𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋

𝐎𝐍𝐄

My day had begun rather strangely. My brother had been sick for a while, and whether I'd like to believe it or not, he didn't have much time left, the doctor has said so. I felt a dark sickness take over me too when I heard the news, but it wasn't hovering over me any longer, for my brother had recovered. I didn't expect it, because I was too focused on the negative to be optimistic. I spent most of my days thinking about the day he would die.. but I felt free today because he was talking.. and laughing.
I felt a smile creep up on my face as I walked to the market to buy ingredients so my mother could make him a meal, or a feast rather.

  You see, my family had suffered quite a bit before we settled. Since I was little.. well when my brother was born, I was supposed to be there for him, not that I minded it.. but, sometimes it was hard to see other children go play outside, and run around, while I was inside with my brother. As much as I wanted to go outside, and be with other children I couldn't.. not because my parents didn't allow me, but because I felt pity for my brother, I knew he wanted to go out there as much as I did. I knew that he wanted to get up and go out, even if it was just to run errands.

Enough of that now. I was happy enough, with my strange day. I had a bright smile on my face, as I approached the market, greeting those who I knew, and elders who wondered why I was in such a good mood.

"Look who's smiling today, what's the good news, Hm?"

An older woman I knew as 'Hinata Hana' said, but I often referred to her as 'Mouse' in my head because her voice was so squeaky like one. She spoke up as I passed by her. I stopped, turning around. She was like a friend to me, so I was rather casual with her, and she didn't seem to mind.

I nodded to her, hurrying over to the vegetable stand first. My mother told me what meals she wanted to make, so I had a mental note of all the ingredients already, so it didn't take too long for me to finish getting everything. I started to walk back, humming a soft tune. I wondered what my parents would be planning by the time I got back, I opened the door, announcing that I was back, but nobody answered. I could hear voices coming from my brother's room, I walked in, raising my brows.

The first thing I observed when I walked into the room, was a man, sitting across from my brother, and my parents. Then my brother, who was laying down on his futon. And then my parents, who were respectfully seated. I could feel the man's gaze on me, and before I could ask what was going on, my mother gave me a look, that I knew all too well. hinting that I needed to keep quiet.

I obeyed, sitting beside my father, as I looked down to the floor, wondering what was going on, and who that man was. I couldn't help but steal another glance, I saw his eyes.. then his hair, then his clothes. But I looked back to his eyes, to find them on me, his gaze was intense. So much so that I felt like he could burn a hole through my head any minute now.. though, he was a strange man because he didn't say anything for a while, but when he did he was about to leave.

"She shouldn't be late."

I felt like that was directed towards me, and it was.. because as he walked out, his eyes were on me, almost like he couldn't take them off. I knew some kind of agreement had been made. As soon as he walked out the door, I turned to my parents, feeling agitated.

"Who is he? What did he say to you.."

My mother got up from her sitting position, and so did my father, my brother just lay there, staring up at the ceiling.. he wasn't saying a word, and normally he would have been the first to tell me... I glanced around the room I stood, walking over to my mother.

"What's going on? I-"

She simply cupped my cheek, forming a soft smile as she shook her head. I looked toward my brother, and my father, but no one said a word. I was already thinking of the possibility in my head, and there was one possibility that I tried to rule out.. but it was so similar to this situation, that I couldn't.

Later that night, my mother sat me down in her and my father's room. She gave me a lovely kimono and started to do my hair. I wanted to ask her what was going on, but I didn't know if I was going to be told the truth.

"You're going to behave yourself, do you understand? Don't ask any unnecessary questions, and don't speak, unless spoken to.."

I was curious to know what was going on.. but I was also scared because I knew that it was a possibility for me to be taken away to Kyoto.. or Tokyo.. or any other city. I didn't want to leave my family.. or the village I lived in, I felt comfortable here, and I didn't want to throw that comfort away. I nodded, as my mother spoke. Perhaps it was better if she didn't tell me anything. After she was done, she helped me put on my kimono, and she put my obi into place.

She told me, to sit in my room and wait. I didn't do any tidying in there, because I didn't have many things. nor did I ever leave it unclean during the day. I was hardly ever in there unless I was going to sleep.. and sometimes, when I was thinking. I sat there, staring down at the floor, before I looked toward the chabudai, a teapot, and two cups. I sighed. I was left alone to my thoughts.

I thought about how I thought my brother was going to die.. what if he fell sick, while I was gone. It wasn't even guaranteed that I would be taken away yet... I didn't want to go, and leave my brother all alone.. my parents were already old as it was. I was interrupted when I felt a presence in the room, I looked up from the chabudai, staring at the man whom I saw earlier, I didn't even notice him coming into the room.

I looked away, not wanting to seem disrespectful, but still, I could feel his piercing gaze. He sat on the tatami mat, on the elevated seat on the other side of the room. I stole a glance, and he wasn't looking towards me any longer, his eyes were on the teapot, and his finger was slightly pointed towards it. I stood, pouring the tea into the cup for him, before I took a seat on a tatami mat in front of him, gesturing for him to take the cup from my hands.

He stared at the cup for a moment, before gently taking it. Then, from the floor, I noticed his hands, and the color of his skin.. slightly paler than normal. I looked up, from his hands to his face.. his eyes were what intrigued me most. I tried not to look at him when he was looking at me.. so I stole another glance, and it seemed like the moment I did, he looked towards me again.

"Do you know why Im here?"

His voice was rather calm, and deep. It was now, that I thought of what he would be like when he was angry, or offended, and then I tried to recollect my thoughts, and not get distracted from the conversation, so I wouldn't offend him. I shook my head, looking away again

"No sir.."

He took a sip of tea, from the cup. Or it seemed like he did. To me, it looked like he only put his lips against the cup instead. The tension in the room was enough to make me think there was an actual elephant in the room.

"You'll be seeing me every night until it's time for you to leave this place.."

He glanced around, he seemed to have a hint of disgust when he said that, especially at the last part of his sentence; 'When you leave this place' it's safe to say he thought my village was a dump.. and I'd be taken away to some city. I knew it. I sighed... I didn't know why I was surprised, or upset.. people did this all the time.. and I knew my parents must have been desperate to help my brother. I stared down at the floor, starting to tear up at the thought that even my brother agreed to this. I didn't think he would.. even if this was for him.. he would have at least protested and told me.

I didn't want to leave here.. with someone I didn't even know. But I'd have to accept it and help my brother. The man stared, keeping his cup down. He didn't seem to feel any pity for me at all. At least I thought so. He reached his hand out, lifting my chin. I had to look at him now, and when I did, we held eye contact. For a moment I felt my heart skip a beat. I tried to ignore it, as best as I could. I didn't know who this man was. I didn't even know his name.

He wiped the tears that managed to slip, before he stood, dusting off his clothes. He didn't wear a kimono, like my father, or most of the men in my village. He wore a suit, but his waistcoat was exposed..it seemed he had been somewhere before this.

I bowed slightly, as he left my room, looking towards the floor. I knew he would come back again.. he said so. He'd be back. again, and again.. until I'd have to leave with him. and, I didn't want to leave...

But I'd have to.