Chapter 3
Kuki couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable around this teenager, his smile just creep her out and he seemed to never open his eyes, it confused her to see this guy reading the list her mom left for him with his eyes seemingly closed, it just baffled her. "Okay dinner at 7:00 and bedtime at 9:00, seems simple enough." said Brendan as he finished going over the list. He turned around and saw Kuki looking at him from the entrance of the kitchen.
"Oh hey Kuki do you need something?" asked Brendan. Kuki not wanting to look like an idiot, quickly asked "Oh um I was just wondering what you were going to give us for dinner." Brendan just smiled, unknowingly scaring Kuki a bit more, "Oh your parents asked me to cook you and your sister some spaghetti and meatballs for dinner" answered Brendan. Kuki was relieved to hear that, at least this teenager wasn't making her eat yucky vegetables like Brussel sprouts, but that didn't mean she trusted him.
"Anyway dinner will be ready in about 30 minutes, when it's ready I want you to get your sister." said Brendan. Kuki swallowed hard at Brendan mentioning Mushi who hasn't spoken to her in a month, but nodded anyway. She spent her time watching rainbow monkeys on TV, while at the same time watching Brendan cook in the kitchen, while Brendan kinda gave her the creeps, she didn't feel that he had any ill intentions towards her, but it didn't hurt to be cautious around the teenager, she had S.P.I.C.E.R underneath the couch cushion in case he tried anything.
Soon dinner was ready and Kuki went to get her sister. "Uh Mushi dinners ready" said Kuki nervously, she got no response, she knew it was no use since Mushi was still mad, she sighed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Brendan had set down 3 plates of spaghetti on the table, Kuki had to admit it actually looked delicious, she then down ready to eat.
"So where's your sister?" asked Brendan, Kuki looked up, right as she was about tell him that Mushi didn't open the door for her, Mushi walked right into the kitchen. Though she didn't stay, she just took her plate and went up to her room. Kuki sighed sadly, while Brendan was confused.
"Kuki what was that about?" Brendan asked.
"It's a long story" said Kuki sadly
"Do want to talk about it" Brendan asked feeling a little bit concerned. Kuki decided that she had nothing to lose so she told Brendan everything, about the dinner party at Numbuh 2's house and how Mushi became jealous of her plush party rainbow monkey and forking it in the back and how it resulted in her grounding. Brendan now taking this information in and seeing the sad look on Kuki's face reminded him of his own sister when she was sad.
"Hey Kuki don't let it get you down, she'll get over it eventually" said Brendan.
"But it's been almost two months" said Kuki about to cry. Brendan honestly did not expect that two months, he never would have thought that a child of 5 years old could hold such a grudge.
"Look I'll tell you what, how about I talk to her before your bedtime is that okay with you?" asked Brendan. Kuki was a bit hesitant to let Brendan talk to her sister but she would love nothing more than to make up with Mushi, so she just nodded her head. Brendan then decided to change the topic, "So you like rainbow monkeys?" he asked.
Kuki looked up at him "yeah I love them why do ask?" Kuki questioned, Brendan just gave his signature smile and pulled out his two rainbow monkey key chains, "I secretly like them myself". said Brendan. Kuki just gasp, "you like love rainbow monkeys too? Brendan just nodded his head yes.
"Wow I didn't think any teenager would love rainbow monkeys as much as me." said Kuki smiling. Brendan chuckled "well you know what they say Kuki never judge a book by it's cover" said Brendan.
As the two were conversing Kuki couldn't help but ask Brendan about his smile and seemingly closed eyes. "Hey Brendan can I ask you something? said Kuki. "Sure what is it?" questioned Brendan. Why are you always smiling and have your eyes closed?" she asked, she also wanted to ask about the scar on his left eye, but she didn't want push for any sensitive information, Brendan stopped smiling, but his eyes remained closed, "Whats wrong with my smile?" he asked with a look of confusion on his face.
"Oh nothing it's just that I've never seen someone smile like you before?" said Kuki not trying to sound rude. Brendan just laughed "you think my smile is creepy do you?
"well I um" said Kuki who didn't know what to say. "It's okay Kuki am not mad" said Brendan reassuring her. "You're not" she asked, "No of course not, besides you're not the first person to ask me about the way I smile," said Brendan chucking. Kuki couldn't help but blush a little bit.
After finishing their dinner, Brendan washed the plates and both of them started watching TV. "So Kuki are you full?" asked Brendan.
"Yeah that spaghetti was yummy" said Kuki smiling while rubbing her stomach in sasitfaction.
Brendan kept smiling, "I'm glad you enjoyed Kuki,hey how about the next time I babysit, we order some pizza?" Brendan offered.
"Really you would buy pizza for us?" Kuki asked surprised at the teenager's sudden generosity.
"Off course, why don't you like pizza?" asked Brendan pretending to be surprised.
"No I love pizza, I'm just surprised that you would like to buy pizza for me." said Kuki.
"Well Kuki what can I say you've kinda grown on me" said Brendan smiling, Kuki didn't seem scared of his smile anymore, now that she's seen how nice Brendan is.
"Could we have some soda with that pizza?" asked Kuki. "Of course, can't have pizza without some soda" said Brendan. Kuki couldn't help but smile big, Brendan truly wasn't like the teenagers that she and her friends fought with in the past, he was really nice to her.
"Anyway it's almost time for bed Kuki, you should go brush your teeth." Said Brendan.
"What why?" said Kuki getting defensive all of a sudden, she remembered how knight brace jumped her and forcefully brushed her teeth so hard, she swore she tasted blood.
"Because it's not healthy for kids to go to bed with dirty teeth after eating a big meal" said Brendan.
"Oh come on adults just say that stuff to get us to brush and floss" said Kuki. Brendan's grin grew wider.
"Okay Kuki that's fine you don't have to brush" said Brendan
Kuki raised an eyebrow "you're not gonna make me brush?" she asked. "Hey if you want your teeth to start rotting and falling out so soon then that's your choice." said Brendan.
Kuki looked at him with a frantic look, "my teeth will rot if I don't brush" said Kuki with wide eyes, "yep and eventually it will lead to gum disease and trust me Kuki, that's something you don't want to have, because if you get gum disease you'll never be able to eat your favorite foods ever again." said Brendan grinning as he pulled out a picture of someone with gum disease.
Kuki shrieked as Brendan showed her the photo and immediately bolted up the stairs towards the bathroom. Brendan chuckled 'works everytime'. He then went towards Mushi's room, like he promised Kuki he would talk to Mushi for her.
He knocked on the door, "Mushi it's me your babysitter I need to talk to you,"said Brendan. The door open, Mushi was in her pajamas, "what is it mister?" she asked.
"Hello Mushi I'm Brendan your babysitter, I was just hoping we could talk for a little while," said Brendan. "But it's almost my bedtime" said Mushi.
"Oh don't worry it won't take long, I promise" said Brendan. "Okay you come in" said Mushi. Brendan walk towards her bed and sat down, he gestured Mushi to sit next to him, which she did.
Brendan decided to get straight to the point "Listen Mushi I came to talk to you about your sister" said Brendan. Mushi just frowned and crossed her arms, "I don't want to talk about her, she got me grounded" said Mushi.
"Look Mushi I know you're mad, no kid likes to be grounded, but you need to understand how your behavior is affecting Kuki, she's really upset that you're ignoring her" explained Brendan.
Mushi didn't give him an answer, instead she just turned her head the another way. Brendan sighed, he knew younger kids were stubborn, but Mushi was by far the most stubborn kid he's met so far. He decided to try a different approach.
"Look Mushi right now I bet you think you hate your sister and probably told her that you did, but it's important that you two make up, because someday or possibly tomorrow, you could lose her forever" said Brendan with a sad tone in his voice.
Mushi looked up at Brendan, her angry expression turned into a confused one. "What do you mean?" she asked.
(Clannad after story sad song)
"I use to have family Mushi, a loving family, my mom and dad and my little sister Wendy, who I loved with all my heart, me and her used to do everything together, eat ice cream, watch rainbow monkeys on TV, catch fireflies and I would kiss her goodnight when she went to sleep" said Brendan.
"Where is your family now?" asked Mushi. "They're gone Mushi" said Brendan his voice cracking a little.
"Gone? where did they go?" she asked. "They're in heaven now Mushi" said Brendan as tears now began to roll down his cheeks, Mushi could only gasp and put her hands to her mouth, she may have been five years old, but she knew exactly what Brendan meant when he said that his family was in heaven.
Brendan wiped his face and then continued "What I'm trying to explain Mushi is that you shouldn't hold on to a grudge against your sister, because if one day something happens to her God forbid, you'll never be able to take back what you said, and a broken heart hurts more than anything. I can never hold my little sister in my arms again, I would give a leg if it meant I would be able to have her in my arms and tell how much I love her. There were days were I just wanted to disappaer from the world, because the pain in my heart was unbearable and that's something that I don't ever want you to experience any time soon Mushi" said Brendan as he continued to cry.
Mushi was on the verge of crying, she had no idea her babysitter had such a tragic backround, his words touched her heart, all the anger she felt towards Kuki and vanished, the idea of losing her big sister frightend her, she didn't want the words 'I hate you' to be the last thing Kuki would hear from her.
She immediately ran towards her sister's room to apologize. Brendan followed her and saw Kuki and Mushi hugging, Mushi was crying and apologizing to Kuki for saying that she hates her.
Kuki who was touched by Mushi's heartfilled apology, forgave her sister and told her that she loved her. Brendan who was watching the heartfilled moment, couldn't help but smile softly at the scene, it touched his heart.
(end of theme)
Brendan then went to the bathroom to wash his face, everything that he told Mushi was true, while it hurt to talk about the family that he had lost five years ago, he felt that Mushi needed to hear his story to be able to appreciate having her sister in her life. After washing his face, he turned to leave the bathroom, only to see Kuki standing at the entrance holding a green rainbow monkey with pointed ears and antlers, wearing a Santa hat and suit with red slippers.
"Oh Hi Kuki do you need something?" asked Brendan. "I just wanted to thank you for helping me make up with Mushi" said Kuki smiling.
"Your very welcome Kuki, am glad you and your sister are friends again" said Brendan smiling. Kuki walked up to Brendan and handed him the rainbow monkey.
"I want you to have my secret santa surprise reindeer monkey" said Kuki, Brendan was surprised at her generous gift, when he was younger he had always wanted the reindeer rainbow monkey, but it was only sold during Christmas Eve and they were always sold out, he was touched by this.
"Wow thank you Kuki, you don't know how much this means to me. I've always wanted one of these" said Brendan.
Kuki streched out her arms, Brendan knew that she wanted a hug, so he bent down to her level to give her one. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently, then she did something unexpected, she kissed him on the cheek.
Brendan was really caught of guard, he blushed at Kuki's bold action he put his left hand on the cheek that she kissed , Kuki was smiling and blushing, she then ran back to her room. After getting over at what just happened he went downstairs, with the rainbow monkey in his hands.
It was eleven o clock, the girls were fast asleep and Brendan was in the living room watching TV, soon Kuki's parents walked in. The father paid Brendan no attention and headed straight towards his bedroom. He stood up and greeted Mrs Sanban.
"Hey Mrs S how was your dinner?" he asked. "Oh it was peaceful until my husband complained that the restruant gave us the wrong bill, even though he was right, he just had to make a big deal out of it" said Genki a little annoyed. Brendan chuckled a little.
"Anyway I hope my daughters didn't give you any problems while we were away." Said Genki.
"Nope everything went smoothly, in fact you won't have to deal with Mushi's grudge towards Kuki anymore" said Brendan smiling.
Genki eyes widened a little, "wait are you telling me-" Brendan then interrupted her "yep Kuki and Mushi made up" said Brendan as he continued to smile. Genki was surprised, she and her husband have been trying to get Mushi to patch things up with Kuki for months and this teenager managed to do it in one night, she couldn't help but smile at Brendan.
"Brendan thank you so much for this, it means a lot to me that my daughters are on good terms now" she said, Genki then reached into her purse and took out the money to pay him, "here's fifty dollars Brendan" she said. Brendan noticed that she gave him an extra ten, "uh Mrs Sanban you only had to pay me forty" said Brendan.
Genki just smiled "consider it a tip for helping Kuki and Mushi, you've earned it" she said. Brendan thanked her and took the money, after saying goodbye he walked towards his car, tonight was one of the most interesting nights of his life, he was really looking foward to babysitting Kuki and Mushi next time.
He looked at the rainbow monkey that Kuki gave him, for some reason it brought more joy to his heart than expected, he then entered his car and proceeded to drive home.
As he was driving he couldn't help but worry about Benedict uno's plan about hiring the shadow hand, he had a feeling that despite the threat he gave the adults back at the mansion, Benedict was still gonna go through with that crazy plan, that idiot had no idea what he was getting himself into if he went to the assassins. If Hirimoto agreed to help Benedict then the kids next door would be in grave danger. He would to assemble a team of his own if was to take down the shadow hand.
And's thats a wrap, sorry it took so long, I was dealing with writers block, anyway I had fun writing this chapter, I had to listen to a sad theme in order to write the heartfill scene between Brendan, Kuki and Mushi. For those of you who don't know the theme I used, look up clanned sad song. leave a review telling me if you guys enjoyed it.
