Big Brother's Steps: {Bigguburazā no suteppu}

Chapter 9

Akira was training all day even after loads of his power were extracted, it also drained his ability to express his feelings and emotions. Akira always gave a straight face or an angry face, nothing more. Though he became really close with Fuji, Aimi, and Kanae, he couldn't help but look at them blankly and talk to them with a blank voice. Akira lost loads of weight but his body became physically stronger than before.

"Akira, why aren't you eating?" Kanae asked, scarfing down her bread.

"I'm not hungry." Akira replied.

"You haven't eaten for days." Fuji pointed out.

"I can survive, it's not like I even ate much in the first place." Akira shrugged.

"It's unhealthy, c'mon." Kanae pleaded.

"I do eat in the evening." Akira told her, but Kanae shook her head.

"You clean yourself and just train for the whole day, you don't eat in the morning or the afternoon." Kanae frowned.

"I don't feel hungry in the morning." Akira said blankly.

"Never?" Kanae asked.

"Nope." Akira shook his head, he gave his bread to the old woman and he went out. Kanae made a frustrated face and went after him.

"Cold as always! Akira!" Kanae called angrily.

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"Sensei, any information on Akira?" Asahi asked worriedly. "Three years, everyone's been looking for him, we're also tracking down his sister now that we can't find him."

"My daughter is her friend." Hoshiko pointed out. "I think Hibiki told me her name is Yuki Myoga and she has no parents, and her brother, Akira, was taken in by the monsters in order to save her and Hina, her caretaker."

"I know Hina, she's Akira's friend!" Haru exclaimed.

"Why didn't you mention this before? We've been looking around for three years when you had all this!" Asahi demanded.

"It wasn't confirmed, Akira barely mentioned his sister to us, or at least her whereabouts." Hoshiko frowned. "Akira didn't really like talking about family."

"Apparently, we've been given a mission to find him." Haru sighed. "Sensei, if he was taken by the monsters, then his sister should be living with Hina, since she's her caretaker."

"Do you know her address?" Asahi asked.

"I do." Haru nodded. "I was walking with Akira one time and he stopped by to drop Yuki there during one of our evening meetings."

"We should get going, since we finally finished our mission." Hoshiko sighed. "We weren't allowed to find Akira until we finished all the missions on the list."

"And we used up three years for that, but don't tell your boss we were secretly looking for Akira." Haru added.

"Whatever, lead the way Haru." Hoshiko told him. They walked through the village and Haru led them straight to Hina's house. Hoshiko knocked on the door and there was no reply.

"I hear something from the yard." Asahi pointed out, walking to the gate. "There are kids there."

"Wait, Hibiki is here." Hoshiko frowned. "is this her training place?"

"Seems like it, what do we do?" Haru asked.

"Hibiki!" Hoshiko called, and Hibiki looked in their direction and ran towards them.

"Mom?!" Hibiki screeched. "What brings you here?"

"We're here to see you, Yuki especially." Hoshiko replied. "Let us in?"