and said warmly, "Just wait a bit longer—dinner will be ready soon."
"Mm."
Holding the milk carton in her slender hands, Kamiyā Sora wasn't used to his touch, yet she didn't resist. She responded softly and was about to return the milk to the fridge. After shaking the carton and noticing there wasn't much left, she simply poured the rest into a cup, then took a few snacks from the storage cabinet and sat in the living room, waiting for dinner.
"Sora, if you don't have anything else to do, could you take a bath first? I want to go to bed early tonight." Kamiyā Yuu's voice came from the kitchen. If she finished bathing sooner, he could quickly wash his clothes and enter the consciousness space to study drawing techniques.
Kamiyā Sora frowned slightly but didn't answer. Still, she followed his suggestion and went to get her white gothic-style nightgown and fresh underwear. She could sense his unusually excited mood, though she didn't know why.
After dinner, Kamiyā Yuu hurried to the bathroom to wash away the day's fatigue. As he rinsed himself, he studied the body reflected in the mirror—both unfamiliar and familiar. While not on the level of Fujiwara Tora, the "Fierce Tiger," it was still far better than that of an average office worker. Faint muscle lines were visible on his abdomen. The main reason he had been hospitalized probably wasn't overwork, but the effects of Su Yang's transmigration and memory fusion. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but since the transmigration, he felt this body had become more energetic.
"Not bad, not bad! Looks like I should set up a training plan—at least an hour of exercise every day." Kamiyā Yuu nodded in satisfaction. He pulled back the curtain of the bathtub, revealing warm water, faintly steaming, with white foam floating on the surface.
It was worth mentioning the Japanese bathing habit—if baths were taken within a short interval, the same hot water could be shared among family members. This saved water and avoided the trouble of refilling the tub.
"My body and mind have already gotten used to it—what am I hesitating for?" Kamiyā Yuu mocked himself softly. He stepped into the bathtub, submerging his entire body in the warm water. The gentle pressure and the warmth seeping into his bones melted away all his fatigue. A faint fragrance rose from the foam, drifting into his nose and relaxing his mind.
"Haah~!"
He let out a lazy yawn. At this moment, he was no longer thinking about his exciting plan, but about the two photos in his room—one with his parents, and one with Sora. Submerging his mouth in the water, he muttered, "We don't look alike at all… logically, there's no way we're biologically related, right?"
From those two photos, he couldn't find any resemblance to his parents. His mother, Kamiyā Kaoru, had the same silver hair as Kamiyā Sora, with the appearance of a refined lady detached from worldly affairs—comparable to someone like Uehara Etsuki, a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko.
His father, Su Yang, also had black hair like Kamiyā Yuu, but his looks would easily qualify him as a handsome man even in this world.
His younger sister Kamiyā Sora was stunningly beautiful, while Kamiyā Yuu himself had a neat and delicate appearance—definitely considered handsome in his previous world. In this world, though, if you grabbed ten random men from the street, at least eight would be at a similar level.
Having seen plenty of cliché dramas, his first thought was that he and Sora couldn't possibly be real siblings. Unfortunately, among his parents' belongings, he couldn't find any information about his origins.
"Usually there'd be something like a ring or a handwritten letter as proof, right? Otherwise, how would the reunion plot get triggered? After siblings go through countless hardships to fall in love, a mysterious woman appears and says, 'I'm your mother!'—a perfect happy ending." Kamiyā Yuu complained inwardly. Since there was no clue about his identity, he didn't bother with DNA testing either.
DNA verification would take months. If he really wanted to investigate his background, that time would be more than enough to uncover the truth multiple times over.
As for what outcome he hoped for—of course, that they weren't biologically related. That way, he could rightfully pursue his "real" little sister. He didn't want the "German Orthopedics" route, but he did want a capable little sister. A siscon's love came in many forms: like a certain demon king who could change the world for his sister, like the twin romance in 'Yosuga no Sora', or the instinctive pursuit in 'Koizora'. Kamiyā Yuu shamelessly admitted that his feelings for Kamiyā Sora included a man's primal instincts. However, due to long-term coexistence and the belief of blood relation, those instincts had been greatly suppressed. If Sora truly were his biological sister, he would likely be at a loss, wavering at the edge of morality. If not, then it would be a perfect ending.
"Pah, pah, pah—those examples are all real siblings. Life really should have less cliché and more sincerity."