He looked left and right. His eyes wide with horror at the sight of two bouncing blond piggy tails and clear blue eyes of a six years old girl, looking high and low for her 'brother.' His back was pressed against the wall and he was seen sliding away. He didn't want to meet anyone with such description. He didn't want to hear the name Nekozawa. He felt his hair rise as if spooked by the sight or sound and this time another sense had heightened. It was the sense of smell.
"Oni-tama," a baby voice rang out, "I know you're there." A clap of excitement issued from the pudgy hands. "Oni-tama… You're playing hide and seek. I'm going to catch you… Just you wait…"
Nooo…! His mind screamed in horror and protest. He wasn't playing hide and seek. He was actually escaping from the little neko. Don't come for him. Don't come anywhere near him. Go away. He was somehow catnip for her and she could sniff him out anytime. It was alright for her to be clingy to him. He didn't mind it at all. He hadn't a sister of his own since he was an only child. It was nice to have someone to depend on him. It made him feel wanted and... loved.
But then her real brother, his senpai by a year, the enigmatic wizard always wrapped in a dark hooded cape just had to show that accursed Bezelnef at him. It was a sign. It had a sign. The sign was his name. It was a bad omen. He knew he was cursed. Pale blue eyes glittered in merriment for achieving something against his rival. The rival who had stolen his little sister away from him, he was cursed because of that. He wasn't the one who stole her away.
The little girl came to him every day with pleading eyes to be her brother. Or was it to find her brother. He wasn't too sure. He couldn't just ignore the little lost neko. He hadn't the heart to watch her misty eyes when at first he would stare incredulously at her. When he turned away, he felt a tug on his trousers. He looked down to see the look of insecurity and loss. He peered closer only to detect a sense of loneliness in her. No, his mind protested, no one in this world should be sad, loss and lonely.
He of all people knew those feelings. He had experienced them. He had wanted his father's love. He wanted his paternal grandmother's love too. But he didn't get any from either of them. He was a commodity of his father and a filthy nuisance to his grandmother. The only love he had ever known was from his deceased mother. It was a love that he had embedded in his heart. This love had saved him from turning into a bitter, vengeful person.
It wasn't his fault that he was born into this world nor was it the fault of his parents or even his cold-hearted granny. It was fated. Fate wasn't to be blamed either. Yet the little girl's brother had seized him with eyes a blazing with fury that he would dare steal his sister away from him. He didn't blame his senpai. He pitied him. He pitied his sister. They were two lonely people. One was desperate to beat the loneliness as to make him her 'oni-tama' because her 'oni-cama' was too aloof.
The other was too afraid to meet his cute small sister because once she wailed in protest and cried her head off in fear because of his pale and Gothic appearance. She was always looking for her 'oni-cama'. Her 'oni-cama' was a handsome prince. She remembered his looks from the big portrait of him in the hall. Not the one with the bizarre dark clothing and dark hair. That wasn't her brother. Then she happened to wander into the third floor music room and to her surprise, pleasure and relieve she'd found her brother. He was playing the piano. He was so handsome.
He looked up and smiled invitingly, "Hello, little kitty."
She was so happy. She jumped at him and hugged him. "I found you, oni-tama."
He chuckled softly, "Yes, you did." He stared at her, shocked at first then amazed, "Oni-tama?" He cocked his head as it sank in his mind, "I guess I am now."
But it didn't mean her real 'oni-cama' didn't love her. He did. The only way he could show her was to protect her from afar. He would protect her from being kidnapped by the blond haired, sparkling amethyst eyed skirts-chaser with the only way he knew and that was by putting curses on that person. He understood that feeling well. It was understandable that his senpai would be jealous of him. If he had a sister, he would do everything in his power to protect her.
He tried explaining to her brother the truth and that he wasn't a 'sister stealer.' The truth was he only wanted to dispel her loneliness because it made him feel sad and that he didn't want her to become a moody person. His senpai didn't believe a word. He also didn't like the word 'moody.' And so he was cursed because he used the word 'moody' and was cursed to stay away from his sister. He was so fed up with his senpai that he yelled into his face to get it off his chest once and for all.
"Try again. Don't be a coward. You failed once but it doesn't mean you'll fail again. Open up to her. Then she'll open up to you. You're her brother."
After that he realised that he had wrested his senpai by the front of his robes and shook some sense into that moody persona of his. Then he pushed his senpai from him and stormed off. However, whenever he heard her voice or saw a glimpse of her looking for him he would disappear. He didn't want her brother to pounce on him and mauled him to death.
Big cats were dangerous creatures when it came to protecting cubs. He had nightmares of many Bezelnefs calling him 'sister stealer' and had nine inch long claws. No more of this madness. He had enough of curses. He had enough being pursued by both little and big nekos. A man has got to know his limitations. He wiped his face of perspiration. He was on tiptoe as he backed away slowly.
He edged backwards and bumped into a wall that grunted gruffly. He whirled and was face to face with the big neko. He almost squealed. But he quelled it by swallowing it down. "N-ne-Neko-sen-s-senpai…"
Umehito gazed at Tamaki whose eyes widened in dread. He smiled lazily. "I'm not going to eat you."
Yeah, right. Tamaki knew better than to smile back at the former. He moved slowly to the side but Umehito was faster. He blocked Tamaki from escaping by placing a hand on the wall. He went nearer to Tamaki. Their faces were inches apart. Tamaki began perspiring again.
"You bridged the gap between me and my sister and for that you get my undivided attention."
"It's nothing really." Tamaki felt cornered, "A simple thanks would suffice." He looked sideways because Neko's face was very near to his as if sniffing his fear and to detect whether he was lying through his teeth. He was frightened and he was telling the truth.
Umehito smiled a little wider. "Oh, but I must repay you." He edged closer.
Tamaki gulped and hoped something would happen soon to relieve him from this uncomfortable situation. Then he felt his left thigh being hugged, and a baby voice screaming excitedly, "I got you." He looked down at the little neko. He gulped again. Two nekos. God, help him.
"I got you," she said. Her eyes shone brightly. Then she looked at her real brother, "Oni-cama," she smiled widely at him, "I win."
"Yes, you won." Umehito smiled lovingly at his sister. He ruffled his sister's head affectionately.
Tamaki gave her a shaky smile, "Um-huh," he nodded, "You win."
Kirimi released Tamaki's leg and grabbed hold of her brother's hand. She glanced at Tamaki, "Let's play again. Let's play together. It was fun."
"Yes," Umehito echoed his sister's excitement with his calmed tones, "It was fun."
His pale blue eyes shone brightly but to Tamaki it was eerie and out of volition he shuddered. Umehito glanced back slightly to give him a Cheshire cat smile as if saying 'I caught you, I won. Your kindness will be repaid.' Then he walked hand in hand with Kirimi who was telling him that she wanted to climb a tree next. She wanted her brother to climb with her. He told her to climb the tree but he'd be watching her from below and if she fell he'd be there to catch her.
Tamaki sighed heavily. He was so relieved to be off the hook. Then he shook his head in resignation, mumbling to himself, "They won." He'd become a plaything to the both of them. He was a ball of red yarn.
THE END