"Are you hungry? Do you want something to drink?" Sanae asked. They were alone on the bar, the girl sitting on one of the tall benches, looking at her.

"No." she responded seriously.

"Why are you here? Did something happen?"

"Aside from you leaving us on a place without electricity, water or food?"

"I'm sorry for that. I came back on the next day with the money to pay for rent and other bills, but you were already gone." She closed her eyes and put a hand on her forehead. "I was not meant for that. I was doing my best."

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't want to get married." She looked at her daughter. "I was obligated by my parents. I was finally able to feel some happiness when you and Shinji were born, but I've never loved your father. It became unbearable after a while. I didn't mean for things to happen that way. I never wanted to hurt you two."

"Kaa-san, you had a choice to take care of us properly and you didn't make that choice. But, it doesn't matter anymore." She was annoyed and impatient. "Tou-san came after me on school. He said he remarried to a wealthy woman and he wanted us to live with them."

"What?"

"I told him that there was no way, after everything that happened. But, he said that, even if I didn't want it, he wanted to take Shinji. I can't let this happen." She pulled a folder from her backpack and showed some papers to her. "I need you to sign these so I can ask to be emancipated. I have a place to live and steady income since I started Seigaku. I need this so I can keep Shinji. Otherwise he is going to be taken away from me." Sakuno lowered her head respectfully. "Please, Kaa-san."

Sanae looked at her daughter and her heart was tight. Sakuno was an extremely proud and independent person. She knew how hard it was for the teenager to be there, asking such a favor.

She picked up the papers from the girl's hand and started to read the words. Taking her cell phone out of her pocket, she dialed a number. Sakuno looked at her, confused.

"What are you doing?"

"I should know there was something fishy about him wanting to meet you." Her mother raised a finger asking for a moment. "Hello, Naoki." She had called their father! "Sakuno is here, in front of me, saying you want to take Shinji away from her. Are you crazy?"

The girl was so surprised she wasn't able to say anything.

"So, after all this time, you want to present a child to your wife. What is he? A puppy?!"

Sakuno had a small smile with her mother's words.

"Do you really think Shinji would be happy with you? You rejected him in the first place because of your wounded pride. He probably doesn't even know who you are."

Sakuno could hear her father's enraged voice on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a horrible mother, but you are not the father of the year either. So, that's what we are going to do. I'm signing Sakuno's emancipation. I have all the documents with me already. She is going to be legally responsible for Shinji. If you bother her again, I'm personally going to your new wife and tell her what you're trying to do. Let's see how she is going to take it. What kind of terrible man would separate siblings and create unnecessary distress for them?"

Sanae rolled her eyes for a moment.

"I don't care about what you think. I'm signing the papers. Forget about them, like you already did before. It's about time the kids are freed from the issues between you and me."

Her father was still talking when she turned off the phone. Her mother was still a badass! She picked up a pen and started to sign the forms.

"Here." She looked at her daughter with a gentle expression. "If you need anything else for the legal procedures, just give me a call." She wrote her number down on a napkin. "I will do anything to help you with it."

"You really signed." Sakuno couldn't believe it was so easy! "I was prepared to have a huge argument with you."

"Why would I do that?" She put the papers in front of her. "I really believe you and Shinji are better off without me. And you're more than capable of taking care of him properly. You were willing to fight for him, even though you are still just a kid yourself."

"Kaa-san…"

"I'm proud of you. I'm sorry, Sakuno. I'm really sorry I was not able to be the mother you two deserved."

"I have to go now."

"I know I have no right, but… is Shinji well?"

"He is. He is a good student at school and he is going to start swimming lessons on summer break."

"That' s good."

"He stopped crying about you. After you left, he would cry every night on bed. He doesn't anymore." she looked at her seriously. "I think he is forgetting about you."

"It's for the best." The girl noticed her mother's eyes glistering with some tears. "I don't want him to be sad anymore."

"I will make sure his childhood is filled with happy moments. Goodbye, Kaa-san. Thank you for this."

Sakuno walked out from the bar, without looking at her mother a second time. Her heart was clenched inside her chest and she just wanted to return home and see her little brother.

She closed the door behind her like also finally closing a whole painful and difficult part of her life.

################

"Nee-chan!" he ran to his sister when she entered the living room and Sakuno kneeled down to hug him. "You're back already! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too!" she cupped his face. "Are you well? Did you behave properly with Echizen-kun?"

"He was just fine." Ryoma said. They were on his place.

"I won against Momoshiro-san on the videogame!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes! How was your school trip? Did you have fun?"

"I did. But I couldn't wait to come back home."

"Ryoma-nii was helping me with homework after we had dinner. My things are on the table."

"Go pick them up, I will wait for you."

"Okay!"

"Are you okay? How were things with your mom?" Ryoma asked when they were by themselves.

"She signed the papers and even bit my father's head off." The girl grinned. "Things ran very smoothly. I'm going to deliver the papers to Child's Services tomorrow, so I won't be going to school on first period. I had to stay there for a while, since we told Shinji I would only be back tonight."

"It's good, then." He showed her a small smile.

"Thank you so much for taking care of him, Echizen-kun. I really appreciate it." She made a polite reverence.

"I'm ready!" Shinji came running. "Bye bye, Ryoma-nii. Thank you!"

"See you later, Shinji." He rubbed the boy's red hair.

Sakuno smiled gently at him before he waved at her. The golden eyes followed her until she closed the gates of his house and he was happy to see her smiling again.