Chapter One
A New Start
~Senna~
I don't really remember the last time I even told this story and in fact, when it happened; I didn't even remember anything.
I couldn't even remember my most recent memories; my past, my hopes, my dreams or even my parents.
Just thinking about it made me feel sad and lonely; not knowing who you were I mean. The story I'm about to tell you is precious to me; it's about a journey I took with friends. Friends that made me feel wanted and loved.
They helped me realize who I truly was.
It all began the day I turned eighteen.
Every time I fell asleep, I only saw the darkness. Never the light of a dream. Nothing. Just plain darkness. And the suffocating feeling of loneliness.
I opened my eyes slowly. My face was pressed against my pillow and I pushed myself up. I ran my fingers through my hair and breathed out. Today is a new day...
I slid off the bed and stood up. I walked over to my vanity table and sat down on the chair. I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment. My hands slid onto the table until they felt the firm hard surface of my diary.
I rested one hand on the flat surface and my other hand twirled a pen on my fingers. I sat there for a few minutes in silence. The only thing that you could even hear was the clicking noise of the pen.
Finally, I got the courage to flip open my diary to a fresh sheet of paper. I clicked the pen and began to write.
Dear Diary,
Today is another new day and yet I feel in complete. Broken. But don't I always? I don't know who I am. I probably never will. I can only remember waking up in my bed and remembering nothing. Will I ever-
I stopped writing and just dropped the pen. It rolled off the desk and clattered to the floor. I didn't even think to pick it up. I looked around my room. My room was large but bare. It had a bed. A closet. A work desk. Vanity desk.
Everything a girl's room needs. The only thing missing was the loving warmth. And I was totally lacking that.
My eyes narrowed then I bent down to pick up the pen.
-even my own Parents?
When I finished scratching those words onto the paper, I slammed my diary shut and stowed it away into a drawer.
I breathed out loudly. Today... is a new day. Yeah, today is a new day huh? Today will be fun. It has to be. It's new day and a new start to everything.
I stood up and went over to my closet. I took out my school uniform which consisted of a red plaid skirt and white blouse with a red blazer.
Yes, you don't have to say it. I know I look like a traffic light. I think my uniform is kind of stupid but it's this or detention for a week without it. Luckily, I'm not an idiot unlike some of the stupid guys at my school who think they're so cool with their piercings and no uniform.
But then again, they don't really care if they do get detention. All they do is sleep or just sit there in class then they wander out to go smoke or do some drugs. Believe me, it's awful. But I guess you can't really run from these kinds of people.
They're everywhere. Especially those filled with hatred.
I slipped off my nightgown and quickly dressed into my uniform. My fingers were struggling to button the small buttons on the back of my skirt when someone knocked on my door.
"Miss Mizuki? Are you awake?" It was Shuna, one of the maids that worked in my house. She came in and bowed slightly. "Good-morning, Miss", she said with smile. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I am thank-you", I replied. "Is breakfast ready?"
"Yes and it's on the table", came the reply. Shuna laughed softly when she saw my fingers fumbling continuously over the buttons of my skirt. "Here let me, Miss", she told me gently, coming over.
She snapped the buttons into place and gave me a warm smile.
"Thank you, Shuna", I thanked her with a smile of my own.
"You're welcome, now if you'll excuse me", she said bowing her head again and exited the room.
I walked over to my vanity and stared into the mirror. I have black hair that has slightly curly ringlets around the edges. And believe me, it's a pain. Like what kind of a Japanese girl has curly hair?
Oh. Me. That's who.
My eyes are just brown. They are dark and just plain old brown. My skin tone is another story. It is peachy pale but there's a catch; it's very unpredictable. Like today it's pale and kind of no, correction; it is very creepy.
I slapped my face and forced a smile. Now no one would know that everything was a lie. I pushed myself up from my desk and stood up. I slung my bag over my shoulder and opened my door.
I strode down the long hallway. I passed by many closed doors but when I stopped at stairs, I turned my head sideways to stare at a two doors at the end of the other hallway. Two doors that have never been opened.
A room I have never set foot in my entire life. My parent's room. My parents? Can I really call two people I've never even met or remember my parents?
I clenched my fists and narrowed my eyes. I just turned back around and stepped down the stairs. I walked into the dining room and sat right down on the table. Yes, it's kind of weird having a dining room in a house in Japan.
Except, apparently my "Dad" was really into the western style like in America. He designed everything inside the house right down to the attic upstairs.
This house that I've lived in for as long as I can remember, is a stranger to me. It's large and yet so empty. With nothing but coldness.
I sat down on a chair and began to sip some tea from the steamy brew poured into my cup. I bit down on some toast and swallowed down some ham and eggs. I ate in silence. The only thing I could hear was the sound of my own beating heart.
I stopped eating for a bit and just sat back thinking. Why do I have such a bad feeling about today? I pressed my clenched hand to my chest and closed my eyes as I just listened at the sound of my own heart as it beat nervously.
Why?
The doorbell rang and it woke me from my trance immediately.
A maid named Miya went to open the door.
I strained my ears to listen for a voice.
"Oh, good morning Miss Izumi", Miya said in a polite voice.
I inwardly groaned and had the sudden urge to run out the back door to crawl in a hole. But it was already too late for that. I forced myself up and went over to greet Miss Izumi A.K.A Kaho Izumi, my maternal Aunt.
And my only Aunt I am aware of.
"Good Morning Aunt Kaho". I smiled at her pleasantly.
Aunt Kaho's face broke out into a smile. "Good morning to you too, Senna", she said. "So how are you today? Are you feeling okay?"
I laughed softly. "I'm fine and to answer your question, none of my memory has returned the slightest bit", I told her, feeling amused. "And besides, I only saw you yesterday", I added in laughing.
"I wasn't going to ask you that, sweetie", she laughed but I could tell she was trying her best to cover up the embarrassment of being found out.
I haven't known Aunt Kaho for that long at least in my most current memories but it's been long enough to know her actions as well as how she thinks.
My Aunt Kaho is tall and thin. Her dark hair is pinned back in a French twist and her deep brown eyes are shining with overflowing patience for me. Even though she wore a white blouse and black dress pants along with her high heels, she looked stunning as ever.
I peeked over her shoulder and looked around. "Hey, where's Fuu?"
Aunt Kaho sighed and shook her head. "She's in the car".
I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
"Just grab your bag and let's get you to school", was all Aunt Kaho said to me.
I nodded and turned around to get my bag but Miya stood holding my bag in her hands. She handed it to me and bowed. "Have a good day, Miss Mizuki".
I smiled at her and thanked her. I walked out the door and followed Aunt Kaho into the car. Inside with ear phones jammed into her ears, was my bratty cousin, Fuu Izumi. She rolled her eyes when she saw me but I was used to it and just sat down calmly on a seat.
Aunt Kaho got into the car. "Seatbelts please", she told us.
I strapped the seatbelt around me and sat back when I heard a CLICK sound.
Fuu did otherwise. She just sat there, absorbed in her own world. The music in her ears was so loud it was piercing to own ears. She moved her head along to the upbeat music but she still didn't move her hand to wrap her seatbelt around her.
"Fuu, dear put on your seatbelt", Aunt Kaho said in a patient voice. I've never figured out how she was able to stay so calm whenever Fuu acted so self centered and selfish. She is an only child so I guess you can't really blame her for being like this.
Then again, to the best of my knowledge, I am also an only child.
My cousin was thin and tall like her Mother. Today, her long black hair was let loose around her shoulders but unlike Aunt Kaho who had a kind look in her eyes, her brown eyes were hostile and cold.
She was pretty like Aunt Kaho but I had to admit that even though she had my Aunt's beauty, she didn't have an ounce of her kind personality. She is snobby and in the school, she is the Queen Bee and people flock her.
Unlike me, her freaky cousin who has no memory of her past.
Aunt Kaho repeated her words at least ten times by now. In the end she turned around and sighed shaking her head then started up the car. That was it; I couldn't hold it in anymore. I reached over to pull out her right ear bud out of her ear.
"Hey, Fuu get out of your own world and put on your fricken seatbelt", I hiss into her ear, low enough that Aunt Kaho couldn't hear.
Fuu's eyes flashed with rage and I could tell that she wanted to yell at me but didn't dare do that in front of her Mother. She just glared at me and pulled on her seatbelt furiously.
As the car began to move my phone vibrated and I flipped it open to see the text.
"You will regret that". - Fuu
I looked at Fuu from the corner of my eye. Hate seemed to be seeping through her eyes as she clenched her phone in her hand.
The buttons of my phone clicked each letter I pressed.
"Oh really? You are a coward if you can't say this to me face to face". -Senna
I shut my phone and just ignored the hateful gaze coming from Fuu. I've known Fuu since, I really don't know. But I've never ever been able to find the source of all of her hatred for me.
I leaned against the car wall and looked out the window. I've lived in Tokyo my whole life. At least, as far as I know of. Last year when I was seventeen, I woke up lying in a hospital bed with no memory what so ever.
I wore no clothes from my past only some hospital clothes and a simple gold chained necklace hanging around my neck.
It's been a year and yet I've never once had a single memory returned to me. Despite my memory loss, somehow I found the time to be normal.
But how could I ever be normal without ever knowing of who I really was? Or even my Parents? I guess looking at a picture of your parents your whole life is nothing compared to real life.
I stared out the window and watched people pass by, busy with their own lives while I sat in this car. Almost suffocating. My fingers fiddled with the same necklace that was around my neck when I woke up in the hospital a year ago.
The pendant of my necklace has always stayed the same, a round red ruby necklace encrusted with gold around the ruby. Small diamonds were embedded inside the gold and also had some around the chain too.
It was heavy and a pain to wear but it was the only key to my past and I wasn't ever going to let it go.
"Oh, I almost forgot", Aunt Kaho said suddenly when we stopped at a red light. She dove into her bag and handed me something. A wrapped parcel.
My eyes widened. "Huh?"
Aunt Kaho looked quite amused in the rear view mirror. "Did you forget Senna? Today is your birthday. Today, you turn Eighteen years old"
My eyes widened even wider. My birthday...? The nervous feeling in my chest seemed to grow. I pressed my clenched fist to my chest. Is that why I feel like this today?
"Senna...? Are you alright sweetie?"
My face quickly spread into a smile. "Yes I am and thank you for the gift, Aunt Kaho", I said happily, trying to cover up the nervous feeling plastered onto my heart. "May I open it?"
Aunt Kaho nodded just as the red light turned to green. Her foot pressed the gas pedal and we were moving again.
My fingers undid the pink ribbon wrapped around the parcel. I lifted the lid and I gasped out in awe when I saw the treasure. Nestled inside was a thin gold hoop bracelet. Around the gold embedded inside the rich gold, were diamonds and a light blue stone that was vague to me. Aquamarine?
I didn't know but immediately, I loved it. I smiled and lifted it up, surprised at the weight. "Aunt Kaho is this real gold?" I gasped out in surprise.
She laughed and nodded. "Yes and so are the jewels".
I smiled at stared at it with a bit of embarrassment. I had never received such a wonderful gift from someone before. Especially something as beautiful and priceless as this bracelet.
"Where did you buy this Aunt Kaho?" I breathed out, a bit a shock lacing my tone. Even though I was happy about the gift, I felt worried with the fact that she bought something so expensive just for my birthday.
"It didn't cost a thing", she assured me as if reading my mind. "It's actually an old heirloom".
I raised my eyebrow. "An heirloom? From who's side?"
"You're Mother and I's", came the reply. "It belonged to your Grandmother and since I am the eldest, she gave it to me in her will".
My eyes widened. Heirloom? But I'm not even you daughter! I'm just your niece why would you? I wanted to say but the words were locked inside.
The car pulled up into the school parking lot and Aunt Kaho stopped the car to drop us off. She turned around and smiled at me. "Don't worry about anything ok?" She told me gently. "I wanted to give you this gift".
She clasped my hands together. "So, please Senna, take it".
I looked at her and couldn't help but smile. I clasped the bracelet around my wrist. A perfect fit.
"Thank you so-" My voice was cut off short by the opening and slamming of the car door.
Fuu was walking away and into the school. It was like hate waves were seeping out of her.
"Thank you so much Aunt Kaho", I repeated again, opening to door and sliding out. "Have a nice day!"
Before she could reply, I hurried out and after Fuu. I caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
"Fuu, wait up!" I cried out when she stopped.
She whipped around and furiously pushed me away. "Save it!" She snarled and pointed to the bracelet around my wrist. "Just rot in hell for all the things you taken away from me!"
Then she left.
I sighed and slumped against the wall. I blew it this time. Today was definitely going to be a living hell.
Thanks to Fuu.
