AN: So, sorry about the big break. I'm grounded, and if you follow my profile you would've known that. Anyways, moving on, this time around I decide to focus on Satomi once again, sicne I'm giving her story. Not much else than that, except it's sad. You've been warned. :P

/

"Satomi! Satomi, are you okay?" Shinichi worriedly asked, concern lacing his words. "You sound so upset!"

"I am, Shinichi."

"Why?"

"My mom's… fallen into the bottle, so to speak, and she's not very nice about her conditions..."

"What?! Truly?" Izumi was relatively shocked; her mother had seemed kind enough whenever they hung out in the past.

"Yeah… this happened after my dad started to be away all the time on business. I don't want to be around her anymore because she scares me now," Murano sighed, her breath hitching as she spoke. She felt slightly uncomfortable, being unacquainted to telling others about her personal struggles. Murano had always dealt with them on her own, leaving her unsure how to proceed when an opportunity for outside help was given to her.

"Can I help somehow? Is she abusive?"

"Nothing I can't handle," the teen replied hastily, getting somewhat defensive about her own bottled-up feelings.

"Do you want to come over to my house until she calms down?" Shinichi suggested, his own voice raising in tone a bit. She could hear uncomfortable shuffling in the background, letting her assume that he was just as nervous about inviting her as she was about going to his house.

"Shinichi, it's eight-thirty! People will find it socially unacceptable!" Murano protested, saying this only out of token resistance. Truthfully, she'd like nothing more than to go over to his house, grab a hot chocolate, and talk the night away. And maybe let him try out her laptop once she felt better, because in truth, she knew he'd make her feel better, and not in the socially unacceptable way. She thought it'd be adorable to watch as he tried to play Five Nights at Freddy's and watch him get terrified at the scares. She knew they were a bit much, even for her. And she loved horror!

"I'd have to ask my mom, but I'm fairly certain she'd say yes. She loves you, you know," Shinichi mumbled into his phone, blushing at the mere mention of the word 'love.'

"D-does she now? I'm glad," Satomi replied just as timidly.

There was an awkward pause between the two, as if it was a recurring theme. Finally, Murano broke the ice and spoke. "Want me to bring anything over with me?" She was already beginning to feel better, just by being on the phone with him.

"Uh… could you bring your laptop? I want to try that game you were talking to me about."

Bingo.

"Thought you weren't the gaming type, Sheech," Murano giggled, walking in the direction of her cozy little room to pack her laptop.

"I'm not! It's normal for friends to take interest in their friend's interests," he tried to reason, but Satomi knew he was just curious and she liked flustering him, after all.

"I… didn't follow that statement at all," Murano replied, getting lost in Shinichi's interesting way of speaking. She laughed good-naturedly.

"Don't worry. I'll explain when you get here, Satomi. Oh, hey! My mom said it was all right if you came to visit!"

"Really?!" she exclaimed, ecstatic. "That's awesome! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"Yeah! I'll see you soon, Satomi," Shinichi happily said. He hung up the phone, leaving the young woman to smile to herself, amidst the pain and internal conflicts.

"This is exactly what I need; a good friend and time to talk," Satomi whispered to herself.

"Too bad you aren't going anywhere," a voice said behind her, snarkily.

"M-mom!" Satomi jumped in surprise, half of her emotions turning to rage, half turning to fear.

"You won't be going to Izumi's house. You will stay here and finish your homework," her mother stated firmly, drunkenness still evident in her voice.

"Mom. I need to talk to people about the troubles I have!" Satomi blurted, nearly breaking down into tears again.

"Then you'll do it alone. Your problems are nothing compared to mine. Think of someone else for a change," her mother stated somewhat hypocritically.

"Mom!" Satomi cried, angrily glaring at her mother. "At least I'm handling my issues in a healthy way!" As soon as the words flew out of her mouth, she knew she'd face serious repercussions later on. Instantly, she regretted saying anything.

"Murano."

By now, Satomi knew all the damage that could have been done was done, leaving her with nothing but bitterness and unbridled rage. Uncharacteristically, she replied with words laced with sarcasm and malice.

"Yeah, that's our name. What of it?" she said as she glared at her mother.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Take your backpack and leave."

"What?"

"You heard me. Pack whatever you need and get out of my house. Your problems are insignificant to mine."

"What was that about thinking of others, huh? Where did that statement go?" Satomi screamed, tears streaming down her face. Nothing could pacify the situation now. Knowing she was no longer going to be around her mom, she thought it a good idea to make sure her mother knew she was horribly wrong.

Even if her mother retracted her statement, she'd never come back.

"I have. Like I said, they're insignificant to mine."

"Mom…!" Satomi remembered all the blissful memories that their tiny family of three shared when she was younger. The laughter, joy, and happiness would never return. Their family was shattered into three columns and would remain that way forevermore. Memories kept flashing back. Rather than stay and dwell in pain in front of her mother, she flew into her room, tossed some clothes, laptop, mouse, and headphones into her backpack, and made her way to the door- slowly.

Satomi turned to see her mother facing her when she bent to pick up her coat. "Are the memories we experienced so long ago worth nothing to you?!" she lashed out, breath hitching in her lungs.

"Just… go." Her mother turned her head away and her voice sounded distant.

Was that pain she head in her mother's voice?

The now-homeless teen opened the door and smiled sadly. "They're worth a lot to me, ka-san."

Satomi walked through the door and began her way down the block.

She didn't look back.

/

AN: Hope you liked it. Favorite, follow, and review please! Thanks a ton!