~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

A Promise is a Promise

12 YEARS AGO

A certain raven-haired lad grinned as he sneakily approached a seven-year old strawberry-haired girl walking near the giant Sakura Tree in the Palace Gardens. She was obviously looking for someone, made conspicuous of her swishing head going left to right and the young boy seems to have an idea who it was.

"Boo!" Tsubasa screamed.

Thwack!

Misaki scowled at him, her hands on her hips again. "You have to try better than that if you want to scare me, idiot,"

Tsubasa smiled while scratching his battered head.

"Anyway," The small girl started again. "Aunt Hiyori was looking for you. Where have you been all day anyway?"

Tsubasa cocked his head cutely sideward. "Eh? Mom is?" he grinned. "I was all around the Palace, Misaki."

That made Misaki frown. By all around the Palace, it means that her childhood friend was all around the place making trouble of sorts. Both of them sat down under the marvelous tree. It was spring and there's a massive Sakura storm around the place, filling the air with stray cherry blossom petals.

"You," the strawberry-haired lass muttered then sighed. "You shouldn't make any trouble again. That woman might catch you,"

Tsubasa looked at her, her head swung downwards, blocking his view of her eyes. Is she crying again? Because of that incident?

"Eek! Tsubasa! I'm not your pillow, dummy!" Misaki shrieked, trying to peel Tsubasa's head off her lap.

He simply grinned at her and looked at her eyes. "This is great, I can see you eyes now!"

Well that was awkward. Too awkward actually that Misaki blushed, unable to process the information, which ended up with a total stare-off for about a minute until Tsubasa spoke again.

"Misaki," he called as he smiled. "You should stop worrying about what happened weeks ago." he said, referring to that incident. "I'm alright. Besides, I didn't do anything stupid today,"

"Uh-huh,"

"Eh, you don't believe me, do you?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "Fine. I just saw someone arrive a while ago," he grinned. "And they brought lots of baggage! See, no trouble," he assured but Misaki ignored that.

"Did someone from the Royal Family arrive today?" Misaki asked.

Tsubasa just looked at her. Yeah, did someone? He wasn't sure. "I don't know. We have a big family. I don't even know half of them," he said.

"Mmmm,"

"Ah!" Tsubasa sat up suddenly, hitting Misaki's head with his. "Ow!"

"Ouch," Misaki muttered, aiding her forehead. "What was that for?!"

"I'm sorry, Misaki," he apologized as he suddenly kissed her forehead and ran away.

Misaki, disoriented for a moment, called after him. "Tsubasa, dummy! Where are you going?!"

"Mom! You said she was looking for me! Bye Misaki!" he shouted, running away.

Misaki simply sighed.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

"Mom! Mom!" Tsubasa shouted as he excitedly opened the grand doors of their suite. "Mom!"

"Tsubasa," Hiyori scolded. She has the same black hair as her son, cropped short until her shoulders, paired with kind twinkling black eyes. She was beautiful, her features more likely inherited by the little hyper lad. "Don't shout. Mother might hear you," she said gently as she picked her kid up.

The raven-haired lad grinned happily. "Mom," he said. "Misaki said you were looking for me,"

Hiyori smiled as she nodded. "I was. Where have you been?" she asked as she opened the door leading to their little living room.

"I was - " Tsubasa never got to finish his sentence as they entered the room, two strangers looking at them. Both were children, actually.

Tsubasa looked at them and felt something inside him move. Somehow…he feels…close to them? That's weird, Tsubasa thought. He doesn't know either of them nor has he ever met them. One was a boy, probably eleven years old with the same black hair as his but has dark purple orbs aided by a pair of glasses while the other was a little girl. She was sitting on the boy's lap. She has short boy-cut black hair like his as well with brighter glimmering purple orbs. Tsubasa gaped at her. She was so beautiful - looked extremely like Hiyori. Were they siblings?

"Mom," the seven-year old Tsubasa called. "Who are they?"

Hiyori put him down and smiled. "They're your brother and sister, Tsubasa," she said.

"Eh?"

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Siblings? I have siblings?

"They're your brother and sister, Tsubasa,"

Tsubasa looked at both of his supposedly siblings. He's currently sitting on the floor mat, gazing at them as they play in the Gardens. It has been two days since they arrived and never once has he spoken with them.

"Half-siblings, actually," Hiyori explained. "This is your onii-chan, Subaru Imai and this is your imouto or younger sister, Hotaru Imai. Onii-chan is 11 years old, which means that he is three years older okay? And then, Hotaru-chan here is four years old. Be kind to them okay? Tsubasa?" she smiled.

Tsubasa looked at his mother. Siblings? But he was an only child wasn't he? How come? And why do they have different surnames? He was Tsubasa Andou and they were Subaru and Hotaru Imai. How did that happen?

"Mom, how come we have different surnames?" he asked.

Hiyori's smile flickered for a moment. Subaru looked at her expectantly. "You have different daddies." she explained.

Tsubasa looked at his siblings then back to his mom. "Then…who do you love more? Daddy or onii-chan's daddy?"

Hiyori's smile faded altogether and Tsubasa thought he saw his onii-chan's gaze at their mom darken. "I…" she began, trying to smile again. "I love both of your daddies." she smiled again but somehow, Tsubasa was sure it wasn't real.

Subaru sighed. "We're tired. Please send us to our room,"

And that was the last time Tsubasa had been in the same room as them.

The seven-year old lad watched as the four-year old Hotaru laughed while Subaru raised her in the air and spun. He sighed. He was envious. Tsubasa was an only child, at least, until two days ago so he never understood having a brother or a sister. His cousin, Natsume who's also four years old already has a younger sister, Aoi, who's two. He always plays with her. Tsubasa doesn't have anyone like that. Although he has Misaki, it's not the same.

"Who are those?" Tsubasa heard a voice nearby - his grandmother. He tensed.

"Hiyori-hime's son and daughter, Your Highness," someone answered - a lady-in-waiting?

Tsubasa heard his grandmother scoff. "You mean her lovechild with that man?"

"Yes, Your Highness,"

"Despicable. Have them erased from my sight,"

Tsubasa shook and before he knew it, he was already running towards his half-siblings. Subaru looked at him, carrying his sister.

"Onii-chan!" he called. "Onii-chan!"

They remained there. "Tsubasa?" Subaru muttered, still carrying the little Hotaru. "What do you - "

"Onii-chan, quick," he said. Subaru, uncomprehending simply looked at the little lad. "Quick!" he said again.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone is coming. Let's go, come on!" he said as he pushed his half-brother to the direction of the Sakura Tree.

And as if on cue, the three heard a loud voice. "Who's there? Come here!"

Hearing that, Subaru sped up with Tsubasa, behind them, a man chasing after their trail.

"Quick, onii-chan," Tsubasa said. "Climb up,"

"What?"

"Climb up!"

Subaru simply huffed, handed Hotaru to Tsubasa who held her awkwardly and climbed. Once on top, he opened his arms for the little girl while Tsubasa surrendered her.

"What are you waiting for?" Subaru asked. "Climb!"

"Oh!" Tsubasa said as he did so. Huffing, both of them tried to be as silent as possible with the guard still snooping underneath, wondering where the brats headed off to.

Sure that they were out of earshot, both exhaled loudly in relief.

"So, who was that?" the older lad asked, still clutching Hotaru who, beyond everything that happened, remained just as stoic.

Tsubasa, caught off guard since he never expected Subaru to talk to him out of his own accord explained. "That was Grandma's henchman," he said.

Subaru frowned. "Grandma?"

Tsubasa smiled. "Yup. Grandma's different. She's…bad." he said, running out of words for a seven-year old vocabulary.

"Ah," he simply said. Somehow, Tsubasa feels as if…his half-brother hates the Palace and everything in it - even their Mom.

"Bwhad," both lads heard Hotaru mumble. Tsubasa looked up in surprise, finding the ever so stoic kid slightly - very slightly - pouting. His eyes widened.

Actually, even Subaru was taken aback. Hotaru rarely shows any other expression and neither does she talk all by herself.

"S-she's cute," Tsubasa said out of the blue. Subaru looked at him and smiled - another first.

"Isn't she?"

The younger boy nodded.

"Hmmm," Subaru mumbled. "I'll give her to you for an hour if you make her smile," he said.

Tsubasa looked at his half-brother and shook his head stupidly.

"You don't want her?"

"Uh," Tsubasa stuttered. "I-I do…but…"

"But?"

"I don't know how to take care of her," he answered bashfully.

Subaru smiled again. "Here," he said as he assembled Tsubasa and Hotaru together. The little girl looked at him.

"E-er,"

"Hotaru," Subaru called, the girl looked at him. "That's Tsubasa-nii-chan, okay? He'll be taking care of you."

"W-what?" Tsubasa stammered. Taking care?

Hotaru faced him, her purple orbs connecting to his onyx ones. Did their dad have purple eyes?

"Tsu-sa-oni," she mumbled almost grudgingly. Does she hate him? She seems to. She's wiggling.

Nevertheless, Tsubasa was in awe. He's actually fallen for the girl. "C-cute,"

Subaru smiled.

"Tsubasa," he called.

Tsubasa looked up from his little package to his brother.

Subaru was looking at the petals - or father than that. "When I go away," he started seriously.

"Onii-chan's escaping?"

"No," he answered. "When I grow up and go away, take care of Hotaru for me,"

"Yeah,"

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

AFTER 7 YEARS

"HOTARU-CHAN!" Tsubasa yelled from the Elementary School gate, waving his arms frantically in the air.

The raven-haired girl, now 11 years old and still as stoic as ever, sighed.

"Hotaru, isn't that your brother?" Anna asked, smiling.

Nonoko looked at him. "He's cute," she smiled.

"Isn't he? And he always looks out for Hotaru!" Anna gushed.

Hotaru sighed again. "He's annoying,"

"Hmmm, did you say something, Hotaru?" Anna asked.

Nonoko interrupted though before she could answer. "Hey, where's Mikan-chan?"

The twins looked around.

"HOTARU! ANNA! NONOKO!" they heard a familiar voice scream, running after them was an 11-year-old girl in pigtails. "WAIT FOR ME!"

Hotaru looked at her and scowled a little.

"HOTARU-CHAN! What are you waiting for?" she heard his annoying half-brother shout from her other side. She frowned more.

"Anna, Nonoko, I'm going ahead," she said, walking away.

"Eh? But Mikan-chan…"

"She's gone," Nonoko said, referring to Hotaru who's by Tsubasa's side already.

"What took you so long?" Tsubasa grinned, hugging his sister as she ignored him.

Together, they rode the limousine hidden behind the gate, waiting for them.

"Nothing, let's go, onii-chan," she muttered.

And somehow, Tsubasa's grin widened more at the sound of the honorific.

Mikan huffed. "Hey, where did Hotaru go?" she pouted.

"Mikan-chan, Hotaru's cute brother was waiting for her so she had to go," Nonoko smiled.

"Eh? Brother?"

"Yup! He was so cute," Anna said. "Tsubasa is his name, isn't it?"

Mikan cocked her head sidewards. "Tsubasa?" her stomach growled. "Oh well, let's go to the cake shop, I'm hungry!" she smiled.

And forgot about this incident 7 years ago.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~