Chapter I

Life

A girl with an auburn hair, around 17-yr-old was just standing alone in a dim, empty place. "What is this place? Why am I here anyway?" the girl asked as if waiting for someone to answer. Light was suddenly visible. "At last!"

She tried to run but her feet seem to be drawn onto the ground by strong forces. As she was trying to break out from the one that has been holding her back, her emerald green eyes noticed a figure of a man near the source of the light.

He can't figure out who the man was. He was facing the same direction the girl was heading. "Hey, mister! Can you help me?!" the girl called out. The man leisurely turned his face towards the girl.

She couldn't make out what his face looks like; even his body sees to be blurred.

"Sakura, I'm sorry…" sorrow could be detected on the man's voice.

The girl stood at the same place in shock. 'How does he know my name? Who is this man?'

Sakura looked as if she knew that voice but couldn't figure out who owns it. She decided to come near the man. The force that had been holding her to the ground ebbed away as she decided to come near the man. "Hey mister, do I know you by any chance?"

As she looms more closer she could see that the man's body was slowly fading, "Do-don't go mister! Don't leave me!" tears soon fell on her cheeks as the words left her lips.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura…"

"Sakura? Sakura!" her eyes opened a bit to see a blinding light. Sakura rubbed her eyes and slowly opened it again to adjust from her surrounding.

"Hn?" Sakura could see a worried face of a man beside her bed. "Touya?" her brother stood up and turned at the opposite direction before sighing.

"Oh my! The kaijuu's awake! Better hurry up before it eats me!" Touya started to annoy her sister as he found out she's all right. "Move fast or you'll be late for school-AGAIN!"

"Hoe! It's 7:43! Thank you for waking me up, onii-chan." She glared at her brother "And before anything else, I'm not a monster!" then gave his left foot a stomp. Touya jumped nonstop out of her room.

Sakura's POV

That was my brother. He's 23, a college student and at the same time a working student. Well, even though he's teasing me sometimes- okay I'll get that back, he's teasing me MOST OF THE TIME- but anyway, I know that he love and cares for me so much. That explains why boys don't usually go on a date with me.

My brother is over-protective of me. If he sees a boy at the vicinity of 2 meters around me, he starts to get so aggressive.

"Hoe! I forgot summer-break's over." I hurriedly fixed myself then went downstairs to eat. "Ohayo otou-san, okaa-san!"

I smiled at the picture of my dad and mom. They never get tired into smiling back at me.

"Here's your breakfast, squirt." I just glared at him then continued to eat my meal.

You are asking me why I just greeted my parent's photo? Well, they both passed away.

My mother was a model and there's no doubt that she's REALLY gorgeous. One reason is that she's a model and my father married her. Oh no, my father didn't marry her just because of her looks and body. She was at the same time beautiful in the inside. You could conclude that she's perfect but no she's not- she really is clumsy. She died because of an illness.

My father was a college professor/ archaeologist. He too was beautiful both on the inside and the outside. He met mom at the university he was working at. He was depressed when mom died but it wasn't the reason why he died. It was the 3rd week of March and he was in Egypt at that time- I am turning 6-yr-old at the start of April. They were searching for some things inside a newly discovered pyramid. He and his other companions were trapped in side and unfortunately, they all died.

I took it so hard. Imagine! Every year, around the time of my birthday, my father goes to other countries to explore hidden wonders. I got to celebrate it only with Touya and my cousin- second cousin- and all tie best friend, Tomoyo. Even though I have them both, it isn't still complete. And this year they were supposed to go back home at the 4th week of March. I was happy that he would be coming home on my birthday but what came back was a cold body, a corpse that looked like my father!

Well, we don't have the power to stop someone from leaving when it's his or her time, don't we?

Sonomi Daidouji was our mom's cousin and 'one and only bestest friend in the whole wide world!' After our dad's funeral, he asked us to stay at their house with Tomoyo, who was the same age as me but months older.

Well, she had little difficulties in making my brother conform.

…---FLASHBACK---…

"Touya, since no one's going to take care of you, I would prefer that you'd go with me and live with us." Sonomi said to a younger Touya, holding on to Sakura.

"No, we won't!" Touya was being stubborn. Even though he doesn't show any weakness, his eyes still gave in. His eyes were filled with sorrow but still he does everything to hide it.

"Touya, I know that you love this house- It brings back memories to you and Sakura. And I know that you are strong and responsible enough to take care of yourself but do you think that you could take care of your younger sister as well? No, I think not." Sonomi explained the reasons why they should go and live with her.

"But…" Touya tried to think of what he would say to his aunt to convince her that he's capable enough but he tried to think of the things she said. "Okay. But when the time comes that we are able to take care of ourselves, we'll have to go back here and live independently." Sonomi thought about what he said and agreed to it.

…---END OF FLASHBACK---…

'It had been two years since Touya and I moved back here at our old house. I can't quite remember many things that happened here before but I know one thing: love kept us together.'

I heard the door closed and soon figured out that Touya has already gone to school. "Touya! You MEANNY! I told you to wait for me!" I cursed loudly so that he could hear me and at the same time, getting all the things for school ready.