Welcoming
The morning light passed through the curtains, bathing the loose hair of Homura, who was sitting on the bed with a tired countenance.
This is not a dream. I'm back to this place.
She stared at the ring in her left hand, at the runes she could read clearly.
After all that's happened, I'm back to this place...
She heard a creak and so looked at the closet.
One of the doors was ajar, where inhuman blue eyes peered out.
Homura changed her posture to a firmer one. "Stay where you're."
The door opened and like an avalanche the children collapsed inside the room.
"What are you doing?!"
The children helped each other to get up, checking and reconnecting any part which had dropped.
Homura got out of bed promptly and began to push them back into the closet. "Begone. I'm... not... with patience to..." She noticed that one of her children was different.
It was Mie, dressed in a black ballerina costume. She greeted her mistress by pulling the ends of her skirt and bowing to her.
"T-Take it off!" Homura ripped off her child's dress, letting it fall to the floor.
Mie hugged herself, trying to hide her featureless bare body of wax.
Homura was still thinking about the sermon she would give when she heard a familiar melody.
This time was Noroma who had opened the music box.
She rushed to close it and scolded her, "Never touch...!"
The child held a small ballerina of plastic and was about to put it in her mouth.
"Noroma..."
Confused, the child looked at her mistress.
Homura gritted her teeth to make it clear. "Don't..."
However the child, still looking at her, opened her mouth wide to chomp the ballerina.
In a lunge, Homura was able to take the object from her child.
The other children were playing with the doll house, opening all the doors and windows, their glass eyes curious to know what was inside.
Seeing that, the girl sighed and opened the music box to put the ballerina inside, just a little so the music would not start.
"Homura-san, are you awake?"
The sudden voice of Chiharu. She turned and saw the door opening.
Her children too, stopping what they were doing.
She only had an instant.
Homura grabbed the alarm clock beside the music box. The edges of the object were filled with the lilac light of her magic. When reached its hands, they stopped just like the world. She gulped when saw Chiharu beneath the faded veil, still partially behind the door. Apparently, she had not noticed anything yet.
The clock began to vibrate and the metal to crack.
Time was a tremendous force, going against its whim even for a simple grain of sand was an absurd idea and here she was holding it, of all the universe, in an artifact built by imperfect human hands.
Homura knew that. She concentrated on her free hand, ready to conjure an hourglass.
The clock burst and its pieces scattered on the floor.
The door opened, with Chiharu already jumping in fright. "Ahhh!"
It was too late. Homura turned pale.
The dolls switched their eyes to green and red and their mouths were covered with sharp teeth, while Mie jumped into the closet.
With her hand on her chest and breathing deeply, Chiharu approached where Homura was.
The girl gritted her teeth and shook her head frantically so that she would not come.
However, Chiharu was paying attention to the shattered alarm clock. "Oh... What a mess..."
Homura's eyes widened while panting.
It was then that Chiharu realized. "Homura-san?" She touched the girl's face. "Oh! You're cold! Is it your heart?"
Confused, Homura lowered her head and hugged herself, trying to recover. "N-No... I'm just scared... with the clock." She glanced at the dolls, which were static and shifting their faces to their less threatening aspect.
Chiharu was still a little worried about her reaction. "Yes, it made a lot of noise when it hit the floor. I did not think it was so fragile." Then she looked at the dollhouse. "It's not a big loss, you never liked this gift from your father compared to..."
Homura shuddered. Chiharu was looking directly at the dolls and the girl was certain the woman had noticed something.
The housekeeper walked, the dolls making their way to her with their curious glances, and took the ballerina costume on the floor. After searching for any damage in the fabric, she consulted Homura.
The girl looked away.
"Your father asked me to leave everything as it was." Chiharu leaned into the closet to put the costume back on the hanger. "I'm sorry if you wanted me to remove them."
"I don't care about that anymore."
"Then why did you remove all the costumes from the clothes hangers and drop them at the bottom of the closet?"
Homura frowned.
Mie, already in her original dress, crawled out of the closet, passing between Chiharu's legs. When she got up, her head was partially caught under the woman's skirt, almost lifting it as well.
The other dolls laughed in silence.
Chiharu closed the closet door and straightened her skirt. "Right, I'll get someone to clean your room. In the meantime you should have your breakfast, I won't allow you to stay any longer without eating."
Homura sighed. "Okay..." She thought the housekeeper would leave after saying that.
Quite the opposite. "But what is this?" The woman went to the bag on the bed. "Did you not take anything out of here?"
Homura muttered, "I'm only going to stay here for a few days."
Chiharu started rummaging through the bag. "Where are your medicines? Are you following what the doctor prescribed?"
"If I were not, I'd be dead by now."
She picked up the boxes, there were more than twenty, and read the labels of each one, "Hydrochlorothiazide, Amiodarone, Sodalol Chloridate..." Then she brought one of them close to her eyes. "I should have brought my glasses."
Homura looked at the label. "Remifentanil, an analgesic."
Chiharu raised her eyebrows. "Did you read?"
The girl glanced at the pair of glasses she had left on the nightstand. "I recognized by the color of the box."
The woman stared at her for a moment and then nodded, putting the box back in the bag. "And where is the blood pressure monitor?"
Homura's eyes widened.
Chiharu understood. "Thank God we have one here. I'll bring it." As she turned to leave, her arm was held, a firm grip.
With her surprise, Homura released her. "Please... Bring, but let me do it myself. I'm able to."
"'Or I would be already dead,'" the woman mimicked what the girl had said, squinting her eyes, "fine, but at least wash yourself and change those clothes. After all this time, your father expects to meet a daughter, not a corpse."
Homura held her tremors until Chiharu left. She then looked at her children, murmuring to herself, "She can't see them..."
"Good morning!" Madoka entered the room without ceremony. "Oh!"
The dolls widened their smiles and surrounded her.
Madoka opened her arms and offered her palms to receive the could touches of those wax hands. "Wehihi! So Homura didn't sleep alone."
Seeing that scene, Homura folded her arms and turned her face. At this she noticed that Ibari was next to her, also with her arms crossed, just like Ganko. While Ibari lifted her chin, Ganko lowered her head and tried to make a grumpy face.
Madoka approached Homura, looking at the clock pieces scattered on the floor. "I saw Chiharu-san coming out of the room in a hurry."
"It was nothing, only an accident."
"Really?"
Homura glanced at her, feeling that this was not exactly a question.
"You stopped time."
She closed her eyes and sighed.
"You were afraid she could see your familiars." Madoka continued to smile. "But a witch, if she wants it, can hide her nature from the common sight."
Homura looked at her with conviction and said, "I feared that Chiharu-san would be hurt."
Madoka's smile disappeared. "You wish for that?"
Homura winced. "Of course not!" She then went to the nightstand and picked up her glasses as she tried to ease her breathing. When she turned she saw that Madoka was already distracted with the dollhouse.
"So big, isn't it? It's amazing," the pinkette commented.
"Big and empty. There's nothing to see here." Homura approached. "I'll go to the bathroom."
"Can I help you?" Madoka showed her hands imitating claws.
Homura held a lock of her loose hair. "Sure..."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"Yesterday's dinner was very light. Chiharu-san has been quite careful about your condition."
With her braids tightly tied, Homura headed toward the staircase.
With Madoka. "She's always thinking about your well being."
"This is her job," Homura said coldly.
Madoka looked at her, raising the eyebrows. "Are you sure it's just that?"
Homura pondered the question and replied without changing her expression, "She's being paid well."
They went downstairs and found the housekeeper waiting for them.
Seeing how Homura was, Chiharu smiled with satisfaction. "Please, come with me."
They went to a pair of French doors that led to a large veranda, where there was a long cobblestone path that continued up to a swimming pool.
There was a table on the veranda, with a traditional breakfast of soup, fermented soybeans and omelet, plus fruit. A boy who was sitting at it, greeted them, "Good morning. I was already thinking that I'd eat alone, even though there's a beautiful girl and my beloved sister at home."
"Good morning." Madoka smiled at him, somewhat embarrassed.
Homura ignored him completely and sat down.
Chiharu looked at him cross-eyed.
Udo noticed and made an exaggerated gesture with his hand to her, and bowed in an act of homage. "I haven't forgotten you. I'm so thankful for this rich meal."
"Set aside these elaborate graces," replied the housekeeper, "listening to me would be much better."
While she sat, Madoka felt the need to intervene. "He's right. This place, the tablecloth and the bowls, everything is lovely."
Chiharu smiled again. "That's nothing."
"Don't you want to sit with us?" the girl invited.
"I already had breakfast with the other employees."
Under the watch of the woman, the three thanked for the food and began to eat in silence.
Homura reached for an apple.
Making Udo frown. "Look, my sister is eating solids now."
The girl pressed her lips together and made a motion that she would return it to the fruit bowl.
"Oops!" Udo quickly got up from the chair and stopped her, pushing the fruit and starting a dispute. "Sorry about what I said."
"Udo-san!" Chiharu exclaimed.
Without any effort Homura won the contest and put the apple back as he tried to explain to the housekeeper. "My bad! But I was surprised, didn't you too?"
"I did." Chiharu folded her arms and said harshly, "But expressing this is something completely different. The tongue is a weapon that hurts deeply."
Udo nodded and made a sign of peace as he sat down again.
Homura stayed only with the soup, where she brought the bowl to her mouth, without looking at anyone. She did everything mechanically, even the act of taking off her foggy glasses.
Madoka was watching her, chewing slowly, feeling the tension still lingering in the air.
Udo, however, was already smiling. "Ow, Madoka."
"Hi?" Even to her, having someone of the opposite sex, who was not from her family, calling her that way was still odd.
"How was that disaster in Mitakihara? I saw that even some skyscrapers were torn away by the wind. How did you survive?"
She smiled a little. "Just like everyone else, I think... I stayed with my family in an emergency shelter until the storm passed."
"Then you didn't see anything." Udo was disappointed. "Were you friends with my sister already at this time?"
Madoka stopped eating and clasped her hands together. "Ah yes! We study in the same classroom."
"Cool... but you must have been pretty worried about her that day."
"She was with me in the shelter."
"Yeah?" Udo scratched his neck and pulled the chain wrapped around it. "This is weird."
Madoka raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"The shelters have records of who entered them. Dad searched all of them and didn't find her name." Udo looked at an empty spot and shook her head. "He was so desperate. I hadn't seen him like this since mom's death."
Homura continued to sip the soup, making as little noise as possible.
"Are you finished eating, Udo-san?" Chiharu asked, quite annoyed.
"I will! I will!" The boy returned his attention to his omelet.
While Madoka gave a final word. "Ummm... Probably they forgot to do this, the situation was chaotic..."
The silence lasted until they finished their meal, which was when Udo pulled a smartphone out of his pocket.
"No phones at table," the woman warned.
"It's quick." He lit the screen of the device. "I spent the night studying the city of Mitakihara, I'm an expert now. I just need to remember the name... Aha!" Jubilantly, he soon asked Madoka, "and how is Shirome, does have cool people in there?"
She replied, "I study elsewhere, known as Mitakihara school."
Udo furrowed his eyebrows. "But you just told me that my sister was studying with you in the same classroom." Then he looked at Homura.
The girl had her face turned, partially hidden with a hesitant hand near her mouth.
"Udo-san, go to your room," Chiharu said.
Using his entire arm, he pointed to his sister as he asked the woman, "Did you know that?"
"My patience has run out." The housekeeper was more energetic. "To your room, now!"
He rose with his hands up. "All right! All right..."
"Quick!" She stamped her foot.
Udo obeyed, but as he passed behind her he stopped and winked at Madoka.
The girl was curious about what he intended to do.
Using his hands, he mimicked a pair of horns on Chiharu's head and then he began to make faces.
Madoka put her hand on her mouth to avoid laughing.
"Uh?" Chiharu turned, but Udo was already far away. "What's it? What happened?"
"He was acting funny," the girl said.
The woman sighed. "I apologize for Udo-san's attitude. He still thinks the world revolves around his desires."
Looking more calm, Homura put her glasses back on.
Chiharu made a polite smile. "Homura-san, your father expects to arrive around lunchtime. Be ready for the occasion."
Homura got up from her chair. "Thank you..." And left.
Not waiting for Madoka. "Ah!" She stood up quickly. "Chiharu-san, the breakfast was great!" She managed to reach the other girl in the bathroom, where they brushed their teeth together.
At that moment she noticed that Homura continued with methodical movements, as if it were a robot following a routine.
They returned to the third floor, when Madoka tried to break the ice. "Do you want to see the room that Chiharu-san chose for me?"
"I already have a good idea of what it looks like," Homura replied with no emotion.
When they reached the entrance to Homura's room, she soon opened it.
"Are you... going to stay in your room again?"
With Madoka's question, she stopped and whispered, "Chiharu-san is already suspicious of me, I must avoid exposing myself too much. Understood?"
"Uh-huh..."
"Good." Homura entered the room.
Madoka would follow her, but the door closed in her face. She drew back, pressing her lips together. "Yes, I understood..." Alone, she returned to her room.
The window showed a cloudy day, she could only see the foot of Mount Fuji. At least it was possible to be distracted seeing the movement of boats in the bay.
On the bed, her phone gave a sign of life.
"It must be mom." However, Madoka was surprised to see whose message it was.
Blue Drop
"Sayaka-chan..." She then opened it.
Hiiii! All quiet here in Hokkaido (a bit cold too T_T, the wind here is awful). We only found witches in Sapporo, Kyouko and I are going to look for magical girls in the fisherman villages. How are you? Is she still living with you?
Madoka remembered that she had not seen her friend in a while. If all went well, they would meet soon. For now, she would have to answer that message and erase it.
And as expected, there was a message from her mother as well.
Did you arrive in Tokyo? You met her family?
This reminded Madoka of something else. "I better start taking some photos..."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
The hours passed.
Lying on the bed, Madoka counted them. For someone who had the taste of eternity, it could mean nothing. Yet for her, in that place with those people, every infinitesimal moment was precious.
Just like that melody that started. Simple yet cozy notes, even with the walls dampening them.
Madoka got up and went into the corridor, following that sound without hesitation, until she reached the open door of a room where Udo on the bed played a guitar.
He was surprised by the presence. "Well... if I remember, it's the mermaids' songs that attract men, not the other way around."
"I'm pretty sure this is a misconception." Madoka smiled.
The mess in the room contrasted with the luxury. Posters of pop bands and crumpled clothes covered the high quality wood.
Udo tossed a pair of used briefs, liberating a space in the bed. "Sit here. Don't mind much, okay? I do it to make myself feel at home."
Madoka accepted the invitation. "But you lived here."
"Yeah..." He raised his drawn eyebrows. "But this place ceased to be a home a long time ago." Then he asked, "Why aren't you with my sister? Is she alone in her bedroom?"
Madoka nodded.
Udo smiled and shook his head. "Homura... She's grumpier than ever. It can't be helped, when your dreams die..."
"Yours is to be a musician."
Udo was puzzled. "Is that a question?"
"Is it still for you?" Madoka frowned. "You look like an idol."
He returned to smile. "Yup! I'm a drummer from a school band. Too bad I can't bring the instruments here."
"Are you good?"
"We're the best!" Udo's excitement was short. "At least at school. We're not professionals yet and I don't think I can be..."
"Doesn't your father like what you do?"
"Hmmm..." He grimaced while he thought. "It's not that, it's more... It's more that he doesn't understand, you know. His business is contracts and constructions. He doesn't want to risk investing in my career, especially since he has no contacts that can help us." He put his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. "If mom was alive, things could be different."
Madoka said in a more melancholic tone, "Would this also be true for Homura?"
Udo was curious, for he felt somehow that question was not just for him.
She continued, "Upon arriving here, she even talked to Chiharu-san, but with you, being her brother, she hasn't exchanged a word since."
The boy agreed, scratching his forehead. "See, after mom's death, everything got worse. Our dad was never the same, now imagine me, a little boy. Now imagine my sister, a baby, the reason our mom died, and we needed to take care of her."
Madoka looked away and brought her hand to her chest hearing that.
Udo gaped at the reaction, then sighed and shook his head. "It was a bad past for us all. I got over it, but there are people who don't."
"If you overcame this, don't you think you can do something for her?"
Udo frowned. "Have you ever helped her?"
Madoka lowered her head and smiled. "I always try."
"I think you have more chances than I do, being a girl..."
She glanced at him. "But you have something in common with her that I don't have. A dream that has come to an end, awaiting the dawn of a new day."
"Wow! Are you a composer? I liked that one." Udo smirked. "You know, when I saw you I thought you're cute and shy. Now I don't even know how to describe, you're something... special. For real."
"I already wished to be special." Madoka's gaze was contemplating the emptiness. "Talents, privileges, responsibilities... I've learned that they don't always matter when you need to help others."
"My sister is blessed to have you as a friend..." Still sitting on the bed, he turned to her. "Hey! I want to be your friend too!"
"Wehihi..."
He prepared the guitar. "I'll convince you with this song. Do you want to listen?"
The growing sound of an approaching helicopter could be heard.
Udo rolled his eyes and dropped himself on the bed. "Oh no..."
Madoka rose. "Is it him?"
With his face buried in the mattress, his confirmation came muffled. "Yep."
"Aren't you coming?"
"Hmmm..." The boy rolled over the bed and gestured at her. "You can go ahead."
She left the room and hurried down the corridors until she came across Homura, who had just opened the door.
The girl with braids had a gloomy face.
This did not intimidate Madoka, who made use of telepathy due to the deafening sound coming from the outside. [Your father arrived.]
Homura looked at her, an inquiring look. [Where were you?]
The sudden question made Madoka blink and shrug. [Here, inside the house.]
"Homura-san!" Chiharu's call came from the staircase.
Homura's gaze became less intense and she closed the door, making sure no doll had escaped. [Let's go.]
The girls joined Chiharu in the courtyard where the helicopter had already landed.
The blades were still spinning when the door opened and a man left the vehicle. His hair was gray, almost white, but he was not bald. He appeared to be thin and his facial skin had spots, marked by age. He was wearing sunglasses and a button shirt, carrying a suit and tie on his arm.
Chiharu whispered to Homura, "Come closer."
The girl sighed and resignedly obeyed.
And Madoka followed her. They both stopped halfway.
The man walked slowly, but willingly, his lustrous shoe crushed the grass until he stopped in front of Homura.
He was not tall, not an imposing figure, but Madoka saw a Homura with head lowered and hands together on the belly, like a submissive statue.
The man examined her from head to toe before uttering in a cold voice, "We will talk..." Then he looked at the other girl.
Madoka bowed. "Hi."
Just as he did with Homura, he examined her without showing any expression, yet even with dark glasses it was possible to feel his piercing gaze.
Madoka smiled slightly.
He made an almost imperceptibly nod and headed toward the mansion.
"Welcome, Hiroshi-sama." Chiharu bowed. "Your room is ready and lunch will be served soon. I instruct the kitchen to prepare grilled tuna how you like."
"Where's Udo?" Hiroshi asked.
Chiharu bowed even more. "He must be in his room, sleeping... probably. I should have called him."
"I'm here!" Udo left the house, happily. "Is everything all right, daddy? Have you signed any new contracts?"
This time, Hiroshi was harsher. "Where's your manners?"
"Ow, wait!" Udo stepped back. "What do you mean? I'm here to greet you, aren't I?"
At the beginning of that discussion, Chiharu kept her composure without looking at them.
It was not the case of Madoka, who was worried with what was unfolding.
Homura was still, but she also looked at the scene out of the corner of her eye.
"You embarrass me once more!" Hiroshi pointed at the girls aggressively. "You bring me another girl, whom I doubt you have a proper relationship, and yet you have the nerve to leave her alone, without you to introduce her to me!"
Udo frowned and shook his head. "I don't have anything with this girl. She's a friend of Homura."
"She's a friend of..." Hiroshi did not finish repeating the sentence, his mouth hanging open. He turned and returned to where Madoka was.
She waited without reacting.
He removed his glasses, revealing who Homura had inherited her eyes. "Your name."
"Madoka Kaname."
"Kaname..." Hiroshi said that name with great regret and then bowed. "I apologize for my hasty judgment. I, Hiroshi Akemi, Homura's father, should only have been thankful that you helped her."
Chiharu hurried and bowed again to him. "It's my fault! I did not tell you about her, I-I wanted to make a surprise. I did not expect-"
Hiroshi raised his hand.
She silenced immediately.
"No need to apologize." Hiroshi looked at his daughter. "It's a good surprise..."
Homura had closed her eyes.
He turned his attention back to Madoka. "This house is open for you. I hope you're comfortable."
Madoka nodded and smiled. "I am."
"Anything you need, ask for Chiharu-san or Ichiro, they can arrange it. Excuse me..." Hiroshi left her, going to the house.
Udo waited for him to pass before commenting to himself, "What a slip..."
The pilot of the helicopter had already made the last checks and went towards them. He was tall and very handsome, with a straight and short dark hair, he could very well do a modeling work. His eyes were burgundy and had pale skin. His tie was still tied to his collar and he put his suit on his arm. He first approached Homura.
The girl lifted her eyes once and then did not look at him again.
"It's good to see that you're well, sister," the young man said, with an expression of grief.
Madoka watched his face shift to something lighter as his attention turned to her.
"I saw my father apologizing to you. I hope his temper did not scare you too much."
She was embarrassed. "No, it was just a misunderstanding."
"Good." He bowed. "I'm Ichiro Akemi. Are you my sister's colleague?"
"She's from the Kanames family," Chiharu said.
"Oh..." Ichiro did not contain his surprise. "It's a great pleasure to meet you."
"My name is Madoka Kaname." She bowed. "It's my pleasure to meet my friend's family personally."
"Hmm..." He loosened his tie and said playfully, "Our family is a bit too rich, try not to be intimidated."
"It's a bit too hard." She winked, following the idea.
Then he whispered, pointing with his head, "And be careful with that fellow over there."
Madoka looked at the distant Udo, who waved to them. "Right..."
Ichiro made mention that he would leave, but stopped. "Ah!"
Madoka raised her eyebrows, yearning for what he was going to say.
However, his words addressed Chiharu. "I almost forgot to tell you how more magnificent you look every time I see you."
The woman narrowed her gaze and also said in jest, "What have you been up to, silly boy?"
He just replied with a smile and went to the house.
Before that, Udo charged at him with his shoulder. "Hey big bro! Be careful not to crumple your clothes!"
Ichiro returned the attack, almost knocking down the slim boy. "Weak as always..."
Udo made a face of pain, but the smile was not gone. "Why didn't you bring some girls?"
"Huh?"
"You plus that helicopter there... Any cutie would accept if you invited her to spend the week with us."
Ichiro was not believing. "With our father?"
Udo opened his arms. "Ahh... He wouldn't even mind. You know how he changes when he's here."
"Forget it." Ichiro grew more serious.
"Ahhh..." Udo lifted his head, his mouth gaping and rolling his eyes. "It's too boring heeeere!"
Ichiro put his hand on his brother's shoulder, leading him into the house. "If I remember correctly, you didn't think that way."
"That place no longer exists, it's gone."
"Indeed..."
Chiharu gestured for the girls to accompany her, soon they were already inside. Then the housekeeper left them. "I'll be in the kitchen."
Standing in the hall, Madoka tried to exchange glances with the other girl, but she did not react. "Homura..."
"Homura!"
A much more austere voice could be heard, it was Hiroshi looking at them as he wiped a pair of transparent glasses and entered a corridor.
Homura clearly understood that she needed to follow him.
"It's going to be okay."
She finally looked at Madoka, who nodded at her with a confident expression. None of that mattered, neither those words nor those attitudes, for she knew where she was going.
She went alone. Walking down the corridor, Homura felt her head tingle, seething with memories, like the image of that man, who took a key from his wallet to unlock the door to that room.
She entered first. In appropriately calculated steps, she positioned herself within that library. The first thing she focused on was the altar, at the portrait of a smiling doll with long black hair.
She blinked.
The image of a woman, of someone she would only know that way.
Hiroshi closed the door, passed in front of his daughter and leaned on one of the seats, lowering his head and sighing. "Do you have any idea?"
To Homura that was the easiest part, she did not have to say anything.
He turned and said, more aggressively, "You do have, no one would do that if they had not." He sighed again and took a handkerchief in his pocket to pass on his forehead. "As soon as I heard of the chaos and destruction in Mitakihara, I called you."
It was just to keep her eyes down and listening.
"I knew it was futile, but I called. Then I discovered that the place I rented for you to live in had been completely destroyed. They found their belongings, but no body..." Hiroshi's lips quivered as the wrinkles in his skin stretched with tension. "I looked for you in the hospitals, in the shelters, even in the morgue. Then... I looked at the school you should be studying, Shirome, and they never saw you, your name was not there."
It was just to keep an impassive countenance.
"You know what I thought? That you had run away, that you could be, alive or dead, in any ditch or cesspit of that country." He nodded slowly, speaking in a lower tone. "And I could not report your disappearance. People would think I abandoned you, that I left you to your fate in Mitakihara." Then he raised it again. "But we had a deal, hadn't we?"
It was just to keep.
With the silence that ensued, he nervously ran a hand through his hair. "It was your brother Ichiro who gave the idea of looking for some record of you in that school where we are building. When we found, I couldn't believe, what were you thinking? They found out you were living with another family, of that girl you brought here."
"'They'?" Homura murmured, "so you sent someone to spy on me."
"WHAT DID YOU SUPPOSE I WOULD DO?!"
Homura flinched. She had made a mistake, but, feeling deep down in her conscience, it might not be. What she was trying to keep was an illusion that could no longer hide her core.
"If you did not want to receive visits from me at the hospital, nor from your brothers, I accepted that!" Heaving his chest, he pointed at her. "But a daughter simply disappears, as if she did not exist, no father deserves it. NO FATHER!"
Homura closed her eyes and wrinkled her chin. It wanted to burst out of her.
Hiroshi adjusted his glasses as he calmed his mood and started walking. "See, I forgive you."
She reopened her eyes to follow his movements, following a path her memories predicted. First, he would go to the bar and get two glasses.
"But what that means is up to you."
Then it would be the drink, as expected, he would start with something traditional. He filled the two glasses with sake.
"This impasse between us can not continue, there's no more time, the future urges..."
The next steps would be toward the altar, where he left the glasses, one in front of the portrait of that woman.
"The surgery allowed you this, you should hold this opportunity."
Then he caressed the cold tube of the gramophone and picked up a cover on the shelf, where he carefully removed a record.
"You're alive, you can always start over..."
"Start over?"
Hiroshi did not recognize that voice at first. He could scarcely remember the times his daughter spoke aloud, and definitely never with a cold sarcasm. He looked at her to be sure.
Homura was no longer with her head down, her face, her stance firm, of a passive grudge. "Coming from you, it's a hideous irony."
He widened his eyes. "What happened to you?!"
"What you always wanted." She went to the door. "I have matured."
As soon as she opened it, Hiroshi raised his voice. "This is not over!"
In a sudden movement, she turned her head with an intense glare at him.
Hiroshi fell silent.
Homura looked away and said, "We both know this was over before it began, Hiroshi-san."
The door closed and he was alone. His distressed hand reached for his glass and he drank the contents all at once, feeling the comforting heat pour down his throat and fill his chest. To the places where it did not reach, there was the photo of his graceful wife, but this time even that was not enough.
"My Ai... What should I have done?" The man held on the altar, not even to himself he would fall.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Madoka was waiting at the end of the corridor when she saw Homura coming, in quick steps and a stern look. The girl walked past her without a word and ran up the stairs.
Already on the third floor, Madoka went to Homura's room and the door was open. Inside, the girl with braids had her back to the door, staring at the dolls gathered in the deepest part of the room. "I knew you would follow me..."
"I didn't hear anything," Madoka said.
"Leave my room," Homura affirmed, without a doubt.
The dolls looked at her, apprehensive.
Madoka tried to approach slowly, but the wood floor produced a light creak.
A spark that made Homura explode. "Go away!"
The dolls' eyes changed color and their teeth appeared. Madoka saw them pointing in sync to her, to the door.
Homura clenched her fists. "Sorry, please..."
Madoka nodded as slowly as she walked backward out of the room.
"Close the door."
And so she did, making as little noise as possible, the same for her steps down the corridor.
However, the silence was broken by the sound of cutlery. It was Chiharu who came with a tray of food, the delicious scent of the grilled fish did not match her melancholic face. "I knew this would happen. Excuse me..."
Madoka cleared the way and watched the woman stop in front of Homura's room.
"Homura-san, I brought the lunch," Chiharu said, "please, my hands are busy, open the door."
No reply.
"You need to eat well now, your blood must not get weak."
After a longer wait, Madoka noticed a shudder in Chiharu.
"Don't act like that again!" she scolded, "your friend is here watching this!"
The sound of the doorknob. Madoka saw the door open, and before Chiharu could take a step in, Homura's hands ripped off what she carried. She could hear the sound of the tray being placed on the floor of the bedroom, followed by the violent shut of the door. The woman kept her head up, but her neck twitched.
There was nothing left to see. With the same silence as before, Madoka returned to her room.
Next chapter: Doppelgänger