I Won't Let Him

Reunion With KEL

OMORI carefully watched as his sister began nervously taking the first step down the stairs.

MARI's knees were shaking pretty severely, to the point where the eyepatched boy was worried that she might buckle and trip by herself. Even though she was holding tightly against the rails, she couldn't seem to make her feet steady.

"This... T-This is normal for me..." MARI reassured, noticing the worried look on his face, "I mean, it's not usually this b-bad... Some days, I can get down the s-stairs easily with no trouble! It's just... for some r-reason, today is just..."

"One of those bad days?" OMORI asked, completely understanding her situation.

"Y-Yeah..." MARI nodded, having a difficult time taking the second step as she nervously brought her foot down.

She gave a gulp as she intensely closed her eyes, her vision getting dizzy from being so high up.

MARI didn't know why today was so much worse compared to any other day. Even on the days that made her stomach churn, she still at least had the willpower and focus to push herself forward so that she could go visit her SUNNY at the hospital.

But now, she could barely even manage to maintain control of her legs.

Why are the stairs so high up? Why did they have to live in a two-story house?

Worst of all, MARI lamented the fact that she was looking so pathetic in front of her little brother by acting like this. She felt ashamed that she couldn't keep up a strong act for him so that he didn't have to worry about her. Yet here she was, shaking like a leaf while walking down a simple flight of stairs. Something she used to be able to do easily so many times back before the incident happened.

A big sister wasn't supposed to be weak like this, damn it...

OMORI knew what it was like to be afraid of heights. It was something he had to live with for a long time before he was finally able to overcome it all by himself.

Seeing MARI suffer through the same situation he once did, it made him sad to see the strong and reliable older sister he always admired reduced to such a miserable state.

"Y-You can go on to the kitchen first..." MARI offered with a forced smile, "You d-don't have to w-wait up for me."

She was just slowing him down at this point. MARI left unsaid.

OMORI shook his head and offered his hand, "Here."

There was no way he could leave her alone like this, no matter what she says.

MARI looked at the outstretched hand with a bit of surprise before glancing up at him.

OMORI gestured his head towards the hand, "Grab tightly and don't let go. I'll help you down."

MARI still looked at the hand dubiously, before saying, "I... I don't want to burden you."

OMORI frowned at this, "You're not a burden. Just take my hand already." He reached his hand closer to her, "Don't you trust me?"

"It's not that, I just..." MARI mumbled nervously, before hesitating. After a bit of consideration, she finally nodded to him and decided to reach out to hold his hand with her own.

"Don't let go, okay?" OMORI reminded her.

MARI clenched tightly to the point where her knuckles were bare white.

Of course, she'd never let him go.

Never.

Slowly, one by one, her little brother gently guided her down the stairs. MARI followed obediently, doing her best not to grow overwhelmed as she fought her phobia back.