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It started after their father died. Klavier was only 6. Every night for a few weeks after the incident, Klavier would sneak into Kristoph's room, requesting to sleep with him for the night.
Kristoph had to sympathise, he was still a child, he didn't understand many things about life, so hearing of a death at only six years old would naturally be a shock to him.
Kristoph always accepted his brother's request.
"Will mother be okay?" He would ask, before settling to sleep.
"Yes." Kristoph would answer.
-
He was wrong.
Kristoph got a call whilst he was at school, then he had to contact Klavier's school saying he needed to pick him up early.
Kristoph didn't explain why until they were home.
But he didn't need to explain.
Just as they had got to the front gates of their home, they had to witness a body covered with a white sheet being dragged way into an ambulance.
It didn't take Klavier long to realise who's body it was.
As he was expecting, Kristoph had to hold him back whilst he cried for their lifeless mother.
Later that evening, Kristoph received a call, saying that she didn't make it. She was dead.
"Who would do that to her...?" He would ask, still in tears.
"She did it to herself." Kristoph would answer.
-
The two were spending a lot of time together. Kristoph wanted to make his brother happy.
"We should get going soon."
"Aw. But I'm having fun."
"Klavier, it's gonna get dark soon."
"Yeah but... I like spending time with you."
Kristoph smiled and scooped his brother off the ground and proceeded to carry him home. "We can spend time together at home, can't we?"
"Hmm. Okay!" Klavier exclaimed cheerfully. "Hey Kristoph?"
"Mm?"
"Do you like spending time with me too?" He would ask, smiling.
"I do." Kristoph would answer.
-
Klavier is now 13 and it's been brought to Kristoph's attention that he's not doing well in school.
"Kristoph, I'm trying, I really am, I just..."
"Just what?"
Klavier tried to force himself to speak, but what he wanted to say just wouldn't come out.
"I'm trying, okay...?"
"Try harder. It's not good enough."
Those words hit Klavier like a sharp punch to the gut as Kristoph turned to walk away.
"Kristoph, wait."
He turned back to face him.
"Are you disappointed in me?" He would ask, holding back tears.
"A little." Kristoph would answer.
-
Klavier is 15 and he has a band with a few school friends.
"Where have you been? You're late."
"Oh, I was practicing with the band."
Kristoph didn't say anything, he just let out a sigh.
Later that evening, Klavier asked Kristoph if he wanted to hear the song he wrote for his band.
"When we will you drop this silly hobby?"
"It's not just a hobby!"
"You said you want to go into law. Why don't you start taking that seriously?"
"But I..."
"Enough. I don't want to hear anymore about it."
"Why don't you care about me anymore?" He would ask, anger and sadness filling his voice.
"I care about you, just not for anything of this." Kristoph would answer.
-
Klavier is 17 and it's The Gavinners' first concert. He gave Kristoph a ticket.
He didn't show up.
"Why didn't you show up tonight?" He would ask, simply.
"I had other things to do." Kristoph would answer.
-
Klavier is 24 and he's just learnt something dark about his brother.
"Klavier-"
"No. Stay away from me."
"It had to be done."
"So, who's being accused, huh? Who are you expecting to take the fall for you?"
"Phoenix Wright is the defendant."
"That's convenient for you, isn't it?"
"I do not understand why you are so upset."
"What do you mean?! You fucking killed someone!"
"For good reason."
"You know what? I hope they find out the truth during the trial."
"No you don't. You'd be devastated if I were gone."
"An innocent man shouldn't get sentenced for a crime you committed."
"He's hardly innocent."
"I just want you to answer me truthfully, why did you do it?" He would ask bluntly.
"He had it coming." Kristoph would answer.
-
Months later, Kristoph was about to get convicted of a second murder.
"Please, let me talk to him for a second."
Kristoph refused to look at his brother.
"Kristoph... Why?" He would ask, with pain in his voice.
Kristoph didn't answer.
-
Klavier woke, breathing heavily with tears in his eyes.
He was having flashbacks of memories he wanted to forget.
He looked over at Ema who was still sleeping. He didn't want to wake her just because of his own needs.
He got up and made his way to the bathroom as quietly as he could. He looked at himself in the mirror, the lack of sleep he'd been getting was starting to look noticeable in his face.
As he let his tears fall freely, he could still hear his brother's voice in his head, calling him pathetic and telling him to get over it.
He hear soft knocking at the bathroom door. Ema was awake.
"Hang on." He tried to make his voice sound like he was fine, but his voice cracked slightly. Ema heard the sound of him running some water. Two signs that showed he had been crying.
He exited the bathroom and gave her his best fake smile.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Klavier," she responded sternly, "I know it's not nothing."
He sat back down on the bed. "I just had a nightmare. That's all. Nothing that bad."
"Well it was clearly bad enough to make you cry."
'Great. Now she knows.'
"Is it about your brother?"
She sat beside him. "Come on, talk to me."
More tears threatened to spill over, but he refused to let them.
"I don't want to remember anything that happened, but it all just keeps coming back."
He and Ema had got together a few nights after his brother's second conviction, she had gone to visit him, to see if he was okay. She ended up staying for a while, sat with him, listening to him tell her how much it hurt.
She never had any interest in him beforehand, but the next thing she knew they were going on a date a few days later. And Klavier was happy.
A year later, he had asked her to move in with him. She said yes.
She hadn't been living there for long, just a few weeks, and this was the first time something like this had happened. He apologised. She told him it wasn't his fault and there was no need to apologise.
They just spoke for a few hours before going back to sleep. They spoke about whatever was on their minds.
Klavier enjoyed having her around. She was someone who took his sadness away.