Once again...I OWN NOTHING!
School that day passed agonising slowly. I hadn't told Mamoru about my meeting after school. I'd lied and said I was meeting our cousins, Aido and Ichiru, on my own. Aido and Ichiru are Uncle Hikaru and Aunty Gemini's twin of course. They are about a month older than us and we've been told many times about when our mothers were pregnant and the births.
Our fathers were excited about having children. Especially when they found out that both were having twins. So excited that mum and Auntie Gemini kicked them out of their homes until they calmed down a bit. Apparently it was crazy. They designed baby clothes, maternity clothes and spent a fortune when they kept changing their minds for nursery colours. Dad missed half the birth though. And by half, I mean he missed Mamoru but got there in time for me. Mum says the doctors wisked Mamoru away while she was giving birth to me. She says it must have been a check up but she couldn't remember clearly.
The doctors took a picture of all four of us a day after the birth. Although dad is smiling for it, his eyes show his disappointment that he got a girl and boy instead of the identical twins he wanted.
Anyway, Mamoru eventually agreed to letting me go on my own and also promised he wouldn't tell anyone where I was, under pain of death. And when the time came I called for a taxi to take me to the address he had given me. My stomach was knotting itself with nervousness. What if I wasn't good enough? What if mum finds out? She's gunna kill me.
"Miss, we're here. That'll be £9.55 please." I handed him the money and got out. The house looked reasonably good and obviously a commoners residence. Not a good sign. Surely if he was a manager he would have a big fancy house. But maybe he's just modest. Taking a deep breathe, I knocked on the front door that had black paint that was peeling.
"Are you Keiko Hitachiin?" A smart looking man with greying hair said as he opened the door.
"Yes I am." I said sounding strong while I felt ill with nerves.
"Hello, my name is Arata Gunma. Please come in." He stood to the side. I hestitated for a second, weighing the dangers. I was about to go into a strangers house. And a man's at that. But he looked okay and to be honest why would he be interested in me?
"My living room is down those stairs. Go down and make yourself comfortable while I get us some tea." He gestured to the stairs then walked through a door.
The room downstairs was quite nice. It had other rooms as well and I sat on a battered old red sofa. I loud bang came from the stairs and as I looked up them I saw the trap door was closed. I pushed at it franticly but it had been locked and wouldn't budge.
"Help! Let me out! Please!" I screamed as tears came to my eyes. This can't be happening. What do they want with me.
"You aren't getting out." A casual female voice came from behind me. I turned to see a mirror image. My face dropped to shocked and it copied. Reaching a hand out, I expected to took glass but felt flesh instead. Both of us let out a scream and took a few steps back.
"Who are you! Where are we? And why do you look like me?"I called out as I collapsed to my knees in shock.
"My name is Hiromi Hitachiin. I don't really know where we are even though I've always lived here. And from what I've heard from the men upstairs I think we're twins." The obviously intelligent girl said while kneeling in front of me.