Tanaka Kyosuke was seven years older than his younger brother, and reasonably stronger too. And his younger sister, by three years, could barely move him. He'd always been the strongest in his year and among his many friends. So the conclusion Ryu came to was that if he beat his older brother, he would be the strongest in the world.

^v^

Ryu had just come out of the dojo. He let out a deranged, wild roar and looked straight at his older brother. "I'm stronger now, Nii-san! I learnt a new move today, I'm sure I can beat you now," he grinned at Kyosuke, who smirked.

"Hm? But Nii-san's undefeated. What makes you think one new move is going to change anything?" Saeko, the sister, sighed. "But I guess it's worth a try. Though I would still bet my money on Nii-san." She snorted at the fantasized thought of her younger brother beating the undefeated champion. Now that would be a show she'd pay to watch.

Ryu grumbled, "That's mean, Nee-san! You're not even trying! So you can't say anything!"

The elder boy guffawed. The sound of his laughter always made Ryu smile. If his older brother was happy, he was happy. If his older brother was sad, he was sad. But in all of Ryu's short life, he'd never seen his older brother cry.

"I look forward to you beating one day, Ryu! If that will ever happen," Kyosuke grinned.

"HUH?! BUT I'M BEATING YOU TODAY! YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK ANY FURTHER!" Ryu beamed his little teeth. "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A BRAWL!"

The boys rolled up their sleeves and got ready at either ends of the grassy patch in front of the dojo. The other karate students had already left with their parents. "Oi!" A call came from inside the dojo. The dojo master sighed. "Are you guys really fighting in front of my dojo again?! Goodness gracious!" But the elder man sighed and gave up; the boys hadn't even heard it him. And Saeko paid no attention either. This was the usual routine anyway.

Ryu dove into his relentless attack, ranging with different kicks. Each as fierce as the one before. But his older brother was able to dodge them all, analysing and guessing which would be next. His younger brother was just too easy to read.

The smaller boy stopped and panted, still grinning from ear to ear. "How'd you like that?!"

Kyosuke chuckled, "Definitely a bit of improvement but not enough." He dove into a punch, which sent Ryu flying into empty space.

But much to Kyosuke's surprise, his younger brother stood up, with new spirit. There was a new fire burning inside of him, a new shine in his eyes. "And now for my final blow!" Ryu roared. Instead of going up high like he usually did, he squatted and did a sweeping floor kick. Kyosuke widened his eyes as he landed on his back but quickly got up.

"Ha! Nice one! I never would have expected that! It's a good move that even I haven't learnt!" Kyosuke grinned, pride blooming in his chest. But he couldn't deny that some of this development was with his help.

As Ryu stood up to laugh, he felt something from behind his legs sweep his little body up, which then fell flat from the grass. Breathless with shock, Kyosuke immediately pinned him to the ground. "And now I've learnt it. The only crucial part you were missing was the pinning. If you had done that, you would've had won." The eldest Tanaka smirked with a smug expression. "But you didn't, so I won!"

"GAH! NII-SAN! HOW COME YOU ALWAYS WIN?!" Ryu groaned loudly with a scary frown on his face. But his older brother merely laughed his usual loud and deep bellow.

^v^

"He was a great person." Ryu's voice cracked as he neared the end of his speech. "And most of all, he was the greatest brother anyone could ever be. I may have not have beaten him in any of our fights, but I know that I could've never been a better brother than him." A tear ran down Ryu's cheek as a memory of his brother flashed through his eyes. It wasn't fair.

The funeral had ended and the solemn murmurs echoed around the room. Ryu's parents, comforted by family and friends, still couldn't find peace in their hearts.

"Ryu, that was a good speech," Noya said as he patted his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry about Kyo-nii. I still can't believe it." Noya had known his Kyosuke for a short time but he respected him as a brother and as a person. He was definitely a person to look up to.

"He didn't deserve to die," Ryunnosuke whispered hoarsely. "I don't think I can live without him."

Noya was silent for a minute, as if thinking about how to order his words. "How did he die?" Straightforward and cruel; to answer would bring grief, but to leave the question unsaid would bring unsettling feelings.

Ryunnosuke looked at Noya's dim but wide eyes. His own were shocked, yet dull and wet with tears, as if he still couldn't accept reality. "That's the thing. No one knows. His body turned up dead in his apartment. But he didn't die in his apartment."

Suddenly, he felt a small pair of hands grab on to his leg. He looked down to see a miniature version of a face he knew to well. The sight of his nephew, Kyosuke oldest son, could only bring hot, unwanted tears to his eyes. "Yosu-chan..."

"Oji-san!"

Noya snorted. "How come he thinks you're his Gramps?!" He couldn't stop smiling. The mini Kyosuke grinned up at the high school boys.

Ryu's face softened and he beamed at Yosu-chan. "You remind me too much of your father. I promise, I will tell you everything I know about Nii-san. I won't have you missing out on the greatest man I've ever known."

Yosu gurgled a laughter. "Oji-san~!"

"I am not your Oji-san...!"