[Mecha] + [Emotional devastation] + [Dark] + [Protagonist torment] + [Brother and sister]
War? That's just distant noise on the news.
In this art academy surrounded by ginkgo trees, the first thing 19-year-old Sela does every morning is message her brother Aster:
"Stay safe today, okay?"
Aster is the Federation's youngest ace pilot. Every time he comes home on leave, he brings a whole box of honey nut cakes and sits at Sela's workbench, watching her assemble mechanical insects as he teases her for having "hands faster than her brain."
"Once your graduation exhibition is over, I'll apply for a transfer to a base in the rear. Then I'll eat cakes with you at that old cafe by the academy until it goes out of business."
Sela nods and secretly slips her newest mechanical beetle into his pocket. "Take this as a good-luck charm. It can fly, which means I can fly to your side whenever I want."
On the day of his departure, Sela stands at the academy gates, rises on her toes to straighten his uniform collar, and fights back tears with red-rimmed eyes.
Aster ruffles her ponytail and smiles as he did when they were children. "Silly girl, I'll be back."
He turns and gets into the hover car. A moment before the door closes, Sela waves to him, her voice soft as cotton candy:
"Big brother, you promised we'd see my graduation exhibition together!"
The car pulls away. Ginkgo leaves whirl in the wind and drift down like golden rain bidding him farewell.
One star is deducted because I was hurt by the knife 🙂 Thank you, I enjoyed it