She tossed the tray aside and lunged at my chest. The sheer momentum sent me flying back onto the bed with her pinned on top of me.
"Thank goodness!" Nina sobbed, her voice thick with tears. "You're awake! You really came back to us!"
With her face a mess of tears and snot, she squeezed me tight... around my neck.
"Guh... can't... breathe... Nina, I just woke up... don't send me back to the afterlife... I yield! I yield! Seriously, I'm gonna die!"
Between the strength of her arms and the pressure of her chest against mine, I was facing accidental suffocation. It was a wonderful way to go, technically, but not ideal for a Hero.
"Ah! Sorry, Big Brother! I was just so happy you were awake, I lost control!"
Nina scrambled off me, looking panicked.
Yeah, I genuinely thought I saw the light for a second. Nina is surprisingly strong. I guess that runs in the family.
She wiped her tears and gave me a beaming, happy smile.
"Good morning, Big Brother. Big Sis and I have been waiting for you this whole time."
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting."
"It's okay. You're awake now, and that's all that... well, actually, you did keep us waiting a long time. So, if you give me a hug like you gave Ophis-san, I'll forgive you."
Hahaha... Nina really has a different kind of charm than Alice. There's something a bit "little devil" about her. Not that I was going to refuse.
I patted her head and pulled her into a proper hug. "Sorry for the worry. I'm okay now."
"Mmhmm!" she nodded, still misty-eyed but smiling.
Man, how much did I put them through? I could already hear Alice's voice in my head, scolding me for being so reckless.
Just then, I heard the heavy thumping of feet running down the hallway. The sound grew louder until—
"Issei! Are you awake?!"
"Are you really okay?!"
My mom and dad burst into the room at a full sprint. The sheer intensity on their faces was terrifying. Are they relieved? Are they angry? It was impossible to tell!
"Calm down, you two," I said, trying to soothe them. "I'm fine, see? No problems here."
"Good! That's good! Dammit, boy, you really had us scared!"
"He's right! If you were going to wake up, you should have done it sooner!"
"Ow-ow-ow! My arm! Mom, you're crushing my arm! Have you always been this strong?!"
"What are you talking about? A mother has to be strong!"
"I don't think that's what that saying means!"
Since when did my mom have the same "muscle-brain" logic as Xenovia? This was exactly what had happened with Nina a minute ago!
Once I'd shouted enough for them to finally let go of my limbs, I realized I needed to move. Everyone was waiting. I prepared to tell them I was leaving, but my mother cut me off.
"Issei, you're going out there, aren't you? Then you're eating before you go."
"Eh? But Mom, there's no time—"
"You can't fight on an empty stomach. If you want to win and come home, you eat. Nina, can you help me?"
"Yes!"
With that, my mom swept out of the room with Nina in tow.
Food, huh... Well, it was true that after sleeping for days, my stomach was hollow. But every second counted...
My dad placed a heavy hand on my shoulder.
"Issei. Do what your mother says. Eat. I don't know much about war, but I do know you won't do anyone any good if you aren't at a hundred percent."
When I made it down to the living room, the table was already set. It was a simple menu: several onigiri, miso soup, and pickled radish. The only catch was the size—each rice ball was massive, nearly double the normal size.
My mom smiled as I sat down. "Dig in. It's the Special Nina-and-Mama Onigiri Set."
"I made this one! Isn't it great?" Nina pointed to a perfectly shaped triangle wrapped in crisp seaweed.
I picked it up and took a bite. I chewed, swallowed, and felt the warmth spread.
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