White Day gift fic for Flaming Platinum, as part of the Valentine's Day/White Day fic exchange. I hope you like your present!
What Are Brothers For?
The first time Kouichi found his dour twin brother singing K-pop, he was not only surprised, but mildly amused. There was Kouji, ever-present scowl in place, the frustration he felt with his homework obvious, singing softly to what Kouichi could only assume was a girl group song, judging from the lyrics, "gee, gee, gee, gee, baby, baby, baby."
Kouichi didn't say anything then. It wasn't because Kouji would beat Kouichi up for teasing him (which was completely plausible), or because there could be an opportunity for blackmail later (which was certain, if not necessarily Kouichi's style), but because it was just one of those things that siblings kept between themselves, even if one of them wasn't aware.
And when Kouji admitted that he wanted to learn Korean because he wanted to become a K-pop idol, Kouichi not only supported him, but learned with him, deciding that it would be easier to learn between the two of them. They became self-taught through entirely too many cell phone apps and even more library books and online programs. It took the twins two years to become comfortable with the language, their first and second years of high school.
Kouichi also went with Kouji to his talent company audition, and through some twist of events, ended up auditioning as well. It was such a long process that Kouichi was almost disappointed when he wasn't selected to train with the company. That was until he remembered what the point had been: Kouji got in.
It was two more years before Kouji made his official debut in a five-member, coed idol group, and another two years before their debut in Japan. At no point in his career did Kouichi poke fun at his brother for wearing makeup (or learning to care about it for that matter), or for the dances he had to do, or the even the huge, exaggerated grin he wore in that one music video (which was never to be spoken of under penalty of Death). Kouichi definitely did not pick on his brother for his rather sorry attempts at "aegyo." The thing was, Kouji was living his dream, and Kouichi couldn't bring himself to make a joke of it, no matter how entertaining it might have been.
Then there was the Secret Box interview, where Kouji's members made fun of him for being the grumpiest and the youngest, but also complimented him for being the hardest working and most dedicated. Had it been anyone from back home teasing him, Kouji would probably have wasted no time punching them across the room. Instead, Kouji rolled his eyes and took his own cheap shots when the opportunities arrived.
No, Kouji was happy, and Kouichi refused to bully him about it.
However, the first time Kouji appeared onstage, long hair dyed electric blue and face decorated in crazy colors, Kouichi broke. He no longer cared to hold himself back as he called his brother's cell phone and laughed his lungs sore.
"A parrot?" He finally managed to choke out at one point. "Your concept is a jungle, and they assign you, of all people, the parrot? And they gave Zoey the crow!"
"Kouichi," Kouji sighed from the other end of the line.
"Why didn't she get the parrot? Or the new kid, what's his name, Timmy or something? What's he anyway, a fox?"
"Would you shut up already?"
"And your hair! Oh, God, what did they have to do to convince you, or did they just knock you out?"
This time, Kouichi could hear a trace of a smile in his brother's voice when he answered, "JP actually did trick me. I got him back though." Kouichi grinned.
"I'll bet you did. Still, the song was good," he admitted. "I think I'll actually buy this one. And I'm glad you're still having fun over there. Is the new kid alright?"
"Yeah, he's cool. Name's Tommy, by the way."
"Tommy, right," Kouichi nodded, committing the name to memory. "I'll remember that. And you're doing that variety show soon, right? When does that start?"
"In a couple weeks," Kouji answered, then groaned. "God, they're gonna have me do a girl group dance."
"Not like you haven't done one before," Kouichi snorted.
"Yeah, but now I'll have to actually do it right. And sing along."
"As if you don't sing them when you think no one's around,"
"And this is why I don't like you."
"But you love me, so you'll get over it," Kouichi told him obnoxiously before switching gears. "But seriously. I'm proud of you. Don't work too hard, alright?"
"Thanks, Kouichi, I won't."
"Liar," Kouichi smiled fondly, wishing, not for the first time, that they were talking face-to-face. They said goodnight shortly after, both needing to be awake in the morning.
When Kouji's group did finally appear on that show, performing that girl group dance Kouji predicted they would, Kouichi fell out of his chair laughing as his brother sang with the sort of carefully concealed despair only a sibling could pick out:
Gee, gee, gee, gee, baby, baby, baby...
Please, don't forget to review!