Sho could be very mean sometimes.

But that was ok because he was still the best little brother in the whole world. Even when he came home and locked himself in the bathroom and wouldn't come out because of something you did…even though you had no idea what you had done to him. Whatever it was, though, Mob was very sorry. She was always very sorry. Even when she didn't know what she was sorry about she was always very sorry.

"Sho, please come out. I'm sorry." said Mob. She was glad that dad had gone back to work to make up for lost productivity. She was glad that he wasn't around to see this. He would have gotten md at Sho for acting like this and he would have gotten mad at her, too, for letting Sho act like this. She was the one in charge of him. She was the one who was supposed to make him happy. Her and nobody else.

It didn't matter that there was no one around to make her happy.

"You always say that." Said Sho from behind the bathroom door. He was not coming out. He knew that if he came out then he would hit her and he just…he could not hit her. He didn't want to hit her but he knew that he would. So the safest place to be was in the bathroom. It was the only room in the house with a lock on the door.

"I always say it because I mean it. I don't know what I'm sorry about but I know that if I did something….if I knew what it was that I did…then I would never do it again. So can you please just tell me what I did wrong?" asked Mob. She was tired. She was sad. She had gotten someone beat up. She had caused someone to get hurt and…and it was all her fault…and she had no idea how she was going to make it up to him…and she was just so tired….and also she wanted to smoke so badly because she was just so stressed and…

And she was fine. Everything was fine.

"….no. I can't. If I talk about it then I'll get mad at you." Said Sho. He wished that she would just get back to her dolls or her books or something. He didn't want to talk to her. He didn't want to talk to anybody. He was glad that dad was gone. If dad had been home then Sho…he would have…he didn't know. He couldn't fight dad. He was still too little. When he got older…but he was not older. He was nine. He was nine and he was little and also he was a jerk and a bad little brother….

So he was going to spend the rest of his life in the bathroom.

"But you're already mad at me." Said Mob. It felt like he was always mad at her. Like he went to bed mad at her and he woke up mad at her and he was just…mad. All the time. Sort of like how dad was always a little bit mad, or at least annoyed, at everything all around him even though he really didn't have to be.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to be any more mad at you, ok? I'm just…I'm tired." Said Sho

"If you're tired then I can get you some pajamas and run your bath and then you can go to bed. I mean it's still pretty early but you got up super early so I guess it all evens out." Said Mob. He was tired. She knew what to do when he was tired. She'd make his dinner, or just ask an Awakened to bring back food, for him while he was in the tub and then he would eat and then she'd put him to bed and then…and then he would feel better. Because she had done her job. She had to do her job. She had to do right by someone…because she had done something so wrong…but she couldn't think about this now. She had to be a good big sister to Sho. That meant that she couldn't get all caught up in her own problems. That was not how it worked.

"No. I'm not sleepy tired I'm just…tired." Said Sho

"Of what? Whatever it is I can help." Said Mob

"You can't help with this so don't try. Just shut up and go away." said Sho

"But little brother-" said Mob

"No. Shigeko, leave me alone." Said Sho

"But…but I can't. I have to take care of you. I love you." Said Mob

"I know that you love me." Said Sho. Why did she always have to say it? Did she think that he forgot? Well he hadn't. He knew that she loved him…and he liked her. He just didn't like her very much right then. She had gotten someone he cared about beaten up just because she liked him. She hadn't even said sorry. She had just been laying down in her bed with her dolls and stuff when he came home…and it had just made him so mad how she could have just been so…so normal…

So he went to the bathroom.

And he locked himself in. He had to. If he hadn't locked himself in the bathroom then he would have hit her or something. He had hit her before, and he knew that it was ok so long as he said sorry, but he just…he didn't want to. He didn't want to be that person. He didn't want to hit her again and again and again until she started breathing funny….until she started bleeding. He didn't want to do that to her…so he just…he had to get away from her.

And then she followed him. Because she loved him.

"Then will you come out? Little brother? I can…we can play something you like. Would you like that? Like one of your fighting games or you can use me for target practice or we can build a fort or have dinner on the ceiling or-" said Mob. She went through every single fun time that they had ever had together. Sho should not have been upset. Sho should have been happy. He was the little brother and he should have been happy.

"What I would like, Shigeko, is to be able to have some privacy in the bathroom!" said Sho. He kicked the door a few times. He shouldn't have done that because if he broke the door down then they wouldn't be able to go to the bathroom anymore. Well he would be fine because he could just pee in the yard but she'd be in trouble because she was a girl. Also he shouldn't have been kicking anything. Mom would have been mad at him if she had been there.

But she wasn't.

Kicking the door made him feel better. Better he kick the door than her. He wanted, part of him wanted, to kick her. To show her what had happened because of her and her…her-ness. What had happened because dad figured out that she liked Shimazaki…and why did she have to like him? He was Sho's friend! She already had a friend! Also now he had to beat Shimazaki up at some point for liking his sister…and he didn't want to do that either!

He wished that he had been born an only child.

"But you aren't going to the bathroom or taking a bath or a shower or even doing steam art….and also please don't kick down the bathroom door. We need a bathroom door for privacy." Said Mob

"I'll do whatever I want. You always do whatever you want so why can't I do whatever I want?" asked Sho

"Sho…I can't do whatever I want. There are things that I want that…that I can't have. I know you think that because dad promoted me I can do anything that I feel like-" said Mob. She had to stay calm…even though she was very tired of Sho thinking that. She had so many things in this world that she wanted to do but she couldn't. She couldn't…she couldn't ever take a break. She was in charge all the time and she never…not for long…got a break. Even when he wasn't taking care of Sho…she was. She was always thinking of him. She was always thinking of what she needed to do for him. She couldn't go to school, either, or any of the other things that the other kids could. She couldn't see Baby Mukai ever again, either, even though she missed her more than anything…

There were a lot of things that she wanted to do…but she couldn't.

"Then why do you? Why do you just do…anything! It's like you just do things and you just…you don't think about…about anything!" said Sho. He was trying not to yell. He was trying not to be a bad little brother…but he just…he couldn't help it.

"Little brother-" said Mob

"It's like you don't even care about what you did!" said Sho

"I don't even-" said Mob

"Like you don't even care about what you did and you-you-you-" said Sho. He was sitting on the ground. He was all curled up in himself, now, and he just…he wanted to be alone…and she wouldn't leave him alone…and he just…he didn't know what to do…and he just…he wanted something to happen…but he didn't know what….

"I don't even know what I did! Little brother, I have no idea what you're mad at me about and-and-and I am so sorry that I yelled at you. That was wrong of me. That was the worst thing that I…that I could do to you….and I'm so sorry." said Mob. She was a bad person. She was the worst. She had…she didn't know where that had come from. She was such a bad big sister…

"You got Shimazaki beat up because you like him. Dad found out and then he beat him up…like he does to traitors…but he didn't die…but he was so hurt….and it's all your fault." Said Sho. He pressed his head against the tile of the bathroom floor. It was cold. It helped him cool down. His face got red when he got mad. He wasn't looking at himself, he couldn't look at himself, but he knew that he must have been so red….

He was very mad.

And he didn't want to talk about this. He knew that it was over. He had seen Fukuda put Shimazaki back together. It hadn't taken very long at all and…and right afterwards they had been right back to having fun but…but it was so hard to just…just forget even though it was over. He had been all weird and mad and sad the whole day. Fukuda couldn't even help. They had played together, too, and stuff but…but Sho had still been so sad…and mad…

Like now. Now he was still all mad and sad….and Shigeko was not helping.

"I…I didn't…I never meant for him to get hurt. I just….I'm sorry that dad did that and…and I never meant for him to get hurt and…and…and I don't even like him like that! And I don't even know why everyone thinks that I do! He's so annoying! He can be nice but he's annoying-" said Mob. She held her braids down and controlled her breathing and had to stay calm because….because she had to be….she had to be the big sister…the good big sister…and the mom. She had to be the mom, too, and mom never got mad at them like this….

"Don't lie. He's cool and you know it. That's why you like him and that's why dad had to beat him up-" said Sho

"We're just friends. Ok? I don't like him like that. I swear." Said Mob

"Yes you do. If you don't like him like that then he got beat up for nothing." Said Sho. Fukuda told him that it was good that he was so worried about Shimazaki. It was a good thing to worry about other people but also he had to be able to tell when someone brought it on themselves. Sometimes kids liked adults, it happened, but the adult was never supposed to return the kid's feelings. That wasn't right. Big sis could like whoever she liked, Fukuda that liking people was a part of getting older and there was nothing wrong with it in and of itself, but when you liked someone you also had to think about if it was a good idea to have those feelings. They happened and sometimes they went away and sometimes they didn't but you needed know if those feelings were ok or not.

So it had been wrong of Shimazaki to like Shigeko but it had been even worse of Shigeko to like him.

"Sho…I'm sorry that he got beat up and…and I'm sorry that everyone thinks that I like him…but I don't control our dad. I don't control what he does or who he does it do. I never once asked him to ever beat someone up for me and I never will. Dad…I think that he just…doesn't know what to do when he doesn't like something…so he just takes everything out on people. Ok? Dad…he is the way he is…and I am sorry that people think that I like Shimazaki but-" said Mob. She was trying to sound like mom. Mom would have been nice and just stuck to what happened and told the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Mob knew that she had her part to play in what happened but she did not control dad. Dad was dad and he did whatever he wanted.

"See? You're lying. You have no reason not to like him. He's really cool and smart and funny and he's a powerful esper and he's really strong and he can eat sixteen cups of pudding in one sitting and he likes dogs and he's really good a building forts and he's always thinking of something fun to do and he's always got the best ideas and he smells really nice and his jacket is cool and-" said Sho

"Sho…none of that stuff matters to me. I don't like him like that because….because I just…those things aren't what I look for…and I just need you to believe me when I say that I don't like him like that and I don't know why everyone thinks that I do." Said Mob

"Because he was always talking to you and touching you and being around you. Not everyone in the whole world is as clueless as you, Shigeko." Said Sho. He knew that he has just said something very mean but…but it was true. She liked him and everyone could tell. Why else would he have been acting like that if she hadn't liked him? She could have told him to stop and to go away at any time but she didn't. So she must have liked him. Fukuda said that guys acted like that when they liked girls and it was called flirting and also that grownups were not supposed to do that sort of thing with kids. If the girl liked you she either flirted back or told you to go away. That was what adults did instead of what kids did, which was mostly just girls chasing you around and kissing you, which seemed a lot more straightforward but Sho wasn't about to spend his time trying to figure out all of this stupid love stuff.

"But…that's stuff that he did to me. He was just doing it because he likes to be annoying." Said Mob. Sho's logic made no sense at all. She had never asked him to do any of that. In fact she had asked him to stop so many times...she didn't get how this was her fault…but it was. When you did something wrong you were supposed to say sorry…

Even when you had no idea at all what it was that you have even done.

"No, he was doing that with you because you like him. You like him and then dad had to beat him up and it's all your fault and that's why I'm so mad at you and that's why I can't come out of the bathroom. I'm scared of myself…I'm scared that if I come out of the bathroom then I'll end up beating you up really bad…bad enough for there to be blood…and I don't want to do that…so I need you to stay away from me." Said Sho. He felt like he was going to cry. Even after everything she had done…she was still his big sister…and he still loved her…but he really did not like her right then. She was lying to him and it was like…like she didn't even care. That was the worst part…or maybe the worst part was that he was such a bad person that he…he wanted…to beat her up…even though it was wrong…

He was glad that mom was gone. If she had been there then she would have hated him and run away all over again.

No wonder she had run away. With a kid like him who would have stayed? Even dad was tired of him, that was why he kept on telling him to go and help Fukuda, and now big sis would be sick of him too. He wanted her to go but he wanted her to stay, too. He wanted…he sat up and pulled his arms around himself. He wanted a hug…but not from her. From mom…but he didn't deserve it. He was a bad son and a bad person and even…even dad thought so. That was why he had been sent to help Fukuda so much lately and that was why he was going on the Seasoning City mission, too.

Even his own dad didn't want him anymore…he was that bad of a person.

"Sho….do you really want me to leave you alone? Do you…do you really want me to go away? B-because….I can stay here. Even if you're being mean and saying things that I don't agree with and making me feel bad…I still want to be with you. I…I love you the most out of anyone else in the whole world and I just…it hurt me so much when you're sad like this…and I love you." Said Mob. She was glad that dad wasn't there to see her cry. She was crying and…she thought that she could hear him crying, too, and she wished that she could have just been there with him so they could have cried together….because no matter how hurt her feelings were she would always love him…

And no matter what crazy stuff he was saying, too, she would always love him.

When you had a little brother you loved him no matter what…and there had been a lot of 'what' for their whole lives…but there was nothing, not even crazy accusations, that would keep her from her loving her little brother. When you were a family you loved each other no matter what. Mom had said that.

"Yeah. Just….go away. Go away before I do something that…that I don't want to do." Said Sho. Maybe it was just better to be away from her. She had done something wrong but…but he didn't want to hurt her. Mom would not have wanted that. Mom was his and Dad was hers. That was how they had divided up the family…..even though he didn't even have a mom anymore….and now dad was sending him on an away mission…and he had no idea if dad would be there when he came back…and he couldn't stop his friend from getting hurt and….

And Sho just wanted to be alone.

"Ok…I can leave you alone, little brother, if that's what you want….I love you." Said Mob. She loved him so much and that was why she was going to leave him alone. She had been selfish in trying to get him to come out. She was selfish in wanting someone to be with her. People were busy and had things to do and ways to feel and she…she had to just…just be on her own….and she had to say sorry to Shimazaki for making dad beat him up…and then she had to figure out how to make Sho happy…and she had to….she still had to make sure that they got some kind of dinner and also she had to lay out pajamas for Sho and also daytime clothes for him to wear tomorrow…and also she had to figure out how she was going to go to the bathroom because that was their only bathroom…and she also had her own bath to take…and she just….she had to talk to dad about never beating someone up for her again…even though she did not tell dad what to do…

She had a lot to do.

But she was going to do it. She had no choice. She was the only one who could do all of this. She was the only one who could take care of Sho and she was the only one who could own up to her own mistakes and she was the only one who could talk to dad….even though she was not in charge of him…and she just…she was the only one….she was the only one and she was so tired….but that was ok. She was ok

Everything was ok…it really was.