True to his word, Tomoya returned home around lunch time.

When he walked through the door and slid off his shoes I threw a handful of pudding on his face.

"Hey! Is this how you welcome your dear brother?"

"I'm sorry oniichan. I got too excited."

He gave me a warm smile and trotted up to his bedroom. I followed along, floating in his wake.

I watched him change out of his clothes and jump into the shower.

"Why don't you join me?"

"Okay~"

I focused my mind on dematerializing the clothes I was wearing. They fell to the floor as I walked through the bathroom door into the shower.

"Can you scrub this spot? I can't reach it."

I grabbed a loofah and prepared to scrub his back.

"Where?" I asked.

"Here."

"Here?"

"No. Here."

"You mean here?"

"Stop messing around."

"Why don't you touch it so I know where to aim."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"If I could reach it I wouldn't need your help!"

"How about here?"

"Why are you scrubbing my toes!?"

"You said you couldn't reach it."

"I can touch my own damn toes!"

"Jeez. I was just trying to help."

An agitated voice came from behind the bathroom door, "Tomo! Come quick! I need your help."

I stopped scrubbing his back just as he wiped the soap from his eyes.

"What is it mom? Did you burn the souffle again? I thought we talked about this. We only cook western dishes on the weekends."

"That's not it sweety. There's a giant spider thing under my bed. Come get rid of it!"

He raised an eyebrow in my direction but I just shrugged innocently and handed him a towel.

"I'll be down in a sec. Just hold on."

When we left the bathroom, Tomoya's mom had already gone downstairs.

I tried on several of his old clothes from when he was about eleven years old, since I didn't have many clothes of my own.

Tomoya was always big for his age, and way taller than the average Asian. So, rather than toss out what he had outgrown, I got the benefit of hand-me-downs.

Yay for me right?

Wrong.

His mother picks out most of what he wears. And surprisingly, her outdated fashion sense is still a few decades ahead of his.

Right now he was half a centimeter away from hitting a meter-eighty and I'm somewhere in the ball park of a meter-sixty-four.

I drink plenty of milk though, so fingers crossed.

I slipped on a bulky, white tank top and stole a pair of gym shorts from his closet.

What? No one can see me anyway.

Although I'd really like a few, new outfits...

While we're on the subject of what to wear, believe it or not, Tomoya actually tried to get his mom to buy me some clothes. But c'mon, who would be willing to buy their son clothing for their imaginary friend?

Still, I appreciated the effort.

Of course we could always use his allowance to buy me new stuff. But honestly, given the choice between a fancy ensemble that no one except the clueless Tomoya will see me wear or the latest, greatest kickass video game, which one would you choose?

Besides, shopping at the local strip mall has its own challenges. People just weren't accustomed to having items fly off the shelves and disappear into thin air.

Tomoya was already rushing downstairs, having worn a baggy sweater and loose sweatpants.

Basically, the same dull combination he wears everyday.

I guess its no big deal, since he doesn't go out much.

And I don't think it would be appropriate to call him a hikikomori... since he has yours truly keeping him company.