2 Chapter 2: The Bachelorette Story

"Haruka-sempai[1], hueee~~~ Please help me with this task!"

"Ezawa-san, about the report that you gave me before..."

"Sorry, sorry~ ♫, I need to get home early because I have a date with my boyfriend~ ♫. Can sempai do me a little favor, pretty please~ ♫? *tehe[2]*"

"It seems you are as hardworking as always, Ezawa-san. Please keep up with that."

"Haruka-chan[3], want to come with us next week for a blind date?"

I stretched my neck until a cracking sound could be heard. There had been too many noises since the morning, and by now it was already lunchtime. My stomach had been rumbling since earlier. I took out the bento from my bag as I intended to eat it on my desk.

As I opened it I could see food neatly arranged in the box. There was rice, tamagoyaki, slices of a baby tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and mayonnaise. It was a colorful combination that was kinda childish, but somehow it made me happy inside.

"Haruka-san brought a bento again today, huh?" My coworker who sat beside me glanced at my table.

"Yes. My cute beloved nephew insisted on bringing me a meal from home. How could I reject him when he troubled himself making this for me?"

"Nephew?" He looked surprised. "I thought you were living alone by yourself. I remember you saying something like that before."

"Well, I was living alone before. But now it's different." I said as I dug my chopsticks in the rice. "His mother passed away not long ago, and he doesn't have any relatives near where he lived, so he's staying with me for now."

"I see, so now it's just the two of you then."

"Well, it's four to be exact. It's kinda complicated to explain." I glanced left and right, making sure no one was listening. "Let me tell you the rest in the usual place."

He raised an eyebrow. It seemed he understood this topic was kinda sensitive. "Well, sure."

***

Takeru is my coworker and also my close friend. His desk is right beside mine, so we get in touch quite often. He is someone who I can open up to and confide in.

It may seem weird why I had a male as my close friend. Well, we already knew each other for a long time, and maybe because I was less feminine I was less close to the other females in our office.

"Can you imagine? How could he just appear like that after all these years? Not to mention he brought two kids while I'm still single! Two kids, I said!"

I slammed my beer glass on the table and wiped my mouth. I had only had one glass, but I could already feel the alcohol taking me a little. Takeru and I were drinking together in an izakaya[4] we usually came by. The place was kinda crowded today as it was the end of working hours.

"Well, this is indeed quite unusual." He closed his eyes while nodding. "So you are saying that your brother who was missing for twenty years suddenly knocked on your apartment door in the middle of the night, brought his kids, and then asked you to share your house for them to live in. Is that it?"

"Exactly! Can you imagine how shameless that would be? I know that the house is our parent's property, and that makes it our house. But still…" I leaned to the chair and made a big sigh.

"...Did he force you to accept it?"

He looked at me with concern. I waved my hand at him, trying to dismiss his line of thought. "Nah, I accepted them in the end voluntarily. It's not like I am heartless enough to make them sleep on the street, and those children did nothing wrong. Besides, he does have the right about the house share. I don't mind that much actually."

I sighed, again. "I'm just annoyed how he disappeared for so long and then appeared out of nowhere and said 'hi' like it was nothing. Do you know how he looked when we first saw each other for years? I thought he was a random hobo who was playing with my doorbell. I sent him flying after that."

He chuckled as he tried not to choke his beer. "It's impressive how he is still alive after that. There aren't that many who can stay intact after receiving your attack."

Another reason why I could open up with him is that we were also from the same dojo[5]. He was my kohai[6] after all.

"But that is not the end." I took a sip again. "He really made himself at home. Every time I arrived at home he would laze around like a waste. He didn't even do the housework. I even doubt he has a job as he rarely leaves the house."

"Must be hard for their kids." He murmured.

"*sigh* Well, the shitty aniki[7] aside," I supported my chin with both hands and smiled. "His son is like the opposite of him."

"Oh, he is?"

"Yes. He is surprisingly a good kid." Influenced a bit by the alcohol, I giggled by myself. "He greeted me properly when we first met. He is also a hard worker. Ever since we started living together the house is like new. It's like I have a house fairy in my residence."

"He does sound like a good kid."

"Right? He is cute, always greets me with a smile, good at cleaning and cooking, and more importantly, he's cute. He's like a healing spring to me." I closed my eyes and sighed. "If only he wasn't related to me I would make him my wife."

"Ok, I will stop you there. I think that's enough alcohol for today." He said as he moved my half-empty glass away.

Ignoring the glass, I stared at the ceiling with an empty look. "I wonder how he could raise a kid like that. I doubt that I can have a child as nice as him. Or can I?"

He took a sip of his glass and put it back on the table. "I don't know. I don't have a kid, so I can't give you a definite answer. What I know is that something like that is mostly affected by the parents.

"Based on what I heard from you, I don't think that the father is really good for something like that. What about your thoughts? Do you think he really cares about them?"

My mind came back to that night. The night when he came back home for the first time in a long time.

***

Some weeks ago.

It was a noisy night. There was someone who broke my peaceful sleep by ringing the bell over and over. As I was already stressed by overtime work, I opened the door and punched them without seeing who it was. The rest was utter chaos.

After everything calmed down there were only two of us in the living room. I had made the youngsters take rest in a different room where our parents used to rest. We sat opposite each other with silence filling the room.

I folded my arms while taping my finger on my arm. Here, my brother who was missing for twenty years bowed his head without saying anything.

"Let me summarize it," I said. "So you bother me at this late-night, make a worthless commotion, and then ask me to accommodate you all in this house. Is that it?"

He stayed quiet in his seat; he didn't raise his head either.

"Heh, funny." I crossed my legs. "Is that the first thing you're saying to your little sister that you abandoned for years?"

"...I have no excuses." He started to talk again. "I know I have been a horrible brother to you. You can resent me however you want, you can hit me until you're satisfied, you can ask me to pay however much it is, but-"

He raised his head. His eyes filled with something that I had never seen before from him.

"I want him- I want them to live like normal kids. Just that is enough. I can only ask this kind of thing to you. Please." He bowed his head again.

At that moment, I knew he was being serious.

"Haruka-san. Haruka-san?"

I was awoken from my daze by his voice. Takeru was looking at me with concern. "Are you okay? You have fallen silent for a while."

"Eh, is that so?" I scratched my head. "Sorry. What were we talking about again?"

He sighed. "I just asked your opinion if he was a good father or not. Just asking here."

I wondered for a moment. The old man who lowered his head for his children's lives, and the young man who looked at him like he was expecting something.

"Who knows." I smiled. "But although they didn't say it that loud, I know they care about each other. If I use the youngster's term," I grinned, "they are both tsundere with each other."

Takeru spouted out his beer as he tried to drink it. He put down the glass forcefully while coughing badly.

"Hey, are you okay?" I took my handkerchief as I tried to help him, but he just pushed them while laughing.

"Pfff-ha-ha-ha! What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He wiped his eyes as water came out from them.

"Right?" I ended up laughing too. "The house became more interesting with them."

Aniki really grew up since then. Both physically and mental-

"Huahhh! Beer really is the best!"

A familiar voice could be heard behind me. Speak of the devil, the one we were talking about was sitting in front of the counter, lifting his glass high while laughing. He looked quite drunk already.

"Hey, Okada-san! Extra please! Mua-ha-ha-ha!"

"You seem happy, Masa-san. Did something good happen?" Okada, the owner of the izakaya, filled his glass and gave it to him.

"Nothing. I just feel like drinking outside right now." He took another glass and gulped it in one go.

"Come to think of it. I heard you are an expert in liquor. Are you really satisfied with our stuff?"

"Come one, don't be like that. I'm not picky about this kind of thing you know, even with something like this."

"I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not, but thank you."

They laughed together.

"But there is something that has been weighing on my mind lately."

"Oh? What is it?"

"You see," He sighed. "my sister is turning thirty-six this year. In four years she will turn forty, yet she is still single. A forty-year-old bachelorette. Isn't that funny?"

"Really? I don't see anything wrong there. These days it's not that weird to not be married at forty."

"But still, isn't it kinda sad to remain single like that? You see, I had already gotten laid before twenty, and married at twenty-two. If this keep continued I'm afraid she will become a lonely gran-"

"Please take the change," I said as I slammed the money on the counter in front of him. He flinched as he looked at me like he was seeing a ghost.

"Eh, H-Haru-chan? W-what a coincidence to meet you here."

"It seems you are enjoying yourself huh?"

I looked down at him like I was looking at a piece of trash. "Since you look so happy drinking outside like this, why don't I give you an opportunity to sleep outside?"

"W-wait a minute, Haru. Let us talk for a-"

"So Takeru-kun[8], I will excuse myself first."

"...Ah, yes! Sure, mam!" He was dazed for a bit before standing up straight like a judoka before giving respect.

Didn't waste any time, I walked straight to the exit, leaving him to stumble his legs trying to catch up.

***

I moved my feet faster on my way home. My mood which was supposed to be in the comfortable zone was now ruined, thanks to a certain someone. He had already stopped tailing me as he stumbled himself onto trash cans. Just how many glasses did he drink? Serves him right.

I massaged my temples, trying to calm my anger which subsided with my step. Seriously, just when I had a positive impression about him, he just went around and ruined it.

I sighed once again. Just what did I expect from aniki who was hikikomori[9] in the past?

I looked at the night sky. The stars couldn't be seen as there was a lot of pollution and lamps in the city. I pondered for a bit.

It had been a long time since that incident, but it felt like it was only yesterday. Aniki who locked himself in the room the day our parents died, an untouched meal, a pack of empty instant food, a pile of dirty clothes, and finally, aniki who ran away from home after our fight.

Our parents passed away because of a car accident. We got a huge amount of compensation from it, so much that we wouldn't need to worry about our future. But no amount of money could replace the one who raised us since we were kids.

Our relationship also changed after that. My aniki, who usually stays in his room for some time, starts to shut in almost all the time. We became less interactive with each other, living in a house that didn't feel like home anymore. That period makes us strangers.

One day, we had a big fight. That day I was still in my 3rd year of high school. I couldn't stand him wasting his life like this. And then he went, just like that.

With his absence, the house became more empty.

I spend the rest of my time at home alone. It was hard at first. I attended my graduation alone where my friends were congratulated by their family. There was an emptiness in my heart, just like the house that felt much bigger than before.

Year after year passed, and I became used to it. The compensation money was enough for me to attend university and daily needs until I got a real job. I was accepted into a fine company, though I still need to question the normal working hours in it.

Yes, I became used to it. Although it was kinda lonely, being a single woman who lives alone in a big apartment is not that bad, at least not until he came back with additional people.

My aniki who I hadn't seen for twenty years now had married and even has children of the same height as me. He seemed to care about their environment and wellbeing. I wonder who his wife was. She must've been a saint.

I look up at my- our apartment window. The window which was usually dark was filled with light. Somehow that light warmed my heart.

To be honest, I couldn't really hate him, neither the past nor the present aniki. No matter what he did in the past, he is still my only family. It was not like I didn't have flaws either.

For now, I was happy he came back, and-

"Welcome home, Haruka-san." A boy with orange-blonde hair the same as mine greeted me with an apron with a smile. "Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. You can rest a little until then."

I stayed in my place watching him stirring the boiling pot in the kitchen with a metal ladle.

Noticing my stare, he asked, "Is something wrong."

"No," I shook my head and greeted him back with the same smile. "I'm home, Ouma."

He gave me a new family member who I could cherish.

***

A/N:

[1] Sempai is a Japanese honorific used when someone is older than you in age or they have more experience in a field than you.

[2] "Tehe" is colloquial, and it is often used when someone feels a little embarrassed and tries to laugh it off with a mischievous and charming smile, like a little girl.

[3] Chan is a Japanese term of endearment. Normally used for a female, exceptions are often made for young children. Usually used with a first name. Sometimes used between people who are dating.

[4] Izakaya are casual drinking establishments, similar to tapas bars, where customers order a variety of small dishes of food that can be shared at the table.

[5] A dōjō is a hall or place for immersive learning or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts but has been seen increasingly in other fields, such as meditation and software development. The term literally means "place of the Way" in Japanese.

[6] Kohai is a junior member of a group in Japanese.

[7] Aniki is a Japanese honorable term for an older brother or a superior.

[8] Kun is generally used by people of senior status addressing or referring to those of junior status, by anyone addressing or it can be used when referring to men in general, male children or male teenagers, or among male friends.

[9] Hikikomori, also known as "acute social withdrawal", is total withdrawal from society and seeking extreme degrees of social isolation and confinement. Hikikomori refers to both the phenomenon in general and the recluses themselves. Hikikomori has been described as loners or "modern-day hermits".