Reunion
Great Uncle Munetoshi is named after the man who added the Yagyuu to the Yagyuu Shinkage Ryu school of kenjutsu, Yagyuu Munetoshi. -Rin
Niou Masaharu spent a lot of time at Yagyuu Hiroshi's house. So much time that he was considered part of the Yagyuu family by some. So it came as no surprise when Niou would show up at the door as they were getting ready to go somewhere. It was, however, a little more surprising when he climbed in through a window.
On one particular day, the Yagyuu family was about to leave for a family reunion when Niou unlocked the front door and strolled in. No one questioned where he'd gotten the key. He nodded to Hiroshi's little sister and went upstairs to Hiroshi's room. He walked in without knocking, and found Hiroshi knotting his tie without a mirror.
"Yo." Niou threw himself onto Hiroshi's bed. Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.
"I take it you're coming with us?" Niou nodded and Hiroshi straightened his tie. "We're leaving soon, but I assume you already knew that."
When they went downstairs, Hiroshi's mother was giving everyone directions on how to load everything into the car. She didn't bat an eye at Niou's presence, just handed him a cake carrier and waved him out the door. "That goes in the back, dear."
Niou took the cake and put it where she'd told him to, then climbed into the backseat of Mrs Yagyuu's minivan with Hiroshi. Counting Niou, there were seven of them to drive around, so the large vehicle was necessary.
On the way to the family reunion, Niou started a game of slug bug, gleefully punching Hiroshi while his little sister sang along to the radio. They stopped only once, at a gas station where everyone went inside for a bathroom break.
Once they reached the house where the reunion was being held, Mrs Yagyuu started giving orders again, and the van was unloaded. After the food had been taken inside, they were allowed to roam as they pleased. Niou headed straight for the snack table, dragging Hiroshi after him.
A great uncle made his way towards them while Niou handed Hiroshi a fruit kabob ("Here, fruit on a stick.") and started eating his own. The great uncle put a handful of chips into a styrofoam bowl before turning to the boys.
"Why, if it isn't Hiroshi! I haven't seen you since you were this tall." He held a hand out at hip height. Hiroshi nodded and smiled politely.
"It's nice to see you again, Uncle Munetoshi." The great uncle, Munetoshi, turned his gaze to Niou.
"Who's this, then?" Hiroshi opened his mouth to explain, but Niou spoke before he could.
"I'm Hiroshi's brother, Yagyuu Masaharu. Don't tell me you've forgotten me?" Munetoshi scratched his head in thought before shrugging.
"Sorry, Masaharu. I'm getting old, I suppose my memory isn't what it used to be."
"That's quite alright, Uncle Munetoshi. I understand." Munetoshi gave Niou a hug to make up for 'forgetting' him, and went to socialize with other people. Hiroshi turned to Niou, who was smirking.
"Puri~" Hiroshi sighed quietly.
"Masaharu, what are you doing?" Niou grinned and took another fruit kabob.
"Hey, we're practically related, right? What's the harm in telling people we are?"
"You're confusing my relatives." Niou shrugged.
"Minor side effect. C'mon, 'Roshi, it'll be fun." Hiroshi sighed again.
"Fine." And Hiroshi allowed Niou to call himself a Yagyuu, even introducing him to distant relatives as such. A grandmother he hardly knew declared with pride to anyone listening what 'strapping young men' her grandsons were, unaware that she had only one.
On the way home, Niou leaned on Hiroshi, his head on his "brother's" shoulder, playing some mindless game on his phone in the dim light of the evening. They had been quite convincing when they told everyone Niou was one of them, and even relatives that knew better had wondered if maybe they had just remembered incorrectly.
Every Christmas after that, the Christmas cards Hiroshi's family received always had Masaharu listed as a recipient, and somehow he even got birthday checks from some of the family members, though we hadn't told them when he was born. Niou's ability to fool people never failed to amaze Hiroshi, even after years of seeing it, and even joining in. Maybe for the next family reunion, we should swap. Hiroshi's Niou-like grin went unseen in the growing darkness.