Taki was running, she didn't know why, but she was running.
Her lungs burned, screaming for her to stop and rest, but she had to run.
It was getting closer.
She did not know what it was or what it wanted, but she knew she had to get away from it.
"Silly girl, you can't run from me," a deep menacing voice grumbled behind her ear, scaring her so much that she fell to her knees, trembling in fear.
She had a sickening feeling at the pit of her stomach, and her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly felt the urgent need to throw up.
"She's going to die now that you're gone," the voice chuckled darkly, whatever it was, was circling her like a predator, "and that's…my promise to you."
She flinched before aggressively sitting up out of breath, the room felt hot yet chills were running down her spine, and she was drenched in sweat.
Her hand clutched her chest as she struggled to regain her breathing, and tears flowed freely down her face.
Hearing the commotion, Naki who was asleep on a chair close to her bed woke up and rushed to her side.
"Taki! Breathe, relax just breathe okay?"
"Na-Na-grand-I-grand-"
"Slow breaths Taki, breeaaathe," Naki tried coaching her through some breathing exercises, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"Gra-Gra-" Taki choked on her words as she started bowling her eyes out.
Naki wrapped his arms around her, resting her head on his chest as she continued to cry, clutching tightly onto his worn-out shirt.
"Shhh, it's okay, just keep breathing, I'm here."
"Oh no the stove is on!" A harsh whisper sounded around the room followed by a giggle.
"Naki," Taki cried hurrying her head deeper into his chest.
Naki stared hard at the mattress, his heart thumping in his chest, "nothing is going to happen to grandmother."
They couldn't go back to sleep for the rest of the night, they both watched the sun rise through the open windows as they held on to each other.
None of them said anything.
A harsh knock from the living room snapped them out of staring at the sun.
"I'll get it," Naki said as he got off the bed but Taki followed right behind him, not wanting to be alone.
Even though she had been experiencing the same thing her entire life, she had never learned to not be scared.
Scared of the things she could see, the things she could feel, things she could do.
They walked into the living room and to the door where the knocking continued.
Naki unlocked it and opened the door to their grand aunt Sarah standing there with a fresh tray of cookies and the rude lady Himari, behind her with two suitcases, a bored expression on her face.
"Good morning!" Sarah grinned.
"Good morning," the twins bowed.
"Did you two just walk out of a Zombie movie, my grandma looks better on her bad days," Himari scoffed and they walked in, eyeing the sleep-deprived twins up and down.
"Himari be nice for once," Sarah scolded her as she placed the tray of cookies on a table.
"Was the separate apartments not a good idea?" Sarah asked after realizing they shared the apartment.
Naki was about to answer when Taki spoke first.
"Oh no it was, I was just getting a bit homesick that's why, but uhm I- I should be fine now," she said plastering on a fake smile.
"Yeah," Naki nodded, "thank you for the cookies," he smiled.
"And the…suitcases?" Taki tilted her head at the luggage next to Himari who had some sort of beef with them for whatever reason.
"Oh yes!" Sarah brought the luggage in front of them, "I bought you guys some clothes and nice shoes, and I'm pretty busy today but Himari would love to take you out today, so you can look around."
"No I would not love to, only the extra cash that comes with it," Himari mumbled to herself, but both twins heard it.
"Good luck with her, she's a tough coconut but you'll love her eventually," Sarah giggled.
"Love is a strong word," Taki grumbled scratching the back of her head.
"But I do like coconuts," Naki winked at Himari who threw him the bird.
"You kids have fun now, call me if you need anything?" And with that, she left.
"You have one hour to get ready, if you're not done in the lobby by then, I'm going on this tour myself," Himari said following after Sarah.
"Are you okay?" Naki asked after they were left alone.
"I'm never okay," she sighed, "but these cookies though!" She hummed as she took a bit of one.
"Save me some, I'm going to get ready," he patted her head as he grabbed one of the suitcases and walked out of her apartment and into his own.
Exactly an hour later, the twins were dressed and down by the lobby waiting for Himari who was attending to a last-minute customer before her shift ended.
"Sit down, you dog!" Taki growled at Naki who was bouncing around in excitement, making her anxious for no reason.
"And I'm the mean one when I call you a witch," he huffed continuing to run around the couch she sat on.
"Why was I not an only child?" She mumbled to herself in irritation.
"Okay losers, let's make this quick, I've got lives to ruin," Himari walked towards them with a backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Hm you clean up well," she eyed them up and down, "let's go." She led the way out the sliding glass doors.
"I don't think she's a good person," Naki whispered to his sister as they followed and she agreed with a nod.
"Whoa! a museum for ice cream? Let's go there every day!" Naki exclaimed as he happily ate his triple caramel ice cream with sprinkles and extra jelly beans.
"Let's not, my head hurts from this overly sweet frozen scoop of cream," Taki groaned massaging her scalp.
"Meh brain freeze, you'll get used to it," Himari snorted as disposed of her empty tub in a nearby rubbish bin.
"Let's check out the local marketplace next, we do have your great aunt's credit card after all, why not make the most of it?" She chuckled evilly and the twins only shrugged, "but first I need to visit the closet's public toilet, I had one too many fizzy drinks today," she said beginning to bounce on the balls of her feet.
"Can you point me to the male loo too, I've been holding it for a while now," Naki scratched the back of his head.
"Uh I'll just wait out here in the sun, maybe my head will un-melt itself," Taki said.
"Suit yourself, don't go anywhere, we'll find you here, let's go, big boy," Himari pulled Naki along with her, leaving Taki out on the busy street of Tokyo.
The moment she was left alone, her mind instantly went to her grandmother.
Late at night, when the moon was at its highest and brightest, the owls at their loudest and mouther nature at her calmest when silence plagued the sleeping world yet the tiniest creatures of the night were at their loudest, something was alive inside her.
Something lived in her dreams and it haunted her, no, it spoke to her.
Spoke to her and told her of all the horrible things that were to come and how she had no power of preventing them, she could only know what was to happen.
That was why she refused to sleep because she would rather not know anything at all than to know and not be able to help or prevent it.
She would rather not ever know like everyone else and is completely stunned when it happens than to know and be completely useless.
Yet she made the mistake of letting her brother talk her into sleeping again after so long, only to be told of her grandmother's untimely-
"You again!"
She was snatched back into reality by the rich and deep voice which belonged to the handsome stranger who saved her life just yesterday.
"You again," she stood up straighter as the man came to stand in front of her.
He looked at her in amusement, "you clean up well I see."
Himari had said the same thing earlier, the only nice thing to have ever come out of her mouth too.
She shrugged, trying to hide her blush behind the curly hair that flowed around her face.
"I'm Kenji," he stuck out his hand to her, she hesitantly stared at it before grasping it with her much smaller hand.
She stared at the contrast in their skin tones for a while before responding, "I-I'm Taki."
"Nice to meet you, Taki," he gave her a charming smile, flagging his perfectly white straight teeth.
"Lovely name," he said, still not letting go of her hand.
If Taki was any shade lighter, her face would've turned beet red when he brought the back of her palm to his pink lips, and as she felt its softness on her skin, she felt heat travel all over her body.
"I would love to keep in touch, Taki," the way her name rolled off his tongue, she could've sworn she's never heard her name sound so beautiful.
"Do you have a phone? We could swap numbers and maybe see each other under much better circumstances?" He suggested hopefully.
"I-I grew up on a farm," was the first thing that came out of her mouth and she damn near facepalmed.
"What?" Kenji's eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"I don't have a phone," she looked down at her feet in embarrassment.
"Hm peculiar girl," he studied her, "well you're in the city now so you're bound to get one, and when you do…" he took out a little notebook from the inside pocket of his coat along with a pen, he quickly scribbled something on it then ripped out the page and handed it to her, "I would love to be your first phone call."
She looked down at the paper and saw it was a combination of numbers with his name above it, realizing he gave her his phone number, she looked up to thank him but he was gone.
She looked around in confusion wondering where he could've disappeared to and do quickly, and without a goodbye.
"Why are you looking around like you lost something," it was Himari, they were back.
Right, she was there with people.
"So those toilets were a bit further than we anticipated," Naki pouted, "sorry for the wait sis."
"It's okay, I liked the peace and quiet anyway," she lied, making her brother gasp in fake hurt.
"Okay Hansel and Gretel, to the market we go!" Himari once again led the way.