Life of A Mangaka, Erebus Sensei!

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Sibling Chaos..



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The snowstorm had subsided by the morning, leaving behind a city coated in pristine white. Kaoru Kagami's apartment was as lively as ever, filled with the energy of his mischievous little sister, Kaede, and the increasingly weary presence of Aya Takahashi, who still nursed her coffee in the corner.

Kaoru was hunched over his desk, finalizing the details of his next manga chapter. He wanted to ensure the story's setting a cursed coastal town was as immersive as possible. On the side, Kaede was flipping through old manga volumes of Kaoru's successful series, humming cheerfully, while Aya tried to focus on her work.

Kaede suddenly let out an exaggerated gasp, slamming one of the volumes shut. "Big Bro! How could you do this to your poor characters?! This ending is so sad!"

Kaoru spun around, dramatically posing with his pen. "Kaede. an author must sometimes endure the pain of breaking hearts to achieve greatness! It is a curse I bear as the destined creator of emotions!"

Aya pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering, "Chuunibyo nonsense at 9 a.m. Why am I even surprised?"

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Scene 1 Action!: A Walk Through "Anime Land."

In an attempt to escape the chaos indoors, Kaoru suggested they take a walk to clear their heads. Kaede, ever the excited sibling, clung to Kaoru's arm, while Aya followed a few steps behind, silently questioning her life choices.

The trio wandered through the snow-covered streets, but something about their route began to feel… familiar.

"Oh god.. im doomed." (Narrator)

"Hey.." Kaoru said, stopping in front of a building with an ornate clock tower. "Isn't this clock tower straight out of Clan***?!"

Aya tilted her head. "You're right. The architecture's almost identical."

Kaede chimed in, pointing to a small café on the corner. "And that's totally like the bakery in Fruits ******! Big bro, are we in some kind of anime simulation?"

Kaoru smirked. "Perhaps the gods of storytelling have blessed us with inspiration. Behold, the City of Anime Realms!" He struck another dramatic pose, startling a passing pigeon.

Aya sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You're impossible."

As they continued walking, they passed more landmarks suspiciously reminiscent of famous anime locations: a bridge eerily similar to the one in Your *** ** *****, a park bench from Tor*****!, and even a shopping district resembling Shibuya as seen in The World **** with You

"Shushh!!" As the Narrator Covers up the names

"No.. More.. REFERENCES! plwase.. were absolutely gonna get copyrighted by the authors.."

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Scene 2 Action!: Kaede's Backstory

As they reached the park, Kaede suddenly grew quiet. She sat on a swing, her usual bubbly demeanor replaced by a rare moment of introspection.

"Big Bro.." she began, her voice softer than usual, "do you remember when we used to come to the park with Mom and Dad?"

Kaoru nodded, sitting on the swing beside her. "Yeah. You always made me push you so high I thought you'd fly off."

Kaede laughed, but it quickly faded. "I just… I've been thinking a lot about how things have changed since you moved out. The house feels emptier without you."

Aya watched from a distance, sensing the shift in tone. She quietly approached, unsure if she should interrupt.

Kaoru reached out, ruffling Kaede's hair. "I miss you guys too, you know. But I had to chase my dreams, even if it meant being away."

Kaede sniffled, quickly wiping her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't forget us, okay?"

Aya, who had been standing awkwardly nearby, finally spoke. "For what it's worth, you've got a great brother. And he talks about you and your family a lot."

Kaede shot her a surprised look but quickly masked it with her usual attitude. "Don't think this means I like you, Miss. Editor."

Aya sighed. "Of course not."

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Scene 3 Action!: Family House Troubles

The three of them eventually returned to Kaoru's apartment, where Kaede dropped a bombshell over dinner.

"So, uh, funny thing," she said, poking at her rice. "I was supposed to go back today, but… the family house is, uh, being rebuilt."

Kaoru paused mid-bite. "What? Rebuilt? Why?"

Kaede winced. "Insects. A ton of them. They completely infested the place. Mom and Dad are staying at a hotel for now."

Aya blinked, setting down her chopsticks. "Insects? Like termites?"

Kaede shrugged. "More like an army of cockroaches. It was like something out of a horror anime."

Kaoru groaned. "So, what does that mean for you?"

Kaede grinned. "It means I'm staying with you for a while, Big Brother!"

Aya choked on her water, coughing violently. Kaoru patted her back, looking equally horrified.

Kaede tilted her head innocently. "What's wrong? Aren't you happy to have me here?"

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Scene 4 Action!: Aya's Struggles Continues.

Over the next few days, Kaede's presence turned Kaoru's apartment into a battleground. She constantly interrupted his work, demanded his attention, and threw passive-aggressive comments at Aya whenever possible.

Aya tried her best to stay professional, but her patience was wearing thin. One evening, after Kaede had gone to bed, Aya finally spoke up.

"Kaoru," she said, rubbing her temples, "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take."

Kaoru laughed nervously. "She's not that bad."

Aya shot him a look. "She literally hid my laptop charger this morning."

Kaoru winced. "Okay, maybe she's a little bad."

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Scene 5 Action!: A Temporary Farewell.

By the end of the week, Kaede finally announced that she'd be heading back to their family once the repairs were finished.

"I guess I'll leave you two lovebirds alone~" she teased, smirking as she packed her things.

Kaoru and Aya both turned bright red, simultaneously yelling, "It's not like that!"

Kaede laughed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

As she walked out the door, Kaoru let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, some peace and quiet."

Aya sat on the couch, looking equally relieved. "I thought she'd never leave."

Kaoru grinned. "You know, she's not so bad once you get to know her."

Aya gave him a deadpan look. "I'll take your word for it."

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End of Chapter Eight.

(All Credits of References I've made/did is to the authors and creators who made these amazing mangas, light novels, shows and movies including animes.)

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