Like an Older Brother

As the week went by, school work was starting to pile up on us. I also decided to start working a bit longer to get more days off instead of depending on Yato. During my small break sections, I would work on my homework. Sometimes Yujiro or Aika was there to visit me and help me out.

One day in the afternoon, while I was doing my homework with Kaito and Sakura, Yato actually dropped by, surprising Sakura and Kaito as much as me. He playfully engaged with them, ruffling their hair, before turning his attention to me with a warm smile.

Our conversation was quite nice as we strolled through the park. Sakura and Kaito ran around, giggling, while Yato and I chatted as old friends reunited after a long time.

I still remember how the conversation went.

"So how has work been?" I had asked him curiously. Yato let out a tiresome sigh as he placed his hands behind his head.

"Not too bad, not too much fun," he answered with a hint of amusement. "A few new businesses got added in, some kicked out. But nothing new overall has happened for me."

He turned to me sparkling eyes. "You don’t need to ask me about my job, how have you been? I heard you joined some clubs."

"Yeah," I sheepishly smiled. "At first, I wasn’t sure about joining them since it might interfere with my job, but since I participated, I’m glad that Yujiro and Aika signed me up."

"That’s good to know," he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I looked at him with a confused glance.

"What’s so funny?"

"You know, I could have actually come back a few weeks earlier than I did last Friday, but since Yujiro signed you up and I had to take care of your shifts, it covered more of my plate."

"Oh! I am so sorry!" I quickly apologized, feeling a pang of guilt. He waved a hand dismissively about the manner.

"Don’t sweat about it. If you’re having fun, that’s great. Besides..." He leaned in like he was sharing a secret. "Yujiro got what he deserved from me when I returned." He whispered with a playful smirk and we both burst into laughter.

"Yujiro can be such a kid sometimes," I remarked, shaking my head.

"Sometimes? Man, I thought he was always a kid!" Yato joked, and our laughter filled the air.

My gaze shifted over to Sakura and Kaito who were playfully running around. Kaito picked up a stick and began treating it like a sword, chasing after Sakura who roared like a dragon. Seeing them play around, I felt a sense of joy in the simple pleasures of life.

With a contented sigh, I glanced back at Yato, giving him a warm smile as stared at the dark blue sky.

"You know, I’m really glad you're back. For a lot of several reasons," I said sincerely. With a curious smirk, Yato turned his attention to me.

"Oh? Care to share some with me?"

"Well," I started, feeling a bit sentimental. "For one thing, you’re like the closest thing I have to a big brother. Even though I know Yujiro asks you to do a lot of things for me, you actually help me and look after me. I don’t know if I could be taking good care of Kaito and Sakura right now if it wasn’t for you."

Yato placed a reassuring hand on my back, his warm smile speaking volumes. "You’re welcome," he replied, his gaze reflecting a deep sense of camaraderie. "You know, I kind of look at you in the same way as a little brother."

"But don’t you already have a little brother?" I asked, puzzled.

"Well, Yujiro’s more annoying and energetic," Yato explained, making me chuckle. "You’re more mature and calm. You look at life from a different perspective. And that’s why I really care about you."

"Thanks," I replied, feeling touched by his words.

"No need," he chuckled, his arms resting behind his head again. "You’re the only one who I can take a walk with and not bring up random stuff." He smiled, and I appreciated the comfort of his presence.

"Well, my life is occupied with other important things." I glanced at Kaito and May, staring at them enjoying their youth and not having any worries.

"Remember," Yato began to state. "You don’t need to stop pursuing your dream just because of your situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me tell you something, even though I work at a huge factory and have a nice family and all, sometimes, I’m quite jealous of you," he admitted, surprising me.

"Jealous of me? Why?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"You’re self-dependent, you stay calm in even the most insane situations, you still manage to enjoy life no matter what hardships are thrown at you. The way I see it, I don’t just see you as a little brother, I see you as a role model."

Grateful for his kind words, I smiled, my heart warmed by his admiration.

"Thanks," I replied, my appreciation evident in my voice.

"Thank you," Yato acknowledged with a sincere nod. "Anyways, I heard from Yujiro about you and that new girl. Ayumi, right?" Yato asked, changing the subject.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the rumors surrounding Ayumi. "What did he tell you?" I asked, bracing myself for his response.

"Are you really interested in her?" Yato looked at me slyly, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes playfully.

"I knew whatever Yujiro said couldn’t be good," I replied, shaking my head.

"You don’t need to be so protective of your feelings," he advised gently.

"Well, the way I see it, everyone keeps bothering me about this rumor. Honestly, it’s getting quite tiring," I admitted, feeling a mixture of frustration and confusion.

"I know it’s not any of my business but it wouldn’t hurt to admit to your heart sometimes," Yato suggested, his words resonating with me.

"Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind," I replied, appreciating his perspective.

"You know, I should be heading back," Yato finally said, glancing at the darkening sky.

"Yeah," I replied. "It is getting late."

"Anyways," Yato held out a fist, and I bumped it in return. "I’ll see you later."

I smiled. "I’m glad you’re back."