Hello people of AFF! So as promised here is the new revised version of my story. People who have read it before will notice some subtle changes and notice that I have split the original first picture into two chapters. I just felt the original was too long so this is a much better length. I'll be posting chapter two within the next few days and chapter three sometime next week! Enjoy and leave a comment telling me what you think <3

“Joe? Joe! Joseph where are you?” I shouted, scanning the hotel lobby. Ugh, just what I needed after a long day of sightseeing. Of course the moment I’m tasked to watch my siblings one of them disappears on me. My dad had gone to the washroom and my mum was still out shopping a couple of blocks away leaving me in charge of my three younger siblings and as luck would have it, I lost one of them within the first two minutes. What a great way to start off the vacation: losing my 5 year old brother in Japan.

“Dylan, Amber you sit here and don’t move while I try and find Joe” I said as I steered them over to some chairs by the reception desk. Dylan and Joe were twins while Amber was two years older than them and much easier to deal with than her younger brothers. This showed when Amber nodded easily at my order and quietly went to playing with her new doll. Dylan on the other hand…

“But Kayla” he whined, “I wanna come with you!” I shook my head,

“No way, I’ll be able to find Joe much faster if I don’t have to worry about you two. Here,” I took out my iPod touch from my bag, “you can play with this till I get back, now stay put!”

"But..."

"No buts. Either you sit here with the iPod or you sit behind the reception desk without it"

Giving him my "If you don't listen to your big sister you'll be getting a smack upside the head™" glare. After a couple of seconds of us glaring at each other (well I was glaring, his was more like an adorable pout) he finally gave in with a promise to behave. I managed to have the receptionist agree to keep an eye on them while I was gone and I headed off to search the crowded lobby. Five minutes later I was still minus a child and starting to get frustrated.
“How the hell can it be so hard to find a blonde five year old boy?” I muttered as I scanned the sea of dark hair. Another couple of minutes passed and I was starting to panic. Calling Joe’s name louder and louder as my thoughts turned to the worst-case scenarios. ‘What if he’s been kidnapped, or wandered outside and been hit by a car, or fell down an elevator shaft!’

Finally the sound of English amongst the babble of Japanese caught my attention. Turning towards the sound I finally caught a glimpse of my brother’s blonde hair. “Joe!” I called out in relief as I found him; crying and clutching a stranger’s leg, but seemingly unharmed with the man - who seemed a little frightened having a small crying child attached to him - and not knowing what else to do, was trying to calm him down in broken English. Hurrying across the lobby I dropped to my knees and pulled him off the man and into a bone-crushing hug.

“Joseph Wyatt Neil don’t you ever wander off like that again, you scared me half to death” I croaked.

"Ah ah, ahem"

My head snapped up at the sound of the stranger clearing his throat above me; realizing I completely forgot about the other man I scrambled to my feet, still clutching Joe I gave the man a deep bow.

"Um, is he alright? He asked in accented English.

"Yes. Thank you so much for finding him, I don't know what I would have done if..." I trailed off as I finally came out of my bow and finally got a good look at the mans face.
 
Staring at the man that found my brother I couldn't help but feel a ping of recognition in the back of my mind. Even though his face was partially covered by his large sunglasses I could swear that I knew him from somewhere but I couldn't place where.

Lost in thought I studied the familiar man. Short black hair, buzzed on the sides and with his fringe in a subtle "v" shape, earrings adorning both his ears, stylishly dressed with a simple black shirt, tight white pants and leather shoes, a few rings on his hands and of course, his large sunglasses obscuring his eyes and face.
I was jolted out of my thoughts by the jangling of his earrings as he tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing over his sunglasses.

“Is he… yours?” He asked in accented English.

“Yes. Um wait no…” I stuttered, not knowing if he was asking if I was Joe’s mother. My confusing answer only caused his eyebrows to furrow further. “He’s my brother” I clarified. Wracking my brain for my limited Japanese vocabulary I pointed to Joe and said, “Joe” then pointed to myself “Joe’s Onee-chan”. Immediately the furrow disappeared, replaced by a small smile.

“Yah!” he exclaimed clapping his hands. “Anata no otōto!”

Otōto. I think I know that one, it meant little brother. Was he saying that Joe was my little brother?

“Hai” I nodded, hoping I was right. “Thank you for helping my brother… uh” I paused, not sure how to phrase it in Japanese. “Um, Arigato for my otōto” I said, feeling a little awkward. I turned my head to Joe, his face buried in my shoulder and gave him a nudge whispering, “Joseph, say thank you to the nice man. Say arigato.” Peeking out from my shoulder Joe whispered a small arigato. The man’s smile turned into a full-blown grin as he watched my shy little brother burrow his face back into my shoulder. Watching the man grin at my little brother's cuteness I was once again struck by that feeling of familiarity, like I've seen his face many times before, but that just wasn't possible... was it?