In search of a scenery I've yet to see. Prologue 1

"Nii-san, were you painting a picture again?"

In a room facing west towards where the sun sets, the peculiar smell of paint lingers in the air, so I instinctively frowned. The man sitting with his back on the headboard of the bed saw me, and as if wondering what was wrong, he smiled.

"Hehe, Yunu always hates this smell, even if some time pa.s.ses after I paint."

"It's because it stinks! And it also makes the futon stink! So I have to wash it again!"

"Sorry, sorry."

 

"Seriously&h.e.l.lip; Ha～a, your meal, I'll leave it here."

"Ok, thank you as always."

What I brought was a cream stew with a lot of potatoes. I put the stew bowl, along with some green vegetables on a plate, on a side table next to the bed. The stew was given to us by my friend's family.

Today's meal is probably the most luxurious we've had this week.

"Ahh, is this from Zilburn-san's place? How is that boy Luca doing?"

"Yeah, he's fine. I guess he's also eating like an idiot at his home right now."

"Hehe, I guess that's about right."

I feel a little jealous when thinking that Luca can eat such meal every day at his place. Our family only consist of Nii-san and myself, so every day, our meals are a gift from another house.

"By the way Nii-san, are you drawing that flower again today? Uhm, if im not wrong, was it 'Mai Otosu' (flying/fluttering down) its name?"

"'Myosotis' (Maiosotisu). Yunu sure is knowledgeable about mamonos, but when it comes down to plants you're pretty much hopeless."

"N～, I think I can remember it immediately if it interests me, so there's not much I can do. So, I wanted to ask, why have you been drawing nothing but that flower recently?"

"There was this time when Yunu brought an ill.u.s.trated book of flowers home from the school building, remember? I found the flower at that time, so I figured I might as well use the rest of my life drawing this flower."

"&h.e.l.lip;Nii-san."

"Don't make such a sad expression. Although it is still unclear why, I'm still alive like it's some kind of miracle. But you also know that I don't have much time left, right?"

"&h.e.l.lip;"

After those words, I naturally hugged Nii-san. He just gently patted my head. His body is thinner than that of his sister, and you can feel his bones, to the point where they hurt a little when I firmly hug him.

When I place my head against his chest, I can faintly hear the sound of his heart beating, but I can also feel the warmth of his body.

"I want to leave something more than a picture for Yunu&h.e.l.lip;"

"It's fine, it's fine, Nii-san is all I have left, so it's fine."

"That's the reason I want to do so."

Nii-san left me stay like that until I finally calmed down.

It's been a month since that sunny day when I was left all alone.

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