Hidden Love

Ruined

"Don't make a sound okay?" We nodded at Haru-nii's command.

"Tadaima,Sou. Sou? Sou-chan? Soraa?" I heard dad look around for me,calling me all the nicknames he could think of. That reminds me...a lot about that time.

"Okaeri!!" We burst out when he switched on the kitchen lights,there were no party horns nor hats,but there was the atmosphere which mattered the most. Dad was flustered as he opened his arms,we crumbled into his hug and laughed. 

"You guys aren't predictable at all huh. Even though everyone threw a party for me I didn't bring anything..." 

"What are you saying Takahashi-san? You being here is enough!" Haru-nii patted dad's shoulder and invited him to the table.

"No ah wait, I have to say something I-" dad was cut off when I saw a woman coming in. I clenched my fists,feeling some anger and pain, I back away. But most of all I felt...

"Sora..."

Fear.

"What are you doing here?" Akira popped her head behind me,then she suddenly stood in front of me. Giving me her back,I could tell. They didn't want her here. I didn't want her here. 

"Sora,how...have you been?" How have I been? I took Akira's hand,she understood and slowly tightened her grip. I started to feel my blood boiling just from a simple question.

"HOW HAVE I BEEN?!?" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Just as I was about to protest one more time I heard another pair of footsteps. I turned to see who it was. No way...

A reddish hair girl approached behind her. I don't wanna know her face, I don't wanna see what she looks like. I don't wanna know her at all.

"Get her out." trying my best to not let my voice waver,I spoke my feelings. If I see what that kid looks like. I really won't be able to hold it in.

 "Sora,please listen."

 "Mom? What's going on?" 

 "Ah,Miou...well..."

 Miou...suddenly tears became to flow out of my eyes as I knelt down. You noticed how I was breaking again,so you held me tight and shielded me from them...

 Miou...so that's her name...

 "Sora,it's okay." My vision was a blur of her sleeve,her sleeve I was desperately holding onto. I don't want to meet them. I don't wanna meet Miou,nor her,nor her new family. Why are they here in the first place? I felt myself gasping out for air. Strange...I'm not even underwater. I'm not underwater... 

 But I'm suffocating.

 "I think I made a big mistake,Tachibana-san, let's go out for a bit."

 "Sora,hey shithead look at me,look at me." Akira pulled my face to hers,I could see her eyes,they were black. But there was something...something shining in her. That's...a relief...

 I thought I was strong enough...so why? Why am I in this pathetic state? 

 "Calm down,breathe in properly. It's okay. Shh, it's okay." I shut my eyes at her comfort, the scent of Aloe Vera shampoo filled my nose,she held me closely to her, gripping my weak and pathetic state.

 You stayed by side.

 Slowly...it did become okay. I tried to get a hold of myself and sat down on the floor. Akira was still in front of me,I can still hear Miou asking questions, I stared at my hand, wondering if I even had the right to hold her in my hands. Akira slapped it and gripped it,then she sat down beside me.

 "You know,you barely need or want something from anyone. And even when you do, you think too much. So if you have something you wanna do right now,go do it. Because sometimes. It's now or never." She said,looking at the empty dinner table.

 What I want to do... 

 "I-i...I want to see her...nghh...I...want to s-se-see...Mi-miou..." I clasped our intertwined hands. Akira slowly made her fingers escape and she patted my back.

 "Then go see her." 

That moment, I knew. What I felt a month ago,wasn't just admiration or responsibility. It was something bigger. Somehow, I felt that she's not just my savior. I didn't want to keep looking at her that way,because somehow...the heart she gave me,the heart Akira carved for me...was filled with emotions. 

So colorful...just like her.

-------

"I guess redemption isn't an option now...take care of Sora."

 I slammed the door open,greeted by a woman embracing a fabric of light pink,a new life was moving in her hands. Did you hold me like that too? Even once? 

 "Sora..." her voice became shaky, never would I have thought I'd hear my name from her again.

"Onii-chan...?"  

 Onii-chan... 

I know...that it's not as her kin...

 "C-can I ...?" she nodded while she paced to me. Handing me a fragile little girl in my hands,I hugged her, she had blue eyes just like me,her little nose was runny from earlier,her hair was of mahogany...all this time... 

 She doesn't know who I am...My heart sank to rock-bottom,tears started forming around my eyes, Miou...her name is Miou...I don't know what kanji she's written in,but I know that her name is related to spring.

 Miou...cherries...and Sora,meaning Sky. 

I smiled at her grinning face.Did she hugged me like she did to you? Did she also played the piano to put you to sleep? Strange...I've never even met you,but you emit a warm feeling...

It feels like I've known you for a long time.

 "Onii-chan why are you crying?"Onii-chan...Hugging her grown-up body,I quietly sobbed,Onii-chan...she called me "big brother"... 

 Miou...

Onii-chan - Older brother, used frequently by women to address men who are their superior in age. Onii-chan may be used with or without actual blood ties between two parties.
San - A title of respect added to a name. It can be used with both male and female names, and with either surnames or given names. It can also be attached to the name of occupations and titles.
Miou - three times as strong, but here her Kanji is written in  "mi" meaning "beautiful" combined with "o" meaning "cherry blossom" or "o" meaning "thread". Simply meaning, beautiful cherry.
Sora -  Sky
Akira - Bright/ Clear/ Intelligent.