The Unknown

Ch. 15 - Care

When your brain put the puzzle pieces together, you sprinted off your mattress and down the hall - yanking Choso's bedroom door open. 
He was innocently sitting on his bed, pillow propped up behind him, on his cell phone. He looked up at you with a confused expression from your panicked body language.

"I thought..." you trailed off as you slowly started to calm down.

"No..." his voice was small as he locked the device and placed it on the nightstand next to him. 

You took a deep breath to steady your racing heart as he got out of bed and walked over to you. He placed caring hands on your upper arms and met your eyes. You had a tight frown and upturned brows. Your concern flattered him, so he gave a sweet smile.

"I just wanted to be alone for a bit..." his voice was quiet, trying to keep you calm. He felt just a bit bad for inciting such a panic.

"Oh...I can...go," you changed your expression now that you were recovered. 

"No, no," he repeated, "you're here now." He released your arms and walked back over to his bed, sitting cross-legged on the mattress. He patted the space next to him and you joined him. "It feels good knowing that you give a shit about me." The smirk on his face hurt your heart a little bit. You hated knowing that he was some kind of misfit even in his own family.

"Of course I do, you're my...brother," you hesitated and looked away. "Why wouldn't I give a shit?"

"Well..." he lifted his eyebrows and began listing events in his head. You two had quite the rocky start. 

"Choso...," you rolled your eyes with a smile. "I'm happy that you're my brother now. You've changed my mind." He smiled in return before returning to that small frown, about to continue the conversation.

"It's just tiring having to take care of everyone," he admitted. While he was flattered that you gave a shit about him, you were just as flattered that he was confiding in you. "Eso and Kechizu, they're a handful when Dad is so absent. This is the longest he's been here in ages and it's only been a few hours. I mean...I'm no parent to my brothers, but...I'm there for them."

"It is a lot," you nodded, looking at your hands in your lap, "I'm sorry for the way I acted when we first met. I had no idea."

"Don't be, I am an ass," he chuckled, "I won't and can't deny that. And I enjoy it, too," he pointed a playful finger at you. 

"If you agree, then I can't deny it either," you giggled, "I hated your guts."

"No way!" He groaned through a laugh, smiling at you. Your presence had quickly lightened his mood. "You love me," he leaned toward you and made a kissy face. You quickly shoved his face away, palm flat against his cheek.

"I did not," you stuttered out, not realizing you had used the past tense. Choso didn't think anything of it...that you knew of. 

"Then why'd you carry me out of the classroom? Why'd you stay with me at the house after making sure I got home safe? Why'd you call me just to make sure I didn't die after you followed me the first time?" He listed off several events on his fingers.

"I...didn't want to be responsible if you did die!" Your face blushed as you tried to come up with a defense, albeit a weak one. 

"Uh-huh," he clearly didn't believe you. 

Still laughing and giggling together, you decided to take advantage of the emotion. Your body began acting automatically to its own desires. As he rocked with laughter in his cross-legged position, you gripped his graphic tee hard and pulled him onto your body - smashing your lips together as he fell on top of you.