Chapter Seven

I stumbled into my house in a daze, mechanically removing my shoes and placing them near the door. I removed my jacket and carefully hung it on the rack. For some reason, I felt as though there was something I was forgetting… Had I remembered all my books?

I walked into the dining room, frowning at the floor.

"Hello there, Setsuna-chan."

I glanced up to see my uncle sitting at the table, legs crossed, smiling up at me with warmth. My breath hitched. It had been months since I'd seen that welcoming smile… Against my will, tears filled my eyes.

I quickly blinked them away and returned his grin. "Oji-chan! How was your trip?"

"Good! How has everything been here?"

I sat down opposite him, and as we began to chat, I had to prevent myself from launching into his arms. It felt as though I hadn't seen a family member in a long time… Which was absurd, since I was living with one. Perhaps it was just the notion of comfort that I was missing.

I told him about my academic results, but he waved his hand and insisted that he wanted to hear more about my schooling life. I grinned at him and launched into my activities for the past month, telling him about the first time I met Eisuke and how I continued to beat him at Shogi. When he asked if I had made other friends, I had a brief moment of panic.

"Uh… y-yeah! I met a girl named Chinami who's really good at sports…"

He smiled happily. "Really? Chinami who? I might know her family through business."

"Um –"

"Setsuna!"

I looked up to see Oba-san standing in the doorway, gazing down at me in what could only be described as contempt. My gratitude quickly turned to unease. "Y-yes?"

"Why are you so late?" There was barely-concealed anger in her voice.

"I told you, Oba-san, I have a school project due in a couple of weeks. We had to spend a little extra time on it today…" I tried to make my voice placating.

"Setsuna… why do you lie to me?"

My uncle was glancing back and forth between us in puzzlement. Awareness trickled down my spine. Had she somehow found out about my daily activities? "Oba-san, I don't know what you're saying –"

"I called the school today after I arrived home at five o'clock and found you not here, wondering where you were… Imagine my surprise when I was informed there was no group activity in the teaching plan?" She narrowed her eyes at me, and I shrunk back.

Uncle was staring at me in surprise. "Setsuna, you've been lying to your Oba-san about your whereabouts after school? That's dangerous. What if something happened and we didn't know where you were?"

"I-I'm really sorry –"

"She lies so she doesn't have to do her chores! You think you can just ignore your obligations to this family? You live under this roof as well!" My aunt's voice rapidly became raised.

"Aito, please calm down. I'm sure there's a good reason for this." He faced me and frowned slightly, face disappointed. My heart thudded against my chest at the look he gave me. "Setsuna-chan, what's this I'm hearing? Skipping out on your chores, not telling Oba-san where you've been? What's going on with you?"

I was shaking my head back and forth. "No, that's not true! Oba-chan, I've been getting all my chores done when I come back from school, I swear. I'm sorry I lied to you about the group assignment, but I have been staying back at school for other reasons."

"More lies!" she exclaimed. "I can't trust anything that comes out of your mouth. There's nothing you can say; I already know what you've done. You've been cavorting around the school with some boy!"

I blinked. "W-What? No, I haven't!"

"I've heard all about it at work; Koizumi Setsuna spending all her free time with a student by the name of Oshiro Eisuke!"

As much as I wanted to avoid an argument, I couldn't take any more of this sitting down. I stood up to face her, balling my hands into fists. "Who told you such an absurd thing? He's just a friend!"

From the way her chest inflated like a balloon, I knew I'd made a mistake; there was no stopping her tirade now.

"How dare you tarnish the Kurosawa family name in such a way? You've destroyed the hard-earned reputation your uncle has fought to uphold, even after your parents almost ruined everything!" She glared down at me critically. "I've tried my best to raise you in the way a child should be raised, but my efforts have been in vain. Besides your father's overly flashy red hair, it seems you've inherited his unfortunate ability to destroy everything you touch, and to not take responsibility for anything! Even your mother, despite all her charms, could barely take responsibility for her own child. And then she had to go and get herself killed, leaving you here!"

She finally fell silent, breathing slightly hard. I stepped back and continued to stare at her for a moment, stunned. I looked at my uncle, who was gazing at both of us with wide eyes. "Aren't you going to say something?" When he just blinked at me, I shook my head in disgust. "You… won't even defend your deceased sister's memory?"

I tilted my head and faced my aunt again. "You have no right to criticise my parents when you hardly even knew them. I won't hear any more of this from you."

"I have every right!" She gestured to my uncle. "Every day, all I heard was the phone line ringing with your mother on the other end, ready to pester your uncle with more of her incessant nonsense. As if we didn't have our own problems! Your mother knew that, but it didn't stop her at all! And then, just when I thought it was finally over, I realised the biggest problem was yet to come!"

I had never experienced such rage in my entire life. In the back of my mind, I knew that I should be the more level-headed one in this situation, but I'd been pushed too far. I'd officially snapped.

My aunt was standing between the door and me. "Get out of my way, you bitch!" I marched straight through her, knocking her out of the way and into the wall with all my strength.

She shrieked in outrage and lunged for me, but I was already running, tearing straight for the front door. My breath was clogged in my lungs; if I stayed here any longer, I feared it might never leave.

The cool night air was like a slap in the face as I slammed the door behind me, but I didn't stop running. I ran down the street, not knowing where my feet were taking me, not caring. I soon found myself at the park the window in my room overlooked, and slowed to a jog.

I didn't want to think about what had just happened, but my aunt's furious face haunted my brain. Her words… Now that I was alone, each one rang through my mind and left a small wound on my heart. "It seems you've inherited your parent's unfortunate ability to destroy everything you touch." I shook my head back and forth. "Not true."

Another face surfaced to the forefront of my mind. A face so hauntingly familiar, so beautifully comforting, that before I knew it, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I gasped and collapsed under the nearest tree, sobbing. "No. It's not true. I won't believe it… Oka-chan…" Another face. I cried out. "Oto-chan… I'm sorry…"

For the first time in three years, I'd allowed myself to picture their faces. I couldn't believe the forceful rush of emotions. Now that they were alive again in my heart, memories came rushing back in a wave of pent-up anguish.

I bowed under the onslaught, praying for it to be over.


"Setsuna-san! Hey! Setsuna-san!" I felt someone grab my shoulders to shake me forcefully.

I slowly lifted my head off my arms and blinked. My vision was so blurry; it took me a full minute before I could process who was kneeling in front of me. "What?"

Midorima's eyes were wide, although I couldn't figure out why. "Are you alright?"

Automatically I nodded, but when I did, my neck creaked stiffly. I groaned, and realised that my voice was sore and croaky. When I tried to swallow, my mouth was so thick I had to try a few times.

"What happened?" There was definitely concern in his voice.

"I – I don't know…" Something shifted through the haze of my mind. A face… I made a small sound in the back of my throat and grabbed my head.

He instantly grasped both of my shoulders. "Oi! Did someone hurt you?" I shook my head. "Why aren't you at home? It's dark out."

"I can't go there," I quickly replied, shaking my head – and instantly regretted it when it throbbed.

"Are you… in trouble at home?"

"No…"

Midorima blew out a breath of frustration and pushed up his glasses with his bandaged hand. "Is there someone you're waiting for?" I shook my head no. "You're alone?" He was appalled when I nodded. "What in the world are you thinking, baka? A girl shouldn't be out this late by herself."

I flinched at the sudden volume of his voice and closed my eyes tightly. "Please don't shout." I rested my head on my forearms again.

"Is she okay, Shin-chan?"

"Yes. Just shaken up, I think."

A sigh of relief. "Good. I can't stand it when girls cry…"

"That's because you're an idiot."

"Huh? Shin-chan, I'm the point guard –!"

"Midorima. Please step back." That voice.

I heard the shuffling of footsteps, and then felt a presence beside me. "Setsuna." I buried my face more. The tone turned commanding. "Look at me."

Unable to disobey, I raised my head, but avoided the eyes. He sighed and I saw him shake his head.

"Why are you here?" I croaked.

"Shintarou called saying something was wrong."

I glanced up at Midorima, who was gazing down at us impassively. "Why did you do that, Midorima-san?"

"You wouldn't respond when I tried to talk to you. I thought you were ill, or worse. You needed help, and I couldn't think of anyone else to call."

"Anyone but him," I muttered.

Midorima seemed confused. "Did… something happen between you?"

"No," Akashi replied at the same time I grumbled, "Yes."

He was glancing back and forth between us, and his friend was standing back awkwardly. Out of the corner of my eye, Akashi was staring at me, but I avoided his eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Thank you for taking care of me, Midorima-san, but you don't have to stay. The same for you, Akashi. I'm fine. Sorry for wasting your time."

There was a beat of silence, and then Akashi straightened from his crouch and began to walk away. I laid my head back down on my arms, lacking the energy to care.

I heard Midorima's friend – what was his name again? – sputter in surprise, and the sound of footsteps. "Akashi!" It was Midorima. "Where are you going?"

"You heard her," that cool voice replied. "She says she's fine, then she is."

"She is clearly not fine!" he whispered furiously. "It's almost dark, getting cold. She's still in her school uniform." His voice lowered to a quiet whisper my mind had trouble processing. "… what's going on… didn't you see her face?"

I could almost visualise his careless shrug. "She should have gone home." When silence met his words, he continued in an impatient tone, "Why did you call me out here, Shintarou? You could have handled the situation yourself. As you know, I'm an extremely busy person."

Again silence permeated the air, and I wished they would all leave. I just wanted to stay here, in this peaceful moment, a little longer…

"Akashi." Midorima's voice was filled with quiet censure. "What's going on with you? I know that when you see someone in distress, your natural instinct would be to assist them, not turn your back on them."

"There's nothing odd about it. I simply don't have time to sit here and listen to her cry. When you told me something was wrong, I assumed you meant she was in danger. That is the extent of my generosity."

I glanced up in time to see Midorima turn away from him and walk over, crouching down in front of me. I blinked at him and tried to manage a smile. "It's okay, Midorima-san. Really. Please don't let me disturb you… I just need a minute…"

He closed his eyes and sighed in exasperation, pushing his glasses up his nose. When he opened them, they seemed a tad warmer. "Come on. Let's go get something to eat so you can warm up."

He stood and held his hand out to me. I stared at it for a moment, not wanting to move, but then sighed and reached for it.

Another hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and snagged my out-stretched wrist, yanking me up by it. I gasped in surprise and staggered a bit. Akashi was facing away from me, dragging me along behind him like a dog on a leash. I glanced back at Midorima to find him staring after us with a neutral expression – as though he wasn't the least surprised by Akashi's sudden appearance – and pleaded at him with my eyes.

Akashi yanked on my wrist, making me face frontward again. "What are you doing, Akashi?"

"You got what you wanted, right?" His voice was lower than usual. He shot me a look of mild anger that betrayed the volcano lurking beneath. "I'm right where you want me, appearing at your beck-and-call. I bet I'm fulfilling your every fantasy right now."

I gasped in outrage and tried to yank my hand back. "Damn you, Akashi! I never wanted you here." Something slightly important occurred to me. "Where are we going?"

He looked back at me once. "My house."