DAYBREAK

Haru Ryoko at the age of only 14 watched as her mother passed away in a hospital bed. A victim of cancer; she had been suffering for longer than Haru could remember, but now it didn't feel real. Haru's life would never be the same. Her father, Dr. Kenichi Ryoko was a man of science and because of that and because neither he nor his daughter could bear to be in Hida anymore, took a job in Tokyo.

. . .

Haru had finished packing yesterday and because today was Sunday there was not much else for her to do then play her guitar that she had left out of the boxes. Haru had taken lessons when she was younger to keep her mind off her sick mother, but now it was all Haru could do to keep sane. She was very proud of herself and her guitar skills, but you would never her he say it out loud instead she'd say "Mada mada dene" and if you don't speak Japanese it's the equivalent of saying "I can do better". Haru's dad entered the room as soon as she had started a solo that she had created herself, but he waited until she was done until he addressed her.

"Haru the movers are here it's time to go." Haru gave a sad nod and headed down stairs where the movers were moving the rest of her stuff which she had carried downstairs yesterday. Watching them made her sad so she slung her Guitar bag on her back and headed outside to where a blue car had pulled in her driveway. Two high school girls stepped out and when they spotted Haru ran to her. These were Haru's friends. The goodbye was very short because Haru didn't feel like saying anything at all.

As Haru got in the passenger side of her father's little tan Subaru she gave a massive sigh. "Don't worry Haru. We'll come back to visit your friends, besides you'll love Tokyo, it's so much bigger than Hida and there's so much to do." Haru gave another sigh and looked out the window trying to pretend that what her father was saying was true, but to her it was far from right. "C'mon Haru I'm doing the best I can" realizing that her father probably though she hated him she turned and looked at him, but because he was driving he didn't notice.

The drive was very long but Haru didn't remember much of it because she had fallen asleep. When Haru awoke the city was appearing on the horizon and she immediately sat up almost excited, but then realizing that she was too far from home she gave a sad sigh. Good-bye home, hopefully someday I can return. Haru watched the scenery go by from the passenger window and when her father finally noticed she'd woken up he spoke to her.

"Now, Haru," He paused as if expertly placing together his thoughts and words. "I've enrolled you in a private school; that way it's easier for you to assimilate." He took a right turn as he spoke Haru slid a little on her seat. "There should be a flyer in the glove box."

Haru sighed a soulful sigh and opened the glove box searching for the flyer of her new school which she wasn't too happy about. "Tokyo Academy; school for the privileged." Haru couldn't help but scoff. How am I gifted? Slowly she began flipping through the flyer hoping that maybe there were some good pictures she could look at, and maybe get an idea of what the campus looked like. After flipping through the thing about five times Haru concluded that there were in fact absolutely no pictures of the campus and that made her a little worried.

Haru's father took another right then slowly pulled their little tan Subaru into a driveway of a white two story building and shut the car off.

"This is our new home." He sounded excited about it as he got out of the car, but Haru sat there a minute wondering if she exited how much of home she would actually miss. Although she was forced to cut her thought short when her father tapped on the window and she was forced to get out.

Haru took her time getting out of the car. For one she had her guitar bag between her legs and she had to move around that. Once she got out she had an overwhelming urge to slam the door, but she pushed it back down and shut the door lightly. Haru watched the moving van come up on their street and turn the corner and slow to a stop in from of the building.

"Haru!" She followed the voice to her father who was jingling some keys. "Go and take a look, it's the big gold one." He threw her the keys and motioned to the building. The big gold key has a number 9 on it. I guess the building's an apartment. Haru glanced back at her father, but he was too busy to notice.

The outside of the building had doors with numbers on them. With two floors it took her a while to find the door with the door with the number 9 on it. Number 9 was on the second floor so she quickly ran up the stairs guitar bag on her shoulder. If it had been raining she would've for sure fallen on her ass. Still walking she took a quick glance down at the movers who were carrying a box labeled 'Drums'. They better be damn carful with those.

When she finally got to the number 9 door she put the key in the lock, wiggled it and opened the door. Far an apartment it was average, not too small and not too big. Maybe I'll like it here after all. Wondering around Haru found two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen/dining area, and a living room. Back home she had a room for all her instruments, but here they would have to stay in her room.

"So…" Haru's heart hit the ceiling as her father stepped into her future room with a box labeled 'fragile' "You like it?" Haru nods and takes the fragile box from her father so she can start unpacking. Even though she had the box in here hand Haru's father still managed to hug her before leaving her to unpack her fragile box.

. . .

It only took a matter of hours for the movers to completely empty the van and by that time Haru had rearranged her room about seven times.

"Haru?" Haru's father came in and walked over and sat onto her bed where she had been stretched out since she had finished arranging and rearranging her stuff; she didn't feel too compelled to talk to him so she just looked at him blinking a few times to let him know she was paying attention. "I brought you up some pizza." Haru looked over to see two slices of extra cheese pizza on her "I-Built-It-Myself" desk. She almost smiled, almost. After Haru's almost-smile her father turned to leave, the silence was beginning to get uncomfortable to her.

"Thanks Dad." She blurted out, her voice sounded way to foreign for her to comprehend. Haru watched a small smile appear on her father's face as he walked out of her room.

Haru read the clock; 8:00 it feels so much later… Haru walks over to the pizza slowly and brings it back over to her bed taking small bites. She finishes one piece and halfway through the second she feels the icy claws of fatigue slowly creeping up. Her last thought?

This is some damn good pizza.