Don't Worry

Chapter Fourteen

Osomatsu let out an irritated sigh as he sat on his red suitcase, trying to zip it closed. He had finally finished packing, and it was only three A.M. He really didn't mind that he hadn't slept at all. Just seeing his brothers all sleeping together for perhaps last time his entire life, made his heart ache and twist in pain.

Jumping on his suitcase, Osomatsu finally pushed it down far enough so he could just zip it up.

"Finally..." Osomatsu whispered as quietly as he could, his voice sounding much more like a wheeze than actual words.

"They can sleep through everything, can't they?" he thought, staring over at his brothers from across the room. "Except for Choromatsu...but surely he's...sleeping."

Osomatsu scooted across the room and sat in front of Choromatsu, watching him closely.

There was no way his brother could be asleep. Just by the way he was breathing, Osomatsu could tell.

"Choromatsu," Osomatsu whispered, resting his hand on his brother's forehead. "Don't worry about it, okay? I promise I'll be back home again. Even if it's just to visit, I will be back. I promise."

Choromatsu opened up his eyes and stared pitifully up at the ceiling.

"But what if you break your promise?" Choromatsu whimpered quietly, careful not to wake his brothers.

"Have I ever broken a promise?" Osomatsu said, chuckling a little as he rubbed under his nose.

"Yeah, actually," Choromatsu said with a sigh, closing his eyes again.

"Go to sleep, Choromatsu," Osomatsu said, rubbing his hand gently back and fourth on his brother's head. "I'm not going to leave without saying goodbye."

"It's hard to sleep..." Choromatsu said, his voice quivering. "When you know you're about to lose the one person you stayed alive for, and you can't do anything to hold them back..."

"Don't say that," Osomatsu sighed, standing up, walking back over to his suitcase. "I already said I wasn't going to leave forever."

An hour and thirty minutes later...

"My brother," Karamatsu said, roughly petting Osomatsu on the back as he stood by the front door. "I cannot say that I won't miss you. You're our leader, after all."

Osomatsu laughed, rubbing under his nose, his face turning a bit red from tie compliment.

"You'll take good care of your younger brothers then, won't you?" Osomatsu asked, his voice actually sounding serious.

Karamatsu nodded his head, then flipped on his black shades.

"Bye, Osomatsu," Ichimatsu mumbled, hugging his brother from the side, then began to make his way back towards their bedroom. "I'm going back to sleep."

"We'll miss you a lot, Osomatsu nii-san!" Jyushimatsu exclaimed, hugging his brother tightly. "Keep in touch with us, okay?"

"Yeah," Todomatsu said, yawning a little from the lack of sleep he had surprisingly had. "Don't forget to call us whenever you have the chance! It won't be the same without you!"

"Stay well, guys," Osomatsu said, nodding his head a little as he slid open the front door, rolling his suitcase behind him. Choromatsu abruptly followed him.

"I'm driving you to the airport," Choromatsu said quietly, pulling their mother's car keys out from his pockets sheepishly.

"Thanks," Osomatsu said, hugging Choromatsu. "You're being a huge help right now."

And though they say in silence their entire ride to the airport, once Osomatsu was about to get in line to board his plane, Choromatsu burst into tears once again.

"I don't want you to leave yet!" Choromatsu choked, clinging to his brother. "Nothing is going to ever be the same again! Just please, it's not too late to go back, Osomatsu."

Pity filled Osomatsu's eyes as he looked down at his brother and sighed.

"I promise I'll be back though," Osomatsu said, kissing Choromatsu on the head. "And if I break this promise, you have permission to kill me. Understand?"

Osomatsu pulled a handkerchief out of his hoodie pocket and wiped his brother's damp eyes.

"Just don't cry, okay?" Osomatsu said, hugging Choromatsu, then handed him his handkerchief. "You're not weak, Choromatsu. But if you ever start crying, use this handkerchief as a reminder that I still care for you very very much."

And just like that, Osomatsu waved to his brother, saying farewell for the final time, and boarded his plane.