Chapter 2: Hana's Past – Part 1
-*-DREAMSCAPE-*-
A smaller Hana was running through the thick forest of Japan as long as her small leg could last. She kept glancing back towards the directions she came from, her face drained of any blood she have. After a moment, she stop to take a breather.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Glancing around furiously, she spotted a little cottage not far from where she was standing. Deciding to hide there, she sprinted towards the cottage, making sure not to make any sound.
Seconds after she went into the cottage, two man emerged from the other side of the bushes. Hana thank the God that it was still dark, for they would've spotted her right then. She held her breath when they started walking towards her hiding spot.
"Damn, that kid sure run fast for a five year old." A big, gruffy man grumbled under his breath. The other man, smaller than the first one, put his hand on his knee, his breathing were ragged from all the running.
"Are you really sure she's only five?" He grunted.
The gruffy man glared at him. It was so intense, Hana took a step back unconciously. Even the smaller man flinched under the hot glares. "How old does she looked like to you?" Gruffy, the nickname Hana gave to the big man, demanded. The smaller one, dubbed as Weak by Hana, figdeted a little.
"Well, she does look like a five years old, but maybe she could be a year or two older, seeing as she outsmart us." Weak answered. Gruffy glared even more.
"That was a rhetorical question you idiot!" He snapped. Hana yelped and took a step back, making her step on the scattering branches. Both Gruffy and Weak snapped their head really fast, Hana could swear she heard a cracking sound.
"She's in there somewhere. Find her!" Gruffy instucted.
Without waiting for the second order, Weak quickly went inside the ruin cottage. The floor creaked beneath him as he quickly but carefully scanned the small room. Hana shivered in her small hiding spot in the corner. Soft sobs escape from her throat. She realized it too late when Weak glanced at her direction and spotted her that instant.
Hana was struggling againts the man's grip on her. But, what can she do? She knew that all her struggling were useless.
'If only I was strong enough.' She thought to herself. She hasa lost almost all her energy just running away from them, and it took all her will just to stay concious.
Every five minute, Gruffy would glanced at her direction and then glared at her if she just opened her mouth to say something. Along the way, Hana, realized that she won't be release no matter what she does, finally settles down and gave in to the tiredness that was overpowering her every seconds past.
Reaching a mansion that she would rather called her prison, they put her none to gently on her bed. After making sure that she won't get away any more, they finally leave her in that small room.
Outside her door, she could heard shuffling and then everything was silent. The small brunette knew that one of the man are standing outside her room just in case she would try to run away, again.
She crawled inside her bed, covering all her body with the blanket. A few seconds later, soft crying could be heard from under the covers. Soft muttering of "Why?" was vibrating thoughout the small room.
Out of a sudden, the small brunette wake up from her short slumber. She was confused as to what woke her up. Then she heard it. The jangling of keys outside her door. She kept herself under the cover knowing what would happen next.
Hana peeked through the hole on her blanket when the door was kicked hard. She winced at the loud sound. Sauntering towards the bed, a tall man looked at the frighten child.
"Poor child. Were you scared put there?" He asked, his voice full of concern. He reached for Hana slowly, when she backed away slowly at the outstretched hand. He murmurs a soft reassuring tone, and without realizing it, Hana was reaching to the hand, wanting to feel the love given by the man.
"Daddy." Hana whispered.
That one word changes all. That cursed words. The next thing the small brunette knew was that the man's hand were choking her. She struggled in his strong grasp, trying to let loose the offending hand.
"You've been bad. And bad kid should be punished." He said, rather calmly. The venom in his voice added the fear in Hana.
"Please, please. No punishment. I promise I'll be good from now on." She pleaded.
"How many times have you uttered those words, only to have broke them over and over again, hmm?" He replied calmly, to calmly. The shivering girl was silent as his words sank in. She knew all too well that what he said were true.
"I-I'm sorry. I promise I will never do it again. Promise." She pleaded.
Her father sighed. He looked at her intently, watching as the blood drained from her face. "I know you won't. But I won't tolerate you breaking it again." He gestured at the man.
"Bring her." He ordered. Gruffy and Weak didn't need to be told twice as they approached the brunette. She struggled hard, as the simple order makes her energy came back full force.
They brought her to a bigger room. Hana was pleading by the time they arrived there. Words of apologize flow from her mouth like a river. They made no action towards her plea. Her father would looked back once in a while to shut her up. She kept apologizing, until Gruffy, were not able to stand it any more, slapped her hard on the cheek. That kept her quiet.
In the small room everything was where they used to be. Despite that, she still looked in horror as they went inside the room. She was strapped to a bed, and her mouth was muffled with an old rag. Her father was nowhere in sight.
Looking around as far as her head could turn, she spotted her father standing far at the corner. She stared in pure horror as she realized what was there. She started struggling again when the tall man approached her slowly. Hana started screaming despite the fact that the rag was still in her mouth.
Hana woke up screaming. The occupants of the white room jumped when they heard the scream. Katomi, as fast as lightning, quickly went to her junior's side and comforted her. Hana was crying furiously at Katomi's shoulder.
When she looked up, she realized the others were staring at her. Mix of worry and confusion were carved on their face.
The crying finally ceased into a soft sobs. Katomi were whispering words of comfort to the younger brunette. She looked at Hana worriedly. She seems scared. 'But of what?' She asked herself. 'What was she dreaming about?' those kind of words kept repeating inside her head.
"Daijoubu desu ka, Hana-chan?" The frightened girl look at her senpai with those teary eyes. She nodded softly.
"Really? If there's something wrong, you know you can count on me right?" Hana nodded again. "And it isn't just me. You can count on them too." Katomi gestured to the group of children. Hana nodded again.
Katomi pushed her chin so they were looking at each other. "Say something. Your silence is making me more worried than just now." Her voice was stern but full of concern and Hana could not help but flinched a little at the gesture as the memories of her dream flashed in her mind.
Noticing the flinched, Katomi took away her hand. She moved to walk away, but Hana grasp her hand.
"Please don't go. I'm scared." It was so soft Katomi has to strain her ears to hear what the smaller girl murmured.
Katomi smiled a radiant and soft smile at Hana. "Of course I won't. I promise I'll always be by your side." Hana managed to smile a little. She glanced at the direction of her new friends at smile at them. They smiled at her in replied. Well most of them anyway. Gokudera just glared at her making her dropped her gaze at him.
"Are you really okay now?" Katomi asked stared at Katomi
"Hai Katomi-senpai. Daijoubu desu yo." She assured the older girl. She spotted her bandaged arm. "What happened to your arm, Katomi-senpai?" Katomi was taken aback at the question.
"Don't worry. Just a small scratch. Nothing big. You should worry about yourself more." She explained,noting the guilt in those soft voice. Hana nodded despite the guilt eating her from the inside. She knew it was her that has injured Katomi's arm.
She also knew that everything has happened because of her. She knew it because she has seen everything from the beginning of the attack and yet she didn't do anything. The hurtful memories were making her heart ache.
"What's the point of promising if you just gonna break it again?" Those words kept repeating inside her head, invading it. She clutched her head tightly, ignoring the words of concern and the sudden shaking of her body.
Katomi yelled at the panicking girl to calm herself down. Unfortunately, she can't even get near her. Hana would thrashed around when someone get near her. Not giving up, Katomi reached her and grabbed her before before she went wild again.
"Hana-chan, calm yourself down! What is wrong with you!" The older brunette yelled. She glanced at the others to help her. They quickly went toward her and grabbing Hana's hand to restrain any movement.
Hana started screaming loudly when she can no longer moved. Getting enough of her constant struggling, Katomi raised her hand and slapped Hana on the cheek hard. Hana stopped struggling at once and stared at her senpai.
"I told you not to worry about it too much didn't I?" Katomi hugged Hana close to her. Hana went into another crying fit, apologizing to her much beloved senpai and her very first friend.
Author's note
I'll try to update the next part as soon as possible cause because of some things, i forgot my plot. I believe it is called the writer's block. Just telling anyone who doesn't know. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that this is my first fanfic, so be nice. Well, I do take critism calmly. Lastly, enjoy the story!