I was supposed to go in a different direction with this chapter, but to be honest I got distracted by Giroro.

I guess since Giroro has such a lot of screen time maybe I should add him to the main characters too? Giroro took over.

The Hinata House never made him feel trapped, and that's why Garuru knew he had a privilege over the other patients. He adhered to a strict schedule but it was never as restrictive as the patients lives. After all he was a staff member.

"Did you hear what happened to Fuyuki?" Pururu said in a whisper. She was his co-worker, the one he trusted the most out of the entire hospital. She worked the most closely to the rest of group A after all.

"He's in the hospital wing up on the third floor, right? He was beaten to near death." Garuru stated, hissing a little. "We as staff really failed our jobs if we neglected to contain a dangerous patient. Fuyuki shouldn't have been hurt."

Pururu nodded as the two spoke quietly in a whisper in the break room. Other therapists glanced over to the two gossiping co-workers.

The case of Fuyuki Hinata had been the subject of many rumors for them. They were all worried if he would make a recovery, but also gossiped of exciting new details of the fight. Facts remained that Momoka had also played a key role in the fight, having ended in herself but there was nothing they could really do about that. It wasn't like they could restrict her privileges.

"I just wish we didn't have to deal with these dangerous mental patients so much." Someone else sighed- a staff member named Doctor Therapist.
"If you didn't want to deal with them why'd you go into the job?" Pururu asked confused. Was it because of the person's name.

"Nah, I don't have problems dealing with some of the cases. Druggies that Dororo fellow are things that I've trained for. People who honestly want are help and will talk to us like Keroro are something to be admired, but the dangerous cases...I mean the ones who have killed." The therapist shuddered, "They shouldn't be here."

"Where else would you put them?" Garuru said curtly. He of course was a bit defensive of this subject since Giroro had ended up in the hospital when he had snapped and killed an elderly lady accidentally.

"The streets if they have no money for one." The therapist decided, "They can die like rats. But the safest place for them would probably be jail. That's where they should be. It's just that the dang court of law ruled that if they're 'insane' or a minor they have to go here for treatment instead."

"But that's a good thing!" Another therapist pointed out, "After all the more patients we have the more funding and money. And the better we can fund our scientific endeavors. Science is expensive and its nice to have money to back things up." And the country didn't want to deal with these mental patients either and was happy to offer up a lot of money to whatever institution held them.

Other therapists and staff members eagerly nodded in the lounge. Their eyes sparkled with the desire of money, after all their pay was very good.

"I know, I know." Doctor therapist smiled, "Money is important. But do we really have to hold patients like Giroro to get money? I mean he's about as dangerous as Yanda! Who's to say he won't snap and try to kill somebody?"

Murmurs went through the crowd. None of the therapists besides Garuru and Pururu really liked Giroro.

"He won't." Garuru crossed his arms. "I have faith in him." He glared at his co-workers. Nobody would diss his brother. Nobody. "And he's improving."

"Yeah! We became therapists to help!" Pururu chanted. Garuru glanced at her- well his reasons for working at the Hinata House were a lot more selfish, he had gone to school and learned these skills only for Giroro's sake, but she honestly did this work because she enjoyed it and it was her passion. "Don't you believe that even the dangerous cases can get better? Can improve?"

There were mutters and gossip around the crowd of staff members as they talked about their cases. "Not the Nishizawa girl. Her lawyers don't even want to believe there's a problem. Although the court has ordered that she remains here for life, they're trying to swing only a few years." One of the therapists pointed out. "We all know she's not going to get better though."

"And the Hinata boy's treatment plan says he'll take five to ten years before he's cured." Another added on.

"Tamama's childish and won't do his treatment and take pills. He'll probably be here for life too. Not like it matters for him, he's got no education, nothing he aspires to be. He'd probably end up dead on the street anyway."

"Who knows about Keroro? He's been discharged several times but keeps coming back. He'll just lie about how much treatment is helping him." Another sighed. They sounded like they actually did care about Keroro's well being since he wasn't dangerous and was friendly.

"Dororo's not going to quit drugs. Let's be real. He's here for life too." Another person laughed.

"I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to do with Koyuki! She still climbs on ceilings." Koyuki was an odd case of them trying to reintegrate her, not treat an illness.

"Same with Angol Mois, she's here for life. Even if she realizes she's not an alien she's still killed before. And she's so weird that she makes me doubt my sense of reality!" Someone else pointed out.

A hush fell over everyone for a moment. "And we of course know there's no hope for that fellow on the fourth floor. We don't even want to cure him. Just keep the rest of us safe."

"But you have to keep trying! For everyone's sakes!" Pururu tried to plead.

"Who cares about their sakes? We all know why we're here. The good pay, and the license to practice our experiments that would take too much money elsewhere." People frowned at Pururu. "Don't be all righteous. Nobody cares about any of the patients here."

Pururu frowned.

"I know you're different." Pururu said when she and Garuru were alone. "You don't have a selfish reason to be here like those other staff members."

"But I do." Garuru insisted. "Giroro is my reason. And I don't care what the therapists think he's doing better. He will do well. I will protect him."

Pururu frowned.

"...And if I happen to rise in the ranks, change the system from the inside to help Giroro, then so be it. I'll just have to help all the patients then so I can finally help him." Garuru explained.

Pururu smiled. "Thank god. I thought the only person who agreed with my mentality that we're here to help the patients and not for selfish reasons was Sai. And she's a little...Well meaning but incompetent." Pururu didn't want to be like that.

Garuru smiled at Pururu. "I'm not like them. Don't worry, I'm disgusted by our co-workers behavior as well. Our bosses only have one goal in mind and it's not to heal anybody. But I will change that."

"And I'll follow you the entire way. I'll stay by your side. Even if it's for one person's sake I'll be there to support you." Pururu promised.

Garuru smiled. "Thank you. Oddly enough it's nice to have someone I can rely on and trust."

He remembered the day long ago. He hadn't felt guilty then Giroro had been five when his parents had announced that they were getting a divorce.

"Your mother will be going back to her home country." Giroro's dad told Garuru bluntly. "And we've made a deal that we'll each have custody of one child. Since you're the eldest Garuru you'll get to decide who you wish to stay with."

Garuru tried to be mature and rational about this decision. "My father of course." He spoke up, "After all Giroro needs a mother in his life. He's younger than me."

Giroro looked up at his older brother worriedly. Their mother looked hurt. "B-but Garuru! We were going to be so happy together!" Her face crumpled in despair that she had been just cast aside. Apparently she was the one who had wanted Garuru.

Garuru slowly realized that they were letting him decide because they had both wanted him and Giroro was the extra.

"Brother! I don't want to be without you!" Giroro hugged his brother. Garuru and Giroro were closer than siblings usually were- Giroro idolized him and Garuru loved and protected him. There was a special bond between the two.

"You won't be. You can write to me all the time. It'll be fine." Garuru had to put on a strong face even though their parents were getting a divorce.

When things were sorted out and his mother dragged Giroro away, Garuru didn't know it would be the last he saw of Giroro for years.

He didn't realize that the letters Giroro sent every month- scrambled letters with odd and almost bad sort of poetry, always started their sentences with the letters 'H, E, L, P.' He never realized the signs that Giroro was trying to subtly escape.

He never heard of how Giroro was doing until ten years later.

"Your brother went off and joined the army." His now alcoholic father told him, depressed from the divorce and never having gotten over it. Garuru had always thought he had made the right choice to stay with his father, his father needed him after all. He needed to be the adult in this situation.

"What? But he's only fifteen!" Garuru stood up. The military was dangerous, Giroro could be killed.

"It was probably to get away from your mother." His father told him, dismissively. "She always had a violent streak. I wouldn't be surprised if Giroro and her weren't getting along."

Garuru felt rage inside of him. "If she was violent—and I never knew, why'd you give me the choice to stay with her all that time ago? Wouldn't I have risked getting hurt?" Or had his father thought he could defend himself.

"She wouldn't have hurt you." He said softly. "You were her pride and joy."

"But what about Giroro...?" Garuru asked, terrified. He hadn't seen his brother in so long but he still thought of him, showing his friends little baby pictures of his precious brother so far away. He was always a child in his mind- he had never seen him grow up after all.

"Giroro's fifteen now. He can make his own choices." Garuru's dad told him, flipping through a newspaper. He obviously was saying something had happened.

And Garuru realized it was his fault for not preventing it. That was when the guilt started.

The next time he heard about Giroro was years later.

"He lost an eye, you know." Garuru's father told him.

"Who did?" Garuru asked.

"Your brother. Shrapnel from a bomb hit it. He's lucky he only lost the eye. I heard in a letter from your mom that he was discharged. Had enough money to leave the country and ran off again, but was a little worse for wear. Not sure what being on the front lines does to a person. Maybe he'll visit now that he's coming back to Japan?" Garuru's dad said hopefully.

Garuru couldn't process the horror that his father was telling him in that chipper tone.

The next time Giroro's name was mentioned was when he actually saw him- contained and more adult than ever before in the Hinata House. He was behind a glass window and Garuru and his father weren't allowed to talk to him but they could see him as staff tried to dose him full of drugs to get him to stop struggling.

"He killed someone." Garuru's father whispered. "Your brother is going to have to stay here until he's better. Doctors say that will be never."

Garuru touched the one-way window. Giroro couldn't see him. For the first time in a long time, Garuru cried.

He had waited to long to help Giroro. And now the damage was done. "He will get better." Garuru promised.

Giroro's life had been ruined because of him. His decisions, his lack of action. But now was the time to put his life on hold and help him. "He...He looks so much older. He's grown so much." Garuru tried to sniffle.

He wasn't a child anymore. But he still needed Garuru. "I'll become a doctor. And I'll go in there and help him."

Giroro's father looked shocked. "But, you've got a nice paying job already!"

"Nobody can stop me this time. My life is going to be for Giroro. He's my brother, and I will do exactly what an older brother should do and protect him." Garuru vowed.

He'd be in the Hinata House soon enough. And he'd be there for Giroro.

Learning about the Hinata house more and more of course disappointed Garuru. The therapists and staff were selfish and Giroro wasn't getting the treatment he desperately needed. But Garuru was still happy to exist for Giroro, to help Giroro.

"I was wondering if we could eat dinner together." Garuru sat down in front of Giroro. He wasn't occupied by that Fuyuki boy so now he could spring his chance to have some bonding time.

Giroro looked glum. His face had a big bruise on it.

"Giroro, what happened? Are you okay?" Garuru asked concerned, "Did you get in a fight with one of the other patients?"

"Natsumi found out about what happened to Fuyuki." He said glumly. "She asked me why I didn't protect him. She was angry and hurt and crying and I...I tried to comfort her, but she wouldn't hear it. The damage was done." Giroro admitted.

"A visitor slapped you? Her privileges to visit should be revoked-" Garuru wasn't going to let Giroro get hurt.

"Don't do that. It wasn't her fault. It was mine for not protecting him more." Garuru could hear the guilt in Giroro's voice. It was similar to his guilt.

He didn't want that to be a burden for Giroro to bare. Giroro should have just been thinking about his health. Not others.

"What she thinks shouldn't matter. Your health matters." Garuru advised him.

"But she's Natsumi! I...I want her to trust me!" Giroro admitted. Garuru could see a hint of a blush on Giroro's cheeks. He could tell that Giroro liked this girl.

He's not ready to have crushes like that on people. He needs to be focusing on his own mental health, not trying to impress some girl. I don't want him to get into a bad situation where he exists only for her and can be easily abused again by someone. Giroro had to much pain in his life, and if he became dependent on someone it was sure to blow up in his face. Garuru put his hand on his brother's.

"Giroro, trust me when I tell you this, females and dating shouldn't be a concern to you at the moment. What should matter is your health, your mental health and safety. Getting better." Garuru told him.

"I am getting better! And it's thanks to Natsumi! I just want to give her something back, to make her feel like I'm important to her too!" Giroro admitted, "But I screwed that up. I couldn't protect the one thing she tasked me with protecting."

"Giroro, put her out of your head. Keep your mind focused on the mission, the job." Garuru nodded.

Giroro scoffed, "I bet you have time for dating and girls. Because you're normal and healthy. Because you have freedom to be out of here."

Garuru felt guilty again. "Giroro, I'm here for you and only you. You're the only one I care about. And I don't have time for any of that, because I'm focused on you- like you should be!" It was a lie of course, Garuru did have time for that, but Giroro didn't need to know that. It would just make Giroro feel worse if he knew Garuru had a social life and was enjoying the things that he wanted and couldn't have.

"I never asked you to put your life on hold for me!" Giroro lashed out angrily, "You can date, you can be in love with people. Just, let me too?"

Garuru didn't know if that was a good idea. He stood up wondering if he had just aggravated Giroro and if it was time to leave.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out." Giroro realized. "T-thank you for always supporting me. It's just..." I'm really happy to have met Natsumi. I want her in my life too. I want what a normal person can have. "I'll try to focus more on me, just like you have been. I'm sure Natsumi would think that's for the best too. Thank you for always having faith in me, brother."

Garuru smiled and nodded. He loved when Giroro called him brother. "Any time."

He'd have to deal with that Natsumi issue later. He ruffled Giroro's hair before he left, smiling at his younger brother.

There wasn't a single therapist that Giroro trusted in this place besides his brother and maybe Pururu who was a little older than him, but Fuyuki still thought they had been childhood friends or something.

Giroro knew they all didn't believe in him. But if Garuru believed in him, was there for only him, was putting the rest of his life on hold and struggling just as much as Giroro was, that was enough.

It was 8:45, just when Garuru was supposed to be heading home. Giroro was supposed to be heading off to collective therapy but he decided to thank Garuru yet again for struggling with him, even though his own mental issues weren't Garuru's problems.

He went to Garuru's office and didn't bother to knock on the door. He heard Garuru's voice from inside after all.

The door swung open and he saw Pururu entangled with Garuru, her arms draped over his shoulders, heavily making out with him.

Giroro's jaw dropped open for a second. "So, who said they didn't have time for dating?"

Garuru hurriedly put his shirt back on. Pururu blushed and buttoned up her own blouse shoving Garuru away. "G-giroro! Why didn't you knock? Oh geez, you shouldn't have seen that."

"We were off the clock anyway. It's okay." Garuru rolled his eyes. What really worried him though was how hurt- and betrayed Giroro looked.

He had betrayed him. He was showing Giroro that unlike him, he had freedom, freedom to be with the person he loved, freedom to make out with someone, all sorts of freedom. Not only that but he was showing Giroro that he was there for someone other than him. That his reasoning for being in the Hinata House wasn't entirely for Giroro.

It hadn't started that way, but Pururu's ideals had grown on him and they had fallen in love while working together. Eventually they had started dating and even moved in with each other- something that he had procrastinated on telling his own brother because he didn't want to damage Giroro's relationship with Pururu.

He thought Giroro trusting Pururu was an important part of his healing process.

"I...I was going to tell you eventually." Garuru lied.

Giroro turned away. "I see. So you're allowed to care about people but I'm not. I guess it's because I'm not normal or something am I? And you don't have any faith that I've made improvements."

"It's not that-" Garuru said desperately.

But Giroro walked away. "Go home to your life of freedom. You can do anything you want." His voice was bitter, because he knew he wasn't.

"You can too." Pururu tried to tell him.

"Sure I can. We all know that we're prisoners in the Hinata House." Giroro grunted. "Why else would there be so many creepy rules? Schedules? This is a prison, not a healing place."

Pururu and Garuru didn't know what to say.

It was true.

And Giroro walked away, knowing full well he was a prisoner. There was no way he could even pretend that he wasn't.

Nobody's looking out for me, but me. He realized. After all Garuru was here to kiss his girlfriend.

He was alone.

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