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soar, sing and small

~x~

Time doesn't consider anyone
so the when all the opportunities come
do not miss it!

game-verse, spoilers

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'Find the meaning of your name,' were the instructions left on the small piece of white memo paper. 'Not the kanji. Shou in hiragana. To be passed this weekend.'

The young, nine-year-old blond quirked a brow. "My name?" he repeated, reading the paper once more. "Syo? Easy, it means 'soar'."

Syo ruffled his hair in confusion, making it messier than usual. The golden locks fell in a frenzied way over his crystal-blue eyes, and he blew them away, to no avail.

"Hey, Kaoru?" he called, spinning around on the computer chair. He looked at his younger twin, who in turn raised a brow at him.

"Hm?" He was reading a book again, it seemed. He seemed a bit dazed from being called out of his world of words and sentences.

"Do you have a dictionary? More than 2000 kanji characters, maybe?"

"I think so, down in Mom's study, why?" He looked pleasantly curious. "You've never wanted to read a dictionary before."

"I got homework," Syo replied with a grimace. He was homeschooled, so would it really be called homework? he wondered. Either way, he had to do it, because his teacher wasn't the gentlest when he didn't do his work.

"Taniyama-san gave you homework? I see. Well, when is it due?"

Why should that matter? "In three days." You ask the oddest questions.

"Let me help, then." Kaoru flashed Syo his usual, dimpled smile which, no matter how hard Syo tried, he couldn't copy. Perhaps that's one of the few ways he and Kaoru differed. "I can go get it from Mom's study."

"No, let me do it."

"No, I can do it, really!"

"Oh, geez, Kaoru! I'm not going to faint just by walking to Mom's study."

Kaoru opened his mouth to protest, but his older twin silenced him with a stern look that reminded him of their mother.

"Okay, why don't you go get snacks, then?" Syo said, hopping off his seat. "I'm a bit hungry, actually. How about that?"

Kaoru's similar blue eyes lit up. "Okay!" And with that, the boy rushed out of the room.

If there's one thing he likes doing, it's raiding the fridge… Syo laughed to himself as he followed his brother outside their room. He glimpsed the lights downstairs flick on and faintly heard the victorious cry of his brother in the far kitchen.

"Geez," Syo muttered, rolling his eyes as he knocked on the door to their mother's study. "Mom? You in there?"

The door opened just as he was about to press his ear to the wood. Syo stumbled back in surprise.

A woman in her early 30s looked down on little Syo with curious, violet eyes. "Syo?"

"Mom, can I borrow a dictionary?" Syo said simply, craning his neck. Their mother's study was always an interesting place to be in. There was a piano on the sunlit corner of the room, bookshelves here and there, and a computer. It was very relaxing to stay in it.

"A dictionary? For Kaoru?"

"Mom, just because I don't read books as much as Kaoru doesn't mean I don't need one every once in a while," Syo said, trying not to look cross. He failed, though.

"Alright, let me go get it," his mother replied simply, shrugging back her long, blonde hair. Syo grinned excitedly and followed his mother in.

His eyes searched the nearest bookshelf. It was full of books on how to play various instruments, probably books that his mother read on to gain a bit of experience as a conductor. There were more books for the violin, though, because he and Kaoru had grown fond of the sound and were already quite skilled at playing the stringed instrument.

Although Kaoru only joined the lessons because he wanted to keep an eye on me… Syo mused, reaching out for one of the books. His hands landed on a beginner's book for playing the piano. But Kaoru's just as good as me, that's true – maybe better since he's attended more lessons than me…

There was a light tap on his head, and he almost hit his nose on a fairly thick book with a hardbound cover as he spun around.

"Be careful, Syo."

"Yes, Mom." You tell me that a lot. Nevertheless, he flashed her a smile. "Thanks, Mom!"

"You're welcome." She smiled back. Her smile was like Kaoru's – with dimples, and then there were the slightest crinkles in her eyes. Maybe Kaoru does resemble Mom the way I resemble Dad.

Suddenly there was a crashing sound consisting of what sounded like bags of chips. Their mother sighed.

"You made Kaoru get the food again, didn't you?"

Their mother patted Kaoru's head with a small laugh. "No need to get so much food next time, alright?"

Kaoru chuckled and stole a glance to the fairly large pile of chips and sweets on his bed. "Yes, Mom. Next time, I won't!"

Syo grinned from his desk, an opened bag of chips already on his lap. "I don't mind, Mom."

"Don't eat too much!" Kaoru and their mother snapped suddenly, sending Syo similar, strict looks. "It's bad for your health."

Syo almost fell of his seat, seeing the pair. Kaoru seemed like a younger, male version his mother, with his hands on his hip and that stern glare. I don't know if that's a good thing… "Yes, Mom. Yes, Kaoru." Sometimes, being the sick one can be so annoying!

Kaoru fell back on Syo's bed, popping a small piece of pink-colored candy in his mouth. "Alright, let's get started."

Syo nodded, placing the book on his lap as he leaned on the headboard. He started flipping over to 'shi'.

"I think Shou would have a lot of meanings, you know?" Kaoru said suddenly. "'Kaoru', on the other hand, is just 'medicinal herb'. It's also 'fragrance', but that's probably it.

"Let's look it up first, then," Syo said, flipping to back to 'ka'.

'Kaa… kai… kau… kae… kao!'

"Okay, Kao-ru!"

'kaoru'

– 'fragrant, aromatic'
– 'fragrance, scent, aroma'
– 'smell, fragrance aroma'
– 'sweet smelling, rich in aroma'
– 'move'
– 'a medicinal herb'
– 'to cauterize'

"Hm, your kanji sure is fitting, though!" Syo laughed, pointing to the character for Kaoru's name. "Medicinal herb, very fitting for me."

"'Cauterize' is a medical term, I think."

"Well, it's all about smell. Weird. You don't smell special," Syo teased, poking his brother.

"Well you don't fly," Kaoru retorted, laughing as he tried nudging Syo with his knee. "I mean soar."

"Touché," Syo admitted. "I'm glad you're not a plant, Kaoru."

"And I'm glad you don't soar, Syo," he answered. "Now let's see what the meaning of Shou is."

'Shi…' Ah, wait, we're supposed to be at the palatalized characters…

He flipped to the farthest pages of 'shi'.

'Sha… shu… SHO!'

"Alright, Sho-u…"

He handed Kaoru the open book.

"You tell me the meanings, and then I'll write them down, alright?"

Kaoru glanced down on the page, frowned slightly, then looked back up. "Are you sure that I'll say all of them? There's a lot."

"Okay, just the ones you think apply to me."

"Okay!"

Syo scrambled to fetch his notebook and pencil from the edge of his bed. "Ready?"

"Hai! Now, let's see… Ah, here's one! Shou, meaning 'victory' or 'to excel'."

"I like that one."

"'Prize'."

"Really? Cool."

"'A small instrument used in Japanese court music'."

"Court music? I'm named similarly to an instrument!"

"'Smallness, small size, small'."

"No need to say it three times! I get it, I'm small!" Syo looked annoyed as he wrote down the words. Small… Geez!

Kaoru laughed. "You told me to read."

"I get it, I get it."

"Now, what else… Ah, here. 'Clever'. You sure about that?"

"Oh, shut up! I too am smart!"

"If you say so…"

"I know so!"

"It means 'voice', too."

"'Voice?' Will I become a voice actor someday?" he mused. Maybe not…

"'Prospering'."

"Prospering, got it."

"'Blue' or 'green'."

"Like your eyes."

"Our eyes," Kaoru corrected, chuckling.

"Okay, Mr. Green Plant Kurusu."

"Hey!"

"I'm just saying…"

"'Luminous'."

"Pretty."

"'Early evening'."

"Just like the time now."

"'Agile'. Because you're sma–"

"Kaoru!"

"'Refreshing'."

"Ah."

"'Iris'. Like those purple flowers back at Nagoya."

"Like our eyes?"

"Yes, our pupils."

"Geez."

"It means 'crystal', too."

"Wow, that's a lot…"

"Here's one I think fits you. 'Impatient'!"

Syo threw him a pillow. "Oh, shut up, you."

"'Sing'."

"Seriously? Sing? How nice."

"'Laugh'. It fits."

"You're the one with the bigger smiles, though."

"'Star'. Neat. I didn't know that."

"Star? I thought it was just hoshi and sei."

"Looks like we both thought wrong."

"Mhm…"

"'To continue'or 'carry on'." Kaoru paused. "Maybe it's a sign you'll get better, Syo-chan!"

"Or that the sickness will 'continue'."

Kaoru frowned deeply, sadness clouding his face. Syo didn't feel the need to apologize, or to even tell him not to call him 'Syo-chan'. The twins feel into a heavy silence.

"Um… it also means 'illness', Syo-chan…" Kaoru whispered shakily, blinking. Syo looked at him in surprise. His younger brother's eyes were already watery.

"Hey… Now's not the time to c-cry…!" Syo stammered, forcing a grin on his face. No, no, no! You can't cry! I can't handle it when you cry! Please don't cry! "Please? Don't cry now! You know you should be stronger than that, Kaoru!"

Kaoru nodded, sniffing and wiping his eyes furiously with his sleeve. "I think I am…"

"I know you are!" Syo encouraged, this time his smile genuine. "Come on, let's continue."

"O-okay!"

Come on, Kaoru. If just the thought of me being sick makes you cry like this… what'll happen when I'm… when I'm… Syo swallowed thickly, not daring to look at his brother, or to even blink his stinging eyes, because if he did, tears would come out.

"'Life…'"

"Life?"

"'Shou' means 'life'! 'To be born'!" Kaoru said enthusiastically, his ear-splitting grin back in place. His eyes shone happily. "It means you'll live, Syo-chan!"

Life… Was he serious?

"I told you so, Syo-chan!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"Ah, oops! I didn't notice! Sorry, Onii-chan."

"Alright, alright. I think we got enough already."

"Oka–"

"Kaoru! Syo! Dinner!" a distant, female voice called, making the two pause.

"Good, I'm starving!" Kaoru sighed in relief, bouncing off the bed and speeding off to the door, completely oblivious to the several bags of untouched food on his bed.

Syo picked up the dictionary, wondering what other words they hadn't reached yet. "Hold on, I found some that fits you."

"Eh?" Kaoru looked at him questioningly.

"'Illuminate'and 'encourage'. That's just like you, Kaoru."

"So let's go tell Dad and Mom to name me 'Shou' instead!" Kaoru laughed.

"No, I like Kaoru the plant, better."

"And I like little Syo just as much."

"I'm not that little!"

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two people are laughing at the street at night
casual, irresistible, seemingly affectionate
something that cannot be sincerely overdone

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Title: soar, sing, small

Words: 1 733

Title Derivation: The title was derived from some of the words that may be read as Shou. Soar is the real meaning of Syo in Kurusu Syo, while sing and small are two words that easily define him.

Opening/Ending Lines: The opening lines are taken from Tomorrow's Wind, a duet song by Shimono Hiro and Kaji Yuki, the opening of their old radio show, RADIOMISTY. The ending lines come from HOME, track 03 of Kaji Yuki's debut single, sense of wonder.

Just for a fact, Shimono Hiro voices Kurusu Syo and Kaji Yuki voices Kurusu Kaoru, so everything fits! Taniyama is also rather funny, because Shinomiya Natsuki's voice actor is Taniyama Kishow, and Taniyama likes "beating up" Shimono in real life.

Disclaimer: All things familiar in soar, sing and small are the sole ownership of their respective copyright holders, namely broccoli, UTA*PRI project, RADIOMISTY, Wiktionary and more. I only own Original Characters, added plot and the like.

Reprinting, reposting and/or redistributing without formal and written permission are against my law.