"Onii-chan?"

Horo turned his head to the door of the hut to see his sister entering.

"What's up, Pirika?" he asked, putting down the woodcarving he had just been crafting. Another Ikupasui – nothing special.

"Are you… okay? You've been really quiet since we got here," Pirika's eyes were shining with worry for her brother.

He gave an agitated sigh, as though he was tired of being asked the same question. He returned to his tools and began working again.

Pirika watched him with concerned eyes. Ever since coming back to their hometown, Horo had seemed preoccupied with something far from him. Even during the ceremony he had seemed almost distant. Their family had grown increasingly worried about him, and Pirika had decided that the best way to find out was to talk with him directly.

"You know, it's just finished snowing outside. I bet all the snowboarding spots haven't been touched yet. You should go see!" she tried.

Horo just shook his head slowly, long curls of wood falling to the ground as he carved them away. "I gotta patch up my snowboard. I'll do it tomorrow."

"Well… father said we'd be having a feast tonight. You haven't eaten all day, so maybe you should come," she tried again.

"I'll cook myself something up later."

She looked at her brother with an anxious expression. His face was set with concentration as he sat cross-legged on the floor, chipping away at a block of wood with his hand-made tools.

"Onii-chan… do you miss him?"

Horo glanced up at the sudden question, chipping a mistake into his craft. It fell to the floor with a hollow thud. "What…?"

"Ren," she said, simply. She was almost afraid of her own question. "Do you miss him?"

Horo's mixed expression of fury and sorrow cast quickly to the ground. "What do you mean?"

Pirika dropped to her knees beside her brother. "You know what I'm asking you," she said, almost sternly. Horo met her gaze, and saw the look in her eyes that made her seem almost motherly. And like a mother, his sister knew how to read him well. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide the truth from her, even if she seemed to know it already.

"Maybe I do…" he answered, cryptically, picking up his wooden charm from the floor.

She put a caring hand on top of his. "Could you try talking to me? I don't want you dealing with this on your own."

He looked from her hand upon his, to her tearful eyes. For a moment, neither sibling moved, until Horo reached forward and pulled Pirika close to him. He buried his face in her azure hair, feeling so close to her that they were more one person than two. His sister meant the world to him.

"It can make it easier… if you say it," she whispered to him.

"You mean… how I feel?"

"Yes, how you feel… tell me, Onii-chan; what do you feel for Ren?"

"I… I love him, Pirika."

He felt her arms clutch him closer as he breathed out a heavy breath. He felt somehow lightened, like those three words had been weighing his shoulders down. Telling Pirika somehow always made situations feel better.

"Then… I think you know where you're needed most, don't you?" she said.

"But… what about you?" he asked, pulling away slightly so he could see her face. Her eyes seemed sure.

"I'll be just fine. You needn't think I always need you around to protect me, you know," she smiled.

Casting her eyes over the white and silver robes his sister was dressed in, over her determined eyes framed with mature features, to the symbol of the Ainu council on her headband, he realised just how far his sister had come in such a short space of time. Now she seemed much older and wiser than him. He felt pride in her well up inside him, and he beamed to her.

"Thank you," he said, squeezing her hand tighter in his. "You always have the best advice."

Author's Note: Only one chapter remains, and then Lose You Forever isdone :(
I'll put up the final chapter soon, until then, any reviews would be appreciated. Thanks so much!