Chapter Text
One month later.
Everyone knew it. Everyone felt it, but no one said anything.
It wasn’t the same without Ichimatsu.
With him gone, the balance was thrown off. Osomatsu and Todomatsu didn’t talk to him much, but they still loved their brother. For Karamatsu, he felt surprisingly unaffected.
He was the only one who didn’t cry at the funeral. Maybe it was because he had to take on a leadership role whilst everyone else was devastated. Maybe it was because of shock. Maybe it hadn’t really set in yet.
However, after coming home on the 5 week anniversary of Ichimatsu’s death, Karamatsu was digging around in the house. He was only looking for a specific pair of sunglasses, which he was sure he left in this closet. Then he stumbled across the box.
It was a small box, about the size of a shoe box. It was painted black and had tape around the edges. After going to find scissors, Karamatsu cut open the box and peered inside.
Inside there were dozens of pieces of paper, folded up like letters. He looked at them, and some of them were dated back to when they were ten. Surprised, he grabbed the oldest one and started reading.
Dear Shittymatsu,
I can’t hear your voice. I know Osomatsu sounds like an asshole, and Todomatsu’s probably just annoying.
As Karamatsu kept reading, he realized that these letters were from Ichimatsu, addressed to him. This surprised him, so he picked up the next letter.
Dear Shittymatsu,
Yesterday, at dinner, you stood up and said something. Everyone looked shocked.
Karamatsu read letter after letter, shocked at the information the letters provided.
For the first time since Ichimatsu died, Karamatsu cried.
It wasn’t a loud cry. It wasn’t the cry a child has when they want attention. It was a small, desperate sob, that would break your heart if you heard it.
After he was done crying, Karamatsu got a piece of paper, a pen, and started writing a letter to Ichimatsu.
Dear Ichimatsu,
I’m so sorry. I didn’t help you.
What am I supposed to do now?
For the past five years, I’ve been working my ass off. And for what? To save money. For you. What am I supposed to do with this money now?
I’ve been saving to buy you a hearing aid. I know you wanted one, even though Mom definitely couldn’t have afforded it.
The day you died, I quit work. I had finally saved enough. I came home, ready to tell you the news.
But you were gone.
I don’t know what I’ll do without you. I feel so lost without you. You’re my everything.
It’s Ichimatsu & Karamatsu, not just Karamatsu.
You’re my motivation in life.
I can’t be here without you.
Love, Karamatsu