Todomatsu had been wiping the tables clean in the café where we worked, when his little brother suddenly came in, bells on the door chiming. He was carrying both Osomatsu and Karamatsu on his lap. Ichimatsu and Choromatsu followed their big brother in. They had clearly came right from school as they still had their backpacks with them.
Osomatsu was the youngest out of the six, he was just a little over one year old. He was a very cheerful little baby and absolutely loved playing with his big brothers. The only things he loved more was to eat and sleep. He had just begun to try and stand up instead of his usual, very fast, crawling. He had even taken a few steps without support.
Karamatsu, the second youngest, was in kindergarten. He was a very polite and well-behaved kid and every adult he met, he managed to charm. He was already trying to flirt with the girls too, but had no success whatsoever. He liked to draw. Glitter glue and other flashy things being his favorite things to use. He was also into acting and always wanted the main role in the kindergarten's annual play.
Choromatsu and Ichimatsu were both in school already. Choromatsu was hardworking while Ichimatsu was a bit quieter, not really liking school as much as his younger brother. Cats were more his thing.
Jyushimatsu was the second oldest and finishing his studies while balancing between schoolwork, baseball practices and taking care of his little brothers. He never let the stress show though. He was always cheerful and ready to play with his brothers whenever.
Todomatsu, who was currently staring at the weird scene in front of him, was the oldest. He worked at a café near their home and had worked ever since graduating. He wanted to support himself and his family in any way possible and the job had been the only one available during the time. Totty had, of course, wanted to work in show business or some other flashy job, but this had to do for now.
"Jyushimatsu, what's with the outfit?" Totty asked his little brother, who was wearing his dirty baseball uniform, "And why do you have Osomatsu with you?"
Osomatsu smiled as he heard his name, waving his hands around. He tried to call his big brother's name, too, but it sounded like 'Too' more than 'Todomatsu' or even 'Totty'. It made Totty sound like he was an elephant, and the oldest couldn't really appreciate that. He took it though, as the one calling him that was his baby brother.
Jyushimatsu glanced down and shrugged, "I had practice today. I almost didn't make the last run so I had to slide. We won in the end."
"And Osomatsu?"
"He's wearing his favorite red panda onesie and his red superhero cape", Jyushimatsu told, tilting his head in confusion.
Osomatsu was a fan of heroes. Whether it was Power Rangers or Super Man, he loved it all the same. He'd scream on his stool by the TV until one of the family members would put the thing on and onto a channel playing hero shows.
"No, not that. Of course he's wearing his favorite clothes. Why is he with you and not with our parents?"
"Mom and dad called me to tell that they had something come up and had to go", Jyushimatsu explained, bouncing the baby in question on his lap, "I ran back home to fetch him. He spent the last few classes with me too, doodling on my notebook. Kept cutting off the teacher, too."
Todomatsu sighed. Of course it wasn't the first time their baby brother had been in Jyushimatsu's school but it still made the oldest feel a bit uneasy. Karamatsu had been there a few times too, actually. The school had called their parents the first time, to ask if their student was a teen-father, which he of wasn't. Explaining the situation had been a difficult thing.
"Did he have fun?" Totty asked him, finishing the tables before moving back behind the counter once again.
"He didn't like the math class but he liked to watch the game. My teammates kept him company while I was on the field. He got a juice box too", the second oldest told him, moving to lean onto the counter.
Osomatsu waved the now empty box in his hand, squealing happily. Karamatsu offered to take the box to the trash for him but Osomatsu pressed it hard to his chest, declining.
Totty had a hunch who had been the one to give him the box, seeing how much the baby treasured it, "Osomatsu, who gave you the juice?"
"Homu! Homu!" Osomatsu told him with a huge smile.
"So Homura is considered a part of the team now, huh?" Totty smirked, watching his little brother's reaction, a flustered face.
"Y-Yeah, she's our ball girl. She also helps us take care of the equipment", Jyushimatsu mumbled, "She really liked playing with Osomatsu."
Totty knew his brother was very close with the girl, Homura, and it was very fun to tease him about it. She was a quiet girl in Jyushimatsu's class. They had apparently met in some dark circumstances and been friends ever since. The brothers didn't know the details but Homura had brightened up a lot since meeting Jyushimatsu. She really enjoyed the little brothers' company, too, and the little ones seemed to like her just as much.
"Jyushi", Ichimatsu, alongside Choromatsu, followed their big brother, "Choromatsu says he's hungry."
"No I'm not!" Choromatsu whispered next to him, "You're the one who didn't eat lunch!"
The two oldest forgot their little argument and turned to the two.
"Ichimatsu, what do you mean you didn't eat lunch? Mom made that just for you. Have some respect", Totty told him, taking Karamatsu, who was squirming, from his little brother and moving him to his lap.
"It had mushrooms in it", Ichimatsu mumbled. He couldn't stand those.
"You could've picked those out", Todomatsu tried. His little brother could be so stubborn and picky if he wanted to.
Jyushimatsu was browsing through the menu, not taking part in the talk. He hadn't liked mushrooms either when he was Ichimatsu's age. He only ate them if he absolutely had to, even now. Their sticky feel and odd texture weren't something everyone liked.
"But the taste would stay there", Ichimatsu tried to argue, "And there were too many to just take out."
"Alright then", Totty gave up, "But you really should eat. Did you go to the cafeteria to get something?"
"Don't have the money."
"Didn't you just get your allowance the other day? Don't tell me you've already used it", Totty sighed, "Choromatsu is sure to have used his already and bought a ton of that idol stuff again, but you too? Seriously?"
"I'm saving the money", Ichimatsu explained, "I'm going to buy cat food."
Choromatsu was glaring daggers at his older brother. He hadn't used all his money yet and the stuff wasn't stupid either.
"Of course", Totty whispered to himself, "Cats come before your own health, huh?"
Ichimatsu only nodded. He'd feed the neighborhood's strays when he had the time and money. He had fallen in love with the felines as much as they had fallen for him, their savior.
"Totty, you feed us", Jyushimatsu simply told him, pointing to the menu, "Karamatsu is hungry too."
"This is a coffee shop!" Totty slammed his hand to the counter, Karamatsu flinching on his lap.
But Jyushimatsu didn't listen. He took the little brothers to a table and sat down, looking Totty straight in the eyes.
"I keep telling you, this is not that kind of a place", Totty whined as he took out the few edible items the café had on its menu.
His boss came to the picture at that point.
"Matsuno? What are you doing?" he asked his employee.
"Ah, sorry", Totty straightened up, facing his boss, "Brotherly duties."
Totty nudged his head towards the table the rest were sitting by, still trying to balance Karamatsu on his lap while serving some of the customers. Jyushimatsu waved at his little brother's boss, smiling brightly. Totty glared back, trying to tell him to stop goofing around in front of his boss.
Luckily, his boss was a very understanding man. He had small children of his own back home too. He was always telling them how cute his little twin girls were and how they had done this and that. He's always have pictures, too, at least a dozen.
"Alright. I should take care of the rest of your shift", he told Totty as he took a tray out of his hand, "Take little Karamatsu and sit down with your brothers. What would you like to eat? They are hungry, right?"
"T-Thank you. I'll take your shift some day", Totty bowed, Karamatsu following his example, "Anything that they'd like. I know we have nothing but sweets but they'll have to do for now."
"Thank you", Karamatsu told the man as he straightened up, handing him a flower he had picked up on the way. He had been wanting to give it to a female employee who had sneaked him a cookie the last time he had visited Totty at work, but this would have to do. The boss took the flower, clearly trying to hold down a squeal of some sort.
He tried to compose himself for a good minute before speaking again, the flower now on the breast pocket of his apron, "Roger that. I'll talk with my boss about that. We need savory treats here too."
"Agreed", Totty nodded as he excused himself and joined his brothers, Karamatsu waving back at the boss.
The brothers got cookies, cakes and ice cream, which would have to do for now. Totty also had some granola bars with him that he shared with his hungry younger brothers.
"It's really not good to eat this much sweet stuff", Choromatsu told his big brothers the obvious, "It'll ruin your teeth."
"I know, but we don't have anything else edible here", Totty sighed, crumbling a cake for Karamatsu to eat, "Or would you like some coffee?"
Choromatsu shook his head. No coffee. It was way too bitter for his taste.
Ichimatsu was munching on a cookie while watching Jyushimatsu try get Osomatsu to eat a granola bar. No luck, it was too hard for him to eat.
Ichimatsu ended up offering him a cake and helping his big brother feed the youngest. Osomatsu seemed to like the cake and also the ice cream he later got. He only threw very little around and most ended up in his mouth instead of Totty and Jyushimatsu's clothes.
"I'll give you some money, so please, next time, buy food from the cafeteria" Totty whispered to Ichimatsu at some point, handing him some notes, "This is a café, not a place to eat out."
Ichimatsu would only nod, shoving the bills into his pockets.
"How about a good game of baseball after this?" Jyushimatsu suddenly asked, spoon half-way to Osomatsu's mouth. The youngest of course cried a bit, wanting the treat closer so he could reach it.
"What?" Totty should've already been used to his brothers sudden questions but it still caught him off guard, "Baseball?"
"Yeah! Karamatsu said that he wants to play", Jyushimatsu told him, pointing to the second youngest, who only nodded.
"I'm going to hit a homewun!" Karamatsu exclaimed.
"A 'homerun', Karamatsu", Totty told him, trying to correct him, "You want to play baseball in the park?"
The brothers all knew what park Totty was talking about. They only visited one regularly enough to refer to it simply as a park. It was one near the brothers' home. It wasn't a big one but not too small either. It had the basic equipment like the swings, a sandpit and a jungle gym. There was also a small field, where the brothers would often kick or throw balls to each other.
"Yeah!" Karamatsu clapped his hands.
"Alright then", Totty smiled, "Do you have the brothers' stuff, Jyushimatsu?"
"Yes, of course!" Jyushimatsu even showed him his bag to prove it.
The little brothers had their own baseball equipment which was much lighter than Jyushimatsu's official ones. The balls were actually foam, so that if they hit someone, it wouldn't hurt. Jyushimatsu would carry the two or three extra bats and many balls with him every day on top of his own. Totty had to wonder how he had the strength to carry them each day.
"Good. I could never let them play with a real baseball", Totty laughed, trying to get Karamatsu to stop playing with his work apron.
When the brothers were done, Totty went to bid his co-workers a good day. He bowed deep in front of his boss once again, thanking him for taking his shift. Totty told him he'd take a whole one day's worth of shifts for him. The number had risen.
"It's really alright", the boss told him, "Just get going already or I'll change my mind."
"Yes!" Totty knew he wasn't lying and turned to leave, following his little brothers out of the glass door and outside.
It was a really nice day out. The sun was out and the sky was cloudless. A small breeze accompanied them as the brothers walked to the park, Karamatsu already playing with one of the balls.
Totty was glad that his little brother hadn't picked a rainy day to come to his café. If Karamatsu had suggested playing baseball in that situation, Jyushimatsu would've still gone with him. Totty would've had to join them, too, if he wanted to look like a good big brother. All six would've been cold, soaked wet and having a flu afterwards for sure.
There were no other people in the park. Parents were still most working and the children doing club activities or with their friends on the way home. The brothers would have the whole park to themselves.
As Totty placed Osomatsu on a baby swing, Jyushimatsu began unpacking the bats and balls.
"Don't they need helmets, too?" the oldest asked, giving Osomatsu a small push. The youngest screamed in joy and lifted his hands up, demanding more speed.
"Hmm", Jyushimatsu took out his own and put it to Ichimatsu's head, who'd be the first to try and catch the ball Karamatsu was going to strike. He wasn't exactly overjoyed about the pick, but put the glove on anyways.
The helmet soon sunk on his head and over his eyes, making even trying to see the ball or the batter impossible.
"No", Totty laughed, watching Ichimatsu turn red from embarrassment.
"Yeah, no", Jyushimatsu agreed and took the thing off, "We'll just need to be extra careful."
Karamatsu was already practicing his strike with the smallest bat Jyushimatsu had brought along. It looked comical. A small boy with a bat over half of his height trying his best to swing the bat around and hopefully, when the time came, hit something.
Choromatsu was the second one on the field. He was already in place by the time Jyushimatsu began to instruct the second youngest how to swing a perfect homerun.
"You think he'll hit the ball even once?" Choromatsu whispered to his big brother, who was standing next to him.
"Jyushi will throw him such balls he can't help but hit them", Ichimatsu mumbled back, "But I guess we won't have much to catch if he uses as much power as the last time."
"Yeah, it didn't go that far", Choromatsu agreed, "Hey, did you get much homework?"
Ichimatsu wasn't too happy about this change in subject, "Not much, mostly math. Why?"
"Can we do our homework together?" Choromatsu was twisting his hands nervously, knowing very well that his big brother didn't like doing his homework in the first place, "We're supposed to write a story for tomorrow but I can't think of anything to write."
"Write about this day. There's enough for a novel", Ichimatsu mumbled, watching Karamatsu miss his first ball.
"I guess", Choromatsu agreed, focusing his attention back to the game.
Todomatsu was taking pictures of baby Osomatsu on the swings while the four others were playing baseball.
"There you are. Pose for me now. Come on", he tried to get his baby brother to look at the camera by holding his favorite stuffed toy just out of reach.
Osomatsu whined in frustration as he tried his best to reach the toy. But it was no use, the toy always moved out of his reach.
"I know. Just try and look at the camera now. Just once", Totty tried once more but was forced to give up when his little brothers' frustration grew too high. Even Totty had his limits for how far he was ready to push his little brothers.
"Okay, here take it. It's all yours", he finally gave Osomatsu the toy.
Then, suddenly, Osomatsu gave him the brightest, cutest smile he could. Totty was stunned for a good couple seconds before quickly snapping at least ten pictures of it. This would be a killer online.
"You're going to get an extra something at dinner for that", Totty told him as he checked the pictures, "So cute."
Osomatsu only smiled, chewing on one of the legs of the stuffed toy. Drool was cascading down his chubby little fingers.
"Great hit, Karamatsu! Look at it fly!" Jyushimatsu cheered as Karamatsu finally managed to hit a good shot. The small ball flew to the middle of the field, before dropping down and bouncing off the ground a couple of times.
"I made it! A homerun!" Karamatsu threw the bat to the ground and lifted his hands up to celebrate his small achievement.
'Well, maybe not a homerun, but a good hit all the same", Jyushimatsu though as he lifted his little brother up in the air and threw him up a few times.
"Did you see that Ichimatsu? I hit the ball!" Karamatsu asked his big brother with a huge smile.
To be honest, Ichimatsu had missed the shot. He had been checking a bush he thought he saw a cat in when the sound of a bat hitting a ball rang through the air.
"Sure", he quickly lied, "A great shot."
"The longest one yet!" Choromatsu added and clapped his hands.
Karamatsu waved his hands and bowed deep.
'You're not in a theatre, quit that', Ichimatsu thought as he watched his little brother clearly wait for an encore. Where had he even learned that? They didn't visit the theater so often that he could remember such a thing.
"Ichimatsu! You're next!" Jyushimatsu told his little brother, "Come here."
Ichimatsu wrinkled his nose. Alright, if he had to.
"I won't promise I'll hit anything", he mumbled as he took his place next to Jyushimatsu.
Karamatsu traded his bat for a glove, which hung from his hand. It would've fallen off right away if not for the Velcro strap tightened to the max around the wrist.
"I'm gonna catch your strike, brother!" Karamatsu waved from the field, puffing his chest in pride. He was still hyped up about his achievement before.
"Alright, Ichi. Spread your legs and loosen up those arms", Jyushimatsu instructed, "You're not going to hit anything if you're so tense. Lift the bat on your shoulder. Yes, just like that."
Ichimatsu tried to listen to everything his big brother told him, but baseball really wasn't for him. He missed the first ball and the second too.
"Alright, you have to leave the base after the next one", Jyushmatsu suddenly said, already getting ready to throw the ball.
"Wait! What? Leave the base? What base?" Ichimatsu was asking nervously.
"Joking. If this was a real game though, you'd have to run", Jyushimatsu stuck his tongue out, winking.
"Don't scare me like that", Ichimatsu sighed. His big brother's jokes could be so bad.
"Okay, sorry", Jyushimatsu laughed, "Karamatsu and Choromatsu, prepare yourselves!"
Ichimatsu managed to hit the ball this time and it flew right into Choromatsu's glove.
"A good one!" Jyushimatsu complimented, "Don't give the opponents such easy ones though. You'll lose."
Ichimatsu huffed, tossing the bat to the ground, "This is not a real game."
"Sorry, a habit", Jyushimatsu blushed, "Our team taught some sixth graders just the other day."
"Save your efforts for that then", Ichimatsu playfully pushed his big brother's shoulder, "You're the baseball champion of our family after all. There's no space for another one."
"Guess so", the second oldest could just laugh, as he reminded Choromatsu how to hold the bat and swing, "Mr. King of the Cats."
"Quit it", Ichimatsu hit him again. Both of them looked at each other and broke into another fit of laughter.
After Choromatsu's turn, the four went to see how Totty and Osomatsu were doing.
The two had moved to the sandpit. Someone had forgot their toys there and Osomatsu was playing with them.
"No, no, no! Don't eat the sand!" Totty panicked, trying to get his baby brother to spit out the sand he had put into his mouth, "God knows how dirty that is."
"Hey, Totty!" Jyushimatsu crouched to see what the two were building, "Is that a castle, Osomatsu?"
"Mmm!" Osomatsu hummed as he pat a small heap of sand with his chubby hands.
Choromatsu, Karamatsu and Ichimatsu joined the group and sat down to watch.
"Do you want me to help?" Karamatsu was quick to ask his little brother, "Do you want me to dig a pit where we can put the sharks and crocodiles. They'll protect your castle."
"You mean a moat? Those don't have sharks or crocodiles in them", Choomatsu told him, handing Osomatsu a plastic spade he had found.
"Yes they have!" Karamatsu began digging the sand with his bare hands after getting permission from his little brother, "Who else would keep the bad guys away?"
"Hewo!" Osomatsu screamed, whacking Karamatsu with the shovel.
"A hero?" Karamatsu thought for a moment, "Yeah, a hero could protect the castle!"
Totty and Jyushimatsu watched their little brothers build the castle. It was heartwarming to see the older always asking for permission from the youngest before doing anything. Osomatsu seemed really happy to play with his siblings. He enjoyed being in charge too and whack his spade around, throwing sand around in the process.
"Here, a flag", Ichimatsu handed Osomatsu a stick onto which he had stuck a leaf, "Put it on top."
Osomatsu squealed in delight, smashing the stick on top of his deformed pile of sand. He then clapped his hands and marveled his little creation with a huge smile on his face.
"Perfect", Ichimatsu complimented him placing some small rocks around the structure, "Should we build a wall, too?"
Osomatsu only nodded, focused on fixing his sandcastle.
Choromatsu was handing his little baby brother anything he could need. He also made some small sand cakes Osomatsu would destroy and then laugh about it. Choromatsu smiled alongside their baby brother.
"Totty, can we go eat something?" Karamatsu suddenly asked the oldest, who was talking with Jyushimatsu about school, "I'm hungry."
Karamatsu made the point by pointing to his stomach.
"We haven't gone to Chibita's in a long time", Jyushimatsu said, "How about that? Mom and dad said they won't be home until late at night, too. We'd need to cook."
Totty nodded, remembering the last time the two had cooked to their little brothers. They had ended up ordering pizza. Let's just leave it at that and not go into too much detail.
"Chibita must miss us already. The sweets we had earlier must've been far from enough to fill you guys up. How about we go and eat that bald midget's oden stock empty?" the oldest smirked as he lifted Osomatsu up. The baby only gave small protests against the movement. He must've been hungry too.
"Yes!" Karamatsu cheered, his hands up in the air, "Oden! Oden!"
Chibita had gone straight to enterprise business after graduating the same year as Totty. The two had been somewhat good friends in childhood and studied together too. Oden had been the road the young male would take, whereas Todomatsu begun working in the café. Chibita had always loved the dish and learned how to cook from his father, to whom he had promised to make the world's best oden someday.
Totty would cheer the man in his own way. He'd take his brothers to eat at Chibita's, letting the younger judge the food while he spoke with the man.
The six would do that today, too.
"Hey! Chibita!" Jyushimatsu waved as the six were approaching the small red cart, "What do you have for us today? I'm starving!"
"Jyushimatsu! Hi!" Chibita greeted and then stuck his head out to see that the rest of the six were coming too, "Todomatsu! You brought everyone along!"
"Of course! You need someone to grade your delicacies", Totty laughed as he sat down, Osomatsu on his lap.
Karamatsu had been determined to sit on his own and reach the food tonight, so he wasn't on Jyushimatsu's lap like usual.
"Heh! I welcome your challenge!" Chibita threw some ingredients to the boiling mix, "I make the world's best oden after all!"
"Of course you do", Totty smiled, picking something for his two youngest brothers to eat, taking them out to cool down a bit. Burning one's mouth hurt after all and what better way to do that than to boiling hot oden?
Chibita huffed his chest in pride before speaking again, "Ah, right! How has school been? Work?"
"Nothing new", Todomatsu shrugged, "I was thinking of maybe taking some evening classes on acting or photography but I'm not sure if I should. My time is limited as it is."
"You still want to be in the show business?" Chibita sighed, placing six plates in full of food in front of each of the boys. He also served them water, "Beer or water?"
"Beer, thanks. And of course! The pay is so much better", Totty argued.
"Yeah, yeah, but it's not stable", Chibita told him with a stern voice, "Think about your brothers."
"I am!" Totty was feeding Osomatsu as he spoke, the baby making funny noises as he ate the now cooled and delicious meal.
"Of course and I'm a Michelin cook", Chibita joked as he served Karamatsu another plateful of food.
"Chibita! I drew you something today!" Karamatsu told Chibita as the six had finally gotten their stomachs full and were just talking and laughing together.
"Really?" Chibita leaned closer to look as Karamatsu rummaged through his blue, sequin and glitter decorated, backpack before finally pulling out a folder and from it, a picture.
"Here!" he gave Chibita the picture, "I drew your oden shop. Not a cart. You want one, right?"
Chibita took the picture, turning it around a couple of times before finally figuring out how to hold it correctly. The picture was a mess of glitter glue and colorful pieces of paper stuck together with even more glitter glue.
"Um, thanks? Can you explain to me how it works?" Chibita was going to put the picture somewhere safe, where it wouldn't get dirty. For now, he held it in his hand and showed it to Karamatsu.
"Sure!" Karamatsu stood up on the bench to reach Chibita's eyelevel, "There's the door. Your customers come in from there. Then there's a shoe robot there. It takes the shoes and cleans them. It also spits out slippers so that the floors won't get dirty."
Chibita was nodding his head. He guessed he could make out something like that in the picture.
"There's a huuuuuuuge sign over the door, too! People will see it from very far away. I put extra much color in it!" Karamatsu continued, "Then there's your oden! You have a robot to help you with that too. It has a fridge on its belly so you can put the oden stuff there."
"Where will the customers sit?" Chibita asked, smiling at little Karamatsu's imagination. He had a lot of it.
"There's a Ferris wheel of tables right there", Karamatsu pointed to a corner of the paper, "They can have fun and eat at the same time!"
"That's a great idea!" Chibita laughed, "I need to save this for later! I'll show it to the builders."
Totty smiled as he watched the two. Karamatsu must've been making that the whole day.
"Better use that one as the blueprints", the oldest jokingly said, as Chibita carefully put the picture away.
"Of course!" Chibita winked back, giving Karamatsu a big thumbs up.
"You should make it a cat café instead", Ichimatsu mumbled, "Oden cat café."
"That would be something new, Chibita!" Jyushimatsu laughed, patting his little brother's head, "Do them both!"
"You idiots! I need to get the money for one before I can even think about a second one!" Chibita slammed his hand on the table. He was holding his tongue, trying to make sure that he wouldn't curse in front of the children. Totty would give him the meanest glare if he let his tongue slip even once and was sure to not pay his tap for a week.
"Go big or go home?" Choromatsu smiled.
"Talking about big, Totty…", Chibita remembered something, "When will you have the money to pay your tab? It's been building up."
"A-About that!" Totty stuttered, taking Osomatsu onto his arms, clearly getting ready to run.
Jyushimatsu got the clue and did the same with Karamatsu. Choromatsu and Ichimatsu followed the example.
"We'll pay you next week!" Jyushimatsu filled in for his brother before they all took off, baby Osomatsu's laughter echoing in the darkening evening air.
"You little-! Come back!" Chibita raged but didn't run after them. He knew the brothers would pay him, eventually. There was no need to rush things. He knew where they lived, if things got to that point.
"Why do we always need to run?" Choromatsu asked his big brothers as they finally slowed down. He was a smart child but didn't get that.
"I don't get my paycheck until next week", Todomatsu was breathing heavily. He did jog from time to time but doing the same with extra weight was too much for even him.
"And my part-time work as a baseball coach just ended, so I don't have the money either", Jyushimatsu added, "It was a month-long deal anyway."
"Can't mom and dad pay?" Karamatsu asked. He was holding Jyushimatsu's hand, looking up when he spoke with his big brothers. He had been told that it was polite to look into one's eyes when talking to them, so he tried to do just that.
"Mom and dad have earned that money with their hard work", Totty tried his best to explain why two adults didn't get money from their parents, "They give you allowance each month but we are so old that they think we should earn that money ourselves."
"But Jyushi isn't an adult", Ichimatsu mumbled, kicking a rock that had been on the sidewalk.
"I'm legally an adult, even though I'm still in school", Jyushimatsu shrugged, "Try and find the logic in that."
"Then, shouldn't I and Ichimatsu pay for our food?" Choromatsu concluded.
"No, no! Mom and dad pay for you", Totty was quick to correct his little brother, "But if we want to buy you something special, then we two need to pay for it. Anything in the fridge back home is free. Chibita's oden is not."
"I don't get it", Ichimatsu huffed, kicking another innocent rock.
"We'll pay for our oden next time!" Choromatsu exclaimed as Ichimatsu nodded beside him.
"Ichimatsu, you didn't even have the money to buy lunch today", Totty pointed out.
"You two use your money on something you really want! Choromatsu, you buy all the Nyaa-chan merchandise you want," Jyushimatsu added, "We'll take care of the food."
"Alright then", Choromatsu reluctantly had to give up and agree.
"And you buy your cats food, Ichimatsu", Jyushimatsu told his little brother, "Otherwise, who's going to feed them?"
Ichimatsu nodded. The strays depended on him after all.
"Here we are", Todomatsu opened the door to their house with one hand, the other one still holding Osomatsu.
"Can I go watch TV before I do my homework?" Choromatsu asked as Jyushimatsu helped him take his shoes off, "Nyaa-chan is on and I have to see it."
Todomatsu pretended to think about it, "Hmm…But schoolwork is veeeery important. You promised me you'd do it when we get back home."
"Please!"
"Alright. But you'll do the homework as soon as the show is over", Totty smiled, waving for Choromatsu to get going.
"I will!" he promised as he rushed to the living room, "Ichimatsu? Do you want to watch Nyaa-chan with me?"
Ichimatsu wasn't really into the whole idol stuff but Nyaa-chan was a cat girl so he agreed.
"What is it about?" he asked his little brother as he sat down by the TV.
"She's going to visit an animal shelter, for charity or something", Choromatsu mumbled, eyes already glued to the screen, "I wonder if animals like singing."
That got Ichimatsu's attention. He took a better position and focused his attention to the show on the screen too.
Jyushimatsu and Totty sat down on the sofa behind their two little brothers who preferred to sit on the floor right in front of the TV. Osomatsu was on his little stroller-type thing, trying to practice his walking while Karamatsu had gone to fetch his toy blocks. He was going to build Osomatsu a castle, just like they had done with the sand too.
"If you sit that close to the TV you're going to ruin your eyes", Totty warned them.
"It's okay", Choromatsu whined as he cranked the volume up a bit.
Osomatsu had managed to reach the two and was now pulling on Ichimatsu's hair, trying his best to get his big brother's attention.
"Ii-i!" Osomatsu screamed when Ichimatsu only pushed his hand away and didn't pay any other attention to him.
"Ichimatsu, Osomatsu only wants to play with you. There's no need to push him away", Totty mumbled, standing up to go and make some coffee for himself.
"But he's pulling my hair!" Ichimatsu tried to tell him but the oldest brother was already gone.
"Osomatsu, be gentle", Jyushimatsu told the baby as he waddled towards him, "Your brothers won't play with you if you keep pulling their hair."
Osomatsu whined before turning to go to Karamatsu's side. He was going to destroy the castle his big brother was building.
"Aa! Gozilla!" Karamatsu laughed as his baby brother thumped over his building blocks, "You destroyed the whole thing!"
Osomatsu clapped his hands together, squealing in joy.
"Shouldn't you be the hero?" Karamatsu smiled as he stacked a couple quick towers for his little brother to destroy, "Do heroes destroy things?"
"Kaa!" Osomatsu scremed, smashing a tower before Karamatsu even got it done.
Jyushimatsu noticed the two playing together and decided to join them, "Osomatsu has turned into a monster!" he gasped as he sat down next to Karamatsu to help him stack blocks faster for Osomatsu to destroy.
Ichimatsu and Choromatsu continued to watch the show as the three played with the blocks.
Ichimatsu glanced at them every couple minutes. He clearly wanted to join them when the show was over instead of doing his homework.
"What are you three doing? Making a mess?" Totty asked them, a steaming coffee cup in his hand. He had just come into the room and was already regretting it. Things could really change in a matter of minutes in this family. Well, at least they didn't decide to wrestle each other.
"Osomatsu is a monster!" Karamatsu explained as he stacked yet another block tower, "He's going to destroy this city!"
"Gozilla?" Totty smiled as he sat back down on the sofa "Be careful not to play too rough and clean up after yourselves."
"Okay!" Karamatsu and Jyushimatsu promised. Even Osomatsu seemed to nod.
When the show finally ended, Choromatsu and Ichimatsu both went to take out the homework from their backpacks.
"Can you help me, Totty?" Choromatsu asked as he took out a notebook, "I need to write a story but I can't think of anything."
"I told you to write about today", Ichimatsu mumbled as he scanned through his math homework. It made no sense whatsoever.
"Ichimatsu", Totty scolded his little brother as he sat between them, "Focus on your own stuff before whining about others."
"Yes", Ichimatsu mumbled, taking a pencil in hand.
Jyushimatsu sat next to his little brothers too after he had cleaned up the blocks with Karamatsu, "Ichi, can I help you with your homework?"
Ichimatsu nodded. He wasn't good at admitting that he had difficulties but be had no idea how to even begin with the problems on the page in front of him.
"Hmm", Jyushimatsu tried his best to remember when he had done the same things. He wasn't good at math either, "How about we begin with this one? We can ask Totty about the rest when he's done with Choromatsu."
"Okay", Ichimatsu mumbled as he focused his attention back to the homework, "Can I do it this way?"
"Hmm? Sure", Jyushimatsu leaned to look closer, "Then you take that one and do this."
The two managed to do all the problems without the oldest helping them. Ichimatsu even solved one Jyushimatsu had no idea how to calculate.
Karamatsu was watching his big brothers do their schoolwork while Osomatsu drew something next to him. He wished he could do homework and go to school too. It looked so cool.
"There we are", Totty clapped his hands, "All done! It wasn't that bad now, wasn't it?"
"Do you think the class will like this? I'm supposed to read it aloud", Choromatsu wasn't too sure about his creation.
"How about you draw a picture to go along with it?" Jyushimatsu suggested, "It could help you get the story across."
Choromatsu nodded, "I'll do that! Osomatsu, can I use the pencils for a second?"
Osomatsu gurgled something and pushed a couple of the pencils to his big brother. They were, of course, wet with drool and snot.
"Thank you", Choromatsu mumbled as he went to fetch a paper.
"Ichimatsu? Is that sand in your hair?" Totty asked his little brother as he happened to take a look at it when passing by.
Ichimatsu scratched his head a bit. Sand fell to the floor and onto a small heap.
"Maybe?" Ichimatsu shrugged, "Osomatsu threw some after all."
Todomatsu sighed, running his hands over his face, "You guys need a bath. All of you."
"Are we gonna go to the bathhouse?" Karamatsu was bouncing on his seat, next to Osomatsu.
"We can't fit you all in the tub after all", was the reply he got as Totty went to check the brothers' bath savings. It mostly consisted of spare change the parents collected in a glass jar for the brothers to use.
"Are we going now?" Choromatsu peeked his head into the kitchen, "Should I pack Osomatsu's bath toys?"
"Please do", Choromatsu muttered as he counted the small coins, "And yes, we'll be leaving as soon as I get the money. Jyushimatsu! Get the little ones ready!"
"Sure!" Jyushimatsu shouted from the other room, picking Osomatsu up from the floor, "Let's get you some boots on. Where is your jacket little man?"
Karamatsu followed his big brothers, carrying Osomatsu's and his toys for the bath. The bathhouse keeper normally wouldn't let people bring any toys to the tub but the Matsuno brothers were a rare exception. They were his regulars after all.
"Ichimatsu! We're going!" Totty shouted from the door, hands full with both the towels and their baby brother.
"Yeah!" Ichimatsu shouted back as he came down the stairs, running to join them.
The bathhouse was almost empty. There were just a couple old men enjoying the warm water as the brothers stepped in. Guess the other regulars had come in earlier.
"No running then", Totty reminded, carefully placing Osomatsu into the bath.
"Totty, should I wash your back for you?" Jyushimatsu asked his big brother as he dumped a bucketful of water onto Ichimatsu's head, who had scrubbed shampoo on already.
"Please", Totty mumbled.
Osomatsu was splashing water everywhere, laughing and squealing loudly. His rubber ducky floated on the steaming water, swinging as the waves hit it.
Karamatsu was washing himself, as was Choromatsu who watched his little brother to see if he managed everything by himself.
"Karamatsu, you missed a spot", Choromatsu pointed out for his brother, "You don't have the cap on. You're going to get shampoo into your eyes."
"I'm a big boy! Big boys don't use those!" Karamatsu told him, scrubbing the shampoo in even harder.
"Alright", Choromatsu sighed, "Don't come crying to me when you get it in your eye though."
"I won't!"
"Yeah, yeah."
The brothers tried to wash themselves quickly as the day was already turning into night and there would be school tomorrow. The brothers would need to get to bed soon or they'd never be able to last the next day. Osomatsu didn't make reaching that goal easy though. He would've wanted to play a bit more. He screamed bloody murder as Totty tried his best to rub him dry with a towel.
"Do you want anything small to eat before bed?" Todomatsu asked his little brothers as the six made it back home, "Or do you prefer a glass of milk?"
"Milk!" Karamatsu told him, running to the kitchen with Ichimatsu hot on his heels.
"Alright", Totty smiled as he followed them, "Do you want some, Choromatsu?"
Choromatsu nodded, putting his shoes and jacket away carefully.
Todomatsu warmed up some milk, putting a small spoonful of vanilla sugar in it too before serving it to his brothers. He took a cup too and sat down to watch his siblings.
Osomatsu yawned loudly on Jyushimatsu's lap, smacking his lips a couple times for good measure.
"Guess the baby's tired" Jyushimatsu laughed, bouncing him up and down a bit, "I'll go ahead and put him to bed."
"Thank you", Totty nodded. He usually took care of the youngest so it was a welcome change, "I'll take care of him tomorrow."
"Sure", Jyushimatsu told him from halfway up the stairs.
"There's some new toothpaste for Osomatsu by the way. Mom bought it yesterday. Try it out if you like!"
"Yeah!" Jyushimatsu was already in the bathroom and by the sound of it, changing Osomatsu's diaper and searching for his pajamas.
"Are you done with your milk? Any seconds?" Totty asked his brothers. He was putting his cup in the dishwasher already.
"No thanks", Ichimatsu mumbled as he, too, put his mug into the machine.
Karamatsu and Choromatsu followed the example and the four were soon all on their way to the upstairs bathroom to brush their teeth.
Totty needed to help Karamatsu only a couple of times throughout their nighttime routine. The biggest problem was figuring out how to button up the pajamas since Karamatsu always managed to begin with the wrong button and the wrong hole.
"Jyushimatsu already put the futon ready for us. What's left is to choose a book to read", the oldest explained, buttoning Karamatsu's pajama shirt for him.
"Can we read the Three Little Pigs?"
"Sure, Karamatsu", Totty smiled, moving to put his pajamas on.
After a small struggle from the two oldest when Karamatsu and Osomatsu refused to close their eyes and put their heads onto the pillows, the four little ones were finally all in bed, tucked in.
"They really like that book", Jyushimatsu pointed out as Todomatsu read the book, "We've read it at least twice this week already."
Totty only nodded, continuing with the reading.
"The first pig is just like Jyushimatsu", Choromatsu pointed out with a smile, "Never checks to see if something actually works before going with it."
"Hey!" the second oldest pouted, "Then Totty is the one who built his out of twigs and thought it would last."
Todomatsu laughed a bit, "Then, who's the smart pig who didn't get eaten?"
"Choromatsu!" Karamatsu pointed to his big brother.
"Guess so! He's always so proper", Jyushimatsu clapped his hands.
"We're all pigs, alright?" Totty smiled, "But if you don't close your eyes and fall to sleep this instant I promise to take my disguise off and eat you all!"
"Aa! Totty wolf!" Karamatsu laughed, burying his head under the blankets. Ichimatsu followed suit.
"Good night then", Jyushimatsu wished them as he shut the lights, "I'll leave the nightlight on, so the monsters won't come."
"Good night", Choromatsu mimicked, "And there are no monsters anyway."
Ichimatsu and Karamatsu were already out cold and Osomatsu had fallen asleep with the story a bit earlier.
"I'll put the alarm on then", Todomatsu whispered as Jyushimatsu crawled under the sheets too, "Let's hope the little ones don't wake up when mom and dad come back."
"Yeah. They always tell us to be quiet in the morning while they're still sleeping but make such a racket themselves", Jyushimatsu huffed.
Totty yawned, "You don't say."
"Good night", Jyushimatsu smiled from under the blankets.
"Night."