Disclaimer: I do not own .hack and probably never will.
A/N: Okay people! I plan on ending this fic with this chapter because having an unfinished fic is bothering me. I have too many unfinished fics so I want to finish this one. Plus, I made up Reki's sister's name. I'm using the notepad to write this so if I make any spelling mistakes please tell me! Anyways,please enjoy!
Reki's POV
Today is the 16th of February. Today is the day when it happened. Today is my sister's 17th birthday, the day I regretted most. I had spent months and months pondering over what to get her. I didn't want to get her angry. She already hated me, so getting her angry would just make things worse. I was afraid of getting her something at first. I realized that I didn't want to get anything for her; in fear that she would hit me again. But she can change, can't she?
I woke up this morning in a daze and stared at the nicely wrapped present on my desk. I walked over to it and picked it up. 'I hope she likes this,' I thought. A note was also attached on; a letter of apology. 'I hope she accepts this. I hope she forgives me.' Mother called me from outside my room.
"Fujio honey! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" Mother said. Then I remembered. Today, I needed to go to the hospital to visit my sister so I could say 'Happy Birthday!'. But how could I? She hates me! She would never want to see me. "Fujio, hurry up!" she called again.
"Coming Mom!" I shouted, but right before I left, I glanced back on my desk. There it was.The picture my sister and I took together at her violin recital. She was beautiful; in her elegant dress accompanied with her lovely smile. Her smile was what I missed most. I quickly left when I heard my mom yell my name again.
While walking to the hospital, I watched the cars go by. The cars; they reminded me of the incident that had happened. That incident had happened today. The incident that had happened on her 10th birthday. Thanks to me and that incident, she was deaf now. Yes, that's right, my sister's deaf and nearly blind. She has to stay at the hospital too because she is weak. It was my fault. That's why she hates me.
I stopped dead in front of the hospital. My mother eyed me. My heart started pounding. I started shaking and couldn't stop. I was afraid that my sister would hit me again. I was afraid that she would scream again. I was afraid of her and I admit that to myself.
"Fujio, come. Please, just for today," my mom pleaded. I quietly followed her in. The front office was very quiet. A lot of adults were whispering. There were babies that were sleeping. I looked around and saw many people's worried faces. There were also some people that were silently crying. My mom walked up to the receptionist.
"My son and I have come to visit her," my mother said. Strangely to me, the receptionist did not ask who 'her' was. She nodded and showed us to a man who would lead the way. My mother and I followed the man and I scanned the rooms we passed by. There were many people talking quietly and doctors checking up on patients. I silently followed my mother. Then, the man stopped at a room and led my mother inside. She made a face at me to tell me to stay outside.
I heard her say 'Happy Birthday!' and knew that she was embracing my sister. I hoped with all my heart that my sister was not in a bad mood. Slowly, I peeked in. What scared me most about my sister was her eyes. She was nearly blind and her eyes were cloudy like shadows. There was never any light in them. I jumped, hearing my sister's long-forgotten voice.
"Where's Fujio?" she asked. I was shocked. She never wanted to see me. Why would she want to she me today? Holding the present tightly in my hands, I nervously walked in. I couldn't bring my eyes to stare at hers. I glumly handed her the present and mumbled, "Happy birthday." She fingered me to come nearer. I lifted up my head. Then, I realized something. She was different. She looked different. Her hair was neat and clean. There was no look of stress whatsoever on her face. I proceeded closer.
"Fujio, dear brother, I'm sorry..." she whispered in my ear. I looked at her in awe. I was the one who was to apologize. Now she was apologizing to me? That wasn't right. I handed her the present. "Oh! I present for me? T... thank... you..." Her 'thank you' was merely a whisper. I didn't blame her. She wasn't used to being this kind to me after what I had done. Then I thought, 'Why had I been afraid all this time? She's nothing scary, she's changed.' I couldn't help, but smile. When, she took out her little plush puppy I had gotten for her, she smiled. It was the first smile from her in seven years.
I couldn't have been happier! She embraced her puppy and read the letter silently to herself. She smiled at me and hugged me. I never thought that she would ever do that again. I never thought she would look at me again. But now I've realized, if you hope for a change, you must put heart into it. I tried to buy her something she liked and I wrote that letter for her. I had put my heart into it and now it paid off. Then, my sister, Shiori, looked at me with her twinkling eyes. And for the first time, in her shadowy eyes, there was light. There is always a light in a shadow.
A/N: Heheh... well, that's the end. It was kinda boring, wasn't it? By the by, Reki's name in the real world is Fujio. It said that in the manga so I wanted to use it here. I thank the people who have read this and reviewed. Thank you everyone! Happy Holidays!