Chapter 9: What is a friend?
Hagiwara Kenji suddenly raised a point that Morofushi Sora'aki had never considered.
This argument is quite simple to understand, since some games are single-player, but many games are multiplayer. My brother had asked him what games he played before, just to see if we could play together.
Hagiwara Kenji didn't force Morofushi Sora'aki to accept his idea immediately. Although he was still an elementary school student, he had an older sister who was in middle school.
Their family has always had a good relationship, and they are not the type to eat quietly without talking at the dinner table.
His parents would talk about work, and his sister and he would often talk about interesting things that happened in class, and he always got enough feedback.
It's hard to deny that Hagiwara Kenji's popularity is due to the influence of his family.
So Hagiwara Kenji remembered the term "chuunibyou" (middle school syndrome) that his sister would mention from time to time.
"It's probably because I feel like I'm different, that I have some special ability, that I'm the center of the universe—like, my left hand has some kind of power sealed away?" That's how Hagiwara Chihaya explained it.
So, although Hagiwara Kenji thought it was pretty cool, he fully understood from his sister's harmless smile that he absolutely could not do that again.
My sister also said, "It's enough that they find it fun, as long as it doesn't affect me... And to be honest, I sometimes find it quite interesting too, and I'll join in occasionally when the atmosphere is right. I don't think it's necessary to deliberately criticize them. On the contrary, those few people who go out of their way to find loopholes to refute them and then feel smug afterwards are really boring."
So now, he can't refute Sora'aki-chan—especially since Sora'aki-chan's personality is a bit... stubborn?
Hagiwara Kenji's vocabulary isn't quite there yet, so he doesn't know how to describe it. After all, he's still just a elementary school student.
Rather than saying that Sora'aki-chan has "chuunibyou" (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur), it's more accurate to say that someone else has chuunibyou, which has led Sora'aki-chan astray in his logic.
In particular, Sora'aki-chan mentioned that he has an older brother, just like he has an older sister—maybe Sora'aki-chan's older brother is a second-year middle school student, and Sora'aki-chan's older brother is the "chuunibyou" (middle school syndrome) that his sister mentioned, which has led Sora'aki-chan's thinking astray.
He couldn't let Sora'aki-chan feel sad, and that he would doubt and hate his older brother because of it! Hagiwara Kenji clenched his small fists, feeling a huge responsibility on his shoulders!
Therefore, first of all, he had to adopt the worldview in Sora'aki-chan's mind. Since Sora'aki-chan thought it was a game, he couldn't be a passive NPC; he had to be on the same level as Sora'aki-chan.
So, first of all, I have to be a person in Sora'aki-chan's eyes!
...Hmm? That sounds a bit strange, but whatever, it means the same thing anyway.
Hagiwara Kenji stopped Matsuda Jinpei, who clearly wanted to say something, and decided to change things little by little by following Morofushi Sora'aki's line of thinking.
His transformation from an NPC to a player must have been a significant shock for Sora'aki-chan, so it's impossible to expect him to recover immediately—he'd noticed that Sora'aki-chan listened to his brother a lot—once Sora'aki-chan asked the question himself, his chuunibyou brother would definitely realize he'd led Sora'aki-chan astray! He'd definitely give a response!
Compared to his efforts, Sora'aki-chan's older brother has more influence!
Hagiwara Kenji then checked the time: "Jinpei-chan and I are going home now! If Sora'aki-chan doesn't believe me, go ask your brother."
Hopefully, that immature older brother will realize this and stop leading children astray!
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded hesitantly, looking utterly bewildered as Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei disappeared into the distance.
Since he probably had no "friends," the system let him stay on the swing for a few more minutes before quickly sending him back.
Going to another world feels like having a lucid dream; it doesn't put any stress on the body, except that one might feel a little listless.
Even every time, no matter how long he was in another world, he would always wake up in the morning, unless he woke up with a start, like from a nightmare.
Therefore, his sleep quality was very good, his body had enough rest time, and even his mental fatigue was just... because there was another memory in his head, which he needed some time to accept and process.
That's why he often spaces out.
He doesn't want to remember too much, so he prefers to face regular scenes.
For example, darkness is nice. When you close your eyes to rest, and can't hear anything, it feels very quiet and can calm you down.
This way, the memories in your head won't become confused.
But as he grows older, he experiences more and more things and has more and more memories, and he always feels that things will get more tiring in the future.
However... he didn't dislike going to other worlds, and even with the added troublesome memories, he didn't really hate it.
Morofushi Sora'aki got out of bed and, still in his pajamas, knocked on his brother's door. After knocking twice without a response, he froze. Only then did he belatedly recall the conversation at the dinner table the previous night; his brother had mentioned that he had class today and would be leaving early.
So my brother isn't here, I'll ask him again tonight.
Morofushi Sora'aki put down his hand, slid downstairs in his slippers, and was then sent back upstairs by his mother's words, "You need to wash up first."
He spent the whole day reading and daydreaming, and when Morofushi Hiromitsu returned, it was five o'clock in the afternoon.
Looking at Furuya Rei standing behind Morofushi Hiromitsu, Morofushi Sora'aki blinked and then turned his head away.
Furuya Rei: ...Ah, so I guess I'm really disliked.
Seeing his friend looking slightly discouraged, Morofushi Hiromitsu patted Furuya Rei's shoulder heavily: "So Zero, you still need to work harder."
Completely unaware that he was being targeted simply because of the previous rooftop incident, Furuya Rei said, "...I'll do my best."
After dinner, Morofushi Sora'aki knocked on Morofushi Hiromitsu's door. At that moment, Furuya Rei went to take a shower.
Morofushi Hiromitsu was somewhat surprised: "Sora'aki?"
Morofushi Sora'aki sat obediently in front of Morofushi Hiromitsu and asked, "Brother, in the game, besides NPCs, there are also players, right?"
"Of course." Morofushi Hiromitsu's eyes crinkled into a smile. "What's wrong?"
Morofushi Sora'aki's eyes showed confusion: "So, they make plans with me every day to play together tomorrow, they're not... NPCs, they're actually players?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...!
Morofushi Hiromitsu's eyes lit up: "Hmm? Can you explain it to brother in detail? That way, I can make a judgment."
In fact, Morofushi Hiromitsu wanted Sora'aki to show him the game, but it seemed that his younger brother also had his own secret and didn't want to tell him.
Thinking back to his own rebellious phase at that age, when he would sneak off to the arcade with Zero behind his brother's and parents' backs, Morofushi Hiromitsu said he understood and decided not to expose him.
Hearing Morofushi Sora'aki's somewhat unclear explanation, Morofushi Hiromitsu seemed even happier: "Of course they're not NPCs!"
"You're definitely a player, Sora'aki." Morofushi Hiromitsu's tone rose slightly: "Does Sora'aki enjoy playing with them?"
"...What exactly is liking someone?"
"Exactly, it's very relaxing to hang out with them. Even if we don't do anything, it's very relaxing and enjoyable," Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile. "Does Sora'aki feel the same way?"
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded hesitantly.
"That's great." Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and ruffled Morofushi Sora'aki's soft hair. "That's the meaning of friendship."
"...Just like my brother and Furuya Rei?" Morofushi Sora'aki asked again.
Morofushi Hiromitsu was stunned, his eyes curving into a beautiful arc as he agreed, "Yeah, that's the feeling when my brother and Zero are together."
"Even if we do nothing and just do our own things, my brother will feel relaxed and happy."
"So my brother always hoped that Sora'aki could make good friends—friends are people who may not be perfect, who may be disliked by others, but you just like to play with them, and ignore external influences and evaluations, simply using your own eyes to judge and determine whether they are suitable to be your friends."
"Friends may stay with you for a very long time, or they may leave suddenly at some point due to an accident—but as long as you are happy enough when you are together, that is enough."
"Interpersonal relationships are a strange thing, and even I can't explain them clearly." Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and pressed his forehead against his younger brother's forehead: "I'm not omnipotent, I can't give perfect answers to everything, and I may not be able to give you the answer you want, Sora'aki."
"So, Sora'aki, you need to work hard and try to achieve these things yourself." Morofushi Hiromitsu said in the gentlest tone, "I hope Sora'aki will always be happy."
"That's enough."
Morofushi Sora'aki met a pair of upturned blue cat eyes that were very similar to his own. His childish features were somewhat bewildered, yet he seemed to understand something.
Some truths cannot be clearly explained with words alone, and Morofushi Sora'aki seemed to understand this but not quite.
But he understood one thing.
Morofushi Sora'aki gently hugged Morofushi Hiromitsu and whispered, "Brother really likes Furuya Rei. If Sora'aki doesn't like him, brother will be unhappy too, right?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu paused for a moment: "Hmm?"
"Sora'aki doesn't dislike him, it's just… he took my brother away." Sora'aki's head rubbed against Hiromitsu's neck, the fluffy hair making Hiromitsu feel a little itchy.
"But… I will try my best to understand what you are saying, brother." Morofushi Sora'aki jumped out of his brother's arms and opened the door with a clattering sound in his fluffy slippers.
Coincidentally, he bumped into Furuya Rei, who had just returned from taking a shower. Rei was a little surprised to see him: "...Sora'aki?"
Morofushi Sora'aki paused in his grip on the doorknob, looking up at Furuya Rei, who was much taller than him.
The boy with adorable cat-like eyes pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and then whispered, "...Rei-nii."
This was the first time he had called Furuya Rei that.
Furuya Rei: "...!!!"