Chapter 105: Age reversed.
[one]
Morofushi Sora'aki, 18 years old, is currently a senior at Rouman Academy.
That day, he was once again taken to some unknown place by Little Stone.
Morofushi Sora'aki was already completely used to this kind of life, so it wasn't surprising. He first checked the time and, after confirming that it was actually similar to his world, decided to find the key figures to ascertain the situation.
He has found the pattern. The world is different. He just needs to go to Edogawa Conan (Kudou Shin'ichi). Generally speaking, he can determine the current situation from him.
Then, on his way to the Mouri Detective Agency, Morofushi Sora'aki glanced at a newspaper on the side and saw a hint of interest in the headline that the imposing detective Kudou Shin'ichi had solved another strange case.
Not for any other reason, but because... Kudou Shin'ichi in the newspaper looks like he's already an adult.
Being featured in the newspaper clearly indicated his fame, so Morofushi Sora'aki simply searched for him online.
So he searched for information about Kudou Shin'ichi. Kudou Shin'ichi is 22 years old this year. He just graduated from university and opened a detective agency. He has become a detective who is extremely famous both at home and abroad. Part of the reason is that his parents are extremely famous, and he already has a lot of people paying attention to him.
Kudou Shin'ichi also has a girlfriend, Mouri Ran, who is currently interning at a law firm. She didn't go to her mother's firm, but rather to another firm with an equally good reputation, presumably to gain experience.
Suzuki Sonoko has just married her boyfriend, Kyougoku Makoto, and is currently on her honeymoon.
If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad. The important thing is that Morofushi Sora'aki discovered some rather interesting information.
For example, the child star named "Chris" who recently appeared in the news has become quite famous.
Morofushi Sora'aki understood the answer in an instant: this world is a world where age changes.
[two]
Morofushi Sora'aki's first reaction was to run to Nagano.
He recalled a conversation he had with his brother—all of Morofushi Sora'aki believed that only the older brother in their own world was the true older brother, while Akira next door insisted on the view that only the younger brother in their own world was the true younger brother.
But this time is different! Because he doesn't have a younger brother, he won't eat his younger brother's substitute, so treating this world's Hiromitsu-nii... Hiromitsu and Taka'aki as his younger brother is perfectly fine! This doesn't affect Morofushi Sora'aki's principles at all!
They quickly arrived in Nagano by Shinkansen. Morofushi Sora'aki walked briskly toward his home in Nagano, and then, as he passed a small park, he heard a familiar name.
"Taka'aki, aren't you going to play in the sand?"
Morofushi Sora'aki looked over and saw a child who looked to be only ten years old squatting in front of an even younger child, with a helpless expression.
Five-year-old Morofushi Taka'aki, clutching a thick copy of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that was absolutely unsuitable for children, stared intently with his big, round eyes and said, "No."
"…But we rarely get to go out and play." Eleven-year-old Morofushi Hiromitsu looked helpless, but said gently, "You really like the Three Kingdoms."
Morofushi Sora'aki instinctively took out his phone and snapped a picture.
Since mobile phone cameras cannot be silenced, both Morofushi Taka'aki and Morofushi Hiromitsu attracted attention. However, after seeing who was taking the photo, Morofushi Hiromitsu's previously wary expression changed, and he happily called out, "Sora'aki-nii!"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "..."
Morofushi Sora'aki: "..."
Morofushi Sora'aki decisively picked up the video recorder: "Shout it again."
Morofushi Hiromitsu looked somewhat confused: "Sora'aki-nii?"
Morofushi Sora'aki was satisfied.
[three]
Morofushi Taka'aki seemed to be a very quiet person. He blinked and then handed the Three Kingdoms to Morofushi Sora'aki.
Morofushi Sora'aki quickly understood what he meant: "Do you want me to tell you a story?"
Five-year-old Morofushi Taka'aki nodded obediently, but Morofushi Hiromitsu asked, "Didn't my brother say he had a date with his friends today? Why are you back so soon—"
"Yes, you're back." Morofushi Sora'aki picked up the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and asked seriously, "Which story would you like to hear, Taka'aki?"
Little Taka'aki, in a childish yet deliberately mature tone, replied, "The Empty City Stratagem!"
Morofushi Sora'aki had read Romance of the Three Kingdoms when he was very young and was very familiar with the story. He could easily tell it, which attracted the attention of the two children and a group of children around him.
By the time Morofushi Sora'aki finished speaking, a circle of children had already gathered around him.
Although I don't know where Morofushi Sora'aki has gone in this world, but...
Your brothers are great, now they're mine :D
[four]
As dusk approached, Morofushi Sora'aki said, "Let's go home."
Taka'aki was clearly a little sleepy at this moment, so Morofushi Sora'aki naturally picked him up. Noticing Morofushi Hiromitsu's little expression, Morofushi Sora'aki patted his hair: "Next time, your brother will lift you up high too."
Morofushi Hiromitsu immediately blushed with embarrassment: "...Brother!"
When they got home, Parents Morofushi didn't notice anything wrong. Seeing their youngest son being held by Morofushi Sora'aki, they smiled softly and asked, "Is Taka'aki asleep?"
"Hmm." Morofushi Sora'aki responded.
"You've worked so hard." said Mother Morofushi, cupping her face in her hands. "Being an older brother must be tiring, right?"
"No, it feels very new and interesting," Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
Mother Morofushi was taken aback: "...New?"
[five]
At eight o'clock in the evening, [Morofushi Sora'aki] yawned, pushed open the door, and said in a low voice, "I'm back."
When she opened the door, Mother Morofushi asked with some confusion, "Hmm? Sora'aki, when did you go out again? You even changed your clothes."
[Morofushi Sora'aki]: "...?"
[Morofushi Sora'aki] was a little confused, then noticed a pair of shoes that had appeared in the entryway, and looked up and said, "Well, a classmate just asked me to borrow my notes, so I went out for a bit."
Mother Morofushi smiled and said, "I see. Hiromitsu and Taka'aki are already asleep. Thank you so much for taking care of my younger brothers today."
[Morofushi Sora'aki]: "No, then I'll go back to my room, Mom."
Mother Morofushi smiled and waved, then her gaze fell on the extra shoes in the entryway. She held her face in her hands and pondered for a while.
[Morofushi Sora'aki] opened the door with a cold face, looking at the person who had occupied his room, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Wait? A woman?"
Morofushi Umeko waved her hand: "Hello, nice to meet you."
"Your brothers are fine; they're mine now."
[Morofushi Sora'aki]: "..."
[six]
The Home World.
"He's so stingy." said Morofushi Sora'aki, displeased.
Morofushi Hiromitsu looked helpless: "Well... if someone comes along and tries to take my brother away from me, I won't be very generous either."
Morofushi Sora'aki blinked: "I know, but that doesn't stop me from thinking he's stingy."
Ah... such empty thoughts. Morofushi Hiromitsu thought helplessly.
Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and asked, "And then? What happened?"
"Oh, I threatened him that if he didn't give me his brother, I would dress up as a woman and appear in front of his brother."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "..."
Morofushi Hiromitsu looked like he wanted to retort: "And then what?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "He said it didn't matter, because his younger brother had already seen it."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "...?!"
"Does he also possess those amazing abilities?"
"He doesn't have one, but his neighbor's older brother does." Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
"When he was a child, he had a neighbor named Saiki, who was an all-powerful superhuman. When he first accidentally discovered that his neighbor had superpowers, his memories were forcibly altered."
"But because he has hypermnesia, he quickly noticed the inconsistency and then deduced it again."
"After repeating this process, the neighbor's older brother suddenly became a huge problem." Morofushi Sora'aki sharply remarked.
Morofushi Hiromitsu: Is it possible that the big trouble is also caused by Sora'aki himself?
Morofushi Hiromitsu had already become indifferent to this kind of unconventional knowledge; after all, it was just superpowers, right? After he became a woman and traveled through time, all of this was trivial. He maintained his smile and asked, "And then?"
"Then I came back." Morofushi Sora'aki shook his body. "But I sent Akira the video of the other person calling the neighbor brother 'brother'."
In Akira's world, the so-called "neighbor brother" (Saiki Kusuo) is actually his younger brother. Because Akira's family also experienced an accident, he was adopted by the Saiki family when he was young.
Morofushi Hiromitsu maintained his smile: "Although I don't know what's going on with Akira, I'm happy as long as you're happy, Sora'aki."
Morofushi Sora'aki pouted: "I'm not happy because my brother doesn't call me brother anymore."
Morofushi Hiromitsu paused, keenly noticing something, and immediately said, "...Don't even think about shrinking me! That's the only thing I won't accept!"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Brother is so stingy!"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "This isn't a matter of being petty! It's a matter of principle!"
[seven]
In short, since Morofushi Hiromitsu was unwilling to call him "brother," Morofushi Sora'aki could only satisfy his craving by watching the video on his phone.
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "...Although, Sora'aki, you could actually go back to your room and watch it later."
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Can't you see, brother? I'm deliberately trying to annoy you."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "...I see it."
Morofushi Hiromitsu felt somewhat helpless at this harmless form of retaliation. Just as he was about to say something, looking at his younger brother who was deliberately playing the video aloud, the study door was pushed open.
After pushing open the door, Morofushi Taka'aki noticed the two people in the room. He nodded and said, "Sorry, I didn't know you were here."
"It's alright, Taka'aki-nii." Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile. "I'm just here chatting with Sora'aki."
However, at that moment, the video played from the external speaker showed Little Taka'aki calling out to his brother.
Morofushi Sora'aki looked up and greeted him: "Taka'aki-nii, you were so cute when you were little."
The smile on Morofushi Taka'aki's face turned into confusion: "Huh?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "..."
Morofushi Hiromitsu covered his face: Ah, it seems that even Taka'aki-nii can't escape this time.
So, should I call Taka'aki "Taka'aki-nii" or "Taka'aki-nee" from now on? Morofushi Hiromitsu stroked his chin, caught in a perplexing question.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. Looking at his two well-behaved and adorable younger brothers, his expression became even more bewildered.