(A/N: Day 3: Apple Blossom—I Prefer You Above All.

+ "You're an idiot."

If you read the last fic I posted, I had said I'd skip over day 2 for now. This is me doing that. I also said I'd publish this after I woke up, as I had this written out already. Instead, I woke up hungry, so this is after lunch.

First off, Gakuhou's a CEO of a company (what company? Don't ask me, for I have not the answers) in this fic. So he doesn't snap and go off the rails because his student took his life. Instead, he just grows more jaded and less sensitive as you'd expect from the top of corporate, typically. Not a major thing or anything, but thought I'd mention. This here is primarily fluff, you hear? Fluff is so nice and easy to write, especially family fluff.

Second, his wife and their mother is named Kuniko. It's not mentioned in this chapter, but it will be later on. I mentioned it on my tumblr (o0o0thorn0o0o—if you'd like to know more about her + get a visual, i have a post and then a reblog on there), but I guess I'll include it here, too: I got her name from Karma's kanji.

Third—this was originally supposed to be a fic for another prompt thing—dialogue prompts. I only ever wrote this and stopped shortly afterward, but after rereading it a while ago, I really liked it and wanted to include it in these June flower prompts. Else, I'd never finish it. So, this fic'll have two prompts each chapter (a total of 7–it was supposed to be a week thing. And if you're curious, the odd prompts are my best friend's).

It was just gonna be a one-shot initially, but then my best friend suggested an annual gift-giving, and I really liked that idea. She also suggested something unexpected for the last chapter, which very near gave me whiplash, but I also liked that idea very much. You'll have to wait until then, of course, for what that was.

As a final note, this prompt is a bit of a stretch. I was trying to find which prompt this fic would fit, and this was the only one available that was close enough.

Are these long author notes a trend? Mayhaps.)

"You're an idiot."

"Am not."

"Are, too."

"Am not!"

"Are, too!"

"Am no—"

"You are! Otou-san's definitely not gonna like that!"

"Oh, yeah? And how would you know? Besides, Okaa-san said he would."

"Okaa-san only said that to make you feel better."

Karma gasped. "You're calling Okaa-san a liar‽"

Gakushuu's eyes widened.

"N-no! I just…! She…!" he sputtered, trying to find a way to backpedal. Karma smirked, having won that part of the conversation.

"And at least I'm not playing it safe. He'll appreciate that more, I'm sure."

"I'm not playing it safe! I just know what he likes."

"Uh-huh. But you're not wrong," Karma admitted, glancing at the box his younger brother was holding. "He did like that. Last year."

Gakushuu huffed.

"They're not the same thing!" he near shrieked, the volume of his voice shocking even him. He made sure to quiet down when he next spoke. "They're different."

"They're basically the same thing," Karma replied, rolling his eyes.

"Are not."

"Are, too."

"Are not!"

"Are, t—"

The ding of the elevator interrupted their squabble. Immediately, the two hushed, and Gakushuu stood up straighter. Karma thought about it for a moment before following suit. The doors slid open, revealing a large, open room. Adults were scattered about it, all busy. Some turned to glance at them, while other eyes lingered a little longer.

After a moment or two of unease, Karma took the first step out. He'd made a bit of progress before he noticed the absence to his side. He stopped, turning around to face his brother.

"Shuu?"

His voice was barely audible enough for the other to hear, but it managed to blink the boy out of his stupor. Gakushuu shook his head.

"Coming," he whisper-yelled. The heels of his dress shoes clacked against the marble as he scampered toward his twin.

With Gakushuu by his side, Karma scanned the room for the corridor that would lead to his father's office. Finding it, he started to make his way over, trusting his brother would follow this time. He did.

"You remember where it is?" Gakushuu asked.

"Of course I do."

The younger boy's gaze fell to his feet.

"I don't," he mumbled.

Karma thought for a moment, deciding whether he should make the other feel better or worse. He chose the latter.

"Of course you don't." He could practically feel the glare that was directed at him.

It wasn't entirely Gakushuu's fault he didn't remember, though. It was a bit of a tradition for the Asano twins to visit their dad's workplace on his birthday. And this was the first time their mother wasn't accompanying them. Instead, she decided to stay back this year, preparing a home-cooked dinner rather than a meal out. Something about Gakuhou's favorite meal or something. The two weren't really listening.

Usually, Gakushuu and their mom would share a conversation as she led them to their destination. Karma, on the other hand, would be studying his surroundings. He was bound to memorize the way.

With the absence of their maternal figure, the two boys had different roles this time. Karma filled in for leader, and Gakushuu, observer. As such, the strawberry blond grew conscious of the adults around them.

"They're still staring," he whispered after a while. Karma was quick to reply.

"Ignore them."

So saying, the redhead shifted his gaze to his side. Indeed, there were still some eyes on them. Karma frowned. Mind your own business.

Thankfully, the two shortly made their way over to the corridor. There were still people there, but less concentrated. Most were behind closed doors.

After a few more twists and turns, the two young boys finally made their way over to one. They stared up at the intimidating wooden structure for a few moments. Gakushuu broke the silence.

"This door?"

"This door," Karma nodded. The quiet resumed, and the two stood stock-still as if waiting for something.

"Open it," Karma finally said. Gakushuu listened at first, his free hand reaching out to the door's handle, but then he retracted it. He looked back at his brother, his expression explaining himself. Are you sure?

"Wait," his older brother replied. Carefully, the boy set his box down before he approached the door. He planted his hands on it, turned his head, and rested his ear against it. He held his breath and waited for his hearing to adjust, and when it did, he felt as though he heard their father's voice. He tried pressing his head further, trying to pick out another voice, if it was at all present.

He was staring at nothing in particular at first, but he shifted his gaze to his brother. Gakushuu's face held a question. Karma listened for a while longer before he finally heard it. An unfamiliar voice. He shook his head, finally exhaling.

"We should go sit down, then," Gakushuu advised, already making his way to a set of nearby chairs. Karma followed.

So there the two barely-preteens sat, waiting and waiting and waiting, too anxious to hold a conversation. Instead, their restlessness translated to swinging legs, tapping feet, thrumming fingers, and quiet sighs. Soon enough, though, the exciting energy started to dissolve, and Karma was beginning to get bored. He placed his present on the chair next to him, as it would be horrible if it fell. No gift there, then. Well, that was untrue. But a fall would ruin its appearance, and Karma would sooner trash it than show it off.

He shifted his weight on his chair, leaning towards Gakushuu.

"Hey, Shuu? Shuu? Shuu~" he repeated quietly, his tone mindful of the room nearby. He said his brother's name over and over again, and to anyone else, it would seem to be a fruitless effort. Gakushuu appeared to be lost in his own world. Karma, however, knew he already broke the younger's train of thought. Gakushuu was only pretending to be oblivious. It was only a matter of time before he'd snap. And snap he did.

"What?" he hissed. The corners of Karma's lips quirked, and his head gestured to his other side. Gakushuu rolled his eyes before looking, but he clicked his tongue when he did. Karma's right hand turned from an ok hand gesture to a fist.

"Haha, you looked," he said, punching the other's shoulder. This resulted in an exchange of punches and pinches, slaps and kicks. And it would have gone on for longer had the two not heard a door click.

Quickly, the two separated from each other, making themselves look more presentable. Gakushuu crossed his legs and placed his clasped hands atop them, while Karma rested his arms on the armrest.

Soon enough, a couple of men exited from their father's office. As they passed the boys by, they side-eyed the brothers. Gakushuu offered a polite yet sheepish smile. Karma only stared back. When the men had walked an adequate distance away, the two got to their feet.

With presents in hand, the two made their way over to their father's room once again. Gakushuu placed his hand on the door handle, and with a moment's hesitation, turned it.

When the door opened just wide enough, the boys poked their heads in. It didn't seem as though their father noticed yet, too preoccupied with the computer in front of him.

Gakushuu knocked on the door. Gakuhou glanced in their direction, and a faint smile graced his previously serious expression.

"I was wondering when you two would arrive. Come. Sit."

The brothers hurriedly made their way to the chairs before their father's desk—after closing the door behind them, of course. Both were giddy and nervous.

After a few final taps of the keyboard, Gakuhou positioned himself so that his sole focus was on his sons.

"So. Who wants to go first?"

Gakushuu practically stood up in his chair.

"Me, me!" Quickly, he noticed his overreaction and quieted down.

"Um, I'd like to go first," he said more sheepishly.

Gakuhou gave a small chuckle. "Alright, then. Let's see it."

Gakushuu pushed his gift slightly to his father. Just barely after Gakuhou had removed the wrapping paper, his youngest son was already explaining away.

"It's a set of fountain pens. Much better quality than the one I gave you last year. My friend bor—"

"Friend?" Karma interrupted. "Since when do you have friends? I thought you didn't do friends."

Gakushuu scowled, sighing at him before continuing.

"Classmate. My classmate borrowed one of these from his father, and he let me use it. They're really great to write with. And there's multiple, too, so you can keep them in different places instead of on your person."

"He wants you to keep some at home so he can use them," the redhead interrupted again.

"That's not true!" Gakushuu retorted. But then he looked timidly toward his father. "But could I?"

Gakuhou's smile grew a little warmer.

"I don't see why not." He turned his attention toward his eldest. "And you, Karma?"

It was Karma's turn to look abashed. The conversation the brothers held earlier had made him self-conscious.

"Um," he started. After a moment or two, he decided to place his box atop the desk. Gakuhou reached out to take it, and he opened the packaging.

"Cake?" He asked. Sat in the box was a slice of yellow cake, frosted in chocolate. In the middle sat a frosted, chocolate rose.

"Yeah." The marble floor suddenly looked very interesting to Karma. "The-the rest is at home."

The patriarch held the fork that was also in the box, taking a bite out of the pastry.

"Did you make this yourself? It's quite delicious."

"Yeah! He wouldn't even let Okaa-san touch it," his brother vouched. There wasn't even enough time for Karma to be appreciative before Gakushuu continued. "And there was a big mess after he was done."

"Hey, no, there wasn't!"

"Yes, there was!"

"Boys," Gakuhou scolded. The two hushed. After a while, Karma asked.

"So?"

"So?" the man parroted.

"Whose is better?" Gakushuu finished.

Gakuhou blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

His sons rolled their eyes, aware of their father feigning ignorance. He did this all the time. This year, they wanted an answer.

"Tell us," they whined. "You always do this!"

Gakuhou tutted. "Well, a good father would never pick between his sons."

Karma scoffed, narrowing his eyes. "Bold of you to assume you are."

"Oh? Why the presents, then?"

"Because we're good sons," Gakushuu concluded, and the two boys nodded in unison. "So good, in fact, that we came even when your wife didn't."

"Yeah. She cares more about cooking dinner than seeing you. And Okaa-san barely cooks!"

Gakushuu gave a sharp inhale, and, after a moment of processing, Karma figured out why. Their mother had wanted the meal to be a surprise.

Karma mimicked his twin's action, except he also clasped his hands over his mouth.

"Oh, is that what she's doing? Don't worry, I'll act surprised."

(A/N: See what I mean by stretch? I thought maybe "I prefer you above all" is like Gakuhou being like "I favor my sons over the gifts"? Idk. Like I said, stretch.

Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! Time to start writing the fourth fic. Let's see if I can get it done tonight/early morning tomorrow. ~Thorn)