It all started when Hikaru got his first real girlfriend. Some flighty broad he met over summer vacation. He seemed to be smitten by her witty charm, her flowing hair, her down-to-earth nature, or whatever he called it. Kaoru never really listened when his twin talked about her. Not that he didn't like her, more that he just… well… didn't like her with Hikaru. He had to be honest, he wasn't at all happy with the arrangement. The more time Hikaru spent with her, the less time he spent with Kaoru, which left Kaoru alone while Hikaru was off doing God knows what God knows where at all hours of the day and night. And the more time Kaoru spent alone away from his twin, the worse his mood got.

Kaoru wasn't accustomed to being without his brother. For all their life it had always been just the two of them, in their world, undisturbed by and plainly just not interested in anyone outside of that. It wasn't until last year, when one particular girl broke a very expensive vase in the Host Club at their school, that they found themselves starting to open up to the world around them.

Kaoru snapped off a stick of pocky between his teeth, scowling deeply.

Look where that got us. He thought bitterly, glaring around the park where he was sitting alone, again. Look where that got me.

The sun was setting on the horizon, spreading a warm evening glow over the little town where the boys chose to vacation during the summer break that year. Dotted here and there in the park Kaoru occupied were couples, families and students all enjoying the last soaking rays of summer, unwilling to retire to their homes to pack for the journey home tomorrow. Kaoru wondered idly if Hikaru was out there somewhere, shielded from his vision by the dying sun, but quickly decided against it, knowing he would recognise his brother's silhouette in an instant.

Unless he's wrapped around that trollop again.

He shook his head, feeling only slightly guilty for the vicious thought. Sighing, he tossed the still half full pocky packet into a nearby bin and stood up, shivering slightly in the oncoming chill. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started down the path, the park around him growing darker and darker with every step. That was the thing about those late summer days, once the light changes it doesn't take long to die completely and leave you out in the cold.

The walk back to the Hitachiin villa wasn't a long one, but Kaoru was still shivering when he stepped through the door. The absence of a light in the upstairs window told him Hikaru was still out, and his mouth turned down in annoyance. He'd never admit it to Hikaru, but he was really starting to miss his company in the evenings. Hell, he was even finding it hard to sleep without his brother's weight in the bed next to him. Late at night after tossing and turning for hours, when he was too weighed down with fatigue to stop himself, he thought about where Hikaru must have been at that same moment, maybe sleeping soundly next to someone else, or maybe not sleeping at all…

Kaoru gritted his teeth and shoved the thought down. What did he care what his brother did with his girlfriend? It was none of his damn business anyway.

Hikaru can do whatever he wants, I don't care.

Kaoru ran his hands through his hair, tossed his bag aside and went upstairs to his darkened bedroom. Just like the other people in the park that afternoon, he too would be heading back to the city tomorrow in time for the new school year, and he needed to pack. Or, at least, he needed to chuck all of his crap into his suitcase and then make it close. He wasn't in the mood for folding and organising. He wasn't really in the mood for anything. As much as he tried not to let Hikarus absence get to him, every minute they were apart he found it more and more difficult to shake of the feeling of lethargy that was snaking its way into his limbs.

He slammed the lid of his suitcase down over the jumbled mess of fabric and flopped down on the bed, arms out spread, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Why did he feel so uncomfortable with this? Why did it seem like there was a rock in his shoe that he just couldn't displace? It was like he was half a step out of line with what was going on around him. Like he was half a second too late to react to the world as it happened. Not enough to make a noticeable difference, but just enough to make him grit his teeth in frustration.

Outside the cicadas chirped in the evening breeze as Kaorus hand instinctively sought his brothers on the mattress beside him, only to be left empty once again.