On Papa's side, Uta is the first of four grandchildren. He is the oldest, and a little uncertain of what this role means to him. He likes to talk about how he will always be the oldest, in three years, or seven, or even one hundred years. He does the math to prove his point. In seven years Uta will be fourteen, Yoshi will be eleven, Ayana will be eight, and Kizuki will be seven. Sometimes being the oldest means giving up a toy that is rightfully yours, pretending to lose a game, taking your turn last, and setting a good example at the table. Uta is great about it most of the time. He dutifully finishes his dinner so that the others will follow suit, corals the little kids into safer areas to play, and performs funny antics to make everyone laugh. But after a few day of this, his patience dries up and he has to find an opportunity to have a good cry, punch his dad in the back, or throw a tantrum over something inane, like putting on socks. After that, he is refreshed, and ready to once again embrace his place in the family. Being responsible is hard work.
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