"Nee-chan! Wake up!" I jumped on the bed.

"Mio-chan!" Nee-chan groaned. She sat up.

"Watched anime all night again?" she asked and I smiled cheeky in reply.

"I couldn't help it. Oh! That reminders me don't you have to get ready?" Nee-chan bolted to the bathroom.

After a while she came out ready.

"Come on you should get ready too. Remember, my future husband is coming." She smiled sadly.

"Don't do it... you don't have to-" I kept my eyes on my lap, fingers twisting nervously in my shirt.

"Mio-chan, please stop." She said lightly before planting an innocent smile on her lips. "I know what you're getting at... and thank you. And... I'm sorry. If dad and you couldn't disobeyed grandmother, how could I? This arrange marriage is very important for the business, so really. It's okay. I'm okay as long as my family is okay."

Nee-chan let the silence settle comfortably around us as I took the words in and made peace with them. Nee-chan looked lost in her own thoughts until a she laugh bitterly.

"Nee-chan?" I asked with worry, all of my thoughts leaving her body.

She turned to me and, seeing my concern, plastered a bright smile to her soft features. "I'm sorry! Where were we-ah! Your outfit, oooh!"

"Nee-chan, you really don't have to-" Mio suddenly felt uncomfortable. Maybe bringing up this topic was a bad idea. I didn't want anything bad to happen.

"Mio-chan, it's not that-well... kind of, but not what you think." She sighed at the my politely confused frown. "I was... thinking about something dad told-asked of me before he..."

I looked away as nee-chan rubbed at her tear filled eyes with the back of her hand, not sure what to say at the moment.

"He said... not to lose yourself in something you are forced to do and protect Mio-chan at all cost." She laughed lightly. "I said... I wouldn't but... I didn't realize I had already lost in one category. I can't keep my word one hundred percent."

I turned back to my sister with surprise. Why was she telling her something like this now? What did it have to do with arranged marriage? "Nee-chan, I-"

"I know... let me explain." Nee-chan smiled somewhat nervously as she watched me. "I've lost already. Lost to protect you. But look at me, it's always you protecting me."

I felt my heart clench. I shook my head, "Maybe I-"

"Mio-chan, don't!" Nee-chan gasped as she reached out to clutch my hand.

"No! Listen to me. You protected me enough. After papa's.... If it weren't for you, they would've threw me out. It you, nee-chan. You are the reason I'm here." I grabbed her hand and gave her a tight hug.

"I love you." She muttered.

"I know. I love you too."

"Everything will be alright." And I believed her. But I didn't know how wrong I was to believe that. Because after two months two months of marriage Nee-chan committed suicide.

That's when I was brought. As a backup to marry my sister's husband.

I walked to the graveyard and stood before the two grave, "I don't know what to do. Help me, papa, nee-chan. I can't do this anymore. I just want to run away" I felt a shiver as if someone is behind me. I turned around and saw an old man.

"Won't you miss your life here?" He asked. I took a deep breath to calm my heart.

I cleared my throat, " never."

The man smiled wisely, "Alright, if you really want to go away from this place, meet me here in three days, same time."

"What can you do?" I retorted.

"Take you where you want to go." He tilted his head.

"I want to go into Hakuouki world. Can you take me there?" I challenged.

"If that's where you want to go. Pack your necessary things and be there."

I scoffed and turn to Graves again, " whatever." I looked around and gasped. There was no one standing there. I shook my head and went home.