Closing the motel door behind him, Karamatsu shook his head vigorously, letting out a depressive sigh. Things didn't seem to be getting better at all, in fact, they seemed to be getting worse.

Jyushimatsu clung to Ichimatsu's leg, his arm reaching up as he gripped tightly to the hem of his elder brother's winter coat.

Ichimatsu kept his eyes shut tightly in pain, letting out small whimpers each time he exhaled.

"Come on," Karamatsu said, taking Ichimatsu's hand in his, leading him down the sidewalk just outside their motel. "things will only be better for us for now on! You'll be better very soon, my brother!"

"Too optimistic..." Ichimatsu wheezed so quietly that his voice could have been mistaken for a cat.

"What?" Karamatsu asked, having not heard his brother. "Just don't talk, Ichimatsu. I don't want you to exhaust yourself. You need rest, if anything. That way we can find the god, and you'll be able to have enough energy to speak then."

Ichimatsu didn't make a sound, and Jyushimatsu looked up at his two brothers, worriedly.

After walking into what seemed like a small village area, a few shops here and there, Karamatsu began to search for Todomajo's tent.

"Where could it be..." Karamatsu mumbled irritatedly, finding this whole situation extremely questionable.

Ichimatsu staggered foreword a little, almost falling down when his foot brushed a loose pebble on the cobblestone street.

"Nii-san!" Jyushimatsu exclaimed pitifully, forcing all of his weight on his brother to help keep him on his feet. "Be careful!"

Ichimatsu forced a bittersweet smile on his face, nodding his head a little.

Karamatsu squeezed his brother's hand tightly, motioning over to a bench that rested in front of a fountain.

"You should sit down for a bit," Karamatsu said, turning back slightly, leading his two brother's two the bench. "I'll look for Todomajo."

Ichimatsu slumped down in the bench, quickly pulling his free hand up to his mouth, coughing up what seemed like a sea of blood.

The sticky, red fluid seeped between his fingers, dripping slowly onto the soft gray colored stones below.

Gagging again, more blood came up.

Ichimatsu forced his mouth closed, trying to keep even more from coming up.

Jyushimatsu almost began to cry, hugging his brother tightly from the side, sitting down next to him.

Karamatsu looked around frantically, then took off running as soon as he noticed a pink hooded figure in the distance.

"Please be safe!" he yelled, running off, leaving the two behind.

Tears in the corners of the little, once cheerful boy's eyes, Jyushimatsu continued to hug Ichimatsu. He knew, just be being there for his brother, he was providing comfort- even if it was just a little bit of comfort.

"Thank you..." Ichimatsu muttered weakly, wiping his hand across his mouth, cleaning off some of the blood.

Ichimatsu, though his hands were stained with blood, rested them on the bench, his palms facing upwards.

Grabbing his older brother's sticky hand, Jyushimatsu held tightly to it, never wanting to let go as he closed his eyes tightly.

"I never want to forget his warmth..." Jyushimatsu thought, a single tear escaping, running down his cheek. "I need to be stronger for Ichimatsu though! I can't keep crying all the time! I want him to know I still believe he will get better! I know he will get better! I know..."

A sudden, familiar voice entered Jyushimatsu's mind, interrupting his thoughts.

"I'll be okay, Jyushimatsu. You're doing your best, I know that. You don't have to keep trying to be happy. I can sense that you're not. If anything, I want you to keep being honest...just like you always have been...you don't have to keep smiling anymore..." Ichimatsu said from inside a Jyushimatsu's mind.

Snapping open his eyes, Jyushimatsu looked up at Ichimatsu, more and more tears flowing down his cheeks.

Though he was in pain, Ichimatsu squeezed Jyushimatsu's hand back, smiling back down on him.