Shigeo and Ritsu had known each other forever now. They were brothers after all.
But why did it always seem like people preferred Shigeo over Ritsu? They were with each other all the time, why didn't anyone try and talk to Ritsu?
The young pair sat at the dinner table. In front of Shigeo sat a healthy meal that he calmly ate with his chopsticks. He looked over at Ritsu, who had nothing in front of him.
Ritsu looked sad by the lack of meal in front of him. But it was like that everyday. The parents never fed Ritsu, so he just ate while they were at school.
"Nii-san..." Ritsu whispered.
Shigeo blinked, waiting for what his brother had to say.
"Why doesn't mom and dad ever give me food at dinner time?"
Shigeo sighed. "I don't know."
"You don't know what, Shige?" Their mother asked.
"Why don't you ever feed Ritsu?"
Their mother shot a glance at her husband before looking down at Shigeo.
"If Ritsu wants food, then he's going to have to ask." She sighed.
"Okay Ritsu. Just ask mom like usual."
Ritsu shook his head defiantly and looked down at his legs.
"Why not?"
"I don't wanna."
"Why?"
"I just don't want to!"
The older brother sighed, turning to his mother. "Can Ritsu please have some-"
"He needs to ask for food himself. Now eat your food, Shige."
It was a silent dinner after that, like usual.
Even apart from their parents neglecting the younger son, they still had school. They were both in elementary, but they weren't in the same class due to their age difference.
Ritsu was in kindergarten, Shigeo was in first.
Each day, Ritsu would tell lots of stories of what other students did, never of what he'd done.
Whenever Shigeo asked about what Ritsu did, Ritsu would just respond with, "I just sat on the side."
It seemed like he only liked to interact with Shigeo. It was almost like no one had ever made an attempt to even try to talk to Ritsu either.
One morning, Ritsu and Shigeo were on their way to school again.
"Nii-san, when we get home can you show me how to bend spoons? It's really cool!"
Shigeo flashed a brief smile and closed his eyes.
"Of course I can! You're my little brother so you should be able to do this!"
"Who are you talking to?
Shigeo looked up at who asked him that question.
In front of him was his crush, Tsubomi.
"Ah... Tsubomi-chan. I'm talking to Ritsu, my brother."
"You have a brother?"
"Mhm." Shigeo pointed at Ritsu next to him.
"You're crazy, Mob-kun." Tsubomi said, running of to school.
Shigeo was amazed by Tsubomi again, that he didn't even realize she had called him crazy.
Ritsu sighed and continued walking to school with his older brother.
Shigeo tried to reach for Ritsu's hand, but Ritsu pulled it away before he could touch him.
He'd done that so often, Ritsu didn't like to be touched.
Back at home, it was time for another awkward dinner.
"Mom, can you feed Ritsu t-"
"Shigeo, enough with Ritsu!"
The boys were taken aback by their mother's outburst.
"Who is Ritsu?!"
Shigeo squinted at the question then quickly said, "Ritsu is my little brother!"
Their parents stared at Shigeo in confusion.
"Shige, listen..." His father said.
"You don't have a brother."
Shigeo's eyes widened. "But..."
"Shige, Ritsu is not real."
The boy looked beside him to see that nothing was in the chair next to him.
No way... It couldn't be.
Ritsu.. He was just an imaginary friend, then?
Ritsu was never real.
Shigeo was always alone.