DISCALIMER: I DO NOT OWN BROTHERS' CONFLICT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM
Kimi giggled as she came running out into the courtyard of the orphanage she called home to play with her fellow orphans. In her hand she held Beenjee, her brown stuff elephant and her all time favorite toy.
"Hi everyone!" she shouted with joy.
"Hi Kimi!" all her friends all shouted back.
"Kimi come and play with me!"
"No Kimi you should come play with me!"
"Kimi, think you can beat me to the top of the jungle gym?"
"Kimi, come on let's make the sand castles!" Kimi looked around confused but with a smile on her face. She loved having so many friends around her to play with, even when it got complicated about who to play with first. That's why she loved living in the orphanage. She was never really alone, not when she had so many friends to play with. Granted sometimes she wished she could have her own mommy and daddy but she still had all of her friends and they were just as good as any family could be.
Kimi didn't really remember her real parents. As far back as she could remember she'd always lived at the orphanage and she was only five years old, or close to five. Her birthday was coming up soon after all. The only thing she knew for sure that she had from her former life before the orphanage was Beenjee since he had been with Kimi her whole life as well. She didn't mind too much though. She was happy in all honesty and she didn't want to see that change ever.
"Kimi, want to race on the bikes?" one of her other friends called out.
"Well," Kimi said looking around at all of her friends who had asked her to play with her. This was normal for her. At least none of her friends didn't seem too mad when she picked someone over them.
"Pick me Kimi, pick me," her friends all stated calling out to her.
"Kimi," another voice suddenly called out. This one didn't belong to one of the other kids. It belong to one of the workers of the orphanage. Kimi saw her standing in front of the steps that of the building smiling. Behind her stood a man and woman with arms linked and both were also smiling at Kimi eagerly. The worker motioned Kimi to come to her. Kimi felt a little scared being called over but still obeyed.
"Kimi, I want you to meet someone," said the worker taking Kimi's hand and leading her over to the couple standing at the door, "This is Mr. Rintaro Hinataand his wife Miwa Asahina. Do you remember them at all? They were here a few weeks ago with a bunch of other people who were doing things like helping to give money for new beds and toys here at the orphanage?"
"Yes," said Kimi with a slight hesitation. She remembered the big party the orphanage held a few weeks ago where a lot of people in suits and fancy dresses had come and looked around talking to people with cameras about giving things to the orphanage for Kimi and her friends. She did actually remember the two people among them. For some reason they had seemed really interested in being with Kimi the whole time they were here.
"We were so captivated with Kimi we couldn't get her out of our minds!" said Miwa, "So much in fact that we've decided to come back to adopt her."
"Huh?" said Kimi. She was starting to feel confused with what it was the lady just said and a little scared.
"Mr. Hinata and Mrs. Ashaina want to become your mommy and daddy," said the worker, "would you like that?"
"We have a lovely big home with a big courtyard I'm sure you'll love," said Miwa, "Plus you'll be getting 13 big brothers."
"13 brothers?" Kimi repeated.
"Yes big brothers, all of whom I'm sure you'll love and will love you," said Miwa.
The idea of the 13 big brothers didn't really sound all that appealing to Kimi. She'd rather just stay with all her friends whom she'd know and were her age. Older meant the 13 brothers were all older than her right? That probably meant they weren't going to be as much fun as her friends.
"And you'll also get a big sister," Rintaro finally mentioned. That got Kimi's attention.
"I'll get a big sister?" she asked eagerly. That was something she had always secretly wanted. She had heard how often sisters would do things like dress alike and help each do their makeup.
"Oh yes and she will definitely enjoy getting a little sister!" said Miwa with delight, "Just as we're going to enjoy getting to have a daughter like you in our lives!"
"Would you like that Kimi?" asked the worker.
"Well, I don't know," Kimi admitted, even though she did like the idea of having a big sister.
"Why don't we show her a photo of her new siblings?" Rintaro finally suggested.
"Oh that's a good idea!" said Miwa, "Do we have one with all 13 boys and Ema?"
"Hmm," said Rintaro pulling out his phone, "I think Ema sent me one with all of the boys in it. Ah here we go." He knelt down to Kimi's level and showed her a big group picture of a bunch of men and one girl all sitting together on a huge couch. All of them did indeed looked a lot older than her including littlest one among them with pink hair. "These are the brothers we were talking about along with your new sister," said Rintaro, "All some of the nicest boys and one of the sweetest young ladies in the world."
"That is so true!" said Miwa.
"But there's two girls in that photo," said Kimi pointing to a woman in a black dress and long flowing hair.
"Huh?" said Rintaro looking at the photo himself, "Oh him. No that is one of your brothers trust me. He just likes to dress up as a girl from time to time." That surprised Kimi.
'Adults still play dress up?' she thought.
"Trust me that girl right there in the middle is the only real girl," Rintaro said pointing to the young girl sitting in the middle.
"What's that thing on her shoulder?" Kimi asked when she noticed a some sort of creature on her supposable new sister's shoulder in the picture with a bow around its neck.
"Oh that," said Rintaro, "that is Juli, Ema's pet squirrel. I'm sure he'd like you a lot too."
"She has a pet squirrel?" said Kimi. She had never heard of someone having a pet like that.
"What do you think Kimi?" asked Miwa also kneeling down to Kimi's level, "Would you like a chance to become a part of this nice family?"
"Do you really want me to be a part of it?" asked Kimi.
"Very much so," Miwa assured her, "we've been thinking there was someone missing from our family and I think that someone is you my dear."
Kimi felt conflicted. The couple looked nice people and would probably be a nice mommy and daddy. Plus the idea of getting a big sister was really exciting. However there was the fact that she was going have to leave the only home she'd ever knew along with all her friends and go to some weird place with big brothers, 13 of them none the less.
"We promise you, we'll love you as much as any mother or father could love a daughter," said Rintaro in a gentle comforting tone.
"Well I suppose," Kimi finally agreed.
"Oh wonderful!" said Miwa giving Kimi a big hug, "Now then we'll just go off with your nice worker lady here and get everything ready to take you home okay?"
"When will that be?" asked Kimi.
"Probably after a few days from now since they'll have to fill out some paper work," said the worker.
"But we'll still come visit you as often as we can, we promise," said Miwa. She kissed one of her fingers and then tapped Kimi's nose with it. "Believe me we very much like to take you home and make you a part of our family." Kimi merely nodded.
"Well now then why don't we let Kimi go off and play with some of her friends while the three of us go and take care of the paper work needed to take her home," suggested the worker.
"Of course," said Miwa, "we'll be seeing you soon Kimi."
"You have fun in the meantime okay?" said Rintaro.
"Okay," said Kimi as she hurried off back to the other children. As she ran back to them she realized all of them had stopped playing and had been watching Kimi with the couple.
"Kimi, what's going on?" asked one of children.
"I think I'm getting adopted," Kimi told everyone.
"Oh?" said all of the other children. Nearly all of them looked shocked and upset about the idea. However a few tried their best to put on a brave face over the idea.
"That's great," said one, "You'll be getting a mommy and daddy huh?"
"Yeah," said Kimi also trying to sound brave over the idea of being adopted.
"But that also means you're going to leave right?" said another one of Kimi's friends.
"Yeah," said Kimi, "I'm going to miss all of you."
"Don't go Kimi!" pleaded another one of her friends.
"I don't really want to but Mr. Hinata and Mrs. Asahina both seem to really want me to come home with them and be a part of their family. Plus I'm also going to get a big sister. I've always wanted one."
"So you're happy with the idea?"
"Yes I am," said Kimi, "even though I am really going to miss you all very much." At that her friends all started gathering around her offering her a big group hug.
"So it looks like you'll be able to bring Kimi home very soon with you," said the director of the orphanage going over some file work in regards for the couple adopting the little girl.
"Good, that'll give us more of a chance to get everything ready for her back at both Rintaro's apartment and my own home, The Sunrise Residence."
"Where would you imagine her living most of the time?" asked the director.
"Most likely at Sunrise with our other children due to our jobs. However we hoping to have Kimi home with us for little while so we can get to know her better after we adopt her," said Rintaro.
"Of course," said the director, "I see you two have also adopted before correct?"
"Yes, my daughter Ema is technically adopted," said Rintaro.
"And one of my sons Louis is also adopted," said Miwa.
"Good to know," said the director, "I am curious as to why you're so interested in adopting this time around."
"Well to be honest, we would love nothing more than to have a baby together," Miwa explained, "But I'm not as young as I use to be and don't think I could handle actually getting pregnant again. And since we've both done this before it seems kind of natural."
"Of course we also didn't expect to meet and fall in love with Kimi like we did," Rintaro added.
"I'm so glad we did though!" said Miwa with delight. The director smiled at the woman's enthusiasm.
"Well I see no problem with you adopting Kimi," she said, "I will just get stated on this paper work and let you know the minute you can return to pick her up."
"Wonderful!" said Miwa, "thank you so much!"
"This will also give us some time to prepare ourselves and prepare our other children for Kimi's arrival," said Rintaro.
"Oh aren't they going to be surprised," said Miwa smiling with a bit amusement over the idea of her sons and Ema's different reactions to getting a new sister.