The sun rises with its golden light, its warm glow reflecting off the window of my home.
I feel a gentle heat envelop my small body, while beads of sweat stream from my head, slide across my cheek, and fall to the ground at a speed that seems impossible under normal circumstances.
There is a reason for that…
In that moment, my body lifts a few centimeters off the ground, my forehead eagerly preparing to meet a circular shape descending from above.
The round shape approaches at an almost constant speed, and with it, my heart pounds with excitement.
The distance between us may seem long, but it disappears within a tiny fraction of a second.
Impact.
A header.
It might already be obvious, but there's no harm in explaining…
I'm playing soccer in the backyard of my house.
The ball moves steadily toward what resembles a goal—two stacked stone pillars, with just enough space left between them for play.
The ball passes smoothly between the pillars.
"Goooal!"
I shout enthusiastically, raising my hands high into the air.
"Arata, lunch is ready."
A woman's voice cuts through my great celebration—a soft, gentle female voice… it's my mother.
"I'm coming right away!" I reply energetically.
"My brother is a superhero!"
That small, sweet voice makes my heart flutter with joy.
The voice belongs to someone hiding right behind my mother—a little girl of captivating beauty. Her long blond hair shines behind her back under the sunlight, her blue eyes closely resembling the clear sky that brings a sense of calm, and her soft pink cheeks look like fluffy marshmallows.
She's my little sister—Himari.
"Himari, did you see that last jump? Your big brother is amazing, right?"
"Yes! My big brother is amazing!"
"Yes, yes… praise me more!"
"My brother is the best!"
I laugh lightly.
"Ah, Himari… seeing you cheer for your big brother like that makes me want to hug you. Come here!"
I dash after her across the backyard.
"Wild brother!" she says as she runs, laughing playfully.
Then my mother's voice comes again:
"Stop playing and come to the dining room now. Your father is starving!"
Has Dad finally come back?
My father works in wheat and rice farming and owns a shed near the fields.
Often, he has to stay there overnight if work runs late, since traveling through the Japanese countryside at night isn't easy—especially with limited transportation and the appearance of wild boars.
But it seems he finished his work early today and returned home.
The three of us enter the dining room, where we find my father already seated at the table, holding his spoon with clear eagerness toward the food placed in front of him.