Whispers in the Winter Wind

A girl, perhaps fifteen, yawned, her silver hair falling loose as she raised her arms, covering her mouth. Her purple eyes turned to her sister. "We start high school next year and it's Dad's old one, yeah?" she said as they strolled through the city.

Her sister, similar in age and height, gave a nod. Red eyes met Yue's, her tanned skin stood out more under the bright sun. Her long brown hair, threaded with silver, was pulled back in a ponytail. "Yeah," she answered, "But Dad already talked about it, Yue. It's fine, he said there wasn't much…bullying there. He also said all the weird stuff that happened when he and Mama Jingliu went was just the gods messing around," Advika explained.

Yue scoffed. "I guess you're right," she agreed, looking up at the sky. She tucked a stray strand of silver hair behind her ear, her eyes scanning the buildings around them, each a familiar sight.

A gust of wind blew past them, scattering fallen leaves in a swirl around their feet. Advika walked beside her sister, watching the wind dance with the leaves, her thoughts distant.

These two girls, Yue and Advika, were Yasushi's daughters with Yinhaie and Nandini. A decade had passed since his marriage to Jingliu, and now both of his daughters had grown up, on the verge of starting high school.

They were to attend the same high school that Yasushi attended years ago, as he and his family had permanently moved back to Japan, specifically to his home city, Ginsukimura, a place filled with personal history for him.

Yasushi, alongside a few others who had also made the move, established a new office, separate from the main operations. Jingliu and Xinyi took charge of the management, handling the paperwork and other tasks while Yasushi dedicated his time to the practical, hands-on aspects of their work.

He enjoyed that part of the job, feeling more connected to the projects in that way. Their parents, representing the main branch, remained in the United Kingdom, continuing their work from there.

The family made it a point to meet at the end of each month to compare their notes, discuss the latest developments in quantum technology and AGI, and collaborate on new products for their customers.

Those monthly meetings served not only a business purpose but also a familial one, keeping everyone connected, despite being geographically separated.

They provided an important structure for their relationships, and Yasushi knew they all were looking forward to them as they provided them with an opportunity to catch up on everything.

+-+

Some hours later, the two sisters reached an arcade. The space had changed over the years, with numerous upgrades. It now contained a collection of vintage arcade machines alongside older consoles, and modern ones, catering to many different kinds of players.

In recent times, it had become more popular due to the introduction of virtual reality games which provided immersive experiences that drew many people, with several games having competitive scenes.

Yasushi's company was responsible for this development, thanks to the advances they had achieved in quantum technology and AGI. Their work had also led to the discovery of treatments for different forms of cancer. This success, however, did not come without its own problems, with Yasushi and his family being the target of attempts on their lives, due to his past fears.

Despite those challenges, after a long struggle of nearly a year, they succeeded in making the truths of governments and higher powers, exposing their lies and secrets. The world reacted with a massive uproar, as they slowly began to learn of the corruption hidden by those they trusted to lead them.

This led to a substantial upheaval, with many of those in power being removed from their positions. Some faced public scorn, others were chased by angry individuals. Some were brought to the world stage and executed in front of a live audience. It was a harsh period, but after it passed, the world began to improve, with many feeling a sense of relief.

"What do you wanna play?" Yue asked, turning her gaze to Advika, looking around at the machines.

Advika stayed silent, her eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion. "My…older sister senses are tingling. I think…Xinming is here," she said and began to move towards the center of the arcade.

Yue snorted. "Well, our cute little brother is obsessed with technology. I think we have Uncle Jamie to blame for that," she added. Advika nodded silently, her attention fixed on their surroundings.

They went through the various sections of the arcade, maneuvering through the crowd until they reached a quieter corner where they found their younger brother completely absorbed by the game he was playing. He seemed completely oblivious to their presence, totally focused on the screen.

Xinming Futakao Cheng, the son of Yasushi and Xinyi, had been conceived after a year of Xinyi pleading with Jingliu for Yasushi to impregnate her through artificial insemination, much like Yinhaie and Nandini had been. The procedure worked, and Xinming was born. He carried both parents' surnames, with Xinyi's "Cheng" being the family's official last name.

He sat there, his short brown hair a shade close to his father's, while he looked through the blue eyes he inherited from his mother. He seemed to have obtained the best traits from both parents: Yasushi's natural athleticism and Xinyi's intellect. However, he also inherited a stubborn streak from both of them.

Xinming showed a strong loyalty towards his family and friends despite being only ten years of age. He continued to play his game, seemingly unaware that his two older sisters were watching him. The arcade machine he was focused on was an older one, one of the many that had been in the arcade even before the place had been upgraded. He completely ignored everything around him, including his sisters.

Yue grinned, her expression mischievous, and she walked up to him, pulling lightly on his cheek. "Ming-ming, are you really going to ignore us?" she asked, her voice teasing.

Xinming, hearing his name, jumped slightly, pulling himself away from the game. A robotic voice from the screen announced, "You lose!" making him frown in frustration. He turned to his two older sisters and sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Mom and Dad agreed to let me come here, so what's the big problem? We have lots of tech that will keep me from getting kidnapped, you know?" Xinming answered, letting out an annoyed puff of air.

He possessed a great intellect and showed a maturity that went beyond his years, but he could be childish at times.

"He's not cute anymore… how sad…" Yue stated, pretending to wipe away tears that didn't exist with the back of her hand.

"Cuter when younger…" Advika repeated with a long sigh, her eyes wide, looking at him with an exaggerated look of sadness.

Xinming, taking a step back, visibly winced at this. He had a soft spot for Advika's puppy eyes, and it always worked to manipulate him. "Ugh… fine…" he said with a groan of defeat and walked towards them.

Advika happily took hold of his arm and pulled him, while Yue embraced him from behind, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Xinming received some jealous stares from the others around them, but he was not impressed as he just considered his older sisters to be overly obsessive individuals who never gave him any space.

They made their way to a different area of the arcade, where they sat down together, ready to play. The game they chose was a newly released fighting game that was very popular. Other players were also there, and several of them recognized who they were, which made many hesitant to approach them.

Yasushi, along with his family and coworkers, had gained immense popularity as a result of their work and the controversies that occurred in the medical field some years back. It also made his children part of the public eye, a situation that he was not very comfortable with. This newfound attention had given them some fame, but it also made their lives more complicated.

"Take it easy on us, alright, gamer boy~" Yue teased, her tone playful, as she sat down on the other side of the console, ready to fight her brother.

"You know you're better at this game than I am," Xinming replied, his voice expressing a mix of frustration and resignation.

They had this same game back home, where Yue had spent a lot of time perfecting her skills, leading to her dominating him repeatedly. The current score between them was 99 wins for Yue, and only 4 for Xinming, with a single draw in between. Despite Yue being athletic and energetic, yet remarkably obedient, she could not resist the urge to tease her younger brother.

"By the way…where's Liuyue? Is she with you?" Advika asked, her eyes meeting her brother's as she took a seat next to him, getting ready to play herself.

Yue and Xinming started their match, the sounds of the game filling the space around them. He paused for a brief moment, glancing at Advika, and replied, "No. She stayed home to get help with some homework from Himari. She's also helping Mama Jingliu with things since it's her day off today."

"I see…well, let's get something to eat for her before we go home," Advika said, making a note on her phone.

She watched her siblings play the game, cheering for both of them, although she didn't play games as often, finding more enjoyment in reading books or writing her own. She still enjoyed playing occasionally and saw them as a source of fun, it was something she did mostly with her family.

As Yue and Xinming were playing their match, the arcade's background music transitioned to a song they all knew.

"We rise together as our destiny unfolds,

"We face the darkness, and our trials are yet untold—"

"Ah, it's Robin Larkson's song! I think it's called 'Hope Is the Thing With Feathers.' It came out just a month ago!" Yue exclaimed, her eyes focused on the game but seemingly energized by the song, as she began to show mastery in the game, leaving Xinming behind.

"I heard about it," Xinming replied, his voice a bit defeated, as he lost the game to Yue who let out a cry of victory on the other side. "It's gotten popular, the same with Robin Larkson herself."

Advika gave a nod. "Yeah…she's around twenty years old now, but she already had a fan base before this. It's just that for some reason, her songs were not very well known until dad met up with her and her boyfriend, and then they went mainstream."

"I think Dad simply likes her music," Yue said, walking over to them, a big grin on her face, directing her gaze at Xinming who sighed in response to his older sister's teasing. "Anyway, let's go eat! I'm starving!"

Without another word or any argument, the three siblings left the arcade to find somewhere to have lunch together. The young and famous idol's song still echoed in their heads even as they stepped outside the arcade, a melody they had become accustomed to, as the music was everywhere, and part of their lives.

+-+

Some hours later, the three of them walked back towards their house, the lavish and private community where their parents had resided since high school, a place that was home to them.

"Evening you three, out late, huh? You had better run back or else your mothers may give you a good lecture," the security guard said, chuckling as he opened the gate, letting them through.

"We are quite accustomed to them scolding us, Mr. Sora," Yue responded with a smile, before they all chuckled. They all said goodbye to the security guard, and they walked down the road until they reached their home.

"Looks like everyone is already home," Xinming observed, seeing several cars parked in the long driveway.

"Yeah, they decided on normal working hours a long time ago, I remember them well. Anyway, let's go, I want to give Liuyue her stuff," Yue said excitedly before running ahead of them towards the house.

They walked to the front door and pushed it open. As they stepped inside, Yinhaie greeted them with a bright smile. She seemed to not have aged at all, thanks to the life-extending pills that she used.

"Welcome home. I know it's still summer break for all of you, but coming home this late isn't appropriate," Yinhaie stated, attempting to look stern but her expression softened, not quite managing to hold her serious face. She then looked towards her daughter Yue, who nervously scratched her cheek, trying to avoid her mother's gaze. "So, what's the reason for your lateness this time?"

"Snack for Liuyue and big sis Himari!" Yue replied, hoping to distract her from their late arrival, and brushing it off like it was nothing.

It was still only seven in the evening, but to their parents, it was already considered quite late, despite their generally relaxed approach to time and freedom. They were flexible with most things, but it didn't lessen their concerns. These rules were less stringent during summer or other breaks, but that feeling of concern always remained.

Yinhaie sighed before walking over to Yue, kneeling down and gently pinching her cheeks, her look still stern, despite the softness in her action. "Just because you try to butter me up, doesn't excuse your late arrival, understood?" she asked, letting go of her daughter's cheeks.

"Yes Mama…" Yue responded meekly, her energy quickly returning. "Where are Himari and Liuyue!?"

Yinhaie chuckled, shaking her head at their antics and said, "They're in the library. They're still studying, okay? They should be finished in ten minutes, so go find your father for now. He's helping the staff prepare dinner. I'll join you all soon."

The three of them nodded in agreement before thanking and hugging their mother. They walked towards the kitchen and dining area where they saw a flurry of movement as several people hurried in and out of a doorway, carrying plates, cutlery, and other items.

"James, why is there so much food?" Xinming asked, grabbing a passing butler by the arm, trying to understand what was happening.

The butler, James, smiled kindly at him. "Oh, it's just that Master Yasushi, your father, felt like making a feast tonight. He made the staff their dinner earlier, and now he's making dinner for everyone else, so we're just helping to get it done quickly, Lord Xinming."

"I see… thank you," Xinming replied, letting James continue with his work and watched as the scene unfolded, his eyes observing the organized chaos of the staff preparing dinner.

The three of them quickly entered the kitchen, where they saw a busy scene with many people moving around, preparing the food. They noticed Advika's mother, Nandini, who was directing the staff while she cooked a separate dish by herself, focused on her task.

"Mom… where's dad?" Advika asked, gently tugging on her mother's apron to get her attention.

Nandini was surprised to see them there, but she smiled warmly at her daughter and the others. "He just went to his office. If you'd like to talk to him, you can go there, or he might be on his way to the library to check on Himari and Liuyue," she explained, wiping her hands.

They nodded in understanding before Nandini smiled at them again and returned to her cooking. The trio exited the kitchen just as Yinhaie entered, walking with purpose. They headed towards the library, knowing they would find who they were looking for there, their anticipation building with each step.

As they got closer, the voices inside the library grew louder, clearer. Yue suddenly dashed forward, pushing the library doors open with a bang. "Himari, Liuyue, where are you!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing.

Suddenly, strong arms encircled her waist, lifting her off the ground, swinging her around with surprising force. "Who dares to disrupt a place of quiet and learning!?" a masculine voice spoke playfully, feigning anger.

Yue squealed with delight as she was spun around, her laughter ringing through the space. The spinning ended, and she giggled, looking up at the person who had lifted her — her father, Yasushi Futakao, a big smile on his face.

Since ten years ago, he had shown no signs of aging, looking much younger than his actual age, thanks to the life-extending pills. He looked like he was in his early thirties, when he was, in fact, thirty-seven years old. He chuckled at her, setting her back down on her feet gently.

Yasushi looked at his other children, his smile widening as his eyes met theirs. "What brings all of you here?" he asked, ruffling Yue's hair, causing her to pout at the gesture.

"We wanted to give Liuyue and Himari some snacks that we bought," Yue explained, holding up the bag of treats for them to see.

Liuyue and Himari, who had been focused on their studies moments before, got up from their seats and walked over to them, their faces showing signs of their hard work. Himari, now sixteen years old, had visibly matured, though she maintained her composure.

She smiled at her siblings. "Thank you for thinking about us, but we should probably eat them after dinner instead. We don't want to spoil our appetites, right?" she said gently, showing her care for them.

Liuyue, standing beside her, nodded in agreement with her sister. She looked like a smaller version of her mother, Jingliu, with the same long white hair, light blue tips, and even the same calm demeanor, but she had her father's purple eyes. Usually quiet, she returned a soft smile to her siblings, showing her appreciation for their thoughtful gesture.

"…Big Sister Himari is correct… we should wait until dinner to eat those," she added quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, as she took hold of her father's hand, feeling safe by his side.

"Boo~ fine, let's wait until then," Yue complained, but accepted the decision, putting the snacks away for later.

The sisters began chatting amongst themselves, catching up on their day, while Xinming, the only son in the family, stood awkwardly to the side, feeling a bit out of place. Yasushi, noticing his son's discomfort, walked over to him, kneeling down to meet his gaze, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Did you enjoy your day out?" he asked, a warm smile on his face, trying to ease his son's worry.

Xinming nodded. "I did. But I ran into my sisters, did you send them after me?" he asked curiously, looking directly at his father, trying to gauge his reaction.

Yasushi shook his head, assuring him, "They simply wanted to go out too, and they did. Did you have any problems while you were out on your own?"

Xinming shook his head again and proceeded to describe where he had gone and what he had done before his sisters found him at the arcade, not leaving out any of the details. Yasushi listened silently and intently, nodding along to his son's account, his attention fully focused on the boy.

"Well, as long as you had fun, that's what really matters," Yasushi responded, a genuine smile touching his lips. He continued to stare at his son, his gaze softening even further, conveying his deep affection. "I told you before, didn't I? You don't need to follow in my footsteps. You should pursue what makes you happy, and do what you want, and we'll support you one hundred percent, okay?"

"I know, Dad… thanks," he replied, his voice sincere, a genuine smile finally appearing on his lips, his eyes showing some hope. "But I don't think I can do what you do, it seems like an incredible amount of work."

Yasushi chuckled, nodding in understanding. "I don't blame you, it is a lot… Alright, how about we go on a father-son trip next week? I'll have another week off by then," he suggested, his tone filled with excitement.

The idea made Xinming's eyes light up, full of anticipation, and he nodded his head enthusiastically. "Really? Where are we going?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"It's a secret, but don't worry, it won't be anywhere you don't enjoy. It's a secret for now though, okay?" he said with a wink, before they sealed their agreement with a pinky promise, a symbol of their bond.

After chatting for a little longer, all of his children left to go to the dining room, as dinner was about to begin. Yasushi let out a soft sigh, his gaze following them, as he slowly walked behind them, his smile widening as he watched his children's backs, feeling grateful for his family.

Xinyi walked out of a separate room, letting out a yawn before she suddenly wrapped her arms around Yasushi's left arm, grinning playfully at him. "Consoling our son? He really is a lucky one, how about I get lucky tonight?" she asked in a sultry manner, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

At the same moment, Jingliu walked out of the same room, stepping beside Yasushi, her presence calm and collected. "You need to calm down," she said flatly, her tone even, causing Xinyi to chuckle at her lack of reaction. "What's this about a one-on-one father and son trip?" she asked her husband, wrapping her arms around his free one, securing him between the two of them.

"Xinming has expressed that he feels a little left out sometimes since he only has sisters, so I thought it would be a good idea to spend some focused one-on-one time with him. I've done it several times already, but I realize I'll need to do it more often so he doesn't feel alienated or ignored," he explained, as they began to walk together, their arms entwined.

They continued to walk down the hallway, engaging in a lively discussion about the upcoming father-son trip, their voices overlapping as they shared their thoughts and opinions. However, despite the cheerful atmosphere, Yasushi found his mind drifting away, a single thought occupying his consciousness.

He made it, didn't he? Compared to the life he had before arriving in this world… this was much, much better. The clear difference between his past life and his current reality was difficult to ignore, a point he would find himself thinking about more than he should.

This life, full of family and love, was something he would never take for granted, something he knew he had worked hard to achieve.