Time almost seemed to blend together as those special Sunday visits became the center of her world, what college once was. The dream of getting a Romance literature degree with a sub major in music, mostly piano, started declining in importance to six hour visits with someone who was quickly becoming everything to her. If not consciously, then subconsciously. These visits were the light of her life, and she was always keeping that day open.

Kimon's schedule changed for the first time since she got a job at the start of college. Instead of the dull, boring routine, she managed to tweak it a little. The days involving work and college remained almost unchanged, and Saturdays were still reserved for spending time with Mia. But Sundays now became time spent with Mouri-san.

She rarely had to know when Cye arrived anymore. Exactly five minutes to ten, she would be already sitting and ready in her father's recliner, ears perked to outside noises. As soon as she listened to the sound of the car she memorized, she would stand and leave without a word. Everything she needed was already in specified pockets, saving her seconds as she nearly hurried down the stairs every time.

It got so routine as the months passed, that she wouldn't even need to hear his car. By always keeping track of the sun's position in time with the human clock, she would start down the stairs and be there by the time Cye got to the front door.

His reaction never failed to amuse her, even through three steady months. Nearly fifteen visits total since the first, and yet he still stood in mild shock at seeing her walk out the security door as he just stopped on the other side.

The congeniality of the weather was increasing and she felt it in her bones. The smells that wafted in during her time outside were enticing her to enjoy them in the early morning. She was starting to ponder waiting outside for him, but didn't think it'd be fair to Beethoven, since her times outside normally included him. She didn't want to take that simple pleasure away from her eyes.

The only thing that never changed was her fear of the drive. On both ongoing and return, she was always tense and it took till they left Tokyo to calm down enough and then halfway past the highways to calm down AGAIN. The feel of the road underneath her feet and legs never failed to keep her agitated. It was partially because she couldn't see it, and also due to her past. The only problem is NOW, she didn't have her cane to twist for security and left to clench her hands as tightly, and subtly, as possible against her pants.

Yes...she was now leaving her cane at home. This time was so normal and she knew she was rarely allowed to get up to get anything, that it was highly pointless to keep bringing her cane with her. She never used it and always kept it hidden away in her coat. And now that the summer was getting warmer, she had nowhere to hide it, as she had her winter coat hung up in the back of the closet for its next use.

She wasn't sure whether or not Cye's family knew of her blindness yet. It was debatable, since none of them ever made mention of it. None had said a word, and the emotions in their voices never hinted that they even suspected anything. And by now, she was getting used to the kitchen and living room areas so much that her mental map was enough to carry her without need of a cane anyway. If she let them know, it would be from some major slipup, not anything small.

She had to smile as they started taking the familiar turns to his house. She was starting to feel like less of a burden and a little bit of acceptance to his family. After the second month, she started loosening up, though she was ALWAYS on her best and most polite behavior. Still unable to get over her timidness kept her as quiet as ever, but no one minded. Mouri-san thought it an endearing quality and often told her that her quiet nature was nice to be around.

She fought a flattered, self-conscious smile and unbuckled her seatbelt, waiting for Cye to help her from the car. She stopped arguing with him after the first month, since he seemed intent on being the gentleman for her. She WAS right about her early statement about getting used to it. She was HIGHLY used to it, and found it an endearing quality in HIM.

Though he helped keep her blindness a secret, and thankfully didn't pry, she now didn't need his help as much as before. Her mental map was so secure now after four months that she rarely needed his help after he helped her from the car. And then, not even that. She was able to place where and how from her memory and walked alongside him more from habit than anything else. She didn't know if he was simply UNAWARE she knew the way now, or kept at it for politeness reasons, but she was starting to find it nice. It was a simple pleasure she found she liked.

Anymore, Mouri-san waited for their entrance at the front door, always waiting with a hug specifically to welcome her back. She now gratefully accepted it, rather than awkwardly. Every Sunday, it was getting easier and easier to respond with more speed until soon, it was as if she was ALWAYS getting hugs from Cye's mother. After the traditional hug, Cye went back into the pottery area, as he was being in routine of as well. After turning twenty-one in March, he started taking on his roll of 'owner' of the family business that much more.

She had to unconsciously admit she was a little proud of him...juggling a business like that and college as well. She never bothered to talk to him about it, the small questions she had about his major. She didn't want to pry into his life like that, even if Mouri-san offered the knowledge at any opportunity. Many things she said would somehow get connected to Cye's college, or his life, or dedication to keeping their means of money alive.

As she was drug to the living room once again, sitting down in the same part of the couch, a saucer of tea was handed to her and she accepted as always with quiet thanks. Mouri-san never failed to mention how polite she was, then start in on what happened to her during the week, and ponder about her life in college as well. Mouri-san never bothered to let awkward silence over thoughts of topics to gather.

The more she was around Mouri-san, the more comfortable she was with the elder woman...and the house in general. She ALMOST felt like she BELONGED to something for once in her life. Not even her own FAMILY treated her with such hospitality as this was! She was well aware of it eating away at some of the silent walls she once kept well-constructed, but a lot of her didn't mind anymore. She was simply content to let them slowly crumble and deal with the changes, if only it meant she could always keep visiting such an extroverted, happy-go-lucky mother.

"You know dear," Mouri-san muttered, sipping tea of her own, "you have such nice hair, but you REALLY should do something with it. I've seen you for so many months now, and yet you never bother to even style it. Have you ever had that cut in your life??"

A hand self-consciously went to what she thought was such dull, boring hair and pulled a small chunk over her shoulder. It draped down her chest and lightly touched her pants as she gave her attention to her gracious host. "I've never had reason to." She absently muttered, going for her tea as a distraction. They never had such in-depth conversations about her, as she was quite well to steer clear of them with awkwardness and nervousness. This was one of the few she ever dared let occur. It was harmless enough anyway.

Mouri-san tsked, as if that wasn't a real answer and leaned forward. "Have you ever thought what you would look like with shorter hair? Or even bangs? Have you always kept it looking like that?"

She owlishly blinked and idly set the cup and saucer in her lap. "I...I've kept it well-washed...but I don't...well I don't hold much hold on...on my hair." She also purposely kept out that she never thought what she would look like because she COULDN'T. Not even her hands could present as good a mental image as being able to see could.

Mouri-san hummed and set her tea down. She suddenly stood and tapped a finger against her chin. "What time is it dear?"

She slightly smiled against the pet name, but shook her head. "We've already talked past lunch..." She trailed, never able to keep track of the time during her visits. It never ceased to amaze her how much it regrettably flew before Cye poked his head in and took her back home. All she knew right now, mostly through shadows, was that the afternoon was late and night was fast approaching.

"Yes and I imagine my son will be done in the shop soon, so I have a little time left to do what I want." Her voice started drifting as she stood and made her way to the hallway. "Just stay put dear and I'll be RIGHT back..."

With that, she was gone and leaving Kimon to blink her confusion and wonder at the path she took. What did Mouri-san have in MIND? She leaned back against the couch and wondered, leaving the teacup in her lap. Mouri-san COULDN'T want to cut her hair, or give her bangs, as she suggested! She just said that her hair was nice. It didn't make sense...so what else could she do except sit and patiently wait as instructed?

Going back to her nearly forgotten tea, HER tea for once, she sipped it and let the silence give her peace to help her mind. After a month of regular visits, she INSISTED on giving Cye's family money to buy her tea if she was going to keep drinking theirs. She didn't want to keep 'leeching' off them, as she put it, and wasn't going to take no for an answer. Yen from what she earned went to help buy a box every so often from her favorites, also letting them keep the rest for the food she kept eating at lunch.

She felt it unfair since she couldn't help cook like they could, even though she tried to help out when she could. And this time, she made SURE not to cut herself on any sharp objects and worry Mouri-san so much again. The cuts thankfully healed long ago, adding more scars to her skin than they knew about. She only knew anyone hadn't noticed the amount during her short life was because they had to be nearly the same skin tone she possessed and that made it harder. She only knew they were there by the way her skin stretched from the way it should.

"Alright I'm back dear..." Came that voice down the hall. Footsteps breezed back into the living room and Mouri-san plopped down next to her on the couch. "Now, I will have my way young miss, and nothing bad will happen. So, turn around and don't worry about how you look."

She wanted to smirk at all of Mouri-san's statements to her looks, if she wasn't so confused at the woman's behavior. She blinked once again and put her teacup down on the coffee table, knowing it'd be better not to keep it in her hands. "What...what do you want to do to my hair?..." She tried to look directly at the lady, though not enough to show her clouded eyes and give away what she successfully managed to hide so far.

A hand patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't alter it at all." A hand wrapped around the chunk over her back after she reluctantly turned. Something hard tapped against her shoulder, and her head instinctively turned to it. "I just want to style it a little for you is all. Have you ever braided your hair dear?"

Relief pricked her and the tension left her shoulders. Nothing dramatic...just a little styling she would figure out how to undue later. "Iie...I don't know how to braid my hair at all."

"Not even a NORMAL? Well then, it's high time I teach you and un-deprive you."

She couldn't help but smile a little and settled a little forward on the couch to give Mouri-san more room. After keeping a still, yet comfortable, form she let Mouri-san 'style' to her heart's content.

Though she couldn't see herself, one of the things she DID like about herself was her hair. It was always constant and never changing, as she was. She never put anything in it like hairspray or gel, just kept it well-washed as she said. She never curled it or put ponytail holders in it to put pressure on the strands. Her head was sensitive to changes, as was the rest of her body. She left it straight and unbound, only covered in a cap if it was cold enough.

Thoughts started abruptly leaving at the feel of the hairbrush as it started in. There were no tangles to go through, but it went through the length nonetheless. Her eyes instantly fluttered close as the myriad of sensations flooded her. Having your hair brushed was always nice, but to blind people who felt more than they saw, it was ten times better. The emotions it always invoked was enough to put her to sleep.

"You have such lovely hair dear." Mouri-san murmured. Aged hands gently held the chunk off her back as the brush went through it. "No split ends or anything and no breaking. An uncommon occurrence, since your hair is deceptively thinner than it looks. You DO keep it well maintained."

"I...just have...a lot of it..." She muttered, her voice trailing off to a contented hum under her breath. "It gives away...that way..."

Mouri-san grinned. "Feels good does it? I hope you don't mind me doing this without asking. I just had to do this and hope you don't think me too crass."

She resisted the urge to shake her head. "Iie... I don't mind..."

The rest was silence as her ears listened to the quiet rustle of hair sliding through the brush. After a while, it regrettably stopped and was set around them. She barely registered the soft thud it made as it dropped on the couch, still too euphoric from the handy device. Paying it no mind, wondering what type of braid Mouri-san was going to put it in, she patiently waited with an open mind to try and recreate it. Perhaps, after today, she would fiddle with her hair if Mouri-san liked it that much.

She waited and waited, not feeling those tender hands, and her eyes slowly cracked open as she slowly let go of the feeling. She still smelled Mouri-san behind her, and opened her ears to pick up more of her hostess. Her brow furrowed at the quiet uptake of breathing. Why was she breathing faster? Was she going to sneeze? Or perhaps there was something in the air that was agitating her nose.

"Mouri-san...daijoubu desu ka?" She quietly asked, mind not processing anything. She smelled the air to see if pollen or dust was in it, but didn't get any herself. "Nani o suru? Doushita?" What are you doing? Are you okay? When her ear turned to that quiet breathing, her confusion grew at hearing cloth rustle near Mouri-san's face. "Mouri-san nani o suru?"

Then she heard it. An almost quiet grunt that was totally pain-laced and almost stopped her heart. "Dear...go call.......for-"

Worry shot through her as she turned over at hearing cloth rustle and a quiet thump. Weight shifted backwards more against the cushions as that shallow breathing changed direction. Her eyes shot open and she cursed her blindness for the first time. "MOURI-SAN!" She shouted, stumbling to her seat.

What was going ON?! This wasn't happening! Mouri-san was perfectly FINE not even a MINUTE ago!! Blankly, trying to figure out SOMETHING in her mind resembling control and a plan, she hurriedly sank to her knees in front of the breathing and shot her hands to its source. A quiet, pained groan met her ears and her breathing quickened in fear. "Mouri-san...MOURI-SAN SHIKKARI SURU!" HOLD ON! She fretfully pleaded. Hands found the woman's chest and quickly moved to her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was mild, but not steady and teeth bit her lip harsh enough to draw blood.

'Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!...'

"Shikkari suru, shikkari suru!!" She meekly pleaded, tears falling from her eyes. This wasn't happening!! Was it a curse?! Was she never to know a mother's love? She was being POLITE this time! A perfect little girl!

She didn't know what was happening, but she knew it wasn't good. Breath hitched in her throat as she tried to take calm breaths, quickly finding herself close to hyperventilation. Nausea was starting to develop and her head started pounding in painful waves. Her eyes squeezed shut, but not really feeling the pain. DAMN her blindness!!

She knew of only one person to ask for, one person to turn to in a time like this. Shooting to her feet, she blindly turned, every plan and map of the house gone from her mind, and tripped over the coffee table. She cried out in surprise and fear in her forgetfulness and automatically braced herself for the fall with her hands. The tea spilt over her clothes and to the wood, and she felt guilty for staining such a pleasant house. Pace shot up her arms, but she ignored it.

Shaking her head, trying to gain her wits, she pushed off the floor and stumbled knees first into the chair her once gracious host was sitting in. Her mouth opened, ragged breathing loud in her ears...as loud as the heart thundering in panic and fear, as she kept feeling for the wall and to the hallway. Inhaling a deep breath, every bit of clarity and politeness gone in her mind, she screamed.

"CCCCCYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~*~*~

"Doctor Akagi, please return to the E.R. ward. Doctor Akagi, please return to the E.R. ward."

He barely registered the random call from the overhead from the roaring in his ears. Blankly staring at the farthest white wall in the waiting room, he slumped in his chair and cursed hospitals. He hated them! How many times had he been here when he was a kid, and not for himself? Darkly swearing in his mind at fate for the foulness it dealt his mother, his jaw clenched in impatience. With a sigh, he forced himself to look around and take his mind off something he'd never been able to control.

Sayoko sat as shaken next to him, Ryuusuke tightly holding her and looking less than stable as well. As soon as the small group reached the hospital and his mother was wheeled past, she ran to the nearest payphone to call her husband from work.

He didn't think his sister thought this was going to happen EITHER. Even though his mother ran their business in the past, he and Sayoko always kept her from doing most of the strenuous work. The only thing she did was the finances. A lot of exercise wasn't good for her heart. It was weak enough and they were lucky she managed to live as long as she had now.

Now that he managed to take over some of the business from Sayoko, as she let him with school and all, they tried to do everything in their power to keep their mother from straining herself. If he was in the room, he always tried to get things out of her reach, or too heavy for her to carry. She always smiled and called him 'such a polite son', but they both knew he did it out of worry. Perhaps he went a little overboard sometimes, but he only did it because he loved his mother dearly and wanted her to live as long as possible.

'And the day started out so NICELY too.' He sarcastically mused, gritting his teeth. Just a day like any OTHER...until they jumped a mile from Kimon's scream and ran like mad. Kimon NEVER screamed, or even raised her voice for that matter and he instinctively knew something was VERY wrong. The sheer terror in her voice told him that.

When they reached the hallway to the living room, they found her trying to feel her way down the wall to their direction in her panic. Her walking was irregular, not just from being blind, and her hands jerked every which way, hitting whatever was on the wall in her wake. Her face was stark white and almost matched her shirt. The look on her face also matched the emotion in her voice. Needless to say, by her choppy movements and way her head was tilting to hear rather than see, her secret was out in the open.

She didn't seem to notice the wetness of her clothes, what he wondered about until he saw the tea spilt all over everything. He just dodged the fallen china enough to get to his mother and start checking her over as Sayoko called an ambulance.

He snuck a look to the utter silent statue in the chair opposite Sayoko. He wondered if she even knew she was acting by feel more than anything. As soon as Sayoko assured them that an ambulance would arrive momentarily, he traded places with her and went to Kimon. There was nothing he could say, nothing to explain in this moment of hysteria to reassure her. Words of comfort rested on the tip of his tongue, but the second he looked to her face, they died.

Shiny eyes were wide with fright and rarely blinked, but the rest of her face was expressionless. She stared at the couch from her spot across it as if seeing the horror. Nothing on her moved, though she was incredibly pale, even more so than normal. Her face never changed throughout the ride in the ambulance and even now. She still hadn't shifted in the seat from that curled ball she was in. Her eyes shone with tears, but none of them fell. Suffice to say, he was getting extremely worried.

After they all sat down when the doctors took over, he tried to calm down first and foremost. Talking to the doctors when he was worried out of his mind wasn't the way to go. He knew that in the past. Now that he was at a small level of calm, and that was EXTREMELY small, he needed to turn his attention to the only other female who had yet to be calmed down at all. Sayoko had Ryuusuke, but it looked like Kimon was handling with this all on her own.

His lips pressed together as he wondered the best way to approach her. She didn't look responsive at all to the noises or smells of the hospital, as if she weren't really here. She stared at the far wall he also started at minutes ago, but made no move to avert her gaze to hide her eyes. It was as if she didn't care any passerby knew she was blind. Which mentally confused him given her need for secrecy with his family.

A hand moved from the chair and paused over her shoulder. Her shoulders were stiff and tense, arms tightly wrapped around her legs. She was entirely too tense, more so than just a hospital visit for someone she was getting to know. It made him even more confused and wonder more about her past.

He left it and his confusion with that alone for the time being, lightly resting his palm on her shoulder. She jumped a mile, but still didn't move. Not even her eyes moved or her head turned in his direction to wait for his voice, as she normally did when he talked. His mouth opened to say her name, but his voice failed him. He rarely KNEW her, so how did he reassure things would be okay?

The hand resting on her shoulder awkwardly dropped, though she didn't even notice. They remained in silence, listening to the hospital moving around, mindless of their pain. He kept stealing short looks to his left before blue moved back to one of the many white walls in the sterile environment, still unable to find words. He felt a little guilty for involving her in something that happened every so often, but didn't really think 'sorry' was going to make her forgive him. She was a wreck!

When footsteps finally came, Kimon was the first person to hear them. How she managed to discern one doctor's out of all that already passed, he didn't know. The second they sounded down the hall, before his face was visible around the wall, her head whirled around, eyes widening even further.

As that white coat walked into the room and landed eyes with them, the only occupants in the area, Kimon quickly detangled herself as they stood and shot to her feet. Automatically, his hand went to her arm and wrapped them together to keep her balanced, and was surprised when she quickly grabbed his hand and tightly gripped it. Shocked blue went to her face, but she impassively stood with a now neutral expression, looking to the doctor's direction.

"Mouri-san family?" The doctor asked, almost skeptically eyeing the small troupe.

"Is okaa-san okay??" Sayoko hurriedly breathed, also clenching Ryuusuke's hands.

Going to his clipboard, as if the answers were written on it, those that could see were relieved from his nod. "She had a small spell, but was quick enough to get here for treatment. We're going to keep her here overnight, and if everything is okay, you can take her home in the morning."

Everyone almost visibly relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and nodded his thanks. "Is it alright to see her now?"

"She's groggy from medication and half asleep, so I don't think it'd be a good idea."

The hand clenching his got even tighter and he looked over, a retort already on his tongue. Kimon's neutral expression died to a look of pleading. He would've, at that moment, given up Torrent to know what was on her mind.

There was so much going on in her mind that it was hard to pick apart the pieces and register just where she was fully at. Though she knew she was in a hospital, as known by the pungent, astringent smell of the place, she had no exact clue. Her mind was a blank to so much, yet also full of so many emotions and thoughts, most of them bad and guessing.

This was not happening to her, not again. Just when she was finally getting someone to call mother again, fate had to be cruel and snatch her away a second time. She was beginning to think it was HER and maybe she was cursed to live a solitary life. Why hadn't Mouri-san TOLD her she had a bad heart?? Did the woman think so little of that?? Or did she just not need to be burdened with that knowledge, or worry too much about the woman?

For once, she didn't flinch or take time to relax as they followed the ambulance. She was too worried and deathly scared for the poor woman to be tense of her own pathetic phobia. She prayed to every god she knew to that Mouri-san didn't die. If that happened, she would most likely break. She didn't know what would happen if the one person who meant so much to her was dead.

It was only by hearing the man's stoic voice that her condition was stable that kept her from screaming her pain at the possibility. "May we see her, please?" She whispered, tensely licking her lips. She HAD to know that Mouri-san would be okay! If only to be near her, she could sense things that would take place of her eyes. Sleep, groggy, or not! She didn't care...she just had to KNOW!

"Please!" Sayoko softly urged, seeing the man's doubt.

Seeing the distress, the doctor caved and nodded again. "If you'll follow me."

He looked to Kimon, avidly watching her face as the signs of relief and continual fear ran over her eyes. Her mouth was an even line, but her eyes were windows to her soul. "Keep pace with me and it'll be okay." He whispered, tugging her close to keep her from being hurt on the way. She absently nodded and started off, almost instantly walking in step with his feet.

The walk seemed like a mile for her as she held her breath almost every inch they took. She took no chance to study her surroundings, as habit always did for her; didn't stray her general sight from the invisible path ahead. She wished to see and have the room number because she would run there if she could! Her heart thudded loudly in her ears and her mouth was dry.

She just couldn't avoid the horror of being in another hospital. Though she never broke any bones or needed minor surgery for anything and was never badly sick, there was only one major time she was in a hospital. That was enough for her fear of them and chase her away. She cringed whenever a siren was heard and someone else who saw it pointed out it was an ambulance.

She never thought she'd have to be in one again. She didn't want to, but she just couldn't sit at the Mouri household while the others went on ahead and she sat there worrying herself to death! She HAD to know for her own piece of mind! She couldn't clean up the mess to keep busy in the meantime, and all she'd do is sit in the chair and replay the sounds and panicked movements brought to her mind until they returned. No...even if she had to return, it was better than not coming.

Cye finally stopped and she quickly halted as well, feeling eyes from someone. They didn't feel like Cye, and she knew it was either from family or hospital workers. She tensed at the thought of Sayoko's eyes on her, possibly wondering or thinking about her behavior at the house. It was an utterly stupid mistake to try and find them, but she just couldn't SIT there! Even if she could do practically nothing, she couldn't let THAT stop her. If she was rational at the moment, she might not've made such an obvious fool of herself.

The door swung open and her blessed, more cursed now, sense of hearing heard the beeping before everyone else. With a gentle tug of warning, Cye started forward and she dumbly followed, going into even darker darkness without the hallway lights to shine behind the thick curtain.

Someone switched on a lamp and the doctor mumbled a few words she didn't hear. The beeping from machines just kept getting louder and louder without her ability to shut them out. Vaguely, in the back of her memories, she could almost hear the echo of a breathing regulator. Even though Mouri-san was healthy enough without it.

The doctor shut the door behind them and left the four alone. She stared at the area of the machines, knowing that was the nearest place Mouri-san was. What she wouldn't give at this moment to be able to see, even for a MINUTE, that Mouri-san looked healthy enough! Her hearing picked up deep, even breathing, but that wasn't comforting enough. She wanted VISUAL confirmation that the woman would be okay!

"Okaa-san...we're here. Daijoubu...shinpai suranai..." Sayoko whispered, taking up her mother's limp hand. She murmured soothing words to the sleeping patient as if she could hear, stroking the skin with her thumb.

Okaa-san. Ofukuro. Haha. They were all the same thing for different age groups to the same person. Mother. Her eyes wavered behind the blackness, feeling her nose burn from impending tears. 'Okaa-san...gomen nasai... Sumimasen...this is all my fault!'

"Okaa-san..." She almost inaudibly whispered, harshly swallowing. Her throat convulsed, tears spilling over in rapid succession. She made no move to wipe them away, barely acknowledging their presence.

Sayoko's attention was on her mother, Ryuusuke still too concerned with his wife to pay the still standing pair much heed. Cye was the only on close enough to barely hear her admission over Sayoko's mutterings. His eyes strayed to the girl against his arm, blinking in shock to see her tears. They fell in like a waterfall down her cheeks, with no means of stopping. They couldn't have been toward his mother, as she should be able to tell the woman was stable, and also knowledgeable from the doctor. His mother was fine, so the tears COULDN'T have been for her. Were they?

His mind reeled as they silently crowded the room. If she was crying for his mother, then why did she say what she did? Kimon didn't think his mother HERS, did she? He wouldn't be offended if she did, but there was too much pain and regret in that simple word for it to be toward his mother. Then...she had to be thinking of HERS.

His eyes absently stared at his only parent, wondering now more than ever at her real mother's absence. There was obvious pain toward the missing parent, and sadness as well from the tears. Her fear couldn't have been one hundred percent toward his mother, though a portion of it had to be. Then maybe what she was doing, sitting so rigid in the plastic chair, was thinking of her mother in a hospital.

It didn't make sense, but he was going with what he had after the pieces of such a chaotic evening. There was more being added to this than he could keep track of and it was making his head reel in confusion. He couldn't keep it out and with these new pieces came more awkwardness at how to comfort the girl. NOW what did he say to calm her down? He couldn't before, and he still didn't know what to say. All he suddenly knew was her hand was still loosely entwined with his, yet showed no signs of leaving.

After a while of getting her tangled emotions under control, feeling much better at seeing her mother's stable condition, Sayoko finally sat back and looked to her brother. She blinked in shock at seeing the tear tracks on Kimon's face from the lamp and gave Cye a wide-eyed look. He blankly stared at her, uncomprehending, until her gaze stayed on Kimon. She caught his head shaking slightly, as if telling her to keep from saying something. Her eyes narrowed in thought as they met across the way to dark gray.

She stood and took a few steps from her mother. "Ototo-chan? I would like to talk to you." She quietly, but firmly answered.

Sibling eyes met for what seemed an eternity before Cye slowly nodded and helped Kimon to a chair. After a quick mutter that he'd be back soon, she headed for the door, knowing he'd follow.

The evening was a disaster. Not only did they not get much done, but this had to happen as well. The day was a nice enough with pleasant company too. Why did this keep happening to her mother??

Sayoko sighed as her thoughts stopped them halfway down the hall, even with a closed door. She leaned against the wall heavily and looked to Cye. He looked as weary as she was, but that wasn't going to stop her. "Why didn't you tell me she was blind Cye-chan?"