"Hey!"
"Hey!"
"Hey, wake up!"
I felt a light tap on my shoulder, but the hand quickly fled as I groaned in pain, struggling to peel my eyes open.
The pain assaulted me all at once; every part of my body ached from the attack I had just endured.
Images of the beating flashed in my mind, and I grimaced, shoving my head into the thin wool mat I called a bed.
As I rolled over to find a more comfortable position, I wasn't met with any relief. Instead, I felt hot breath against my face.
My little brother, Mahito, was crouched right in front of me. His small body blocked my view of the rest of the house as he stared down at me, his breath visible in the cold air.
With a heavy sigh, I avoided his eyes. I was supposed to be an example for him, but right now, I was poor.
What kind of big brother gets beaten up in front of his little brother? I'm supposed to be his superhero, his role model—outside of Dad.
It was the ultimate form of embarrassment. I heaved another sigh, muttering under my breath, "Yes, Mahito?"
Mahito seemed excited that I was finally awake. How long had he been sitting here, calling my name?
I glanced past him to see Mother and Father gathered around a pot, smoke rising from the top.
Father gripped the handles tightly, his muscles tense as if expecting Mahito to somersault into the fray and knock the boiling stew all over us.
It must've been a while—long enough for them to mellow out and for Mahito to focus all his attention on me.
Mahito could barely contain himself, practically bouncing with excitement now that I had acknowledged him.
"Oooh, what's up, brother! I have so many questions for you... about the fight!"
Mahito, asking questions? He didn't usually ask much of anything. He was a self-sufficient kid, fueled by the hopes and dreams of everyone around him.
I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he wanted to know and what he'd do with the information.
But then I dismissed my thoughts. He's just a curious kid, I told myself. He was way too terrified to step outside without my parents' permission. He didn't step outside at all.
I didn't feel like answering questions, so I brushed him off, rolling over. "Nah, Mahito. Not right now, don't feel like it"
That would throw him off for a bit. I tried to snuggle into the thin wool mat, but it barely shielded me from the splintering floor.
Thump
Mahito's grip on my shoulder was strong—too strong for a kid his size. My eyes shot open as he rolled me back over, his face now inches from mine, breathless from excitement. I tried to pull away, but his hand tightened, keeping me locked in place.
His eyes were wide and rolling, and he was giggling uncontrollably as if I had said something hilarious.
"Hehehehe! I wasn't done!"
Mahito yelled in a loud whisper, just loud enough for me to hear but no one else. I tried to look away from the tension that had suddenly filled the air as his hand released me.
He was just persistent, yeah? Very persistent. Maybe I should just tell him what he wants to get him off my tail. He wasn't going anywhere—not anytime soon.
"Heh, Mahito, what exactly do you want to ask?"
Mahito stopped bouncing and placed a finger on his chin, looking up in thought.
"Oooo… hmm! Why did you lose?"
The question hit like an arrow, but not one of love. I was left thinking about what had just transpired.
Mahito truly had some audacity. I stammered, trying to come up with an answer.
"U-uh, because, Mahito... There were so many. You saw, right?"
I posed a counter-question, hoping to deflect his flawed logic with an awkward chuckle.
"But the reason they jumped you is because you let the big one knock you out, Kouta-san."
I was left stunned. Was he really this blunt? Maybe I hadn't been tough enough to show Mahito how strong I was... or how strong the bullies were.
But as I scanned his face, there was no smile or playful look. He was dead serious.
I chuckled awkwardly again, glancing around for an escape.
"Kouta-san, your soup is ready."
My mother stood up, a metal bowl in her hands, walking carefully to avoid spilling it. She approached, knelt beside Mahito, and helped me sit up.
"Mahito, if you could help your brother eat, that would be great."
She placed the bowl in Mahito's lap, and he stared down at it—especially the spoon.
I watched, curious if Mahito would feed me. To my surprise, he picked up the spoon, dug into the stew, and lifted it toward me.
"Say 'ah,' brother."
I hesitated, expecting some sort of prank, but slowly opened my mouth to accept the spoon.
Mother and Father watched from the corners of their eyes, intrigued to see if Mahito would go through with it.
To my surprise, he gently placed the spoon on my tongue, rolling it to the side so the stew spilled into my mouth.
The soup burned like hell—he didn't blow on it—but it was a nice gesture. I appreciated it.
Mahito dug in again, but this time, he looped the spoon back to his mouth, tasting it himself.
"Wow! Kouta-san, this soup is really good! We're going to have to share it!"
I just nodded, my muscles too sore to argue. "Yeah, sure, Mahito."
I said, exhausted, as Mahito ignored my needs and continued eating. He was going to make sure he had a full belly first.
"So, Kouta-san, when the big one approached, why didn't you say anything? You just got ready to fight."
Annoyed, I sighed and raised my voice slightly. "Mahito, it was just some jackasses I met a long time ago. Can you please just give me some soup now?"
Mahito seemed even more intrigued like he had just uncovered the greatest secret ever. He ignored my request, quietly swaying side to side in excitement.
I sighed again, too sore and tired to keep up with his relentless questions. I rolled over, closing my eyes. "Mahito, just... stop. It's done. They're not worth talking about anymore."
But Mahito didn't listen. He never really listened. Instead, I felt a cold chill run down my spine as his smile crept back.
"They hurt you. That's not fair," Mahito whispered, his voice low and thoughtful. "I don't like that."
I tried to sit up to re-adjust myself, wincing from the pain, but it was too much. "Just... let it go," I muttered, barely above a whisper, before lying back down.
Mahito didn't respond. I felt his presence blur as my eyelids grew heavier, but his voice lingered, soft yet unsettling.
"They broke the rules, Kouta-san."
I opened my eyes slightly, glancing at him from the corner of my vision. What the hell rules was he talking about—and where was he taking this?
"I'll pay them back for you, Kouta-san."
A chill ran down my spine. I turned my head slowly to look at him, searching for some sign he was joking. But Mahito's face was neutral, I couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious.
It had to be a bluff. Mahito wouldn't do anything. He barely even left the house unsupervised. Why would he suddenly venture out like some caped crusader?
I shrugged my shoulders, closing my eyes again. I just wanted to sleep. Maybe by morning, I'd be able to move again.