"Dude!" Kaito shakes my body as I hold the paper bag of food. "What happened to you?"
I noticed that we were at the front door of my house. I don't know why I randomly remembered that memory. I completely didn't realize that we're here.
"Ah, nothing," I shook my head and grabbed the keys from the pocket of my school uniform coat.
I inserted the key to the door and turned the doorknob. We removed our shoes and the others sat on the couch, while Hajime and I dropped the food in the kitchen.
"We'll set up the console!" Takeshi yells from the living room. "Can you guys prepare the snacks?"
"Sure thing!" I yell back. "Hajime, want to help me set up?"
"Sure thing!" He drops his bag on the side of the kitchen counter. "Where are the bowls and cups?"
"Right there next to the sink," I reply as I unload the stuff from the paper bag.
"Ahh, thanks," He makes his way across the small kitchen to grab the bowls and cups. "Your house seems nice. It's not that big but not that small too and it feels comfortable."
"Yeah," I reply. "Thank you!"
My house looks pretty modern and traditional at the same time. The furniture here is modern while the floorings, the walls are more traditional Japanese. And yeah, it's not that big but it's not that small either. I can fit a few people here and it would still have space. Being alone in this house could be pretty lonely, but I'm used to it. The only time I'm not alone here is if my uncle decides to stay over.
"Though," He stands next to me and puts down the bowls and cups. "If I live alone in a house like this, I would get pretty lonely."
"Yeah, I get that," We each grabbed a bag of chips and poured it on the bowls. "But I have lived alone in this house since I was 6, so I'm used to it."
"Oh, so none of your relatives were concerned about you being alone?"
"My uncle lived here with me until that age. At that age, he taught me everything about living alone. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, ironing my clothes, all that stuff. Once he thought that I'm responsible enough to live alone, he asked me if I could manage myself alone."
"And you were okay with it?"
"I mean, yeah. I was scared and confused at first. My uncle comes over every day to check on me and at night, waits for me to falls asleep. As I age, I got used to being alone up to the point where he stopped checking. Until now, he checks on me once a week and stays over."
"Can't he just take care of you in his place?"
"My uncle's place isn't really a good environment for raising a child. At least, that's what he told me."
"Ahh I see, I see," He replies.
I noticed that we got through all of the bags. I put all the bags inside the paper bag and threw them in the trash.
"I'm sorry if I kept asking you questions," Hajime stands as he waits for me.
"It's fine," I grabbed the bottles of soda and cups. "It's a good conversation for you to get to know me!"
He chuckles. "This isn't really a topic for a conversation when you're just getting to know them."
I also chuckle. "I guess so."
He grabs the two bowls and we made our way to the living room.
* * * * *
I've had my time on the controller. Kaito and Takeshi were in control while Takeda is helping his brother out in the game. They all sat on the floor.
Hajime and I ended up taking a break on the couch. He's also had his time on the controller.
"So," I look at him. He looks at me as well. "How are you at your home? If you don't mind me asking."
He looks up at the ceiling. "It's always me and my mom. My dad's out of the picture ever since I'm 8. He works overseas, so he's rarely home. Like, super rare. My mom discovered that she has another woman there."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's fine," He replies. "We managed to survive without him in the picture. Up to this day, he isn't abandoning his obligations as my father, which is good. He's still financially supporting me."
"That's good! At least everything is fine, right?"
He smiles. "Yeah."
The sound of the controllers got louder that I thought it would break. I look over them to see that they were frustrated. It looks like they were stuck on a puzzle.
"Ugh!" Takeshi literally almost threw the controller. "How do we do this?"
Kaito placed down the controller. "I'm done. I'm supposed to be here to relax and this is giving me stress instead."
I sigh and got up on the couch. "Here, let me take over. I might know this."
"Actually," Hajime spoke. "I've seen this before. Can I take over, Takeshi?"
"Feel free," He got up from the floor. "I'm about to blow up once I keep this up." He sat on the couch and filled a cup with soda.
* * * * *
"Okay, here," I said as I move the joystick of my controller. "Take this block and place it in the large button over there."
"Got it," Hajime replied. We were focused on the game that we didn't notice that Takeshi and Takeda were just sitting behind us, watching our gameplay.
I don't know how long we were playing, but we were having fun. I've never played a puzzle game with co-op mode with someone like Hajime, so it was actually fun. Takeshi and Kaito would immediately quit and ask for another game to play.
"There we go!" I frantically clench a fist. "Another puzzle is done!"
"That was fun!" Hajime looks calm but ecstatic.
I hear Takeda whisper to Takeshi on the couch. "Did you understand what happen?"
"No," Takeshi whispers back. "I suck at puzzles."
I notice that Kaito was missing. "Hey, where's Kaito?"
"Oh, you guys took long playing the game that he took a bath."
"Wait, we really played that long?"
"1 hour and 30 minutes, but he got bored so he went ahead and took a bath."
Someone knocks on the front door. I went and opened it.
"Hey, guys!" It was my uncle Yamato. He seems to be carrying a bag from the convenience store.
He enters the house and sees the others. "Hello, kids!"
"Good evening, Mr. Ai!" They said out of sync.
"I heard that some of your friends were sleeping over, so I went and bought you all dinner."
I took the bag from his hand. "Thank you!"
"Oh, hello Hajime, didn't know you'd be here!"
He chuckles. "I was invited by Takeda here. They seem fun!"
Uncle also chuckles. "They are. Well, I hope you get along with my nephew here!" He places his arm around me. "This boy here isn't good with emotions, so if he doesn't realize something he did wrong, it's probably that! I hope you help him out."
He nods. "I will, sir."
"Also, where is Kaito? The absence of his presence is nerve-wracking."
"He's in the shower," I say as I point my thumb towards the bathroom.
"Ahh, I won't disturb him then. Well, I have to go. Enjoy the boys' night!"
We all said our goodbyes as he left.
* * * * *
Kaito got out of the shower, wearing a plain white shirt and a pajama. A towel is hanging around the back of his neck.
"I'm done showering," He sat down on the couch. It's your guys' turn."
"Takeda," He calls out, carrying two towels. He tosses one to Takeshi. "We need to save time so we still have enough time to game. So we'll take a bath at the same time."
"Excuse me, what?" Takeda looks at his brother with narrow eyes.
"The bathroom is big," Takeshi says. "There's a shower and a bathtub. If you guys want to game longer, then save time by taking a bath in pair."
"Oh, I see," Takeda was relieved. They both sprint towards the bathroom.
I sigh and agreed with it. I don't mind, really. More time to be awake, I guess.
"Hajime," I look at him. "Is it okay for you to take a bath at the same time?"
"Oh, sure," He replies. He seems unbothered so I guess it is really fine. "Can I take the bathtub? I've never used one in my life before."
I let out a chuckle. "Sure."
We wait for Takeda and Takeshi to finish in the bath.
* * * * *
I turned on the hot and cold water in the bathtub and waited for it to be filled. After it was filled, I called Hajime and told him the bath is ready. I went in the shower and closed the sliding door and undressed. I turned on the shower and was soaked in the water.
I hear the water splash a bit. I guess Hajime got in the bath. He took a long and deep sigh, then it went silent a bit.
"Kyo," His voice echo throughout the bathroom. "When Mr. Ai said that you are not good with emotions, what does that mean?"
I turned off the shower and applied shampoo to my hair. "Well, you see, I can't really understand if people are like, I don't know, flirting with me or if they are feeling something that they don't imply. I can at least try and read the room in some situations and it would work, but there are times where I can't tell if a person likes me or is angry with me unless it's visible and not implied."
"Ahh, I get it," He replies.
"I feel like I am a robot for not being able to tell what feeling is what. One time, I accidentally drove someone away because of this."
"May I know what happened?"
I turned on the shower. I talked loudly so that Hajime could hear my words. "Well, when I was in junior high school, there was this girl who I became friends with. Apparently, she likes me because she keeps buying me stuff I didn't ask for every time we hang out."
"Oh yeah, she really likes you."
"That's the problem! I don't know that she did because I'm a robot."
"I don't think you're a robot," He says.
That made me look up. "Really?"
"I just think that as a kid, you were probably not taught about feelings and affection. As a result, you are oblivious to it. Personally, I know someone who was like that. He grew up alone without any parental figure so he was not thought about it."
"Just like me," Yeah, that sounded like me.
"I'm sorry if I reminded you of that."
"It's fine. It's true though. I grew up without someone teaching me about feelings and emotions that I'm basically a robot."
I heard him got off the bath and the water draining from the tub. "Don't worry. We're here to help you with that."
I turn off the shower and smiled. "Thanks."
I heard sounds of ruffling of clothes. It seems that he got dressed. "I'm off now. Thanks for lending me the bathtub!"
"No problem!" The door opened and closed.
I got out after and got dressed.
* * * * *
After dinner and a couple of hours of gaming, everyone crashed in the cot that I set up in my bedroom. Everyone was immediately asleep, while I can't.
The memory of me hurting someone because of my shallowness kept popping up in my head and I am unable to sleep because of this.
This usually doesn't bother me at night, but tonight, my head keeps reminding me of that moment.
I quietly got up and left the bedroom to clear my head.
* * * * *
[Hajime POV]
I woke up in the middle of the night. I looked at my phone and saw that it was 3 AM already. I was asleep for 4 hours. I look around the room and saw that Kyo was missing. I got up and went to look for him.
I saw him in the living room, looking at a window that overviews the dark street with dimly lit street lamps.
"Kyo?" I silently call out to him.
He turns his head and looked at me. "Oh hey. You can't sleep either?"
"I just woke up and noticed you were not in bed, so I decided to check up on you."
"Oh, well, thanks."
I walk over next to him. "Is something bothering you?"
"I think so," He replies as he stares at the stars in the sky. "I guess I'm still bothered by that event in junior high school."
"I can understand that."
I looked at where he was looking. The night sky tonight is pretty relaxing. The stars twinkle bright and the moon was visible. I can see why he looks at the sky while he's unease.
Kyo took a deep breath. "Doesn't this seem relaxing? The stars shine bright in the night sky while the cold breeze hit against your skin."
I chuckle. "I agree."
"I still can't sleep though."
I stood there and thought of something to help him sleep. "Here, I have a way to help."
I made my way to the couch and sat on the far right. He turns and looks at me.
I softly slap my lap. "Try sleeping in my lap."
He seems confounded at first. "You sure?"
"Yeah!" I replied. "When I was a kid, my mom would ask me to sleep on her lap whenever I feel uneasy or scared, and she would talk to me until I feel at ease as I fall asleep."
He stood there, confused. Oh, maybe he thinks that I'm doing something and he's processing my intentions. "It helped me, so I thought this might help you. It's okay if you don't want to."
I don't want to suggest to him that I have intentions. He'll probably be more confused if I explained that. I honestly don't have any other intentions than to help me sleep.
He smiles. "Sure, it can't hurt to try."
He makes his way to the couch. He sat down and lied on the couch, resting his head on my lap. He faces the ceiling and stares at it.
"You know," He says as he stares at the ceiling. "I regret that I didn't clear things up between us. There were a lot of opportunities for me to do it, but I let it go for so long that she left without me clearing it."
This issue has really got him messed up. "When there's an opportunity, you should definitely clear things up with her. I don't know when that time will come, or if that time will actually come, but when you have a chance, do it."
"Well," He pauses as he stares at the ceiling, then smiles. "Yeah, I'll definitely do it."
His mood shifted and he looks happy. "You're right. This is relaxing. I feel like I'm... about.... to...."
And he drifted to sleep. He honestly looks like a cute puppy that I can't help but rub his head. I immediately realize what I have done and jerked my hand back to my side.
He's soft asleep. Looking at him, I can't help but smile. I sat there until eventually, I fell asleep.
* * * * *
[Kaito POV]
I woke up with legs wrapped around my hips and arms on my face. Jeez, these siblings are messy sleepers. I pulled their limbs from my body and got up. I stretch my body as I look around. I noticed that Hajime and Kyo weren't anywhere in the bedroom. I walk out, rubbing my eyes and in the living room, I saw Kyo sleeping on the couch with his head on Hajime's lap, who was also asleep on the couch.
This was an odd scene.
"Hnggg, why are you just standing there?" Behind me was Takeshi, who just woke up.
"What's the hold-up?" Takeda followed, rubbing his eyes.
I told them to shut up and pointed at the two. They were suddenly awake.
"Take a picture, quick," I told Takeshi.
He pulls out his phone and got closer. He silently took a shot.
"Honestly, this looks so cute," Takeda says.
I nod in agreement.