Falling For K.T. [A Muichiro x Tanjiro Story]

Chapter 14

There was something that Yuichiro always wanted to know from his twin brother. Ever since that day up in the attic... those words he said, that expression he made... It danced on his mind since the day they were rescued. It had been troubling him every single night, a constant question at the back of his mind—something that made it difficult to sleep. Muichiro might have a weird sleep schedule where he wakes up in the middle of the night to read a book or something, but he was blessed with the ability to fall asleep nearly instantaneously.

"Why can't you be like K.T.?! They care for their siblings more than you can ever care for me!" It was like a bad dream—a fever dream. He still can't believe something like that came out of Muichiro's mouth. Was it what he really felt?

Yuichiro's cold demeanour... or rather, matured demeanour, was created in contrast to Muichiro's. He knew that someone had to be responsible and make hard decisions. His uncle was too soft on them, barely even tried to reinforce rules on them and more or less treated them as 'friends' rather than a parent to a child.

It was fine. He got it. He understood that his uncle felt that he had no authority over them as parents and didn't want to ruin the bond between them. He understood far too much about the world than he should have. His parents were murdered, it wasn't an accident—like he had told Muichiro. In fact, his parents were killed by a truck driver who was then brought to trial for the hit-and-run case.

The most damning thing about this all is the fact that he only got a 2-year sentence for manslaughter. How? Their uncle wouldn't tell him. Why? He was simply 'too young'. Yeah, right. Yuichiro still grumbles about it to this day.

Muichiro's innocence needed to be kept safe, he was just a child. One that still loved watching cartoons the second he entered home, one that still begged adults to buy him his favourite toys, one that still needed someone to tuck him in bed and check under it for monsters. But Yuichiro? He didn't need any of that, he was just simply... way too mature for his age. Even though he expressed the ability to travel through the world similar to an adult, neither his uncle nor Muichiro took him seriously due to his age and appearance.

But still, he learns things quickly and can read the room fairly easily. So why won't their uncle tell him the reason? Why is he still being viewed as a child? Not being taken seriously was something Yuichiro hated, but deep down, he thinks that he understood why his uncle was being so unfair.

Childhood was something you can never relive, enjoy whatever second you can get. A childish part of Yuichiro wanted that for himself and for the only people that valued his opinion.

His family, or, what's left of it.

Muichiro listens to him like a younger brother should, admiring and looking up to his older brother—Yuichiro. But that all changed when he started writing in that blue book of his. His change was gradual, but it was also in a short amount of time... that he changed into such a strange person.

K.T.? You seriously can't expect me to be someone like them. Mui, don't you understand? If I do, then who's there to help you? I've been shielding you all this time.

There are words that he wants to say to his brother, truths that needed to be unveiled. But he's lacking the courage to present everything to the boy who used to listen to every word he said. One whose innocence was so blindingly bright, he wanted to protect it with everything he could. But, was Muichiro someone that needed protecting in the first place? Maybe it was because of his over-protective nature that caused him to turn out this way. He really hates thinking like that, but all possibilities needed to be considered.

Yuichiro doesn't want to break the relationship between them, but he seriously needed to know the thoughts behind those words. Did he mean what he said? Or was it just a spur-in-the-moment type of thing?