New Brother, New Family

[Rin Tsukino]

Rin still didn't find it comfortable within the Tsukino residence, though the said household has been nothing but welcoming towards her. It had already been more than a month since Ryuuji-san had found her and she still couldn't bring herself to call them her family. Not when she still hasn't gotten over the fire. How could anyone forget it after all. Her parents were inside that house that burned down to the ground. She would never forget the red orange fire that surrounded her, her family and their house that night and though for a five-year-old child, it was the most horrifying sight she would ever find. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how it all started and why it ended the way it had. Her parents had magic. They could do stuff that muggles could not and yet they died in the fire that was made by a muggle. She knew not how that was possible and many times she would try to convince herself that it was all a big nightmare, that their parents had survived and they would quickly take her back. But they never came and even her big brother which she knew not where had ended up never came as well. She often wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him.

It was another day in the Tsukino household and Rin was as silent as she had always been. Her adoptive father was once again out because of business and her adoptive mother was taking care of Akemi. She often wondered why the Tsukinos had adopted her while they still had a three-year-old to take care of. As for her adoptive siblings, she wasn't sure where Harumi-san was though she was sure that Ryuuji-san was once again in his room cooped up with a hundred books. Rin always tried to keep the attention off from her since she wasn't very comfortable with calling them her family yet. How could she even call them her family? Her parents were not a big-time pharmaceutical company owner or a famous fashion designer, her parents were wizards though she knew not their jobs in the muggle world. Her brother was not someone who stuck with hundreds of books the whole day. Her family went away with the fire. And though she knew that she has a new family now, she still couldn't accept it. Even if they were kind and would check on her once in a while, she always stayed silent, she always stayed in her room. Today, in her room, she wondered if she would ever come to terms with her new life and how she would do that.

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

Pencil tucked on his left ear, Ryuuji tried to read the books that his father had dumped on him as soon as he got home from his business trip. Since he had graduated from Hogwarts, he had lost all contacts with the magical world. Ai did visit once before, but that was that. He hadn't been able to write the younger girl letters again. His days were mostly spent staying inside his room, reading pages after pages, trying to remember every single detail about their family's business. He did promise his father that he would be focusing on it as soon as he was done with his studies, but still, he was tired. His classes at Hogwarts didn't really teach him about finances, management, and accounting. He wasn't taught about operations and productions management, taxes, or any of these legal stuff that he was reading, he knew very little about this new world that his father was forcing him to enter. This muggle world had become so foreign to him ever since he discovered where he truly belonged. But this was home, this was were his family is, and this was where he was supposed to stay.

The nineteen year old pulled his notebook to jot down some notes. He missed his wand which was now carefully hidden in his closet. He missed his broom, he missed flying, he missed quidditch, he missed Ai, but most of all, he missed Hogwarts. He wanted so much to go back there, but he couldn't. He was stuck in his room, reading mountains of books that he knew he was supposed to like. He groaned and leaned on his seat, so his chair was standing on it two back legs, any sudden movement would cause him to fall, but he couldn't be bothered about that. His father wanted him to attend a university, he wasn't sure that he could, after all, it wasn't like he had once been a high school student. He didn't have any of the requirements that a university would ask of him. But with his father's influence, who knew what could happen? He sighed and leaned forward, his forehead resting on his desk. He was tired, and he hoped for night to come already, by then, he could bring out his wand and sneak out of their house. He had been trying to train himself to better control his abilities of changing his appearance at will, and he was fairly succeeding at it. Perhaps, one day, he can fully change his appearance and pretend to be someone else for a whole day. By then, he'd be able to do as he pleased.

The former Ravenclaw stood up. Closing the book gently, he decided that he had enough reading for the day. Perhaps he could annoy his older sister, Harumi was the only one who wanted to hear his stories about Hogwarts after all. It would be nice to talk to her again about it. Or perhaps he could even convince his mother to allow him to go out even though he was still supposed to be studying at that time. His father wasn't home anyway. However, as he passed one of the doors on his way down, all those plans were thrown out of the window. It had been more than a month since their family had adopted a five year old kid. He was visiting one of the hospitals that had business with his family when he saw her. Her parents died, and only the girl and her older brother survived. He didn't know why he just approached the doctor and asked for the details of the accident, he wasn't even sure why he kept on visiting her to check on her, and he didn't even know why he struck another deal with his father just to convince him to adopt the poor girl. Perhaps it was because he understood her. If it weren't for the Tsukinos, he didn't know where he would be by now. His father, though too serious and overbearing at times, and his mother, saved him from the fate of dying alone in the streets. The girl had no known relative, and he felt that it was his obligation to give her a home and a family. He would have asked his parents to adopt the girl's brother too, but it was too late.

He stopped in front of his new sister's door and knocked before he opened the door and peeked his head in. Their bedroom doors didn't have any lock, that way, their parents would know if there was something amiss. It can be irritating at times, but he had learned to get used to it. He didn't know whether the younger girl noticed her, so he cleared his throat and knocked again. "Hey, Rin-san, would you mind if I come in?" he asked in their native tongue, a small smile on his face as he didn't want to frighten the younger. He hadn't been able to have any proper conversation with this new sister of his since she first arrived at their house because he was too busy trying to fulfill his father's wishes. Perhaps he could use this time to bond with her.​

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[Rin Tsukino]

Rin continued on about her business in her room, which mainly involved sitting on the floor in the corner and staring at the opposite wall or at the ceiling and remembering and reliving the night of the arson. It was something that was hard to forget for a five-year-old like her for it was like a blank reality was forced upon her to quickly realize and to quickly adapt. But she knew not how she could do that for the mind of a child could only take so much. She was not like the other orphans who longed for a parent, for a family, for a home. No, she was different. She wanted her old family back, she wanted her own home back but she knew that was far from possible. No. It was already impossible with her parents dead and her brother missing. Right now, it seemed that the situation was forcing her to quickly adapt to the environment she now currently had. A father who was almost never there and far too strict and serious. A mother who she knew not and spent most of her time caring for a baby. Sisters she never had. And finally, a brother who just kept on checking on her but was mostly cooped up in books. No, she was not used to that and how could she change all that within a mere month. During these times, she would end up confusing herself and sobbing silently in her room after minutes of staring into space or into the walls. During times like now.

After a few moments of her silent cries and sobs and hiccuping, she heard a knock and the door to her room opening. She wiped away her tears though they refused to stop. She missed her father, she missed her mother, she missed her brother. How could she ever get used to this life that was given to her? Would they even accept that she was a witch? That she had magical blood flowing in her veins? Would they even believe her? Thoughts were cut short as Rin heard the voice of her room's intruder. It was her adoptive brother, Ryuuji-san. "N-No, Ryuuji-san," she called out as she once again attempted to wipe her tears away though made no intention to move from her little space in the corner. She didn't want to leave that spot for a little while after all. Though she had to wonder why her adoptive brother had suddenly come into her room. She had already known that there was no lock and she did not mind. It was not like she was hiding anything after all. The younger wondered if the older came to play or if he was there to make her feel welcome or anything at all, which she appreciated though not completely happy about. She was completely fine being alone for the meantime, in fact she was contented with the isolation they were giving her. Rin quickly decided to stop thinking negative thoughts as she waited for Ryuuji-san to approach her, though she secretly wish and secretly hoped he was there to cheer her up for a little time.

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

It was awkward. How long had it been since he last talked to someone younger than he was? Ryuuji had been too used to being the youngest Tsukino. It had only been three years since his mother gave birth to Akemi, but the years before that, his mother showered him with attention. Honestly, he missed it, for these years, he was already treated as an adult. He had wished a long time ago for his grandparents and his mother to not treat him like a little kid, but now that they view him as someone who'll be taking over their company and not as a little kid anymore, strangely, he missed it. It was only Harumi who kept on insisting that he was still her younger brother and who kept on hugging him every time she got the chance to do so. It was only her who treated him the same, although her constant meddling in his business could get annoying at times.

The nineteen year old smiled at the girl's response and slowly took a step inside the room. It was his old room, but he had to move out years ago because the space was no longer enough to accommodate all the books that his father had given him to read. He and his sister was the one who cleaned up the room before their new sister arrived. His mother would have done it, as she was far better at matching colors and decorating the rooms, but little Akemi took up most of her time. His sister was following their mother's steps, but she still had a lot of things to learned. He just hoped that the little girl liked it.

He closed the door gently behind him and took slow measured steps towards the girl. Once he was near her, he finally noticed the tears streaming down her eyes, and it made his heart ache. He had always been the sensitive kid, always affected by other people's emotions too quickly than he wanted to. His smile wavered, but he tried to keep it. He didn't want the girl to think that he pitied her. If he was in her shoes, he wouldn't want to be pitied, he would want to be understood. He smiled and sat beside her, taking out a handkerchief and offering it to her. He leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the wall. "A long time ago, I was having this silly little fight with a wall," he started, seemingly out of topic, his eyes fixed on front of him, as if he was seeing a movie unfold in front of his eyes. "And it was then that I met this girl, and she had this previous little tears streaming down her face" he continued, tapping his fingers on his knees, "She's crying because her parents went somewhere far away, but that didn't mean that she was weak. She's one of the strongest persons that I've ever known. She's amazing," he then looked at his adoptive sister, placing his hand on top of her head, and patting her gently. "I know not who my parents were. But I have mother and father, Harumi, Akemi, and now, you too," he smiled gently at the five year old, his eyes seemingly close. "Some people will leave us Rin, we may not see them again-" he remembered the friends that he had made at hogwarts, especially Ai, and Conan, though he wasn't in good terms with the latter, "but as long as their memories stay with us and as long as we keep them here-" he pointed at her chest, right where her heart should be, "They'll always be with us." He then patted the girl's head again, he wasn't entirely good with words, but he meant everything that he said. The girl reminded him of Ai, and he didn't really want to see her cry. "It's alright to cry, but see, a smile fits your face better."
​

 

[Rin Tsukino]

Rin didn't really know how she should act in front of the grown-up right now. She had just finished crying and she was sure that there was still a few tears leaking out of her eyes that she was currently trying to wipe away. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair was messed up and sticking to her flushed face. There was no denying in front of her adoptive brother. Well, aside from that she wasn't really sure how she should act in front of him. She never had a brother this big for her brother, her real brother, was merely a year older than her. And of course, she occupied most of his attention thanks to her old playful nature that had gone away with the fire. The young girl was surprised though when the older had seated himself beside her and made no move to stop her little breakdown. He even gave her a handkerchief to which she blew her nose easily and wiped her tears and blew her nose again, though her appearance was still messy, she was sure that some snot was still flowing from her nose though she could care less.

What surprised the young Rin the most though was when Ryuuji-san begun telling a story. She loved stories and even more so when she was listening to them. Her gaze teared away from that off the wall and instead went to the older boy's face. "I didn't know walls could talk," she said naively. Well, it was true, though she did know that paintings and portraits could, she wasn't very sure with walls. The young girl continued to listen to the older's story and she couldn't help but be curious. He said the girl's parents went somewhere far away, so did it mean that they were with her parents as well? And even crying the girl was strong, Rin found it very amazing as well. "Who's she?" she asked curiously, wanting to meet the girl the older was talking about, maybe the said girl could teach her to be strong. The older continued speaking and the younger was taken by surprise upon knowing that Ryuuji-san was adopted just like she was. Tears couldn't help but form once again as the boy smiled at her and thought her something that she supposed was very important. As the boy told her that a smile had fit her better, she started to miss her brother. "Ryuuji-san... I miss my Onii-chan," she cried as she could help but hug the boy beside her, her little arms barely reaching the older boy's other side as she sobbed.

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

Talking about Hogwarts was hard for the nineteen year old. He missed it a lot, if he could just close his eyes and be there as soon as he opened them, it would be nice. But alas, that wasn't possible. And he made a promise too, something which he didn't want to break. He owe the Tsukinos, and he couldn't possibly betray them. Ryuuji chuckled at the younger girl's question, his eyes twinkling with mirth. Rin was amusing, there was considerable gap between their ages, but it wasn't hard talking to her. She didn't whine like other kids do, she wasn't loud, though perhaps that was because she still wasn't used with them. The former Ravenclaw put his index finger on his chin, as if he was in deep thought, his lips curving up into a smile, "I don't know they could talk either, sadly, it's a one sided argument. Though I know a place where painting could talk and even travel from one frame to another," he told the younger. Before he was a wizard, he was a normal muggle kid first, and in those story books that their teachers would read in the daycare centers, they talk about fairy tales filled with talking objects. If only these people knew that they were actually quite near the truth. Rin would probably think that he's just making stories up, but it was fine, she was still a kid, and it wasn't like he could just tell her about his world.

Ryuuji paused for a bit before he answered the girl's question. He seriously missed the younger girl, before he had a younger sister of his own, he had her, and her twin. One of his biggest regrets was being unable to reconcile the two. He really hoped for things to go back to the way they were before between them. "Ai, a friend. She's one of a kind," no words could really describe the younger girl for him. For he admired her for her strength despite all the problems that she had to face. It was too bad that he hadn't been able to contact her.

His new sister hugging him came out as a surprise. It wasn't a teasing one like his older sister would usually do, and he felt his heart jump a bit. He slowly held up his hands and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. He rested his chin on her head and patted her back, trying to calm the five year old girl down. He didn't know what to say to stop the girl from crying. What would he tell her? "I'm not replacing him, but I'm now your big brother too," he told her, letting go of the girl and showing her a big smile. He knew he couldn't possibly replace the girl's brother, he wouldn't be able to do the same things he did. He coulnd't spend all his day with her, for Merlin knew he was obliged to study about their business. He stood up then and extended his hand in front of her, as if inviting the girl to stand up too. "Would you come with me? There's this place that I want you to see," he said, waiting for the girl to take his hand too.​