The rest of the birthday celebration went smoothly, and soon enough, it came to an end. Both the families expressed their goodbyes and left.
This celebration had acted as another catalyst for the two families to grow closer.
Only if they knew, that today, something savage would take place. The coming storm would be the end of two lives and leave another two irrevocably shattered.
—
Erika and Jin chatted, reciting the dishes they had eaten. Their voices contrasting against Ayame's silence. She was looking outside with her nose pressed against the cold window. The outside landscape turned into a blur of greens and browns; a perfect canvas for her to replay the previous scenarios. Today was undoubtedly one of the best days of her life.
But…. for some reason…. She was feeling an unsettling chill creep up against her skin.
Deep in thought, she failed to realize her parents glancing at her, "Everything alright, Ayame?" Jin asked with visible concern.
"H-huh. Yeah, yeah," She stammered. Jin and Erika exchanged looks, their previous conversation stalling.
Tense silence filled the air; broken only by the rhythmic sounds of the tires and engine rumbles.
Ayame went back to her thoughts. The Arashi had to leave quickly, Kato had mentioned a relative visiting to personally wish Sora– Ayame recalled Kato and Hana being visibly uncomfortable while mentioning this detail.
She tried to relax thinking it was just an illusion on her part. Sora's radiant smile acting as the perfect stress reliever; allowed her to sleep.
—
The next day, Ayame went to school, hoping to see Sora. Usually, they used to meet before Sora's kindergarten and Ayame's elementary classes started.
'Perhaps, he is late?' Ayame's thought process was normal considering yesterday was his birthday, 'Yeah… He was probably tired and just slept in."
School was nowhere as fun without Sora. Everything felt mundane.
After school ended, she went home, not wanting to disturb Sora. He would have called her by now, if he wasn't busy.
'Did he go somewhere? Perhaps to that relative's house? But weren't they supposed to be coming instead?' Ayame was confused. It had been a week of Sora not coming to school.
Like that, couple more weeks passed, painfully so. Ayame felt dead inside without Sora, each second felt like an eternity. She had recently gone to the Arashi family's house, but it was fully empty.
As a last-ditch effort, she asked her parents to look into the matter.
"Uhm… Ayame," Erika's voice was barely audible, "The Arashi family suddenly moved to…. Another country," Jin finished for her, Erika's gaze flung towards Jin, he replied silently by squeezing her hand.
"I am sure you will see him again someday," Jin tried to comfort Ayame.
"Why… Why… Why…???" Ayame's face turned blank, "Why? They left without saying goodbye?"
"Dear, sometimes grown-ups have to make…. Difficult decisions," He explained with a soft voice and hidden anxiety leaking out.
Ayame's previous blank expression broke, her eyes trembled, water droplets starting forming. She squeezed her hands as her knuckles turned white….
Not being able to hold back, she ran towards her room and closed the door shut, 'Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why' With each word, her eyes got darker.
—
Erika and Jin felt waves of guilt wash over them, "She will find out eventually," Erika whispered, "And when she does, the pain will be MUCH worse, she will also hate us,"
Jin ran his hand through his hair, his frustration evident, "What do you suggest? Tell her the truth? Risk traumatizing her? We have to protect her, Erika. This whole… thing is a mess!"
"I know… But we will have to tell her one day, her reaction might be much worse if she finds out from an outside source," Erika's voice was barely audible, not wanting Ayame to hear them.
"Yeah… Let her cope for some time… I would have taken Sora in but… He is taken in by his Uncle," At a later date, Jin will find out the severe repercussions of his current, seemingly thoughtful decision.
"That poor kid… Seeing your own parents murdered in front of you…" Jin slowly nodded, hearing Erika's concerns.
Usually, both Jin and Erika were cold-minded individuals, but hearing the nightmare Sora went through; sent chills down their spine.
As parents, they wanted to protect Ayame from this mess. But… In the future, they would find out how their choice to keep Ayame out from the darkness would twist her into something very dangerous. The choice, born out of love, would lead her down a terrifying path; destroying anything that would dare step in the way of her obsession.
—
A/N: The next chapter will be the last part of this past thing. I will then delve into developing their characters further~
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