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The sun raised early, showing the first signs of the approaching summer. At the village, everyone was excitedly wispering about the first festival of the year, that was rapidly approaching.
There was supposed to be one before this, but the Spring festival had been cancelled after a vile storm had hit them and destroyed more than a few things. Hopefully this time, everything will go well.
Samon was just as excited as the rest of the village, if not more; see, this year, Hihi had allowed him to finally attend a festival! Gramp usually never did so, finding them pure waste of time. "You should train instead of playing all the time!", he'd complain. And, well, there wasn't much activities you could do at a festival when you had no money and no friends, and your grandfather was hunting you down to bring you back home by the ear.
So yeah, this year would be his very first festival!..
To the condition of somehow managing to convince Enki to come along.
Because yeah, that was gramp's one and only condition. An old, sly bastard. He knew damn well it was impossible to convince Enki to do anything fun!
Samon sighed, following the dirt path up the mountain to get back home. He kicked a rock on the way - and hurt his toe in the process. He yelped, immediately regretting his action.
This whole day sucked. First, gramp dropping that bomb on him - then taking it back with his stupid condition. So he had to convince Enki to come along, somehow (he didn't believe a single second he could do it, but it was worth a shot). And now, he hurt his foot. Just great! If it started raining, it'd be even better-
Annnnd he jinxed it. The originally perfectly clear sky got covered in minutes, offering no chance for Samon to take cover. He was drenched in seconds.
And honestly, he really wanted to cry now. So he did.
It's not like it was visible, with all that damn rain.
He dragged himself back home, sniffing and hiccuping the whole way. When he finally got to the front door, a whole thirty minutes later, he quickly got inside and took his shoes off before his gramp got the chance to yell about it.
As he passed the corridor and living room, straight to his room, Hihi glanced his way. A look that could have been mistaken as judging, if Samon hadn't known his grandfather any better; but no. This was a look of ever so small worry.
Enki was once again nowhere to be seen, probably studying in his room, training outside, or at the library.
Samon would need to wait a bit to try his shot at convincing him to come along.
It's not like he'd succeed anyways.
He closed his door behind himself, letting his body fall on the messy bed. Oop, he had forgotten to make it this morning. Oh well. Thankfully gramp hadn't noticed, or else he'd yell again.
He didn't like it, when gramp yelled.
He must have fallen asleep, because he got shaken awake a while later.
"-C'mon, Samon, it's time for dinner. Didn't you hear gramp scream from the kitchen?"
Oh. Enki.
Samon's eyes lazily fluttered open as he yawned, grumbling about wanting to sleep more. His brother didn't leave him much of a choice to do so, as he got yanked up to his feet.
Before he could speak again, Enki's footsteps had gotten far, back to the living room.
It's crazy how fast he walked. Samon always struggled to catch up to him when they'd walk, having to run all his might to even just match Enki's walking speed.
Samon followed to the living room, dragging along his favorite plushie. It was dumb and simplistic; a simple white monkey with red details. But it reminded him a shiton of his big brother. So it was his favorite, ever since Enki offered it to him.
How long had it been? One? Two years? Maybe three. If he remembered well, he was around five when Enki had given him this silly thing. Samon was eight now.
He yawned again and rubbed his eye with his fist as he walked in, Enki setting up the table and Hihi serving the food.
The skin around his eyes was a bit dry - and itchy. Probably because of his sobs earlier. The glance gramp gave him indicated clearly that said tears had left his eyes slightly red. Or puffy. One of the two - or the two.
Samon plopped down in his seat, putting his plushie in his laps as he eyed his bowl slowly getting filled up with rice, veggies and a bit of meat. Not his favorite, but that'll have to do.
Enki and Hihi were quick to join him around the table, his brother immediately digging into his food. His portion was twice as big as Samon's - but to be fair, Enki was twice as big as Samon.
Hihi hummed quietly, eyeing his two grandsons, wondering to which one he should ask questions. Samon didn't look very good; tired and grumpy, with puffy red eyes. Enki, him, looked the same as usual; unbothered and calm.
Enki it was, then. Samon looked like he could burst into tears again at any second.
"-Say, Enki, what did you do today?"
"-Mh? Nothing out of the ordinary. Studied and trained."
"-What did you study?"
"-Physics."
"-Was it interesting?"
"-Somewhat."
Hihi quickly got reminded how dry Enki usually was in conversations, and why they never lasted long. The old man sighed, pondering in silence for a few minutes if he should try his luck with his younger grandson.
Before he had the chance to, Samon stood up, grabbing his still half-full bowl, and brought it to the kitchen. Huh?
"..'m not very hungry."
He mumbled on his way to the kitchen, putting his bowl in the fridge before making a beeline for his room.
That was completely out of character for the kid. What was up with him?
Even Enki seemed curious, eyes glancing up from his food and following his younger brother's small form.
"..You should go check on him."
Hihi hummed as he looked back at his food. Just a quiet suggestion. Enki followed it, not really sure why. He stood up and walked to Samon's door, lightly knocking. No answer. He knocked again - still nothing.
Enki rolled his eyes before just opening the door and walking in.
There, Samon was on his bed, in the very corner, knees to his chest, tail wrapped around himself, hugging his dear plushie tight, warm tears rolling down his cheeks and staining the surrounding fabrics.
Well, that certainly wasn't what Enki had expected.
He had always been terrible at dealing with emotions like that. Never one for comfort, never one to listen. He just didn't know what to do of his hands, of his ears, of his tongue. Comforting was a type of art he had yet to master - and it left him the most perplex out of all the arts. Because there was no book on how to comfort someone. There is no classes to take, to know what to say, what to do with this akwardly tall body of his.
He stared for a second, - probably not helping at all, but oh well -, before finally setting in motion. He closed the door then walked to Samon's bed, sitting down in the middle of it. Allowing Samon space, yet still being nearby. It's what he was supposed to do, right?
The way his younger brother's green eyes glanced at him, half hidden behind the white fluff of the plushie, indicated that maybe no, it wasn't what he was meant to do. Oops.
"..Ya wanna talk about it?"
He tried. Samon stayed quiet for a minute. Looking away, then looking back. Then away again. Enki scooted closer, now right next to Samon.
This was so akward for him. What the hell was he supposed to do with a crying eight year old?
"..Yeah."
Oh. That was progress, atleast.
"-Then c'mon. Tell me about it."
"-..So, y'know how there's this festival coming up? The summer one?"
"-It's difficult to miss it."
Samon shut up for a second. Enki wanted to facepalm - sarcasm wasn't the way to go, dumbass!
"...well, I really want to go to it. And I know it's stupid and childish and all, because well, it's a festival, but like-"
Man, kids were annoying to talk to. Couldn't he get straight to the point and stop stuttering and avoiding the point? Enki made sure to keep those opinions to himself. He did feel a little bad about how pitiful Samon looked, right now.
"-Gramp usually never allows me to go to a festival. But, this time, he did allow me! But, with a condition. And, with that condition, I know I won't be able to go."
Enki stayed quiet for a second. What on earth could Hihi ask of Samon to attend a festival?
"What's the condition?"
He asked. Samon hesitated, before murmuring his answer.
"You have to come along."
Oh yeah, there was no way in hell this was happening. Hihi knew it. Old, sly bastard. He knew damn well Enki would never agree to that!
"I know you don't wanna, it's fine. I'll just.. wait for next year. Surely he'll allow me to go by myself next year."
Samon mumbled as he buried his face in his plushie, wanting to dissipear six feet underneath the surface. His shoulders shook a little harder.
It started pitiful, now this was just sad. Enki wasn't sure what to do, what to say. His little brother was sad and let down, and he had no clue what he was supposed to do with himself to help with that. And Samon was tugging at his heartstrings - hard. Comforting someone truly was hard.
"Mh, yeah, I'm sure he'll let you go by yourself next year."
Annnd this was the wrong thing to say, apparently. Samon just cried harder. Oops. Enki sighed. What was he supposed to do now?!
"-I don't wanna wait next year! Why do all the other kids get to go out and have fun, but I'm stuck training here? I wanna try the apple candies that they always make. I wanna try the duck game they install every year. I wanna taste the chocolate strawberries and zakuro shaved ice that they have stands for!"
Samon sobbed, now getting the words out. And now, Enki saw a way to calm down Samon. Let's just hope it'll work.
"..Zakuro shaved ice ? They have a stand for that? I wasn't aware."
He commented, hoping Samon would pick the chance. His younger brother's head snapped up.
"Really? We could- we should go together, if you want. Not for too long, I promise! Just enough to grab a quick bite.. and, maybe, play a game or two.."
Bingo. Samon took the chance. Now, all Enki had to do was fake his best thinking face.
"-..Mh, I'm not sure. I have things to do.. when's the festival again? Tomorrow evening, right?"
"-Yes!"
"-Ah.. I gueeeess I could make some time to go pick up shaved ice cream. But only for that, tho."
Samon's face beamed at that. He squealed joyfully, giving him a hug -or atleast trying to wrap his small arms around his brother-.
Maybe comforting people wasn't all that hard afterall. Enki let appear on his face a very, very small smile, ruffling his brother's hair. Idiot.
The next day went by in a flash, Samon excitedly running around all day trying to get ready for the festival. Hihi had whistled when he was told Samon had convinced Enki, impressed. He had also gave them 50 bucks to "enjoy themselves at the festival". Enki's eye had twitched at that. So, he had money to give them for a festival, but not for the latest book Enki wanted to buy? He saw how it is. Greedy old man.
Now, Samon was sitting on Enki's bed as Enki was at his desk, trying to finish the remaining of his homework to get going fast. The sun had yet to start setting, but that wouldn't last. And his younger brother, though staying perfectly silent and trying his very best to also stay immobile, was getting impatient. It was palpable.
The second Enki put his pen down, Samon jumped to the ground and ran to the door, rushing to put his shoes on. Hihi laughed, scolding him for running like an idiot and giving him a jacket. Samon categorically refused it, tho.
They may be near summer, but it was still cold at night. Enki hummed quietly as he joined his family at the entrance of the house, putting on his own shoes.
The brothers were quick to get going, getting ready in a minute and being gone the next.
The dirt path between their house and the village was still clear as day in the sunlight, but it probably wouldn't be the case later in the night. Enki made a mental note to be careful on the way back.
Surprisingly, Samon was not running to the village. Instead, he was running-walking right next to Enki, struggling to hold into his hand due to the height difference. The older one didn't comment, but slightly slouched to Samon's side to make it easier. Neither said anything about it.
Samon was still beaming, grinning with all his teeth, red tail swinging from side to side happily.
When they arrived to the village, it was bristling with life, kids and adults alike running around and laughing, finishing to set up the last few details of the festival. Soon enough, it started.
The songs, the performances, the activities, the games, the stands. Everything. Enki had never seen Samon this excited before. It was.. refreshing, if he was being honest.
And also, he didn't expect Samon to be able to sing along to every single festival song that played that night. And that his singing wasn't that terrible. Not that he'd admit that, he'd never hear the end of it. Quite literally.
Samon didn't comment on the way Enki stayed longer than planned.
"-..only for shaved ice cream..-" my ass, yeah.
But he stayed quiet. If he reminded him of it, maybe his brother would leave.
He didn't want Enki to leave. This was the first time they were hanging out like that - he couldn't interrupt it. He couldn't afford to do that. He couldn't afford to lose that.
Enki noticed the nervous glares Samon would give him when he thought he wasn't looking. The glares that screamed "is he gonna remember and leave? Please don't leave, I wanna stay longer".
So, Enki stayed. He stayed there, holding Samon's ridiculously small hand in his, letting his younger brother guide the way to the various stands. Samon even managed to win a plushie at one of the activities - comically, it was a small, orange monkey plushie. He laughed when he offered it for his brother to keep. Enki chuckled too. He'd keep it preciously.
Before they knew it, the moon was high in the sky, fireworks going off in the distance. The Gokuu brothers had yet to go home, stuffing their faces with the various treats that could be found around the festival.
Candy apples, shaved ice cream, ice pops, fruit bars, peach cakes, biscuits, lollipops, chocolate strawberries- they had it all. And no money left by the end of the night.
They sat on the bench, admiring the red lanterns around them and the fireworks illuminating the night sky.
This is what living meant, wasn't it?
Samon giggled as he chomped on his strawberries, gleaming in the childish joy of basking in his dear older brother's attention, for once in his life.
Enki gave him an amused look, watching over him - and resisting ruffling his hair. He chuckled when Samon shivered, mocking him for not taking the jacket offered by their grandfather earlier, before scooting Samon closer and hugging him. Samon hugged straight back, laughing again.
Another round of fireworks went off.
.
.
.
.
This was from far Samon's best memory with Enki, he constated as he emerged from this light sleep, eyes fluttering open. The moon was high in the sky, showing that night time was not yet over.
Maybe the warmth of that hug was the thing that brought him back to that night. The warmth, in such sharp contrast to the cold he was feeling right now in this early spring night.
Or maybe was it the monkey plushie he was squeezing so tight, just as Enki had done that night?
He wasn't sure.
One thing was sure, tho, was that he missed his older brother.
What he'd do to go back to that night. To have his brother's arms around him again, laughing his heart out and chomping on chocolate strawberries.
What he'd do to have Enki be his brother again.
But for now, the night was cold and ruthless, leaving him defenseless against the memories of that warm summer night. He hugged the plushie just a little bit tighter. A tiny bit more desperate.
And honestly, he really wanted to cry now.
So he did.