If Clementine had to ever write a College Essay, he would write it about Manga.

An art form from a foreign place, slowly spreading to other areas of the world and gaining popularity. It was not unusual to find Manga in Bookstores everywhere nowadays. Some enjoy reading it, while others love it. Some are casual readers, while others wait with bated breath for the next issue. Even those who are not necessarily a fan of it, are neutral about it.

But then there are those who hate it. Who cannot stand its existence and prosecute those who read it. They cannot accept that others could enjoy it- could read something they cannot stand. So they shame them. Make their lives miserable with their hate. Make “reading Manga” something to be hidden- a dirty little secret, when they cannot help what they enjoy, making them hate it themselves eventually.

And yet, Mangas are just Comics from a different place, with only their name and the format being the difference while being fundamentally the same.

His brother would probably say that manga is a weird thing to compare his Life to; but if the shoe fits…

Actually, knowing his brother, Reuben would likely just smile in exasperation before sitting down and helping him with it. That was just the type of person his brother was. Times like these make Clementine feel undeserving of this unconditional love. What made Clementine worth it, spending most of his time and attention on his little brother, when he could be with his peers? What would it take to lose it? When would Reuben realize that his darling younger brother-

Stop. Breathe. There is no need to fret over this. Clementine rubbed his face and sighed. He was so tired of thinking sometimes. Them moving here was messing with his head in ways he could not have imagined at the start. He tried to relax, letting his body rest limp on the bedcovers. The sudden sound of knocking made him sit up from his bed. With a creak, the face of his brother appeared from the door. “Clemt, are you busy right now?”

“Yeah? Uh, no- I’m free. What’s up?” His brother opened his mouth but hesitated, biting his lip. He was weirded out to see Reuben so nervous. It only made him nervous too. “Ben? You ok?”

Reuben took a measured breath in before nodding with an unsteady conviction. “I’m fine. Could you come into the living room for a moment?”

“Suuure…?” Clementine said, unsure. Getting up, he followed Reuben to the living room where he saw Phil sitting on the couch. So Phil was part of this. Phil smiled, appearing just as nervous as Reuben, and waved. Clementine lamely waved back and moved to sit down in the armchair whilst Reuben sat down next to Phil.

Back when they first moved to the other side of the Country, it was a huge adjustment for Reuben and Clementine, their only solace were the Barnett Siblings- old friends from their childhood. And seeing Phil and his younger sister again was nice, even under these strange circumstances. They all saw each other almost every day. Especially Reuben and Phil, who clicked instantly and were attached at the hip. It was not unusual to have Phil over nowadays; his presence brought a breath of fresh air to their flat which Clementine learned to appreciate greatly.

Reuben took a moment to compose himself. “I want-” Phil gently knocked his shoulder against Reuben’s, who shot him a glare before looking back at Clementine, his eyes suddenly finding it hard to stay on him. “We want to tell you something. It’s nothing bad! (Or at least, it shouldn’t be-) And we feel like you should know.” He finished his probably rehearsed speech. Once done, the two briefly glanced at each other.

Clementine watched them silently. Something is going on between those two...

“It’s something that has been a long time coming. This last year just reaffirmed it,” his brother said. “And you, of all people, deserve the truth the most.”

Clementine jolted upright in his seat. “You shouldn’t feel pressured to tell me,” he interjected, his hand waving frantically. “Especially if it is so important to you.”

Phil smiled at him.“But we want to. And we want to trust you,” He glanced at Reuben,” just as much as you trust us.”

Clementine felt conflicted, feeling somewhat guilty that they felt the need to do this, but he sat back and gestured them to continue.

“You know how Phil and I spend so much time together? And how recently Phil even stays the night over?”

He nodded, thinking of the clothes and toiletries Phil had been leaving around. Honestly, it got to the point that it feels weird when Phil wasn’t around.

“That is because…” His mouth opened but no sound came out. Reuben scowled at that. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. “Phil and I…”

Phil slung his arm over Reuben’s shoulder and squeezed, showing his support and silent encouragement. It only made Reuben gasp as if he was suffocating, tears starting to well up in his terrified eyes.

Clementine’s eyes widened. He never saw his brother so overwhelmed and scared to the point of tears, not even during the most difficult of times.

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He walked over and kneeled down before his brother, taking his hand in his and simply held it. The Brothers’ eyes met, fearful eyes meeting yet reassuring ones. “Take your time. I can wait.” As disconcerting as it was to see his older brother like that, Clementine could not stand being the cause of Reuben’s distress in any way.

For a moment, they all just sat in silence, the tension eased as Reuben calmed down.

“...I just don’t want to lose you…,” whispered Reuben horsly.

Clementine’s heart broke. “And I you.”

“I could drive you away.”

“Nothing could.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“But I can promise to hear you out.”

“...”

Blinking tears out of his eyes, Reuben let out a strained laugh. “I’m making a bigger deal out of it than it actually is.”

Clementine smiled sheepishly. “You worry too much sometimes.”

Reuben glared at him, though there was no heat behind it. “Like you’re the one to talk.”

Taking deep breaths, Reuben opened his mouth and said in a quiet, shy voice. “I’m Gay.”

The room was silent. Reuben watched Clementine’s reaction, who just looked at him stunned. “And Phil is my Boyfriend. We’ve been together for almost two months.”

As Clementine still did not react, the couple began to fidget in their seats. They were surprised when he threw himself at Reuben, laughter bubbling out of him.

“Oh my god, you really-” Clementine pulled back and looked at the two- “You thought I would think badly of you for this?!”

“We didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Phil explained, slumped back into the couch, visibly relieved.

“You were wrong,” Clementine exclaimed, laughing and hugging his brother, a few tears in his eyes in pure relief. “I could never hate something that makes Ben happy!” Abruptly pulling back, he looked his brother in the eyes. “You are happy, right?”

Dazed, Reuben chortled, happy tears filling his eyes as an invisible weight lifted off his shoulder. “I am. I am happy. I’m overjoyed because my little brother and boyfriend are here, with me; my most important people whom I love so much.” He lurched forward and crushed Clementine in a tight embrace, even roping Phil into it by pulling him into the hug.

The evening that started so tense, dissolved into a fun night of games and spending time with each other, appreciating having their loved ones with them.

Whilst Clementine had his reprehension about the move, he would never regret his time here. Of course, there will always be the rotten apples of the bunch, but the people he met here make it worth it. Who cares if they had to move across the country, or that the School is really weird! Clementine is happy with how things are. And Reuben is also…

It was a sobering thought that night. Lying in bed, his mood sank when the realisation came. Reuben is scared of coming out. And it was not that thought that was what scared him. It was normal to be scared of Coming Out’, Clementine knew that. No, it was for a different reason. Even if Reuben was not scared of coming out, he still would be afraid. Because they would make sure of that.

Them. The people that cut you down if you stand out too much, like a gardener pulling out the weed. A group known by everyone in the school; unnamed and its members anonymous, making you think twice about who you ought to befriend.

The one thing threatening his brother’s happiness.

Clementine frowned, clenching his jaw. They were more known and feared by the Chancy than by the Leery: those two being the categories students are separated by in the school. No one knows how the selection is decided, only that age is irrelevant to it, as the students will be put in classes according to their intellectual level.

The Chancy are much more aware of this Group; it is speculated among the C-Students that most members are a Chancy. This causes great tension within the student body. All the whilst, the L-Students would keep their distance due to their odd and paranoid behaviour.

Clementine and Phil’s younger sister were C-Students. He knew the dangers of his brother’s relationship- even if Reuben himself was unaware of that. It made Clementine feel so bad and dirty, but he was glad in the end, that Reuben was so hesitant about revealing his relationship. Because not even the Leery are safe from them.

This relationship- this secret could not come out. Just one wrong word to the wrong person and-

Clementine took a stuttering breath.

Staring at the ceiling, he huffed, making his hands into fists as reality sank in. His brother might not know, but he does. He knew of what was at stake. And he was determined to help bring the happy ending Reuben deserved! All he had to do was deal with the group that had always been around as far as he knew and who no one knew anything about!

Oh boy…

I can at least try.