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Tsukasa giggled wildly as he tugged on Amane’s hand, dragging him through the racks of clothes but staying in sight of obaasan as he’d promised. He pulled Amane through soft silk blouses and past brightly colored cotton button-ups, down a line of frilly dresses, and nearly into a shelf of tee-shirts before he changed direction and took off again. Amane squeezed his hand sharply, and Tsukasa slid to a stop as his brother ran into him.
“We’ve lost obaasan. We gotta go back.”
Tsukasa nodded and let Amane take the lead as he ran his fingers over the clothes they passed. Everything was so pretty and soft, not like the ones in their bags they’d brought with them. All of Tsukasa’s shirts were crumpled and dirty, and Amane’s were no better. And they’d both had to leave their pajamas at home because they wouldn’t fit into their bags with the extra sneakers they’d packed.
Which is why they were here today. Obaasan had emptied their clothes into the wash with a grimace and then hastily dressed them into the almost too small outfits she’d bought them last year when they went to the opera. It had been interesting, with all the moving parts and loud sweeping music; even if Amane had fallen asleep on his shoulder until just before the end.
Tsukasa pulled on the strap of his suspenders as obaasan came around the corner with a relieved sigh, taking Amane’s hand to lead them off to the kid’s section. Tsukasa had heard her and Ojiisan talking last night after he and Amane were supposed to be asleep, about how they wanted the twins to come and stay with them during the summer, and maybe for the semester of school after that. It distracted Tsukasa from his hunt for more candy because they had never stayed so long with ojiisan and obaasan before.
Maybe there really was something wrong like Amane thought, even more so than the cuts and bruises that okaasan and otousan gave his big brother.
The children’s section was full of bright fabric and silly patterns that caught his and Amane’s attention immediately. There was a long-sleeved shirt with stars scattered over it that drew Amane’s eyes to it, and another with kittens that Tsukasa reached out for. Obaasan lifted both and settled them in her basket before they moved on, both boys bouncing in her wake.
More and more things were added to the basket. Jeans and shorts, plain tops, and more that were just for fun. Socks with so many different patterns were added too; stars, kittens, ones with tiny little triangles that made Tsukasa think of shattering glass. By the time they reached the pajamas, Obaasan’s basket was heaped full of clothes, and both he and Amane were each carrying a plush dinosaur.
And there were so many to choose from; soft fluffy ones with fleecy sheep and billowy nightshirts of cool cotton with clouds. They were allowed to pick three, and since they had to match, Amane chose the first set of dark blue with stars and moons, Tsukasa chose the second in pale green patterned with bright red apples; together they picked the last with little dinosaurs rampaging over warm cream-colored cotton that obaasan laughed at since it matched the little plushies they still held.
Tsukasa took Amane’s hand as everything was packed away into bags and they headed towards the car. The supernaturals that lingered here were so different from the ones he saw back in the city. These spirits didn’t have the haunted look of desperation that lined the tormented souls they passed on their way to school or the half-starved creatures that peered from the shadows when they raced back from the little hill they liked to stargaze on.
These supernaturals seemed happy, if not mischievous, as they trailed shoppers and loosed an orange from a girl’s bag. Tsukasa watched as they kept it from rolling too far away, and took off giggling for their next playmate as she gathered it up and put it back in her bag. He watched and wondered why Amane couldn’t see them, why he could. They were twins, they were supposed to be the same; so why couldn’t his big brother see the apparitions too?
Obaasan and ojiisan never commented on them either, even when Tsukasa asked if they could leave out extra onigiri that they’d made for lunch. He’d seen the little cat spirit wandering around since they’d arrived the other day, and it sometimes left pretty rocks when Tsukasa could sneak it treats. The spirits never bothered him or Amane though, not even the scary one that cried in the woods on new moon nights. All they did was turn and watch the twins with soft solemn eyes.
Obaasan buckled them into their seats and headed home, turning the radio up at his and Amane’s request when she put in the cassette of soft music that they both liked. Tsukasa tipped his dinosaur against Amane’s and they started a little battle across the open seat between them as they gave commentary since Obaasan couldn’t see. It was still early in the day, so Tsukasa wondered what they would do.
Maybe he and Amane could go down to the creek and find minnows and frogs since all the ice had finally melted away. They were starting school soon, and they’d be stuck in classes all day learning about dumb stuff while they could be squishing mud through their fingers. Tsukasa couldn’t wait until they didn’t have to be in school anymore; when they could sit around like Ojiisan and look through the telescope all night.
Obaasan sent them off after they changed into their play clothes and tucked their dinosaurs amongst the pillows on the couch. He and Amane ran through the fields that were just shaking themselves from winter slumber. Bright green grass made a soft carpet from the garden fence to the budding woods, pops of wildflowers tangling around their knees as they jumped over puddles and laughed under the clear blue sky.
Tsukasa wanted this to last forever. He wanted to chase Amane over the river rocks with worms curled around his fingers while his big brother shrieked. He wanted Amane to chase him with the biggest frog he’d ever seen that would startle them both when it jumped between them. He wanted to watch the mushrooms grow around the old maple that he and Amane liked to climb in the summer because the branches were strong and sturdy like Ojiisan’s arms.
They headed back as the sun began to set, Obaasan standing in the garden waiting for them. She ushered them into the bath, dumping them into the warm bubbles with a laugh. She scrubbed the dirt from Amane’s cheeks, and did the same behind Tsukasa’s ears, bundling them into fluffy towels before shooing them off to change into their pajamas. All three sets were sitting on their futons, and a quick discussion had them agreeing upon the dinosaurs.
They chased each other through the house with their plush dinosaurs in hand, roaring and shrieking as Ojiisan caught them up and tossed them onto the couch cushions. Around and around they went, hands curled into tiny claws as they tackled each other, the radio playing in the kitchen as Obaasan finished up cooking. The twins landed in a giggling heap as Ojiisan tossed them one last time, all three perking up with bright smiles as the call came that dinner was ready and they slid into the room on socked feet.
Tsukasa dropped into his chair beside Amane as Obaasan set dinner on the table, set heaping bowls of rice before him and Amane that they dug into right away. Laughter and chatter filled the air, warmth from the bath and Amane pressed to his side that made Tsukasa feel safe and whole. He barely noticed his head nodding over his dinner, or Amane’s doing the same as they slumped against each other. There were warm arms around him, gentle swaying and soft humming before Tsukasa was set down on something soft and he curled into it.
“You may as well put Amane next to him; you know they’ll be sprawled across each other by morning anyway.”
There was familiar laughter above him before Amane was placed beside him and he burrowed into his brother’s arms.
“Look at them, sweetheart; they look just like they did when they were babies.”
Tsukasa could hear Ojiisan laugh at Obaasan’s words before sleep settled around him and Amane. They were safe here, curled in each other's arms with their dinosaur plushies and pajamas while their grandparents kept watch. They were safe here while the little cat spirit perched on the window sill as moonlight flooded the room. They were safe here from the hurting hands and bad dreams of death and sorrow that haunted Tsukasa.
As long as he had Amane, everything would be okay.