Conflicted (Brothers Conflict)

Chapter Seven

I received the scolding of a lifetime from Masaomi, and after getting patched back up, I was cleared to be discharged the following morning, once they were sure I hadn't done any damage with the stunt I'd pulled. I convinced the medical staff to donate all the flowers in my room to other patients as they were all still in full bloom and looked beautiful and I didn't want to take them with me. Ema had brought me some clothes once she'd heard I was being discharged, and seemed to have forgiven me for keeping her in the dark about why I really went to France. She even asked if we could watch reruns of some of my fights when I was feeling up to it, which I happily agreed.

I folded up the banner my siblings had made for me and tucked it into my messenger bag with the cute little kitten plush from Natsume. Just as I was about to sling my bag over my shoulder, a hand lashed out and caught it, startling me in the process. Masaomi stood next to me shaking his head.

"I'm starting to think you are trying to split all of your sutures." He noted.

"Ah. Sorry. I didn't think about that." I smiled sheepishly.

"How do you feel?" He asked me curiously.

"A little sore, but mostly okay. Honestly I feel up for a jog-."

He gave me a warning look.

"Or not." I shifted uneasily.

"I was coming to tell you, I have to stay late so I won't be able to take you home."

"Oh, that's okay, I could walk or-." Another look, "Or I will just do whatever you tell me to do." I sighed in defeat.

"Kaname is going to pick you up." Masaomi smiled.

"So, wait here and stay out of trouble?" I supplied.

"If you could." He chuckled.

"I'll do my best."

Masaomi offered me a tired smile before exiting the room, setting my bag down by the door. I was starting to think he wasn't my biggest fan, in his defense I was not a good patient, I hated bedrest.

I flopped into the chair next to the window with a sigh. My back itched where the stitches were starting to heal, at least Ema was thoughtful enough to get me comfy clothes that wouldn't irritate my stitches and the medical staff learned pretty quickly that I was restless so thought to wrap me in bandages to cause as little irritation as possible telling me to make sure I had someone change them for me every few hours. I played with the hem of my loose flowing pale grey top as I gazed out the window.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Imouto-chan." A suave voice sounded from the doorway.

I gingerly rose from the chair and turned to the door to see a handsome man with an unruly mane of golden hair, hazel eyes and a dangerous debonair smile and my first thought was 'womanizer'. "You must be Kaname-san. Sorry for troubling you."

"Please, call me onii-chan." He smiled, it was a smile I'm sure made most women melt. His hazel eyes swept over me and he paused as if expecting me to say it.

I tried to keep my face under control and fight off a scowl that was threatening to break through my polite unassuming mask. From what I'd seen of the two brother's I'd met, neither was anything like Natsume and I was starting to understand why he no longer lived at home with all of them.

"You alright Imouto-chan?" Kaname cleared the space between us and reached up as if he were going to touch my face.

My hand shot up lightning fast and caught his wrist in a death grip, halting him. There was slight resistance as if he thought he could overpower me, but he looked shocked to find me immovable, "Sorry, Kaname-san. I don't really like being touched." I released his wrist from my hold.