𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖 || 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Voices.

It's not their fault. They tried their best. It's you that messed it up. You and your crazy thoughts.

I tried to control it! I really did...I'd never want to cause them any harm. But..they aren't even here anymore, and that's because of me.

Because you had to have this terrible thing.

You clutched your fist as your back leaned on the wall. You wanted a minute to yourself, to compose your mind, to try and shake off this feeling that stuck to your soul. But maybe, it wasn't the best choice to be by yourself. I'm sorry...

No, it's not your fault, it was never your fault sweetheart.

Your eyes widened.

You pushed yourself away from the wall and looked around cautiously. "Ma?"

There was no one around you, no one close enough to speak to you. Not even the wind would have been able to whisper its secrets to you. But you felt her.

Her voice.

"Not this again. Ma..." Your eyes fell to the ground. "I miss you..."

-----

"What do you think I should do about the rent?" Akira asked Hiromi one day, sitting on the dining table with her hands on her head, thoughts running through her mind restlessly.

Hiromi had her hands full, washing the dishes while the small child next to her helped her dry it, wiping it with her small hands with a clean cloth, while she tried to cheer her gloomy face up, as she'd broken a plate a few minutes ago and felt very guilty about it.

"Hm?" She turned to face her mother, then tilted her chin up questioningly. "I could take up a part-time job? I'm only 14, but a few people I know were looking for delivery boys. I could get that."

Akira had quickly shaken her head, "Oh no, don't. You need to focus on your studies Hiromi," She'd said calmly with a gentle smile. "It's alright. I'll find a way to, don't worry. I'll figure out a way by which your kids don't have to get tired, yeah? Just take care of Y/n when I'm not around."

Hiromi shut the tap and wiped her hands on her apron. And then picked up the child next to her and tickled her, making her laugh giddily. "You can count on me for that," she let out a small laugh as she touched their foreheads together. "I'll make sure she never gets hurt."

Y/n pulled her sister's hair for fun, knowing it annoyed her very well, making her groan and drop the child. But she fell on your feet, and Hiromi was rubbing her scalp with an annoyed look. "Well, aren't you a little devil?" Y/n blew raspberries at her in response.

Of course, she could never be mad at her with such an adorable face.

"You got your mom's cheeky attitude for sure, neh?" Their mom had come towards them. She caught onto the smaller kid's waist and threw her up into the air gently. She laughed excitedly, going weee~ before she caught her and held you close to her, making the child nuzzle into the neck of her mother in comfort.

"I've got such amazing daughters."

Hiromi had grinned such a toothy smile, that the stars would've been nothing in comparison to her. She got it from her mom. "And we've got an amazing mom!"

Y/n giggled, "Mhm, mama's the best!"

"I love you kids," She'd pecked Y/n's cheek lightly, and then Hiromi's. Then she yawned, and the 4 year old quickly knew that was her cue to move, she got down from her arms and pushed her mother towards the bedroom.

"Mama's tired. Mama should get some sleep because mama works hard for Hiromi and Y/n." Y/n said.

She ruffled her hair, "Mama is fine. Mama has some work to do, so she can't sleep yet."

"Nuh-uh, work can be done later. Right now you need to go to sleep Ma. Or you'll get dark circles." Hiromi had tugged her mother's hands and pulled her all the way to the bedroom, their mother just laughed at her as Hiromi pushed her down onto the bed. "Dark circles are so out of fashion."

"No buts! Go to sleep!" Both the kids said sternly, at the same time in sync.

All three of them started laughing then. It's amusing how a simple little thing can lighten up the mood in a small family like theirs, making them spend a good few minutes cracking up.

"Come here then," She'd gestured towards the bed at both of them. "Let's all get some rest."

Y/n threw herself onto the bed without hesitance, Hiromi removed her apron and put it on a chair, and climbed in, getting comfortable as she watched her sister mess up the covers to match her liking.

Akira tickled Y/n's belly, making her screech as she turned over to hide from her.

She took the opportunity to pull the blanket over the three of them during this time, trapping the youngest in the center. "Don't let go Hiromi, Y/n's trapped in the dungeons now!"

They both pressed down on their sides, making sure the blanket doesn't move around. "NooOo, Let me go ma!"

Your mom put a hand over your tiny body, holding you close as you calmed down through giggles. "Never."

She'd calm you down so easily. No matter how fussy you were being. Hiromi or Akira, either of them just need to ask you to calm down and you would, it felt like a spell. 

Hiromi squished herself onto the both of you, throwing her hands over both of yours and hugging you tight. "We're never gonna let go of each other. Promise?"

"Promise." Your mother hummed, stroking Hiromi's hair.

"Promise!" You'd said.

-----

They'd broken that promise.

You'd never seen it coming. You couldn't have changed anything.

That's what you said to yourself in the beginning.

You'd known what would happen to them. But you refused to believe it.

You refused to acknowledge that you knew something bad was coming. That they'd known that it would. And they even told you, yet you did nothing.

Because since you'd turned 5, the world around you had turned.

One night, as you had been laying next to your sister, listening to her ramble about her friends, you'd started seeing things.

Little figures in the corners of the room that spoke to you. That warned you. That lied and cried to you. That loved you and held you.

She's a child, she's just imagining things.

Your mom knew better.

But she was never able to teach you about it.

After the incident, it didn't speak to you.

You never felt alone. Your mind was always speaking, never silent. It whispered and screamed and never let a sound outside.

It was always there, putting in thoughts into your mind, thoughts you weren't sure you were even capable of thinking about. It terrified you.

You tried so hard to distract yourself, picking up hobbies and focusing on your studies however you could. But in the end, you were all by yourself, in that room that didn't help you.

Talking to your cousin and your only one friend was nice, but they weren't allowed to be over, unless he, your father, was out, during which they usually sneak in. Your step-siblings kept you company, but it still felt bad bothering them all the time.

If you could go back in time, there are so many things you'd do over again. If only you had. If only you had at least followed your gut, things would have been better.

And in the end, you were alone. Like it would always be meant to be.

Word count: 1400