It was early the next morning when his mother came to wake him for breakfast. She led him down the stairs with her scented candles. It smelled like roasted almonds, his mother's favorite. Looking around him, Yui noticed that the shutters were closed, as they always were when he was about the house. The place was always pitch-dark and it was always before sunrise. He yawned and sat down at the table.
"You missed dinner last night," his mother said. "Fai tried to bring you some up, but you were already asleep. Are you feeling well?"
Yui nodded. "Yup! It was just one of those lazy days." Like it always was, he thought. He didn't dare say that in front of his mother though; she would be brokenhearted.
She set a bowl of oatmeal in front of him. "Your father went out last night. The mayor wanted him to check on something. One of the houses at the east end of town seems to have caved in."
"That's awful," Yui said. "You don't think that will happen to us, do you?" He tried to figure out a way to ease into the subject of last night's talk but nothing came to mind.
"Don't you even think thoughts like that," his mother scolded him.
"Sorry," Yui replied.
To his rescue, Fai walked in. He took his seat across from his brother.
"Good morning, Fai," greeted his mother. "Is Otot awake yet?"
"I believe he is," Fai replied. As if on cue, their older brother Otot trudged sleepily into the room. He sat down next to Yui and poured himself a glass of milk. His dirty blonde hair completely offset the twins' platinum color. His bright hazel eyes gleamed and appeared to be the only part of him that was fully awake.
"The teacher is going to assign us a group for our history projects today," Fai said as warning to his mother that people might be over later in the week to work on it. "It's supposed to be a full out presentation on the topic of our choice. We can do it whatever way we want to."
"That sounds wonderful," his mother replied.
Yui hastily shoved a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth. He knew his brother didn't mean to rub in the fact that he could have friends, but still, Yui was extremely jealous.
A key turned in the lock upstairs in the foyer which made the entire room go silent.
"Dear, I'm home!" his father called down to them. That was code for he had brought someone with him.
"One moment, darling," their mother replied. She ushered Yui out of his chair. Fai flew down to the ground and lifted the rug off of the floor. His mother opened the floor boards beneath it and helped Yui slip inside. He watched as the light faded away. A number of holes were inserted around the house in case an emergency like this happened. Yui tried his best to quiet his breathing and paid close attention to the footsteps coming down the stairway.
"Good morning," a stranger spoke. "My name is Arayashi Souma. I'm the new town physician. I'm sorry to arrive without past warning, but the mayor insisted that I come to your house to check on everyone. You see, there is a virus spreading quickly throughout the area caused from a contamination of something in the water. Luckily, a vaccine has been made in hopes of preventing it from striking the town full blast. That's why I am here." The stranger set down a bag on the table most likely filled with the supplies. "I hope you don't mind if I treat all of you now?"
"Of course not," his father said. "We would be most grateful."
"Wonderful," the doctor replied. "Is everyone present?"
A small silence filled the room as his parents were contemplating on whether or not to tell the man about Yui. Finally his father answered, "All of us are here."
"Which one of you would like to go first?"
"The children, of course," his mother said.
A rustling occurred as Fai got up to sit by the physician to receive the vaccine. One by one his family got up to get it. A small conversation went on overhead about the virus. Yui managed to pick up that there was still a chance. A chance he wouldn't catch it. A chance the vaccine wouldn't work. A chance that nothing would occur at all. Unfortunately, he couldn't get his mind with the conversation up above him. Instead his mind wandered to yesterday's events. He silently shifted beneath the floor boards and fell asleep once again.