-Age 7-
The sun shone brightly, casting warm rays on the playground where children with tails wagging and ears flopping ran and played. "I wish I was healthy too..." I whispered, my heart aching to join them.
Just then, the door creaked open, and my older brother, Itsuki, bounded in, his own tail wagging excitedly. In his hands, he held a colorful drawing, the crayon marks smudged but full of life.
"Look what I made for you!" Itsuki exclaimed, holding up the paper. It depicted a fierce dragon, its scales shimmering in shades of green and blue. Hikaru's name was written in bold, colorful letters at the bottom.
My eyes sparkled with delight. "Wow! It's amazing, Older brother Itsuki! Can you tell me the story of the dragon?"
Itsuki grinned and hopped onto the edge of the bed, his fluffy tail swishing back and forth. "This dragon is named Aki. He's the bravest dragon in the land, and I drew him just for you."
My heart swelled with warmth. "I wish I could see Aki in person," I said softly, my voice tinged with longing.
Itsuki's smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly brightened. "Maybe one day, little bro. When you get better, we can go on adventures together, okay?"
I nodded, feeling a flicker of hope ignite within me. "Promise?"
"Promise!" Itsuki said, crossing his heart with his fingers.
Just then, my eldest sister, Hana, peeked in. Her long hair framed her face, and her own dog-like ears perked up with excitement. "Hey, little brother! I brought your favorite snacks!" She entered, a small bag in her hands.
My face lit up as I hugged Itsuki and Hana tightly. "Thank you, guys. You always make me feel better..."
As they chatted, my breathing grew more labored. My chest began to ache, and I felt a familiar tightness in my lungs. I tried to push the feeling aside, but it only grew worse.
Suddenly, my body convulsed in a fit of coughing. Blood splattered onto the sheets, and my siblings' faces fell in shock.
"Hikaru, no!" Hana cried, rushing to my side.
Itsuki's eyes widened in horror as he stared at the bloodstained sheets. "Get the doctor!" he shouted, his voice trembling.
My vision began to blur as he struggled to breathe. My siblings' faces grew distant, and the room seemed to spin around me...
.
.
.
"You are so ugly! Why were you born with that ugly birthmark!"
"I wish you were dead!"
"Because of you!!"
.
.
.
"Mommy... Daddy... I am sorry... Sorry everything is my fault..."
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.
.
"Where am I....?" I stood still watching my past before my eyes. "Mom... I am scared... I don't want to be here..."
I started walking aimlessly... The screams of horror ringing around my ears. I covered my ears and ran... Ran away, I kept running until I could no more...
"Where is everyone... Older brother Itsuki...? Eldest sister Hana..."
"Mom... Dad..." I cried yet no response came... It was scary...
The darkness loomed around me, thick and suffocating, as if it were a living entity intent on swallowing me whole. I stumbled through the void, my heart racing, the echoes of my past haunting me like shadows that refused to fade. Just as despair threatened to consume me, a voice broke through the oppressive silence.
"Hikaru...!!"
The voice was familiar yet distant, like a whisper carried on the wind. I turned, and there he was- a boy with brown hair and black eyes, a huge black birthmark marring his cheek. It was my past self, the boy I had tried so hard to forget.
"Why are you running?" he asked, his voice a mixture of concern and sadness. "You don't have to be afraid anymore."
"I don't want to be here!" I shouted, my voice trembling. "I don't want to remember! It hurts too much!"
He stepped closer, his expression softening. "I know it hurts, but you can't keep running from it. You have to face it... Let go of the past, Hikaru. You have a new life now. Everyone loves you"
"But... I don't remember them," I replied, my voice cracking. "I feel so lost."
"Look around you," he urged, gesturing to the darkness that surrounded us. "This isn't where you belong... You have a family who cares for you, who wants to see you happy... You're not that boy anymore. You're stronger than you think..."
I hesitated, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "But what if I forget everything? What if I forget you?"
His eyes glimmered with understanding. "You won't forget me. I'll always be a part of you, just like your memories. But you have to choose to move forward. You can't let the darkness win."
As he spoke, the shadows around us began to shift, swirling like a tempest. I felt a pull, a longing to escape the pain that had haunted me for so long.
"Please, Hikaru," he said, stepping closer, his arms open wide. "Let me help you. Let's embrace the light together."
With a deep breath, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him. The warmth of his presence enveloped me, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I felt a flicker of hope.
"I'm scared," I admitted, my voice muffled against his shoulder.
"I know," he whispered, holding me tightly. "But you're not alone. You never were..."
As we embraced, the darkness began to dissolve, the shadows retreating like a tide. I felt a sense of peace wash over me, a lightness that I hadn't known in years.
And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, my past self began to fade. "Remember, Hikaru," he said, his voice echoing softly. "You are loved. You are free."
With that, he vanished into the light, leaving me standing alone in a bright, warm space. I blinked, the memories of my past life slipping away like grains of sand through my fingers.
I awoke with a start, gasping for breath, the sunlight streaming through the window. My heart ached with a sadness I couldn't quite place, a longing for something just out of reach.
But as I looked around, I saw the familiar faces of my family- Itsuki and Hana, their smiles bright and welcoming. I felt their love wrap around me like a comforting blanket, and though I couldn't remember the boy I had just met, I knew deep down that I was no longer alone.
"Hey, sleepyhead!" Itsuki said, ruffling my hair. "You scared us for a moment there~"
"Yeah, you were mumbling in your sleep," Hana added, her eyes sparkling with concern, "Are you okay?"
I nodded, a small smile breaking through the sadness. "I think so... I just... I had a strange dream..."
"Wanna tell us about it?" Itsuki asked, his tail wagging with curiosity.
I hesitated, the details of the dream slipping away like mist. "Maybe later," I said softly.
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As I looked into their eyes, I felt a sense of belonging wash over me. The past may have shaped me, but it would not define me. I was Hikaru, and I was ready to embrace the light.
_To Be Continue_