Another Life As Older Brother

Flowing river could be heard flowing down to who knows where, together with the singing of cricket around the field. The stars are high in the sky.

I stared at it for a long time now. I have never been sorting my mind on my past. Rejecting everything except what I got, which is my brother. Looking at a woman crying for me, made my heart feel tightened.

I lay myself on the green grass beside a flowing river. "Why am I that angry back then?" I thought while remembering the jealousy I felt in my last life. Even then, why am I need to bring my old problem here into this world. I thought while closing my eyes for a second.

Everyone is so nice to me, while I just act playing nicely and brushed them off later. Without me knowing, I had turned into a hypocrite. Playing with their heart, if I knew about my problem and rejected them, maybe I never should try to act nice but is it really just me acting or because I just like that. No, I just want to do a thing without a hindrance but I'm restricted myself by my feeling.

Now my mind turned mix with which one is the correct way and which was not. I even confuse by myself, which one is the true me. 'Be true to myself.' Maliel leave me a message. I never knew the true me, I had been used to act the way people want me to be. That's when someone calling me.

"Nii-san!!!!" "Ageas-kun!!!" "Ageas-kun!!!" There, I saw Bell, Hestia, and Shakti calling me. They at the opposite side of the river. This is already past midnight, and they searching for me probably for a long time.

At that moment I realized, I had been lost in my past life. The grief losing a parent, lover and watching all crumble turned me into something else.

That's right, I have been shackled by my past which made me distance myself. Not anymore though, if what I need is love, whether it's a lover, parents, brother, mother, father. I would just do what I wanted, from now on.

I don't need to think that much. Ignoring people's love and distance myself would only hurt us both. Now that I think about it, make me looked like a fool.

I smile and stood up then jumped to the other side. "What are all of you doing here?" I asked while patting Bell. "I want to say something and sorry, leaving you alone like that." Shakti said biting her lips while turning her face away from me slightly to avoid gazing at my face.

I quickly came close to her and put my finger closing her lips. "No need to say. I should be the one saying stuff like this." I said, looking at her. She looked at me with widened eyes. She looked surprised but worried that I would say the same thing.

"You might not be the only one but, do you want to go out with me?" I said asking her out. I took her hand and held it in my hands. Shakti smile, the brightest smile I had ever seen with her small lips. She nodded and hugged me than closing it with a kiss. Right on the kiss, I got a notification from Maliel but I'm too focused right now.

"Huaa~ How bold?" Hestia said watching us both. "Aya aya aya... I'm not seeing anything." Bell said closing his eyes.

After a while, our lips parted aways. She just came to her sense "When you said, I'm not the only one. Are you saying that I would have to share?" She said puffing her cheek a little. "What... Em.. I mean.. I kinda felt responsible but let's just see in the future." I tried to explain but making things more awkward.

She then turned to smile at me "Relax, I'm only playing with you. Polygamy is a common thing after all, even though usually not many people did it since it's hard to find money but I do want to go out with you, with a condition that I had to be number 1 when it comes to marriage. I'm 38 after all." She said with a rare smile on her face.

"*Uhum* Not going to ruin the mood but marriage between familia might result in some problem. Even though, Ganesha Familia and our familia is in good term." Hestia said already standing in between me and Shakti.

"Nn! That's why, I had said to Ganesha-sama before this. After I dealt with the problem in the familia. I will join your familia, Hestia-sama." Shakti said explaining why she ran back then.

"Congratulations Nii-san." Bell said with a smile. Looking at his face sometimes irritate me by how innocent he looked then I quickly ruffled his hair "Shut up, you stupid brother." with a smile on my face. That night is a blessing, I never felt before. 'Now I need to talk with Tiona too. No, let's wait for her answer.' I thought while walking home.

Shakti decided to spend a night even though she looked shocked by our living conditions. "I will buy us a house if you want." I said to her making her blush. "Oi, We're Familia, right? You can't leave us like that, Ageas-kun." Hestia quickly yelled.

"It's just a joke okay. I know about that." I said to ease her mind while wryly smile at this leeching Goddess. "But I want separate living place if we got a big place." I said making her think about the cost which felt like a dagger to her heart.

After a little bit of celebration that I started by bringing out food like usual, all of us four slept like a baby which then being welcomed by the warm sunlight in the morning.

For some good reason, I'm the first one to wake up. I'm about to move but felt hands encircling my torso. Just after that then I remember Shakti sleeping behind me while hugging me like a koala.

I remove her hand to the side before preparing food to eat in the morning. I tried to think about what should we have for breakfast until Bell being the second that awake. "Eh!!? Nii-san. You awake already?" he asked which for some reason ticked me off.

"Just quickly eat your breakfast and don't talk much!!" I said knocking his head not to ask something that irritated me. "Mmmnnhh....." Then Shakti awake by the sound of our argument. I went to sit on my bed and stroke her head. "Wake up, I had prepared breakfast. Shakti." I said calling her without an honorific.

She quickly sobered up hearing me calling her without an honorific. She quickly blushed and hug my waist to bury her face "Can.. Can you said it... one more time?" She asked shyly.

"Wake up, Shakti. I already made breakfast for you. We will go to Ganesha Familia after this." I said to her which made her face redder than before. She buried her head even further and hid behind my back.

"Come on, you're 38. Why are you acting this shy?" I said and she hit me even though it's not that hurt "Stop saying my age, you dummy.".

"Ahahaha... Alright, if you haven't get down." I said while carrying her to the sofa. She sat there and then quickly eat with Bell.