"Are you crazy?" Natsumi raises her sharp chin to look at her younger sister. Nakashima Wakana seems to be shooting up like a bamboo. At the age of 18, she's already 178 cm. Nakashima Natsumi is only 165 cm tall. But the height difference can barely steal Natsumi's thunder. "You want to be a police officer?"
"Are you crazy?" Sayuri mimics her eldest sister's tone. "You want to be a police officer?"
"Sayuri!!!" Natsumi glares at her youngest sister. "Stop copying me."
"Sister, you are being hard on Wakana." Though Wakana is older than Sayuri, she always calls her by her first name. Wakana doesn't mind. She doesn't feel like an elder sister anyway. She can never do the same to Natsumi. If she ever accidentally calls her eldest sister by her first name, she will get beaten up by her shoes. "She finally has something that she wants to do."
Nakashima Wataru has been listening to his daughters. His three daughters are a lot different from each other.
Natsumi is the responsible one. Sayuri is the one who makes the atmosphere light when it becomes too tense.
He takes a long glance at Wakana. She's still wearing gloves. Why is she like this? He wouldn't want anything more than a normal life for his child.
"Police officers don't get high pay," Natsumi tells Wakana. "Why would you want to become one?"
"Sister, you and I are there to make money. Let her do what she wants." Sayuri pats Wakana's back who lets out another deep sigh. Nobody can understand how she feels.
"She will get sick again." Natsumi voices out in rage. "It's not a safe job for someone like her."
"If she doesn't use her ability, she might not get sick," Sayuri points out. "I agree that it's not a safe job. Wakana should become my model. She has the height and the looks. I will make pretty clothes and she will walk the runway."
"Not happening." Wakana looks at her dully. "I don't want to get tortured by you."
Not minding her sister's words, Sayuri smiles lightly. "But, Wakana, you have to be realistic. Being a police officer means that you have to meet a lot of people. There will be times when you come across problematic people. How are you going to overcome it?"
But Wakana is thinking hard. She doesn't want to go to college because she doesn't want to be a burden to her father who already has to take care of Natsumi and Sayuri. Wakana troubled her family a lot when she was young because she often had to be admitted to the hospital.
Besides, it's not like she has a dream. Why should she waste her father's money on further education? She won't get a scholarship like Natsumi. She's not creative like Sayuri to win a competition. She has abilities that might give her a job of a shaman. But that's been crossed off by her father.
That red guest will come for Minami Kun.
She doesn't know why she's worried about him. Maybe it's because she's the only one who knows. Minami Kun believes that his father killed his mother before committing suicide.
But what will she do when the red guest comes? She gets goosebumps in her body. There's no way that she can fight that old man again.
"Wakana, do you really want to be a police officer?" Her father asks her gravely.
Wakana nods. "I think that I should make use of my abilities for the benefits of the people."
Her father furrows his brows. Somehow, that answer doesn't sound right. She must be hiding the real reason. But this is the first time when his daughter is showing some ambition. He has always supported his daughters' dreams. Wakana is not an exception.
"If you truly want to be one, then go ahead." He gives his approval. "Start studying for the exam. I heard that it's quite difficult."
Natsumi opens her mouth to protest. She shuts up when she receives a glare from her father. Sayuri squeezes Wakana's hand. "Sister, it's alright. Study hard for the exam. I am sure that you will become one."
His father sighs. "I am leaving. Keep watch on the store when I am gone. Don't nag your sisters too much, Natsumi."
Their father warns them before he leaves for fishing.
Wakana slumps her shoulder. She's doing this for Minami Kun though. She doesn't like lying to her family, but she's sure that she would get Natsumi's beatings if she tells the truth.
"You know what? I won't stop you." Natsumi smiles at her suddenly. Both Sayuri and Wakana tremble in fear. What is their sister thinking?
"If you can go to the cemetery at night and stay there for an hour," Natsumi adds.
Cemetery again? Wakana hides behind Sayuri.
"Sister, even I can't go to the cemetery at night," Sayuri shouts. "How could you put this condition? She hasn't even taken the exam yet. We don't know if she will pass or not."
Natsumi scratches her chin. "If she can do it, I will help her pass the test."
"Will you?" Wakana looks at her suspiciously. Passing the test is a big deal.
"I will," Natsumi assures her. "I keep my words. But I want to see how serious you are. If you can spend one hour in the cemetery alone, I will not stop you. If you fail, you will drop the idea and do what I tell you."
Wakana takes a deep breath. Minami Sei. She wants to follow him until she can follow him. She knows that she can't be with him forever. "I will do it."