The Quiet Life of a Living Shadow

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Yay another chapter finally done! It's short, but sweet, in my opinion. Hope ya'll like it!

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"SAY ONEE-CHAN," RIKUTO STARTED TO SAY TO HIS sister as they walked side by side on the sidewalk. Akari was escorting her brother to his friend's house today. Since he had a bit of a detour the last time he was left to walk around the neighborhood on his own, Akari was tasked to watch him on the journey. There was no need for him to go out on his own and buy another manga since there was little to no room for it in his room. Also, their mother wasn't exactly happy with him buying a bunch of "useless picture books". They are not useless!!! They are pieces of art full of amazing characters and riveting storylines!!!

So to avoid Rikuto spending all of his allowance once again and/or bothering Saiki on his journey, Akari had to walk him to his destination. She wasn't exactly happy about it, but it's not like she had anything else to do today. Her parents knew this, much like it is most days, and figured that she should at least get out even for a short while today.

"Hm?" Akari hummed in question.

Rikuto skipped alongside her while pursing his lips, "Do you like Kusuo-nii?"

"He's my best friend... so yes." Akari furrowed her eyebrows at the strange question. How could Rikuto think that she didn't? She's around him a lot, like a lot. If she didn't like Saiki, then she definitely wouldn't be around him everyday. He has to be one of the least annoying people to be around, so yea, he likes him. Honestly, if Rikuto is going down the path that she thinks he is...

He shook his head rapidly, "No, no. I mean, like like."

Akari stared at him for a long moment, seeing what he was getting at. She shook her head and sighed, "You and dad are both obsessed with Kusuo and I being a couple." Akari doesn't know why they seem so invested in her non-existent love life. She's a teenager with no interest in having a partner, why do they keep trying to meddle in it?

"Well do you blame us?!" Rikuto sighed in exasperation, as if she was the crazy one. "You two are perfect for each other!"

"In what way are we perfect for each other? We both have psychic abilities, is that why?" That would be a shallow way to look at it. So the two super-powered teens have to be a couple? Is that how it works for Rikuto and her father? In that case, the same logic could apply to her and Toritska, or Kusuo and Toritska, so obvious that logic was skewed.

"Well not only that but-" then Rikuto abruptly paused his rambling and froze. He started to shake slightly as he spotted something a little bit away by the playground. "Monster! Akari, it's that monster again!" He shouted in alarm as he suddenly used his sister as a shield between him and the monster.

Akari blinked at the supposed monster that was now standing in front of them. While she wasn't scared of him, she kind of understood where Rikuto was coming from. "That's just Nendo."

Even if it was Akari's friend, it doesn't make him less frightening. So Rikuto continued to quak in his shoes, "O-oh, man, I'm gonna have nightmares again."

Nendo walked up to them, to Rikuto's dismay, and had his stupid smile on his face. "What are you doing here, gal pal?"

"Taking my brother to a friend's house." She explained before glancing at the boy who was beside Nendo. It was a bit of a strange sight, since she's certain that he doesn't have a little brother or anything. That's a bit... concerning? "Why are you with a little kid?"

The little brown-haired boy jumped over to them and smiled widely, "He's helping me find my baseball!"

Akari blinked at the explanation, "Oh."