Shion was walking back to his house. He was utterly exhausted. He had college and a full time job, on top of it all he had to care for his final living family member, his mother. He hadn't grown up the way most guys his age had. He had a lot more experiences...most of them were painful ones...but he had them none-the-less. Shion's mother, in fact, was not his real mother. Shion had been adopted by her when he was nine, and before being adopted he had lived at the orphanage where he had been abandoned at the ripe age of two days old. He didn't get the chance to goof off like others his age, he never had been.

He walked everywhere, unable to afford any luxuries. All his money went to his schooling and ill mother whom insisted that he stay in college. Shion was quite a handsome man, his mother knew this, but she also recognized his potential for knowledge. She saw her own end drawing near and declared that her final wish would be for Shion to graduate from school and do what made him happy. Shion did not really understand what happiness was. He knew love for that was all his adoptive mother had ever shown for him; unconditional love. He had been happy, but the pain drastically outweighed whatever happy memories he might have once possessed.

As usuall, he was walking home from his college, he never really messed around or played with anyone. He was serious about everything because everything he did required him to be so. He could not goof off at work nor at school, and his mother's health was constantly weighing on his shoulders. He was scared for her death, he didn't know how he would handle it. He was worried that she would die alone while he was at school or at work. Sometimes the thoguht was so empowering that he could not focus on his duties. He sighed and continued on his journey home.

'Only a few more miles' Shion thought to himself. Suddenly, from out of no where a girl ran out from an alley way. She ran right into Shion. She fell backwards on the ground, bouncing off of him. Shion was startled, but meerly took a step back. She was dressed in a blue sunflowered dress that showed her shoulders, the skirt fell only to her knees. She looked up at Shion with a frightened expression on her face and tears streaking her cheeks. Her brown hair fell down onto her tan shoulders with little effort.

"Hey! She's over here!"

Shion looked up to see a man running down the alley the girl had just come from. The girl jumped up and started to move into a run. The man jumped and grabbed her ankles, causing her to fall. She hit the ground hard. Another man came up and straddled the girls back to hold her down, his knees on her arms. Shion was confused, but his instincts were screaming at him to do something. The girl was trying to get away, still crying.

"Excuse me." Shion said, he was becoming angry. 'Why am I so angry, I don't know why they are doing this, for all I know she could be a convicted criminal.' he mentally yelled at himself. Either way, he kickedthe man, who was sitting on her, off. As soon as the first man was off his foot immediately collided with the second.

The girl sat up, and stared at Shion. The two men were knocked out and Shion looked down at her, then held his hand down to her in an offering to help her up. At first she didn't seem to trust him, she gave his hand a skeptical look. But as if in contradiction to her look she cautiously put her smaller hand into his. As their hands met, Shion gave her a gentle look. Her hand was warm, something about her look and touch relaxed something in him. He pulled her up. She was so light, it worried Shion.

"Come with me, I'll help get you cleaned up. " Shion offered. The girl looked at their joined hands as he began to lead her away, she nodded. "Then maybe we can get you back home hmm?" The girl jumped and yanked her hand from his and stepped away. Her eyes were starting to water up again. She shook her head and looked like she really wanted to yell at him for sugesting such a thing.

In response, Shion reached out and took her hand gently back into his, "Alright then we won't do the latter." and he began to lead her to his house. She looked up at him, somewhat confused by his lack of rebellion. Shion smiled and asked, "So what is your name?" The girls face saddened and she looked at the ground. Shion took this as a hint and decided not to press the matter. He figured that he might find out sooner or later. Her arms were visibly bruised and her legs were covered with scratches.

Why had those men been following her? She didn't seem like such a threat that she needed to be tackled. She was warm and soft. He could see that she was timid and scared. She wasn't a child, though she had many features that showed youth. She stumbled, but Shion gripped her hand tighter and held her up so she wouldn't fall. She was weak. Shion never let go of her hand the rest of the way to his home. When he got to his house the girl looked at him, then back to the house as they entered through the front door.

"My mother is ill and asleep, please do not make too much noise." Shion whispered and led her to his room. Once in his room he let go of her hand, "i'll be right back, I'm going to go get the first aid." She sat on his bed and looked around the room. Shion left the room and went to the bathroom. The first aid kit was under the sink. It had never been used so he assumed that all the neccessairy items were in it. He turned and went back to his room. When he opened the door, the girl was sitting at his desk writing.

After a moment she looked at him and picked up the paper. She stood up and handed the paper to him. Shion took it and read it aloud.

"My name is Kotori. I'm 18 and I want to thank you for saving me. Unfortunately I have nothing of value to offer to you. I cannot speak. I don't even know sign language." Shion looked down at her and said, "Are you alright? Were you born a mute?" Kotori shook her head and took the paper back and wrote. She handed it back to him after a few minutes of scribbling and once more Shion read aloud.

"I'll be okay...I just cannot go home, nor do I want to. And no, I was not born a mute. I've been unable to speak for only the past month." Shion looked at her concerned, he wanted to ask her more, but felt it was not his place to do so. Instead of questioning her more, he said, "My name is Shion, I'm 19. Err...that's it." He didnt want to go into too much "chatting" tonight. He hardly knew her and no doubt she had had a long day.

Kotori sighed, she was exhousted, but she wasn't sure what to do now that she was with Shion. He seemed nice enough. She looked at him for a moment and wished that she could speak, that he could hear her voice. The past month for her had been a living hell. Her father had cut out her larynx so she couldn't even really make the slightest of noises other than breathing. She had recently recovered and the reason for her missing voice was so that she could not speak out or tell others the corruption of her own family. No one would believe her. She stared at the floor. Kotori didn't know what to do. She wasn't sure where she would go from here and she felt bad for burdening this young man. His mother was ill. She was sure the last thing he needed was to have an emotionally exhousted girl to take care of as well.

Shion bent down next to her and moved his hands over to her legs. He pulled out a damp cloth and began to wipe the dirt from her legs so that he could tend to the cuts. Kotori seemed unsure about his touch at first, but after a little bit she relaxed a little more and simply watched him. She opened her mouth to speak, feeling like it was a good moment to say thank you again, but realizing that nothing would come out she closed her mouth and looked away, trying not to cry.

Shion looked up at her and saw the tears, he frowned, "Sorry." he said gently.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked. Kotori looked down at him as she wiped the tears away and shook her head. Shion just watched her for a moment before he smiled, "I don't have work or school tomorrow, would you like to go to the library with me so we can get a head start on this sign language buisness?"

Kotori smiled, hers weaker than his but she nodded resolutely. Shion nodded before turning his attention back to her wounds. He put ointment on them and then wrapped her legs up. He then stood up and closed the first aid box.

"All done." he told her.