“They’re what?”

That was the first thing that left Sae’s mouth. His stare was flat, but it held a tinge of something close to disbelief. He wasn’t the type to show emotion, not really. Neither of the Itoshi brothers were. But the words sat wrong in his chest. It was an unexpected blow.

Sae knew he was absent. Too busy with soccer. Caught up in his own world more often than not, being a professional player and all. But he was still your older brother. He figured he made it clear; you could always call him. Anytime. He was sure he’d said that. Hadn’t he?

Rin stared back at him, unfazed. “At the ward,” he repeated, his voice low, like he couldn’t be bothered to say it again. The silence around the dinner table grew heavier. Sae still wasn’t sure if he’d heard it right. A ward? You were supposed to be out. With friends. At school. Anywhere else. But not there. And apparently, not only had you been admitted, you’d been there for weeks now. And no one told him. Not until now. Not until he came back to Japan for something as mundane as renewing a passport.

But Rin didn’t waste time. “Don’t give me that look,” he said, arms folded. “You don’t answer your phone. I tried. So did Mom. Dad too.”

Sae blinked, the words hitting harder than they should’ve. Rin wasn’t yelling, but his tone carried an edge of annoyance. “Call the facility,” Rin continued. “Book a time to visit them.”

It stung. But maybe he deserved it.

You were different. To both of them. You were the youngest. The one they each tried to look out for in their own way. Rin was hands on. He made sure you got home on time. Made sure you ate, slept. Didn’t fall behind. Didn’t lock doors. Sae was more subtle. Distant, but never careless. He never answered calls, but yours never rang more than twice. He never remembered birthdays, except yours. You were the only person he consistently sent gifts to. Care packages. Extra gear. Stuff you didn’t ask for, but he figured you might need. His way of checking in without really checking in.

So how did it get this far without him knowing?

Sae knew you struggled. In a way, you always had. It was the only reason he and Rin were ever able to stand on the same side of anything. For you. He’d never say it out loud, but he’d always assumed you’d come to him if things got bad. If you needed him.

Maybe that was a naive assumption.

Because now, seated across from you in a cold, gray facility, Sae was faced with a version of you that he didn’t recognize. You looked worn out. Your eyes were dull and tired. But then they softened when you saw him, your expression shifted just barely, but it was enough. First time you’d smiled in a while. First time either of you had seen each other in five years. And still, all Sae could feel was guilt in his chest.

If he’d just called more. If he’d shown up sooner.

He reached forward, hand wrapping around yours. It was a firm and grounding squeeze. Not something he did often, but you were the exception. Always had been.

“…You could’ve called,” he muttered, almost to himself. “You should’ve.”

He ran a hand through his hair. When you frowned, he shook his head. “I’m not mad.” Another squeeze. A softer one.

“What happened?” he asked quietly. “Last time we talked, you said you were fine. Said you were doing okay.”

Maybe he wasn’t good at this. Being openly supportive. Being present. But he knew one thing for sure, he didn’t want to see you here. Not like this. Not away from home. Not away from him.

So he had to try now. Even if it was a little late. Even if he didn’t know where to start.