Everyone was so sad the next morning. Ichimatsu-niisan hadn't come down from the roof since he'd gotten back from his search. Totty was only sleeping because he was up all night crying. Choromatsu-niisan told Kaa-san and Tou-san, and they left for the police station. Osomatsu-niisan stayed home. I guess he thought he had to. I get why, as eldest he wants to look after us all. We all thought Karamatsu-niisan could take care of himself! He always seemed like it, after all. Ah, except when…

W-well anyway, Osomatsu-niisan was making himself stress, coming up 2 short on his frequent head counts, going through the whole house as if he'd somehow appear there. And it's always been my job to make everyone happy and smiley and hopeful, plus Karamatsu-niisan loves us way too much to leave us forever.

So where to start? Totty was still sleeping soundly and dreamlessly, I shouldn't wake him. Ah. Only two options. My smile faltered at the thought, but I had to continue!

I decided I should try Ichimatsu-niisan first, since I hadn't seen how he was doing yet. Even though I climbed up to the roof super careful quiet, he still heard me comin' a mile away. He always does!

Of course, he had the usual look on his face, but more. Y'kno? So we sat there for a few minutes, him hunched over with his face hidden behind his knees, me with my biggest and brightest smile on. Surely, it'd have an effect on him, it always did! Eventually, even a little, I knew he just had to get even a little happier. Eventually. Everything would be fine!

We sat there for a while longer, but nothing changed. New tactic! I sat up on my knees beside him, and he turned towards me. I squished his cheeks and said in a funny voice, "Nii-san wooks so gwumpy today. I know! Let's go to the park! I can wear my doggie outfit and we can go for a walk! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"

I tried to pick him up, but he growled at me. Actually growled. At me. I backed up a bit and forced out a laugh.

"That was kinda scary, Nii-san! Haha, okay, baseball instead? Yakyuu!"

"SHUT UP!"

I froze, my smile not wavering, but only because I forced it not to.

"But you've been up here aaallllllll night! Arentcha bored? Hah, I am! Let's go have fun!~"

"...Jyushimatsu."

"Yes, Nii-san?"

"Fuck. Off."

"..."

"Now."

"...Ah... Hah, okay! Bye, Nii-san!"

...So, Ichimatsu-niisan wanted to stay on the roof. No matter, that's okay, I could make him happy later! So next, I went to find Osomatsu-niisan. He hated being all serious, so making him smile should be easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Locating Osomatsu-niisan was easy. He was still pacing around the whole house, as if that would help. Oh well! If that's what he wanted to do…

I hopped next to him and started pacing with him, doing a perfect immitation of him, predicting his every move. He kinda ignored me at first, then turned to me, which I mirrored in sync with him, and we both said in his voice, "What, Jyushimatsu, what do you want?"

I broke character and put on my big smile again with a laugh, "Ne, Osomatsu-niisan! You should come to the park with me! Ahh I'm so super bored, let's go have fun! We could go to Pachinko, the horse races, go steal oden from Chibita, ooh let's visit Dekapan, maybe he has a cool new experiment we can do, or how about see-"

"If you do not shut the fuck up right now I swear to God and Lucifer I will not be able to help back from kicking your ass and no that is not an invitation for fisticuffs. Do you not care that he's gone? That he ran away? Even Ichimatsu is worried and all you care about is boredom? Fuck off!"

By the end, he was crying really hard, not even looking at me. My smile was forced so wide it hurt. I couldn't find my voice. If I tried to talk anyhow, I knew all that would come out would be the sobs I was trapping in my throat. When I didn't say anything he looked up, and I didn't have time to hide the tears.

He stopped looking angry, and pulled me into a hug.

"I know, Nii-san. He… I just… Everyone's sad a-and scared but, but it's my job, to-to make everyone smile and laugh and I can't, I can't make anyone smile! Seeing everyone like this, and Karamatsu-niisan's gone, and I can't d-do anything…"

We sank down and he pet my hair, whispering "Yosh, yosh, Jyushimatsu. I'm sorry, I am so sorry, please smile for me, c'mon please!"

Through my tears, I shared a big smile with him. Totty must've heard the commotion and joined in the hug-n-smile pile, and Ichimatsu-niisan was nearby, allowing a tiny smile.