She enrolled in the new school, and things got busy pretty quickly.
Her curriculum and my curriculum were so drastically different, and since she switched in between the term, she had a lot of catching up.
We used to sleepover regularly at the start as we were told, until one day;
"Why can't I go, today ?"
"She's tired and fast asleep. Don't disturb her. She's special and different, unlike you and things are different for her."
That was it. She didn't explain anything further.
And the same thing happened until I stopped asking her since I knew my mom didn't want me anywhere near Yuki-nee.
I woke up one night to use the loo and get some water when,
"To think that our Yukiko is a prodigy, I feel really happy. If only Nao would stop hanging out with her and leaves her alone, I'm sure she'd excel even further. I wish he could understand that and leave her alone."
So that's all I am to her. How much ever I try, it's useless!
"Didn't you already stop him from meeting her? Anyway, why are you so against them? "
"Isn't it obvious? Our son is nothing special compared to her, and being involved with him would only be a burden to her progress. It's not that I hate him, but it's how it is. Anyway, it's already getting late. Let's call it a day."
I returned to my room and cried my heart out till I fell asleep.
The next day morning,...
Doorbell ringing.....
I could hear some faint noises.
"Ah, Rinko. It's a surprise seeing you so early. What's the matter?"
"Is Yukiko here?"
"Yukiko? No, why? Isn't she supposed to be at school?".
"No. I couldn't find her. I thought she would be here."
Footsteps started to echo in the stairway and my room door was opened with a fury.
I woke up to the sudden thud.
"What's she doing here!"
Who?
I turned my right and I was left speechless.
Yuki-nee was sleeping right next to me.
"Why's she here?!"
I was surprised.
"That's what I want to ask you! I told you to not involve with her and trouble. You idiot!"
My mother entered my room in a fury.
I fell down from my bed and ran out of my room in fear.
"I don't know anything about this. Trust me!"
I gasped for breath as I tried to run away, but she caught me near the entrance of the staircase.
"You don't know? Don't give me that. You're just turning 5 soon and you already dare to lie to me.!"
"Yumiko, stop it!"
Rinko-san tried to stop her.
"Rinko, you stay away from this! I'm sorry for the trouble my son has caused you, but just stay calm."
My mom didn't listen to her at all. I've never seen this side of her at all.
"Auntie, stop it!"
A voice came out from the direction of my room as Yuki-nee ran towards my mom and grabbed onto her.
"Nao-kun doesn't have anything to do with this. I came over here because I wanted to be with him. Please don't punish him!"
Yuki-nee was crying, desperately holding onto my mom.
She let her grip off me.
"You..."
I raised my head and looked at her.
"To think that'd you lie to my face, and then force my dear Yukiko to lie to my face while making her cry, you've done it. I won't take this anymore..."
"Mom, wait.....!"
"Auntie! No, it's not like that...!"
"Yumiko, calm down!!!"
Everyone tried to let calm her down.
"Yukiko. Leave me."
Yuki-nee froze at her place hearing those words.
"Yukiko. LET GO OF ME!"
She let go of her instantly.
My mom charged at me with fury and grabbed me tightly.
"Yukiko. Stop it. Let him go!"
Rinko-san started running towards us.
At that moment, I couldn't feel my feet touching the ground anymore, and I could see the horror on both Yuki-nee's and her mom's faces. AND THEN.....
"DISAPPEAR!...."
I was tossed into the air, from the staircase with such force, that I knew this was the end.
I looked at my mom's face for one last time, and she had the same expression as the other's I've seen before
"You are not needed. DISAPPEAR!"
I despised that look.
But more than that, at that moment, I was sure;
"I'm gonna die!"
I hit the back of my head at the bottom section of the staircase and then hit the flat ground, the impact made a rebound and I rolled over like a pebble.
"Yumiko!"
Rinko-san gave out such a loud screen, I wasn't even sure what was happening.
"What happened?"
My dad ran from the kitchen area towards the direction of her before stopped halfway. He couldn't believe it.
"Oi! Nao! Nao!!!"
I think that's the first time my dad called out to me in a long time.
Dad!
I can't move.
Why?
What's this....This red water, Why am I covered in this?
My voice won't come out, however hard I try.
Mom!Yuki-nee!Rin-chan!
Somebody, Help me!
"Wait, Nao, I'm coming. I'll call the amb....."
Distant crying...
My younger brother's crying...
Dad!
He stopped his run halfway and turned towards their room.
"Ambulance, emergency,..."
He headed into his room for my brother.
So that's your choice.
The voices started fading away.
And the only voice I could hear in my head was...
I want to die! I want to die! I want to die!
The staircase echoed...
"Nao! Nao! Nao!Nao!!!....."
It was like an endless chant.
A woman started running towards me, for a moment, I thought it was my mom, I felt happy thinking that, at least, for one moment, I was more important than Yuki-nee.
But, I should have known better.
It was Rinko-san.
"Nao! ...Hang in there, please!"
She was crying a lot.
I could see the stairs. My mom stood there motionless, and Yuki-nee emerged from the shadows, I could see her clearly.
"Nao!"
She couldn't believe the sight she was looking at.
I was lying there, motionless, in a pool of blood, helpless in every way. And her mother trying to save me.
She lost consciousness and fell down
"Yuki-nee!"
I desperately grasped for my breath and called out to her.
But, something else caught my eye.
"Yukiko! Are you alright? Yukiko. Someone call the ambulance fast!"
The sight of that woman yelling for an ambulance, but not for her own son, pained me.
But something broke inside me.
I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you!
I repeated that inside my head until...;
No! I'm losing sight. Everything's fading away.
"Rin-chan!"
I called out to her and grabbed her arm with all my strength.
She looked at me, with a stunned expression after what she had seen happen with my mother. She was speechless.
"Nao?"
She was confused and didn't know what to do.
"Rin-chan. I don't want to die. Please, sa...."
I blacked out.
Sirens wailing.
Stretchers pulling in...
Machine beeps...
Breathing intensifies...
....
8 months later...
Harumi Hospital...
Distant noises in the room...
"Doctor, the patient's awake."
"Check his vitals fast. Make sure he doesn't blackout again."
"All clear."
"Hey kid, it's been a while. Are you alright now? I was worried when I found you in that state."
" You gave us a real scare there. My wife Rinko and my daughter Yukiko were really worried about you. Wait I'll call them all in."
Rinko? Yukiko? ...
"There's a complication, Doctor Harumi."
Doctor Harumi? Yukiko's father, Rinko-san's husband...
"No, it can't be. Are you sure?"
"I'm certain about it."
"This is a real problem."
"Wait..."
What's going on? Where am I? Who are these people? Is this a hospital? Why am I ...
"Nao! Nao!"
"Nao-kun!"
These voices, they're very familiar but...
"Nao-kun! I'm sorry."
Yukiko?
"Nao! Thank goodness, I thought I lost you forever."
Rinko-san?
Both of them had a puzzled look on their face, after seeing my reaction.
"Nao! Say something, why are you so quiet?"
"Yukiko! Rinko! Wait. There's something I need to tell you. The thing is....."
The doctor called out to everyone. There was another family with a baby held in the woman's arms, alongside Doctor Harumi's family. I guess he wanted to say something important. But before he could;
I called out to them.
"Excuse me!"
Everyone turned towards my direction and faced me;
Flashes of lightning in the sky.....
"Who are you all? "
The sound of the thunder echoed in that room filled with silence and a look of disbelief on everyone's face...
"Who's Nao?"
The cries of the baby filled the ever so quiet room, that it felt familiar. Those cries.....
A heavy downpour graced upon the city.....
"Who am I?"