"I just won the CosFiesta! However, this victory was terrible. Instead of applause, I got woos and flying water bottles. Shame might force me to quit, but… I think I got my inspiration. Sera… She was in full Shizu-sama character. She was awesome! She should have won. Next time we face each other, there's no way I'll win, but if I need to get my sister's attention, I will need to defeat her.
"When I first encounter Sera at Akiba, it doesn't matter if I lose. I know I was far beyond the level of imitation she did with Shizu-sama like… like I thought she came out of the game. I know I'm going to lose… but, this competition is only a one-way ticket to save my sister. I saw her not as an enemy, but as my inspiration and my goal. I wanna be like her… No, I need to be her to overtake my sister. Is this love at first sight? 'Cause I immediately became her fan."
Standing before me and Rise, Sera flipped a page from the green notebook and continued her speech, "I never expected to encounter Sera in Shibuya! She was courageous! She faced the scary yakuzas without fear. To be like her, I need to be more courageous."
Sera flipped two pages and pursed her lips. "I'm currently at the OtakuMania, and I think I can do this. Facing Sera again, I believe this is now a fair competition. She was pure! Even with a casual outfit, I can still see Shizu-sama in her. I might lose this time, but also, I gained the confidence to face my sister, Hina. I hope she will like my performance, even after all that has happened. Still, I got the courage to ask Sera her signature before. Maybe I'll face my fears again and ask her to be my friend."
Sera closed the notebook and handed it to Rise. "And along the way, this beautiful fragrant flower might've withered, as its other twin gets watered and grows. Yet, when it witnessed the sunlight, it bloomed, majestically, a rare pollen that produced even the sweetest nectar."
Sera sat down, her head leveling to Rise's, before saying, "This angelic blueish Iris chose to bloom in defiance of fate. It wasn't because of me, Rise. It was you who gained the courage to defy all the odds within you. You're the one who stepped through this dangerous journey and went this far. If you stopped midway, wouldn't it be a waste?"
Still crying, Rise pursed her lips and nodded, cocking her head to the side and embracing the notebook on her stomach. Sera hugged Rise, rubbing her back gently, saying, "You and your sister had suffered enough. You're strong, Rise, and I trust that you can realign your fates." They hugged each other until Rise's trembling vanished.
With a quiet voice, Rise said, "Sera-san… I couldn't thank you enough…"
Sera released her hold and leaned back, her eyes focusing on Rise. "Doing better now, Rise?"
Rise's gaze came from the ground, which soon shifted to Sera's face. "I–I think I can do it now."
"You sound so unsure," I just said it with a cold tone to enhance my presence.
She turned her head at me and smiled with warmth. "I'll show my sister what I'm capable of!" She was not copying the scene from the anime where Asami's condition went well, but that smile contained innocence from her softened eyelids, a mark of courage, ready to face the worst. It was genuinely hers.
A smile should've been painted on my face, but a strange occurrence piqued my curiosity. "Sera… How did you read her notebook?"
Her eyes bulged for a moment then relaxed, her lips flattening. "It's written in my language… wasn't it?"
"Old language?" Rise asked, her lips pursing and one of her eyebrows raising. Her head shifted simultaneously to Sera and me.
"Care to let me see that notebook?" I asked, extending my hand.
Rise leaned away from me and squinted her eyes. "What are you gonna do?"
Sighing, I responded, "Slow. And I thought you're going to understand the situation by just showing you." I pointed at Sera's ears to redirect Rise's leer.
"What about her ears? They're stitched because of her adoration to elves… That's the news in the forums."
Silence made the room awkward. After a deep breath, Sera put her hand on her chest and explained, "I'm Sera Pencyne Evergreen, a member of the royal family of wood elves. To escape an invasion, I was transported to this place. Now, I'm Sera Sugiyama, living with the Sugiyama family and living in this world as a cosplayer until I find a way back to my homeland. Only the people in this house know about my ears and the existence of another world–"
"Wait, wait, wait…" Rise held her palm up, her lips pressing together in a slight grimace. She mumbled with a quaking voice, "T–That's too much! I don't get it. I really appreciate you letting me stay here, but–"
I interrupted by saying, "I know. If you think of us as delusionals, that's better. We wished that would be the case. Now, hand me the notebook. If you let Sera look into it, there's no harm, right?"
Her cheeks were blushing, her shaking hand delivered the notebook to me. "F–Fine…"
I gave a smile that swoon wavered, then wetted my lips, closed my eyes, and sighed. As I opened the notebook, my lips pressed tight, smiling with bitterness. I slowly shook my head, saying, "It's in Japanese."
"R–Really!? No way! Then how am I able to read it?" Sera asked, her eyes bulging.
I put the notebook hanging up, its first page facing Sera, and asked,"What's the first sentence on this page?"
Sera squinted her eyes, slightly tilting her head to the side. "Sentence? 'I never expected myself to be writing my life story since it's so late.' I can't see any Japanese letters, Kou-nii. It's written in Laudini."
"Laudini? That's your language?" I stood up on my bed, picked a pen from my drawer, and wrote a phrase on the last page of Rise's notebook.
Seeing me altering her notebook, Rise gasped and screamed in a high pitched voice, "Hey! D–Don't write there!"
I showed the notebook again to Sera, and I did not need to ask. She responded in an unsure tone, "'I'm going home soon?' Was it correct?"
"What are you doing with my notebook?" Rise asked.
"That's what I should ask you." I closed the notebook, and gave it to Rise. "Sera is still studying JLPT4. There's no way she can read this yet…. Unless it's magic."
Rubbing her arms absently, Rise asked, "A–Are you really alright? W–Why do you think I can do magic?"
"Tsk!" I pulled Rise's hand out of the room, leaving Sera behind. Closing the door, I made sure to keep our distance away from the door. Even though she was shocked, Rise gave me an unfocused gaze, and I shook her shoulders to bring her focus to me.
"Sera trusted you with a secret that could endanger her life. Mom paid millions to protect her identity. I also don't agree with her showing her ears to strangers, including you, but since you asked for it… she considered you as a friend. I know how overwhelming it is, knowing that an elf got isekai-ed in this world, but if you don't care, please pretend for now."
"I do care, Kou. It's just… you two are my first friends, and I don't know how to act like one. A–And also, I really wanted to believe you. I know you believed me, but for this… P–Please give me some time."
"You don't have to act. What you feel was also what Sera was feeling. You're her real first friend. Due to our circumstances, we can't go out freely. If not for those braids, we wouldn't be able to wander around Japan, and she would feel extremely homesick."
"T–Then… Are you really her brother?"
"I'm her brother in legal terms, and I'm not acting like anybody else. I've only put myself in the situation if I had a little sister, and here we are. What I'm saying is… Don't overthink your approach. You two have mutual interests, and you will get along across time."
Her shoulders tightening, her stare escaped my contact. She dipped her chin to her chest, hiding her blush from me. I let go as I felt her trembling. Holding her arm, she said, "T–Thanks again, Kou."
My sudden smile released a burst of air from my nose. I nodded in a tilt, signalling Rise to go back to the room. To ensure that we're unheard, I said before opening the door, "I know you're listening, Sera."
When we witnessed Sera sitting beside my phone, I commented, "Oh, she understands privacy." However, the phone kept beeping in cycles.
Sera might have been comfortable with modern life, but the fear of the unknown still haunted her. Her eyes withdrawn, she exclaimed, "Kou-nii, your phone won't stop these bugging sounds."
"That's a notification sound Sera. It's important to notify me with some news–" I quickly ran and took the phone, scrolling up to stop the sounds. Frowning, my mouth fell open, my face turning pale. I muttered under my breath, "News indeed."
Clutching her hands, Rise asked, "W–What happened?"
"Expect some visitors. Your sister collapsed in a 12-hour midnight stream."