Aila and I sat at the dining room table. We just finished our bento boxes, but I didn't move to put them on our counters.

She sat there, looking almost blankly at the tablecloth. I didn't say anything. I just waited for her to decide when she wanted to speak, go somewhere, do something. It was all on her. I didn't want to pressure her into doing anything. I certainly hoped that I blessed her by playing the guitar and singing to her.

Aila then looked up at me, a sad smile on her lips.

"Sami...I think...I think I need to tell you the real reason why I'm here…"

I stayed quiet. I didn't want to stress her out or worry her or anything. I nodded after a moment.

"But...not..I don't know when."

I nodded again. I would give her all the time she needed. I was just telling her that we were here for her. That she could say something if she ever wanted to. If she didn't want to tell me yet, I wouldn't pressure her.

"I understand," I said casually. "I'm not rushing you in any way."

"I know. Thank you, Samiko, for being honest with me," She said, misty eyed.

"Well, I can't exactly be...not honest with you," I said slowly.

Aila laughed the hardest I've seen her laugh since she got here.

"That's true," she said, sipping from the glass of water I got her.

We were quiet for another little bit, but it was a nice, comfortable silence. The kittens started mewling, and I looked over at Princess. She was grooming the kittens and wrestling with them. They were so funny and sweet. I smiled.

"Princess is a good mother," Aila said.

"Hm..."

I looked back at my aunt. She was so fragile, but so strong. There was much to her that I didn't know.

"Sami, I…" she started, and I turned my full attention to her. "I'm not as good as you think I am."

I cocked my head. "What do you mean?"

"I...I made a mistake. In fact, I made two," She said, her eyes welling with tears again.

She sucked in a shaky breath and continued.

"Back when I lived in Tokyo with Mother, Naomasa came to visit. There was something big going on there, and lots of villain activity, and he was part of the investigation on it. So, naturally, when he came to the city, we spent time together--more time together--whenever we were free. We...long story short, Samiko, he came over one night, to our house. We were alone. There was sake on the table. I don't think you need to know the rest."

I blinked. Two people. They were in love. They were alone. They were drunk.

Yeah, I knew what happened.

"Y-you're right," I said quietly, blushing at the thought for no reason.

She laughed gently. "Well...I found out that...I got pregnant."

I gasped quietly. Don't tell me.

"And...and I told Mother. And I told her all that I told you. And...a month ago, she...I...I aborted it."

An ache settled in my chest. I remained calm.

"Mother told me that if I wanted to keep my home, my name, then I would never speak to him again, and get rid of the baby. And...I love Mother, I still do, so I did. But--"

Her voice cracked and she looked down at the table again.

She sniffled deeply, looking up. "I haven't been the same since. I would give up everything to take back what I did. My name, my title, my money means nothing now. And...I know why Mira refused to do to you what I did to my own," she confessed.

I stayed quiet. I didn't know much about my mom, and I thought that it was going to always be that way.

"Have you…" I said quietly, "told Naomasa about this, by chance?"

"No."

Aight.

"I...I'm afraid that he'll...hate me even more than he does if I tell him. I...I feel so bad for doing this to him." She put her head in her arms on the table.

"M...May I tell you what I think?" I asked her. I didn't want to say anything disrespectful or meddle in anything that she didn't want me meddling in.

Aila considered this, looking straight at me, then nodding.

"Then don't do it to him." I said.

She blinked.

"It may not be my place to say," I continued, gently and quietly, "but you need to tell him. At least let him know what happened. I think that he deserves to know. Even just...telling him that you're okay. Get to the serious stuff later. Don't ghost the poor guy."

"Samiko, it's not that easy," she sighed, looking up at me like I didn't know what I was talking about.

"Why wouldn't it be? It's like saying it to me, but to him." I said simply, "Isn't it?"

"No," she said, "It's not. He's--he was--the baby's father. And then I tell him that I aborted it without a second glance to him? How would you react if someone told that to you?"

I thought about that for a second, but not long enough to let Aila 'prove her point.'

"Yes," I said, "I would be upset. Even angry. But...that's how you know."

"Know what?" She asked, shaking her head and blinking.

"Know if he's worth your time."

Aila didn't say anything.

"It's not your fault, Aila," I said quietly, reaching over our table to touch her hand. "Na-Chan was manipulating you--using your love for her to get what she wanted. And if he doesn't understand that, then he can leave."

"I'm not going to blame Mother for my mistake." She said defensively.

"I'm not telling you to. I'm saying you need to tell him. Tell him your part. Don't bring Na-Chan into it. She doesn't need to be any more involved in our lives than she already is," I rolled my eyes.

Aila let out an unamused huff.

"Just tell him what you told me--more personal to him, obviously--you made a mistake. You were scared and wanted your mother's approval. So...you did what seemed to be the best option at the moment and weren't thinking. If he doesn't understand that, then you can leave him on the side of the road. So to speak."

Aila seemed to think about my words.

"And even if he does hate you, at least you'll know. And at least he'll know. I highly doubt that he'd hate you for something like that, though."

"But I hate myself for it," she said quietly. "He has every right to hate me."

"And I have every right to hate everyone who ever wronged me. It doesn't mean I'll do it."

She went quiet again. She was highly considering my words.

"Mistakes shouldn't define who someone is. If you take responsibility for it, he should understand and respect that, even if he's hurt," I said.

She nodded, seeming to understand.

"How old are you again?" she asked after a moment.

I chuckled. "Twelve."

"That's gotta be the first lie you've told me."

I chuckled.

"You sound so much older than you really are. How are you so good with giving relationship advice?"

I shrugged. "I just observe the world, see what works, then tell that to who needs the advice."

"Well, how do you know that?" she asked, in reference to our conversation.

"...You... You do know that my Mom didn't tell Dad about me for four years...right?"

Aila went very quiet. She looked like she had just had a revelation. A depressing one, yes, but a revelation nonetheless.

She nodded slowly. "I...I guess you're right."

I smiled at her. "I love you, Aila-Chan."

"I love you too, Samiko...Thank you. For--for listening to me, and talking with me. I needed to spill my guts for a while now," she laughed, wiping her eyes.

I smiled. "Everyone needs someone to spill their guts to, sometimes."

She nodded. "That we do."

I looked down at our hands--Aila's was now wrapping around mine--my mouth twitching.

"Whatcha thinking about, honey?" she said softly.

"This...this may be off topic," I said quietly, "But you said something…Did...Na-Chan told my Mom to...abort me?"

"Yes."

Anger flared in my stomach.

"She threatened the same thing she threatened me with, and Mira just left, and took you with her," Aila looked me straight in the face. "I wish I had had enough sense to do the same."

I looked at her sympathetically. "Is that why Mom lived in France?"

Aila wasn't the one that answered.

"Yes."

We both flinched hard and turned around. Dad was standing in the entryway of the dining room and the kitchen.

"Oh, my gosh, Shota," Aila laughed, pressing a hand to her chest, "You gotta tell someone where you are before you scare them."

"That kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" he said casually, bending down to scratch Princess's head.

I chuckled again, quietly.

He looked up at me. "We'll head down in fifteen minutes. Get ready."

"Yes, sir," I said with a nod, heading to my room, an amused smile on my face.

Things were getting big, now. Secrets were revealing themselves. And I knew that it wouldn't be much longer before it devolved into something bad.

But until then, we would make it. And we would succeed. Until then, secrets would be kept safe.

No matter what it takes. I swear.

.o0o.

A/N: Foreshadowing? What foreshadowing?