A/N: Yay! After around 3 years of this story being up, someone finally told me what the table was called! Thanks user ilovetakashi! I really appreciate it!
ღLast time on Picking up the Piecesღ
The table was still flipped upside, food flung everywhere. There was a splotch of blood on the carpet from where Tamaki lay. I looked around, glancing at the blood. Memories that I couldn't find would've flooded into my mind, instead I cursed myself for now knowing what had happened.. "She damaged your room," Akira mumbled, entering my room. I glanced back at him and then rubbed my neck. He left after a moment.
I entered my closet and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and an oversized top. I wasn't going anywhere for a while, I had nowhere to run to this time, and wasn't going to. I smiled sadly before walking back out to the couches. The blood was starting to dry, if they didn't clean it soon, then it would be a constant reminder. My hand brushed lightly against the couch that I was sitting in almost an hour ago. I was so focused on trying to recall what happened, that I didn't hear the door open and silently close, or the soft footsteps that came and stood a foot behind me. That is until someone cleared their voice.
"The servants need to clean up in here, and the spare bedrooms are not prepared," Akira explained, before stepping forward and placing a hand on my shoulder. He had always been more talkative than his son, but not as talkative as Satoshi. "Come, you can wait downstairs in the tea room until they are done," his monotone voice carried to my ears, but I felt as if I was miles away. My foster father softly guided me out the door and down to the tearoom. I stepped inside, looking around. The room had a few candles lit, giving it some light in the darkness. I smiled softly at Akira. He nodded before sliding the doors shut. My silent way of saying thank you, and his way of saying no problem.
ღNowღ
I sat down by the kotastu, on a zabuton. A small cup sat in front of me filled with soothing tea. My eyes scanned the room, there was nobody else in here. I sat staring at it before a deep voice echoed throughout the tearoom. "Drink it." I jumped, standing up and looking around the room. Takashi was standing outside on the deck looking up at the sky. I stayed silent before lifting the cup to my lips and taking a drink. After a moment, he turned towards me and stepped inside. He lowered himself down across from me, and stared at me. Waiting for something it seemed.
"You never answered Kaoru," Takashi laced his fingers together and leaned forwards. My eyes flickered up to him in question.
"I wasn't asked a question..." I muttered looking down at the cup. I rubbed an eye with the heel of my palm. "I shouldn't have said anything," I rested my forehead against my knuckles.
"Kaoru asked why," Takashi helped, looking into my eyes. Stoic as usual. I lowered my hand to rest on the table, useless.
"I was young" I whispered, looking down at the cup instead of at him, "When my mum died. I had to live with his constant belittling and taking his anger out on me," my eyes flickered up to meet Takashi's. "An incident happened when I was eight...it was a terrifying experience and my father wasn't there to help me. When I began to become...ill...he tried to pull himself out of his issues. However, my alternate self festered a hatred for him apparently. At least that is what Rai had told me, I was miserable," I rubbed my arm and closed my eyes. "If my father came home extremely drunk, he would hit me..." Flashbacks flickered past my eyelids and I quickly opened them. Trying to avoid remembering them. "One day...I just snapped," I let out a small, dry and not humorous, laugh. "Over the stupidest thing..."
"Mm?" he grunted and sat there. Not moving for the longest time.
"I guess it was because Rai had been babysitting me so much," I mused bitterly before sipping lightly on the tea. "Among other reasons," I crossed my arms after placing the cup back onto the table.
"Why didn't you move in with someone else?" Takashi questioned, pouring himself some tea. His appearance and state seemed completely pulled out of the situation. As if nothing that was happening involved him or even registered on an emotional state for him.
"My father didn't have many trustworthy friends. I wasn't about to move in with Rai. Also, I was still young and that was a terrifying thought...leaving my father. Regardless of how he was. He was one of the last people in my family I know." I swallowed thickly and lifted my hand to cover my mouth. It was silent for the longest time.
"I'm sorry, I was just angry at myself, as well as everyone else for saying those things. I should thank Kaoru for intervening when he did, or I could have hurt someone more important to me," I mumbled, speaking up after a long silence, earning a small chuckle from Takashi.
"Tamaki isn't important?" he asked, finding what I had said humorous. My eyebrow rose looking up at him with question.
"He is, I meant someone like Mitsukuni, Satoshi, Akira-san, Sakura-san, Kaoru...or you," I whispered looking up at him. "I couldn't live with myself if I had killed him...or if I had hurt one of you guys..." Takashi hummed in silent understanding. I let out a sigh, this was much more helpful to me than speaking to my social worker or my therapist about things. "If only Tamaki knew how much he is like how my father was before my mother died." my voice faded at the end, smiling at the memories before my mother's death.
"Haru-chan! Want to go higher?" Kotoko asked, looking up at me from the ground. I nodded giggling widely as my mother disappeared under my feet before reappearing the next moment. A rush of wind sounded in my ears blowing my hair out in front of me. Hands softly touched my back and the pushed me back towards my mom. "Go on Ryouji, push Haru-chan higher on the swings!" Kotoko smiled and pushed me back towards daddy.
My smile faded as I remembered the events from earlier today again. "Why are you being so nice to me? I threatened to kill Mitsukuni, and hurt Tamaki. I am no better than a murderer..." I whispered, staring down at my hands. He reached forwards and placed his hand next to mine. I looked up at him in question.
"You regret all those things, and you can't control who the other you hurts," Takashi replied, trying to convince me. I shook my head with a sigh.
"I should've tried harder," I whispered, "I shouldn't have said anything to them about it..."
Takashi stayed silent.
Takashi had left to get some sleep after that. My room wasn't cleaned yet, and I didn't feel the need to sleep. I walked down the halls, my hand dragging lightly against the wall. Feeling the wood and drywall brush lightly against my fingertips. The only sounds in the hallway was snoring from Satoshi, and the soft padding as my feet touched the ground. I had no idea where I was going. A sigh escaped my lips and I closed my eyes. My footsteps continued down the hallway until I reached the stairs. The stairs split into two separate staircases circling the central sitting area.
All the servants had gone home, or were sleeping in the Servants house off to the side of the Morinozuka compound. I quietly opened the front door and stepped out. Letting the door swing shut quietly and closing with a click. The cold air swirled around me, chilling me slightly. The moon lit the grounds with a sliver light. The only sounds where crickets chirping. I figured out why I was outside, it was more peaceful than staying inside. Thinking about how screwed up everything is. I jumped lightly down to the grass and padded in my bare feet over to the pond. My thoughts twirled around most of my memories coming to haunt me.
I placed my hands on a large rock and pulled up so I was standing on top. The rock showed the Koi Pond, and the Akira's yen garden. I sat down, legs crossed, on the rock and closed my eyes. I concentrated on the surrounding noises, from the light wind pushing the grass and plants against one another, to the soft chirps from Piyo. Wait. Piyo? I opened my eye to see the large chicken flapping its wings in front of me. I smiled softly picking up the chicken and stroking its feathers. "I'm going to miss you" I whispered softly as it snuggled deeper into my arms. Piyo's head craned to look at me, questioning what I was saying. "I'm going to be leaving soon. Just do not tell Taka-kun," I whispered again.
I looked back at the pond, my eyes soft. There was a loud crack from my left, causing Piyo to jump out of my arms and squawk loudly. "Who's there?" I questioned, my tone soft, and stern. My eyes never left the pond as someone climbed onto the rock.
"Onee-san?" Satoshi asked, coming to sit with me. "Why are you leaving," he questioned, staring straight at the ponds like me. I cast him a sideways glance before closing my eyes and exhaling deeply.
"I cannot stay here. I feel as if I'm a burden to you family..." I murmured, keeping my eyes closed, I felt him tense next to me. His breathing calmed down for a moment before he reached over, wrapped one arm around my neck, and rubbed the top of my head with his fist lightly.
"You're not a burden," he said with a smile, "Whenever you move out, I'll come visit whenever I can," he released me and smirked. I nodded, rubbing my head lightly. That was the first time he had done that in a while. Maybe he had thought we had gotten too old for it. I did not really enjoy it, but I did not really mind it at the same time. The last time he did that was over four months ago. I smiled, and then continued staring at the pond before I looked back at Satoshi.
"Bed," I ordered, he opened his mouth to protest but a loud yawn broke him off. I smirked before standing up. "I'm going to sleep also." I explained turning on my heel and hoping off the rock and landing on the ground with a soft thud. A heavier, but still soft thump sounded besides me as Satoshi jumped down.
"Please do not leave tonight," Satoshi whispered, before disappearing into the house. I froze and glanced after him. If he knew, he probably would kick me out of the house by himself. I thought as disappearing into my own room and slid into the bed looking at some of the remaining blood that was clinging to the carpet. I pulled a pillow to my chest and hugged it tightly, feeling the silk from the pillow cover on my fingers. I remembered what Satoshi had said once I had gotten use to them.
I slowly walked into kitchen. Those two boys are sitting there. Retreat. I thought to myself, turning on my heels and was about to take a step when one of them said my name loudly calling me over. I flinched before slowly twisting back around. The shorter one was waving wildly at me, I smiled awkwardly and waved slightly back. I still had no trust in these people, and it had been half of a year already. I didn't want to be attached to them, if I did end up liking them, that is...
"So, our mom said that your name was Haruhi. My name is Satoshi, and this is Takashi!" The taller one removed his eyes from the newspaper to look at me for a moment. "What happened to you? I mean like why are you here?" Takashi removed his hand from his spoon and swung it at his younger brother's stomach.
"Satoshi, stop," he intoned, turning back to his newspaper as if his brother never spoke. That made me get even more nervous about these people.
"Sorry, Haruhi-san!" the younger one bowed before pulling himself up on the counter. "What happened though? If you do not want to answer then you do not have to."
"Good. I do not have to answer you." I glared at him, before turning on my heel.
"Mother said you were from an orphanage, why where you there?" Satoshi asked, hoping down and coming over to me. I glanced up at him.
"My parents aren't alive anymore," I whispered, turning again.
"Why not, what happened to them?" Satoshi asked, he grabbed my wrist, I froze.
"My mother died...and my father was..." I paused before shaking my head and attempted to pull my hand away from his grip. I looked at Takashi, the older sibling was watching our interaction very closely. "Murdered..." I said after a moment, mostly wishing that it would shock him enough to release me.
"Murdered?" Satoshi spoke up, his eyes widening. Takashi looked as if he was more alert than before. "Whoever did, I hope he gets what he deserves. No one should kill someone, especially someone with a kid!" Satoshi muttered darkly. I turned and ran out of the room.