↑ Takeshi (age 5) above ↑

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'The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life'
—Richard Bach

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Ryuu Sasahara frowned to himself as he flipped through the channels on the T.V. Despite trying to aim his attention elsewhere, he was completely out of it and was merely staring blankly at the screen.

Somebody shoving his head forward and snatching the remote out of his hands startled him and he jerked his head backwards to find it was his older brother.

Ryuu glared at him and tried to yank it back. "Hey, give it—"

Mikado Sasahara smirked at his younger brother's attempt before flopping onto the couch and snatching the bag of chips on the table. "You're not supposed to let your guard down even for a second, little bro. It's your fault for daydreaming." He chewed on the chips loudly as he flipped through all the channels. He suddenly laughed, sending Ryuu a kissy face. "Thinking of Saya~?"

Ryuu's heart stopped and Mikado guffawed at his brother's reaction.

"You're still hanging on to that? I keep telling you to just make a move already. Be a man and confess. Saya's not gonna wait forever, you know."

Ryuu gritted his teeth, looking toward the ground. His head dropped painfully. He wanted to snap at his brother—tell him it was already too late—but, he held himself back. He didn't want to regret how stupid he was not to even do that.

"Young ones these days; they don't understand how fast life flies," continued Mikado, oblivious to Ryuu's reaction. "First thing you know you're in high school, enjoying your life and living in the moment, and the next thing you know, you're in your third year of university, without having any time to even fool around like before. If I was your age again, trust me, I'd confess as soon as I got the chance."

Mikado chuckled to himself as he came to a stop at a random channel. He slapped his knee in amusement, finally turning his attention towards Ryuu.

"Watching you, the boy, chase after a girl your whole life really is sad."

Mikado blinked at his younger brother, confused at how pale he had gotten. Ryuu's eyes—currently fixed on the T.V. before him were as plates, his mouth dropped; he wasn't even breathing anymore.

"Whoa, Ryuu," Mikado began, guilt washing over him. "I was kidding. Don't take my words that seriously."

Ryuu's inconsistent breathing intensified when he perceived that familiar face pop up next to the news broadcaster. Her broad grin in the photo, her cerulean hair held up with the black headband she always wore, and her parents huddled over and crying during the interview they were giving them.

His gaze never left the seven letter word slapped over Akira Minamoto's face.

SUICIDE.

☻ ☺ ☻

The sound of the front door opening and closing stirred Tadashi from his light rest. He yawned briefly before narrowing his eyes at the cheerful sound of his parents and younger sister downstairs.

Their nonchalance was something he wished he could have too, but he couldn't. No... He was still trying to deny what he had even read on that document...

Tadashi, adopted from Ochiai Orphanage at age 5 into the Matsumoto family.

Legal Guardians: Narumi and Maiko Matsumoto.

Legal Sister: Madoka Matsumoto

Tadashi frowned in remembrance. He was just about to embrace all that had transpired and move on with his life; just about to head to the school where his clubmates were... But this had to go and happen.

It seemed like whenever Tadashi belittled something or someone, he always managed to jinx it.

A day and a half already passed by without him ever muttering something to his parents or sister. He could leave his room now, sure. But what would he even do afterwards?

Confront them?

Tadashi's gut churned. He didn't even want to believe it, let alone confront his parents about it. But then... why hadn't they ever told him it before? It was an important fact one needed to know in their life. So how could his parents lie to him like that?

Tadashi always felt like an outsider to his family. He had different views, different interests, and he didn't even look like them for Pete's sake! His parents told him he resembled his grandparents...but that was a lie too wasn't it?

Slapping his hands over his face, Tadashi exhaled loudly to himself.

"Standing up. Getting something done. Never giving up. That's a very unique and impossible way of doing things, but it's how I accomplish everything."

The brunet sighed once more before hauling himself upright in his bed. He pulled himself out from the covers and dangled his feet right over the side of his bed. His pale green eyes overfilled with confidence.

He could do this.

"I didn't think you'd let this knock you down. Regardless of whose fault it was, I took you to be the person that never gives up no matter what. Who never hides just because something out of their reach happened. The Tadashi Matsumoto I know isn't frail like that."

Was he frail? Yeah, he was. Everyone was. But like Ayame constantly implied: no matter what happened, you couldn't hide. If he wanted to move forward, he couldn't do that.

Stalking toward the doorway, Tadashi gulped hard before stepping down the staircase. His family laughed idly by the doorway, discussing the play they had gone to watch, and Tadashi came to a stop in front of them.

The three's laughing fits came to a halt and Madoka, his younger sister, blinked rapidly.

"Tada? What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "You look a little different than usual..."

Tadashi could have cared less about what he had looked like, being in his current situation, and instead directed all his attention to his parents.

His mother spared her husband a glance, uncomfortable under his stare.

Narumi Matsumoto narrowed his eyes. "Tadashi, what's bringing this on?"

Biting his lip, Tadashi paused before letting the words escape his mouth, "Am I adopted?"

His parents instantly paled at his question. Madoka jerked her head back and forth between Tadashi and her parents in shock.

Clearing her throat, Maiko Matsumoto stepped toward Tadashi.

"Tadashi, what's going on? Is—"

"Am I adopted?" His question came out firmer this time.

His mother flinched at the question. She shared an anxious glance with her husband and hesitated before turning to Madoka.

"Madoka, why don't you head upstairs to your room for today? Your father and I have to speak with Tadashi."

Madoka appeared taken aback. "But—"

"Madoka." Her father shot her a pointed look. "Your room. Now."

With a dejected pout, Madoka spared Tadashi one last glance before trudging up the staircase. Not until they heard an obvious slam from Madoka's bedroom door did they face Tadashi once again.

"Tadashi," his mother began, frowning, "who told you that?"

Tadashi avoided their eyes as he dug into his back pocket and pulled out the document. "I found this."

Narumi grabbed the paper and as soon as he and his wife caught a glimpse of what it was about, troubled looks enveloped their faces.

Their silence was killing Tadashi on the inside. Taking that they weren't denying it, it was true wasn't it?

Maiko grabbed Tadashi by the shoulders and led him toward the living room. As soon as he took a seat across from his parents, they began to speak.

"So this is why you've been so out of it lately," Maiko muttered with a sigh. "I took it as though something happened in school..."

Shaking her head, her dim cerulean eyes met Tadashi's. His stomach squirmed in response. Now that he looked at it, how did he ever believe their lies? His parents both shared auburn hair and his father had brown eyes; his mother blue. With his dark hair and green eyes, there was no resemblance at all between them.

"I knew you would figure out one day," Narumi said with a light chuckle. "You've always been into crime T.V shows and acted as a real detective. This secret we've been keeping was only a matter of time."

Tadashi bit his lip but his determination didn't waver. He knew he had to hear it. He wasn't going to chicken out now.

"You were raised and put up for adoption at the Ochiai Orphanage ever since you were a few months old," Maiko began, her eyes filled with a melancholic emotion. "Along with your twin brother."

Shock etched onto Tadashi's face and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Huh..."

Maiko closed her eyes painfully. "T-Takeshi and you were abandoned by your parents and left at the Ochiai Orphanage. Your father and I used to watch you two daily, playing around in that orphanage and causing trouble...and when you two were three, we decided to adopt you."

"W-wait!" Tadashi lurched up to his feet, cutting off his mother. "T-Takeshi...wh-what..."

"You once had a younger twin brother named Takeshi," Narumi answered in his mother's stead, sparing him a pointed stare.

Tadashi's breath caught in his throat. Twin... I have a twin? he thought, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Why didn't he remember? If he ever did, he would've remembered.

Wouldn't he?

"You were five when it happened. And it was a traumatizing event so I'm not surprised you don't remember," Maiko said.

Tadashi recoiled.

Her eyes were filled with remorse. "When you two were five years old, we let you play outside together...and accidentally, and under your watch, Takeshi got hit by a passing vehicle and... died..."

Digging into her purse, Tadashi's mother pulled out an amulet and held it up to his ray of vision. Painted onto the picture was a picture of a young Tadashi and a look-alike, Takeshi, playing in a sandbox together. By the looks of their babyish faces, they were just past the age of three.

Although it shouldn't have, the sight of the picture just angered the brunet. "W-why don't I remember?"

That picture...wasn't fake. It obviously wasn't. Tadashi did have a twin brother. This "Takeshi."

He clenched his teeth and fists furiously. Then why didn't he recall something so important? Why didn't he remember him?

His parents shared a brief look and Narumi nodded before opening his mouth. "You would cry relentlessly after his death; day, after day, after day, you'd mourn. You blamed only yourself for his death. You even starved yourself, saying you'd die if it meant bringing him back. You were even a little delusional, as after some time had passed, you convinced yourself he was there by your side and wasn't dead." He shut his eyes in great grief. "Honestly, those days were the hardest on your mother and I. It pained us to see you like that. More than anything.

"Then..." Narumi opened his eyes again. "After your mother and I sat you down and talked to you about it, you acted out and ran to your room. The next day... I don't know, maybe it was a shock of our words, but you stopped bringing Takeshi up entirely. You forgot about him. Your memories of him just wiped clear of your mind like that. And only then did you return to normal. Your bright personality came back. You were happier than ever..."

Narumi's features were filled with sincerity.

"That's why we decided not to bring it up. We didn't want to see you go through that ever again. We were happier with you like this."

Maiko reached out and touched her son's arm, her gaze reflecting a genuine emotion as well. Tadashi was left staring at her, bug-eyed, still trying to process everything that was going on. "Tadashi, we may not be akin, and the only person who was is no longer alive, but you are the best son I could ever ask for. Your father, Madoka, and I— we love you. Telling you this may be too much to take in, but please always know that."

A warmhearted smile graced his mother's weary face, and Tadashi's eyelids shot up in surprise.

"I don't want this family to have discord because of this revelation," she said. "No matter what, we are family. I believe that what connects a true family isn't just blood; it's the enjoyment and respect we all hold for each other. The warm environment that surrounds us. I don't want this family to disappear simply because of this revelation. I don't want you to hate your father and I for this either. But it may be too much to ask for after lying to you for eleven years, huh? I'm so sorry about that, Tadashi."

Tadashi felt something in his heart squeeze at her words. The people seated before him weren't his biological parents. They lied to him for eleven years. About his upbringings. About his twin brother. About his life altogether. His entire world seemed to be crumbling right before his eyes but...

Tadashi hung his head, frowning to himself. He furled his fingers into fists. There was no way he could hate them.

Regardless of them being akin or not, this was the only place he could go back to when everything around him was hard to handle. Even the occurrence with Izumi Shinzo— they did nothing but try to comfort him but all he did was shove them away and stay locked up inside his room.

That's why it was him who should be saying sorry...

Maiko smiled softly at her son's silent response, already knowing what he was thinking. He only reacted like that if he felt guilty.

"Thank you, Tadashi."