Doppelgänger

The dolls rolled on the floor, bored. They had already explored each corner in that room, even the trays with partially eaten food.

Meanwhile, their mistress was in her bed, measuring her blood pressure. "Please..."

The monitor was tight on her arm, but the result was always the same.

60/30

"Why is so low?" She removed the monitor and threw it against the mattress, then she dug her nails into her arm, feeling it was hard under her skin. The pain, despite minimal, brought some relief.

What is going on? I should be in control, I'm in control!

A melody, again came from the lower floors. The sound was faint, but in the silence of that room it was like a slow, flawed lament made of cheerful notes.

Homura covered her ears, gritting her teeth, being imitated by the dolls. However, music now seemed to come from her insides, reminding her what this place was.

.htaed yfirolg yehT

She got out of bed and hurried to the door. She had to leave the house and stay away, in a place she remembered she could hide for a while.

When she opened the door, she came across the unexpected.

Madoka was sitting in the corridor, facing the entrance of the bedroom, with her back to the wall and hugging her bent legs. Her small form opened when she saw who had left.

"What are you doing here?" Homura asked.

She stood up, carrying a more relieved expression. "I was waiting for you."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Well, I was a bit selfish..." Madoka lowered her head and clasped her hands together. "I thought if I didn't talk to you, you'd miss me and come out to look."

Homura froze.

As Madoka smiled. "And it looks like it worked, right? Eh... hihi..."

The visage of Homura slowly changed to a stamp of sadness.

"Homura?"

She turned her face away. "Yes, Madoka, yes... It worked."

Madoka took her by the hands.

In a reflex act, Homura tried to pull them, but the grip was firm.

Concerned, Madoka whispered, "You stayed in that room one more day." Then she moved away the disheveled hair over the other girl's face. "I know you had a fight with your father, but staying away from everyone isn't going to bring anything good."

Homura did not react.

"Wouldn't you like to have lunch with your family this time?"

She gave a small nod.

Making Madoka smile.

Homura then looked at her, more coolly. "We'll only stay for a few days here and I'm unnecessarily drawing attention with this attitude."

The smile could have been bigger, but for Madoka that would be enough. "It's all right. Let's go to the bathroom."

The dolls left the room and bounced down the hall.

"No!" Homura tried in vain to stop the last one from escaping. "Get back here!"

Madoka hugged her. "Let them, they need space to play."

"But..."

The pink girl winked. "We can keep an eye on them, can't we?"

Homura was thoughtful, breathing deeply. She broke away and tossed her hair back. "Okay, but we have to hurry." In a firm pose, she walked without waiting for anyone.

Keeping a serene smile, Madoka followed her.

／人◕‿‿◕人＼

The dining room table was completely occupied, with Homura and Madoka sitting with the brothers and father. There was silence, kept even when the two girls appeared. The most that could be heard was the incidental sound of a silverware thumping the bottom of a bowl and the breath of Chiharu's whispers to Hiroshi. The housekeeper stood vigilantly, always beside him.

No one looked directly at each others except Madoka, who saw the old man just moving his head at what the woman was saying and that seemed to be enough for her to understand.

One of the dolls took advantage of the open door to enter the room. It was Namake.

Homura promptly followed her movements.

Still bored, Namake wandered around the room, touching the statues that decorated the place until one quivered, showing it was not so steady. More curious, she slowly tilted the pedestal.

Homura grabbed the tablecloth, restraining herself from standing up.

Feeling her good-for-nothing mistress' concern, Namake looked at her and smiled, finally something interesting was happening.

The pedestal tilted more and Homura held her breath.

The doll was threatening to give the final push when she noticed Madoka staring at her, with a disappointed face.

The other dolls appeared at the door, calling the missing member of the troupe.

Bored and now troubled, Namake left the pedestal in peace and joined them. They all ran.

Snaps in the wood caught the attention of Chiharu, who even looked back, but ignored it, it was normal on a hot, dry day.

Relief filled Homura until she noticed Ichiro staring at her. She then lowered her head and returned to eat.

Hiroshi rose from his chair without a word and headed for the exit. He stumbled and held the door frame.

Madoka saw Chiharu hurry to help him.

When the two disappeared from view and the footsteps could no longer be heard, Udo stretched, smiling. "Phew... I dunno what you did, sister, but it seems more like our dad who was scolded yesterday."

"That's none of your concern," Ichiro said.

"That's just a comment, I don't care about drama. Today is a sunny day... good to spend the afternoon in the pool, right?"

Seeing that he was looking at her, Madoka knew to who the invitation was.

"Do you have a bikini?"

And that straightforward question. She was a little embarrassed. "I don't know, I brought a lot of stuff... maybe my mother put one in the bags."

"Anything, my sister lends-" Udo was surprised to see how Homura was looking at him. "What's it? Can't you borrow an old piece? If you still have one..."

"Stop..." Ichiro said, more seriously.

Making Udo angry. "Are you Chiharu-san now?! You weren't like this."

The other brother snapped. "Don't remind me of that!"

Madoka put her hands together on the table, seeing herself as a witness to another family discussion.

"Why is everything I do wrong? Just because I don't want to attend this eternal funeral in our home?" Udo got up and opened his arms. "Let's everyone go to the pool! Let's have fun! Where is wrong with that, Madoka?"

Being put on the conversation without warning, she replied, "Ahn... Nothing. It's actually a great idea!" Then she smiled at Homura. "Isn't it?"

The other girl straightened her glasses, hiding a good part of her face with her hand. "Yes..."

Ichiro folded his arms. "I don't want to get wet, maybe father needs me."

"FUCK YOU!" Udo shouted at him.

"Uhuhuhuhuhuhu!" Ichiro gritted his teeth, unable to contain his laughter.

"Huh?"

"With that you managed to scare our visitor. Huhuhuhuahahaha!"

Udo's eyes widened at the realization. "You bastard... You haven't changed at all. You scolded me like that on purpose!"

Tears streaming from my eyes, Ichiro shook his head. "You're too predictable, my brother, too predictable..."

Udo smiled. "I'll throw you in the pool with your shoes, phone, everything!"

"Good luck." Then Ichiro turned his attention to Madoka. "I'm sorry for this 'bickering.' I couldn't resist. As you have seen, he's too reckless. "

"You deceived us all..." she said.

"Uh-huh..." The man agreed, sure of himself, in front of the young girl with a serene smile. But there was something strange in her gaze that did not follow the rest of her countenance.

"LET'S GO TO THE POOL!"

／人◕‿‿◕人＼

In her room, Madoka opened the zippers of the bags. In a small compartment, she finally found what she was looking for. "Ah... This one..."

She undressed and in front of the big mirror installed at closet's door, she put on the red bikini. Her mother should have chosen this color to match the ribbons in her hair, but perhaps it was not the most appropriate for the occasion.

She wrapped herself in a bath towel and went to Homura's room. The door was open, which already gave an odd sign.

Inside it was Chiharu, collecting the trays on the floor. She stopped what she was doing. "Are you going to the pool with Udo-san and Ichiro-san?"

"And Homura." Madoka nodded. "Do you know where she is?"

"She too?" Chiharu raised her eyebrows and then looked away. "I did not see her..."

"I'll check if she's already there."

Madoka went downstairs and to the veranda. There she discovered that the dolls were in the yard, all with black bikinis or swimsuits. Most were in a circle playing with a volleyball. Manuke and Noroma were sitting on the grass, sharing a lunch box, while Mie was lying on a towel with purple diamond motifs, putting suntan on her body.

There was no sign of Homura.

Udo was swimming in the pool and Ichiro sitting on a lounger, talking on his cell phone. "I still don't understand why you're calling."

She came closer listening to his loud voice. He was visibly angry and this time it was real.

"NO! You will not lose this bridge! This contract has been negotiated for months!" Ichiro tugged his hair. "No, I will not call my father."

Udo began to float, smiling at what was happening.

"We give you this responsibility, do your job!" He hung up the phone and sighed. "I knew this would happen again. He should have been removed of this position long ago."

Udo stood and shook his head, making his hair splash around him. "But isn't he an old friend of our dad?"

"That's why the company is stagnant, we're putting friendship above competence. We could be expanding our business to other countries already."

"You're becoming ambitious..." Udo smiled. "But you know our dad stopped in time, huh?"

Ichiro was frustrated until he realized who had arrived. "Oh... Look."

Udo turned quickly. "Hey... Madoka..."

She covered herself more with the towel. "Have you seen Homura?"

"Nope," Udo replied, "wasn't she in her room? So she must be hiding."

"Hiding..." Madoka looked down.

"I don't think so," Ichiro said, "she must still be in the house, who knows, looking for you. Call her."

"I'll do it," she said, "thank you."

Udo leaned on the pool edge, watching the girl's heels as she walked away.

"She's too young."

He turned to his brother, who was staring at him. "I'm young too."

Ichiro shook his head. "She's a friend of our sister, do not mess with this hornet nest."

"Look who's talking! I noticed how you looked at her during lunch."

The man turned his face. "That... I don't know. She looked at me in a way... It was mesmerizing."

"You fall in love and then you say to me I'm the lolicon."

"Don't be stupid!" He scratched his forehead. "I can only say that she didn't seem to be impressed by anything, but it was as if she was saying something more to me. I just could not figure it out yet."

"Ah yes!" Udo pointed to what his brother said. "I had a similar experience when I talked to her."

"What? Just you and her?" Ichiro narrowed his eyes. "You didn't flirt with her, did you?"

"I didn't do anything, she's not even shy! In fact, she speaks in a way that doesn't match her age."

Ichiro became more thoughtful, with a lost gaze.

"She's kinda weird, yes. I think only someone like that could have our sister as a friend."

Ichiro closed his eyes. "Shut up."

Udo frowned, but then smiled and submerged.

As soon as she entered the house, Madoka put telepathy into use. [Homura?]

[I'm here.]

With such an immediate reply, Madoka knew that a good thing it was not. She could now feel a source of magic coming from an area of the house she had not visited yet. When she opened a door, she began to hear a distant continuous sound of clothes dryers working.

She walked down the hallway, sure she could cross with someone of the staff or even Chiharu. Before that, however, she stopped at the door where the feeling was stronger.

The door opened into a dark, closed room that was not being used for anything else than a storage. The air was heavy, with a strong smell of wood. The furnishings were covered with thick cloths.

Leaning against one of them was Homura, with a dusty lamp lit beside her, which she must have been able to find there. "Come in and close the door before anyone sees you."

Madoka obeyed, leaving the room darker. The light from the lamp helped, but it also gave an ominous aspect to the other girl's face. "What is going on?"

"I can't go to the pool," Homura affirmed.

"Why?" Madoka was confused, looking around. "And why all this?"

"To show you that." Homura unbuttoned a few buttons of her dress and opened it, revealing her bare chest.

Frowning, Madoka approached to look more closely. "What's it...? There's nothing here."

Homura continued to stare at her.

Then Madoka had the epiphany. "Ah."

"Exactly." Homura buttoned the dress. "It should have the scar of my surgery. I had it when I was a magical girl, even if I could heal, it would return when I turn back in time. With this body of mine it's as if I never had it and I was unable to make a convincing imitation. So if anyone found out, we'll have a problem."

"Well..." Madoka pondered. "If you have a swimsuit to cover it, we can..."

"I don't have one that suits me."

"Then just keep me company." Madoka shrugged. "You don't have to get in the water."

Homura remained silent.

"That's just an excuse, isn't it?" She concluded, frustrated, "why are you avoiding your brothers? I want to understand."

Homura lifted her chin and murmured, "Do you need?"

Madoka raised her eyebrows.

"Very well, I'll explain to you..." Her words were cold. "The faces of the people of this house are strange to my eyes, their voices my ears do not recognize, their names leave empty from my mouth... My time is very far from here, it's a waste with something so meaningless."

The pinkette gasped.

While Homura kept her impassivity.

However, Madoka's face became tense.

The girl with glasses needed to take a deep breath.

"You... did you believe for a moment in what you just told me?"

It was beyond her control, Homura shuddered.

"If they mean nothing, from what are you hiding?" Madoka pressed, "from what are you running away again?"

In one step, Homura grabbed her, causing the other to drop her towel. Her fingers dug into the soft skin of the shoulders.

Besides a mild reaction of surprise, Madoka kept a defiant expression, despite the fierce purple eyes that seemed they wanted to consume her.

With the silence and closeness, Homura could hear their breathing. In Madoka's case she could see it too, as the skin stretched as her chest expanded.

But none of this was true.

There was no flesh, only magic. The world she wanted now was only a lucid dream.

When Homura bowed her head, Madoka remained serious, but it was no longer intense. Her hands caressed the hard, cold hands that held her. The buried fingers brought pain to her shoulders. She did not erase that feeling or ignore it, for if it were a way of receiving some of the pain the other kept for herself, she would accept it fully.

But then Homura smiled. She lifted her head and uttered in a voice not as cheerful as her appearance, "Enjoy."

Madoka blinked. "Huh?"

"The people here will treat you well and the accommodations are good." After releasing her shoulders, Homura noticed the deep marks she had left. "You'll have a good story to tell your mother when we get back."

Madoka saw her bending down and grabbing the towel.

"I already told you." After covering her back, Homura headed toward the exit. "There's nothing more important than you being happy..."

Madoka turned. "Without you?"

She stopped and turned her head, retorting, "Is not that what you expected from me?"

Madoka lowered her gaze.

Seeing her like this, Homura opened her mouth for a moment to speak, but then closed it as her eyes. She opened the door and left.

Bathed by the warm light of the lamp, Madoka lifted the towel to see her shoulders. There were black veins, which were gone with the finger marks, and the skin returned to being healthy and youthful. There was no more pain.

／人◕‿‿◕人＼

This time Udo was the first to notice who was coming. "Let me guess, she won't come."

Madoka's face said everything.

Lying on the lounger, Ichiro shook his head without hiding his disappointment.

While Udo smiled, slapping the surface of the water. "Come in, I've been alone for a long time."

She sat on the edge and dipped her feet into the pool, feeling the cool temperature, not icy, just right.

Udo swam to where she was. "Hey! Don't pretend you're shy."

"It's deep," Ichiro warned.

"Yeah..." Udo pointed to what was possible to see through the crystalline liquid. "But the edge has a step for those who can't swim."

"I know how to swim." Madoka folded the towel and laid it on a nearby lounger, then untied the ribbons and put it in the same place.

Under Udo's anxious gaze. "Are you gonna jump?"

"No." She tossed her loose hair back and gripped the edge, controlling the descent into the pool as far as she could. When she landed on the step, the water was at the level of her neck.

"Well, the step is also deep for you."

She smiled. "I'm still growing..." Since hair had already got wet, there was no reason not to soak the face too. There was no smell of chlorine. "This water is very good and clean."

Ichiro explained, "It's pumped from an aquifer that is under those hills and returned to it after being filtered. It's always being renewed."

"It's like taking a river bath," Udo added, "it's the coolest thing in this place and now you know my brother is a blockhead, because he's not in here."

Ichiro closed his eyes. "I want to rest. That breeze is fine."

"This guy's pitiful, isn't he?" Udo winked at Madoka.

Embarrassed, she held a giggle.

"Ow, but do you really know how to swim? I can give you a free lesson."

Smiling, Ichiro said, "Kaname-san, accept it if you want to drown."

Taking advantage of his brother not looking, Udo made an ugly face and stuck his tongue out at him, then he saw that the girl had left the edge.

Madoka swam on her back, sliding gently in the middle of the pool.

"You can keep your head out of the water, good, but..."

Madoka saw Udo quickly dive and pass underneath her. When she arrived at one of the edges, he was already waiting.

And from his cheeky face, he must have gotten a good angle.

The boy said, "You're not using your legs too much, you have to put more strength on them."

She folded her arms. "I didn't want to."

"And you know how to hold your breath and dive?"

"Uh-huh."

Udo narrowed his eyes and smiled. "That didn't sound very confident. Wanna try a little challenge?"

Madoka raised her eyebrows.

"How about reaching the other side of the pool in one dive?"

She nodded.

He made a face of concern. "See, it's a challenge, you don't have to accept it."

"It's fine."

"Okay." They prepared, breathing deeply. "When I say."

At that moment, the pool was like a mirror showing the few clouds in the sky.

"NOW!" Udo broke the mirror, reaching into the depths and having the wall ahead as his goal. He opened and closed his arms and legs in a good rhythm. It was something he had done so many times that his mind was busy with other ideas. The girl had been left behind and would probably give up or even get in trouble.

He smirked.

In that case, he would have time to reach the end and return to rescue her, a great opportunity to get touchy-feely.

Suddenly a turbulence. Udo noticed Madoka overtaking, making a very different move from his. She undulated her entire body harmoniously, as if from head to toe she was a single member. When she reached the wall, he realized that he was slower. Surprise had broken his rhythm and he had lost some air. In more clumsy movements, he now wanted to reach both goal and surface. When he emerged, the air came with water in his gaping mouth, reaching the bottom of his throat. "Cough! Cough!"

Madoka asked, "Are you alright?"

"Ah... Yes... Ah... Yes..." After catching his breath, he widened his eyes. "How did you do that?"

She looked away for a moment, then shrugged. "I put more strength."

"OOOOHHHH Great professional swimmer, admit you're humiliated by a girl younger than you."

It was Ichiro and Madoka was unable to resist. "Wehihihihihihahaha..."

Udo looked at him and nodded. "I... I'm happy for her, yeah..." The expression of confusion gave way to suspicion. "Hey! Were you looking? Weren't you resting?"

The older brother grinned. "And miss this?"

Flushed, Madoka covered her mouth, but she kept laughing. "... haaaa... hihi... hiiihaha..."

Udo pointed angrily at him. "Ahhhh... You're gonna get wet! You're literally asking for it."

Ichiro closed his eyes and nudged his temple. "Hmmm... Has no one taught you the definition of literally?"

"Nobody taught you about metaphor, moron!"

Madoka hugged finally managing to contain herself.

The cell phone rang and Ichiro got up to check it.

"Is him?" Udo asked.

The man was more annoyed than surprised. "Yes."

Seeing him start walking, Udo asked another question, "Are you going to call dad?"

"No, I'll take care of it." Ichiro passed in front of them.

"You fucking liar. What about 'everyone at the pool'?"

"You'll soon understand, brother."

Udo threw a handful of water at him.

Ichiro jumped to avoid, but ended up with wet legs. He continued toward the house, raising one arm and showing the middle finger.

With a sullen face, Udo grunted something unintelligible.

Madoka was curious. "What was he talking about?"

"You know my future as a musician is going to be hard to happen." He sighed and shook his head. "So they want me to start getting involved with dad's company while I'm going to college... Engineering, accounting, administration, trade..."

"Wouldn't you like to work with your father?"

Udo punched the surface of the pool into a great ripple. "I want to decide my life."

"And you already know what you're going to do if it's not music?"

"I'm still thinking, I haven't even talked to the rest of the band yet." He washed his face and lifted his head, letting the water drip. "It's complicated."

"Yes, it is..." Madoka closed her eyes. "Having to make a decision we don't want, but we need..."

The boy looked at her. "Does your family also decide on your future? You still haven't told me about them."

Madoka's serious expression grew lighter. "It's not something we discussed, but I inspire in my mom, she works hard."

"You have a mother, that's a plus."

She frowned.

"What about your dad?"

"Hummm... He takes care of the house."

He gaped. "Wow! That's something... And you have an older sister to bother you, like Ichiro?"

She shook her head, smiling. "I have a little brother."

Despite this, Udo felt a certain sadness. "Your family must be cooler than mine."

Madoka took a portion of her wet hair and began to pull it, alternating her hands. "Every family has its problems. My parents argue with each other. Dad wants us to give value for the simple things, but mom sometimes comes with something new that she has bought, something that he considers superfluous. It's worse when he finds out the bill."

"Money... We fight too because of it." He smiled at her. "Of course, the values are bigger."

"I believe."

"Come! My hair is almost dry." Udo dived.

They continued to play and swim in the pool. Meanwhile, Udo struggled not to stare at Madoka all the time. It was difficult, for her body made graceful and efficient movements, as if to float was her second nature. It was also difficult, because he could not stop thinking about that sadness.

Music is logic, but turning logic in feelings is talent. He sometimes doubted he had, but logic did not define that girl.

As they approached one of the edges, at an opportune moment, Udo uttered what he most believed, "You're thinking of her."

With apparent confusion, Madoka smiled. "Huh...?"

He kept sure of that. "My sister. You're still thinking about her."

Madoka looked away.

Udo stretched at the edge, his arms wide. "Ahhh... Tell me, how did you two become friends?"

Madoka's smile softened as she stared at her own reflection in the water. "It was the first day she appeared in the classroom. She was so nervous about the other classmates wanting to know more about her that I, the nurse's aide, rescued her. That's how it all began..."

"Did she even open her mouth to speak?"

She nodded. "You may not believe it, but I was shy and didn't have the courage to do anything. I struggled a lot to improve, becoming a nurse's aide was part of that. So I sympathized with Homura. It was selfish too, for she was more timid than me and I felt more at ease, in control. She made me feel important... more responsible."

Udo saw that she seemed to be in a trance. "Are you okay?"

She lifted her head, still smiling. "Yes."

"She never scared you?"

The smile for a moment was gone and she lowered her gaze, but then Madoka already had the same expression. "When she has the courage to open up, there is nothing sweeter."

"For real?!" Udo smiled in disbelief. "She must be like that with strangers. I didn't believe when Chiharu-san told me she was making friends at that catholic school she was sent, but it must be true..." Then he narrowed his eyes. "But be careful, you're no longer a stranger to her."

This time, she remained serious. "Why do you say that?"

"I'll tell you a story." Udo opened his eyes wide. "Homura was five years old at that time. It was Christmas morning and I had woken up, crazy to see the presents. It was one of the few dates that our family seemed happy. So... I found a cotton trail on the way, at the same time I thought it would be to simulate snow. I was already smart, I didn't believe in fantasies anymore. I followed the trail and then I noticed that cotton was now stained red."

He paused dramatically. Madoka continued to pay attention.

"The trail took me to where the Christmas tree was and there was my sister. On the floor around her were the plush toys she had, all beheaded, and also the present she would win, already destroyed. She turned slowly to me and in her hands was a bloody garden shears." Udo looked up at the sky and his voice had become lower, more melancholic than scary. "She was clumsy and had cut herself, the blood was hers, but I didn't know. Even so, I didn't run, I... I don't remember feeling scared. I wasn't believing, I thought it was a nightmare, she never looked at me like that as she approached me. If it weren't for my brother to appear, I don't know what would have happened."

"She must have a reason to have done it," Madoka stated.

Udo glanced at her. "Yeah, mom's death."

Madoka kept staring at him.

Leaving Udo curious. "What?"

She looked away. "She was five years old..."

"Yeah..." he whispered, "but the devil only sleeps."

Her expression froze.

"Finally!" Udo smiled. "Relax, I was teasing you."

Madoka gave a grim smile as she hugged herself.

"She got better after she went to that school. She was still quiet and spent most of her time in her room with a doll, but she smiled." He made a grimace. "Well, now she's in a bad mood again, but it shouldn't be the same thing."

"Yes... It shouldn't be."

"Ow, don't be like that."

Madoka glimpsed Udo's approach. Even thin, he was big for her, tall with broad shoulders.

And it seemed he wanted to emphasize this when he pointed to himself. "My bad. This story is real, but I didn't think you'd believe it and take it so seriously."

"No, it's okay..." Madoka noticed that on the other side of the pool were the dolls, standing near the edge, watching.

Udo whispered, "Hey... Did you know you looks better with your hair loose?"

"Hi?" Madoka frowned. "My hair? No, mine is very frizzly, not like Homura's."

"You have the hair of a singer."

She looked at him, to see if it was another joke, but it was not what it looked like. "Singer?"

He smiled. "Rock singer. A cute face, of a good girl, but actually is someone who fights against the system, who breaks the rules to get what she wants."

"Hihi." Madoka clasped her hands close to her chest. "Sorry, but I'm a good girl."

He raised his eyebrows. "All the time?"

She nodded. "And everywhere."

"Even if there's no one watching?"

She nodded again.

"Hmmm..." He narrowed his eyes and smirked. "Ah, you must be hiding-" A shadow covered both.

Chiharu was behind them. Her light dress danced in the breeze and she wore a chic wide-brimmed hat. Her dark glasses provided extra protection from the sun. "Did I interrupt something?"

Based on her voice and expression, Udo had only one question to ask, "My brother sent you, didn't he?"

She smiled. "You're leaving the pool too hot, boy, you better get out and have a cold shower."

Udo gritted his teeth and lashed out against the water. "Damn it! I did nothing!"

Chiharu crossed her arms. "Oh my! Look at this child having a tantrum."

He left the pool, staring at Madoka. "We'll talk another time."

Seeing him going to the house, Chiharu made it very clear. "I don't want to see you near her room."

Madoka remained silent as the housekeeper turned her attention to her.

Chiharu's face became less tense and she sat on the lounger, pushing away the towel with the pair of red ribbons. "Didn't your parents warned you about boys?"

The girl leaned over the edge to see her. "They did."

"Good."

By the intonation of her voice, Madoka was certain the woman was not happy to know.

"I was watching you two from afar, but I could not help but hear the name of Homura-san." Chiharu stretched her neck, feeling the skin with her fingers. "What Udo-san told you?"

Madoka pressed her lips and shook her head slightly. "Just a creepy Christmas' story."

Chiharu turned her face away.

She saw the woman mutter something between her lips, akin to 'For God's sake...'

"It was due to this event that I was called by Hiroshi-sama," Chiharu spoke, "I have a background in psychology and I worked in the company's human resources department when he came to me with that offer. He had been very honest with what was happening."

"It was her brothers," Madoka said.

Chiharu looked at her before continuing, "Ichiro-san and Udo-san were harassing her because of what happened to their mother. Their father disciplined them, but he was unable to teach them to love, for he too was grieving by the tragedy. That was just making the two boys hate her more..." Her lips trembled and she let out a long sigh. "I did not have time and I had to make a decision as a professional. I recommended that she must be removed immediately from that toxic environment and enrolled her in a catholic school that I knew very well."

"But this school didn't only accept orphans?"

"Did Homura-san tell you that? No, they accept anyone who can pay, but actually I am orphan. Someone left me at the door of this school when I was a baby and they adopted me. I studied and worked inside the institution until I became an adult, when I decided to leave them to become more independent," the woman nodded and continued, "It's a school that has sleeping quarters. Homura-san only had contact with her family on holidays, meanwhile I had time to shift the boys' focus to their own lives."

"Hmmm..." Madoka looked down. "Udo-san had also told me that she had made friends at this school..."

"This school teaches good values and Homura-san had the opportunity to have contact with girls of her own age. However, nowadays I'm not sure it was a good choice, as she still treats her brothers and father as strangers."

"This school also encourages talents, doesn't it? Like ballet."

A stronger wind swept the surface of the pool and pulled the woman's dress. The dolls widened their eyes.

Chiharu straightened her hat. "Yes and Homura-san got a taste for ballet. It made her happy, but I left me concerned."

"Why?" Madoka inclined her head.

While Chiharu paused for a moment before continuing, "Ai Akemi was a professional ballerina, that's how Hiroshi-sama met her during a trip in Europe. Homura-san seemed to be wanting to follow the same steps, perhaps out of guilt. I could not help but think she was trying to replace her." She smiled. "Of course it could have been a wrong idead of mine, and Hiroshi-sama was happier. He returned to give her gifts."

"Like the doll house?"

She smiled more. "It was my recommendation. The doll that came with the house had dockable parts. The first thing Homura-san did when she got her hands on it was to tear its head off. You had to see how she was marveled when she could fit back in, whoever was dead had come back to life." Then she looked at the landscape, speaking,"Fort-da..."

"Hi?"

Chiharu shook her head, condemning her lapse. "Oh, it's nothing."

Madoka smiled with her. "I didn't see this doll. What happened?"

Smile that disappeared immediately from the woman. "Whatever happens to any toy, it breaks."

She did not smile anymore either. "And Hiroshi-sama?"

Chiharu tensed. "What about him?"

"Uh..." Madoka became more cautious. "You told me you took care of Homura and her brothers, but wasn't he grieving too? What did you do for him?"

Chiharu put her hand to her chest. "Hiroshi-sama is a determined man, who pursues with passion for his goals, this includes people as well. Ai was his greatest passion and there is no more room for anything else in his old heart."

The girl commented, "I think Homura considers you as part of this family and I see that the other two treat you like a mother."

The dolls whispered to each other.

The housekeeper touched her chin with her fingertips. "You like to draw conclusions, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Someone who recognizes malice, knows how to use it." She stood up and took off her glasses. "You're not a naive girl, so I'll be straight with you."

Madoka paid attention to Chiharu's glare.

"Despite some problems you may have witnessed, this is Homura-san's family. I'm not sure what you're planning, but if you're using her fragility to take advantage of us..."

"That's not my intention." Madoka left the ledge, pushing herself into the middle of the pool.

Chiharu gaped, blinking her eyes, then inquired, "Intention?"

Madoka just kept looking at her as she floated on the water.

The woman nodded, hiding her bitter visage with her glasses, and left. "Don't stay too long in the water or your skin will wrinkle."

With nothing but the sounds of the trees swaying by the wind, the bored dolls returned to play. Meanwhile, Madoka remained lying on the surface of the water, looking at the black birds that circled above her in the sky.

The coolness of the water and the lack of sense of weight brought relief to the worries about that conversation and with what would come. Her eyelids invited her to surrender her human senses to the void and close the window of that reality.

An explosion of white, which gradually decomposed into colors and images, faces and places. An out of tune chorus called out for her name.

"Lootus" "надежда" "Gobeithio" "希" "Manantena" "Fatan" "Spero" "आशा" "Nada" "ಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ" "امید" "Tama" "ελπίδα" "Von?" "Lero?" "Esperança?" "Hope?" "Hoop?" "¿Esperanza?"

Water entered her nostrils and Madoka reopened her eyes, her back touching the bottom of the pool. However, she could not see the surface, for there were dozens of chairs floating above her, blocking the light.

She quickly moved the chairs out of the way, but it was difficult as the feet of the chairs stuck with the others ones. There were so many chairs and the pool seemed to be much deeper than before.

Then came light and her body flailed. When she realized it, she was still lying on the surface of the water and there was no chair. She swam to the edge and left the pool, sure it was not just a delirium. "Your doubts, not mine..."

Madoka was drying herself with the towel as she noticed the dolls approaching her. After picking up the red ribbons, she offered her hands to them. Hand in hand, they all went to the house.

On the way, Madoka saw a window on the third floor, where a curtain swung for a moment before standing still.

The shadow of the veranda hid her conviction.

Next chapter: The two constellations