Too Late

Envie, Not Jealousy

Riku learned the meaning of parental love at a very young age. He also learned that he lacked this at the same time.

His and his sister's classmates would speak of the family trips they took over the summer break with no hesitation. They spoke about the good times and would not leave out any details.

The twins figured out pretty quickly that their family wasn't normal.

No one else had to endure the same pain the Yoshida kids had to go through. They weren't chained to beds, whipped, locked in a dark basement, or yelled at until their ears rang. They weren't hit on the head with a beer bottle or pulled by the hair.

No, they received warm hugs from their mothers when they scraped their knees on the pavement, and went on road trips to sport games with their fathers. Their older siblings didn't have to protect them from their own parents, and instead had other obligations like friends and what not.

Riku wouldn't say he was jealous of those kids, but he surely envied them.

He wish he could live one day without fearing for his or his sister's life. He wish he could see his older brother smile for real, for once and hang out with friends, and do dumb shit that would end up with simple punishments like no phone or tv for a month.

"Riku..." Rin whispered, knocking him out of whatever trance he was in.

"Yes, Rin?"

"...do you think big brother will ever get us out of here?" The room they were in was the basement. The lights were shut off and the door was locked. It was cold, like always, and smelt of old furniture, much like a grandparent's home.

"I don't think so. Father is probably guarding the door-"

"No...not here, I'm talking about the house, and our parents. I want to leave. I hate it here." She looked down, her voice only reaching a low whisper as she held back the whimper that was trying to escape.

Riku looked at her and sighed, bringing her into a tight hug. "I'm sure he will. He promised us. And you know big brother, he never breaks a promise." The boy spoke into her ear before going on to whisper fantasies about being free, away from their parents.

He only retold the stories that his friends told to him, just replacing his friend's family with him and his siblings.

He felt tears gather around his eyes as he imagined going on trips around Japan with his siblings, all laughing and enjoying life for once in their lives.

He imagined them older and living on their own, with his older brother happy as can be, visiting them once in a while.

He knew these were just fantasies of his but, hopefully one day, he'll be able to to actually live out them with his sister and brother.

But, as those at home already know, this story isn't going to have a happy ending.

And we grow closer and closer towards the ending fate of the Yoshida siblings.

But before I end this here, I should tell you one more thing, their father was listening on to their whole conversation from behind the basement door.

The seed has been planted and now we must watch as it sprouts into something dangerously unforgivable and bloody.