I am shit [Jyushimatsu]

Chapter 9

The previous chapter was some short shit I apologize

--

IT WAS WEDNESDAY when Ichimatsu visited Jyushimatsu. Rather than attempting to normally converse as if nothing was wrong, he chose to not talk too much and just be there. That's what they normally did anyways. This time, though, he sneaked a cat inside his clothing.

Jyushimatsu was still in the same condition. In fact, there didn't seem to be any progress. Ichimatsu had to remind himself that it'd be alright. But in all honesty, he wasn't even sure himself.

The fourth brother decided not to think about an alternative that didn't include his brother not waking up, and unintentional fell asleep in the chair he was seated on.

* * *

"Todomatsu, heyy, Todomatsu," called Karamatsu. Todomatsu woke up. He was on the floor. How'd he end up there? "I left for ten minutes and you were snoozing. Have you been getting a decent amount of sleep?" asked the second brother. Todomatsu yawned. "I. . . Don't know. I don't think so," Todomatsu answered. He'd been scared the whole night and barely slept, that was right. And the empty spot at the end of the futon was driving him insane. Another one of the things keeping him up were nightmares that made it impossible to sleep.

"What about work?"

"My co-workers told me I should get some rest and covered for me. . So I only just got home."

"Ah, I see. Well, try to get some sleep. I'll be here and wake you up if anything bad starts happening," Kara assured. Todomatsu looked to the side. He felt guilty but knew it'd be better to do what he said. Soon, he was napping on the couch while Karamatsu read fashion magazines on the ground.

* * *

"Hey, Chorofappyski," greeted Osomatsu behind Choromatsu outside. Choromatsu was alarmed and almost fell over. "Oh, hello, Osomatsu-niisan." He looked back at what he was reading. Osomatsu took a seat next to him on the bench he was on. "What're you looking at?" he asked in curiosity. "What do you care?" Choro spat.

Oso was surprised by his brother's sudden change in mood. Choro seemed to have realized what he said and regreted it. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm just sort of frustrated over all this. Like I wasn't being a good brother," he apologized. "Heh, don't worry about it. I understand. But seriously what're you reading there?"

Choromatsu turned the paper to the cover.

"Available jobs nearby."

"Laaame!"

"Hey!" The eldest laughed, scratching his nose as Choromatsu grew irritated. He sighed. "Honestly, if I don't try then no one does." Osomatsu looked up to the sky. The setting around them reminded the two about how normal everything else was. It was quieter than usual. And something felt off and so, so wrong.

"Please wake up soon. . ."

* * *

Ichimatsu's sitting on a swing now, with his brothers playing outside. Choromatsu and Osomatsu are playing with hoops, and Karamatsu and Todomatsu are playing jump rope. He looks beside him. There is Jyushimatsu, who looks at him worryingly. "Is something wrong, Ichimatsu-niisan?" he asks innocently. It's obvious, they're kids. Still innocent and oblivious. Still the same and almost total replicas of each other.

"Yeah, it's nothing to worry about, Jyushimatsu," he assures him. When he was a kid he wasn't as edgy, he remembers. Jyushimatsu laughs.

"Let's go play with the others!" He jumps up and runs to the others. Ichimatsu chuckles and catches up to him.

Nothing outside of now ever happened.

* * *

Ichimatsu woke up, almost disappointed. But he must have been asleep for almost two hours. He grinned at the, that's right, sleeping, Jyushimatsu and cat. But the increase in Jyushi's heart rate caught his attention. Ichi noticed sweat pour from his face. He was a bit anxious now.

Until it went silent.

The heartbeat went silent.

The last thing Ichi could remember was clutching the cat tightly and a scream from his throat mixed with weeping. If only he could revert time right then and there, he wished.

End.