The Winter Girl In Rags

Chapter 2: The Boy bound by Chains

11 years ago

"Aunt Rika...."

"Yes, Kira?"

"When is dad coming to pick me up?"

Aunt Rika pauses for a second and averts her gaze towards me with a wide smile on her face.

"Soon, Kira, soon. Or maybe someone even better."

"No! I want dad! He's been gone for 2 years, I want to see papa!"

Aunt Rika holds my shoulder tight and shakes her head.

"Stay strong , Kira."

A few days after that, I was moved to a new orphanage, one near Tokusei. I was sad that i had to say goodbye to a lot of friends and memories of my old orphanage. For 2 years, Aunt Rika always told me that my dad would come soon. But he never did.

Present time

Soon after the flashback i gain consciousness.

"Kira! Kira-senpai! Get a hold of yourself."

I hear a faint call. Am i in heaven?

A few seconds later, i feel a gush of wind on my left cheek.

"Wake up, you lazy bastard!"

Slap

i awake to all my kouhais and senpais surrounding me while i was laying on the living room sofa. To the sofa beside me, was the girl, Shumiya. I look at all my friends' worried faces, i sit upright and immediately apologize.

"Sorry that i made you all worry...."

I glance over to Shumiya, her panting increases by the second.

"But! That girl! Please, bring her near a heater! She's frostbitten."

"W-What?!"

"I told you it wasnt a normal cold, sensei!"

"Fine, bring her over to my room, I'll talk with her later."

Takuni brings Shumiya up to Chiya-sensei's room while the rest leaves, leaving only Chiya-sensei and I alone in the living room. Chiya-sensei lays herself down onto the sofa beside mine and starts chewing me out.

"Kira, what did i say about bringing uninvited guests?"

"I couldn't help it, she was frostbitten!You saw it yourse--"

"Don't. Raise. Your. Voice!"

She says as she slams the table so hard, the cups and glass fall onto the floor below.

As she does so, i could hear the rest of the orphans talking and whispering outside.

"Chiya-sensei's pretty mad......This isn't the first time Kira-senpai has screwed up too."

"Yeah, that being said, its to be expected, first, he brought kittens home, then, he always cut curfew, and he also doesnt wake up early, its only natural for sensei to be mad."

"Well, Kira does have his good points too, doing all those, its just showing that he cares for others. He's just always looking out for everyone. Thats the kind of senpai he is, right, Misaki?"

"Well......yeah......"

"Eh? You're acting shy now? Weren't you the one who shouted at us to go find Kira?"

"Stop, teasing her, shes younger than all of us after all."

Chiya-sensei stomps her foot onto the floor, knowing that the others were eavesdropping.