Disclaimer: Everyone except Katsutoshi belongs to Takao Aoki.

If you're confused, don't worry. The story is doing what it's supposed to do.

Remember: this is an AU fic.

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Kai checked his watch: 10:48 PM. The train would run on until 1:00 AM, but it wasn't like his visit would take that long. Then again, just in case, he was glad that he didn't take all of his clothes with him

Oh yeah, he remembered, I left my favourite shirt there.

He could just about see the house and the dojo, the distinct and recognizable gate standing out from the rest of the neighbourhood homes. Kai could have driven, which would have saved him at least half an hour from the trip, but Tyson's home had no parking so it was pointless to bother. As majestic a traditional Japanese home was, it was bound to have its downsides, Kai figured.

"Hah!" came a shout. Kai jumped, alarmed. He sighed, remembering that at this time Grandpa Kinomiya would do his evening drills. Still standing outside the gate, Kai was still present at his old home without any of its residents knowing he was there. Well, it helped that a body double was sitting at Tyson's dinner table using Kai's name. Oh boy, the trouble that guy would attract. Every damn time… He was going to teach that fucker a lesson!

After making sure that Grandpa Kinomiya was in the dojo and not training outside it, Kai hopped the gate in a single bound. He stood at the top, carefully making sure that his center of gravity was steady. He didn't want to fall! Since he'd been at this house for a long time, recalling the layout of the house was easy for him. The living/dining area was to his left. He remembered the window would have a clear view of him standing there, so he dropped down, quick to dart for the cover under the window sill (all they had to do now was look down to see him) in case he made too much noise. He could hear laughter from where he was. Daichi, a Kinomiya relative from the countryside, was clearly there, as he was living with them even when Kai still did, and Ray and Max were there too. He could hear Hilary, Tyson's girlfriend (as of four months ago and about damn time too, thought Kai) and Mr. Smart Guy Kenny having a light argument about something, but it seemed as though Tyson was hosting a nice dinner with friends, thinking that Kai was there too. No one seemed to have heard him yet, but he doubted they were all aware enough to notice. Plus, there wouldn't have been any reason to suspect that someone was lurking outside. To them, he wasn't even there.

"So, um, Kai, are you going to tell us why people were after you?" asked Tyson. His voice seemed to silence everyone in the room (from the sounds of it, Ray, Max, Daichi, Kenny, and Hilary were all present). There was a long silence; Kai held his breath.

"I'd rather not," said the one they all assumed was Kai. He was quite rude, "It really isn't any of your business."

That's 50 000¥ to me and one foot in your face, jackass! Kai viciously thought.

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor? It's bad to keep the bullet in the wound," came the sound of Hilary's concerned voice. Bullet wound? Kai wasn't expecting that, and it got him worrying. Yet still, it wasn't enough to distract Kai from his purpose. Oh Hilary, bless you, Kai sang in his head. She gave Kai the best timing for his entrance. It would be stupid of him to pass this up!

"Men of the Hiwatari household are known for their stamina and strength," said the other Kai arrogantly. "I'll live." Kai grinned.

"Damn straight, Katsutoshi!" he cried, completely agreeing with him. It was true, and it wasn't just the men either. The Ice Queen wouldn't have liked her exclusion, but Kai would save that for later. With ease he swung into the room, with only a hand on the window sill for leverage. He gave a push and sent his feet flying, right into the face of his look-alike, his doppelganger, body double, and the greatest pain in his ass (yes, even greater than Tyson), Kai Hiwatari literally sent his brother Katsutoshi through the wall. The crash was deafening, probably loud enough to wake the whole neighbourhood, and it gave a clear shock to everyone in the room.

"Hey, Tyson," Kai greeted casually, acting as if nothing happened. He took off his shoes at it was rude to be in a house with them on. "Thanks for not telling the idiot I was coming—that was way better than I expected." He laughed.

"It took a moment, but after the initial shock, Tyson composed himself.

"What... the fuck was that?" he cried. Kai raised an eyebrow. Oh, right, he realized, they don't know I have a brother.

"Hilary, go check on him!" cried Ray. "He might still be bleeding!"

"Nah, I'll do it," said Kai. He'd kicked Katsutoshi so hard he was already outside, just inches away from the koi pond. "Besides, it's a risk tending to him after what I did."

"What do you mean?" Max asked hesitantly. Kai could see it, they were all delaying the questions that would solve their confusion, but they wanted to focus on the now before anything else—no matter how confusing it was going to get. And indeed was it going to get even more confusing for them. This? Kai was used to this; he grew up to this. In fact, in all the years since, he really missed this. All of their heads turned to hear a growl increasing in volume, the raspy breath accompanying it quickening its pace. Kai sighed. Here it comes.

"KAIIIIII!"

Ducking just in time, Kai saw one of the rocks surrounding the koi pond fly over his head and crash through the wall behind him.

"You're gonna have to pay for that," yelled Kai nonchalantly. The others looked at him as if he were crazy. Well, yes, maybe he was, but to him this was normal...

But it had been years since the last time he fought with Katsutoshi, let alone saw him...

"Bed time, Katsu," Kai called out. He walked up to his brother before Katsutoshi could pick up another rock to throw. He was bleeding, but he probably didn't even realize it. Kai sighed, feeling very sad. He did it again. He always got too passionate, to the point that he would end up hurting Katsutoshi. So, at times like this, to prevent an even bigger mess, Kai would utilize a tai chi method taught to him by his mother. It was the Hu Die Chuan Hua ("Butterfly Bores through the Flower") technique, though when he was younger he came to call it the Sleeper for the sake of ease in remembering it. Katsutoshi would always try to fight back, so the first step of the technique disabled movement. As soon as Kai pulled back Katsutoshi's outstretched arm as high as it could behind his back, Kai placed pressure on the carotid artery while pushing Katsu's head back with his hand. It was easy, and in an instant Katsutoshi was unconscious. Kai didn't waste time to check and see how bad the wound was; Katsutoshi needed hospital attention as soon as possible. He picked up his brother in a cradle and went back in the house.

"I think now would be a good time to call the ambulance," he said to Tyson. He watched Tyson run out of the room, past his grandfather who came to investigate the racket.

"Two of you?" he cried, startled.

"This is my brother, Katsutoshi," he told everyone in the room. "But we aren't twins. We're just an identical pair out of a set of three."

"Triplets?" murmured Hilary, her hands over her face. Kai nodded, finding his expression grim. He felt his lips forming a frown and kept himself from doing so, afraid he might worry his friends more than he should.

"Yes. Triplets. Two boys and one girl... I'm sorry it had to be now, of all times, and I know I should have mentioned it sooner, though I had my reasons. Still, I think it's time you guys learned about my family." It was the least Kai could do, though he had a dreaded feeling that he was going to regret it...