░『Zephyr』░(KNY OC STORY/ KNY OC X KNY-OLD/DISCONTINUED)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟿: 𝙱𝚞𝚋𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚄𝚙

Fukurō heard the door open and slide shut, quickly wiggling out of her futon to peek out from behind the bedroom door. "Chichi?" She called out to her father. It had been many days since she had seen her father, and she was already getting impatient. She hadn't eaten for a while as well.  "Not Chichi, Fukurō-chan. Just Obasan*!" Kanna called out, opening her arms as she crouched down to her niece's level. Fukurō ran into her aunt's embrace, giggling as Kanna patted the top of Fukurō's head. "How are you doing? Still hanging out with that Akihiro boy, Hm? Do you guys play together a lot?"

"Mhm! Me and Sekiei-kun saw a tanuki* yesterday! It was so cute!" Fukurō exclaimed as she curved her hands to make a round, circular, shape. "And round. Very round." The little girl laughed.

Kanna chuckled herself as well, placing her hand on Fukurō's shoulder while she pointed back to the room her niece emerged from. "I'd love to hear about it! But first, I have a favour, Fukurō-chan— Could you ask Haruki-kun to get the wood from outside? We can carve more sculptures for Chichi when he returns, or even keep some here! Is that alright?" The child nodded cheerfully, disappearing from Kanna's sight. 

Fukurō peeked around the corners, brushing her messy hair away from her face. Her curiosity got the best of her, though, when her aunt had called her mother's name.

".. Again, Yuki? You let her out of your sight again? In the forest?! Really?!" 

Fukurō stayed in place, shaken by her aunt's unusual outburst. She couldn't help but listen. She wasn't allowed to go outside? But it was fun. She didn't understand.

"It's fine, Oneesan. She's a smart, mature girl. She knows what to do." Her mother replied. From the venom in her voice, Fukurō could tell her mother was not expecting neither the visit nor the accusation.

"She is nine, Yuki. Nine. She isn't even supposed to be alone at this age. And you think this is alright? Leaving a nine-year-old girl with another child in the woods?! Do you know about the animals in there? They could finish her off with a snap!" Kanna's voice got louder, but she hushed her voice a tad bit so only her sister could hear, "You do know what could happen, don't you? Or have you not gotten enough sleep?"

"Get off my case, Oneesan. Isamu caught something again, and it's getting stressful with Toshiro out." Yuki hissed back. 

"Then leave Fukurō-chan and Haruki-kun with me, and I'll take care of them until Isamu-chan gets better. It's that simple. I'll feed them and take care of them, since it's clear you haven't. Her hair looks like a bird's nest, her eyes are sunken, and she can barely carry herself throughout the house. There are bruises and cuts all over her, from who knows what."

"These are my children. I will raise them, not you. And I have been taking care of them. You have no right to judge me from things you haven't seen. It isn't my fault she gets so reckless. She barely cries, anyway, so she's fine. And I was told she punched a girl, so that's that."

Oh. But she did cry. Every time. Fukurō has stopped crying in front of her mother for a while. It wasn't allowed, and was for the best. Her cries were annoying. At least that's what her mother said.

 Kanna sighed sharply, "No child doesn't cry. That's bullshit. Tell me, oh good responsible Yuki, How would you feel to see an infants young face, only to know that they would be constantly bullied, starved, emotionless, and disconnected over the years?"

"..."

"Exactly. I won't warn you again. As the older sibling, I am telling you not only as a family member, but a parent as well; If you don't want me to take them, get your godamn shit together."