I peered down at Akiyoshi's laptop. He was writing about the Berndle Sayders guy and how he became president of the United States.

He was eating cake while working on his stuff after dinner. He looked like he was enjoying it, as he scooped up each bite on his fork whilst typing on his computer.

"So, how much do you get paid for writing each article?" I ask wrongly on purpose.

"Hm no I get paid by the hour." He pauses and grabs air beside his plate of cake. It looked like he was reaching for a drink.

"You thirsty?" I ask, then give a quick cackle because I'm trash and I have a shitty mind. "I mean- you want some ice tea? It's pretty sweet."

He nods while keeping his stare fixed on the screen. "I'll take you up on that. Thanks."

I started pouring the tea in his cup when I decided to ask about the Berndle Sayders president from the United States. I didn't really watch T.V. often, so I wasn't always informed about this type of thing.

"Well, he's a democrat, and he has more young voters than any other presidential candidate before."

"Hm. I see." I shrug and bring him over his cup. "You guys just write about things like overseas politics and such?"

"We usually write about domestic things; things that happen in Japan." He nods. "It's not necessarily all politics. I like to think that our magazine covers both sides of the stories, without being biased." He pauses. "That way, the reader is informed without being persuaded to think what we think. The reader is free to chose what they truly have to say about the issues at hand."

"Hey that's pretty neat." Yeah, It's pretty neat you have a job that you can enjoy and get promoted for. If only it was that way with art....

It was pretty late in the afternoon now and I needed to check for any new requests that I might've gotten. Also, I was planning on closing commissions, even though I had only done like seven. It was pretty stressful and hard to do. For me, it's hard to draw when someone tells you too. I'd rather just draw on my own free will.

My followers were gonna get mad, but at this point I really don't give a fuck.

"Hey I'm gonna go upstairs to work on some stuff. Good luck on your writing." I tell my bro before heading up stairs.

"Hm... wait.", He calls out to me. "I noticed that you don't have a proper desk yet. Are you fine with that dainty little table? Isn't it hard to work on it?"

"I mean...", I stop and turn to talk to him. That piece of junk was uncomfortable as fuck. After sitting for a while, my ass starts to hurt. Mind you, I change sitting positions like every 15 minutes to avoid it, but it still happens. Probably because the table is so low I have to sit on the cold, hard ground. "...it's more or less uncomfortable. I'll just ask my mom to send me the desk from home if she hasn't thrown it out already."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"If she threw it out already, would you like to go out on the weekend and get a new one? I'm heading out to the shopping center for something anyway.", He offered politely. My stepbrother is honestly an angel. I can't believe I'm lying to him about my age. I'm such a shitty human being, god.

I feel like I'm fucking him over already anyways. If he helps me out even more, I might feel even crappier.

Think Makoto, didn't you make that cake to even it out a little? The guilt?

Hm that's right...if he does help me out, I can just bake him some shit and get even with him again that way.

It's business!

And I'm only doing it to make myself feel better.

I pretend to hesitate a bit more before answering him. After all, I didn't want him thinking I had no shame. (At this point I don't.)

"...I think I'll take you up on that this time...", I smile clumsily and bow. "Thank you!"

"It's no problem kid. We're siblings. It's the least I could do for you as your older brother.", He chuckles continuing his work. "Now head on up to do your homework."

"Yes-sir."

I close my rooms door behind me after trotting up stairs, and I quickly open my laptop. I lay down on my bed and place the laptop on my chest and proceed to use dinosaur hands to type in my password.

I make a quick announcement post to post on my main art page as well as other social medias, telling everyone that I'm not gonna take commissions anymore.

I think I'll just head out to more conventions to sell my art there. I don't really like mailing hard copies of my art to people. The delivery fees are too much. Plus, I don't really enjoy making trips to the post office very often.

Hm.

After wandering about on the comments of my posts, I quickly check my email to see if I had received more commissions before I posted the announcement. If I got them before, I would still do them because, obviously they didn't know I decided I wasn't gonna take anymore today.

I scrolled through my gmail and spot a recent email that wasn't about a commission among all the ones that were.

The sender was a guy named Tsumugu Kido.

That name sounds strangely familiar?

I rack my brain for a possible reminder, and then get a text from Kae.

King of gay(kae): 'Hey bitch you took the hot guy's business card with you! Send me them digits!!!'

Kido...the cheap ass kid?

"Oh shit." I quickly sat up on my bed and realized that the dude that I gave my book to at the convention was the bro that emailed me.

I grab my phone and text Kae back.

Me: '??? TSUMUGU KIDO JUST EMAILED ME WT F'

I quickly reach for my pocket and pull out the guy's business card and compare it to the email on my computer's screen.

Sure enough they're identical.

"Ah shit. Gotta open the email." I utter under my breath.

'Dear Makoto or "Ruisei",

I would like to interview you for an article that I have in mind. If you have already read my buisness card, you will see that I work for a publishing company. We are running an article on pop culture and why most people are ashamed to speak about things like their love for comics, or animation. Also ask you some questions about how your business began selling at conventions such as the one that we met at.

Please contact me in you're interested in taking part. I believe this will benefit your business as an artist.

Thank you.

Tsumugu Kido'

I take a picture of the email and his business card and send it to Kaede.

What the actual fuck?

I didn't know what to think or do. I mean, it's a surprise enough that this guy is contacting me, let alone in such polite language. If I remember correctly, he has one helluva an accent when we met.

Is this even the same guy?

A/N:

Heya I'm back with an update. I'm gonna be gone for Japan in less than a week so imma cram as much as I can before I leave D<\

Thanks for reading and being patient <3 Sorry for delaying the updates guys x.x