Chapter Two: Catching Up

Reminder: English is not my first Language so if you will notice some grammatical errors please bear with it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Brothers Conflict. Just my OCs and the plot.

Dedicated to A. A. Enchanted Crystal Blade my first reviewer!


"Ema-chi!" Rina exclaimed in pure excitement after she heard the bell, sign that the class is over, she literally ran towards her direction before jumping in front of Ema and giving her the so called bear hug, some of their classmates got surprised at her action including Yusuke who gaped his mouth instead. Ema laughed gently and returned her embrace. "It's good to see you again Ema-chi. I really miss you so much…" She softly said as hiding her face on the crook of Ema's neck.

On the other hand Yusuke was now absolutely intrigue…

The new transferee called her Ema-chi? Are they acquainted to each other?

"Me too Rin-chan..." Ema's voice was so tender, hearing Rina said those words made her heart clenched, though she was so beyond happy to see her she still blamed herself for what happened before. She tightened her hold to her friend before loosening it and smiled finally. "How about we eat lunch together... We could catch up for a little."

Rina grinned in understanding and swiftly took her bento inside her bag. "Rooftop?" She asked.

"Rooftop." Ema confirmed. Both of them used to eat together at the rooftop during their middle school days.

Yusuke didn't want to disturb them even though he was interested he just couldn't butt in to the two and asked them. 'Hey Ema, who's this?' or 'You know each other?' so he was planning to remain on his seat and ignore them until the two walk out the room. But to his surprise Ema suddenly went in front of his desk and wearing the most beautiful smile that would make the red hair weak. "Yusuke-kun..."

Damn... She was so cute.

"Hmm... Who's this Ema-chi?" Rina went beside her and gave Yusuke a curious look. "Boyfriend?"

Ema faintly blushed while Yusuke's face turned into a deep shade of red. "N-No! We are not like that!"

Yusuke stuttered while waving his hands in front of him. Rina who is very observant didn't miss the tint pink appeared on his cheeks. Her lips curled upward in interest.

"Really? Then why are you blushing?"

"I..I'm not! I'm I'm her... " Damn is that really obvious?

"You're what?"

Rina leaned closer so that they are in eye level. Yusuke's mouth became dry, his back turned stiff as her scent filled his nostrils. He was not used to this kind of closeness especially if it's a girl! Then that made him realize that all this time the only girl he have ever known was Ema. Damn I'm so pathetic!

"Ahh actually Rin-chan, he's my brother." Rina snapped her head at Ema's direction and a surprise look written on her face.

W-What? Brother?

"Step brother to be exact. Asahina Yusuke was his name." She gazed back at him and a smirk appearing on her mouth again. Yusuke ignored the meaningful smile and tried to avoid her eyes.

"Ehh now that's… interesting ne?" She softly pokes his forehead before offering her right hand to him. "I'm Inagami Rina, Ema-chi's childhood best friend... please to meet you Yusuke-san."

Yusuke stared at her for a moment, hesitating at first but he returned the gesture anyway. "Likewise I-Inagami-san."

"Oh please no need to be so formal! Since you are now the brother of my best friend I think you can absolutely call me in my name ne?"

Yusuke was not sure if she was being friendly or mocking him and did she just put a lot of conviction to the word 'brother'?

Rina goes to Ema's side again and holds her hand. "I'm sorry but I need to take her away, we have a lot of things to catch up! See you around Yusuke-san!"

The red hair watched Ema dragged by this girl out of the room and sweat dropped with the scene. He remained from his spot for few minutes, he didn't know how long but he was in dazed after what happened.

A childhood best friend? Ema never mentioned about her...

His thought went back to that girl named Rina. The girl was weird or more likely she has this kind of vibe like his elder brother Hikaru but still producing a mystery. She actually smelled nice and pretty especially up close too.

Hold on! What am I thinking? Now I'm being a pervert like Kana-nii!

He banged his head on the table and startling some of his classmates at his action. "Ow..." I think I hit it hard. Rubbing his sore forehead, he clicked his tongue in irritation, his mind unexpectedly remembered what that weird girl did to him, poking his forehead like they were close. What was that for anyway? He shook his head, took his bento and walked out the room.


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"Rin-chan why did you transfer? I mean I'm really happy that you're here, perhaps beyond happy knowing you are now with me I just want to know if something… you know happened in Itada high or uhm…" Ema asked while playing with her thumbs and avoiding her friend's gaze. Rina's lips tilted upward and laughed quietly.

"I just wanted to go back here, I did mention to you before that this is my mom's hometown right? We used to live here before we moved to your neighborhood." Rina's expression turned solemn for a split moment. "I missed her… I missed them…"

Ema softly reached for her hand and squeezed it with so much tenderness.

"Me too..."

Rina squeezed her hand back. "Anyways don't worry I actually enjoyed my time in Itada High but I felt that there is something I needed to do that's why I came back here and transferred in this school."

She calmly explained. Ema didn't buy it but she didn't want to push her friend either, the most important for now is she's back with her and they'll be together again. She made a mistake once and she promised herself not to let Rina down again. She will support and help her no matter what, besides Rina is like a sister to her. A precious one.

"I see... Well, I'm so glad that you had made up your mind coming back here, even though your sole reason is to see your mom's hometown I'm definitely beyond overjoyed to be reunited with you. I guess fate has something to do with this... don't you think Rin-chan?" Ema said while smiling to Rina who nodded her head in agreement.

A comfortable silence filled between them, Rina closed her eyes and lost in her thought for a moment, she wanted to ask Ema about what happened to her in the past two years since all of a sudden they lost communication. She opened her eyes and looked at the clouds this time.

"Uhm are you not going to ask Rin-chan?"

Ema inquired again and glanced at her friend who was quietly staring at the sky. A faint smile instantly seen on Rina's mouth.

She knew me too well…

"Well I am waiting for you to say your story, I mean we've lost communication since I attended this boarding school... Did you change your number?" Staring at her direction again as she questioned her friend.

"Yeah, somebody stole my phone."

Ema muttered and putting some strands of her hair behind her ear, a little humiliated at her excuse. She actually did all her best to communicate with her friend but all her things have been taken away and the only thing that Rina left for her was a bunny stuff toy, she tried to ask her dad for some help but her father insisted that Rina needed some time to adjust which Ema didn't believe because there was something more about it, her father was hiding something. Even though his feature looked firm his eyes were sad, regretful and she can't seem to persuade him anymore, until he decided to find a new place and everything changed…

"I see."

"But I'm so happy! I thought I'm not going to see you again. You know after that incident you went to a boarding school I just, I felt so useless because I lost communication with you and I never got a chance to say goodbye to you or even..." Ema trailed off, Rina stared at her friend and gave a reassuring smile.

"Ema-chi it's okay. You helped me enough and I am very glad for that."

"I'm really sorry."

"Oh shush enough with that... so what happened to you while I'm gone?" Rina changed the topic immediately while giving her friend a cheering smile.

"Well actually a lot of things have changed and one of those is having a new family." Ema answered softly.

"Uncle Rintarou got married huh, I never thought he would fall in love again."

"Yeah and I'm so happy for them especially to father. Having a family is nice... It's like a dream come true."

"Yeah..." Staring at the sky again for a minute and a lost look appears on her face. "Family huh..." she almost whispered.

"Rin-chan?" Ema asked concern etched on her face. Rina snapped her head back at her direction and smiled.

"Send him my regards I really missed him."

"Of course! I'll tell father that we meet again and you're attending the same school with me. I know he will be thrilled to see you again, the same with Juli."

At the mentioned of her pet Rina's eyes glowed.

"Oh Juli! I missed that squirrel!" She exclaimed making Ema laughed at her excitement

"I want you also to meet my new mother and brothers."

"Brothers? How many are they? Two? Three?" She curiously asked while putting the straw on her juice box and then sipping some content in it.

"Um well... I actually have 13 stepbrothers." Rina's eyes became wide and accidentally choking up her drink. "Rin-chan are you all right? Did I startle you? I'm so sorry..." Ema panic giving her friend a bottle of water.

"No it's okay Ema-chi just… just give me a moment." She managed to reply between coughs, after composing herself she took a deep breath before speaking again. "Sorry about that... uhm 13 brothers wow that's... that's a lot."

How did her step mom—uh never mind I'd rather not know.

"It's okay I was also overwhelmed at first but now I'm happy because they are all kind to me and treat me as their new family."

Well... not really a family.

The abrupt changed of Ema's feature was caught quickly by Rina before her friend smiled again, she didn't ask Ema but she knew there was something going on. "I never mentioned you to them so I was hoping that you'll gonna like them."

"Well... That Yusuke guy seems nice. We'll see about the others." She grinned. "Let's eat, lunch break will be over soon." Ema nodded her head in response.


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"We're home." Ema said when both she and Yusuke entered the living area.

"Welcome back onee-chan! Yusu-nii!" Wataru happily greeted and gave her a warm hug.

Masaomi gently smiled at the scene. "Welcome back. How's your day?" He asked both of them.

"It's fine. I'm gonna change." Yusuke waved off and headed to his room Ema remained at the living room with Wataru.

"It was okay Masaomi-san... And something came up."

"Oh what is it?" Ukyo interrupted out of nowhere as he slowly went to her side.

"Uhm you see I have a childhood best friend when I was five and we've been friends till we were in our second year of junior high but something happened so we got separated and lost our communication."

"Are you trying to say that you met this childhood best friend of yours again?"

"Yes Ukyo-san."

"Really onee-chan! Can we meet your best friend?" Wataru went in front of her and smiled brightly making Ema smiled back at the youngest Asahina.

"Wataru." Masaomi gently called.

"No it's okay Masaomi-san it was my plan after all..."

"Yehey! I'm gonna meet my onee-chan's childhood best friend!" He exclaimed while jumping on his feet.

"We're home!"

"Tsuba-nii! Azu-nii! Welcome back!" Wataru greeted them this time.

"Welcome home Tsubaki-san, Azusa-san." Ema said and smiled at them. Both of them walk towards their direction and without warning Tsubaki embraces Ema from behind.

"Imouto-chan was so cute when she smile~~" He grinned, his chin on her shoulder.

"Uhm thanks." She muttered with a pink tint on her cheeks. Azusa softly hit him on his shoulder and drags him away from Ema.

"I'm gonna change I need to help Ukyo-san for dinner."

"Of course Ema we'll talk about your friend later." Masaomi warmly smiled at her. Ema nodded her head and left them.

"Ne Masa-nii, who is this Ema's friend you are talking about?" Azusa asked and stared at the direction where Ema gone off.

"Oh she told us that she met her childhood best friend today."

"Childhood best friend? Now that's interesting I want to meet this person." Tsubaki leaned on the couch and closed his eyes. I hope it's not a guy. His brows furrowed in distaste at the idea of his Ema having a guy best friend.

"I want to meet this person! Onee-chan smile fondly when she mentioned meeting her childhood best friend." Wataru beamed adorably at them.

"What's going on here? Why is our little Wata-chan excited?" Kaname showed up and dressed in his monk attire as usual.

"I'm not little..." Wataru cutely pouted, Kaname laughed inaudibly and ruffled his hair then seated on the couch beside Tsubaki.

"Ema have met her best friend today. We didn't get any information aside from that though." Masaomi put his hand under his chin.

"Hmm I hope it's not a guy." Kaname said forming a smirk on his lips.

All of them remained silent and keep their thoughts for themselves. Wataru on the other hand tilted his head innocently and a confuse look on his face.

"What's wrong about it?"


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Ema entered her room and placed her things on the table. "Chi! How's your day?" Juli asked immediately as he saw her entered and jumped on her shoulder.

"It was fine Juli, oh guess what I met someone today." She grinned and sat on her bed, she took Juli on her shoulder and placed him on her lap.

"Chi! Is that another wolf?! It's already hard to handle the wolves in this house and you met another one in your school? You're making my job harder." Juli said, frustration clearly in its tone. Ema laughed a bit and patted its head.

"I'm sorry if I'm making your life hard but don't worry this is no wolf Juli, you absolutely know this person." The squirrel gave her a puzzling look.

"But I don't remember anyone aside from..." His eyes went wide. "Mi-chi?" Ema gave him a closed eye smile confirming his answer. "Really?! You met Mi-chi! How is she? I never saw her after that incident I missed her!" His excitement made Ema chuckled.

"She was a transferee student Juli; I was surprised when I saw her again she was fine and still the same, she misses you also."

"When can I see her chi?" Ema placed her hand on her chin. "Hmm.. Maybe this weekend, I wanna ask her to hang out with me." She muttered.

"Then I'll come! I'm excited to see Mi-chi!"

After changing her clothes Ema came down and helped Ukyo preparing for their dinner. Kaname, Tsubaki, Azusa, Subaru, Masaomi, Yusuke, Lori and Wataru are all in the living room while waiting. All of them are watching TV. Hikaru was not going to be home for few days because of the upcoming deadline to finish his another series book, Futo can't stay tonight because of his late shoot and Natsume was also busy the same with Louis. Thirty minutes later they heard Ema calling them that the dinner is ready.

"Hmm! Yum! Ukyo-nii and Onee-chan are the best cooks in the world!"

Wataru exclaimed. Ukyo smiled and said 'thank you' to him while Ema patted his head since she was sitting beside him.

"Thank you Wataru-chan."

"I doubt this kid was innocent chi! I swear his making his move to you!" Juli hissed in annoyance. "Now now Juli behave please." She whispered to him. After hearing him 'hmp' she went back to eat.

"Soo.. imouto-chan I heard to Masa-nii that you met your childhood best friend today? Can you tell us about your friend?"

Tsubaki instigated and stared at her with smiling face. Everyone stops from eating and stares at him then turn their gaze back at Ema.

"A childhood best friend?" Subaru asked to no one or more likely to himself.

"Yes, she was a transferee student." They saw how Ema's eyes shone at the mentioned of her friend.

"She? You mean she's a girl imouto-chan?" Kaname asked her this time earning a light nudge from Ukyo.

Juli on the other hand hissed again. "Now I need also to keep Mi-chi away from these wolves!" Ema patted his head again to calm him down.

"Ah, Yes."

Ema didn't notice the relief sighs and looks of her brothers except for Yusuke who was listening and turned back to his meal again.

"Her name is Inagami Rina. I met her when I was five years old. She, her baby brother and her mom were new in our town and their house was just in front of ours." Her feature turned soft when she remembered those memories.

"Looks like she's a good friend." Lori said and gave her a warm smile.

"Ehhh... now I'm jealous with your friend imouto-chan, she's so important to you~" Tsubaki with a teasing tone in his voice.

"Knock it off Tsubaki." Azusa warned him.

"Ne onee-chan! When we gonna meet her? You said that we will going to meet her right?" Wataru asked this time. His innocent eyes are looking at her with eagerness. That caught everyone's attention again.

"No way! Chi did you suggest that idea? These wolves better watch their back!" Ema ignored her pet and nodded her head in Wataru's direction.

"Yes. Yusuke-kun met her already so I hope everyone is okay with that, Rin-chan is one of the most important persons in my life. She's like a sister to me and I want her to meet you."

At the mentioned of Yusuke's name his brothers stared at him who on the other hand stopped midway from eating.

"Sooo... Yusuke met her. Ne how does she look like? Is she cute like our imouto-chan?~" Yusuke panic when Tsubaki asks him first.

"J..Just see her for yourselves!"

He stuttered turning back to his meal. Even though he was trying to hide his blushed face his brothers still noticed it aside from Ema who was still oblivious. Well he have to admit that the new transferee was quite… uhm cute.

"Ehhh~Then I'll take that blush of yours as yess~" Tsubaki teasingly add.

"Tsuba-nii!"

Tsubaki laughed hard but Azusa hit him instead.

"Ow… Azusa you don't have to do that."

"You red hair scoundrel!" Juli jumped on Ema's shoulder and attacked Yusuke.

"What! Stop! Why is it attacking me-!" Yusuke shouted in panic and hit the floor with a loud 'thud'.

"Juli! Stop!" Ema gasped and went to their direction to retrieve her pet.

"Why is the squirrel mad?"

Subaru asked. Kaname chuckled, while Masaomi shook his head to answer Subaru's question. Lori continued from eating, Tsubaki didn't stop from laughing, Ukyo furrowed his brows while watching the scene and Azusa on the other hand heaved a tired sigh.

"This is one of the best family dinner I ever had!" Wataru cheerfully declared.


Thank you A. A. Enchanted Crystal Blade! I actually didn't see that little mistake, I was too excited to post that it never crossed my mind to re-read it again so thank you so much. I hope you find it more interesting after reading this latest chap.. n_n