XII.

It's pitch black.

I couldn't see anything.

I have used to feel this for a while for as long as I can remember.

"Dad... Nii-san..."

I can hear a faint voice. It sounded familiar.

There's light a few feet away. A silhouette was standing under the light.

"Daddy!"

I had a full, happy childhood. I had everything an ordinary child would ever wish for. An older brother who will protect me. A father and mother who will guide me towards the right path.

And it all went upside down in a blink of an eye.

The silhouette became clearer until a human figure emerged from the empty space.

"Nii-san,"

The voices were blending and it was close to giving me a pounding headache. And I realized just now. The faint voice calling out was my own.

"Dad," My mouth formed, however, I didn't even heard my own voice. I repeated calling out to them but they still remained unmoved on their position, as if they didn't heard me yelling for their attention.

"DAD! NII-SAN!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, however, it was futile. I was mute.

As if my scream carried the wind as a whisper to him, Dad finally turned around to meet me. My eyes automatically watered at the sight of his warm, smiling face. A sight that I'd been yearning to see for a long time.

"Da-Daddy..." I whimpered then reached my hand out to them but they seemed so out of reach. They were just a few feet away yet they feel like they were so far away.

Nii-san also turned around and had his usual trademark poker face on, but when the moment he laid his eyes on me, his lips curled up in a smile, a happy one.

"How can you guys smile like nothing happened?" I asked them with a sob but they didn't even answer me. Instead, they both waved their hands at me with a big smile on their faces... as if bidding farewell. Then they started to walk away from me.

"Wait!" I exclaimed as I ran to follow them. But the more step I took, the more they are getting far away. "Dad, Nii-san! Please! Don't leave me!"

No! I don't want to be alone!

My eyes rapidly opened and I was greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar beige ceiling. I was sweating really heavily and was catching my breath, my eyes wandered to the person sitting on the edge of the bed I laid on.

"Da-Daddy?" Tears welled up in my eyes as my broken voice pronounced the word and without any second wasted; I quickly rose from the bed and pulled him in a bone cracking hug, taking him by utter surprise.

"Kinomi-sa-"

"Daddy, I'll be a good girl! I'm so sorry for being a bad daughter! I don't want to be alone! I'll do everything you say... I-I'll forgive Mom! Just please don't leave me again!" Every word was like knives stabbed into my chest, impaling my heart. I guess even if I change my heart a thousand times, I'll still find a way to remember the old one.

I felt a hand caress my shoulder in a soothing manner. When I turned my blurry vision on the side, I saw a guy who was at the same age as Nii-san... but what is he doing in here?

I slightly pulled away and to my utter disappointment, the person I was hugging was absolutely not my father.

I almost laughed. Who was I kidding with? I forgot for a second that they were already dead.

"I-I'm sorry..." I wiped my tears away and bowed my head in sheer shame. I stared at my lap and found out that I was no longer wearing my school uniform. My eyes widened in realization, then that means... they saw it...

"It's okay," the man chuckled then put a hand on my head, slightly patting it. "How are you feeling?"

"I-I'm getting better..." I muttered then fiddled on with my fingers. They really gave me the consideration of keeping my bracelets on.

"It was really a shock when Kei arrived home carrying you on his back and said that you fainted. So I assume that this wasn't the first time?"

I bit my lower lip then nodded meekly.

"Your name sounded familiar so I took a look at the hospital records and it turned out that you were a former patient of ours, Kinomi-san." The man explained which made me raise my head to have a look at the middle-aged man; a few angles of his features were like Tsukishima's. And his face had a pleasant, welcoming glint in it, unlike his son.

Shit. Tsukishima might have heard about this already.

"Based on your records, you had gone through tremendous amount of stress since your father and brother died. And... I'm sorry about that."

I looked into his honey brown eyes, slightly shaking my head. "It's okay, sensei."

"I also checked your blood pressure and it was unusually low. You haven't been eating right, haven't you?"

"I don't always have that much appetite, so yeah..."

Tsukishima-sensei nodded, taking down notes on the new gained informations. "Are you exercising regularly?"

"I only jog every Sunday because I have work and school."

The door suddenly opened and it revealed Tsukishima with a bland look on his face. He glanced at me as he stated his business.

"Dinner's ready."

"Yeah," What I presumed his older brother, replied. He shifted his attention at me, giving me a grin identical to Nii-san's. "Um, Mikazuki-san, if you'd like, I could just bring your food over-"

"No," I cut him off with a firm refusal. And they all got confused at my sudden action.

His father and brother reminded me so much of them... so warm and welcoming. Since the day they left me, Mom had also left me for a new family. From then on, I'd lived alone in my frivolous apartment. I always go home without even someone waiting for me. I always ate alone in a large table. I never bothered to cook because no one will ever get to taste my handiwork. It will all just end getting spoiled. I had always been settling with instant noodles instead.

I don't want to feel alone anymore. Even if it's just for a short while... let me pretend that I have a complete family.

"I hope you don't mind... I'd like to join you guys for dinner."

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A short chapter [approximately 1040 words] I usually make chapters with over 1700 to 2000 words or even more. I have been busy with school works lately. Being in Senior High School is harder than it looks. The subjects were decreased yet it was harder ;--; add the activities.

Anyways, you didn't expect for me to update yet again, huh? XD Even though I had only updated two days ago. :3 If you read all the way, might as well give you a teaser on what will happen on the next chapter. Kinomi will finally open up to Tsukki because. . . :)

Thank you for reading! Feel free to vote, comment or anything! It's really a stress reliever for me XD Let me know your thoughts in this story !

- Lyn .