・・・ xxi ・・・
He was ten years old at that time.
Blonde hair. Pale skin.
Both of the strangers looked like foreigners.
The woman seemed no older than thirty.
The girl looked close enough to his own age.
He frowned in uncertainty.
Ao recognized the similarities in their features.
There was no doubt that they were mother and daughter.
However, the strangers were not the ones who surprised Ao the most.
It was his father.
Because for the first time since his mother left,
Fujiwara Kyousuke was smiling.
・・・ xxii ・・・
That smile took him aback.
It looked real
It looked genuine.
... How long has it been since I've seen dad smile?
Ao's heart thumped uneasily in his chest.
This was wrong.
Something was wrong.
Who are these people?
Why are you suddenly like this?
Ao's father opened his mouth.
Ao was surprised by the gentleness in his own tone.
Normally, he wouldn't even look at Ao without making a hateful expression.
He spoke.
"Welcome back, Ao," he said.
"Come and meet your new family."
・・・ xxiii ・・・
He blinked once. Twice.
The woman and the girl stood up from the couch.
... What?
Before he could process what his father said, he continued.
"This is Monica.
From now on, she will be your new mother now."
He gestured to the woman who nodded to Ao and gave a tender smile.
"And this girl is..."
His father trailed off as she stepped forward and approached Ao.
Startled, he moved back and looked at her face.
Long, golden hair.
Wide, brown eyes.
A warm, easy grin.
This is...
The girl smiled reassuringly.
Then, she held out her hand and gently took his own, squeezing it.
"Hi, Ao. Dad told me a lot about you," she said.
There was a stinging pain that ached in his chest.
He didn't like the way she said dad.
Then, the girl smiled.
"My name is Ame... I'm going to be your older sister from now on."
・・・ xxiv ・・・
Ah.
I remember now.
Her smile.
Her face.
Her name.
Their first meeting.
Ame.
It was...
"... It was the beginning of a tragedy."
*important note: Ame means 'rain' in Japanese