Nanako POV

Auntie Rinko and I took Ryoma into the cabin. Rinko slowly pushed Ryoma by the shoulder as they followed me.

Even though Ryoma has to know the situation is not good, his face is still calm.

I am so anxious. I know this is wrong. I don't want him to die, only hurt. But I don't know what Rinko is thinking. She really hates Ryoma even though it's her own son. Ryoma may not realize it but he's pitiful.

I opened the door to the basement. Rinko walked Ryoma toward the first step into the basement.

With a bored expression Ryoma looked into my eyes. He asked Rinko "Do you want me to go down there? You could turn on the light for me."

Rinko smiled. "Of course not, honey."

Ryoma was still looking at me when Rinko pushed him down the stairs.

Third Person POV

The regulars pondered in the living room what they should do.

Momo removed himself from the wall that he had been leaning on for at least fifteen minutes.

Everyone thoughts were on Ryoma and no one noticed Momo's absence until the sound of a door slam.

"What was that?" Kawamura asked.

"Maybe my parents are home." Fuji got up from the coach and walked to the door. He looked out the peep-hole. "Momo!"

Fuji ran outside and the rest of the regulars made their way to the doorway.

"Momo! Where are you going!" Fuji shouted to Momo.

Momo didn't turn around but kept walking. Fuji ran after Momo and the regulars ran to follow Fuji.

The dark night sky began to turn gray as clouds engulfed the moon. There was a flash a lighting and the rain slowly began to pour.

Momo stopped and looked up at the sky. He stood in the middle of a street and seemed to stare at each falling rain drop.

Fuji and the regulars caught up to Momo.

"Momo!" Eiji shook Momo. Momo turned his head away from the regulars. He took a few steps away and pulled his hood over his head.

With his face hidden by the hood, he turned his head toward his tennis members. "I'm going to Echizen's house." It was only a whisper that could barely be heard over the rumbling in the sky.

Fuji smiled and said "Alright." Momo turned and ran to Ryoma's house. The other regulars joined him and they raced to Ryoma's house in the pouring rain.

Ryoma POV

"Even though he's tiny, he's heavy." Who is that?

"Auntie, please don't do it." Auntie? Who is Auntie?

Slap! "Nanako, you're weak. I should have done this myself!" Nanako? What is she doing at Fuji-senpai's house.

I slowly open my eyes. My head is throbbing. Where am I? I look around and I see bottles. They look like wine bottles and it does smell like alcohol in here. Oh yeah. Mom pushed me down the stairs why did she do that?

"Finally awake are we?" Mom says to me. She comes over to me and rubs my hair.

"Mom?"

"Shut up! I hate that voice!" She screams and grabs me by my hair. She pulls me into a sitting position. Her foot connects with my stomach and my breath gets caught in my throat.

My body hits the hard cellar wall and I cough trying to breathe again. Mom sticks her fingers down my throat causing me to choke. I grab her wrist trying to remove her fingers that feel like they are clogging my lungs. She snatches her fingers out of my mouth and slaps me. She slaps my face back and forth, back and forth. When she's done, she's gives her finishing blow. A punch to my right cheek.

"Don't ever touch me, you brat!" She turns around and I try to catch my breathe.

What just happened? That couldn't have been my mom.

"Nanako, give it to me." I look up.

"No, please don't! It's too much!" Mom slapped her. Nanako fell to floor. She was crying and her cheeks were as red as a rose. It wasn't the first time Mom slapped her.

"Give it to me!" Mom yelled. I looked at Nanako's hands and saw she was holding a branch.

Nanako's tears flowed as she gave the branch to Mom. "Take it off." She said to me.

I stared at her. I began to feel myself pulled into unconsciousness.