Hopeless Valentine

Reconcile

It has been a few days since you actually held a normal, lengthy conversation with Ichiro.

He came and went as he pleased, almost like a stray cat. Lately he was barely home at all and when he was, he avoided you at all cost. Being the only person that poked and prodded the black-haired teen whenever he was around, Jiro and Saburo instantly caught on when all you said to Ichiro was simple hellos and goodbyes.

"[Name]-nee, did you Ichi-nii get into a fight?" Saburo was lounging on your bed, flipping through a magazine and keeping you company while you studied for a test.

Sitting on the floor with your legs tucked under the worn out coffee table covered with papers and open textbooks, you were in the middle of writing notes in your notebook when you paused, distracted by Saburo's words. Sometimes you forgot Saburo and Jiro were sharper than they seemed.

Though not blood-related, the two raven-haired boys were very precious to you and you spent more time with them than anyone else. They were adorable and sweet and you held them very close to your heart.

"Everything is fine." You lied, hoping that Saburo would just drop it. "I've been tired lately, that's all."

After the mixer, everything between you and Ichiro became awkward. It wasn't a lie that you were tired. Lately, liking Ichiro was...draining. You didn't know how people did it, falling in love over and over again or liking someone for so long without anything in return. As beautiful as the feeling of love was, sometimes it was a double-edged sword.

You still liked the eldest Yamada, a lot . I felt impossible to fall out of it and you thought about Ichiro every single day. Even now as you filled your notebook with colorful notes, you wondered what he was doing and who he was with. You wanted to know simple things like what he ate and if he was coming home tonight. Was he getting into fights? Was he hurt?

You wondered if he thought about you, if he even cared, and if he knew he held your heart in his hands.

"Don't lie. Even Ichi-nii has been acting weird lately and you..." You heard Saburo shifting on your bed, the old mattress creaking under his weight. "You've been down."

"I'm okay," You laughed, the scratching sounds of your pen once again whispering in the stillness of your small room. "You're just overthinking things."

A short silence followed and then there was rustling, a soft noise of creaking bed springs and then the quiet padding of feet. Saburo appeared at your side and sat down, peering over your papers strewn across the wooden table.

"Do you know how similar you and Ichi-nii are? The both of you never tell us how you really feel when you're upset. Even though you're really bothered, you try to find the solution yourself without asking for help."

Saburo's words struck a chord. Dropping your pen onto the notebook, you tilted your head to see black-haired boy looking at you expectantly, his duo-colored eyes glinting with understanding.

"What are you rambling on about?" You smiled, ruffling Saburo's hair.

"Hey!" The boy whined, pushing away your arm. "I'm not backing down until you tell me what's bothering you!"

"You're so cute!" You cooed, throwing your arms around the boy who squirmed in your hold but didn't try to push you away.

"[Name]-nee..." Saburo pouted, relenting as you ran your fingers through his soft, ebony hair. "You know I don't like seeing you sad." The boy hooked his arms around yours, gripping you tight.

"Thank you." You whispered, nuzzling the top of his head. "You're always so sweet. I'll try not to worry you from now on."

Saburo mumbled, "Make up with Ichi-nii soon, okay?"