"What's going on..." Choromatsu thought, feeling himself regaining his consciousness. "Where am I...?"

Tiredly and weakly, Choromatsu inhaled deeply, blinking open his eyes. And, of course, the very first person he 'awakened' to, was his eldest brother, Osomatsu.

A sudden series of stings came from both of Choromatsu's arms, causing him to remember everything that had been going on.

"Why couldn't I stay gone?" Choromatsu thought, his heart in his throat as he anxiously avoided all eye contact with Osomatsu. "I was so much happier in the unknown abyss of darkness..."

Osomatsu let out a loud sigh of relief, sitting down at the end of the sofa where Choromatsu's feet were.

"What's wrong with you? Osomatsu said in his usual chill, careless voice.

"I-I..." Choromatsu whimpered, not knowing if Osomatsu even knew what his arms looked like at the moment. "Nothing..."

"Don't lie to me," Osomatsu snorted, rubbing under his nose. "I know something's been up with you lately."

"Nothing has been!" Choromatsu yelled defensively, sitting up, glaring at his brother. "Leave me alone!"

"You sound so edgy," Osomatsu laughed, scratching his head. "That's not like you."

"No stop," Choromatsu hissed.

"Then tell the truth," Osomatsu insisted. "I want to know what's been going on with you. As your older brother, it's my job to take care of you."

"You're hardly older..." Choromatsu wheezed under his breath.

"What was that?" Osomatsu asked, casually sliding off of the sofa. "I couldn't hear you."

Choromatsu didn't reply, pulling his knees up to his chest, his eyes clouded with worry.

" I want to tell him so badly..." Choromatsu thought, his heart thudding harder and harder. "If I just told him how I've been feeling, I'm sure I'll feel better! Right? I'm right, aren't I? I want to know, but I'm scared to try and figure it out by doing it..."

All of the sudden, Choromatsu felt Osomatsu wrapping his arms around him tightly, hugging him in the most comforting way possible.

"You can tell me, Choromatsu," Osomatsu said, "I don't care what you say. I don't care what it's about. I just care about how you feel."

Pitifully, tears immediately filled Choromatsu's eyes as he began to sob in the arms of his brother.

"I can't do it...I can't do it...I can't do it..." Choromatsu thought, his entire body going limp as Osomatsu gently rubbed his back to calm him down. "He'll only make me feel worse..."

"Will you tell me then," Osomatsu began softly. "what's wrong?"

"I-I..." Choromatsu began, and without thinking, all of his thoughts spilled out of his mouth. "I just keep feeling so bad because I left you all just so I could chase my own dreams...and ever since I just can't help but feel that I'm still hated and not welcome here. I want to feel like I belong again, but I know I'll never be forgiven for what I did to you all...and I'm just sorry...I'm so so sorry...it's all my fault...I wish I could just go back and start over, or even better, just not exist in the first place I-"

Osomatsu pushed Choromatsu away and held him by his shoulders, looking into is eyes.

"Be quiet," Osomatsu said, putting one of his fingers to his brother's mouth. "It doesn't matter, Choromatsu. That was all last year, and we've all moved on since then. Don't worry about it anymore. It's all over. Everything is going to be okay from now on,"

Osomatsu leaned towards Choromatsu and gently kissed him on his forehead, then backed away, smiling warmly at his brother.

Choromatsu's face turned red and he quickly looked away, not even knowing how to respond.

"Choromatsu," Osomatsu said, grabbing his brother's head, turning it so he was looking directly at him. "You are loved very, very much, and there is nothing that you'll ever do that will make me hate you."

Once again, Choromatsu began to cry as Osomatsu pulled him into another loving hug.