Wow, only two chapters out,and already several reviews and/or added to favorites. :3 I would like to thank you guys for taking time to read this story which simply started from a dream. Your comments help a lot!

ototo-younger brother

Chapter 3:Announcement

Every evening, the Minamoto family would eat together in the dining room after the day had gone by. Usually Kouji would skip dinner and head to his room, but today was different. His twin brother had come to visit, and Kouji knew his step-mom would force him to eat with them, so he figured he might as well save her the trouble.

When they were born, Kouji and Kouichi's parents had divorced from each other, thus the two of them were separated at birth. Kousei Minamoto, their father, had taken care of Kouji, and Tomoko Kimura had raised Kouichi along with his now deceased grandmother. Kouji's father had told him his mother had died when he was little. Later on, Kouji's father had remarried to a woman named Satomi, who became his step-mom. Kouji was angry, disliking his step-mom, thinking she was replacing his real mother.

One day, perhaps by destiny, Kouji met Kouichi and he learned the truth about his family. He then acted kinder towards Satomi, but was enraged at his father for lying to him, and had never forgiven him since then.

Kouji was a young raven-haired man, sixteen years of age. His dark hair rested on his shoulders tied in a ponytail, with a bandana over it. The new Mrs. Minamoto nagged him several times to cut it, but Kouji refused. His reason for declining was never explained, therefore Satomi had stopped bothering him about it to his relief. However, she would always compare him to his brother Kouichi, who cut his hair when it grew too long.

"You two may be twins, but both of you have different personalities and habits." she would comment to him several times. He would merely shrug and go back to what he was doing.

Besides his dark hair that was a different style from his brother's, Kouji had sapphire eyes that always had a dark tone to them. He also never smiled or showed an expression of happiness much to everyone's disappointment. Because of this personality, Kouji was automatically given the title of 'Lonewolf' throughout his school years, making him popular with most of the girls, who he ignored.

He was greeted cheerfully by his brother Kouichi, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for him. Both of them were dressed alike in fancy suits, but even then, any person would be able to tell them apart by the way they acted.

"Hey Kouji-ototo." said Kouichi. Kouji rolled his eyes and walked past him to the dining room. Kouichi shook his head, sighing, and followed him.

Mr. and Mrs. Minamoto were already seated and waiting for them. They were also dressed in fancy attire for this special event. The twins sat down and waited patiently.

"It's nice to see you again Kouichi." Satomi Minamoto greeted him.

"Thank you." replied Kouichi in the same manner.

"Whatever. Can we eat already?" Kouji cut in receiving a glare from his father.

Before he said anything to Kouji, Mrs. Minamoto interrupted,"Oh, of course." She couldn't help but show a small expression of sadness at seeing her son act rudely, which Kouichi noticed. He elbowed his brother and gave him a look that told him to behave. Kouji said nothing but nodded.

They ate silently for several minutes until Mrs. Minamoto asked Kouichi how he was doing in school. Kouichi replied and told her his success in academics, and the activities he did in the clubs he had joined. Then he talked about a few organizations he was put in charge of, after the teachers that sponsored them. Mr. and Mrs. Minamoto were suprised at the things he did, remembering when they asked Kouji the same question, who would reply 'fine' or 'okay' on the topic of school, if he felt like answering.

Mrs. Minamoto thought about how lucky Tomoko Kimura must be, to raise a child who was active in school. She glanced at her step-son who was looking down at his dinner eating, and wished she could've done the same with Kouji. She, like Kouji, had found out about his real mother and was also mad at her husband for lying about it. Satomi was less angry with him than Kouji was, but she tried her best to show Kouji why his father had hid the truth. She also tried being a good mother to him, and at some times he accepted her, but at other times he was still instinctively mad at her.

Kouichi interrupted her thoughts when he said,"Kouji must have told you, but he's also a member of the organization where we interact with other teenagers from different parts of the world. Just recently, our school has participated in the event where a household takes in either a person as a foreign exchange student, or a person who has no home and we find them a home while showing them how it is to live as part of a family. I wish I could've volunteered for the event, but because my mother and I don't have enough room and funds to sponsor someone, I insisted on Kouji volunteering."

At that moment Kouji looked up at his brother, glaring at him angrily. Mr. and Mrs. Minamoto stopped eating, and looked at Kouichi with interest. Mr. Minamoto commented that they weren't told about any of this. Kouichi frowned and looked at his glaring brother and then back at his parents.

"Well," he continued,"a week ago, members of the organization signed up for this, I signed Kouji up, and a few days later we received notification letters from different institutions whose students will be coming here to meet their sponsor and sponsor family. Kouji received a reply from an institution in the United States, specifically San Francisco, California. In a few days that person will come here to meet all of you and stay for a year if it's a student, or..however long if it is a person who doesn't have a home." Kouichi's voice became quieter as he saw the effect that was taking place.

Mr. Minamoto began, looking at both Kouji and Kouichi,"A few days. In a few days someone from another country is coming here? To our home?" He wasn't angry but deeply suprised.

"I told you not to make me join." Kouji muttered to his brother.

Kouichi didn't hear his comment however, and nodded to Mr. Minamoto. "Yes. According to the letter from the institution called..." He paused as he scooted back in his chair, and took a paper from his pocket, and read it silently.

Then he told the family,"Well...since some of Kouji's interests include martial arts, this person was chosen to be sponsored. The institution didn't give us much information about the person, just that they have high academic scores, and gifted in martial arts. The day after tommorow, that person will be coming here."

"But...that's in two days. Kouji! Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Mrs. Minamoto exclaimed to her son.

He said in a soft voice,"I thought you would be angry."

His stepmother's mouth opened in an 'o' and she said,"Angry? Why would be angry? This is great news. I've always wanted to sponsor a foreign child. We had the same event at my school when I was your age." She said the last part to Kouichi who smiled.

"Satomi," a voice spoke up suddenly. It was Mr. Minamoto. She turned around to look at him,"I know you're excited, but shouldn't you think about what your son just did?" Kouji frowned at hearing the words, 'your son'.

"I know, but when you think about why he didn't tell us, it's a reasonable explanation."she replied. This time Kousei frowned at the word 'reasonable'. Mrs. Minamoto continued,"We'll get to meet someone from America. I've never been to the western side of the world. Don't you think it will be intriguing at meeting someone from there? That person will share their experiences, culture, as well as many other things. Why, we don't have anytime to think about it. We should be preparing for this person's arrival." Without saying any more, Mrs. Minamoto stood up from her seat, and picked up her plate of unfinished dinner.

"I guess this means dinner is over?" Kouji asked rhetorically. Kouichi shrugged, and did the same as Mrs. Minamoto.

Mr. Minamoto then said,"I haven't seen her this excited since I proposed to her." Kouji raised an eyebrow at what he said, but didn't reply. Mr. Minamoto said to him,"I'm not mad that you didn't tell us about this sooner, just don't do it again."

"Whatever." said Kouji. Both of them followed the other two's actions, and pushed in their seats at the dinner table, following them as well. After everyone had rid of their dinner, they all gathered in the largest room downstairs.

"Wait, but Kouji...aren't you going to stay at your grandfather's until school starts next year to train more in kendo?" Mrs. Minamoto asked.

Kouji nodded and said,"Dad promised me two years ago that once I turned sixteen, and if I was passing my classes, I could at this time." He looked at his father who frowned at him.

He didn't speak for a moment, but then said,"Well you're the one who is sponsoring this person. I suppose that person will have to go to where you're going as well."

"What?!" Kouji exclaimed angrily. He had been waiting for two years for this time to come, and didn't want anyone to interrupt his training.

"Oh, but I wanted to meet this person." Mrs. Minamoto said sadly.

Kouichi then suggested,"Well, since that person doesn't know that Kouji is going to his grandfather's, they'll come here first. Technically, you will meet that person, and then you can bring that person to where Kouji is."

"Yes, that's a good idea." Mr. Minamoto agreed.

Kouji scowled but finally nodded and said,"Fine."

"Then it's all settled." Kouichi said cheerfully, ignoring another glare he received from Kouji.