a.n: Another chapter! Thank you, Shadow Storyteller for reviewing the last chapter. I'm really grateful for that. If you're reading this story, please review. Possibly because Karneval has a small fandom, the fics aren't reviewed very often. Reviews give encouragement and support...as well as an increase in the frequency of chapters. *winku winku* Now, here's some Karoku and Nai!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter Three
In which Nai and Karoku discuss over a meal.
Nai
"Uwah! It's delicious, Karoku!" I tell him, happily stuffing more of the tasty food into my mouth.
Karoku smiles at me before raising his own fork to feed himself . He swallows before saying, "It should! I slaved for it!"
I laugh and thank him. It really is good... I wonder if Gareki's eating dinner now...I wonder if it's good...Does he cook his own meals? Does Gareki live alone? He didn't say anything about siblings or ...
"...Nai?Nai?" I look up, surprised to find Karoku's waving his right hand in front of my face worriedly.
"What's wrong?" He questions, concern all over his features. "You're spacing out."
"It's nothing," I answer absent-mindedly.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I was just thinking about Gareki." I answer honestly, feeling my cheeks go warm. It feels strange to turn red, it's not as though I'm embarrassed. I haven't really told Karoku about Gareki. I wanted to tell Karoku but when I reached home on the first day of the term, he was sprawled out on the sofa, sleeping. His classes are really exhausting and they tire him out so much. I haven't had a chance to talk with Karoku for the past few weeks. Somehow,I get this feeling that Karoku might not like Gareki but I can't think of any reasons. After all, Karoku would like Gareki. He says I should be happy always and lately, being with Gareki does make me happy.
"Ah?" Karoku raises an eyebrow at me. "Gareki?"
I nod, wondering if I should tell..and before I can decide,my mouth moves on its own.
"Karoku, you'd really like Gareki! He's really nice! I mean, sometimes he's kind of mean but then he looks at you and it's not that he's actually mean or wanted to hurt or anything, that's just the way he is. And Gareki makes these really cool airship models and he works on them sometimes and when he's in the workshop, Gareki looks really cool with his clothes and his arms are wow, Karoku,I didn't know arms could be really skinny but strong at the same time. And he's reaaaaally tall and you said I'd be tall-"
"Wait, wait," Karoku interrupts, looking confused and raises his hand up to stop me from going on.
"Gareki's your friend?"
I nod furtively, "Yep,I just told you!"
Karoku laughs, "No, you didn't. You really like him, huh ? "
I feel my face getting warm again but answer anyway, "Gareki's nice."
Karoku snorts at that but his eyes look at me curiously now like he knows something but isn't sure.
"Almost as much as me?" Karoku quips.
I nod slowly and he gasps.
"Wow,really?" He drops his fork and spoon to cover his face. "I've been overthrown!" Karoku pretends to sob .
I stick my tongue out and we resume eating again.
After a few moments, I speak up again.
"Karoku...are we brothers?"
"Ah?" He tilts his head at me. "Brothejrs...what brought this on?"
"Gareki was asking and I..."
"Ah,Gareki again?" Karoku pauses before beginning, "Well, I suppose we are,Nai. I'm your legal guardian. I found you in the park near my house when I was in high school. No one came to pick you up at the orphanage and over time, I guess, I sort of took you in."
I've heard this before and I know he's my legal guardian but...
"So we're not brothers?"
"I guess we both are and aren't." Karoku said softly. "Do you want to be?"
I think about that for a bit before answering. "I...I don't need Karoku to be my nii-chan. Karoku's mine anyway."
Karoku's eyes light up when I said that. Before he had been looking at me tiredly, almost sadly as though he was hurting.
"That's true, Nai. I'll always be yours and you'll always be mine."
"...Karoku? Can I..Do you want me to call you nii-chan? Gareki says it's a form of respect."
Karoku was drinking his glass of water but he sputters when I ask him.
He's wiping his mouth and looking at the ceiling when I repeat it again.
"Should I?"
"...Maybe we could just try it?" He suggests.
"Karoku nii-chan," The words taste funny in my mouth, not quite right. "Do you like it?"
He turns red and drops his head onto the table. I can't see his face. His voice is muffled when he says," ...Let's just stick to Karoku, Nai."
Ah... I guess he didn't like it.
Gareki
I'm sitting on my bed, doing homework and eating instant noodles at the same time. Putting aside the maths, I turn to pick up the required reading I have to finish by tomorrow. Shoveling the curry-flavoured noodles in my mouth, I try my best to focus on the book. But it's boring and dull and...ah, I don't want to do this. I throw it aside before pulling a motorbike magazine from underneath my bed. It's my prize.
"One day, I'm going to own of these babies," I think, drooling over the X-15.
Before I realise it, an hour has gone by and I still haven't finished the reading. Forget it, I'll just do it tomorrow on the bus.
I go out for a bit to throw my trash at the end of the corridor where there's an automatic trash disposal area. I glance to my side as I walk by, recognising the area where my eyes are drawn to immediately. The apartment where Nai lives. I found out the first day when we both got off the same stop and walked in the same direction. Nowadays, we meet each other at the bus stop in the morning. ..It's not like I planned it. It's just a coincidence we both take the same bus at the same time.
The lights are on and the entire apartment glows a bright yellow. I can see silhouettes on the curtain. Nai's small frame and a much taller man eating dinner on a table. They're both talking animatedly.
I wonder what they're talking about...
