Kaoru stood behind his mother, quiet and watchful. Well, she wouldn't hear him no matter what he did, but he just had an urge to watch her.

She plopped the frozen broccoli into a pan and it immediately sizzled, bursting in steam. He couldn't smell what she was making, but it sure looked good. He smiled sadly. Yuzuha picked up her spoon and began stirring the vegetables into her stir fry mix, creating a whirlwind of steam above, as she hummed softly to herself. The unrecognizable tune was beautiful in its own way.

Kaoru came around closer to his mom and watched her. It was an unusual feeling, to watch and not be seen. He leaned forward and swished a hand before her face. There wasn't even a flinch.

Sighing, Kaoru's shoulders slumped and he dropped his hand. "I knew you wouldn't see me, but I was really hoping that you would sense me or something."

She continued stirring but now she moved on to whistling.

"You know, Mom, I missed you… when I was in the hospital." He studied her unfocused eyes. "I did," he confirmed as he wrapped his arms around himself. "You probably wouldn't believe me if I said this to your face, but all I wanted was for you to visit me in the hospital. Maybe I wouldn't have been so lonely. Maybe then I wouldn't have yelled at you the one or two times you did come to visit me…"

Kaoru scrubbed a hand over his face in frustration. Maybe he should have told her all of this before he… died. Isn't that what has happened to him now? He died, even if his body was still living.

"What should I do?" he asked of his mother. "How do I get my body back, Mom?" He wanted to cry; tears brimmed his pale eyes. Was that even possible? To cry when you are dead? Kaoru reached for his mother, not thinking, as he said, "Do you even want me back, Mom?" His arm went through hers. He watched as she stopped stirring, put the spoon and moved away to attend to something on the opposite counter.

Kaoru sniffed but refused to cry. "Typical," he said softly. "Whenever I try to get your opinion on something, you don't listen. Isn't that funny?" He forced out a chuckle, blinking rapidly.

He pulled his hand to his constricted chest. "You won't notice I'm gone. You'll be happier without me."

"She will," a voice said, startling Kaoru out of his monologue. He glanced over to see Tatsuya entering the room. Kaoru just gave him glare but said nothing.

"What did you say, dear?" Yuzuha asked Tatsuya, pausing in her cooking.

"I was just wondering if you needed help making dinner."

She cracked a smile. "Thank you. That would be great. Can you set the table and get the milk out?"

"Yeah, sure," Tatsuya said and, when Yuzuha's back was turned, he casted Kaoru a triumphant smirk.

Kaoru paid no attention. He just fought off the sinking feeling his chest and slowly left the room as he casted one last fleeting glance at his mother.

The next place Kaoru found himself was outside Hikaru's closed door. The hallway was dark and Kaoru had no way to turn on the lights. Guess he would get used to it. He sighed again and walked forward, passing easily through the white door.

Inside, Hikaru had the radio on low and he was bending over a notebook at the desk. "Hikaru," Kaoru called out quietly and hoped that maybe, just maybe, that Hikaru would hear him. Hikaru continued writing.

Kaoru chuckled humorlessly and looked up at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. "This day just keeps getting better," he breathed out, tightening his fists and digging his nails into his palms.

After a moment, Kaoru composed himself enough to approach his brother. He leaned over Hikaru's shoulder. "History," Kaoru said as he recognized the assignment. He pushed back and instead just stood behind Hikaru for a while, just enjoying the proximity of his brother.

"Hikaru, you'd notice if I was gone, right? You'll notice soon, won't you?"

Hikaru paused in his writing and Kaoru was stunned into silence. That was until he turned to his textbook and began flipping the pages. Anger rose through Kaoru and he thrust his hand forward into Hikaru's body. He flung his hand back and forth, crying out in pure rage and devastation. "Someone see me!" he cried.

Finally, Kaoru dropped to knees, breathing hard. He stared straight ahead at the back of Hikaru's chair with eyes wide and he was so close to his breaking point. But right when he thought he could calm down, Hikaru stood from chair, started walking, and then passed right through Kaoru.

Kaoru didn't even notice his brother leave after that because his brimming tears burst loose from eyes and leaked down first on right cheek. He sucked in a shuddering breath and twisted his fists even further into themselves. If he was alive, in his body, his skin would have bled. And it was the lack of blood that finally madeKaoru break out into sobs.

And he screamed so, so hard. No one would hear him, so he let it all out with no remorse.

With his shattering scream, the lights all across the second floor flickered.

Kaoru shifted his foot across the grass in their front lawn. The night had descended and only the nearby streetlight illuminated Kaoru's sorrowful face. But he didn't cast a shadow. Of course he didn't, he's a damn ghost! So why did Kaoru have to torture himself by staring down in the spot it should have been?

He cast his eyes back up to watch his family, and his imposter, begin their evening meal with damn smiles on their faces. God, the sight of them made his blood boil. He ground his teeth together before kicking his feet against the grass once again, making no impact.

Granted, he was surrendering now to the demon, but he'd be back. He'd figure out how to reclaim his body and he'd be back.

Turning, Kaoru disappeared down the lonely road and not a living soul saw him.