Chapter Two
Wataru woke up to another beautiful morning with sun shining bright through his window, but for the first time since coming to Welcome House, he really didn't want to get up at all. He found himself wishing to be able to turn himself over and bury his face in his pillow but could not. His whole body ached in pain causing, with just the slightest movement, pain he had never previously known.
He looked groggily up at the clock on the wall and wished he had enough strength to thrown his pillow over and knock it down. It sat there taunting him telling him it was time to get up.
He could hear footsteps outside his door. How could the girls be up and ready while he alone was in a state like this, he thought.
There was a soft knock on his door and a sweet voice calling out to him. A angelic voice, he thought to himself.
"Aniue-sama, are you getting up soon?"
It was Marie. Bless her, he thought, but he was far beyond to ability to even support himself on his own by this point.
"In a minute..."
Curse him, why did he say that? That wasn't what he wanted to say. As he could hear Marie walk off, Wataru continued to curse and wonder how such words crawled forth and spill from with mouth when he really wanted to say was, "No! Leave me alone! I want to sleep today! You can't make me!" So how did, 'in a minute...,' come out?
Wataru groaned and sat himself up and let his eyes wonder over the room. Nothing special, the same ol' room that it has always been. It was kinda funny actually, he quickly realized that he didn't have memory of undressing and getting ready for bed. Stairs, check; door, check; undressing – nope. But he did have a memory of how glorious it felt to finally collapse on his bed. Oh glorious sleep!
What a minute... actually, there was something different. Wataru looked over and saw that his chair was moved closer to the door. Funny, there was something on the chair too.
Wataru got up with the painful grunts of a old man and tottered to the chair. Sitting on the chair was a jersey. Wataru picked up the jersey and let it drop and be shown in full. It was a soccer jersey, sky blue with a white bend diagonally on the chest. Over the blue and the white slash was the words, WELCOME HOUSE in thick bold lettering. Underneath the jersey were white shorts and a matching tracksuit. Wataru's body was sore but he was able to carefully remove his pajamas and replace them with the outfit that Sakuya had ordered the day before.
Wataru smiled as his memory from the day before slowly returned. He now remembered how the group decided to have Sakuya go to the shops and try to buy outfits that could be used for their uniforms. She came back a couple of hours later saying that it was done and they would be done by the morning. She had truly done a wonderful job, they looked amazing. Wataru stood and was admired, not by himself but by the outfit. It surely must have cost a lot of money for something like this to be made so soon.
Wataru left his room and slowly headed towards the stairs, trying to peak down before anyone could see him. It was loud again this morning but more unison than usual. He peaked down and could see his little sisters hard in concentration as they continued to practice their cheering from yesterday.
Marie sat on the end wearing a sky blue shirt also with WELCOME HOUSE stitched on the chest. To complete the outfit, she was wearing a long white skirt. Aria stood lazily near with her umbrella wearing something entirely different. Instead, Aria wore one of her typical puffy French dresses in matching blue but modified to also include the house name. Next to Aria was Kaho and Hinako wearing more traditional cheerleading outfits that matched Wataru's uniform.
Wataru took a deep breath and started down the steps to the dining room. As he got nearer, none of the girls practicing seem to notice him. Chikage stood at her typical spot in front of the door wearing a tracksuit matching Wataru's. Wataru stopped at her, smiled and exchange greetings.
Peeking over Chikage's shoulder, Wataru could see the rest of his sisters sitting around the table at their seats all in matching outfits too.
All at once Wataru was hit with a wall of greetings. Each of the little sister shouted out their good mornings at the same time.
Wataru was weakened and found that he was unable to say anything but a very soft, "Good morning everybody."
His body felt heavy with exhaustion as he loft his body over to his chair and plopped himself down. His mind was numb and he dreaded the match to come. He was scared and wanted nothing more than to shout and scream the fatigue away. He had to get better, he just had too. There was only a few hours left to make sure that Mamoru won that prize.
Wataru sat and stared dumbly as the kitchen swung open and a small girl appeared pulling a long metal cart with plates and food on it. The girl wore black ribbons in her dark violet hair and another matching tracksuit. Wataru found himself unable to recall the name of this girl which only scared him more.
"Today for breakfast, we have the Shirayuki Special, Win-Win Omelets!"
Shirayuki traveled around the table handing out dish after dish. Wataru could only give a faint smile and a thank you as she delivered his.
Looking down, he felt better. It was as if the aroma alone of the omelet was hugging his insides, rejuvenating him, bringing him back to life. The dish in front of him was surely a Shirayuki Special after all. It smelt and looked divinely. The rice, mushrooms, peppers and onions inside looked perfectly cooked. Not to long, not to brief. The egg folded over like a perfectly yellow blanket looked amazing. Altogether, with the ketchup on top, the omelet might as well spelt out, "Eat Me! Eat Me!" not "Win-Win!"
Wataru felt a rush of his systems. If his arms weren't completely numb with exhaustion, he would of dug into his omelet and finish it before Shirayuki could even finish passing out the rest. He sat down, looking at it wondering if he would be reprimanded for just shoving his face into it and eating it like a pig.
After Wataru somehow found strength enough to eat it properly and gulp it down with a nice glass of orange juice, he excused himself and went to wash up.
He had decided that now all he needed was the fresh summer air breezing bustling around him and he should be fine. He stalked his way outside of the house and onto the make shift practice field that the siblings made the day prior. Orange cones littered the field as tools to practice agility and control. The net sitting there with it's big dumb mouth open taunting him.
Slowly, the little sisters came out one after another, sometimes in bunches passing him as he laid sprawled out on a pool chair.
Rinrin, Karen and Sakuya stopped at his chair and looked at him with approving smiles. You better be proud of me, he thought as he looked up at the three and heard a forth hopping along behind him, probably Hinako.
"Is aniki tried?"
"You look beat, onii-chan..."
"I'm fine. I just need to rest some more that's all. I will be ready don't worry about me."
"You know... if you could of gave me a little grant money, I could of whipped up a defender for us that no one could get pass."
Wataru just looked up skeptically before shrugging it off as a clever hint for more research money.
He was too tired to worry about anything. His mind was already reeling with fear that he might fail his little sisters on a day with a big competition just ahead. Looking up at those three worried faces only troubled him more.
The girls twisted their faces into the worst and most monstrous faces he had ever seen. Chewing their bottom lips and pleading with the eyes that seemed to be on the verge of tears, it was horrible.
But it was this image of troubled little sisters that finally recharged him. Looking at such despair was driving him mad. He could feel his minuscule muscles tighten and flex. He had finally lost control. His physical condition didn't matter anymore. Seeing his sisters so distraught was worse than any nightmares he had ever had. Hell or high water, Wataru was going to pull himself up and charge that field no matter what. It will be over his dead body that Welcome House was going to lose this game.
Wataru jumped forward and threw his arms over his head. While seconds before he was on the verge of collapse, he was now ready and preparing himself by stretching his arms and running in place. It was only after the girls charged ahead of him on his command and he snaked his arm behind his back and smoothed his lower back.
That morning, with just hours before the big match, was spent running drills and stretching themselves. Yotsuba burst on the field with surprising agility and ball handling. Watching her and Haruka pass the ball and tackle reinjuvenated him only more. All of his little sisters had shown a surprising adaptation and skill in soccer. It was no longer a matter of trying to trick his mind into believing they would win but a genuine belief. With every pass and cross, his amazement in Karen, Sakuya, Chikage and the others only increased tenfold. Who would of thought that Sakuya or Chikage of all people would be as amazing as they were.
The clock ticked down and the siblings found themselves traveling to the match field in no time, with their nerves and butterflies turning their insides upside down. Wataru found himself at the end of the precession and never closer to running away. As goal keeper, he felt the weight of the outcome resting on his shoulders. It was up to him.
Upon arriving, the Welcome House team slowly marched onto the large regulation field and lined up with the rival team, a team of people that they saw often at school or around the island.
They played the National Anthem and the teams walked past shaking each other's hands. Wataru jogged back to the net nearest him and looked out into the center of the pitch. He also watched as his hand twitched nervously, anxiously awaiting for this match to get over already.
In a vain hope, Wataru turned to look at the little sisters sitting on the sidelines. If anything, that just made his worries worse. Seeing Kaho and Hinako jumping up and down, cheering for him made his fear of disappointing them grow. He thought of all the times Kaho or any of the other sisters strove for the best and put their everything in something just to make him even more prouder of them.
It was a moment of quiet reflection that shook him to his very bones.
The whistle blew and Wataru shifted his attention forward. For the next forty minutes, Wataru would place all of his attention to the game and watched intently as his imoutos crisscrossed the field. Not that he really had to focus too much. The ball hardly ever got as far as to him. He was able to stop just one goal attempt, one that's all. Other than that, his little sisters were able to stop every attempt in it's tracks. Haruka had a amazing sense of protection and charged ahead at the ball with such ferocity, it made him glad to be on her team. After the ball was forced out and a corner kick was given, Haruka would give a loud yell and throw herself at the ball.
Yotsuba was also amazing, if not better. On the pitch, she was much more quieter than anyone else but she displayed a cockiness that Wataru had never seen in her before. She astonished Wataru with the simple ease that she showed when slipping the ball away from the offense. Her technical skills were equally amazing. She blazingly showed off in front of her opponents with her flawless tricks. Matthew's trick, Marseille's turns, feints, it didn't matter. Yotsuba had them all mastered and could easily pull any number out and leave her opponents behind and quite blown away. With the two of them, Wataru felt invincible.
With only five minutes left in the first half and many corners, the Welcome House team found Shirayuki accidentally tripping up a opponent. After a bit on the ground, rubbing his calf, the tall man with the black flock haircut rose himself up and took his position.
A penalty kick was given. Shirayuki looked devastated and it broke Wataru's heart seeing her like that. A couple of her sisters ran to the referee to help argue for her case as Shirayuki herself stood off to the side. Wataru didn't care about the foul or the fact that Shirayuki even went and got a yellow card, all he cared about was how down she looked and trying to think of something he could do to raise her spirits.
The islander that they had all seen around town on numerous occasions stood in front of Wataru, not even looking at him. He glared down at the ball and breathed slowly. He ran forward and gave a shift kick to the right. Reading it wrong, Wataru jumped left. All of the members of the Welcome House team was hit with the sudden grief of finding themselves suddenly down by one with only a few minutes left before halftime.
The Welcome Team wouldn't go on to score. It wasn't anybody's fault especially Yamada's, who seemed to trip up on his self every time he got the ball, costing them the possession. The team was exhausted and their opponents were just to good at holding them off.
The team marched off the field to regroup. Hinako, Kaho, Aria, Marie and even Michael jumped at the chance to compliment their siblings, particularly their big brother for the hard work put in.
Since Yamada had appointed himself the team coach, he had charged ahead and tried to give the inspirational speeches given by all the great coaches. Yamada spewed nonsense as the siblings heaved and drowned themselves in bottled water.
Yamada gave some good points about teamwork and clearing your mind but it was actually the least important thing within the huddle. The real focus was Shirayuki. Karen, Mamoru and the others tried cheering up Shirayuki about her yellow card. Even Wataru pitched in with compliments as he sat there with his arms full with Michael's head on his lap begging to be petted, Kaho in one arm and his water in another.
Time today seemed to whiz by for all of them and before they knew it, halftime was over and the Welcome House team found themselves coming back onto the field.
The second half was no different than the first other than the teams were more tired. Luckily, no one got injured, which was a godsend since the Welcome House didn't have any substitutes.
The opposing team continued their onslaught, never letting up on the Welcome House. They ended up scoring again early in the second period and was able to keep it that way for most of the game.
With a score of 2-0, Welcome House seemed doomed. The little sisters ran up and down the pitch running their hearts out trying to do their best to score, always seeming just out of grasp but never coming. The Welcome House team went up to the 85th minute before finally scoring.
Mamoru took her position at the right corner. Twirling the ball over, Mamoru took a few steps back and eyed the field. She let out a shallow breath and charged forward. Pulling all her strength into her legs, Mamoru left forth a strong right kick letting the ball soar through the air.
Karen was seemingly right underneath the ball but no matter how hard she tried to jump up and knock it into the back of the net, she couldn't. There was a taller girl in front of her who was able to get to it with greater ease.
Chikage was posted a bit away and was able to pick it from someone in front on her. Sakuya was running parallel to her and a little ahead. Chikage passed the ball perfectly to her sister. Sakuya looked up and down trying to avoid the opponents charging forward her. There was a small opening just a small one but one big enough that she could attempt to squeeze in. From the time that Mamoru's kick from the corner to Sakuya now charging through her opening seemed like only seconds.
Sweat was beading down the faces of Mami, Karen and the others, watching in awe as Sakuya snaked through her flank and kicked the ball. The goalie's fingers inched closer to the ball as he dived but was unable to knock it out. Sakuya had scored the first goal in the game for the Welcome House team, immediately sending a electrifying current through the team. Yamada took no time to rush towards and congratulate Sakuya on her goal. The smile on his face was as big as it would of been if he had been the one to score. Yamada also wasted no time to take credit for the score via his halftime speech that no one listened to. Sakuya gave a little coy smile but continued to celebrate with her sisters.
Marie, Michael, Hinako, Aria and Kaho jumped excitingly at the goal. For the first time in the match there team had been hoisted into a position to win and it had no doubt been done on the shoulders of the cheerleaders.
Wataru felt some weight just fall from his shoulders. He was hitting himself for allowing two scores already and glad to know that while the time must be close to ending, they may still have a chance yet.
And so it was. Sakuya's score seemed to lead to a completely new team. The opponents of Welcome House couldn't keep up. At one point, one seemed to trip over and practically gave the ball away to Karen.
Karen ran hard along side. She moved closer and closer to the middle trying and praying that she could trust her own timing and sent the ball towards to Mamoru. After a short pray, Karen sent the ball soaring. Mamoru was just onsides when she head butted the ball in.
Welcome House by some amazing feat rose up from 2-0 in less than 5 minutes to tie the game. Wataru jumped up and down cheering and yelling. In the back of his mind, he knew that it was probably impossible to score another goal but he knew they now had the game clinched. There was absolutely no way they would lose now.
Wataru was right, neither the Welcome House team nor their opponents went on to score for the remaining time. Nor the first round of extra time, nor the second. Welcome House and the team of assorted islanders and played well and successful at making sure neither of each other could win. It was now down to penalty kicks.
The teams lined up and Wataru felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He couldn't explain it but he suddenly was hit with the terrible fear that maybe they could lose. He closed his eyes and tried to shake the fear from his mind.
Wataru missed and the opposing player scored.
Yotsuba scored.
Wataru missed and the opposing player scored.
Karen scored.
Wataru missed again and allowed another goal.
Mamoru scored again.
The ball just flew by Wataru, another score for the opposing team.
Chikage scored.
Wataru missed, another score for them.
Sakuya scored again.
Wataru missed again and cursed himself accordingly.
Mami scored.
Wataru missed and he hung his head as he knew now it was up to just Yamada.
Yamada was blocked.
Wataru stood there with his mouth open. The team in front of him jumped and celebrated and ran around overjoyed that in disbelief that they actually did win the first annual tournament.
Wataru could feel the tears being to well up but did his best not too. All he could think or say was one thing, "It can't be true..."
Some of the players in front of him tried to comfort him. Wataru, too much in a daze didn't see nor hear them.
"Sorry, but you and your cute little sisters always have next year, dude."
The player ran off and continued to celebrate with his team. The whooping and hollering ended up fading out. Wataru no longer could bear it. He just stood there like a lump, not saying anything or moving at all. He didn't know it at the time but all of his grave looking little sisters circled around him. They all looked devastated.
It as if black clouds or some spreading black aura had suddenly appeared on the pitch. One by one, all of Wataru's little sisters turned to look at him and suddenly grew more devastated at his sight. He looked so heartbroken, it was as if some sharp daggers began to stab at them continuously, carving into their chests to pull out their very hearts.
Mamoru smiled as she rushed forward Wataru. She seemed to be the only one to be oblivious to his disappointment. She ran to him nonetheless and threw her arms around him hugging tight.
Wataru looked down at her. If she was saying something, he couldn't hear it. He could hardly even see her. The world through his eyes was a dark haze shifting to and fro, was she smiling?
"Oh, Anii, thank you, thank you, thank you! That was so much fun! Oh... we are definitely going to win next year for sure! Come on! Why do you look so down?"
The lifeless body once named Wataru just kept looking down at his beautiful imouto and just shook his head.
I wasn't too long before Kaho and Hinako charged up behind him joining Mamoru in her cheers and joy as the rest of the team slowly surrounded Wataru.
"Come on, an-chan, you did your best..."
"Yeah, onii-chama! Kaho thought you were great!"
Karen chewed on her bottom lip and drew up a deep breath, "Next year, we are going to win for sure! We will practice all year round if we have to but we are definitely going to win this tournament for Onii-chan and Mamoru next year!"
All the girls cheered and Michael barked proudly but Wataru still stood there in his own world. All he wanted was to win this stupid tournament for Mamoru and for what? To fail? It was all his fault. If he was quicker and more balanced, he would of been able to stop those goals, he knew he would but no, he just kept letting them go by one after another.
Aria marched to Wataru's side and looped her arm through his arm and looked up, "Nii-ya? Nii-ya?"
Mamoru marched up on to the other side of Wataru and looped her arm around his other arm, "Come on, Anii, let's go home!"
Wataru still seemed to be completely devoid of life but slowly turned himself around and marched his way off the pitch. The other girls formed a semi-circle behind him and headed back to their home, their Welcome House.
Wataru and the girls walked past the large escalator running through the middle of the town and made there way back up to their home in the large train engine they had won months back. They all fiddled with their large individual second prize statues as they complimented each other, chugging along the way.
"I think tonight I'm going to make a Shirayuki Special to warm our bodies and spirits!"
"Come on, Aniki, you haven't said anything since the match, cheer up!"
"Yeah Onii-chan, we all tried our best and that's all that matters."
"I think something is seriously wrong with Ani-chama..."
"There is always next year Aniue-sama..."
"Warf, warf!"
The brown haired boy and his thirteen little sisters trudged out of the train and headed forward through the long path lined with their cherished cherry blossom trees before finally passing through the large and daunting gates of Welcome House.
Suddenly, Wataru jumped back with loud shriek. Standing in front of him, nose to nose was a large wooden crate. Wataru had sudden flashbacks to the occasion when Hinako couldn't find Mr. Teddy Bear only for him to show up out of nowhere in a similar wooden crate. He also had a sudden remembrance to another similar occurrence, when they won the train from the talent competition. Why was these things always happening to him?
The little sisters let out a chorus of 'ohs' and 'ahs' and they surrounded the large wooden crate. Everyone whispered amongst themselves as to what it could be.
Wataru seemed to be the only one to notice that right in front of him was a note. As the girls pressed their hands to the crate and knocked on it, Wataru reached for the envelope and pulled it off.
Tearing it open, inside he found a brief and simple note:
To the occupants of Welcome House:
Congratulations to all of you for your hard work and determination for the best competition that may ever be played here on the island. For you sudden entrance and amazing performance, we would like to congratulate you with a further prize.
Wataru looked up with a dazed look and a slightly ajar mouth.
A low creak echoed out from the large wooden crate. All heads cocked to their sides in puzzlement as it grew louder and louder.
Everyone's eyes bolted open as they all suddenly felt a strange premonition. Leaping backwards, the large family of Welcome House stared to where the crate stood, daring not to avert their eyes for a single second. All four of the wooden sides (with the top hinged to one of the walls) creaked as they pulled away from each other.
"Onii-chama... it's a boat!"
"What prize, huh, an-chan?"
Standing in front of Wataru and all of his little sisters indeed, stood a small speedboat. Peering inside revealed sitting inside, several skis and what surely must of been fourteen lifejackets.
Everyone's eyes still stood at full attention. Everyone was starting to get familiar with the island and some of the more strange occurrences on the island but this was a new high. No one could of expected to find themselves arriving home only to find a large wooden crate containing a small speedboat.
Hinako rushed forward past Wataru cheering and jumping. She stopped right in front of the boat and jumped on top of a large inflatable laying next to it. It was a shark but the way Hinako was slapping her feet and riding it anyone would of thought it a horse.
Wataru smiled, rubbed the back of his head and simply said, "What a day..."
Wataru was tired and could of keeled over on the spot. His body swayed as he slowly walked back to room.
Shirayuki sure had made quite the meal tonight. He doubted he had ever felt so full in his life. Well, perhaps since the last time he had a Skirayuki Special.
"Onii-tama! Onii-tama!"
Wataru lugged his head up and saw the prettiest little yellow blur running towards him. She seemed to faint at the touch of legs.
"What do you got there Hinako?"
Hinako raised her head and looked up at Wataru. She looked as tired, if not more than Wataru.
"Do you think you could read me a picture book? If Onii-tama reads Hinako a bedtime story and lets her sleep with him, she won't need Mr. Teddy Bear."
Wataru smiled and just shook his head, "Okay, Hinako, come here."
Wataru bent over and could hear loud cracking from his back. He shivered when he realized that it was his back but decided that it was well worth it and continued to pick up Hinako and taking her picture book in his other hand.
Hinako smiled and collapsed her head into the crook of her onii-tama's neck.
It was a fun day and looks like it's going to be great night too. Hinako smiled because she knew that everyday with her onii-tama was a great day and if it was up to her, tomorrow would be too.