The Secret Pages
After chugging the rest of the cola I'd received from Team Harmonize's Rain, I slipped out of her room. As I closed the door behind me, I clutched a small book I had brought out of her room. The cover was completely bare, save for a single, small lily. Even the title was A Small Book. I recalled what Rain had said when she handed it to me: "If it's that book, you won't get in any trouble even if Amy catches you." Hunching my shoulders to hide the book in my arms from any prying eyes, I hurried down the hallway.
Perhaps because it was late in the evening, everyone I passed was dressed far more comfortably than they were during the day. Reaching our door at the end of the hallway, I hid the small book behind my back and pushed the door open.
"Jeff, where have you been?"
"Rain's room."
"Did you walk her back?"
"Yeees..."
Amy greeted me the moment I stepped inside. Giving half-hearted answers to her questions, I began to shuffle sideways. It was a calculated maneuver, born of the absolute necessity that Amy must not see what was behind my back.
"Why are you walking like that?"
"Th-this is..."
Finding my crab-walk highly suspicious, Amy approached me with a puzzled look. I swallowed hard, tensing my body for whatever was about to happen next.
"A book?"
Amy effortlessly scooped up my tiny body and spun me around. My light, small frame stood no chance against her strength. My legs dangled uselessly in the air, swaying gently.
"What kind of book is this?"
"A... a picture book."
"A picture book?"
"Yes. Rain gave it to me."
Amy took the book from my hands. Held in her grasp, the pages of the small book began to flip rapidly. *Flutter-flutter-flutter.* Just as I had said, the pages contained nothing but illustrations. There was a field overflowing with beautiful flowers, a lovely angel descending from the heavens, and so on. Amy tilted her head, seemingly confused by the lack of any coherent theme in a book filled with nothing but pretty pictures.
"What's the story?"
"It's just a pretty picture book."
Amy nodded and finally set me down. My dangling legs finally touched the solid floor. I let out a soft sigh of relief and looked up at her. After flipping through it a few more times to verify, she nodded and handed it back to me.
"It is a pretty book."
"Yes."
I nodded, hugging the book tightly to my chest.
"Where's Shine?"
"She's in the bathroom right now."
"Ah."
As a family, we sometimes bathed together. We had done it before, and it was a common trope in the manga Rain had shown me. Placing the book on a small table, I dashed toward the bathroom, shedding my clothes as I ran. My discarded garments flew through the air toward the laundry hamper, though not all of them made it inside.
"Jeff, I told you not to throw your laundry."
"Yeees."
Giving Amy's nagging a half-hearted reply, I flung the bathroom door open and stepped inside. Shine hadn't locked it. As the door swung wide, the warm air trapped inside rushed out all at once. The hot steam hit my skin, instantly making me feel damp. Gently brushing back my hair, which had already begun to flatten from the humidity, I took a step forward. The floor was slick with splashed water, making it a bit slippery.
"Jeff?"
I turned my gaze toward the voice coming from the back. The thick steam blurred my vision. Shine, who was spraying herself with the showerhead, stared at me with wide, surprised eyes. Though I had marched in with plenty of confidence, my hands and feet suddenly felt incredibly awkward.
"Yeah. I came in to wash up."
"Is that so?"
For some reason, Shine seemed to be in a good mood. Her eyes swept over my body once. Even that fleeting glance felt strangely hot. The rushing sound of the water began to fade as Shine's small hand turned off the showerhead. As the spray died down, her skin came into clear view. Her pale skin, flushed slightly pink from the heat, made her look exceptionally radiant.
"I'm already done."
Shine swept her wet hair back as she spoke. Her snow-white hair, soaked with water, clung to her skin. Dripping wet, she walked over slowly and passed by me. A fragrant scent of body wash drifted from her.
"Make sure you wash up thoroughly."
Her tone was slightly different than usual. Draping a towel around her neck, Shine stepped out of the bathroom.
"Shine!"
Not long after she left, I heard Amy's booming voice from outside. She was probably getting scolded for not drying off before stepping out of the bathroom. I stared blankly around the empty room for a moment before turning on the shower. The warm water cascaded down, soaking my head. The water flowed down my back, dragging my long hair with it. Standing under the stream, I ran my fingers through my hair. The well-maintained strands parted smoothly without a single tangle, slipping effortlessly through my fingers.
After finishing my shower, I stepped out immediately. The sensation of my heated body cooling down in the air was unbearably pleasant. A satisfied smile spread across my face. Just as I was about to run off, I flinched at a sudden touch.
"Jeff."
The hand that suddenly grabbed me belonged to Amy. Securing me in her firm grip, she wrapped me in a massive towel and carried me over to the bed. Plonked onto the mattress, I found myself completely mummified in the towel, unable to move.
"Amy?"
"You weren't going to dry your hair, were you?"
She knew me all too well. I scanned the room, hoping against hope. Sure enough, Shine was already dressed in clean pajamas, nodding off. Her soft, silky hair draped long over her back. Just like yesterday, Amy began to dry my hair. The noisy hairdryer buzzing right next to my ear was annoying, but it felt nice. There were two reasons why I hated drying my hair. First, it took too long. Second, once it was done, I would get so sleepy I couldn't bear it. Sometimes, if I fell asleep while having my hair dried, I would miss The Adventures of the Little Witch, which naturally made me dislike the chore.
"Jeff, stay still."
Amy gently held my swaying head in place. *Whirrr, whirrr.* The sound of rushing wind filled my ears. The warm, gentle breeze pleasantly ruffled through my hair. My heavy eyelids felt incredibly cruel.
"There, all done."
Once my hair was dry, Amy released me from her towel-prison. I immediately stood up and shook my head. The warm air trapped between the long strands slowly dissipated. The way my silky hair scattered around me looked almost like falling snow.
"Time to get dressed."
"Okay."
I slipped into the underwear and pajamas Amy handed me, then walked over to Shine, who was sitting on the floor, her head lolling back and forth. She looked like she would tip over with a single gentle push. I lightly poked her cheek. Her soft, squishy cheek, like a fresh rice cake, indented easily under my finger.
"Jeff."
Shine's half-closed eyes snapped open. Straightening her slouched back, she met my gaze.
"Are you all clean?"
"Yeah."
"Good girl."
But she still didn't seem fully awake. After offering a faint smile and praising me, Shine began to nod off again.
"Amy, I think Shine is sleepy."
"Is she?"
Putting away the hairdryer, Amy heard me and scooped up the dozing Shine. Shine hung limp in Amy's arms, showing no intention of waking up.
"Shine, are you going to sleep?"
"Mm..."
At Amy's question, Shine nodded sluggishly and snuggled deeper into her embrace. Amy carried her over and tucked her into bed. I wanted to sleep too, but tonight was a night I absolutely could not afford to sleep. It was the night The Adventures of the Little Witch aired.
I headed to the refrigerator and pulled out some cold water. Normally, a refreshing cola was the only proper way to follow a shower, but the spot where the sodas usually sat was now occupied entirely by the green juices Amy had prepared. Clutching the small water bottle, I walked over to the table, sat down, and picked up the book Rain had given me. I took a sip of cold water and opened the picture book. Amy watched me quietly, and once she was satisfied that I wasn't up to any mischief, she went back to her own work.
The desk where Amy usually sat and processed documents was piled high with paperwork. *Clack, clack, clack.* The sound of her fingers tapping away at her laptop keyboard filled the room. Keeping a wary eye on her, I gently tapped the page of the book twice. *Tap, tap.* Following my light touch, a transformation occurred on the thin sheet. Text began to manifest over what should have been a simple drawing. The hidden contents of the book were about a family. Intrigued, I began to read. Although the page was packed with tiny, dense text, I had no trouble reading it. In the past, scanning documents filled with print even smaller than this had been my daily routine.
Documents?
The memory that flashed in my mind scattered into a blur. The texture of the thin paper in my hands. The phantom sensation of a white lab coat draped over my shoulders. The rich aroma of dark coffee seemed to drift past the tip of my nose.
"Ah." I shook my head. The scent of coffee actually came from the mug in Amy's hand. She had brewed a cup without me even noticing and was now holding it. Shaking off the stray thoughts in my head, I focused on the book once more.
The story was a fantasy. A female knight who took up the sword in place of her talentless older brother. A younger sister who watched her from the shadows. And an older brother consumed by a deep inferiority complex toward his talented younger sister...
The emotions harbored by the younger sister began to shift gradually. The sister, who had acted solely for the sake of the older sister she idolized, constantly clashed with her older brother. Through the prose, the slow evolution of her feelings was vividly conveyed. The story, written from the younger sister's perspective, completely drew me in.
*Tap, tap.*
"Jeff."
Perhaps because it wasn't a genre I usually read, I realized I had lost myself entirely in the book.
"Jeff."
"Yes?"
As my concentration broke, the voice that had sounded so distant suddenly felt right beside me. It was Amy. Looking down at me, she offered a gentle smile.
"It's time for bed."
"Huh? Bed? Already?"
I looked up at the clock on the wall. The hands pointed to 11:30. I gasped, nearly dropping the book in surprise. I couldn't believe it was already that late; I had completely lost track of time.
"Was the book really that interesting?"
"Uh... yes."
The moment the book slipped from my hands, the text that had filled the small pages vanished in an instant.
"You didn't even watch your favorite Lucy show."
I nodded blankly. I had missed the one thing I was supposed to watch tonight.