Sweating, Ichimatsu sat up, finding that he was laying in his futon next to Jyushimatsu who was fast asleep.

Head still pounding, worse than it had ever felt, Ichimatsu crawled out of his futon, not fully aware of his surroundings nor what had even happened.

"Karamatsu must have moved me..." Ichimatsu thought, his hand on his head as he walked to the bathroom. "Jyushimatsu must have had a hard time going to sleep...I never told him a story..."

Ichimatsu accidentally rammed his head into the doorway to the bathroom. Not that the sudden pain could even be felt over his continuously pounding headache.

Quietly, Ichimatsu flicked the bathroom light on and turned the sink faucet on.

Leaning over the sink, Ichimatsu shakily splashed the ice cold water on his face, hoping to rid just an ounce of the pain and sweat. For five straight minutes, he continued to splash the faucet water on his face, causing it to grow just a little numb feeling. This had never happened before, for faucet water never grew cold enough to do such.

With a heavy, depressive sigh, Ichimatsu slowly turned the faucet off and began to wipe his face on one of the blue towels in the bathroom. His head was still pounding.

Ichimatsu reluctantly bent down and opened up the sink cabinet, retrieving an old washcloth for his head. Once he stood back up, he turned on the faucet and dampened the cloth just enough for his head.

"This is stupid..." Ichimatsu thought wearily. "Why am I even trying to stop this...it's not like my headache is going to go away anytime soon. I can tell this isn't an ordinary headache...I feel achy, like I'm getting very sick...but all I feel is this stupid headache.."

Stumbling out of the bathroom, careful not to hit his head on the doorframe again, Ichimatsu began to make his way towards his room. But as he wobbled around like a drunkard, a sudden wave of sleepiness washed over him, causing him to collapse to the floor with a loud "thump".

A light from downstairs flicked on as Karamatsu wandered around his house at 2 A.M. in the morning, remembering he had forgotten to water one of his house plants.

"I'm more tired than I thought," Karamatsu scolded himself, filling up a small pitcher of water at the kitchen sink. "But I guess that's what happens when you feel depressed."

Exiting the kitchen, Karamatsu walked sleepily past the staircase, a bright light catching his eye.

"Which of those two is up at this hour..." Karamatsu thought, only pausing a moment before he kept on walking to the living room to water his plant. "I'll have to scold them..."

Bending over, a warm, sleepy smile crept across Karamatsu's face as he watched the water flow out of the pitcher, completely missing the plant, pouring directly onto the floor, forming a huge puddle.

"Oh...?" Karamatsu thought, blinking as he stared at the puddle on the floor. "It's a puddle...why is there a puddle...I didn't want to water the floor. I wanted to water Oujiyo..."

Ichimatsu, whom had only managed to stay "asleep" on the floor for a minute, let out a loud moan, expressing his pain.

Suddenly, Karamatsu snapped out of the fog which his sleepy mind had wanted to stay in.

"Ichimatsu!" he yelled, throwing the pitcher onto the floor as he tore out of the living room, running up the stairs at full speed.

Karamatsu threw himself to his knees, grabbing his brother's hands in his, staring into his tear filled eyes.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Karamatsu asked frantically.

Ichimatsu didn't respond, a single tear running down his face from the pain he felt.

"Can you stand up?" Karamatsu asked, helping his brother up into a sitting position, leaning him against the wall.

"N-no..." Ichimatsu muttered, glancing over at the damp cloth on the floor which had gotten left behind. "My head..."

"It's okay..." Karamatsu soothed. "Let's go to the living room. I'll help you down the stairs."

Ichimatsu nodded his head, clenching his teeth in pain.

In one swift movement, Karamatsu scooped up his brother bridal style, carrying him down the stairs, taking him to the living room.

"I need my cloth..." Ichimatsu grumbled tiredly after Karamatsu had gently sat him on the sofa.

"I'll get it for you, don't worry," Karamatsu said, kissing his brother on the top of his head. "I'll be right back."

Ichimatsu closed his eyes, not even caring that his brother had just kissed him. Anything seemed fine at the moment. Anything at all. Anything that would take his mind off of his head.

"I'd kill myself if I could..." Ichimatsu thought. "I'd do anything if it would take away this pain I feel. I'm only being a burden right now...If I would have just remained quiet about this all, nothing...nothing would happen. Karamatsu and Jyushimatsu wouldn't worry, and that's what I want. I'm fine..."

"Ichimatsu?" Karamatsu asked, walking back in the room after several minutes, carrying a small tray. There seemed to be two cups of coffee, a small glass of water, more pain killers, and a damp cloth for his head. "I brought you some things."

"Th-Thanks..." Ichimatsu muttered, forcing himself to spit out the words.

"Do you want some coffee with me? I need to tell you something..." Karamatsu said, his usually strong sounding voice had suddenly grown weak.

Handing Ichimatsu his pills and the small glass of water, Karamatsu watched his brother intently, worry engulfing his face.

Ichimatsu quickly take the pills and drank down the cool water, finding it very refreshing.

"I'm dehydrated..." Ichimatsu thought after he shakily placed the cup on the tray. "I can tell by how thirsty I feel now..."

"Well, would you like this coffee with me?" Karamatsu asked again nervously.

Ichimatsu nodded his head, finding that he hated to hear his older brother sound so pitiful. It wasn't like him at all.

Karamatsu sat down close to Ichimatsu on the sofa, sighing just a little as he handed his brother one of the coffee cups.

"What is it..." Ichimatsu mumbled, taking a sip, knowing the coffee wouldn't keep him up at all.

"All that's been happening lately..." Karamatsu said with a sigh, his hands trembling as he reached for his own coffee cup. "Nothing feels right anymore..."

"Oh..." Ichimatsu mumbled, taking another sip, drawing his knees towards his chest, resting his head on them. "You're talking about all the death..."

Karamatsu nodded his head, giving up on grabbing his coffee cup. He was trembling so much, Ichimatsu could have sworn he was starving to death.

"This time last week, everything was absolutely fine...it's amazing how just so much can change in so little time, I guess," Karamatsu said, forcing out a fake, sad chuckle. "I just miss our parents..."

"Yeah..." Ichimatsu mumbled. "Speaking of which...why do you have all those photos..."

"Wh-what photos?" Karamatsu asked nervously, quickly grabbing his coffee cup, taking a big swig.

"Those pictures of just us..." Ichimatsu mumbled, keeping his head down so his brother couldn't see his facial expression. Tears were rolling down his cheeks from the pain he still felt, and he didn't want to change the subject.

"I-I..." Karamatsu squeaked, when suddenly, there was a loud crashing sound coming from Ichimatsu's and Jyushimatsu's room upstairs.

Immediately, Jyushimatsu awoke, screaming and crying for help.

"What's going on?!" Ichimatsu rasped, about to get up from the sofa, when Karamatsu stopped him.

"You need to stay here," he ordered. "Any sudden movement could hurt your head worse."

And like that, Karamatsu took off out of the room, running up the stairs.

Jyushimatsu, now huddled in the corner of the room, crying and trembling, was staring right at a figure whom had somehow entered the room.

Karamatsu stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw dropping open.

"Who are you?!" Karamatsu yelled, trying not to show the fear he felt.

Non existent air seemed to flow around the figure, their long pink hood blowing magnificently behind them.

The figure chuckled, reaching his hand up towards his hood, pulling it off dramatically.

"I am Todomajo," the figure said, a devilish smile on their face as they giggled a little.

"Get out of my house..." Karamatsu growled, not even caring to ask how he had gotten inside in the first place. "You're trespassing..."

"Trespassing?" Todomajo asked, covering their mouth, pretending to be shocked. "Oh my my my! Am I in trouble, daddy? I promise to be a good boy from now on."

"I said..." Karamatsu growled, raising his voice. "Get out of my house!"

"Fine fine," Todomajo sighed, running the ends of their dark, jet black hair. "I'd at least think you'd want to know why I'm here."

"I don't..." Karamatsu snapped. "Now, get out!"

"But I do!" Jyushimatsu cried out suddenly, managing to talk despite the shock he had just experienced. "I want to know what you did to my brother!"

"You remember?" Todomajo chuckled, creeping towards the little boy. "I didn't think you had seen me...I guess I screwed up a little!"

"What are you talking about?" Karamatsu asked, breathing heavily.

Todomajo blinked at Karamatsu a few times, then look back down at Jyushimatsu.

"Little boy," Todomajo said quietly, wheezing a little as he held back another chuckle. "I was asked to put a curse on your brother by your parents for all the wrongdoings of your eldest brother, Karamatsu. I have done absolutely no harm, honestly. I was simply doing what I was told."

Karamatsu bravely stepped forward and grabbed Todomajo by his hood, pulling him off to the side.

"What the heck does this curse do?"Karamatsu demanded in a low hiss so Jyushimatsu wouldn't hear.

"Oh, it's only supposed to slowly kill him in the most painful way possible, beginning with endless headaches," Todomajo replied quietly, snickering.

Karamatsu grabbed Todomajo by his collar, lifting him off of the ground.

"Listen here, you fool," Kara hissed angrily, clenching his teeth. "If my brother dies I will hunt you down and kill you with my own hands."

"Well what if I'm immortal," Todomajo replied, not bothering to keep his voice down anymore. "There is no hope, Karamatsu. So don't try to look for any. We all live in a hopeless world, do we not? There's nothing you can do."

And just like that, Todomajo disappeared in thin air.

"Karamatsu!" Jyushimatsu cried out, still in the corner, sobbing loudly into his pajama sleeves. "I'm scared!"

"Don't be scared..." Karamatsu soothed, approaching his younger brother, pulling him into his lap as he sat down in the floor next to him. "It's going to be okay..."

"Is Ichimatsu nii-san going to be...?" Jyushimatsu asked, looking up at his brother, tears running down his cheeks.

Karamatsu didn't reply for a moment, just sighing a little.

Picking up Jyushimatsu, he brought him back over to his futon, tucking him in.

"He's going to be just fine, so go to sleep, Jyushimatsu..." Karamatsu said softly before he left the room.

As soon as Karamatsu was back downstairs, Ichimatsu demanded to know what had just happened.

Despite never wanting to lie to his brother again, Karamatsu did such, answering his brother's question.

"It was just an animal and Jyushimatsu was scared," Karamatsu said with a sigh, sitting back down on the sofa next to his brother.

Ichimatsu nodded his head, believing his brother.

"You should get some rest now, Ichimatsu," Karamatsu said after he finished his lukewarm coffee. "I'm going to be doing some research."

Standing up, Karamatsu helped his brother lay down across the couch in a comfortable position, then gently covered him with a wool blanket.

"Goodnight, Ichimatsu," Karamatsu whispered.