Disclaimer: Sunrise
WARNING: Contain scene of violence and abuse. If you are uncomfortable with it or it might trigger something within you, skip till the scene change to non-italic font, or skip this story altogether. If you wish to proceed, please read on your own discretion.
Mito, 2012
"It's okay, it will end soon. Just a little bit more. They won't harm us for now."
Outside, the sound of screaming, slapping, things breaking were non-stop.
Kira's body trembled inside his sister's embrace. Tears were welling in his eyes. He hated this. He hated that he was so weak and his sister was always the one who protected him.
After the sound died down, Kira attempted to get up and out of their hiding place, but two arms, stronger than him, pulled him down again.
"Stop. What if she's still there? If she sees us, she will beat us down again."
"But I…"
"I know you are hungry. I'll retrieve something once she's out cold. Please bear with it for a while." His sister, Cagalli, tried to sooth him.
And they stayed inside the closet, until about an hour or so. After that, Cagalli thought it should be okay to go out. But she was still feeling unsure.
"Kira, you wait here, okay. Don't get out from here and wait until I come back."
"But… Cagalli… "
"It's okay, mother is probably sleeping and father is probably staying out again. But stay here, just in case, okay?" Cagalli patted Kira's head, and opened the door of the closet.
When he wanted to reach her, Cagalli already closed the closet door.
He could only wait inside the closet, alone.
Cagalli looked for her slipper first. That first time she walked out of her room after their parents fight, she stepped onto broken glass and it was not something she wanted to experience twice.
Opening the door of her and Kira's room, she peeked out first. She didn't see her mother, so she walked to the kitchen.
But then another door opened behind her, and it wasn't Kira.
"Oh the little devil is here…" Cagalli heard her mother slowly whisper.
She turned toward her. "Mother…"
"What are you doing here?"
"May I have something to eat? I haven't eaten anything since noon…"
"Why do I have to feed a useless child like you!?" She snapped, and her hand flung toward Cagalli's cheek.
Cagalli fell down. She could feel a few scratches from her mother's nail marring her cheeks.
"Useless! Useless! Why did I give birth to you!? You are nothing but an extra burden! You and the other brat!"
Cagalli gritted her teeth. It's gonna be over soon, just a little bit more, she shouted it over and over inside her head, while her mother continued to use Cagalli as her punching bag, while screaming hysterically. When Via lost her energy she would just stop abruptly, fall down to her knees and just sob there, forgetting that her daughter was in front of her.
Cagalli waited until her mother was motionless. She fell asleep.
Ignoring the pain all over her body, Cagalli got up, her breath was ragged. Then, she moved to look for something to eat. She saw the rice cooker and saw the indicator was on. Opening it, she sighed. There was still some left.
Reaching for a small bowl, she scooped some rice. When she felt her mother move a bit, she flinched. She hastily put the ladle back and ran to her room. There, she went back to where Kira was hiding.
"Kira, there was still some rice left. Here, eat this. Sorry I couldn't find anything else." Cagalli shoved the bowl and chopstick to him.
"There's only one bowl," Kira said.
"You eat. I'm okay, I'm not hungry," Cagalli answered to him, smiling. Kira could see her because they always kept a flashlight inside the closet.
"No, I can't eat this alone. You have to eat too!" Kira shouted.
"Shhh, be quiet," Cagalli put her palm on Kira's mouth. "Mother slept in the kitchen, it's best not to wake her up."
Kira gasped, "Your face!" when he saw the blood oozing from Cagalli's face.
"Ah, this is just some scratches, it will heal soon." She smiled dismissively, wiping the blood with the back of her hand. But Kira's eyes were already brimming in tears.
"Jeez, you are crying again, crybaby Kira," Cagalli grinned, patting her brother's head, "C'mon, you eat this, and then go to sleep. It's getting late."
"But you have to eat too, Cagalli. I'll only eat half, you eat the other half."
"No, I brought this for you," Cagalli shook her head.
"Cagalli-nee…" Kira whispered, he was genuinely crying, pleading to his sister. And Cagalli always gave in whenever Kira used that name on her.
"Okay then, but you eat first," Cagalli patted his head again, and Kira smiled a little.
Tokyo, 2020
"Kira, can you help me with my coding? I'm stuck at this part—" Athrun looked up to his friend. The said friend was just tapping something on his smartphone with a sour face. Athrun didn't call him again for attention. Looks like his mood is not that good, Athrun thought. Idly, he moved his gaze from Kira's face to the strap on his phone, a small blue doll with weird shape that has always been with Kira ever since he had known him.
"I'm sorry I have to go for club activity," Kira said, putting his phone inside his bag and getting up from his chair. He pulled his school bag, with his judo uniform tied and attached on it.
"Ah you have practice today? Can't be helped then." Athrun sighed.
"Yeah. If you want, I can go to your home and we can do it together on the weekend."
"This weekend…." Athrun thought a bit, searching his mind if he had anything else to do.
"What? Do you already have plans?"
"Nah, I don't have any," Athrun answered. "Is it okay with you? You don't have any plans with Fllay?"
"Ah..." Kira looked down. "It's…. a little bit complicated… with her now."
"Huh? Are you guys fighting again?" Athrun turned his body toward his friend. "Ah… sorry! I don't mean to pry…" Athrun put his hands up in surrender.
Kira just smiled sadly. "It's okay."
He must be talking with Fllay on the phone, Athrun thought. "Well, if you want to talk, just call out to me, okay?" Athrun said, and he started to get ready and go to the robotics club room. They exited the classroom together, waving at each other before they went to their respective club room.
On his way, Athrun saw a familiar figure walking ahead of him.
"Lacus?"
The one who was called turned her head.
"Oh, Good afternoon, Athrun." Lacus turned her body to face Athrun. "Are you heading to the club room? Do you have club activity today?"
"No, but there is this robotics competition we would like to participate in before retiring from the club, and preparing for the college admission exam." Athrun said, jogging to her side. "I'm going to use the club room to do preparations. Are you heading to your chorus club?"
"Yes. We too have a preparation for the event next month."
"I see," Athrun simply responded.
They both walked in silence as they ascended to the fourth floor of the school building, where most club activities take places.
"Kira also has club practices today," Athrun suddenly said.
"Eh?"
"I can feel you darting your eyes at me so many times since we met. Were you actually waiting for me so you can ask about Kira?"
Lacus didn't say anything. Curious, Athrun looked at her, and found Lacus facing away from him, but he could still see the pinkish blush on her cheeks.
"Bullseyes, huh?" He mumbled. He had been watching from afar how his childhood friend, Lacus, falling slowly for his best friend, Kira, only to be friend-zoned because Kira thought the same things as most people, that Lacus and Athrun secretly liked each other (though Athrun was not sure if Kira had any feelings for Lacus or not).
And before Athrun and Lacus could convince Kira otherwise, he suddenly proclaimed that he was dating Fllay Alster, one of the school's most popular girls.
That was one year ago.
"They seem to have some problem now," Athrun said idly, "Kira and that girl, Fllay." None of them really liked Fllay that much. When they tried to accept her and tried to hang out together with her, Fllay never failed to express her feelings; that she thought Athrun and Lacus was a nuisance. They tried to be friendly, but Fllay would always act snobby, like they didn't have the right to spend time with her. She still acted like a conceited princess even when Kira was around, though she would tone it down a bit. But if Athrun and Lacus could prefer, they would rather stay back than to spend time with Fllay.
And so, Kira never really pushed them to spend time together again. Either he hung out with Fllay, or with Athrun and Lacus.
"Is that so?" Lacus said. "Kira must be really troubled now." Her face and tone showed her concern.
"Isn't it good? Kira might really break up with her now."
"Oh my, what kind of a friend are you, Athrun? You are wishing for your best friend to break up with his girlfriend?" Lacus smiled at him, teasing.
"And you don't?" Athrun accused.
"I only wish the best for him. If it is something that brings sadness to him, then I don't wish it to happen." Even if she disliked Fllay being with Kira, Lacus didn't want Kira to be hurt.
"I really don't think she is the best for him. Why her, of all people? She is a spoiled princess with lots of rumors surrounding her. I actually won't be surprised if she was two-timing Kira with another man, at this point."
"You sounded like gossip girls, Athrun," Lacus laughed softly.
"I'm not gossiping, but her rumor can be heard even if you are not asking for it. It's like a well-known secret, you know." Athrun sighed. He wondered how Kira couldn't see what kind of person Fllay is. She was popular because of her looks, and her family who owned a big company. She was born with a silver spoon, never had even one wish denied by anyone around her. Athrun occasionally saw Kira looked troubled when Fllay demanded his time while Kira had to go for club practice. And the day after that, Kira would look kinda gloomy, no doubt the result of arguing with Fllay, trying to make her understand that he couldn't be with her on practice day. And he even wore the same look today.
"You really won't say anything to him, Lacus?" Athrun asked her. Seriously, he thought Lacus was the perfect match for his best friend. Many people thought they were together just because she was his childhood friend and they were close. But Athrun never had any special feelings for Lacus. She had been in his life so long, Athrun thought of her as family, so it felt weird to think of her in any non-platonic way. Same thing went with Lacus; especially since both of them were an only child. They thought of each other as brother and sister. And Athrun sometimes felt really protective of her, it concerned him a bit that she was holding back on her feelings with Kira.
"It's not the right time. Now, I'm nothing but his friend," Lacus said, sadly, though she fully understood their current situation. She wouldn't say anything about her feelings to him until he left Fllay. If he did leave Fllay, that is.
Athrun sighed. Lacus was too selfless for her own good. Even if she liked Kira, she wouldn't do anything that would make Kira sad, even if it meant she could get Kira away from Fllay.
"It would be good if things work out in the end, for you two," he said.
"How about you, Athrun? You are pretty popular too," Lacus asked him back, looking up to him.
"Nah, I'm content with my current state. Seeing Kira just makes me glad that I'm single now." Athrun chuckled.
"Isn't it because you haven't met the right person yet?" Lacus suggested.
"That too, maybe. But it's okay. Maybe I'll try dating someone when I'm in college," he answered. Athrun was pretty much the same as Kira. He couldn't be bothered by anything when he was focusing on something. And he was working on his project for a robotic club, he didn't want to think about or be bothered by a whining girlfriend.
As they arrived at the third floor, Athrun walked toward his club room, which was the closest one to the stairs, while Lacus choir club was at the far back end of the hall.
"Well, see you again, Lacus," Athrun waved to her.
"Yes, I'll see you around." Lacus nodded, and she continued to walk to her club room.
AN:If you are still with me,
First...
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
I know I promised a happy fic after my last one, but... yeah... But I can promise a happy ending with this one, I swear.
And now, I tried to challenge myself with multi-chapter fic. I can't really promised fast update though.
As you can probably guess, I'm setting the story in Japan. I know it's probably weird to have characters with names like Cagalli and Athrun be in Japan. But this is a fic, so yeah, author rules.
See you next chapter
Cheers~
