Don't Worry

Chapter Fifteen

One day later...

Choromatsu slumped down on the green living room sofa, surrounding himself with his magazines, wondering what would happen next. He tried his very hardest to keep his mind off of Osomatsu, but nothing felt right without him around.

"It's like that one hated family member died," Todomatsu had joked earlier, "But you still want them back."

Choromatsu shook his head as memories of Osomatsu kept flashing through his mind.

"He's gone now," Choromatsu scolded himself. "I shouldn't care anymore. This is how things are going to be for a very long time. Osomatsu isn't here. I won't doubt it if we all end up getting jobs again soon. When one leaves, despite there still being five of us, everything feels off."

Karamatsu suddenly came into the room, wearing his normal clothes (thankfully), and sat down on the floor in front of the TV.

"My brother," Karamatsu said, looking over at Choromatsu. "Won't you watch the television with me?"

Choromatsu nodded his head, knowing there was nothing else to do, and put down his magazine.

But, to Choromatsu's complete dismay, as soon as Karamatsu turned the TV on, there was an urgent news report on.

"Japanese plane crashes in American airport," the alert said, going across the screen in a bold, bright red font.

Choromatsu felt like puking as his eyes widened, his entire attention on the TV.

"It was the only Japanese airline that left just yesterday at 5 A.M. The plane was discovered to have no breaks, and despite the pilot's best efforts, the plane crashed, killing two hundred passengers, leaving just five severely wounded," the news reported said with a grim expression on their face.

"Oh no..." Choromatsu thought as Karamatsu switched the TV off and just stared at his younger brother. "Osomatsu isn't...he couldn't be..he's still...he has to be one of the wounded...he just has to be..."

"Choromatsu," Karamatsu said, his voice losing all painfulness. "That was the plane Osomatsu was on."

"I-I know..." Choromatsu whimpered, tears running down his face like a waterfall.

"What are you going to do?" Karamatsu asked, raising his voice a little.

"We don't have the money to afford a plane ticket to America, and you know that!" Todomatsu suddenly yelled coming in the room. "Not even all our money put together could be enough!"

"I have to make sure Osomatsu survived..." Choromatsu said, his voice trembling, as he struggled to stand to his feet.

"Mom would pay!" Jyushimatsu piped in, waking in the room with Ichimatsu and ESP kitty. "She heard and she'll give you the money to go, Choromatsu!"

"That's a stupid coincidence," Todomatsu said, shaking his head. "You must by lying, Jyushimatsu nii-san."

"He's not..." Ichimatsu mumbled. "She wants Choromatsu to make sure Osomatsu is okay. She was told that he's...not dead yet."

"Yet...?" Choromatsu thought, desperately staggering out of the room, going to his room to pack a few things. "He's still alive, but barely...?"

"Choromatsu," Mrs. Matsuno said, walking into his bedroom as he stuffed things into a small duffle bag. She held out a small envelope and shook her head. "Take care of Osomatsu."