Chapter 2: Regarding whether or not to beat up the older brother.
Morofushi Sora'aki opened his eyes from the bed. The sun had not yet risen outside, but some light, signifying the arrival of morning, had already peeked in through the gaps in the curtains.
It was early spring, and the morning air was a bit chilly. Morofushi Sora'aki, wearing fluffy slippers, slid open the door and stepped outside.
Although my family prefers a Japanese-style room, we were in a rush to move and didn't have the time or inclination to renovate. We just randomly picked a Western-style house that met our requirements and moved in. Little did we know that we would end up living there for almost ten years. Over time, the style of the house was gradually influenced, but the main decorations cannot be changed.
This is a two-story house. Upstairs there are four rooms, a study, and the remaining rooms are for the three children, one room for each of them. Downstairs, the master bedroom is where the parents live.
All Morofushi Sora'aki needs to do is open the door and turn left; the room next to the stairs is his second brother's room, and the room opposite is his eldest brother's room.
A small window was also opened directly opposite the staircase, allowing outside light to easily shine in.
Morofushi Sora'aki extended his hand, which was wrapped in his sleeve, and gently knocked on the wooden door with the name "Hiromitsu" pasted on it.
"Hmm? Wait a moment!" The knocking of Morofushi Sora'aki wasn't very loud, but a reply came from inside very quickly.
After waiting for about half a minute, Morofushi Hiromitsu opened the door, wearing pajamas. His face showed some fatigue, but he still gave a gentle smile: "Sora'aki? Is there something you need from your brother?"
Morofushi Sora'aki stared at his brother's cat-like eyes, paused for two seconds, then suddenly reached out and hugged his brother's waist tightly, burying his face in them without a word.
Morofushi Hiromitsu was somewhat surprised, but his expression remained very gentle: "Um...would you like to come in with your brother?"
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded his head listlessly.
Morofushi Sora'aki was led into the room by Morofushi Hiromitsu, who also turned on the room's lights. Morofushi Hiromitsu had Morofushi Sora'aki sit on the bed, then pulled over a stool, intending to have a chat with his younger brother face to face.
Unexpectedly, the younger brother did not cooperate at all. Instead, he made his older brother sit on the bed, then kicked off his slippers, knelt on the bed, and hugged his older brother again, but this time he hugged his neck.
Due to inertia, Morofushi Hiromitsu almost fell backward and landed directly on the bed, but fortunately, he had been exercising, so he managed to hold on and avoid embarrassing himself. The young man with beautiful cat-like eyes gently patted the back of his younger brother's head, stroking it lightly as if stroking his fur: "Did you have a nightmare, Sora'aki?"
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded once more.
Morofushi Hiromitsu then steered the conversation, asking, "Would you like to talk to your brother about it?"
Morofushi Sora'aki then spoke his first words of the day: "I saw my brother point a gun at himself."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ?!
Morofushi Hiromitsu: No, I can't answer that!
Morofushi Hiromitsu was practically swearing to the heavens that he absolutely had no psychological problems, but in front of his younger brother, he still managed to maintain the facade of a good older brother and coughed lightly: "Um, and then?"
"So I pointed the gun at the person who wanted to hurt my brother," Morofushi Sora'aki replied obediently.
Morofushi Hiromitsu: Huh? Wasn't I just committing suicide? How come there's another character now?! And why are you holding a gun too?! You're only 13 years old, Sora'aki!! Where did you get this dangerous stuff from?!
Morofushi Hiromitsu struggled to piece together the information his younger brother had revealed. So, it was him pointing a gun at him, and there was a bad guy involved—right?
Because of his younger brother's special circumstances, the family tends to guide him, wanting him to express his own thoughts rather than having others provide the answers. Once he agrees, the conversation ends.
Morofushi Sora'aki was the third son in the family, born when Morofushi Hiromitsu was seven years old.
Just a few months after her third child was born, Mother Morofushi who had already raised two children, noticed a problem. She felt that her third child was too quiet.
Mother Morofushi was not one to shy away from medical treatment, so she immediately took the still-infant Morofushi Sora'aki to see a doctor.
The baby had no physical problems, but Sora'aki, who was only a few months old, was indifferent to his surroundings, would not smile at his parents, and even his eyes were unfocused and would not follow the sounds.
Although the doctor did not give a direct diagnosis, he said it was "most likely autism." However, because the understanding of mental illness was not very comprehensive at the time, the doctor in Nagano suggested that Parents Morofushi go to a better hospital in Tokyo for further observation.
Without hesitation, Mother Morofushi and Father Morofushi immediately took leave from school, asked a teacher next door to cover their classes, and rushed to Tokyo together.
Unfortunately, he was eventually diagnosed with autism.
Nagano's medical standards are not as good as Tokyo's. After much hesitation, Parents Morofushi decided to give up their current jobs and move to Tokyo temporarily for their child's sake.
Morofushi Hiromitsu was only seven years old at the time and didn't have much memory of what happened then. He only remembered that after he turned three, his younger brother, who had previously been indifferent to his surroundings, suddenly started to react to the outside world.
Because he missed the most important three years of study, Sora'aki is slow to understand many things, especially emotions.
Although my younger brother is 13 years old now, there is no problem in treating him as an eight or nine-year-old child.
However, contrary to his psychological age, Sora'aki's IQ is surprisingly high. He learns everything very quickly, and even skipped a grade and then took a leave of absence because he didn't want to go to school.
Morofushi Hiromitsu gently patted his younger brother's head: "Hmm... So, is he a bad guy?"
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded decisively.
Morofushi Hiromitsu waited patiently for his younger brother's reply, when he heard Morofushi Sora'aki say softly, "But when you pointed the gun at yourself, I... felt very uncomfortable."
Morofushi Sora'aki tilted his head in confusion: "I don't quite understand this feeling, it's just very uncomfortable, so I came to find my brother."
The child, who didn't understand emotions, voiced his doubts: "It's fake, I shouldn't feel bad, should I?"
After thinking for a moment, Morofushi Hiromitsu did not give a perfunctory answer, but said seriously, "This represents... empathy."
Empathy?
"Sora'aki will feel bad because his brother is injured, because Sora'aki loves his brother." Morofushi Hiromitsu's eyes crinkled: "Just like if Sora'aki is injured, his brother will also feel bad."
Morofushi Sora'aki seemed to accept the answer, nodded, tightened his grip on Morofushi Hiromitsu, and said nothing more.
Morofushi Hiromitsu, whose mind had already conjured up countless explanations: ...
Why don't you ask one more question, Sora'aki! Give your brother a chance, okay?!
After holding back for a while, Morofushi Hiromitsu finally couldn't resist and decided to test the waters.
"Sora'aki just said that he pointed a gun at the person who hurt his brother, so did Sora'aki fire the gun?"
"It's open."
Morofushi Hiromitsu continued, "Then, how does Sora'aki feel?"
Morofushi Sora'aki said calmly, "I felt nothing."
Morofushi Hiromitsu sighed inwardly, but didn't show it on his face at all: "Sora'aki might get hurt because of his brother, but if someone gets hurt because of Sora'aki, wouldn't that person's family also be upset?"
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded indifferently: "Oh."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...
Seeing that Morofushi Hiromitsu seemed to be expecting him to say something, Morofushi Sora'aki thought for a moment and then said, "What does this have to do with me?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...
Never mind, he already knew the answer. His younger brother had always had very low empathy and was indifferent to the outside world.
However, some things need guidance, and some things must be made clear: "Gun is a dangerous thing, and Sora'aki should not point a gun at others."
"...Even games are not allowed?" Morofushi Sora'aki asked.
Morofushi Hiromitsu wouldn't overlook the word "game". He knew that his younger brother's world was different from his own. If this game represented reality, and he agreed, then Sora'aki would truly be unable to change his mind.
Although he has low empathy and significant personality issues, Sora'aki is very obedient. He will listen to you and even remember things you say that you yourself don't remember, and he will follow the rules.
Once Sora'aki accepts a rule, it takes countless efforts to change that rule back.
"The scope of games is vast, but Sora'aki is still young and underage, so it's best for him not to play games related to guns, okay?"
Morofushi Sora'aki thought for a moment, mentally equating his inability to play with guns with his age, and nodded.
Having resolved this issue and seeing that his younger brother's emotions had almost returned to normal, Morofushi Hiromitsu breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he was still curious, so he chose to ask: "If it was Zero who got hurt, my brother's childhood friend, would Sora'aki be upset?"
Morofushi Sora'aki shook his head decisively.
Before Morofushi Hiromitsu could even feel disappointed, he saw Morofushi Sora'aki seriously consider the matter for a while before saying earnestly, "But... I'll be a little unhappy?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu's eyes lit up instantly, and his heart was filled with countless little flowers blooming.
Zero!! Six years! You and Sora'aki have known each other for six years! You've finally gone from being just a stranger in Sora'aki's eyes to becoming friends!!!
My brother is so touched!!!
Despite being moved, the older brother still spoke seriously, as if remembering something, and emphasized, "However, if anyone intentionally hurts Sora'aki, you absolutely must beat them up—or call your brother for help!"
Morofushi Sora'aki obediently responded, then asked, "So, if my brother hurts himself, should I beat him up? Or should my brother beat himself up?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...
Morofushi Hiromitsu: ...
Morofushi Hiromitsu: Um, how should I answer this question?
Help! Taka'aki-nii, I need you!! I'm definitely not good at reasoning!