Dad wasn't home. Again.
I stared at the empty chair at the dinner table, its absence a bigger presence than the man it was supposed to hold. Mom placed a plate of food in front of me, her gentle smile doing its best to soothe the knot of frustration in my stomach. Heesung, as usual, didn't seem to care.
"Dad's probably saving another city," Heesung said with a mouthful of rice. "Or maybe fighting some big bad guy. You know, hero stuff."
I stabbed at my food with a fork, not bothering to look up. "He's always saving someone else. Never us."
"Akari," Mom said softly, sitting across from me. Her white hair shimmered under the warm light, her expression patient and understanding, though it made me feel even more frustrated. "You know how important his work is."
"That's what everyone says," I muttered. "But it's not like we're normal people. I'm pretty sure the world wouldn't end if he came home for one dinner."
Mom opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of Heesung's chair scraping back interrupted her. "I think Dad's awesome," he said, standing up with a defiant tilt to his chin. "He's doing what no one else can. Maybe if you actually awakened, you'd understand."
"Heesung!" Mom's voice was sharp, but it was too late.
The words hit like a slap. I pushed my chair back, my appetite gone, and stormed outside to the backyard where the cool night air bit at my skin. The stars above twinkled faintly, but they didn't feel comforting tonight.
I sat down on the cold grass, hugging my knees to my chest.
---
I didn't know how long I sat there, but eventually, the sliding door opened behind me. I didn't need to look to know it was Mom. She always came after me when I stormed off like this, never pushing too hard, just waiting for me to speak.
But the voice that spoke wasn't hers.
"Akari."
I turned my head sharply, startled by the deep, familiar voice. Dad stood there, his tall frame silhouetted against the light from the house. He was still in his hero suit, the white and gold fabric glowing faintly, his green eyes tired but alert.
"You're home?" I asked, the words coming out sharper than I intended.
"For now," he said, walking over to sit beside me. He didn't say anything else, just stared up at the stars.
I didn't know what to say either. Moments like these were so rare that I wasn't sure how to act around him anymore.
"I heard what you said at dinner," he finally said, his tone calm but firm.
Of course he had. "It's true," I said quietly, refusing to look at him. "You're never here."
"I'm here now."
I couldn't stop the bitterness from creeping into my voice. "For how long? Until someone calls you to stop a building from falling or to save a city from exploding?"
He sighed, the sound heavy, like the weight of the world had finally reached his shoulders. "I know it's hard, Akari. I know I'm not around as much as I should be. But what I do—it's not just for them. It's for you, too."
"That's what you always say," I shot back, my voice rising. "But I don't care about what you're doing for the world. I care about what you're not doing for us."
I expected him to get angry, to lecture me about duty or responsibility, but he didn't. He just sat there, silent, and it made me even angrier.
"Do you even know me?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Do you know what I like, what I hate? Do you know that I'm scared I'll never awaken, or that I don't even care about being a hero anymore? Do you even care?"
The silence stretched so long that I thought he wasn't going to answer. But when he finally spoke, his voice was softer than I'd ever heard it.
"I do care, Akari. More than you'll ever know." He turned to look at me, his green eyes piercing but filled with something I couldn't quite name. "I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. And maybe the biggest one is thinking that being the No. 1 hero would be enough to protect you and Heesung. But the truth is, I don't know how to be the kind of father you need me to be. I'm trying, though. Even if it doesn't seem like it."
His words hit harder than I expected. I wanted to hold onto my anger, to push him away the way he seemed to push us away, but something in his tone made it impossible.
"I just…" My voice wavered. "I just wish you were here more."
"I know," he said, and for the first time, I saw a crack in the facade of the invincible hero. "I'll do better, Akari. I promise."
It wasn't much. It wasn't everything I wanted to hear. But it was a start.
As we sat there under the stars, I felt a flicker of something I hadn't felt in a long time: hope.
---
Later that night, after tossing and turning in my bed, I couldn't take it anymore. Heesung's words from earlier still stung, but I knew I had overreacted. He wasn't wrong—he probably didn't mean to hurt me.
I slipped out of bed and padded softly down the hall to his room. His door was slightly ajar, the faint glow of his bedside lamp spilling into the hallway.
"Heesung?" I called softly as I peeked inside.
He was lying on his bed, tossing a green ball of flame between his hands like it was a toy. The green light illuminated his face, making his usual smirk look otherworldly.
"What do you want?" he asked, though his tone wasn't as sharp as earlier.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry," I said, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me. "For what I said at dinner."
He caught the flame in one hand and extinguished it with a quick squeeze. "Yeah, well... I guess I shouldn't have said that about you not awakening. That was a jerk move."
"It kinda was," I said with a small smile.
He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. "Fine, I'm sorry. Happy?"
"Ecstatic."
I sat down on the floor near his bed, crossing my legs. For a moment, we didn't say anything, just letting the silence fill the room.
"You really think I'll awaken someday?" I asked, breaking the quiet.
"Of course," he said, sitting up and leaning against the wall. "You're a Tsukumo. It's basically in your DNA."
"What if I don't, though? What if I'm just... normal?"
Heesung frowned, like the idea hadn't even occurred to him. "Then you'll still be my annoying little sister who keeps trying to do cartwheels in the backyard and falling on her face."
I threw a pillow at him, and he caught it with a laugh. "I'm older by two minutes, you idiot."
"Two minutes isn't enough to make you less annoying."
We ended up laughing, and somehow the weight of the day felt lighter. We talked for a while about nothing in particular—school, some dumb thing a kid in our class had said, a hero who had gone viral for slipping on ice during a mission. It was easy, the way it always was with Heesung.
Everything was fine—until the yelling started.
---
Later that night, after making up with Heesung, I thought everything was fine again. We'd laughed, teased each other, and even promised to race at school tomorrow during gym class. But the calm didn't last.
The yelling started suddenly, loud enough to pierce through the walls and shake the fragile peace in the house.
Heesung and I froze, exchanging wide-eyed looks. "What's going on?" I whispered.
"I don't know," Heesung said, already on his feet.
We crept toward the door and cracked it open just enough to hear the voices coming from the kitchen. This time, it wasn't Mom yelling. It was Dad.
"How could you keep this from me?" His voice was raw, trembling with a mix of anger and betrayal. "All these years, Mary. All these years."
"I didn't have a choice, Itzuki!" Mom shot back, her voice high and strained. "You don't understand—"
"I don't understand?!" Dad interrupted, his tone sharp enough to cut glass. "You're right, I don't. Because I never even had a chance to. You lied to me! About something this big!"
"What was I supposed to do?" Mom's voice cracked, and I could hear the sound of her pacing. "You were already under so much pressure, Itzuki. You're the No. 1 hero. The whole world depends on you. I didn't want to add to that burden."
"So you decided to keep me in the dark? To let me live a lie?"
"It wasn't a lie!" she cried. "It was a choice—a terrible, impossible choice—and I made it to protect you. To protect us."
Dad laughed bitterly, but there was no humor in it. "Protect me? Is that what you tell yourself? Because it feels a lot more like betrayal."
There was a heavy silence, and for a moment, I thought the argument was over. But then Dad spoke again, quieter this time, his voice trembling. "All this time, I thought we were in this together. That we could face anything as long as we were honest with each other. But now... I don't even know who you are."
"You don't mean that," Mom said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't I?" Dad's voice hardened. "Because right now, I don't know what to believe."
Another silence followed, even heavier than the first.
---
Heesung tugged on my sleeve, pulling me back from the door. "We shouldn't be listening to this," he whispered.
"But what are they talking about?" I whispered back, my heart pounding. "What secret is Dad so mad about?"
"I don't know, but..." Heesung hesitated, his green eyes filled with uncertainty. "I don't think we should find out like this."
He was probably right, but I couldn't stop the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. Whatever it was, it had to be huge. I'd never heard Dad like that before—so broken, so angry.
We crept back to Heesung's bed, sitting side by side in the dim light of his lamp. Neither of us spoke.
"What if it's about us?" I finally asked, my voice barely audible.
Heesung frowned. "Why would it be about us?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "But it has to be something big, right? What if it's about why I haven't awakened yet? Or... what if I'm not even—"
"Stop," Heesung said sharply, cutting me off. "Don't even think like that, Akari. You're my sister. Nothing changes that."
His words were meant to be comforting, but they only made the knot in my chest tighten further. I tried to push the thought away, but it lingered, whispering doubts in the back of my mind.
---
The house went quiet for a moment, so silent I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Then Dad's voice broke the stillness, sharp and commanding.
"Akari," he called out, his voice cutting through the walls. "Come here. Now."
Heesung and I froze. My stomach dropped, and I exchanged a panicked glance with my brother.
"Why is he calling you?" Heesung whispered, his green eyes wide.
"I don't know," I said, my voice trembling. My legs felt like lead as I stood and made my way out of the room, Heesung trailing behind me.
When I reached the kitchen, Dad was standing near the table, his fists clenched at his sides. His face was pale, but his eyes burned with intensity. Mom stood a few feet away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her expression a mix of anger and pain.
"Dad?" I said hesitantly, stepping closer.
"Akari," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Go to your room. Pack a bag. You and your mother are leaving tonight."
"What?" The word escaped before I could stop it. "What are you talking about?"
"It's not safe for you here," he said, avoiding my eyes. "You'll stay somewhere else for a while. Until I figure things out."
"Figure what out?" I asked, my voice rising. "What's going on? Why are you doing this?"
"It's not up for debate," Dad said, his tone hardening. "Go pack your things."
I stared at him, my chest tightening with anger and disbelief. "No," I said, shaking my head. "You don't get to do this."
"Akari," he said sharply, but I cut him off.
"You're never here!" I yelled, my voice trembling with emotion. "You're always gone, saving the world or whatever, and now, when you are home, you just kick us out? What is wrong with you?"
"Akari, stop," Mom said softly, but I barely heard her.
"You don't even know me," I continued, my voice cracking. "You're supposed to be my dad, but you don't act like it. And now you're just sending us away like we're nothing?"
Dad flinched at my words, but his expression didn't soften. "This isn't about what you want, Akari," he said, his voice steady but cold. "It's about keeping you safe."
"Safe from what?" I demanded, tears stinging my eyes. "From you? From Mom? What aren't you telling us?"
"Enough!" Dad's voice boomed, silencing me. For a moment, the room was heavy with tension.
"Akari," he said, his voice quieter but no less firm. "This isn't a discussion. Go pack your things."
I stood there, trembling with anger and hurt. Mom reached out to touch my shoulder, but I pulled away, storming past them both and slamming the door to my room behind me.
---
Later, as I stuffed clothes into a bag, my mind raced with questions and emotions. Why was this happening? What was Dad hiding? And why did it feel like our family was falling apart?
Heesung came into my room, his expression anxious. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why does he want you to leave?"
"I don't know," I said, my voice shaking. "But I'm not going without answers."
"Akari," he said, his voice low, "what if this is serious? Like, life-or-death serious?"
I looked at him, my hands clenching into fists. "Then he should tell us the truth. He owes us that much."
I shook my head, tears spilling over. "It feels like everything's falling apart."
Heesung reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and shiny. "Here," he said, holding it out to me.
I looked down and gasped softly. It was a bracelet, delicate and beautiful, with a small green gemstone at its center.
"This was Mom's," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "She gave it to me a few years ago, but... I want you to have it. So you won't forget me."
I took the bracelet with trembling hands, tears streaming down my face. "Heesung... I could never forget you. You're my brother."
"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know when we'll see each other again. And I want you to have something to remind you that... no matter what happens, we're in this together."
I threw my arms around him, and he hugged me tightly, his own tears falling onto my shoulder. "You're the best brother ever," I said, my voice muffled against him.
"And you're the best sister," he replied, his voice cracking. "Stay strong, Akari. No matter what, stay strong."
We stood there for a long moment, clinging to each other as if letting go would break us.
---
As Heesung tightened the clasp of the bracelet around my wrist, his green eyes met mine. "You know," he said softly, "this isn't the end for us, Akari."
I sniffled, wiping my cheeks. "It feels like it."
"It's not," he said firmly, gripping my shoulders. "We'll see each other again. And when we do... we'll be stronger. Better."
I tilted my head, confused. "What do you mean?"
Heesung stepped back, a flicker of determination replacing the sadness in his eyes. "We've always talked about becoming heroes, right? Well... I'm not stopping there. I'm going to become an Elite. And when we meet again, I want you to promise me you'll be one too."
"An Elite?" I repeated, my voice trembling. "But... that's for the best of the best. What if I can't even awaken?"
"You will," he said, his voice steady with conviction. "I know you will. And when you do, you'll be amazing. Stronger than me, maybe even stronger than Dad. I believe in you, Akari."
I stared at him, my heart swelling with a mix of hope and fear. "You really think I can do it?"
"I know you can," he said, offering his hand. "Promise me, Akari. Promise we'll meet again as Elites."
I hesitated for only a moment before reaching out and gripping his hand tightly. "I promise," I said, my voice firm despite the tears still streaming down my face.
He smiled—a genuine, warm smile that made me feel like everything might be okay someday. "Then it's a deal."
---
The sound of Mom calling my name broke the moment. "Akari, we need to go. Now."
Heesung and I exchanged one last look, and I threw my arms around him again, holding on as tightly as I could.
"I'll miss you," I whispered, my voice cracking.
"Me too," he replied, his voice thick with emotion. "But this isn't goodbye. It's just... 'see you later.'"
I nodded, forcing myself to pull away. He stood in the doorway as I walked to the front door where Mom was waiting, my bag slung over my shoulder.
Before I stepped outside, I turned back to look at him one last time. "Don't forget our promise," I said.
"Never," he said, raising his hand in a small wave. "Stay strong, Akari."
I waved back, the bracelet on my wrist catching the faint light. "You too, Heesung."
And with that, I stepped out into the cold night, the weight of our promise keeping me grounded as I walked into the unknown.