A Deceitful Wonderland

chapter 12 stay

Karamatsu was growing more impatient by the second. "Its none of your business!" karamatsu yelled.

"Why should you care about anything I do with my time!? This is my mirror and it was bought with my money. That's all you need to know. Everything else isn't any of your business!"

"Its my business when the mirror is fucking cursed and could be a danger to you" Osomatsu yelled back.

"Dangerous?! You know what else is dangerous?? Being tied to a wooden post surrounded by a ring of fire!" Karamatsu yelled, a slight look of anger in his eyes.

"You didn't care then and you shouldn't care now! So give. It. Back!" Karamatsu yelled, his eyes full of resentment.

Todomatsu's brows furrowed as he shifted his eyes towards Osomatsu, hoping for him to say something.

"Karamatsu look I know what we did and I know you're hurt about it but.." Osomatsu took a deep breath

"This is different. What happened back then is in the past and I'm sorry for what we did, I really am but... You may not know it now but this, this..thing could put you in some sort of danger that you won't even realize you're in until its too late"

Karamatsu's brows furrowed as he hung his head down. He knew he wasn't getting that mirror back.

"I'm putting this away" Osomatsu said, walking towards the stairs. "Trust me Kara, its for your own good."

Karamatsu remained silent as he stared at the floor in defeat.

"Um.. Karamatsu niisan?" Todomatsu said, reaching his hand out towards the second born.

"Why?..." Karamatsu said softly, but loud enough for Osomatsu to hear.

Osomatsu turned around, his brows furrowed. "What?" he replied, holding the mirror tightly in his hands.

"Why Osomatsu? Why now do you care? I've always been constantly ignored and pushed away and now that I'm finally staying away from you all you suddenly care about my wellbeing?"

"Karamatsu... I'm putting this away" Osomatsu repeated, a slight look of guilt in his face as he left.

Karamatsu watched as his older brother put the mirror in the attic, locking the door and stuffing the key in his pocket.

Karamatsu didn't say another word to the eldest as he walked past him, not bothering to even look at him.

They spent the rest if that night silently, Karamatsu's back facing the first born as Osomatsu glanced at Kara with a look of worry on his face.
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Silence

Karamatsu said nothing for the whole morning, not even to Jyushimatsu.

Osomatsu felt even more worried than he had before.

Before, even though Karamatsu didn't speak a lot he at least greeted them but this... This was way different and way more worrying.

Karamatsu hadn't said a damn word all day. And he wasn't planning to either.

"Come on Kara. That mirror couldn't possibly be this important" Osomatsu said in a pathetic attempt to try to get Karamatsu to speak.

Karamatsu said nothing in response as he attempted to walk past the first born.

Osomatsu didn't let him though. "Karamatsu please just say something. Let's go out. We can go fishing or I can buy you a new mirror, a better looking one that that old vintage one" Osomatsu said, smiling nervously.

"C-Come on we can go right now. We can even stop at a fast food restaurant on the way there" Osomatsu said, practically pleading on for Kara to say something as he grabbed the second born's hand.

Karamatsu looked at Osomatsu with a look of annoyance as he tried to pull his hand away.

Karamatsu then opened his mouth to speak which gave Osomatsu hope that he would get over it quickly but the words that came out of the second born's mouth made him think otherwise

"I don't want a new one..." Karamatsu said, a blank expression on his face as he stared at the eldest.

"Karamatsu i-"

"Please. Leave me alone" Karamatsu said, walking past his older brother, leaving him alone in the living room.

Osomatsu was in shock. Karamatsu has never acted like this before. Should he really have taken his mirror? He thought as he stared at the floor.

He didn't know what to do anymore. He felt like everything he was doing was wrong. As the older brother he's supposed to know what to do.

He thought taking the mirror would fix the problem but that only made it worse.

What should he do?
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It was 1 in the morning

Karamatsu stared at the ceiling, his eyes half closed as his brothers slept next to him.

It was so quiet that the only thing that was heard was the sound of the brother's soft breathing as they slept.

Karamatsu turned his head towards Osomatsu who's brows were furrowed. He looked uncomfortable, even in sleep.

Karamatsu sighed as he practically buried himself under the blankets as if he were trying to hide himself.

Under the blankets he swore that he had almost seen something glisten but it was only for a second.

Karamatsu told himself that it was his imagination until he saw it again.

Now he knew he wasn't imagining things. He looked closer, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.

It was the key to the attic. Karamatsu's eyes went wide as he beamed with enthusiasm.

It must've fallen out of Osomatsu's pocket.

Karamatsu slowly reached for it, praying that nobody would wake up and catch him.

Karamatsu panicked when Osomatsu began to shift under the blanket

Kara was hoping to God that he wouldn't wake up. Luckily he didn't

Karamatsu grabbed the key and quickly made his way towards the attic.

He quickly unlocked it with no hesitation, climbing up into the cold, dark attic.

"Osomatsu I'm here" he whispered into the darkness. He couldn't even see where the mirror was. It was pitch black up there.

Almost immidiately, the mirror started glowing, giving Karamatsu a source of light.

Karamatsu beamed before crawling inside with no hesitation.
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When Karamatsu got there there Osomatsu was waiting for him on the couch in the living room.

"So they found out huh?" Osomatsu said as Karamatsu sat down on the couch next to him.

"Yeah... But I've...I've made my decision" Karamatsu said, looking at Osomatsu.

Osomatsu looked at Karamatsu, a curious look on his face. "What do ya mean Kara?"

"I've decided that... I want to stay"