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One, two, three, four, five. Plus himself, that makes six.
He has to keep track, has to keep count, has to make those headcounts. Its his duty as the oldest to make sure they're together, make sure they're safe. Nothing can happen to his brother’s when they're in his sight. No one can take then away from him. No one can hurt them.
One, two, three, four, five. Plus himself, that makes six.
He's always counting, always counting, always counting. Before stepping out of the house, on the street, at the store, at Chibita’s stand, at the movies, even in the bedroom, he always has to count. He can't let himself go one moment without counting. He can't afford it.
One, two, three, four, five. Plus himself, that makes six.
What if the one time he passes up on counting, someone actually does go missing? What if they're in danger? What if they're left behind?
It's happened a few times before. He makes a mistake and someone is left home. They think it’s done on purpose and he can feel the tremors as a rift widens between him and his brothers. They think he doesn't care about them when he makes mistakes like that.
They could die from mistakes like that.
One, two, three, four, five. Five. Five.
Sometimes he forgets to count himself. He’ll count and count, but he’ll only reach five. Hands rip through his hair, he stomach is in his throat, dread shreds at his insides. If they're not all there he did something wrong. Its his job to keep track, to keep count. He has to, he has to, he has to make sure they're safe.
One, two, three, four, five. Plus himself, that makes six.
Someone has to calm him down, to sooth him. Someone has to count with him, to show him that they're all present and together. He needs to know that his brothers are safe. That he didn't mess up. That they didn't go missing. That they aren't alone and afraid and being taken advantage of by someone. He can't let them go through what he's had to experience.
“It's okay, Osomatsu-niisan. You forgot about yourself again. One, two, three, four, five. Plus yourself, that makes six.”