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Fire ESC

“There is no greater sorrow then to recall our times of joy in wretchedness.”  ― Dante Alighieri, Inferno

Scott Gelber, Artist, Brooklyn, NY 

Follow the Escape thread at 15folds.com

[enrer]

Her hands were ice cold.

It was as if her hands were ice themselves. In such a warm, almost unbearably hot place, her hands were surprisingly cold. It was as if the girl has forgotten how to regulate her own body temperature.

The deafening cheers of the audience transmitted through the wall, bringing the energy to their place. With the energy came excitement, expectations. In their part, came nervousness. More often than not, helplessness.

"I can't seem to do it right, I can't seem to dance it right."

"You can do it!"

Her eyes said it all, I am not you, I can't dance as well as you.

No, don't say that, you can do it your way.

Don't be me, they didn't choose me.

The songs were changing one after another. It would soon be her turn.

"It will be okay, you can do it."

Aisa  gently squeezed the frozen hands that she had inside hers. Not even layers of make up can hide the nervousness of her best friend. If Aisa could, she would like to share some of the pressure the girl before her felt; she wanted to be the one who received half, if not all, the pain the girl endured. However, this was the most she could do.

Trying to warm the cold hands was all she could do.

Ryouha gave a nod and a very small, straight smile.

"I'll try my best."

You always do. I believe in you.

"It's ending! Next song, prepare yourselves by the entrance!"

Ryouha gave a last nod then walked to the entrance, tugging her hands loose. The spot where her hands were was cold and Aisa rubbed her hands together to erase the feeling as she watched her best friend walk up the steps to the stage.

The stage they all longed to stand.

You can do it.

The song began.

Her hands were ice cold.

Writer’s Block

In one sentence is the spark of a story. Ignite. Mission: Write a story, a description, a poem, a metaphor, a commentary, or a memory about this sentence. Write something about this sentence. Be sure to tag writeworld in your block!

[enrer]

Yo! So inspired by Kaworu-kun’s network, Cross and I would like to build a network of 48 fandom fanfic authors and artists.

A place to meet and greet, where everyone can help each other out. Giving advice, commenting on works, or just plain spazzing and gushing over the latest chapters and...

[enrer]

A Goddess by The Door

A break from The Restaurant: Sisters (1) (2), although still within "the Restaurant" series. This is unproofread and very very raw. I should tell you I didn't even reread it myself. Anyway, please enjoy

Editor's note: Actually sat my ass down and did the edits so while this is late, here is the edited version.

Characters / Pairings : Furukawa Airi, Matsui Rena, Takayanagi Akane, Ishida Anna, Mukaida Manatsu / RenAirin

Words count: 4,300-ish

There were many reasons why Furukawa Airi thought that Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant was the best restaurant in the world. It wasn't the obnoxious birds nor the fact that the waitresses were cute--although the last one did contribute to it. Neither was it the cook--though this one was arguable, but Furukawa would rather drown in a hundred thousand anime figurines than tell the cook this.

One of the reasons why she loved the restaurant was the fact that it was completely free for her to dine in. She even had an exclusive seat by the window.

However, there was another reason why the restaurant was the best in her heart. A reason she never said out loud.

It was in that restaurant where she found a goddess.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Summer had always been hot. Summer by the seaside was even hotter than most places. Furukawa, at times, wondered why she moved to the town and why she remained there. This was her first summer in this town and it was hell.

Because of this, she remained seated by the counter all day long.

The cook, Takayangi Akane, tried to brush her away from the counter, literally, as she poked the artist with a bottle brush. But Furukawa didn't budge. Nothing would ever be able to move her away from that one perfect spot by the counter.

It wasn’t too cold nor too hot. It wasn't right by the path of the air conditioner's wind nor too far away. It was perfect and Furukawa wasn't in the mood to move. She found that spot so it was hers and hers only.

The day was hot.

"Airi, go and fetch me the newspaper outside, will you?" said Akane from her cooking space, pointing with her ladle. "Make yourself useful!"

"I don't want to move... I am running out of batteries..." Airi groaned, sprawling herself over the counter. She placed her cheek touch the cool counter. "Cold~~~ nice~~~"

"Airi-neesan, this is still the beginning of summer," Anna laughed while she tidied the dishes from the last customer. "Cheer up! Look, even the sun is cheering you up!"

"The weather should stop trying to cheer me up. I don't need them. I want to sulk."

"Sheeesh, you're a lump of uselessness," Akane sighed as she returned to her cooking. Airi didn't even have the energy to retaliate. "Don't mind. It's not as hot being a useless object", she grumbled.

Manatsu's soft laughter closed the conversation between the cook and the artist. The restaurant was empty that day, lunch time had not even arrived yet and it seemed that not many people were out.

It was no wonder. The sun was really cheerful that day.

With the restaurant being very quiet, save for the chirping birds and the occasional laughter from Anna as she chatted with Manatsu, it was almost impossible to not notice the ringing of the doorbell as the restaurant door swung open.

"Aaaa!!!!!!!!"

Anna's gasp caused everyone, except Airi who was still low on batteries, to whip their heads to the door.

"RENA-SAN!"

"Rena-chan!!! How are you!!!"

Akane's reaction of putting down her frying pan, turning off the stove, cleaning her hand while not removing eyes from the door forced Airi finally move her head to peek at the door.

It was right at that time when she felt her brain stop functioning.

"Churi! Anna! How are you?"

A goddess.

Her smile was beautiful, her skin was as white as the winter snow, and her voice was soft and fragile that Airi wanted to grasp it from the open air to keep it with her. For the first time, Airi felt like stopping time.

And it wasn't because it was hot.

The woman, who came in with an unattractive shirt and shorts, was simply beautiful.

Anna and Akane hugged the woman lightly. The enthusiasm skyrocketed the moment the cook and the woman met. It was as if a switch had been turned on. For Airi, however, everything seemed muted. Her brain somehow ceased to process everything in real time and all she could see was that beautiful, ethereal face and how the woman's voice meant more than the words itself.

And her eyes. Those gentle, observant eyes.

And the time suddenly reverted back normal when Akane turned to Airi and directed the woman to Airi.

"... And this one, is Furukawa Airi! Airin, hurry come and meet Rena-chan! Matsui Rena-chan."

"Aa. Uh."

The gears of her brain needed new oil. A nod had never felt so hard for Furukawa Airi.

"Nice to meet you. Furukawa Airi. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

THIS. ISN'T. A COMPANY MEETING!!!!!

Even if her mind exploded with a dozen curses and insults to herself, she couldn't bring herself to meet the woman’s eyes. It felt like someone just put a bonfire only inches away from her face. She could feel its flaring heat. Akane seemed to laugh at her too and said something like, "what is it with you? Do it properly will you?"

Whatever Akane said though, that didn't matter, since the woman smiled at Airi while ignoring her obviously awkward introduction. She smoothly replied with her kind voice. "I'm Matsui Rena. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

Matsui Rena.

The calm formality in her voice... the tint of curiosity. She wanted the woman to speak more but Airi could only nod faintly after the introduction. She wanted to glance up but she couldn't. Having those gentle brown eyes clashing with hers right away was too much for her to handle. Thankfully, Akane and the woman talked a lot after that, which prevented the woman from looking at Airi--if the woman wanted to in any way. For better and for worse, the cook and her newly arrived friend really talked a lot.  It turned out that they were old friends, separated for a long time because Rena had moved to Tokyo for her university and her job. It was obvious that they had a lot of catching up to do.

"Manatsu, can you flip the sign, please?" Akane suddenly switched her attention mid-conversation when she returned to her cooking space. Manatsu gave a slight eyebrow movement. "We're closing for today."

"Oh, no, don't do it," Rena quickly seized Akane's hand. She shook her head frantically when Manatsu nodded. "No, Mukaida-san, you don't need to close--"

Akane brushed Rena's hand gently.

"It's alright, it has been a long time since the last time you came. I want to talk more with you!"

"I didn't come here to close your business, Churi. It's almost meal time, don't close it!"

"It's alright, honestly, let's spend some time together. We have a lot to catch up on!"

"No, it's okay! I will be here for awhile!"

"How long?"

There was a pause. Akane raised her eyebrows.

"Mmm?"

"Well, right now, I have… maybe about an hour?" Rena gave an awkward grin. Akane sighed and as she was about to open her mouth, Rena quickly continued. "I have a shooting around this area so I will be around here for awhile. I can visit you anytime!"

Akane's eyes widened.

"A filming? Here?"

"Yes, for about a week or two," Rena smiled gently. "So it's okay, I will come here as frequently as I can, I promise."

Akane held Rena's hand and grinned.

"Flip the plate, Manatsu. We will be closed for one hour."

"Churi!!!!!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

They were indeed old friends. It seemed they met in high school, based on the way their conversation went. Airi listened from her chair as the two old friends chatted about Rena's job, the business, their acquaintances, how things were going, and so on. This Matsui Rena seemed to attend a university but was also an actress. Airi tried to recall the last time she watched TV other than anime but she couldn't. No wonder Airi had never seen the girl before (she never paid that much attention to real life drama anyway).

“Actually, this movie is my first major role in a movie” Rena bashfully admitted.

"Really? Congratulations!!" Akane enthusiastically clapped her hands and patted her best friend. The actress smiled and said, "but I am so nervous... I don't know if I can pull this character off. She is different from what I usually do, Churi."

"You're Renachan, you can do it," said Akane gently, clasping Rena's hand and nodded. A warm reassuring smile bloomed on the cook's face. "If it's Rena, everything is possible."

The actress gently squeezed back the cook's hand. A genuine smile found its way back to her face.

"Thank you, Churi."

The coldness of the lemonade seemed to disappear from Airi's hand. Warmth. The warmth in these two women's voices felt like an itch all over her body. Maybe her nerve had gone haywire.

And yet Airi yearned for that warmth to be directed at her too...

To hell with this summer.

"So how did you get to know Churi, Furukawa-san?"

OH NO.

If only her arms weren't this weak, the lemonade glass would have already broken.

"A-ah... well..."

"Oh, this alien here is an different case, Rena-chan!" Akane's laughter brought upon both salvation and doom for Airi, as she knew what Akane was going to say after this. First of all, the cook had robbed her off the chance to talk (If she somehow found a way to). Secondly, the cook would reveal her ridiculous past."She was a freeloader!"

"Wait birdy! It's not--"

"She arrived here dead broke and just ate--"

"I was ready to pay with--"

"And spilled these strange figurines all over the place and--"

"I told you was about to pay--"

"Only to be a freeloader for months!"

"You wouldn’t let me go! It wasn't my fault!"

"I was saving you from being frozen to death, Airin!"

"You were charging me for a debt!"

"Well, you were freeloading, Alien."

"Well it was your fault that you can't put a price on your own menu!"

What cut off the incessant banter was a gentle laugh coming out of Rena, who now sat by the counter with her arms crossed on the counter, a wide smile on her face.

"You two are such good friends. I'm glad, Churi."

"No, look, you should hear my story," Akane faced Rena and gestured for Airi to sit down and shut up. "It isn't like I really like her sitting here doing nothing, okay, let me tell you what happened that day."

And Airi could only facepalm.

What a way to introduce yourself to a goddess.

XXXXX

An hour went like a blink of an eye. A sudden phone call from Rena's manager cut off any further conversation and the artist rushed out of the restaurant even more suddenly than the way she came. After the door closed with a ring, followed by the sound of a car driving off, Akane glanced at Airi who was still staring at the door.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

"Mm."

"Kind, isn't she?"

"Mm."

Akane's smiled upon hearing Airin's answer. It held a thousand meanings but the artist didn't realize it. Her eyes were fixated on the closed door, hoping that it would open again.

XXXX

The next day, unlike her promise, Rena didn't come. It seemed she had a busy schedule. The only time the actress was brought up was when Anna said, "Rena-san doesn't come today?"

"I think she is busy, Anna."

It was the only thing that made Airi look up from her sketchbook. After she realized the conversation had ended right there, she returned her attention to her drawing book and continued her sketch.

It was a sketch of a goddess, and she sure didn't want the cook to see what she had made.

She didn't know that the cook didn't need to see it to know what it was.

XXXXXXXX

Furukawa Airi was not accustomed to changing the channel of her TV and she also wasn't accustomed to browsing for a drama or movies but now she did.

She watched all dramas Matsui Rena starred in, no matter how trivial that role was. She paid attention to details, to every second. She could even count how many episodes Rena would come out in a certain drama and in at which time. She found the actress to have potential. She found her enchanting and mesmerizing. She spent hours looking for magazine interviews and actually clipping them. The actress used to be nothing more than an average countryside girl but she strived to get to where she was now. All those things she said in the interviews entranced the artist. She felt like she wanted to cheer for her, to support her, and before she knew it she had become a Matsui Rena fan.

Her first ever non-anime favorite.

Whenever Rena came to the restaurant Airi enjoyed just sitting there looking at her side features as she talked with Akane, or as she ate her meal. At times Rena would turn to her and would engage her in a conversation but Airi was rarely able to speak properly during that time. Akane found this amusing and had tried to make Airi talk with Rena time and time again in between the conversation. As time went by, Airi was able to respond almost normally and answered whatever she needed to answer. However, she just couldn't look up from her lemonade glass into those brown eyes of the actress.

Those brown eyes were too captivating. She felt like closing her eyes each time and asking for forgiveness. She felt so unworthy to have been given such a tentative gaze from such a beautiful being.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ou~ Otsukaresama~~"

"Oyasumi, Airi."

"Oyasumi~"

The door closed with a soft click. Airi watched until the door was completely shut, watching how the obscured silhouette of Akane turning away after saying a brief “bye bye” to her behind the stained glass window. The artist straightened her beret cap and with a soft "humph!”, she spun around and continued walking.

The road was quiet. In the silence of the night, Airi could hear the waves crash against the sand several meters away from her. The street lights were bright enough for her to see the surroundings but not quite bright enough for her to look at the waves.

It was a mildly warm night tonight and somehow she didn't feel like going back home too quickly.

The vending machine near the park in front of her apartment had some cold light beer. She deposited a few coins, and the can rolled down for her to take. The lighting in the park was one of her favorites, as one of them shone over a bench that overlooked the whole park.

Making herself comfortable, Airi sat there, put down her beer can, and began to draw.

She remembered the many times Akane saw her drawing in the dark in the past, when she was still living with the cook. Like an angry Mom, the cook would scold her for being stupid and possibly ruining her eyesight. She would tell her to hurry back home or, if she was in a room, to turn on the light or bring her a desk lamp to use.

Home.

She smiled as she drew. The features of that warm place was, as always, so vivid in her mind.

Airi knew very well how she was surrounded by wonderful people. She had her family back in her hometown far away, and now she had this other family that took her and showered her with love without even asking her for anything back.

It was only until she finished her drawing that she realized someone had been sitting by the swing a mere two meters away from her, watching her all the while.

"Aaaa!"

Even in the low light, it was impossible to mistake the beauty that was Matsui Rena, draped in a lovely white dress with a gentle smile on her face.

Furukawa had never hated herself more than that time when her fist reaction was clasping her sketchbook to her body.

"K-Konbanwa."

Rena's smile was apologetic and polite.

"Konbanwa. I am very sorry, that was rude of me."

The artist thought that at that time, rather than shaking her head, it must have looked like she vibrated instead.

"N-No, it's okay, not at all."

And there was a stop.

I did it again. She could never hold a conversation for long with Matsui Rena. She wanted to talk but somehow even looking at the eyes of her company was hard. And Furukawa felt like drowning in a pool when Rena spoke again.

"I am sorry to stare. I can't help it, you looked very happy as you drew, Furukawa-san."

Now Airi could only hope she didn't look stupid since she totally lost control of her face. In fear of making herself looked more stupid, the artist only nodded.

She couldn't think. At all.

The concept of words and the feelings that she felt were so foreign that Airi couldn't voice them. She didn't know what to express or whether or not she wanted to express anything. She didn't know what this was called.

It was another silence, longer this time. Airi stared at her beer can while Rena stared at something around her feet. The creaking sound of the swing filled the gap between them. It was almost magical how the wind barely blew, because thanks to its proximity to the sea the small town was usually anything but windless. Perhaps even nature gave them time.

It was almost supernatural when they fell into one heartbeat.

"I've seen your movies."

"I've read your mangas."

The moment their eyes locked and the realization that they both spilled their thoughts at the very same time stole every conscious thought out of Airi's head. Her beer turned into the most interesting thing in the whole universe again as the heat of all summer visited her face.

Even if she didn't look up, Airi could hear the smile in Rena's voice.

"Thank you... for watching."

"No, no... thank you for reading."

Thank you.

"You did... amazing in Amazake no Yoru."

A gentle chuckle escaped Rena's lips. It sounded like a beautiful chime.

"Thank you. The vegetarian monster's past is very interesting as well. You drew and wrote the story well."

Now it was Airi's time to chuckle. She shook her head.

"It was a stupid story. We just wrote random things in the old sketchbook."

"That's what makes it so unique," There was something in Rena's voice that made Airi lift he face to look at the actress. The smile of the woman was warm and gentle. "The readers can feel the warmth of your story."

Was she alive? Airi felt like she was floating above her own body.

"Thank you."

Complimenting each other was perhaps a slow way to start. However, talking with the actress was comfortable. The air was nice and slowly, very slowly, the conversation flowed between them. Rena was an anime enthusiast and after she reveled this, the two of them really clicked with each other. The beer can was forgotten and the park livened with their calming quiet talk with bits of laughter here and there... and with occasional creak of the old swing.

They didn't even need to move closer. The distance between them was much, much closer than the few meters that had separated them. As Rena remained by the swing and Airi remained by the bench, Airi could almost physically feel how they inched closer to one another as every minute passed. The actress's presence was closer than the two meters distance of the swing. The understanding between them was so solid, Airi felt like drowning in them.

And drowned in their talk she did.

Before they knew it, they spoke of dreams and hopes and fears and things that perhaps would never be said to anyone else. Before they knew it, they both realized just how similar they were with each other.

They were two people that occasionally got lost in their own world, in a bubble of their own, though that didn't mean they didn't see their surroundings. They just saw different colors.

They were two people chasing their dreams.

Their fields may not be similar; one was an artist, one was an actress. The flame of their passion also wasn't the same; one was fiery and blazing while one was more like a strong constant ember.

However, there was one point they had in common.

The forgotten sketchbook spoke more of that one point more than the course of the two's conversation that night.

XXXXX

"You don't even come as frequently as you said you would but there you are, going again."

An apologetic smile was all that Matsui Rena could reply with when Akane spoke that accusative words. The cook spread her arms warmly though. They hugged tightly like two sisters, with Akane saying, "Come anytime. My doors will always be open for you."

"I know, I will try to come once I have the time."

A woman with formal clothes stepped out of the white van waiting by the parking lot a few meters away from them. She waved at Rena.

"Matsui-san! We're leaving!"

"Haaaaaaai!!!"

When Rena turned to look at the cook again, she saw teary eyes.

"Churi! No, not here!"

"But you will be away for another year!!" The face of the cook when she cried wasn't exactly the most beautiful one in the world but it was one that made you feel like hugging her "I don't want you to leave just yet!"

"I will message you, I promise."

Rena's voice was gentle and warm as she patted her best friend but she stepped back nonetheless. Anna was actually crying too beside her sister but she flashed her usual bright smile as always.

"I will go to Tokyo one day too!" Anna exclaimed.

"Um, by then, I will be waiting for you!"

It was another hug and pat (and the cook was still sobbing). The last one was the artist, standing rigid beside the cook with her sketchbook in her hand.

Rena stood waiting in front of the artist, knowing exactly that it would be a long time before the artist would lift her face to look into her eyes.

There was a brief eye contact between the both of them and in that same exact second, they once again spoke their mind.

"I will watch all your upcoming movies."

"I will read all your upcoming mangas."

Furukawa Airi would forever hate this effect Matsui Rena had on her, as she hated summer. She hated the way all the heat exploded on her face. And she would forever hate (and love) the way the actress held her hand then and said, "Let us do our best together."

Yes.

She hoped the artist wouldn't feel how much her hand trembled or how fast her heart was beating. Oh how loud and incontrollable it was. With that same hand however, she opened her sketchbook and tore the page that showed the picture she drew when they met by the park that night.

"For you, Matsui-san."

Rena's face when she saw the picture was full of warmth and delight, and a smile unmistakably adorned her face as she took the present.

"Thank you. I will take good care of it."

Airi didn't hope much, she just felt like she wanted to give something to the actress. It was alright if the actress would throw it away later on (something that she believed wouldn't happen purposely as she knew the actress was kind), she didn't care. It was also nothing more than a simple drawing. However Airi somehow wanted the actress to bring a part of her. Almost literally. She stopped being complete the moment she saw the actress by the door that day.

"Oh, Furukawa-san."

Airi looked up, and, for the first time since they met, her eyes finally met with the bright brown eyes of Matsui Rena.

"Call me Rena."

God forbid, the one in front of her was indeed a goddess.

"You can call me Airi... Rena-san."

The sweet, sweet smile of Matsui Rena upon hearing her answer was the only thing that was left in Furukawa Airi's mind that day.

Airi still remembered also the gentle shimmer in Rena's eyes and her kind voice as she said, "Please take care of Churi, Airi."

Even after the white van disappeared from their sights, all that Furukawa Airi could see was the perfectly beautiful face of the actress who called her name.

XXXXXXXX

There were many, many things that made Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant amazing and if Airi should wrap it all up in one, she would say that the restaurant brought miracles.

The restaurant moved Furukawa Airi's life in more ways than one. The restaurant brought miracles, one after another, in the shape of home, of a family, and even a beautiful goddess that walked through the door.

Although summer was hot and Furukawa Airi hated heat, the artist wouldn't trade it with anything. She would bear a thousand suns if need be.

After all, it was only in this restaurant that miracles could happen.

This is the restaurant where she met a goddess.

---------------------------- the end---------------------

Author's note: I am sorry, I was in a writer's block when I wrote this. I think you can clearly perceive my writer's block's phase. Also, please forgive my grammatical errors. And there is a reason why Akane didn't call Rena "Rena-san" like she does IRL. It will be weird for a childhood friend to call one another with a -san. Thus is why I softened it into "Rena-chan".

[enrer]

The Restaurant: Sisters (2)

A continuation of The Restaurant: Sisters (1), a part of "the Restaurant" series.

Characters / Pairings: Ishida Anna, Takayanagi Akane, Furukawa Airi, Mukaida Manatsu, OC / ChuriAnna (family)

I was a little girl alone in my little world, Who dreamed of a little home for me I played pretend between the trees And fed my houseguests bark and leaves, And laughed in my pretty bed of green. I had a dream that I could fly from the highest swing I had a dream

Priscilla Ahn - Dream

------------------------------------------------

"Eh?"

It felt like everything went blank in that very second. Anna smiled a confused and surprised smile, as the statement rang through her like it came from a foreign language.

Father?

"What do you... mean?"

The man, Futamori Hiroshi, almost as nervous as she was, stood with his arm outstretched. It was an empty gesture. It showed that he had nothing to hide and nothing to gain.

He still smiled, however, and his eyes were certain, yet afraid.

"I was... your mother's fiancee. I have been away--"

"No, sir, I think you are mistaken." Anna gave an awkward smile, shaking her head. Her eyes flew to where her sister stood, but her sister eyes lacked the light that usually brightened them. "I mean, my mother told me that my father was deceased."

The man's eyes made Anna pause her statement. There was so many things inside his eyes that Anna didn't know if she should continue. She smiled politely.

"I used to live alone with my mother and my father was deceased before I was born sir," She continued slowly. She was shocked at how emotionless her voice was. "So maybe you are mistaken? Perhaps you are looking for another Ishida Anna? I mean, it is easy to mistake--"

"Anna-chan, it’s a long story." The man smiled. "You're the one whom I have always been looking for. Your mother and I, we were engaged when she had you. Unfortunately, I..."

"My father was deceased a long time ago!" Her foot stepped back without her realizing it. She had both her hands on the racket now, allowing it to act as a barrier between her and the man, even if it was pressed close to her body. Her knuckles turned white. "M-Mama said so. Mama said my  father was deceased before I was born..."

"I didn't know that she was pregnant." There was a tremble in his voice that was filled with emotion. They were treading on a very thin line between breakdown and courage. "My mother was against our wedding and I was sent to study abroad when I lost contact of her. We weren't married that time so I thought--"

"So you left her?"

Anna's voice was escalating to a phase where she would no longer have of it. Her grip on the racket's handle trembled, just like her voice.

"So if it is true that you are my father, you just left my mother when she had me?"

Hiroshi's eyes were almost physically breaking when he moved forward and gently said, "Anna-chan, listen to me--"

"Do you know what happened to my mother?" Anna's eyes were glasses of memories, reflecting old wounds that she had carefully hid for a long time. "Do you even realize what happened to her? Do you understand that you're saying that my mother had been lying to me all this time?"

Hiroshi closed his eyes as he shook his head. When he took a step closer, Anna took a step back. The man bit his bottom lips.

"Anna-chan, listen... This is very sudden so I know..."

"No, you don't know." A tear finally fell from her eyes. She didn't know what tear was that. Was it fury, was it sadness, was it happiness, or was it just pure confusion? "No, you definitely do not know. I don't know you! You're basically coming here and out of nowhere say that you are my father! I--"

"Anna."

Akane's voice was commanding. Anna quickly turned to look at her sister. Her breathing quickened without control and how the look of her sister suddenly showered her with familiarity.

"Onee--"

"Futamori-san, I am sorry but I think, this is too sudden for all of us," Akane clearly ignored her sister's calling. Her voice was steady although her brown eyes were unreadable, like an impenetrable glass. Hiroshi looked into those eyes though, even if his showed uncertainty. "This is too sudden for Anna too. She is still tired from school and this news would surprise anyone. So I think..."

"I understand," Hiroshi's voice was weak and it shook. He smiled to both Akane and Anna. "I think... It was unwise for me. I am sorry, Anna-chan. I.."

He wasn't able to proceed, especially when he saw how rigid the younger girl was, how hard she clutched that racket,  and how she had withdrawn the second he called her name. Akane's own hands were curled into fists, pressing the counter so hard as she kept her composure and her polite smile.

"... Perhaps... I can come again tomorrow?"

It was a hopeful tone. His eyes were almost begging.

Akane's smile was a reassuring one, although a bit forced.

Everything in that room at that time was forced.

"Yes, I think that will be best."

XXXXX

The silence between them was uncomfortable. The racket by the counter, the bag by the stool, they were forgotten. Photos, given by Hiroshi just a few hours before, scattered the counter. The four birds chatted with each other but their two owners were in complete silence. One was locking her hands together, her grip so hard that she shook. The cook herself stood rigid by her cooking space, swaying between reaching out to touch her sister or just staying still and letting her sister unknot everything herself.

"... What does this mean... Oneechan?"

The simple question weighed more than the simplicity it held. She couldn't say that she understood it any better than her little sister. No matter how many times Hiroshi explained it to her, she still couldn't get it quite right. For Anna, it must have been worse. However, perhaps explaining everything once again would make the reality sink into her easier as well. Akane took a deep breath then snatched one of the furthest picture by her right.

"... This was taken... about 6 to 7 months before you were born. You can see from the date stamp. "

It was a picture of a young couple. It was old, but Anna could recognize the woman there. Painfully so. It had been such a long time since she looked through a family album. The same face that used to be by the altar was now in a photo before her, smiling, so alive. So similar to her mother.

Anna always thought she had healed from the summer day her mother went away. Perhaps she overestimated herself, that was what she thought as she looked at the old photo. Her mother was so alive there, so close with her fingertips, that Anna felt like letting out that old wish she had always buried, an old wish she thought she had forgotten and discarded.

"They were still together then. Futamori-san also brought..." Akane took a laminated paper beside the photos then positioned it in front of her sister. "... their engagement papers. Your mother's name is there, and his too. However, as Futamori-san said, they didn't get to marry each other. Your mother went missing a few months after he went abroad and he said he didn't know she was pregnant by that time."

Anna rocked on her chair, hugging herself. She nodded as Akane told the story but she said nothing. Her sister paused for quite a while then pushed the paper to Anna.

"After he finished his studies, he got a job that made him unable to go back to Japan. Eight years had passed when he finally returned and he searched for your mother. But somehow your mother had left her old house and changed her number. He kept mailing her ever since he was abroad but he never got a reply. So that was the end of his search for your mother."

"So when..." It felt like Anna's first word after so long. She looked at her sister and pushed herself to continue. "When... did he know?"

"He said he went to a reunion two years ago, and there he discovered what had happened to your mother." Akane gave a grim smile. "When he learned of you, he searched for you. He said, your mother didn't leave any clues as to where she left you and he had never met my family either. He backtracked up to our grandmother's line to finally know where we lived."

Anna dropped her eyes on the old photo of her mother. It gave her such a chill that she thought the air conditioner went haywire. Unconsciously her hands started to rub her body. She wanted warmth from somewhere. Akane put her hand on Anna's shoulder, a familiar weight that made Anna close her eyes.

"... I have a father?"

There was no answer from her sister. The force of her own fingers digging into her own skin was painful.

"Is this a lie? Is this the truth? That I have a father?"

"If what he told me was true... then yes, Anna, you have a father."

It wasn't quite an answer and Akane let go of her hold on Anna's shoulder. The younger girl leaned to the counter, feeling her breath suddenly quicken as confusion seeped into her. A father. The concept of a father was so far away, so impossible, so foreign. That, and the fact that her mother's memories came clouding her mind and hammering her consciousness made her dizzy. Her stomach didn't feel right and she thought she would puke.

Her sister, for once, felt like a stranger to her. A stranger that didn't know her at all.

The sound of a paper flapping made her slowly glance at her sister. Akane brought another paper, taking it from below the counter. Her sister leaned to the table, closer to her, and showed her the paper.

"Futamori-san... suggested to do DNA test with you."

It was like a shower of cold water and Anna shot up to sit straight right away, casting a look of disbelief at Akane. It was the first time after a long time that she felt like slapping her sister.

"A what?!"

"A DNA test, to confirm whether or not you are his daughter." Akane's voice was empty. She almost didn't return Anna's gaze but when she did, her eyes were filled with so many things that no one could know what she was feeling. Anna, however, at that moment, didn't care what her sister felt. It was all so sudden that the pain somehow blew her fuse. She slammed the table.

"Why is he doing this? Who is he anyway? No, how long have you known this, Oneechan?!"

The way Akane bit her lips made Anna angrier. The younger one hit the table again.

"How long have you been in contact with him?!"

Akane seemed to draw herself away for a moment, but she answered nonetheless.

"... For about two weeks."

"TWO WEEKS?!" Now it felt like everything would burst and Anna looked at her sister in disbelief. "You have known this for two weeks but you have never told me?!"

"I thought that I better reconfirm things first before I told you." Akane's voice wavered. Her hand reached out to Anna's but the younger one stubbornly drew it back. "I thought that it would be better if we discuss it before..."

"What is there to discuss? This is all about me! You're keeping things from me!"

"I don't want you to be panicking for something that may not be true." Akane finally stood straight, sounding exasperated. She put down the paper. "Anna, listen, I will not let him talk to you unless there is enough evidence that give a high possibility that he is your father. I don't want to make you..."

"My mother is deceased and so is my father!"

That hurt more than she thought. Tears burst from her eyes without control and before she knew it she was already on her feet. Without any more words, she briskly grabbed all of her belongings on the counter and rushed upstairs, ignoring her sister's one last call.

------------------------------------------------

The chime rang.

The first one in a while.

"Ojamashimaaaaasu..."

Akane turned to look at the door, releasing her gaze from the paper she was supposed to hand over to Anna. The sight of Furukawa Airi formed a small smile on her lips. It didn't reach her eyes though and an acknowledgement appeared inside the artist's eyes as she walked closer.

"Airi."

The artist took a seat on the opposite side of the counter, the place she usually sat, and placed her bag on the stool beside her. Akane was back on looking at the papers again, a heavy sigh slipping out of her mouth.

"An-chan?"

The chirps of the bird filled the silent gap between them. Akane pushed the paper she was looking at to Airi.

The artist didn't even look at the paper. She knew what was written there already. She merely folded her arms and watched her best friend.

"Talk, Akane. Perhaps this is a chance for both of you to finally talk to each other."

----------------------------------------------------------

There was a time when the world was pretty much black and white in her mind. Colorless, yet very tranquil. Her memory of that time was like scenes of photograph reflected on water. When you dip your hand into it, the tranquility disappeared. When she dipped her hand to taste the scene, they dissolved into mere ripples that wreak the serenity it used to give.

It was better to do nothing, to say nothing, to just see that scenery silently.

People were noisy though. People always tried to make ripples on tranquil water.

People were frightening creatures. That was what young Takayanagi Akane always felt.

People stared at you, talked about you behind your back, pitying you for something. The little girl spent her time looking at her neighbours chatting about her as she sat by the swing in the park alone, waiting for Obaasan to come pick her up.

"Where is your Mama?"

"Mama is always late, you can go home first."

It was a lie she told her classmates so often that it became a truth of its own. To others and to her. The scenes reflected on the water seemed so real when it was a lie.

Being raised only by a grandmother with her father rarely home already made her the center of attention from all the mothers of the other kids. They pitied her, trying to console her, but only made her felt isolated. They made her felt different. The talks with other kids were always unnatural, with topics being avoided on purpose. It wasn't a nice environment to live in and in order to make it easier, she would rather pretend she was like them.

Her imagination was the scenes on top of the water.

Her imaginary mother was going to come.

As time went, however. She finally knew that keeping silent was easier than talking, being alone was much easier than blending in. She would watch the other kids play by the park while she stayed by the swings, going home later than most of them and told her grandmother she was "playing with other kids".

"It isn't nice to lie."

Her grandmother always said that but she thought it had become truth now. When she walked hand to hand with her grandmother away from the park, she left her imaginary mother there to wait for her to come the next day.

If she ever tried to touch it, to make it into reality, it would only break into ripples. It would only destroy the serenity.

She left her imaginary mother by the swing as she went home to her real family. She left her so that she could come and embrace her again the next day.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The paper door that separated the hall and Anna's room somehow seemed like a huge canyon that divided Akane with her sister. The cook stared at the white sliding door and with a sigh, leaning to the cold wall. She couldn't bring herself to slide it open.

In the past few weeks she had been emotionally battering herself to the wall, trying to make a logical way out from the information Hiroshi-san was giving to her. She hid it from Anna, trying to act alright, while all the time when she stared at her little sister she knew she had to tell her one day.

"I don't want to take her DNA material without her consent."

It was what she told Hiroshi-san that day. They could have just did it right away. It was totally easy for Akane to take something containing Anna's DNA, but doing that behind the younger girl's back didn't seem right. Hiroshi-san seemed relieved with her words though, as he seemed to want to meet Anna right away as well.

He was her father after all. Supposedly.

Anna's reaction was a bit more than what she expected though. However she couldn't blame the younger girl and now somehow she felt she should have just told Hiroshi-san to just drop the idea and pretend to never know Anna. She hoped she could just tell Hiroshi-san that it was better for Anna to never know the truth.

However, it wasn't like her to hide something like that away. Not as a person she was now. She had her share of lies in her past and she didn't want someone else to copy her doing it. Living in an imaginary world of your own had always been lonely. She wasn't who she was.

Akane slowly stood straighter, taking a deep breath. Airi's words rang in her head. She had been repeating it since the moment Akane opened up to her about Hiroshi-san, and it weighted more than Akane could let herself agree on.

"Both of you never talk to each other about each other. Perhaps it is a chance for you to finally talk."

There was truth in that. It surprised Akane how much Airi actually paid attention to things that she herself overlooked all these times.

For the whole years the two sisters grew up and depended on each other, never once did they talk about each other. They got together because they had to. Now that Akane thought of it, she still didn't know what Anna thought of her. There was always this wall that separated them, that bolted their position in where they currently were. They had never got closer nor getting farther away from each other. It was a "comfortable zone" they never intruded. They both had a place in each other's life. However that place had never once moved from that time when the world stopped its turn for them.

They were still young girls crying themselves to sleep by the same futon, shutting themselves away from the reality.

Ignoring reality created this illusion of peace.

Breaking it was scary. Akane put her hand on the sliding door, knowing that in the next few minutes perhaps it would be the time for her to break it.

Akane was about to slide it open when the door slid open from the inside, her little sister standing right in front of her. It was both startling and relieving, and somehow Akane had a pang in her heart that wanted to berate fate for taking a head start on her conviction.

"Anna—"

"Oneechan..."

Anna's eyes made Akane stopped her sentences and instead waited for her sister's continuation. The younger girl divert her eyes elsewhere after a while and whispered, "I am sorry... that was bad of me to talk like that to you."

At that moment, Akane thought it could go for better or for worse, depending on the next statement to come. However Anna didn't continue.

The ripples in their weak walls disappeared.

Smiling as she knew her little sister just wanted her apology to be accepted, Akane shook her head and gently patted her littler sister's head.

"No, it's alright. I am sorry, it must have been really hard on you."

In the end, the wall between them kept on rebuilding itself. It was a wall that never let them to be honest to each other. It was a wall that talked so much about them but never let them to talk about each other.

---------------------------------

“You can leave her, she isn’t your main family, she is only a cousin of yours.”

“You can barely live on your own, let alone be her guardian!”

"Akane-chan, she ISN'T your sister."

Most of them didn’t know, most of them didn’t understand. People were giving her suggestions but most of them merely hurt her instead of making her felt better.

The day she crouched by her family’s gravestone was the day she made up her mind. She remembered shedding the last of her tears before taking the hand of the little girl trembling beside her. She remembered casting away the last bit of her own desire along with the last drip of the water that they showered on the gravestone. She remembered that she had shut down everything else she might ever dream to have.

She would rather see what she had in her hand now, the warm trembling fingers.

No one other than her understood the fear the little girl felt every night, in every nightmare. No one understood the cry and sobs at night. No one understood how it felt like to be alone, watching shadows of your own imagination playing before you. No one but her.

Her only family. The only one she had.

----------------------------------------

The sound of the waves was loud and the night wind blew hard on them. It wasn't that cold even if it was the end of summer. With the light of the lamplight and the moon illuminating the sidewalk, Akane watched as Anna who walked in front of her kicked a small stone away from the sidewalk.

They decided to walk along the coastline for a breather and to cool their head. In the end, all they did was walking in silence as they both drown in their own world.

"You should talk to him tomorrow, Anna. Tell him how you feel."

There was no immediate answer from the younger girl, who instead walked further in front of her sister.

"It won't be a bad thing to talk."

Talk, Akane.

You are one to say, Airi...

The sound of the waves was loud, brought by the wind. In the distance the light of some of the fisherman's boat shone like stars.

Anna finally stopped walking and, a split second later, Akane stopped her steps as well. She watched as her sister stayed by her place, seemingly watching the night sky.

"... I am just afraid of... destroying what I know is true all these times."

Anna turned around, biting her lips. Her eyes were clear and Akane could read everything in those eyes. If there was something that was unique about Anna, one of it was definitely her outspoken honesty.

"I don't want things to change, Oneechan. I don't even know what is it that will change...  but I just don't want to change."

Neither of them wanted the world to turn around.

Akane smiled. It wasn't a reassuring one, but understanding. She held out her hand.

"I'll be here."

There was nothing she could do. She could never do anything to the situation. Never.

"It's alright."

Everything would still change.

--------------------------------------------

If there was a stop button to stop the world, Akane would have spammed it very often.

When Obaachan fell ill, it was the peak of her tennis club’s activity. There were conflicts and also  a talk of glory and also responsibility, as she was one of the canditates for the regional. Ditching the club to take care of Obaachan was enough to literally end her youth. Akane knew the only reason no one really bully her was because the "whole school" pitied her for having no one other than her grandmother. She was pitiful enough that time, no one bothered to really add up to it. She was isolated though, none of her tennis club friend talked to her after that. She had abandoned her club in the very important moment of it. They ignored her as if she had never existed. She never asked their forgiveness for ditching either, she was one to take all responsibility of her action.

It was the end of her highschool, the end of her youth.

Then a deluge of happenings showered her. Her grandmother died, no matter how much they had tried to cure her. She had to try to fend for herself and Anna, something that gave her the idea of working right after high school. Part-time was an easy enough job but the wage was not something she could rise just by working hard.

The restaurant was build right after Otousan came home.

It was a busy period of time, she managed to get herself so worked up she even forgot about her own sadness. However, months later, the news came that her father would never go back home.

It was the time when Akane felt like screaming, felt like throwing stuff away, felt like crying her heart out and told the world just what a cruel life they had given to her. It was when, at one time of her life, Akane thought that she had enough. She wanted the world to stop so that she wouldn't need to face more of these deluge of challenges. She was tired, she was fed up with it all, she didn't know what to do.

However, there was someone else beside her that needed her more than she needed herself. There was still one more person that needed the girl who always sat alone by the swing, who drew for herself an imaginary mother by the park.

In a way, that day Akane eventually pushed the stop button. She pushed it to stop her own crumbling wall, to stop the leak of her own emotions. She wasn't good at keeping her emotions at bay but for this once she would try to stand.

Stopping her own time, she tried to make her only family's time to start ticking once more.

-------------------------

Anna had never felt so anxious, just sitting by the restaurant's stool. Not even the first day of their restaurant opening had she ever felt this anxious. Hiroshi-san could come at any minute now and she and Akane were waiting by the restaurant worriedly. Anna skipped today's class. She wouldn't pay any attention to the teacher anyway.

She had told Akane to keep the restaurant open though. Summer always brought them huge profits thanks for the tourists that come for some beach adventures and Anna knew just how much it would cost her sister if she closed it even just for one day.

"I will open it once Hiroshi-san comes."

That was what Akane said. Perhaps her sister couldn't pay attention to the customers either with both of them this restless.

By the corner of the room Airi watched the two sisters sitting anxiously at the counter. She merely glanced, then turned to her sketchbook. Akane told her to stay there. Airi perfectly knew what that meant. Akane told her to be her mental barrier.

It felt like decades when finally the chime by the door rang.

All eyes flew there instantly.

"A, ohayou gozaimasu..."

Manatsu bowed down as she walked in, feeling all the eyes that suddenly focused on her. She blinked when disappointed stares were thrown at her.

"Is there anything wrong? Churi-san, we're opening late?"

"Ah well.... Actually..."

Akane didn't get to finish her words, as suddenly a shadow came behind Manatsu.

"Ohayou gozaimasu."

He came.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Do not ask Mama about her father.

It was a rule etched in Anna's old home. Asking about Papa would make Mama angry and it didn't need a long time for young Anna to etch the warning inside her head. Mama was everything she had and Mama had always been there for her. Mama was her Papa as well, Mama was always there. Thus was why concept of "father" was foreign for her. Children's book usually filled with them. As people could relate to many things those book told them, she could only relate it all to one figure. She did ask herself where Papa was but then it didn't matter, Mama was always there.

Always.

When Mama was gone, it was the one thing she needed to lose what people called "everything".

At one time of her life, Anna had a time when she thought if it was because there was no Papa that Mama was gone. She had seriously thought so.

She didn't know how much it bothered her until now when she was alone with the one who was supposedly her father. She knew she was angry at her mother, and also at herself who didn't realize the changes of her mother's mental condition. However, she never realized how much she was angry at her father until now when someone who could possibly be her father was present beside her.

As they walked by the beach, those thought were circling in her head. It was silent that time, though Anna knew once she let herself say anything it would come in a deluge and this time there was no Akane to stop her. She didn't even know this man. Akane had said to her again and again how perhaps her father might be a kind man; Akane had said to her to let herself be more open-minded. However, those old wounds were so large, she was shocked at how deeply scarred she was. She was shocked at how... unhealed she was.

It made her wondered if her effort of erasing these wounds actually worked out at all.

She didn't even realize the gentle look the man beside her was giving her as they walked side by side. She didn't even realize how he looked at her all the time.

"How was school? Akane-chan said you take summer class too?"

"Yes."

"Don't you have many summer homework?"

"Not really."

"I see."

She didn't even realize she answered those. Her eyes were fixated on the sands by her feet, her mind wondering elsewhere to what Akane said to her last night before they slept together, "give him a chance."

For what?

Did he give her mother a chance?

"... I was devastated, when I thought I was being left behind by your mother."

He steps stopped. Her eyes were still on the sand, but it was the first time for her to react to what he said.

"I thought that she found another man, that she didn't understand my situation. I thought she didn't understand about me and my mother. I felt betrayed. Even though I had told her to wait until I can come back home, she left me. My selfish self thought that I was left behind by your mother. I was wondering if it was because of me going away, if she went away because I couldn't meet up to her expectation. I was  in distress."

Anna slowly looked up with a disbelief look in her eyes. She could almost feel her inner self lashing at him. Hiroshi's eyes were deep though and that was the only thing that hold Anna not to spill everything.

"Now I know that I might be wrong. That perhaps I was the one doing that to her, and to you. When I learned of you, I realized that maybe a whole different scenario took place, that maybe I had made the greatest mistake of my life. I was young back then, and self-centered. How could I forgot how she always took everything alone? She always took an action without telling anyone. Such is your mother."

Anna opened her mouth to say something but before she could do so, the man before her suddenly went on his knees. It was so sudden that Anna could only stayed there gaping at the action, and the next words that came from Hiroshi wasn't something she expected.

"You must be really angry at me right now and I understand," the man said firmly, looking straight into her eyes. "I may or may not be your father, but I know perfectly well how I had contributed to your life now. I know what happened to you and I am.. I am sorry. "

Before she could move to stop him, he already went down and bowed so deep in front of her, head and hands on the ground. His next words were spoken so emotionally, it was impossible to not hear the tears in his voice.

"Please, Anna-chan, please let me take responsibility for what I have done! I can't do anything for your mother now but if you want to shout at me, slap me, hit me, anything, you may. Anything that may satisfy you! I had made you suffer so much, I had let your mother alone when she needed me most, I had taken what was so important for you. I had contributed in scarring you with wound that may never heal so please, dear, let me repent! Please let me pay for what I did!"

The painful feeling of her own nails digging her flesh as she clenched her fists were unnoticed.

"Please forgive me!"

She was angry, yes. She was hurt. The fact how it could all turned another way, how her life would have been really different, how the beautiful family she had always dreamed of would have been able to come true, all those felt like somebody sprinkled salt all over the open wound in her heart. It hurt, and it was painful. However, what he said in the beginning all brought everything back to her.

"I felt betrayed."

She felt betrayed, and hurt. She felt like she had been discarded. She knew those feelings so much, as vivid as her memory of the blue sedan that drove away from her. She knew how it felt like to be left behind. She knew how painful it was, how scarring, how the anger from that time could make anyone unable to see the good of it at all.

"Anna-chan, your mother loves you."

She knew if Akane hadn't pulled her out of the crevice that time, she would forever live her life hating her mother and herself.

"Don't let yourself think otherwise."

In the end, she found herself kneeling before that man, putting her hand on his shoulder and cried together with him.

She didn’t know for whom the tears were. Were they for him, out of sympathy? For her for all the things she had experienced? For her mother as she jumped over the cliff?

“She left you to us so that you can continue your life. And I will see to it that you do.”

She had her saviour and she knew how perhaps this man wasn't as lucky as she was.

Perhaps he had been carrying his unhealed wound alone even longer than she had. Because at least, Anna knew, for her case, she always had someone that shouldered that pain together with her.

She had always had someone that keep the nightmare away from her and washed away the dream of the blue sedan.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you, please come again!!"

The door closed  with a ring of the chime. The sound of talking, eating, and cooking all mixed into one inside the small restaurant. It was summer so it was almost a certainty that it would be a busy day. Menu after menu, all went to the counter almost without a pause. Even Furukawa had to come in and give a hand to the busy Manatsu. Times like these, Furukawa sometimes amazed at the thoughtfulness of the cook for simple things such as having extra spare of lemonade.

It was drawing to late afternoon, and the two that left in the morning hadn't come back yet. Between all the cooking, Airi could really tell the intermittent distant look in the cook's eyes. Manatsu put empty dishes to the counter for Airi to wash but her eyes where elsewhere, looking at the back of the cook.

She quietly returned her gaze to Airi, lips curling into the sweet polite smile she always gave. Manatsu pushed the dishes further  to Airi's side, acting as if she hadn't just seen the cook at all.

"Onegaishimasu."

"Mm."

Airi was about to turned around when Manatsu suddenly raised her voice.

"Airin-san, excuse me," Manatsu rarely asked questions, especially at times like these. Her eyes were worried though. "May I go home with you after this?"

That was a random request. Airi raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"Well yeah, sure. Why not?"

Another sweet smile curled up the girl's lips, coupled with a gentle, "Thank you."

Airi was left puzzled since Manatsu quickly turned around to answer a call from a new customer. However, her puzzlement didn't last long as the familiar chime rang again and now instead of a customer, it was Anna coming in with her signature, "Tadaima!"

The greetings made Akane literally jumped. The kettle made a really loud sound when the ladle hit the rim, which caused several of their customers to look at the cook. Akane gave a wide smile though--a futile effort in hiding her nervousness--and answered with, obviously fake, cheerfulness, "Okaeri!!! Ah, Anna, you're home early!"

It was totally apparent how the reactions were fake between them. Airi exchanged glances with Manatsu, especially when Hiroshi went inside the store after Anna. The change in the eyes of the bird loving cook was so visible, her emotions were laid out like an open book. The cook bowed politely and said with a smile, "Okaerinasai. Have you eaten anything? It is late afternoon."

"Oh, no, we're just... walking down the beach all the time so..."

"Then come, sit and I will cook you something."

The next thing that happened made Akane's shoulder stiffened for a few second, something that Airi clearly saw. Anna turned and said something to Hiroshi, taking the man's hand. Though her voice was low enough that the sound of the customers' chatters drowned the words, it was clear that she talked kindly, warmly.

When Anna returned her gaze at Akane, she was smiling.

"Two seats it is then, Oneechan!"

As the tension between them slowly turned neutral, some of the customers whose attention were stolen by the loud sound of the ladle slowly turned back to their respective business. Akane turned to Hiroshi-san who quietly followed behind Anna and said warmly, "You must be hungry as well, Hiroshi-san. What do you want for dinner?"

The man gave a laugh, seating himself by the stool, and said, "What is there in the menu?"

"You can ask anything even not in the menu," the cook smiled. "We are not strangers, Hiroshi-san. You can ask anything."

She wasn't a cook anymore for him.

Hiroshi's eyes looked into the brown orbs of the woman for a few second and comprehension sunk inside his eyes as well. His smile in the next second was genuine.

"Anything you cook, I think I will eat them in delight, Akane-chan."

Though at first awkward, the air in the restaurant that late afternoon were filled with relief and silent understanding.

Airi however, watched the three of them warily from her place. This fake and fragile calm seemed like it held back an impending doom. She couldn't help but to feel that a storm would come... and that it would come sooner than anyone of them think. But it hadn’t, or perhaps wouldn’t, so Airi took her napkins again and continue drying the dishes as if nothing was out of ordinary.

If anything was wrong, all that she could do was to be the positive force behind her best friend. That was all that she could do and through all the time they were together, Airi learned that she was actually the best at it.

XXXXX

The sea summer night wind blew hard, just like it had always been. Airi welcomed the air, it was still hot even at night. They were approaching autumn yet summer's heat still lingered in the air. Manatsu walked silently, beside her, carrying her small purse in front of her. Airi couldn't recall the last time Manatsu asked her to go back together. She even thought that perhaps this was the first time ever. It wasn't that they weren't close, Airi just usually went back home much much later as she tend to spend time after the restaurant close by talking to Akane, accompanied by several glass of tea, coffee, or light beer. Thus was why this particular night turned really out of the ordinary. Especially since Manatsu was the one to initiate it.

Airi knew why though. The reason was totally obvious.

Manatsu's first statement were predicted.

"Churi-san... seems really strange lately."

Airi knew it was going to be like this. She almost sighed, though in the end she didn't. People said your happiness left you together with your sigh. Airi knew she needed her positivity right now.

"I do not want to poke into someone else's trouble but I just can't ignore..." The young high school girl averted her eyes elsewhere. She finally looked into the artist's eyes though.  "Churi-san rarely says anything about hardship, though I know there must be a lot of thing that is bothering her. I am sorry if I may sound nosy but..."

"No, no, you don't at all," Airi grinned, shaking her head. She wasn't used to be in this position. She blamed Akane for that. "That stupid bird always pretends to be strong anyway, that is just her. Instead, I should say you're really kind to look after her. Really."

Manatsu was still bothered though, as shown by her eyes. She really is a sweet girl, Airi took a deep breath. The waitress looked elsewhere, before then turned to look at Airi again.

"I may not... be able to confront Churi-san directly but... if there is anything that I can do..."

Airi herself didn't know what she could do. Not only that, she also didn’t know what was it that she was supposed to do. This sense of helplessness and agitation was uncomfortable and Airi didn’t like it a single bit. Again, she blamed the cook for that. She sighed audibly.

There goes some of her positivity.

"We can only keep an eye on them," the artist said exasperatedly. She smiled. "Akane might not say it but she needs us, you and me. Anna might need you too. They should get over this themselves but at the very least, we should be there when they need us."

Even when they said nothing.

Manatsu looked deep into her eyes but she didn’t reply anything.

They then continued their steps in silence, accompanied only by the sound of their footsteps. Until the time they part, the conversation didn’t continue. Airi knew that perhaps it wouldn’t, unless the people that they were concerned of decided to move it themselves.

XXXXXXXXX

The four birds were chirping, prancing on their branches. Akane watched calmly as Anna sat by the stool in front of her, playing with her fingers. The piece of paper was in front of them, along with Akane's white cellphone.

In the end, the one that spoke between them was Akane.

"So...?"

It was just a word. Perhaps grammar nazi would be mad at how incomplete the statement was. Anna smiled, looking straight into her sister's eyes.

"It will be alright, won't it, Neechan?"

Akane couldn't say her hope was even as high as the one that lingered in Anna's statement so she just smiled. She couldn't even nod.

For once, she knew it was Anna who made the decision herself, not under her influence.

"Yes, I will take that DNA test."

Little did they know, the future was not as simple as it appeared to be.

--------------------------------------------

Author's note: This goes longer than I wanted it to be. Hopefully I will be able to post the next fic NOT from this story though still in "The Restaurant" series, at least the setting. It's a whole lot brighter. This "Sisters" story is pretty gloomy and well, I ended up being carried away, and when I realized it, it is actually a kind of like a "wrapup" of most of the characters I actually have in my head inside the setting.

Anyway, I talked a bit too much. I am sorry for the decrease of quality in this fic, as I am actually moving somewhere else and these changes turned my mood of writing upside down. Good thing is, I am near the sea. :) I'mma search for some Churi here hahaha.

and my proofreader is also very busy lately and she didn't have the time to proofread this, as I don't have time to write. I am sorry.

See you around, everyone.

[enrer]

Putting my translation of this song here, because it is relevant for Restaurant: Sisters. Maybe later you will understand why it is so. For romaji and Japanese you can go here.

Beautiful Life by Goosehouse

I don't feel like it It seems like I'm becoming drowned in my sighs Be it my waking or sleeping all of it are worthless

I don't feel like it I can't talk an anonymous society just can't make a presence whether it is of me myself or the dream of that day

Alright, it's alright the excuses is getting better

Don't know, I don't know Does it come? Beautiful Life

In the present time that we're unaware of, The portrayed landscape is losing its color

In the present time that we're unaware of, just how many times have you shed tears?

In the present time that we're unaware of, I have sold myself to demons,

Even so, still I want to love you I want to love you

My whole view of life The light of you who changed your mind will come to disappear if you remain ambiguous and so will that dream

If by changing ourselves will also change the world that might become a big salvation for someone

In the present time that we're unaware of, The portrayed landscape is losing its color

In the present time that we're unaware of, Just how many times have you shed tears?

If, for instance, the world turned into an enemy and despised me I don't mind I will continue on

In the present time that we're unaware of, Splitting the cloud, the light streaks in

In the present time that we're unaware of, Just how many times have I dreamed of you laughing?

In the present time that we're unaware of, the world is overflowing with flower buds

Tomorrow too I want to love you I want to love you

[enrer]

I'm absolutely in love with your writing. Thank you for writing other stories from "The Restaurant" series. The Akane/Anna relationship warms my heart ;__; I love KII bonds. I cannot wait until your next update. Again, thank you SO MUCH ;o;

No, no, no, thank you for reading. ^^ I am very happy someone finds it entertaining. I thought creating a pretty slow paced story like this will be boring to those who read so I am really really happy that someone enjoys them (especially since it is pretty long). However, I am sorry I cannot promise fast update as I am quite busy lately. :(

"The restaurant" series pretty much expands more than I could handle actually... it has so many side stories, from Akane's restaurant, to Ogiso's coffee shop. Let us just wait what I can come up with next. :)I love KII too. It is a pity Ramune no Nomikata ends after just a year. Let us support that birdy captain with the new team as well :) May it be a great team.

[enrer]

Announcement

Currently re-designing the blog. If it seems strange at first, I am sorry for the inconvenience. By the way, adding Disqus comment, so comment away from now on. The purpose of this addition is to encourage reviews for improvements to both me and my editor :)

See you around, everyone.

[enrer]

The Restaurant: Sisters (1)

The universe for every fic that begins with The Restaurant will be based on my Akane's restaurant fic.

Characters/Pairings: Ishida Anna, Takayanagi Akane, Furukawa Airi, Mukaida Manatsu, Akaede Ririna, Matsumoto Rina, Yamada Reika / ChuriAnna (sisterly)

Word count: around 10,000

Inspired by Goosehouse's Sky and Voice (I recommend you to listen to it while reading the fic :P)

Note: The “--------------------------” space means flashback, the “--XXXXX--” means the present, just jumping off scenes.

With one handful of sky my dream is floating while unable to fly With two handful of sky It seems it will be able to fly freer than it could before

Goosehouse - Sky

---------------------------------------------

The sun shone over Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant, its light dancing off the prominent feather shaped mark by the front roof. It was still early morning but the cicadas were singing at full force and overlapping each other in a summer tune. Sunlight fell on top of the potted plants carefully lined on each side of the stairs as if waking them all up for breakfast. It would be burning hot in a few more hours. However, that didn't stop Ishida Anna to open the door and greet the morning sun. She took a deep breath and stretched. She was full, thanks to her sister’s cooking. Clad in her summer school uniform, she was ready to go to school.

"Oneechan, ittekimasu!"

"Itterasshai!"

Takayanagi Akane's reply was as warm with her four birds singing a familiar song Anna recognized so very well. That gave the girl a wide smile. A familiar warm feeling enveloped her as she stepped away from the restaurant.

It was just another day. Summer school in the morning and work at the restaurant during the late afternoon. A waft of the summer sea wind brushed against Anna's face. A smile to curled up her lips.

Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant was located near the sea. If you were to walk a few hundred meters, you could dip your feet into the rushing waves. It was a small restaurant where Ishida Anna and her sister, Takayanagi Akane, lived. Akane was actually her older cousin, but to Anna, Akane was a sister. They were connected by Anna's mother, who was Akane's aunt.

The long story of how Anna came to live in the restaurant began years ago when Akane was still in junior high and Anna in elementary school. It happened a long time ago, but Anna still remembered it.

With the summer sun overhead, Anna tiptoed on the sidewalk, humming. The summer wind brought along a faint scent of the sea, washing her with the memories that greeted her every time she walked that same road to school. Summer only made it stronger, as it all happened on one summer day, a memory still vivid as if it happened just yesterday.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Anna, go on, greet your cousin Akane-chan."

Takayanagi Akane was still wearing her junior high school uniform. It was a short sleeve summer sailor school uniform with a blue tie. Though Akane wasn’t a tall girl, the seven year old Anna still had to look up to see the older girl’s face.

Anna gave a wonderful smile, and Akane returned it with a crooked grin that made her eyes vanish.

At that moment Anna knew she didn't need to be afraid.

"Nice to meet you, Akane-oneechan!"

"Nice to meet you too, Anna-chan," Akane bent down slightly to pat her. "Let's get along well from now on, okay?"

---------------------------

On that one summer day, the one who greeted them when they first came was their grandmother, an elderly woman with a smile as gentle as the spring breeze. Anna remembered how those hands affectionately patted and caressed her face. Remembering it made her heart tighten with pain. She wished she had cherished those moments more.

Before the restaurant became a restaurant, it was just a regular house with wide, tall windows. The first time Anna met Akane, the older girl lived with her grandmother, just the two of them. Anna had later learned where Akane's mother and father were. Being brought up only by her mother, family structure had been always a special curiosity for little Anna. She wondered if she was the only one.

Right now, however, Anna realized how it all didn't matter. None of those trivial things mattered. Family is family and at times that expanded to more than just being related by blood. Perhaps, even being connected by blood could be the most trivial thing in a familial relationship. The restaurant taught her that.

-------------------------------

After a brief introduction, they went into the house, which surprisingly had a large cosy living room with wide windows that let the sunshine fall onto the wooden floor. It was a warm and bright living room, very spacious for such a small house.

"Otousan always enjoys the times when our family gathers whenever he comes home," said Akane to Anna's mother, when Anna dashed into the wide space, laughing. Anna jumped and said, "Where is Ojisan now?"

Anna still remembered Akane's eyes when she turned to look at her, bright brown orbs that glow as the sunlight shone on them.

"At the sea, Otousan is a sailor."

It was the first time Anna learned that sailors usually went home only once or twice or four times at best every year. Anna still remembered how she hugged her mother. Mama rarely arrived home early thanks to her work but Anna couldn't imagine only seeing Mama once or twice every year. She remembered how she wondered how Akane was able to endure those long time without her father.

Of course, that prompted the little girl to ask, "And Obachan?"

"In Heaven."

After the brief chit chat in the living room, they all sat around the same table. They only chatted for a few moments, before Akane was told to bring Anna outside to the sea. Akane smiled and nodded and took the excited Anna by the hand.

Anna still remembered the sun that time and the feeling of sand on her little feet as they treaded through the sea sand on bare feet hand in hand. Akane told her of the many sea birds, pointing out sea gulls and cormorants. Anna still remembered how hyped Akane was and she remembered how she discovered how the older girl, who seemed really quiet in first glance, could be that excited and bright.

"Akane-oneechan knows a lot!" said Anna, bouncing around. Akane laughed and said, "Because I love birds, I learn a lot! What about Anna-chan? What animal do you like?"

"Cats!"

"Oh! Cats are really cute, aren't they?"

"Um! Anna wants to have a cat!"

"Maybe you should ask your mother?"

Anna nodded vigorously, taking Akane's hand.

"Um!"

-------------------------------------------

A cat yawned and stretched on top of a neighbour's wall. The striped cat watched Anna lazily, folding its feet then settling itself comfortably. Anna smiled brightly though she was a little envious how the cat could sit comfortably under the shade while she had to walk to her summer school under the blazing sun.

She had always wanted a cat. They were cute and adorable and spoiled. Cats could turn any of her days brighter just by being there and ignoring her. Cats were mischievous and Anna felt like she had a certain similarity to them.

She couldn't say the same to Akane though, as the woman definitely had fear of heights. She wondered where that fanaticism towards birds came from.

Anna greeted the old lady by the dango shop, leaping onto the sidewalk. Her bag was light so she swung it around. Her eyes traced the sky and she watched the clouds as they rolled by. The sky was beautiful, as beautiful as it was that day. Her eyes turned to look at the glittering sea before her. She felt a sad smile tug at her lips.

-------------------------------------------

Her mother was a lot more silent than she used to be as they drove home. Her mother had been strange the last few weeks. Even if her mother rarely come home early as she worked until night, her mother used to always be warm and cheerful—a trait which Anna took into her personality. However lately her mother was quieter. It was something that developed and it didn't need long for Anna to know when she should shut up and when she should not.

This time Anna knew the only thing she could do was keep her smile. Her mother always said she loved Anna's smile.

The view outside their window was the sea as it gradually darkened. Anna thought she could see at least a crow but she couldn't.

"Do you like Obaachan and Akane-chan?"

Her mother's voice sounded strange but Anna gave her bright smile and answered cheerfully, "Um! Akane-oneechan is really kind! She told me about the sea birds!"

"... Oh, she did?" Anna saw a smile on the side of her mother's lips and that brought her happiness. Anna then continued.

"Um! Like the seagulls!! Akane-oneechan said that there are birds that can't fly too!"

"Oh, really? There are?"

"Um! She said..."

Her mother was in a better mood that night and it made Anna happy.

It would be the last time for them to drive home from the place.

The next time Anna came to her grandmother's place, her mother brought along all of her stuff and put them beside her. Anna thought it that they were going to spend the night by Obaachan's place for several days. Her grandmother also seemed to think the same. She took the young girl into her arms.

They stood by the door that afternoon and watched Anna's mother enter the car to take "something else that she had forgotten". Anna still remembered her mother's eyes as they clashed for the last time and the sudden "I am sorry" that she said, before the sedan sped away.

"MAMA!!!"

Anna still remembered that moment when her heart broke, when she struggled free from her grandmother's hands and ran after that blue sedan. She could hear her grandmother shout behind her. To whom, she couldn't discern. She didn't care anyway, all she saw was that familiar blue sedan she loved.

Her mother just suddenly drove away.

She didn't understand why her mother said sorry or why her mother left her there. She didn't understand a single thing. However, there was this strong feeling that told her she wouldn't ever see her mother again, that it would be the last time, that her mother was going away. It was a fear greater than anything else she had ever felt and even now when she was older, Anna could still remember the chill it caused to her whole body and soul. Anna still remembered how that sedan went farther and farther away no matter how fast she ran. Anna still remembered that immense desperation that clenched her heart as she shouted, as loud as she could, for her mother.

When the blue sedan took a sharp turn on the intersection, Anna tried to run as fast as she could to follow it.

The next thing she remembered from that time was a loud honk of a car's horn and tires screeching, and how someone caught her by the hip from behind with a bump. It was a split moment on the air, before a sudden impact with the asphalt forced air out of her lungs. Anna remembered the hot burning pain that scorched her right leg and, within that same second, a pair of arms and a warm body that sheltered her from the worst of the impact.

It was perhaps her first extreme taste of adrenaline. Fear greater than the pain she felt made her push herself up right away despite all of her pain and shock. Her eyes focused only on looking for that blue sedan that had her only family inside.

It was gone.

"Anna-chan..."

The voice made her turn and she saw Akane on the hot asphalt behind her, grimacing as she propped herself up with one hand, tears of pain filled her brown eyes.

She was the one that grabbed her in the middle of the road.

The next thing that happened was still one of the moments that Anna regretted until now.

With a loud shout, the young girl pounded Akane as hard as she could on the shoulder, so hard that the older girl actually almost fell back onto the road. Anna could only scarcely remembered what she shouted at Akane that time but she knew it was all questions and blame. She shed tears of frustration and pain and confusion and that time she remembered there was no one she hated more than she hated Akane. She was sure she shouted that loud and clear as she pounded the older girl with all her strength, ignoring how Akane tried to catch her hands and stop her with weak trembling hands. She hated her for stopping her, for letting that blue sedan go, for letting her Mama go, for taking her Mama away from her.

A pair of strong hands suddenly lifted her. Someone that turned out to be the truck driver that almost ran her over. Anna remembered how she continued to shout and kick and flail her limbs in the air as the truck driver lifted her away from Akane. She was so furious she didn't even realized the track of blood she left on the road, the print of her cousin's bloodied palm on her hand, or the pain on her leg.

The sun was hot that time but it was the coldest day of her life.

----------------------------------

Anna cast her eyes on the asphalt, and reminisced about that very moment.

The moment the accident happened, Akane was the person she hated the most in her life and now Anna could smile knowing how it was the other way around now. She hated Akane then. But now, as she gazed at that intersection, that same spot, she felt gratitude.

It took days after the accident before she knew exactly what happened.

Akane came home from her school that day when she saw Anna running after the blue sedan, with her grandmother shouting at her. She immediately discarded her bag onto the side of the road as she ran after Anna when she saw that something wasn't right. She saw a truck coming from the intersection and she quickly crossed the road. She seized Anna with her hand to save her from the truck, then shielded the little girl with her body when they hit the asphalt. It was said they skidded about one or two meters away on the hot asphalt.

Anna got a large wound on her leg that would leave a large scar by her knee. It made her limp for days. It was nothing though, compared to the multiple gashes and open, bleeding wounds that the older girl suffered from rescuing her. Anna remembered the ugly wound on Akane's arm, stretching from the older girl's upper arm down to the middle of her lower arm. It was said it reached down to the bones around the elbow. There were several wounds on her hip and legs as well. Thanks to those injuries, Akane was hospitalized for a week. However, due to taking care of the shocked Anna, their grandmother couldn't even accompany Akane when she was hospitalized.

Anna realized what a brat she was that time.

The fact that the next thing she did was pounding the older girl as hard as she could made Anna feet like hitting her head on the nearest electric pole whenever she remembered that. She always wondered if Akane was angry at her too back then. She wondered if Akane regretted saving her at that time. She never had the courage to ask her older cousin for years.

Of course, if she asked it now, Akane would only laugh at her. She remembered the time she apologized to Akane years after that accident, when she finally found her courage somewhere. Instead of anger, Akane replied with a playful chop on her head.

"Baka! It was the coolest moment of my life! Don't apologize or you will ruin the moment!" The older girl laughed loudly. Her bright eyes disappeared again as she smiled. " Don't you think that sounds like what heroine in TV drama does?"

The scar by Akane's right arm kept reminded her of it though, every single time. Years after it happened, whenever Akane wore sleeveless or short sleeve clothes, Anna could feel her eyes being drawn to it and at that very second, she would experience those familiar feelings of both gratitude and regret.

And loneliness.

That scar reminded her too much of the day she lost her mother. She was told her mother would never come back. A few years  after that, she knew what happened after that car disappeared from the intersection. A construction worker found her mother’s body at the bottom of a cliff near her old house. Suicide wasn't that uncommon in the country, she knew, but knowing that her own mother had done it made the world turn upside down for her.

Her warm, bright, cheerful, and beautiful mother.

Her mother was the one that taught her to smile and to be happy about every single thing bestowed onto her. Her mother was the one that shaped her personality, that taught her to keep smiling no matter what. Even on the last day, as they drove down the road to her grandmother's place, they sang a classic idol song together.

Anna never knew how fake the happiness was for her mother at that time. Even until now, she was filled with so much regret at how oblivious she was of her mother's mental condition.

Losing her mother taught her that nothing was eternal and thus it was all the more reason to cherish everything in this life. Losing her mother was something that made her realize that she didn't want to be like her mother. She didn't want to live her life with depression. She didn't want to fake her happiness. Just how long had her mother kept all her pain away from her?

She didn't want anyone to experience that awful feeling of betrayal and loneliness like the one she felt when the car drove away from her.

If her mother was the one that taught her how to smile, her new family was the one that taught her how to keep those smile genuinely bright every day.

"Good morning, Anna-chan!!"

The cheerful greeting made Anna turned her head. Kizaki Yuria was jogging back to her shop, coming from the intersection. Sweat glistened on her face and she looked so very round that Anna couldn't help the smile tugging her lips.

"Good morning, Yuria-chan!"

In a way, Anna was glad she was left to live where she was now. She lost her mother, but in this place, she met dozens of other family members. Her mother remained an irreplaceable presence in her life and she could feel it with every smile she gave to everyone, but the new place wrapped her with so much love she knew she would never ask to be anywhere else.

At the very least, Anna knew that this place was a place where she genuinely felt love. This was the place where her family now lived.

/XXXXXXX/

The sun was leaning to the west when the school bell rang -- a loud obnoxious sound that cut off all subjects and made the students returned from their daydream.

"Hey, will you join the tennis club, Annya?"

Akaede Ririna sat in front of Ishida Anna. She spun around to face her best friend. Anna, who was tidying her stuff, quickly turned her attention to the boisterous girl and said, "eh?"

"It's not "eh?"! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Ririna shook the back of the chair. Anna gave an awkward smile. "Come on, Annya, you want to right? I mean, you're really good with it!"

"No, you're exaggerating," Anna laughed and clicked her school bag close. "You just saw me play yesterday."

"But you were amazing!" Ririna's voice caused the people around them to turn their heads towards the two girls’ direction. Anna gave an apologetic smile to everyone but Ririna didn't seem to be bothered with the others. "I mean, you totally aced yesterday's match! The senpais are all impressed with you. Come on, Annya, join us!"

Anna sighed. She put her hands on her bag.

"Look here, Riri, I have to work at the restaurant!" I really want to join it, can't you see? "And tennis rackets are expensive!"

"You can ask your big sister!" Ririna shook her hand now. "Come on, Anna! I am sure your sister will agree, it's not like you will practice every day or all day!"

Anna bit her lips. She enjoyed tennis, that, she could not deny.

Ririna took her hands and grinned.

"You only go through high school once, Annya! You have to make the best of it!"

/XXXXXXXXXX/

¥6,000

Anna gave a sigh, hitting her forehead slightly against the glass window of the sport shop. She knew she could afford it, but to spend money just for herself didn't feel right, especially knowing that buying it would decrease the amount of time she could spend working at the restaurant. It just sounded like a really selfish idea.

"You only go through high school once, Annya! You have to make the best of it!"

But she wanted to go to school club too. During her junior high school years she was really busy with the newly established restaurant that she didn't really have time for clubs. Back then, Akane still hadn't hired Manatsu and Anna remembered how they had to care of the restaurant by themselves. Akane did tell her to enjoy clubs, and she did have a period where she had enrolled herself into the dance club, but in the end she didn't go to the club meetings that often. She did have a period where she had immersed herself into the dance club and she remembered coming home from her training sessions and finding her older sister wiping the tables all by herself. She always wondered if being entirely happy while knowing her sister was working so hard for her was appropriate at all.

"Ogichan still comes to help me, don't worry about it!" It was what her older sister told her when she said she would take back her dance club membership . "You enjoy your school, I take care of the restaurant. It isn't that busy anyway. I honestly spent most of my time napping on the counter rather than cooking."

That was probably the truth. Then again, Akane could’ve lie but Anna would never know. She should let Akane know first about the tennis club. She knew Akane would say yes to anything she said though, especially when it came to things like these. At times Anna thought she was being spoiled by so many people. She wondered if she really was growing up to be a brat.

The only thing Akane would have a long time deciding would be if Anna had asked whether or not she was allowed to have a cat. Anna could almost smile. The four birds in their restaurant were Akane's source of immense happiness. The cook's face whenever she took care of the birds always showed the look of someone off in their own little world--happy and content. Asking for a cat would be a little too much for the cook to handle, although Anna knew the cook would consider of the possibility of having one if Anna really wished for it. She knew her sister realized just how much she always wanted a cat. She also knew just how hard her sister always tried to fulfil her wishes. Sometimes she even hoped her sister didn't try so hard all the time.

Straightening up, Anna glanced at her watch. She should get back to the restaurant soon. Akane would get worried if she arrived late. She took a deep breath and with a hum she continued her walk.

-----------------------------

A year after the incident, by sunset, on a summer day Anna remembered she ran away from home—her new home—and hid herself in the crevice between the rocks by the coast. She knew the waves would come higher as the day drew nearer to sunset but she didn't care. The only thing she acknowledged was the loneliness and the feelings of longing for something that would never come. She wanted Mama to come back, but that wish would never be realized. She hated Obaachan, she hated the new home, she hated Akane, she hated everyone in the household.

Anna hugged her knees. She had sprained her ankle yet again as she climbed to where she was now. It was getting painful but Anna ignored it. She even welcomed the pain. Maybe Mama would forgive her with this pain. The strong wind whispered around her, telling her to leave.

Why, even the nature didn't want her.

Was it her fault that her mother went away? Did her mother hate her? Never wanted her? Anna buried her face to her knees. She did not hold back her tears.

"There you are. I found you."

Anna looked up. She found Akane peeking into the crevice, a smile on the older girl's face. She still wore her uniform. Once again, it seemed that their grandma had told her to search for the little girl right after she arrived home. Anna moved deeper into the small crevice, stubborn as any little girl could be and brushed tears from her face.

"How did you know I was here?!" It was a perfect place to hide. No one should have known.

Akane's eyes sparkled at the question. She smiled and said lightly, "This is also my place. I used to hide here when I was as small as you."

She tapped the mouth of the crevice and chuckled.

"I'm a little too big though right now. I envy you."

Being told that she had the same preference as the older girl annoyed Anna more than anything else.

The older girl took a seat near the mouth of the entrance of the crevice. Neither of them spoke. At times Anna wondered if Akane was going to leave her but then she would feel the presence of the older girl outside. It would make her stay in place again. The streak of sunlight over the entrance gradually moved, getting fainter and fainter, and Anna could hear the sound of the waves gradually growing louder.

Suddenly, a song drifted in the wind faintly. Akane was humming.

"Why are you singing?"

Every single thing irritated the young Anna. Akane laughed.

"Wow, now I can't even hum?"

"I didn't ask you to."

"I didn't hum because you asked me to. I hum because I want to. Just like you. You're not here because Obaachan asked you too. You're here because you want to. Is that wrong?"

That made Anna pout. She wanted to reply but she couldn't. That marked another moment of silence between them. Anna hugged her knees tighter. Her ankles grew more painful. There wasn't a single movement from Akane though and eventually that piqued her interest.

"Why are you here?"

"Obaachan asked me to search for you," her voice sounded close. Anna tightened her jaw.

"Now that you found me, why don't you go back? Aren't you bored of waiting for me here?"

"Who said I was?" Akane chuckled. "I am not bored. Perhaps you are? Wanna go back?"

It took all the will within Anna's mind to not crawl out and pull Akane's hair or something. She was annoyed to the bone and Anna felt like pounding her again.

"Time's up," Akane suddenly shifted and peeked into the crevice. Her body blocked the light and Anna had to adjust her eyes to the sudden dim light. "Come, Anna-chan. The water is high and it won't be long until you won’t be able to get out of there."

Anna moved in deeper, hugging her knees.

"Let me be."

"I can't," the older girl reached out her hand. "Even if you don't want to get out, I will force you out."

"I said, let me be!"

"And I said, I can't," the older girl's voice turned exasperated. "I have told you if you don't want to get out—"

"Why do you even care about me?! Even Mama left me. Mama hated me! Mama doesn't care about me! Nobody will ever care if I live so just let me be! You and Obaachan know nothing, what do you care about—"

Akane's hand grabbed her hand with a hard, firm grip. Anna was caught off guard. She tugged her hand harshly.

"What do you—"

"If your mother hated you, she wouldn’t have left you with us," Akane's voice was harsher than Anna had ever heard before. It was almost a bark. "She left you to us because she cared about you. If you mother didn't love you, she would have wanted you dead, but no, she left you with us so that you can live. She left you to us so that you can continue your life. And I will see to it that you do. No matter where you hide or what you do, I will come and find you. Now get out of that place or I will drag you out. I am not letting you die a stupid death and I won't let you drag me into it either."

Anna couldn't say anything. She felt her teeth clash and the force of the tears built up in her chest. Something big that had been weighing down her all of these times suddenly went wild inside her. The older girl's voice dropped lower, gentler, "Anna-chan, your mother loves you. Don't let yourself think otherwise. Come, I will take you home. Obaachan is waiting."

What Anna remembered that summer day was the salty taste of her tears and the solid feeling of Akane's warm back as the older girl piggybacked her home. Akane didn't say anything else as they walked home. She only allowed the younger girl to cry and cry on her back, whispering her mother's name and the hopes she wished would come true but never would. Anna remembered the feel of fabric in her hand as she grabbed the red rimmed sailor uniform, as all the realization of life seeped to her.

The sun was low by the horizon and the sky was dyed red. The sound of the waves accompanied their walk home and by the time they arrived at home, young Anna already cried herself to sleep on Akane's back.

She remembered waking up inside her room that night. The window was open to let the summer wind drift inside and cool the room. There was a silhouette beside her and she saw Obaachan sleeping beside her, a pail of water within her arms' reach.

Anna tried to move, expecting pain from her sprained ankle, but it was less than what she thought it would be. Her ankle was bandaged.

"She left you with us so that you can continue your life. And I will see to it that you do."

Warmth had never felt so suffocating. Love had never felt so heavy.

That was the day Anna realized that perhaps tears doesn't always mean loneliness. That was the day that she learned the many shapes of love, the many shapes of affection, and the countless reason of loving. It was the first time Anna cried because she was loved.

Even though she didn't know what her tears meant, those were the tears that finally let her drift off to a dreamless sleep. It was her first dreamless sleep that didn't give the chance for the scary dream of the blue sedan to manifest itself in her subconsciousness.

The next day, for the first time, Anna felt she could smile to her grandmother and her older cousin truly from her heart.

----------------------

"Tadaima!!!"

The chime rang as she opened the door. The sound of talking and the delicious smells of various dishes so familiar to her took over all of her senses at that very moment. A waft of cool air washed through her and she let out a sigh of relief. She was so glad Akane decided to install the air conditioner.

"Oh, okaeri!" Akane's voice rose above the mumblings and talking of the customers. The restaurant was quite full on first glance and Anna felt a pang of guilt for coming home late. Anna waved at her sister, closing the door behind her. "Look who's here, Anna! Your friends came to see you!"

"Eh?"

Akane waved to one of the table by the right side of the counter, near the bird cage. True enough, three girls with the same uniform as her were sitting around a table and were waving vigorously at her.

Anna's mouth flew open.

"ANNYA!!! Finally you're home!" Ririna waved vigorously and shifted her chopsticks to her left hand. "We were wondering why you didn't arrive home already!"

"Why are you all here?!" Anna quickly went to her friend's side. Ririna gave a wide grin. Yamada Reika beckoned her closer while Matsumoto Rina only glanced at her then continued to eat her dish with utmost concentration. "Why did you come?!"

"We just want to try out the rumoured best restaurant in town!" Reika laughed.

Anna rolled her eyes. "And of course, to see you!"

"Your sister is a great cook." Matsurina didn't even look up as she continued eating what was left of her teriyaki. She turned to look at the cook. "Takayanagi-san! May I have more?"

"Haaaaai!"

"Wait, this isn't the right time to ask for second serving!" Anna shook the back of Ririna's chair.  

Matsurina gave her a questioning look. "Why are you here? I told you  not to come!"

"Anna, that isn't how you should treat your friends," said Akane from her cooking space. Anna scowled. "Greet them properly, will you? Besides, they are our customers. Accompany them properly, okay?"

"But, Oneechaaaaaan!" Anna wandered to her sister and tugged the cook's sleeve. The older woman had it folded up to her elbow though, revealing the scar on her right arm. "Oneechan, look, this is different! And I should help you, instead of—"

"An-chan, they are your guests." A long haired woman sat by the counter with a drawing book open in front of her, a marker on hand. She smiled. "Just take a seat with them, I'll handle your part. Manatsu's here too."

"Airin-oneechan, it isn't like—"

"Rejected," Akane said with a decisive tone.

Anna pouted. "Go and take a seat. You haven't had a proper meal as well, have you? What do you want to eat? Or maybe you want something to drink first? It's hot outside."

"It isn't like that," Anna scowled. "Oneechan—"

"Soda? Cold coffee?"

"Oneechan, I don't—"

"Ice tea? Lemonade?"

Anna sighed. She finally put her bag on the counter.

"Lemonade."

That created a wide, approving smile on her sister's face. She patted Anna's shoulder.

"Go on, take  a seat and don't worry about a thing."

/XXXXXXXXX/

Laughter broke out within the circle of friends. Akane turned to the girls, cutting off her conversation with Furukawa Airi.

The restaurant slowly became emptier as the lunch time passed. It was always like that. Customers came in in waves according to meal time. There were always times when they would have only two or three customers. Akane  enjoyed those times a lot, especially when those customers weren't just strangers. Such as now. She loved the sound of the distant laughter of her sister.

"You seem relieved," Airi poured more light beer into her glass.

Akane laughed then helped her friend tilt the bottle. She put the bottle down and said, "I am just glad she made loads of good friends."

"Anna is the type that will have loads of friends like that, don't worry about it," Airi sipped her beer. "Her personality is like a magnet, she attracts loads of good people around her, can't you see? Just take her as your restaurant's lucky charm."

"You mean my restaurant survives NOT because of my cooking, is that it?" said Akane with a dangerous tone. The artist gave a mischievous look from behind her half filled glass. Her friend sighed loudly. "Perhaps that explains it. What my cooking really attracts are unidentified creatures such as you."

"Hey, don't say that!"

"Well, you are clearly not among the ‘good people’ so your coming clearly isn't by Anna's influence."

"Ouch, Bird, that hurts."

"And you shouldn't drink beer at this time," Akane tapped the counter. "It is still broad daylight!"

"I won't get drunk, and it's hot outside. Cold beer is the best!"

"You've been here since morning and you're talking about the weather outside?"

"That is the ability of an unidentified creature."

"What kind of ability is that?!"

"Well, look at what kind of unidentified creature you have attracted!"

"Aaaaaahhh~~!!" Akane slumped on her counter.

Airi laughed and poked the cook.

"You're doing a weird pose, I am sure you're aware of that?" Airi chuckled as she moved her glass. Akane straightened up slowly. "They're watching you, you know. THE sister."

"Shut up..."

Manatsu, who sat beside Airi, chuckled. Akane turned at her and sighed, "don't laugh, Manatsu. Not you too..."

"But the two of you are amusing to watch," said the girl, her eyes disappearing into her smile. Airi tapped her marker.

"You know, that isn't exactly a compliment but when you are the one saying it, it's just too innocent to be mockery either."

That clearly didn't stop Manatsu's laughter. Neither one of the adults wanted it to stop anyway.

/XXXXXXX/

"Takayanagi-san!"

Ririna suddenly waved at the cook, who straightened her body and replied with a nod and an acknowledging look.

"Takayanagi-san, want to join us here?"

"Riri, what are you talking about?!" Anna hit her best friend. She gestured a "no" to her sister frantically. "She just wanted the bill, Oneechan, don't take it seriously!"

"Why not seriously, I totally invited her to join us!" Riri nudged Anna back. She quickly flashed a bright smile when the cook arrived beside their table, a bill in her hand. The cook seemed amused though, her eyes sparkled when Reika took the bill from her hand. "Takayanagi-san! You have to hear this! Annya totally aced yesterday's tennis spar!"

OH NO, SHE REALLY DOESN'T MEAN—

"RIRI! Don't—"

Anna felt like strangling Ririna at that moment. She shot up from her seat to do it when Reika beside her also said, "Yes! We're really surprised! Even the senpai from the clubs are talking about it!"

"Really?" Her sister raised her eyebrows, surprised but pleased. Anna scowled and shook her head frantically. "She was that good?"

"Yeah, she is!!! So we thought to take her to Tennis Club!"

NO. NO, DON'T SAY—

"Please let her join, Takayanagi-san!"

Anna felt like facepalming right then.

/XXXXX/

Flipping the "open" plate to display "close" by the front door, Anna took a deep breath. That ended today's shift. Somehow she felt a lot more tired than usual.

"I'll take my leave for today." She heard Manatsu's soft voice behind her. Anna turned and nodded at the other waitress. She watched as she took her bag from the locker near the door. Akane, who was by the counter wiping the dishes, quickly replied, "Thank you for today as well, Manatsu. Good night."

"Likewise, Churi-san," Manatsu bowed. She smiled sweetly at Anna. "Good night."

"Um, good night."

The door closed, accompanied by the gentle ring of the chime. It was silent. The only sounds that could be heard were just the sounds of Akane wiping the dishes by the counter and the clank of ice in Airi's glass as the artist drank what remained of her light beer. Anna took a nearby napkin then joined Akane wiping the rest of the dishes.

"... I wonder how much a tennis racket is now."

Anna bit her bottom lip when she heard Akane's voice beside her saying that.

"You know, during my time, I bought it with my part-time job salary," Akane continued, chuckling. She turned to look at Anna beside her. "I used to be in tennis club too, you know. Do you remember, Anna? During my high school days."

Anna merely nodded. She did. She remembered the time Akane came home late, sweating with a tennis racket on hand. It was like that almost all afternoon, until the time Obaachan fell ill and they had to take turn taking care of her. Thanks to that, Akane dropped her membership with the tennis club, cutting off all of her chances to go to regional competition. Airi seemed interested with the story though. The artist folded her arms by the table. She chuckled.

"Mmm? Can't imagine you, Bird, running around."

"I am a good sprinter, UFO creature, unlike you. Sorry for disappointing you."

Popo and Pucho pranced and chirped by their branches, caught in the delightful aura. The two adults were such a good friends that they almost always used sarcasm to communicate between each other and could still get along like glued papers.

Airi could bring out the best of Akane. When Akane was with Airi, she was relaxed and free; Anna watched her sister turned into the bright, active, cheerful, at times weird girl that she remembered years ago, when the times were still sweet to them. It wasn't like Akane turned quieter or lost her light, it just that Anna knew that there were many things that her sister had to deal with now and that could change anyone. Being with Airi made her able to forget those things. Being with Airi seemed to give her this sense of ease and calm and Anna loved it very much. She loved seeing her sister looked so free.

"Oneechan, it's okay, I don't want to go into the tennis club," Anna leaned to the counter. Akane raised her eyebrows and faced her. She smiled.

"Why is that?"

"Nothing, I just don't think I want it," said Anna. She averted her gaze to the glass she was wiping. Please don't make this harder. I may want it too. "You know, I am always moody and..."

"Mm, I think going into clubs can train you discipline and self-control," Akane put the glass she was wiping then took another glass. "You can't let being moody to always be your excuse. Sports clubs can keep you healthy too. I think it is a good idea to join one."

"I'm not interested, Oneechan," Anna kept wiping her glass, suddenly becoming more absorbed with the task. "I don't think I will go to any club."

Akane put down her glass. Anna could feel how her sister's eyes observed her. It made her uneasy. Airi didn't help her at all either, as the artist remained silent and watched her as well behind that beer glass of hers, though Anna knew Airi would pretend to look at the birds instead. The artist wasn't one to butt into someone else's business and Anna knew she would sooner be outside the room if it was an appropriate thing to do that time.

"If you want to go to clubs, just go. It's okay. Your friends even came just to ask me to let you go. That means a lot, Anna."

Anna bit her bottom lip and averted her gaze from her sister again. Her sister put her hand on top of Anna's, a familiar weight that sent a pang to her heart.

It was her sister's left hand that was on top of hers. She could see clearly the scar that deformed the skin on the back of that hand, courtesy of that very day her mother went away.

"I just don't want Oneechan to take care of everything alone."

Anna closed her eyes, before finally looking up to see her sister.

"I don't want to burden you even more. I can't just go to clubs knowing you take care of the restaurant alone! I don't want to be the one having fun while you work hard for me!"

The only reaction her sister gave was rising eyebrows.

"Who said you are?" Akane laughed. "I do have fun like you."

"But I don't want to..."

"Anna," Her sister's voice was gentle but commanding. "Look, it gives me happiness to see you happy so you have no need to think that you're burdening me. Do your best in what you do best. If you haven't found it yet, then search for it. You're at the age where you’re searching for something that you will eventually love. What is wrong with doing what you like to do?"

Anna bit her lips.

"But, Oneechan.."

"I don't cook because you told me to."

The statement made Anna look up to meet her sister's sure brown eyes. Akane pressed on.

"I cook because I want to. Is it wrong, Anna?"

The little sister shook her head. Akane smiled.

"Now I ask you,  what do you want to do?"

"You live only once, Anna, you have to make the best of it!"

Is it okay... to be selfish once again?

"I want to try clubs."

Her sister's smile was wide and bright. She nodded in approval.

"Then go."

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Oyasuminasai."

She only earned a grunt from her uncle and a cheerful answer from her older cousin. Anna retreated to her room on second floor, walking up the stairs silently as she knew her uncle was dead tired—for so many reasons. She didn't want to add up to his irritation. She took longer than usual though, feeling the weight of the atmosphere around her.

"Otousan, may I open up a restaurant?"

Anna stopped her climb upon hearing her cousin's voice. The wall hid Ojisan from Anna's view but Anna could hear his deep voice rumble with exasperation.

"Akane, you should go to college..."

"I am not good with studying, and with you away, we will need more money," Akane continued. "I will graduate at the end of this month, but Anna will go to junior high school. If we open up the restaurant now, perhaps we can get it to be strong enough until Anna goes to college."

"It isn't your place to think about such thing, Akane. I am still healthy and well."

"But Otousan, with you always gone, and with Obaachan's medical fee debt that we have, I know we need another source of money..."

"It isn't the matter of can or cannot, Akane. As a father, I do not want you to concern—"

"I am concerned!" Akane seemed to lean on the table. "Otousan, cooking is the only thing I am good at. Aren't you the one that always told me to do my best in what I do best?"

Anna heard a loud sigh. There was a creaking of a chair and the sound of a plate being put on the table.

"Akane, I want you to do what you love. You do best in what you love the most."

There was a brief silence before Akane's voice rose again.

"By living on cooking, I can do my best in what I love and do my best.. for the ones I love the most, Otousan."

-------------------------

"A new bank account?"

The ice clinked as they hit the glass. Airi stopped drawing and watched Akane as she served herself some iced lemon tea.

"It won't be long until Anna graduates. Time always flies so fast," Akane sat beside Airi, who went back to her drawing. She sipped her tea. "I want to save all I can for her now. She seems to be interested in dancing. I've been searching around for some dance schools and such and well... I have to prepare. Maybe she would want to go to lessons."

"What about college?" The drawing, an illustration of a building near the sea, was half finished. "Usually the young these days want to go to college."

"Well, she never did that well in her tests, but maybe?" Akane chuckled. "If that is what she wants then I will support her. I want her to decide that on her own. Also, Airi, you sound like an old grandma or something. We're not that old."

Airi looked at her best friend for quite a long time. The cook returned her gaze and frowned.

"What?" said the cook. She drew her body away from the artist. "Stop staring, Airin. That's creepy."

"You don't need to say that, Churi," Airi sighed. She smiled though. "I was just thinking that you really think of her a lot. Be careful, or you will end up spoiling her too much."

"What are you talking about? It's normal to think of the future."

"Yes, but maybe you should say something to her,"  Airi continued her drawing. "Like about her clubs or her marks at school. Things like that. You're spoiling her, Akane. You're giving her everything she wants."

Akane didn't answer right away. She merely stirred her lemon tea. The sound of Airi's marker on her sketch book suddenly seemed louder.

"She is my family, Airin," The ice melted, drips of dew slowly slid down the glass. "... The only one I have. I want her to live her life to the fullest."

Airi glanced to the cook beside her, before she placed her marker down and swivelled the stool to look at her best friend directly.

"Are you, Akane?"

The cook raised her eyebrows.

"Eh?"

"Are you living your life to the fullest?"

A smile curled up the cook's lips. A hand went down from the air and gave Airi a chop on the head.

"Ouch! Bird!!"

"Of course, Stupid. This is the best life that I can afford to have."

----------------------------------

"What do you think we should name it, Otousan?" The three of them stood by the front of their house and watched the workers going about here and there. Ojisan had his hands folded in front of his chest, his eyes watched as the workers transformed his beloved living room. He glanced at his daughter beside him and grunted, "Why don't you do it? This is your restaurant."

"Ah, then, what about Takayanagi Seaside Restaurant?" Akane turned to her father. "What do you think, Otousan?"

The burly man tilted his head. His eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't think it would cut it. We have Anna too, remember?"

"Ah, yes..." Because Anna wasn't a Takayanagi, but an Ishida.

Anna bit her bottom lip then joined the two in thinking about a name for the restaurant. Several names came up from Akane from time to time. They ranged from unreasonable names like "the Hot Spot" to something like "The flower of sea".

A while later, Anna jumped and raised her hand.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" she shouted while jumping, startling the other members of the family. "I know! I know! How about this? Since Oneechan will be the one who own it... Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant!"

"Eh? What's with the 100 Feathers—"

"Why don't we put Pucho and Popo in the restaurant too? Like, in a big cage or something!" Anna practically bounced with enthusiasm. "Enjoying a meal with birds! Doesn't that sound unique?"

"Ah, great idea!" Akane clapped and nodded in approval. "What do you think, Otousan?"

"Well, that sounds interesting," Ojisan smiled. He nodded. "Alright then, let's tell the workers to add that in their plan! Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant it is! And I must be the first customer, got it?"

"Roger, Sir!"

A day after they finally opened the restaurant, Ojisan went for another sail, a shipment across the ocean. It was a normal summer day when they sent him off from the harbor, with Akane giving him the last bento like she always did.

However, after that trip, Ojisan never came back. What returned several months later was only the news of the unfortunate incident that caused the ship to sink.

It was the day when another photo was added to the altar of a small shrine on the second floor.

It was the day when Anna said goodbye to the smiling, youthful Akane.

--------------------------------

Anna hit the small golden bell by the small altar then clasped her hand together. Before her were four photos; her mother, their grandmother, and both of Akane's parents. The altar was located by the end of the second floor hall, below a window that showed the sea. Akane said her parents loved the sea, and it was fitting to let them be as close as possible to the sea they loved. After a few seconds of praying, Anna stood up.

"Have you taken a bath, Anna?"

Anna turned around and found Akane who was midway in sliding the door to her room open.

Anna nodded and answered, "Yes, I have prepared Oneechan's water too. I'm sure it's already warm enough by now."

"Really? Thank you."

Akane went into her room, letting the sliding door open. Anna brushed her wet hair with the towel draping her shoulder. She peeked inside Akane's room.

"Airi-neechan is already going home?"

"Mmm, she said she has to submit her drawing early. She will be up all night in her apartment again, I bet."

"Why not spend the night here?"

Akane laughed and retrieved her towel from the drawer.

"She has her own home, Anna. Besides, she needs some space to do her work alone."

"That means Oneechan sleeps alone tonight?"

Akane blinked, staring into Anna's eyes for a moment. She smiled.

"Yes. Just put your futon beside mine if you want to sleep together."

---------------------------------------

Anna vividly remembered those days when she stood by the balcony, looking at the same intersection, waiting for the day her mother would come back to pick her up with the blue sedan.

It went on and on like that, day by day. Her dreams were haunted by that scene when the blue sedan went away. It was a sense of desperation and loneliness and betrayal. When Anna woke up the next day, she would cry and ask where was her mother was and when her mother would pick her up again.

Anna couldn't sleep alone. If she did, she would scratch on the sliding door, crying over the shadows on the wall and the ghost of her own loneliness. Her grandmother slept with her then, a solid presence that somehow shielded her from the pain, though she still woke up at night alone and cried from time to time.

When their grandmother was the one that needed her, she felt like everything was falling apart. Her angel was dying. Anna and Akane took turns caring for the old lady. They watched helplessly as she got weaker and weaker as days passed. Her room smelled of death and she lost so much weight she looked like a skeleton on display by the science room in Anna's new school.

Their grandmother passed away silently one winter day, a week before her uncle came back from his trip.

The first night without their grandmother was one of the hardest days their lives. Anna remembered how they both hugged each other inside the same futon, crying themselves to sleep until the next day came.

After their grandmother's death, when the nightmares crept inside her dreams again, Anna would always come to her sister's room and would slip into the futon. Her trembling hand would always grab her sister's pyjamas and she would rest her head on her sister's back. At times, if Anna nagged, after a while, her sister would slip an arm under her head, letting the younger one hug her to sleep. Her sister's breathing would lull her to sleep, steady and calm. Little did she knew that her sister would stay awake until she fell asleep.

From then on, it was her sister's presence that shielded her away from those nightmares and darkness, from the deaths and the blue sedan. From then on, her sister was her guardian.

---------------------------------

It had been a while since the last time she crawled into her sister's futon. Even though she had set her futon beside her sister's, she would eventually crawl inside her sister's and grab the fabric of her sister's pyjamas.

Her sister would feel the tug and instinctively, she would shift to give Anna some space and let herself be hugged by the younger girl. It never changed.

As she rested her head on her sister's chest and took a deep breath, she knew some things would always stay the same. She could smell her sister's familiar scent, could hear the familiar breathing, and could feel the familiar warmth. Even the way her sister's chest went up and down with her breathing was familiar.

This was home.

"I love you, Oneechan."

Her sister gently ruffled her hair a bit and she thought she could hear a hint of a chuckle.

"I love you too."

-------XXXXXXXXXX------

The summer sun was hot and blazing, even at such hour. Anna hummed, swinging her new tennis racket delightfully as she tiptoed back home after her tennis training. A cat ran beside her and turned at the intersection, jumping over a wall and disappearing. The sound of the sea waves crashing to the  barriers was refreshing. A tint of salt and sea drifted to her senses and filled her with memories, again. Memories that made her smile.

She saw the familiar sign of the restaurant from afar and gleefully ran. Even if the practice had exhausted her energy, Anna would always feel that strange amount of spare power inside her to run home.

A silver van was parked beside the restaurant. Anna smiled wider, perhaps that old friend of her sister was coming. She was a famous actress that worked in Tokyo that Airi "secretly" stalked. She wanted to meet that actress too, she missed her. She was weird, but a good woman. Then again, most of Akane’s friends were weird.

However, the sign on the door made her spirit fall, as it unusually showed "Closed". No matter who came, the restaurant would always been open. Always, unless something happened to her sister.

Worried, Anna quickly opened the door, and shouted, "Tadaima!!!! Oneechan, is there anything--"

The quietness of the room greeted her, along with sets of eyes that quickly turned toward her direction. A man was sitting by the stool in front of the counter. He turned to see her. He was old with grey hair and beside him was a woman, also a stranger. Her sister stood behind the counter, as usual, but her expression was indescribable, especially when her brown eyes fell to Anna's figure by the door.

No one that answered her greetings. Anna titled her head, stepping in slower, then closed the door quietly behind her. She gave an awkward smile and said, "...I am... uuh.. sorry to intrude?"

A smile finally came to her sister's face--A forced, rather strange, smile. That made Anna feel even more uneasy.

"Okaerinasai, Anna," her sister almost never answered in full. The man swivelled his chair to look at her sister, who answered whatever the look was with a nod. "Yes, Futamori-san. That is Anna."

"Anna!" The man almost jumped from his seat to his feet. He walked slowly to her and examined her from the tip of her hair down to the shoes and up again to her face. Anna could only give an awkward smile, nodding slowly while answering, "Yes...?"

"Anna..." There were even signs of tears on the man's face. It made Anna blink. She quickly bowed down in courtesy, totally knowing she might have cut off a very important conversation that seemed to move whoever the man was. Her actions caused the man to pause. Somehow, the way he did seemed painful.

"Nice to meet you, I am Ishida Anna," said the girl upon straightening up. There was a flash of hurtful look in the man's face, something that made Anna even more confused. "Ummm... Oneechan's acquaintance? I am sorry for intruding on your conversation..."

"No, no, we just..." The man smiled, awkwardly, but she could see how he was filled with emotion. He turned back to look at the two women behind him then back to Anna. "Ah... I guess I was being rude. I am Futamori Hiroshi and that is my wife, Fumie..."

He trailed, a bit uncertain. After a while he straightened up and smiled.

The next thing he said wasn’t something that Anna expected.

"Anna-chan... I am your father."

~~~~~ To be continued ~~~~~~

  Author's note: Congratulations on finishing this melodramatic chapter!

[enrer]

I have been writing in English so often that I think I might not be able to write a story in my mother language anymore. I wonder if I were to write in my mother language, will I be able to get my work published? (because the publishing company I want to send my excerpt to is specifically asking the writers to use our mother language) Not that I am confident with my English either...

Writing an original story and writing a fanfic differs and I acknowledge that. It will be kind of hard if I really want to get my work published... I wonder if I put my heart into it, will it be worth it? Considering I am not from any literature-related faculty or anything in my real life (lol)

By the way, the next installment of the Restaurant is so long, it is almost twice as long as the one I have published. I guess I am thinking about that AU a little too deeply.

[enrer]

Drabbles 2

Characters/Pairings: Yagami Kumi, Kizaki Yuria / KumiYuri

"Otsukaresama deshita!"

Yagami Kumi bowed to a staff member that walked passed her. After exchanging greetings, she walked out of the door to the lobby. She hummed softly, half-tiptoeing as she walked. It wasn't long until she found a familiar figure sitting by the sofa, the one whom she had an appointment with.

Kizaki Yuria flipped the Smart magazine in her hands, her legs moving in a free, almost non rhythmical way. She seemed to smile to herself, just by looking at the magazine. Kumi titled her head, remembering that sometime ago they had a photoshoot for Smart... Could this be their special edition? Anyway, the sight of Yuria on the couch with an almost childish smile on her face was priceless. So the first gen didn't wait for long before she suddenly took a seat beside Yuria, half-throwing her body weight.

"Kuuchan!" The younger girl raised her eyebrows. A smile bloomed on her round face. She jokingly slapped the laughing Kumi's shoulder. "You startled me!"

"Did you wait for long?"

"No, I just arrived myself. My own shooting just finished," Yuria smiled, and looked back at the magazine intently. Kumi raised her eyebrows and peeked over Yuria's shoulder. She immediately recognized the page.

"Aa!! This photoshoot!"

"Um! I bought it by the convenient store on the way here."

"Heee.." Kumi raised her eyebrows. She caught sight of the bottom part of the photo. "A word from members? Ah, let me see my page!"

"Noooo!!!" Yuria suddenly turned red and jerked the magazine away from Kumi's hand right when the older girl turned the next page, which featured her photo. The older girl raised her eyebrows, taken aback by the reaction.

"Come on, I just wanna see what you all said about me."

"You can't!"

"Yuuuriiiaaaa~~"

"No!"

"Awww... let me see it!"

Kumi placed all her body weight forward as she slammed herself to Yuria, tugging and prying the younger girl's hands from the magazine. Yuria groaned and tightened her grip. Kumi had to admit, the girl was strong, very strong.

"You're gonna rip it, Yuria! You're gonna rip it!"

"Kuuchan is the one who should stop!"

"I just wanna see~~!!"

"No, not hereeee!!!"

"Whyyyyy~~!!"

"Just not. heeeeere!"

"Then I will!"

Pushing with all her might, Kumi was able to lift Yuria's hand. She glanced at the comment box on her page. Yuria gasped and quickly tried to cover comment box but Kumi was already shouting, "Aa!"

Yuria's groan was loud and she jerked the magazine away, her face red. Kumi's grin was wide and bright at the sight of Yuria's expression.

"Uohohoho~ Look at the one who said she likes my eyes~~~??"

Yuria's face reddened even more and she gave an audible groan again, trying not to look at Kumi. The more she drew away, the closer Kumi leaned to her, widening that signature eyes of hers.

"Mmmmm???"

The older girl was really really close to her now, batting her eyelashes.

And Yuria's face was just too red and round and cute and...

"Aaaa, Kuuchaaaaan!!"

A playful hit on the shoulder was what Kumi got, followed with a gentle push that threw her body to the sofa again as she cackled a laugh. Enduring repeated assault from her kouhai, Kumi was out of breath from laughter while the attacker Yuria was as red as tomato, pouting. That only made her face rounder and Kumi just couldn't help but to continue her laughter.

The magazine laid forgotten by the sofa, crumpled.

"Stop laughing!"

"Your face!! Ahahahaha!"

"Kuuchan!!"

"Really, Yuria, your face--"

"I told you not to look at it here!!"

"I can't help it! Ahahahahahaha!"

"Kuuchaaaaaan!!!"

Her gaze is especially entrancing, I wish everybody could experience that electrifying sensation when she looks at you at least once.

-----------The End------

Editor's note: That passage is from the SKE members Q&A section, from the April 2012 issue of the magazine Smart and is translated by Sakaeandfrog. It can be found here  (ah how nostalgic T_T)

it is from the Smart Magazine translation somewhere in tumblr that I got years ago (honest)...  All credits to the translator, it is among the more famous translators, if anyone know, please do tell me so I can give credits XD by the way, on Yuria's page, Kumi kept on saying how cute Yuria is, and how her way of thinking could be really mature 

[enrer]

i reaalllyy love your fics ♥ ♥ could you make another kumiyuri fanfic? i miss them..

I have been pretty busy lately and a lot happen, I didn't get to write any KumiYuri... I did write another project but it is of another installment (and not about pairings..) I do have one drabble that I haven't published. I hope you will forgive me for only giving you that drabble for the time being (now I should find that drabble that was locked away in the dusty corner of my HDD hahaha)

I miss KumiYuri too.. I miss Kuu so much. ;___; Our adorable, tensai baka Kuu...

... alright, I think I will write something later on. :) I miss Kuu too.

[enrer]

The Restaurant: the Artist

The universe is based on my previous work One Autumn Morning's universe.

Characters/Pairings: Takayanagi Akane, Furukawa Airi, Mukaida Manatsu, Ishida Anna, Kizaki Yuria, Ogiso Shiori / FuruYanagi (friendship/family)

Words count: 10,000+ (yes, this is LONG)

Welcome to Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant.

It was a small restaurant by the edge of Aichi-ken, a few hundred meters away from the nearest sea. The restaurant was a small two-storey building painted in creme and white, with patches of flowers by both sides of the stairs, hanging plants by the front patio, and a big feather with "Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant" sign on the front roof. In winter small fake fir trees were placed in exchanged of the flowers, decorated with beautiful small LED lights that beckoned cold-stricken travelers. The interior was simple enough, a few tables in a set with three chairs, and a counter with a cafe-like feel with few stools for anyone to sit. It was more of a cafe than a restaurant, though Akane always beg to differ. No one can talk her out of it though, for she was a stubborn woman and in truth, no one really cared. The restaurant was still a lovely place either way.

Being a considerably small place, the place has few workers. First was the cook, Akane herself. To say "renowned" would be too much but to say otherwise wouldn't quite suit her either. Almost everyone in the town knew Akane was a great cook, if not the best around. She could make almost anything. The taste of her cooking didn't quite fit the terms of restaurant, they were a lot more special than that. Thus was the reason why even though the restaurant was small and located by the edge of the city, it never ran out of business. The small restaurant made them didn't really need any additional cook, even with such condition. Or maybe it was purposely to retain the special taste unique to Akane only. Or maybe it was solely because no one bothered to ask Akane if she would like a disciple. Anyway, there was only one cook and that was the owner, Akane herself.

The restaurant has two staffs, one was this quiet teenager named Mukaida Manatsu. She was still a high school student, going to a high school near the restaurant. There was a story of why the shy Manatsu took a part time job in the small restaurant but that was another small story inside the history of the restaurant. Manatsu herself rarely talked about it, neither did Akane. However, just like any place where people came for the feeling of comfort and, at times, company, people talked and conversed there, and news got around as hushed rumors between the regulars. It was one of the most famous history of the restaurant (as famous as a restaurant rumor could be).

The second waitress was this energetic girl named Ishida Anna. Annya was just a year younger than Manatsu, going to an all girl high school near the restaurant, and she lived with Akane. The customers all had their own version on how the cute and energetic Annya ended up living with Akane, at times fondly called the older woman "Akane-Mama". Akane, of course, had been the subject of so many rumors thanks to that, she had been said to have an affair with so many men from the tired businessman to the taxi driver that used to come to the restaurant. There is no need to tell you that Akane also had some looks with her. Of course, unless Akane was ten years older than she was now (as she was still in her early twenties) there was no way Annya could ever be her daughter. Well, picking up rumors was always a fun thing to do so logic was a second thing.

The last addition of the place was the presence of four parakeets. Four noisy parakeets. Pino, Papi, Pucho, and Popo were kept inside a large beautiful cage by the far right side of the counter. The four birds were the sole reason of the naming of the place and all Akane's customers knew the least thing they would ever want to do was insulting bird--any bird--in front of the restaurant owner. It was never a nice sight to anger her over things like how bad a feather in a bird could be.

When you have seen the four birds, that was the time when everyone would say, "Welcome to Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant."

And that time was the time when you would know there would be no truer name than that.

//XXXXX//

The story happened quite a long time in the past, when the restaurant wasn't as famous.

It was one very cold night. It was snowing heavily too, and the chill could scare away any soul from getting outside of their houses. It was a pity since it seemed like the situation would last for a week, while it was near Christmas. Everyone hoped the weather would get better soon, so as not to destroy any kind of hope of dating outside during Christmas. The restaurant was empty thanks to the weather too, and the cook decided to close the place a little early.

Akane watched as the snow was getting thicker outside then turned her look at Manatsu, who was washing the dishes from the last customer they got, a weary businessman that just got out a few minutes ago.

"You can go home after you finish with that," said the cook. "It will probably get worse, I don't want you get sick just because of the snow. Probably there won't be any more customer anyway in this weather."

After that Manatsu finished her job, changed her attire, bid goodbye to both Annya and the cook, put on her coat, then stepped outside, only to go inside once again.

Akane, who was cleaning the counter, turned to look at her and raised her eyebrows.

"Was the storm...?"

"I think we have another customer, Akane-san."

Sprawling by the front of the door was a longhaired woman with a pet cap, dragging a huge somehow weirdly stuffed backpack. She looked up to Manatsu, one hand in the air and she spoke with a definite tone of desperation.

"Hungry.....!!!!!!!"

Another customer, indeed.

/XXXXXX/

The 'customer' look less of a customer than the usual customers. Other than the fact that she was found collapsing by the steps of the front door, she brought along with her so many painting equipment and otaku goods that were stuffed inside that bag of hers. The reason why they knew was because that same customer suddenly poured the insides of her backpack on the table (in which a deluge of random stuff just poured out of it), right after Annya asked one simple question, "What would you like to order?"

"Aaaa!!! Wait!!" Annya quickly tried to catch a wooden sculpture (?) from tumbling down. "W-Wait a minute, Miss!"

"I am sure it is here somewhere!" The customer didn't even listen to her. "Wait a minute!"

Annya gave an awkward grin and was about to say something when the artist raised her hand at her and said, "No, wait! I know it is in here somewhere!"

"No, I mean..."

"It is here! I know! Just a moment please!"

"Miss--"

"I have it here so--"

"Just what the heck are you looking for anyway?!"

A loud spanking noise cut off the sound of the tumbling of random things from the backpack as Takayanagi Akane landed a nicely done hit to the back of their customer's head using an empty PET bottle. Manatsu's mouth flew open and Annya quickly shouted, "Oneechan!!"

"Lookie here, friend, you're basically making a mess out of my restaurant!" Akane pointed out at the messy table and a random hand cream that rolled farther away from the pile of stuffs. "You'd better tidy these things up again or I'm not letting you out of my place, got it?!"

The customer rubbed her head, and nodded faintly. She still nudged the pile with her index finger though--an act that made a strange looking human (?) model tumbled down the table with a dull thud to the floor. Akane sighed and put her hands on her hip.

"Now what exactly are you looking for?"

The strange customer rubbed her head again, looking down then answered with a low whisper.

"My wallet." There was a pause and she added quietly, "...not that there is anything in it anymore though."

Right after her statement, the sound of her rumbling stomach filled the room. Every eye turned towards the strange customer, who sat still with both of her hands straight on her knees.

Her face turned redder.

Her stomach growled again. Louder.

Akane sighed.

"Manatsu, we're closed for today. Put the sign up."

/XXXX/

The sound of spoon and fork striking against plate and non-stop munching were blending with the sound of the snow storm outside. The customer basically wolfed down everything that was given to her. She was more than famished, it seemed as if she had never touch any edible thing for days. Akane blinked as she watched the customer ate, kinda surprised and pleased. Annya was picking up some of the stuff that fell to the floor from the table, sometimes turned back to to look at the customer again with a confused expression. Some of the stuff were familiar to her: Gundam models, part of Toradora! characters, Oreimo, Suzumiya Haruhi... though most are random sculpture and various painting equipment.

Manatsu walked closer to Akane, tugging her sleeve.

"It's storming, Akane-san," She said quietly. "I can't go home like this."

True enough, the snow storm was raging outside. Akane watched the window for a while then turned to Manatsu with a gentle smile.

"Stay here for the night. I will call your parents."

The girl nodded quietly. It wasn't her first time spending the night at the restaurant, given the bad weather recently. However, it still made her uneasy.

Akane turned to look at their customer then coughed. The customer lifted her face to look at her, still busy chewing her meat.

"There is no way you can go home either, friend, so I am afraid you are stuck here with us," Akane put her hands on her hip. The customer glanced at the window, gulping her meal down her throat. The snow practically painted the whole window white now, who knows how deep the snow was outside. Slowly, the customer nodded. Akane gave her infamous smile.

"Good," She said, satisfied. She then leaned forward, looking at the customer's face intently (in which the said customer back away slowly, stuffing her mouth with some more meat)."Since we will be sharing room, mind to tell me your name though?"

Her name. The customer blinked. Slowly, she gulped her meal in again.

"Furukawa... Airi."

"Furukawa-san it is then, right? I am Takayanagi Akane," her smile was brilliant, crooked, and made her eyes almost disappeared as her lips curled up. She was beautiful. She gestured toward the two waitresses sitting by the stools in front of the counter. "And they are Mukaida Manatsu and Ishida Anna. Also, those over there are my pet birds."

The birds were prancing on fake branches by the large cage at the end of the room, as if understanding that their owner was introducing them to the guest. Suddenly the room was lively with the sound of the birds' delightful chirps. It somehow brightened the atmosphere as they chirped in random order, overlapping each other in their excitement.

Akane's smile turned wider.

"Welcome, Furukawa-san, to Akane's 100 Feathers restaurant."

There was something in the way she said it, that made Furukawa Airi thought that she had stepped into something different, something that may changed her life. It wasn't the sound of the snow storm outside, nor because of the sudden noisy chirps from the birds.

There was this urge inside her to bow slightly to the woman before her and said, "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

Please take care of me from now.

Akane answered it, so were the rest of the three. Straightening up, Akane's face bloomed with another smile.

Though it seemed different somehow.

The cook clapped her hands.

"Therefore! As you are basically freeloading here with no money at all, no sleeping for you until you tidy up that mess you made! Manatsu, Anna, no helping!"

/XXXXX/

When Akane said no helping, it was indeed no help at all. They didn't even turned back to look at Airi's gaping face, they just went upstairs without saying a thing once Akane told them to go to bed. Akane herself stayed by the restaurant, watching Airi intently as the supposedly 'customer' tidied her belongings. Also, no helping. Not even taking that stupid hand cream that decided to roll to the other side of the room.

"Why do you bring those things anyway?" asked Akane, raising one of her eyebrows. Airi put one of the models inside her pack carefully. "I mean, I can understand those painting equipment but those models..."

"Because they are mine, of course," Airi answered lightly. Akane's eyebrows were raised even higher.

"As in?"

"Because they are my possession," Airi took an old looking Digivice from the pile, a smile bloomed on her face. Akane tilted her head, groaning as she thought really hard.

"Mmmmmmmmm! Well of course they are yours since you bring it anyway, but the question is, why do you bring it along?"

There was a long pause. Akane waited patiently by the counter, still casting that questioning eyes. Airi finally threw her Digivice into her enormous backpack.

"... Because I have no other place to put them."

"Eh?"

"Because there is no place anymore," Airi repeated. She suddenly laughed. "You see, I kinda get in a bind and lose my apartment. So I have nowhere to live. Ahahahahaha!"

"You said what?" Akane quickly stood up. "Wait, you mean--"

"Well, things happen you see," Airi gave out an light laughter. "And mine just happen to be not having a house to live in."

"So you basically have no money to eat and no house to live in?" The cook's voice escalated. "So you are basically a homeless penniless person?"

"Well, you don't have to put it that way but I guess I am?" Airi gave an awkward grin. Akane had walked briskly to her place, placing her palm flat on the table. Her voice turned dangerous.

"If you hadn't bumped to my place, where exactly do you want to spent the night, like where have you been spending the night all these times?"

"Uuhhh my apartment?" Airi grinned awkwardly. "I mean I had just been kicked out today so... I thought that perhaps cardboxes may--"

"Cardboxes!"

"Well, do you have any idea of a better bed for a homeless?" Airi laughed. She turned to her pack again, throwing in random toys. "Or maybe the police office. Or wherever."

Akane sighed. She watched as Airi continued her work, her eyes following Airi's every move.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. Airi didn't answer right away. She was taking the last piece of Gundam model. The woman gave out a sigh then a smile.

"Just some bad things," she answered lightly. "Well, things happened right? I just happened to bumped to someone bad that tricked me and I lost my apartment and my money is all."

Akane straightened her body, never let go of her eyes from her new "customer". She tapped her fingers, casting a sharp glance at Airi, before suddenly snatching the backpack away from Airi's grasp.

"Eh? What are you--"

"I'm confiscating this!" Akane lifted the backpack high. Airi gaped.

"WHA-- Wait, what do you--"

The cook raised her other hand.

"One, you have eaten a meal in my restaurant without paying!" She began to count with her hand. "Two! You are going to spend a night, also without paying!"

It was true that Airi could say nothing to that and in the end she could only nodded, still shocked on what happening. Not only that, the tone of the cook's voice was demanding.

"SO!" Akane slammed her free hand to the table. "I am confiscating this until I deem you free of debt!"

"Eeeeeeehhhh??" Airi was about to say something more when Akane cut her off again.

"And that means, you are not allowed to go from this house unless I say otherwise! Got it?"

Airi's eyes turned wider.

"Eeeeh?"

"Then we have an agreement!"

"A-Agree--EEEEEHH?! W-Wait a minute! I have never agreed--"

Akane ignored her and turned back, flinging the backpack behind her. Airi hopelessly raised her hand to catch her.

"W-wait, Takayanagi-san--"

"Okay let's go upstairs and sleep~~~"

"Wait, Takayanagi-san! Takayanagi-saaaaaan!!!!"

And so the day living in Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant began for Furukawa Airi.

/XXXXX/

Despite having to sleep in the closet (it was still spacey and there was extra futon there and if she felt like it, she could leave the slide door open), there was exactly nothing inherently bad with being "confined" in the restaurant. It was kind of cramped though. Every morning Akane woke up really early, suddenly disappearing from the bedroom with her futon neatly folded and placed by the end of the room and Airi could clearly hear noises from the floor below. Akane tidied her restaurant by her own in the morning, even before Anna (and Manatsu, if she spend the night there) even woke up. Even if the girls were awake that time, Akane would tell them to get ready for school instead of helping (they both still helped her though, for some more minutes). If Airi was awake, she would be the one to sweep and mop the floor, tidying the tables, and cleaning the window; or like the first day, shovelling the snow from the front yard. When she did so, usually a very delicious smell would come from the kitchen as Akane cooked breakfast for all of them.

In the first few days Airi kept on thinking of her piling debt every time she eat and sleep under the roof of this particular restaurant. She examined the menu when she got the time, remembering what she had ate and jotting down them down. However, what Akane cooked for their dinner or breakfast sometimes didn't even exist in the menu. Sometimes it was simple things like curry, at times a more complicated Italian recipe, anything the cook felt like making. In the end Airi lost track of it all and decided that no way the cook herself knowing everything that she had eaten. Perhaps the cook herself never even thought of letting her go. That thought bugged her, but also somehow gave her a sense of... security, as the house slowly grew into her as time went by.

Though she didn't do much, Airi helped a bit around the restaurant, especially when Anna and Manatsu were still at school. She was the waitress that jot down orders (though she rarely need to do so as the customers usually just went straight to Akane even while she was still cooking) or cleaned the dishes. The restaurant wasn't that packed anyway that time and truthfully there wasn't much to do. At times a round chubby tomboyish girl from the flower shop adjoined with a coffee shop at the opposite side of the road would help Akane on busy hour, all smiling and happy. It turned out that before Airi was around, the girl, named Kizaki Yuria, would come to help if Akane got her hands full without her two waitresses.

"Churi-san doesn't have to open the restaurant when Annya isn't around, I have told her that," said Yuria as she helped Airi wiping a table clean. "But Churi-san is stubborn and she still open it anyway. She could use the money she said, and lunch break time is very profitable."

Airi raised her eyebrows, giving a polite sound. Yuria gave a bright smile, casting a glance the opposite side of the road.

"I guess all big sisters are like that, huh?" her eyes turned gentle. "Ogichan is the same. They always push themselves too far. Please take care of Churi-san, Furukawa-san. She may seem strange at times but she is kind."

It wasn't like Furukawa Airi actually hate Takayanagi Akane. More like, Airi didn't know what to think of Akane. It got worse as she got even more confused as time went by. The longer she stayed, the more restless she became. For what purpose did Akane make her stay? Was it really to help the homeless penniless Furukawa from being a homeless by the street? Or maybe Akane just want someone to help her around the kitchen for the time being? Airi really didn't know what to think. She never knew Akane before this as well. Airi was still new around town. She came here for the designing job and she just got into her apartment less than a month when that incident happened. She didn't even have the time to look around the small town. It was a total coincidence that she found the place. Inside the storm, all that made her came to the doorstep was the warm light that came out of the white door. She didn't even know it was a "restaurant". All that Furukawa knew right now was that she got into something quite strange and that the only option left for her was only to wait for development. That, or run away. In which it totally wasn't a good option with her current financial condition.

Every morning, Airi would read the morning newspaper that Akane left off to do her cooking. She would jot down the job vacancies, wondering which will suit her. It would be hard to find job again, as her skill was quite too "specialized" than most, but she had to try. She didn't even mind if it was only some part time. She had to pay her debt and quickly get out of the house.

She was getting so comfortable with the household it was dangerous. She couldn't help herself.

Annya was an adorable girl, being a little sister character to everyone. She would sometimes ask about her homework, or start a conversation with Airi about anything. She always tried to make the atmosphere comfortable and she almost always succeeded. How could one not find their heart melt upon seeing that brilliant innocent smile? Annya soon fondly called her "Airin-oneechan" and they would talk about manga and anime, the type that the girl liked.

Manatsu wasn't exactly part of the household but since she was there every day, she could be called one. Manatsu was quiet and polite... and totally cute. Just being around Manatsu gave Airin a sense of serenity. The girl was calm and patient. Manatsu was honestly irresistible to like and Airin found herself actually enjoying Manatsu's quiet company in between the work at the restaurant.

Akane... Akane wasn't that bad either. Though she was sometimes being strict, she was a gentle leader. She made sure everyone was well-fed and healthy, she made sure everyone was well taken care of. Akane never went too nosy to Airi. She didn't stare, didn't pester, she merely accepted Airi's presence in the household. At night, as Airi climbed to bed (or closet, whatever you want to call it) they both would go to complete silence. At first it was uncomfortable, but then it grew into a very warm silent. There was always a sense of acknowledgement in the air whenever Airi was with Akane, as if the cook actually knew if Airi wanted to talk or not. Airi now wondered if Akane was actually waiting for something.

Airi wanted to be the one to strike the conversation, but she couldn't bring herself to, so in the end she would lie down in that closet of hers in silence, listening to Akane's breathing. At times Airi wondered if it was also what Akane was doing; lying down by her own futon and listening to Airi's breathing. At times Airi wondered if that was the reason why they both always slept so late, even when there wasn't even a single word exchanged between them.

In time, the sound Akane's breathing was what made her closed her eyes and fall asleep.

How interesting how the very sound that told her she was homeless actually told her she had a place to go home to. How interesting how the very sound that made her restless actually assured her that she was alright.

And so Furukawa continued her days in the restaurant, wondering the meaning of her staying and what the heck had happened to the way things normally work in this strange world.

//XXXX//

"Celery... carrots..." the small paper in her hand was filled with small neat handwriting. Akane had meticulously write every single thing Airi should buy by the marketplace, she even add certain specifications for some vegetables. Also, she added doodles. Airin wondered if that was necessary. She liked it though, it was cheery and actually a really good work. Airin wondered if she should talk to Akane about it to make an actual conversation with the cook.

It was just a week before Christmas and the whole marketplace flourished with Christmas feels. There were fake fir trees, LED lights... Red and white with some part of gold practically dominated the places. Most stalls added small Santa Claus statues or plushies. Even an Octopus in the Takoyaki stall had  a Santa hat. It was so cute that Airi took time to walk closer and examine it, smiling at the warmth emitted by the simple drawing. It was right then, by the octopus's side, that Airi found that particular poster.

Mascot Making Contest: The Town Needs Your Creativity! Create the town's mascot and tell us your story!

Money prize. Quite some sum too.

The next thing Airi knew, she already did the fastest shopping ever recorded in history just to get back to the restaurant as fast as she could, clutching that poster in her hand.

/XXXXX/

It had been quite a while since Airi sketched anything. Sketching something had becoming so painful lately as it reminded her of what had happened but now sketching actually gave her some sense of hope. Anna kindly gave her a drawing book, saying she wouldn't be using it anymore when Airi asked her for paper to draw on. Why, Airi found out how Ishida Anna was a terrible liar. She was indeed a very sweet and good girl.

The hardest part of designing the mascot is knowing the whole town itself. She was new with the neighbourhood, she just moved there and there was a lot to learn. To win this contest, she should immersed herself in it. It took more than just creativity and drawing skill. Every drawing has a meaning and a soul, it was something Airi always uphold, and now she had to catch the very essence of the town into her drawing. Airi was determined to give her best and to win it.

"Excuse me, Akane-san."

Beginning a conversation with Akane was something rare for Airi and she could feel her stomach tighten. She maintained her composed face though as she leaned on the counter to get a better look at Akane who was cooking their breakfast. Every second that ticked away after her calling was almost painful and Airi even began to wonder if Akane didn't want to talk to her.

Flipping the omelette in the frying pan, Akane answered casually, "Yes?"

So she answered.

"Were you born here, Akane-san? Like, have you been living here since you are little?"

The question managed to get a reaction now, since Akane turned to look at her, eyebrows high. The cook smiled though and gave a chuckle.

"Why do you suddenly ask such question?" She laughed playfully and turned her attention back to her cooking. The omelette was sizzling and the cook tapped her chopstick to the frying pan. "Yes, I was born here and have been living here for a long time. What's wrong?"

It went smoothly and that gave Airi courage. She leaned a bit closer, unable to fight back her own excitement now that her first obstacle was actually non-existent.

She wondered, somehow, in that split second, if things would have gone differently at the bed room if only she had the courage to start.

"Can you tell me all that you know about this town? Anything will do."

Akane raised her eyebrows, giving her a questioning stare. Her smile was warm though and she answered, "Sure. What do you want to know?"

And that began her research, and also the first topic of conversation with Takayanagi Akane.

//XXXX//

They talked, a lot. As Akane cooked, they talked, as they both were lying on their own futon, they also talked. They talked until the night drew so late that one of them fell asleep. At daytime, it could have been said that the stool by the counter that was right by the cook's kitchen was Airi's official place now. Airi was always ready with Anna's drawing book by the counter, usually to listen and to jot down important info about the town from Akane. However, as time went by that drawing book was eventually filled with stupid doodles they both made together. Akane was fond of drawing and, of course, so was Airi. At first it was only the map of the town but suddenly it turned into a saga of some kind of vegetable eating monster that rampaged the town for a turnip. They would laugh together and got excited together, something that the four birds on the cage would eventually catch up upon and make them prance on their branches. Anna sometimes joined them while Manatsu would sit by a nearby stool and at times laughed along.

In the end the drawing book was filled with so many doodles it was hard to make out things. The last page of the drawing book was a collection of their signature doodles and the ending of the saga, even if everyone had their own version of ending. Manatsu was forced to write something too and the only thing she wrote was "The End". That pretty much summed up everything though.

Just like that, Christmas came so fast that Airi didn't even have time to prepare for anything. What greeted her in Christmas day was a brand new drawing book and a set of markers to replace the ones they had wasted over the numerous stupid doodles. Airi thought she should give something in return but she had no money (at all) and Akane said just receiving their present was as much as a present as anything.

Akane cooked a very fancy meal that night for all of them. Manatsu didn't spend it together with them as she would spend it with her family, but Yuria and her older sister Ogiso came to have dinner together by the restaurant. It turned out that the two sisters were always joining the Takayanagi household every Christmas. The two families took turn cooking and this year was Akane's turn to hold the banquet. It was a very lively Christmas night with a feast of wondrous dinner and also some light alcohol for the adults.

As the night grew late and the atmosphere quieted since one by one they withdrew to their respective bed, Airi eventually found herself the only one waking up, sitting by the stool in front of the counter. She was full and half-drunk; a few hours ago she found out she was the one that could stand liquor the most between her, Akane, and Ogiso in a card game. Ogiso was the weakest. She had been refusing the game all the while until finally they were able to persuade her to and she got knocked out the first between all of them, before then Akane joined her. Ogiso had to be dragged home by Yuria, who thankfully was stronger than she looked, and Akane was slouching by the table, a glass in her hand, sleeping. Annya had been gone upstairs minutes ago, leaving the adults with their alcohol. Papi gave a final chirp before letting the room fell into complete silence. The humidifier's hums could be heard, low and murmuring in the back ground.

In her half-drunk state, Airi found herself staring at the sleeping Akane. In her half drunk state, she realized to a full extent just what a blessing these few weeks had been, all thanks to a debt she owned to a certain cook.

It was then when Airi realized she was a freeloader that got too attached to the restaurant. Looking at Akane's sleeping face, she realized just what a wonderful family she had met and eventually got dragged into.

As much as she loved the restaurant, she had to feed herself, as she knew just how much Akane worked to earn enough money for all of them. She was the one who knew best how much the cook tried everything just to make everyone under her roof happy and content. She was the one who realized and saw those brown eyes as they watchfully looked after Annya, after Manatsu.

"I don't know how much I can earn from opening this restaurant but I was taught to do my best on what I do best," Akane smiled as she put the last celery on top of the friend rice a customer ordered. "If I put all of my heart into my cooking, perhaps it will make each one of them special. Perhaps that will differentiate this restaurant with the other. Perhaps that can be the reason why people will want to come here."

Airi didn't have that much specialty, but hers was exceptional. At least that was what she wanted to believe.

Putting her glass down to the counter, Airi took her drawing book and her pencil and began to draw.

XXXXX

The passing of Christmas also marked the coming of the due date of the story.

Gathering up her will, Airi took times to walk outside now, asking for permission from the cook once Anna or Manatsu was already there to take care of the restaurant. Every time Airi asked for permission Akane only gave her crooked smile and a warm, "Itterasshai."

In time, Airi found that the town was small but lovely. The shopping district, the banks, the neighbourhood. She met many people and knew many places as she walked around. It was winter and winter was amazingly cold but the more she walked the warmer she got. At times she got reminded just what a dreaded place she thought the town was but now perhaps she had to refine that view.

"You're the one staying by the restaurant, aren't you?" asked a bearded old man, who gave her a kind smile as he showed her the road. "Welcome."

It was a series of warm welcomes and not only formal greetings. After just a few days' walk, Airi knew most of those that lived there just as they knew her. They greeted each other, exchanging news of the weather, the cat, the girl next door, and suddenly she felt like she was one of them.

She lived here, she thought.

One day, when Airi sat by one of the tables in the corner of Akane's restaurant with the sketch book and her new drawing kit, she collected all of the info she got about the town in her head, focusing to the white paper in front of her.

At first she thought that she would be pretty grim when thinking about the town but rather than the feeling of annoyance and anger, a surge of warmth feeling enveloped her. In this town she met so many warm people. Without the incident perhaps she wouldn't feel so blessed.

At the centre of it all though, was a particular place in her mind. A small crème painted restaurant that was filled with the chirping of birds.

With those in mind, Airi eventually submitted her entry.

//XXX//

It was a mildly "warm" day in the middle of winter. The sky was white and Airi found herself by her favourite place in the corner, doodling and sketching for her new project. It was a common sight now and she found herself enjoying the time very much. Akane and the others never bothered her once she was by her corner. Little did she knew how the cook eyed her from afar, a warm gaze in the cook's eyes as she watched her doodling. Anna wanted to look but usually Akane held her and told her not to. They should just let Airi be off in her own world.

It was, originally, her job after all.

The door opened, hitting the small chime that gave out a beautiful ringing sound every time someone walked in.

"Welcome!" Akane gave out her infamous smile. The one who walked in was business man, almost drowned in his trench coat. He gave a laugh and said, "Oh! This is a nice place. I never knew. Are you the cook?"

"Yes, I am," Akane answered with a confident nod and a bright smile. "Is there anything in particular you would like to have?"

"Just give me your best menu," said the man, planting a hand in the counter. He smiled, showing a set of tidy white teeth. "Being an attractive lady as as you, I am sure you have one special menu, don't you?"

"Of course, please wait for a moment."

Customers like these wasn't that rare and Akane was used to such customers. The man was watching as Akane cooked, giving an approving smile, then casting glances around the place. It was during that time... when he found Airi, who was still doodling by the edge of the room.

"Well, well, look who we have here!"

The man hollered on purpose, making almost everyone turned to look at him. He walked in sure steps towards Airi, who didn't look up. Without even giving any greetings, the man took a seat before her, an action that finally stole Airi's attention.

She looked up... and her mouth flew open.

"Furukawa Airi-san! It is good to see you."

The artist's face was a mix of everything and she almost couldn't let out a response.

"You are--"

"My, my, don't tell me you have forgotten my face?" The man took off her glasses, giving a wide grin. "I am hurt, Furukawa-san! I thought we were partners!"

Airi closed her mouth, her lips making a straight hard line as she gripped her marker harder. The man raised his eyebrows when he saw Airi's reaction. He chuckled.

"Ah, that is too rude, Furukawa-san," The man smiled and raised his hands. "I thought we are friends. To think that you actually forget me--"

"I don't particularly forget you, I just don't have anything to say to you," Airi turned back to her drawing book, continue colouring her illustration. The man smirked.

"My, my, that is what I call rude, Furukawa-san," He smiled, then swiped Airi's drawing, smearing the newly coloured drawing as the ink was yet to dry. "Oooops."

Airi's eyes quickly shot up to look at the man before her, who smiled wider. He said with a smirk, "There, I get your attention now."

Airi took a deep sharp breath, clashing her eyes with the man.

"Look here, you can insult me but please do not defile my drawing."

"I am not insulting you, I just want to get your attention, Furukawa-san," He smiled, brushing his palm to try getting rid of some of the ink. He eventually stopped the gesture though, as it only smeared his hand even more. "And your drawing only worth several hundred thousand yen, unfortunately, Furukawa-san. It's quite profitable though."

The man tapped his fingers, completely ignoring the way Airi held her breath and looked down on her ruined drawing with her hand gripping the marker even harder. The man then leaned on to Airi, smiling.

"You see, your design isn't that good that I can't even 'live' on my own using the money," he continued, regardless of Airi's reaction. "Your apartment worth it though, I can definitely use it. I had to throw some of the useless things you have, unfortunately. I don't get why a woman would ever have the same things as those disgusting otaku--"

"They aren't useless!" she finally let out her voice, a bit unsteady as emotions finally got the best of her and crept into her intonation. "And it's not your apartment, it is mine. You took it from me with..."

"That is a compensation for everything that I have done for you, Furukawa-san," said the man smoothly. "I helped you getting all those contacts and even get you up on your position. It is natural for me to take what is mine."

She tightened her jaw and lowered her voice to almost a hiss, "You tricked me."

"No, no, Furukawa-san," He smiled wider, a poisonous smile that curled up his face. "I used you. Though as things were, what you have worked on was almost completely useless though, except the apartment."

Her breath turned faster. A heavy boulder seemed to weight her chest, forcing her to breathed harshly. Her drawing. Her design. It was something that she had worked hard on for months and years and...

"And you see, I am surprised you can still live here in this town," the man laughed. He shook his head. "What do you live on from? Bread crumbs? I bet those bread shop has been giving you some leftovers from their...."

A frying pan was slammed on the table in one hard hit; so hard that all the markers scattered over the table flew to the air and fell to the floor. The sound managed to make everyone in the room jumped, even the man. Airi looked up as she clutched her drawing book, finding Akane standing beside their table; her mouth a tight line of disapproval, her eyes a piercing glare that looked straight at the man before Airi.

The artist lifted her hand to touch Akane's arm.

"Akane--"

"Get out."

Akane's voice was cold and commanding, stopping Airi's hand on the air. It was a chill Airi had never heard of before, that made even her cowered. The man blinked, giving a laugh.

"Whoa there, my friend, what do you--"

"Get. Out."

There was complete silence. Airi bit her bottom lips. Akane's presence beside her was so solid it was overwhelming. The man leaned back on his chair, raising his hands.

"Look here," he was still smiling, though it seemed to waver and change into submission. "I am your customer and you are not supposed to--"

"I said, GET OUT!"

Akane slammed the frying pan onto the table again; a sound that made everyone jumped, again, and silenced the man. The man turned rigid as he looked up to Akane.

Brown cold eyes returned his gaze, anger leaked through the usually warm orbs.

"No one should ever insult my family."

She pointed the entrance with her frying pan.

"Get out. NOW."

Silence came upon the room again. The humidifier hummed in the back ground and Airi could almost make out the harsh breathing of the man and her own heartbeat. The man seemed to struggle for words under Akane's dominating presence and he slightly turned as he looked for support.

Which was none.

Everyone in the restaurant was looking at him ominously, from the old lady by the far end of the room to the taxi driver and labourer. Akane's regulars weren't just "customers" to her, and she wasn't just a cook to them. She was their friend, the one who listened to each and every story her customer spilled, she was the one who made their food with such devotion that the taste wouldn't ever betray them.

Finding no back up, the man eventually stood up, slamming the table as he did so. It was weak and Akane didn't even flinch.

"Fine then!" The man raised his hands in protest. He kicked the chair. "I'm leaving! What the fuck is this restaurant! I will tell everyone to never come here! No wonder, you have that scumbag artist as your fa..."

Another slam to the table. It was harder this time that at the time Akane lifted her frying pan, a dent was clearly visible on the hard wooden table. The frying pan was pointed ar the door, again, and the cook's voice grew harder, colder, harsher.

"GET OUT!"

He struggled for words but it seemed his courage failed him this time and he turned back, walking out of the restaurant under the gaze of everyone present, then slammed the door shut behind him.

//XXXXX//

The sound of water filled the empty restaurant, accompanied by the hum of the humidifier. Akane ought to check the humidifier this month, Airi remembered, but she hadn't said a thing to the cook ever since the incident during the day time. The artist washed the dishes quietly, at times glancing to the door. The cook was outside delivering some curry for the Kizaki household on the opposite side of the road. It felt like a decade had passed, though it had just been a few minutes, since Akane closed that door behind her. There was so many things in Airi's mind, though the artist didn't know where to begin.

Truthfully, she didn't even know what to talk about.

The door opened and the chime rang. Akane walked in, brushing the snow off her coat. Airi eyed from the corner of her eyes, pretending to be focusing with the dishes. The glass she was wiping was clear and shiny but she kept on rubbing it as if being possessed. The cook took a seat by the counter, putting down her coat beside her.

"Airi."

No, she shouldn't be the one to begin the conversation! What should I say if she ever--

"Forgive me."

Furukawa Airi turned herself to look at Akane whose eyes watching her solemnly. Akane gave a small smile when Airi returned her gaze in confusion, before bowing slightly, closing her eyes as she did so. Airi put down the class she had been rubbing for ten minutes right away.

"Akane--"

"I'm sorry for butting in into your problem, I really do," The cook clasped her hands together, bringing in front of her in a form of apology. "I wasn't supposed to do that. It was your issue and yet I couldn't help but..."

"No, no, it's okay," Airi grabbed the cold hands, trying to put it down. "No, Akane, listen--"

"It was rude of me, I am so sorry that I--"

"Stop that! Come on, look, I--"

"No one should ever treat you like that," said Akane firmly, taking Airi's hands in her own. She met Airi's gaze with her warm ones then repeated her words carefully once again. "No one should ever treat you like that. No one should ever treat anyone like that, especially not you. I couldn't stand there doing nothing, that is just... against me and I am sorry for what I did. That was rude of me."

She had been touching the deeply covered pride of the artist since the very moment she walked into the restaurant. With every help, she scratched that iron hard pride bit by bit and Akane knew it. Airi could say she never asked for it.

Airi took a deep breath. She returned the grip the cook gave her, slightly tugging to ask for the cook's attention. There was something she always needed to say and she hoped it could include everything.

"Thank you, Akane."

Upon hearing her words, Akane's eyes turned into liquid affection and Airi swore she could hug the cook right away that time. She knew what those brown eyes said. She didn't need the cook to voice everything. She understood, the cook's apology. Airi also understood Akane didn't need her apology. There was so many things she wanted to say, so many things she wanted to explain. However, all of those disappeared at that moment when she saw the cook's eyes and Airi knew she was not one for drama.

".... But the table doesn't add up to my debt right? Since I honestly don't need additional charge in my bill."

Laughter erupted instantly between the both of them and suddenly the empty restaurant was bright with their chatter once again.

"You forget to add the frying pan, Airi!"

"Wait, you are the one slamming it! It isn't my fault that you need a new one!"

"Well, it was because of you, can't you see?"

"Noooo! Hey, wait up, what are you doing?"

"Jotting them down."

"What--wait a miiiinuuuutteeee!!"

The moment the two adult began their usual chatter, Anna, who watched over from the stairs, turned back to return to her room, smiling. The incident that day was closed by mutual understanding that they didn't need to voice.

They didn't need to tell each other that they were then, a family.

/XXXXXX/

Winter passed and the weather began to get warm. Airi stretched as she walked out of the restaurant then rubbed her hands together. It was still a bit cold so she blew the tip of her hands. She gave a vigorous wave to Yuria by the opposite of the road when the girl went out of the shop to do her morning jog, then said her greetings to Ogiso who came out of the shop a while later to holler at her little sister. Just as she was about to begin her job on tidying the plants by the patio, a postman stopped by the white gate, ringing the bell on his bicycle.

"Good morning, Miss!"

Airi raised her head at him, putting down a flower pot.

"Good morning..."

She brushed dirt off her hands as the postman switched over numerous envelopes and postcard. Akane regularly got mails, usually they were from someone whose surname was also "Takayanagi" or from "Ishida", or else it was from bird food supplier. Airi waited patiently until finally the postman seemed to find the bundle he was looking for.

"Furukawa... Airi-san?"

"Eh?" Airi blinked, though offering her hand nevertheless. "For me?"

"Yes," He gave a thick envelope to her hand, then another one. "Also for Takayanagi Akane-san."

"A-a... Thank you."

The postman gave a smile, bid her good morning, then went away with a ring of his bell. The letter for Akane came from Takayanagi household while the thick enveloped addressed to her had the address... of the town's council. Airi could feel chill suddenly ran down her spine as she stared at the sender; her hand suddenly shook with realization and anticipation.

She had almost forgotten. Today was the day they would announce the winner.

Not even waiting to go inside to take the letter knife, Airi carefully opened the seal of the thick envelope then slowly took out the folded letter included inside.

A while later her delightful shout was heard, all the way to the Kizaki flower shop. When Ogiso Shiori looked to the other side of the road though, Furukawa Airi already disappeared inside the restaurant, "slamming" the restaurant's door shut behind her.

/XXXXXX/

"Akane!"

Akane looked up from her cooking to see Airi who rushed into the restaurant. She went it with such commotion that the only two customers in the restaurant both actually shifted in their seat to look at what happen.

"What's with the rush?" Akane laughed, turning off the stove. "What's wrong?"

There was nothing wrong. In fact, it was all RIGHT. It was a very surprising result as in the end Airi didn't know if she would be picked but she won. She won.

She won first place for the mascot competition and her story was deemed qualified for publication. Perhaps a private publishing would be interested with her drawing.

It felt like the whole world cease to exist when she read the letters. She thought she felt the world turn.

I can pay my debt now.

She might be able to finally get away from the restaurant now.

"I am confiscating this until I deem you free of debt!"

Akane's eyes were questioning and suddenly Airi was in a lost of words.

"No, no, I, uhhh..."

"And that means, you are not allowed to go from this house unless I say otherwise! Got it?"

That's right. Akane never said how much her debt was. Akane only said until she deemed Airi was free of debt. Deeming her free of debt.

And Airi didn't know why but when her eyes clashed with those brown eyes of Takayanagi Akane, she couldn't bring the words out.

I want to pay my debt.

I find a way to pay my debt.

I want to... I want to... What do I want?

"No one should ever insult my family."

Those thoughts kept circling her head as her breath slowly turned steady, as her eyes kept looking straight at the cook's questioning ones. Eventually, Airi straightened herself and handed a white envelope.

"You got mail."

"Eeeeeeehhhh??? What was that?!" Akane laughed as she received the envelope. She jokingly gave a chop at Airi's head. "All of that for a mail? Rushing in like a mad man... I thought it was something important!"

"Well, it's a mail, it must be important!"

Another chop on Airi's head.

"Sheeeesh! Stop it will you? You're almost making my heart jumped out of my mouth with what you did."

Airi laughed and continued her jest, before then they both remembered she had to go out to take care of the plants by the patio again. When the door closed behind her, Airi bit her lips.

An envelope had never felt so heavy in her pocket.

/XXXXXX/

Akane never asked Airi anything, not even when Airi's frequency on going out and walk around was increasing. She at times did ask her if there was anything she could give a hand with and Airi, of course, said no.

She was looking for a new apartment.

She never thought that she would do this all over again, circling the town in her free time, looking for a place to stay. She finally found a suitable one near the sea, a small room that had just been vacant from a month ago. It wasn't much and it wasn't even as big as her previous one but at least it wasn't a closet, Airi thought.

At least it wasn't a closet. It was empty though. When that thought came to her, suddenly Airi realized the thought of closet wasn't that bad.

The walk home had never been that heavy. It was dark already and Airi walked slowly, counting the lights that she passed as she walked home. It was surprising how close the small apartment was from the restaurant and it brought relief to Airi's heart somehow. She didn't want to admit it but the restaurant had indeed grown into her, slowly.

Or perhaps the debt was the one that grew into her. The thought made Airi chuckled.

The restaurant came into view.

It was small, now that Airi saw it from far. The height of the building beside it made it looked like a dwarf. If Airi should describe the restaurant, she would say the building looked like a funny looking dwarf with  large feather-like cap on top. The white feathers looked in contrast with the darkness. Even at night, Airi could trace the white feathers' shape. She then realized the neon for the "Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant" was turned off. Still, she could still see the neatly shaped words.

Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant

Airi wondered if that night it was lit, the neon. She wondered if every night it lit. When she thought of it, she had never really paid any attention to it.

"Airin?"

The husky voice made Airi turned her head. Ogiso Shiori just stepped out of her house, covered in a brown coloured coat. She smiled.

"It's funny seeing you outside in the dark alone. Do you want to come in? Yuria is at home."

"No, no, it's okay. I was just coming back from a stroll. You're leaving?"

"Um, I have an appointment with someone."

A slight, very beautiful blush flashed over Ogiso Shiori's face and Airi suppressed a knowing smile. She knew exactly who the woman was going to meet. Anyway, anyone would blurt out anything when they were drunk. Ogiso stepped to Airi's side, tilting her head as she followed where Airi was looking.

"It's so small yet so big, don't you think?" the flower shop owner suddenly said. "It's such a small building yet you can feel its radiance even from here. It's like a beacon. Just like Churi herself."

The shop owner put her hand inside her pocket. Airi laughed. She kicked a nearby pebble.

"I am in her debt," Airi trailed. Now she just realized just how wide the meaning of debt was. "I don't know how I can ever pay it. I don't even know how to count it. Now when I thought I have the chance to do it, I don't know in what form I should give it to her."

She didn't know why she said it. Perhaps it was the woman's presence or perhaps it was the whole atmosphere that made her spilled out her greatest fear.

"Perhaps she also doesn't know how to count it, or in what form she should get the return," The woman said lightly. Airi chuckled, "but then that will be confusing, won't it?"

Ogiso laughed.

"Airin, if both doesn't even know, does that debt even exist in the first place?"

Airi raised her eyebrows. Ogiso gave a gentle smile then pointed at the door.

"Once you walk through that door... you are not a stranger anymore."

/XXXXX/

"Tadaima..."

"Okaeri, Airin-oneechan!" Anna's bright voice greeted Airi when she stepped in. The restaurant was surprisingly empty. Anna was sitting on one of the table, her school notebook opened before her. She was still wearing the waitress apron, even though the one on her right hand was a pencil instead of a plate. "You're home late! Mana-chan just went home a while ago."

"We're closing early?" Airi asked, putting her scarf on the table. "Is there a party?"

"Not exactly, just empty is all," Akane leaned to the counter from her "cooking space". "You're late, Airi. Have you had your dinner?"

"Yeah, they're having discount on breads down by the shopping district."

Akane raised her eyebrows. Airi bit her bottom lips. She put her hand inside her coat for a small piece of paper inside an envelope that felt heavier than its weight.

"Akane, I found an apartment."

The atmosphere shifted, it was almost visible--almost as visible as the change in Akane's eyes.

Airi carefully spread the contract as she walked closer. Akane was watching her closely. She took the contract from Airi's hand quietly, studying it, then received Airi's second piece of paper, the layout of the small apartment. Anna was watching from her table, a sad expression in her face.

"It's not far from here, with reasonable price... at least the one I can pay," Airi chuckled. Akane raised her eyebrows. "You see, it is spacey enough for a single person, near the sea. It will surely helps me in developing my ideas and... and, you see, I found a job."

The brown eyes of the cook were questioning. Airi grinned from ear to ear, as best as she could, and said happily, "I'm an illustrator now! I won the contest and I got myself a contract!"

"Is Airin-oneechan moving?"

Anna's voice suddenly felt so heavy on Airi's shoulder. The artist turned around, facing the girl. Airi touched her hair nervously. Anna walked closer, she looked so sad that Airi thought of taking that paper from Akane and ripped it to shreds.

"You don't like it here?"

"No, no, it's not like that," Airi smiled, moving her hand. "I need to, Annya, I can't stay here forever. Besides, it is close so I can always play here again."

She wasn't a little girl and she understood. However, it was clear she was hesitant with the idea. It was natural though, they had spent months under the same roof.

"You really want to move?"

"Well... I am planning to," her voice trailed as she slowly glanced at the cook, who was still silent by her place. "... but it is all depend on your sister."

And my wallet. If she is serious about the debt.

Akane stayed silent by her place. She studied the papers then put it down. Airi stood in front of Akane, putting one of her hand on her pocket, feeling the presence of her wallet. She smiled and said, "How much is my debt, Akane?"

The cook tapped her fingers then gave a sigh. She straightened her stance, looking straight into Airi's eyes. A strange spark lit up inside her brown orbs.

"You want to know?"

Airi laughed.

"Of course I do, how could I pay it if I don't know?"

"Fine then."

Akane bent down, taking something out from the counter. Airi held her breath, grabbing her wallet. It was several months of spending nights in the restaurant, which means countless meals and not even mentioning the feast they had in Christmas and New Year. The cook took a roll of paper then spread it in front of Airi.

It was a menu and the price space was blank.

"Eh?" Airi quickly looked up to meet Akane's eyes. "What do you mean? What is this?"

"It's a new menu I have been planning," Akane laughed. She smiled, a bright smile Airi grew to get accustomed to. "This is the menu that you ate that night."

She had no idea. Airi blinked looking back and forth between the menu and Akane.

"E... Eeeeee???" In her shock, Airi wondered is there a reason there were such things as words when she couldn't even express anything she felt with words. "Eeee, w-w-wait, a minute, what do you--"

"You have no debt, Airi," Akane laughed. "You are my gourmet-taster. I should have paid you instead, and I paid you with staying."

"Wait a minute, Akane," Airi stepped forward, putting her hand on Akane's shoulder. "I can't accept this! I had been staying here for so long and I cannot--"

"Technically you work here so there is nothing I should charge you," Akane brushed Airi's hand on her shoulder down gently. "You have no debt, Airi. Or let me say... from this minute, I deem you free of debt."

Airi blinked. She opened her mouth to say something but she couldn't. Akane ignored her and changed her attention to the apartment's contract instead.

"It's a good apartment, by the way," Akane commented lightly. "I mean, I don't know how much your salary is but I guess with this price--"

"How could I repay you?"

Akane stopped her statement. Airi cast a look at her, deeper than anything she had ever done before. The artist repeated, again.

"How could I repay you, Akane? Tell me how could I repay my debt?"

I also need to deem myself free of it.

Akane stayed silent for a while, before she gave a small smile.

"I don't know," she said gently. "That is the same thing that I want to say to you. How could I repay you, Airi?"

The last statement hung in the air. There was a visible question floating between the two of them and Akane gave her smile, catching Airi's question.

"Airin, if both doesn't even know, does that debt even exist in the first place?"

"You give me family, Airi. I don't know how I can repay you for that."

/XXXXXXX/

The place was called Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant.

It was a small restaurant by the edge of Aichi-ken, just a few meters away from the sea. The walls were painted crème and the patio had potted plants lining neatly by each side of the stairs. A big feather-shaped sign with "Akane's 100 Feathers" words on it was decorating the front roof. The owner forgot to change the neon until some months ago, but now the sign was visible clearly at night as well.

It only had few workers, which were the cook and a few staffs. The cook was known to be queer at times and could be scary but everyone would agree that she was a good person. The two staffs were two senior high school student, one was quiet, one was energetic and bright. There was a big cage by the far right side, where four parakeets were kept, the reason of the naming of the restaurant.

The last addition was a table in the corner, right beside the window, that will always be occupied by long-haired woman, who would most often be too busy to look around as she fiddled with her sketchbook and markers all the time. She lived near there, they said, and she was a regular costumer. They even said she used to live there in the restaurant. She used to be homeless. It was most likely only a rumor though, as Furukawa Airi was a very famous illustrator and mangaka. One of her most famous work was her manga about vegetarian monster that wreak havoc in a city for a turnip. It was a masterpiece the whole nation knew about.

Rumors were rumors though, although perhaps there was some truth inside it.

If you were lucky, you can meet all of them. Or to put it more correctly, once you have seen all of them, it was the time when you will hear,

"Welcome to Akane's 100 Feathers Restaurant."

 ---------------------------- The End -----------------------

Author's Note: There is a chance that I will write some other story using this setting. Like Anna and Akane's relation, or Ogiso's "pair". First of all though, I should say: Thank you for reading, and congratulations on finishing this story. hahahahahaha

[enrer]

Aaaah~ I'm sorry... I haven't made your request (this isn't the request, it is a drabble I wrote a very long time ago) I have been pretty busy so I haven't got the time to do it.

Since my main pairings are KumiYuri, GomaYukko and RenAirin, however, you can rest assure that someday I will make it. 

Characters/Pairings: Matsui Rena, Furukawa Airi/RenAirin

It was a regular day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping (or was that Churi?) and the cups of coffees on the table were steaming. The members shuffled their way around. It was break time.

The hot, humid, summer air seeped through the canopy. Rena fanned herself with her notebook. She sighed and glanced at the girl beside her. 

Airin slept, right on top of her note book with a pencil in her hand. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, that Rena had to resist an urge to do something to her, especially since her hair stuck to her sweaty face. The sight seemed to tempt her to move them to the back of the older girl’s ears.

Rena-san.

A very formal… but somehow endearing greeting. This was the only “Rena-san” that would cause the butterflies in her stomach to flutter about. It filled her with a strange feeling of euphoria.

It was odd, the way they that they communicated, but it didn’t matter. It was a language of their own, a world of their own, something that only clicked with the both of them. Rena enjoyed that. Very much so.

She enjoyed looking at the sleeping Airin. She smiled as she took several shots with her cellphone.

She would upload it on G+ later. She didn’t mind if people raved over her and Airin. They got the Flash! photoshoot for that.

Rena would make sure it happened again and she knew exactly how to do it.

[enrer]

Drabbles 1

Characters/Pairings: Matsui Rena, Furukawa Airi/RenAirin

It was a regular day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping (or was that Churi?) and the cups of coffees on the table were steaming. The members shuffled their way around. It was break time.

The hot, humid, summer air seeped through the canopy. Rena fanned herself with her notebook. She sighed and glanced at the girl beside her. 

Airin slept, right on top of her note book with a pencil in her hand. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, that Rena had to resist an urge to do something to her, especially since her hair stuck to her sweaty face. The sight seemed to tempt her to move them to the back of the older girl's ears.

Rena-san.

A very formal... but somehow endearing greeting. This was the only "Rena-san" that would cause the butterflies in her stomach to flutter about. It filled her with a strange feeling of euphoria.

It was odd, the way they that they communicated, but it didn't matter. It was a language of their own, a world of their own, something that only clicked with the both of them. Rena enjoyed that. Very much so.

She enjoyed looking at the sleeping Airin. She smiled as she took several shots with her cellphone.

She would upload it on G+ later. She didn't mind if people raved over her and Airin. They got the Flash! photoshoot for that.

Rena would make sure it happened again and she knew exactly how to do it.

[enrer]

i dont have anything to criticize on your fic really ^^ it's was a really great one! so beautiful and romantic! i love how you somehow integrated the real happenings of GomaYukko's life and twisted it to fiction XD and do you take requests? can you please write a romantic RenAirin fanfic? please~~~~ there's just very few of those and i am in need to read a new one T_T

when I "trace" a pairing, I try to integrate the real happenings into my fic to describe and to think of what exactly they feel to each other and also their respective characters. Rather than writing a pure fiction then solely borrowing names, I love it more when I analyze the possibility of their type of relationships while thinking of their respective personalities. I want to borrow characters, not labels... kinda like that. (That is why I keep on thinking I am being disrespectful when I analyze things, as they are real person and all... lol)

... I think that is my personal feel to a fanfic. I keep thinking that a great fanfic author isn't only one that is able to create a beautiful story, but truly uses the "characters" of their oshi/fandom character inside their story.

Ahhhh...... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I will try my best. ^^ When I haven't really know their overall story or their character and not confident, maybe I will create a given situation instead of a "tracing" like how I did with this GomaYukko fic. ^^

I turned out replying more than I should have and being more serious than I should be to fanfics lol. I am sorry. hahahahaha...

[enrer]

thank you very much!! It'd be great if you can give me some reviews since this is the first time for me to make a full GomaYukko only fic. I am tracing their relationships in this fic since I have yet to establish a type of relationship that might "represent" them. Thank you very much by the way!!!!

The Hunger

Characters/Pairings: Kinoshita Yukiko, Ogiso Shiori/GomaYukko

Snips:

What was this hunger, this need, that bugged her every day?

What was this feelings inside her that kept on creeping in her heart and mind day and night?

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