Heavy footsteps were echoing inside the house. The sound was becoming increasingly noisier as the figure approached the long wooden ladders. The sound of rain outside began to increase more, the water into the pipes made clear the unpleasant smell of sewage. The lights were out and everything became dark, causing the male figure to collide with several furniture that were around him. He grunted in rage and pain, but didn't care who was listening. That night, he was drunk.

Up the stairs, in a specific room, a little girl around seven years, sat on her own bed listening to everything that happened down there. Fear invaded her body as she tried to not make any sound that could attract the man. She, carefully, got out of the bed and tried to be as smooth as possible. She went to her bedroom door and opened it. The little girl walked on her tiptoes, fearing the worst. Up the stairs she could see the man who was now sitting in a chair, probably resting. She felt her body tremble, but quickly descended the wooden floors and then went straight to that familiar figure. Immediately, she could feel the smell of drink in the air and with eyes full of fear she approached.

"Um… D-Daddy..?"

The man, who had a blond hair and beard, looked at her with his icy intimidating blue eyes. Dazed due the huge amount of vodka that he had drank. He showed no facial expression but surprise.

"H-Huh? What're you doing here..?" Rubbing a hand across his face, he groaned and sighed, clearly stressed.

The blond little girl just scratched her tiny arm with remorse, feeling bad for not stay at her bedroom. Now, she was going to face her drunk and annoying father. But the guy, on the other hand, became a little nicer and just signaled to her sit on his lap.

"Come here, kid… Sit on daddy's leg and talk to me." He tried to give his best smile. She felt uncomfortable but did what her father wanted. After all, there was no escape anymore.

He rubbed his big hand around Eli's back and stayed like this for a while. "Did you have a nightmare? That is why you want to be here with your papa, huh?" The blond guy asked looking at his child, expecting a properly answer. Eli shivered when she felt heavy fingers stroking her hair.

"I-I didn't have a nightmare… I… Just heard when you arrived…" She looked down, avoiding those creepy blue eyes and feeling the bad smell of vodka. Her father was just acting too weird right now, he wouldn't be that good with Eli when he drank too much. He would be angry at everything, constantly yelling and grunting with his wife or daughter, becoming aggressive and scary… Not that Eli wanted this, she liked the kind and good dad side, but she didn't expect him to be so nice with her tonight. "I wanted to say… Hi…"

"Is that so?" The man chuckled and scratched his beard before approaching the girl's face and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "You are such a good kid. Do you know how much I love you, huh? I know that sometimes daddy become angry but it's for your own discipline…" He hugged the tiny body against him and let out a loud breath.

Eli nodded awkwardly and forced a fake smile. She didn't know if he was lying but, of course, there's no way to confront a guy one hundred percent stronger than her. Eli learned that in Russia, she and her mom would never think of disobey and discuss with the father of the family. That is a tradition. Otherwise she would have to face some rigorous punishment. Eli knew the consequences, her father had already beaten her a few times for not being the polite daughter that he always wanted. Especially when he was drunk. She had the marks to prove it.

"Y-Yes, daddy..."

"You should go to bed and sleep. Daddy will see how mommy is doing up there... And daddy will take care of you two, okay?" With one more weird and wet kiss on the forehead, the big man got up from the chair and told Eli to go to her bedroom but under any circumstances leave the place, because he and Eli's mama would be having his called "parents safe talk". The little girl nodded again and went away without protest.

At the moment she was in her bedroom and lying on her bed, she could hear the sounds… The sounds of a sweet man becoming aggressive again, locking the door of her mother's bedroom with such rage and then grunts and more grunts could be heard. The sound of someone crying and begging to stop also was there, and she knew she couldn't do nothing. She felt guilty and incredibly sad for her mother. Eli knows that her father is a wolf in sheep's clothes. He is a true monster. He keeps doing that every night, arriving drunk and then hurting her loved mother. She knows that he keeps bringing out her condition and calling her a stupid boy every time he thinks she deserve it. She knows that he isn't a good person and will never be.

The sound of a thunder scared the girl even more and then she felt her eyes full of water. The sounds of her parents didn't stop too, but became louder. Eli hugged her tiny fox plushie and cried quietly. She just wanted that to stop…

[…]

A few years passed, and the girl was now in high school. They were going to move to Japan, because her – disgusting and mediocre - father had arranged a better job there and of course, she just wanted a change in her life. Japan is a very beautiful place and besides that her mother also has Japanese descendants. Then, she may also be embedded in the same pattern as they. Except for the light blond hair and icy blue eyes. She was a little excited and couldn't deny it, but her sister not really. Yeah, she has a sister now... Due that horrible night. But the other girl isn't a problem for her. Eli loves her little sister and try her best to protect the girl from that horrible person who, unfortunately, is their dad. And Arisa is such a kind girl… But she is just like Eli, with the same problem…

Both girls were packing their things, and Eli asked the younger one if she was happy about the trip. Quickly the other panicked and began to stutter, saying how hard would be to speak with a Japanese person correctly. Well, she found it adorable and just chuckled. But in fact, they're going to a different country with different culture, with very polite people that doesn't tolerate mistakes so easily. So it's okay to be nervous like that.

Then, after fixing everything, their mother called to go. Eli stopped her sister and put a hand on her shoulder, smiling affectionately. "Don't worry too much, okay? I'll be here to help you, like I always did."

Arisa smiled back and they hugged before leaving the house. Eli didn't look back and neither made any visual contact with her father at the moment she was in the car, but he kept his eyes very focused on her all the time. Not in a fatherly and protective way, actually he was always serious and angry. Just like a psychopath, she thought. Although her mother was trying to break the silence with friendly talks, they never spoke. No words came. She did know that it wasn't her fault but she just could not. It was too risky. Back in the airplane, they remained like that until arriving at the new place.

Japan was as beautiful as she imagined. Everything is clean and they have really beautiful trees around the neighborhoods. Eli would study in a school just for girls, as her mother said. They stayed in a good and comfortable house, not so big neither so small. Everything was good, but soon their parents needed to leave. She didn't wave at her dad as he kissed his wife and passed the door. Eli couldn't care less about this shitty old man. But suddenly she felt a grip in her shirtsleeve that pulled her out of her thoughts, and turned to see the younger Ayase.

"What happened?"

"Um… Sis, I'm not feeling well… Can I stay in my bedroom..?" Arisa asked with innocent eyes.

Eli became a little more worried now. "What do you have?" She placed a hand on her forehead to verify the temperature. Yep. She was clearly feverish. "You are burning... Lay down on your bed, I'll get you some medicines."

The girl did what she ordered and waited. Eli searched in her bag a medicament that would resolve the problem and found one. She gave it to her little sister and put a fresh towel above her forehead, soon the girl fell asleep. Eli remained sitting on the bed and stared at her tiny form for a while, she stroked the light hair gently and leaned down to kiss Arisa's soft cheek. The older one felt a tug on her hand and smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm here and I'll take care of you, okay? Doesn't matter what he says… I won't let him hurt you… Good night." And then, she closed her eyes and slept as well.

The next day arrived soon and she had to change very quickly. Eli put on her new uniform and fixed her hair in a high ponytail. She ate breakfast and kissed both mother and sister. Thank God her father wasn't there. He probably have left sooner, but who cares? It was her first day of school in a new country and nothing would ruin it.

She made her way out of home and went straight to the school. Some people stopped to look at her, because foreigners there were very rare. However it wasn't a big deal for the girl. Eli arrived at the place, named as Otonokizaka High School Academy for Young Girls. A lot of them admired her entry.

How embarrassing, I can't walk straight because they keep looking at me… The blonde tried to give up these thoughts and just sighed in relief when she was, finally, inside the establishment, not surrounded by so many people like before. Today, her first class was chemistry. She climbed the stairs and stopped in front of the door, waiting for the teacher to start her talk. At the moment she heard that they would have a 'new classmate' joining the room, Eli sighed one more time. No time to be nervous, they were just random girls that she would never speak with. And after all, she just needed to stay serious.

The teacher called and everyone went silent. At the moment she was in the class, no one ever spoke. She introduced herself formally and all the girls made comments about how pretty she was. Well, at least most of them… There was one girl who kept the eyes focused on her but didn't say anything. Eli noticed that and decided to make visual contact but soon the girl looked down at her books, clearly embarrassed with a red shadow in her cheeks. The blonde girl found that really, really cute. She wanted to say something but before she could speak again, the teacher told her to sit on that empty chair…. Just in front of her. Eli nodded and sat there without one word. She noticed the girl looking again and she couldn't help but smile.

The classes passed very quickly by then. She had received several invitations from other girls to join their groups, but she refused one by one. Leaving school, she found out that she was now alone and comfortable to be herself. But suddenly Eli heard heavy footsteps behind her and a voice. This voice…

The girl turned around to see who was calling, and her eyes widened in surprise to see the person. In front of her was the same girl who sat behind her in the classes. Now that Eli could see better, she had a long violet hair and her eyes were green and beautiful. Not only her eyes, in general. Everything about her is beautiful… Eli couldn't speak due to the words that were caged in her throat.

"I-I…" The timid girl decided to speak. There was a moment of silence before she could begin again. Eli didn't interrupted and waited. She finally spoke again. "I was thinking if… If we could… be friends…"

"What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I said, um… Well… I-I want to be your friend!" She seemed so embarrassed and red now for some reason.

Eli blinked and hesitated. How could she respond to a person that wanted to be her friend..? Probably with a yes? This is the first person who didn't attacked her with one of those proposes of joining stupid school groups. She just wanted to be her friend… Nothing more.

The dark haired girl looked like she was expecting a positive answer. Eli didn't want to hurt her feelings, so…

"Y-yeah… Oh I mean, okay. We can be… friends?"

"Really?" The other asked again tilting her head to the side, just to verify that confirmation. The blonde nodded and she could feel her heart melting.

"Yes… Of course, uh…"

"Oh! M-my name is Tojo Nozomi, by the way!" She said making a reverence.

What a pretty name…

Eli stared at her before replying the same way. "I'm Ayase Eli. Nice to meet you, Tojo-san."

Nozomi smiled a bit at her response and Eli could feel the same. An awkward smile forming in her lips and she would be back to normal. The moment she looked at that timid and quiet girl in the class, she knew that was a signal of love.