I kissed my brother

IV. D-195

„Sydney", Daichi said on top of the stairs.
I flinched: „God you scared me."
„Sorry", he said and scratched his head.
„I thought you left", I said and went up to where he was standing.
„I want to show you something", he went and started walking down the hallway that lead to a large balcony on the back of the house as well as the guest room that was located on the left side. He slipped inside the guest room and waited at the door for me to follow. I wasn't quite sure why he would take me there. I've seen the guest room before. It was a nice room, somewhat looking like a hotel room. There was a large bed with fluffy cushions on it, a huge mirror behind it covering the wall and making the rather small room look awfully spacious.
I saw Daichi in the reflection of the mirror. I was so focused on him that I only noticed the ladder that was let down from the ceiling when he pointed at it.
„What is this?", I asked. It was a dumb question. It was obviously a ladder leading to the attic of this house. A place I hadn't yet seen.
„I was exploring the house a little before our parents would be here. And I found this place."
With a hand gesture he told me to climb up the ladder. And so I did.
The attic was bigger than I expected and there was so much stuff here. There were book shelves filled with books, some boxes and old furniture crumbled up in one corner. It was dusty up here like the place hasn't been used in quite a while.
„What is all this?", I asked and carefully looked around.
„Looks like the old owners didn't take everything with them when they left", Daichi said. He seemed excited about his discovery.
„There are even old photo albums", he said and took a dusty brown album out of one of the boxes. He sat down on the floor and so I joined him, driven by curiosity.
The album was full of black and white pictures. People I've never seen, smiling into the camera. It was like holding a piece of history in our hands.
„Do you know who lived here before?", I asked him. I suddenly realized how close I was - our shoulders touching and his gaze made me forget what I had even asked. I was confused by how strong my feelings were. I've never been so overwhelmed by unknown emotions. I couldn't even describe what this feeling was, but something inside of me reacted to his presence. It did whenever he was around. The feeling had started when I saw him outside the house earlier with his friends. I forgot it was there once I got distracted with thinking of being alone in the house. But right now that feeling was back stronger than before. It was harder to endure the closer I was to him. But at the same time that feeling was already something I was addicted to. It made me feel alive in a weird and twisted way. If I were to draw a picture, it would be me on a warm summer day, covered in flowers and sunrays kissing my skin.
The clap of thunder made me flinch.
„Did you even hear what I said?", Daichi asked.
„Huh? What?", I went. Gosh, this was embarrassing.
He smiled at me, his beautiful face smiled at me and made the warm feeling inside of my body spread even further.
„I said that the house was empty after the previous owners got murdered here"
Slowly his words reached my mind and my eyes widened as I understood what he just said.
„WHAT?", I yelled and jumped up from the floor where we had been sitting.
Daichi started laughing.
„I was kidding", he said. "The house was just empty for a long time."
„So nobody died in here?", I wanted him to confirm. My heart was racing.
„I don't know that, I just know nobody got murdered."
„Don't pull jokes on me like that", I said.
Daichi got up from the floor grinning and went over to what seemed like a pile of blankets.
„Check this out", he said and waved me over.
He sat down on the blankets and leaned back, looking up to the ceiling. I followed his eyes and saw there was a window. Daichi crossed his arms behind his head, laying there in the dull light that came from a single bulb in the middle of the attic.
I went over next to him and copied his pose.
„Can I turn off the lights?", he asked.
„What?"
„Because you'll be able to see the stars much better", he went.
Without waiting for my reply he went over to the bulb. He looked at me again, seemingly checking if I was okay with him turning the light off and when I didn't stop him from it, the room was covered in darkness as he flipped the switch.