Veiled Pain | Riki Nishimura

2. Little Brother After Little Brother

Asami's first day at her school wasn't bad, but not really good either. She isn't really a social person, so it takes time for her to make friends. Though, she noticed that her  whole new class are somehow friends together, or maybe not all friends but at least close classmates. So she feels a little outsider, but it's only her first day anyway.

She walks to home, since it's not that far away from school. The street to there is cozy, but still somehow creepy. Her family lives in the last house of the street. They live upstairs, because the downstairs will be their own chicken restaurant.

She entered the downstairs where her parents are in full work of still organizing the restaurant. They got the sign to the front yard yesterday, but the restaurant isn't open yet.

"Hi, honey. How was the school day?" Her mother asked.

"It was good." Asami stepped further and looked around the downstairs to see what their parents had done already. The kitchen was clean and neat already, done by her mother. And the restaurant side had already few tables, which her father had builded.

She walked to the back where are the stairs to upstairs where also is their space for living. "Honey." Her mother yet called.

"Yes?" She replied just about to take the first step on the stairs.

"Could you get Junpei and Shugo from my sister's place? We had so much to do with your dad so my sister took care of the two."

"Oh, okay." She replied to which her mother smiled.

Her two brothers, Junpei and Shugo. Junpei is five and Shugo is ten. Her aunt doesn't live far away, so she can just walk there and walk her brothers home together.

She went to her room and changed her school uniform. Her room isn't fully ready yet. She has a corner of unpacked stuff, but she has plenty of time to finish it.

Then she went back downstairs and outside to head to her aunt's. On the other side of the street there is a row of apartment buildings. The buildings are dull gray, which ruins the whole street in her opinion.

Someone was just about to enter one of the buildings. A boy. He had dark brown hair, or even black and he was wearing a gray hoodie with black jeans. She tried to look closer to him, but she couldn't see his face since he was facing the other way. Then he went inside and left her eyesight.

Somehow she felt like she saw someone wearing those exact same clothes today, but she couldn't remember. Maybe she just imagines. And it could be literally anyone. But she didn't mind it further and started her way to her aunt's.

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"Oh, Asami! Lovely to see you again." Asami's aunt said and hugged her after she opened the door. "Are you here to get Jun and Shugo?"

"Yeah, mom and dad are busy." She said.

"Yes, they are." Her aunt sighed in compassion.

"Sissyy." Junpei came jogging from the house and hugged Asami. She stroked his head and smiled.

"Start putting on your shoes, we are going home." Asami gently spoke to her little brother and gave him his small sized shoes that she knew belong to him. He's five, so old enough to dress himself. Though, sometimes he might need help, especially when he throws tantrums.

"Shugo! Asami came to pick you boys." Her aunt called for her ten years old brother. He lazily came from the living room, looking disappointed because he had to leave.

"I didn't get my puzzle done yet." He said as he still started to put on his shoes.

"Well, you two will probably come here tomorrow again." Her aunt assured.

"Really? Yess." Shugo claimed now with a smile.

"Thanks for looking after them, really." Asami thanked.

"Oh, it's fine. They're my nephews after all." She replied with a smile and stroked Jun's hair who kept leaning on her side. "They had these on in the morning, but it's so warm now, I don't believe they need these." She said and picked up their jackets from the pin, then giving them to Asami.

"Yeah." She nodded. Shugo got his shoes on quickly and opened the front door to leave.

"Alright, the big man is still leaving in hurry." Her aunt joked and chuckled. Asami softly chuckled after her.

"We're ready then. Let's go Jun." Asami said and took Junpei's small hand to walk hand-in-hand out the door.

"Bye!" His aunt waved at them as they exit the front door.

The three started their way back home. Shugo walked few meters ahead the two, jumping and meandering on the sidewalk.

"Sissy. How was your school day?" Shugo then suddenly asked and started walking besides the two.

"My school day?" She repeated as in disbelief. Little sibling usually aren't curious how their school days went. "Well, it was great for a first day." She stated.

"Mom said that I will go to my new school next week. Then Jun is at home alone, because mom and dad are busy." He said as if in disappointment.

"Jun will probably be in aunt's place or in kindergarten." Asami replied.

"Unfair. I don't want to go to school. I can look after him instead." He came up with an idea.

"Nonsense, Shugo. School is to educate you, and if you don't go to school you will not get the job you want when you grow up." She reasoned sweetly.

"What if I don't want to get a job?"

Asami chuckled to his response. "You still have a lot to learn."

They were already near their house, but then they heard an engine start from the garage next to them that belonged to that gray apartment building. Before crossing the walkway to the other side, she stopped and with her other hand she placed her hand in front of Shugo so he doesn't recklessly start crossing the road if a car was coming there.

And soon from the dim garage a geared moped drove out, with a tall figure driving it, presumably a man or a boy, but she couldn't see his face behind his helmet. The driver glanced at the three, seeing them about to cross, but he just drove past when he noticed they had already stopped.

"Wooow! That's so cool!" Shugo shouted through the sound of the loud engine. They safely crossed the walkway, while Shugo was all excited of that bike. "He's our neighbour! Wow!" He exclaimed.

Asami just sighed a little. It was just a moped what they can see often, but of course a ten year old boy would get excited.

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