7AM
I took a deep breath before twisting the doorknob and barging into her room, my patience wearing thin by now after knocking on her bedroom door for the last 5 minutes.
"Saki....Saki! wake up sleepyhead"
She groaned as I took away her pillows.
"This ends here now, young lady...I've had about enough of watching you moping around feeling sorry for yourself"
When she finally sat up on the bed, her hair was all disheveled and messy, the only order in all that chaos of my idol little sister's locks being the girlish pony-tail she kept when she's at home.
"What do YOU know about my troubles, nii-chan?" She sulked, her eyes half-open. As much as I found that to be a terribly cute sight, I just had to stand my ground.
"Only enough to tell that you should start acting your age, my imouto" I ruffled her hair with my right hand, promptly swatted away by a hand of hers.
"Hey, what's with the hostile response, huh? As I've said...YOU need to act your age now...and THIS 20-year old young woman needs a hot shower"
I watched her get up from the bed, groaning again as she heads for the shower. "I'm not a little girl anymore"
Shaking my head, I headed downstairs to prepare breakfast.
Saki came down only 10 minutes later dressed in her purple jersey outfit.
"Where do you think you're going?" I asked her.
Saki rolled her eyes "Aren't you forgetting, Onii-chan? I have a Harocon rehearsal starting today"
"Gomen...I took care of that...I called Up-Front and told them you're calling in sick today.. You didn't exactly look so good after...last night..Now, sit down and eat your breakfast"
Saki protested. "You shouldnt have done that. You always do this...always decided things on your own!"
"You MAY be the Captain of your group Saki...but you're forgetting I am the Captain's brother. Now, listen to me and get your butt down here and eat"
My baby sister pouted, faking a salute and a "Yes, Sir", reluctantly dragging her feet towards the dining area. When she saw what was served on the table, her face brightened.
"YAKINIKU?!!" She exclaimed. "...For BREAKFAST?!"
I sighed. "Would you rather I took out the leftover nattou from yesterday then?"
She waved her hands dismissively "No...NO!!! This will do just fine, Onii-chan"
Saki sat down and put her handbag on an unoccupied seat opposite mine. "Itadakimasu!" She picked up the chopsticks and started digging into the meat.
"Ne, Saki..."
"Hmmhhh?" She said in between mouthfuls.
"I want you to take a break today...that's why I planned all this"
"What do you mean, Onii-chan? You sound weird today...you're scaring me, in fact" she cocked her head to one side, perplexed at my sudden kindness.
"What happened yesterday, Sakichan?" Saki stopped mid-way chewing her food, putting down her chopsticks.
"C'mon...you can tell me...you don't have to keep it all to yourself, you know?"
She only looked down on the table, suddenly devoid of appetite to continue eating.
"Is this because of the Budoukan thingie?" I probed softly.
Saki stared at me, before she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I'm not hungry". From her facial expression, I pretty much knew the answer.
"C'mon...sis...don't do this...don't shut me out now" I pleaded, holding up both arms.
"I'ts not your business to begin with, Onii-chan" Saki replied tersely.
I held her shoulders and shook her gently, looking deep into her eyes. "OK...OK...I apologize....why don't we both spend a day together...call it the "Annual Shimizu Sibling Time-Out"
Saki's mood lifted slightly "Another one of your half-baked trips again, Onii-chan?"
I took out a pair of tickets and handed it over to her. "Better...I assure you"
"DISNEY SEA?!! Are you SERIOUS?!" Saki's eyes sparkled as she held the tickets in her hand.
I could only muster a small smile.
"So?...how about it? you're game?" I winked playfully at her.
"Let's go! Let's go" She was jumping up and down like she was still a 12 year old.
I chuckled at my grown-up, adult baby sister's antics . "OK...ok...but first...finish your breakfast, alright?"
"Alrght, Onii-chan"
I watched Saki as she returned to her seat, resuming breakfast, and for a few seconds...I saw a glimpse of that adorable 12-year old petite girl again, as if I was taken back in time to a moment over 8 years ago. Oh...how my sister has grown...and how proud I am of her.
