Sirin was ecstatic.
A year and a half had passed since the cold winter blizzard that had taken the lives of her parents and left her brother with an injury on his head.
Although, naturally, her brother looked as gorgeous as ever.
She’d gone into the nearby town, sneaking out during the first few nights after his injury while he slept, and visited the local medicine woman.
As she sat there, robed in the large, overgrown coat of her brother, she described what had happened to him.
“He was out in the blizzard all day.
Mama and Papa died, but he fell unconscious.
And then he was asleep for a few days.
His body was all cold too!
After he woke up, he was all blank and… stare-y, panicking around when he thought I was asleep.
But then as soon as I hugged him, he hugged me back!
He never does that!”
If Seiya had heard that last part, he’d probably have given a stern talking-to in response to the previous owner of his new body’s treatment of Sirin.
Preferably with his fists.
She laid bare her woes to the elderly woman, the only physician available to her.
The old lady had graciously given the consultation free of charge after seeing the distress on the young girl’s face.
It was the responsibility of the old ones to nurture the sprouts that would give shade long after they themselves were gone.
“Young lady, drink up.
Perhaps this will be hard for you to hear, so prepare yourself before listening to this old physician’s ponderings.”
The old woman handed Sirin a delicate herbal tea in a small terracotta mug without a handle.
Her eyes wrinkled warmly, her face marked by the wear and tear that came with old age.
Her expression softened into a maternal smile as little Sirin bowed her head slightly, a blush of embarrassment becoming prominent in the afterglow of the hearth’s flames.
She probably thinks she’s taken advantage of my generosity.
Oh, how cute.
An elderly chuckle escaped the old woman’s mouth, only causing Sirin’s ears to grow even redder.
Then she quieted down.
After Sirin had taken multiple gulps of the herbal tea and set the terracotta mug aside, the physician delivered a solemn declaration with a sigh.
“It is most likely that your brother has developed a case of amnesia.
Meaning he might not remember most of what has happened in the past.”
She continued gently when she saw Sirin stiffen.
“I say most because of his warmth when hugging and comforting you.
He still remembers the major aspects of his life, including you.
And probably what happened to your parents.
Ask him that after he recovers a bit more.
It is unlikely his memories will return.”
The old woman took a deep breath and a sip of the herbal tea she had just served Sirin.
Her throat shuddered slightly before she continued speaking, evidently nearing the twilight of her life.
“It’s quite possible that his memory loss was caused by a mix of frostbite, hypothermia, and analeptic shock, causing his brain to devote every possible ounce of energy toward heat generation and survival.
In the process, it may have shed unnecessary functions such as memory maintenance and storage.”
She sighed.
“A curious case.
One I have never encountered before.
Of course, all this is merely conjecture.
Forgive my bluntness, but by all accounts, he should be dead.
There is no remedy I—or, for that matter, anyone else—can offer you.”
The old medicine woman paused at Sirin’s silence and peered at her from beneath heavy eyelids.
The purple-haired, golden-eyed girl had been staring into the depths of her mug.
It truly is a peculiar case, the old woman thought.
And the explanation I’ve given her barely makes sense even to me.
Unfortunately, it’s the best I can offer in my old age.
Perhaps if I were forty years younger, somewhere in my forties, I’d still have the strength to properly examine this mystery.
But now… all I wish to do is close up shop and rest.
Call my daughter over for a week and pass away surrounded by a bubbly family.
Sirin eventually took her leave, citing a flimsy excuse about not wanting to trouble the old woman any further.
Wrapping her big brother’s coat around herself, she headed back toward their cabin a few hundred meters outside town.
You might wonder why she was described as ecstatic in the first sentence.
Because this version of Big Brother was a total upgrade!!
All nice!
And warm!
And cuddly!
I haven’t even felt the absence of Mom and Dad once during the entire time!
Seiya, true to his promise of spoiling the pretty little princess, had taken on nearly every household chore except cooking, which Sirin insisted on doing herself.
Her brother had been terrible at cooking before the amnesia and she didn’t think getting hit on the head could fix that!
He’d even taken on a job, collecting firewood to sell and use for the house.
If anything, her quality of life had actually improved since her parents died.
And her unreliable, cold brother had transformed into a warm, loving, and gentle parental figure that Sirin absolutely looked up to.
He was amazing!
If she could become even half as reliable as Big Brother Seiya one day, she’d consider her life a success.
Case in point: while she was reminiscing about the past year and a half, Seiya returned from selling firewood, sneaked up behind her chair, and lifted her in one smooth swoop like she weighed nothing.
Then the once-distant older brother absolutely peppered her face and neck with kisses.
“Mwah!
Mwah!”
Seiya giggled dramatically between every little kiss, his energy restored and vitality returning at the sight of his little sister squealing with joy.
As she writhed in his grip, Sirin—for one—was thankful to the blizzard that had given her this upgraded version of her big brother.
Her parents were meanies anyway!
Always so rude and cold to her!
Big Brother Seiya was so much better!
Some Comments would be appreciated.
I’ve been churning these out like crazy~!
Do Tell if I should go back to Akira and Tsuki (And Mei as a bit of a spoiler) or you’d prefer more Seiya and Sirin.
Baiii~