I walked sadly towards Horo Horo's room, near to tears. Ren Tao had rejected me, and I caught the look of disgust in his eyes. No, I didn't think I could live with remembering that look over and over.

It was as if he hated me.

But why? All I did was be honest to him about my feelings!

I pushed open the door and went straight to my unconscious brother's side. I took his hand and buried my face on his palm, imagining that his fingers were moving to wipe my tears away, the way he used to do when I was crying, back when he was still up and around, full of life.

"Onii-chan, konbanwa," I said hoarsely. "I came here to disturb you again. I-It's…it's Ren' nii-san. I…I offered myself as his pretend bride…and he refused."

"I knew he was going to say things like that, and I have tried to prepare myself emotionally for that…dakedo…it still hurts." I sniffled a little, then shut my eyes tight. "Onii-chan, j-just when I need your protection most…you weren't there to give it to me. I-It's not your fault though. I-I was stupid." I clasped his hand tightly. "I love you, Onii-chan."

To my shock, the fingers I was holding suddenly moved, then clasped mine. I looked up and found him slowly opening his eyes.

At first, I was shocked. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But when I saw those familiar Ainu eyes that have carefully guarded and guided me even before I was aware that they did, I knew it was real.

After almost half a year of comatose, my onii-chan was awake!

The next evening, I watched as Tamao fed my brother.

"Here, eat up," said the girl, spooning some of the porridge into his mouth. "This will help you in recovering your strength."

"I don't want to eat," he said quietly.

I bit my lip painfully and tried to keep the shakiness out of my voice. "Onii-chan, you need to recover your strength. S-So we can start walking around the compound and…and…"

Try to recover your memories. I gazed at my brother sadly. He woke up, alright, but without remembering anything. He didn't even remember me at all!

Tamao' nee-san was much more composed. Her cheerful smile was impeccably pasted on her face. "But if you don't eat, how can you get out of the bed?"

"I said, I don't want to eat!!!" I watched in horror as my brother tossed the bowl to the floor.

I looked at her worriedly, but Tamao was still smiling. It was shaky, but it was determined. I found myself loving Tamao' nee-san even more. Her unshakable devotion and faith to my brother…where else would people find something as steadfast as that?

"I'll cook another bowl, and this time, I'll make sure that it will be more delicious than this one. You won't be able to resist it at all," she said confidently.

"I will not eat! I just want to remember!" he yelled, desperation evident in his voice. I looked away, not wanting him to see my tears. The doctor told us that it was just a temporary amnesia, and that in due time, he would remember. But it still pains me to watch my brother suffer like this. I couldn't blame him for being this irritable.

Tamao smiled at me and gestured for me to leave. She must have noticed my own agony too. I nodded meekly and went out of the room.

I found myself heading for the balcony. I needed fresh air- something that would heave the burden in my chest.

I hugged myself and sat down the marble floor, looking up at the moonless night sky. "Kami-sama, I thank you for hearing my prayer and bringing my brother back…but is it too much to ask for if I ask you to give him back his memories as soon as possible?" I started to sob, and I knew that I couldn't hold it off anymore. I let the first few quiet tears streak down my cheeks before I let out the storm of frustrated tears I had been bottling up within me for so long. I didn't care whether it was chilly, or that I would catch a cold by staying outside for too long. I just needed a place to cry freely.

I paused when I felt something touch my shoulders. It was a blanket.

Ren Tao sat down beside me. "You're too noisy. I can't train."

"G-Gomen nasai then," I whispered, a little sarcastic anger hinted in my voice. "I know this is not my territory, and that I have to ask for your permission first before I cry in your place." I had momentarily forgotten the awkwardness between us- I was too upset about my brother's dilemma. "And I believe I have no right to be alone in any inch of your house too, am I right?"

"Damn, why do you have to be so talkative?" he yelled. "I came here because I don't want you to be alone! What if you commit suicide?"

"I'm not depressed!" I shot back, eyes crinkling in anger. "Just leave me alone!"

"No, I won't," he said firmly. "Fine, you can go continue your bawling, but I will not go."

"Go away! I don't need you here!" I tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge. I pushed harder, and his hands caught mine. He pulled me closer to me fiercely.

"Pirika, damn it! Shut up, will you?" he hissed.

"Let me go!!!"

"Well, shut up!!!"

"I said, LET ME GO!!!"

One moment, he was staring at me angrily. Then the next thing I knew, he was harshly silencing my mouth with his, and he succeeded. I was hushed by his overpowering force mixed with something overwhelming I couldn't decipher.

As quickly as he kissed me, he abruptly let me go, panting. "Are you calmer now?" he asked curtly. "Let's go in already. The night is too chilly."

"Don't order me around like I'm one of your kyoshins! You don't know anything…you don't understand," I sobbed quietly. "My brother is suffering and I can't help him! My protector all my life, and I can't protect him in this single circumstance. You don't know how it hurts, so don't boss me around!"

His eyes lessened its harshness. "I'm not…ordering you around," he said quietly. He exhaled shakily. "Look, I will not be at peace if I leave you like this. Now, please calm down. Everything will be alright."

I was confused by how he suddenly changed. This obscured my thinking more. When his grip loosened, I withdrew my hands and wrapped them around my tucked knees. My shoulders were still shaking, but no, the thing haunting me most was that kiss. Something he gave just to silence me, but had etched so quickly a place in my heart already.

So many things had happened at once…the rejection, my brother's comeback, his amnesia, and now, this kiss.

It was like one big giant web, and I was tangled helplessly in between its threads.

And there was only one thing I could do…get away from it.

But before I could voice it out, he spoke. "I know a place where you and your brother can live. A change of environment will do him good. Maybe I'll tour you two there tomorrow."

He was sending me away, I know. Now that Onii-chan is fine, he wanted to get rid of us already.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

He got up. "I'll escort you to your room now."

I was too weak to argue. I walked behind him silently as he led us to the hallway.

At last we arrived in the door of my bedroom. He stepped aside as I pushed open the door of my room.

"Pirika?" he suddenly said.

Silence. I could feel that he wanted to say something, but I do not think I still have the strength to hear what was left for him to say.

I weakly turned to him. "No more, Ren' nii-san. I had enough."

He hesitated, then looked down. "Oyasumi nasai."

I smiled gratefully, then shut the door.

Enough is enough.

"So this is where we separate ways," said Tamao as she gestured to the plane, of course privately owned by the Tao clan. It was responsible of propelling Tamao back and forth Japan and China.

I shook my head. "No…we're coming with you."

"Eh?" Tamao looked surprised. "Aren't you…"

I smiled forcibly. "Now that Onii-chan is fine, the Tao clan has no obligations to us anymore."

"Does Ren…does Ren know this?" she asked quietly.

I shook my head. "He doesn't need to know anyway."

"I don't know…" She looked uncomfortable with the idea of us leaving without permission.

"Please don't tell anyone about this. Ren will know we're gone soon, but by then, Onii-chan and I are in the forest already…maybe we're in Hokkaido, I don't know." I clasped her hands. "Please, nee-san?"

"Why don't you just say goodbye to him?" she asked.

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. But believe me, it's all for the best. I've convinced Pailong already. I just need your cooperation on this one."

Tamao sighed, then nodded.

I smiled, then turned to the Tao mansion. My home for the past few months, where my heart learned how it was to beat.

I pulled my brother with me. "Let's go, onii-chan?"

He looked at me intently. "Why is it that you look like you have left something there but you don't want to retrieve it?"

I smiled sadly. "I-It's nothing, onii-chan." It was just a broken heart anyway. Broken hearts still beat, right?

He smoothed my hair fondly. "I don't remember much, but I can feel that I have so much love for you, because it hurts me seeing you like that. Little sister, whatever happens, I am here."

I nodded, fighting back my tears. "Hai. I love you too, Onii-chan. There is no one in the world that I can trust my whole life with except you."

Hand in hand, we rode into the plane. And I never dared look back.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" asked Tamao, frowning.

I smiled. "I am positive that I won't come with you and be the third wheel."

My brother grinned approvingly at me while the girl blushed. "O-Of course you won't be a third wheel!" she stammered.

I laughed.

It had been six years since the amnesia incident. My brother had long recovered from his illness, and he sure was busy making it up to Tamao' nee-san, who suffered as greatly as I did when he was sick.

"Well, if you won't come with us, what do you want for us to buy for take-out?" she asked.

I tipped my chin up. "Fries and large coke."

Onii-chan raised a thumbs up, then bowed exaggeratedly at my future sister-in-law. "Shall we?"

She beamed. "We shall."

Holding hands, the two rode on my brother's snowboard. They were going to watch a movie and play Street Fighter afterwards. The couple thingie.

I sighed and looked at Kororo. "Looks like we're on our own." I stretched, then began to clear the dishes. Our tent had improved to a shack, thanks to my brother's more regular jobs working in Anna-okami's inn.

"And she did marry Hao Asakura after all." I couldn't help but smile. "Was Anna-okami tamed already, or was it the other way around?"

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Kororo coo panickedly. Meaning, someone was around the premises. But why would the spirit panic if it was Tamao or my Onii-chan?

A stranger then.

I took the broom out, ready to attack. I hid behind the door and waited.

Soon enough, it opened. I slammed the broom on the intruder, but his hand stopped it short of slamming his skull.

"Good ole Ainu hospitality," said a familiar voice, making my eyes widen.

Ren Tao smirked at me. "Long time no see, Pirika. How is the runaway bride doing?"

"R-Runaway…bride?" The last word barely left my throat.

He smiled coldly. "Have you forgotten? You told me you wanted to be my bride. I waited, Pirika, as you asked me. Now it's time you make true to your own promise. It's almost my twenty first birthday, and everything is set. All is needed is the bride." He looked at me frostily. "You."

tsuzuku