Music Playing: "Story of Winter" by A Cerulean State
I knew I'd have to track the girls down. I couldn't bring myself to go back to the house I left Ryuuko but I do remember the last time I held her. It was toward the end of autumn and we were without food. She was so little then, and I knew that I had to do something. I couldn't watch her die but it would have been worse if she had to see me starve in the streets, leaving her alone.
I happened upon that little house by a river. From what I could tell, the family there are good people and so I had no issues giving up my sister to them. However, before I found a pen and to scrawl my note, I opted to spend one last day with her. Within, I was working up the nerve to say "Goodbye" but I couldn't bring myself to do it, so I just walked with her. The trees looked so pretty, though there weren't very many leaves by that point. Some of it was for me, too. I couldn't work up the nerve to say "Goodbye" but I had resigned myself to not being a part of her life afterwards.
That night, before the family had gone to bed but after Ryuuko was asleep, I wrapped her in my sweater, stashing the photo in the pocket of said sweater. By the next morning, I'd be gone and I was holding her one last time. I wanted so much to tell her that I loved her, to behave for her new family, anything but I just held her. I don't think, at that age, she'd have understood, but I knew she would have known that I loved her. I laid her down, knocked on the door, and hurried out of sight. I knew they'd be good to her when I saw them take her in.
I left her with my sweater, not just to keep her warm, but so she'd feel my embrace, even if I wasn't there. I do wish I had the courage to see her. Even now, I watch from afar, as I trail the girls. From what I've observed, they seemed to have met up with my old classmates. I hope they get along well. Maybe I'll muster the courage but, in the meantime, I'm watching from afar.