"Yeah, I'm on my way. I just picked up Sami-chan. I'll be there soon."

A seven year old Isami peered at his mother as he waited with his teacher while she made a phone call.

"Thank you, Miwari-sensei." His mother took his hand in hers and quickly walked out to the car, a white SUV.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Young Isami could feel the restlessness from his mother and wondered what was causing it. His mother was a pretty woman with brown hair in a ponytail, her light brown eyes stared into his.

She crouched down to his eye level before she took him in her arms and then released him. "Sami-chan…Toshi…is in the hospital."

"Toshi? Is he okay? What happened?"

"Your dad just called me. We're going to go see him right now. I'll explain everything after your dad and I speak with each other." She ruffled his hair, giving him a slight smile.

Nodding, he got in the car and buckled himself up.

–

Even though they were speaking in hushed voices, Isami could still hear his parents speak. He sat next to Toshi's bed, brows knit in concern. Toshi's head was bandaged and his right arm was in a cast.

"You were the one they put down as an emergency contact. My colleague had been preforming surgery on Hijikata-san. Another one of his colleagues was preforming surgery on Makoto-san."

"And? How are they?"

Isami's light brown eyes glanced to his parents. His father lightly shook his head and took his mother in his arms as she quietly sobbed.

"The front of the car took most of the damage. Toshizō was in the back, so his injuries weren't as severe. It's hard to say when he'll wake up."

"And what of Toshi? He doesn't have any more relatives. Makoto-chan's mother died a year ago. Her father died when she was young. Hijikata-san's father is in a nursing home, there's no one else for Toshi to go to."

"Seems like he's going to be a case…You know better than anyone what happens to kids that don't have anywhere to go."

"…Can't Toshi come live with us?" Isami spoke up suddenly. His parents quickly turned to look over at him. "…Toshi's like my brother…"

His father pushed up his round glasses and he wrapped an arm around his wife, running a hand through his black hair. "Isami, that's not something we can decide…things are a little complicated than that."

"But if there is a chance, I'm going to look into it. I'm going to make sure Toshi is taken care of." His mother walked over to them and she kissed the top of his head. "Nothing bad is going to happen to Toshi, okay?"

Isami nodded and looked back at Toshi. He was sleeping so peacefully, so unaware of what had happened. He made his mind up that he was going to stay by Toshi. He was going to need someone.

—

Little Toshizō bowed in front of the portraits of his parents. He wiped his tears away with his left hand, not making a sound. He turned back and Hanako carefully took him into her arms. She took a shaky breath and looked at him with glistening eyes. "Toshi…we could never replace your parents, but do you think we could start from here as a family?" She gave his small hand a light squeeze. "Samu-chan and I will do our best to raise you into the young man your parents wanted you to be, and Sami-chan will be your big brother, what do you say?"

Isamu stepped forward and ruffled his hair. "Toshizō , we're here for you. We miss them too." He pushed up his glasses and crouched down. "Hanako and I will take care of things here. Go sit with Isami."

Toshizō nodded and wiped his eyes again before going to sit next to Kondō-san. The older boy handed him a cup of water. They sat next to each other in silence as they watched more adults pay their respects. Toshizō saw many people he didn't recognize. They all said they were sorry. He didn't understand why they were apologizing, but many of their comforting words seemed empty. There were only a few people that actually meant what they said.

He didn't like any of this. He just wanted his parents back. He could only stare at the portraits of them and wipe his oncoming tears.

–

Toshizō cautiously stepped into the Kondō household. Kondō-san had taken his backpack. Hanako-obasan had helped him pack things up in his room. She said she and Isamu-ojisan would go back for the rest of his things.

All of this change was too sudden. Too weird. Too much.

He still couldn't understand how it happened.

"Toshi, look, we put some of your things in here already. I'll help you organize things tomorrow." Isami gave him a slight smile as he set the backpack down. "I helped mom and dad choose the furniture, do you like it?"

Toshizō's violet eyes scanned the room. The walls were painted a dark purple. Astro Boy and Doraemon stickers decorated the walls. The furniture was a soft wooden color, and his bed was a simple twin bed with Astro Boy sheets. He liked the way the room looked, but it wasn't home to him.

"Mom'll be up soon, okay?"

Toshizō gave him a curt nod as he stepped further into the room.

—-

"Toshi,"

He looked up from his picture book. "Obasan." He acknowledged her and turned back to his book.

She sat next to him on the bed and kissed the top of his head. "You didn't eat much at dinner, Toshi."

"I'm sorry."

Hanako chuckled and shook her head. "It's okay. I'm just making sure you liked dinner." She placed a hand on his head and gently ruffled his black hair. "Tell me what you like and I'll make it tomorrow."

"Anything is fine, Obasan."

Sighing a bit, she nodded and looked at him. "Do you want me to stay here with you?" His violet eyes peered up at her and he hesitated before he slowly shook his head. "Toshi, it's okay to be sad. I'm sad too. Your mother was my best friend, like a sister to me." She wrapped her arms around him and patted his back when his eyes started to water.

Though it was not his mother's embrace, it sure kind of felt like it. Toshizō was able to fall asleep like that.

—-

The weeks passed by, and he was starting to get used to living with the Kondōs. Isamu was always checking his wounds to make sure they were healing and taught him some exercises for his left hand to make it stronger. Hanako doted on him as much on him as she did on her own son. She was always checking on him and managed to get him to talk more. She made him his favorite snacks and foods.

And Kondō-san was doing his best to include him in everything he could. He taught him the lessons he learned at Kendō practice and helped him with his homework.

Toshizō looked around the dining table, now a usual sight for him. Isamu-ojisan was at the head of the table. Hanako-obasan was on his right, Kondō-san was on his left. He was seated across from Kondō-san and next to Obasan. He was starting to feel like he belonged. Living with the Kondōs was staring to be fun. They'd been nothing but supportive and loving ever since he started to live with them.

He grimaced when Hanako reached over to wipe his cheeks. "Toshi, you've got a bit of rice here." She giggled.

"Mom, please."

She froze and looked at him. "Toshi,"

"…Is it okay if I call you mom?" Little Toshizō looked down at his plate. "My classmate has a step-mother, but he calls her "mom." Is it okay?"

"…Of course it is, Toshi, honey! We're your family. I never thought that you'd want to…" Hanako smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Thank you…Mom. Dad."