By: Angel
Disclaimer: I dont own digimon.....nor will I ever....... But this story is mine, and the character Masanorico is mine too.......So no, you cant steal him away......
Here's the translator's notes:
Nani?--What?
Oniichan--brother
Arigato(arigatou)--Thank You
Doitashimashitte--You're Welcome
Gomen--I'm sorry
Gomen nasai--I'm very sorry
Konnichiwa!--Welcome! or Hello!, etc.
Aishiteru--I love you
I think that's bout it... If I missed any, sorry....
This is dedicated to all those who have an older brother.
He and I just clicked right from the start. And from them on I could always call him:
Oniichan........
It was raining. The day was wet and foggy. The weather was terrible....... Anyone who was out in this weather was mad........
But there was someone out..... A boy to be precise. He was about 15, 5'5 and had dark hair and hazel eyes. In one arm he held a blue duffel bag which contained all of his prized possessions....not to mention clothes, a few snacks and a few hundred yen he had managed to save up. On the other shoulder, he toted his most prized possession: It was his baby--his guitar.
He waited in the rain for the bus, when suddenly a young girl walked down the sidewalk with an umbrella. She looked very young...about 12, 5'0 and she had auburn hair and reddish eyes.
"Hi" she said, stopping before the boy.
"Hi" he said back.
"Poor you.... Standing out here all alone in the rain. Here..." she said, putting the umbrella over both their heads.
"Arigato....."
"No problem" the girl said smiling. "So, where you off to?"
"Dunno. I'm trying to find a place to crash for the night"
"Oh. I dont know of any hotels around here..... Gomen...."
"Its okay. Dont worry about it"
"What bus did you say you wanted to take?"
"The one that goes into town"
The girl began to laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"You're at the wrong place. This is the community bus...." she chuckled.
"O--oh......." he stammered.
"Dont worry, people make mistakes. You're not from around here are you?"
"Nope. I come from Nagano..... I've never been to Odaiba..."
"Konnichiwa!"
"Arigatou"
"Oh yeah.... By the way, I'm Sora" the girl said, extending her hand out to him.
He took her hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you, I'm Masanori-san"
"Nice to meet you... So, you got a place to go?"
"Nope. I think this bench will be my bed for the night......"
"Nani?! You're going to sleep on a bench in the rain?! I cant let you do that!"
"And why not?"
"Because its my nature. I help people..... I'm caring"
"Oh"
"So....being my helping caring self, I'm gonna ask you this: Wanna crash at my house?"
"NANI?!" he said in utter shock. "You dont even know me and you're inviting me to your house?"
"That's right... I cant just leave you out here"
"Yeah you can...."
She sighed. "Well then I dont want to leave you out here...."
"Now that's another story......"
"So do you?"
"Wont your parents get mad?"
"Ah...they're always mad at me... I dont care anymore"
"Alright...if you insist..."
"Yes. I do...." she said, grinning.
He smiled at her. They both began to walk to Sora's house.
Sora fumbled with the keys beofre finally getting the door open.
"Well here we are...." she said, taking off her shoes and throwing her keys on the counter.
"Nice place"
"Arigatou"
Sora looked at him and noticed he was shivering.
"Oh poor you. You must be freezing. Wait here, I'll get you a towel"
The girl disappeared into a room. Masanori looked around him. The house had a calm homey environment. He wished his house could have been the same way.........
"Are you listening to me?! We have to do something about this mess!" the man screamed. The little boy sat down on the stairs, his big sad eyes welling up with tears when he heard his mother cry. He clutched the (thing) with two hands, and his head between them. He then heard the sound of his mother being slapped. He jumped and cried. He was so scared and terrified...... "Next time you do that, I'll kill you!"
"Honey keep your voice down! You'll wake him up!" the woman said back.
"I dont care! Where's my dinner?! I come home and expect to see food on the table! And these dirty dishes in the sink! Cant you do anything woman?!"
The faded words from long ago still echoed in his mind. He shook his head to rid himself of the memories.
"You okay?" the girl asked, looking at him in concern.
"Yeah. I'm fine" he said, smiling.
"Good. Here ya go" she said, handing him the towel.
"Thanks" he said, taking it from her.
"You got clothes? I can give you a t-shirt and boxers to change out of those wet clothes"
"Nah. Its okay. I got clothes. Arigatou"
"Doitashimashitte. Dont mention it" she said smiling. "The bathroom's down the hall and to the left"
"Oh okay" He said, toweling off and going into the bathroom.
The door to the apartment didnt open again for another two hours.
"Sora! I'm home"
Sora bounced off the couch and went to greet her mother.
"Hello mama. I need to talk to you about something......"
"Hi Sora. Who's that on the sofa?"
"That's what I was gonna talk to you about"
The boy stood up and went to her.
"My name is Masanori-san" he said bowing.
"He's new here mama, from Nagano"
"Oh, Nagano. Nice place"
"Mama, can I talk to you outside?"
"Sure"
The girl and her mother left Masanori and went to the gardens.
"NANI?! Sora how could you do such a thing?! You didnt even ask first!"
"I know mama, and I'm sorry...but I just couldnt leave him there alone, lost, and freezing in the rain"
"I guess you're right" she said, sighing. "But you're gonna have to explain it to your father when he gets home" she said walking away from her.
A look of horror crossed Sora's face.
"N--n--nani?" she said quietly.
It was then that she realized that helping out this boy was going to cost her dearly.......
The door to Sora's room slowly opened. Masanori-san stuck his head inside.
"Sora-san? May I come in?"
"Oh sure" she said with a smile. "Come on in"
He walked inside and closed the door. He just stood there, uncertain of what to do.
"You can sit down if you want" she said, gesturing to the bed.
He did. Sora turned in her chair to face him.
"You okay?" she asked him.
"Im fine"
"Good."
She glanced at her alarm clock. 10:35 pm. He was coming....... Sora sighed sadly.
"What's wrong?" he asked her.
"My...my father's coming home soon..."
"And? What's so bad about that?"
"Nothing....nevermind....."
"No...What is it? Tell me"
"I...." she sighed. "Dont worry about it..."
"Nani? What is it?"
She didnt say anything. She was beginning to wonder who this guy was... he certainly was....
"Gomen nasai" he said. "I shouldnt pry...... I didnt mean to...."
"Its okay..."
The front door slammed shut. Sora jumped 8 feet out of her chair. She began to breathe oddly--taking in ragged breaths. She seemed to be trembling.....
"Sora-san? Are you okay?" he asked her in concern.
"I--I--" she stammered. "I'm fine....."
"You sure? I mean you--"
"I'm fine!" she said, a little too loudly. "Oh...gomen nasai... I didnt mean to be rude...."
"Its okay...."
"Listen..." she said, slowly getting out of the computer chair. "Stay here okay? Dont come out..."
"Nani? Stay? Okay....."
Sora held the doorknob with a shaky hand.
"I'll be right back...."
"Okay...."
She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Daddy...." she said, closing the door behind her.
Sora was thrown into the greenhouse. She stumbled and hit the concrete, scraping her legs and arms.
"Get up! Get up!" he yelled, pulling her up by her arms.
Sora winced in pain and began to cry, her scrapes beginning to burn like hellfire.
"Do you think this house is a place for the homeless?! My house is not a shelter for the beggars!"
"But daddy....." she said, sobbing. "He was alone and lost...."
"I dont give a shit Sora! I wont have complete strangers living in this house!"
"But daddy! He has no place to go!"
"I dont give a damn!"
"You will go to hell for that!"
Sora's father slapped her across the face 6 times for her defiance, 6 more for disobediance, and 6 more for talking back. He threw her to the floor.
"Dont you ever talk that way to me, do you understand?!"
Sora nodded. He kicked her in her side. She cringed. How she wanted to scream!
"I said do you understand?!"
"Yes daddy....." she said sobbing.
"I shall let him stay, until I find a place for him to live..... But it will cost you dearly Sora..... It will cost you dearly......"
And with that he left her, sobbing on the concrete floor of the greenhouse. Scrapes upon scrapes now lined her tan legs and arms. She buried her face in her scarred hands, wishing that all the pain would go away........
Her burning scrapes were nothing.... She was eternally grateful that he didnt bring out the leather belt or the paddle.......
What a price she had paid for bring nice and caring.........
And still she knew, the punishement was only beginning...........
From then on it was Sora and Masanorico. We went everywhere together and did everthing together. We were inseperable. It was the brother I never had. And for Masanorico it was the sister he never had. We were perfect. Since the day we met, I turned 13 and Masanorico 16. We had grown up a lot, but never grew apart from each other. Which, in most cases, is exactly what happens when siblings get older. But not for us........
"Sora!"
"Yeah Masanorico?"
"Have you seen my [music] sheets?"
Sora laughed. "You mean the ones you lost like a month ago?"
"Yeah...."
She laughed again. "Check your closet"
"Closet? Okay great!"
Sora listened. "5....4....3....2....1...." She said, waiting for it to happen.
Right on schedule everything came tumbling out of the closet shelves and landed on Masanorico. He yelped. Sora laughed and went in the room.
"You okay?"
"Ow...." he said simply.
Sora couldnt help but laugh. The floor and him were littered with books and papers and clothes.
"I dont find this very amusing Sora....."
"Well I do..."
He glowered at her.
"A little help would be nice...." he said, extending his hand.
She took his hand. He smirked and pulled her into the mess.
"HEY!" she said, bumping her knee into a toy. "Ow...."
Masanorico laughed. Sora glared at him.
"I dont find that amusing"
"Payback...."
"GRR!"
Masanorico laughed. Suddenly a paper ball flew at his head.
"Hey!"
Sora stuck her tounge out at him. He made his own paper ball and threw it at her.
"Ow...."
Soon they were in an all out war. Paper flew in all directions. Mrs Takenouchi opened the door only to find paper everywhere and two makeshift forts built from the junk of the closet. From her angle, she could tell that Sora had quite an arsenal of paper balls.
"What is going on in here?!"
They both froze and looked at the door. Sora threw one last ball at his head.
"He started it...." Sora said, pointing at him.
For that, Masanorico threw a paper ball at her head.
"Okay now the two of you stop.... Pick up this mess before your father gets home....."
Sora cringed when she heard that.
"Alright mama"
Her mom closed the door. Sora began to clean up the mess. Masanorico threw a paper at her. She turned to face him with a serious expression.
"Nani? Whats wrong?" he said, his smile fading away.
"We have to clean this up before daddy gets home....."
"So? We can clean up in a bit...."
"Masanorico....I dont procrastinate with cleaning something around the house...."
"Why?"
"Because.....I dont" she said, staring at him straight in the eye. "Seriously Masanorico...."
"Okay..."
They both began to clean up.
Another year passed by like the wind.... We both aged another year; Masanorico 17 and I 14. Masanorico had formed a band with his friends, which would eventually include Yamato.
After two years, I was still paying for letting Masanorico stay.... Yet it was odd. I wouldnt take back what I had done for all the world...........
Sora walked home from school content that the weekend had finally arrived. But when she got home, she saw something that crushed her heart.
A van.
Not just any type of van......
A moving van.
"Nani?" she asked herself.
She gasped suddenly, realizing what this meant.
"NO! Masanorico!" she yelled, quickly running up to her apartment.
"Masanorico? Masanorico?" she called frantically, hoping he would still be here.
She saw boxes of his things cluttering the living room.
"Masanorico....." she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Suddenly, Masanorico heard Sora. She was crying. He rushed out of his room, slighly pushing a mover out of the way.
"Sora?" he said, walking into the other room.
"Masanorico!" she sobbed, running towards him.
He gathered her into his arms.
"Why Masanorico? Why are you leaving me?"
"I have to. Your father found me a place to live"
"Masanorico... I dont want you to leave me....."
"I'm not going away forever. I'm gonna live down the street...until I get into the apartment that's across the street from your building"
"But still...you're leaving..." she said, burying her face in his shirt. "I'm gonna miss you so much...."
"So am I Sora.... So am I...."
"I wish daddy would have never found that house"
"Me too... I'm gonna miss those days that mom grilled us steaks or when you and I planted those tulips..... But I'm gonna miss you the most Sora....."
"Can I come over sometime?"
"Sure! Come over whenever you want. My door is always open to you"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Who knows...maybe I could use a singer for a few hours"
"Really? Me?"
"Yup. I can always use an angel or two by my side..."
Sora smiled. "When you need me, just call"
"Okay"
The movers began to carry away his stuff to the van.
"No......Masanorico.....Dont leave me alone with him......" she whispered into his shirt.
"Nani?! What did you say?"
"N--Nothing...." she stammered when she saw her father come into the room.
"No, you said something... What did you say?"
"I'll tell you...someday..."
"Okay...you better missy!"
Sora smiled. "I will... I promise...."
The two stood outside in front of the moving van.
"This is it Sora-chan....."
"Yes..." she said quietly.
"I'm gonna miss you angel....."
"I'm gonna miss you even more Masanorico"
They both held each other and cried.
"Aishiteru oniichan...."
Masanorico's eyes opened. That was the first time she had ever called him oniichan.......
"Aishiteru angel"
She hugged him and didnt want to let go. But finally, her father pulled her away from him. Masanorico just looked at him in shock.
"You should get going... She's gonna keep you here for hours....."
Masanorico nodded sadly.
"One more thing Masanori-san. I dont want you to ever call us, come near us, or have anything to do with this family again. Do you understand? As far as we're concerned, you dont even exsist... Is that clear?"
Masanorico swallowed. "Yes sir..."
He looked deeply saddened as he got into the van.
"Ja ne oniichan...."
"Ja ne angel...."
The van began to drive away. Masanorico looked in the side mirror and saw something that mirrored his own childhood.
There he saw Sora, his sister, being slapped and dragged into the house. She sobbed, her arm was extended to her mother who stood by and did nothing......
Seeing that was as if a bucket full of truth came pouring down onto him, like freezing water. It was then that he realized what Sora had been trying to say.....
Tears rolled down his cheeks. He was angry with his stupidity and ingorance. He was angry that he didnt see it sooner......
But he wasnt supposed to know... And he knew without a doubt, that she would tell him about it someday.....
After all, she had promised him.......
The experience I had with Masanorico was undoubtably the best years of my life. And even though I was severly punished for it, to this day I still dont regret bringing him into my house.
And ever since I told him about my father and got into the accident where I lost my singing ability, these things just served to deepen my relationship with him.
And even though he's gone to a university and I barely see him, we make it a point to call each other every day......
Oniichan.......
Well, it's been a pleasure writing this story for ya minna-san!
Till next time!
Ja!
~Angel