The Fujiwara family has a complicated history. The bloodline has been going since the Edo period and they have gone through many events in the past. Only after the second-world-war, the family started to become normal one.
That dark era the family went through for centuries ended because of one person, Honoo Fujiwara—the 54th generation of the Fujiwara family. Thanks to him, the family was able to embrace the current era and use new technologies for everything.
Around the time he hit 40 years old, his wife was pregnant with his first daughter.
Sumi Fujiwara was raised like a normal girl but was given more. Honoo gave her the freedom to choose what she wanted to become in the future, unlike what his father did to him.
Sumi grew up to be a good girl and would smile everytime she talked to Honoo. And if Honoo were to bring up Sumi in a conversation, he would smile while talking about his daughter.
And then, came along his second daughter. Though he wanted a son, it was pointless to fight what lay in front of him.
Seiko Fujiwara grew up just like her older sister.
Hanoo continued to take care of his daughters like they were his precious belongings in the world.
Now, in the year 2017, Sumi worked at her father's printing company—Fj Bunko. The company also has it small animation team to advertise their works. Seiko followed her sister but she became one of the animators who'd animate every advertisement for one book; Kamisato Shouta's dream.
"2017.10.28"
Walking through the office, Sumi was holding her coffee while watching all of her coworkers working hard for the next volume of Kamisato Shouta's dream. The first volume was a hit, so it was obvious that the company would want to work together with the author more in the future.
"Fujiwara senpai!"
Someone came running down the office, carrying a folder in his hand.
"hm? What is it, Hirasawa-san?"
"You should read this"
Hirasawa said as she handed a folder to Sumi.
The folder was titled "Attack on humanity"
"Where did you get this?"
"It was in the open submissions. I gave it a read and printed all of it because I think you might like the idea"
"Give me a short explanation"
"It's about a boy who's trapped inside of big concrete walls which separates the humans and giants"
"hmmm… A fantasy story, huh…?"
Sumi decided to open the folder. She grabbed a bunch of papers written about the basic idea of the story and the plot. There was also sketches of the characters, done poorly. For Sumi, it was like looking at a grade school student's art.
"Well… What do you want me to do with it? The open submissions is still open and we haven't picked the best one"
"You're right, but please just give it a read if you have free time"
"Alright, maybe I'll read it tonight"
"Thank you very much, Fujiwara senpai!"
The following night, Sumi arrived at her apartment.
"I'm home!"
She said as she closed the door behind her, taking off her shoes before stepping onto the wooden floor.
"Welcome back, sis. Great work today"
Seiko Fujiwara came out of her room, greeting her sister as she saw her sitting on the couch and turning the television on.
"You too, Seiko. I saw the promotion art for the 20th volume of Sara's work, it was fantastic"
"Thank you!"
Seiko then sat beside her sister, watching the television switching channels.
"Oh yeah, sis…"
"Yeah?"
"We're doing Sara a big favor…"
"Yeah…"
"What will dad say about us?"
"Our old man is forgiving, he's probably happy that we're helping her"
"Yeah, he is like that"
Honoo was forgiving. He was the most forgiving father the two sisters could ever asked for.
Seikou looked at her sister, her body leaning forward.
"Are you tired?"
She asked her sister.
"Yeah, finding an anime studio to animate Sara's work is hard, most of them have jam packed schedules too"
"You're still searching for a studio? Why can't I animate it?!"
"You won't be able to get any sleep if you do it!"
"I'm not working alone, remember? I have my friends to help me out and our animation staff are talented enough!"
There were many talented artist in the company. Many of whom were dreaming to become a full time animator. Seikou had saw many of their own creations when there was no advertisement to make.
And when there was an advertisement to make for the current "best seller", they would do it passionately, drawing even the little details.
"Can we… Talk about this later?"
"…."
"Seikou?"
"Yeah… Sure"
"Alright"
※
Shouta felt as if he was floating, sleeping on the clouds. The chair of the Fujiwara family's car was high quality, made by the finest hands of the best workers in Ena.
Suddenly, that heavenly feeling was forced out and his body was flung forward, hitting his head on the back of the driver seat.
"Agh…"
Hibiki held a laugh. The sight of Shouta falling was funny to him.
"We're here"
The car stopped in front of a wooden gate.
As Shouta got off of the car, he saw that the fence that surrounded the house stretched for miles.
"The Fujiwara estate"
※
When someone comes home to their home town after a long time, they would receive a welcome back party or possibly gifts from the ones that misses them. But, this wasn't the case for Sara. She also didn't expect any welcome back party what so ever.
The kimono maids were busy with their work and none of them seemed to pay any attention to Sara.
The two—Sara and Hinata—were walking to the left wing of the building. Hinata said that there was someone who would like to meet her after 10 years.
Before entering the left wing, Sara saw two red kimonos were talking to each other as the sweep the floor. And there was also another gray kimono. And like Hinata, she was assigned to help the other kimonos with their work.
"Hinata-chan"
"Yes, Sara-chan?"
The two stopped in the middle of the hallway. Sara's back was against the window that looked over the garden, and Hinata's back was facing against the door to one of the kimono's room.
In Sara's mind, she had readied a question for Hinata.
A few seconds later, the question was making its way out of Sara's mouth. But when one of the aquamarine kimonos ran passed by her, like she was in a hurry, that question stopped, and her eyes went to the aquamarine kimono.
"Where is she…?"
"Oh…?"
Suddenly, the other kimonos who were working all ran to the main wing, all of them dropped what they were doing and ran.
"What's going on?"
"Sara-chan, when something like this happens, that means that Master Fujiwara is home"
※
The front doors opened and the first thing Shouta saw were groups of woman wearing different kinds of kimonos, grouping up together.
They were waiting for someone. Someone important.
"Oya… what is this?"
Hibiki wondered at the sight of his hard workers standing and awaiting for someone. And even, thinking that someone was him.
※
The apartment they were living in was not the largest in Tokyo, yet they can fit all of their work in that apartment. There were two medium sized bedroom, a living room, a shower and bathtub, and a kitchen. These were enough for two people and the two sister certainly agreed with that statement.
The first sister was the one to move in first because she had school there and needed a place to live. But knowing that her sister wanted to follow her, she bought a room with two bedrooms.
And not long after a year, Seikou Fujiwara moved in with her sister—Sumi Fujiwara.
Born as a daughter of a farmer, both of them were taught how to cook. And incidentally, one of the sisters would cook a little too much and decided to share their food to their neighbors.
Now, the sisters are sitting on their sofa watching the afternoon news.
"Hey, sis"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have anything that I can read?"
"I don't buy books like you do"
"Maybe something from work?"
"Hmm…? Something from work?"
You should read this…
"Oh yeah…"
"Hm? What is it?"
Sumi stood up and walked towards the front door where she left her bag sitting beside it.
"Hirasawa-san gave this to me"
She took out the same folder Hirasawa had given her at work. It was the folder with the title "attack on humanity" on it. Sumi was intrigued by the title, and she wondered what Seikou thought of it.
"Attack on humanity, huh?"
Seikou opened the folder and looked at all of the papers in it. In case she forgot something, Sumi also joined in to look at the papers.
"In the year 816, a boy named——"
※
"——Shouta?!"
Sara's eyes widened.
Even though she told him to not come, and she also wanted him to stay away from her for the time, she was relieved to see him standing in front of the estate's gate.
"Shouta!!"
Now she was running to the front gate to Shouta.
Her mind was still mixed, but she started crying as she ran through the kimonos.
"Shouta!!"
"—?! Sara——"
※
The loud impact of his hand made it echoed through the hallway.
"…"
The little girl was crying. Her tears were drowning her eyes. There were bruises all over her body as if she was hit multiple times, hard.
And that was reality for the young Sara Fujiwara.
Ever since birth, she received hate for no reason. Even now, she still doesn't know the reason behind that hate.
Her little fingers quivered as she tried to walk away from the hate, but she was too weak to even walk, this lead to her falling down and cry. The pain really reached her heart.
But, really? Can someone be cruel to a little child? Can someone be that angry to a little girl? Can someone really be angry at their niece?
"Hoono… that's enough"
"Ha… ha…"
"hik…"
The small girl continued to weep and cry on the floor.
A force of Hoono's slap made her weak and she fell on the ground——
※
——Shouta fell from the force of Sara's slap.
"W-what was that for?!"
"——!!"
Shouta got up from the ground, and then he cleaned his clothes—
"…"
"—?!"
Suddenly, his mind was shocked at the sight of the girl who just slapped him crying. Her tears drowning her eyes and her throat clogged, she wasn't able to say a word properly.
"H-hey… it's okay"
"W-why did you come?!"
Sara said with her voice stuttering and with her hand, she punched Shouta lightly as he hugged her.
"I… tol- told you not to... —come"
"…I—"
"But— t-then… Why am- Why am I happy to see- s-see you?!"
"——?!"
Shouta hugged Sara even tightly after that.
Saying in his warm voice.
"I'm happy to see you too"