Act IV - The Sunset

About five hours later, when it was 2:34 a.m., Zeito heard a knock. He wasn't sleeping, but also wasn't expecting any visitors. It was middle of the night! Sane people were quietly sleeping in their rooms. The knock repeated so he sit up, and then the doors opened.

"Can I come in?" Purple head peeked inside and Zeito nodded. "Thanks."

Taito went inside silently closing the doors behind him. The darknette moved making some space for him on the bed.

"Can't sleep again, huh?" The yandere asked.

His brother nodded again. The boy wasn't wearing his make-up, so the dark bags under his eyes were clearly visible. Only four persons knew about his insomnia. And Taito was one of them. Zeito motioned him to sit down. He hesitated for a moment but eventually sat beside him. For few minutes they were silent, enjoying each other's company.

"You must've been wondering why am I here…" Taito spoke looking at the floor. "I couldn't sleep too."

A poor excuse for Zeito. He knew that Taito was lying. It was obvious.

"Liar." The word made the purplette look at him. He blinked two times and then smiled. That guy…

"Heh, you know me too well." He laid on the bed, feet still on the floor, with his hands under his head. "I've come to check on you. Did you went to sleep, and such." He closed his eyes.

There was another silence between them which Zeito used to think. From the day at the alley his brother acted overprotective over him. He could even swear that Taito wanted to kill Baito when he kissed him in the lab. But why he reacted like that? Was it jealousy? He shook his head at the thought. It's impossible.

"Why?" He asked silently.

"I don't know. Just because." Another lie.

Zeito bit his lower lip. He needed to know the real answer. He wanted to hear the truth, so he moved positioning himself over Taito. He looked at him from above, hands on each side of his body. Then he asked again.

"Why?" Taito flinched but said nothing. "Tell me."

"I was worried about you, okay?!" Taito moved up opening his eyes and froze in place. He met Zeito's ruby eyes. Their faces inches apart. If I lean up more… No! Stop! What am I thinking?! But… those eyes…

He carefully sit up making his brother to move back a bit. Still looking into his eyes, he slowly touched his cheek. Zeito did not move, just parted his mouth a little, like he was holding his breath until now. The yandere thought that he looked somehow… inviting…

"Zei…" He whispered leaning closer.

When his lips were an inch apart from the other ones, they've heard a thunder and Taito jumped widening his eyes. He stood up shocked.

"I-I... I should go." He mumbled and leaved the room.

Zeito was stunned. He fell on the bed and hid his face in the pillow. He was blushing like tomato. Taito almost kissed him! And he… regretted that he didn't? Am I… in love with… Taito? He thought, but then frowned and eventually went to sleep.

When Taito arrived at his room, he shut the doors loudly. He didn't care if he woke up the others. What he truly cared of right now was the action he made a minute ago. He could not calm himself enough to stand straight so he leaned against the doors and slid down them onto the floor. Covering his mouth with his right hand he tried to return his fast breathing back to normal. His heart also skipped a beat, and the mind was in chaos. For God's sake! Why did I wanted to kiss him?! What the hell got into me?!

"Fuck!" He abruptly stood up, grabbed the first thing from the desk and throw it. It was an alarm clock that smashed on the wall. "At least it won't annoy me anymore."

This night he wasn't able to sleep.

In the morning he woke up after only one hour nap. Irritation and lack of sleep showed their effects later at the breakfast. Akaito got on his nerves and he almost sliced his throat if Nigaito wouldn't have stopped him. Since Zeito refused to come down and eat with them, it was the youngest that was somehow able to get Akaito out of the room and his rage. Taito was sure his dark brother just didn't want to see him. He cursed walking to the living room. He sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. The program was leaved at the News. They were showing the casualties of yesterday's storm that invaded the city. He reached for the remote but found an empty place. The channel switched to Sports.

"What the-?!"

"Looking for this?" He turned around.

Akaito stood behind him with a grin, waving the said remote.

"Give it back." He send him daggers with his eye. "Or I'll wipe off that stupid smile of yours."

"You think I'm scared?"

"You should be." He took the icepick out from the pocket. "I'm still angry at you."

"Ha!" The redhead laughed. "So what? Your toy doesn't scare me too! It's just a piece of junk!"

He teased him more and soon regretted it. Taito jumped on him over the sofa and send onto the floor.

"Don't annoy me more than I am right now." He growled.

"Why? Did you have a fight with that Virus or what?" Akaito certainly wasn't thinking when he said that. Taito's eye flashed in red as he screamed. "Don't call him that!"

Zeito came down to the living room dropping his yo-yo up and down. He stopped catching it, though. What he saw surprised him. Akaito was pinned to the floor with Taito on top of him. He instantly got alarmed when he saw the icepick in Taito's hand. He didn't even move when the roles switched. Somehow the redhead managed to roll them over so he was now on top of yandere. He also snatched the weapon from him. It was easy since Taito's wrist wasn't fully healed yet.

"Get off of me!" Yelled the purplette.

"Revenge is sweet. Isn't it?"

Zeito made a quick move, throwing his yo-yo in the direction of the redhead. It wrapped around his wrist stopping the icepick centimeters from Taito's face. He couldn't pull it more if he didn't want to slice off the hand of his brother with the string. Instead he come closer reaching his hand out. It was a command for Akaito to give back the item.

"He must pay for what he did to you! I didn't forgive him yet!" Akaito pulled the string, unwrapping it and trying to stab Taito again. This time he was stopped by Zeito's hand. The darknette tugged him away from the yandere, also shoving the icepick from him. Akaito cursed.

"Why are you always protecting him?!" He hissed. "He has done nothing more than just hurting you!"

"He's my brother…" Zeito whispered. "Just like you are. And also… my friend."

"A 'FRIEND'?!" Akaito yelled. "He's nothing more than a failure! A GLITCH! He tried to kill you! He should never exist! It would've been better if he was dead!"

In that moment Zeito did something he had never done before. He slapped his brother with all his strength, leaving both of them speechless. The redhead touched his itching cheek carefully and hissed in pain. Zeito moved back seeing his death glare. He knew he will regret it.

"YOU!"

Taito quickly jumped, standing up when he saw Akaito's raised hand ready to strike. He stopped him mid-action. "If you hit him, you'll experience the most painful death you can think of." He said with low voice. "I swear it."

"Tch!" Akaito shook his hand off from his grasp. "You both are worth yourselves!"

He walked away cursing, leaving the two alone in the room. They've watched him stomping out and mumbling. Then Zeito found himself into Taito's tight grip. He didn't understand why he have hugged him but returned it.

"Thank you…" He heard him whisper. "…for standing by my side."

Taito pushed him back lightly. He then smiled, took his icepick and walked out off the room.

He was in complete mess. Many thoughts were running through his head but he understood none of them. He was walking around town without any reason, just to clear his mind a bit. But he couldn't. There was too many mysteries about how he felt right now. Taito run his fingers through his hair and sighed. Zeito… He couldn't throw him out from the head. That boy had something in him that kept Taito returning to that house and his crazy life with his stupid brothers. But what was it? He sighed again trying to figure out the reason. Zeito was always the silent type without any emotions shown on his face. Even when they were alone together, he didn't speak much. And his smile was one of the rarest things he ever saw. And seeing him cry? Once. And he don't want to see it ever again. It was too painful.

He stopped on the bridge. If he crosses it he will walk out of the town. Taito looked behind. He could leave and start a new live somewhere else. Without the Master, his sisters and brothers. Without… Zei… He shook his head hard. Why the thought crossed his mind?! He couldn't simply leave Zeito… or Master. Huh? Why was Zeito the first person who he thought about? He looked down at the river. The first thing he saw was the steady flow of the water and the next one was… Zeito?! He blinked few times and looked again. This time it was himself reflected on the surface. What's wrong with me? He thought. Why did I saw him instead of myself? He looked further up. The sun was still visible on the horizon, although there was only a half of it. The night was soon to come. Just when he was ready to go back he saw someone at the riverbank. He recognized the person and went down to meet her.

[Master's view]

Everything sucks. I thought throwing another rock into the river. I was in this world, the world of Vocaloids where I could hide from reality. If I could stay here forever… but here are also some problems similar to those of the other world. I threw another rock. And another. Oh, how I wanted to scream right now! But I didn't. Instead I threw another rock. I sighed and looked at the sky. It was clear, in shades of red and orange. I instantly knew that the night will be warm and starry.

"Master…" I heard, so I turned around to see a certain purple Vocaloid. One of my Shions.

"Good evening, Taito-kun." I smiled to him. Something was off. He didn't smiled like he used to when he saw me. He was avoiding my eyes. "Do you want to go for a walk with me?" I asked him.

He just nodded in answer, so I started to walk by the river in the direction of the Shions house. I was humming 'Bad Apple' while walking. Something must've been bothering Taito if he didn't start to sing that song, yet. He did it before many times to please me. Heck! He was doing everything only to get my attention or spent some time with me! And now, when he have all of it he looks so sad. Just looking at him makes my heart bleed! But I didn't asked. I knew he will tell me when he thinks the time's right.

We walked in silence for some minutes now, when I spotted a purple flower in front of me. I stopped. An idea came to my mind. I picked the flower and turned to Taito.

"Make a wish, drop a tear. Kiss the flower, make it feel. All your doubts, all your worries disappear at the end of this story. With the sunset going away. Tomorrow you will smile again." I've said holding the flower in front of his face. He looked surprised at first but took it eventually.

"My wish won't come true." He said with a sad smile.

"You don't know until you try to make it true."

"Van-sama…" Uh, oh. That was a signal for me it won't be easy talk. "Were you ever in love?"

He surprised me with this question. I thought about the answer. I didn't want him to get in yandere mode. That didn't mean I was afraid of him or something! I just did not want to fight.

"You first. Were you in love?" I answered with same question.

"I-I…I think… I am." That was unexpected. So, Tai-kun is in love, huh? "And I don't know what to do about it."

He sighed and looked at the river. He must really care about this person if he looks so lost.

"So?" I asked with a grin. "Who is the lucky one?"

He blushed a nice shade of red, not looking at me.

"I-It's… W-Well… I-I mean… Ugh, well…" He looked so cute and innocent trying to stutter out some words, it make me laugh. I couldn't hold out the giggle that escaped my mouth.

"I-It's not funny!"

"Hnhnhn! I'm sorry, Tai-kun" I've took his hands and pulled them down to see his blushing face that he hide in them. "It's just that, you look so cute now."

"I-I am not!"

"But you are!" I laughed more.

"Van-sama!"

"Okay, I'm serious now. Does that person know about your feelings?"

"…No. I-I can't tell him."

Him?! Taito's in love with a boy?! That's… interesting. Now I see why he's acting like that.

"It's alright to be in love Taito. Whoever this person is, he stole your heart. If he rejects you, he will be the most stupid one in the world. Heck! In whole universe!"

"What should I do?" There were so many emotions shown on his face when he looked at me.

"You should tell him how you feel."

"C-C-Confess?!" His blush deepened. "B-But…"

I sighed and squeezed his hands. I wanted to help him, so I asked. "Is it someone I know?"

He went silent and averted my sight. Then he nodded hesitantly. Even if it is someone I know there's still huge number of persons to choose from. I need to narrow it.

"If you don't want to tell me the name, then maybe you can describe him?"

He took a deep breath. "He's calm… caring and will always listen what I have to say. He never complains when I'm going yandere and he must bear with it. I'm truly grateful to him for stopping my moods."

I think I've already figured out who he loves, but I still need some confirmation.

"Will you tell me the name now?" I looked straight in his eye.

"I-It's…" He gulped like he was swallowing a rock. "It's… Zeito."

"I knew it." I've released his hands. "When did it started?"

"I-I don't really know myself." He took a step back from me. "Y-You're not angry, Master?"

"Why should I be? I'm just happy that you found someone you truly love."

"But I love you Master!"

"Then kiss me." I blurted out.

"W-What?!"

"You heard me." I've come closer to him. "Kiss me."

I've half-closed my eyes and waited. He hesitantly leaned closer, closing his eyes in the process. But when our lips were almost touching he moved away.

"I-I can't…" He gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I smiled moving away too. "This only proves you don't want to feel like betraying Zeito.

"But if I confess he will hate me!"

"Oh, please!" I raised my voice. "Do you really believe that?! No matter what will happen or what he will answer, he won't hate you! He loves you, he's your brother!"

"That's the problem!" He yelled. "He's my BROTHER! I can't love him that way!"

"You are stupid, you know?" I poked him in the chest. "Mostly you are related to Kaito not each other. The only thing that's connecting you as brothers is the coding that partially came from Kaito. Besides if you love him then be with him! It's just that simple! You must try!"

"Y-You think so, Master?"

"I'm sure of it!"

"But I love you, Masuta…" He said again.

Oh, brother… I thought to myself. How thickheaded he can be?!

"Taito-kun" I started. "I love you too, but this is not the same you feel for Zeito. It's more like love between parent and child. Between relatives. You see me like your mother or sister or Master as you call me. Do you see the difference now?"

"I.. think so. Thank you… Mother."

"No problem, dear." My left eye twitched. "But don't you dare calling me that again. Never."

"Of course…" He smiled at last. "Mom."

"You!"

He run laughing with me chasing after him. I was truly happy to see he's smiling again. I walked him home and went to my own. But before I did I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. And then I was gone.

End of Act IV