Wanna know what's hilarious? The amount of red squiggly lines I see in my word document underlining all of these Japanese names and phrases. I'm literally having mini heart attacks each time I glance at a page before I realize that I haven't spontaneously turned grammatically inept.
In all honesty, I wanted to get Vivi's entire first night at the house into this chapter, but for the sake of not going insane with word count, I cut it short. I think it stops at a reasonable place, though, and again: this is mostly from the prologue of the game, so if you've played it this may seem a bit redundant. It was very entertaining for me to write all the same; I literally love all of these punks.
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and new favourites/follows, I'm so glad Cerulean's being enjoyed so far! By all means keep it up!
~Crimrose
WAIT ALSO I DON'T OWN BROTHER'S CONFLICT OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS I LITERALLY JUST REALIZED I FORGOT TO ADD A DISCLAIMER THIS WHOLE TIME
Chapter Five
Brothers
The house – or mansion, more accurately – is so magnificent it boasts its own name right by the entrance: "Sunrise Residence". I'm gaping at it before I've made a single move to breach the barrier separating the street from the property, because one: it must be about five stories tall, and two: it looks more like an accumulation of wide apartments than a single house. It has that same uniquely modern exterior, with unique diamond-shaped windows on the uppermost floor spanning to the ceiling, and balconies on each of the lower rooms. The entire building is an off-white colour, each of the doors windowed to the point where they're almost all glass, leading me to believe that it must be very bright and open inside – maybe that's why it's called Sunrise? Who can say. To top it all off there seems to be some gardens encircling the top floor on the veranda, its wooden deck gleaming in the sun, and a massive tree sprouted right in the middle of the extravagant complex, surrounded by a boardwalk framed by immaculate gardens of flowers exploding in every colour. It was absolutely stunning, to say the least, and not at all what I had been expecting – though I hadn't known what to expect in the first place.
Juli sums up my entire open-mouthed examination with a fond noise and a single sentence: "Nice digs."
"You think?" I sputter, sarcasm bordering on sheer panic. My legs are shaking so much I feel like I'll topple over if I take a single step. I'd only seen buildings like this on television, or maybe admired them from a distance, but now I'm going to be living in one, with thirteen boys. This is when I begin laughing hysterically, my instinctual reaction when I feel my sense of control crumbling around me.
Thankfully Juli is here to literally slap some sense into me; his small paw packs an intimidating force against my cheek, enough to stop the villainous laughter and leave me in subdued silence. "Ring. The. Doorbell," he says, each word hissed through his teeth. "I rather that this didn't happen at all, but since you're already here we have little choice. Remember, you can always just tell Rintaro if you really hate it here."
"Right," I murmur, though I can't help but think to myself on how that was unlikely to ever happen. I tried to keep any expectations or worries about the entire situation out of my mind, so that I'm neither surprised nor let down, and this is the easiest way to accept what's happening. It's not a bad thing, I just keep having to remind myself of that. It's just different, and I can adapt. Besides, even though I'm ridden with irrational fears, like the mistakes I can potentially make in a new household or whether or not my new family will even like me, I can't help but be excited to meet them. I'm honestly curious to see what they'll be like. That thought is what makes me take the steps leading to the front entrance, a monster set of double doors with glass paneling to reveal actual mailboxes inside on top of a small stone dais.
I take a deep breath, remind myself to smile, then quickly run a hand through my impossible curls once more before scraping them back into yet another hasty bun. I realize I'm probably all sweaty and smell as such, and begin panicking all over again before Juli rolls his eyes heavenward, undoubtedly asking the gods why, before he scuttles into my purse and hands me my roll-on perfume. I dab it on quickly, the familiar scent easing my heartrate a little, then press my hand on the buzzer before I can second-guess myself.
The response is so immediate that I jump, nearly tumbling down the two short steps. "Yes?" The voice is deep, as expected from a house full of men, and seems reserved. One more deep breath, and I articulate a response.
"Um, yes. My name is Vivi Hinata, and I'm supposed to be living here starting today, with my soon-to-be step-brothers…" Even Juli looks unimpressed by that, while he's unimpressed with the whole scenario. I squeeze my eyes shut and lips together, internally cursing myself for sounding so awkward and unrehearsed despite that fact that's exactly what I am. I glance around the yard again, if it can be called that, as I await a response, observe the monstrous tree's leaves swaying in the wind and casting a shadow over the center of the boardwalk. The flowers' scent is subtle, not overwhelming, and I'm a little shaken at how clean the whole area is; no fallen leaves or petals in sight.
"Ah, that's right," the voice says, sounding distinctly more friendly and less intimidating. "One moment and I'll be right with you."
I wait until I hear the intercom buzz off before I say, "Oooh, damn," in a voice as high-pitched as I can manage. I find it helps to squeeze out some of the nervous clenching I feel in my stomach. The buzzer sounds again, unlocking the door, and just as I move to grasp one of the long silver handles it opens in front of me, and I run smack-dab into someone's chest. Christ.
The man – which he assuredly is, judging from the firm chest and noticeable lack of boobs – lets out a grunt of surprise, before I scramble away and tilt my head up to look at him and smile. He's at least a head taller than me, with the same timeless and collected looks of Miwa-san: light golden hair and deep blue eyes, though his are framed by sleek glasses that seem to be sliding down his long, aristocratic nose at the moment. The deep red of his shirt makes his complexion and features pop, and I'm honestly not that surprised to see that he's quite handsome; he is one of Miwa-san's sons, after all, and I wonder if every one of them inherited her good looks. His features soften into a slight smile as he examines me, his severe eyes easing up in the corners, and he asks in that same voice from the intercom: "Are you alright?"
"Oh, yes, of course," I say, sounding a lot more at ease than I feel. "Sorry about that."
"Not to worry at all. My name is Ukyo, and I'm the second son of the Asahina family. A pleasure to meet you." He extends his hand for a shake, and I take it gratefully, both relieved and surprised to see someone so well-mannered. His hand is warm and a bit rough, much like my father's, and the shake is firm and welcoming – which makes me flush in happiness.
"Likewise," I say, my smile widening. I quickly race through conversation starters and whatnot, unsure of what exactly I should say in this situation, but he saves me the trouble by stepping aside and gesturing to the entrance with flourish. "Oh, thank you very much."
"No trouble at all. I'm sure this must seem all very strange for you." Ukyo-san actually seems a bit sheepish at that, and he pushes his glasses further up his nose with a deep, calming breath.
"For you as well, I imagine," I say whilst laughing a little. "I feel bad barging in on you guys like this. I'll try to help out as best as I can."
He seems relieved by this, his broad shoulders sagging a bit. "Wonderful. That'll be a great help. For starters, as you can see, mail and whatnot is received here; each resident has their own box." That seems a bit extra for one household, so he responds to my perplexed look quickly. "The bottom two floors of the mansion are rented out to boarders, mostly associates of my mother. The other three floors are for us – three and four are the rooms and offices, while the fifth is the common area where we will be dining and relaxing together and the like."
"Oh, wow," I say, taken aback by the sheer size of the building all over again. He's leading me down a simple hallway with linoleum floors, up to – what a surprise – an elevator shining cold steel in the fluorescent ceiling lights. "I guess that's to be expected with so many of you, huh."
His smile is much more relaxed now that we're inside the elevator, the space open enough that I don't feel any form of claustrophobia. The sides are made of shiny metal, reflecting warped versions of us back, and Juli is grumbling obscenities into my ear like the devil on my shoulder. "Yes, that's absolutely correct. Your room will be on the fourth floor – we've drawn up a map for you, which I'll give to you once we reach the common area. That's where you'll meet most of us."
I look up at him at my side, and find that he's watching me with kind eyes, surprising me. I'm used to people multitasking as they speak, either on their phones or looking at something else to avoid eye-contact. This straightforwardness is a little strange in this day and age, but it's not a bad thing by any means; of course I prefer that someone pays attention when I speak, which he seems determined to do. Oh wow. "Most of?" I question, and he nods solemnly, though the agitated twitch of his eyebrow doesn't slip past my notice.
"Yes. Two of my – forgive me, our – brothers are at work right now, and two live by themselves, so there's only nine of us at the moment. Not that I'm complaining," he adds with a low chuckle. "Less food to make for dinner."
I hadn't even considered that, but now that I am… dear god. The amount of food they must have to make in a night, with twelve men all living in one place, must be absolutely ridiculous. Now I'm another mouth to feed, and I'm not shy about my appetite – at all. I tell myself to try and not be a pig whilst I'm living here, so that I won't create that much more work for them. I'm wringing my hands, clammy and hot, and wish I could discreetly break out my sanitizer before I meet anymore of them – I shook hands with Ukyo-san with my hands a sweaty mess goddammit I hadn't even thought of that.
"Are you nervous?" He asks suddenly, his voice gentle and careful.
"A little," I say, mine bordering on a whisper.
"Don't be," he tells me, very seriously – like I can help it. "I've told all of them to be on their best behaviour. And if you ever have a problem with them, know that you can come to me, okay?"
At that I nod, warmed by how considerate he's being. So this is what a big brother is meant to be like – I can't say that I mind it so far. I wonder if all the Asahina siblings are like Ukyo-san is… there's still something familiar about the name Asahina, as well, but I just can't think of it, for the life of me.
The elevator lets out a ding and the doors slide open smoothly, revealing a finely decorated loft with chic furniture in bold colours, smooth and glossy hardwood flooring running all the way through. Sunlight comes through the diamond windows, faceted like crystals, casting unique shadows on the lower level floor, where I see a large crimson sectional that can easily sit twenty – which, I suppose, is the intention. It was all open-concept, no walls to separate the formal dining area and the living room, and an island served to fence the stainless steel kitchen in. All in all I can honestly say I'm awestruck – it looks like one of those houses you find on the Sims, all put together so that they look incredibly neat while at the same time artfully cluttered. It's… charming.
"Come along," Ukyo-san implores me, gesturing to follow him down the small staircase separating the loft from the main floor. As he walks in front of me to lead the way, I discreetly slap some sanitizer on my hands, proud of myself for being so sly. His steps are surprising light as he moves briskly down the stairs, mine like the stampeding of bulls in comparison. The railing is cool under my hand, made of silvery metal, and it's a great relief not to hear my hand squeaking all the way down it. Looking in the living room now I see a large entertainment unit with a very humbling flat screen television, shelves lining either side of it with a few framed photographs, video games listed what looks to be alphabetically, and a shelf dedicated to video game consoles that makes me begin having palpitations again.
"Masaomi-niisan, Wataru, I'd like you two to meet - " Ukyo-san begins, but I'm stricken by the names he calls out in the direction of the dining room, and he's cut off by a high voice squealing: "Onee-chan?!"
To my utter disbelief, it's the older man and young boy who I'd crashed into from earlier. Wataru looks over the moon to see me again, his smile wide and gleeful, while Ma-kun – whose name I suppose is actually Masaomi-san – looks equally as surprised but jolly. "Hello again! Thank you for earlier today."
"Oh no, no," I say, trying not to hiss at Juli to keep his comments to himself (which rhymed with I shan't ducking conceive this). "The pleasure's all mine! What a weird coincidence, huh?" I'm about to start rambling, I can tell, but Ukyo-san saves me from the humiliation by looking curiously at Masaomi-san.
"You know each other already?" He asks, brows furrowed.
Masaomi-san shrugs. "We ran into each other earlier – I guess she was on her way here. Nice to meet you again, I'm the eldest son, Masaomi."
"And I'm Wataru, the thirteenth!" So he's the youngest, then, and he and Masaomi-san are actually brothers; that's why he calls him by name. I shake Masaomi-san's hand, cold as it was earlier, and Wataru looks like he may throw himself at me before Ukyo-san grabs him by the shoulder. With a heavy pout on his face, he takes my hand it shakes it vigorously instead.
"I'm Vivi," I tell them, unable to help but smile as large as I can. "So great to finally meet you – for real this time." It definitely feels awkward, standing surrounded by three of my new brothers like this, but I suppose I'll have to get used to it. I'm relieved they seem to be perfectly civil so far, but there are ten I've yet to meet; Juli seems awfully edgy around these three alone, so I'm not looking forward to listening to it later.
"Vivi? That's certainly unique," Masaomi-san says, and I just nod and shrug at the same time, making it seem like I have an uncontrollable twitch. I get that often enough that it doesn't really affect me anymore. "Could it be short for something?"
"Oh, yes, it's - " I begin, but I'm cut off by yet another voice entering the scene, this one far deeper and sultry.
"Would you hurry up and quit hogging her? I want to meet our new little sis already, Kyo-nii." I peek pass Masaomi-san to see yet another man who makes me look like a shrimp, with beautiful golden skin and bright hair parted down the middle, framing his face like a lion's mane with deeply set eyes to match. He's wearing dark violet and yellow Buddhist robes, prayer beads roped around his neck and wrists, and the smile he's giving me is all fox. The way he carries himself as he strides over to me is very confident, sure of himself, so much that it's almost a swagger. Just as I'm thinking that he has a somewhat frivolous appearance despite his outfit, he stoops down to grab my hand and plant a kiss on the back of it, gentle yet enough to make an intense blush rise to my face.
He looks up at me, yellow eyes gleaming, and says, "Welcome to the Asahina house, little lady. Glad to have you here." This angle allows me to see the multiple silver piercings adorning his right ear, and when he catches me staring, his smile flattens out into a mischievous smirk.
Jesus I have to clear my throat. I have to speak over Juli hissing in my ear as he tries to scamper down my arm and give him a piece of his mind. "Thank you very much. Um, I'm glad to be here…"
"Oh," he murmurs, rising back up to his full height so that I have to look up at him. "Those rosy cheeks of yours really bring out your freckles. How adorable." So he says, yet I feel distinctly patronised, like he's also metaphorically looking down on me. I try not to frown, figuring he's just trying to be polite, but Juli is a different story.
"He's dead," is all he growls in my ear, and the golden man merely looks at him with that same sultry gaze, attentive yet unthreatened.
"That's enough of that, Kaname," Ukyo-san tells him sternly with a swift swat over the back of his head that makes me jump and Kaname-san yelp.
"Geez, Kyo-nii, no need to be so aggressive," he says, rubbing the back of his head tenderly, though he doesn't look particularly angry. More like he's even more amused than before.
"Then don't play the idiot… I'm sorry about him," Ukyo-san adds, addressing me. "This is the third son of the family, the next youngest after me, Kaname. Though he looks like – well, that, he's a monk, albeit a shotty one."
"Oh, really?" I drawl out, though it's hard for me to imagine. I always thought of monks as followers of principle, serious and thoughtful, but it must not be true of every single one – they're all different people, after all, so it isn't right for me to globalize. Kaname-san could very well be an excellent monk, and he's just more comfortable at home.
"Mmhmm, that's right," he responds, nodding thoughtfully. "If you'd like I can always make time to share a sermon with you – alone that is. Just the thought of being in a room with a cute little thing like you gets me excited, lil' sis." So this has stopped being kind of entertaining and was now getting embarrassing. I press my lips together and look away, though I'm kind of happy to hear him call me "imouto-chan" so easily – even if it isn't necessarily meant with genuine brotherly feelings. I'm taken aback that he doesn't smell like strong, spicy cologne like I'd figured, but rather like incense and something richer, like sandalwood. It isn't bad, though compared to Ukyo-san and Masaomi-san, it's a bit overwhelming.
There's suddenly an arm thrown around my shoulders, startling me enough that I make a shocked sound resembling a retch, leaving Juli to start hissing and puffing his chest while the offender laughs goodnaturedly. "I like that reaction. Kana-nii's always messing around like that, so there's no need to take him seriously, got it?"
"So you say, Tsubaki," a different, calmer voice chimes in, deep and somehow familiar. "Though it's not like you're much different, you know?"
"No need for that so early in the day, Azusa." I finally ease my panicked heartbeat enough to look back at who'd just gave me the one-armed hug, and see two men with essentially the same face standing side-by-side and smiling kindly at me. They look like mirror images of each other, one with startling white hair and the other with sleek black, their fringe flipped on different sides to reveal one eye the colour of vibrant bluebells. The one with an arm around me, his warmth pressing up against the side of my body, is decked out in silver jewelry, from rings to necklaces to piercings in both his ears. There's a beauty mark under his left eye, opposite the other man's, who has a beauty mark beneath his right, concealed by black-framed glasses a bit. "Nice to meet you, I'm Tsubaki," says my companion with a cute little wink. Who the heck winks anymore? It's odd enough to get me to snort, which makes him smile even wider.
"I'm Azusa," says his double, extending his hand for a shake. He seems much more reserved than Tsubaki-san – who has yet to detach himself from me – and I grasp his hand in mine, his touch light as if he's afraid of hurting me. Which was a bad decision, since I accidentally used to much strength and caused him to flinch a bit. I rip my hand back, embarrassed, and mumble out an apology with my name. This is exactly why I'm so bad with new people; I was lucky enough to meet Maho-chan, who's so easy-going she doesn't mind my monster strength which is so often out of my control.
He shakes his head easily, as if writing my rudeness off as nothing – in fact he seems kind of amused by it. "It's nice to finally meet you," he says with a kind smile, and I wonder how many more times I'll hear that sentence today. It was nice, though, being surrounded by so many people in one house when I'm so used to just Juli and I. The former, on the other hand, is clearly the exact opposite from how he's actually trying to pry Tsubaki-san's arm off of me.
Wataru tugs at my sleeve on the side opposite of Tsubaki-san, and I look down to him with an expectant grin. "Tsukkun and Akkun are important people in video games and anime, you know!"
I'm immediately confused, having no idea what that could mean, but he's looking at me so earnestly and proudly that I just nod. I've never been around kids too much, so I'd have to educate myself in their language in order to get along with him better, I think; I don't suppose there's anything wrong with a big sister trying to be a part of her little brother's life, right? "He means that we're voice actors," Tsubaki-san translates, and without hesitating another heartbeat he whirls me around to catch me in a tight squeeze, earning a shocked yelp.
"We're featured in all kinds of stuff, from new animes to RPGs and otome games! You're definitely gonna have to keep an ear out for us, 'kay?" From the sounds of it that's exactly what I'll be doing, since he had literally just pointed out a few of my hobbies. I wonder if I'd already seen – or rather, heard – anything with them in it yet. My heartrate stutters from nervous to just outright excited. How cool must it be to be in a profession like that?
"Um, that's wonderful," I say, glad I'd thought enough to put my hands between us. I never get this close with any guy save my father and a couple from middle school, so I was vastly unused to this much physical contact from the opposite sex in one day. "But would you mind letting me go, Tsubaki-san…?"
"You remembered my name!" He chuckles, his grip tightening into more of an embrace that makes Juli let out an awfully human scream. "I'm so happy! I wonder, should I call you Vivi-chan or 'imouto-chan'?"
At this point I really don't care, I'm just trying to keep myself from having a stroke. "Come on, can't we decide when you're not hugging me?"
I cannot wrap my head around how completely undeterred he is. "How come? It's not fair that Kana-nii gets all the affection. Let me in on it, too!" Maybe this is normal for siblings, and I'm overreacting in an astronomical way, but I'm pretty sure I'm just feeling uncomfortable in a stranger's arms, regardless of how we're related to each other now. I can also feel the eyes of my other brothers on me, sympathetic and amused, which is just making me even more mortified. All of this is definitely going to take some getting used to.
Thankfully he finally tears himself away with a sharp grunt of pain, and all I see from behind his stopping form is Azusa-san with his hand extended in a tight fist, his tendons pushing out threateningly. "That's enough, Tsubaki."
"That hurt, Azusa! Don't you think it's unfair Kana-nii's getting in all the canoodling?" Canoodling? He hadn't just actually used that word in a sentence. "Have a little mercy!"
"Get over it." He'd seemed so calm before, but it was clear just from that exchange that Azusa-san is the roleholder of keeping Tsubaki-san in line. From the reactions of everyone else, this must be the kind of thing that happens often; the only ones who are surprised are Juli and I. He looks at me helplessly, shrugging a little, and says, "Sorry, okay? Whenever Tsubaki's bothering you, don't hesitate to come to me for help. I'll lend you a hand." A fist is more like it, but it seems so bizarre to me, having grown up without any siblings, that I can't help but laugh. He seems relieved that I'm not too put off about the whole thing, but how can I be? I can't remember having this much fun in a matter of minutes before.
"What's with that? I don't see anything wrong with hugging my precious little sister…" Tsubaki-san's words sent my heart aflutter, absolutely gleeful that I'm being accepted so easily. Juli, who was in hysterics a matter of seconds ago, finally settles down with an irritated twitch of his whiskers once he catches sight of my expression. These people are my family now, and even though they have lifetimes of dealing with each other under their belts, they're welcoming me with open arms while being so energetic and lively. How nice it must have been to grow up like that, surrounded by people who cared about you, who could tease you and torment you like brothers do but still be there for you in the end… I hope one day we'll all have a relationship like that, though I hope they aren't too excessive with the tormenting part.
"What do you think so far?" Tsubaki-san asks me, finally recovered from his brother's sock to the head. "Losing your mind yet?"
Since I can't say no, I just shrug and say, "I think my SnapChat stories are going to be a lot more exciting from now on," which makes him let out a hoot along with a few snickers from the others.
"In case you couldn't tell," Ukyo-san cuts in whilst clearing his throat. "These two are identical twins." So low I almost don't catch it, he mutters: "Double trouble, if you ask me," under his breath, and I cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
"You are seriously adorable!" Tsubaki-san gushes suddenly, which Azusa-san just quirks an eyebrow at. "So much like the little sisters from games, yanno? So cute!" I'm surprised he isn't full-on squealing or jumping up and down by now from how excited he sounds, and it suddenly all makes sense as to why he's acting so awestruck. He must like those animes and games in which little sisters were the main object, and he finally has one of his own. I'm kind of disappointed that I probably won't be able to meet his expectations – it hurts me when he looks at me with his eyes shining with hope and full of ideas, and I have to look away with a self-depreciating smirk.
"Tone it down a bit, Tsubaki, you're scaring the daylights out of her." Ukyo-san does not look very impressed with his attitude, and he's practically standing in front of me like a bodyguard. Juli's nodding from my shoulder, rolling his head in a circle while saying, "Mmm-hmmm, you tell 'im."
"Let's see, who's next… Subaru, Iori, come over here." His command acts as the magic words and two more men melt into the ever-growing crowd, and the claustrophobia I hadn't felt in the elevator is practically crushing me now.
Lo and behold, one of the guys he'd summoned turns out to be the attractive one I'd passed on my way here, with the ash hair and deep hazel eyes, the entire atmosphere around him relaxed and the complete opposite of Tsubaki-san's. The other man who'd arrived with him was a giant, dressed in a jersey of some sorts with turquoise, black, and blue adorning it, his hair cropped short and dark with the same blue eyes as Miwa-san. His expression is obviously one of discomfort, since he's unable to meet my gaze and his face seems a little flushed. I hope he's feeling okay; they really didn't have to all accumulate here to introduce themselves to me. I felt a little spoiled, as I always do whenever Dad comes home, and I warn myself not to get used to it.
"This is the ninth son, Subaru," Ukyo-san says, indicating the taller man in the jersey. "He's in university." I'm relieved that the others are not just staring at these introductions in complete silence, their chatter filling up what could have been a tense quiet with the lack of response Subaru-san was experiencing. I tell him it's nice to meet him, because it truly is, and he finally makes a noise that sounds a bit like "'sup" if I'd heard him correctly. It could have just as easily been him clucking his tongue, and all I can think to do is smile.
Tsubaki-san swoops in, this time his arm around Subaru-san's shoulders. "Subaru's a nice, pure boy, so he's not very used to interacting with members of the opposite sex. Don't let it bother you if he doesn't talk much, 'kay?"
"Tsuba-nii," Subaru-san hisses, his face beet red and eyebrows slashed down in irritation.
"What?" He responds, clearly enjoying himself. "I'm not saying anything untrue, am I?"
Ukyo-san graciously chooses to ignore them, moving on to the guy wearing the Bright Centrair uniform. Juli's examining him up and down, unimpressed. "Bet he thinks he's hot stuff just because he's good-looking," he mutters, and his complaints are muffled once I wave my hand against him enough times.
"This is the tenth son, Iori." That was the name those girls who were hounding him had called him, and it seems to suit him; the intonation of it, the way the characters sounded together, just sounds sophisticated and almost lyrical. "He's in his third year of high school." My senpai, then. I wonder which honorific he'd prefer…
"A pleasure," he says to me with yet another handshake, a spark in his eyes indicating that he recognizes me as the weird eavesdropper he'd seen earlier. "Welcome to the family." Oh, god, that sounds amazing, and not just because it's coming from the full mouth of an Adonis. That's something I never figured I'd get to hear, and it gets me feeling significantly more shy than before. I had no idea what to expect of my new brothers, whether they'd be nice or whether we'd get on, but so far they seem like such genuine people, none of them afraid of being themselves around me. I had brothers of all ages, and while some of their features didn't seem to be common, they all had the same shapely jaws, more sharp the older they were, and carried themselves with ease and acceptance. Even if they don't look similar from afar, it isn't hard to see they're related when we're all under the same roof like this. I'm struck with the question of what their father was like, and think of how I would've liked to meet him, but I never would have had the chance to meet them in exchange. How peculiar. Everything around me is so new and foreign, but I realize that the smell of this place, something I'd been considering earlier, is not so different from mine after all.
It smells like a home, filled with laughter and home cooking and meaningless chatter. I'm almost moved to tears. This is what I'd always wanted, and now I'm blessed enough to finally have such a big family to call my own – well, not officially until November, but the thought is there.
"Your uniform," Iori-san begins, jolting me from my heartfelt soliloquy. "It's from Hinode High, yes?"
"That's right," I say, fiddling with my kerchief. The sleeves of my beige cardigan fall a bit past my hands, and I want to push them up but stop myself, knowing what the consequences would be: shock, maybe laughter, maybe disgust, who knows. I'm not willing to take the chance yet, but since all of us are living together from now on, they're going to find out sometime. "I've been going there since I started high school."
"I wonder…" he murmurs, then trails off, muttering to himself, a gleam of humor in his eyes. I cock my head, wondering what he could be thinking about, and also that he's something of an enigma.
"I'll have to introduce you to the others when they get home." Ukyo-san seems deep in thought, grasping his chin between his forefinger and thumb. "The others you'll meet in due time, I imagine. There is one more, though…"
The sound of a door bursting open in a rush resonates throughout the room, though it mostly goes unnoticed; it must be a regular occurrence. "Sorry I'm late!" Another male voice says, this one with a bit of a twang and lighter in pitch. It's a voice familiar to me, so familiar that my stomach sinks, remembering all the drinking, the cracking of bones, the maniacal laughter… God-fucking-dammit.
"Yuu-chan," Kaname-san sighs, his voice exasperated as he reclines loosely on the sectional. "Don't tell me you were wasting all your time away at the game center again."
"N-no! I was studying at school for once, actually, smartass."
"Enough what that language… I can't believe you were stuck at school again…" Ukyo-san suddenly has wrinkles between his brow, no doubt earned from years of stressing out over the younger ones.
"My bad," says the voice, and its footsteps are boisterously coming closer, and all I can think of is how I finally realized why the name Asahina was so familiar to me, and I wonder what took me so damn long to realize it.
The sound of footsteps stop dead once they've reached the group of people I'm gathered with, and I turn apprehensively to the sound of the voice choking over, "Hi… Hinata?"
The voice which belongs to my classmate, Yuusuke Asahina, who looks none too pleased to see me here, surrounded by his brothers and with luggage slung across my back – not to mention a distinctly rabid-sounding squirrel cursing the forces of the universe that sought to punish him like this.
It's actually been pretty hard for me to separate Vivi and Ema, even though they're two different people; they're a lot alike, since Ema's meant to be like an everywoman who's easy to fall in love with (which, naturally, is perfectly intended). Vivi's 'quirks', which she mentioned last chapter, have come to light a little bit more, as they will in chapters soon to come; let's just say that all in all she is a perfectly normal teenager of today, debauchery and all, though not to the extremes I'm sure most of us are used to.
THANK YOU FOR READING THIS CHAPTER AND MAKE SURE TO REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! CRITIQUE OR GUSH OR SLAM ALL YOU LIKE I JUST HONESTLY ENJOY SEEING THE E-MAIL NOTIFICATION THAT I HAVE SOME HEEHEEHEE NOW IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO SNOOZE IN LECTURE TOMORROW OOPS AND NOW I'M RAMBLING BECAUSE I'VE HAD SUGAR OKAY BYE I LOVE Y'ALL AND I LOVE THE ASAHINAS MWAHAHA
by the way I was telling my mom that I got a new review recently and I was all excited and she was like: "heh, what if, one day, you just got a review that said, 'eat shit and die you manga-writing bitch'
and i just