Kyodai

Disclaimer: Gatchaman and related characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Tatsunoko Productions.

Jinpei stomped into the living room of the apartment above the Snack J and flopped down onto the couch, despite the fact that Jun stood over him hands on her hips and an exasperated expression on her face, "Jinpei, get up! You have to do your homework."

The eleven year old scowled and replied in a tone dangerously close to a whine, "But Oneechan, I have plenty of time for that! I wanna watch TV!"

His sister narrowed her eyes, "Jinpei, you're behind already. We had a four day mission and you have to make up the work. You know that! You also know I need your help in the shop later, so get up! You don't have time to waste!"

"Geez Oneechan, I haven't forgotten! I was there remember? I said I'd do it later. I'm going out!" The exasperated boy abruptly rose from the couch, scooped up his previously discarded backpack and clattered back down the stairs and out the door, ignoring his sister's calls behind him. He hopped into his buggy and took off, intending to head to his buddy Ryu's place down at the marina.

As he passed the park, Jinpei suddenly remembered that Ryu had gone home after their last mission to see his father and brother for a few days. He grumbled under his breath and pulled into the park to mull over his options aloud, "Let's see, Ryu's not around so that's no good. Hakase will just call Jun and send me home. Ken too, but knowing him he'll lecture me about responsibility, and then call Jun. That's even worse. Joe will tease me, but at least he'll let me hide out there for a while. K'so." With that he pulled back out onto the road, this time heading towards the trailer park where Joe stayed in between races.

However, as he pulled into the trailer area, the latest of life's injustices caused a loud "Shimatta!" to erupt from his throat. The Airstream trailer was in its place but Joe's car wasn't there! Who knew where he was now! Jinpei scowled, sighed and turned around to head to Ken's airfield. Lecture or no lecture, his eleven year old pride wouldn't let him return to the J just yet.

As he drove along the coast highway, Jinpei's mind drifted, trying to avoid thinking about the lecture he expected to be coming. Ken, or Aniki as Jinpei preferred to call him, would probably feel that it was his duty to remind him of his responsibilities, not only at the J and school, but also how they impacted his duty to the team. The Gatchaman leader would remind him that most of his homework came as a result of the last mission they had gone on and his consequential absences from school. He really didn't think it was fair...Ken, Jun and the others had all finished their school with ISO tutors. None of them had to deal with the troubles of trying to act his age around a bunch of kids who had no clue as to what he did when he was absent, or teachers who picked on him because he was out so much these days. Never mind the fact that even though he almost always got the right answers and his grades were still good, they hassled him anyways. Ken could be so dense about some things, no matter how good he was as Commander. He still didn't have a clue what it was like to be a kid his age in his situation...or about girls. Here Jinpei allowed himself a small snicker. As much as he desperately wanted to be like Ken, his inability to register anything about women was the one trait Jinpei did not want to pick up! He turned onto the road leading to the airfield and groaned as the wheels hit a particularly bad rut, "Geez, he really needs to get this thing repaired!" He parked outside the house and got out to knock on the door, bracing himself for the expected lecture.

Inside, Ken had been working on the reports for their last mission when he heard the quiet knock. He rose to answer it, and raised an eyebrow when he saw Jinpei standing there with a timid expression on his face, "Jinpei, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

Jinpei played with his fingers for a moment before replying, "Everything's ok Aniki, but Oneechan and I had a fight. Can I hang out here for a while?"

Ken stood aside to let him into the house and asked, "What were you fighting about?"

Jinpei dropped his bag next to the couch and flopped down onto it, "The usual Aniki. She wanted me to do homework but I wanted to watch television. Are you going to lecture me now?"

His commander looked at him, an expression of surprise and amusement on his face, "Is that all you think I know how to do?"

Jinpei looked up at him, now shocked, "You mean you're not going to lecture me?"

Ken rubbed his hair as he moved past him to pick up the phone, "No, I'm not. What I am going to do is call your sister and let her know where you are. She's probably worried sick about you."

"Aniki!"

"Don't 'aniki' me Jinpei. I'm surprised she hasn't already called. You can stick around here for a while, but I'm letting Jun know where you are. I'm not facing her temper."

Jinpei made a face in agreement and was about to relax when Ken continued, "But there's a catch. You have to do your homework while you're here. I'll help you if you need it. But you need to do some of it. Got it?"

Jinpei sighed, "Gotcha Aniki. Thanks." He slid down to the floor in front of the couch and dug his history book out of his backpack with only a small grimace, 'Who cares about the boring old Feudal Era anyways? I've got enough action in my own life as it is!' He half-heartedly flipped to the pages he needed to read and started taking notes in a child's messy scrawl, while Ken called Jun at the J. After spending a few minutes calming the upset and worried Swan, he retrieved the report materials from the office and settled into the recliner to resume studying them.

Jinpei looked up at him as he sat down and asked curiously, "What did she say aniki?"

Ken raised an eyebrow at him, "She was glad to know you're ok. You can turn your wristband back on now, by the way." As the younger boy sheepishly adjusted the band, Ken continued, "You can hang around here for a while. I told Jun I'd get you back there by seven so you can help her out. No arguments Jin, you do have to help her. You're getting a break, don't blow it." Jinpei nodded and gave him a grateful smile before turning back to his homework. Whoever knew that Ken could actually loosen up once in a while?