I awoke the next day with a pounding headache. Memories of the previous day slowly returned to me, each one like a knife to my already painful chest. I remembered everything.

To my surprise, Dedede didn't throw me out. Not because he didn't want to, but because he needed me more than ever now that Escargoon was leaving. News was spreading through the castle like wildfire that the snail had given the King his notice that very morning. He was leaving Dream Land and moving back with his mother in the far away countryside.

"It's rather sudden, isn't it?" Sir Ebrum sighed, pouring himself a cup of tea. "Goodness me, where are my manners? Would you care for some tea, Erika?"

"No thank you, Sir Ebrum." I sadly sank further down into their sofa.

Tiff sat close to me, trying to be sympathetic. "You two were always pretty close. It's gonna be pretty different around here when Escargoon is gone."

Even Kirby gave a sad 'poyo'.

"I say good riddance," Tuff interjected, munching a cookie. "That guy's a creep."

"Tuff!" Tiff scolded. "You could at least try to be sympathetic to Erika's feelings."

I didn't blame him. Not long ago I likely would have shared the same sentiments, and I knew Tiff felt the same way as her brother, even if she wouldn't say it out loud in front of me.

I knew who would feel the same sadness as me though. But I didn't know if he would be willing to show it openly.

Later in the afternoon I found King Dedede out on the balcony, staring listlessly into the distance. I stepped out into the open air, standing side by side with the King in solemn silence, gazing into the grassy garden below where Tuff and Kirby were kicking a ball around the fountain. I watched in envy, longing to be like them. I missed being a child with no cares in the world, when the only thing you have to worry about is what time you have to be home for dinner.

"I guess it's just you and me from now on," Dedede finally spoke up, wistfully gazing out across the wall into the distance.

"Your Majesty…" I reached up to place a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He didn't shake me off this time. "I'm gonna miss him too."

"Why he leavin' anyhow? I always thought he was happy here," the King whimpered. "Erika, you'd tell me if if was my fault he's leavin', wouldn't ya?"

"It isn't your fault, Sire. I promise."

"Ain't there nothin' I can do to make him stay?"

I had never seen Dedede this upset. He sounded as if he would burst into tears at any moment, and not the usual tears of frustration he'd shed after a failed plot against Kirby. He sounded truly heartbroken.

For the first time ever, I felt a bond with King Dedede, as if our shared sorrow was bringing us closer together. I found myself wanting to help him, even if that meant putting aside my own stubborn pride.

"Erika," he choked, turning to me with pleading eyes. "Can't you talk to him or somethin'? I don't wanna lose my Goonie."

Goonie. I had never heard Dedede use a pet name before, and it pulled at my heartstrings hard. Tears were beginning to spill down his cheeks, dripping from his beak. I realised just how much he really, truly cared for Escargoon.

I nodded firmly. "OK, Sire. I'll talk to him."

"You will?" The penguin suddenly wrapped his arms around me and lifted me clear off the ground for the tightest hug I've ever received. "You're the best, Erika!"

I reluctantly decided there was no use putting it off and headed upstairs to Escargoon's bedchamber right away. He hadn't left all day, not since handing the King his notice that morning, so I knew he would still be inside.

Taking a deep breath, I tapped on the door.

Silence.

I knocked again.

"…Who is it?" came the monotonous voice inside.

"It's me. Erika."

"Oh." Another short silence. Then, "I'm busy. Go away."

I tried to swallow my nerves. "Please. I just want… I want to apologise."

Another agonising silence. My heart pounded with anxiety.

"Fine. Make it quick."

I opened the creaking door before he changed his mind and slipped inside, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could. There was Escargoon sitting on the bed, facing the window with his back to me. There were several packed half-packed suitcases scattered around the almost empty room.

I looked at all the suitcases. "So you're really leaving, huh?"

"What does it look like?"

I took a few steps toward him, not sure what to say.

"As you can see," he continued, "I'm busy. So make your apology quick and leave me alone."

His cold tone caused my eyes to sting with tears, but I quickly wiped them away with my sleeve. "I'm sorry I kissed you out of the blue." I blurted quickly.

"I don't care about that. That's not what hurt me. Erika…" His voice started to tremble. "…you took away my little sister."

I was confused. "I didn't think you had a sister?"

He suddenly whipped his head around to face me, trying to look angry, but his eyes were filling with tears. "For crying out loud, YOU were my little sister!" he yelled, exasperated. "You were always like a little sister to me, but when you slapped me I didn't know who you were anymore!"

By this point his shoulders were shaking with the effort of holding back the full force of his emotional outburst. I realised that I was also failing to keep my emotions in check, and tears were freely rolling down my face. I began to realise just how selfish I had been.

I shuffled closer and gently sat next to him on the bed, facing the window. I wasn't sure if I was welcome to sit beside him, but he didn't shoo me.

"Is that why you're leaving?" I whispered.

"One of the reasons," he muttered bitterly. "But I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take being in love with the King and being reminded every single day that I can never be with him. I was going crazy keeping it to myself, so I thought I could trust you. I thought having someone I could talk to about it could at least take the edge off the heartache I have to endure each and every day." He lowered his head, snivelling. "But then you betrayed me, and that was the final straw. I can't live like this forever."

"You think I don't understand how it feels to love someone you can't have?" I said quietly, voice wobbling.

"There you go again, making it all about you."

"I'm not trying to make it all about me! I'm just trying to say you aren't in this alone."

"And what do you expect me to do about your problem, huh?" he suddenly snapped. "Do you know how weird that is for me? I've been thinking back on everything I've ever said to you, everything we've ever done together, wondering how I could've possibly made you fall in love with me!"

There was an awkward silence. I didn't know what to say.

Escargoon continued, much quieter, "I don't understand. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why… me?" He lowered his head even further than before. "I gotta know what made you feel that way."

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. "I… I don't know," I stammered.

"Please, Erika," he pleaded. "I have to know."

"Why do you wanna know so badly?"

He hesitated. "Well, I'm just thinking… if it's possible for someone to fall for me… maybe there's still hope for me and…" He trailed off. "I know I'm nothing special."

I was taken aback. Escargoon was always full of cutting remarks and sarcastic retorts; I didn't expect him to have such low self-esteem.

After having my heart crushed, I just wanted to forget about any romantic feelings I had and pretend like it never happened. But I knew I had to put myself aside. I had to say something.

For my big brother's sake.

I gently took his hand and forced myself to look him in the eyes. "You are something special. Beneath that tough shell, I know you're a really sweet, caring snail. Things wouldn't be the same around here without you, Esky."

I saw his eyes filling with tears, and that was enough to set off my own waterworks. "I don't want you to leave!" I wailed, still gripping his hand as if I couldn't bear to let go. To my surprise, he gripped my hand back, and with his other arm he pulled me into a tight hug, both of us weeping into the other's shoulder.

The dam that had built up over the past week, filled with all the emotions we had been holding back until now, were bursting out all at once in a cascade of tears and sorrowful wailing. The anger we were harbouring toward each other. The sadness of thinking we had lost a close friend, a best friend. The relief that we were finally able to let it all out into the open. The joy in knowing that no matter what life threw at us, no matter what arguments we found ourselves in, our bond was truly an unbreakable one.

As our sobbing turned to quiet weeping, I whispered in his ear, "Please don't leave."

"I won't," he responded calmly. "That is, if the King will have me back."

"I'm sure he will. He does care about you, even if he's bad at showing it." I felt my conversation with the King on the balcony was too private to share. If Escargoon was going to hear how Dedede felt, it should come from Dedede himself.

Finally, after many tears and much squeezing, we prised ourselves apart, albeit still snivelling.

"I'm so sorry," I whimpered, rubbing my wet eyes, "for the way I acted. You're right. I was being selfish. I don't want to go back to hating each other again."

"I don't hate you, Errie," he said softly, wiping away another tear. "I just wanted my little sister back."

"I'll always be here for you, Esky."

He gave a watery smile. "I suppose I should put all my stuff back," he said, glancing around the room at all the half packed suitcases.

"Do you want a hand with that?"

"And have you snooping through all my stuff? Not a chance," he said, flicking my forehead playfully.

"If you insist," I said with a small laugh, sliding off the edge of the bed and heading toward the door.

"Errie, before you leave," he called, "this is yours."

I turned around. Escargoon had something in the palm of his hand. As he held it out to me, the colour yellow glimmered in the light.

"My sun necklace," I whispered, carefully taking it from his hand. I held it up to inspect it properly. The chain was completely intact, and the pendant was just as shiny as before. "Where… how…?"

"I found it washed up on the beach," he explained, taking the necklace back from me and placing it over my head. I could feel my heart beating with happiness underneath the pendant. "I just want to put this all behind us. Siblings fight sometimes, you know. It doesn't mean we don't love each other."

A small gasp escaped my lips. I looked him dead in the eyes, wondering if I'd misheard.

The snail's lavender face turned pink and he quickly looked away, realising what he just said. "Y-You know what I mean, kid," he hissed. "Don't make me say it again."

I giggled at his sudden change of attitude, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I love you too, my big brother."

He still didn't look directly at me. But I saw the tiny smile that appeared on his face, and that was enough for me.

Sometimes I replay that wedding scene in my head. I wasn't the bride anymore, but it was better this way, even though I knew it would take some time for my own heart to leave behind such a strong infatuation. In my mind I see King Dedede and Escargoon standing at the altar, giving their vows, the biggest of smiles on both their faces. I'm still there, of course, heart swelling with pride for my big brother as I throw flower petals at the two grooms walking back down the aisle, hand in hand.

I just wanted them to be happy. That's what you do when you're a little sister.