Raji remembered when Rona and Eugena were born, remembered when his father handed Rona to him. How small she looked in his arms, how unsure he felt holding her.

He'd been gathered after the twins were born and told that he could now enter the room and that his parents wanted to see him. And when he held his baby sister, he was struck with the kind of awe that he guesses only a moment like that can bring.

She was so, so tiny, and so cute as she curled deeper into his embrace. And her eyes were closed, and she slept soundly. She had calmed down right away, and sometimes Raji wonders if that is a skill she lost as she got older.

But she'd been so cute and innocent, and Raji had been struck for once by the gentleness and quiet beauty of a moment so sweet.

It was later, that sometimes he forgot, even as little Rona and Eugena crashed some of his moments alone, as they shown up, as they asked for their big brother's attention. And sometimes he questions why they like him so much, especially after all that happened with Shirayuki.

And he remembers her strength and honesty as she told him, gave him that flame of hope, and a reproach, that he can be better. And so, he chooses to be better. And studying as a First Prince is hard work, and yet, somedays, when he returns exhausted to his room, and ready to sleep, he feels a little bit of a relief to seeing his younger siblings waiting up for them.

And sometimes when they haven't completely fallen asleep from his late night library visits, Rona's smiling at him, all calm and innocent but almost proud too. Like he's become a big brother even she can be proud of, as stubborn as she is.

It's happy here and peaceful. And Raji sees the difference, especially on days when he doesn't feel as lost, but feels like he's finally figured out this whole big brother business.

Though, it's not always a pleasant surprise to find his younger siblings have stolen his bed, as he pushes Eugena gently to the side and squeezes into the space left between the twins. It's a tight fit or at least feels like one, and on some tired nights, that is the last thing he wants.

But it must mean something good that they still bug him like this, even now, and that maybe, just maybe, they're happy to call him their big brother.