Three Years Later.
Toko carefully folded a white, button-up shirt, and placed it in her brown rucksack, which sat on their bed next to Syo's who, compared to her sisters', had been packed much more hurridley. The younger twin picked up a pair of black slacks, folding it with the same sense of care as the shirt, and wedged it in the rucksack between a cardigan and a small, slim, rectangular box.
With a sigh, Toko looked around the room, which had remained mostly the same throughout the years, with the exception of the removal of every single taped-up drawing from Syo, bySyo, after a particularly nasty clash with Mom. It still had its dirtied carpet, the black, blockout curtains that hung in front of the window, which had been barred when the girls were four after their Father discovered that they had been sneaking out to sleep in the cold backyard at night when the heat in their room had become particularly unbearable, and its horrendous, white walls.
About the only real change to their childhood bedroom had been the addition of a small, wooden bookshelf, which Toko used to display her growing book collection, comprised of old, cheesy romance novels, as well as more classic reads, such as 'Pride and Prejudice'and 'Moby Dick'. Syo also kept a couple of books on the bottom shelf, though unlike Toko's more refined tastes, her collection consisted solely of about twelve different 'Goosebumps'books, with each of their covers ripped off, which were stolen from their school library.
Toko walked over to the bookshelf, her eyes scanning over the spines of each book akin to a wine enthusiast contemplating which bottle to open next. Deciding on a paperback edition of 'Wuthering Heights', she made her way back to her rucksack, and carefully placed it inside, covering it with another shirt to protect it from potential damage, before closing it.
Just as she was closing her bag, she heard the bedroom door open and, fearing the worst, tensed up, preparing herself for the inevitable. Turning her head slightly, she breathed a sigh of relief when Syo walked in.
"Syo!" she hissed, making sure to keep her voice down. "Y-You almost gave me a heart attack…!"
"Heh… Sorry…" Syo replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck, before approaching her sister, now much more serious than a second ago. "... You almost finished packing?"
Toko nodded.
"Yeah. I think I've got everything… Are they still asleep?"
"Yep. Mom's sleeping with Prince Valium, Father's passed out in the bathtub again, and Mother isn't home." Syo finished with a slight smirk, before shoving her hand in the pocket of her grey, denim jeans. "And, check it out…"
Toko watched Syo pull out a worn, leather wallet, and gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth.
"S-Syo, you didn't actually…!"
"Yeah, I did." replied the older twin, placing it back in her pocket. "It was in the living room, don't worry. I didn't grab it from him personally." she continued, before getting down on her knees, and sticking her hand under the bed.
"... How much…?" Toko asked, squatting down next to her. Syo began to rummage around for a few moments, before finding what she was after. She pulled out a mason jar with several small holes punctured in the lid, which was the home of the twins' beloved pet stinkbug, Kameko, whose smell had never affected the two. Kameko, in their eyes, was a special bug who understood their innermost feelings of turmoil, and just so happened to be their only real friend.
"About... $870." Syo replied nonchalantly, twisting the lid open and holding it in her teeth, as she fished around in the front pocket of her dark red flannel shirt, where she pulled out a small zip-lock bag full of soybeans. She plopped one into the jar, and closed the lid, watching as the bug happily approached the legume, before standing up, and cradling the jar in her arms.
Toko stood up, her mouth almost completely agape.
"Th-That's…!" she began, not even sure of what to say. Syo frowned.
"... I'm not puttin' any back." she stated. "We need it more than he does." She then placed Kameko's jar on the bed, picking up her packed bag and slinging it over her shoulders, before picking the jar up once more.
"I-I never asked you too…" Toko said defensively, picking up her own bag.
"Good."
Syo glanced around the room for one last time, before turning back to her sister.
"... You got everything?"
Toko hesitated, before nodding.
"... Y-Yeah… Let's go. You got the address?" Syo nodded, patting her other pocket.
"Yep. Front door's been unlocked, as well," she added. "I found the key hidden behind that hole in the wall, in the kitchen. Y'know, the one behind the tiles?"
"... A-Ah. So… We won't need to go through the back?"
The older twin shook her head.
"Nah…" She paused, before continuing.
"... Alright, Gloomy," she said. "Let's go before everyone wakes up."
~~~The twins walked through the outskirts of Sapporo, stopping every hour or so to ask for directions from people on their way to work, who would always look at the girls with either confusion, or pity. Sure, they looked to be a sorry sight, with their thin, pale frames, and their bags that were obviously filled with clothes, but did they really need to be pitiedby complete strangers? Toko didn't seem to think so.
"... I-I'm sick of it." the younger of the two commented as they walked past an empty park. "They should just… M-Mind their own business-"
"If yousaw a couple of kids like us," Syo interjected. "Wouldn't you be curious 'bout it?"
The two passed over a wooden bridge, and watched as a duck swam past underneath them.
"... I wouldn't ask them about it." Toko finally replied. The older twin rolled her eyes, before a sudden gust of wind blew from behind them, blowing Syo's wild hair in front of her face. Toko held back laughter as her twin flicked it out of her face.
"S-See, this is why I braid my hair." she commented. Syo glared at her playfully.
"... Shut up, nerd."
Toko pretended to be offended, and they continued walking. Another half hour had passed, before they were approached by an elderly woman, who was hunched over a wooden walking frame. She smelled strongly of rosemary, and Syo tried not to gag.
"Good morning, girls." she greeted, her warm smile accentuated with her kind eyes.
"... Good morning, ma'am." Toko squeaked. Syo took a step back.
"Now, now, dear, there's no need to be alarmed, I won't bite..." the old woman remarked, looking directly at the older sister, before looking back to Toko. "... Why aren't you girls at school?"
"W-We're, uh…" Toko shot a glance to Syo, wracking her brain for a response. "... We're… Heading there, now…" The old woman chuckled.
"Is that the truth?"
Toko felt her heart sink.
"Wh-Why does it matter…?!" she snapped defensively, before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she saw it belonged to Syo.
"We're heading to our Father's." she lied, looking down to avoid eye-contact with the stranger. "Joint custody. Mom's home sick, so she can't drive."
"Couldn't your Father pick you up?"
"He lost his license a few months ago. It's… Sorta embarrassing."
The old woman's smile faltered for a moment.
"Ah, I see…" she replied, seemingly believing Syo's lie. "... Do you girls need any assistance?"
Toko opened her mouth to object, but Syo quickly fished out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, showing it to the woman.
"Father moved to this address recently," she explained. "Do you know where it is?" The old woman looked at the address written on the paper, thought for a moment, and nodded.
"My… That's quite far." She frowned. "It's about another two hours from here, closer to the city." Syo nodded her head slightly, and shoved the paper back into her pocket.
"Thank you, miss." she said. "We should get going now." She bowed, quickly followed by Toko.
"Have a nice day."
The old woman gave a small bow in return.
"You too, girls. Stay safe."
As soon as the twins stood back up, Toko grabbed Syo's hand and quickly continued their walk up the street.
"... Why did you yell at her?" Syo asked. "She was being nice."
"N-No, she wasn't…!" Toko grimaced, before finally slowing down so that her sister could keep up. "She was gonna report us for truancy!"
"How do you know that?"
The younger twin groaned in frustration.
"Syo, y-you can't trust everyonewho's nice to you!" she half yelled, causing Syo to slow down her walking. "That's a tactic people use to get on your good side, a-and once they've lulled you into a false sense of security… BAM!"
Syo jumped at the sudden noise, before covering her ears.
"D-Don't shout like that…" she whined.
"Sorry…" Toko apologised. "B-But do you see what I'm saying…?"
"That… I shouldn't trust anyone?"
Toko pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing.
"... You need to be carefulof who you trust, because not everyone has your best interest in mind, despite what they say." Syo uncovered her ears, and began to chew on the sleeve her shirt, glaring at a passerby who she noticed had been staring at them.
"So…" The older sister thought for a moment. "... People like our parents."
"... Y-Yeah. Sort of."
Two and a half more hours of talking and asking for directions later, and the twins finally found their destination. Since their encounter with the elderly woman, the walk had been mostly quiet, with Syo asking to hold Kameko shortly after their conversation.
The building was a small, run-down apartment complex, painted a hideous shade of beige, with about four stories, and a carpark that only had two cars and a motorcycle in it. The paint was chipping in places, and there were vines from an unknown origin slowly crawling up the side.
Of course, the complex hadn't been picked by Syo for its looks, but rather its location, being approximately five hours and forty-nine minutes away from their parents' house, the furthest apartment complex within their budget that they could afford.
"This… Isthe right place, right…?" Toko asked hesitantly, the two of them standing on the opposite side of the busy street. Syo pulled out the piece of paper once more, checked it, and glanced up at a nearby street sign, before nodding.
"Yep."
The younger sister pulled a face.
"... It looks like a hangout for junkies." she commented. Syo frowned.
"It doesn't look that bad." she replied, slightly annoyed. "Besides, what otherchoice do we have?" She shrugged, before crossing the street as soon as there was a gap between the cars, Toko quickly following behind.
As the two passed through the sparse carpark, Syo looked up, and noticed that the building had two fire escapes on each side.
They entered the lobby, which looked more like a waiting room, with brown, plastic chairs packed tight against the walls, which were painted the same shade of beige as the bricks outside. The lighting fixtures in the ceiling gave off a yellowish glow, save for one globe, which was constantly flickering off and on again, which hurt Syo's eyes.
Approaching the desk, which was unattained, Toko leaned over and rang the small bell once.
"... This place smells like mothballs." Syo whispered, leaning to the side so that her sister could hear, though before she could agree, a balding, heavily overweight man exited the office, and took his place behind the desk.
"Phew, sorry ladies," he began, seemingly out of breath. "I was just finishin' up a call with the gardener... What can I do for youse?"
The girls shared a look of confusement. For what garden?
"U-Um," Toko began. "We'd… Like to speak to the owner, please." The man, wiping his brow, beamed.
"You're looking right at 'im!" he replied, giving a small chuckle. "Seiji Katsuragi's the name! Been runnin' this place since '84, and haven't changed a single, damn thing!"
"O-Oh…"
The man certainly didn't give off the appearance of a business owner, nor the professionalism they would have expected. With his beige khakis, baby-blue polo shirt, and unkempt, bushy eyebrows, this man was the lastperson the twins would expect to run a business.
"Now, what can ol' Seiji do 'fer 'ya lovely ladies?"
"Uh…" Toko fidgeted with the hem of her plum-coloured sweater. Syo, meanwhile, was covering her nose with her damp sleeve, which she had only stopped chewing on once they had reached the building. "... We'd… Like to rent one of your apartments."
"Oh, is that right?" Mr. Katsuragi leaned forward over the desk as far as his gut would allow him, and looked at the twins for a moment, before raising an eyebrow, his bright smile not even faltering for a second. "And, uh… How old are youse two?"
Toko took a deep breath.
"... Sixteen."
"Thirteen."
Toko's eyes widened, and she turned to Syo, who had just admitted how young they truly were.
" What are you doing…?!" she hissed. Syo ignored her, her eyes looking elsewhere.
"Well?" Mr. Katsuragi chuckled. "Which is it? Sixteen, or thirteen?"
The younger twin sighed.
"... Thirteen."
The owner sighed, leaning back.
"You girls know 'yer too young, right?" he asked, concern filling his voice. "Where're 'yer parents-"
" Please." piped up Syo, clutching onto Kameko's jar for dear life. "We've been walking nonstop since six in the morning to get here."
Mr. Katsuragi frowned for the first time.
"... An' why's that?"
Syo looked to Toko, who gave her sister a small nod.
"... Tell the truth, this time." Syo nodded, and turned to face the owner, though she focused her eyes onto the shiny bell on the desk, her hair cascading down her face.
"... We've come from an abusive household. We have two Moms, and a Father who… Blows the family's money on lottery tickets and booze." The older twin spoke just as an actor rehearsing their lines would; with both practised timing, and slight uncertainty.
"My sister is always held underwater, we're constantly yelled at and beaten, a-and…" Syo brought her free hand up to her shoulder and began her slow, but rhythmic drumming. "... And it's even worse when Father's drunk… H-He yells, and grabs us, and-"
"Woah, hey, hey, 'ya don't need to keep goin'... It's fine."
Mr. Katsuragi quickly made his way around the desk, approaching the twins, and held out his chubby hands in an attempt to show them that he had no ill-intentions. Despite this, Syo still took a step back. The owner sighed.
"Don't be upset, lil' miss!" he chirped, trying to cheer up the clearly stressed girl. Looking down, he noticed the jar in Syo's hand.
"What'cha got in that jar?" he asked, smiling, clearly struggling to keep his naturally booming voice down. Syo didn't respond, instead pulling Kameko's home as close to her body as she could. Taking another step back, she continued drumming against her shoulder.
"... I-It's our friend." replied Toko, and Mr. Katsuragi's smile faded slightly.
"Hey, Syo," she continued, turning to her sister. "It's fine… I'll talk to him. S-Sit down on one of those chairs for a minute, okay?" As she spoke, she held out a hand to Syo's lower back, though never actually came into contact with it, the action a contact-less form of both affection, and guidance. Syo simply nodded, and made her way over to one of the brown chairs, before sitting down, not bothering to take off her bag.
"... Youse girls are in quite the predicament, ain't 'ya?"
The younger twin nodded.
"... Yes, sir." she answered. "W-We're desperate."
The owner sighed, and shook his head.
"Don't bother with that formal crap..." he remarked, glancing up at Syo, before looking back down at the bespectacled girl. "... You girls don't looklike troublemakers…"
"I-I promise you," Toko spoke up, looking down. "We're not."
Mr. Katsuragi thought for a few moments, before letting out a deep sigh.
"... Well," he began, mostly to himself. "I ain't changed the way this business operates since '84, and that includeshelpin' folks who need helpin'."
Toko breathed a sigh of relief, giving the man a small smile.
"... Th-Thank you so much, Mr. Katsuragi…!" she thanked. The owner grinned.
"What'd I say about that formal crap? You can call me Seiji!"
Toko would never call this man by his first name, ever.
"Speakin' of, what are 'yer names?"
"... Toko Fukawa…" Toko answered, not expecting the man to remember after a day. "... A-And, that's my sister, Syo."
"Well, it's lovely to meet such charmin' ladies as 'yerselves!" Seiji bellowed, stretching his hand out to Toko, who gingerly shook it. Suddenly, something seemed to come to mind, and Seiji withdrew his hand, before trying his hardest to crouch down to meet Toko at eye-length.
"Erm… Not that it matters, but do you girls…?"
"W-We have a little under nine-hundred…" Seiji laughed.
"Ah, that'll do 'ya plenty, here!" he exclaimed, getting up with slight difficulty. Toko looked down and noticed he was wearing black crocs with what looked like merino wool lining. She tried not to pull a face.
"Normally, I charge about eighty bucks a week cause 'fer some reason, regular folks never wanna to stay more than six months, but believe it or not, I get a lotta diff'rent folks like youse from all sorts'a backgrounds." Seiji continued, wandering back to the desk. "Once, I had a boy around 15 years old come in askin' for a room 'fer a few weeks, poor thing got kicked outta the car a few miles down the road to Asahikawa-" He continued his story as he wandered back into the main office, where he could no longer be heard, but was no doubt still talking. Toko took this opportunity to approach Syo.
"Hey, d-did you hear that…!" she asked, her smile now a little wider. "We're gonna be okay here, Syo…!"
The older twin had seemed to calm down a little, but Toko noticed that she was still drumming away at her shoulderblade.
"... You gonna be okay?" she then asked. "Do you need to go outside?"
Syo shook her head, and Toko breathed a sigh of relief.
"O-Okay… Let me know if you change your mind, okay?"
"... Mhm."
"-And whoo, boy, lemme tell 'ya, girls," Seiji emerged from the office holding a sheet of paper, and a key. "That lad's shitty parents put up one helluva fight, but once I got involved in that kid's court case speakin' against 'em, his aunt n' uncle got full custody! Ah, that was about fourteen years ago now…" He sighed whimsically. "... I'd do anythin' to see how the boy's gettin' along."
He paused for a few moments, before blinking, seemingly only just remembering that the twins were there.
"O-Oh, anyways…!" He gave them a sheepish grin, before rummaging through the desk draws and pulling out a black, ball-point pen. Toko approached the desk, and Seiji slid the paper and pen towards her.
"'Fer legal reasons, paperwork's gotta be involved for all my tenants," he explained. "But don' worry- it's nothin' complicated."
Toko, picking up the pen, read through the document, checking for any possible red flags. Finding none, she signed her name at the bottom.
"The main thing is," Seiji continued explaining, "Tenants in your situation, regardless of financial earnings, have their rent halved, 'cause of… Y'know. So, if forty a fortnight is fine-"
"Th-That's way too little..." Toko interjected. "... No way. We couldn't possibly…" Seiji just laughed.
"I know, I know, but don't worry, I ain't losin' money from this, right? I 'ave a bigger apartment complex a few miles down, way more popular… I like to think of this one as a sorta hostel for people lookin' 'fer a fresh start. A new life, if 'ya wanna get dramatic 'bout it."
Toko looked at him hesitantly. Seiji noticed, and gave the a softer, warmer smile than before.
"I get people in similar situations all the time," he reassured. "An' any money I ever lose from this place, I make back from the other. It's how I'm able t' keep this place runnin', honestly."
The younger twin was speechless. She hadn't expected this level on generosity, from a stranger, let alone from an owner of his caliber. Walking in, she had fully expected for the two of them to be turned away, if not for their age, then surely for their pitiful looks. Surely no self-respecting owner would want vermin such as herself scurrying around their establishment, but looking at the balding, generous man that stood before her, Toko realised that maybe she needed to be more open about accepting help from those around her.
"... Thank you, Mr. Katsuragi." she finally spoke, giving the man a small bow. "This means everything to me and my sister."
Seiji's warm smile grew, and he bowed back.
"You're very welcome, Miss Toko!"
Taking the document, he looked over the signature for a moment, before folding it.
"Your sister will need to sign it, too," he exclaimed, looking over to where Syo was sitting, the older twin now once again chewing on her sleeve. "But we can wait 'till she's feeling better."
He then slid the key across the desk, which was slightly rusted, and clearly old, as this was unlike any other key Toko had ever seen, being slightly larger, and with more edges. Picking it up, she saw the number '24' engraved on the handle.
"That's got 'yer room number on it," Seiji said, gesturing towards the key. "Go in an' make 'yerselves at home. The rooms are all fully furnished with good, sturdy furniture made by my great-pa in the '90s, an' the code 'fer the wi-fi should be on the fridge somewhere." He wiped his brow, before nodding to the twins. "I'll come up an' check on youse in a few hours t' make sure y'all are settled in okay, an' I'll get some numbers for cheap groceries in the area!"
Seiji gave the girls another quick nod, and made his way back to the office. Toko, clutching the key in her hand, turned back to Syo, who was already standing up.
"You feeling better, now?" she asked, and Syo nodded, before motioning to a set of stairs to the left of the office that Toko hadn't noticed before.
"... Alright." Toko forced a chuckle, and adjusted her glasses, making note to clean them once they sit down, before making her way up the stairs, Syo quickly, and quietly, following suit.
Two flights of stairs later, and the sisters reached their apartment. Still clutching Kameko, Syo stood back as Toko unlocked the door, where they were immediately bombarded with the smell of dust, and more mothballs.
Stepping inside, the girls' feet practically sank into the thick, green carpet which, despite its age, looked nearly brand-new. The living room was slightly bigger than they had anticipated, with room for a couch, television stand, and even a coffee table, all of which had been clearly handmade with love. The walls were still the same shade of beige as the rest of the building they had seen, but with the addition of the carpet, it didn't look ashideous.
It even had an open kitchen, with some of the nicest, albeit still old-fashioned, tiles they had ever seen.
The twins hurridley, but carefully places their rucksacks on the floor, the door swinging shut behind them, and Toko made a beeline for the white-framed window, opening it after a brief struggle with the stiff lock. Syo, meanwhile, was busy examining the television, which was the bulkiest hunk of technology she had ever seen, with buttons she couldn't even beginto imagine their functions.
She decided she'd mess around with it later.
Toko stuck her head out of the window, thankful for the musty smell of the apartment finally escaping her nostrils, before looking down, finally noticing the fire escape herself. They weren't toohigh up, their apartment only being on the second floor, but with no trees in sight, she had a feeling that her sister would loveto climb this. She'd no doubt already spotted it.
She ducked back inside, and watched as Syo carefully set down Kameko's jar on a small end table next to the couch.
"Our bedroom's in that hallway," the older twin commented, pointing over to a small corridor next to the kitchen. "I had a quick look while you were busy lookin' outside. We got a bathroom, too."
Toko nodded, before making her way over to the hall where, sure enough, two doors were located. Opening the door on her left, she peered in, and was met with a white, tiled bathroom, complete with a shower, sink, toilet, and old washing machine. The braided girl breathed a sigh of relief. No bathtub.
Showers were always bad, but to both of them, baths were undoubtedly far worse. You can breathein showers.
Closing the door behind her, Toko peeked into the other room, which was an ordinary-looking bedroom, with a double bed that looked like it hadn't had anyone sleep in it since the early 90's, a large, oak wardrobe, and a matching empty bookshelf and desk. Of course, the walls were still beige, but at least the window leading out wasn't barred.
She let out a content sigh, and re-entered the living room, where Syo was laying down on the couch, a slightly bothered look on her face.
"... Why don't you just lay in bed?" Toko asked, looking down at Syo from the walkway.
"This was closer." her sister simply replied. She turned her head slightly.
"... Do you trust him?"
Toko blinked, taken aback by the question.
"W-Well... " She thought for a moment, before hesitantly nodding. "... Yeah. I think so. Wh-Why…?"
Syo shrugged.
"Just thinkin' about what you said earlier." came her response. "Y'know, about bein' careful who you trust."
"... Syo, I didn't mean you aren't allowed to trust anyone-"
"I know."
Syo pulled herself up.
"... That guy's super loud, huh?"
Toko sighed. She knew that Syo was trying to change the subject, despite being the one to start it, but she could tell that it was bothering her regardless. Forcing a smile, she nodded.
"... Heh… Yeah."
As if on cue, there was a loud knock at the door. The girls both jumped, hesitant to answer it, before Syo stood up and opened the door.
"Heya, ladies!" Seiji greeted, giving the two a small wave from the other side of the doorway. "Now, I won't bother youse for long, and-" He looked at Syo, and blinked. "... Oh! Hey!" he greeted again. "'Ya feelin' a bit better, lil' lady?"
Syo cringed at the nickname, before nodding. Seiji beamed.
"Good, good! I'll get 'ya to add 'yer signature on that document after, yeah?"
Another nod.
"Hah, thanks 'fer that!" he laughed, before turning his attention to Toko.
"Youse two comfy enough in 'ere?" he asked. "Cuz if not, I can give youse two a different-"
"N-No, no!" Toko interrupted, waving her hands. "This room is perfect…!" Seiji's smile grew.
"Ah, that's good t' hear! Now, what was I sayin'...?" He frowned, thinking, and for a moment, Syo considered simply shutting the door. Though, she knew that would be rude, and so she refrained from doing so.
Still… It'd be kind of funny.
"... Oh, that's right!"
Seiji clicked his fingers together, before holding out a slip of paper that he had been holding in his other hand. "These are those cheap grocers I was tellin' youse about!" he explained, handing it to Syo, who snatched it from him, though the man didn't even seem to notice.
"The closest one's about ten minutes from 'ere," he continued. "Down the road, big neon sign, can't miss it!"
"Thank you, Mr. Katsuragi." Toko nodded her head, before glancing at Syo, urging her sister to do the same. Syo turned back to the man, and did the same.
"Ah, don't mention it!" Seiji nodded back with vigor. "Anyways, I won't keep youse girls any longer, I've gotta finish this game of solitare, an' I've got this meetin' at 3, an'-" His rambling continued as he walked away. Syo shut the door, and turned around, giving Toko an exhausted look.
"... God,he's so fuckin' loud."
Later that night, Toko and Syo sat at the small dining table that sat against the half wall which helped to separate the kitchen and living room. After unpacking what few belongings they had brought with them, the sisters had decided to do a quick grocery run, before scoping out the area that they now called their new home.
The list that Seiji made for them proved to be useful, his hastily-scribbled directions being surprisingly easy to follow, and even easier to memorise, though that was mostly due to the way in which he described the building around them, rather than straight-up stating the street names which, while it had confused Toko, it had been greatly helpful to Syo.
They had only bought a small amount of groceries, however, as none of them really knew what foods were suitable. Tomatoes would rot if they didn't eat them in a certain amount of time, same as most other fresh produce, and Toko wasn't a fan of fried food.
The twins had eventually decided on a few cans of baked beans, instant pudding mix, a carton of eggs, and a loaf of bread. The bread had been the hardest to decide on, as neither twin ate that often, and so were worried it would go off, and they'd have then wasted the $1.75 it cost.
Of course, Toko had decided she would make a meal plan, so as to make sure that there would be no wastage. Right now, though? They would celebrate with pudding…
… Just as soon as it had finished setting in the fridge.
So there they sat, sitting across from each other at the table, Syo rocking on her chair as Toko tried to think of cheap, semi-nutritious meals, before scribbling them down in her notebook, which was normally reserved for her writing.
"... How much longer is it gonna be?" Syo whined, still rocking in her chair. Toko glanced up at the wall clock, which looked like it had once belonged in a classroom.
"Um… About ten more minutes… Probably." she replied, before looking back at her sister. "A-And stop rocking! You might hurt yourself!"
Syo pouted, but did as she was told.
Another few minutes passed, with Toko occasionally asking if she should add whatever meal she was thinking, with Syo either agreeing, or declining, but mostly the latter, much to the frustration of the younger of the two.
"Syo," Toko sighed in frustration, putting her pen down, before rubbing her temples. "You need to agree to something.There's only so much I can think of, unless youcan think of something."
"Hey," Syo held up her arms in defense. "It's not myfault most foods are gross."
Toko let out another exasperated sigh. Opening her mouth to respond, she was suddenly startled when Syo slammed her hands on the table.
" Fuck I forgot something!" the older twin shouted, before bolting up and running off to her room excitedly.
"S-Syo, for the love of god, don't do that!" Toko called after her, frustrated, but her sister didn't respond, re-entering the room moments later with her arms behind her back, and a look of childish glee plastered on her face.
"... What do you have, there?" Toko asked, apprehensively. Syo shrugged.
"Oh, nothin' much…" she began, her words drawn out. She reveled for a moment in Toko's uneasiness, finding the girls' reaction hilarious, before holding her arms out in front of her. Looking down, Toko saw that her sister was holding an unboxed laptop. It looked a bit outdated, and was clearly preowned, having several scratches on the lid, but other than that, it looked to be in near-perfect condition.
"... I got this for 'ya!" Syo beamed, setting down on the table in front of Toko, who looked at it in awe. She had never owned a laptop before, and her older sister knew she had always wanted one…
"... Syo, you…" Toko spoke, but found herself struggling to find the right words she was looking for. Her eyes welled up.
"... Wh-Where…? When-"
"Oh, remember when we were shoppin' earlier, an' I asked to go into that pawn shop?"
"... Where did you get the money…?" Toko opened the lid to examine it further. It had no missing keys, save for a few more scratches near the power button.
"Well," Syo began, sitting down once more. "Honestly, that wallet wasn't the first lot of money I stole from Father." she admitted, though she didn't seem phased in the slightest. "I've been takin' little amounts for years…Finally had enough to get a decent one."
Toko looked at Syo in bewilderment.
"Y-You what…?! But, I-I-"
"Just shut up and take it, oh my god."
Toko stood up, and opened her arms. Syo nodded, and Toko enveloped her sister in a hug.
"... Thank you, Syo." Toko wrapped her tighter for a few moments, before letting go. "I love it so much."
"Heh, yeah…" The older sister gave a small, but genuine smile. "... The charger's still in the bedroom. Now 'ya don't have to use that shitty notebook for your writing."
Toko went to sit back down herself, before stopping herself.
"O-Oh…!" she exclaimed, before walking into the kitchen and rummaging through the cutlery drawer. "I've got something for you, too.."
Syo looked up in excitement.
"Oh? What is it?!" she asked as she began to once again rock in her chair, holding onto the edge of the table for support.
Toko rolled her eyes, not bothering to scold her sister any more, and pulled out a small package wrapped in old newspaper. Walking back around, she gave it to Syo.
"I-I wasgonna give this to you after we'd finished eating," she exclaimed, glancing up at the clock. "But, it should be set by now anyway, s-so…"
She watched as her older sister eagery tore away at the newspaper. Her scarlet eyes lit up once she saw the gift.
It was a pair of scissors, though they were unlike anything you'd see in a craft or hobby shop. These were completely silver, with intricately carved swirls and flowers along each side of the blades. The finger rings were each tipped with a spiked curve on both sides, each pointing in the opposite direction from each other, the finger rest tipped with a small, red jewel. The focal point of the scissors, however, was a larger, red jewel in the center of the tension screw, which brightly reflected against the light.
"... I-I know they're technically barber scissors, but..." Toko began to stammer, mistaking Syo's temporary silence for distaste. "Th-They still functionas regular scissors, so I thought-"
"Oh my fucking god…" Syo began, once again unintentionally interrupting her sister, her eyes fixed on the stationery item. Toko felt her heart sink.
"... If you don't like them, I-I can-"
" I love them, holy fuck!" The older twin began to bounce in her seat, much to Toko's relief, who let out a shaky sigh.
"Oh, thank god…!" she muttered. "I-I had thought you hated it…"
"Where didja get the money for it?!" Syo yelled, unaware of just how loud she was being, but she couldn't help it, nor did she care less; she had just ben given the sweetest fucking gift in the world.
"K-Keep it down…!" Toko hushed her sister, though didn't scold her toohard. She was just happy to see Syo this genuinely happy about something. It made her feel warm.
"But... " she continued, making her way over to the fridge. "... I never told anyone, b-but I entered a writing competition last year…"
"And…?"
Toko opened the fridge door and retrieved the chocolate pudding.
"And… I won. So I used the money to get you those."
She gestured to the pair of scissors with a spoon, before scooping up two small serves of the sugary dessert, and setting the rest back into the fridge.
"Oh… These… Weren't too much, were they?"
Toko handed one of the bowls to Syo, along with a teaspoon, and sat back down.
"They weren't, no. The prize money wasn't that much compared to other contests, but it was the only one I felt comfortable entering…"
Syo finally stopped bouncing, and carefully set the scissors down on the table next to her bowl.
"... I know you like crafts, so they should be an improvement to those old, blunt ones you stole from art class when we were eleven." Toko chuckled. "I had them hidden away under the mattress for almost a year… It's a miracle you hadn't found them prematurely."
The sisters laughed.
"... I love 'em, Gloomy." Syo repeated, scooping up some of the pudding onto her spoon. "I'm keepin' them with me forever!"
"Pfft, th-that's a little much…!" Toko scoffed, stifling a laugh. "W-Well…"
She copied Syo, scooping up some pudding.
"... Here's to the start of a new life…!"
The twins smiled, and began eating. After a moment, Syo pulled a face.
"... Toko?"
"Yeah?"
"... This tastes fuckin' gross."