A Place Where We Belong

Chapter 1: A New Home

"So, you're really moving out?" the older boy asked his brother.

"Kouichi, how many more times are you going to ask me that?" the other boy replied to his twin, annoyed.

"I'm just making sure this is what you really want, Koji."

"Well, quite askin'! It's buggin' the heck outta me!"

"S-sorry," Kouichi shyly replied and continued to help his brother pack his belongings into boxes.

The air quickly became heavy and weighed on the shoulders of the two boys. Anyone could tell they were uncomfortable around each other. Who could blame them?

Their parents' divorce was final when they were 2 years old and then, their sweet, caring mother took Kouichi, and their bipolar father took Koji. They lived both of their lives thinking they were an only child.

Koji was always told that he was an only child and that his mother died in an accident, but he couldn't help but think there was something more. He was told nothing but lies.

Kouichi just assumed he was an only child because he only saw he and his mother at the dinner table. He started to question his family dynamics after his Grandmother became very sick.

"Kouichi," his Grandmother struggled to speak as she was drawing in her last few breaths.

Kouichi sat next to her on the hospital bed and held her shaky, delicate hands, hoping he could soothe her in the last moments of her life.

"Kouichi, you have a brother. His name is Koji."

Kouichi stared at his Grandmother, dumbfounded. Before he could reply, ask, or say anything, his Grandmother had left him.

From that day forward, he had wanted to know more about his brother, Koji, but he couldn't ask his mom about it; she was already struggling as is. She was always taking on extra shifts at work, stressing over how to pay the bills, and her muscles ached from all her stress.

Therefore, he decided to take matters into his own hands. After hours of research, Kouichi finally found the place Koji and his father lived, but he could never find the courage to introduce himself. Instead, he would follow Koji around, waiting for the right time to tell Koji who he was.

After a couple of weeks, Kouichi finally decided to show Koji his face, but the day couldn't have been more disastrous: the day they found themselves in the Digital World.

Koji, Kouichi, and a few others learned they were housing six of the ten Legendary Warriors inside them: fire, ice, wind, lightning, light, and dark. After many trials in the Digital World, the brothers that held the light and dark spirits had finally met, but not without Koji's confusion. Even after the brothers talked and tried to form a relationship, everything was still awkward.

"So..." Kouichi started, hesitant to break the cold atmosphere. "Dad seemed nice."

"Yeah, cause you don't live with him!" the other snapped, too quickly. Koji glared at the final box he taped up and easily picked up 3 large boxes and said, "Let's go."

Kouichi watched his brother gallop down the stairs with ease as he struggled to lift up one box and carefully put both feet on each step before ascending to the next one.

Koji was waiting at the front door, tempted to yell at his older brother to hurry up, but knew that wouldn't be the best thing to do, so he reluctantly waited.

"Kouichi, I'm so happy I was finally able to meet you," their father said when Kouichi had gotten to the bottom of the staircase.

"Oh!" Kouichi put down the box and walked over to his father, expecting a hug, but got a firm handshake instead. "I'm happy I was able to meet you too, dad."

"I hope we can find some time to bond."

"Quite telling him lies, you dirty bas-" Koji growled at his father, until he was cut off by his stepmom.

"Koji, please-" but, she was cut off by his frightening glare.

"Can you be nice to her for once in your life, Koji?" his father scolded him.

"No, actually, I can't!" Koji snapped back. "I thought it was only supposed to be us! You and me! Well, that reality came crashing down when you told me your wedding date! Wedding date? Hah, I never knew you were engaged! No, I didn't even know you were dating someone!"

"Koji, you were too young to understa-"

"I was 5! Too young or not, I'd still like to know these kinds of things!"

"What does this have to do wit-"

"Shut up! I'm talking!" Koji growled and gritted his teeth. "You've always lied to me! Always! I wouldn't be surprised if you lied to her, too. Why should I make an effort to be nice to her when you're just going to get a divorce, again!"

A cold silence filled the air.

"I'm so done!" Koji rolled his eyes and grabbed the fourth box his brother was supposed to carry. "Kouichi, I'll be in the car when you're done."

Air thick and cold; Kouichi was definitely not used to this kind of atmosphere and it frightened him. Not because Koji was being a jerk, but because of the aura he gave off. It amazes him how he and his brother are the complete opposite of their spirits.

'Maybe the God of this world messed up...' Kouichi thought.

"You might as well be off. Koji's never been a patient kid."

"Yeah..." Kouichi sadly replied, not completely listening.

"We can get together another time and catch up if you want," Kouichi's father told him, tapping his shoulder to bring him back down to earth.

"Oh, yeah! That'd be nice!" Kouichi said, faking a smile. "I'll call you later."

The twins' father waved to them 'goodbye' as the car drove off.

After five minutes of driving, the twins' biological mom abruptly exhaled with irritation and laughed, "I did not want to see him!"

Then, Kouichi laughed with his mother as Koji smirked at her comment.

"Yeah well, I'm sure he didn't want to see you either." Koji chuckled.

"Good! I wouldn't want to get his hopes up, or anything!" she said with a snarky reply.

Another burst of laughter came from the front seat, where Kouichi and their mom were sitting.

'They're too noisy...' Koji thought and listened as they chatted the whole four hours back to Koji's new home.

"So, Kouichi, what did you think of your father?"

"Oh, no! Please, don't ask!"

"It was that bad, huh?" their mom asked Kouichi, sympathetically.

"Well, no but, it was just so awkward! I tried to hug him, but he just shook my hand! Like, what am I supposed to do with that?"

"Hah, hah, I'm sorry, honey. I completely forgot that he doesn't like human contact."

"It's not your fault, Mom." Kouichi sincerely smiled.

Once they were 10 minutes from Koji's new home, he started having doubts:

'Maybe this was a bad idea. Mom and Kouichi are too loud and giggly. Ew! Why are they so happy? Didn't his- or, our grandma die not that long ago? Maybe they're happy she's gone? Maybe I should've just stayed with dad. Dad never bothered me... unless if we were in the same room, of course. I hate him! Maybe I should have called my Uncle, but he's always traveling, so if I moved in with him, I'd be alone 95% of the time. Actually, that's not a bad idea. Then I can try that new training exercise I came up with-'

"Koji, I know it's not nearly as large as your house," his mother said, pulling Koji away from his doubts. "But I hope you'll be able to call this place your home, too."

Koji looked out his window and saw a one-story house painted with a cream color. There couldn't be more than three rooms, plus a garage, in the small house. The mini lawn, that was the length of the front room window, had some yellow patches scattered here and there, but the flowers below the front window took your eyes away from the dead grass. This new home was definitely a lot smaller than his old one, but he knew he could manage.

'Maybe, I can train here, too,' Koji thought, stepping out of the car.