Chapter 1
The faint echo of high heels could be heard clicking throughout the building. Not a soul could be seen in the entire area, it was eerie and most would speculate that something undesirable was about to happen.
A lone woman with black hair tied into a tight bun was carrying a black briefcase as she strode down the large open halls. The light from the windows was casting large shadows of her slender figure. It was a good metaphor for what this person was.
Threatening and malevolent.
"How far along are you?" Her voice though, was stern and demanding.
"Oh I'd say about 5 months now. My doctor said a lot of this is body fat but it's hard to tell, y'know?"
"I have no time for your nonsense. You're too old for another child. Will you have completed it by the end of the month or not?"
The other woman chuckled and waved her off half-heartedly. This woman was maybe the exact opposite of the one that had just entered her office. She was clad in a white lab coat which covered a very modest style of clothing. Unlike her visitor who was much more business-like.
"Ouch Sonoda-san. That was unfair." The other woman pouted but she couldn't help but snicker at the other woman's unamused stare. " Look, I've already told you. I don't know why you keep pestering me about it when I'm only going to give you the same answer in the end." She sighed and ran a hand through her maroon hair.
"If I don't you'll only make more excuses and it will never get done." The other woman responded, taking it upon herself to sit down.
The maroon haired woman narrowed her violet eyes at the other woman. She seemed too...calm. It was odd. It could only mean something good happened. For the other woman at least.
The dark haired woman set her breiftcase on the desk between them, clicking it open.
"I've found one. A test subject that meets all the necessary criteria." Sonoda, the dark haired woman stated. She took out a large yellow envelope that was completely blank on the outside and handed it to the other woman.
"I'm counting on you Nishikino."
Umi ran quickly out the door, ignoring her mother's protests, searching frantically for the ashen haired girl. She skidded out the doors turning her head from side to side, looking past the wide expanse of gardens that occupied the landscape of her home. She exited the gates and made her way down the pathway to the main road. As soon as she spotted her she ran as fast as she could to catch up with her.
"Kotori!" She grasped at the shorter girl's shoulders making her face her, only to be struck with a dreadful feeling in her chest when she saw her distraught face.
"T-That...I-I, it wasn't. "Umi stuttered, trying to find the right words but struggled with all the chaos of feelings running around.
She could only watch as Kotori shook her head in response.
"You don't have to love me."
The words lingered in the air, echoing in Umi's ears, her fingers trembling as she let go of Kotori's shoulders. Kotori lowered her eyes, hugging herself with one arm. She couldn't look Umi in the eyes, not now.
"Please," the other girl began softly, the word just barely passing through her lips. "No more. I don't want you to feel this way. S-So," The brunette squeezed her eyes tighter, a few tears escaping her eyes. "If loving me means..." She opened her eyes and looked down, sniffling quietly.
"Kotori I-"
"If all along I was just a burden...then I'm done. I can't do this Umi-chan." Kotori cut in, doing her best to speak as clearly as she could before she walked pass the other girl not even giving her a last look. "I just can't Umi."
How did it come to this? How could she be so blind? So careless? Umi didn't know where to start, where or how to fix this mess. Of course she hadn't meant for this to happen.
If only she could be stronger when it came to her mother. When it came to doing as she wished.
Umi was dense when it came to expressing herself and she had openly admitted it to Kotori, but this? How could she fix this?
Umi turned, facing the only person she ever loved so deeply in her entire life, watched her walk away like she didn't just rip her heart out and leave with it. She tried to find it in herself to run after her and to call her, but it she saw no point. She was a coward. And she had crossed every line. Kotori would be better off without her.
~Two months later ~
"Umi? Hello? Umi, are you going to eat or what?"
Umi focused her gaze on the woman in front of her and sighed before picking up her fork and sticking a few pieces of spinach.
It wasn't that she was unaware of her situation, it wasn't even her asking for pity, she just honestly couldn't feel things anymore. She didn't see the use in it.
She didn't even care how pathetic that sounded. She of course was completely aware that put in simple terms she was depressed.
"Look, I know I don't have any place to tell you this but I don't really care so listen up." The blonde sighed and practically stared bullets into Umi. "This is so unhealthy Umi. Mentally unhealthy. I don't mind seeing you everyday but, for goodness sake Umi! You honestly need to get out more." Eli exclaimed. A few people had turned their heads at the sudden raise in volume from the table, they had been nearly silent for their entire time there.
Umi glanced up from her plate uncaringly, her eyes noting Eli's empty plate. Had they been here that long or was Eli incredibly hungry?
"I know." She replied.
Eli squinted her eyes at her. "'You know'?" she retorted. The blonde leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed still scrutinizing her friend with wariness. "Well did you know Maki invited us to her dinner party next week? Did you know she's officially a doctor and on her way to becoming the head of Japan's most excelling hospital branch?" Eli asked, blinking in an oddly scolding way.
Umi didn't suppress her sigh. "I'm aware, please do not patronize me. I will be attending to congratulate her, okay?" Umi raised her brow at Eli for approval. She knew she only had good intentions, so she made it a point to listen.
"Yeah. Sure Umi." Eli tried not to sound too harsh, but she didn't know how else how to get through to the younger woman.
They had known each other, the three of them, Eli, Umi, and Maki, since they were in grade school. Or more accurately, their parents knew each other. They were all what most would call "upper class" and it wasn't surprising that the three families wanted their daughters to have a close relationship. Eli figured it was because they all knew each others dirty secrets and needed one another to keep everything at bay. In hindsight though, she genuinely cared for her two juniors and she knew that even though the both of them were not good with feelings (much like herself) they cared for her in a similar way.
"Let's go. I'm done." Umi stood, not waiting for Eli to respond and made her way to the front with the check. Eli followed with a weary face, shaking her head as she saw Umi had barely eaten half of her salad.
The ride home was a silent one, not that it was unusual, but Eli could feel the words she needed Umi to hear restlessly trying to free themselves from her mouth. She knew that once she let them slip, Umi would either lash out at her or ignore her. The latter seemed more predictable but she figured if worse came to worst, Umi couldn't get out of this and Umi needed the encouragement to get out of this mess. It had been long enough and in most cases a friend would say something along the lines of helping the other get over a break up, but this was different.
"You should go talk to her." she said calmly, keeping her eyes on the road.
Kotori wasn't a person one got over and Eli was well aware of the impact the girl had on her bluenette friend.
Umi remained silent. It was a typical Tuesday night in the middle of November and the weather although a bit chilly, was actually quite nice outside. Maybe she would go out for a run later.
After a long minute passed, Eli gritted her teeth and squeezed the steering wheel when she caught a glimpse of the non responsive girl.
She needed to say this before it got really bad.
"Forget your mother. Actually, you know what Umi? Just think of yourself for once." Eli spat. The blonde was beyond frustrated, and she wanted nothing more than for Umi to be happy but she really didn't know what else to do at this point. What could she do?
"You know, we've been given all this crap and we're expected to sort it out and make sure no one notices how disgusting it is, and maybe that's how we'll spend the rest our adult lives, but that doesn't mean we should live to their standards Umi. Your mother, your aunts, even your brother, heck even Maki's and my family, they can all jump in a ditch for all I care." Eli wasn't hesitant with her obvious anger. She hated that that the three of them had to go through this.
"So if not for your sake, think of Kotori." Eli glanced at Umi from the side.
"She looked passed all of this ridiculous crap for you Umi. She didn't care that our family are a bunch of psychos. She didn't care because she loves you." Eli paused and furrowed her brows sadly, giving Umi what she hoped was a meaningful look.
"You're not going to find anyone else like that." She finished softly.
Umi stared out the window, rain had begun to fall. So much for her run she thought.
"Is that why Nozomi left." Umi replied.
The ride to Umi's apartment was silent after that.
~ The next day ~
"I'm home!" Umi called, slipping off her shoes.
The house was unusually quiet, usually at this time dinner would be finished. The lights were off, and it was quite dim being 6 o'clock.
She had just gotten back from Eli's, and they had discussed a lot of things. Umi hadn't had such a lengthy conversation with the blonde in a long time and it gave her just a little bit of courage.
"Mother," Umi called quietly. "I need to speak with you." Umi slid open the door to the living room, peeking her head through first.
"Come in." She heard her mother say.
She found her mother still in her work clothes, sitting at the table at the back of the room where they usually had breakfast. She had a few manila folders and a good amount of files of some sort in front of her, a pen in her hand.
"Are you still working?" Umi asked as she approached the table, only to watch her mother put the papers in front of her into the folders. "If that's the case, I can speak with you when you're done."
"It's fine. I was only double checking a few things for next week's meeting." Her mother said calmly, giving her daughter a tired smile.
Umi always found it odd when her mother did that. Not in an untrusting way, but she always felt like her mother never told her all the truth. Whether it be because she was still treating her like a child or because she didn't want to burden her, Umi felt it extremely disconcerting.
She knew her mother's job was stressful though. Who would want to talk about it?
"What did you want to speak with me about?" She asked as she opened up the briefcase.
Umi watched her mother and took a breath, one small enough that her mother wouldn't have noticed.
"I wish to move out." She stated.
The woman halted her movement and turned to look at her daughter.
"For what reason?" She asked.
Umi had practiced for this moment all night with Eli; she would not back out. No matter how threatening her mother unintentionally seemed.
"I believe that in order to become a proper adult and business woman, I still need to acquire the experience of being on my own." Umi looked her mother in the eye for a brief moment but then shifted her eyes to the side. "I am thankful for the privilege to live here with you and aunt Eriko and Satomi of course but I am already 21 years old and no longer attend university."
Umi wanted to say that she would work to the best of her ability to be diligent and prosperous too, but for some reason she found herself holding back.
Was she afraid? Would her mother bring up Kotori?
"I see," Her mother replied simply. She seemed to be in thought as she stared in front of her rather than at Umi who was to the side of her.
"I will allow this on one condition."
Umi widened her eyes slightly. She hadn't expected it to be so easy. She thought her mother would have put more effort into protesting against the idea.
"Yes?" Umi asked.
"You will allow me to chose your accommodations." Her mother answered.
Umi expected no less. So she nodded her head. "That is fine." She replied.
Her mother stood up and brushed a strand of her black hair out of her face.
"There's pasta in the fridge. We'll discuss this further in the morning." And with that her mother left the room.
Umi was actually a bit shocked. That was way too easy. Perhaps there was more in store for her later but, she couldn't help but feel like maybe her mother was in a good mood. She was her only child after all, so having her move out was somewhat of a change for the Sonoda household.
Umi went over the things she would have to prepare for the next day as she microwaved the pasta from the fridge. She had the habit of planning out things in advance to the point that it took up too much of her thoughts. The point though was that it was successfully distracting.
She walked to the table, mentally check marking all the necessities she would need to buy for living on her own. When she sat down she realized her mother left all her work. It was a fairly large kitchen table, so there wasn't much risk of her getting marinara sauce on any documents, but she thought it safer to at least put them on the ground.
She picked up the manila folders only for something to fall out. When she picked it up she furrowed her brows in confusion.
It was….. an idol magazine?
Umi sighed. Well her mother deserved some sort of mental break. If reading about idols did that then so be it. Who was she to judge her?
Her job was stressful after all.