Jyushimatsu licks his lips after he begins to regain his senses. Unsurprisingly, his dry lips are coated with blood. His vision and hearing are still fuzzy, but it doesn't matter, since he's grown familiar to being in the padded, white room. He still feel the dried tears scratching at his cheeks, and gingerly moves his hand up to itch them red.
Oh. The straightjacket is gone. That must mean it's almost mealtime.
He tries to find enthusiasm in the event, but nothing surfaces.
This is life now.
Slowly, Jyushimatsu closes his eyes. He hopes with all his heart that they stay closed for good.
It was hours before Jyushimatsu awoke again. A loud series of knocks on the door signaled that it was mealtime. Of course, he was unknowledgeable about which one because the only light source was the sickening fluorescent lights. He didn't bother moving as the door opened, and a food tray was placed onto the floor. Just as quickly, the server exited the room and shut the door behind them. Jyushimatsu remembers when he had first arrived to the facility. He begged, pleaded, even cried for answers. Why was he here? When would he leave? When could he see his family again? It didn't matter. He never got a word back. Not one glance of sympathy from the dead eyes of the workers. Still, they were the only people he had seen in however long he had been here. As mentioned before, the damn lights never shut off.
Jyushimatsu shifted his eyes to the tray in disinterest. He weakly peeled his form off of the floor and into a crawl. Instantly, a pounding found its way into his head. He tried his best to ignore it as it was a familiar feeling to him. Jyushi peered at the slop half-heartedly. He could only imagine what his brothers would think of the food here.
"Jyushimatsu-niisan, how can you even eat that?" Todomatsu gagged, plugging his nose.
"It looks like cat vomit." Ichimatsu grimaced.
"He's right, you know. Hey, you can get some oden with us when we get you out of here!" Osomatsu suggested.
"Only the best for our dear brother!" Karamatsu fluttered.
Choromatsu was too busy trying not to vomit to comment.
All five brother's presence in the room refreshed Jyushimatsu. He could hear their voices clearly in his head, and it warmed his heart. The forms of his missing brothers standing before him. He just needed to hold onto them and never let go!
Jyushimatsu began to reach out to his brothers, his fingers begging to feel their embrace, his eyes burning with tears.
Just as he was about to grab Osomatsu's hoodie, he was alone again. The band of colors in the room, he realized, were never there in the first place. The sound of voices now a taunting buzz of the light.
Jyushimatsu crumples into a heap of himself, wailing with a chorus of fresh, salty tears.
Once again, he is forced to relive the loneliest days of his life.