A/N - there's going to be a time skip after this chapter :) just to let you know. please read and review!
CHAPTER ONE
"Onee-san" An angelic voice swept into my ears "Onee-san" It repeated
I groaned as I opened my heavy eyelids and faced my younger sister who knelt beside my bed and rested her head between her two slender hands. She greeted me with her usual smile, which always made me feel at home.
"Good morning" She said, still smiling
"Morning" I sat up and stretched my arms into the air hoping to feel a little less sleepy
"Auntie's waiting for us downstairs"
"Alright, I'll be down soon"
I slipped on my middle school uniform, which consisted of a navy blue, pleated skirt, a white blouse, a black blazer and a blue tie. As usual I ditched the blue leg warmers and slid on my thigh high, black socks instead. The school was quite lenient with uniform so they didn't mind. I reached my hands behind my long, black hair and flung it out from beneath my blouse and waited for it to settle over my blazer before I tied it up into a tall ponytail. I stared back into my deep crimson eyes before shaking my head and left my room.
I ran down the wooden steps, still brushing my teeth and finally rinsed under the tap in the kitchen sink.
"Geez Amaya, how many times do I have to tell you to wake up earlier so you don't have to rush like this?" My Auntie lectured as she wiped down all the tables for her sit-down café.
"Sorry" I dismissed
"Kinuko, can you wipe down the other half please?" My Auntie asked my little sister
"Of course!"
I watched Kinuko skip over to do her task and like every other day, saw how different she was from me even though we were only one year apart, her being 11 and me being 12. She had beautiful long blonde hair, which she tied up into pigtails, striking blue eyes, short in height and lived up to her nickname – "Angel". She's always been kind towards everyone and possibly too trusting, which is probably one of the reasons why I was so overprotective of her, sometimes I would go too far but she would never be angry with me, she was much too loving.
I sighed as my aunt came behind the counter to make hot chocolate for both Kinuko and myself. I couldn't help but smile when I listened to her steam the milk, it always relaxed me, and the nostalgic feeling I'd get when I'd hear it was bliss. It reminded me of the time mum and dad were still with us and they were doing the same thing, making us a warm hot-chocolate, making sure it wasn't too hot so our eager selves wouldn't burn our tongues…It was tough losing them and it may be unfair to say this but I know their death affected me much more than Kinuko. Although life goes on, it came change someone forever.
"Here you go" My aunt smiled as she passed me my hot chocolate
"Thank you" I said, returning her smile
"Yours is ready too Kinuko"
"Thank you!" Kinuko beamed, I could never compete with her in that league
"Now finish it quickly or you'll be late for school"
I almost spat the drink out when I saw the time; we had five minutes to get there. I chugged down the remaining contents and waited impatiently for Kinuko, who had more trouble drinking the hot chocolate in large gulps. I grabbed her arm as soon as she was done and ran out the door of our home/café.
Little did I know that it would be the last time I'd see it.
I couldn't run as fast as I wanted or I would be literally dragging Kinuko to school. She was already running out of breath and we only had another 3 minutes to get into class. Despite this I stopped for her and we sat down for a quick break.
"Sorry Onee-chan, you're going to be late because of me"
"It's my fault for waking up so late"
"But-"
"You need to worry about yourself sometimes as well"
She nodded
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah"
We got up and walked the rest of the way to school
I slid the classroom door open and tried creeping to my seat, I was halfway there but…
"Late again Amaya Saito?" My homeroom teacher looked up from her spectacles
"Sorry I'm late" I chuckled
"Take a seat" She sighed
"Slept in again?" My classmate who sat in front of me teased
I hit her softly and laughed
I let out a sigh of relief when the bell rang signalling the end of another day at school. I packed my bag and left the school building then waited at the gate for Kinuko, who surprisingly wasn't here first. I watched many students leave the school until everyone left…except Kinuko. There was no way that she would leave without me. Worried would be an understatement of how I feel, I was almost hysterical inside. Then I noticed a man standing opposite me, he was in his mid 20's I was guessing and he motioned for me to go over to him.
I couldn't think of anything else but to obey, so I went.
"What do you want" I snapped at him, I was anything but calm at the moment
He smirked "You know…I've always had a thing for blondes"
I cocked my eyebrow "…And? What does that have to do with me?"
His smile grew wider "Especially when they look so innocent…so angelic"
My eyes widened in fear and realisation "What did you do with my sister?" I yelled. I clenched my fists to the point that I bled.
"What did you do to her!" I repeated, I was hysterical, I punched him multiple times but he simply grabbed my arms and lifted them above my head.
"It's hard to believe you're her sister, I was hoping you'd be blonde too and looked as innocent and angelic as she did"
Fresh tears flowed down my face
"Too bad though…you're nothing like her. Your black hair…crimson eyes…you look almost like a demon…you look far to strong for a woman…you have no delicacy whatsoever…you look better when you cry"
I spat in his face "give her back"
He used his sleeve to wipe off my spit, keeping his face contorted with disgust, then slapped me, I fell onto the concrete and he continued to step on my back then hold me up by the neck.
"Listen kid, I came here to tell you to just forget about your sister cause you're never going to see her again"
I couldn't say anything since he was gripping my neck so tightly
"This will be the last time we meet" he said before he jabbed something into my stomach. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly sleepy and blacked out.
I woke up in the same spot. Laying on the cold, concrete ground, it was dark now, I got up immediately and ran around…everywhere, desperately looking for my little sister.
One hour
Two hours
Three hours
Until the last shop owner closed their shop for the night. I dropped down where was and cried. I cried for a long time, until my eyes ran dry and I couldn't cry anymore, I shifted over to the nearby wall and held my knees to my chest.
"Are you lost?" A person kneeled in front of me
I shook my head
"Do you have nowhere to go?"
I didn't answer, I looked at the person to find him smiling at me, his face wrinkled into kindness.
"Do you want to come and work for me? I see lots of potential in you"
He held out his hand…and I took it.