Division-A

Episode Fifteen. (May 28th, 2123. Division-A, South District.)

Thick clouds blackened with fury hid the daylight from the city, casting an intimidating shadow over them instead. Heavy droplets of rain angrily smacked against the roof of the house as flashes of lightning lit up the sky loudly, drowning out the news playing on the television in the other room.

Akino was spread out on his stomach. He wrapped his cold feet in the blankets at the end of the bed as the frigidness of the rain crept through his window. With one hand lifting his head up, and the other wrapped around a pencil, he continued writing.

He paused, as he had done so many times already, to listen to the news from the kitchen through the bursts of thunder. It seemed as if Sakagami didn't pay his pleas to change the channel any mind. Although it was annoying being reminded of the tragedy, a part of Akino didn't mind occasionally listening in to what the outsiders were saying. However, there was always the lingering feeling of dread. As much as he tried to distance himself from it, he kept coming back, reminding himself of his actions that day; whether it be the actions he did or did not do.

He kicked the blankets off his feet and sat up, his ankles digging into his bottom. He turned his head and glanced out the shoji window, observing the flashing of lightning through the tinted sheets.

'What a lousy window,' he thought. 'Couldn't Sakagami have gotten a house a bit more modern? I feel like I'm practically being rained on, it's so cold in here.'

He blankly stared into oblivion while facing the window. The creases under his eyes were getting larger, and his frown heavier as the ends of his mouth nearly drooped off his face. He sniffled, not knowing if it was from the cold or his overwhelming need to cry. He backed away from the window, shaking himself out of his trance.

Whilst blindly grasping for the warm blanket at the end of his bed, Akino's hand brushed against a bottle of pills. He sighed, grabbing the full bottle and putting them on the floor, neglecting them for another day. He finally met the blanket and pulled it up to his chest as he fell back into the mattress, glancing at the clock as he did so.

'For the middle of the day... it sure is dark.'

Feeling discomfort under his head, Akino reached under his pillow and grabbed his journal. He lifted it above his face, memories of him and Matoi arguing in the hallway about it immediately flooding through his mind. He cursed to himself as he was yet again reminded of his school. He threw the journal across the room into the piles of clothes in the corner and turned in his bed, facing the wall.

Knocking was heard on the other side of his door. After ignoring it, Sakagami let herself in. Her blonde hair was let loose today; its locks curled from the monotonous bun she'd pin it up in daily. The color in her eyes seemed washed away, but her cheeks were red, presumably from crying.

Akino noticed this. 'She cries more than I do...'

Sakagami slid the door closed behind her and stepped forward, cupping her hands. She stood, silent as the rain plummeted to the roof above them. She watched Akino, curled up in the corner of his bed, not saying a word.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Sakagami accused him, not moving from her spot next to the door. "Its been two days, Akino."

Akino dug his face into the pillow, his eyes still peaking up to stare at her reflection in the clock. "Two days isn't that long."

Sakagami let go of her hands, instead letting them drape against her hips. "It is long. It's a long time to be alone." Her posture stiffened as she kept her emotions in check. "I... I am your mother... and it feels like I'm living in this house alone."

"You being my mom has nothing to do with me and my school," Akino fired back, glancing in her direction.

"It does! I'm here to help you, and you're just shutting me out." Her tone softened.