The children looked curiously at the way Daitaro and Masaru walked through the aisles, they looked very happy examining the place in search of ingredients.
Mitsuru watched with some amusement the way Daiki stroked Hachi's head while pouting. The blond offered to hold the puppy, but the redhead silently declined. Mitsuru let out a short laugh.
"What's wrong with you, what are you laughing at?"
"It's funny how you're keeping a jealous eye on Daitaro, it's funny to see how much you care."
"What?... It's not like I was thinking about anything like that."
"Sure..." The blond looked at him in disbelief. Daiki looked annoyed by this, however, he exhaled with apparent sadness.
"I'm not lying, actually something bothers me..., but if you're going to be teasing me I don't think there's any point in telling you."
"Does it bother you that much that I'm teasing you? I didn't think you'd be so affected by what I said."
"..." Daiki frowned. He felt like hitting him but decided not to. "It's just that you can tell he really wanted to cook."
"Hm..."
"And it makes me angry to think that he wanted to do that the whole time but didn't tell me."
“Wasn’t it obvious? I don't think he had to tell you"
"...And knowing that makes me angrier at myself" Daiki replied "I don't like to think about how I was forcing him to take my side, but I can't take his either. Not when that guy could kick us out of the apartment..."
"You sure are afraid of that huh... Look, don't worry, I think it's more work kicking us out than just ignoring that he saw us cooking" said Mitsuru "It's unlikely he'll come out of nowhere, and assuming he does, we can always invite him over for lunch. I doubt he'll run us off if we don't cause any accidents."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Because he's more likely to forget he was threatening us with it, you just need to act more casual, if you quiver and stammer you'll only make things difficult"
"..." Daiki looked away, he closed his eyes for a moment before looking up at the ceiling. "Do you think I'm stupid for worrying like this?"
"I don't know, do you feel silly for worrying so much?"
"...Maybe."
"Wow" Mitsuru looked surprised for a moment. Daiki gave him a jaded look as he noticed his expression. "I didn't think you were going to admit it."
"-...Shut up."
"Although I still think it's a bad idea for us to cook, who knows what will happen... I don't want a stomachache" Mitsuru commented expressing his fear of potentially inedible food.
"I guess as long as we don't burn the kitchen down, the outcome doesn’t matter."
"So you don't plan to intervene anymore then?"
"..." Daiki looked down the aisles. Even if he didn't see them, he had a mental image of his brothers having a good time. "I'll try not to."
"I imagine you don't want to interfere with your twin's happiness then?"
"...Masaru seems to be having fun too."
"Eh... So the way to persuade you to do things is to just go against you?"
"What?"
"Because now that they've gone against you and you see them happy then you reconsider your stance. It's funny that even though you two are apparently different in behavior, in the end you both are similar even in that."
"..." Daiki glared at him. Mitsuru looked at him in disbelief.
"So you can murder me with your gaze all you want, in the end, you're just as weak as Daitaro to us, haha."
Unable to restrain himself, Daiki let out a punch with much irritation. He felt embarrassed that the other would say this, but... He couldn't deny that seeing his brothers having a good time made him rethink whether what he feared really warranted so much.
It's just... He couldn't help but feel that he had been incredibly selfish; however, even though he was questioning a lot of things, he didn't quite understand his own feelings. He just knew he was upset, and it didn't seem like that was going to change anytime soon.
Twenty minutes later, his siblings finally emerged from the line after purchasing the ingredients. They looked happy to carry the bags of groceries.
Daitaro watched Daiki avert his gaze. Was he still embarrased about coming?
Masaru walked up to Daiki and offered him one of the bags of groceries. As the redhead accepted to carry the bag unwillingly, the green eyed one ruffled his hair and took the opportunity to hold the latter's hand with his now free hand.
Daiki was slightly surprised by the action, so he looked at him inquiringly. Masaru just smiled and tugged his hand slightly to encourage him to walk. Mitsuru and Daitaro laughed briefly as they saw how Masaru was pulling the other at his completely animated pace, and then followed them closely and headed back to the apartment.
Once back, the brothers gathered in the kitchen. Daiki was the first to take a seat in front of the table, Mitsuru settled next to him while holding his console. Daitaro and Masaru, the ones interested in cooking, approached the stove and promptly began to prepare things. [Story being posted on Tapas and scribblehub by Enthriex]
"Daiki, could you put away the things we bought?” Daitaro asked. Daiki nodded and immediately stood up to do just that. Mitsuru, on the other hand, continued to sit with no intention of moving.
At the silence of his twin, Daitaro was left pondering the reason behind it.
"Are you still worried about our uncle arriving out of nowhere?"
"...It's not important, better see to it that whatever you're doing turns out good” Daiki replied.
"Eh…” Daitaro muttered as he then noticed Mitsuru. "Mitsuru... Aren't you planning on helping out at all?"
"No. I've done enough by going out and taking your dear brother to you. Besides, I'm taking care of Hachi, it's something very important."
"We're at home, you don't have to carry him..."
"Hachi likes to watch me play, don't you, Hachi?"
"Woof!"
Mitsuru grinned as he interpreted his bark as an affirmation. Daitaro sighed somewhat resigned to his attitude.
"You know well that the three of you are my dear brothers, it's not like Daiki is the only one that counts."
"..." Mitsuru was silent for a few seconds as he continued to play, this, before looking at his brother with apathy. "Was it necessary to say that? You sure are corny..."
"I just don't like it when you talk like only Daiki is my brother..."
"I know it's not like that, but favoritism exists and I'm not complaining, I'm just stating the facts."
"What..." Daitaro looked wearily at the blond. He exchanged glances with Daiki, who shrugged his shoulders in response.
"I don't know, and then he says I'm the jealous one."
"You are," Mitsuru simply replied.
"Well, if you're so jealous of Daiki, you could come over and help us cook" at the comment, Mitsuru looked at him in disbelief for a moment before returning his attention to the video game. "So? I thought you wanted your older brother to pay more attention to you"
"Don't put words in my mouth, there would be no reason for you to assume something as incoherent as that" said Mitsuru "In any case, you better help Masaru, I'm going to get killed if I keep talking to you."
"Oh? You're going to get killed?"
"I'm sure he's playing some survival game, you see how much he likes that genre" said Masaru observing the scene. "Just like Mitsuru said, you better come and help me with the pancakes."
"Right, sorry, I got caught up chatting..."
"It's okay! I already put the ingredients in the bowl, now all we have to do is whisk them."
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Daiki. Masaru nodded very confidently.
"But of course! I'm following this video of how they're prepared. It doesn't look difficult, so we'll be able to eat soon" said Masaru as he showed him his cell phone. "Ah, by the way, could you set the table?"
"I guess, though..." Daiki glared with irritation at his blond brother. "Mitsuru, pause it and set the table together with me."
"What? This game can’t be paused."
"Sure it can, just go back to the start menu by pressing the button and that's it. All the games on that console pause like that."
"Tch."
"You might be able to fool Masaru and Daitaro with your excuses, but I play games time to time too"
"You're not the only one who knew that!" exclaimed Masaru as he pouted, however, it didn't take long for him to laugh. "I know it's just Mitsuru's excuses, but it doesn't matter, since if he doesn't cook then he'll have to do the dishes!"
"...What?" Mitsuru looked away from the console to look at his brother in disgust.
"Right, those who don't cook will have to wash," Daitaro said. Daiki looked at him suspiciously.
"That means..."
"Yeah, you too," Daitaro said. Daiki was silent, this before sharing looks of discomfort with Mitsuru.
"I'd ask if it's too late to cook, but... I don't want to cook, it's a waste of time" Mitsuru said as he returned his attention to the video game. "And I'm sure that even if I help you're going to bother me about doing the dishes anyway."
"For someone that’s going to be killed if he keeps talking, you're talking a lot” Daitaro commented with intrigue. Mitsuru remained silent and opted not to say anything anymore.
"..." Daiki likewise remained silent, as he didn't know what to say. He just decided to start setting the table.
"But wash your hands first."
"Okay..." he replied reluctantly. Daitaro smiled as he saw that his brother listened to him, he then walked back to continue helping Masaru.
Minutes later, the boys gathered at the table as Daitaro tended to the pancakes in the pan. Now that they were eating, Masaru looked incredulously at Mitsuru, who was still playing.
"Mitsuru, if you keep going you'll have to eat cold pancakes."
"It doesn't matter."
"What do you mean it doesn't matter? They taste better freshly made" Daiki commented.
“I'll eat now, don't bother me" he replied. Daiki shrugged and proceeded to eat before the food got cold.
“Huh... Is that game so good that you won't put it down for a moment? I'm impressed that you even came to the market."
"I just did Daitaro a favor, Masaru" said Mitsuru "I'm almost done with this..."
Daitaro promptly walked over as he held the plate. Satisfied with himself that he was able to cook, he placed the remaining small tower of pancakes in the middle of the table before looking at Mitsuru.
"Are you playing that again?" asked Daitaro.
"Oh?" Mitsuru gave him a sideways glance as he felt a bit confused by the strange question.
"Daitaro, Mitsuru is always playing games” Daiki said as he felt he was stating the obvious.
"I know that, but I mean that game, what was it called? Hmm..." Daitaro thought to himself.
"I just started it last night" said Mitsuru sounding very excited, his attitude really changed when someone showed interest in his hobbies. "It's called..."
"Death by gluttony" Daitaro and Mitsuru said at the same time.
At the unexpected response, Mitsuru turned his attention away from the game as he now looked very puzzled at his brother.
Masaru and Daiki continued eating without taking much notice of the exchange.
"Hm? Haha, I knew it" Daitaro said with a big grin. Mitsuru frowned slightly.
"How did you know....."
"Huh? Well you told me the name, otherwise how else would I know?" Daitaro looked confused, why did his brother look so thrown off? "I think you forgot."
"..." an awkward atmosphere enveloped them as neither of them said anything. Daitaro, not understanding why his brother viewed him with such conflict, felt a sudden chill.
"Are you okay?...” Masaru asked as he saw his brother trembling. What had happened? Why did Daitaro suddenly look bad?
"Yeah, though..." Daitaro clutched his forehead as he felt a painful twinge.
Daiki stood up and walked over to his brother, he didn't look too good. He swore he now looked really pale.
"Daitaro, I think you'd better sit down" Daiki helped his twin to take a seat, as his twin wouldn't look up and was still holding his forehead.
