"Karamatsu-niisan?"
Karamatsu paused, glancing back at Todomatsu as he munched on the remainder of his french fries. They had all separated about ten minutes ago, and now Karamatsu was just waiting for his youngest brother to find a ride he wanted to go on. "Have you picked one?" He asked, turning to fully face Todomatsu now.
Todomatsu shook his head. "No, not yet." He sighed, looking at the second brother with a critical eye. There was so much bothering him right now after what happened at the amusement park's gates. "I was just wondering something. Where did you learn to fight like that? I don't remember you getting into a fight since we were kids." Of course, Todomatsu knew that wasn't saying much. Just like all the others, he was guilty of turning his back on his brothers throughout middle school and high school. Karamatsu could've gotten into all kinds of trouble back then and he wouldn't have known.
"Oh, that? I wouldn't say that I'm really any good at fighting. I'm better at avoiding injury, and even then, I don't do that well." Karamatsu chuckled, rubbing on one of his shoulders. It was going to have an ugly bruise in the morning. "But I do go to the gym. I do weight lifting twice a week, so I definitely have some muscle." The second brother struck a pose, flexing his arms and smirking.
"What? You go to the gym too? After all of you threw a big fit about me going without telling you, you're guilty of doing the same!" The pink Matsu narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing finger at the older brother, huffing in irritation. "You're a hypocrite!"
"As I recall, my dearest Totty, it was Osomatsu and Choromatsu that pressed you for information. I simply sat back and listened." Karamatsu seemed somewhat amused by his little brother's aggravation. "I've learned that we're all entitled to have our secrets. I wouldn't press any of you to reveal yours to me if you didn't want them known. And I would hope that you would all return to favor."
"Huh? Are you saying you have a lot of secrets, Karamatsu-niisan?" Todomatsu asked, genuinely curious. Karamatsu's expression fell a bit, looking at Todomatsu with a slight shrug. "You do, don't you? That's really unfair!" Todomatsu pouted a bit, even crossing his arms over his chest and poking out his bottom lip. "You keep secrets and no one minds. I keep a few secrets and its the end of the world!"
"To be fair, none of my secrets are really as big as climbing mountains. Or getting a secret job." Karamatsu shrugged, looking away and rubbing his head. Todomatsu recognized the nervous gesture. "Now, we're trying to find a ride, aren't we?"
Liar, Todomatsu thought with a frown. Karamatsu was totally lying and now he wanted to change the subject. "But you DO have some. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised." Todomatsu hummed thoughtfully. It wouldn't really be right to pry, but he was so curious! What kind of secrets could Karamatsu, of all the brothers, be hiding? It had to be something embarrassing. Something that even Karamatsu couldn't spew on and on about. But what? Ooh, he had to ask!
"Todomatsu! Is that you?"
The pink Matsu froze, a mounting look of horror on his face. Oh no, oh no, oh no! Not here, not now! Looking around, Todomatsu did indeed notice a hand waving at him from within the crowd that walked along the paths of the amusement park. His cheeks suddenly felt warm. This couldn't be happening!
"Hm? Is that a friend of yours Totty?" Karamatsu asked, looking curiously towards the stranger. It was no one he recognized, so it must have been one of the many friends Todomatsu kept them hidden from. He seemed a good bit older than his youngest brother too. It was surprising, to say the least. He glanced back at said youngest brother, before frowning with worry. "Huh? Totty, your face is getting really red! Are you okay?"
"Ah it...it must be this heat!" Todomatsu squeaked out, fanning himself with his hands. "Would you mind getting me something drink, Karamatsu-niisan? I think I'll just sit on that bench over there!" Todomatsu pointed to a nearby bench, an innocent smile on his face. Karamatsu didn't seem to really buy it, but he nodded in agreement all the same, going to find a nearby stand that would sell wanter. Todomatsu immediately let out a sigh of relief.
"It is you Totty! I haven't heard from you since last week." Checking to make sure Karamatsu was out of sight, Todomatsu quickly turned around to face the man, looking up at him with a weary smile. "Off work today, huh?"
"Yes! I'm really surprised to see you at an amusement park, Atsushi." He made sure to perk back up, smiling sweetly at the older man. He couldn't keep from letting his eyes rove over him though, a light blush settling on his cheeks. Todomatsu was so used to seeing Atsushi dressed formally in a suit, but now the man was wearing casual clothing. It was nothing extravagant, just a plain, navy blue t-shirt with some yellow design on it and some black jeans. It still managed to look good in his eyes though.
Atsushi gave a small shrug, smiling at Todomatsu. "It was my day off and I just needed some time to unwind. Have fun, you know? Is it really so strange to see me at a place like this?" Todomatsu shook his head quickly.
"I've only ever seen you after you've gotten out of work. Even then, we usually go to a mixer or something." Smiling sheepishly, Todomatsu gripped Atsushi's arm loosely. "Why don't we walk and talk? I wanna look around for awhile!" Atsushi seemed surprised, but nodded in agreement, allowing Todomatsu to tug him in another direction.
They chatted for awhile, just talking about the last few days and what rides might be interesting to try out. It was enough to make Todomatsu forget the real reason he was here. Or that he was here with his brothers to begin with. Thankfully they hadn't bumped into any of them. He was pretty sure he'd die if they did.
"So, Totty?"
"Hm?"
"Was that one of your brothers that was standing with you when I found you?"
Todomatsu's eyes widened and he looked up at Atsushi with obvious surprise. He quickly feigned ignorance. "Brothers? I don't have brothers, you know that. I'm an only child." He insisted innocently, a cute smile on his face. Atsushi raised an eyebrow, before chuckling.
"I ran into a couple of your friends yesterday, at Sutabaa. They told me about your brother collapsing in the street. And they may have mentioned something about sextuplets. Or were they pulling my leg?" Atsushi hummed, watching Todomatsu's reaction with amusement.
Needless to say, Totty was horrified! He didn't expect the two girls to run their mouths to everyone he knew! What happened to keeping secrets? Not that he ever said anything to them about it being a secret, but still! This was so bad! And embarrassing! What was he supposed to say now? Atsushi knew he was a liar! The only option was to come clean and he was dreading it.
"I...I'm so sorry!" Todomatsu squeaked out, bowing in a show of regret. "I'm sorry for lying to you! Its just, being sextuplets is weird, isn't it? And being the youngest is the worst! My brothers are so weird and embarrassing, I wouldn't want anyone to have to deal with them!" He rambled, biting his lip lightly.
"Whoa, whoa! Easy!" Atsushi chuckled, holding up his hands in a placating way. "You don't have to apologize. I understand what you're saying." He reassured, reaching out to ruffle Todomatsu's hair through his beanie. "Having so many older brothers must be hard. Do they tease you a lot?"
Todomatsu stood straight again, looking at Atsushi with clear surprise. He wasn't mad and he sounded like he was sympathizing with him. "They tease me sometimes. They're usually just embarrassing though." He explained, before the dam broke loose. "Like my oldest brother, Osomatsu! He's so girl obsessed! Its no wonder he doesn't have any restraining orders on him! And the second one, Karamatsu, you should SEE the clothes he tries to wear! He has a shirt with his own face on it! Choromatsu can't even look at a girl without turning into a mess! Then there's Ichimatsu. He's obsessed with cats, of all things! But he can't stand being around people! Isn't that weird? And don't get me started on Jyushimatsu! He's super sweet, but he's always so hyper. Not to mention its near impossible to get him to talk about anything but baseball!" He exhaled deeply, rubbing at his temples. "Being the youngest brother is difficult!"
By now, Atsushi had lead Todomatsu away from the path and sat him down on the bench, listening to every word curiously, though he couldn't help laughing. "Must be rough." He snickered. Despite his humor though, he rubbed the younger man's back gently. Todomatsu huffed at the teasing tone. "Trust me, I know big brothers can be terrible sometimes. But they rarely ever mean it."
"How would you know? I mean, there was this one time that they almost got me fired from Sutabaa! Trust me, that was no accident." The youngest brother took a deep calming breath, sighing heavily. "They're the worst. The two girls that worked there with me quit a few days after." He wouldn't admit that it was because he had embarrassed them and himself at the mixer they had invited him to. They couldn't stand being around him after that.
"Really? Did you do something to make your brothers mad?" It wasn't any of his business, Atsushi knew, but he more curious about Todomatsu than ever before. What other secrets did the younger man keep. "Surely they wouldn't do any of that without being provoked first."
"Of course they would! I didn't do anything!" Todomatsu protested, before looking away. "I-I mean...I didn't do anything really wrong. I may have told a few lies, but..." Having a job, saying that he went to Keio, not telling anyone about his brothers, and then not telling his brothers about the mixer really did make him sound horrible. If it had been another brother doing the same, he'd probably be pretty angry too.
"The last time one of my little brothers lied to me about something, I completely humiliated him in front of his girlfriend. Man, that was years ago. But keeping little brothers in line can be difficult." Atsushi chuckled at the memory, completely ignoring the shocked look on Todomatsu's face. "Big brothers can be terrible sometimes, I'll admit. But I like to think that most of them would do anything for their little brothers in the end."
"You have brothers? And you're the oldest? You never told me that!" This was a new development entirely. Atsushi never talked about his family, much like himself. Plus, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested in getting to know his older friend a little better. "You pick on them too. That's awfully mean of you, Atsushi."
"Of course I pick on them, its what big brothers do." The older man smiled fondly, clearly thinking of his family now. "I have two younger brothers. There's five years between me and Sato, and nine years between me and Matsui. With the age difference, it was always hard for me to get along with Matsui. Not to mention, with him being the youngest, mom and dad always spoiled him the most."
Todomatsu blushed a bit at that. Their parents did tend to spoil him just a bit when they were younger. He remembered when his mom would sometimes sneak him an extra cookie or when his father would give him just a few coins more than his brothers. He was used to that kind of stuff. And even when he would rub it in his brothers faces, they never actually seemed bothered by it. They would poke fun at him and pout, but it always seemed to be in good fun. In hindsight, the others probably pretended to be him at times to get some extra themselves.
"Sato and I were always closer though. He used to follow me everywhere, always wanting to spend time with me. When we were a lot younger, I used to be so mean to him. I'd blame him when anything broke or went missing. But once I grew up a bit more, I really liked having him around. Getting to teach your younger brothers can give you a real feeling of accomplishment." Atsushi glanced at Todomatsu, humming thoughtfully. "But you and your brothers are all the same age, so maybe its not quite the same."
"I guess its not unlike that. Some of us are closer than others and we all have different interests for the most part." Todomatsu looked thoughtful. "Like, I enjoy playing Pachinko with Osomatsu-niisan. Or playing board games with Jyushimatsu-niisan, even if he usually doesn't understand the rules. Fishing with Karamatsu-niisan can be fun, even with his painful clothes." It was harder to think of anything he enjoyed doing with Ichimatsu or Choromatsu though. "Ah, but Ichimatsu-niisan only likes to torment me and Choromatsu-niisan is always calling me a dried-up monster."
"Well, you mentioned earlier that this Ichimatsu isn't good around people, right? Maybe tormenting you is the only way he's comfortable interacting with you." Atsushi suggested, looking thoughtful. "And maybe by calling you a...dried-up monster, Choromatsu's saying he finds your behavior hurtful. Of course, I don't know either of them very well, so I can't say for sure. Take what I say with a grain of salt."
It sounded reasonable enough. Thinking it through, Ichimatsu was pretty awkward with everyone, except for Jyushimatsu. The fifth brother was equally awkward though. And Choromatsu had once said that he didn't believe Totty had a heart. At the time, it was all because he hadn't bothered to tell his brothers things, like climbing Mt. Fuji. But what if that's how his brother always felt about him?
"Maybe you're right. We're not really close, so it'd make sense." Todomatsu leaned back on the bench, looking up at the sky now. It looked like it was probably about noon now and he had yet to go on a single ride. Talking with Atsushi was nice though. "What about you and your brothers? Are you guys still close?"
"No, not really. I haven't talked to any of my family in a few years. There were some...complications in our relationship." Atsushi let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. "Not since my last year of college, as a matter of fact. That was three years ago. They didn't take the news of my bisexuality well."
Todomatsu's shoulders slouched and he looked at Atsushi sadly. Atsushi had already told him a long time ago that he was bisexual. Needless to say, he had no problem with his friends preferences. All that should matter is that he was happy with whatever partner he chose, right? Apparently everyone didn't think the same way. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't know it was a sensitive subject." He wholeheartedly meant the apology.
"Look, Totty." Atsushi rested a hand on the younger's shoulder, giving him a soft smile. "If your family loves you and they accept you for who you are, you shouldn't take that lightly. Don't try so hard to be someone you're not. Don't be embarrassed of who you are or where you came from." Todomatsu nodded slightly at the advice. "And be just as accepting of your family too. Even if they can be embarrassing, they are important, right? Don't take it for granted."
Todomatsu mulled over the words for a moment, before nodding in agreement. The possiblity of losing his brothers, whether it be on their terms or because he pushed them away really didn't sit well with him when he actually thought about it. It'd be lonely without them around, he realized. "Mm. You're right. I'll do my best to be better around them."
"Oi, Osomatsu-niisan?"
Osomatsu sulked as he once again failed to knock over all the bottles, finally deciding to give up on the game. He admittedly wanted the red panda plush that was hanging so innocently from the booth, but luck just wasn't on his side today. Letting out a disappointed sigh, the eldest turned his attention to the third brother, humming for him to continue.
"Do you think the Yakuza could really be after us...?" Choromatsu reluctantly asked, looking away from his brother. They were here to relax, but he couldn't stop thinking about it! On one hand, it seemed so stupid to even consider it. It sounded like they were just paranoid. On the other hand, after what happened just outside of the amusement park, it seemed that it could be possible. And the more he thought on it, the scarier it became in his mind.
"You're still thinking about that? C'mon Choro, we need to get your mind off of that." Osomatsu grabbed his younger brother's arm, dragging him along with him. "Remember, we're here to relax, so relax! What happened out there was just a coincidence. We ran into a few guys that have a problem with Jyushi that just so happen to also be in one of the Yakuza families. That's it."
"But that's not the first time its happened! There was that guy back in high school too! What if they're trying to get even?" Choromatsu nearly walked right into the oldest brother as Osomatsu stopped abruptly. "Huh? Osomatsu-niisan?" Osomatsu let go of his arm and looked at Choromatsu, looking confused.
"What do you mean its not the first time? What happened in high school?" Osomatsu asked, raising an eyebrow. You would think he'd know about some encounter with the Yakuza before. Was Choromatsu keeping something from him. He almost wanted to be angry, but he'd wait for now.
Choromatsu stared at Osomatsu for a moment, before scowling and slapping him upside his head. "Stupid eldest brother! That's not something you just forget!" Choromatsu snapped, crossing his arms and glaring weakly. "How could you forget something like that? You nearly died, you ended up in the hospital! You were really lucky that day."
Osomatsu furrowed his brow, thinking back. Didn't Ichimatsu mention something about him ending up in the hospital in their eleventh year? He really should remember something like that. He rarely ever went to the hospital, so whatever happened had to be serious. Think back, think back...
The lot was empty. There used to be all kinds of construction equipment and pipes stored for use, but it had all since been cleaned up and cleared out. It used to be where him and his brothers would go to play or to torment Chibita in their free time. There was a playground nearby too, so it only made sense to hang around here at the time. They had been kids, they used to have fun. Not anymore though.
Osomatsu kicked a stone across the lot, watching as it bounced and rolled. He was bored and more than a little lonely. He didn't have any friends to hang out with, he didn't really want any. What he did want was his brothers. To laugh, goof off, talk with...what had happened to all of that? Oh, right. They grew up, they moved on. They didn't need their big brother anymore.
Sighing softly, Osomatsu stuffed his hands into his pockets, willing his emotions to settle. He wasn't gonna sit out here and cry like a big baby. Just like his little brothers didn't need him, he didn't need them. He wasn't lonely. He didn't miss them. "Screw 'em. They'd only get in my way now. I don't need reason." He mumbled softly, looking at his brusied and cut up fists.
Lost in thought, he didn't hear the footsteps coming from behind. He didn't hear the breathy snicker. But he definitely felt something solid crash into his skull, making him collapse to the ground in a heap. He wasn't quite unconcious, but his vision was full of spots and his eyelids fluttered. What was happening? Who...?
"Fucking Matsuno. Piece of garbage. Just die!" Osomatsu couldn't see the guy, but he could hear him pacing. He was frantic, moving back and forth. And...did he just SPIT on him?! Osomatsu felt his blood boil, but he was too disoriented to say or do anything. Everything was spinning, his ears were ringing, and the spots in his vision were only slowly clearing.
"What do I do now? Shit, what do I do? Just finish it. Just gotta finish it." There was a little, disturbed laugh, before the footsteps finally stopped. Osomatsu blinked slowly, his vision slowly coming back into focus. But not quick enough.
Hands wrapped around his neck and pressed, cutting off all air to his lungs. The spots in his vision reappeared with a vengance and the eldest Matsuno brother thrashed wildly, punching and kicking as best he could. He couldn't breathe, he was gonna die! Someone help, please help!
"I'm sorry...God, I'm so sorry! It'll all be over soon, please be over soon..." The boy above him rambled and Osomatsu distantly wondered what was wrong with him. He didn't even know who he was! The hands were pressing down with so much strength now. Shit, Osomatsu could feel his limbs beginning to tire out, his body craving oxygen it couldn't get.
His fingers bumped against something hard and heavy, not hesitating to curl around the object. As soon as he had a hold on it, he swung as hard as he could, only hearing a sickening crack. Then the hands around his neck went slack and a body collapsed against him.
Whimpering, Osomatsu pushed the body away, gasping weakly. Air still wasn't getting to his lungs the way it should, which only made him panic more. He rolled onto his hands and knees, blinking wildly. He was salivating like crazy and he swore he could taste blood. "..H...elp...!" He tried to call out, his arms shaking as they struggled to support his weight. "He...lp..m...e...!"
"There! He's there!"
"Aniki!"
There was a stampede of footsteps, running right for him. He wanted to look, wanted to see the faces of his brothers as they came to him, but his arms buckled and he collapsed back to the dirt. His breaths came out in wheezy pants, his eyes closing tightly. He was gonna die. He was scared.
"C-Call an ambulance Todomatsu!"
"I've already got them on the phone!"
"Oi, Jyushimatsu. Keep an eye on that guy. Make sure he doesn't get up again."
"Mm! I'm watching him!"
"Aniki, I'm gonna sit you up, okay? Slow, deep breaths."
Choromatsu. Todomatsu. Ichimatsu. Jyushimatsu. Karamatsu. They were all there. All of his brothers had come for him. He didn't know how they knew he was here or why they seemed to have expected this, but it didn't matter right now. They were there. He missed them so much.
Arms wrapped around him gently and he was lifted up and turned so that he was facing them all. Karamatsu stared down at him, eyes full of worry as he supported him. Choromatsu hovered just behind him, wearing glasses that Osomatsu didn't even know he had. The third brother's eyes were darting all around, trying to assess the situation. Further off to the side, Todomatsu was talking on the phone, hands waving frantically and tears in the corners of his eyes.
Osomatsu turned his head slowly, hissing as his neck protested the movement. On his other side, Jyushimatsu was standing over his unconcious attacker, staring down at him with a blank stare, but there was an unfamiliar wide smile on his face. And right next to the fifth brother was Ichimatsu, crouched down and examining a metal rod curiously. It was covered in blood.
"The ambulance is on their way. They should be here in a few minutes." Todomatsu walked back over, stuffing his phone into his pocket. "So just hang on a bit longer, Osomatsu-niisan." He was trying to sound reassuring, but the crack in his voice really ruined the effect. Still, Osomatsu appreciated the effort.
"Aniki, you sound like you're having a hard time breathing. Is there anywhere in particular he hurt you? Besides your head?" Karamatsu pulled a sleeve over his hand, using it to wipe the blood from the eldest brother's face. Osomatsu blinked slowly, trying to comprehend the words, before he slowly reached a hand up to his neck. He was calmer, so breathing was a bit easier now. But it still wasn't enough. He was so, so dizzy.
"There's marks on his neck." Choromatsu pointed out, swallowing thickly. "M-Maybe his...I mean, if he's struggling to breathe, it could...c-could be his windpipe...?" Choromatsu sounded so unsure, almost shy. How long had it been since his little brother talked to anyone, Osomatsu wondered briefly.
"Probably got hit with this first." Ichimatsu lifted the metal pipe, showing it off to the others. "Looks like he got a hold of it and returned the favor though. Lucky the idiot dropped it so close." Ichimatsu glared at the guy, chucking the pipe away from them. Better not leave it lying around, just in case.
By now, sirens could be heard in the distance, getting closer with every minute. "He's really bleeding a lot. Osomatsu-niisan must've hit him really hard." Jyushimatsu pointed out, vaguely wondering if the kid was even still alive. Ah, his chest moved. Good. "Osomatsu-niisan should play baseball with me! You could hit a homerun for sure!"
All attention turned to Jyushimatsu, before all the brothers chuckled nervously. Even Osomatsu's lips twitched upwards in a slight smile. This was the first time in at least two years that they had all come together or conversed. Despite the situation, it was kind of surreal. Why couldn't it always be like this?
I need them, Osomatsu thought blearily, his eyelids starting to grow heavy. He was oxygen deprived and his head was throbbing painfully. He had missed them. He wanted to be around them, to fix things. Maybe, after a little nap, they could all just sit and talk. Yeah, that sounded good to him.
"Y-You shouldn't fall asleep, Osomatsu-niisan!" Choromatsu's voice called out through the growing haze. Everything was starting to blend together, he almost couldn't make out his brothers properly anymore. "Since you were hit on the head, you, uhm...c-could have a concussion, and..."
"He's right Aniki!" The arms around him shook him gently, not doing much to rouse him. "Just wait a little longer, until the paramedics get here. Its better to be on the safe side, so just try to stay awake a little longer. Focus on breathing, okay? Just take slow, easy breaths."
Osomatsu nodded his head slowly, showing that he did understand and that he'd try his best. No need to worry his little brother's anymore than he already had. Even his best couldn't keep his eyes open though. He slowly leaned his head against Karamatsu's chest, if only to keep the strain off of his sore neck, and sighed softly.
"They'll be here any second. Can you hear the sirens, Osomatsu-niisan?" Todomatsu called out to him next, and again he nodded. He did hear them, though they still sounded far away. Everything sounded far away, even his brothers. "Good, keep listening. Focus on all the noise so you won't doze off."
"Eh? He moved! Ichimatsu-niisan, he moved!" Jyushimatsu's voice sounded a bit urgent and there was the sound of movement nearby. Osomatsu could hear a low grunt, followed by a scream. "Hold still! Don't move so much!"
"Get off of me! I'll kill you, I'll...!" Apparently the guy was conscious and struggling against Jyushimatsu. Osomatsu wanted to open his eyes, see what was happening and make sure his little brother was okay, but he just couldn't. He must've moved though, because the arms around him tightened reassuringly.
"Why...why can't I see...? What did you do to me...?" It was like he switched between two very different personalities, which somehow bothered Osomatsu more. Maybe the guy was sick, maybe he really didn't mean to hurt him. He recalled the frantic apologies from earlier. "I'm so sorry, I-I didn't...no, he deserved it! He's dead, he better be dead!"
"You're seriously fucked up, aren't you? Tch." Ichimatsu could be heard now. Maybe he was helping Jyushimatsu keep the kid pinned or was supervising. Again, Osomatsu really wished he could see what was happening.
An overwhelming sense of dizziness hit the eldest brother, disorienting him even further, and his head lolled limply against Karamatsu's shoulder. He couldn't do it. He couldn't stay awake, but he had tried so hard. They were talking again, but words were beyond him now. "...'m sorry..." Osomatsu slurred out, hoping it was some kind of comfort to his brothers. Or maybe he hadn't actually formed words at all and it would only distress them further.
Honestly, that was all he could remember, before waking up in the hospital.
"That's right, I remember that. I was so out of it for that whole week, I guess it didn't leave too big of an impact on me." Osomatsu smiled sheepishly, though his hand rubbed at his neck. If he thought about it too much, he could still feel fingers pressing into his neck.
Choromatsu sighed in exasperation. "I guess I can understand. You had a bad concussion and your windpipe was crushed, so you were a real mess. You were so drugged up at the time too, so I doubt that helped with your memory. Anyway, do you remember who the kid that attacked you ended up being?"
"Yeah. He was a kid to one of the big Yakuza bosses." Osomatsu recalled, looking at Choromatsu with an uneasy smile. "But that was a long time ago. And remember, they found out the guy had some mental disorder that caused him to attack. Multiple personalities, or something. He didn't actually mean to."
"They tried to press charges!" Choromatsu reminded the eldest. They had wanted Osomatsu to go to trial and face charges, there had definitely been some hard feelings back then. "When you hit him, he lost his eyesight! You blinded their kid, and I have a feeling they wouldn't forgive something like that so easily!"
"But they got security footage off of the camera at the park. It showed everything, and once they got their son's diagnosis they dropped the charges. They knew what happened was self defense!" Osomatsu never meant for the kid to lose his sight. All he had known at the time was that he wanted to survive. "He was two grades below us, still in middle school. They never even knew why he targeted me. I didn't even know him."
"T-That's true, they did drop the charges." Taking a deep breath, Choromatsu nodded in agreement. He was getting himself worked up over nothing. "It just seems so coincidental, you know? Two encounters with the Yakuza, both bad..."
"A coincidence is all it was. Trust me Choro, the Yakuza is not hunting us down. Whatever you're thinking, just stop, okay? We're here to have fun, so let's have fun!" Osomatsu grabbed his brother's arm, dragging him towards the rides. So far, they had only gone on a roller coaster with Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu (as promised), but there was still so much to explore. And he really needed to find something to get Choromatsu's mind off of things.
"Er, Osomatsu-niisan? Is that Karamatsu over there?" Choromatsu pointed and Osomatsu followed his finger. Sure enough, there sat Karamatsu, a drink in his hand and his head lowered. "Doesn't look like Totty's with him anymore. Guess Todomatsu couldn't handle being around him for too long after all." His tone sounded disapproving. Couldn't the youngest suck it up for one day?!
Osomatsu let go of Choromatsu's arm, huffing in annoyance. "Remind me to kick Totty's ass later." He grumbled, walking over to the bench where Karamatsu was seated. "Doesn't look like you're having a lot of fun. Why are you just sitting here?" Osomatsu plopped down beside the second brother, letting both arms rest along the back of the bench.
Karamatsu jumped, nearly dropping the drink in his hand. "I was just waiting for Totty to return. He bumped into a friend of his and asked if I could get him a drink. We were gonna meet back here, but he has yet to come back." The second brother gave a sure smile, resting his hand against his chin. "I'm sure he'll return at any moment. I believe in Todomatsu."
"Really, Karamatsu-niisan." Choromatsu sat on Karamatsu's other side, gripping the second brother's shoulder. "You really are too kind for your own good. You know Todomatsu completely ditched you, right?" The look he got from Karamatsu was priceless, but he held back his laugh. Karamatsu was really hopeless.
"You know how Totty is Karamatsu! I can only imagine the face he made when he saw one of his friends coming while you were still with him!" Osomatsu laughed, slapping Karamatsu on the back. "He said so himself, he's embarrassed of us, so he probably took his friend and got out of here as fast as he could. That's fine though." The eldest brother grinned, jabbing a thumb into his own chest. "You can just hang out with me and Choromatsu instead!"
Karamatsu seemed unsure of his own feelings, caught between distress that he was indeed abandoned by his youngest brother and joy that the eldest brother was inviting him along to enjoy the day with him and Choromatsu. But as the saying went, the more the merrier, right? "If you'll have me, I'd be more than happy to spend time with both of you. But what if Totty comes back here looking for me?"
"He won't." Choromatsu rolled his eyes, getting up again and stretching. "If fact, it'll probably be difficult to find him for when its time to head home. He'll steer clear of us, no doubt. Hopefully his friend doesn't stay long and he comes looking for us on his own."
"Personally, I hope we do run into him! Torment him a little, embarrass him in front of his friend. It'd serve him right!" Osomatsu rubbed the underside of his nose with his finger, grinning widely. "If we do so happen to run nto him, you know. I wouldn't go hunt him down. For now though, we can go have some fun. Any rides caught your eye yet Karamatsu?"
"I suppose that one has. I didn't get to look around much, unfortunately." Karamatsu pointed out a nearby ride. Where he had been sitting on the bench, it was pretty much the only ride he could see. Osomatsu and Choromatsu turned their attention to it, the eldest grinning wider while the third brother groaned.
The seats themselves were housed within a different animal's 'mouth', a wheel in the center of the seats. The faster your group turned the wheel, the faster you'd spin. Eventually, you wouldn't even be able to see straight. "That one?! Why that one!?" Choromatsu protested, and it was only then that Karamatsu noticed the the green Matsu's usually tidy hair was already a complete mess, sticking up every which way.
Osomatsu immediately caught onto the second brother's stare, laughter bubbling up before he could stop it. "I promised Jyushimatsu I'd go on a roller coaster with him and Ichimatsu. I dragged Choromatsu with us and it was hilarious!" The eldest brother tried to stifle his laughter behind his hand, but the snickers could still be heard. "All four of us got to sit in the first row and it was awesome! But THIS guy started to get queasy!"
Choromatsu scolwed as Osomatsu nudged him lightly, that stupid grin still on his face. "That thing was jerking us all over the place! And what was with the fire? What if the cars didn't stop like they were supposed to? We could've been burned to a crisp! Its completely pointless and unsafe! And then just stopping the ride all of a sudden! I thought we were actually stuck. They left it sit for way too long! Then going backwards out of nowhere!"
By now, Osomatsu was doubled over with laughter, just the memory of Choromatsu's face enough to set him off. "Y-You have to...have to see the picture they gave us!" Osomatsu wheezed, gripping Karamatsu's shoulder for support. Karamatsu was also starting to chuckle a bit, if only at the eldest brother's behavior. "The picture's perfect! Choromatsu's face was pure gold!"
"I'll burn it as soon as I get my hands on it! I would've already, if Jyushimatsu hadn't run off with it. There's no way I could catch him." Choromatsu sighed heavily, looking clearly distressed. That picture could be used against him in so many ways. Especially if Jyushimatsu handed it off to Ichimatsu or Totty. Oh God, the possibilities! "A-Anyway, if you want to go on that, I don't mind. You haven't had a chance to ride anything yet, so its only fair."
Karamatsu practically beamed. Here Choromatsu was, putting a guilty guy like himself ahead of his own comfort. "Onward then, my brothers! Let us enjoy ourselves and have some fun!" With that, the second brother marched forward, the eldest and third brothers following right behind him.
It took ten minutes in like, before the three brothers were finally able to board the ride. There were differeing opinions on which animal they should choose, but Osomatsu eventually won that argument, dragging the others over the panda head. Osomatsu climbed in first, leaving Karamatsu in the middle and Choromatsu on the end.
Once and attendant stapped by to make sure the door was securely shut, Osomatsu gripped the wheel in the center, a sly smile on his face. "Which way are we gonna spin? Counter-clockwise sounds good, doesn't it?" He twisted the wheel for emphasis, the head spinning slowly.
"The ride hasn't even started yet! Stop that!" Choromatsu huffed, leaning forward to grip the wheel as well. "I don't think it matters that much, which direction we go. If you want to go counter-clockwise, its fine. Probably easier to spin it that way anyway."
Karamatsu gripped the wheel as well, humming in agreement. It didn't really matter which way they would spin, the end result would be the same. "With the three of us, I can only imagine this will end...ah..."
"Horribly?" Osomatsu filled in, laughing at Choromatsu's look of disdain. "It'll be fine, Choro! As long as you don't get sick, that is. If you do, at least aim for Karamatsu, not me." Karamatsu looked disgusted at the very idea, his face scrunching up a bit.
"Thanks Aniki." Karamatsu grumbled, still grimacing at the thought. He really hoped the third brother could handle the ride better than he did his liquor. Admittedly though, it wouldn't be the first time one of his brothers had gotten sick on him. But without a shower nearby, it'd be inconvenient at the very least.
"Don't worry Karamatsu-niisan. If I do get sick, which I won't, I'll make sure I aim right at Osomatsu. Just make sure you lean back far enough." Choromatsu glared at the eldest, though there was no real anger there. It almost looked playful. Osomatsu feigned hurt, covering his heart with his hand.
"Awe! So mean to your Onii-chan!"
The platform began to move slowly, gradually picking up speed. The second they felt the ride begin, the three brothers began to turn the wheel as quickly as they could, matching one another's pace perfectly. It didn't take long at all for them to begin spinning wildly, everything outside just a blur of color.
Of course, with that momentum, it was difficult to stay in one place. Karamatsu could feel himself sliding in his seat, but he planted his feet firmly, focusing on the wheel in front of him. Poor Choromatsu didn't have the control for that though, and he slid in his seat until he crashed against the second brother. Karamatsu grunted, instinctively letting go of the wheel and grabbing Choromatsu to steady him, but there was no way. The green Matsu was flailing a bit, trying desperately to right himself, to no avail.
On his other side, Karamatsu could hear Osomatsu laughing hysterically, having noticed their situation. He didn't stop spinning the wheel though, not giving his little brothers a moment to correct themselves. That being said, it didn't take long for Choromatsu's squirming to knock Karamatsu loose, both brothers finally sliding into the eldest.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Osomatsu cursed, finally letting go of the wheel. Karamatsu's elbow was jammed into his side, Choromatsu only adding to the weight. But even then, Osomatsu couldn't keep from laughing. They looked ridiculous, all of them stuck and unable to fight against the momentum of the ride.
"S-Sorry...!" Choromatsu yelled back, waving his arms as he tried to grip onto something. He was dizzy, completely disoriented, and embarrassed. But despite it all, his own laughter bubbled up until he was laughing just as hysterically as the eldest brother. This was ridiculous, they were ridiculous! It was somehow fun though. Damn, when was the last time he had laughed like THIS?
Karamatsu managed to finally move his elbow out of Osomatsu's ribs, giving up on trying to move anymore than that. Choromatsu was leaning on him too heavily, and he was pinned right against Osomatsu's side. No room to move. But both of his brothers were laughing and it sounded so honest and...good. In this moment, they had no worries or fears. They were just brothers having fun.
Karamatsu felt something in his chest, something so sincere it made him want to cry. There wasn't much about the second brother that one could consider sincere. He was one of the fakest people he knew. But right now, he felt so much love and happiness, just being here with his brothers. Listening to their laughter, spending time with them, just being allowed to enjoy their company...it was overwhelming.
Between Choromatsu's laughter and his own, Osomatsu heard another sound. Glancing down towards Karamatsu, he didn't miss the happy smile on his brother's face or the tears streaming down his face as he laughed. He wasn't at all convinced that the tears were from the laughter, but that was okay, because no one would question them. Despite it all, Karamatsu seemed honestly happy and Osomatsu found himself feeling glad. Karamatsu needed this.
The ride came to an end all too soon, though it took a bit of extra time for their own car to stop spinning. Choromatsu moved first, finally managing to sit up and scoot towards the door. His face was flushed and he was smiling wide, despite how dizzy he was. "I-I, uh...dunno if I can stand up..." He laughed, wiping his face dry from tears.
Karamatsu snorted, gripping his sides. Laughing hurt, and yet it still managed to feel so good. "You're not the only one." He chuckled, rubbing his face against his sleeve. He had a large smile as well, as opposed to his usual smirk. "Heh, I dunno if I can really move right at all. Everything's spinning." He reached for the wheel to help pull himself along, only to miss completely. That only led to another bout of laughter from the three brothers.
"You both slid clear across the car! That really huuuurt!" Osomatsu whined playfully, rubbing at his side tenderly. Honestly, it had hurt and he was probably gonna have a light bruise, but it had been worth it. Both of his brothers were smiling and laughing more than they ever had before. "Seriously though, you should've seen your faces when Choromatsu first slid over!"
"I didn't know where I was sliding! I couldn't even tell which way we were going anymore!" Choromatsu defended himself quickly, managing to open the door. He grabbed Karamatsu's arm, helping his disoriented brother out as well. Osomatsu grinned, crawling out himself, stumbling like a man who had just downed a twelve-pack.
"I couldn't tell what was happening." Karamatsu admitted, smiling sheepishly. "I just noticed him fall over, I didn't know if something was actually wrong. And I'm sorry about the elbow in your ribs." He rubbed the back of his head, seeming embarrassed. The sincere smile was slowly disappearing, settling back into his usual smirk.
Osomatsu noticed, but didn't say anything, choosing instead to throw an arm around the second brother. "How weak do you think your Onii-chan is? That was nothing!" His arm quickly tugged Karamatsu into a head lock, his free hand messing up the second brother's hair. "Who do you think you're dealing with? You should know by now that I'm the best!"
"The best at what exactly?" Choromatsu grumbled, grabbing both brothers and dragging them away from the ride. The staff were already starting to give them dirty looks for loitering around now that they had clearly recovered from their dizziness. Other people were waiting after all. "The best at getting us into trouble? You've always been good at that."
"He's pretty good at being an idiot."
"Oh! Oh! He's really good at losing money too! Especially at Pachinko! Ahaha!"
The three brothers turned around, Osomatsu ready with a retort, but he immediately silenced himself. He was pretty sure Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu were there somewhere, but he couldn't see them behind the six, large plush toys they held. They were about as tall as the brothers! "What's all that?" Osomatsu asked, amusement plain in his voice as he rubbed at his nose.
Jyushimatsu's head poked out from between the three stuffed toys he held, his smile as wide as ever and his eyes sparkling happily. "Baseball!" He chirped, tightening his grip on the stuffed toys. He bounded over and handed the three older brothers their respective gifts. Osomatsu took the overly large red panda with a grin. It was the same one he had been trying to win earlier too. There was a sheep for Choromatsu, its usually white fluff dyed green. The third brother felt his face warm up a bit at the kind gesture. And finally, a blue and white wolf for Karamatsu. The second brother took the toy gingerly, fighting the urge to weep and hug his little brother for thinking of him.
"He found the game with the bottles. He paid for six games and won all of them, but he broke all the bottles, so they made him leave afterwards." Ichimatsu shifted the toys so that he could look over them at his brothers. In his own arms, he held a yellow dog, a purple cat, and a pink bunny. Frankly he felt ridiculous, walking around with them, but Jyushimatsu couldn't have carried them all on his own.
"Awe, that's my little brother! We'll have to find somewhere good to put them all when we get home." Osomatsu ruffled Jyushimatsu's hair affectionately, tucking the stuffed toy under his arm. Lugging it around was gonna be a pain, but he wouldn't dare say that out loud. Jyushimatsu had thought of them and had taken the time to win these for them.
"Thank you, my little Jyushimatsu!" Karamatsu finally gave into his urges, hugging the fifth brother tightly. Jyushimatsu just laughed and returned the hug, patting his older brother's back a little roughly. "I love it. I'll cherish it forever!"
"Thank you Jyushimatsu." Choromatsu said simply, but he did mean it honestly. He wasn't sure what he would do with this thing or where they would have room to put all six of them, but it was the thought that counted. And Jyushimatsu's expression was just way too adorable.
Jyushimatsu pulled away from Karamatsu, beaming at his brothers and the praise he got from them. "I got one for all of us! Ichimatsu-niisan helped me pick them out." Everyone stared at the fourth brother, who quickly buried his face back behind the plush toys. "I'm really glad you all like them! But...where's Totty?!" The fifth brother looked around wildly, sulking when he didn't see their youngest brother. How was he supposed to give him his present now?
"He apparently bumped into a friend of his and ran off without telling Karamatsu." Osomatsu explained. Karamatsu immediately frowned at the reminder, all happiness from earlier forgotten. "You know, he's being his sly, shitty self. But I was thinking..." The eldest brother hummed thoughtfully, before looking at Jyushimatsu and giving the yellow Matsu a playful wink. "Maybe Puppymatsu here would be able to sniff out our baby brother."
Jyushimatsu crouched down onto all fours, his tongue lolling out. "I can try! I know Totty's smell really well! He always smells like cologne!" Not surprising, considering who they were dealing with. Jyushimatsu sniffed at the air, tilting his head slightly as he contemplated the different smells.
"Oi, this is ridiculous!" Choromatsu huffed, elbowing Osomatsu. "We're in public, with tons of people around! You can't have him doing this here!" Sighing, the third brother rubbed his face with a hand. How embarrassing! "And anyway, there's got to be tons of different smells around here. He can't just pick out one over all the others. Its impossible."
"And really, all of this isn't really necessary Aniki. I don't think we should bother him while he's having fun. I mean, he is getting his mind off of things and that's what we wanted, right?" Karamatsu interjected quickly. He somehow felt like they shouldn't get in between Todomatsu and the man that he ran off with. Something seemed...
"Relax! We're just going to find him, let Jyushi here give him his present. Besides, it won't be long now until we have to catch our bus back home. And Totty should pay a bit for leaving you behind. Because of that, you haven't really got to enjoy anything." Osomatsu crossed his arms stubbornly, looking at Jyushimatsu as he sniffed around.
Suddenly, the fifth brother perked up with wide eyes, letting out a sound similar to a howl. He darted down the path, still on all fours, ignoring the looks from all of the other guests around them. "This way, this way! Totty's this way!" Jyushimatsu yelled back, not bothering to slow down for the others.
The other brothers seemed skeptical for a mere second, before darting after the fifth brother. Poor Ichimatsu was left in the rear, still toting around the three over-sized stuffed animals, only hoping that he didn't run into anyone.
Todomatsu was having a good time.
Atsushi had convinced him to go on rides he'd never try under normal circumstances and he was starting to regret not trying them out sooner. Or maybe it was just because of the company. It was hard not to have fun when Atsushi was here with him. Todomatsu caught himself thinking that more than once today and every time, his face would grow warm. This might be bad, he realized.
For now, the two were taking a break, both enjoying some cotton candy. Atsushi had insisted and who was Totty to argue? "When do you need to be getting back to your brothers?" The older man asked, glancing at Todomatsu with a slight smile. He was having fun too, and getting to know Todomatsu a little better was a plus. With the secret of his family out of the way, it felt like he was getting to see the more real side of the younger man.
"Oh, uhm..." Todomatsu reached into his hoodie pocket and tugged out his phone, checking the time. He hadn't been paying attention to the time at all, so it surprised him when the time showed 4:17. They had to leave around 5:30 to catch the bus and were supposed to meet up at 5:00. Less than an hour until he had to meet them and finding them was going to be difficult. Why didn't anyone think to make a meeting place?! "Soon. I'll have to try to find them pretty quickly. If we miss the bus, we'll be stuck here until the next one comes."
"That wouldn't be any good. I'd offer to drive you home, but I don't think my car's suited sextuplets." Todomatsu laughed weakly at the idea, only able to imagine how disastorous that would end. Atsushi had a nice car and his brothers would probably find a way to ruin it. Not that they could all fit inside anyway.
"Its okay. Akatsuka is pretty far from here anyway, so I couldn't ask you to drive all that way." Sighing heavily, Todomatsu stared down at his phone, willing that time would somehow move backwards so that he could have more time with his older friend. Today really had made him feel better after the last few days, made him forget all of the problems. Was it really too much to ask for it to last a little longer?
Todomatsu felt a gentle touch against his hand and startled a bit, looking up at Atsushi curiously. The older man had grabbed his hand that held his phone gently, slowly pulling it down and away from his face. "Sorry, I know you need to go soon. But I...got you something while you were getting your cotton candy."
The youngest brother could feel his face burning, he could only imagine how red he was right now. Atsushi had gotten him something? Atsushi pulled something from his pocket, before taking Totty's phone and attaching it. He immediately offered the device back, smiling softly. "Its nothing much. But it made me think of you, so..."
Blinking curiously, Todomatsu took the phone from him, examining the little charm that was now attached to it. His eyes practically sparkled at the little pink bunny with a cute, cat-like smile that dangled from the chain. "Its so adorable! I love it!" He gave Atsushi his own cute smile, holding his phone to his chest now. It was such a nice gesture, and he suddenly found himself wondering what it meant. Was Atsushi maybe hinting that he...?
"Totty! Totty Totty!"
The pink Matsu didn't have any time to react to the yell, before he was tackled down to the ground, grunting as Jyushimatsu settled on his back. "J...Jyushimatsu-niisan! Get off of me!" He snapped, squirming as he attempted to get free. He could hear more footsteps behind him, which could only mean that all of his brothers were with him. And Atsushi was right there. Why did this have to happen to him?!
"Sooo...Totty. How long did you plan on leaving Karamatsu waiting for you, huh? Did you get lost?" Osomatsu. Check.
"I was hoping you'd come back for me, brother. But alas, I guess your attention was elsewhere." Karamatsu. Check.
"You dried-up monster. Karamatsu-niisan didn't get to enjoy anything because he was too busy waiting for you!" Choromatsu. Check.
"I'm not really surprised. You probably thought you were being pretty sly, sneaking away from him like you did." Ichimatsu. Check.
"So mean, Totty!" Jyushimatsu. Double check.
"Do you see this?! Do you see what's happening right now?! That's why I left him behind!" Todomatsu snapped, somehow managing to push himself up off of the ground, knocking Jyushimatsu off of him in the process. Jyushimatsu didn't seem bothered though, immediately hopping back to his feet and bounding over to the other brothers. After dusting himself off, the youngest brother turned sharply, glaring at his older brothers.
"So cold!" Osomatsu gave Todomatsu a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you calling us embarrassing again? Because we can show you just how embarrassing we can be, if that's what you want." The eldest brother's sly grin was enough to send a shiver down Todomatsu's spine.
"Or we won't." Choromatsu gave Osomatsu an incredulous look. They had back at Sutabaa, but there were a lot more people here compared to the little coffee shop. "But you really should apologize to Karamatsu. Honestly, leaving him there waiting all day, knowing that he would be ridiculous enough to actually stay!"
"I didn't think he'd be that stupid!" Todomatsu immediately defended himself, holding his hands in front of himself defensively. He immediately regretted his words though, when he noticed the second brother flinch a bit, having huddled a bit more behind the others. Did he hurt his feelings? Ah, now he felt shitty. "I-I...I mean, I..."
Karamatsu looked away from the others as they bickered, shaking his head and sighing softly. They were gonna get out of hand, as usual. That was just how his brothers were though, no sense in trying to change it. But his attention quickly found the man that was standing to the side, watching them all with obvious amusement. The same man that had caught Todomatsu's attention earlier. "I apologize for my brothers, interrupting your time with our dearest Totty." He immediately went into character, smirking a bit.
"No, its fine. I'm sorry for dragging him away like I did. I was just surprised to see him here, so I had to call out. Before I knew it, we spent the whole day together." Atsushi explained, giving Karamatsu an apologetic smile. "He kind of warned me about this, so I'm not entirely surprised. Gotta deal with younger brothers before they get out of hand, right?" He laughed.
Karamatsu immediately dropped his character, looking surprised. "Ah, he actually mentioned us?" He sputtered, eyes going wide. That didn't happen. Todomatsu was ashamed of them, completely embarrassed about their existance. He didn't simply admit that they existed. Unless...this guys must've been someone special to him. "Have you known each other long?"
"A few months now? The coffee shop he works at is close to my office building, so I ran into him there. We got to talking and things just kind of went from there. Sometimes he invites me to go to mixers with him." Karamatsu nodded in understanding, looking deep in thought. Was this...? What if...? No, that couldn't be it. Could it?
"No, don't talk to him!" Todomatsu was suddenly between Karamatsu and Atsushi, pushing Karamatsu away as quickly as he could. "Karamatsu-niisan, if you embarrass me, I swear I'll never forgive you!" Actual meaning: I will make your life hell for as long as you live! Karamatsu swallowed nervously, nodding in understanding. "We can get ready to leave, just at least let me say goodbye!"
The brothers agreed, but didn't move to give them any privacy. Todomatsu sighed heavily, looking at Atsushi with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. Really, really sorry. Its just like I told you, they're the worst." He made sure his brothers heard him clearly.
"And just like I told you, I get it. Being an older brother with a rebellious little brother can be difficult." Atsushi teased, laughing quietly when Todomatsu puffed out his cheeks in exasperation. It was really...cute.
"See, he gets it! I like this guy!" Osomatsu grinned when Todomatsu glared at him over his shoulder.
"Seriously, shut up Osomatsu-niisan!" Todomatsu took a calming breath, looking at Atsushi. "I guess I'll call you later on. Oh, and thanks for the charm. I love it." He smiled fondly at the little bunny dangling from his phone.
"I'm glad. Call me anytime Totty." Atsushi gave him a charming smile, before turning away and walking away. There was no need to stick around any longer and make things feel awkward for poor Todomatsu. Maybe they'd get around to introductions one day.
"Whaaaat? You're gonna let him leave without introducing us?" Osomatsu teased the youngest, watching as his little brother's friend disappeared into the crowd. He was a little curious about the way Todomatsu watched after him, the expression being something new he hadn't really seen before, but he brushed it off. Its not like he had ever seen his little brother with his friends before, so maybe it wasn't that big of a mystery.
"Absolutely. You're not gonna be around him enough to need a proper explanation." Todomatsu huffed, turning and giving his brothers a glare. "You guys are seriously the worst! Why is it so wrong that I wanted to hang out with one of my friends instead of one of you?"
"That's not the problem at all!" Choromatsu yelled in frustration, pointing an accusing finger at the youngest brother. "Are you doing it on purpose?! You can't be that naive, you can't!"
"Its the 'mountain climbing incident' all over again." Osomatsu sighed heavily, wrapping an arm around Todomatsu while leading him and the others towards the amusement park's exit. "Look Totty, hanging out with your friends is fine. Just abandoning one of us to do so, without telling us what your planning is the problem!"
"I would've appreciated a heads up, Totty. You told me you'd wait at the bench, but you weren't there. So I assumed you planned to meet with me after you parted ways with your friend." Karamatsu admitted, though he still somehow looked guilty. He didn't mean for the whole situation to turn into a giant lecture for the youngest brother.
Todomatsu looked ready to argue, before stopping himself. His discussion with Atsushi earlier rang clearly in his mind, talk of how the older man didn't have a relationship with his brothers anymore and fear suddenly gripped at the youngest brothers heart. Was he pushing his brothers away? What if he did something that made them leave him behind? Todomatsu hunched his shoulders a bit, not even noticing Osomatsu's arm tugging him slightly closer as the eldest noticed his sudden change.
"I'm...sorry Karamatsu-niisan. I won't do it again, I promise. If I decide to go with my friends, I'll tell you." Todomatsu mumbled quietly, but sincerely. All the brothers seemed startled by the apology, clearly not expecting the youngest to give in so easily. Todomatsu never apologized to anyone. "Atsushi's just a really good friend, so I got excited when I saw him here. It was..."
"You don't have to explain yourself Totty!" Karamatsu quickly interrupted the pink Matsu, giving him one of his confident smirks. "It wasn't a problem at all. Because of it, I got the chance to spend some quality time with Aniki and Choromatsu. Just the three eldest brothers, something that rarely happens!" Osomatsu and Choromatsu hummed in agreement. They had only gotten on one ride, but it was fun.
Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu were bringing up the rear, walking in a comfortable silence, but Jyushimatsu seemed to catch on to Todomatsu's mood taking a dive. The fifth brother immediately snatched the pink bunny that Ichimatsu was still hauling around and bounced ahead to cut off the other. "Totty!" He chirped, holding up the stuffed toy excitedly.
Todomatsu was staring at the ground, only stopping when Osomatsu did. He looked up at Jyushimatsu, only to be met with the stare of a giant plush bunny. His eyes widened in wonder. "So...so cuuuute!" Todomatsu made a sound as close to a squeal as he could get, before hugging the toy tightly. It was only then that he noticed that the others had been hauling their own stuffed toys around the entire time. How had he missed them?
"Ahaha! You like it? Do you? I won them all! Thank you, Homerun King!" Jyushimatsu was beaming at his only younger brother, waving his arms excitedly as Todomatsu's spirits seemed to be lifted. Jyushimatsu loved to see his brothers happy, more than anything.
"Mm! I love it! Thank you, Jyushimatsu-niisan!" Todomatsu smiled fondly at the toy, hugging it to his chest a bit. The toy was soft and he kind of wished that he could sleep with it, but their futon was already crowded enough. Not to mention his brothers would tease him for sure.
"Alright, alright." Osomatsu smiled a bit, rubbing Todomatsu's back, before walking ahead. "Let's hurry up and catch the bus. If we get home early enough, maybe we can stop and rent a few movies to watch tonight. Don't worry, I'll stay out of the porn section." The eldest brother laughed at the relieved looks on his brothers faces.
"Ooh! Idea!" Jyushimatsu raised his hand, waving it wildly. "We can build a blanket fort downstairs, just like when we were kids! I can move all the furniture around so that we can make the best blanket fort ever!"
"A blanket fort...? Really? Aren't we a little old for that?" Choromatsu sighed heavily, not really intending to shoot the idea down. Even if it did come out like that. Jyushimatsu gave him a look, pressing his sleeved hand to his mouth thoughtfully. "I-I mean...whose going to clean it up before mom and dad get back?"
"It'll be fine! Completely fine!" Jyushimatsu waved a hand nonchalantly, smiling again. "I can clean it all up later! It'll be fun, Choromatsu-niisan! A lot of fun! Like being kids all over again! We can have popcorn and...and..."
"We can order pizza for dinner!" Osomatsu cut in, grinning widely at his idea. Pizza was a rarity in the Matsuno household, reserved for somewhat special occassions. But when they had been kids and had a movie night with their parents, pizza was usually on the menu. If they were going to reenact their childhood, then why not go all out?
"Osomatsu-niisan, you're a genius." Todomatsu complimented, looking more than pleased with the idea. Pizza was greasy and fattening, the farthest thing from healthy, but there was no denying how delicious it was. "And a blanket fort could be nice. It'll be all cozy."
"...I like the idea. We can drag the futon downstairs too and just lounge around." Ichimatsu agreed, shifting his hold on the two stuffed toys he still held. Why couldn't Jyushimatsu carry his own? At any rate, lounging around was all that he had planned anyway, so why not make it even better?
"Today is a day for relaxation. Why not make it even better by spending the night enjoying movies with my precious brothers? It sounds perfect." Karamatsu smirked, before yelping as he received a face full of purple, artificial fur. The blow was admittedly soft, but Ichimatsu's silencing glare was not. "A-Ah, I mean...it all just sounds fun..."
Choromatsu stared at his brothers with a defeated look, before sighing and shrugging his shoulders. It didn't sound bad, but he had a feeling he'd be the one stuck cleaning up the messes left behind. "Fine. If that's what you all want, I guess I'm outnumbered. Movies, pizza, and...a blanket fort it is."
By the time the brothers made it home, it was just shy of 8:00. As soon as the door closed behind them, everyone started to move. Osomatsu grabbed the phone to order their pizza, Jyushimatsu rushed into the living room to begin moving furniture, Ichimatsu and Choromatsu headed upstairs to get their futon, which left Karamatsu and Todomatsu to gather all the blankets they could find.
"That's six blankets. Should that be enough?" Todomatsu asked, piling the final fleece blanket he found in their closet into Karamatsu's arms. There was one color for each of them, a present from their parents last Christmas. At least they'd finally be put to good use, opposed to Jyushimatsu hogging them all to beat the winter cold.
"We should try to find a few more. Knowing our little Jyushimatsu, he'll want to go overboard. Might as well make sure he has plenty of material to work with, so that his vision may become a reality!" Karamatsu smirked, shifting the blankets in his arms. "I'll take these downstairs so that he may begin his work of art. Maybe mommy has some more blankets in her closet."
Todomatsu hummed and nodded, doing his best to ignore his brother's painful choice of words. Karamatsu was right about one thing, Jyushimatsu would likely go way overboard. Having some more blankets couldn't hurt that much. The youngest brother walked down the hall towards their parents room, pushing the door open and flicking on the light.
To be honest, Todomatsu couldn't remember the last time he'd been in his parents room. There was never really any need for him to be here, not since he was a kid. Maybe that's why it somehow seemed so foreign to him. When did the dresser get moved over there? When did they put the mirror by the door? Did they change the curtains? He quickly shook the thoughts out of his mind, walking over to the closet and tugging it open. He really needed to pay more attention to his mom and dad.
The closet was surprisingly tall, but Todomatsu didn't miss the corner of a blanket hanging down from the top shelf. Why did their mom have to be so tall?! There was nothing around that he could use to step up on and he really didn't feel like going downstairs to find something. Huffing, he stood on his tiptoes, reaching as far as he could. If only he could just get a hold on the blanket, he could just pull all of them down! Why did they all have to be so short?
The pink Matsu's eyes lit up as his fingers brushed against the cloth and he immediately gripped it, tugging as hard as he could. Just as expected, a bunch of blankets came tumbling down, but a decent sized box must've been resting on the top of the pile. Todomatsu yelped as the corner of the box bumped against his forehead, his hand immediately coming up to cover the small cut that was quickly welling up with blood. Well, this was unfortunate.
"Ow..." He whimpered pitifully, before letting out a sigh and kicking the offending box out of his way. To his surprise, it rattled loudly and he quickly found out why as the lid fell open. An array of pill bottles rolled out, thankfully still capped. But they were all prescription bottles, and Todomatsu couldn't help but feel a little worried about that. There were so many. Were his parents hiding something? Were one of them sick? Swallowing nervously, Todomatsu knelt down and picked up one of the bottles to read the label.
It was the last thing he was expecting to see. Matsuno, Karamatsu was written on the label, along with some other information. Todomatsu furrowed his brow and pulled out his smartphone, typing the name on the label into his browser. Zoloft. An antidepressant. What?
Todomatsu's mind went blank and he dropped the pill bottle in his hand. What did Karamatsu need with those and why were they hidden in their mother's closet? It didn't make any sense. Karamatsu couldn't be depressed. He immediately felt the guilt creeping in. Was it their fault? They were just teasing, they never meant what they said. Its not like they hated the second brother. What if it was just him? Did he do something to...?
He took a deep breath, burying his face into his hands. No, he couldn't jump to conclusions right now! There could be another explanation, right? He really hoped there was. Dropping his hands to his side, Todomatsu knelt down to gather up the rest of the bottles. Once he was calm, once he got his mind under control, he would confront Karamatsu and ask him outright what the story behind the pills were. But right now, it'd be pointless. Not when he couldn't...think...
The pills fell back to the floor, along with the rest of the contents in the box. Todomatsu stared at the last bottle he had grabbed for a moment, before flinging it across the room as if it had burned him. His face was pale, his hands starting to shake a bit. What was happening? What was going on?
Matsuno, Todomatsu was written on the label.
It was something called Fluoxetine. He didn't know what it was. And at this point, he wasn't sure he wanted to.