An audible smack sounded, Mikuo's quivering hand hovering in the air, as though he was unsure whether to return it to his side or to continue his anger-fueled assault on Len's rapidly colouring cheek. I eyed it, frightened though it was but a fragment of what I'd felt before, watching as the angry red patch morphed into a disgustingly painful-looking purple.
"Mikuo!" a hand instinctively went to his bruised cheek, Len grimacing at the pain. "Stop hitting me, please."
My brother gripped the edge of his scarf, if only to keep his hands from wrapping themselves around Len's thin neck. His glare was cold, nothing I had ever seen before from him of all people, and I felt my heart dip into my stomach, a sort of twisty feeling gathered there. It was frightening beyond words, and before I knew it, my vision had started to blur with oncoming tears.
"You idiot, how dare-"
"Shut up, Mikuo! I said I was sorry!"
Mikuo was much taller than Len, and even with the height advantage aside, my brother's muscled arms made it evident just who the winner would be in the event of a fight breaking out between the two of them. Mall-goers mostly steered clear from this scene, a handful of them deciding to stay, albeit a distance away, to watch things unfold. The knowledge only made me more upset, to think that other people only saw this heartbreaking argument as a form of entertainment.
Much gesturing followed Len's outburst, both of them yelling at each other, Len with eyes narrowed and Mikuo with his cold glare firm in place, pointing angrily at me with his vision fixed on the other boy.
I didn't want this to happen, of course not, because big brother and Len were best friends, and friends shouldn't fight ever.
I clutched at the hem of my skirt, the world appearing to me in a blur, before I had the mind to blink. The second I felt tears roll down my cheek, I released the sob I was holding in, choking slightly before starting to wail loudly. Guilt overrode anything else I could have felt - what else would I have felt? - because I was so convinced that it was my fault.
It was my fault that when Len came over to our house, and told Mikuo he was going to the mall for Christmas to buy gifts for his girlfriend, I demanded to come. It was my fault that Len couldn't bring me into the store with him even if he wanted to, and he told me to stay - I promised him I would. I promised him I'd be there when he got back. It was my fault I wandered off somewhere deep into the mall, the attention of a child easily captured by vivid colours. It was my fault he promised he'd come back, only to return to an empty spot with no Miku in sight.
I'd been so afraid - lost in the crowd, standing there for seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour. People walking by would push and shove at me, so busy getting last minute gifts that they could care less if I was only a little girl in Kindergarten. Not caring that tears streamed down my messy face as I worried that Len would just return home and I'd be lost and away from him forever. What would happen to me? Would I never see him again?
My only hope was that big brother Mikuo would come and help.
Doubts eventually settled in my mind, convincing me that Len probably wasn't even looking for me, grateful that the biggest burden in his life was gone. I shouldn't have insisted on coming, never mind the childish feelings I harboured for him.
When Mikuo found out that Len had lost me, he had gotten really angry. Of course, he'd refrained from hitting Len earlier so that they could seek me out faster, but once they both finally found me, I was no longer the main concern and I watched with horror as my brother struck Len on the face, enough to hurt him, though not enough to take him down.
Despite that, Len ignored the throbbing pain, having allowed Kaito to let off steam with the hits he'd managed to land, and approached me, almost hesitant, as though I would scamper off if he wasn't careful. His eyes were misted over with tears, and I got a glimpse of one of them falling before something warm surrounded me. With surprise, I realised his arms were wrapped around me, hugging me, making sure I was really there. He ran a clumsy hand through my hair, and kissed my forehead.
"Len didn't mean to lose you," he whispered, and I felt my broken feelings come rushing back at me. "Kay?"
I gave him a shaky nod, not knowing what else to do but hug him back, a shivering and sobbing mess both of us were. My heart thumped against my chest, the tips of my ears reddened like the rest of my face. Overcome by emotions I loudly proclaimed that I loved him.
He laughed, of course, wrought with relief and guilt and joy and he was a bigger emotional wreck than I was at that point. "Same here, kiddo."
Although he didn't seem to understand exactly what sort of 'love' I'd been blubbering about, it didn't matter. What mattered was that for now, he loved me, and it didn't matter what kind because that was okay with me. Because it meant that I was something to him, and that was the best thing that I could ever ask for.
When exiting the mall, the tension between big brother and Len had cleared. To make up for losing me, adding in the fact that I refused to let go of his torso, Len was more than happy to carry me the way home, which filled my heart with none other than childish happiness. I allowed myself to lean my head against his chest and let his heartbeat lull me to sleep.
A/N : I'm editing the past drabbles as you can see. They're of better quality now, and I thank all the readers of this story for sticking by me. I'll have the next chapter up soon, thanks for your patience guys! A few things about this chapter were changed, most notably the fact that Miku's big brother changed from Kaito to Mikuo.