8. Reprieve
Legs pumping halfheartedly as they carry her aimlessly through the school grounds, Kaga finds herself ultimately crouching over an open water faucet, a good distance away from the gymnasium.
Cool liquid sprays, fountains and fanning above the faucet, just as Kaga's memories, old and buried, runs free. Even with her eyes open— even in her waking hours— they still plague her. Haunts her.
And perhaps it is just her wishful thinking that had brought her over to the row of public faucets, but she had hoped that maybe… Just maybe. She could wash them all away— down in the drain— once and for all.
Ducking her head low, she douses herself in water.
/
'Together,' whispered Tosa, breathing softly beside her. With one hand tightly interwoven with Kaga's, the other held a golden medal, glittering brightly under the setting of the sun.
She turned to Kaga then, forsaking the beautiful scenery before them— of the sun dipping low into the horizon, dyeing the midnight blue sky with streaks of orange and red, as it gradually bled into darkness.
Eyes shining, and lips curling. There was no question there.
Kaga was her sunset.
'My wish is that one day we'll be able to stand on the same court,' a soft smile illuminating her face, Tosa shifted, gingerly dropping her gold medal into Kaga's open palm. Ever so gently, she clasped her hands over Kaga's smaller one, giving it a soft squeeze. 'Hand in hand, we'll bring glory to Kaito Academy as one of the best Outside hitters. Together.'
'We definitely will, Tosa-nee. I promise.'
Because likewise, Tosa was her sunset too.
/
Splash.
Drips of water trickles down the swell of her neck in rivulets, but Kaga pays no heed to it in her attempt to drown out the many ghosts of her past.
/
Silence hung thickly in the stale air of the gymnasium. So thick, it was hard to breathe— nearly stifling. It made Kaga want to choke. To scream. Shout. To do something.
No one spoke.
Not even murmur. Or a whisper. Everyone had their held heads down. Some even looked as if they were close to tears. It was like the whole gymnasium was holding its breath with the sobriety of the moment tying it down.
And as Coach Houshou took to the front of the team, no one had bothered to look.
The gravity of the silence held strong.
'Due to unfortunate unforeseen circumstances leading to the loss of several of our players, there has been a change in our current Interhigh line-up.'
And she began listing.
All the while, Kaga only kept half an ear on the announcement and changes, every single one of them being a stab to her heart. And it was only upon the calling of her name, that she finally glanced up, alert.
'From here on forth, Fuyukawa Kaga,' A pause. A breath, 'you'll be taking the position of Kaito Academy's official setter.'
And it was like the whole world crashed down on her.
/
Splash.
The iciness of the water prickles at her skin, clearing her thoughts away somehow. But Kaga is no longer sure if she's washing away just memories.
Or tears.
/
Standing by the doorway, never once did Kaga ever think she would ever see her dear precious sister in such a… precarious state.
She was her older sister. She was meant to be indestructible. The strongest in the world.
But now…
With all the machines and wires hooked all over her, Tosa had seemed so small and fragile then. Almost like a piece of glass. So delicate. Frail. As if one touch could shatter her completely.
She was so still. Motionless. The only signs of life were the beeping of the machine beside her and the gentle rise and fall of her chest that fogged up the mask, held over the lower-half of her face, with every breath.
Tears staining her cheeks, Kaga sobbed, crumpling to her knees as she stood by her sister's bedside, broken as the girl that lay before her.
She clutched at her sister's icy cold, bandaged hand that once used to be so filled with warmth and love.
'Tosa-nee…' Kaga whimpered through the tears that clouded her vision, that stung her tongue with the salt of her heart. 'Please… forgive me.'
And she bled— cried till nothing was left.
/
SPLASH.
"Kaga-san."
At the sound of an all-too familiar voice, Kaga gives a start. Though she does her best to conceal her surprise— and panic— by leisurely tugging at the restrains of her hair-tie, letting her dark chestnut hair run loose.
"Akagi-san," she addresses her as levelly as she possibly could at the current moment, trying her best to not meet her searching eyes.
She busies herself with another palm full of water into her face, then idly drags her damp fingers through her hair, ignoring the beads and droplets of water dripping down onto her uniform.
When Kaga is more than sure that she is composed enough to receive the girl standing before her, only then does she force herself to look up into worried topaz.
"Why are you out from practice?" she asks, softly. Silently, she applauds herself for not cracking under the weight of the girl's gaze.
"Are you okay?" Akagi counters, stepping past the imaginary boundary Kaga has drawn up between them, and closes in towards her gingerly.
She lays a gentle touch against her shoulder and Kaga's wall of steel crumbles— just a little.
"I just needed get myself a bottle. I'd forgotten to bring mine today." It's a smooth lie, though she has forgotten to count on the fact that said-bottle she has supposed gotten herself is nowhere to be seen.
"Liar." The look on Akagi's face is one that of pained and accusing. Her lips twitch into a frown and she takes another step forth. Closer. "Your tumbler is sitting where it usually is on the bench."
Kaga winces, quickly recovering.
"Ah, you got me," she intones, forcing on a small smile in hopes that it would allay the worry shining in those beautiful topaz pools. "I'm fine, really. Just that—"
A pair of arms envelopes Kaga there and then, and it cuts her right off. Warmth— gentle, gentle warmth— presses up against her wholly, holding her close. Gathering her together— the shattered pieces of herself— and for the first time, Kaga allows the walls holding up around her to collapse.
A nose nuzzles into her hair.
"You don't have to lie to my face, Kaga-san." The arms around her tighten, squeezing her softly, just as she feels the prickle of tears sears the corners of her eyes. "I know." Akagi whispers, and it all strikes too close to home.
Releasing a quivering breath, Kaga lay herself down to rest onto a delicate shoulder, burrowing into the smooth curve of a neck as she inhales deeply the fragrance of wild berries and summer.
Even as her vision starts to blur, and her chest starts to swell, teeming with all sorts of emotions, Kaga still holds firm.
She won't cry. No.
Tears are unbecoming of an heir.
She won't let them fall.
Not since six years ago, she won't.
She promised. And she's never one to break her…
'Please… forgive me.'
Damn it.
A solitary tear glides down a fair cheek.
The arms that entrap her, hold her just a tad more firmly, pulling her closer, burying her further into the enticing warmth that pans through her entire being, engulfing her whole.
Kaga sniffles, and without missing a beat, a delicate hand begins to trace soothing circles over her back in its attempt to assuage her, and it calms the demons down somewhat— smoldering down the tears that threaten to wreck her being.
She clutches on to her tight, fingers digging into the soft cotton of her gym shirt. Because she's scared. So scared that the warmth would just up and leave her with a snap of the fingers. If it's even humanely possible, Kaga allows herself to sink further deeper into her, melding into her warmth— her scent. Her soul.
The very essence of her soothes her. And it's more than anything Kaga would ever need.
For the longest of time, they stand, ensnared in each other's embrace with no one daring to move or speak, afraid that by doing so, the fragility of the moment would be lost forever.
But alas, Kaga knows, all good things eventually will come to an end.
"Akagi-san…" She murmurs hoarsely, ashamed at how her voice had warbled and split— her weakness spilling right through the cracks.
When she feels the girl shift against her, hands slipping away, she finds herself nearly panicking. But as gentle fingers tentatively pries off the hair-tie around her wrist, before making a slow ascend up to her chestnut-colored hair, does Kaga then relaxes.
"Yes?" hums Akagi quietly, as she absently combs through her hair, fingers dragging across her scalp languidly, without hurry— without a single care in the world, as if it all revolves around them and them alone.
It's all so very tranquilizing and soothing, so much so that Kaga finds herself getting lost in the entirety of the motion, her mind drawing a complete blank for a split second before she regains the reigns of her thoughts once more.
Swallowing thickly at the bitter bile that is rapidly rising up her throat, she begins in an awfully small voice, taking in a deep breath to steel herself.
"Do you ever… regret—"
"No," Akagi interposes immediately. Her voice, though soft, holds a particularly firm and earnest edge.
Kaga's navy blue hair-tie curls, then promptly snaps over her hair, her trademark side-pony tail swaying.
Akagi pulls away then, slender digits tracing the soft strands of her hair, ghosting over the surface of her cheek before finally landing unto her shoulders.
Kaga hesitates a glance up at her.
Topaz shimmers back at her earnestly, burning with an intensity that almost takes Kaga aback.
"I don't. Not ever."
"I see," murmurs Kaga, and it's like the crushing weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders. Relief washes over her features as a small genuine smile tilts at her lips. "Thank you," she breathes.
"Feeling better now?" inquires Akagi smiling lightly, brushing a thumb casually across her cheek affectionately. Her touch had come about almost so naturally that Kaga has nearly forgotten to blush. Stomach flipping, she nods back sheepishly.
And suddenly, she's painfully aware of how close their faces are, and it flusters her completely.
"Yes," Kaga coughs embarrassedly, gingerly taking a step back to deliberately create some distance between them. "I'm fine now, thank you."
In doing so, she misses the small fleeting pout that crosses Akagi's lips.
"That girl from Ishikawa..." Kaga sighs heavily in exasperation, and makes to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "Is seriously a handful."
Just thinking about the younger girl— her shrill piercing voice and that brash attitude of hers— it makes her blood boil, and the vein beneath her eye to twitch in annoyance— something that rarely ever happens.
Shaking her head, Kaga relents, absently tracing the cool metal of the water faucet beneath her fingertips.
"But I believe with sufficient training, she'll be a valuable asset to Kaito volleyball team." She admits, quietly. Begrudgingly.
"Well, the fact that she has gotten you all riled up is a remarkable feat on its own." Akagi titters, topaz eyes twinkling with tease.
"Akagi-san…" Kaga sighs, nearly on the verge of whining.
The frustration on her face is evident and clear as day, yet somehow, it amuses the girl standing in front her.
Akagi laughs.
"But I have to agree with you on that, Kaga-san… Though, her skills might be lacking in certain areas, we could still put that agility and speed of hers to good use," she says, nodding as she taps at her chin musingly, "though she has to first let that ankle of hers heal up properly, of course."
Akagi leans in, astute topaz eyes glittering knowingly back at Kaga who cannot stop fidgeting with her toes.
"Which I'm pretty sure, you have noticed during the match. Right, Kaga-san?" She lilts, tilting her head back innocently, which only makes it all the more hard for Kaga to glare at her. "As expected, Kaga-san, really is kind."
Huffing, Kaga crosses her arms, turning away from the teasing topaz gaze in front of her petulantly as she resists the urge to pout.
"I'd appreciate if you could stop teasing me, Akagi-san…"
The lighthearted laughter of Akagi fills the air.
"Ah, Kaga-san, wait!"
At the sound of her name, Kaga stops short and turns to look over her shoulder, only to be surprised with a rare sight of a flushed and flustered Akagi.
Heaving and panting hard, with the strap of her bag slipping precariously past her shoulder, Akagi crouches low with palms on her knees, her breaths coming out in rags.
"I finally managed to catch up with you." She wheezes, and through all that, she manages a small smile up at Kaga. "What a relief!"
"Akagi-san?" Kaga blinks, bemused at the girl's current unusual state of dishevelment. She eyes her rumpled attire warily— from the tuff of hair that is poking out at an awkward angle, to the hastily done up tie around her neck and her school blouse, wrinkled and left untucked. All of which, looked to have been put together in a mad rush.
Though, there is just… something about her whole tousled getup that makes her seem all the more attractive than usual…
Not that Akagi needs to know.
Kaga quickly shakes that thought away.
"This isn't your usual route home." Akagi remarks, after catching her breath, and takes her time to survey her unfamiliar surroundings curiously. "Where are you heading to?"
Kaga purses her lips and hesitates. Her eyes averting down low as she mumbles quietly— bashfully, "I… I was planning to pay Onee-sama a visit."
She feels the gravity of her gaze pinning her down for a moment, regarding her.
And it makes her feel so exposed. So transparent. As if she could see right through her, and it unsettled her.
"If you don't mind, can I tag along too?"
And that catches her by surprise.
Ever since they had returned back to training after that whole… incident, Akagi had been especially clingy towards her. And throughout the entirety of their drills— whenever they were apart— she could feel the weight of gaze, watching her closely. Even when Kaga had meant to skip their usual clean-up routine, making a break for a stealthy exit, she had still persisted on sticking close to her like so.
Not that Kaga minds her being around, her presence is one that is pleasantly calming to her, after all.
Sighing, Kaga gives a nonchalant shrug, smiling faintly.
"If you insist…"
Four walls, a desk, cluttered with books and stacks of papers to the side, and in the center of it all, sits a luxurious king-sized bed.
One cursive glance, and it looks just like any other typical college dormitory. But at a closer inspection, one would come to notice the pair of crutches leaning against the desk and the red forbidding 'assist' button looming right atop the headboard of the king-sized bed.
Brightly colored flowers perching by the windowsill, sway gently with the breeze that carries through the room as the evening rays of the sun stream in, casting all that it touches a warm orangey glow.
And by it, sits a lone figure, watching pensively out into the horizon as dusk begins to fall.
Despite their tentative footsteps tapping through the wooden flooring of the small cozy little room, it doesn't illicit any movement or reaction from the figure as she merely sits, staring dazedly out of the window.
"Tosa-oneesama,"
The figure by the window jumps, head snapping around, her signature braid swishing back into the air.
"Oh my, Kaga," gasps Tosa, eyes wide with surprise and as she catches sight of Akagi peeking over Kaga's shoulder, grinning toothily back at her, she could hardly contain the radiant smile that splits her face. "And Akagi too!"
Immediately she makes to get up from her chair to receive them warmly, albeit with much difficulty as she struggles, leaning heavily against the furnishing in her attempt to haul herself up to her feet.
She stumbles, and in a flash, both Akagi and Kaga are right off to her side offering her a hand in assistance, which she promptly refuses, waving them off breezily.
Doing nothing, but silently cheering her sister on, Kaga feels a deep twinge in her chest as she watches Tosa stand, albeit unsteadily, before her.
She limps a step in towards them, and instinctively, Kaga holds her breath. Every fiber in her body is pulled taut then, ready to dive right in if she were to topple over right there and then.
But she doesn't.
Fingers lightly brushing against their wrists, holding them firmly in place, side by side, Tosa regards the both of them closely, amber eyes flickering, taking in every single nook and cranny of them, and possibly committing it to memory.
Satisfied with her appraisal, she allows a beatific grin to curl at her lips.
"How nice of you two to drop by," she smiles, sighing softly. She looks to the two of them, gaze tender with fond affection. "Did you come straight from training?"
"Yes, we did, Onee-sama," says Kaga, hanging her head in a small bow.
"Mm, you stink." Tosa murmurs, wrinkling her nose after purposefully leaning in to take a pointed whiff of the air between them.
"My sincerest apologies." Another bow.
Tosa sighs then, though she keeps her smile fixedly in place. Raising her head slightly, Kaga notices the sliver of wistfulness hiding behind those shimmering amber pools, casting a brief shadow of melancholy over her features.
"Kaga, it's okay to drop the formalities with me. After all, we're not in the main house."
"If… If that's alright with you…" Kaga breathes, fidgeting awkwardly, half expecting one of her house tutors to drop right in and catch her on her brazenness. "Onee-san." She swallows, then relaxes her primly stiff posture somewhat, only after realizing that nothing is going to happen.
The wistfulness in Tosa's eyes only eases slightly at this, though not letting up completely as much as Kaga would have liked it to.
Tosa chuckles, a delicate hand reaching up— the years sparing Kaga with the height to finally stand eye-to-eye with her— almost instinctively and hesitates. As if thinking better of it, she drops her hand, briefly giving Kaga a pat on the shoulder, before letting it fall to her side.
The whole notion puts a bitter taste to Kaga's mouth, making her chest singe with hurt, but she decidedly puts it behind her, face schooled into a blank emotionless mask.
Turning her attention onto Akagi, Tosa beams brightly. "You've definitely grown much since the last time I'd seen you, Akagi." She nods, sighing, hands planting down onto her shoulder as her eyes rove up and down. "You've gotten a lot more beautiful now."
"Thank you," Akagi grins, allowing the older girl to scrutinize her further.
Gold, amber eyes gazes at her softly, tenderly, rapidly filling with emotions as fingers suddenly reaches in to cradle the side of her face with a touch that is so extremely light and delicate.
"Please pardon my rudeness," whispers Tosa, and Akagi catches the hint of tears gathering at the corners of her eyes that constantly dart all over her face, "but you look so much like her at that time." A thumb tentatively brushes at her cheek, tracing over her gentle features.
"My dearest Amagi-san…"
And somewhere in the room, Akagi hears a shatter.
As if catching herself, Tosa pulls away immediately, surreptitiously swiping at a tear.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry for ruining the mood." Tosa grins, though it is noticeably far less radiant than before. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of you ladies?"
"We, um, brought you cake." Kaga lifts at the plastic wrapping holding the box of strawberry shortcake that they had bought on their way to the rehabilitation center. "We hope that it is to your liking, Onee-san."
"What a relief! I was afraid for a second there that you would present me with more wagashi*." Tosa laughs, hands clapping together in relief.
Carefully, she eases herself back into the chair by the windowsill, which proves to be a far easier task than getting up. Dragging the spare stools in the corner, Akagi and Kaga make to crowd around the older girl.
"Have Otou-sama and Okaa-sama been visiting frequently?" inquires Kaga conversationally with a hint of a small, amused smile as she gingerly tears at the small stylish box that houses a single slice of delicious strawberry shortcake.
She gently edges a plastic fork into the hands of her older sister, whom gratefully receives with a smile.
"Mainly Okaa-sama, though she never fails to turn up with the latest wagashi designs, made freshly from our main chain." Tosa answers, chuckling, deftly cutting up the small slice of cake into three equal portions.
She eyes the two younger girls from the corner of her eyes, who are both peering at her intently, following after her every movement as she fits a forkful of cake into her mouth.
Akagi gulps and Kaga, being the more subdued one, drops her gaze onto the floor, swallowing.
The scene instantly warms Tosa's heart, and suddenly she has this urge to laugh out loud, but decides against it, opting for a quiet amused smile instead.
"You should drop by more often, Akagi. If you still love eating our house' wagashi as much as you used to back then, we could share them together under a pot of hot tea." She says simply, bringing another fork of cake to her lips, chewing at it with deliberate slowness as she watches the two girls wilt before her.
"Yes, I think I would like that… Very much…"
"Akagi-san, you're drooling,"
"Oh my, I could say the same to you too, Kaga-san."
At Kaga's furious blush and petulant huff, Tosa is unable to contain her bubbling laughter any longer.
"You two must be famished after training."
Eyes filled with mirth, she offers her fork to the two younger girls before her, sliding the last two portions of the cake to them.
"Please, help yourself too."
With the cake reduced to mere bits and crumbs, they have promptly set the now empty carton aside, clearing their mess off the windowsill as they began chatting about anything and everything under the sun, although careful to avoid sensitive events involving the past. Jumping from schoolwork to club activities, eventually, they had come to settle upon the topic of Tosa's rehabilitation— in her recovery to walking again.
"Well, I've been making huge progress with the canes so far. So right now, my therapist and I are trying our best at working on get rid of it completely."
"That's great, Tosa-san!" Akagi says, clapping at her hands with an excitement of that of a young child. Elation surges through her as she swops in to grab at a particularly petite hand in the rush of her enthusiasm, squeezing at it earnestly. "I'm sure you'll be able to walk, unassisted in no time!"
Tosa positively beams at that, patting at the hands that are clasped over her appreciatively, "Thank you." She croons sweetly.
Smiling, her gaze briefly flickers down to her legs, and Kaga catches on, swiftly following after the movement, watching her kick at them lightly.
"Just a little more… Just a little more and I'll be up and running again," murmurs Tosa, more to herself than anything else.
The glint in her eyes hardens ever so slightly, burning brighter than ever like a blazing flame in the hearth of a fireplace during winter.
Determination.
Kaga recognizes it the moment she sees it radiating through her sister's entire being, pulsing through her like a heartbeat.
Determination…
And absently, she thinks back to the multiple therapy sessions she has sat in on with Tosa in the past.
Right from the very beginning.
Back when she could barely even hold up her own weight— even with the aids provided.
Every wobble. Every stumble. Every fall had been like a stab to Kaga's heart.
Standing there helplessly along the sidelines, only able to do nothing but watch her older sister's knees fold in on herself as she crumples down onto the floor like a ragdoll was especially painful.
But what had been the most excruciating was watching her, grit at her teeth and picking herself up. Over and over again. Never minding the scrapes and cuts that littered her knees. Never minding the purple-blue bruises on her thighs and arms. Never minding the tears pricking at her eyes or the anguish screaming in them.
She would always haul herself up, toiling herself forward— always forward.
It has always hurt to watch her try.
And sometimes, Kaga wishes that she would just stop trying altogether.
Because why.
"Why do you try so hard?"
All attention turns to her, the air between them stilling, freezing over in shock.
"…Kaga-san?"
Kaga blinks, and looks up, breath hitching, startled; horrified at her slip, which she dearly wishes she could swallow them all back down and never speak of it ever again.
"M-my deepest apologies, I… I hadn't meant to say that out loud." She stammers, holding her head down low in utter shame and throws her gaze down onto the ground, arms coming to wrap around her being defensively as she closes in on herself, refusing to look up at anyone and anything.
Now she has done it.
A soft sigh.
"Akagi, could you be so much of a sweetheart to refill my jar of water? I think it's running low."
"Sure." She hears Akagi's footsteps padding across the room, pausing momentarily. "I'll be back in a few."
As the door clicks shut, Kaga feels the weight of her gaze shift, falling heavily onto her.
She curls in more into herself, shying away.
"Kaga," A gentle touch falls onto her arm and immediately, Kaga stiffens pointedly looking away. The guilt that gnaws at her and crawls at her skin, it makes her feel so tainted— dirty— and she tries to stow herself further away into her little corner, making herself seem as small as possible.
Another sigh.
The touch on her arm withdraws and she feels it ascend upwards— higher.
And there's that brief moment of hesitation again as Kaga tries to ignore the dull throb in her chest.
A breath and a beat later, she feels soft fingers tentatively pressing up against her cheek, holding her with a gentleness that touches a chord, deep, deep in her heart.
Warm.
Her fingers are so warm.
But do I really deserve this warmth?
"Kaga, look at me. Please." Reluctantly, Kaga finally looks up, knowing that it is nearly impossible to deny that dear older sister of hers. Concerned amber flitters across her face searchingly. "Did something… happen… recently?"
Kaga only purses her lips, and when that does not stop its quivering, she sinks her teeth down— hard—, nearly drawing blood, and lowers her eyes.
And somehow, that is all that Tosa needs to know.
"I see," she whispers quietly, and draws back altogether with a sigh, slumping back into her chair. "Why am I trying so hard, you ask?" A wistful smile hints at her lips and she takes a short breath.
"Why am I putting myself through so much for? Shedding tears, sweat… and blood—"
Kaga shakes at her head furiously. "Onee-san, please just forget what I'd just said. It really doesn't matt—"
A pair of warm loving hands lay down upon her trembling ones, silencing her completely.
"That's because, I can't bear to see my precious baby sister suffer any longer."
Kaga glances up sharply then, perplexity lacing her features, but it all vanishes away at the sight of her older sister's watery smile. Lowering her eyes, Tosa releases a heavy breath, her visage dimming rapidly; the serene mask that she frequently adorns crumpling into dust.
The spark in her amber eyes falters, flickering and for a short fleeting moment, Kaga sees the pain flashing across those beautiful golden pools.
"This burden of being heir… it's never been yours to bear."
The hands that grip at her, tighten ever so slightly— as does with the hold she has over her heart. Tosa's gaze is soft upon her— unwavering, and so filled with warmth. So filled with love.
And it chews at the remains of Kaga's heart, forcing tears to pool at the corners of her eyes.
"And neither is it some form of a punishment you need to endure for whatever guilt you think you hold towards me."
"But that's… I…" Kaga falters on hopelessly.
But I broke our promise…
She lets out a shuddering breath, and swallows thickly at the bile of emotions in her throat.
I broke it.
Somewhere, something deep inside Kaga snaps then.
And she doesn't even realize that she is crying until she feels the warm hot tears, falling, hitting against the back of her hands.
"All I wish is for you to be happy, Kaga-chan,"
Even through her clouded vision, she's still able to make out that kind smile of hers— the warmth in which she constantly radiates. It's hard not to miss it.
Gentle hands gingerly gathers her together, holding her close against a heaving chest, and a steady heartbeat. "That is all that really matters to me and nothing else."
"But I… I'm…" Kaga chokes, sputters through her tears, sniveling quietly as she leans heavily against the support of her sister. Blame it on her pride— her cowardice. Even at times like such, she's still unable to get the words out.
She's never been able to do it.
And probably never will.
"Tosa-nee… I'm so sorry... So, so sorry." Sorry that I couldn't even make it as an Outside-hitter, much less fulfill even a part of your wish.
Sorry that I couldn't even do anything when you needed me the most…
Fingers smoothen down at her hair, then rubs at her back. Once, twice. Thrice. The familiarity of the whole motion wrecks at her soul, tearing a sob right through her.
"Please… Please forgive me."
"You've been forgiven a long time ago," A peck on her temple and the arms encircle around her just a little tighter.
"My silly little sister."
*wagashi: traditional Japanese sweets
A/N: Lol, did I get any of you thinking that Tosa was dead for a second there? Haha. Whoo, but this sure ended up as a looong chapter, and I'm sure am glad that I managed to get this out in time before the end of the week. Hmm, anyway, I guess this is the end to all the speedy updates. The next one would be up in 2-3 weeks. Hopefully. Haha. Oh, and thank you so much for reading this! A special heartfelt thanks to those who have taken time to fav/alerted/reviewed. It means a lot to me and I really appreciate the love and support this fic has gotten so far. Thank you!