The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 48~♫

 Rigaku had mixed feelings about his youngest brother finding a love interest. It wasn't like he minded it at all, or actually, he might have a bit. His youngest brother was always the one more naive, falling to tricks of others, believing in scary monsters under the carpet or inside of old wardrobes.

'If there is any girl involved, it could be Ueno pulling strings from behind the scene.'

He walked across the halls, where only a few students strolled. The school would close soon, and so they all headed home.

'Was I reading too much into this?' He stopped by a window. 'Ka!' He leaned outside, seeing his figure bringing a big box into the garden. 'Where is he going?'

Glancing directly under the window, his head spun. 'No time for being dizzy.' He dashed outside, arriving under the window and gasping for air. 'I really need to... exercise more.' Sweat rose on his forehead, that he wiped with the back of his hand. Heading into the garden, he paid attention to the path.

Along the way, he had found a small red ribbon. Anybody else could lose this one, but Rigaku couldn't ignore this. 'If I remember correctly, there is an old theater in the back.'

Soon the building came into the view. Ten years ago, it used to hold a student's play every year. Most of the time retelling of fairy-tales or famous books in half of an hour. Despite the short dramas, the Theater Club provided full experience with custom costumes, dance numbers, or songs.

Rigaku hid behind a bush, looking around and listening if anybody was around. 'I wonder why the club stopped tending this place.'

Its plaster needed a big makeover, and the weed growing around it climbed the walls. He pondered about it a bit. 'Didn't Ueno-san's mother become a headmistress here at that time? I think I read it in the history section before we arrived. It mentioned a big reconstruction that lasted for a few years.'

Bit by bit, he closed the distance to one of the windows. The theater wasn't big. Compared to other buildings, it was almost tiny. It allowed fifty people to watch the play at most.

He circled it, looking for another way in. Without knowing where the back door led, he didn't want to be called a weirdo or pervert, much less to be found out by Kagetsu.

'Well, if my brother is here, that's it.'

Still, he needed to proceed with caution. Putting his bag down, he tried the stability of a big barrel that he moved under the window. Climbing up and expecting immediate fall, he slowly reached for the window, peeking inside.

Gusts of dust rose as he breathed, his nose barely making it over the windowsill even with him standing on his tiptoes. Squinting his eyes, he searched the small area he could see. A few people stood on the stage, gesticulating and talking. Others moved paper trees and bushes, positioning them for the costume rehearsal.

'Right, Ai mention The Snow White stage play happening soon.'

Girls and boys from all grades moved around. Rigaku didn't hear any shouts, so the preparations went smoothly so far. He was about to go down when he saw Kagetsu.

'Ka!' He had almost lost his footing and scratched his nose as he tried to keep his body from falling. 'What is he?' He blinked, but he saw right.

His youngest brother was wearing a dress. He watched Kagetsu as he performed a scene from the play. The oldest Kamini squinted his eyes, trying to see if he could understand anything they said, but it was no use.

The glass muffled all sounds. Rigaku watched them dance, fix their postures, interacting, but most importantly, he had seen Kagetsu laugh and smile.

'Is he enjoying himself?'

Rigaku moved a bit from the window, his legs hurting from the stiff position. 'I should—' He bit his tongue as the world around him turned upside down.

In the last second, he finished the airborne somersault, landing on his stomach. His glasses had fallen off his nose, landing a meter from his sprawled body.

His body shook as he tried to move on all fours. 'I have to go!' The clamor from his fall could alert somebody. He picked his things, finding a miracle protected his glasses from breaking, but his uniform would use a big washing up.

\\_(''>_<'')_//

Kagetsu expanded his arms above his head.

"I need a bed!" His yawn would eat half of the planet as he stretched his face muscles to their limit. Checking on his phone, he knew he came home late.

He had almost fallen asleep in the elevator, the ding waking him up from his drowsing. "Just a bit more..." His voice trailed off, seeing a sitting figure in the hall. With a wink, Kagetsu kicked his tired brain into overdrive.

"Ri..." He knew keeping this a secret from his brothers and especially from Rigaku couldn't stay for long. He strolled closer, dragging his legs.

The nodding figure jerked, and Rigaku woke up. Rubbing his eyes, Kagetsu greeted him, "I'm home."

"Okaeri"—his head dropped—"nasai." He rubbed his face more.

"Let me help you into the bed." Kagetsu lifted his brother's rubber-like body, dragging him into his room.

"Am I that untrustworthy?" Rigaku mumbled.

"Wait? What?" Kagetsu stumbled in his steps. "What are you talking about? You are sleep talking."

"You keep... from me..." Rigaku's head swayed down and back.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want to bother you."

"You aren't..."

Finally arriving inside, Kagetsu laid Rigaku on the bed, pushing him into the center. "Get good rest." The youngest Kamini pulled over his brother a blanket, putting his glasses on the nightstand.

In the hall, he met his other brother. "Seriously?" Kagetsu asked, arching his eyebrow. "Were you all waiting for me?"

Freya popped from behind Aiyoku, giving him a toothy wave.

Kagetsu sighed, bending. "Now, I feel horrible for doing this."

"Don't be. But you make us worried." His older brother scratched behind his head. "But I'm not the one to patronize others about keeping secrets. We all have things we don't want to talk about."

"I didn't want to keep it from you... for that long. Just a few days... Until I was ready... Until it was ready..."

"It's okay. As long as it's nothing that hurts you, it's okay. Just know you have two older bros ready to pounce on anybody trying to hurt you."

Kagetsu smirked. "Yeah, 'night."

"Good night."

Before laying next to his brother, Kagetsu blessed all deities he could remember for weekends.

Okaeri nasai – Welcome home