Since I explained where this story takes place in the series, I guess all this
needs to say is that I don't own Kare Kano.
Steel and Concrete
"Sis, come play with us!" Tsukino whined, tugging on Yukino's sleeve. Pulling away from her sister's hand, Yukino yelled, "Tsukino, how can you think of playing at a time like this?!"
Kano held up a finger in explanation. "Now, sis, don't get even more upset at us. We're just trying to take your mind of Arima, but if you prefer to sit here and sulk about him, that's fine."
Yukino managed a small smile as she hugged her two sisters tight. "Thanks you guys, but I'm not in the mood to do anything but sit here."
Nodding sympathetically, Kano moved to the seat next to her. "Poor thing, you're probably using all your remaining energy just to do that aren't you? Tsukino, look at our sis. She's as pale as a ghost, and she's slightly swaying even while she's not standing. Yukino, did you even eat anything today?
"No, I couldn't even think about it. I didn't have much of an appetite," Yukino admitted softly, her eyelids drooping, "I was just so worried..."
"Worried or not, you need to keep your strength up. You're lucky Mom is at the store and Dad at work, or else both our parents would be on your case. Go to bed; Kano and I will leave you alone," Tsukino reprimanded, handing a blanket to Yukino.
Despite her reservations about sleeping, Yukino soon passed out in exhaustion. Tsukino sighed affectionately at her elder sister's prone form, and whispered, "She's really going to die soon if Arima doesn't come back. Is there anything we can do?"
Kano thought to herself for a minute, then held up their family dog. "We could use Pero-Pero as a bloodhound to sniff out Arima!"
"Kano, do us all a favor and just stick to giving out romantic advice."
*****
Pain shot through Souichirou's arm, and he soon realized his father's fingernails were digging into him. "Wake up, it's already one o'clock. I'm going out to talk to some friends of mine. You stay here. Be back soon."
Waiting a few minutes to make sure his father was really gone, Souichirou stood up quickly, willing to risk being seen than staying in this hellhole. But the room spun before his eyes, and he collapsed back to the floor, his legs too weak to support. Although his wound had been haphazardly bandaged by his father, the loss of blood made Souichirou's head feel light. He pursed his mouth, struggling to stop the rising bile in his throat from staining the mangy carpet. The fluorescent lighting burned his sight as Souichirou struggled to crawl to the bathroom. The cracked tile scratched his wrists, but he ignored the irritation as he made it to the toilet bowl. Not wanting want to think about why the toilet seemed to be not cleaned in years, he was finally able to regurgitate the remnants of his last meal.
The task had taken a lot out of him, but he was able to lean against the bathtub, the cool porcelain sticking to his hot and sweaty skin. His breath haggard, his head throbbing, his body weak, Souichirou concluded one thing: escape was hopeless.
Author's Note: Is it just me, or is Tsukino and Kano two of the smartest kids ever?! And I just love Pero-Pero, who is most likely the best pet in anime. And I know cheap hotels in Japan probably don't have a bathroom in each room, and that the toilet is more often in a different room than the tub and sink, but just work with me here please?
"Sis, come play with us!" Tsukino whined, tugging on Yukino's sleeve. Pulling away from her sister's hand, Yukino yelled, "Tsukino, how can you think of playing at a time like this?!"
Kano held up a finger in explanation. "Now, sis, don't get even more upset at us. We're just trying to take your mind of Arima, but if you prefer to sit here and sulk about him, that's fine."
Yukino managed a small smile as she hugged her two sisters tight. "Thanks you guys, but I'm not in the mood to do anything but sit here."
Nodding sympathetically, Kano moved to the seat next to her. "Poor thing, you're probably using all your remaining energy just to do that aren't you? Tsukino, look at our sis. She's as pale as a ghost, and she's slightly swaying even while she's not standing. Yukino, did you even eat anything today?
"No, I couldn't even think about it. I didn't have much of an appetite," Yukino admitted softly, her eyelids drooping, "I was just so worried..."
"Worried or not, you need to keep your strength up. You're lucky Mom is at the store and Dad at work, or else both our parents would be on your case. Go to bed; Kano and I will leave you alone," Tsukino reprimanded, handing a blanket to Yukino.
Despite her reservations about sleeping, Yukino soon passed out in exhaustion. Tsukino sighed affectionately at her elder sister's prone form, and whispered, "She's really going to die soon if Arima doesn't come back. Is there anything we can do?"
Kano thought to herself for a minute, then held up their family dog. "We could use Pero-Pero as a bloodhound to sniff out Arima!"
"Kano, do us all a favor and just stick to giving out romantic advice."
Pain shot through Souichirou's arm, and he soon realized his father's fingernails were digging into him. "Wake up, it's already one o'clock. I'm going out to talk to some friends of mine. You stay here. Be back soon."
Waiting a few minutes to make sure his father was really gone, Souichirou stood up quickly, willing to risk being seen than staying in this hellhole. But the room spun before his eyes, and he collapsed back to the floor, his legs too weak to support. Although his wound had been haphazardly bandaged by his father, the loss of blood made Souichirou's head feel light. He pursed his mouth, struggling to stop the rising bile in his throat from staining the mangy carpet. The fluorescent lighting burned his sight as Souichirou struggled to crawl to the bathroom. The cracked tile scratched his wrists, but he ignored the irritation as he made it to the toilet bowl. Not wanting want to think about why the toilet seemed to be not cleaned in years, he was finally able to regurgitate the remnants of his last meal.
The task had taken a lot out of him, but he was able to lean against the bathtub, the cool porcelain sticking to his hot and sweaty skin. His breath haggard, his head throbbing, his body weak, Souichirou concluded one thing: escape was hopeless.
Author's Note: Is it just me, or is Tsukino and Kano two of the smartest kids ever?! And I just love Pero-Pero, who is most likely the best pet in anime. And I know cheap hotels in Japan probably don't have a bathroom in each room, and that the toilet is more often in a different room than the tub and sink, but just work with me here please?