Maybe connected with my other story 'A Sense of Normality'

-0-0-0-0-0-

Akashi Seijuuro wasn't one to take surprises, but just this once, he let her sudden arrival slide.

"Who would have thought that the run away would come crawling back home?" Piercing red eyes glared down at the girl before him.

Her own red eyes stared back at him as she shrugged. "And here I thought you'd welcome me back with open arms...Seiju..." The girl tilts her head. "Or are you Sei-nii?" The boy frowned.

"Hmph, lets go inside. The maid has already prepared your coffee." He turned and started to walk away. The sound of footsteps behind him told him she was following.

The girl hummed, smiling. "So you've grown from your tyrannical ways, Seiju or Sei-nii?" The old nickname always bothered him before since she was the first one who knew that he had split into two personalities.

"That isn't any of your concern." He paused, taking a breath. "Are you done running away now?" The girl scoffed.

"And let Father make me marry for noble status. No way." He heard her sigh. "Anyway, I'm doing well at Shiratorizowa. Its not as prestigious as Teikou, but their volleyball team is strong." She answered the question in his mind and he inwardly smiled. She always knew what was going on in his head.

"One of my old teammates beat me at the Finals." He felt the shock from her and sighed. "But it was thanks to that defeat I was able to grow from my old ways."

She hummed again. "That's good to hear." Soon, they arrived at the living room, which was almost the size of a volleyball court. The two sat beside each other and the girl poured coffee for both of them. Akashi didn't drink his, but left it as it is.

The girl snickered. "Ah, you were the tea kind of guy, weren't you?" Akashi rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on his face.

The girl sipped her coffee. "Ah, I forgot to tell you. I'm dating a famous volleyball player right. He's a second year in the High School division." She sweat dropped as the atmosphere somehow darkened.

"What's his name?" His whisper was so low she almost didn't hear him.

"Ushijima Wakatoshi." Akashi's eyes widened at the name. The same name was always brought up when he and his father would talk. The same name was one of the candidates for the girl's arranged marriage.

The name Ushijima would always make his father smile and Akashi wondered why. Now, he knew. His father knew that his run away daughter was dating a candidate of his. His little sister thought that she was able to escape, but she was just running around in the palm of his hand.

The girl didn't seem to notice Akashi's frozen state and kept talking. "He really is sweet though. Just yesterday he brought me to a national volleyball match that was held in Miyagi! Then after that, he taught me how to do some jump serves." She gushed, blushing madly.

Ah, so my little sister has met another volleyball maniac like her. Akashi thought briefly before letting out a dark aura. Besides that...how long did Father know?

"What about you, Sei-nii?" So she already found out that it was him. "Do you have someone you like?" Her face appeared in his mind and his heart tightened in his chest.

"Yes, but she is already gone..." The girl frowned at the broken look on his face. "After what I did, I'd understand why she wouldn't forgive me." Akashi clenched his fists and he let out a shaky breath.

"...with your connections, you should know how she's doing, correct?" Akashi chuckled. Her sharp observation would rival his if she wasn't too busy being carefree.

"Hmmm... I wonder." She pouted at his words and that made him ruffle her white hair.

"Why aren't you chasing after her?" His eyes averted away from hers. "You love her, don't you?"

He smiled. "Why don't we go see mother's grave? Its been a while since we last visited together." At the sight of the tears brimming her eyes, he succeeded in diverting away from the subject.

He couldn't let his own sister know why he wasn't chasing after her. It was his fault that caused her demise. It was his fault that she left. It was his fault that...

The girl sighed, putting down the cup on the coffee table. "Really, Seijuuro. You were always one who succumbed to feelings like this." Her whisper caused a twinge of guilt in his heart as her face appeared in his mind. "Let's go see mommy." He nodded and stood up with her.

"Its good that you understand why I cannot tell you, Hoshi... But there's also a question that I've been meaning to ask." She flinched under his scrutinizing stare. "Why did you take up grandfather's surname?" Her thin lips frowned heavily at the suspicion.

"I did it so Father wouldn't find me. After all, we did did inherit his sharp sense..." Her eyes darkened as she spat out the words.

Akashi sighed. "It was thanks to Father's teachings that, even though we were born of short stature, we are superior than the others who are our age. Know that, Hoshi, and accept it." Said girl growled.

"Mommy wouldn't have died if he-!" Akashi's glare silenced her and she glared down at the floor, fists clenched to her side.

"Hoshi, you are already fourteen, the second heir in line of the Akashi Corp., and a daughter of a powerful man who can crush Japan if he so desires." Akashi's right eyes turned yellow. "And a sister of the one who will control the world. Remember your place," his eyes narrowed at her shaking form. "...or have you already forgotten, dear sister?" Hoshi shivered.

"Of course, I do, Seiju... L-Let's just go see mother already." Akashi's right eyes reverted back to red as he nodded.

"Let's."