A gentle hum filled the air as the scent of sizzling eggs and freshly brewed coffee drifted through the cozy kitchen. The soft clatter of utensils and the bubbling of something simmering on the stove blended with the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the kitchen, illuminating the neat countertops and the wooden dining table where Olivia Tatsuya sat, scrolling through her phone.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfcBqUmx2T
One leg propped up on the chair, the other on the ground as she taps her foot against the floor, she lazily took a bite of toast, her expression relaxed as if she had all the time in the world. She glanced at the time on her phone before smirking.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKOUL1sSEp
“Hey, Mom,” she said, stretching out her arms with a yawn. “Bet you anything that Kai’Kai is still knocked out, drooling all over his pillow.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLfmmCcJ8Z
Their mother, busy at the stove flipping an omelet, sighed as she glanced at the clock. “That boy’s still asleep?”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX3g7WTsy1
“Yup.” Olivia barely looked up from her screen. “That kid’s a professional sleeper. If there were an award for best at ignoring alarms, he’d win by a landslide.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4wm8oOyWf
Their mother shook her head, wiping her hands on a dish towel before peeking into the hallway. “Kaida, sweetheart! Time to get up! You’ll be late!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3JdoyCAdl
Silence.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDpmdecFBJ
Olivia chuckled under her breath. “Mom, do you really think calling him is gonna do anything? That boy could sleep through a tornado.” She set her phone down and stood, rolling her shoulders. “Watch and learn. I got this.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQJBZEsTD6
“Olivia, dear, I don’t think that’s—”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUwdwnaX2h
Before their mother could finish, Olivia was already marching down the hallway with purpose.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8QIybQUkt
Kaida Tatsuya was completely and utterly dead to the world.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmzpyoCF7L
Sprawled out across his bed, limbs tangled in his blanket, he snored softly, lost in whatever dreamland he had wandered into. His light brown hair was messy, sticking to his forehead, his face turned slightly into his pillow. The room was still, peaceful—until the door slammed open.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXBR9QkKqM
Olivia stood at the threshold, hands on her hips, surveying her sleeping brother like a hunter sizing up its prey. She took a step forward, then another, her smirk widening.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iKTuOB8hK
“Aww… how cute,” she mused, watching him sleep.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKAhdqJNac
Then, without hesitation—
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0XIa6KD7f
She leaped into the air and body-slammed directly onto him.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLziJig6RwD
“GOOD MORNING, LAZY BONES!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGmc5hiuTF
“AUGH!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnvHYFX37s
Kaida’s peaceful morning came to a painful and abrupt end. A loud oof escaped him as Olivia knocked the air from his lungs, his limbs flailing as he struggled to comprehend what just happened.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwA22ccruAq
“Wh—What the hell?!” he coughed, squirming under her weight.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhI3G02drco
Olivia grinned, resting her elbow on his back. “You weren’t waking up, so I figured a little encouragement was needed.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi9mugzSeJ
Kaida groaned, his face smushed into the mattress. “Get off me! You’re crushing me!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOn6xejU08
Olivia feigned offense, gasping dramatically. “Are you implying that your lovely, kind-hearted sister is heavy?”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gRB6l0A0k
“Implying? No. Stating? Absolutely.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqThWt3C5I2
A dark aura seemed to form around Olivia as she cracked her knuckles. “Oh, you little—”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk81WiOuzDO
Before Kaida could react, she had him in a headlock, gripping him tightly.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GBHoOxTAf
“Say it again, Kaida. I dare you.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULyefzkMCD
Kaida flailed, tapping out like a wrestler in defeat. “A-Alright, alright! I take it back!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZqTXto7Dp
Their mother’s sharp voice rang through the house.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l3o2eG74j
“KAIDA! OLIVIA! If you don’t stop roughhousing this instant, so help me—”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJW88Qjb7in
Immediately, the two froze before hastily separating.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pmT2Xaayx
“S-Sorry, Mom!” Olivia called out.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk6iHQSAgr
“Y-Yeah, sorry…” Kaida mumbled, rubbing his sore neck.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRl1Zz2wSy
Olivia grinned, ruffling his already messy hair before hopping off the bed. “C’mon, hurry up before Mom loses it.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFyHJRro7i
Kaida shot her a half-hearted glare before dragging himself toward the bathroom.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ379xUhXXxw
By the time Kaida finally made it to the dining room, freshly showered and dressed in his school uniform, Olivia was already back in her seat, scrolling through her phone as if nothing had happened.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhTlrTgUxj
She glanced up at him and smirked. “Oh, you’re finally awake? Good morning, Kai’Kai.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17BexGAe9z
Kaida narrowed his eyes at the nickname but chose to ignore it as he sat down at the table.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlii7drYj2l
“You’re annoying.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTfdfKnbT2
“And you’re dramatic.” Olivia shot back.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhw3QEtUnCO
Their mother placed a plate of food in front of him, shaking her head. “You two are always at each other’s throats.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHHiNCq78M
Kaida huffed, taking a bite of his eggs. “She started it.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfYTnSaemW
Olivia grinned. “And I’ll finish it.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdKgJCT7J9
Their mother sighed, placing her hands on her hips. “You two will miss each other when you grow up, you know.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPspfLkBbRO
Kaida and Olivia shared a glance.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVL6lC7U8k
“Doubt it.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XLfkJ37Ka
“Not a chance.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEyhJwCjbl
Their mother just chuckled, shaking her head.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjEHyVd0bx
After finishing breakfast, Kaida and Olivia grabbed their bags and headed for the door.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTOcQkMvGj
“Alright, Mom, we’re off,” Olivia called over her shoulder.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I9l9RcGzh
“Have a good day, you two! And don’t get into trouble!”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNfNJo5B9C
“No promises,” Olivia said with a grin.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAHsAfUCZy
Kaida snorted as they stepped outside.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4QF5r7jFE
The morning air was crisp, a slight breeze rustling the trees as students filled the streets, all heading toward the same destination.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAHSisZBEX
As they walked, Olivia glanced at Kaida from the corner of her eye.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNlLQPllXC
“Seriously, though. You should start thinking about what you wanna do after school.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1iTYd8J6Q
Kaida groaned. “Not this again.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5z5ytEq7uX
“I’m serious. If you don’t plan something, you’ll end up working at Dad’s shop.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCU8RwywOGY
Kaida shuddered. “God, no.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzv5KdyZSe
“Then start thinking.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWpU8nMqw1
Kaida sighed, staring up at the sky. “I don’t know, Liv. I guess I wanna do something exciting. Something that actually matters.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEt7SyHEogo
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Exciting, huh? Like what?”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrc3ErFaZLj
Kaida thought for a moment before shrugging. “I dunno. Maybe something heroic. Like a firefighter, or maybe join the police force. Hell, maybe even the military. Something where I get to actually make a difference.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpmLvFjIfj
Olivia looked at him for a moment before a small smirk formed on her lips. “Heroic, huh?”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWmgwb54s6
She reached over and ruffled his hair.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mCvQvDXGM
“You’re a good kid, Kai’Kai.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqjpDIYPJv
Kaida swatted her hand away, but he couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at his lips.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAM4GRgnS5
“If you follow your heart, maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDd14LJYU09
As they reached the school gates, Olivia stretched. “Welp, this is where we part ways. Try not to embarrass yourself.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHaKmeZVR8
Kaida smirked. “Maybe you should focus on not embarrassing me.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YVsBsH9SZ
Olivia grinned, ruffling his hair one last time. “Where’s the fun in that? Later, Kai’Kai.”
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbWVFRKW2G
Kaida watched Olivia disappear into the crowd before turning toward the main entrance of the school. He barely had time to scan the area before a familiar voice called out.
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVq8XVRyL6
“Yo! Kaida! Over here!”
and then Add to home screen.