"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."- Jacques Cousteau

The town was buzzing. Wide eyes watched in astonishment as the vehicle she was in, continuously passed by thousands of people. She's never been to New York despite living in America for most of her life, but the young girl figures this place isn't too far off from the Big Apple.

"You always look so surprised when we pass the city. You'd think it wouldn't be so interesting after a few weeks of the same routine." Katsuki said.

"What makes you think I'm interested." His sister Etsuko had her eyes glued to their surroundings. "I'm just surprised."

"Right." Katsuki said as he allowed his lips to twitch. She continued to stare through the passenger's side window, as they slowed to a stop because of a red light, her eyes made contact with a stranger in the next car over. She looked away and faced forward.

"So," Katsuki paused allowing his sister to register the break in silence. "How was class?"

Etsuko smirked as a memory came to mind. "Boring, actually."

"Really now?" The older took a glance from the corner of his eye. "Boring makes you smile."

Her "smile" turned into a scowl but, there was no heat behind it. "Eyes on the road, Mr. Smartypants."

"Are you gonna tell me about your day." Katsuki demanded his eyes locked firmly on her despite the light turning green. Etsuko scowled, and her face blanched.

"Your insane! Eyes on the road. Oh my Go- Dammit Katsu!" She grabbed on the leather covering, digging her bitten up finger nails into the seat. He had taken a particularly hard swerve to avoid a car and with a sheepish expression he stared back at the road.

"Sorry."

"Tsk," Etsuko glared at him, arms crossed over her chest and a hardened look in her eyes."You have a unique way of trying to get me to talk."

"You make it sound like this is a police interrogation!"

"Might as well be."

Katsuki whined pitifully, fake tears gathering in his eyes. "I just want to make sure you're having a good time adjusting at school."

Etsuko continued to glare at him, her blue eyes burning a hole through the side of his face. Her older brother began to sweat.

"You know it's creepy when you do that. Why do you keep doing it?"

"Does it intimidate you?"

"Slightly."

She smirked redirecting her gaze back toward the windshield. "Good."

Katsuki sighed and shook his head. A silence came between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"It . . . was a boring day today. Honest." She started to say, looking down at her hands. "The only interesting part was debate club. Oh, and I saw a member of the basketball team get kicked down the stairs."

Her older brother smiled. She caved, and talked to him. His happiness was short lived though when her words fully registered. He shot her an alarmed look. "He was kicked down the stairs?"

Etsuko smirked as she continued to look down at her nails and pick off the already chipped black paint. "Yeah . ." She sighed with a tone of happy nostalgia.

"How is that a good thing!" Her brother screeched worried for his sisters mental health.

"It was funny."

"Your sense of humor is fucked up."

She smiled. "Dully noted."

Katsuki puffed his cheeks and slowly released the air. "You disturb me."

"Yeah . . ." She sighed again her smile still on her lips.

They arrived home maybe 20 minutes after the conversation dwindled.

From the outside her grandparents house looked cozy.

It had been built with white stones and has white pine wood decorations. Small, squared windows allow enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a fairly asymmetrical pattern.

The building is rectangular shaped. The house is partially surrounded by glass overhanging panels on two sides.

The second floor is bigger than the first, which creates several overhanging parts on several sides of the house.

The roof is high, and triangular, but one side is longer than the other and is covered with brown ceramic tiles. Two small chimneys sit at the side of the house. Several large windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof.

The house itself is surrounded by paved ground, with an outdoor eating and relaxing space and various potted plants.

To Etsuko it embodied the perfect old persons house. The decorations inside only added to the feel.

The living room was large and square, having coordinating plastic furniture. The seating is plush. The floor is poured and the walls are painted with a paneled dado.

Light is provided by floor lamps and a ceiling light. The room is done in a floral theme in cool bright colors and overall looks a bit old-fashioned. Among the first things one notices walking in are an old sculpture and a large grandfather clock.

The ticking filled up the unusual quiet in the house.

Etsuko removed her shoes placing them on the shoe rack. She walked in and from her angle in the living room, she could see into the kitchen. All of the cabinets had been opened.

Grandma, She thought with a sigh. Her bag still slung over her shoulder she padded her way into the kitchen. Nothing seemed to be removed, or shuffled around. But it's not like Etsuko had a photographic memory.

"Grandma's doing it again." She called out to her brother.

"Really? That's like the fifth time this week." Katsuki's sigh was loud enough to hear even though he was seated at the couch.

Etsuko snorted. "Well you don't expect it to just vanish do you."

Kastsuki sighed again, and Etsuko could just imagine him running his hands through his hair. "I don't expect anything. But I do hope . . ."

She knew how he felt. There grandmothers condition was a sensitive one. Especially when anyone brought it up with Papa Honda, their grandfather.

"Dementia's a bitch." Etsuko growled as she stole the last juice pouch from the fridge. It was Kapri Sun, and Katsuki will probably fight her about it later, but she could honestly care less. Life sucks.

Her parents suck, she had to move away from home which sucks, and now she's living with her grandparents, one of whom has dementia, which sucks. It might sound selfish but, Etsuko didn't care. She was selfish, if she didn't worry about herself, who else would?

After finishing her drink, Etsuko decided to 'banish' herself to the attic. Her room was on the "third floor". (A.K.A the attic.)

It was the second smallest room in the house compared to the bathroom. Yeah, you heard right. The bathroom was larger than her own room.

But, Etsuko didn't care about that. It didn't matter, though the size of the bathroom makes her constantly question the sanity of her grandparents.

Anyways the walls of the attic were wooden and dark brown, as was the floor. It was surprisingly well kept for an attic. Even before Etsuko fully moved in, she marveled at how well maintained it looked. Her attic back home in Maui was in terrible condition. Her mother was a hoarder, and her father just didn't care.

You would think it would be the other way around. Older people tend to be more sentimental, thus is why they keep things around when it should be long gone.

There was a single window that over looked the front yard at the head of the house. It allowed light to spill in, which is great considering she had no main lighting system except for her fairy lights, and a single lamp. Though at the same time it could be a pain when she wanted to sleep in.

To try and make the place less empty she had it filled with throw pillows and stuffed animals, of all different colors. A major clash with her personality if one asked Katsuki.

Etsuko sighed as she looked around her room. She dropped her bag and flopped onto her bed not bothering to take off her uniform. Her eyes began to drift to a close and soon enough she had fallen asleep.