Sorry for not updating frequently. I must warn, English is not my first language, so please bear with me for a little bit (:

File 03: Brother & Brother

Sunday, 30th of July – Ichijouji Household

I wonder what big brother is up to today.

A dark blue blob or at least that seemed to be, fretted throughout a one floored small apartment located in a small suburb called Odaiba. Light entered through petite windows located near the kitchenette and a delicate smell came through the incoming breeze. Recently baked fresh bread was aforesaid aroma and the blob diverted from his objective, which was an old closed door labeled with the words, NO TRESPASING. Obviously, the blob was planning to defy the authority that placed such words onto the wooden surface, but the smell was too strong to resist. He lived on top of a convenience store, so he smelled such delicacy every morning while the birds tweeted on tree branches. His simple shirt followed his body movements and his beige short the clumsiness of his legs.

Some bread never hurts. Maybe I can share some with my brother later… if mom doesn't catch me in the act.

The blob descended slowly the conveniently placed stairs that guided to the store located below. Tiptoeing on each step, he made his way scattering with his gifted agility all the way through the food stands and freezers. He finally made it to the counter holding his breath to finally let out a deep sigh to breathe some air, until a hand touched his shoulder making him jump almost to the ceiling.

"You weren't planning to eat some bread right, Akihiko?" a young, purple haired woman wearing an apron asked to the young blob, who now reveals itself as a boy.

"No, mom. I was just smelling it" he replied with a big smile, trying to fake his innocence.

The lady sighted while putting her right hand on her forehead, "You know that this is for the customers. If sales go low, aunt Chizuru and Momoe alongside uncle Mantarou will get mad. After all they asked us to look after it while they traveled. That's why we must keep it as they would, understand?"

"Yes, mom" inadvertently, he avoided her gaze freeing from her grip, "I understand perfectly, you're talking with a genius here!"

With that said he pointed towards himself and went loudly upstairs. Yolei Ichijouji, known in the past as Yolei Inoue, just smiled and continued with her word as housewife while looking after the convenience store she used to live in during her younger days as a favor towards her older siblings. Suddenly, a bitter smell came from the oven. Yolei dropped the broom she had recently acquired from the storage and ran towards the burnt bread.

"I must stop daydreaming" she said to herself nodding endlessly. Her glasses had just hazed from the deep smoke emanating from the recently opened oven, "I have to make some more before opening this place up!"

Meanwhile, in another area of the household, Akihiko Ichijouji found himself once again looking at the doorwith the NO TRESPASSING sign. He tightly made a fist, showing of his small knuckles and prepared mentally to knock the door, but at the end he regretted his act.

"What am I doing? I should give up… and stop being so dependable of him. I'm thirteen for God's sake. I should stop whining for my brother… but I wished he came out of his room more often. I miss the good old times" with that said, he gave up and sat in the small counter of the kitchen waiting for breakfast.

Hi looked to his right and saw that the seat was empty, "I guess dad's still sleeping… its Sunday after all. He must have returned late from work yesterday. Being a detective must be tough"

"It must be" Yolei had finished her duties on the floor below and placed playfully a bowl full of cereal on top of his younger son, "Now, eat up! If you want to be stronger eat all your food"

"You know mom, I'm more the intellectual type of guy, not the sports one" he said while looking at the cereal drowning in the milk, "Is it without lactose?"

"I know, I know" answered Yolei a bit mad while crossing her arms behind him and then grabbing a seat, "But still, you must eat. If you claim to be a genius, geniuses not only live of information. They must have a healthy and balanced diet!"

"But I'm not hungry…" Akihiko started playing with the spoon, trying to save a poor flake from its destiny, which was to be absorbed by milk without lactose.

"You tried to eat some bread minutes ago, so don't lie to me" she said, swaying her long purple hair due to the summer heat, "Man, it's so hot in here. I wonder when the AC will be repaired."

"Didn't Mao say he'll repair it? He's good with that stuff" the young boy said, now swirling the flakes in the white pond ignoring his mother's lecture.

"Don't play with your food!" she answered, holding his son's wrist, "Now, your brother said that he would take look. But I seriously doubt he'll do anything about it. Maybe I should call the repairman"

Listening to his mother, Akihiko begun to eat his plain breakfast, "I do hate milk with or without lactose"

"What should I do to make you take milk?" said Yolei looking at the ceiling to then do an outburst, "I hate this heat!"

"Be thankful that at least I eat bread, it contains milk" he said, trying to eat without putting disgusted faces.

"Are you mad or something?" asked her mother, "I don't think it might be from before. Is something bothering you?"

Yes, mom. Something bothers me, but I can't tell you. I want big brother to acknowledge me and to make him leave his stupid room. It was such a ridiculous idea to even share some bread with him. I hate these mood swings I have.

"Nothing's wrong… maybe I didn't sleep well" he was one spoon left in finishing the endless breakfast.

"If you say so…" with that said she stood up and stretched her hands, "Well, could you please tell your brother to come out and have some interaction with us? He's sixteen now and all he does is being there, secluded. I do worry about him. I even wonder if he has friends"

Way to go, mom. If Mao heard that, he would have killing intentions… but I do admire your carefreeness in saying stuff like that.

"I'll try…" answered Akihiko in a low voice, going to his room which was alongside his brother Mao's room.

"Now, don't give the 'I'll try…' reply!" she imitated her son with the same voice and pose, "Go, now! I'll give you some bread"

She knows I love her bread! I hate being so manipulable.

"Alright, alright. I'll go and convince him to have some social links in the outer world"

Yolei gave a thumbs up as an approval sing while winking with her right eye, "I knew I could count on you!"

With that said, she disappeared leaving her son in awe.

And I'm tricked once again! Way to go, Aki.

Sunday 30th of July, Mao's Room

A dim, imperceptible light made its way into Mao Ichijouji's room giving away the mess he loved. Unopened boxes and unpacked bags. He and his family had recently moved back to Odaiba due to the unexpected trip of his mother's relatives and were asked to look after the shop. They used to live in Tamachi which is right next to Odaiba, but for he and his younger brother was a big change. For starters, both of them were socially misfit leading her mother to have high hopes in order for a change in their personalities, but it made it worse. Mao secluded himself in his room and Akihiko's hobby grew.

Mao despised Akihiko's hobby. Since their rooms were right next to the other, he could hear his music and that bothered him.

I'm just glad his music isn't on so early in the morning. I hate that anime freak. Spending all his money in series, videogames and visual novels.

His chair made a creaking sound while he stretched, turning the computer on. As one can see, Mao is just interested in technology. He's a walking encyclopedia.

Now, let's see here. Summer camp… no freaking way I'm going there. It seems it's for ages 14 and up. Delete.

His glasses shined in the dark due to the reflector's light and his indigo hair could be spotted. He fixed his haircut and turned around to see the boxes. He refused to call this place home and since then he became a shut-in. He didn't used to be like that, in fact, he liked the things he still likes but he shared some quality time with his family. Now, not anymore. He even keeps his distance from his younger brother.

They used to spend time together, but these five months living here made him despise him. He knew Akihiko had the chance to be accepted by society in despite of his hobby, thing which irritated him. But that made it worse, because now Aki wants to be acknowledged by his brother, a genius in everything.

I should have said something as stupid as that. 'When you outsmart me in something, I'll acknowledge you'. I feel so ridiculous.

Suddenly, the smell of bread crawled from behind the door and he could hear his mother and brother having a small talk.

They must be talking about me… oh, what is this? Join the dark side, we have cookies. Junk. Delete.

His daily routine consisted in checking his mailbox and reading all he could find regarding technology and common knowledge. His mother says he acts like his father but the love of computers comes from her, making him a strange combination.

Hmm… a mail from… Mitsuki? Mitsuki… Mitsuki… that name sounds familiar. Now I remember. She's that Kamiya girl who stalks me every time I skip classes. I wonder how she got my address. Anyways, why did she send me a mail during vacations? School's over, I don't have any intentions of seeing you outside it. Even though I don't even want to see you there. She's one year older than me! I mean, she must have better things to do.

Deep in thought, Mao didn't hear his door being knocked. He continued clicking the delete box without looking at the contents of the mail. The only exception was Mitsuki Kamiya's mail inviting him to a club that same night.

Knock. knock. knock.

He clicked faster, believing that would help, but the sound was still there.

Knock. knock. knock.

Losing his patience, Mao stood up, making his chair fall abruptly to the floor while he stood behind the door, "Who's knocking?"

"Um… border?" A small voice said behind.

"Border?" asked Mao in confusion, "As imbecile as ever I see"

"I mean, brother!" Aki corrected his mistake while clearing his throat. He was obviously nervous on the other side, summing up all his courage, "Mom… mom wants you… mom wants you to have breakfast outside your room. And I'm no imbecile!"

She's so persistent. I need dad to wake up. He's the only one that makes her desist about me going outside.

"I'll have it here like always. Just have her leave the trolley with the food. She's loosing precious time making you stand out there like an idiot"

"I come in good terms and all you do is insult me! I'm glad I'm leaving tomorrow to that summer camp! I won't see your stupid face for at least a month!" he snorted out without thinking.

"You barely see my face, Aki. How can you be so sure after not seeing for many months that it's stupid?" Mao was smirking for himself.

Akihiko recognizes being a crybaby. He doesn't know why, tears just appear by their own even if he tried to keep them shut. This time happened again. He resisted sobbing and wiped them away, I'm thirteen. I must stop crying.

"You'll acknowledge me! When I come back, you'll acknowledge me!" with that said, he ran downstairs trying to escape from his brother's mocking.

Yolei had just arrived to the hallway when she saw her younger son running, "What happened now?"

She wasn't able to formulate the question to Akihiko, but instead she went to Mao's door and begun her sweet talk, to say it gently.

"You like hurting your brother right, Mao? Making him self-esteem go lower and lower. It's amusing to your ears right? Torturing him psychologically. His social ability is declining by each passing day. He didn't want to go to that camp, I forced him to! I don't want him to become like you!" she shouted, ignoring that her husband Ken could wake up from it, "And since you have nothing better to do than to ruin your brother's life, try to take a look on the AC since this heat is making me lose my nerves!"

She went downs stairs stomping in look of her son, while Mao on the other hand, just fixed his chair on the other side of the door and said to himself, "So … the AC, huh? Don't expect me to do it for free"

It seems that Akihiko and Mao aren't in good terms. :c and i'm sorry for the shot chapter, ran out of ideas.

Next in line is the crazy Tachikawa house introduction! Mimi seems to have a busy life with three sons. What may they be cooking up? Don't miss it!

Don't forget to review please! I like answering all of you !