In the past, people called me the Destroyer, so destroying something left no impression on me. Nothing was as simple as breaking things. Even people and their hearts.
Nurturing something, though, required great efforts. Managing, mending, creating, these things impressed me a lot. Right now, I exerted all the power in my very cell to take care of her. To Claire who became a hollow of her former self after her trauma devastated her. As her friend, I genuinely wanted to heal her. Not to mention, in these past few days, I realized how sweet of a person she actually was.
"Rie, you are finally awake!" She greeted me enthusiastically from her bed. Arms supported her chin, while her legs swayed like an excited puppy.
I yawned and stood up from the floor. Stretching my back, I greeted her back. "Good morning, Claire. Glad I'm awake. It's going to be a good day."
"Hehe. Are you that excited to play Playmeta 5?"
"You bet I am! Man, I only ever played Playmeta 2. You definitely have to introduce me to a lot of exciting games."
"You asked the right person. When it comes to games, I am somewhat an expert."
"As expected of you, Claire. You are such a cool bro!"
"You mean sister! I am a girl!"
"Hahaha, you are joking. Maybe fill up some meat in your skinny bones like me," I said as I flexed my biceps. The muscles contracted like solid hills. "After, I will consider calling you sis."
"Hmph, after then, don't you dare fall in love with me."
Seeing her sulking, I smiled. Now, she didn't mind light-hearted jokes. Maybe this Destroyer possessed a little talent to nurture someone after all.
The knocks on the door pulled my attention back. I pulled the blanket and covered her; Claire shuddered underneath it. Meeting other people still terrified her, but I believed in her. After all, she found the courage to talk with me when I first arrived in this room.
I immediately opened the door, and of course, Brian Old Fart Eldora stood there with a food trolley. I turned my head and drew the air from the bedroom just because I didn't want to inhale the shitty air around him. After that, I exhaled my annoyance and greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, Grandpa. I wish you a bright day ahead."
[Daily quest completed: greet your grandpa. Reward: 10 AP]
AP, or rather affection points, was the currency of the system. I felt good for earning money, so happy that I wrapped arms around my fake grandpa and completed another daily quest.
[Daily quest complete: hug your grandpa. Reward: 10 AP]
"I thank you for always bringing our breakfast to us. You are really the best grandpa," I praised, pulling the trolley into the room.
[Daily quest complete: praise your grandpa. Reward: 10 AP]
"Now fuck off!" I exclaimed, slamming the door shut.
I rushed toward a dresser and sprayed perfume all over my body. Flower and gentle scent clung to me, not fitting my taste, but better than having the geezer's lingering presence on me.
I poked a lump of blanket on the bed and said, "Wake up. Your old fart is gone."
Her head cocked out of the blanket like a turtle as she looked at me. "Is he really?"
"Alright. Probably still standing still behind the door, but you should have seen his expression. His elated face turned into shock. Can't get enough of that everyday. Fucking diabolical expression."
She looked at me with a helpless smile. "Don't bully my grandpa so much."
"Forget about him. Let's eat. Look at what we have here. Damn, fried rice. Finally, my favorite food."
I pulled over an extra jumbo plate of fried rice with generous slices of Wagyu beef as the topping. My drool slipped out of my lips as I put the food on the bed. My stomach punched me from inside, urging me to devour this treasure.
When I scooped, the rice fell from the curved spoon, but I let my greed possess me. I put a slice of Wagyu beef on the top of the rice hill.
Gulp. Opening my mouth wide, I fit the hill into my mouth. The melted Wagyu coated the smoky rice, the combination taking me to heaven.
Before I realized, my hand scooped back and forth like a machine. I could eat non stop, but Claire broke her promise to eat together.
"Bro, what about the promise to eat together?"
Claire hugged the game console with sparkling eyes. "Grandpa actually brought us this as promised. We can play."
"Then you should honor your end of the deal. Grab your bowl and eat together with your big brother."
"Ehh, but I want to play."
I filled my spoon with a modest amount of fried rice, and then I playfully extended it toward her like it was a plane. "Chirp, chirp, a plane is coming. Open the airport."
She chuckled. "Air planes don't sound like that."
"Chirp, chirp, mother is coming, child. Please open the nest. I am bringing tasty food."
She leaned over and opened her mouth a little. She only took a nib from the spoon, astonishing me.
"Really? I can practically inhale a spoonful of this like it is an air," I joked.
She chewed while mumbling incoherently.
"Oh, my bad. Chew first. Relax. Relax."
She gulped and looked at my plate greedily. "Delicious. May I have that."
"We can eat together, but you have to eat your congee too."
"We can eat my dish together too."
"Nope. You have to finish it alone. Even if it takes a day, you must. It's your medicinal food, bro."
She pursed her lips. "I will do it if you call me sister."
"Nah. That's not our deal. You eat, and then we play. If you beat me in a game, I will call you little sister."
"Little? I am older than you!"
"Oh yeah? Then show your awesomeness by beating me thrice in the game."
"Why thrice?"
"Everything has an order, bro. Beat me once, I call you lil sis. Beat me twice, I call you fellow sis. Beat me thrice, I call you big sister. Beat me again after, I will literally call you mommy."
"You are on. You can't take your words back."
"I may be a former convict, but I am a man of my words, sonny."
With that, I ignited a competitive spirit in her. As the once known destroyer, I could finally nurture something. In a way, her recovery was my salvation. I just wished that things would go smoothly for her... and for me.