Dear readers,

I am truly sorry for not updating in a very long time. But I present you with another chapter. I will most likely not be updating this story until another month or two, for I am still very busy at the moment. I hope you understand. Anyways… I truly thank those that have favorited and followed and favorited! Whenever I see them, I can't help but smile! Let's continue…

It was already nightfall once I had made my way up the steps. Ugh. So many steps. I sighed. After the long trip of going to the photoshoot up in Michigan, no one could understand my boredom and weariness. After all, I had been fired from my job not even a week ago.

"Just stand straight and keep your head up. Perfect! Now turn to the side and soak in the sunlight's rays. Remember, you are a hero! Nicely done!" Stupid person, I muttered. This had to be the most boring job in the world. I looked towards an unusually large building and thanked my life for not having to work in a cubicle every day. I focused my eyes back on the setting and on the directors. They were all focused on a screen, sitting just out of arms' reach of the reflector that stood propped up on its legs.

I sat on the rubble that lay beneath me and began to think of Black. Could he really be Yukio or did Black know my true identity and was just trying to manipulate me? My train of thought continued to wander throughout the few minutes I had remaining. My questions still engulfed my mind, even as the footsteps approached from behind. I couldn't even hear the familiar voices drift towards me, almost as if they didn't exist. But they did exist. And they were headed straight for me.

When I felt the sudden hand on my shoulder I snapped and, without hesitation, I swiftly grabbed the hand and stood up. I was just as stupid as all the others as I kicked my boss's face which landed him straight into the hospital bed. Good thing there were ambulances on the scene beforehand. As if it hadn't happened, the shoot proceeded. Even with the paramedics' urgent care of my boss, everyone insisted that he would be fine. After all, it was just a blow to the face.

But something was awfully wrong. How could they not care of someone superior to them? How could they not care for the person who provided their paychecks that everyone needed in order to have their suitable needs and want? I walked up to my partner and asked for him to tell the new guy to get me a cup of hot coffee. I needed to calm down before I could have one of my rage quits again. But it was no use now. Once the coffee had reached my fingertips, I grabbed a random guy's collar and shoved the burning coffee down his shirt, afterwards disposing of the cup by smashing it into the ground. I could only watch as it shattered into pieces and utter chaos erupted from around me. I was tossed back and forth between the arms of my bodyguards. After that, I was immediately sent back to the hotel we had been staying in and was told to pack my bags and leave for home.

I guess it was just for the better. I turned the key into the lock in order to enter my tiny home. I was greeted by a gentle rub against my ankle. I placed all my belongings at my heels and, in return, Kuro leapt into my arms. His purr was so warm and welcoming; it felt as though my heart would melt. And then I just started to sob. I hadn't even been inside for more than a minute and I was already breaking down.

"I don't know what we're going to do now, Kuro. I lost a job that I hated but that was the only way to pay the bills. I've lost my brother that I loved so much. And soon I'll lose this apartment because I couldn't pay the rent. Please don't leave me Kuro." How pathetic. I was crying and ranting for nothing. Crying wasn't going to help me solve anything. This just made me angrier, pouring out the tears more easily now.

I scanned the room for the time and the digital clock on the stovetop read twelve: forty-three a.m. It was a Saturday and Black usually stayed up around this time. I placed my clothes in the appropriate drawers along with my toiletries in my bathroom. I once again referred to the stovetop. I was astonished at how much time had passed between then and now. One: nine a.m. Was Black still awake by this time?

My fingertips brushed against the surface of my black jacket that hung on the coat hanger by the front entrance of my apartment. I slipped it on, making sure to place the hood atop my head as well. I made my way over to the door that connected our two apartments and lightly knocked with my right hand's knuckles. If he was actually asleep, I didn't want to wake him up. I awaited an answer but none came. An ocean of silence was all that followed, covering me from head to toe. As if to make sure, I knocked again, just a bit louder than the last. Once again, there was no response. I sighed. He must be asleep after all.

As I turned away from the door, deciding to go asleep myself, a huge clatter came from the opposite end of the door. In an instant, I fumbled through into Black's apartment. It was in a better condition than mine. Despite the same layout and, surprisingly, almost the same furniture, the floors were spotless-not even the smallest speck of dirt laid in its tracks. Textbooks neatly lined the wall, closest to the television set. But what about the crash that I had just heard? Where had it come from? From my stance, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. I stepped deeper into the room, slowly making my way towards the door that stood slightly ajar.

I, for a final time, knocked on the door and carefully melted through the crack, catching the glow of a table lamp, illuminating Black's face. I took a closer look and realized he was sleeping. Contrary to the living room, the bedroom was a mess. All around, pictures littered the floor and bedsheets. But other than that, clothes were neatly folded and put away in a tall dresser that reached almost all the way to the ceiling up above. Trophies were placed in neat rows above the top shelf of the dresser, fitting many achievements that only a minimal few could receive.

The soft snore of Black filled my ears as I padded around the room, picking up a picture in the process. I examined the pictures, studying the faces of the little boys standing side by side. One was holding an ice cream cone filled with what looked like chocolate ice cream. He wore a big smile, revealing all of his baby teeth and seeming to have a good time. Just off to the right, there was another boy around the same age also holding an ice cream cone filled with what looked like to be vanilla bean ice cream. As the other child, he also had a smile plastered to his face. The only difference was that he wore glasses and had one eye open as to pose in a way. The one to the left had both eyes close I guess for more enjoyment rather than the perfection of the picture.

I brought another photograph into my possession, this one seeming to be taken a few years younger at the age of about eight or nine. The same two boys stood in the picture, once again, on the same side. As compared to the other background which looked like if it were taken in a park, this picture looked as though it were taken in a field almost during a sunset. The one on the left was closer to the camera lens and appeared to be sitting on an object since his knees curled up to his chest. His smile was calmer than the last and instead of holding up ice cream, he held up his left hand's index and middle finger-resulting in a peace sign. His other hand seemed to relax across his stomach. He was wearing a light blue jacket that was rolled up to his elbows, exposing a long-sleeved black shirt.

The other boy stood further away and also smiled an innocent smile. Similarly, the boy's expression was more relaxed and wore the same glasses. The child wore of a lime-green jacket and, in the same fashion as the other boy; the sleeves were rolled up, revealing a long-sleeved black shirt. I studied it more closely and realized that the jacket actually did not have any long sleeves and was just short-sleeved, like a regular t-shirt. The one on that right, unlike the boy on the left, was standing. I smiled. They looked so happy and it reminded me of Yukio and I when we were siblings.

I picked up a final photograph for the night and it again showed the same two boys but much older. Being in high school, the same boy on the left ore a black jacket smiling in a playful way wearing the other male's glasses. Irritated by this, the boy on the right, usually wearing the glasses, frowned into the camera's lenses. His green, emerald eyes pierced deep into my eyes. Even though his face was not very enthusiastic, his eyes told the story of smile. The other's eyes wore of a dark blue, yet so soft.

I looked up at Black and was suddenly drawn aback by his appearance. I scrambled to my apartment, closing the tied door and dashed into my bathroom. The three pictures were still clasped in my grip when I glanced in the mirror before me. I couldn't believe my eyes. I held up the last photograph so it was at my eye level, the actual scenery staring directly into my eyes. I snapped my eyes from mirror to picture. Mirror to picture. Mirror to picture. And the result was the same every time. My appearance was the same in both pictures. Was this all a dream? Black had a picture of my childhood?

Then the words hit me from our last conversation before our departure…

"'I am looking for my brother. He is actually my twin but we look nothing alike,' Black stated, 'His name is Rin.'"

Of course. How could I have forgotten that? At this point, I was just staring blankly at the mirror until I actually realized what I was doing. As my eyes focused, I smiled. I just smiled. I couldn't help it. I could hear my mind repeating the phrase over in the back of my head. A broken record. Wipe that smile off your face. You have no reason to. Wipe that smile off your face. You have no reason to. And truth be told, I didn't know why I was smiling. Was it because I had just… I had just.. just… My trail of thought nodded off as I returned to Black's side. The hold of the three pictures was released and they floated to the ground in a hurried manner.

My smile reappeared as I saw the face from the last picture staring back at me, but now it was sleeping soundly. A tear slid down my cheek. I had finally done it. I had finally found the person I was looking for. Blac—no. Yukio. I promise I will never leave your side again. I slowly walked out of the room turning off the light in the process. All the while I could hear Yukio's heartbeat ringing as one with mine.

That night, I never did find out what had caused that loud thump that made me discover the truth. I'm just glad it happened.

It has been over a week since Blue had left for Michigan. In that time, I have gone back to school in order to accomplish my dream in becoming a teacher. Due to the fact that I was already eligible in receiving my doctorate's degree, I was granted free tuition and a only a month's hard work. However, that meant that I had to quit my job in order to study for approximately twelve to fifteen hours daily. It was more like a self-teaching experience.

I was given an online class provided by the university and textbooks that each cost sixty-nine dollars giving a total of two hundred and seven dollars. The deal was that if I can complete several years' worth of studying in no more than three months, then my all my bills and expenses would be paid for except food, toiletries, and just personal belongings in general. Afterwards, I would receive my degree and be able to apply for a teaching job at a local school. In just this one week, I have been able to complete a tenth of what needs to be done.

I looked at my watch that was firmly gripping my right wrist. It read six p.m., signaling Kuro's turn to eat dinner. I turned the door knob that interfered with our two apartments and walked over to Kuro's food bowl, pouring the dry food until the bottom could no longer be seen. I whistled the little tune that called him over when he didn't appear as soon as his food was being served for him. But he didn't respond. He didn't come running like normal. That's odd. That trick always works. I called again, but the result remained the same.

Out of the blue, a crash resounded from Blue's bedroom. I immediately raced towards its entrance, hesitating a bit and then proceeding forward. There was Kuro and a box that had been tipped over with a swish of his tail[s]. I gasped and swiftly moved over to the area and began scrambling to pick up the… what were these squares? I flipped them over and realized that they were just photographs. I placed all of them back into the box that they had been spilled from. As I was about to place the lid over, one of the photographs caught my eye.

It was of a somewhat old man hugging two children. The man wore glasses that had a chain attached to it. A boy to the left, also wearing glasses, was hugging the old man's neck, a sincere smile present to his existence. The boy to the right had one hand clinging to the older man and had an even bigger smile, facing the one hugging the old man. The man could only smile. I remembered this event when I was only a little boy, and to be seeing it now in my "roommate's" bedroom was just weird as fuck. That little boy to the left. That was me at the age of five. The little boy to the right was my twin brother. Rin. That was him alright. Was Blue actually Rin?

I laughed. That couldn't be possible. I chuckled. Just a coincidence. It had to be. I placed the box from where it seems to have been beforehand. And as I stood up to take my leave, I noticed a map that was taped to the wall. I was drawn towards it. Was this Blue's profession? Traveling? No. He was here too often to be just a mere traveler. I kept drawing steps nearer to the map. It was highlighted and color coded. It was a complete mess. Some states were circled in a cool color. A light blue that came from a common highlighter. But the ones that were had been crossed out in a blood red marker. Just a single slash wasn't marked in a cool blue area and that was New York City. That was here. I scanned the open, white areas for any more information. The key didn't give away anything useful other than the fact that blue signaled "been there" and red meant "not there". I tried flipping over the paper but all four corners were taped to the wall. It was no use. But my mind told me that that couldn't be the only thing there. There had to be something else. Anything else.

It popped up. Just like that. It appeared so suddenly I almost smacked my head into the wall. False alarm. I just almost tripped over a chord. It wasn't the map's fault after all… But nonetheless, it was still there. The title in tiny print was located in the bottom right corner. It read Finding Each Other. Oh right. Blue was trying to find his family member. I should have known. But my curiosity got the best of me. I began slipping my fingers into drawers of a night table and came across a notebook. Was it a diary?

I flipped it open and began to read. Blue had left the page blank of whom it belonged to, so I searched for a dedication page. Well, it wasn't much of a search once I turned to the next page. This book is dedicated to my brother, Yukio. That I may once again find him, no matter how long it takes. After all, it is a small world in reality. I couldn't help but shed a tear. It was more like a runny nose and a pool full of teardrops. Not even a full box of tissues could stop this onslaught of happiness mixed with sadness. Blue was actually Rin. But Rin didn't know that I am Yukio, his brother. I would forever remain as Black to him.

I headed back towards my side of the floor after placing everything in their proper places. I checked my watch again and it already said that it was half past nine. I decided to study until my eyelids began to feel heavy. It was already twelve: thirty-nine by the time I placed all my materials back in their proper places. I shuffled into the kitchen and downed a tall cup of milk before feeling a bit more energetic. I then followed back into my room where I got ready for bed. But as I lay in bed, something was nagging at me. The pictures from earlier today. I got up from my comfortable position on the bed to my shelf right at the foot of my bed. I scrambled for my memory box that was filled with pictures from my past. Lost memories, just waiting to be seeked after.

Already, the mess in my room was piling high and I hadn't even opened the box yet. I was looking for a specific picture, throwing all the unnecessary ones across the room. That's when I heard the front door to Rin's apartment open and close. There was no possible way that Rin could be home one week after departure. He told me he would be gone for more than a month! Stupid liar. That's the only thing he was actually good at, besides cooking. Then again, Shiemi did have an extra copy of his keys. However, why would she come here at close to one in the morning and while Rin was away on a trip. That just made no sense. It was obvious that Rin had just arrived from the airport. There was no other solution.

I continued to look for the specific photograph since Rin wouldn't have any reason to come over to my side. Just around one: ten a.m., a light knock came from the middle door that separated us both. I shrugged it off. I was really tired and it was probably my imagination, so I continued with my search. But not long after, there it was again. The soft knocks coming from the door in the middle. This was becoming too dangerous. If I were to be seen as Yukio instead of Black, it would be a longer night than I wanted it to be.

I slowly got up and tried to be as quit as possible. This was until I slipped on the pictures that lay on the ground, landing with a heavy thud. I had done it now. Rin would be here shortly and I had to act fast. I climbed into bed just as soon as I heard the middle door fly open and silence follow afterwards. Shit. I had forgotten to turn the light off and to pile up all the pictures back into their proper boxes. I'm dead meat.

It felt like an eternity before Rin finally reached my bedroom. I could sense him looking around and soaking in every inch of the scene before him. I tried soothing and evening my breathing but it didn't seem like he even noticed. Well, Rin wasn't really an A student at observations. I dared to open my eyes, only letting a little bit of light into my left eye. Rin's back was to me and it seemed as though his hood was on. As he had noticed my "sleeping" body, peeling back the mask that hid our true selves. It was definitely Rin and no more doubts could be formed in my mind. It was really him.

I began to shut my eyes, finally feeling at ease with the situation. I could hardly make out the words that were spoken before the lights went out. But they were there. But my brain was too tired to register anything… The only words I could actually catch made my heart flutter. The sincerity of the soothing lullaby that escaped his lips.

"I promise… Yukio."

Well… that's it for now! Whenever I get the chance, I will update. It will get juicy so don't forget to review, favorite, and follow!