Childhood Part VI – Little Moments – Start
"Ahhh!" Komaru stretches herself as the gently breeze of the beach in the morning hits her body. "That's the stuff!" She throws her arms towards the sky.
"What are you doing?" Makoto asks standing just behind the girl, with his hands on the pocket of his favorite hoodie.
"Stretching!" She brings her arms down and smiles. "You should do it too!" Turning around, Komaru grabs her brother's hand.
But just soon as their fingers interlock, she lets go of it, her cheeks turning bright red.
"Komaru?" Makoto asks worried.
Turning her head to the side, the girl replies. "I-it's n-nothing." She looks down at her hand. ' Why am I feeling like this?' Before Makoto can say anything, the girl turns back to him and changes the subject. "Anyways! Why are you dressed like that?" She asks looking him up and down.
The boy was wearing green boxers and his favorite hoodie.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" He asks looking down at himself, not seeing any problem.
Komaru rolls her eyes. "You're just wearing your swimming boxers with a hoodie!" She points at him.
Makoto scratches the back of his head. "There's something wrong with that?" He would never understand what Komaru had against his hoodies. "We're at the beach! I don't think it's that bad." Looking down at himself, he does a little twirl.
Still, once he actually paid attention to what she was wearing, he did start feeling a bit out dressed.
Komaru was wearing the sundress that Chiaki's father gave her, together with a straw hat and dark green sandals.
Makoto couldn't deny that she looked really adorable like that.
And for more that the brunette girl criticized him, she did in fact thought that he looked cute with his little getup.
Not that she was ever going to admit that! He needed to stop just wearing hoodies!
Both blush, as a silence falls between them. "So…" Makoto shakes his head and smiles, trying to fight the blush on his cheeks. "Where do you want to go?"
Komaru just looks to the sky. "Honestly?" Looking back at her older brother, she smiles softly. "Anywhere, as long as we are together."
Blushing even more at her beautiful smile, Makoto gives her one of his own. "Well, let's go then."
"I wonder what those two are up to?" Higashi says as he slurps on a bottle of cold panta.
"Honestly! Leaving Chiaki-chan behind."Honoka replies looking at the girl by her side.
Said girl is just playing on her handheld while sitting on the beach chair. "I don't mind." She pauses her game and looks at the two adults with a understanding smile. "I get that Komaru-chan wants to spend some alone time with her brother… I think." Suddenly, she remembers the events of yesterday and her cheeks turn red.
"I guess she does." Daisuke laughed, before drinking some more of his panta.
Honoka on the other side, simply nods. 'Komaru's always been pretty close to Makoto after all.' Still, the older woman couldn't help but feel like the little girl's attachment to her brother was a bit much.
Shaking her head, Honoka turns to her husband and the two start talking in between themselves.
Chiaki looked up to the blue sky and brought a hand to her chest, smiling warmly.
She didn't know what those warm feelings on her chest are, but she did like them.
Quite a lot in fact.
After some walking around and playing on the water, the Naegi siblings are now walking towards the bench where they sat the day before.
Sitting down, the two siblings watch the sea, while not as pretty during the day, it was still a nice view none the last.
"What do you want to do now Komaru?" The brunette boy asks, after some seconds of not getting a answer, he turns his head for face his sister.
Komaru is completely lost in thought as she watches the waves slowly hit the sand on the beach below.
In her head, only one thought surfaces.
Just like Kaa-san and Tou-san.
Her cheeks get red and her heart beats faster.
Just like a date.
"Komaru?"
Snapping back to reality, the girl shakes her head and replies. "Huh?"
Makoto sighs. "I was asking where do you want to go n-" His question is interrupted by a growling sound. "What's that?"
Putting a hand over her stomach, the younger Naegi blushes. "Hehehe." She laughs embarrassed. "I'm a tiny bit hungry."
The brunette boy narrows his eyes. "Seriously?" He then cracks a smile. "We ate breakfast just now!"
Komaru pouts and turns her head. "I'm a growing lady!" She then huffs, while crossing her arms. "I need to eat, so I can grow strong and beautiful!" Her stomach growls loudly again.
The older boy sighs. "Good thing Otou-san gave us some money before we got out." Makoto looks around. "Do you want some-" His eyes land on a takoyaki stand. "-takoyaki?"
Turning her head back to face him, she nods with sparks in her eyes. "I love takoyaki!"
The boy laughs. "Of course you do. What food doesn't you like?" The brunette girl opens her mouth to protest, but soon close it again. "Told ya." He smiles before getting up. "Let's get some then." He extends his hand.
Blushing slightly at the gesture, Komaru nods and grabs his hand, getting up.
"Excuse me?" Makoto calls as the two approach the stand.
A old lady turns around, smiling just as she sees them.
"Oh, welcome, welcome." She welcomes kindly the two. "What will it be?"
"Two servings of takoyaki please." He orders.
"Only two?" Komaru looks at her older brother.
"Yeah, I don't want to waste all of our money." Makoto turns to his sister, only to see her doing puppy dog eyes. "Come on Komaru! You know that's cheating!"
"Please!" She continues, clasping her hands in front of her. "Just one more serving!" She squints her eyes. "PLEAAAASE?"
Rubbing his forehead, Makoto sighs. "Fine, but only this time!" He turns around and whispers. "Stupid puppy dog eyes."
The old lady let's out a low laugh. "So, it will be three servings?" The brunette boy nods. "Right in!" She laughs before starting to prepare the takoyaki.
Not too long after that exchange, the old lady handles them their food. "Wow, it looks delicious!" Komaru says, as she starts comically drooling.
"At least wait until we sit down Komaru!" Makoto says while shaking his head.
"Ah, to be young and in love." The old woman comments, making both of the siblings turn their heads surprised. "You two look like such a cute couple!"
Both of them blush as Makoto waves his free hand. "N-No we are actuall-"
"WATCH OUT!" A small boy yells, making Makoto turn around just in time for something to hit him square in the forehead.
"NII-CHAN!" Komaru's yell is the last thing he hears before the world gets dark and his consciousness fades away.
Darn that luck of his.
"Nii-chan…" a low voice calls.
"Nii-chan…" the voice gets slightly more loud.
"NII-CHAN!"
Opening his eyes, Makoto sees the face of his sister looking down at him. "Komaru?"
"Nii-chan!" She smiles happily. "You finally woke up!"
Makoto blinks. "Woke up?" He turns his gaze towards the sea. "What happened?"
"Well-" Komaru scratches the back of her head, before explaining what happened.
A stray volleyball hit a panta bottle that was launched high into the air, that bottle then hit a pelican, the pelican dropped a fish close to a small boy that was making a sand castle, getting spooked by the sudden fish falling from the sky, the boy threw his sand bucket away, which in turn, hit Makoto straight in the head, knocking him out immediately.
"-and that's it." Komaru finishes explaining as she caresses Makoto's hair. "Fumi-san helped me carry you to the bench."
The boy closes his eyes. "I see…" He then sighs and laughs. "Just my luck I guess." Sighing, he arches a eyebrow. "Who's Fumi-san anyways?"
"The old lady from the takoyaki stand." The brunette girl replies, gently caressing his hair.
It felt really nice to have his head in Komaru's lap as she caressed his hair.
'Wait, Komaru's lap?'
The older sibling just now, notices how they are sitting.
Makoto is laying down at the bench with his head in Komaru's lap.
A blush forms on the boy's cheek, but he can't bring himself to get up.
' It's nice.' He thinks, closing his eyes again.
Komaru blushed. ' Just like a…' she gulps as a small smile forms on her face. ' Couple…'
"You youngsters sure are adorable." The voice of the older woman brings them both back to reality.
"Fumi-san!" The younger Naegi says as she gets up abruptly, making her older brother fell from the bench. "Nii-chan!" She puts a hand over her mouth.
"I-I'm okay!" Makoto groans, quickly getting up. "S-Sorry, but we aren't a couple." Blushing, the boy waves his arms. "We're actually siblings."
The old lady blinks, before chuckling to herself. "Oh, I see." She smiles warmly. "My mistake."
"I-it's okay!" Makoto stops moving his hands and smiles gratefully to the woman. "Thanks for helping carry me."
"It was nothing sweetie." Approaching him, she handles the boy another box of takoyaki. "Here, seeing that your girlfrie- I mean, sister eat all of those you bought, vou can have these."
Now that she mentions, Makoto looks to the side of the bench and there they are.
Three empty boxes of takoyaki.
Slowly turning his head towards his sister, Komaru laughs awkwardly. "I'm a growing lady, remember?"
Sighing, the boy pushes the box back towards the old lady. "Sorry Fumi-san, but I don't have any more money right now."
The old lady, chuckles once again. "Don't worry about it, after that weird incident, you can take those on the house."
"Really?" The boy asks and she nods. "Thanks!"
After saying their goodbyes to Fumi, the two siblings start walking back towards the hotel.
The brunette boy eats a takoyaki and asks. "For how much time I was out?"
Komaru look down towards her feet. "Half-an-hour, I think."
He almost chokes. "Half-an-hour!?" The brunette girl nods. "Darnit." Makoto says.
A silence falls as the two walk back towards the hotel, the sound of the breeze being the only thing the two sibling are hearing right now.
Komaru looks at her brother, a idea popping into her head. "Nii-chan?" She calls, making the boy turn towards her.
"Yesh?" Makoto asks, with his mouth full of takoyaki.
"Can I-" She blushes. "-hold your hand?"
The brunette boy blinks, before nodding with his cheeks bright red. "Y-Yeah!" He smiles, making her heart melt. "Of course."
Komaru gets closer to him and wraps her fingers around his.
Hers feeling so small compared to his.
The two walk in silence once again, but this time, even if they didn't notice, a smile creeps onto their faces.
Both couldn't deny how nice each others fingers felt together with their own.
The rest of summer break passed like a breeze and soon it was time to go back to their homes.
At the girls room, Komaru sighs as she puts her bikini back onto the bag. "Do we really have to go back?" The brunette asks and her mom sighs.
"Of course Komaru-chan." Honoka turns to her daughter. "Summer break just ended."
Komaru skips closer to the older woman and clasps her hands together, making her best puppy dog eyes, she asks. "Can we like-" She blinks rapidly. "-go back next week?"
Honoka smirks, that trick might work on her husband and son, but not on her. "And lose a entire week of school?" She puts a finger on Komaru's head and gently pushes her back. "Nuh uh, little lady."
"C'mon!" Breaking out of her puppy dog face, the brunette girl pouts. "It's not that big of a deal!"
"Yes, it is." Honoka turns back and starts folding the last of clothes. "And no more buts sweetie." She looks to Chiaki, that just finished packing away her handhelds. "Chiaki-chan? Could you please check on the boys for me?"
The mauve-haire girl nods. "Yes, Honoka-san." She then walks out of the room, leaving only mother and daughter.
As she continues to, very badly, folds her clothes, a question pops onto Komaru's head.
"Kaa-san?" The woman hums a 'yes' without looking back at the little girl. "How does it feel to be in love?"
Honoka almost let's the clothes on her hands fall to the floor. "W-What?" She turns to face the young brunette. "Why do you want to know that?"
Komaru looks down at her feet. "I dunno." She shrugs. "I just got curious, I guess."
The older brunette eyes her daughter suspiciously. "Komaru."
"Y-Yes, Kaa-san?" She looks up to her mother with a little bit of fear, It was quite rare whatever her mother didn't call her 'Komaru-chan'.
"You're too young to be thinking of that." The older woman says as she sighs and crosses her arms. "But if you're really just curious." She smiles warmly. "Guess I can tell you." Honoka turns around again and goes back to folding the clothes. "How can I explain this?" She asks herself as Komaru also goes back to work on her clothes. "It's like you're in the clouds you know?" The brunette woman smiles as she pushes a hair behind her ear. "The fluffiest most amazing clouds you can think of." She stops working on the clothes. "You feel like you want to hold that person close and never let go-" As she thinks of Daisuke, she sighs contentedly. "-and even the smallest touch makes your entire body feel warm, like you'll have just being wrapped in the warmest of blankets!"
Komaru stops for a second and looks at her hands. 'Warm… huh?' She closes her eyes and remembers the feeling of her brother's fingers wrapped around hers. "And?" Looking at her mother, she asks.
"It's quite hard to explain." Honoka smiles to her daughter before closing her eyes. "It just feels right to be with that person." She opens her eyes. "It's not something that easy to understand just by me saying it." The brunette walks towards Komaru and pat her head. "One day you'll understand." She then smirks. "Hopefully after at least 16." Honoka laughs.
Komaru laughs too, even if the words fly right past her head at the moment.
'How would Kaa-san react if I told her that I'm already in love?' The younger brunette thinks as she remembers the events of her little 'date'.
Chiaki stopped just outside of the boy's room
She was about to knock on the door, when Makoto's voice gets her attention.
'How does it feel to be in love?' She heard the boy ask, her heart suddenly starting beating faster.
Leaning closer to the door, she closes her eyes and concentrates on the voices inside.
'Oh, that is quite the sudden question, young man!' Daisuke replies with a chuckle. 'Feeling a little lovesick?'
Makoto quickly replies, and even though she is not seeing him, Chiaki is certain that he is waving his arms. 'W-Wha!? Of c-course not!'
'Hahaha!' Daisuke laughs for a whole minute before, probably, smiling. 'How does it feel to be in love?' He whispers to himself. 'It feels like no one else in the world matters outside of that person you like.' He explains as Chiaki hears the cracks of the bed. 'Like a world without colors suddenly lights up.' He sighs contentedly. 'It's quite hard to explain.' The man, probably, looks at Makoto. 'It just feels right to be with that person.' He finishes.
There's a small silence before Makoto replies. 'I-I see.' Then silence again.
Until Daisuke asks. 'Is it any girl from your class?'
'W-Wha!? O-Otou-san!' The brunette boy shouts embarrassed as his father laughs.
'Or maybe Chiaki-chan?'
The mauve-haired girl's cheeks get red as she gulps. ' Makoto-kun… in love with me?'
Inside of the room, Makoto look at his father and shakes his head. "Otou-san!" The man laughs and the brunette sighs. ' Although…' he turns around and goes back to folding his clothes. ' it just feels right…' he repeated his father's words as a memory of looking at the sea together with Komaru and Chiaki passed flashed on his mind. "A-anyways! Shouldn't we go see if Okaa-san and the girls have finished?"
Daisuke gets up from the bed and smiles. "Yes, we should."
That was Chiaki's cue. "Excuse me!" She yells while knocking on the door. "Honoka-san wanted to know if you boys had finished packing everything… I think!"
"Oh, Chiaki-chan!" Daisuke opens the door. "Right on time, we just finished here." He flashes her a smile.
The girl nods, before trading gazes with the brunette boy in the room. "T-Then I'll be going." Blushing, she turns around and runs back.
Looking back inside the room, the black-haired man smirks seeing his son also blushing. "Way to go tiger!" Daisuke jokes and Makoto throws a pillow towards him.
"Otou-san!"
"Annnnnnd done!" Daisuke announces as he puts the last bag onto the trunk of the car. "Now we can go." He turns to the others with a smile.
Nodding, everyone enters the car.
As they sit and put their seatbelts, Komaru gets closer to Makoto and hugs his arm.
"K-Komaru?" He whispers, trying to hold back a blush. "W-What are you doing?"
The brunette girl smiles. "I'm a bit tired, so I'll sleep a bit okay?" She asks and doesn't wait for a answer before resting her head on his shoulder. ' It just feels right to be with that person. ' The words of her mother ring on her ears.
Makoto sighs, although he has a small smile on his face. ' It just feels right to be with that person. ' The words of his father ring on his ears.
Not too long after the trip starts, Chiaki grabs onto his hand. "Hope you don't mind?" She asks with a faint blush.
Makoto nods with smile.
Soon, all three of them are asleep. Komaru with her head on his shoulder and Chiaki holding onto his hand.
Seeing Chiaki holding onto his son's hand, Daisuke can't help but smile.
Honoka on the other hand focused on Komaru's smiling face as she sleeps on her big brother's shoulder. ' Could it be?' The brunette woman shakes her head. ' No.' She looks outside the window. ' At least…' She looks back at the siblings and gulps. ' I hope that it isn't.'
After dropping Chiaki back at her parents home, the Naegis finally come home.
Even though they slept throughout the entire trip back, the siblings excused themselves as soon as they stepped home, each going to their rooms to sleep.
Sitting down at their kitchen table, Honoka sighs, her mind keeps going back to her talk with Komaru.
"Something wrong honey?" Daisuke slides a cup of tea in front of his wife, surprising her. "You've been quiet the entire way back."
"Thanks dear." She grabs the cup and sips a bit of it, she then smiles. "It's delicious." Putting the teacup down, her smile weakens. "It's nothing, I guess I'm just tired from the trip."
Daisuke lifts a eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Honoka drinks some more tea and contemplates, before smiling a more genuine smile. "Yes, I'm sure." She then closes her eyes. "I was just imagining things."
You know, love doesn't need to always be bombastic.
It can sometimes just be the small things, those little moments that we share with each other.
Those moments are when, in my personal opinion, true love is born.
Childhood Part VI – Little Moments – End
Boy that got sappy didn't it?
Now that the beach episodes are over, we are finally entering the last part of the childhood arc.
Mystery V3 girl arc.
As for the genderbent characters, I'll just say for y'all to wait and see. The only one I'm going to confirm right now is Chihiro.
Anyways, see you all around!