"You're doing this all wrong" Tsukasa said and pushed Tsukushi aside from the dough "this is how you're supposed to do this!" He took the dough and started tossing it up and down like a pizza. "See I saw this in a movie!"

That's how you make a pizza, stupid! Tsukushi grabbed the dough from him and started forming individual pieces of dough and setting them aside for baking.

Tsukasa grabbed a little piece of dough and threw it at her, the sticky piece of dough landed right on Tsukushi's face. As she felt cold, sticky piece of food stuck to her face Tsukasa couldn't stop laughing. Until Tsukushi threw some soft, white flour at his face that finally shut up his roaring voice. They fought on and off throughout the whole night, cooking, and playing, eating and tasting. They stayed up until they found the perfect way to cook Okinomiyaki, and when the sun rose in the morning they were so burned out they had to rest and decided to start selling tomorrow.

When Tsubaki found them exhausted in the morning she decided to help out too with the selling, she was sure this would be a hit if everyone would know about this but it was way too expensive, thus she headed out to think of different way to help the miracle be a miracle.

Hours later when Tsukasa and Tsukushi woke up they found Tsubaki waiting with a little surprise of her own. When both of them walked into the living room they saw bright kimonos hanging by the door.

"What are they for?" Tsukasa asked.

"For you, of course!" Tsubaki answered.

"What?"

" You will draw more attention!"

"Hell no! I'm not wearing this shit!"

However, next day Tsukasa found himself standing in a kimono serving Okinomiyaki. The business was off the charts people would come back to order for seconds, and would tell their friends over the phones to come by and eat the Okinomiyaki. Soon they were all out and had to head home.

"So how much money did we make today?" Tsukasa asked Tsukushi when they got home, but instead of an answer Tsukushi spilled the money all over the table. As the money spilt, coins rolled of the table Tsukasa's job dropped, while Tsukushi smiled brightly.

"We have to celebrate tonight!" Tsukasa bellowed throwing money up in the air.

There was drinking and dancing, as the stars started to twinkle in the sky, the sky shrouded by impenetrable darkness, like the future far ahead there was hope, and Tsukushi saw it. Tsukasa and Tsubaki have been battling each other in any way possible – from arm wrestling to how long each could hold their breath. And whenever Tsukasa would win he would swing her around in circles, kissing her, 

smiling, laughing. Now they could barely walk, they were both stumbling to even stand up, but it was up for another challenge.

"I bet I can drink twice as much as you, sister" Tsukasa growled holding himself by the wall.

"Ha, ha, ha" Tsubaki's laugh rumbled across the house "we'll see about that!"

"Damn, we're out of bear!"

"You're younger you should get it!"

"Why should I get it, you old witch? Old people need their share of exercise!"

"How dare you talk to me that way?!"

"What way?"

But Tsukushi just rose from the brown couch, her hands reaching out to Tsukasa for stability, one of her arms digging into his ivory, supple shirt grabbing onto him as a tree for survival. Even though she only had a few drinks her head was spinning, as if she had gone on a wild rollercoaster for an eternity. Her stomach was twisted into a knot, turning and twining, trying to untie itself.

I'll go get it. You stay here.

While she composed, the siblings dove for the couch turning on the TV, and blurting out nothingness at all. Tsukushi looked back again. She couldn't imagine her life without them. Without the obnoxious voices, obnoxious laughs, obnoxious family. Every time they celebrated something, they both would get so wasted. She remembered when they were celebrating her 16th birthday. It was few days after their move; the neighborhood was quite of people, so they didn't even get a chance to meet the neighbors. It was Tsubaki's smart idea to finally celebrate like adults. She remembered the tart, clammy liquid smoldering her throat, as if someone was pouring hot wax down her throat – it was wine. When Tsukushi almost wanted to spill the wine on the clean new carpet, she suddenly felt too grateful to do it. No matter how horrible it smelled and tasted, this was all for her, Tsubaki and Tsukasa gave up their lives to take care of her. She held her breath as to help the squeamish odor erupting from the glass, and poured it down her throat. But her throat didn't go ablaze this time, all she could remember was the clammy wine slowly making its way down, and suddenly the room was dark. She woke up the next day with the most horrible headache, and her one destination was the bathroom. Tsukushi will always remember the worried look of Tsukasa's face, as he watched her stomach tighten up and spit out anything that was put in, while Tsubaki couldn't control her laughter as she realized what was wrong with Tsukushi. Slowly lost in thought she wandered to a local shop. The neon signs flickered in the darkness, the light in the window brightly blinked showing the open sign. She took a deep breath of air, and smelt the scent of trees the wind was carrying. It cleared almost everything in her mind, so now she could walk straight in a line, hopefully without tripping. She slowly walked past the sliding door, straight to the cooler where the beer was kept.



Rui looked at a clock at his desk. It read 12:20. He looked outside into the darkness of the city. There were barely any cars on the road now, only the lights shone, reminding him of his surroundings. He looked down to the streets below, lights flickering off and on, as if playing some invisible music. The one that no one could see or for that matter hear, his stomach growled as a lion protecting his mate from an intruder. Everything around was closed, every restaurant, even the smallest food places. He knew that at home he could wake the butler and ask him to do something. However, he felt bad the few rare moments in his life. That stupid man devoted his life to Rui and his family but everyone just took advantage of him, the least he could do was let the poor man sleep. As Rui slowly strode in the streets, he saw a small shop blinking its signs, as a fish in deepwater, with a pretty light at the end of its tail luring the innocent pray in, into its masterful jaws that could tear the fish apart in seconds. It was destiny for fish to die in the prey's mouth, as it was Rui's destiny to meet her. Rui found a microwave and slid a random dish of food setting the time necessary for the meet to thaw, and become warm. He was used to these kinds of lonely dinners, but he had never been here. The microwave sung its song as to alert the customer that the food inside was warm and well. Rui grabbed the plate out of the microwave and set it by the register. Rui grabbed his wallet and shoved a black credit card to the lady.

"Sorry, sir we can't take these. Cash only."

"You've gotta be kidding me." Rui rumbled searching through his pockets, but there was nothing there.

"Together, miss" the lady spoke again.

Rui turned back and saw her standing there, slowly nodding her head. She was the last person he imagined meeting again. As she was turning to leave for some unknown reason he grabbed her hand softly, his cold, ice skin touching hers. A warm touch – something he hasn't felt in such a long time. Rui dragged her to the table thinking of how his mother's hands are so warm too, when she would tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight. But now they barely even spoke, or more precisely he spoke to her. He just didn't have the time.

Tsukushi slowly watched Rui eat. It was so surprising to see him here, in this little shop in a normal neighborhood at such a late time. She couldn't resist asking.

Why are you eating so late?

"Are you asking me why am I eating this late" Rui asked, his eyebrow raised, by some bizarre fact he was intrigued by her, and formed a smile as she smiled at him.

"I got held up at work!"

Mr. CEO is so busy he can't find the time of day to have a proper meal?

"Sorry, I don't think I can understand."



Tsukushi thought for a second, and dipped her finger in the glass; she was sipping from and wrote on the table. Water droplets forming lines, creating a silent conversation. Tête-à-tête didn't take place, but talk continued.

"What's your phone number? I don't like to own people."'

But Tsukushi just shook her head and waved her hand as in protest. But Rui insisted. Slowly Tsukushi wrote out her phone number in water.

"Name."

Tsukushi hesitated, and slowly wrote Domyouji Tsukushi. It should be ok to use that last name, she stayed with them for such a long time, and she was one of them. They were going to get married soon; this would be her name in matter of months. That sounded nice in Tsukushi's head – Domyouji Tsukushi – how well did that sound?

"Doesn't Tsukushi mean weed?"

Tsukushi just nodded her head.

"I thought plants were suppose to be quite" Rui whispered gently, his words mingling with the wind, carrying cold brush of air to her ear "a person who will have that many beer can hardly keep quite."

Tsukushi's face was turning furious. She stood up and left strolling out of the shop, while Rui gently laughed at her expression. She was so amusing.

Tsukushi walked swiftly out of the small cramped store. Her feet carrying as fast as they could, the heels of her shoes clicking across the tiles, until she felt a gust of wind carrying sweet scent of trees splash across her, and she finally slow down. She took few step forwards and stopped once again, her gaze raised to meet the sky. The sky was completely dark, not a single lost cloud was there to cover it. In the distance she could find a few satellites blinking, moving, sending signals back to Earth, but she wasn't looking at them. She was looking at a star, staying right in place or it seemed so, just shining straight at her.

"Mom is that you?" Tsukushi thought "Are you watching over me still? People loved you Okinomiyaki! Thank you mom! Are you happy that Tsukasa and I are getting married?"

Her peaceful thoughts were interrupted by a loud din hit the piercing silence, as she turned back she saw him, leaning against his car wheel clutching his head. She quickly ran to him. His pace was even paler than snow flakes falling from the sky on clear January morning if that was possible, his knuckles clenching the wheel for support, knuckles white from the effort, his skin seemed to become transparent from the intensity of the pain he was enduring. She started knocking swiftly on his window, until he opened it.



"I'll be fine" he muttered, ashamed to appear in such a shape in front of her.

But without another word Tsukushi rant to the store only to come back few minutes later, with a bag in her hand. She slowly gave two small tablets to his hand, and opened a water bottle. Drink it – she gestured, and without protest he did. Slowly his face returned to normal, his skin no longer as white as snow but at least in acceptable condition. His hands stopped grabbing tightly onto the wheel and he just said "Thank you." But as he turned around to look at her he only saw a note by the bag.

Drink this two tablets before each meal three times a day with a lot of water. If the pain persists for more than 3 days you should really go to the doctor. And the most important thing is to rest!

I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner. Thank you thank you so much for your reviews, they really encourage me to write I will try to upload as soon as I can. Please please your feedback makes me very happy and I actually know that someone does care!