COTE: Ayanokoji Socially Capable

SS Ikuya Amasawa

My existence was marred by a series of defeats and relentless beatdowns. Born into a destitute family with a tyrannical father and a cowed mother, life offered little respite or glimmer of hope. That was until the arrival of my little sister, Ichika Amasawa, when I was a mere one-year-old. Despite the dire circumstances, the sight of her fragile form cradled in my mother's arms momentarily illuminated the darkness around us. A fleeting smile crept across my face as I envisioned a sibling, someone I could shield from the harsh realities of our world.

As Ichika grew, around the age of three, she began leaning on me for support. A constant companion, she trailed after me wherever I went, creating a fragile bond in the midst of our desolate surroundings. In those moments, I found a semblance of comfort in having someone to converse with and a younger sister to shelter from the unrelenting hardships that defined our bleak existence.

"Onii-chan help me!"

 Ichika's desperate pleas for help echoed eerily in the darkness. "Ichika, wait!" I cried out, my legs pounding against an unseen force. Each step felt like wading through thick, viscous shadows as I tried to bridge the ever-growing gap, but she slipped away into the engulfing abyss and the light was fading away.

The oppressive darkness swallowed everything, turning the world into an indistinct void. Ichika's voice faded, leaving behind an unsettling silence. The suffocating dread intensified as I desperately reached out for her, but my attempts were futile. She vanished into the nightmarish abyss.

With a sudden jolt, I snapped awake, gasping for breath. The remnants of the nightmare lingered, vivid and haunting. Slowly, I turned to find Ichika playing innocently with a fork and a spoon. Relief washed over me, accompanied by a lingering sense of unease. "She's okay, thank goodness," I whispered, determined to shake off the nightmarish thoughts that clung to my consciousness.

"Mom me and Ichika are gonna go play at the park!" I said 

My mother couldn't care less as she said, "Whatever just be back before your dad"

Holding my sister's hand tightly, we hastily fled the wretched abode we begrudgingly called home, venturing towards the desolate park nearby. Our neighborhood, shrouded in shadows of danger, offered little comfort. The decaying facade of our dwelling, overrun by crawling insects, stood as a morose testament to neglect. With only one bedroom occupied by our wearied parents, my sister and I were left to share the suffocating embrace of a couch. Essential amenities such as electricity and running water proved elusive, a sporadic luxury in our impoverished existence. Sustenance, a meager semblance of nourishment, graced our table only every other day. Life within the confines of our squalid sanctuary was a ceaseless ordeal, a tragic dance with destitution and despair.

In the dilapidated park, a lone swing, rusted monkey bars, and a moldy slide were the remnants of forgotten joy. Despite the desolation, my sister, Ichika, and I found solace in this dismal playground. The swing, though weathered, became a vessel for our shared flights of imagination. Ichika's gleeful cry echoed as I pushed her higher, playing our favorite game.

"Oniichan! Push me!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I responded with a bright smile, "Is astronaut Ichika ready for lift-off?"

"YES, YES!" she cheered.

As the swing soared forward, carrying her high into the air, she couldn't contain her delight. "WHEEEEE!"

In those fleeting moments at the park, witnessing Ichika's radiant smile and hearing her joyous laughter became my sanctuary. Our shared adventures as make-believe astronauts, navigating the depths of an imaginary cosmos, provided a brief escape from the harsh reality that awaited us beyond the rusty playground. The mundane hardships of our impoverished life seemed to fade away, if only for a while, as we soared together into the boundless realm