Chapter 2: A Broken Promise

Days after the furinal, Suzuno lived with alone in the house, Miki would take care of her, but she had to transfer, so Suzuno was completely alone, she had no friends,
she had no family. One day, she brought Yuu-chan and the music box with her to the playground, along with the locket and turn key around her neck.

Suzuno sat alone under a tree, she looked at the music box on her lap.

"...Mom." She whispered. Then she got the turn key and turned it ten times, again the music box played, with a beautiful melody, when it finished playing, Suzuno couldn't help but cry.

"M-mommy... Why'd you leave me...?" Suzuno wiped her tears on her blue sweater's sleaves.

Suddenly, a teen-aged girl with balck hair that was up to her chest walked up to her.

"What's wrong little girl?" The girl asked with a kind voice.

"M-mom?" Suzuno sniffled and looked up at the person standing right before her.

"Mom? I'm not your mom!" The person laughed. "C'mon, stand up." She held Suzuno's hands and pulled her up.

"Oh... I thought you were my mom..." Suzuno turned away sadly hugging yuu-chan.

"By the way, my name's Hitomiko, the children in my dad's orphanage calls me Hitomiko-san, I guess you could call me that too, huh?" Hitomiko smiled. "Your's?" She asked

"Suzuno Fuusuke..." Suzuno was looking at her shoes.

"Are you lost?" Hitomiko asked again.

"No, I'm just alone..." Suzuno replied in a sad voice.

"Oh... Okay, where's your mom then?" Hitomiko tilted her head.

"..." Suzuno looked at Hitomiko her lower lip started shaking and started to tear up, when she felt a tear rolling down her face, she turned away quickly looking down,
she didn't want Hitomiko to see her crying.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Hitomiko knelt down and held Suzuno's shoulder.

"M-mommy...*hic* l-left m-me..." Suzuno hicced as she cried, she continued wiping her tears on her sweater's sleaves again.

"H-huh?" Hitomiko was confused. "What do you mean?" She asked sadly.

"S-she... *hic* died..." Suzuno cried as loud as she can.

"...Your dad?" Hitomiko started feeling sad too.

"Died *hic* also..." Suzuno can't stop crying.

"..." Hitomiko looked at Suzuno sadly and patted her back. "Who's taking care of you now?" She asked.

"No one... I-it's just me... *hic*" Suzuno replied, sadly. "I cook my own food... But I only *hic* can cook rice cakes... It's the only food I have..." She added.

"You want me to take you to my dad?" Hitomiko held her shoulder again.

"..." Suzuno thought and nodded.

"Okay... Come with me." Hitomiko held Suzuno's hand. "First, take me to your house, we'll get your things and belongings." She added.

"...W-why? *hic*" Suzuno hicced again as she was holding the music box and Yuu-chan in one hand, while the other one was with Hitomiko.

"I'll tell you later..." Hitomiko replied.

"..." Suzuno turned to where she was walking/ going.

As soon they arrived, Hitomiko helped Suzuno pack her stuff. Hitomiko placed Suzuno's clothes in a big bag that had wheels, Suzuno kept her other things in another bag.

"Just two bags?" Hitomiko asked.

"Mh-hm. this is all I have" Suzuno nodded.

"Don't you have any toys?" Hitomiko smiled. "How bout your mother's things?" She added.

"Yuu-chan is my only toy." Suzuno showed Hitomiko her blue stuffed bunny. "Oh... I don't want to bring it... It makes me sad all the time just by seeing them."

"I see." Hitomiko smiled and laughed. Suzuno giggled back. "What's that your holding?" Hitomiko pointed at the small box Suzuno was carrying along with Yuu-chan.

"This one? Oh... My mother's music box, she gave it to me." Suzuno's smile started to fade away. "Oh... And could you answer my question?" She turned to her again.
Hitomiko nodded.

"Suzuno, you're going to live in the orphanage now..." Hitomiko said sadly.

"NO! I'M STAYING HERE!" Suzuno crossed her arms and sat down on a small stool and turned away from Hitomiko.

"Suzuno... Don't be stubborn-"

"I SAID NO!" Suzuno hicced again and cried. "I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE *hic* MY HOUSE!" She added.

"...Suzuno, if I'll leave you, you'll starve to death." Hitomoko said.

"I DON'T CARE!" Suzuno blurted out.

"Suzuno, crying won't help, just come with me, I promise you, it'll alright..." Hitomiko asured Suzuno. Suzuno turned around with her teary eyes.

"R-really? *hic*" Suzuno sniffled and wiped her tears.

"Mh-hm." Hitomiko smiled and nodded. "Now c'mon, it's getting late." She stretched out her hand to Suzuno. Suzuno looked at her hand and took it.

Then they left the house, when they arrived, all of the children looked at Suzuno confused. Suzuno was scared hugged and tried to hide from them.

"Hitomiko-san? Who's that?" A boy with green hair wearing a tiny ponytail tugging Hitomiko's skirt.

"This is Suzuno, Midorikawa." Hitomiko smiled looking at him.

"Hello, I'm Hiroto, what's your name?" A boy in smooth red hair tapped Suzuno's shoulder. Suzuno was frightened and avoided Hiroto, she didn't reply.

"You have cute hair." A girl with blue hair who had white side burns held her hair gently. Suzuno got frightened again and avoided her too, Suzuno gripped on Hitomiko's skirt.

"Yagami, don't scare Suzuno." Hitomiko told Yagami.

"Hmph!" Yagami crossed her arms and turned around. "I was just being friendly, Hitomiko-san!" She walked away.

"What's your name?"

"Where are you from?"

"Who are you?"

"Are you from this place?"

"Why are you here?"

Suzuno was terribly frightened and confused, she wasn't used to many children.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Suzuno blurted out crying and ran outside the door.

"Suzuno!" Hitomiko turned and shouted trying to stop Suzuno, she sighed heavily. "Don't worry, she'll be back later." She thought.

Suzuno ran to a snowy bench, still frightened, but her crying stopped, she placed Yuu-chan beside her, sitting down.

"..." Suzuno looked at the music box on her lap, she got the turn key again and played it, the music calmed her down.

"Hey, what's this?" A teen-aged boy grabbed it and shaked it, the other boys behind the bench were laughing. The music stopped from the turn key being removed. (The key is connected to the locket/ necklace.)

"H-hey! Give it back!" Suzuno stood up and started jumping to get the music box, but the boy made it hard for her to reach.

"Dude, catch!" The boy passed it to the other one.

"Hey! No! STOP IT!" Suzuno started to cry and went to the other boy holding it.

"STOP IT~!" The other boy whined and immitated her, while the other's laughed. "You can't do anything." He added mockingly to Suzuno.

"Please! Give it back!" Suzuno cried.

"How's this worthless music box such a biggie to you?" The boy shaked the music box more.

"I-it's not worthless! It's really special! Mommy gave it to me and-"

Suddenly, CRASH! The boy purposely dropped the music box making it brake into pieces, making Suzuno shocked, her eyes were wide open with tears rolling down her face, looking at the shattered music box. Suzuno shivered, hiccing as well.

"Oops, I dropped it!" The boy said sarcasticly, laughing.

"NO!" Suzuno ran to the shattered music box and knelt on the ground, holding the pieces of the music box. "Why...? WHY?!" Suzuno cried angrily at the boys.

"Psh! Let's get out of here." The three boys left, and left Suzuno crying.

Suzuno brushed her hands gently on the pieces.

"No... No... NO!" Suzuno took the pieces with her hands. "This isin't happening! I promised mommy that I...-" She paused as more tears rolled down her face. "I'm sorry mommy... I couldn't take care of your music box... Mommy..." Suzuno whispered softly, crying.

...I just broke a promise... I'm sorry... Mommy... I'm sorry...

-End of Chapter 2-