A house is a house.

A place is a place.

But, saying that this house and place is your home; is something else to say.

Well, I'm Sakura Mikan and I have never had a permanent home. I've moved house so many times that I have lost count.

My mother left me with my grandfather (I call him Jii-Chan) when I was a year old.

I've never known why, so don't ask.

When I was around six years old, Jii-Chan grew very ill.

So ill in fact, that he couldn't take care of me anymore.

Afterwards, the government had gotten involved and handed me over to a distant relative, since they couldn't contact my mother.

Don't get me wrong, Jii-Chan fought for my custody, but even he couldn't deny his poor health.

So, after two months of war between my Jii-Chan and the government, Jii-Chan (very begrudgingly) signed the consent form to give my distant relative custody of me, on the condition that I was allowed to visit him every week at the very least.

So, on the day I had to leave my happy home, wearing my newly brought short-sleeved, red dress, (as a parting gift from Jii-Chan) that had a bow come around in the middle and was frilly at the helm of the skirt (which made me very pleased) flew around easily when I twirled (which I did a lot)

I (very naively) thought, it would be like a very fun, short holiday until I got to back to see my sweet, little, Japanese country village and Jii-Chan again.

Boy, was I wrong.

As soon as I had got to my aunt's house, I was treated like a pest.

My room had been the smallest and furthest room in the house.

It was really plain; with it's off white walls and bare floor. Even the furniture was limited and small.

I was always an outsider and was scolded for everything and anything I did.

Sometimes I thought that, it was because I was from the country and I wasn't yet adapted to busy, city life.

Later on, I found out it was because I stood out too much.

I was too 'different' as many who met me people would say.

Whether it was because of looks, clothes or personality, there was always something different about me.

At first, I had thought that I could live with my current situation and that I should count myself lucky, because I had roof over my head.

Then one day, it all changed.

That One day, I had been in my room, playing around with my red dress and holding it in front of me.

I cherished that dress because, it came from Jii-Chan and it was so pretty.

I had been spinning around, when I had accidentally knocked something off of the mini bedside table and Aunt, (who had just happened to be walking by) had seen the whole thing.

She had screamed at me, telling me I was so clumsy and that I didn't know how to look after things and that I was so irresponsible.

I was confused at the time and had told her that, it was an accident and that the thing wasn't broken (I can't remember what the thing was!)

She had just sneered at me, telling me that I was very rude to be talking back at her and that I didn't deserve such pretty dress.

Then she had snatched the item of clothing away from me and tore at it.

It was too easy for her to tear with her long, sharp, pointy fingernails and I just watched in horror as beautiful, delicate, ripped material floated downwards on the floor.

My bangs covered my eyes and I just stood there, still.

Whether it was from shock, or trying to not cry and look brave in front of my aunt was, beyond me.

All I remember thinking, was that this aunt of mine was a cruel, evil person who had no heart whatsoever.

I looked up only to see her staring at me with such cold, hateful eyes that had looked at little shocked at what they had just done (maybe even regretful).

That woman had then, rushed out of the room slamming door behind her.

I waited until I could hear her footsteps no more, and made sure that she was totally gone, before I sank to the ground on my knees, clutching the once beautiful red dress.

The beautiful red dress that Jii-Chan had given me, was now ripped up into shreds, because of something I didn't know I had done wrong.

I had bawled my eyes out that night.

It was the first time that I had cried, ever since I had moved away from Jii-Chan, and it made me miss him even more.

I kept a piece of that dress for memories sake.

I still have it with me right to this very day.

When the day came, to meet Jii-Chan, I was so ecstatic. I ran into the cottage that I had once lived in, and flung myself into his caring arms.

We had talked a lot that day and I did not dare to tell him about all the shunning that had happened to me, at my aunt's home.

I didn't want him to worry about me. I just wanted him to concentrate on getting well again, so I could stay with him forever.

Two weeks later, Jii-Chan's illness had worsened. It had gone so bad that he had to be admitted in to hospital.

I remember being so miserable that day that, I had confined myself to my tiny room and stayed there for the next three days having barely eaten anything. Not that my aunt had noticed or if she had she seemed to be in a brighter mood of not seeing me hovering around in the rooms of her house.

The first day I got to see Jii-Chan in hospital was frightening.

He had looked so weak and frail that I was scared to touch him.

He couldn't really talk so I had talked instead. I told him things that would cheer him up, like all the different flowers I had seen at my aunt's house.

Jii-Chan really loved that kind of stuff.

Six weeks later...

I had adapted well to the environment I was living in.

In my aunt's home, I had learnt to keep my mouth shut and myself hidden from my aunt's view.

When I was with Jii-Chan, I was my usual self, but on those rough days where I had felt really lonely, I learnt how to be more optimistic (In other words I would try to find happiness in other things e.g. the sun shining or me being fit and healthy.... which, now that I look back was really pathetic of me, but remember, I was only six years old back then. I didn't even know what the meaning of pathetic was at that age!)

I also learnt how to tell small passable lies, to fool Jii-Chan into thinking that, I was doing fine.

Of course, I didn't really believe in lying, so I would try to bend the truth as much as possible instead, but even that made me feel guilty. It just wasn't in my upbringing. (I've always been an honest child)

About two months after I had moved in with my aunt and finally settled in, she had found herself a better full time job somewhere further away in Tokyo City.

This job meant, that she didn't have enough time to look after me (not that she did much anyway.)

So then, just like that I was going to be shipped off to another relative's instead.

The day I had recieved this information was, on my birthday.

I can't say I was sad to leave her place but the only thing I was concerned about was how far this new place was from Jii-Chan's hospital.

I had overheard my aunt speaking with some guy in a suit.

It was about where I was going to live. (The guy had insisted on telling her, even though she wasn't interested)

I was lucky it wasn't too far away.

In fact, it was much nearer than the current place I was at.

I just hoped this new carer of mine was kinder than the last one I had.

All I knew was that his name was 'Mouri Reo'.

So, at the age of seven of seven I was shipped off too another place to live in.

Hey this is another longshot I'm planning on.... Don't worry!! I'm going too be putting more detail into the other chapters, just think of this one as story starter!!

Please review and tell me if this story and plot are any good!! Remember your views count!!

With LOADS of love,

ChicCuteness xoxoxo