Very very short chapter this time.


Counting One's Chickens

Oh boy, a family meeting!


The park was quiet and empty; devoid of anyone as the cold evening air whistled through the steel fixtures of the playground.

Only by the swing set, four individuals hung around. Each of them with a different emotion on their face. One had a worried gaze, one looked vacantly at the ground with indifference, and the other…

"What was that? Are you crazy Karamatsu?!"

...was red with anger.

Ichimatsu glared at the eldest brother who was sitting firmly on the swing.

"Not really," Karamatsu shrugged absently. "Do you think I am?"

"Are you-What were you doing?" Ichimatsu shouted, baffled. Generally, even with how easily annoyed Ichimatsu gets, he would rarely raise his voice at Karamatsu, much less yell. However, when he did, it was probably for a good reason or in the right situation to do so.

"Telling this stranger we barely know, an injured stranger mind you, that he might be our brother after he had just woken up?"

The elder gave a slight flinch at being chastised, but nonetheless answered back with earnest.

"Didn't you think so too when you first saw him? It's not like he's just some random person with slight similarities. He LOOKS exactly like us. His NAME is Osomatsu."

"Guys, calm down." Jyushimatsu spoke out; trying his best to placate the situation. However, his voice fell on deaf ears.

"Aren't you jumping in to this idea way too fast Shittymastu?"

"I just wanted him to consider it. He lost his memory. That's got to be more than a coincidence."

"That doesn't mean you can take advantage of the situation an-"

"And pray tell," Todomatsu spoke up; voice bleeding with disdain and irritated inquisitiveness. "What if that's just it huh? A coincidence."

"Well," Karamatsu turned his head away slightly. "At least we'll know for sure once the DNA test is confirmed."

Ichimatsu made a frustrated noise, brushing and gripping his hair back. "T-this is insane. This whole thing..."

"Yeah," Jyushimatsu nodded in agreement. "I don't know about this Nii-san."

Karamatsu looked at the others in confusion. "Why are you all so hesitant on giving this a try?"

Todomatsu gave a bout of laughter, looking at the eldest mockingly.

"It's not that hard to believe," he answered. "We don't know him. If the DNA test proves wrong, then you would have been going on with this false hope. Not only to you, but to us and the guy as well."

The younger shook his head at Karamatsu. "Man, and I thought this was all over with years ago."

Karamatsu turned to Todomatsu with a raised eyebrow. He got up from the swing and walked up to Todomatsu, looking at him square in the eyes.

"You say that, but then what was all that prying and questioning on him earlier?" Todomatsu stiffened. "Not to mention, you were the one who apparently provided Dekapan the sample for the test that, if I'm not mistaken, he said he was already working on."

Todomatsu tried to avert his gaze from Karamatsu. "That was nothing."

"Y-you still haven't told us how all of this even happened Todomatsu." Jyushimatsu commented.

"Ah, that's right," Ichimatsu added along. "Dekapan said that YOU were the one who brought him. Where did you find him? Why was he hurt anyway? I think it's time for you to do some explaining."

The youngest brother quickly turned to Ichimatsu; annoyance and anger flaring in his eyes.

"And why should I explain anything to any of you? You weren't supposed to even know about the guy, but you all just had to barge in didn't you?" Todomatsu waved his hands in a disbelieving gesture. "And this all started over Buck Teeth, who might I add, dealt with worse crap before. This was none of your business!"

"Yes, that reminds me," Karamatsu's face darkened. "Regardless if it wasn't our business initially, that still doesn't make it right. What you're doing now and what you did to Iyami. Don't think you're off the hook on that."

"Heh, trying to be scary again?" Todomatsu grinned; tapping his finger idly at his bruised chin before returning a scowl. "Not gonna work. And what am I doing now if I may ask?"

"He means stop being so damn difficult you idiot and tell us what's going on?" Ichimatsu replied annoyed. "I swear, you are some piece of work Todomatsu."

"Oh and you're one to talk, huh Ichimatsu?"

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Everyone please just stop."

Everyone's attention moved to Jyushimatsu. Jyushimatsu meekly walked over and stared at Todomatsu with a sincere look in his eyes.

"Todomatsu," the fourth son spoke again. "Please just tell us."

"…"

"A-at least about what happened. After everything today, I think we deserve to know that much. We were all shocked when we heard about Iyami Oji-san and then you stopped answering your phone. And I-... we were really worried about you..."

The two youngest brothers stood there staring at each other. After a moment, Todomatsu clicked his tongue.

"Fine," Todomatsu relented. "I'll talk."

"Thank you, Todomatsu."

"Tsk, whatever." The younger crossed his arms together while avoiding everyone's waiting eyes.

"It was after the whole Buck Teeth thing. I was hanging out with my friends. We were getting a bit too drunk, so I don't specifically remember exactly what happened. Some punks- I don't know their faces, showed up freaking out how they had killed someone or something. We thought they were lying and ignored them. Anyways, next thing I remember I was planning on heading to Hatabo's place for the night and that's when I saw him on the ground. Passed out in a bloody mess."

"T-that's horrible! Why didn't you call an ambulance?" Jyushimatsu asked. "O-or call the police about the guys that did it? They could have killed him-"

"What part of 'I don't remember what they looked like' don't you understand you stupid gnat?" Ichimatsu and Karamatsu glared at the insult, but otherwise stayed quiet.

"Besides," Todomatsu continued. "I was like you guys. Freaking out that the guy had the same face as me, thinking it was one of you. I took him to Ojisan's place because it was close by. And sure, might have been a dumb decision but it doesn't matter anymore since he's alive and well and whatnot."

Jyushimatsu wanted to retort back on his younger brother's comment about the stranger's well-being, but decided it would be best to continue listening. As Todomatsu begrudgingly spoke, Jyushimatsu noticed that the younger seemed to grow more uncomfortable. Todomatsu tightened his arms closer to his chest; a hand fiddling with the turtleneck of his jacket.

"Plus… Plus I was also drunk. And I didn't want to be questioned by any doctors. If I called the police they would have thought I had something to do with this since he looks like me. It would be all so annoying but I couldn't just leave him there."

Todomatsu didn't say anything else.

"And?" Karamatsu asked, wanting to hear more.

Todomatsu rolled his eyes. "And that's it. Ojisan took care of him for the next couple days until you guys rudely showed up."

The three older brothers looked at Todomatsu, and then to each other not quite sure what to say about what they had heard. Ichimatsu turned back with skepticism.

"Is that what really happened?"

For but a brief moment, Todomatsu just stared at them. He then spoke with a serious look on his face.

"….Yes. What I've said is what I remember from that night."

Todomatsu finally relaxed his shoulders, dropping his arms and shoving them into his pockets. He then gave a long winded sigh as if he had just dealt with an annoying chore.

"I still don't believe he's our Osomatsu. That's also why I didn't say anything to you all."

Karamatsu continued surveying him questioningly. "But you still helped him?"

The latter shrugged.

"Like what you said. He looks like Osomatsu. That's pretty much the only reason why I bothered. But once he gets better, I'm forgetting about this incident. I don't want anything to do with him and you should all do the same."

"But he has amnesia," Jyushimatsu remarked. "What if he gets his memory back and he actually is-"

"He's not."

Ichimatsu raised an eyebrow at the boy's adamant reply. "How are you so sure?"

Todomatsu scanned each of his brothers one by one. His eyes devoid of any amusement, glaring. He specifically held his eyes at Karamatsu.
"Because he's gone," he answered matter-of-factly. "Some of you morons still haven't accepted that fact."

Feeling the directed anger towards him, Karamatsu spoke out.

"But we don't know that! They never found-"

"REGARDLESS," Todomatsu interrupted before Karamatsu could finish his statement. "Our Osomatsu Nii-chan is dead."

Despite all of these years, the brothers still stiffened at the way Todomatsu said those words with such ease and confidence.

Despite being the shortest of the two, Karamatsu felt Todomatsu looking down at him condescendingly.

"You expect something good to happen with all of this don't you?" Todomatsu whispered into his ear. "A happily ever after correct?"

Karamatsu flinched slightly at the question which unfortunately didn't go unnoticed by the younger.

"Don't be so stupidly naive you useless dolt."

Todomatsu then suddenly turned his heels away from the others; rubbing his arms together as he shivered.

"Shit, it's cold!" He complained before pulling something out of his pocket and throwing it to Karamatsu. "Anyyyyyways, here."

Karamatsu, slightly caught off guard, fumbled as he caught the object in his hands.

It was Iyami's wallet.

"I spent all the money on supplies for that clone," Todomatsu said. "But I'm assuming we're not gonna speak to anyone outside this group so I guess you can tell Iyami I spent it on beer and cigarettes."

Todomatsu started casually walking away, prompting Ichimatsu to yell out. "And where are you going now?"

"Hatabo's," the brother answered simply.

Karamatsu's anger seemed to return looking at the empty wallet, shouting back at the fifth son. "Absolutely not! I said it before, and I meant it. You are coming home with us! It's time Choromatsu and I had a serious conversation with yo-"

"Ah! Speaking of…"

Todomatsu strode back to the group, arms crossed behind his back with an unreadable smile.

"It should be obvious that calling our dear Mummy and Daddy while they're on their trip and telling them all about this wouldn't be a smart decision, would it?"

Everyone's eyes widened.

That's right. How could they forget?

The possibility of a stranger being their long lost, dead older brother was one thing. It's another thing about how they should go about this entire situation to their parents especially.

"I mean," Todomatsu smirked at his brothers' sudden realization. "After all these years, poor frail Mom is finally getting better. Moving on to enjoy herself for once. We certainly wouldn't want to ruin all that progress now would we?"

The youngest son then pulled out his cellphone and tapped to the Contacts Menu. A wide, wicked smile grew on Todomatsu's face as he showed everyone Choromatsu's name and number on the screen.

"Choromatsu Nii-san however… Now that's a different story~"