Đream ♪ [oo3] || {Backdated to the morning of the 19th}
Warnings: P3P headcanon. ...Miiight trigger light P3 spoilers if you're totally unfamiliar with the game? ;;
Dream Effects: Calm and even-headed at first. Determined and empathetic second, happy and a teensy bit smug third, sleepy fourth, and ends with childish fuzziness and joy and all that cute and fluffy package.
“Eh, nii-chan! I found the eggs. Here!” A little girl with short brown hair and warm maroon eyes came up to him, and energetically put down the plastic box where half a dozen eggs were wrapped in. She wore a cute little red trench coat, and a loose pink scarf hung around her neck.
Minato, looking quite similar to the girl in terms of facial features, nodded back with a faint smile that was rather strongly reminiscent of the ones that he displayed in his teenage years. Here, however, he could not have been older than seven, and he was decked out in a blue coat, along with a set of fluffy blueish-gray earmuffs.
“Mm. I got the carrots, nee-chan. That should be all.”
“The cash register’s over there!”
“I know. It didn’t move since the last time we came.”
She seemed impatient, though he was more than happy to simply nod and follow. The lady at the counter only beamed at the twin when they passed.
“Ah, it’s you two again. Your parents really are busy folks, aren’t they?” The kind woman asked, as she quickly scanned every article inside the basket that Minato shoved onto the counter held.
“I wish they’d be home more often,” the girl pouted.
“They are. Today is special,” the boy responded in a mild tone.
“Oh? What would that be?” The cashier lady chimed back.
The girl, for her part, still looked sullen. The boy, however, merely blinked as he handed a packet of yen bills to the lady.
“It’s a secret.”
“Is it now? Ahaha, I won’t ask, then. There are other customers, too. Here you go, Minato-kun. Have a safe trip home, and take care of the young lady, too, you hear?” She chuckled back, discreetly shoving a few candies into the grocery bag as she handed it back to him, along with his change.
Minato did not miss it, but he diligently nodded back as he accepted the money and the groceries.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, and raised his arm to perform a small salute.
“What- I don’t need to be taken care of by nii-san! I’m - huh?” She looked up in confusion as he handed her a candy.
“Thank you very much, Kaede-san. We’ll be back again.” He bowed to the woman, picked up the bag, and took the girl’s free hand before dragging her towards the exit. The cheerful laughter of the cashier lady followed them until they completely left the convenience store.
“…Hmph.” She huffed, though the small bump on her left cheek clearly indicated that she already popped in the sweet.
“Don’t be mad, nee-chan. It’s not their fault,” he calmly began, still not letting go of her hand.
“I’m not mad.”
“Yes you are.”
“Leave me alone, nii-chan.”
“Not today. You made me promise, too. Remember?”
“…”
The twins quietly walked under the dim lights of the lampposts; the sun has already set. It probably wasn’t very safe, in all retrospect, but this was a quiet neighborhood, and their house was but a few minutes’ walk from the store. They came often on their own, when mum and dad were too busy with work. It was getting warmer now, too; spring was almost here, as the budding trees that they passed by would indicate. There were still chills, however, which is why they were both warmly dressed.
The silence went on for a minute more before the little girl spoke again.
“Why overtime today, though?… They promised, too…”
“It can’t be helped. They have to make money, so that they can buy us food, education, and stuff. It’s for our happiness.”
“But I’m not happy! I’m happiest when mama and papa and nii-chan are all around me!”
“…That…”
The brunette really looked upset. As for the little boy with dark blue hair… There was nothing much that he could say to this.
“If that’s what growing up will be, then I dun want it!”
“Don’t say that, nee-chan. We’re still young, so there’s still a lot we don’t know that we need to understand.”
“…Nng! You sound just like papa now, nii-chan!” She stopped altogether, shook off his hand, and stomped her foot on the ground. He… interiorly winced. “It’s our birthday! We’re seven now! They should have been here! Saiko-chan was going on about how her mama took her out to a park and they ate in a restaurant and she had a big cake for hers… But mama and papa had to be called out for work! Why can’t they spend it with us??”
“….”
For a moment, he watched her, but then he came closer.
“I don’t understand too, even if I will later. Papa and mama care for us differently, I think, but they do. Mama always makes us takoyaki before she goes to work so we can eat it after school, and Papa took us to Tokyo when he took a week off just for us, last summer. I’m glad that they do things like that.”
“…Hn…” She seemed to quiet down at that.
“Something big happened so they had to leave today, but I’m sure that they remember. Let’s go home with a smile, nee-chan. They’re tired, too. It’ll make them happy.” He smiled warmly, and gave her a light pat on the head with his free hand.
“Ah-! Stop that, nii-chan!… Hmph… Okay, I get it. I’ll try, but I’m still mad!…” She huffed, but she did seem to brighten up. He was right, after all; Saiko-chan was totally jealous to know that the Arisato twins had homemade takoyaki almost every day after school.
With that, she grabbed his hand on her head, put it in hers, and the twins resumed their walk back home.
“Happy birthday, dear. ♥” They were greeted by a kiss on the forehead by both their parents. The house looked no different than it always had when they left, but upon their return, a few balloons floated about, the lights were on, and a delicious-looking strawberry cake sat on the table, along with two neatly-wrapped boxes - presents.
The little girl squealed in joy and gave her dad a big hug as the little boy numbly handed the bag to his mom, still surprised despite himself by this simple but cheery setup. His mother just chuckled and hugged him tighter, an embrace that he then fully returned.
Sneaking a glance sideways, his eyes caught the little girl’s. He grinned, and she pouted.
I told you so, nee-chan.
“Nii-chan.”
He was comfortably tucked in his bed and honestly just about to fall asleep when she called him out.
“…hnm?”
“Ni~i~i-chan.” It was more persistent this time, and he cracked open an eye to see the brunette staring at him, from the ladder of their bunk bed.
“…’s late. Wa- *yaaaawn*… you need?” He forced himself to get up. But he was comfortable!…
“Thank you.” She then leaned forward to peck him on the cheek.
…You’re wel-
Wait what. He blinked hard, and looked at her.
“Huh?”
“Papa and mama do care. I’ll try to grow up so that we can know why they need to stay out late, too.”
He… smiled.
“Mm, let’s do it together.”
“You better, nii-san! I’m counting on you. Promise?” She extended her pinkie.
He held out his, and they locked.
“Promise. Let’s make mama and papa proud, too.”
She nodded.
“Happy birthday, nii-chan!”
“Happy birthday to you too, nee-chan.”
[Minato sits up and raises one hand to rubs his eyes. Today is...
Ah.
With a soft look in his semi-closed eyes, he turned around to quietly shut the Dreamberry off.]
Dream Effects: Calm and even-headed at first. Determined and empathetic second, happy and a teensy bit smug third, sleepy fourth, and ends with childish fuzziness and joy and all that cute and fluffy package.
“Eh, nii-chan! I found the eggs. Here!” A little girl with short brown hair and warm maroon eyes came up to him, and energetically put down the plastic box where half a dozen eggs were wrapped in. She wore a cute little red trench coat, and a loose pink scarf hung around her neck.
Minato, looking quite similar to the girl in terms of facial features, nodded back with a faint smile that was rather strongly reminiscent of the ones that he displayed in his teenage years. Here, however, he could not have been older than seven, and he was decked out in a blue coat, along with a set of fluffy blueish-gray earmuffs.
“Mm. I got the carrots, nee-chan. That should be all.”
“The cash register’s over there!”
“I know. It didn’t move since the last time we came.”
She seemed impatient, though he was more than happy to simply nod and follow. The lady at the counter only beamed at the twin when they passed.
“Ah, it’s you two again. Your parents really are busy folks, aren’t they?” The kind woman asked, as she quickly scanned every article inside the basket that Minato shoved onto the counter held.
“I wish they’d be home more often,” the girl pouted.
“They are. Today is special,” the boy responded in a mild tone.
“Oh? What would that be?” The cashier lady chimed back.
The girl, for her part, still looked sullen. The boy, however, merely blinked as he handed a packet of yen bills to the lady.
“It’s a secret.”
“Is it now? Ahaha, I won’t ask, then. There are other customers, too. Here you go, Minato-kun. Have a safe trip home, and take care of the young lady, too, you hear?” She chuckled back, discreetly shoving a few candies into the grocery bag as she handed it back to him, along with his change.
Minato did not miss it, but he diligently nodded back as he accepted the money and the groceries.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, and raised his arm to perform a small salute.
“What- I don’t need to be taken care of by nii-san! I’m - huh?” She looked up in confusion as he handed her a candy.
“Thank you very much, Kaede-san. We’ll be back again.” He bowed to the woman, picked up the bag, and took the girl’s free hand before dragging her towards the exit. The cheerful laughter of the cashier lady followed them until they completely left the convenience store.
“…Hmph.” She huffed, though the small bump on her left cheek clearly indicated that she already popped in the sweet.
“Don’t be mad, nee-chan. It’s not their fault,” he calmly began, still not letting go of her hand.
“I’m not mad.”
“Yes you are.”
“Leave me alone, nii-chan.”
“Not today. You made me promise, too. Remember?”
“…”
The twins quietly walked under the dim lights of the lampposts; the sun has already set. It probably wasn’t very safe, in all retrospect, but this was a quiet neighborhood, and their house was but a few minutes’ walk from the store. They came often on their own, when mum and dad were too busy with work. It was getting warmer now, too; spring was almost here, as the budding trees that they passed by would indicate. There were still chills, however, which is why they were both warmly dressed.
The silence went on for a minute more before the little girl spoke again.
“Why overtime today, though?… They promised, too…”
“It can’t be helped. They have to make money, so that they can buy us food, education, and stuff. It’s for our happiness.”
“But I’m not happy! I’m happiest when mama and papa and nii-chan are all around me!”
“…That…”
The brunette really looked upset. As for the little boy with dark blue hair… There was nothing much that he could say to this.
“If that’s what growing up will be, then I dun want it!”
“Don’t say that, nee-chan. We’re still young, so there’s still a lot we don’t know that we need to understand.”
“…Nng! You sound just like papa now, nii-chan!” She stopped altogether, shook off his hand, and stomped her foot on the ground. He… interiorly winced. “It’s our birthday! We’re seven now! They should have been here! Saiko-chan was going on about how her mama took her out to a park and they ate in a restaurant and she had a big cake for hers… But mama and papa had to be called out for work! Why can’t they spend it with us??”
“….”
For a moment, he watched her, but then he came closer.
“I don’t understand too, even if I will later. Papa and mama care for us differently, I think, but they do. Mama always makes us takoyaki before she goes to work so we can eat it after school, and Papa took us to Tokyo when he took a week off just for us, last summer. I’m glad that they do things like that.”
“…Hn…” She seemed to quiet down at that.
“Something big happened so they had to leave today, but I’m sure that they remember. Let’s go home with a smile, nee-chan. They’re tired, too. It’ll make them happy.” He smiled warmly, and gave her a light pat on the head with his free hand.
“Ah-! Stop that, nii-chan!… Hmph… Okay, I get it. I’ll try, but I’m still mad!…” She huffed, but she did seem to brighten up. He was right, after all; Saiko-chan was totally jealous to know that the Arisato twins had homemade takoyaki almost every day after school.
With that, she grabbed his hand on her head, put it in hers, and the twins resumed their walk back home.
“Happy birthday, dear. ♥” They were greeted by a kiss on the forehead by both their parents. The house looked no different than it always had when they left, but upon their return, a few balloons floated about, the lights were on, and a delicious-looking strawberry cake sat on the table, along with two neatly-wrapped boxes - presents.
The little girl squealed in joy and gave her dad a big hug as the little boy numbly handed the bag to his mom, still surprised despite himself by this simple but cheery setup. His mother just chuckled and hugged him tighter, an embrace that he then fully returned.
Sneaking a glance sideways, his eyes caught the little girl’s. He grinned, and she pouted.
I told you so, nee-chan.
“Nii-chan.”
He was comfortably tucked in his bed and honestly just about to fall asleep when she called him out.
“…hnm?”
“Ni~i~i-chan.” It was more persistent this time, and he cracked open an eye to see the brunette staring at him, from the ladder of their bunk bed.
“…’s late. Wa- *yaaaawn*… you need?” He forced himself to get up. But he was comfortable!…
“Thank you.” She then leaned forward to peck him on the cheek.
…You’re wel-
Wait what. He blinked hard, and looked at her.
“Huh?”
“Papa and mama do care. I’ll try to grow up so that we can know why they need to stay out late, too.”
He… smiled.
“Mm, let’s do it together.”
“You better, nii-san! I’m counting on you. Promise?” She extended her pinkie.
He held out his, and they locked.
“Promise. Let’s make mama and papa proud, too.”
She nodded.
“Happy birthday, nii-chan!”
“Happy birthday to you too, nee-chan.”
[Minato sits up and raises one hand to rubs his eyes. Today is...
Ah.
With a soft look in his semi-closed eyes, he turned around to quietly shut the Dreamberry off.]