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“Ugh, Akito! Leave me alone!”
Ena shoved him out her door, hearing his sharp growl. She pushed him, hard. “I hate you!”
She heard a few more scattered words after slamming the door, and barely a second the thumping of his angry footsteps down the hall. Ena flopped onto her bed, sighing, as tears pricked at her eyes.
I hate you. Why did she keep up that stupid lie? How did they end up like this?
After a few minutes, once she was calmer, she stood and walked over to her desk. Barely thinking, she called Mizuki, and after a few moments of ringing, they answered.
“Hey, what’s up, Ena?” Mizuki greeted. “It’s only 11, you know.”
Ena sighed, and sat down. “Yea. I just… Can I talk to you about something?”
Mizuki hummed yes.
“So, um… me and Akito had a fight again.”
“Don’t you two always fight?”
“We argue a lot, but I mean, like… a fight.”
“Ah. What about?”
Ena sat back in her chair, a fresh wave of guilt washing over her. “I… don’t really know? I was just annoyed with him, he kept interrupting me, I just—“ her voice wavered. “I just lost it at him.”
Mizuki sighed into their mic. “And he lost it back?”
“Yeah.”
“And you feel bad?”
“Mhm. Why am I like this? It’s the same with Mafuyu, why don’t I just— why can’t I just listen? I’m just like—”
Her voice broke.
“I’m just like my dad.”
Mizuki cut in quickly. “Hey, don’t say that. You’re not.”
Ena breathed deeply, trying to regain her composure. “Um… how do I apologise to Akito?”
Mizuki giggled a little, though not with any cruelty. “There’s this word, you might not have heard it, ‘sorry’? That tends to work.”
Ena huffed. “Mizuki, I mean it! He probably… he probably doesn’t wanna talk to me now.”
“Ah. Why not a note or a letter?”
Again, Ena sighed. “That wouldn’t feel sincere enough. I really… hate fighting with him. I want him to know that.”
Mizuki hummed in thought. “Ah! What about a gift? You’ll have an excuse to talk to him, then.”
Ena thought about it. “Yeah, but… it’s not like I can buy forgiveness, right?”
“Sure, but if you really struggle to get the message to him in words, won’t something like that at least show him that you mean it? And you can still talk to him.”
The artist hummed. “Um… Okay. You’re right. I’ll get him something, and try to talk to him.”
Ena huffed. When did things get like this? When they were kids, things were so easy; sometimes they’d argue, but they played together and everything was fine. Now, it felt like they barely talked aside from when they had to. Ena felt her throat shrink, and grabbed one of her plushies. “It’s hard. I know I mess up, but still…
I hope he doesn’t hate me.”
Akito waved at An and Kohane as he walked out of Weekend Garage with Toya. Once they were out the door, Toya nudged him. “Hey. You seem off. What’s up?”
Akito rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Jeez, is it that obvious?” Toya nodded, looking a little concerned.
The ginger boy huffed. “I had another fight with Ena last night.”
Toya frowned. “Oh. About what?”
“I don’t really know. She was in the middle of drawing, I went in to ask her something. I was just… way too pushy. I should have given her a minute, but I just— I didn’t even ask. I know she hates when people bother her. She’s right to be annoyed. Do I just— do I just not care?”
Akito clenched his fists and kicked a stone as he walked, trying to keep himself calm. Toya smiled gently, nudging his shoulder. “I think you care a lot. Would you be this worked up if you didn’t?”
Akito groaned. “I guess. But why–”
Toya grabbed his shoulder. “Listen, Akito. I know you care about her. You don’t need to prove that to me or anyone.” The taller boy smiled. “You want to make up with her, right?”
Akito huffed. “How, though? It’s not like I can just waltz in and apologise, she’d kill me. And… I wouldn’t even know what to say.”
Toya hummed. “What about a gift?”
Akito thought for a moment, then nodded and smiled. “Yeah! She loves having new stuff. I’ll go get something nice for her tomorrow! She can’t turn it down.”
He put his arm over Toya’s shoulder. “Thanks, dude. For taking me seriously.”
Toya smiled. “Of course.”
“I know I must suck to have as a brother sometimes, but still…
I hope she doesn’t hate me.”
Ena hummed as she pulled the hoodie out of its paper bag and held it up. It was nice; soft fabric, good embroidery for the logo, one of Akito’s favourite brands. She would have liked to get him something better, but the sneakers he’d been eyeing were miles more expensive, and she didn’t want to go overboard. They’d fought three days ago, and though she’d bought the hoodie the day after, she’d waited to give it to him, wanting to give him some time first (not to mention her own anxiety). But today, she was going to.
Akito had come home from practice an hour ago, so he’d had plenty of time to relax and cool off. It would be fine. She neatly folded the hoodie and placed it back in its bag. Then, cautiously, she made her way down the hall to her brother’s room.
Ena knocked gently, hearing a grunt in response. She opened the door. “Um, Akito.”
Her brother sat up quickly on his bed, looking surprised. That was understandable, considering how desperately she’d been avoiding him for the last few days. “Ena.”
Hesitantly, she stepped into his room and walked to the side of his bed. “I wanted to give you this.” She swallowed, holding out the bag. “To apologise for the other day.”
Akito took the bad and, without looking inside, chuckled a little. Panic flared in Ena’s chest. “Akito, I’m being serious! Don’t laugh at me!” Immediately, she felt guilty for snapping. “...Sorry.”
Akito smiled. “No, I…” He reached over to his bedside table drawer and pulled out a smaller bag. “I got something for you, as well.”
Ena took it. “Oh.”
…
“I’m sorry.”
Both their voices sounded at once. Ena cocked her head. “Why are you sorry?”
Akito rubbed the back of his neck, something Ena had come to recognise as a nervous habit of his. “For, you know… bugging you all the time. I– I know you need your space. I should respect that more.”
Ena shook her head, sitting on the edge of her brother’s bed. “No, that doesn’t mean I can yell at you! It’s me. I need to learn to control myself.”
Akito frowned. “Are you forgetting that I yelled back?”
Ena leaned forwards. “I’m the eldest, Akito. I shouldn’t be starting fights.”
“You’re barely even older, though. I’m not a kid, I still shouldn’t–”
“Akito!”
The younger looked taken aback. Ena grabbed his hand. “Jeez, just let me have this! I’m sorry. I feel bad, I hate fighting with you. I’m sorry for yelling, I’m sorry for saying those horrible things about you. You’re my baby brother, I–”
Ena’s voice caught in her throat, and she realised she was crying. “Oh, um–”
Akito smiled, squeezing her hand. “Ena, it’s okay. I’m sorry too. For not giving you the space you need, for not helping you, and… not appreciating you.”
Ena blushed, averting her gaze. “Just… open your gift, idiot.”
She watched as Akito reached into the bag and slid out the hoodie. He looked at it for a moment after unfolding it, then his eyes lit up. “This is from the new collection!”
Ena watched fondly as he carefully looked over the details of the garment before pulling it on. He talked quietly to himself about how comfortable it was.
“I left the receipt in there… just in case you wanted to return it.”
He smiled at her. “No way!”
Ena felt warmth creep into her chest. He liked the gift, but more importantly, she’d said what she wanted to say, and he’d listened. It wasn’t easy, and maybe it wouldn’t last. But it had worked. They were both smiling, together.
Akito pushed the smaller bag towards her. “Your turn. Open it.”
Ena nodded, looking down at it. “Right.” Carefully, she pulled out the item; a sketchbook. Glancing over it, she noticed the golden printed emblem in the corner of the cover. She gasped. “Is this..?”
Unwrapping the protective plastic, she ran her fingers over the emblem. Opening the book, she felt the pages; thick, with a rough texture that made them perfect for watercolour and markers. “Akito!”
It was a brand. An expensive one. One that, despite her pleas, her father would never buy her, saying that she wasn’t talented enough for such a high-quality sketchbook.
Ena threw her arms around her brother. “Thank you so much!”
She pulled away, and Akito rubbed his neck. “Yeah, I… I know you’ve wanted one for ages. They were on sale, so…”
The eldest smiled. “I can’t wait to start in it tonight. I got a new palette the other day that I can try with it! I have some concept sketches I could finish in it too.”
Akito smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”
She smiled back. “I’m glad you liked yours, too.”
Ena stood. She wanted to get to work in her new sketchbook, and she didn’t want to overstay her welcome in her brother’s room. “Um, thank you.”
He nodded. “You too. And also, do me a favour and never call me your baby brother again.”
She snickered. “Sure, you baby.”
Akito groaned, but he looked amused.
Ena made her way to the door. As she walked out, she turned. “And, um, Akito? I… I’ve never hated you. Not even once.”
Akito smiled fondly at her. “Me neither.”