In Love With My Hot Stepbrothers

Haru

The first time I met Aiden Davis was when I was eight years old, when Mom, my older half-brother Reo, and I had just arrived in New York and landed at the airport. It was during winter, and I had a terrible cold during the entire flight.

Aiden, who was sixteen years old at the time, walked up to me, took my small cold hands into his large warm ones, and said, "Hello, Haru. My name is Aiden. I've heard so much about you from Dad, and I'm glad to finally meet you. We're going to be brothers soon. Isn't that great? I'm going to take good care of you."

All I could do was stare at his refreshing smile, mesmerized. For an eight-year-old half-Japanese boy who had lived in a small town all his life where there were hardly any Westerners around, I found the sight of Aiden fascinating. I thought his blond hair and hazel-green eyes beautiful.

I felt drawn to him.

Brothers? We were going to be brothers, he said, and it made my heart swell with joy that we were going to be one big happy family: Mom; my new dad, Michael Davis; new brothers, Aiden, Noah, Mason, and Isaac; and Reo and me.

That joy, however, only lasted five years, because just after their fifth wedding anniversary, Mom and Stepdad passed away in a motor vehicle accident. That joy had swiftly and unapologetically turned to sorrow. Slowly and surely though, that sorrow turned to determination, hard work, and eventually joy again, because us six brothers had stuck together through thick and thin. For me personally, that joy started turning to agony three years ago, all for a different reason, and the handsome face that had used to mesmerize me now pissed me off.

"Haru? Wake up! It's already half past seven." Aiden's deep-timbred voice insistently nagged at me.

I flashed my eyes open and stared at the face that never failed to please a woman, the face that made my heart ache.

My heart skipped, which only managed to annoy me even more at such an early hour of the morning.

I groaned in protest and rolled over, giving my back to him. Damn, but I didn't want to see him so cheerful, grinning at me with that ridiculous smile of his. It affected me in a bad way.

I muttered, "Didn't I tell you not to come into my room? Privacy, Aiden, privacy."

Aiden laughed wholeheartedly. "Sorry, but I can't help myself. Old habits die hard since I'm always the one to wake you up. You always sleep so deeply, which is adorable." He chuckled, as if he found that amusing.

Who found an eighteen-year-old sleeping adorable, anyway?

"You'd better get up; otherwise, you're going to be late for your part-time job," he said as a reminder.

I said, "I'll get up once you've made yourself scarce."

I knew I sounded snarky, but I couldn't help myself. Seeing him first thing in the morning was the best and worst thing to me. Damn, but my heart still hadn't stopped racing since he'd appeared.

Aiden chuckled merrily. He was always like that with his easygoing attitude, taking everything I said as a joke and lightly brushing it aside.

He said, "You know, you used to like my face, a lot. You used to always stare at my face and comment on how much you liked it."

I felt him sitting on the side of my bed and then leaning on the lumpy cocoon of my body.

He continued, as if perplexed, "What happened?"

What happened? Really? What the hell happened?

I wanted to yell at him, "You happened!"

I fell for you, for God's sake. Hard!

Hiding the forbidden feelings I had for him, I grumbled into the pillow, "People change."

"What was that, Haru? Did you say something?"

I flipped the duvet away from me, sat up straight, and muttered, "I said people change."

Aiden gave me a warm smile. "So, you're finally awake. About time." He reached out and tousled my bed hair. "Good morning, Haru. How was your sleep?"

I brushed his hand away from my head, my face hot with embarrassment. If I told him I had masturbated while thinking about him last night before going to sleep, and the fact that during sleep, I also dreamed of doing him, which made me so deliriously happy, would that count as a good night's sleep?

I muttered, "It's okay. Sleep is sleep."

Aiden cocked his head to one side. "You're moody today."

I put my hand on his chest and pushed him off my bed. Damn, but I felt so uncool that I had to put in quite a bit of effort just to make him move. The fact that he was bigger than me was something that always riled me up. With that type of athletic physique and such a gorgeous face and charming smile, who wasn't going to fall for him? Ever since high school, there had always been strings of girlfriends attached to him.

Sometimes, I wondered what happened to me, the runt of the family. Reo, my half-brother, wasn't like me. He-like our stepbrothers Aiden, Noah, and Mason-was at least six feet tall and had an athletic build. Isaac, although he wasn't sternly framed like the rest of his brothers, was still a head above me.

And me? I was barely over five foot five. Barely. Who was going to find me attractive?

When they, the girls, referred to us brothers-the Davises and the Onos-Aiden was always the gorgeous one, Noah the broodingly handsome one, Reo the hot Asian one, Mason the stunning one, Isaac the attractive one, and me the cute one.

Why was I cute? Just because I was below the average height for a male didn't mean they should refer to me as cute.

Once Aiden was finally off my bed, I said, "I'm getting ready, so just leave already."

"I got it. I got it," he said. Before shutting the door behind him, he asked, "Do you want me to drop you off at work?"

I shook my head. "I can bike there. I'm old enough to look after myself. Stop treating me like a kid."

The fact was Aiden was the only person in our family who pampered me and treated me like a kid. My mom, Sana Ono, had never spoiled me when she was alive. Reo, who was four years older than me, and our three other stepbrothers, Noah, Mason, and Isaac, didn't either. They treated me like any normal brother would-close, but not too close. Although I seemed to remember Stepdad had been a little bit like Aiden-overly fond of me and doting on me.

Aiden chuckled. "See? Old habits die hard," he said before closing the door.

Yeah. I guessed old habits did die hard. Like me always running to him, seeking reassurance and comfort whenever I got into trouble, despite being a grown adult. Well, teenage young man, to be precise.

It couldn't be helped. Aiden had been the one solid rock I could lean on when we lost our parents. In fact, as the eldest of the family, he was the only strong brother everyone could lean on for support during that painfully difficult period, despite being only twenty-one years old at the time of our parents' passing.

I sighed, feeling depressed suddenly.

Shit! Here I go again, feeling gloomy.

Hormones. I decided to blame it on the hormones. I was eighteen years old and had never had a girlfriend. Let alone all-out sex. I was still a virgin. I could have gone to parties like most guys my age did, picked up some random girl, and just had a one-night stand like I had tried previously, but the thought didn't sit well with me. The few times I had the courage to take action, I had never managed to go further than saying hello before walking out again, feeling sick to my stomach.

Why the hell couldn't I just be like a normal guy? Why couldn't I just like girls and want to do them? Why couldn't I find boobs attractive?

Fuck! Why did I have to fall in love with Aiden, my own stepbrother?

Why?

Like hell I knew why!

My chest felt tight and painful. It fucking hurt.

With another deep sigh, like some depressed middle-aged man with a midlife crisis, I got off the bed. After grabbing a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and underwear, I headed out of my closet-sized bedroom.

In the hallway of our crammed six-bedroom, no living room, one kitchen-dining-sitting area, one bathroom apartment, I met Noah, the Davises' second brother who was five years older than me and was currently a brand-new university graduate at the age of twenty-four.

"Morning, Haru, you're up later than usual today," he said.

It looked like Noah had just returned from his intensive morning run. His shirt was soaking wet with sweat. Not to mention his forehead and face.

"Yeah," I said. "I didn't go to bed until very late last night."

I didn't add the fact that I was too busy masturbating while thinking about his older brother, Aiden, imagining doing all sorts of perverted stuff to him like kissing him, licking him, and sucking him, especially that large cock of his which I had seen numerous times when we used to bathe together when I was younger.

Couldn't be helped. The family wasn't well off, and with only one bathroom to share among six brothers, taking baths together was the only solution to saving money on the power bill. And Aiden had always been the one to bathe with me, and when you bathe, you get naked, and when you get naked, well, you were bound to see parts of the human anatomy that weren't revealed when you had clothes on.

"I know it's summer break and all," Noah said, "but it's only your first week on the job, right? You really don't want to give your employer a bad impression."

Noah, the perfectionist, never failed to lecture me on my too chillaxed attitude where life was concerned. For him, life needed to be taken seriously.

I said, "I won't be late. I'll bike there as soon as I'm done showering."

After all, I couldn't afford to lose the job, since I needed money. I refused to solely depend on Aiden where that was concerned. As the only one with a stable income in the family, he had to pay a shitload of bills, not to mention there were six very hungry mouths to feed. Boys' appetites could be extra expensive.

"After showering and then breakfast, you mean," Noah said firmly. "Breakfast is an important meal of the day, Haru. You just don't eat right-that's why you don't grow properly."

His words hit me right where it hurt most. My size.

I said, "Well, excuse me for dramatically bringing down the family's average height, but I can't help that I stopped growing at fifteen."

Noah must have realized his words pissed me off because he took a step forward and patted my head, like all the brothers did. It was their habit to pet me when I lost my temper. I guessed that was how you get treated when you were the youngest in the family.

"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just watching out for you."

"I know," I said.

Yes, I knew he was watching out for me, as all the brothers did. After all, that incident when I had collapsed at school from severe malnutrition had scared them shitless. Not to mention the drama that followed with social services.

"I'll have breakfast before I go," I promised.

Noah tousled my hair as he said, "Good boy."

I brushed his hand away and asked, "Can I use the bathroom first? I have work at nine today."

Noah nodded. "Go ahead."

"Thanks," I said as I turned on my heel.

At the bathroom door, I knocked, knowing one brother or another was currently in there using the facilities.

The door opened a moment later, and Isaac, the Davises' fourth brother and a year older than me, appeared.

"Oh, Haru. Morning. The bathroom is all yours."

"Thanks," I said, nodding.

Once Isaac left, I slipped in, gladly shutting the door behind me. Honestly, I thought, once I had saved enough money from my part-time jobs, I'd find myself a small, very affordable apartment to live in while studying. Sharing a place with five other brothers was no fun at all, especially when you're sickly in love with one of them.

Yep. I'd be leaving this apartment before summer ended, any brothers' protestations be damned!

Aiden

"What's wrong?" Reo Ono asked from across the dining table as he set his cup of coffee down, his smoky-dark eyes on Aiden Davis, the family's eldest brother.

Aiden raised his blond head and gave his stepbrother a querying look. "What do you mean?"

"You seem preoccupied."

Aiden glanced at his cell phone, noting it was already ten to eight. "Am I?" he asked, now glancing at the door for signs of Haru.

Reo sighed, knowing all too well what was bothering him. "If Haru is going to be late for his job, then it's his own fault."

Aiden said, his voice firm, "I'm his eldest brother. I can't let him be late for work."

Reo leaned forward on the table. "You're not his mother, Aiden. Stop pampering him and start finding yourself a permanent girlfriend already."

Noah, who appeared at the door at that moment, said, "I concur."

Aiden frowned. "How the hell are those two related?" He picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip while Noah and Reo looked at each other.

When he put the cup down again, he said, "Besides, whether I choose to have a girlfriend or not isn't any of your business, either one of you." His tone was firm as he stared at his brother and then stepbrother. His expression was clear. Stay out of his love life.

Reo shrugged his broad shoulders as if it were of no importance to him. "Sure, bro, whatever you say. If you want to be single for the rest of your life, then that has nothing to do with us. If you want to grow old and lonely, that also has nothing to do with us."

Aiden raised a brow, a slight smile playing across his lips. "Is that sarcasm I hear from you, Reo?" he asked in amusement.

Reo chuckled and gave Aiden a cheeky smile in return. "Sarcasm? Like I'd use it on you."

As he made his way toward the sink, Noah asked, "Is Mason up yet?" He poured himself a glass of water and then drank to his heart's content.

Aiden said, "Still in bed."

Reo nodded. "He didn't come home until four this morning. I heard him making a lot of noise in his bedroom next door."

Noah said, "He really should stop working at that bar. I know he gets really good pay, but, man, it's no life working night shift."

Reo added, "And studying at the same time. I don't know how he does it."

Aiden, his eyes on the door searching for signs of Haru again, said, "It's not so hard once you're used to it."

Noah chuckled. "So the father of the house says. We know you're a workaholic, Aiden, but it doesn't mean Mason has to be one, too. Besides, it's not like we can't afford to pay the bills anymore now that the mortgage is finally paid off."

Reo nodded. "Maybe we should talk to him when he's up? Reducing work hours would be a good idea, considering he's in his third year at the university now. There should be quite a bit of a workload, right?"

Both Noah and Reo turned their eyes to Aiden, expecting him to take charge, as always.

Aiden, knowing this was one of his many responsibilities as the head of the family, nodded. "I'll talk to him when he's up."

On cue, Mason, the Davises' third brother, sitting at twenty-two years of age, appeared at the door. He was still in his sleepwear and his honey-blond hair was a bed-style mess. He yawned loudly as he came to sit beside Reo.

"Morning, everyone," he greeted.

Reo said, "You're up early for going to bed so late at night."

With his eyes half closed, Mason reached out for a piece of toast. "I got hungry in my sleep. I'm going back to bed after breakfast."

Noah nodded. "Good call."

It wasn't long before both Noah and Reo turned their eyes to Aiden and signaled for him to initiate the discussion.

Aiden put his cup of coffee down and began. "Mason, we need to talk about your job at the bar."

Mason let out another big yawn as he nodded. "Sure. You want me to quit or reduce my hours?"

None of the brothers were surprised at Mason's words because he was one of the most easygoing and considerate guys they knew. He'd do anything to make the family happy.

Aiden said, "Reducing your hours would be great, especially if you don't have to work so late anymore. But quitting that job is an option, too. I'm sure, with your abilities, finding another job won't be hard."

Mason nodded. "Sure, I'll talk to my manager about reducing my hours. But I won't quit just yet. I like having my own money."

Aiden nodded in understanding while both Noah and Reo grinned. Discussion closed, easy as per usual where Mason was concerned.

A moment later, Noah asked Aiden, "Didn't you say yesterday you have a meeting with a client this afternoon?"

Aiden nodded. As a real estate agent, there were no set work hours. Saturday, such as today, was also a workday if his clients demanded him.

"The client wants to inspect a few of the apartments she liked."

"What part of New York are they looking at?" Reo asked.

"Upper East Side."

Noah whistled in appreciation.

"That's going to be quite a commission," Mason said.

Aiden nodded. "If everything goes well, then yes."

Noah finally moved from where he stood near the sink and took a seat across the dining table.

Reo eyed him with a frown. "Why are you still in your running gear?"

Reaching out for a slice of toast, Noah said, "Haru's in the bathroom."

Reo smirked. "How considerate of you. You should have gone in first and made him late for work."

At this comment, Aiden chimed in. "Maybe we should find another apartment. One with at least two bathrooms."

"And six bedrooms?" Noah asked with raised brows. "That's not going to be easy to find."

Mason nodded in agreement. "It's going to be very expensive. Do we even need to move? We're doing fine living here, aren't we?"

Reo felt the need to add, "Rightly so. And can we actually afford to do that, anyway? I know we're far better off than we used to be, but you're the only one with a stable income. And besides, do you actually want to sell this apartment? It's Mom and Stepdad's legacy, you know. They worked really hard on the renovation to fit everyone in."

Aiden glanced around the open-plan kitchen-dining-sitting area. This had been the first and only home their father, Michael Davis, and stepmother, Sana Ono, had bought for the whole family to live in after their marriage ten years ago.

He remembered the good old days when all six brothers used to sleep in the living room while both parents worked tirelessly renovating; knocking down walls, putting them up again, and then painting and decorating, which all had been done after their full-time jobs, from evening to the early hours of the morning and throughout the weekends. Once it had finally been completed six months later, the three-bedroom apartment had turned into a four-bedroom, large living room, and an open-plan kitchen-dining room apartment, where it was always noisy and lively.

At the time, apart from the master bedroom that their parents occupied, Aiden himself had shared a room with Haru while Noah shared with Reo and Mason with Isaac.

Thinking back to those days made Aiden's chest ache with nostalgia. Sharing a room with Haru had been so much fun. In winter when it had been too cold, little Haru would crawl into his bed and snuggle into his arms. Then when their parents passed away, Haru had refused to sleep in his own bed. Aiden had known the boy had been afraid to lose another member of his big family and had clung on to all of them, especially Aiden. Of course, Aiden himself had found having Haru close helped him ease the pain and sorrow he had felt during the difficult time.

He was the eldest of the family and had to be strong to support his younger siblings since they had no relatives to speak of to rely on. Their dad, Michael Davis, and dead biological mother, Annie Davis, had both been only children. As for Reo and Haru, their only uncle was in Japan and therefore couldn't do much to help.

To be strong and offer his strength selflessly to his brothers at the age of twenty-one had been truly tiring. So Aiden had secretly leaned on Haru for comfort in those small dark hours, which had truly been a blessing.

That blessing didn't last long, however, because when Haru had turned fifteen years old, he announced that he'd turn the walk-in closet into his bedroom, any protestation from the brothers be damned.

That was when Aiden decided a rearrangement was necessary so the brothers could all have their own bedrooms. Hence, Aiden had turned the living room into his own sanctuary while Noah, Reo, Mason, and Isaac picked their desired bedrooms. Haru had still stubbornly wanted the walk-in closet as his bedroom even after Aiden suggested they share the living room since it was the largest, thinking space was the problem.

"There's no way I'm sharing a room with you, Aiden," Haru had said. "If you guys aren't going to help me take down the shelves, then that's fine. I'll do it by myself."

Of course, in the end, they all worked together and managed to turn the walk-in closet into a decent-sized room, which had just enough space to fit in a single bed, a study desk and chair, and a set of drawers for Haru's clothes.

This apartment had been their home for ten years now, and they had been through a lot while living in it, experiencing the good, the fun, and the sad, painful times. The thought of selling it just didn't sit right with any of them.

"No," Aiden said. "I don't want to sell it. It has too many memories." He chuckled. "Although I do have enough savings for a deposit, if we're going to buy a new apartment."

Reo said, "That savings is yours, Aiden. We have been leeching off you enough already. Besides, it won't be long until some of us will be moving out."

Aiden frowned over this and said firmly, "Nobody is moving out anytime soon."

Shit! He knew he was acting unreasonable when it came to his brothers' parting, but he couldn't help himself. The thought of any one of them leaving just made him feel sick to his stomach.

Noah said, "Well, I certainly won't be moving out any time soon. Also, newly graduated here. About to start full-time work next week at one of the biggest gaming companies in New York. So technically, that's going to be two stable incomes."

Reo said, "Hmm... Does that mean we'll be able to afford a vacation soon?"

Noah said, "Maybe?"

Isaac came in, whistling a happy tune. "Morning, all bros," he greeted. "What's for breakfast? And what are you all chattin' about? I heard vacation? Where are we going? When? Can I bring my friends along?"

Mason said, "Breakfast is same old. Toast and scrambled eggs. No vacation just yet."

Rubbing his hands together, Isaac said, "Toast and scrambled eggs are good enough for me." He took a seat beside Aiden and started gathering his morning meal onto a large plate. "No vacation is fine, too."

He was just popping a forkful of creamy scrambled eggs into his mouth when Haru finally appeared.

Dressed in a pair of jeans and a light-gray T-shirt, his dark hair wet from his recent shower, he looked fresh and alert.

He said, "I'm off now. See you guys later."

He was just turning around and about to leave again when Noah said, "Breakfast, Haru. Breakfast."

Aiden got up from his seat and came to stand behind him. "I'll drop you off. Now have some breakfast," he said, wrapping his hand around Haru's arm.

Haru

The feeling of Aiden's warm hand around my arm made my heart race and my stupid dick respond in the most inappropriate way. Shit! And I had just jerked off in the shower, too, all while imagining doing it with Aiden.

Youth could be so damned hard to deal with.

I moved my arm away from his touch. My face hot and probably red, I said, "All right. All right. I'll have breakfast." Just so he would leave me alone.

Honestly, the only way to make Aiden rest his case was to do what he demanded of me. In this instance, eating breakfast.

Taking a step back, I raised my gaze to his face and said insistently and clearly, "But you don't have to drop me off. It's not that far anyway, and biking doesn't take long."

With that declaration firmly out of the way, I turned my back on him and took a seat beside Isaac.

As I reached out and got myself a slice of toast, I spied him taking his seat across the table. I could sense that he was watching me intently, like a mother hen, making sure I ate enough to sustain me until lunchtime.

I blamed his overprotective attitude toward me on that incident a year after our parents' deaths. At the time, I had collapsed at school and had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. It was discovered that I was severely malnourished and had depression and anxiety problems. Well, what child didn't, after his parents had just passed away? Especially at the age of fourteen when life itself was one big, crazy mess?

The incident had scared everyone shitless, particularly Aiden, who had been frantic. After I was discharged from the hospital, those lousy social services people had turned up and made a big fuss investigating our living conditions. This had stressed Aiden out to the max as he had been the sole guardian of us brothers under the age of eighteen-Mason, Isaac, and, of course, me.

Aiden had worked his ass off convincing the case manager that he was a capable guardian and that they didn't need to remove any of us from his care, despite working various part-time jobs with ridiculous hours to support us while studying for a business degree at the same time.

At the end of the review, they decided to take me away, which made Aiden go berserk and only worsened the already dire situation. To this day, I still remember that fateful morning when the social services woman came to drag me away. I had been crying my eyeballs out and clinging desperately to Aiden. In fact, I had been so scared of losing Aiden and all my brothers that I went into overdrive with fear and anxiety and collapsed right there at the doorstep.

Once again, I was hospitalized, and of course, the social services woman was scolded by the higher-ups for her highhandedness. Eventually, another manager was put on our case, and after another thorough review, she convinced us that taking me away was for the best and it would only be for a short time, until my health stabilized.

Before they came to take me away, Aiden had assured me that everything would be all right.

"Look at me, Haru," he had said, his warm hands cupping my teary face as we sat there on the hospital bed. "I will come back to get you. We're family, and I promised to take good care of you, didn't I? You know I will never abandon you." He hugged me tight and even kissed my forehead to soothe me, convincing me of his devotion. "You're precious to me, Haru, and I seriously won't know what to do if I don't have you with me."

His words had managed to calm me down and put my fears at ease. We even did a pinky swear. Yeah, at the age of fourteen, I did a pinky swear.

Three months later, the agency did another review, and because my health was a little better, I was able to return home, which was a relief to everyone, especially Aiden, who had been overjoyed and wouldn't let me out of his sight henceforth.

I remembered we had spent the whole weekend partying and sleeping in the living room, Japanese style, for my homecoming. It had been the first time any of us had smiled and laughed from the heart since our parents' deaths. The first time any of us had felt like we were alive again.

Thinking about those days made my heart ache, and I couldn't help myself and sneaked a peek at Aiden, who still had his gaze fixed on me.

Our eyes met, and my heart skipped. I glanced away, my body tense.

Shit! That gaze was so freakin' intense. Suddenly, I lost my appetite.

"You don't need to watch him eat, Aiden," Reo said. "I'm sure he knows where his mouth is and how to chew his food properly."

Reo's comment made me choke on the food I had just eaten, and I started coughing severely.

Beside me, Isaac offered me his glass of water. He said, "Jesus, Haru, slow down. No need to rush with the eating."

I gladly took the offered drink and downed the lot in one go.

Aiden said, "I'll pick you up after you've finished your shift at the restaurant tonight."

Feeling much better now that I was no longer choking on my own meal, I put the empty glass down on the table and said, "I told you, I'm fine coming back by myself."

"At midnight on a Saturday?" Aiden asked. "You looking the way you do doesn't help the fact that it's not safe. I have no idea how many times one of us have had to intervene and save you from those types of bastards already."

By those types of bastards, he meant questionable men who were apparently obsessed with boys like me and made it their hobby to stalk and jump me along the dark streets of New York City at night.

My face heated up at Aiden's statement. Firstly, because I was embarrassed at the reminder. Secondly, because Aiden's words hit me right where it hurt-me being treated like some damsel in distress. And thirdly, because I hated those bastards who always seemed to pick me to stalk. I was an eighteen-year-old boy, for God's sake, not some pretty girl oozing with sex appeal.

Reo said, "It can't be helped you looking like that, Haru. Mom said you have the gene from our ancestor back in Japan."

I raised my eyes to Reo, wondering what that heartthrob was spouting about now.

Isaac asked, "What type of gene is that?"

"The Shrine Maiden gene," Reo replied.

Isaac raised his brows. "Shrine Maiden gene? Is that even a thing?"

Reo shrugged his broad shoulders. "I think it just means a certain type of appearance. The ancestor from our mom's side of the family used to have one every generation. It's always a female though, and she said that person is apparently supposed to be very beautiful."

He turned his gaze to me as he continued. "Mom said you look just like the Shrine Maiden on her side of the family-her grandmother, to be precise. Another was our great-grandmother."

He smiled cheekily at me, probably to tease me, as was his habit. "She also said our great-grandmother was petite and so pretty in her younger days that the family had a hard time keeping her safe. One guy even attempted to kidnap her. When they caught him, he said it was Great-Grandmother's fault because she put a spell on him, being a Shrine Maiden and all."

Isaac couldn't help himself at hearing the ridiculous tale and burst out laughing.

I frowned at Isaac and said coldly, "It's not funny."

Isaac managed to calm down and wipe his tears. He said, as he wrapped his arm around my neck and tousled my hair, "So, you have your great-grandmother's gene, the Shrine Maiden gene. That's awesome. That just means we will have to work harder to protect you from creepy old men who want to fuck you."

That guy! Being extremely blunt as per usual. Like I'd want to be fucked by some creepy old man.

If I wanted some under-the-sheet action, it would be with Aiden, and with me taking the lead.

Mason, who was half asleep throughout the whole narration, chuckled. "You have my sympathy, Haru." He rested his chin on his hand as he leaned on the tabletop, his eyes on me. "You need to become a man as soon as possible. It will solve that problem."

Isaac eagerly nodded in agreement. "And that means getting yourself a girlfriend and losing your virginity."

I had had enough of this silly talk. Suddenly, we were talking about my virginity now, were we? Like that was a public topic open for discussion.

Reo looked as though he couldn't contain himself and joined in the band of harassment, too. "That's right, you're still a virgin. Most of us lost ours when we were sixteen or seventeen."

God! He made it sound like it was a crime to still be a virgin at eighteen.

Noah joined in. "Aiden lost his when he was sixteen. I think it was on his sixteenth birthday, too. Wasn't it with that popular cheerleader from high school? I remember she was hot."

That was news to me. Aiden had lost his virginity to a hot cheerleader from his high school at sixteen?

Sixteen? When I had first met Aiden, he had already been sixteen, nearly turning seventeen. That meant he had already kissed and had sex with some hot chick way before he had met me.

I didn't know why, but suddenly, I felt a little pissed at the thought of that.

Aiden said, his voice firm, "Please stop talking about my sorry past, and it's normal for boys to do that sort of thing at that age."

Noah nodded. "It's a teenager thing. Most go through it."

Reo said cheekily, "Most. So, we can confirm Haru is in the minority here? And will not likely lose his virginity?"

Isaac shook his head. "Nah, Haru is just late. Maybe it's because of the malnutrition that ruined his growth."

He leaned toward me and whispered, "Is your little brother down there doing all right? I mean, you know, getting hard and stuff? Do you need some porn magazine or DVD to get you going? I can lend you some of mine. I know you don't read or watch porn, but that's because you're late, but if you're interested, I'm here to help, bro."

I wouldn't be so pissed with embarrassment if Isaac didn't act so suspicious in front of everyone as if we were conspiring on taking down the world, like a duo of infamous villains. The fact that his voice was so loud for a whisper meant that everyone in the room could hear him, crystal clear.

I noted Mason trying to hide his smile while Reo and Noah grinned with obvious enjoyment at seeing my deep dark secret being revealed for all to hear. As for Aiden? He was still staring at me, his eyes so dark and intense it made my heart race and my stomach flip in dread.

God! I didn't want to face him.

Was it so abnormal for a boy not to read porn? Was it so abnormal for a boy to stare at his handsome brother and get hard while fantasizing about fucking him?

Of course, it was abnormal. God! I knew I was a sicko. A creepy weirdo.

Reo was still chuckling away with hilarity, and I glared at him, wanting so much to strangle his neck.

Being my biological brother, he should be on my side and understand my case. It wasn't like I wasn't struggling with my problem swinging the other way. Not to mention the fact that I also had unrequited love with Aiden and wanted so badly to kiss and fuck him that it made my head spin sometimes.

The hormones! It was the hormones.