On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

I wiped sweat from my brow as I looked out across the rundown main street of Nishimorioka. Wow, so hot, just sooooooooo hot. It’s even hotter than last year, global warming, I guess?

Sipping on the lukewarm mixed fruit juice from the glass that was sitting on the white-washed wooden table I was sitting at I sighed in pleasure. Fruity. Wow, nothing beats a sweet drink on a hot day. The drink and the shade from the multi-coloured parasol that was offering some cover was all that was making the summer heat bearable. Beside me sat my best friend, Eri-chan, also basking in the shadows outside of the one café in our backwater town. She had barely touched her juice though, and was fiddling with the blue smartphone she had been very surprised to receive in the post recently. Her and me both. I was immensely surprised to receive such an expensive gift from my brother, to say nothing of Eri-chan getting one too.

Finding myself grinning I pulled out my own phone, a brand-new model, a flame red the same colour as my favourite bow. Wow, big bro must be doing really well for himself nowadays…

While I had thanked him for the gift by calling him the day I got it, and sent him plenty of messages since, he didn’t always reply quickly. Which won’t make him popular with girls. No way I can let him get snared by a gold-digger if he is raking in the cash now. Yeah, wow, no way in hell.

Deciding to send him another message warning him about bad girls I began to type away on the touchscreen, marvelling at how smooth and responsive it was. Not like the old-fashioned heap of junk I had before. Finishing quickly I took another long slurp of my juice. As I did so Eri-chan looked up at me and flushed shyly. Wow, such a cutie as always. My brother needs to snap her up before someone else does… still, there are obstacles…

“Still enjoying having a phone that can actually do stuff, eh Eri-chan?” I gently teased her.

“Well yes…” she agreed. “… though I can’t help but feel guilty. I shouldn’t be taking such expensive presents. It isn’t right…”

Wow, here’s the obstacle. She is soooooooo not honest, if she wasn’t my best friend it’d be really annoying. “I don’t see why. Isn’t it a guy’s duty to be nice to their childhood friend? Besides… it isn’t like you don’t like him, so what’s the harm? In fact…” I paused for effect. “… How about the day of the festival. It strikes me as the perfect night to confess. Wow, it’d be just perfect, yukata’s, lanterns, food stalls and fireworks. Can it get more romantic than that? Just take him somewhere quiet, watch the fireworks and tell him how you feel. You’ll be dating by the end of the night!”

“It isn’t like that. Akio-kun and I…” Eri-chan began her usual denials, so I stopped listening. Wow, same as ever. But time is running out for honesty… I finished my drink and waved to the old waitress inside, signalling I wanted another mixed juice. Seeing Eri-chan had trailed off, red as a ripe tomato, I looked at her seriously.

“All right, if you don’t feel that way then that’s it, my poor big bro loses out. But even so he wouldn’t begrudge you his gifts. Speaking of…” there was something else unusual. Apparently, big bro had asked our mother to sort out a passport for me, and keep next weekend free. What else could it be, but an overseas trip? Wow, that’s totally exciting. I wonder where he’ll take me…

“… you got your passport, right?”

“I did, yes.” Eri-chan said timidly, hurriedly taking a gulp of her own juice as the waitress brought out two more for us. After thanking her she continued. “It came yesterday. But are you sure you should be asking Akio-kun if I can go? It’s probably a family thing…”

Akio-kun, Akio-kun. Wow, annoying. She should definitely go back to calling him big brother like she used to. Keeping the annoyance (well, hopefully, anyway!) off my face I nodded. “He won’t mind. As far as I can tell our parents aren’t going, so it’d just be me and him…” Unless he brings a girlfriend back. Wow yeah, like that’ll happen. Though maybe if he did it might motivate Eri-chan a little… “I’m sure he’d be delighted to go with you as well. Wow, he’d better be, as I’m not giving him the choice. If he’s making money he can spend some on us! Two beautiful flowers on each arm, I wonder if we’ll be going somewhere with a beach? I bet he’d love us in our swimsuits. Wow I bet that’s it, he wants to ogle his cute little sister in her skimpy bikini.”

Eri-chan burst out laughing. “Oh, Aiko-chan, you should be careful teasing him or he’ll get mad.”

That’s a better mood. “Pfft, big bro moonstone wouldn’t dare fall out with me, we both know he’s a massive siscon. That’s why I need to get him a girlfriend so it’s safe for me! But the best candidate is such a wimp she won’t even be honest with herself… But seriously, he probably didn’t ask you as he was thinking some stupid big bro moonstone stuff like ‘Oh, I can’t take a single young girl away with me, how improper, she wouldn’t want that’ or some other stupid crap. This is why he’s no good with girls…”

“Can we please change the subject?” Eri-chan took another swig of her juice to hide her embarrassment again. As I was about to retort two girls sat down at the table next to us. Oh, you pair.

It was Yae-san and Rika-san, both of them dressed flashily as ever, in revealing t-shirts and short skirts. Tch, show-offs…

Seeing us sitting together, our new phones on the table, Yae-san grinned. “Still playing with your phones, eh? Man, I wish my brother was as nice to me as yours was. Still, you are the perfect sibling duo, a siscon to match a brocon. Match made in heaven, am I right?” she nudged her friend Rika-san, who was smirking at us beside her.

Wow, annoying much? “I’m not a brocon… I keep telling you that. My bro has always looked out for us, so why wouldn’t I respect him? And he isn’t a siscon, we all know he’ll end up with Eri-chan.”

“Is little Ri-Ri going to confess finally then? That’ll break the hearts of all the boys for miles around.” Yae-san grinned. “Tomorrow’s the day he arrives back in town, right? Well, take some advice from me, the festival is the place to confess. He’ll get swept up in the moment.”

“Is that how you did it?” Rika-san teased her, getting a grimace from Yae-san in return.

“Well, I’ll be honest, my boyfriend is a bit of a let-down. I’m in the market for someone better… maybe I’ll make a move on Akio-kun if you don’t, little Ri-Ri!”

Wow, hell no! My brother was not going to go out with a girl like her, I would not allow it as his sister, and what I say goes. Before I could speak Eri-chan glared at Yae-san, uncharacteristically bold. “I don’t think you are good fit for big bro… Akio-kun.” She said firmly, blushing as they started at her in response.

“Oh god Ri-Ri…” Rika-san burst out laughing while slapping Yae-san on the shoulder. “You sure put Yae in her place. Seriously though, you gonna do it? It’d liven up the festival for sure if you asked Akio-kun out. We’d have stuff to talk about for weeks…”

Eri-chan merely smiled a little defensively. I knew it, she’s way too shy to deal with this pair. Before I could come to her aid another voice sounded behind us. “Excuse me, seniors. Did you say Akio-kun? Would you be talking about Oshiro Moonstone Akio-san?”

Who is this bothering us now? I turned around to give the interloper a piece of my mind, only to stop, blinking in confusion. Wow? Behind us was a young girl, probably elementary school in age, wearing traditional shrine maiden garb, all white and red. She was waiting expectantly for an answer, her brownish hair hanging in cute pigtails tied with red and white ribbon, her big eyes looking at me earnestly.

Wow, cute. I think I’ve seen her around, she’s the granddaughter of the shrine, I think. But how does she know my bro? She’s way too young to have hung out with him before…

“Oh damn, Ai-chan, your brother isn’t just a siscon, he’s a pervert lolicon too. Who knew!” Yae-san cackled uncontrollably.

“He is not!” Eri-chan snapped. “He likes normal girls, you shut up!”

“Ooooh, Ri-Ri’s getting all bold…” Rika-san teased, only annoying Eri-chan more. I guess when it comes to my brother she can stand up for herself at times… if only she could talk to him like this…

“Hey, let’s ignore the peanut gallery. So, err…” Damn, I don’t know her name…

“Oh, my apologies senior.” The polite young girl bowed. “I am Takeyabashi Marika. I am sorry for interrupting you.”

“That’s no problem, don’t give it another thought. You can call me Aiko, I don’t mind.” I waved away the polite girl’s apologies. “Anyway, so what can I do for you? Do you know my big bro?”

“No, I have not yet had the privilege of meeting your honourable brother, Aiko-sama. But if I could ask you to advise him to attend our shrine at his earliest convenience when he arrives in town. I would be ever so grateful.” She bowed again.

Wow, Aiko-sama. That makes my skin itch. Toooooooo formal. Anyway, more importantly… “Sure I can do that, but what does the shrine want with my brother? I don’t get it.”

“I am afraid I cannot say.” she apologised, looking down. “If I could beg your consideration this time it would be appreciated.”

Wow, I just want to poke her cheeks, she’s adorable. “I guess that’s fair. Though I am super curious now…” making up my mind, I smiled. “But if you can’t say you can’t say. My big bro can’t keep secrets from me or Eri-chan so I’ll just ask him. Anyway, you look hot in that get-up. Why not have a drink here with us. my treat.” My purse was light, but since my bro seemed to have hit it big I’d get him to give me some pocket money to refill it.

“Hey, us too?” Yae-san interjected, having finished an argument with the annoyed-looking Eri-chan.

Cheeky much? “Bah, what the hell. It is summer break. Yes, you two as well. But I want you to treat me at the festival, all right?”

“Sure thing, just so long as you make sure we can hang out with you and your brother.”

As I ordered some more drinks, making sure to ignore the attempts to decline from Takeyabashi-chan, I found myself really looking forward to tomorrow and the next weekend. Wow, this summer is going to be hot in more ways than one…