"I know" Miyuki said. Tsukasa smiled. "They always said Paris was the city of love" Tsukasa said dreamily.

"Yes my mother always talks about that. As if it was almost destiny that they met" Miyuki answered. She looked opened her cell phone then snapped it shut. "I must get going. I promised my mother I'd be home in a while. I hope you get better" Miyuki said.

She hugged Tsukasa and left the room. Tsukasa popped another cough drop into her mouth and return to her manga.

"You can do it" Tsukasa read. The blue feathery bird waved it's wings. "No I can't" Meme said. Tsukasa's simply adored Meme because of her personality. Meme like Tsukasa seemed timid, soft, and wimpy. But inside shone a bright braveness and courage. When it was serious Meme was willing to put everything on the line including her own life to protect her bird and the Sparkling Sands Village. It was a special braveness Tsukasa didn't think she could muster.

"You can" the bird said. It flew on Meme's shoulder. "I know you can" Tsukasa paused to sip her tea. Then she heard something that startled her. It was crying. "I HATE YOU!" was the words that blasted from outside Tsukasa's room. The teary voice and the cruel words scrambled Tsukasa to her feet. She ran to the door curious to see what was going on. She opened the door ajar. It was Konota. She was gripping Kagami's cell phone tightly and tears were streaming down her face. Then Konota flung the phone across the room and buried her face in her hands.

"Kono-chan!" Tsukasa ran to comfort her. Kagami was at her side already. She was just as puzzled. "What's wrong?" she asked. Konota couldn't say a thing. Her words got choked between sobs. Her hands were quaking. "M-my d-dad" she managed to stumble. But then she curled in a ball on the carpet, but her hands on her head, and cried her eyes out. After thirty minutes of crying the Harugii twins had given up on comforting her. But they stood by Konota's side giving her tissues every now and then.

By the time she lifted her head her eyes were crusty, her nose was runny, and her face was tear streaked. Konota looked miserable.

"Konota what went on the phone?" Kagami asked slowly. Konota crossed her arms over her chest. "It was that damn Yutaka. Fuck her!" she screamed. Tsukasa stared blankly at her friend. She thought Konota was going to go into a fit of tears again, but she didn't. Instead her big green eyes were filled with hate. "Kono-chan…" Tsukasa said slowly. "You guys would never understand you never grew up with one parent, Konota said her voice filled with bitterness, but now I'm alone. No one at all!" The room filled with an uncomfortable and stony silence. Tsukasa felt hurt. Frist of all the Otaku was always cheery. It hurt her to see her bitter and devastated. Secondly, the words wounded her.

You guys would never understand, Tsukasa thought the words echoing over and over in her mind. Konota had them, Miyuki, her, Kagami, Patricia, Hiroyi, Yutaka and Minami. What did she mean? "Konota please tell us" Kagami whispered. "Fine, Konota spat, you want to so badly?" She took a deep breath. "My father was anti-depression pills. Yutaka was in the house with him. I guess who must've remembered to take some. He didn't want Yutaka to see him so he gave her some money to spend. When she came back he was…dead with a bottle of pills in his hand" Konota said weakly.

Tsukasa sucked her breath. "Kono-chan I'm so-"

"Don't" Konota interjected. "Don't be sorry for something you don't understand" she said stonily.

Tsukasa blinked back tears and bit her lip. Kagami caught her look. "You have no right to talk to my sister that way" Kagami snapped. Konota got up "I'm going" she said coldly. Kagami's look softened. "You have nowhere to go" Kagami was truly worried about Konota. What was she to do now that her father, Sorijo, had died? Absolutely nowhere. Konota resisted the urge to cry. Kagami was right. But as their best friend she must not drag them into her mess. She loved every single one of her friends dearly. Konota knew she wasn't alone. But she was wanted to be isolated from the ones who cared for her.

The world was too icy. Her mother had died. She'd loved her father and he'd gone away. Now she only had her friends and who knew what the world would do to them? But the only friend she despised was Yutaka. "That's not your problem Kagamin. Leave it alone" she said. And with that she swung the door open and ran out.

It had been raining before and now it was pouring. Konota was running as fast as she could athlete pro-style. But where was she going to go? Konota stopped dead in her tracks as if the world was going to melt. She let the rain get her soggy and hid in the shadows, releasing her anger, hate, and sadness,

Kagami ran to the closet to get her raincoat. "Where are you going onee-chan?" Tsukasa asked. "To get Konota" Kagami said briskly and left the room.

Outside it was gloomy, wet, and dark. The air was warm and stuffy but the rain was chilled the air. Kagami imagined Konota soggy and teary as she stepped in the street. A big sweaty hand grabbed Kagami's arms and threw her. She landed on the wet road. A scar on her head reopened and bled. Kagami wanted to stand up and run but she felt too much pain and dizziness to move. Her eyes rolled over head.

"….Kagami?" said a soft voice. She opened her eyes. Mrs. Harugii appeared in front of Kagami's eyes. "Mom?"

All her sisters were gathered in plain white room. "Onee-chan!" Tsukasa ran to her. She was in tears. "Tsukasa" Kagami said then winced at the pain of her head. "Oh onee-chan are you okay?" Tsukasa asked. Then she grimaced. "This is all Kono-chan's fault! If she hadn't had ran away you wouldn't be hurt!" Tsukasa half-yelled.

Then Tsukasa buried her head in Kagami's white nightgown and sobbed furiously. "Does she mean your friend Konota?" Mrs. Harugii asked. "It's not Konota's fault!" Kagami blurted. "I got myself into this mess!"

"No sis you d-didn't!" a teary eyed Tsukasa said.