"Run away! Get away! Find help! Find safety!" Those words ran through the head of a young girl with waist-length strawberry-blonde hair and emerald-green eyes with glasses as she ran down a lightly snow-covered sidewalk.
At that point, she had no clue how long she had been running—or how far she had gone, but she knew she had to keep going.
"Find her! Don't let her get away!" Those were the words that ran through the heads of two older boys who were chasing the girl.
One of the boys had short, somewhat spiky dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.
The other boy had nape-length dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes.
'Just a little longer. Please… Please, Lord—somebody help me!' The girl screamed at herself as she ran—running out of breath.
She turned a corner and—smack! She ran right into three shocked men.
"Hey, are you ok?" One of the men asked, concerned as the girl slid to her knees.
"Ple-please…" She begged.
"You're Vegeta's younger sister, aren't you?" The younger of three guys asked, watching her.
She shook her head and answered, "N-n-no… Bu-bad mu-man's so-son… Man hu-hurt Ma-Mom—for long time—all my life. Mom pushed me out window and told me to run—get help. Find Kuro-Kuro Sohma. Curse. Dog."
The girl stuttered horribly—out of breath before babbling—still out of breath. And that's when one of the older two men noticed the mark on the bottom of the girl's wrist.
"Kuro—" The other two guys started but stopped when the other guy put his hand up to them and knelt in front of the girl.
"Hey, I'm Kurogane Sohma. I don't know your first name—but is your last name by any chance Sakurako? And if so, is your mother Sara Sakurako?" Kurogane told the girl and then asked, watching her.
"Kuro-Kuro…" The girl spoke before passing out.
"Kurogane?" The other older male asked, watching as he lifted the girl into his arms.
"You remember Sara, don't you? She was a friend of mine—even though she's a year and a half older than me. I, like most, knew she was pregnant. However, unlike any of the others, she told me she was having a girl—and that she was going to be special. And then she went missing. And she was right; she did have a special daughter. Kurama, turn her right wrist over and look at the bottom." The one man, Kurogane, explained and then instructed, looking at another man.
The other man, Kurama, just looked at Kurogane before sighing; he then turned the girl's wrist over, only to stare in shock, along with the younger boy.
Kurogane had messy, shoulder-length black hair and hazel eyes; he was twenty-seven.
Kurama had messy, maroon hair reaching his upper back and gray eyes; he was twenty-five.
"Are you her father?" The younger male asked, horrified, looking at Kurogane.
"No, I'm not her father, Kota. I'm only twenty-seven; this girl has got to be fourteen by now. If I were her father, I would've only been thirteen when she was born. Granted—Sara was only fourteen when she found out she was pregnant; she would've been fifteen when she gave birth. But this girl is our key; she has the mark on her wrist—and I'm willing to be she has the other one on her back as well. Not to mention; Sara's child is the child we've all been searching for." Kurogane answered his younger companion, Kota.
"Are you sure it's really her? Are you really sure it's Sara's daughter?" Kota asked, looking at Kurogane.
Kota was seventeen with nape-length orange hair with dark yellow highlights and greenish-yellow eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure it's her; the only two people who ever called me "Kuro-Kuro" were Kurama and Sara. Looking at her now, I can definitely tell she's her daughter; she looks a lot like Sara at that age. Now, I know for a fact that Sara only had one child—unless she has more now. This girl is either her only or oldest child. Vegeta?" Kurogane answered and then asked, narrowing his eyes at Kota.
"Vegeta Yamimura; his parents were obsessed with that Dragon Ball Z. I think his dad's name is Daku or something like that. I usually only saw Vegeta and his dad. There was never any mother or anyone like that. I only saw the girl twice; he said she was his sister and that she was sick or something. His dad said the girl was a sickly child; neither of them said a name." Kota quickly answered, suddenly scared by the look in Kurogane's eyes.
"Daku Yamimura… That certainly does explain a lot; he was obsessed with Sara…" Kurogane sighed, annoyed, just as the guys who have been chasing the girl rounded the corner.
"Kota…" Both boys breathed, looking at Kota, Kurogane, and Kurama.
"Vegeta Yamimura and Yoshi Watanabe." Kota responded, watching the two.
Vegeta had short dark brown hair while Yoshi had dark blonde hair. Both boys were seventeen and in Kota's class.
"I'm so glad we ran into you. I see you've found my sister; she recently ran away due to sickness. If I could just take her home, that'd be great." Vegeta stated, walking to Kurogane, who backed away.
"Kurama, take her home. Kota, you know where Vegeta and his father live, yes?" Kurogane instructed, handing Kurama the girl before asking Kota.
"Yeah—I had to do some science project at his house." Kota answered, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Good. Call the police and let them know what's going on." "WHAT?!" Kurogane started instructed before being interrupted by Yoshi.
"Why the hell are you having him call the police?! We should call for kidnapping!" Vegeta furiously yelled.
"Yeah? Go ahead and call them. Be my guest. While you're at it, mention to them that one of Sara Sakurako's best friends knows where she's been for the past more than fourteen years. And that if you look up any records, it'll say that I'm her daughter's godfather. I may not know the girl, but I do know that Sara made it official a month and a half before she went missing because she didn't want her parents to have custody of her child. I also know for a fact that your father, Daku, is not the girl's father; Sara hated your father. So go ahead; call the police." Kurogane calmly told Vegeta.
"So what if my dad kidnapped that slut?! She spread her legs for everyone but him; she barely gave him the time of day. She got what she deserved! And for her to go behind Dad's back, have the baby, and name her without his permission! Not only that, but she got the surgery so she couldn't have any more kids! And her daughter is just as much of a slut as her! Just give us the girl so I can have my time and fuck her senseless! Dad promised me her and she's just about ready; she's just turned fourteen a few days ago! Touching and fucking her up the ass ain't working for me anymore! I want that precious virgin pussy! It's mine—whether she wants it or not! And she will have my children!" Vegeta furiously yelled.
"You never said anything about her being a virgin. Maybe I want to be her first." Vegeta's friend, Yoshi, calmly stated.
"She's mine; I get her first! You can have her as soon as I get her pregnant." Vegeta growled.
"That's enough of that. Vegeta Yamimura and Yoshi Watanabe; you're both under arrest. Vegeta Yamimura: you're under arrest for assisted kidnapping and admitting to raping a young girl. Yoshi Watanabe: you're arrested for aiding and abetting. Officers are on their way to your place to get your father." An arresting officer told Vegeta as he and another officer cuffed Yoshi.
"When the girl is able, contact Chief Officer Werther. We will contact you when we have news. Please, have a nice rest of your day." An officer calmly instructed Mamoru.
"Yes, of course." Mamoru politely replied, bowing a little before he, Kota, and the officers went their separate ways.
"So now what? Are you really that girl's godfather?" Kota asked, looking at Mamoru.
"Yes, I am. Sara was a good girl; she was an even better friend. No, we weren't in love. Or—at least she wasn't. My parents called it a crush on an older woman syndrome. But from what I understand, she was dating an older man. I just wanted—and still want her to be happy." Mamoru answered as he and Kota walked to a bus as Kurama took the car.
"Well—maybe you can tell her how you feel. I mean, she is alive after all." Kota stated as they walked.
"I don't know. The only thing I do know is—that poor girl; she looked as though she'd been running for hours…" Mamoru replied, sighing, concerned.
"Well—from Vegeta's house to where we were, it's a fifteen minute drive. So—my guess anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour or so on foot. And that's if she ran from Point A to Point B right away. Because whose to say she didn't go other places first?" Kota stated as they got on the bus.
"Yeah. But what bothers me—aside from her harsh breathing, is the fact that, yes, while I know it's October—and it's not horrible, it's still cold and snowing. And it's only supposed to get worse. I mean, the entire reason we came to town was the stock up on groceries. And then you dropped your phone… Which hey; did you find it—your phone?" Kurogane replied and then asked when a thought came back to him.
"Yeah, I found it—and luckily, it still works. Wait… How the hell do you think I was able to call the police if I didn't have my damn phone?!" Kota answered and then snapped, annoyed—especially when Kurogane sat there snickering, smirking, and laughing.
"You're a bastard; you know that, don't you? Who in their right mind would leave you as the godfather of their child?" Kota asked, watching Kurogane, feeling bad for that poor girl.
"That hurt. I am very responsible." Kurogane pouted, looking out his window with a smile.
"Uh-huh…" Kota mumbled, looking ahead.
Four Hours Later:
"She's still asleep?" Kota asked, walking into a room.
"Yeah… And her fever hasn't gone down; I think it's gotten worse." Kurogane answered, watching the girl, concerned.
"Her breathing hasn't gotten any better either. It might be time to call the doctor. And what of Akira?" Kurama seriously stated before asking, concerned.
"I've already let Akira know what's going on. What? Don't look at me like that. You know damn well that I had to tell Akira because if he were to find out about her—and that we knew and have her here, it wouldn't be pretty. You know how he gets when he's not informed about important things like this. However, I did tell him that I wasn't going to subject her to him and his cruelty—especially while she's sick. I have not gotten around to calling Ryo yet." Knock. Knock. Knock. Kurogane answered, looking from the girl to Kurama and Kota; he was going to say something else when there was knocking at the door.
"I'll get it." Kota offered—being the only one standing up at the moment.
Kurogane, Kurama, and Kota live in the middle of the woods on a small hill. It's secluded and quiet—and nobody bothers them. Yes, there are a few walking paths and one driving path, but not many people go into the wooded area unless it's family—or someone brings friends over.
As soon as Kota opened the door, a man with nape-length, straight black hair with long bangs reaching just above his red eyes walked in.
"Ryo's here." Kota mumbled, walking in with the man, Ryo.
"Ryo—what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?" Kurogane asked, shocked.
"You're an idiot. Why else would I be here in the middle of a snowstorm? Akira informed me what was going on; he ordered me to come here and check on the girl. Really Kurogane? Out of all of us, you're the oldest member in our predicament; you're supposed to be the most mature—especially if you're the girl's godfather and taking on custody of her. Honestly, what was Sara thinking in leaving you custody if anything happened to her? You're sure this is the right girl? Akira stated that you sounded one hundred percent sure that she was the right girl." Ryo spoke up after hanging up his coat and hat.
"Yes, we're sure." Kurogane, Kurama, and Kota answered at the same time.
"One hundred fifty percent." Kurogane added in.
"Well, where is she? Go get her. Akira mentioned you stated she wasn't feeling well; that's why he sent me." Ryo stated, demanding they bring the girl out.
"Well—it may be a bit difficult for her to come to you. I'll be in my room." Kota stated before walking upstairs.
"Follow us…" Kurogane sighed, leading the way; he didn't feel like arguing or making jokes at that moment.
"Not feeling well is an understatement; she's very sick. She has a fever that seems to be getting worse instead of better. I know Kurogane can be immature and hard to deal with, but he is genuinely concerned for the girl." Kurama told Ryo, momentarily shocking him.
"The girl doesn't have a name?" Ryo asked, following his cousins.
"Well, she does, but we don't know it. When she ran into us (and we didn't change) she had been running from her captors. Well—the son of Sara's captor and his friend. She was so scared and out of breath. After she told us what was going on and who she was told to find, she passed out. The only thing for certain we know is that her last name is "Sakurako." Kota said he'd been to the house she was at for some school assignment and his schoolmate said she was his younger sister—but Kurogane quickly shut that down." Kurama answered.
"Here she is." Kurogane stated, showing Ryo the girl.
"Well—at least you were responsible enough to let Akira know…" Ryo started, sighing as he ran his hand through his long bangs.
"You don't think we should've let Akira know?" Kurogane and Kurama asked, shocked.
"I know you had no choice, but no, I'm so sure it was a good idea to tell. We all know what he's capable of; we all know what he'll do to her—and she's just a child. Fourteen, yes?" Ryo replied and then asked, kneeling next to the girl lying on a futon.
"I believe so. If she's not fourteen, she soon will be." Kurogane answered.
"Ok… Well—she definitely has a fever." Ryo sighed, feeling her forehead before digging for something; he pulled out a forehead thermometer.
"What is it?" Kurama asked, concerned after they heard a beeping.
"102 even. One of you get her a wet rag; it'll help lower her fever at least a little bit." Ryo answered and then answered, grabbing a stethoscope and placed it in his ears.
After he got everything situated, Ryo pulled the blanket down and started listening to her heart, chest, and stomach. He then checked her pulse and immediately noticed her mark.
"Can you roll her on her side so I can check her lungs?" Ryo asked, looking at Kurogane.
Kurogane didn't reply; he just carefully rolled the girl onto her side and held her still.
Ryo carefully lifted the girl's shirt and started listening to her lungs—also looking at the large mark covering her lower back.
"Ok… You can lay her back down." Ryo told Kurogane after pulling the shirt down.
"Can we cover her back up?" Kurama asked, placing a cold, damp rag on the girl's forehead while Ryo wrote things down.
"Yeah, that's fine." Ryo replied, standing up.
"What are you doing?" Kurogane asked, looking at Ryo.
"I have to call and let Akira know what's going on. But before I do, I'm supposed to ask about Sara." Ryo answered, looking at Kurogane.
"Unknown." Kurogane answered before Ryo walked away.
Twenty Minutes Later:
"How'd that go? What? What happened? What's going on?" Kurogane asked, teasing at first before seeing a look on Ryo's face they don't see often; it read, "beyond annoyed."
"Well, I'd have to say the girl's diagnosis is pneumonia—and the flu; everything else sounds fine. Even her heart sounds find—despite it skipping two beats. But unless she has previous doctor's appointments, I won't know until we can get her to a hospital. And with how the weather is right now, that won't be happening for a few days. It's a good thing I have a few pairs of clothes and other necessities in my car—because I'll be staying until the storm blows over. Oh—and I won't be leaving anytime soon after that happens." Ryo explained, tapping his fingers.
"Why?" Kurogane and Kurama asked, watching Ryo.
"Well—apparently you flat out told Akira, he was not to see or be alone with the girl—ever. And that that was an order by Sara because she hates and scares him. Even if she's missing, she still haunts his dreams and such. Sara was and is the only person aside his parents that could scare Akira. However, he still wants the girl. But because you won't let him see her alone—or much at all because you rarely visit him, he figures he won't see her much. He expects me to be his eyes and ears; he's forcing me to move in here with all of you because she'll be living here—seeing as her mother's still M.I.A. And no—none of us have a choice. If we deny him, Akira will personally come here and have us all dragged back to the estate. Or—he'll move in here himself. So it's me or him; take your pick." Ryo informed, answering his shocked cousins.
"What's going on? How long is Ryo staying?" Kota asked, walking by with some dishes; it was his turn to do them.
"Permanently." Kurogane answered with a smile that made Ryo slightly uneasy.
"Permanently?! Why?!" Kota asked, freaked out.
"Yes, permanently. Akira's orders: it's him or Ryo." Kurama answered, eyes closed.
"Great…" Kota moaned, running dishwater.
"I'm not thrilled either." Ryo spoke up, pulling out a laptop.
"What are you going to do about work? Isn't the family hospital further from here than the estate?" Kota asked, making a point.
"That's what I'm going to figure out. Sara Sakurako, yes?" Ryo answered before asking Kurogane.
"Yes." Kurogane answered.
"She went to the Sohma Family Medical Hospital/Clinic/ER or elsewhere?" Ryo asked, looking at his laptop.
"The family's hospital/clinic/ER/urgent care. Her parents wouldn't let her go elsewhere." Kurogane answered.
"Did she have a fake name she'd use if she wanted to go elsewhere?" Ryo asked, searching through Sara's medical records.
"No. Why?" Kurogane asked, watching Ryo.
"Because I know how to hack into other hospital's patient records—and the last record of Sara Sakurako was when she gave birth to her child fourteen years ago. I can see Sara's stuff, but nothing on the girl because I don't know her name." Ryo replied.
"Uhh…" Kurogane drew a blank.
"Yamimura. The man who took Sara was Daku Yamimura; he may have forced her to use his last name. Try Sara Yamimura." Kurama spoke up, remembering what Kota and the police stated earlier.
"Do you know how to spell the last name? There are a few different ways to spell it." Ryo asked, looking at Kurama. He had only heard of Daku; he never met him or anything.
"Y.A.M.I.M.U.R.A." Kota answered, washing dishes.
"Ok… Oh. Here we are. Sara Yamimura. She didn't change a whole lot." Ryo stated, showing Kurogane a somewhat recent picture of a woman with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair and emerald-green eyes.
"Yeah, that's her. Even if she cut her hair, I'd recognize her anywhere." Kurogane stated.
"You're still a lovesick fool…" Ryo sighed, taking the laptop back.
"I'm surprised with all these visits someone didn't call police or something. She went in with bruised ribs twelve times, eight cracked ribs three different times, and three broken ribs three different times. She went in fifteen different times with a bruised tailbone, three times with a cracked collarbone, and—according to this, over eighty other times with various different broken, sprained, or fractured bones. She also had bruises everywhere. The only times she went to a hospital that wasn't "abuse" related were for appendicitis, an allergic reaction to a bee sting, being hit by a truck, and severe dehydration. This could've been forced or a means to an end because knowing Sara like I did; she never seemed like the type to do drugs. With that said, she ended up in the hospital after an overdose of drugs; her stomach needed to be pumped." Ryo read off several reasons why Sara was in the hospital.
"What about the daughter?" Kota asked, walking out of the kitchen after having finished the dishes.
"I don't know. Unless I know her name, I can't do anything. Certain files mention her "husband" or "boyfriend—" as in her captor and a daughter, but because they're not who I'm looking up, their names are blacked out. And no, I can't unblack them. You mentioned that she passed out shortly after bumping into you. How long ago was that?" Ryo informed before asking.
"Four and a half hours ago." Kurama answered.
"Hmm. I wonder how sick she's been. This had to be building up for a few days at least—maybe even a week." Ryo noted with a sigh.
"Mmm…" The girl moaned, slowly waking up, getting the guys' attention.
"Hey… Slow down. Easy." Kurama calmly instructed, startling the girl a little.
"Hey, it's ok. Do you remember us—or what happened earlier? You were running from some guys—one of them being the son of the man who kidnapped your mother, Sara, years ago. You ran into us and asked for help." Kurogane calmly told the panicked girl.
"Kuro-Kuro?" She softly asked, slightly confused.
"Yes… That's me; your mother used to call me that. My real name is Kurogane Sohma. This is my younger brother, Kurama; he met your mom a few times, but probably doesn't remember her a whole lot. This is our cousin, Kota Sohma; he was there earlier as well. And then over there is our other cousin, Ryo Sohma; he's also a doctor. Now—we know you're Sara's daughter. But—we do not know your name." Kurogane calmly explained, getting the girl to calm down a little.
"Mom?" The girl asked, sitting up straight and looked around.
"I'm sorry—but she's not here. Vegeta and his friend were arrested—and police went to the house you and your mother were being held. Unfortunately, there was no one there. There were traces that they were there, but it looked as though they left in a hurry. So—your mother is still missing. Well—still missing to us; it's probably new to you. But anyway—the police know who they're looking for; they have more now than they did over fourteen years ago. No matter how long it takes, your mother will be found—and found alive." Kurogane apologized and then explained, looking at the girl.
"Don't make promises you can't keep. Don't tell her things you know to be true. Daku was a real ass. Who knows what he's truly capable of?" Kota sternly stated, narrowing his eyes at Kurogane, earning a smack to the back of his head by Ryo and Kurama—and Kurama was usually nonviolent.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?! Do you really think it's fair to give her false hope?!" Kota yelled, holding his head.
"Knock it off! False hope or not, Kurogane was just trying to keep the girl calm; she needs to remain calm. The girl is sick and is already having a hard time breathing; she doesn't need to have a panic attack and make things worse. Not to mention—and I don't know why—Kurogane is her godfather and legal guardian. The decision to tell her the truth or not is up to him. Now—as for you… Can I please get your name and age?" Ryo snapped at Kota before kneeling in front of the girl and calmly asked her.
She just stared back at him—into his red eyes while he stared into her emerald-green eyes.
Instantly, they felt something but weren't sure what—so they ignored it.
"What's your name already?!" Kota snapped, impatient.
"Kota behave! Have patience. Jeez… I'll be right back; I need to use the bathroom." Ryo scolded, not taking his eyes off the girl. It was then that he realized what he felt.
With Ryo:
Ryo's P.O.V.:
What the hell is wrong with me?
I'm twenty-six; she's fourteen.
She probably doesn't even know the concept of love.
Well—I shouldn't say that: a lot of fourteen-year-olds know the concept of love.
Fuck. I've seen twelve-year-olds who know and understand the concept of love.
I suppose it depends on the person.
But that girl—even if she knows the concept, she's more likely to love someone her own age.
Not to mention, she's my cousin's goddaughter.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Ryo."
"What is it Kurogane?"
"You should tell her how you feel."
"What are you talking about now?" I asked, annoyed after opening the door.
"Sara liked older men. Her daughter may be the same way. Sara was in love with one of her teachers; she said he was sixteen years older than herself. He was single and didn't have any kids. Yes, the girl is different; she seems shyer. But we know why that is. Maybe get to know her and see what she's like. Ryo—when's the last time you loved someone—actually love someone? When was the last time somebody loved you in that way? I'm not say take and bed her; I'm saying give it a chance." Kurogane seriously told me.
"Umm…" That girl softly started, standing behind Kurogane.
When did she walk over?
Are her footsteps really that soft?
I didn't hear anything—and apparently, neither did Kurogane. And he's one of the ones with the best hearing.
"What is it, Sweetie?" Kurogane asked with a smile that made my skin crawl.
Him smiling at her like that is just wrong and creepy.
Seriously… How is this man allowed to be a legal guardian?
"Curse? You're all cursed…" The girl softly spoke, looking at us.
"Why, whatever do you mean?" Kurogane asked, trying to play innocent.
Just looking at her face, I could tell she wasn't buying it.
"Mom told me that some members of the family were cursed with animals spirits of Chinese Zodiac. Cat. Rat. Cow. Tiger. Rabbit. Dragon. Snake. Horse. Sheep. Monkey. Chicken. Dog. Boar. There's also a God and a psychic. She said that her friend Kuro-Kuro was cursed as the dog—and that even though he was a little younger than her, he was the oldest cursed animal member. She said that their God was older than him. She also said that I was the psychic—and that she only knows that because I was born with a moon and a star. She made me leave that house; she made me leave and find Kuro-Kuro and his family. She said Kuro-Kuro and other family members would take care of me. Maybe not all—but most. She said if I ever meet the God to never be alone with him because she doesn't trust him; she said he was no good. But he has to be better than Mr. Daku, right? Mom said no; he was worse. I don't understand how someone could be worse than Mr. Daku and Vegeta; they were very mean and liked to do naughty stuff to us. She told me to leave. She said as safe as it wasn't; it was going to get more not safe. She told me run and don't look back. Don't worry about her. No matter what happened; don't worry about her. She made me leave. Sh-she made me leave her behind. Sh-she said to be brave and go. I-I wanted her to come with! Why? Why didn't she come with? Why wouldn't she come with?! He wasn't even home; he just got home and inside when I got outside. She would've had time to escape too. Why? Why?! Why?! She made me leave without her! She said forget her—forget all about her. But I don't want to forget about her. She said find Mr. Noboru Sohma and give him the letter; he'd do what she requested. I don't know a Mr. Noboru. I don't wanna take him Mom's letter. She made me leave—without her. Mom… Why?" "Kurogane, move." I just had to interrupt her.
This girl was just pouring her heart out to us—to complete strangers—to her.
She didn't know us from Adam. Yet here she was, just pouring her heart out.
She was hurting in more ways than one—and upset. She was so upset; she was struggling to breathe, and she was repeating herself—a lot.
"Stop. That's enough. Come here." I sternly but calmly told the girl before pulling her into a hug and just let her cry into my chest.
After a few minutes of her sobbing, she once again passed out.
"Kurogane…" I started, carefully lifting the girl so I could carry her back to the futon.
"Sorry; I panicked." Kurogane apologized.
"No shit. You cannot let your feelings get in the way. Right now, Sara is gone and as hard as it is for you to get over your unrequited feelings, imagine how she must be feeling right now. Sara was her mother and all she had for any kind of comfort. None of us know just what either of them went through. And just so you know, Sara knew how you felt about her. You often wondered why she started hanging out with you less and less. It was because she didn't feel about you that way; she figured if she hung out with you less, you'd get over your crush. She viewed you as a younger brother. She had that thing where she didn't date younger men unless they were two months younger—but no more than two months. You were her brother and that's it; she loved her English teacher, Mr. Branson or whatever his name was. But she loved and trusted you enough to leave you guardianship over her daughter vs her parents—who we all knew she hated. Don't change and be yourself. Fine. But you're going to have to grow up a little and take some responsibility. I say a little because you're not alone. Kurama, Kota, and I will help you along the way." I sternly told Kurogane, holding the girl.
"You look like you're holding a lovely bride—getting ready to pass the threshold." Kurogane joked. However, I could see some kind of seriousness in his eyes.
"Shut up, you damn idiot…" I mumbled before laying the girl down.
Normal P.O.V.:
"Did any of you notice any type of letter on her?" Ryo asked, looking at everyone.
"No." Kota replied, annoyed; he was pissed off at being offered to help watch the girl without anyone even asking him.
He would've and was going to watch over her anyway; it's the fact that Ryo told Kurogane they would all be watching over her.
"Lose the attitude. You'll live—and you'll still be able to continue with all of your activities. Your entire life will not revolve around this girl." 'No—his life won't revolve around this girl. But mine will…' Ryo scolded Kota before thinking to himself, giving in to his feelings. However, he would never force her or stop her from dating who she wanted.
"We didn't see a letter, no. But that doesn't mean she didn't have one on her; it could be in the bag she had on her." Kurama spoke up, setting a small, blue personal backpack designed with a Yin/Yang sign, surrounded by the twelve animals of the Zodiac with a cat painted on, next to Ryo.
"So… We're a fan of the Zodiac including the cat. I don't know who, but someone painted a cat on with the other animals." Ryo sighed, looking at the backpack's design.
"Are you really going to go rummaging through her bag like some sort of creeper?" Kota asked, folding his arms across his chest as he watched Ryo.
"No need to; the letter's—or should I say letters are in the side pocket?" Ryo answered, pulling out two letters: Mr. Noboru & Ry and Ryo: the current Dragon & others.
To Ryo:
Because I know you'll read this anyway—or find out one way or another.
But here we go…
Dear Ryo & Mr. Noboru,
Yes, I have some type of abilities—but nothing like my daughter. I suppose that would be why she has the mark of the Family Psychic on her wrist & entire lower back—& I don't.
She has a multitude of abilities & all I can do is see certain glimpses of the future—in my sleep.
Oh, how I wish it were me instead of her?
I never wanted that for her.
I never wanted any of this for her.
It's already bad enough 13 members have to go through this curse.
& no, while she doesn't transform into an animal like the others, she can, does, & will feel their pain. It'll only last a minute or two, but she will not like it.
Then you have your so-called, would-be God, Akira…
He makes me sick & is nothing but a pile of 💩💩💩. & you can tell him I said that; I really don't give a flying fucking pile of 💩💩💩.
That mother fucker 😤😤😤 me off.
I'm warning you & everyone else:
If that good-for-nothing piece of shit goes near or touches my daughter without her permission, I will personally hunt him down one way other (dead or alive) & kill him. I don't give a flying fuck. He's a dead man if he touches her 💀💀💀👻👻👻👻👻👻.
Also, he's not allowed to threaten her or any of the others. If he threatens her or any of the others to get to her to get her permission, I will personally hunt him down & kill him (alive or dead); I don't fucking care.
That fucking pile of good for nothing 💩💩💩.
& if that mother fucker is afraid of me, he should be terrified of my daughter. She can do far worse than I ever could.
Oh, & Kiko—the family's first-ever psychic is watching & can still do a lot from Heaven. So if you don't worry about me, there's always her.
But anyway—moving on…
To Everyone Who It May Concern:
I'm not going to make it; Daku is going to kill me.
I've already seen it—& I cannot change it.
My body will later be found—& most will see it on the news.
Mr. Noboru Specifically:
With that information of me not making it, I don't want it to affect my daughter. She's already super sensitive.
If she finds out I didn't make it, it'll kill her.
She already wonders why I told her to go & didn't go with her.
If I would've gone with her, she would've witnessed me being killed—& quite possibly being severely injured herself.
I couldn't have either of those happen.
She's already traumatized enough from these past 14 years; she doesn't need anymore.
But my point:
I want you to make her forget me. Just me. Nothing else. & yes, I'll know.
Make her forget & think I died during birth or something. That way, when she sees that the police found my body, she'll feel sad or upset, but she won't panic & hurt herself.
Do this for me & I'll do that favor you asked of me the last time I saw you before I was taken after I'm dead.
Don't do this for me & I swear to the actual God that I will possess my daughter or someone else—or something & tell everyone your dirty secrets—ALL of them.
& don't think for a second that I won't.
Ryo, specifically:
Her name is in the letter I wrote directly to you because I don't like or remotely trust your father; he's too loyal to Akira. I do not want your dad knowing her name until it's the right time.
Once certain members know, Akira & everyone else will know.
Make sure this letter gets burned after your father reads it.
Sara.
Dear Ryo, Kuro-Kuro, Kurama, & the other cousin,
Because I know you'll soon be living with Kuro-Kuro, his brother & another cousin, I know they'll need to know this information as well.
& because I know you're a doctor—& by the time you've read this, you know you'll have to give that job up—to a certain degree.
My daughter:
Her name is Keomi Kiko Sakurako.
Her birthday is September 16th & she's just turned 14.
She was born a month & a half early & her lungs didn't fully develop.
Well, they did—after a month or so in the NICU.
This is a list of her "Issues" if you want to call them that.
She has or will have (later diagnosed by you): (I'll * what she already has)
* Severe Asthma
* ADD
* OCD
* Severe Social Anxiety (which lead to severe panic attacks)
* Basic Anxiety (which lead to severe panic attacks)
PTSD (which will lead to severe panic attacks)
Stockholm Syndrome (she will do whatever you tell her)
I'm sure you can find her medical records & such, but you should know:
Doctors thought she had autism, but she doesn't; she just has autistic tendencies because of her anxiety—& most likely PTSD.
But she likes soft things, doesn't talk much, & doesn't like to be touched. So far, I'm the only one who can hug her—which does calm her down. But you have to hold her from behind, sit down with her in your lap & rock a little. Not a lot, just a little.
As sad as it is, she has fallen multiple times & whacked her head on some things—& Daku may have dropped her on her head a few times—& threw her into a few walls.
What I'm saying is she does have some minor brain damage; she's just a little slower & things take her longer to figure out than other kids. But she also wasn't allowed to go to school & learn. She does know how to read, though; she loves reading—& it keeps her pretty calm.
She also, when she was 3, had meningitis & nearly died. Doctors said she was lucky & only suffered minor brain damage. The most significant side effects you'll notice are that she shakes when she walks & she tends to repeat herself.
Give her time; she's a good kid.
She easily gets lost & loses track of time.
(I recommend she has a watch or something that helps her keep track of time—or that she never go out alone.
Did I mention she gets & has panic attacks?
Sometimes they get so bad she can't breathe. Well—that's most of the time. But that'll change—eventually.
For reasons unknown to me, she's afraid of large bodies of water; she's really not an open book & never told me.
Maybe you'll have better luck with getting her to open up.
She does have trust issues.
I'm not sure if it's true or not, but doctors say that she's susceptible to pneumonia because of her asthma & how bad it is.
At first, I didn't believe the doctors & thought nothing of it.
However, after a few years, I'm not sure, as she gets pneumonia often during the fall & winter—& it gets severe. That may be because we've been living in a basement. I don't know.
Sometimes, she'll get pneumonia in the spring & summer, but it's never horrible then—not compared to fall & winter.
My wish is for her to be a happy girl; she hasn't had that luxury & I know you &—most of your family can give that to her.
It'll take a while, but she'll get there.
List of Allergies: (* will be by severe allergies)
* Bee stings
* Catfish
* Peppers
Pineapple
Coconut
Avocado (Guacamole)
* Adderall
* Ritalin
* Codeine
*Morphine/Hydromorphone
* Fentanyl
* Prednisone
She could've taken a few medications for her ADD, but they make her so tired, exhausted, & it seems she has a harder time concentrating where she's walking & walks into walls & other things. She's even fallen down a flight of stairs once. That's when I had enough & made the decision to take her off everything—for that.
The only problems she really has are not holding still, tapping her foot & the index finger on her right hand. & she seems to struggle with not only paying attention to math & science but also math & science in general.
Sleeping is something she's good at—& if you let her, she'll sleep all day.
Please don't let her sleep all day; she gets a little cranky after nine hours a night—or any more than one 2-hour nap a day. Unless, of course, she's sick: then she can sleep for as long as she needs.
Things she's afraid of:
Needles
Large bodies of water
Spiders
Being alone in populated places (stores/malls, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.)
Being alone in general
Snakes
Silence
Being hit
Being yelled at (she doesn't take it well)
Trusting people & opening up in fear of being hurt
Horror movies (but she'll read books)
Things She Likes:
Reading
Writing
Clay
Drawing/coloring
Painting
Listening to music
Soft/plush blankets
Soft/plush pillows
Body pillows
Soft/plush stuffed animals
Cooking/baking
Picking things up (she doesn't like clutter)
To Ryo:
I know her future with you.
For reasons I cannot tell you when, where, or how, but you & Keomi will be together.
I know you like her; I've known this would happen for years.
I've always told her age is just a number & that when she meets you (she doesn't know it's you), she'll know right you're who she's meant to be with.
Just give her time.
Talk to her.
Let her come to you—or slowly go to her.
I know you 😍❤❤❤❤❤💖💖💖💖💖 her.
It's not that I don't trust Kuro-Kuro to take care of her; I know he's capable & will take care of her.
I just want a backup—& I figure it might as well be the man who will take care of & ❤💖 her for the rest of her life.
Please take care of my daughter—& protect her from Kuro-Kuro's shenanigans. 😅😅😅
I know, ❤ & trust Kuro-Kuro dearly…
But I also know—that if he's worse than when he was younger, how he can be. He's a pain in the ass & is a giant man-child. But at the same time, I know he can be responsible when needed.
I understand that her being 14, stunted, & "uneducated," that she won't be allowed to enter school. But if at all possible, could you—or someone kind of teach her?
She is capable of learning; I know she is. She just needs time.
Well, that's about it.
Sorry for the long-ass letter.
Please take care of her; she was my world—& I know she'll be yours.
Ryo, I always thought of you like family—now I know why.
Welcome to my family.
Sara.
P.S.
DO NOT let my parents get a hold of her.
DO NOT let her meet them alone.
DO NOT EVER leave her alone with them.
I know how they are & I don't want them controlling her like they tried with me.
That—& they'll give her right to Akira.
Oh, & burn this so that nobody else can see it.
Yes, write down everything essential & keep it somewhere safe.
But do not, under any circumstances, let your dad or Akira find this.
In a perfect world, Akira would never know Keomi—or anything about her.
But this isn't a perfect world.
Bye.
Sara.
"Well—that's always nice…" Ryo sighed, watching Keomi while Kurogane sulked in a corner at what Sara wrote about him—even though most of it was good. ~_~
"Congratulations." Kurama happily congratulated Ryo.
"For what?" Ryo asked, watching Keomi.
"For knowing who you're meant to be with. I'm going to start dinner. I'll make her some soup as well." Kurama happily replied before getting up.
"I guess I'll call my dad…" Ryo sighed, standing up to head to a quiet part of the house…