Hi guys! Sorry for the inactivity ;; Right now I'm currently studying for JLPT N2 exam and I'm trying to find jobs in Japan so pls send your best wishes to me HAHAHA
Have a great birthday, Iori!
It's surely a miraculous encounter✨
🍀🍀🍀
from Udajo's X
Thanks for wishing Iori a happy birthday and thank you so much for your opinions on the illustration! Next week's illustration of Masaomi nii-san will be the last to close the series. It's almost a year huh. .
Have a happy birthday, Louis！
I made him in a style of a school prince
👑
from udajo's X
Thanks for celebrating Louis's birthday by saying warm wishes and your opinions on the illustration! It overlaps with Cat's Day (22/2 in Japan) and I was torn to jump on the bandwagon.. but I decided to draw Louis in a school uniform..
Brothers Conflict Season 2 Volume 3 After #032 side Louis
<— Previous || Masterlist
After #032 side Louis — Making the opportunity to come together.
I gaze out at the Seine river from over the bridge’s railing.
– Paris, France.
I’ve come here to train for my salon.
Since I’m not here on vacation, there’s not much time for leisure. But I’ve managed to set a little aside.
This is where my biological father lives. This is a rare opportunity, so today, we met up.
(I’m glad he looks well.)
My father is from Montparnasse. It happens to be about an hour or so from the apartment that my job provided for me. I’d taken a taxi there, but since the weather’s nice, I decided to walk back.
On my way back, I found myself stopping on this bridge. The way that the sunlight hits the river and sparkles is so beautiful, I can hardly tear my eyes away.
I find myself suddenly remembering the day I’d met my biological father for the first time, a few years ago.
At the time, father had called me to meet up with him at a hotel. The sunlight has been sparkling just as brightly as this as it’d shone through the room that day.
(It’s nostalgic…)
At first, I was a bit hesitant about going. I wasn’t quite sure which face to make when meeting him.
But there to encourage me was Kaname-niisan.
Kaname: “Why not just make whichever face you like best, Ru-chan?”
Kaname-niisan had said.
Kaname: “Isn’t the most important thing that you meet up with him now? It’ll be difficult to see him again soon. If you let this opportunity pass you by, you may find that you’ll go a lifetime again without seeing him.”
And so, I’d gone. And because of that, I got to meet my biological father.
I think that Kaname-niisan taught me something very important back then.
(Ah, that reminds me.)
Another memory comes to mind.
One from a long, long time ago, back when I’d first joined the Asahina family.
I’d only been about three years old. Sunrise Residence hadn’t been built yet, so we’d lived at Miwa-san’s parents’ house in Aoyama.
Afternoon was playtime. Everyone would gather in the living room after getting back from elementary school. And I’d usually go out on the terrace outside of the living room.
It wasn’t as if I didn’t like everyone. I wasn’t bullied or anything.
But I somehow felt like an outsider.
Everyone other than me was a blood related brother, of the same parents. There was something different about me. It was as if there was an invisible wall between us.
So, I would go to the terrace. It was really bright and warm, and a place that I genuinely loved. I didn’t mind being alone because of that.
But one day, when I’d been on the terrace as usual, Kaname-niisan had called out to me.
Kaname: “Tsuba-chan wants to play a game, but we don’t have enough people. Wanna join?”
I don’t remember how I’d answered. But after that, I’d started playing with everyone.
(Blood relation isn’t everything.)
I’d started to think this way after that.
As I murmur those words to myself, yet another face surfaces to my mind.
The face of a girl who’s always kind, and always smiling brightly. But who sometimes can look incredibly sad, too.
(...... I wonder what she’s doing now.)
I remember riding on a boat with her in the river at Inokashira park.
But that was a long time ago.
(Chii-chan’s grown stronger.)
If something happens, Juli-san will be there. And I’ve asked for Yuusuke-kun’s help, too.
(And…. Kaname-niisan’s there, too.)
It’d been two days before I left for France.
-
I’ll be getting the day before I leave off, so I stayed late at work today.
So when I return back home to the mansion, it’s about midnight. It’s quiet, so everyone’s probably sleeping. I’m rather hungry, though, so I head to the kitchen on the fifth floor.
It’s there that I cross paths with Kaname-niisan by chance.
Kaname: “Ah, Ru-chan. You’re back late today.”
Kaname-niisan is in the living room with a glass and some alcohol lined up on the table.
Louis: “Mhm. I’ll be heading to France after tomorrow, so the salon was very busy.”
Kaname: “Ahh, I see. Good work.”
Kaname-niisan picks up the bottle of whiskey.
Kaname: “There was a lot going on at work for me today, too. If you don’t mind, would you like to stay with me for a while?”
I don’t often drink, but I feel like it might be okay to drink a bit tonight.
Louis: “Mhmm, alright.”
Kaname: “Wonderful.”
Kaname-niisan makes me a whisky on the rocks, and I dilute it with some water.
Kaname: “You’ll be training for the store, right? How long will you be gone?”
Louis: “I don’t know for sure. But probably around two months, I think.”
Kaname: “That sounds difficult. But you’ve managed to make it this far, so be sure to do your best.”
Louis: “Mhm, I will.”
As we speak, I find myself lost in thought.
A little while ago, I was thinking that I wanted to ask Kaname-niisan to do something for me. But he’d just mentioned being tired a moment ago, so I find myself worried as to whether or not I should say something.
But if I don’t ask him today, I might not have another chance before I leave for France.
And so, I speak up.
Louis: “I have a request for you, Kaname-niisan.”
Kaname: “Ehh, it’s rare of you to ask for something, Ru-chan. So– what can I help you with?”
Louis: “It’s about Chii-chan.”
Kaname-niisan’s expression changes.
Kaname: “You mean Imouto-chan?”
Louis: “Yes.”
I say.
Louis: “I want you to teach her.”
Kaname: “Teach her…. what exactly?”
Louis: “How to treat everyone.”
Kaname: “What?”
Kaname-niisan brings his glass away from his mouth.
Kaname: “What do you mean by that, Ru-chan?”
Louis: “Chii-chan’s gotten stronger. But she’s also a truly good kid. So she worries about everyone.”
Kaname: “...... Ru-chan.”
Kaname-niisan slowly places his glass down on the table.
Kaname: “I’ll ask you point-blank. This is about at least some of our brothers, isn’t it?”
Kaname-niisan leans forward.
Kaname: “And the rivalry that they hold in relation to Imouto-chan’s affections.”
I nod.
Kaname: “I’m surprised.”
Kaname-niisan lets out an exhale.
Kaname: “I didn’t expect you to say something like that, Ru-chan.”
Louis: “Chii-chan’s my precious family.”
I reply.
Louis: “But everyone else is, too. My brothers are my family. I don’t want to see any of them hurt.”
Kaname-niisan says nothing. He leans against the sofa, and thinking intently.
Kaname: “Ru-chan.”
After a considerable amount of time has passed, Kaname-niisan speaks.
Kaname: “Why did you ask me?”
Louis: “Because,”
I say,
Louis: “You’ve helped me time and time again, Kaname-niisan. That’s why.”
Kaname: “..... I see.”
Kaname-niisan sinks into silence again. He picks his glass back up from the table, and finishes the whole thing off in one drink.
Kaname: “Of course.”
Kaname-niisan says.
Kaname: “We need to clear things up now, or else they’ll get worse. I know this.”
It almost sounds as if he’s speaking to himself.
Kaname: “Can I ask you something, Ru-chan?”
Louis: “What is it?”
Kaname: “Do you love Imouto-chan?”
Louis: “Yes.”
I say.
Louis: “She’s very important to me. So I want to protect her no matter what.”
Kaname: “Not the slightest bit of hesitation, huh.”
Kaname-niisan cracks a smile.
Kaname: “That’s amazing.”
Louis: “Me? No, not at all.”
Kaname: “No, you’re plenty amazing. You’re always thinking purely for Imouto-chan’s sake. You genuinely have Imouto-chan’s best interests in mind, with no regard to your own wants or desires. There aren’t a lot of people who are like that. At least, certainly not among us brothers.”
A very complex expression rises to his face. It’s one so mixed with emotion, it couldn’t possibly be described with but a single word.
The silence continues for a moment.
Kaname: “.... okay.”
Before long, Kaname-niisan says.
Kaname: “I’ll talk to Imouto-chan.
Louis: “Thank you very much, Kaname-niisan.”
Kaname: “There’s no need to thank me.”
Kaname-niisan stands up.
Kaname: “I’m going to drink for a while longer. Sorry to leave, but I think I’ll go outside for a bit.”
-
Kaname-niisan left the living room after that. I’d seen him off with a strong sense of relief. And it’s because of him that I’d been able to leave for France with peace of mind.
(I’m really grateful.)
At the same time that the thought runs through my mind, though.
A faint memory comes back to me.
It was right before Kaname-niisan had stood up to leave. His voice had been faint, but I’m sure that I’d heard him say something.
Kaname: “I wish I could be like Ru-chan, and yet…. I still can’t bring myself to give up.”
It’s a little late to be wondering, but I’m curious. What exactly did Kaname-niisan mean by that?
(Maybe I should ask him when I get back home.)
I don’t think I’ll figure it out by myself, no matter how hard I ponder it. More importantly, I only have a little bit of training left here. I need to be sure to do my best and finish it off properly.
(I want to go home and see everyone soon.)
With that thought in mind, I start to head back to the apartment.
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