Marina

When I first heard the news from Mother that she was pregnant, I was ecstatic.

Finally, I was going to get a sibling!

But then, I realized that they could be a boy! And I hated boys!

They kept teasing me, pulling my hair and even lifting my dress! And they laughed at the bear panties I was wearing!

"Mom, I don't want a baby brother! I want only a baby sister!" I told her.

"Oh dearie…" She just smiled at me. "I don't know if it's going to be a boy or a girl. But I do know that you would have to be a good big sister to them, alright?"

"I don't wanna do it if it's a boy though… Boys are icky and gross!"

"Ah, I see the boys in the village is giving you a hard time again." As usual, Mother just saw right through me. "That's the more reason why you should take care of your baby brother well. Raise him up to be a gentleman, then you'll have an adorable little brother you can always play with."

I didn't believe her at first. Those nine months felt terribly long, as I anxiously waited for the baby to be born.

When the delivery day happened, I waited nervously outside the bedroom, pacing back and forth as I bit my thumb.

Father was the first to enter once the healer told him to. After several minutes, the healer told me to enter as well.

"It's a male, Marina. Congratulations. You now have your own little brother." Father patted me on the back.

My smile disappeared into a frown.

It really is a boy after all…

But then, the moment I saw him—

My heart melted on the spot.

"Aaw, he's so cute! Can I hold him, Mother?"

“Of course, dear. Just be careful, alright?”

That day, I swore to be the best big sister that I could be.

I would raise him right! He wouldn’t be like those village hooligans!

Hugo

Four years had passed since I started learning magic with Marina. I was now five years old, making her ten.

I had grown a lot since then, both in height and in my ability with magic.

I had reached the level Marina showed me when we first started. I could now cast all basic level magic with ease and some intermediate level ones.

She, on the other hand, had surpassed herself even more. She had mastered all intermediate level magic and she was now dabbling in advanced level ones.

Our father and mother both agreed to send her to a magic school, so that her talent could be cultivated further.

She would go next year, at eleven. It was a boarding school, located far away than the boonies we were in right now.

I would only be able to see her once a year, in the summer holidays.

I knew I should be happy for her, but I still couldn’t help but feel a twinge of loneliness in my chest.

In these four years, I had become quite attached to her, it seemed.

“Sis, why don’t we skip the magic lessons today? Let’s go to the village!” I suggested to her.

She raised her eyebrows. “Hmm? That’s unusual. Usually you are so diligent. And suddenly you want to skip your studies?”

“I-I just thought we could use a break, that’s all.” I lied.

The truth was, I suddenly felt I wanted more time with her. Time that wasn’t just spent on her teaching me magic.

I wanted to make memories with her.

Naturally, I couldn’t just say to her face. I was nothing like my old kid self, who was always forward with everything.

Now, shyness was a significant part of me. What if she mocked me if I told her the truth? She certainly could tease me for being a crybaby!

I didn’t want that. I wanted her to think of me as dependable. Or even cool, if a five year old could ever be that.

“Well, I suppose we can do that,” she replied with a smile. “We’ll have to ask Father first though.”