"Hey! Brat! Where are you?" A voice grunted as the door slammed opened. The little boy's eyes widened and he crawled under the bed. He heard footsteps stomp around the house. The boy held closely to him a white pale snow colored stuffed rabbit. "Mi-ro-ku. Where are you? Where are you my little boy?" A creaking noise came as the door was opened. There was a long pause before a face knelt down and met the little boy. "Found you."

Miroku opened his eyes slowly and took a deep breath. "It's happening again...The memories of him..Funny...this always happens when I'm alone. Even though nii-san is there, and Kinzo is next to me it happens when I truly feel alone." Miroku glanced around the dark empty room. The moonlight shone through the window and landed in the corner in front of a packed box that was sealed tightly. "I guess I forgot to unpack something..."
"What are you doing under there Miroku?" The voice that could be so loving at times asked him. The voice that belonged to his father, the one who he admired. The voice who belonged to a drunk and crazy man.
"D-daddy..." The little boy whimpered. "No!" Miroku yelled as he was yanked out from underneath his bed.
"You're going to get dirty with all that dust under there. I bought you those clothes yesterday. What are you doing Miroku? Are you wasting my damn money? I could be spending things I actually want with that money!" His voice rose as he growled at the frightened boy.
"I-i'm sorry!" He began to cry.
"Don't even cry you bastard!" His father, Daichi, smacked him across the face. "I wish you were gone. I never wanted you. I hate coming home to your goddamn face! I wish you were dead!"
"It's so empty here in this room..." Miroku sighed, got up slowly and walked to the box.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Miroku sobbed as he hit the wall. The dark tall looming figure stepped closer and closer to him.
"This is all your fault! All of it!" His father screamed and punched at him. Blood soon covered his fists. "I'm going to kill you!"
"I wonder what's in here..."
"Daddy?" Miroku woke up to find he was in bed and bandaged. He sat up although his stomach hurt and found his father sitting in a chair next to him.
"Miroku!" His father eyes opened and hugged him tightly. "Miroku, baby, I'm so sorry...Daddy didn't mean it. I'm so sorry!" Daichi began to cry as he hugged him. "I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"Daddy it's okay..."
"No it's not! I hurt my son! My own flesh and blood! It would be better off if you lived with Ryuji." Daichi wiped his eyes.
"No! It's okay daddy! See I'm fine!" Miroku smiled widely yet weakly.
"Childhood memories?" Miroku read the box's label. "What a joke. I learned to lie at a young age. Once I began there was no ending to it. I can't even notice that I'm lying right now. I don't even try to lie. They just sprout from my lips by themselves..."
"Really? You sure you want to stay with me?" Daichi pulled himself away from Miroku and looked at him in the eye.
"I'm sure! Because I love you daddy!"
"Miroku..." Miroku picked up his stuffed bunny.

"Look! Mister Usagi is happy too! He's dancing so you're not sad and lonely anymore daddy! I...i don't want you to be alone."
He opened the box and he inhaled sharply as he glanced inside.

"Daddy!"
"Miroku what's wrong?" Daichi turned looking up from his work to see his son crying and holding his stuffed rabbit.
"I hate school! I don't want to go to school! Nobody wants to be my friend! Look they even ripped Mister Usagi's head open..." Miroku sulked.
"Well honey, you can't just run away from your problems. That'll make you a coward. And no son of mine is a coward. Don't worry I'll fix him up later!" Daichi patted his head and picked him up. "Here, you see that? That's the moon."

"Dad you're getting off topic!" Miroku pouted.

"No I'm not, just listen honey. You see the moon looks very small right now but it's shining very brightly. In fact up close it's bigger than we are. We just don't notice it right away. You see son what I'm trying to tell you is that no matter how small something may look it might be the biggest and strongest thing in the world."

"So then what should I do?"

"You know what? You just ignore those bullies. The moon shines because he knows how strong he really is. They can insult you all they want but it shouldn't matter as long as you're confident in yourself. Then someone will see how strong you are and then they'll be your friend." His father smiled reassuringly.
Something tumbled outside of the box and onto the floor as he shoved it aside.
"N-no! Stop it!" Glass shattered as Miroku was pushed to the ground.
"You...you always ask, ask, and ask! You always take! Never have you gave back, not once! Nothing! You gave back nothing as always! Why do I put up with you?" Daichi growled, his breath smelling of alcohol. He picked up a glass shard and threw it. The shard sliced Miroku's cheek.
"Stop it! Somebody help! Please!" Miroku screamed as Daichi raised the glass shard.
The door slammed shut after Miroku's heavy steps. The moonlight continued to shine through the window.
"So this is farewell isn't it?" Daichi smiled sorrowfully at Miroku. He stared back with a band aid on his cheek. "All these years you've been faithful and took care of this old man... I guess you couldn't handle it anymore, could you? The pain and bruises that I caused. The scars on the outside and inside."
Pale, silver light shining through onto the object that laid still...
"You monster! Take him away officer!" The neighbor who had saved Miroku yelled and held the 7 year old boy in her arms.
"Lady this is my house! So don't speak to me like that!" Daichi snapped.
"It's alright Mrs. Fujioka. Let him speak...I want...to hear his words before he goes."
"Miroku...I'm so sorry...Please...let me ask you do one last thing for me...Please!" Miroku hesitantly nodded. His father smiled and wrestled himself out of the police officer's grasp.

"Miroku!" Mrs. Fujioka shielded the boy as Daichi grabbed something and threw it at Miroku.

"Take this with you and never throw it away. Keep it forever! Please! I-" Daichi was cut off as he was tackled down by the officers. Miroku glanced at the object, his eyes brimmed with tears once he realized.

"Dad..."

Moonlight shone down on a pale white snowy colored stuffed rabbit that's head was poorly but lovingly stitched close.

"I don't want you to be alone..."