Shiemi's POV.
- Ah... Ahh... I can't... I.. Not.. Not anymore...Ahhh... AHHHHHHHHHH !!!
I was alone in my room after witnessing one thing I knew I'd never forget. My father just killed my mother. Right before my eyes. As a "punishment". Then he simply locked me up in my room... he was probably trying to get rid of the body at the moment.
- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!! YOU.. YOU..!
I was in pain. Not physically. Not ONLY physically at least. But I felt like exploding. My whole body was burning.
- I... AHHHHHHH !!!
My screams probably ended up annoying my father, because he suddenly crashed into my room with a crowbar in his hands.
- Ah... No... S..Sorry da—
Seiko's POV.
- So... Hungry...
- Be quiet Seiko. Be grateful you have a home, some kids live in the streets. We gave you food, but you gave it to your sister. That's on you.
A home, huh..? I don't think that's what you call a home... Why can they eat as much as they want and they only gave us a piece of bread?! That's fucking unfair...
- Seiko... You shouldnt have gave me your food.. I.. Mine was enough...
- No, Louise. You have a fever, you have to eat properly...
- But...
- Shh, it's nothing.
My stomach hurt so much from hunger, but I had to keep pretending. For her.
- Ugh, enough you brats. Me and your father are trying to eat, stop making a scene. Go to your room. Oh, and don't come out until tomorrow. We have guests tonight.
- What?! So we won't get to eat anything tonight?!
- Ugh...
My mother gave us a piece of bread each.
- Here. Eat that tonight. I don't care if you eat it right now though, but don't come asking for more. Now go to your room. Shoo.
- ...ugh, fine...
I took Louise's hand and we went into our room. It was dirty and messy. Clothes were laying on the floor and a single old mattress we used as a bed was on the floor in the middle of our room, with no pillow nor blanket. She laid down on the said mattress and took some minutes to fall asleep. Her fever hadn't gone any better since our parents refuse to give her any medecine, saying it's "just a whim". When she was finally asleep, I gave her my jacket as a blanket and went out the window. I did that almost every day to go hang out with my best friend. He knew about my situation, since I told him. But he wouldnt have noticed otherwise. Our parents didnt want their negligence to be known by the whole village. So we were always clean, and our clothes were too. Though we were in vacations right now, so no school means no bath and no clean clothes. But I always managed to seem presentable. Anyway, I went to our usual hangout and waited for him to arrive.
Shiemi's POV.
- Ah... Shit, that hurt... what time is it..? 2PM..? Ah, time to go see Seiko...
I went out the window, feeling each step in every inch of my body. It hurt so much. I could barely walk, but I had to see him. I just... had to. I walked to our regular hang-out with difficulty but I finally made it. When he saw me, he ran up to me his eyes full of worry.
- Shiemi?! Are you okay, what happened?! Ah, you're bleeding!
- Ah, don't worry about me... It's nothing.
- What the fuck do you mean by "it's nothing"?! Just sit here, I'll get the bandages...
- Thanks, Seiko...
I worried him... Ugh, I'm such a burden... Why did I have to cause him even more trouble...
- Oh, by the way Seiko
I took some cookies out of my pocket.
- Here. That's for you.
- Ah... are you.. are you sure..?
- Of course I am. Look at you. You look like you're gonna pass out.
He hesitantly took the cookies and ate them before bandaging me up. While he healed me, I was stuck in my own head, in my thoughts. I didn't have the time to think about my mom until now. She's... gone. The only one beside Seiko who cared for me, is gone. Ah... I felt a tear running down my cheek, hoping that Seiko won't notice it, but he seemed way too focused on healing me to notice such a futile thing. I felt a wave of sadness and dispair hit me. She was dead, and it was entirely my fault. He did it to punish me. All because I'm just a selfish failure...
- Shiemi..? Are you okay..?
- Ah..! Yeah I.. I am!
- ...
Of course he's not believing me... I'm not even a good liar. Thinking about all of that made another tear run down my cheek.
- Shiemi ! You're crying !
- Oh, that's... that's nothing..!
- Stop fucking lying to me !
- ...Sorry...
I broke down in tears. He hugged me, panicked.
- Shiemi?! What happened?!
- It's... It's my mom she's... she's...
- Shh, shhh... calm down...
- She's dead and... and it's... all my fault...
- Hey, don't say that! How could it be your fault?!
I couldn't breath, and my words were becoming hard to understand. Seiko tried to make me come to my senses but I couldn't stop crying and shaking. Why did it have to happen. Why her. It should've been me. It was all my fault. I hate myself. I hate my father. I'm gonna kill him. Wait... Kill him...? No, if I do that I'll go to jail, I can't leave Seiko... Seiko, hm..? Maybe we should leave? Together...
- Seiko..?
- Mhm?
- Do you... promise you'll always be by my side?..
- I promise !
- Okay... okay...
- ... Something's wrong?
- No... No it's nothing... it's just... If I wanted to run away, far from this hell of a place, would you come with me..?
- Oh, well... Our parents would probably find us and it'll be the end for us ! I don't really think that's a good idea... But if you wanted to run away, I wouldn't let you leave you alone...
- I see...
I see...
