Nami

“Nami,” Souma exclaims as he steps into my chamber, scooping me into his arms and swirling me around with a massive smile splashed across his face. “I have missed you so much, sis.” He puts me back on the floor.

“Hi,” I greet him, feeling a little dizzy from his stunt. “My head…” I hold my head in my hands.

“Hey, would you like to join me for afternoon tea?” he invites.

“Afternoon tea?” My eyes sparkle. “Does that mean I get to eat sweets?”

Souma laughs. “Of course. In fact, I ordered the chefs to prepare various types of sweets especially for you.”

I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest, tears of happiness running down my cheeks. “Thank you, Souma. Thank you.”

My brother is surprised, as I have never taken the initiative to hug him or anyone else due to my reserved nature. Although such a gesture is not forbidden in the Kingdom of Angels, Mother, Father, and the older, high-ranking nobles strongly discourage it, believing physical contact between angels is a sin, even if it is just a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or a simple touch.

Needless to say, I found it extremely weird and scandalous when I moved to Tokyo and saw all those couples, groups of friends, and even families translating their inner feelings into actual displays of affection. At first, I did not understand the significance of those gestures. However, after experiencing one of them firsthand when Demon Boy escorted me to the karaoke establishment the other night, I finally began to see that they do feel good and provide some sort of security, and even… love.

Love?

I shake my head vehemently.

What do I know about love? Nothing.

“Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow,” my Cat Guardian cries out desperately before hissing at my brother, enraged.

“Wow,” Souma shrieks, jumping back. “What is that?” He points at Yuki, who is flying toward me.

“Oh, he is my Cat Guardian—Yuki. He found me in the castle’s grounds this morning,” I explain vaguely, taking the furball, who is still hissing and whose blue eyes are locked onto Souma, into my arms. “There, there, Yuki. Souma is my big brother. He is not scary, see?” I stand on my tiptoes and reach for my brother’s head, patting it lightly.

“Meow, meow.” Yuki’s body trembles uncontrollably.

“Cat Guardian? One of the Guardians of the Kingdom of Angels?” Souma is stunned. “What do you mean he found you? How did that happen?”

I shrug. “I do not know. All I can say for sure is that he appeared out of nowhere, and I am taking him with me when I return to Tokyo.”

“Does Sora know about him?” he asks, blinking a couple of times rapidly.

“Yes, he does.”

“I see.” Souma reaches out to pet Yuki’s back, but the Cat Guardian lets out a guttural hiss and bares his pointed teeth. Then a ball of blue light emerges from his open mouth and hovers over my brother’s head for two seconds before dissolving into crystalline water, soaking him entirely.

“Is that… water magic?” I am dumbfounded by the discovery that my Cat Guardian is mischievous and can use magic so freely and carelessly.

“I am soaked,” Souma whines, pure disbelief splashed—yes, pun intended—across his wet face.

“Yuki… why did you attack him?” I mumble, suppressing a pearl of laughter.

“Meow,” the furball responds casually, relaxing and purring in my arms.

“Do you not… like him, by any chance?”

“Meow.” He shakes his round head.

“Ouch. I never thought a Cat Guardian’s rejection would hurt my feelings so badly,” my brother jokes, laughing awkwardly. “Perhaps he is jealous of me because you and I were hugging.”

“It is possible,” I mumble thoughtfully.

Why did Yuki allow Sora to hold and pet him, but not Souma?

Souma lets out another embarrassed laugh before heading to the door. “I am going to change my robes now. Can I meet you at the Rose Garden for afternoon tea in fifteen minutes? Is that acceptable?”

I beam. “Yes, it is.”

When my brother leaves the room, one of the attendants helps me change into one of my favorite light-purple robes—it is adorned with golden drawings of small violets on the hem and sleeves. She also braids my long white hair into one intricate braid and ties off the end with a light-purple ribbon.

Yuki meows at me approvingly, rubbing his head against my legs.

“Thank you.” I take him into my arms and make my way to the Rose Garden—my mother’s favorite in the castle, even though she rarely visits it.

* * *

Souma is already seated at the small marble table in the gazebo situated in the middle of the Rose Garden. As the name suggests, it is a vast garden filled with blue roses and small fountains of crystalline water for the birds.

The castle has three minor gardens and the main garden—the Rose Garden, the Violet Garden, the Tulip Garden, and the Daffodil Garden, respectively. My mother loves flowers and takes pride in them despite never having dirtied her hands with soil or spent more than thirty minutes a week appreciating them. There was this one time when Souma confronted her for gushing about working hard to make sure the gardens were always perfect, and he accused her of being delusional because she had never raised a hand to help the attendants responsible for gardening.

The Daffodil Garden is where the most significant tea parties are held, as its flowers symbolize the Royal Family—the crest, a circular shape adorned with golden borders, features a white Daffodil flower with delicate light-blue wings at its center. It also happens to be my brother Sora’s favorite spot, where he often spends his scarce free time reading books or simply basking in the sunlight.

“You are wearing one of your favorite robes,” Souma observes, smiling broadly. “You should have told me you wanted to have tea at the Violet Garden.”

I chuckle, sitting in the chair across from him and drooling at the sight of the various sweets on the table. “While it is accurate that my favorite garden is the Violet Garden, I do not mind enjoying afternoon tea with you in this one.” I look around, taking in the blue roses absorbing the sunlight and dancing whenever a soft breeze graces us with its presence.

Souma inhales deeply. “It is a beautiful afternoon, is it not?”

I nod. “Yes, it is. By the way, why were you absent from lunch with Father, Mother, and Sora?” I place my Cat Guardian on the white wooden floor, where he promptly lies down on my bare feet and falls asleep.

My brother snorts. “I had lunch with some commoner friends at the market. Unlike our family, I do not mind spending time with those who are not a part of the nobility.” He clenches his hands into fists. “I despise how hypocritical everyone in the castle is, with their almighty air around them while dozens of commoners are falling due to the attacks.”

I pour tea from the teapot into two teacups, inhaling the delicate scent of roses emanating from the liquid. “Can you take me to the Royal Capital someday? I would like to visit the downtown market and other places you always talk about.”

“Of course, Nami. It would be my pleasure to show you the Royal Capital.” He sips from one of the teacups and closes his eyes. “Hmm… It tastes delicious,” he comments, visibly satisfied. “The attendants surely know how to prepare nice tea.”

I do the same, savoring the sweet taste of the flowery tea as it hits the right spots on my tongue. “It tastes really good,” I remark.

“So, how are things at school?” he asks, offering me a purple macaron, which I accept and shove into my mouth unceremoniously.

After swallowing the sweet, I respond, “It is okay. I have made some friends, although I still eat lunch by myself in the garden every day.”

It is true. Even though I have found it easier to interact with Shiokawa-san and Watanabe-san recently, I still refuse to eat lunch with them at school, thanks to Ishii-san and Demon Boy. Speaking of the latter, I have not spoken to him at all since the night at the karaoke, but I do catch him gazing at me whenever we meet.

“Why do you eat lunch by yourself?” Souma frowns. “You should spend as much time as possible with your friends because it will all be over in the blink of an eye.”

“What do you mean?” I munch on another purple macaron.

“It is your final year in school, just as it is for your friends, who will likely move on to universities and start new chapters in their lives. The separation is inevitable, and your bonds will be tested or broken for various reasons.”

“But I will not mind if it comes to that,” I mumble, furrowing my eyebrows. “It is not like I care about them.”

Souma stares at me as though trying to read my face. “You have changed a lot, but at the same time, you have not,” he says, his tone almost scolding.

I admit, “I can see why you are saying that, but I am the same angel as when I first left the kingdom and went to Tokyo, and I do not intend to change that. Besides, what is the point in reforming my emotions and actions to suit humans better when I will be back here once the attacks stop?”

Souma pours more tea into our teacups. “That is not the point, Nami. You are missing a whole lot of experiences that will benefit you in the long run. Do you not want to love someone? Laugh with your friends? Be happy?”

The mention of love automatically sparks a memory of Demon Boy holding my hand. Before I know it, I find myself mumbling shyly, “Hey, Souma. Do you know what love is? Have you ever fallen in love with someone?”

He is visibly surprised as he replies, “Yes, I have. As a matter of fact, I am still in love with them.”

“And how do you know when you are in love? What are the signs?” My voice comes out low.

“The signs? Well, I guess you cannot stop thinking about a specific person, your stomach flutters, and your heartbeat races. You also get all flushed and shy. You may stammer when you are talking to them, and you may also feel like your thoughts are hazy.” He chuckles. “I am not an expert on the subject, but at least that is what happens to me.”

Wait a minute. Cannot stop thinking about a specific person? Check. My stomach flutters when I think about him? Check. My heartbeat increases like crazy? Check. I get all flushed and shy when he is nearby? Check. Does that mean…? Demon Boy… Could it be?

I cover my mouth with my hands and gasp, “No. No way. No, no, no. I cannot.” I shake my head.

“You cannot what? Are you in love with someone?” Souma pries, one eyebrow shooting up with curiosity.

I bite my lip, refusing to respond.

“My little sister is finally in love. It is a wonderful feeling, is it not? It makes you feel alive and at the top of the world,” he cheers, rising to his feet and throwing his hands up in the air as though celebrating something. “I am so happy for and proud of you, Nami.”

Unable to contain the mixed feelings of irritation and embarrassment, I snap, “I am not in love with anyone, and I would like you to stop teasing me about it because it annoys me to no end. If you continue pushing me to become a human, I will never speak with you ever again.”

I know that I might have gone too far, but I blame it on these alien emotions swirling in my chest like a vortex.

Souma winces. “Ouch. Your words hurt me. I am not pushing you to become a human; rather, I am urging you to enjoy your experience as one before it is too late. But fine, I will stop talking about it until you understand what I mean.” He flops down onto the chair, his shoulders slumped. “You have become mean, sis. You never snapped at me like this before.”

I suppose I have changed in more ways than I initially thought.

“Let us resume our afternoon tea and have a pleasant conversation that does not offend or annoy either of us, shall we?” I soften my voice, an invisible white flag of peace offering waving over my head.

My brother smiles. “So, has your Cat Guardian met Father and Mother yet? If he has, how did he react?”

“Yuki met them during lunch, but he basically ignored them, and they did not try to touch him either. So far, you are the only angel he does not like.” I laugh.

He huffs. “Perhaps his values match theirs, and he does not like me because I am not like them. By the way, how do you know Yuki is a he?” He glances at the furball sleeping peacefully on my feet.

“Sora told me.”

“Hmph. Of course, the king did. But it is great that Yuki can use magic, do you not think? Even if it is to play pranks on me.” He bites into a vanilla cupcake—I have devoured five of them by now.

“Yes, it is,” I reply, finishing my sixth one.

Souma and I spend the next hour eating sweets, drinking tea, and discussing matters regarding the human realm and the Kingdom of Angels. All the while, we are surrounded by beautiful roses, the sound of water flowing from the fountains, and birds chirping happily. Despite the ongoing attacks outside, I feel that nothing will ever change inside the castle as long as I have my brothers and they have me.

* * *