CHAPTER 3: Far Cry

(Kari's POV)

I looked down. I knew it was so fake that I had to act like that. Truly, I was really lost. I didn't know what Matt thought of me that time. It was as if he was hiding something.

And he was.

I can't believe him when he said that I didn't know him. That was a stab. I mean, he's been around for half of my life and he's practically my brother right now!

Since Tai left, it was really hard. Usually, I had him to please, I had him to be strong for. But when he left, I lost a bit of reason. I thought it was a phase, but I haven't gotten through it yet. Then, there was Matt.

Back then, in our DigiWorld days, Matt and I barely talked. It was me and TK who were the best of friends, and it was Matt and Tai. I didn't know why, but I guess it was some kind of new symmetry that Matt and I had to lose our siblings to another country. It was like Tai and TK didn't leave us hanging. Was it possible that they knew?

Anyway, right then and there, I was awestruck and I didn't get to think clearly. Matt became silent and I saw he was asleep. I decided not to wake him, since I knew he was sick. Just two days ago, Matt asked me to accompany him home since he lost consciousness in his dormitory.

In a little more time, I got a shot at Matt awake.

"Nii-chan, are you mad at me?" I asked him. He looked at me.

"No." He said and we continued the journey in silence.

I got to contemplate more.

Flashback

"Don't you ever do that again!" Matt told me through the phone after I cried out to him when me and Mom got into a fight. Since Tai left, it was always like that. "Kari, there's so much better things for you that you don't have to cut yourself!"

"I can't help it! I feel as if it's my fault whenever my parents and I fight! It's so wrong that I feel as if I need to punish myself!" I cried to Matt. I felt a sigh on the other line of the phone.

That night, Mom and I had an argument about Matt. I tried to get it through her head that we were just going to Matt's house with Izzy, Joe and Yolei, but to my surprise, Mom didn't trust Matt as much as before anymore.

"Mom said you were a bad person! I don't want to believe that! She doesn't understand how much you've been helping me since Tai left! I can't take it that they talk about you so badly." I whimpered. Matt sighed again.

"It's okay, you're my little sister now, Kari, and nothing can change that. I'll stay your brother, no matter what. But you have to promise me you'd never do that again. You make me worry, Imouto, please, never do that again! You're still young, Kari..." Matt scolded from the other side. Though it was a scolding, I felt the love and care of a brother, one that I missed since Tai left.

"Yes, yes! I promise you, Aniki!" I told him. "I promise you I'd never try anything suicidal again! It's a promise I'll make to you."

End of Flashback

I flinched and I felt myself cry. I broke a promise.

I felt a weight on my chest that I found it hard to breath, that I felt I needed to vomit. Then, Matt spoke again.

"Kari, I'm off the next stop, as you said." Matt said. I nodded.

"We're still siblings, right?" I asked. Matt smiled. I cringed. I didn't know the meanings of smiles anymore.

"Of course," He said. "Don't you want it?"

I looked down.

"Of course I do," I said.

'The question is, do you?'