"Shit...." I think to myself as soon as I see Akiyoshi opening the box.

Akiyoshi reached for a box titled 'girl clothes' with a heart beside them.

This isn't going to get a good reaction....

I slowly look up from reading the box to his face. He looked down, and I couldn't really see his expression clearly.

Did he find out? Did he?

I freeze from unpacking some books, my glasses sliding off a bit from my face from the awkward angle my head tilted in.

I try to brush him off but end up answering to his confusion.

"Ahhh those. My mom packed those in for me." I tell him honestly, turning back to my own unpacking afterwards. I don't want him giving me shit about lying later. After all, I never did say that I was a guy.

"Ah...." Akiyoshi closed the box and moved to one that was beside it. "Okay..."

--------------
Akiyoshi P.O.V.

I look down at the contents of the box labeled 'clothes' with a heart beside it. I couldn't help but think that it was really strange that a guy had girls clothes, he was a teen! Wait- this can mean many things, what if he's going through a curious stage? Or could these clothes be his girlfriend's?

I picked up some short white shorts and a lacy button up black shirt. It looks like it could fit a teenage girl.

Should I ask him about it?

I guess Makoto sensed my confusion because he had an answer to my doubts.

"Ah those. My mom packed those in for me." He answered innocently and seriously.

H-How can he say that with a straight face! His mother dresses him as a girl!

Does this mean that....

My father....is in trouble...?

I worried and turned to another box in order to stop thinking about my father's fate with his new wife.
---------------
We finished unpacking a lot sooner than I thought we would. This kid is more organized than I thought.

Not only that, but he's also polite and respectful.

Are all the kids these days ridiculously perfect? Or is he being polite because we just met?

I'd like to believe that he's always like this.

"Akiyoshi, you can leave those in the box. I'll figure out where to put them later."

He was referring to the long box that felt more solid than the rest. I had already opened it, but I didn't really pay attention to what was inside.

I gaze one of the many sketchbooks in the box and open it.

There were many drawings of cartoon characters in black in white. Characters from popular anime like, One Piece and Detective Conan. They weren't the same exact art style as the original. They were more animated, and had their own style.

It almost reminded me of American cartoons.

The only reason I was able to examine the art style was because I had previously dealt with and article comparing anime and American cartoons.

So this is what he draws huh?

I opened another and in this one, there was splashes of watercolor on landscapes.

I close both sketch books carefully and place them on one of the bookshelves neatly.

Every time I was to put up the next one, I would flip to a random page and just glance at the pictures.

Surprisingly there were various styles of art, ranging from realism to cartoons, and landscapes to portraits.

When I was finished with that box I look up at the clock on the wall. It was 8:30 pm. We had been unpacking all afternoon.

I scan my eyes over the room searching for the next box to unpack; there is none.

"It looks like we're done." Makoto stands, picking up the empty boxes and taking them out the room. "Thank you for helping me." He bows gently before exiting the room with the two last boxes.
--------------------

I prepared a late night dinner for the both of us. Tomorrow was an early day for me, but I wanted to end the day on a good note with Makoto.

I'd never had siblings, so this is a golden opportunity.

He was in the bath now, or out of it at least. I figured with the sound of the closing bathroom door.

"Makoto! I made some curry!"

"Yeah! I'm going!" He calls out in his small voice.

He trots down the stairs dressed in some shorts and a t-shirt that read "fight me".

"Curry?" He repeats.

"Yeah." I walk out to the table and set both sat down. "You hungry?"

"You bet." Makoto laughed as he took a seat across from me. "Thank you for the food!"

I bring two glasses of water and sit down to begin eating. Nothing was awkward despite being quiet. Makoto just ate heartily and happily.

"It sure does look like you were hungry." I chuckle.

"Yeah." He answers after swallowing his food.

"Hey, can I call you Mako?" I ask him hesitantly.

"Sure, bro."

"Alright." I finish.

My home felt lively for the first time since I had moved in, even though Mako was a relatively quiet kid. His presence was enough to tell me that I was no longer alone in this huge house.

I wonder what's in store for my younger brother and I?

A/N: sorry hella late lmao

I've been a lil busy but I'm back haha...

Hope ya'lll enjoyed! What do you expect from these unusual living arrangements??

((P.s: the world is dangerous @.@ please be safe people! Much love from yours truly))