Chapter 1: She’s Back, and She’s Dazzling

If my life were a peaceful, quiet slice-of-life manga, my older sister would be the giant, glittering meteor that crashes into the plot and ruins everything.

My name is Toby, and right now, I am standing in the middle of the crowded city square, wishing the ground would swallow me whole. Why? Because of the person currently marching toward me.

"Toby! My beloved, adorable little brother!"

The crowd parted instantly. It wasn't just because she was shouting; it was because she practically radiated an aura. Maya—or "Sissy," as she forced me to call her whenever she wanted something—was back from her three-year art tour abroad.

She didn't just walk. She glided. She wore a bright neon pink beret, a trench coat that looked like it belonged on a Paris runway, and oversized sunglasses. Behind her, the afternoon sun hit her glossy hair, creating a literal, shimmering sparkle effect that felt entirely unfair.

Before I could even brace myself, she threw her arms around me, burying my face into her expensive-smelling coat.

"Mmph—Sissy! Can't... breathe!" I gasped, flailing my arms.

"Oh, look at you! You grew taller!" She finally pulled back, gripping my shoulders and looking at me like I was a prize-winning puppy. She gave a dazzling, sparkling smile that literally made a nearby passerby trip over a trash can. "But you're still as scrawny as ever. Are you eating your veggies?"

"I'm seventeen, Sissy. I can feed myself," I grumbled, adjusting my rumpled shirt and trying to ignore the stares of the people around us. "And what is with this outfit? You look like a magical girl who lost her wand."

Sissy gasped dramatically, placing a perfectly manicured hand over her heart. "How dare you! This is haute couture, Toby. I am an artist. I must embody the amazing sparkle of life!"

To prove her point, she did a little spin, her coat flaring out.

"Yeah, well, your 'amazing sparkle' is attracting a crowd," I muttered, grabbing the handle of her massive, glitter-covered suitcase. "Come on, let's get a taxi before someone asks for your autograph thinking you're a celebrity."

"Oh, but I am a celebrity in the making," she said, winking playfully as she hooked her arm through mine.

For a second, the familiar, bickering warmth of having her back made me smile. I had missed her chaotic energy. Even if she was embarrassing, she was my sister, and no one else could light up a room the way she did.

But as we reached the edge of the curb to hail a cab, Sissy’s phone buzzed violently in her pocket. She pulled it out, and the moment she read the screen, the dazzling, sparkling smile completely vanished from her face.

She turned to me, her eyes wide behind her sunglasses.

"Toby," she whispered, her voice losing all its playful drama. "We need to get into a car right now. The loan sharks from France found my social media."

Before I could even process what she just said, a group of men in sharp black suits rounded the corner, eyes locked onto her neon pink beret.

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