Ichimatsu opened his heavy eyes as the morning sunlight poured through the living room window, hitting him directly on the face. At the moment upon his awakening, he was greeted with the soothing smell of coffee and the gentle hum of his older brother as he made breakfast.

Yawning, Ichimatsu stretched and groaned in pain. His head hurt even worse than it had when he had managed to fall asleep after midnight. But he didn't dare say such, for he didn't want anyone to worry about him.

"I'm not worth their time or energy..." Ichimatsu thought, sitting up, sore from behind curled up on the sofa in the same position for several hours.

Having somehow heard his brother's groans, Karamatsu took the pan, which he was making eggs in, off of the stove, removed his apron, and walked as calmly as possible to the living room.

"Good morning, Ichimatsu," Karamatsu said, forcing a warm smile on his face. "Breakfast is almost ready."

"Oh..." Ichimatsu muttered. "Good morning..."

"How are you feeling?" Karamatsu asked for what seemed like the millionth time. "You look exhausted."

"If I'm honest, Karamatsu will worry...if I say I'm fine, Karamatsu will question me again, knowing I'm lying...either way, the results of this stupid question are going to be negative..." Ichimatsu thought, resting his head in one of his hands, covering his eyes from the sunlight.

"Ifeelworse," Ichimatsu muttered quickly, almost as if it were one word.

"Huh?" Karamatsu asked again, his fake smile fading a bit.

"I said..." Ichimatsu sighed, "Ifeelworse,"

"Can you speak a little more clearly?" Karamatsu asked, laughing sheepishly, scratching behind his head. "I couldn't hear you."

"I..." Ichimatsu mumbled. "I feel...worse."

Karamatsu's eyes immediately filled with tears as he looked away from his brother, finding it hard to even look at him.

"What the heck is wrong with you..." Ichimatsu spat, looking up as soon as the sun hid behind a cloud.

"I just hate seeing you hurting so much," Karamatsu said, running into the kitchen, immediately coming back with a cup of coffee and pain killers.

"What's this?" Ichimatsu asked, taking the pills from Karamatsu as well as the coffee. "You think these will help? You're wrong. Nothing feels better, idiot."

Karamatsu's face filled with sorrow as he watched his brother take his pills with his coffee.

"And to think he's going to keep feeling worse, when really it should be me. Why would he even...why would Todomajo do this..? And Ichimatsu of all people in the world...he doesn't deserve this," Karamatsu thought, not realizing he had zoned out, appearing to stare into his brother's eyes. "I need to fix the mess I've made, I suppose. It's not going to be easy, but I'm sure...with Ichimatsu's life as my motivation, I'll be able to heal him somehow..."

"Will you stop staring?!" Ichimatsu snapped, taking another sip of his coffee before he set it on the table, standing up.

Karamatsu shook his head violently, snapping out of his daze.

"I'm sorry!" Karamatsu apologized as Ichimatsu pushed past him, making his way towards the staircase.

"Whatever," Ichimatsu hissed, beginning to walk carefully up the stairs. "I'm going to wake Jyushimatsu up...he has school today..."

"That's right!" Karamatsu exclaimed, quickly looking at the clock on the wall. "I don't think I'll have time to take him though...is that okay?"

"Tch," Ichimatsu spat. "You act like I can't walk to his small school. It's just down the street a ways. Less than a mile."

"You'll take him...?" Karamatsu asked, looking worried again. "Will you be alright all alone?"

"I'm fine!" Ichimatsu hissed, walking into his bedroom to wake Jyushimatsu.

"Hey, wake up," Ichimatsu said, his harsh voice fading away into a gentle, caring one. Shaking Jyushimatsu by his shoulder a little, a smile crept across Ichimatsu's face.

"Nii-saaaaaan," Jyushimatsu whined a little. "I'm tireeeeeeed!"

"I'm tired too," Ichimatsu sighed, caressing his brother's head. "But we've gotta get a move on. Life isn't going to stop for us."

Jyushimatsu hopped out of his futon, throwing his arms around Ichimatsu's neck, hugging him tightly.

"Nii-san I don't want to go to school today!" Jyushimatsu whined a little, sadly letting go of his brother after a moment. "I want to stay home with you!"

"But you have to go..." Ichimatsu mumbled, standing up, in pain every time he moved. Grimacing, he took Jyushimatsu's hand, leading him down the stairs.

Sleepily, Jyushimatsu leaned on his brother as he yawned, sniffing the air.

"Uncle Karamatsu made breakfast!" he exclaimed, suddenly wide awake. He let go of Ichimatsu's hand, running all the way to the kitchen in just seconds.

"Innocent..." Ichimatsu mumbled to himself, stopping on the last step of the staircase. "I should get his school things together for him...he'll be late..."

"Ichimatsu!" Karamatsu called, exiting the kitchen area, motioning for his younger brother to come in. "You should eat something!"

"No!" Ichimatsu managed to yell back, turning around, beginning to walk back up the stairs.

Karamatsu ran toward the stairs and grabbed Ichimatsu's arm firmly, holding him back.

"Before you go then," Karamatsu said with a sigh. "I'll be back from work today at lunch. We're going to burn a candle for our parents since Jyushimatsu won't be around."

"Who the heck burns a candle without some kind of memorial...that just makes it a candle..." Ichimatsu muttered.

"I can't help it that I can't afford proper things," Karamatsu said with a sigh. "But that's just how it is."

"Burn a candle..? Not incense..?" Ichimatsu thought, sighing deeply as he walked up the stairs to get Jyushimatsu's things together.