The Unforgettable Thief

Shock

The surprise was overwhelming.Why on earth was there a photo of me there, I mean, here, in Hiroto's room? The gasp I involuntarily let out must have been too loud, because, just then, Hiroto turned around and spotted me.I took a step back.The guilt in my face is definitely showing on red alert.

'Who is that?' I asked, breathing heavily, as if I'd run a race.All my efforts to calm myself down were failing miserably.Who the heck was he?!

He glanced at the picture I was staring at, and looked back at me, his brown eyes trying to lighten my mood.He stood up, 'Kin, calm it.It's not who you think it is.'

Instinctively, I took another step back, but I wish I hadn't, because, a moment later, I was falling, having tripped over the rug near the door.I never felt the ground hit me, though, because, at that precise moment, I felt an arm circle my waist.I looked up to see Hiroto standing over me.Since when were you so weak that you tripped over rugs that do nothing but lie around?! I serenaded myself in my head.

I pushed his arm away as I stumbled to my feet,'Don't touch me!'. I took out my knife.

'Alright,alright.', he said as he lifted his hands up above his head.'But, really, Kin, you don't have to use the knife.'

'You don't decide that for me.'

He didn't reply.

'Who is that?', I nodded towards the picture which had so horrified me.

'My family.'

'Not that one, the one next to it!'

'My cousin.'

'I- What?' WHAT did he just say?

Hiroto put his hands down and sat in front of the photos again.'That's my cousin.Aika ', he said.'I told you, remember? The day I helped you.You reminded me of someone I knew.'

I put my knife in my pocket again, fingering the blade.'She-she...'

'Looks just like you, yeah.'

I blinked.'What did you mean when you said 'knew'?'

'She's... not here anymore', he looked down at his hands, and I instantly felt sorry for him.'No one in my family is.'

Oh,God.I've never known how to act in situations like these.

'I'm so sorry', I said, sitting down next to him, hoping I was saying the right thing.

He smiled a very watery, but nice smile.'I can literally see the awkwardness on your face.'

'Hey! I am trying.'

'Clearly.'

Silence.

And then,'Can I see the picture?'

He nodded, taking it off the table and handing it over to me.When I took a look at it, I felt Aika looked different, somehow. Her hair had tighter curls than mine did, and the sharp features on my face were not visible on hers.She had cheek bones which looked like it could cut glass that would never appear on my face, and, even though we had the same shade of grey-silver eyes, hers were less almond- shaped than mine.

'She looks nothing like me', I narrowed my eyes at Hiroto.

He laughed.'I know.'

'But- you said-'

He cut across my stammering,'The alleyway was dark that night.You did look like her.To me, at least.'

I stared at him.