Stupid, stupid, stupid, she keep telling herself as she storms down the maths corridor all the way to the IT room feeling uncomfortable in her sudden light uniform. Feeling her body warm up all over again - but in a bad way.

It was the end of the school day. The corridor was empty from students, though some classrooms has one or two teachers busy filling out paper or discussing to their colleagues about today's gossip, getting frustrated with their students' dramas and beef with the other students. 

As her pace quickens, her vision only focused on the IT room whilst everything else was a blur. The hot feeling of sweat was really starting to irritate her which conflicts with her depressed emotions even more than it needed to.  Not another-

"Kuro?" A really sudden soft voice  was heard but muffled from her hearing precision, still her feet automatically stopped and turned.

Her eyes were pricking but she refused to blink in case any tears were wasted and seen by anyone.  "Y-yeah?" She responded, not looking up and making all her effort to hide her eyes the best she could.

"Are you alright, honey?" Mirae spoke softly walking towards her friend to give a hug.  "You seem agitated."

Kuro couldn't even respond to that as she could only think about all the negativity in her head wishing it will all just blow outside the window; feeling the embrace of Mirae's hug started to calm her down from the tornado that had occurred inside her, not as calm in the eye though.  "Just... the bottle cracked," she sniffled "...and I just feel like I couldn't do it anymore."

For a while they stayed like this, quiet, peaceful and calm feeling nothing but comfort, mostly for Kuro.  "I'm so sick and tired, literally but also figuratively," they told Mirae taking a deep breath, gripping onto their arm like it's a rope. 

"I bet, your baggy eyes gave it away," she laughed but nudged them in a friendly manner "but my bags are bigger so beat that!"

Rolling their eyes, Kuro grinned but felt kinda light and their lips wouldn't stop curling up instead of falling into a frown.

Noticing this, Mirae patted on their back and asked "wanna talk this through whilst walking Ellie with me?"  to which Kuro responded with a big nod.
———————————————
"Dude that is SOOOO messed up," Mirae told her friend.

They were sitting at the seat they first met each other with Ellie on a leash (obviously) with the light breeze brushing past the two girls, hugging Kuro in their warm comfort and her hair flow gently the same direction it travelled to. What do i say now? Kuro thought, not understanding what this feels. She was so used to the heavy weights on her shoulders, it just doesn't make sense. Every part of her muscles felt like they could finally be at ease after so long but it somehow still aches. She leaned back, taking a deep breath as her friend just ranted off about how her mother shouldn't do what she's done.

"Where's you dad?"

.... where is he?

Kuro's mind went blank.  She looked at the sky, watching the clouds move ever so slowly but yet still seem like the Cloud Waltz never ends.  "For legal reasons, he wasn't suppose to be in contact with me," she responded quietly.  "So.. I don't know where he is... location wise."

"But didn't you say he helped you every time you went through a bad time?" Mirae asked, confused to what Kuro had trying to piece together the shards of the broken glass.  ".... so you're going against your law."

"My law?" Kuro repeated, stressing the possessive word her hands gritted on the bench.  "It was never my decision to!  My mum threatened to take me away from my dad if I don't do well in school!  I can't blame him for being afraid to lose me!  He hit me ONCE!  TWICE maximum since my mum left me with him!  And he got charged for it!  And what did my mum do!?  Mentally abuse me to the point i wish I'm dead 24/7!  Physically whipped me every time I did the smallest bits of mistake or step out of line!" Her cheeks were bright red, warming up from just a touch as her eyes were once again filled with the warm stinging liquid.  "How is it fair... that my dad, being the supportive and loving man he is, gets charged for something he regrets with all of his heart and yet my mum shows no remorse for everything?..."

"...." Stare.  All she could do was stare, never expecting a timid girl like Kuro would exclaim in so much rage - anyone but her own mother.  Mirae spoke finally but it sounded more than just an apology but not audible.  "I'm sorry... i know it's unfair but I'm always here."

"I've met you for like what?  Like a day?  A week?" Kuro pointed out.  "I shouldn't have told you what I said.  I'm not usually this trusting with... people." 

"Well then clearly I'm trustworthy to you," she smiled, "now come on, let's continue walking Ellie and get a move on.  I honestly need to lose these thick legs."

Breathe.  Breathe. "Yeah.." the little girl responded back, being quiet and awkward, not knowing what to say.  She wiped her tears, sniffling a few times to get rid of the mucus in her nose.. at least she tries.  "Sorry about that."

"It's ok, happens to the best of us I say!"
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It was cold - the walls, the ceilings, the furniture, the decors -  everything was cold.  The door creaked open as Kuro entered the room, feeling suffocated by the sudden sea of guilt for unknown reasons. The sound of the black staircases creaking with every 3 steps she took, the stench of cigarettes and slight burnt meat filled the corridors with a tint of smoke as heavy breathing could be heard. Quieter than usual.  Trying her best to be as quiet as possible, she closed the door and rushed up to her room but it didn't help how the door hasn't been greased for over a decade as prove, it decided to speak in a really horrifying and ear-raping way.  CREEEEAAAAAKKKKKKKKK.  The door made, not taking the hint that it was suppose to be quiet.  Clearly.  

With every step she took, she could hear her own heartbeat thumping, banging against her rib cage. 

"You're home late."