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“Hey Kara, what’re you doing in here?” Osomatsu wondered as he stepped into the sextuplet’s bedroom. “Everyone else is downstairs. It’s almost midnight, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“Ah, I am well aware of this, my brother,” Karamatsu quipped, glancing up and flashing his older brother a quick smile before returning to his work. He was bent over a notebook he had open in his lap, scrawling across the pages with a glittery blue pen. “Which means it is the perfect time for what I am doing. No time like the present.”
“Um...right, sure.” Osomatsu sank to the floor next to Karamatsu, trying to peer at his paper. “What’re you working on, anyway? New song lyrics?”
“Actually, I’m doing something different.” Karamatsu finished writing, flicking his wrist with a flourish as he did so, then surveyed what he’d written with a satisfied smile. “I’m writing my New Year’s resolutions.”
“Pffft...you mean you actually buy into that stuff?” Osomatsu remarked with a laugh. “Seriously, Kara, no one ever follows through on their resolutions, so why bother?”
“ Heh. Well, dear brother, the way I see it there is always room to better yourself as a person, and New Year’s resolutions are the perfect solution to try and achieve that.”
“Yikes, you're starting to sound like Choromatsu now…” Osomatsu commented, shaking his head slightly.
“Maybe so, but I stand by my choice. The start of a new year is like a clean slate, an opportunity to begin anew. Perhaps you’re still the same person, yes, because you can never truly change who you are, but that doesn’t mean remaining stagnant. I’d like to do things a bit differently this year.”
“Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll stand by you, Kara,” Osomatsu said with a shrug. He still wasn’t into the idea himself, but who was he to stop his brother? As long as it didn’t negatively impact him, he figured Karamatsu could do whatever he wished. “So what are your resolutions, anyway?”
“Ah? You’re really curious, brother?” Karamatsu asked, thick eyebrows arching upwards in surprise. He figured Osomatsu would’ve just shrugged it off and left it at that, not show any actual interest.
“Yeah! Of course I am, Kara,” Osomatsu responded with a little grin. “I’m always interested in what my little brothers are doing. So tell me, what’ve you got?”
Karamatsu was a little dubious of that...but who was he to deny Osomatsu when he was giving him his seemingly undivided attention? He gave his brother a broad grin, sitting up a little straighter. “Very well then! If my one and only big brother would like to hear, then I would be honored to share.”
Osomatsu sat cross-legged as Karamatsu lifted his notebook aloft, cleared his throat, and began reciting in his usual theatrical manner.
“Resolution number one.” Karamatsu raised a finger for emphasis. “Spend more one-on-one time with my brothers.”
Osomatsu raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “But we all live together. We spend literally all of our time together.”
“Aha, that is true, my brother. But! You have proven my point, we spend all of our time together as a group. I would like to spend more quality bonding time with my brothers, in a way where I give each of them my absolute and undivided attention.”
“Ahh, I see.” Osomatsu nodded in understanding, having to admit that was a pretty good resolution. “It sounds like you’ve been thinking that one through for awhile.”
“Indeed I have. It seems as if recently, well...perhaps it’s just me, but I’ve noticed we seem to be growing distant lately. I suppose it’s all part of growing up, as we all develop our own unique personas...but if I were to be perfectly honest, I sometimes miss the way things used to be between us.”
A knot formed in the pit of Osomatsu’s stomach, an uncomfortable and familiar sensation for him. For awhile now he’d been feeling the same thing, that the brothers were drifting further and further apart, but he’d always shaken it off and convinced himself he was just imagining things. But if Karamatsu noticed this as well...then maybe there was some truth to it, a truth he’d been trying to deny.
Geez, and you didn’t even do anything about it, yet Kara is being all proactive and making it one of his resolutions...shouldn’t the oldest brother be doing that instead??
Maybe he should make some resolutions, too…
“Osomatsu? Are you alright?” Karamatsu’s voice cut through Osomatsu’s thoughts, his tone concerned.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” Osomatsu wasn’t sure how convincing he sounded, but he tried to sound chipper. “So what else ya got?”
“Hmmm...okay.” Sensing Osomatsu wasn’t about to open up about whatever was bothering him (and he knew there was something), Karamatsu cleared his throat again and went back to reading. “Resolution number two, I would like to find a way to share my music with a wider audience.”
Osomatsu chuckled, feeling the knot loosen a little. That was certainly a more “Karamatsu-esque” resolution. “I thought you’d put something about your music on there. So what’re you thinking?”
“Well, ideally I would love to have a concert of my own one day. I can already envision what that would be like...but alas, even I must admit that’s wishful thinking at this stage. No, for the time being I will content myself with participating in any venue I can. I hear there’s a talent competition coming up in a couple of months. I’d love to enter if I can.”
“I bet you’d do great, Kara,” Osomatsu enthused. It wasn’t a lie; Karamatsu was gifted when it came to the guitar, and although his lyrics were often painfully sappy he had a good singing voice, too. Ordinarily Osomatsu wouldn’t confess this and would’ve cracked some joke instead, because that was what he always did. But his lingering fears about losing his brothers prevented him from doing so.
“ Heh, why thank you my dear brother. I should’ve known I could count on you to be my number one fan.” Karamatsu beamed, and Osomatsu felt at least somewhat validated.
“Ha, yeah, of course little bro!” Osomatsu swiped his finger under his nose and grinned. “So was that the last one?”
“Actually...there is one more.” Karamatsu’s tone became slightly more somber, his expression somewhat withdrawn as he lowered his eyes to his notebook. It seemed like he was purposefully avoiding Osomatsu’s gaze.
Osomatsu’s stomach clenched up again. “What, um...what is it?”
“Resolution number three…” Karamatsu’s voice trailed off for a few seconds, long enough for Osomatsu’s stomach to tie itself into a tighter knot than before. “I...I would like to begin searching for a job.”
“ What? A job? You want a job??” Osomatsu’s eyes widened. “But...you never said anything about wanting a job before...why now all of a sudden?”
“Osomatsu...I think it’s time we faced facts.” Karamatsu was serious now, which only made Osomatsu feel even more sick. “We’re not kids anymore, or even teenagers. We’re adults still living at home. Perhaps it’s time we started truly considering joining society and working for once. Wouldn’t it be rewarding to actually earn our own money and support ourselves, or our parents?”
“Are you being serious right now?” Osomatsu wanted to know, rising to his knees so he towered over his brother a little. “Joining society and working...you really think that will work out? Geez, you really have been talking to Choro too much lately, haven’t you? Did he put you up to this?”
“Osomatsu, please, quit involving him. This isn’t about him, it’s about me. About all of us, I suppose.” Karamatsu sighed. “I’ve...just been thinking about this a lot lately, that’s all. I simply thing we should at least put in an effort, don’t you?”
“Not really,” Osomatsu mumbled, flopping back into his original sitting position and crossing his arms.
Karamatsu frowned slightly. “Osomatsu...whenever anyone brings up working, you always react so defensively and accusingly. Is there a reason for this?”
“No!” Osomatsu said quickly, realizing almost guilty that his tone was very much defensive in that moment. “I just think it’s, y’know, stupid to rush into something like that or get excited about it. I mean, once you get a job, you’re done for. That’s pretty much your life from now on.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, you know. Having a job is part of life, but not all of it.” Karamatsu frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. “But I get the impression that’s not the only part of this that bothers you.”
Osomatsu was silent, his gaze firmly locked on the floor, refusing to met Karamatsu’s eyes for fear of cracking. He didn’t want to give a voice to his true fears, not here and now. Not ever.
But Karamatsu was too insightful, more so than Osomatsu would’ve given him credit for. “It’s because...you’re scared. Of everyone else moving on and leaving you behind, of not being able to move on yourself. That’s it, isn’t it?”
“ No.” Osomatsu said vehemently, snapping his head up to glare at Karamatsu. The sudden wobbliness of his voice was a dead giveaway, though, despite his best efforts to hide it. “I just think it’s stupid to get so hyped over something like work , and…and...”
He was cut off when Karamatsu unexpectedly leaned forward and put his hands on Osomatsu’s shoulders, his grip firm but not too tight.
“Osomatsu, listen...you know we’ll always be here for you, right? Just like you’ve always been there for us. Whether we all get jobs or live at home into our golden years, no one is going to leave you. I promise you that.” His voice was so serious and sincere Osomatsu almost wished for that painful flair of his to return.
“Easy for you to say, if you’re one of the ones with plans…” Osomatsu mumbled.
“I don’t even have plans yet, Osomatsu. It’s merely a resolution. And should it really come to pass this year, you can rest assured I’m not going anywhere or leaving you. I’m positive the same goes for the others, as well.”
Osomatsu wanted to be as positive of this as Karamatsu was, but he found it a lot harder. Maybe Karamatsu wouldn’t leave him, because beneath his flashy exterior he knew he really did care for his only big brother (at least he hoped), but he couldn't say he was so sure about the other brothers, who sometimes seemed as if they were ready to just give up on him.
Osomatsu was quiet for longer than he’d intended to be, and was jarred back into the presence when Karamatsu eased his grip on his shoulders and drew back to survey him.
“Hmm...perhaps you’d like to make some New Year’s resolutions after all, brother?” he suggested.
“Kara, I told you, I don’t buy into that shit. It wouldn’t work for me,” Osomatsu stated flatly.
“You might as well at least try,” Karamatsu insisted. “There’s no shame in at least giving it a shot, even if it fails.”
“I guess….but promise you won’t tell anyone else. They’ll probably laugh or think I’m being ridiculous.”
“I swear not to tell a soul, dear brother.”
“Okay…” Osomatsu drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “My New Year resolution...is to be less of a jackass to my brothers. I mean, like, not all the time, because that’d be no fun. I still gotta be who I am, after all. But...if one of them wants to work or try something new, I won’t turn it down as a dumb idea or piss them off. I’ll be supportive.”
Karamatsu smiled. “I think that’s a great resolution, Osomatsu.”
Osomatsu cracked a tiny grin. “Y’think so?”
“Of course!” Karamatsu gave him a thumbs-up.
“Thanks…” Osomatsu yawned then. “Huh, suddenly I’m so tired….”
“Funny you should say that, brother…” Karamatsu tried unsuccessfully to stifle his own yawn. “I too am suddenly stricken by exhaustion…how long until midnight?”
Osomatsu checked the alarm clock they kept by their bed. “11:45. Maybe we could set the alarm and sleep for ten minutes, then go downstairs and join the rest of the family to ring in the new year.”
“Sounds like a perfect plan, brother,” Karamatsu agreed without hesitation.
Osomatsu set the time on the clock, and the two of them crawled into the futon. They were out within seconds.
----------
“SHIT!!!”
Osomatsu’s outraged scream startled Karamatsu out of his slumber. “Wh-what is it, brother?” he asked, panicked, as he sat bolt upright.
“ WE OVERSLEPT!!!” Sunlight was pouring in through the window, bathing the room in a yellow glow and indicating it was definitely morning. Osomatsu was gripping the alarm clock so tightly in his hands Karamatsu thought the plastic might buckle. “We were supposed to get up right before midnight, but the thing never went off because I set it for P.M., not A.M.!”
“Well, that’s your own fault,” Todomatsu huffed from his end of the futon, curling up snuggly under the covers. “Now shut up and let us sleep, the rest of us actually stayed up past midnight.”
Ichimatsu nodded from where he was buried under the warm covers, glaring daggers at Osomatsu for waking him up. Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu didn’t bother saying anything, just nestled back into bed and tried to fall back asleep.
Osomatsu raked a hand through his hair in frustration. “Damn...I cannot believe we slept through the new year.”
“Well, we didn’t really,” Karamatsu pointed out gently. “We slept through midnight, but it’s still a new year regardless if we welcomed it precisely on time or not. It’s never too late.”
Osomatsu sighed, but then he let the alarm clock fall onto his lap. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Then he grinned slightly, reflecting on their conversation from the night before. “Never too late for change either, huh? Let’s get the new year started right.”
“Couldn’t agree more, brother.” Karamatsu’s grin widened.
“Happy New Year, Karamatsu.”
“Happy New Year, Osomatsu.”