A/N: I keep telling myself that I should save all these chapters that I'm ahead on so that I don't get behind in posting later on, but I'm just too excited about this fic.
Chapter 4: Weddings & Splintered Relationships
Ema sat, barely paying attention to the teacher as she waited for her class to start their cultural exhibit. A lot of students' parents were there. Ema's, of course, were not. Rintaro was almost never able to make it to events like these, but that wasn't what was on Ema's mind at the moment. The wedding of Miwa and her dad was only a month away now. Miwa took Ema shopping last week to get a cute dress. It was her first time going shopping with a woman and had been a lot of fun.
Even better was the fact that Ema would soon be an official member of the Asahina family. She wasn't taking on their last name and they weren't taking on hers, but legally she would now be their sister.
"All right, class," the teacher called out, clapping her hands. "Everyone get into their positions."
Ema moved behind the Chinese cultural booth and pasted a smile on her face, but she didn't share the same enthusiasm as her booth mates. Events where students got to show off their hard work and knowledge were less exciting when you didn't have anyone to show off to.
As the first parent came to the booth, Ema's eye caught on a surprisingly tall and blond man in the crowd. She blinked to make sure she was seeing correctly, but when she saw the two men standing next to him, she knew for sure that the three were Kaname, Tsubaki, and Azusa. Ema bit her lip in consternation as she remembered that the cultural exhibit for Yusuke's class wasn't until tomorrow. Kaname and the other two must have gotten the date confused.
"I'll be right back," Ema whispered to one of the girls running the booth with her before she slipped out.
"Kaname-san!" Ema called, and he turned to smile at her, the twins soon following suit. "You got the wrong day," Ema said when she reached them. "Yusuke-kun's class exhibit is tomorrow, not today."
"Who cares when Yusuke's doing his cultural exhibit?" Tsubaki asked. "We came for yours."
Ema froze, not sure if she'd heard correctly for a moment. "For me?" She asked slowly.
"Of course, Imouto-chan," Kaname said with a little laugh. "Why else would we be here?"
Unable to help herself, Ema put a hand to her mouth as she started crying. "I—I'm sorry," she choked out. "I don't mean to cry."
The three brothers looked at each other in concern. "Are you upset that we came?" Azusa asked.
Wordlessly, Ema shook her head. Finally, she managed to say, "I didn't think that anyone would come. I know that it's silly to cry—" She didn't finish her thought because Tsubaki bent down and wrapped Ema in his arms.
"It's not silly," he said, giving Ema a squeeze, "and I'll always come."
Ema smiled, rubbing away her tears. It looked like she didn't need to wait for the wedding to be a real member of the Asahina family.
~.~
Ema sat between Tsubaki and Wataru at the wedding ceremony, Tsubaki's arm around her shoulder and Wataru holding her hand. She had spent all the previous day with her dad, which had been a lot of fun, but it wasn't until this morning that Rintaro had finally met all the Asahina brothers. He'd said he was happy to see that the brothers were taking such good care of Ema, but he'd seemed a little disconcerted to see his only daughter surrounded by so many guys.
Ema had never been to a wedding before and was excited by everything. Miwa looked so beautiful in her wedding dress and Ema got to help her new mother get ready before the ceremony. Before that back at the house, Louis had done Ema's hair. She finally got to see what he was capable of, and she was very impressed. She was also excited to wear a cute dress and have fancy hair. It wasn't very often that she got to get all dressed up.
At the reception, Ema danced with Rintaro after he and Miwa had the first dance. She also danced with Tsubaki, Kaname, Louis, Wataru, and Iori. Most of her brothers stood along the wall or sat at tables during the dancing, looking uncomfortable.
When it started getting late and Wataru couldn't stop yawning, Masaomi decided that it was time for Wataru to go home. Wataru protested that he wasn't tired until Ema offered to go along with them. It had been a long day and she was ready to get to bed.
"I'm surprised that everyone still lives together at Sunrise Mansion," Ema said to Masaomi on the drive home as Wataru fell asleep in the back seat. "It seems surprising that no one has gotten married or moved in with friends or a girlfriend."
"Well, I can't speak for my brothers," Masaomi said, "but I know that I've stayed home to help take care of everyone." He glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at Wataru's sleeping form slumped to the side. "Our father died shortly after Wataru was born, so Wataru doesn't remember anything about him. I don't ever want him to be lonely, so I'll stay until he doesn't need me anymore."
Ema's lips trembled as she thought of all the times she was lonely because her mother died when she was a baby. She tried to hide her tears when they came and said, "Wataru is lucky. I'm glad he has a big brother like you so he won't ever feel like I did growing up."
Masaomi looked over at Ema in concern and in the light of a passing streetlight, saw her tears. Masaomi's heart went out to the young girl. In only six months she had managed to win the affection of almost all her new brothers. They appreciated that Ema always had a smile on her face and always went out of her way to help them. Whether it was cooking dinner, helping someone with their homework, or running to the store. Masaomi reached out with one arm to give her a hug, pulling her closer to him. "I'm not just Wataru's big brother. I'm your big brother too and I'll always be there for you, Ema. I promise I won't leave Sunrise Mansion until you don't need my support anymore."
Ema pushed her face into Masaomi's shoulder and clung to his shirt, more grateful than she could possibly express to be part of the Asahina family.
~.~
The next morning, Ema got up late and was surprised to hear yelling coming from the living room when she went to grab breakfast.
"How can you just walk away from it all?" An angry voice that sounded like Subaru demanded.
"It doesn't matter," the other voice brushed off. Ema thought it was Natsume. "That's just kid stuff and I'm an adult now. Besides I've lost interest."
"Lost interest?" Subaru demanded. Quietly, Ema crept to the door, feeling like she should probably be going back to her room rather than standing there listening to them fight. "Running has been your life for years. Don't give me some bull crap about you losing interest. Tell me why you're really quitting."
Ema could now see the two. Subaru stood with his shoulders tight and his fists clenched. A few feet away stood Natsume with his arms folded and a bored look on his face. Natsume shrugged. "I already told you the truth. If you don't want to believe me, that's up to you."
Subaru growled and wheeled away from Natsume, a disgusted look on his face. He came barreling towards the door Ema stood at and she backed up frantically. When Subaru saw her, he still had the same glare, but turned away from Ema and kept on walking. Tentatively, Ema walked into the kitchen. Natsume didn't look bored anymore. Now he just looked tired and miserable. Ema wondered if Natsume really had been lying to Subaru about why he was quitting running.
She was trying to get up the courage to ask when arms wrapped around her from behind. "Ema!" Tsubaki exclaimed excitedly. "Did you hear the good news yet? Natsume got a job with some gaming company and he's moving out! That means that you get to move into his room. You'll be next Azusa who's next to me! Isn't that great?"
Ema looked up at Tsubaki, startled at this sudden revelation, but Tsubaki was looking at Natsume now. "Hey, when are you moving out, Bro? Ema needs her new room. Her current one is too cramped. And too far away from mine."
"Glad to know you're going to miss me, Tsubaki," Natsume said dryly. "Why don't you just throw all my stuff out the window and be done with it?"
"It'd be faster that way," Tsubaki responded. "Just say the word and I'll do it."
Natsume shook his head. "I'll be moving out Friday. Is that soon enough for you?"
Tsubaki sighed. "I guess that will have to do."
~.~
On Friday after school, Ema helped Natsume pack his things into boxes. Most of their older brothers were still at work and the younger brothers were still at school for club activities. Tsubaki and Azusa had made plans with friends after Tsubaki told Natsume that he only wanted to help Ema move.
"You shouldn't have to help me," Natsume said, eyeing Ema packing up video games.
"I don't mind," Ema said earnestly. "All my homework is already done." Her eyes caught on the title of the video game she just picked up. "Look! It's one by the company you're joining. They make the best zombie games."
"What?" Natsume asked, pausing in packing up his clothes.
"I said they make the best zombie games. Their Massacre series where you play a demon assassin is pretty good too." Ema finally realized that Natsume was staring at her. "What?"
Natsume blinked. "I knew that you liked video games, but I thought—I didn't realize that those were the kinds of games you played. We should have played together."
"That would have been fun!" Ema said, perking up. "We have a lot of the same games. Did you find the rocket launcher on level nine of Zombie Apocalypse Two? Level ten was so much more epic with it!"
"No," Natsume said, still in shock and now disappointed that he hadn't managed that. "How did you find it?"
Ema shrugged. "I just looked around. It was hiding in the rubble of the abandoned military base."
"Have you beaten all the Zombie Apocalypse and Massacre games?"
"Yep!" Ema responded proudly. "Except for the latest Massacre game. I'm on the second to last level, but it's really hard."
Natsume shook his head, a smile on his face. Who would have ever thought that his sweet step-sister, who always seemed to be helping someone, loved zombie and assassin video games? He'd assumed that Ema just played dating games and life simulation games. He really should have asked her about her tastes. "I think that you're better at video games than I am."
They worked in companionable silence for a while before Ema got up enough courage to ask Natsume what she'd wanted to all week long. "Natsume-san?"
"Yes, Ema-chan?"
"About what happened with you and Subaru-san last Sunday—"
"That's none of your business," Natsume quickly shot Ema down, the expression on his face becoming closed off and angry. "You couldn't possibly understand."
Ema stared at her box sadly as she taped the top shut. "You're right. I've never had siblings before, so I have no idea what it's like to have a relationship like the one you and Subaru-san have."
Natsume winced, feeling guilty at Ema's melancholy tone. He shouldn't have snapped at her like that. An apology was on the tip of his tongue when Ema looked up at him, a sincere and determined look in her eye. "I may not know what it's like to have a relationship like that with a sibling, but I do know that it's precious and that I would give up almost anything to have a bond like that with a sibling. It's something that's worth fighting for and going through hard times for."
Natsume sat silent for a moment, surprised at Ema's mature response. Wasn't she only eleven? Now Natsume really wished that he'd talked to Ema more. He should have made more of an effort to get to know his little sister. Sighing, he gave up on keeping the truth from Ema.
"It's really difficult to make a living through running," he told her. "Very few people can do it, and if you get an injury, you lose everything. I have to be realistic about my future, which is why I'm joining this gaming company, but I don't want Subaru to feel the same way about basketball. He's really good and I think he can make it all the way to the professional league. If he knew that I quit running because I didn't think I could make it, he would doubt his ability to make it in basketball. He doesn't need that."
Ema's heart ached as she listened to Natsume. He was doing all this out of love and a care for Subaru's future. He was pushing away the brother he was closest to in order to protect that brother. "I understand," Ema said quietly. "But I wish there was another way."
"He'll forgive me someday," Natsume said. He felt comforted that at least one person knew the truth and that he was doing all this for his little brother's sake.
When they finished packing everything into Natsume's car, Natsume said, "I'm sure that it can get annoying having so many brothers around all the time. I know I felt like I could never be alone sometimes. If you get too fed up with our brothers, feel free to give me a call. I'll come pick you up and we can play video games at my apartment."
Ema grinned. "I don't know if I'll ever get tired of being around so many brothers, but I would like to play video games with you." Before leaving, Natsume helped Ema move all of her things. Since Natsume's new apartment already came with a bed, Ema got to keep Natsume's bigger bed. When Tsubaki got home later that evening, he stood in the doorway of Ema's new room with a pout on his face.
"What's wrong, Tsubaki-san?"
"Eeemaaa," Tsubaki whined, dragging out her name. "I was supposed to help you move."
"You weren't here," Ema said with a shrug. "I helped Natsume-san pack everything away, and then he helped me move my things."
"Too many insults," Tsubaki muttered.
"What?" Ema asked in confusion, not sure if she heard him correctly.
"This is too many insults," Tsubaki repeated. "You didn't let me help you move closer and you still call me by the wrong name, even after six months. I'm not leaving until you call me by the right name."
Ema blushed. Tsubaki was one of the brothers she was closest to because he always wanted to spend time with her, but it still felt weird to call him anything other than Tsubaki-san.
Tsubaki changed his voice to sound like the stoic older brother from an anime Ema was watching with Tsubaki and Azusa. "I work day after day to care for my little sister, and I'll I ask for is one thing from her." He kneeled down by the bed, where Ema was sitting. "Is it too much to ask for?"
Ema giggled and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Oniisan, I didn't mean to make you feel sad."
Tsubaki sighed and shook his head, adopting the voice of an obnoxious and over-protective brother from the same anime. "That's not the right one! I told you, I won't ever leave your side until you say it."
"Oniichan."
"Again."
"But I said it!" Ema wished it didn't make her blush so badly to be familiar with her brothers. She hoped that it would go away soon.
"Again."
"Onichan."
"Again."
Ema hoped this wouldn't go on all night.
