The following story is about Nuriko's inner turmoil after his sister's death. Some of the events were taken from the manga "Fushigi Yuhi", others were made up by me. I take no ownership over "Fushigi Yuhi" or any of its parts. Korin is the translated name of Nuriko's baby sister, Kang-Lin. Every time there is an italicized part that is a memory. Enjoy!~

"Wake up, Nuriko. Wake up, big brother."

Nuriko's light brown eyes slowly opened to his sister's dark brown eyes barely 2 inches away from his.

"Korin!" he exclaimed as he sat up in his bed, Korin backing away quick enough not to have their heads contact.

Korin let out a small laugh. Nuriko (10 years old) couldn't help but do the same. He loved his sister more than anything in the whole world. Nuriko would do any for his sister.

"You know, you've got to stop doing that," Nuriko commented as the two of them got dressed for the day. Korin paused putting on her sweater.

"Nah. It's too much fun," she said as she continued.

Nuriko sighed. Then the siblings headed down the stairs to the small living room. They were greeted by the smiling face of their mother, sitting in the dining room a few feet over.

"Good morning, you two," she sang. Their mother got up are gave them both a hug. "What do you two want for breakfast?"

"Fruit!" they both said.

"We have bananas and blueberries."

"What about strawberries?" Korin asked.

"You two ate all of them yesterday," their mother told the two.

"We could go to the market. It's just down the street," Nuriko said. "Can we?"

"Alright. I will get some money," their mother walked from the dining room to her room. A minute later she returned and gave the money to Nuriko. "You two be careful and don't take any side trips, ok?"

"Ok!" they both said.

"Korin! Slow down!" Nuriko exclaimed.

"Oh come on!" Korin teased as she turned around to smile at Nuriko. "Have some fun!"

Korin twirled around in the snow covered street.

"Korin, please stop it. It's not safe!" Nuriko persisted.

"Nothing's going to happen!"

It didn't seem like anything was going to be wrong. That was just before the carriage came around the corner.

"Korin!" Nuriko cried out. His face was sweating, his eyes were wide opened, and he was stricken with panic. The nightmare of his younger sister's death has plagued him for as long he could remember. Nuriko got out of his small bed and started to braid his long purple hair. As he looked in the mirror Nuriko didn't see himself. He saw Korin. Nuriko slipped on his flower kimono and headed out.

The purple haired man slowly walked through the city streets, occasionally getting smiles from different men. He never returned any of them, though. His heart belonged to only one person. Korin. At least it did until he saw the most beautiful person walking along the street. His right eye was covered by his dark hair. This man came by the same shops in the city everyday and Nuriko admired him from afar. Until one day, he didn't show and when Nuriko looked around the shops, it seemed as though none of them were occupied. All of the people were gathered around the main street. It seemed there was a party traveling through the street. When Nuriko looked closer, there he was, the same man in the shops, riding on a white horse. Nuriko leaned over asked the old lady next to him who he was.

"That's his majesty, Hotohori," she responded.

"Hotohori," Nuriko quietly repeated.

"He is accepting brides. You should try out."

Nuriko decided to jump on the opportunity and tried for it.

"Big brother, come on. Hurry up!"

"Slow down, Korin. You're going to hurt yourself," Nuriko (7 years old) warned.

"Relax nothing's going to happen," Korin persisted as she twirled around in the living room floor. Just then, her foot caught on the table and she hit the floor. Korin softly started to cry.

"See? What did I tell you?" Nuriko said as he picked her up off the floor. "It's alright. You're ok now."

Nuriko gently started pat her head.

"I'm here, it's ok."

"….riko …. Nuriko….. Nuriko!"

Nuriko snapped from his thoughts to the familiar sight of the brown buns.

"Hey, Miaka," Nuriko said.

"Hey, are you alright? You seem kind of out of it ever since we got aboard," Miaka commented.

"I'm fine."

They were on a ship to Bei-jia to retrieve the Shentso-poa to summon Suzaku. The night before, he, Miaka, and Tomohome had been stuck in a cave. Ever since they got back on the boat, Nuriko has been out of it.

"Are you sure?" Miaka asked. "You don't look too well."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have just been thinking about Korin," Nuriko admitted.

"Your baby sister?" Miaka asked.

"Yes," Nuriko confirmed.

A few moments went by before Nuriko spoke again.

"Do you…. Do you think she blames me for what happened?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Miaka exclaimed. "There was nothing you could have done to prevent it."

"Yes there was! I could have jump in front of the carriage! I could have stopped her from going in the street! I could have stopped her from going to the market! I could have….. I could have…" Nuriko's voice got lower and lower. Miaka put her hand over his shoulder and held the purple haired man.

"It's alright. I don't think she blames you," Miaka said. "I really don't believe that she would ever blame you."

"Korin?"

"Yes. Her name is Korin."

Nuriko (2 years old) peered over his mother's arm, into the bundle of blankets. That was the first time he ever saw his baby sister. She looked just like him, only smaller.

"She's cute," Nuriko admitted.

"Yes. Yes, she is."

"Hold my hand, Korin," Nuriko (5 years old) held out his left hand. "Let's go home."

"Ok, big brother!" Korin smiled as she took his hand.

Korin and Nuriko walked along the dirt path from the school house. As they turned the corner, Korin stopped in her tracks.

"Korin?" Nuriko asked. "Korin, what's wrong?"

Korin didn't answer. She just stared at the group of boys, around 6 or 7 years old, that were at the end of the street. One of the boys turned around, looked at Korin, and sneered. The group began to walk over to them.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Chuang duoyu*?" the boy said.

Korin hid behind Nuriko and whimpered.

"What's wrong, Chuang duoyu? Hiding like the baby you are?" he sneered.

"Don't call her that!" Nuriko yelled.

"Oh. So scary, who is this Chuang duoyu, your new bodyguard?" said another boy.

"I. ' . !" Nuriko shouted as he made contact with the first boy's face.

"Ashita!" the others exclaimed as the boy fell to the floor. Ashita sat up and rubbed his cheek.

"What was that for?" Ashita demanded.

"Don't you dare call my sister anything ever again, got it?" Nuriko barked as he raised his fist.

"G-G-Got it!" the group of boy scrambled to get away.

Nuriko looked over at Korin.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, but why did you do that?" she asked.

"I'm your big brother. It's my job."

Nuriko tried his best to keep his eyes open but he had lost a lot of blood. He could only hear bits and pieces of what was going on around him.

"Get Mistukake!"

"Tomohome!"

"We need… smoke signal….. Everyone must have felt that…..."

"Why did he fight him alone?"

Nuriko could just barely make out the two figure before him. It was Tomohome and Miaka.

"Don't cry….. Miaka…." he said. "Nobody's dying. Nobody's leaving you….. I mean it's you we're talking about! Somebody has to watch you every minute! … The way you act…. You're so clumsy….. and dumb… and reckless….. But….. that's nothing compared to all the wonderful qualities you have… So whatever happens, you can't quit….."

"What kind of talk is that?" Miaka asked. "It's like you're saying good bye!"

"It seems like, huh?" Nuriko said.

Then everything went blank.

When Nuriko opened his eyes again, he wasn't on top of the mountain, he wasn't bleeding, and there was no one around him. The area all around him was white (not like snow but like a white room). Just then, a figure walked towards him. When Nuriko saw a clear view of the figure, it was like looking into a mirror, except it wasn't him. It was someone else.

"Korin," Nuriko said.

The figure smiled.

"Hello, big brother."