Maneki neko – the cat that brings good luck by beckoning for people or sometimes, money.
Gokotai has five cubs; five little white kittens that tend to wander the neighborhood and can disappear for days before miraculously, appear in front of their porch, crying for a meal.
They were gifts, from some of the most important people in his life.
And they brought new things into their life.
The cubs are cute and there are always people who want to pet them whenever they go out with the little cats.
"I have always wanted to pet them." Monoyoshi, the middle child of the Sadamune who lived a few blocks away, confessed embarrassedly as he rubbed the chin of one cat with the other four longing around them.
They were in the park near their house and had bumped into the Sadamune when one of his cats ran to the sunny Monoyoshi, begging for a petting season.
Gotou perked up with pride. "Gokotai takes good care of them!" He bragged and Gokotai hid his face behind his hands. "And of course, I help him with bathing them!"
His brother was completely smitten with the middle child of the Sadamune.
It pained him when they had to move away after the disastrous fire that changed everything in their peaceful life.
"I will phone you every week!" His brother had promised to his best friend – Gotou was too embarrassed to admit that he liked the cheerful boy – and had kept his promise since.
A year later, Monoyoshi showed up at their porch with a gift, saying that his brother, Taikogane had just moved here and they were neighbors.
"His friends in the band are in the area and they want to keep playing together ever since his Tsuru-san gotten busy with his work." Monoyoshi explained with a sunny grin on his lips. "Coincidently, you are also in the area so I moved in with him! It was pretty lonely without you."
His cubs tend to wander and can disappear for days before they find their way home.
The first time that happened, Gokotai and his brothers had been so worried. He had cried for hours and refused to sleep, trying to stay up for two nights, and waiting for his little cubs. His brothers were worried when he refused to eat and said that his appetite was gone when he thought of the cats.
Ichigo had been very lenient with him on the first day of that incident but when he refused to consume food, apparently, that was over the line. He had sit little Gokotai down and had given him a lecture that Gokotai doubted he could ever forget.
"I know you are worried about them but Gokotai! You can't just not eat breakfast!" The eldest of the Toushirou was fuming and pacing the kitchen. "I can't believe you! Staying up for two nights and skipping meals!"
From his seat at the table, he could see the worried faces of his other brother peaking in from the hall and could see the twin, Namazuo and Honebami, trying to calm Akita.
"If you don't eat!" Ichigo was saying. "What if your body fails? Your health is important Gokotai! It's not worth it!"
There were tears in his eyes when he replied, voice shaking from his sobs. "But… But… Ichi-nii! They are… They are important!" He cried. "What if… What if they are gone?"
There was some kind of shadow that passed through his brother's eyes and he sat down and faced his little brother like they were equals. "I know how important they are, Gokotai." He started in a calm, measured voice. "I was there when they were given to you."
Those words just made him cry harder when he saw the eyes of his brother softened and grew hazy with tears. Old memories, those that he tried to suppress, surfaced and his heart ached.
"So please, take care of yourself." There was an edge in his brother's voice that made his gut wrench. "Those cats of yours are important. I know… But you are important too." At this, Ichigo looked like he wanted to cry and all Gokotai could do was watch. He was the one who did this.
The one who made Ichi-nii cry was him…
"I'm sorry, Ichi-nii." The words were sticky and heavy and yet, there was a warm hand on his head and when Ichigo's smile was filled with relief and it lifted his heart a little bit. "I was worried since they were the precious pieces of the memories of our parents."
His brother's voice was soft when he replied. "I understand, Gokotai. There is nothing wrong with worrying but please, for my sake, for our brothers', for our parents', please, take care of yourself."
"I will try, Ichi-nii…"
A day later, all five cats showed up on their porch, purring loudly and when he saw them, he was overjoyed and all he could do was cry.
"All is well." Ichigo was a soft, comforting presence next to him and he nodded and petted the little bundles of fur.
All is well, indeed.
The Kunihiro household was a few blocks away from their new place.
His cats liked the place and usually wandered there. They found out that one of the Kunihiro – it was Horikawa Kunihiro, the youngest of the Kunihiro – had an herb garden planted in their yard and they had been growing catmints.
"Sorry about that, we don't want to kidnap your cats." Horikawa had smiled happily the first time they dropped by to collect the cats.
And Gokotai could swear their cousin kept glancing toward the middle Kunihiro brother who peaked out from another room to eavesdrop on their conversation. He looked at Nakigitsune then mournfully eyed the little cats like he didn't want them to leave.
Apparently, Horikawa noticed this and grinned apologetically. "Sorry about that, Gokotai-kun." He said gently. "My brother – his name is Yamanbagiri – really likes cats but we can't afford to have one so he is pretty attached to yours when he found them." At this, he grinned at his brother who flinched and hid his face under his hood.
"Ah… I can bring them over if you want." He proposed shyly as Yamanbagiri eyed him under his hood. "I think they like him too."
From what he gathered later when they got home, Nakigitsune and Yamanbagiri had known each other for a long time. Midare said they got a huge crush on each other.
"Almost as bad as the time when Gotou was still pining for Monoyoshi-kun or the time Yagen spends mooning after Fudou-kun." His blond brother snickered, glancing at their other brothers at the corner of his eyes.
Yagen scolded and turned his attention back to the book he had been reading. "Shut up, Midare! What about you and that Kotetsu kid?"
And it soon turned into a full three-way war with his brothers bragging about their significant others.
Three years later, Gokotai found himself in the Kunihiro's kitchen, peaking out into the hall with Horikawa, hoping to hear something about the conversation near the door.
Nakigitsune and Yamanbagiri had been dancing around each other for years and many of his brothers – namely Midare and Namazuo – were so exasperated that they basically cornered their cousin for a face-to-face and a pep-talk.
"Please keep an eye on him, Gokotai." Midare had said before they left with a heavy sigh. "And remember to tell us all the juicy details you hear."
And the moment he heard the "Would you like to go to the library with me this weekend?" he nearly jumped in joy. Instead, he stood there and clapped joyously as Horikawa pulled the new couple into a hug.
His brothers would be pleased when they heard about this new development.
The little white cat they went to retrieve purred loudly as it wounded itself around the couple's legs.
Gokotai is not the youngest Toushirou but he is not the oldest either.
He is older than six of his brothers and younger than eight of his other brothers.
The day he first went to Junior Highschool, Midare, Shinano and Gotou escorted him to school with smiles on their lips and skips in their steps.
"If anyone gives you trouble, just tell us!" Gotou had said enthusiastically. "We will make sure they will never bother you again!"
Shinano had coughed disapprovingly. "It is not good to pick fights, Gotou." He chided his brother before turning back to Gokotai. "The point is, we will tell Ichi-nii to talk to them and make sure they won't bother you again." He explained.
Midare chimed in with a smile. "Ichi-nii is very good at it!" He promised, twirling in his skirt. "They weren't going to let me wear skirts and some of the idiots were making fun of me but Ichi-nii settled it nicely."
Gokotai knew better than point out the looks they received when they entered the school gate. Obviously, Ichigo had only partly settled the problem. Yet Midare marched on with his head held high.
"I am not afraid to be myself." He says on many occasions. "But if you are, then it's okay." The sad smile he usually sports is soft and kind, a hidden side of his blond brother that not everyone can see.
That afternoon, his brothers told him to go home without them since they were busy with their respective clubs, which resulted in him, trailing home alone before he heard a familiar meow.
Turning, he found one of his cats running from the direction of the park.
A small smile lit his face and he knelt down to pick it up. "Why are you here?" He asked light-heartedly as the cat pressed its nose to his.
"Kitty! Wait!" The sound jolted him from his talk with the cat and he looked up only to see a boy, roughly his age jogging toward him.
He stopped in front of him, flushed from running but his eyes were sparkling when he pointed to the cat. "Is that cat yours? I saw it at the park! It's cute!" He asked excitedly. "My cousin's friend has a cat, too and it isn't as fluffy as yours! How come your cat is so fluffy?" He seemed to be pouting as he lightly reached to pet the cat.
"Uhm… I have four more at home…" He started and the boy's seemed to be getting more excited, if that was possible. "My name… My name is Gokotai. You… You seem familiar."
The boy grinned and straightened up. "I am Kenshin Kagemitsu. You are that kid from the class next to mine who ate lunch with Midare-san and his brothers! My brother really admires Midare-san and his fashion senses!" His excitement calmed his nerves somehow. "Maybe you've seen me during break time!"
"Oh…" He said before managing a bow, which Kenshin returned. "Nice to meet you, Kenshin-kun."
"Likewise!"
Maneki neko – beckoning cats that bring good luck to their owners.
One of his brothers, Hakata, had said that there were many types of maneki neko and said that maybe Gokotai's little cats were also maneki neko.
"Well, they bring us many good things, am I right?" He smirked at the blushing faces of Gotou and Monoyoshi under the mistletoe that the energetic Namazuo had hung above the front door.
Opening the door and he is greeted with the smiling face of Kenshin.
"Are you ready?" He asks and Gokotai nods eagerly.
Taking Kenshin's hand into his, he waves goodbye to his cats before they head out and thinks that maybe, just maybe, his brother was right.