It is the Kakusei era, year 3XXX.

The world has undergone a drastic change due to the series of global conflict, ecological disasters, and the advancement of technology. Modern civilization had long collapsed and the merging of countries, increase in oligarchs and totalitarian regimes, corruption, and warfare was rampant.

Left alone, uninterrupted without pause, was a world unbeknownst to those fortunate; a world filled with demons and those who slay them.

MEDIA DICTIONARY
* Thoughts
* "Dialogue."
* 'Telepathic dialogue.'
* "Past conversation."

┍━ 【❀】 ━┑

CHAPTER EIGHT

TIMESKIP: FOUR DAYS

SAORI

Saori leaned against the toilet, overwhelmed by a wave of nausea that made her gag and retch. A frothy, mucus-filled vomit trickled out of her mouth and into the bowl. The overwhelming wave of nausea that made her clutch her stomach was a sensation she had grown accustomed to, as it had plagued her for several days.

God, what is this illness? I could not eat even if I wanted to!

Out of nowhere, a series of quick knocks echoed through the door. Soaku's voice filled with affection as she spoke, "Oh, my sweet Saori! Saori, are you almost prepared for the dinner with the Ootanis?"

Saori grabbed a tissue to cleanse her mouth. With a voice strained and her throat irritated by the stomach acid, she replied, "Certainly, Mother! I am almost ready!"

Soaku's hair bun, which was stylishly neat and tight, came undone as she crossed her arms and impatiently tapped her foot. "Saori, please open the door or come out!" She forcefully hit the bathroom door with her fist, but her annoyance dissipated as she heard the unpleasant sounds of retching from inside. "Oh, Saori, that stomach bug of yours has still not left?"

Saori gazed into the stained toilet bowl, feeling empty. Her head throbbed, and she experienced intense dizziness. "No, Mother. I am sorry, but I am still feeling unwell..."

Soaku whined with petulance, expressing her discontent. "God, this situation has already turned into a complete catastrophe! I had been eagerly anticipating an opportunity like this to bring us good fortune, but it has been utterly ruined, all ruined!"

"No, I am well enough to go, Mother!" Saori assured her with a gasp. "Do not worry, everything will be fine."

"Well, it better! Our reputation and livelihood depend on the success of this arrangement. Life as we know it hangs in the balance!"

An agreement was made between Soaku's father and the leader of the Ootani clan. According to the agreement, one of the Katōwamuro women would marry Kame, the youngest heir of the Ootanis. Soaku assured her father that her eldest daughter, Saori, would honor this commitment in order to gain his admiration.

I cannot allow myself to forego this opportunity!

Moments later, Saori exited the bathroom. She donned a formal kimono embroidered with the Katōwamuro family clan's wisteria emblem, and her dark fuchsia hair was braided into a high bun adorned with floral kanzashi. "Mother, how do I look?"

Saori emerged from the bathroom a few moments later. She was wearing a formal kimono embroidered with the wisteria emblem of the Katōwamuro family clan. Her dark fuchsia hair had been braided into a high bun, and she had decorated it with floral kanzashi. "Mother, how do I look?"

Soaku placed her hand over her mouth and held back tears of happiness. "Oh, my sweet Saori, you are such a stunning young lady; you resemble me so much when I was young. You and the Ootani boy will make a truly remarkable couple."

"Thank you for your compliments, Mother."

The noblewoman guided Saori to the mirror and stood behind her with her. Grinning ear to ear, Soaku's bejeweled hands gripped onto her daughter's shoulders as she spoke. "The Ootanis are such a highly respected family clan. I have taught you how to be a good wife, so you should succeed in pleasing your future husband!"

Soaku danced and frolicked in the room, her footsteps echoing on the creaking hardwood floor. "Once the wedding is over, all that remains is the birth of a child! It is crucial that you bear a son, who will become the rightful heir. I have heard that a charm from the Suitengu Shrine is highly effective in guaranteeing the conception of a male child. Oh, the anticipation is unbearable! I simply cannot wait!"

Saori held a hand over her chest as she winced at the reverberating twinge she felt in her heart. The young woman never cared for love or worried about the possibility of being married off to a stranger until she met Ikuo Watomi, the only man who would ever have her heart. It pained her to remain stoic and her feelings unheard as her love was trampled upon but there was nothing she could do. "Yes, Mother. I am happy long as you are happy."

Saori grimaced and placed her hand gently on her chest, feeling a sharp ache reverberate through her heart. The concept of love and the prospect of an arranged marriage had never concerned her until she crossed paths with Ikuo Watomi, the only man who would ever have her heart. It was agonizing for her to suppress her emotions and endure the pain of her love being disregarded, but she was powerless to change the situation. "Yes, Mother," she replied, concealing her true feelings. "My happiness lies in your happiness."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

At La Orangé, Saori and Soaku were seated opposite Kame Ootani's parents, Yonaka and Norio Ootani.

Yonaka Ootani, a charming woman with a short hairstyle, possessed small, crinkly eyes that radiated joy and contentment. In contrast, Norio, her husband, had a stern countenance that exuded perpetual disapproval, remaining devoid of any smiles or alterations.

While there were four people at the table, Yonaka and Soaku did most of the talking.

Yonaka would absentmindedly stab her vegetarian dish with her fork as she spoke. "Oh, and I wanted to let you two know that more than enough strings were pulled to ensure that Kame is to become the Prime Minister of New Japan in the next coming decades!"

"The Prime Minster?" Soaku gasped in amazement. "Yonaka, that is stupendous! How did you manage that?"

"Oh, it was easy! Norio just called in a few favors and bam, we got hit with the news! I am just so excited and proud of our little Kame!" Yonaka beamed as she looked to Saori and exclaimed, "You are a lucky young lady, daughter-in-law! We happily welcome you into our family clan!"

Yonaka took her cellular phone out of her purse to show Saori a picture of her son. "This is my little Kame! I am certain you have seen him before; he has been on television a couple of times, the little star!"

Saori looked at the attractive, brown-haired young man and instantly became lovesick because the color of Kame's hair reminded her of the young man she loved. "Yes, I have seen him before on television. I always thought he was handsome."

Kame is not nearly half as handsome as Ikuo.

Saori's eyes began to wander around the restaurant, and she thought she was imagining things when she spotted a familiar head of tousled, chestnut-brown hair a few tables away.

Oh, Ikuo... I miss you dearly. I am always thinking about you, and I see you in everything.

To Saori's dismay, her eyes did not deceive her: Ikuo and his family were dining at a nearby table. Saori knew that La Orangé was frequented by the wealthy, but it was an unfortunate coincidence that the Watomis were there at the same time as the Maeda-Katowamuros.

… Oh my God, that is Ikuo! I cannot believe that this is happening!

The Ootanis and the Maeda-Katōwamuros rose from the table to say their goodbyes.

"Well, we should head off," Yonaka said, clinging to her husband's arm. "It was nice meeting you two. I and Norio look forward to referring to you both as our family. Right, Norio?"

Norio grunted in approval.

"Ta-ta! Until next time!"

"Until next time, Yonaka! And you as well, Norio!"

"Goodbye, Mother and Father-in-law!"

The two families went their separate ways.

Nervously glancing around at the seated guests, Saori decided to speak with her mother to get her mind off seeing the Watomis. "Mother, how do you think that went?"

"I believe it went quite well," Soaku mused. "I have a good feeling about this family. We will fit right in."

Exuberant, Soaku grabbed Saori's shoulders and spun her around. "Oh, my sweet Saori, we should celebrate! Let us go on a short vacation. We will return to the manor to pack."

"A vacation sounds splendid, Mother…"

"It does, yes? I was thinking we could go somewhere warm, somewhere closer to the equator. I have a few locations in mind… Oh and be certain to bring a few of those dresses your pesky aunt gifted you! Suyume may be a half-witted simpleton at times, but she has an eye for fashion. The woman will not stop calling and sending letters, asking for pictures of you and Yui wearing them!"

"All right, Mother. I will—"

Upon hearing the familiar chime of a text notification, Soaku pulled out her cellular phone. "Hold on. Oh, it looks like Alde is waiting for us at the other exit. Traffic is bothersome, so we should leave through the other side."

… But Ikuo and his family are seated on that side!

"All the way to the other s-side?" Saori stammered, disgruntled and flustered. "Mother, I think Alde could—"

Instead of listening to Saori, Soaku began walking in the other direction and left her daughter behind. "Come on, Saori, do not dawdle! We have packing to do, lots of it!"

Saori caught up with her mother with an expression of reluctance. Soaku began speaking and laughing obnoxiously on her cellular phone. They soon reached the area where the Watomis were dining and as they went past, Saori prayed that Ikuo would not notice her.

Please, do not look my way.

The sweet sillage of Saori's jasmine and honeysuckle perfume, courtesies of her stepsister, drew Ikuo to raise his head.

No, do not look my way!

Following the trail of the familiar perfume, Ikuo turned his head and caught sight of Saori.

That was when the two of them met eyes.

Everyone and everything moved in slow-motion.

Their surroundings faded into nothing until they could only see each other as if they were the only ones who existed.

Without a care for the opinion of anyone, including his own family, Ikuo rose from his seat and shouted, "Saori!"

It took every fiber of Saori's being to disregard Ikuo calling out her name. She continued walking alongside her mother with her head held high. Nothing could deter her elegant walk, which was placing one foot in front of the other in one graceful sweep.

Ikuo… Forgive me.

HIMARI

The larks, brambling, and starlings were singingly sweetly, perching and fluttering from branch to branch. A clear blue sky with not a cloud in sight was the constant image of late autumn, beautiful in its simplicity.

As Himari awakened to the soft rays of the morning sun, she came to the realization that today was a special day; it was her birthday.

Today, I am nineteen years old. I do not feel any different, but I am happy to be alive and well! To see the sunrise, to hear the song of the morning birds, and to be in good health is the greatest birthday gift of all. I am so, so, so thankful! God, arigatō!

With Kihaku away on his business trips and Soaku and her daughters on vacation, Himari had no one to spend her birthday alone, so she went about her day as usual. There were duties she had to fulfill, which consisted of scrubbing the hardwood floors, cleaning the rooms, and cooking.

As she dusted the furniture and décor, Himari looked out the window then gasped upon seeing a black luxury vehicle parked in the driveway. It was rare for Kihaku to be home so early in the day especially if Soaku and her daughters were not present.

Excited, Himari jumped up and down and covered her mouth to muffle a delighted squeal.

Oh my, it is Father-sama! He must have come home last night! I will go to see him once I am finished.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

As the evening approached, Himari finished her tasks, feeling the weariness in her hands, feet, and knees. She made her way to her father's home office, carefully balancing a tray containing his beloved meal, katsudon, along with a cup of sake.

Himari noticed that the door was slightly open, prompting her to take a peek before entering. Upon entering, she discovered her father sitting at his desk, engrossed in sorting through stacks of documents. Kihaku effortlessly conversed in a foreign language while balancing a phone against his ear and shoulder.

Himari waited for a long time for the telephone call to end before knocking on the door to get her father's attention. She called out, "Father-sama?"

Silence.

"Father-sama, may I speak with you?"

Feeling irritated, Kihaku placed the phone firmly against his chest and gestured for his daughter to leave with a wave of his hand. "This is not the right time, Himari. I am dealing with something incredibly crucial. Please wait and return later."

The young woman took notice of a framed photograph, presumably a photo of her mother, lying face down upon a console table. "Okay, Father-sama. Forgive me for disturbing you."

Himari stepped out of the room, intentionally leaving the door slightly ajar so that she could peer through it. She observed her father for quite some time, eagerly anticipating his recognition of the dinner she had prepared for him.

Finally, Kihaku's attention was drawn to the hot bowl of katsudon. While engaged in a phone conversation, he grabbed a bite of the crispy pork cutlet using chopsticks. The moment the savory meat touched his taste buds, he experienced sheer bliss, causing his eyes to involuntarily close in delight. Without delay, he concluded the call and eagerly devoured his meal, emitting audible expressions of satisfaction with each mouthful.

Relishing his reaction, Himari covered her mouth and giggled softly.

I love you, Father-sama. I love you more than anyone could ever understand.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

By nine o'clock, Himari was at Tsukihiko's mansion. They were sitting together in the main living room with her head resting in his lap and with him stroking her hair. Himari was pouring herself out to Tsukihiko; telling him about all her troubles and woes.

"I do not want to think this way, but I think my father forgot my birthday," the young woman said sorrowfully. "It is like he has forgotten about me completely even though I am there in his view."

"That father of yours is very forgetful, I must say," Tsukihiko remarked.

"He overworks himself all the time and never has time for anyone, let alone me."

Tsukihiko lifted Himari's chin so that she was staring at him directly, and she made a sharp inward breath. "Your father does not deserve a daughter as exemplary as yourself," he told her.

"You… You think I am exemplary, Tsukihiko-san?"

"Yes, I do. At this very moment, I see an intelligent, lovely young woman who is a blessing to everyone she meets. If your father cannot see that, then he is a fool."

"A fool, huh?" Himari laughed softly. "He is a fool, now that I think about it… Tsukihiko-san, as much as it pains me to say this, I sometimes wonder what life would be like if he was the one who died instead of my mother."

What? Why did I say that? Oh, no, no, no!

Disgusted by the impetuousness of her comments, Himari covered her mouth in shame. "Oh, my, that was such a terrible thing to say! I did not mean it! May the Heavens forgive me!"

"No, that was not a terrible thing to say, Himari. It is simply how you feel. Life would be undoubtedly different if your mother was alive instead of the gutless man you call your father."

"No one can come close to understanding how much my mother meant to me. I miss her so, so, so much! I just realized something: Every night we are together, all our conversations revolve around me. Please forgive me, I do not mean to be so conceited! I want to know more about you, Tsukihiko-san."

Tsukihiko appeared to be having a hard time finding the words to say as if he had not given his origins much thought. "There is not much to my character," he began. "Life was fine; I never wanted for anything except for… a true connection. I was an only child, so my childhood was lonely. My father and I never saw eye to eye, so I left as soon as I became of age."

"Your mother, what about her?" Himari asked softly.

"Like yours, she passed away when I was young. I never knew her."

"I… I never knew that you were carrying such pain, Tsukihiko-san. I am happy to know that you trust me enough to speak from your heart." Himari was unable to prevent the onslaught of tears, so she began to cry freely.

"Tears? Why are you crying, Himari?"

"I am crying because… because I was just thinking about how lonely you must have been. I know how it feels to be forgotten and not have anyone to talk to. I would not wish loneliness on anyone! No one should ever feel that way."

Tsukihiko pulled her into his arms as he said, "Do not shed any tears on my behalf, little one. I am no longer lonely now that I have found you."

"Oh, Tsukihiko-san!" Himari wept, falling deeper into his embrace.

"Loneliness is not desirable but remember there is strength in being alone, Himari. Those two concepts are very different."

"Yes, yes, yes, Tsukihiko-san! May we be alone together?"

"Yes, we could," he laughed. "Come, I have a birthday present waiting for you upstairs."

"A birthday present?" Himari gasped, sniveling. "I… I have not had a birthday present in so long! I am so thankful, Tsukihiko-san! That is so sweet and kind of you, but you have already given me so much. Look at the beautiful, sparkling necklace you gave me! I do not need anything more from your generous heart! I—"

Tsukihiko laid a finger upon her lips to silence her. "Enough of that. Come with me."

As if she was under a spell, Himari followed Tsukihiko up two flights of stairs to the master bedroom. The master bedroom was grand with a bed fit for a king and a sitting area that was the size of the average living room, fireplace and all.

A black gift box was on the bed, waiting just for her.

"Open it," Tsukihiko beckoned.

Himari pulled the red ribbon and opened her birthday gift. Inside the satin-lined box was a lacy, black lingerie adorned with floral designs, ribbons, bows, and garter belts. The young woman let out a quiet gasp, for she had never seen nightwear so risqué and provocative. "Oh, my!"

"How do you like it?"

"I love it, Tsukihiko-san… It is so, so, so beautiful."

It is too beautiful for me to wear, just like the other clothes he gave me. I do not deserve to wear this.

Tsukihiko sat in the armchair near the crackling fireplace, resting his head against his fist. "Put it on."

"You… You want me to put this on? Okay…" Himari went behind the shoji screen and changed quickly, knowing that Tsukihiko could see her naked silhouette. When she stepped out from behind it, she immediately covered herself. The lingerie was unflattering and did not fit her; where it should have clung and enunciated her curves, it fell shapeless and loose.

"Do not hide yourself from me, Himari," Tsukihiko told her. "I like your body, every bit and inch. Now come here."

Himari approached him, growing even self-conscious and insecure about her thin, scrawny frame, the scars and bruises that marred her skin. "Yes, Tsukihiko-san?"

"Lay across my lap."

Himari obeyed and laid across his lap. The position was provocative, but nothing could prepare her for when Tsukihiko smacked her bottom with his open palm. "Ack!" she exclaimed. "Ouch, that hurt!"

"Silence yourself."

Himari obeyed and covered her mouth to suppress her sharp cries. The spanking hurt but she grew accustomed to the pain rather quickly. Silent tears fell with every assault to her backside.

After what felt like an eternity, Tsukihiko finished punishing her. "Himari?"

"… Y-yes?"

"You can stand up now."

Himari whimpered as she stood up slowly, rubbing her red, tender buttocks. It was painful to move, so she stood awkwardly still with her legs spaced apart to not irritate her buttocks further. "Ohhh…"

My bottom is so sore, and it stings! I am hurting so, so, so much so why do I kind of like it? All the abuse I endured in the Katōwamuro manor at the hands of my stepmother and stepsisters made me hate pain and everything that comes with it. Liking, craving, and desiring this feeling puts all that I went through to shame!

Yet I want to be punished again! Oh, there is something terribly wrong with me! Good is bad, love is hate, and pain is pleasure!

"You handled that very well, Himari, but you still have much to learn. Now turn on the radio on the dresser."

Himari obeyed and went to turn on the radio, sniffing as she walked to the dresser. Sultry, romantic Japanese love songs began to play as soon as she turned the radio on.

This music…

"Dance for me."

"W-what was that, Tsukihiko-san?"

"I said, dance for me, Himari."

He wants me to dance for him. Oh my, I have never danced before. I wonder what kind of dancing he would like to see.

Himari remembered when she and her parents saw a geisha performance at a festival in Kyoto. The geisha danced elegantly as a biwa and koto played, and she transfixed the audience and made everyone hold their breath from beginning to end.

I wish I could be half as elegant and graceful as the geisha from long ago… Still, I can try.

Himari closed her eyes and simply moved her body to the music, moving like a flower in the wind. She closed her eyes and danced sensually in front of the flames, touching herself like how a woman of sensuality would. As she danced, she felt that Tsukihiko was not looking at her body, but at her face.

I want to please you… so badly. So, so, so badly…

Himari's movements slowed when she felt arms around her waist. "Tsukihiko-san, I—"

"Do not speak." Tsukihiko began smothering her neck and shoulders in kisses. He fondled Himari all over, groping her small, perky breasts so much that they became red. As he explored her body with his ravenous mouth, his growls grew more guttural to the point he sounded like a raging beast. The man traveled from her neck to her left shoulder, licking and suckling her flesh along the way.

It was exhilarating.

All Himari could do was rub her scantily clad body against his clothed one, touch and grasp his wavy locks, and moan in utter bliss. "Oh, my! Yes, yes, yes… I love you, Tsukihiko-san!"

Unbeknownst to her, Tsukihiko's canines had extended. The man now bore long, sharp fangs that were right above the young woman's left shoulder, preparing to plunge into her unsuspecting flesh.

Pain.

Excruciating, agonizing pain.

The sensation was akin to being stabbed by sharpened knives all at once in a localized area.

"KIYAHHH!" Himari turned and gaped at Tsukihiko, whose mouth was covered in blood. "Oh, my, Tsukihiko-san, y-you bit me! Why did you bite me like that? Is something wrong with you? Why, Tsukihiko-san? How could you?"

Disregarding Himari's horrified reaction and words, Tsukihiko moved towards to her wounded shoulder.

With an agonizing wail, Himari drew back and watched in sheer terror as the man drew close. "Tsukihiko-san, w-what is this? What are you doing? Stay back! Do not come any closer!"

All while maintaining eye contact with her, Tsukihiko leaned into Himari's wounded shoulder and kissed the puncture wounds. His slender fingers caressed the area of her bitten flesh before he began lapping up the blood that oozed like how a famished kitten would do to a saucer of milk.

Engrossed, Himari felt a mixture of fear, repulsion, and arousal as Tsukihiko feasted upon her blood. She was immobilized, frozen, until she regained her senses and began struggling within his grasp. "Ohhh, soreha yamete kudasai, Tsukihiko-san. Yamete!"

✧TRANSLATION: Engrossed, Himari felt a mixture of fear, repulsion, and arousal as Tsukihiko feasted upon her blood. She was immobilized, frozen, until she regained her senses and began struggling within his grasp. "Ohhh, please do not do that, Tsukihiko-san. Stop it!"

"Silence," Tsukihiko resounded sternly, placing a finger upon her full lips. "You know that you are enjoying this."

A deep gulp of shame became lodged in Himari's throat as she held Tsukihiko's penetrating gaze and voiced feeble, quivering moans. Though she was in an immense amount of pain, she could not deny how good the entangling of pleasure and pain felt. The severity of the bite and the delicate kissing and licking that followed threatened to drive her mad.

There was love and beauty within the pain, and she liked it.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Himari's left shoulder throbbed from the bite, yet all became insignificant as she found solace in Tsukihiko's embrace, leaning against him. They clung onto one another, relishing in the delightful heat radiating from the crackling fire.

"How did you get that scar?" Tsukihiko asked abruptly. "The one across your cheek, how did you get it?"

Himari was taken aback by the man's sudden question and found that she could not answer. "I… I had an accident when I was young. I fell down the stairs."

"Lying is not your strong suit. Tell me of what truly happened, Himari."

Despite Himari's attempts to show no indication of emotion, silent tears began to drip down her face as all her traumatic memories came rushing back to her. "My s-stepsister… My stepsister, Saori-chan…"

"What about her?"

"… My stepsister, Saori-chan, is beautiful but she has a heart as black as ink," Himari began solemnly. "She has always been that way as long as I can remember, all mean-spirited and cruel, but she is so beautiful, Tsukihiko-san."

"You are beautiful as well, Himari."

"Yes, but I am not beautiful like her."

"I doubt that."

"Tsukihiko-san, I thank you for your kind, gracious words, but I insist that my stepsister is more beautiful than I. You should see her, then you will know what I mean. Saori-chan never liked me nor accepted me as her stepsister. She always made it clear that I would never belong in the Katōwamuro family clan, even if I bore the surname. When I was younger, I remember peeking into her bedroom and watching her every morning. Saori-chan would always put on her makeup in the morning, not that she needed any of it. I would stare at her reflection in the mirror and marvel at her beauty, astounded that I was in the presence of something so, so, so beautiful. I became obsessed. I would mimic her mannerisms, like how she tilted her head to the side when she brushed her hair, and how she covered her mouth whenever she laughed, which was often back then. I think… that she was my first love. Oh my, I know how weird this sounds! I do not deny that I am strange, maybe even mad, but I cannot help it; I am in love with watching the people I love! Tsukihiko-san, I would watch you if you were around more often."

FLASHBACK:

Himari's first week at Hanakotoba was wonderful and exciting; she was one of the popular girls of the academy, she had great friends, and her grades were excellent. For the first time since her mother died, Himari was truly happy.

I can breathe again… Okasan, I am okay! I am doing well! God, Arigatō! Arigatō! Arigatō!

After school, Himari and her friends would hang out at a café where all the upperclass Yaegashi students would go frequently, including the boys from the all-boys academy.

There, Himari met a handsome boy named Yato who was two years older than her. He was kind to her and would always buy her a yuzu bar and a cup of chamomile tea. They would converse over desserts and tea, talking about practically anything and everything.

"Hey, Himari, it is getting late, and I must study for my exams," Yato said, gathering his backpack. "It was nice seeing you."

"Oh, okay. Sayonara, Yato-san!"

"Yeah. See you around, Himari."

Once Yato had left, all the girls surrounded Himari.

"Himari, do you know who that was?" one asked.

"Yes, he told me that his name is Yato," Himari replied.

"No, I mean, do you know who he is?"

"… Yes? Well, no, not really."

"Excuse you, he is only Yato Chiba, the most popular, cutest, and hottest boy in all Yaegashi! Oh, I could just faint!"

"And drool!"

"He is also super rich!"

"Yeah, filthy rich!"

"You should have seen how he was staring at you, Himari. He likes you!"

"Yeah, he was all over you! He was clearly interested!"

"Well, I think he is a nice person," Himari said happily, taking a bite of the yuzu bar.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

In the dead of the night, Himari awakened to the sound of her bedroom door opening and closing. She uncovered the blanket from her head and saw her older stepsister standing by the side of her bed, staring at her with a chillingly cold stare. "Saori-chan, it is you."

"Is it true?" Saori asked abruptly.

Curious, Himari sat up in her bed. "Is what true, Saori-chan?"

"Is it true that you were speaking with Yato Chiba?"

"Yato-san? Yes, it is true. He is very nice, and we are good friends. Do you know him, Saori-chan?"

"Do I know him?" Saori asked in a rhetorical manner. "Yato Chiba… Do I know him? Do I know him? I wonder, do I know Yato Chiba? It is not like I was his girlfriend!"

"Girlfriend? Oh, Saori-chan, I did not know about you and Yato-chan. There is nothing happening between us, we are only friends!"

"You broke the unwritten rules between us women, you traitorous, backstabbing skank. To think that I introduced you to my friends!"

"Saori-chan, I would never do something so horrible to anyone. Please believe me when I say there is nothing happening between I and Yato-san!"

"That is not what I have heard. You see, you may have charmed and have most of my friends under your spell, but a few of them are still loyal to me. They told me that you were practically throwing yourself at Yato, twirling your hair and batting your eyelashes like mad."

"No, no, no, Saori-chan, it was n-not like that at all! I did not—"

"Shut up, I had enough of your blabbering. Now it is time for the first part of your discipline: a trim." Saori smiled wickedly as she held up a pair of scissors, the silver gleaming in the warm lighting. Laughing manically, she pounced upon Himari and grabbed locks of her hair and cut them.

"No! No, no, no! Saori-chan, please do not do this! Saori-chan! Saori-chan! "

Saori placed her hand over Himari's mouth to muffle her protests and screams. Heaps of silken tresses piled on the floor as Himari's hair was cut haphazardly.

After losing the fifth lock of hair, Himari began to fight back. She grabbed Saori's scissor-wielding wrist and used her legs to push her away.

"Let go!" Saori screamed directly in Himari's ear. "Let go of my wrist, you slut!"

"Saori-chan, please stop this! Please, please, please!"

That was when the scissors went through the flesh of Himari's cheek like perfectly aligned paper, without a sound, notch, or resistance. Blood splattered all over the bed, onto the floor, and onto the faces of both young girls.

PRESENT:

"I received stitches, but they only worsened the wound," Himari spoke softly with a false laugh. "That was a sad, pitiful story, was it not?"

Tsukihiko did not respond but continued threading his fingers through her hair, allowing Himari to fill the air with her words, her truth. She could hear his breathing and she fell in love with it.

"Forgive me, but I am not used to being this vulnerable, Tsukihiko-san. Gomen'nasai… I always wonder why I am treated this way. Why me? Sometimes I think that I was born just to be hurt."

✧TRANSLATION: "Forgive me, but I am not used to being this vulnerable, Tsukihiko-san. I am sorry… I always wonder why I am treated this way. Why me? Sometimes I think that I was born just to be hurt."

I hate everything about myself. I wish I was anyone or anything else!

"Not all of my blemishes are within view," Himari continued. "I have more to show you, if you have not noticed them already." The young woman opened her legs to reveal the innermost of her thighs. Cigarette burn marks were scattered around her flesh, like the last leaves of autumn, all burnt and discolored. "My stepmother… She did these where no one would see them. They will never go away, Tsukihiko-san."

There was a long period of nothing.

Oh no, no, no…

Himari thought she had unnerved Tsukihiko and made him think less of her until he lowered himself to her thighs and began to kiss the circular marks of scorched flesh. Instantaneously, she burst into tears and sobbed freely, saying, "You love me. You love me, Tsukihiko-san. You love me despite my imperfections and flaws! Arigatō! Arigatō! Arigatō!"

✧TRANSLATION: Himari thought she had unnerved Tsukihiko and made him think less of her until he lowered himself to her thighs and began to kiss the circular marks of scorched flesh. Instantaneously, she burst into tears and sobbed freely, saying, "You love me. You love me, Tsukihiko-san. You love me despite my imperfections and flaws! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

DREAM:

Himari's dream began in a vast sea of sunflowers. Nostalgia washed over her like the foamy tides against a shore, and the grassy, earthy scent of the towering stalks were fragrant.

How pretty… I remember being here!

There, above the multitude of bright yellow petals, Himari saw her parents sitting atop a hill. They waved at her, beaming and grinning ear to ear.

Her mother's face, which looked very much like her own, was lit up with joy. "Hello, Himari!"

Okasan!

Kihaku was sitting beside her, smiling broadly. He appeared to be youthful and strong; he did not look pale and terribly skinny anymore. "Himari, come join us!"

Father-sama!

Himari was so relieved to see her parents, tears of joy pricked her eyes. "Okasan, Father-sama! I am coming as fast as I can!"

Giggling, Himari ran through the sunflower field and pushed through them with all her might. The sunflowers grew even taller, their petals and leaves blocking the clear view she had of her parents.

When she pushed the sunflowers out of her way, she did not see either the hill or her parents. Only a quiet sea of sunflowers surrounded her.

"Father-sama? Okasan? Oh, where did you go?"

The valley of sunflowers perished as they wilted, and a garden of showy blooms replaced them. There were all kinds of flowers: orchids, peonies, marigolds, camellias, and most importantly, roses.

My garden. My very own garden!

Enthralled, Himari immersed herself in the colorful blooms, unaware of the darkening sky. If she closed her eyes and leaned in, she could hear soft whispering amongst the flowers.

"It is okay, my sweet, perfumed blooms. I hear each of you!" Himari reveled in the beauty of the flowers and listened to them speak until she felt something pierce her ankle. "Ouch!"

The young woman looked down at her leg to see a black snake coiled around it. The serpent plunged its fangs even deeper into her flesh, injecting her with its bitter venom.

"Ahhh!" Himari cried out in pain, panicking as she looked around for someone to help her. "Oh no, no, no! It hurts! Help me! Father-sama! Okasan! Someone, help me, please! Help me!"

The garden of flowers dissipated, and the world turned into a pitch-black, empty void. The snake coiled around Himari's leg had vanished along with the acute pain of its fangs and the poison it delivered.

Frightened, Himari looked around at her dark, nihilistic surroundings. "… K-Kon'nichiwa?" her voice echoed. "Is anyone there?"

✧TRANSLATION: Frightened, Himari looked around at her dark, nihilistic surroundings. "… H-hello?" her voice echoed. "Is anyone there?"

Suddenly, Himari remembered everything.

She remembered that her mother had died, that her father did not love her as much as he once did, and that her stepmother and stepsisters despised her.

Everyone Himari loved had left her, and she was alone in the darkness.

Himari cowered in fear and wept, rendered distraught and inconsolable.

I am afraid! I am afraid of the dark, being alone, and being forgotten! I cannot take this anymore!

Someone, please save me! Save me! Please save me! Please…

AWAKE:

Himari awakened to slivers of sunlight pouring through the small window, blankly staring up at the ceiling. The basement was filled with its warm, pleasant light, and the indoor flowers were thriving and soaking in the sunlight.

How pretty. It is a beautiful morning.

The young woman went to prepare herself for the day. She bathed briskly, lathered herself with one of her floral oil perfumes, then dressed herself in a ruffled pinafore dress.

Gazing into the mirror, Himari's eyes held a vacant expression. It seemed as though she couldn't remember the person staring back at her. It felt as though she was detached from her own body, merely an observer of its movements. The sensation was akin to an extended out-of-body experience, where her body moved without her conscious command. Himari was familiar with the bitter taste of control, but this was different. It was a longing for a temporary respite from being herself, a chance to finally exhale.

After my night with Tsukihiko-san, I do not feel like myself. I feel a sense of clarity I never knew, like the carpet has been pulled out from under my feet, like the veil has been lifted from my eyes, like I have died and have been reborn! Is this what Eve felt like when She partook of the forbidden fruit?

I am tired of being the victim. In my nightmare, I had no control over anything, and I was at the mercy of my surroundings. Even when I am awake, I go wherever the current takes me. I was weak; I let a snake enter my garden and that very serpent bit me! Every time a problem arises, I call for help but no one ever comes to my rescue. Not Father-sama, not Okasan, no one! I refuse to be a damsel in distress any longer. I will care for only myself, be cruel, and vain!

Only the man I love will see the core of my true vulnerable self. Only you, Tsukihiko-san, only you.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Himari lifted the hem of her dress and put on a lacy black thigh garter. She admired the length and structure of her legs but frowned at the bruises and scars that covered them.

I will not let these blemishes define me.

Himari winced as she rubbed the spot where Tsukihiko had bitten her, which was beginning to look like a rash.

This spot physically aches but it is insignificant to all the pain I feel emotionally. All the pain I felt, all the tears I shed… I cannot keep it in any longer. The terror and suffering I endure within the walls of this manor must end!

SAORI

Saori, Yui, and Soaku all sat down at the kitchen dining table for breakfast. Kihaku was on yet another business trip, so he was absent. The three of them conversed happily as they were served breakfast.

"The dinner with the Ootanis was a success!" Soaku rejoiced triumphantly. "My sweet Saori, you have charmed the parents of Kame Ootani; they now know their son is in safe hands with a young lady as sophisticated as you. There will be a wedding! "

"Kame Ootani? The filthy rich Ootanis, those ones?" Yui inquired, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

Saori smiled smugly in between bites of salmon. "Yes, Yui. Those Ootanis."

" Ehhh? So, if you marry that guy, then are we like, doubly rich?"

"Yes, sure… Whatever that means."

Soaku reached across the table and placed her hand upon Saori's to get her attention. "Saori, your success is my success, for I am the one who birthed and reared you to be the stunning young woman you are today. Do not forget that when you make it to the peak."

"I know, Mother. I could never forget neither you nor Yui."

"But Mother, what about me?" Yui whined, puckering her glossy pink lips.

"Oh, what about you?" Soaku spit nastily. "What have you achieved lately?"

"Aw, Mother, I have achieved anything, but you give all the love and attention to Saori! You never congratulated me for anything, not like that!"

Saori used her chopsticks to nip her younger sister's cheek playfully. "Jealous, are we not?"

"Owie! Mother, did you just see that? Saori practically stabbed me!"

The three of them erupted in thunderous, knee-slapping laughter.

"Oh, how I wish you would just die, Saori!" Yui exclaimed, laughing the hardest out of the three. There was a tincture of truth in her cutesy, high-pitched voice, but no one caught it amongst their mirth.

Their laughter fell silent when Himari pulled back the empty chair and sat down in it. She closed her eyes, brought her hands together, and bowed her head. "Itadakimasu."

✧TRANSLATION: Their laughter fell silent when Himari pulled back the empty chair and sat down in it. She closed her eyes, brought her hands together, and bowed her head. "I humbly receive."

There was a long, awkward silence as everyone watched Himari use chopsticks to fill her plate nonchalantly. From across the table, Himari looked at Yui and asked, "Yui-chan, could you pass me the plate of tamagoyaki, please?"

"M-me?" Yui asked, visibly stunned by what was happening. She was not the only one who was flabbergasted by the situation; Saori and Soaku's jaws were dropped to the floor.

"This has to be a joke!" Soaku spat, her face turning sour. "Dogs are not supposed to eat at the table," the noblewoman insulted.

"Yes, it is a good thing that Fuwapo is resting upstairs," Himari replied wittily. Still staring intently at Yui, she asked, "Yui-chan, would you please pass me the tamagoyaki?"

Soaku swore violently under her breath, her jowls reddening with anger. "That blasted girl…"

Himari kept her eyes on Yui and stared at her with enough intensity to make the young girl tremble in her seat slightly. "Yui-chan, pass me the plate of tamagoyaki… Please. "

The platter of tamagoyaki was directly in front of Yui. Uncertain, the young girl extended her hand to reach for it, but her mother stopped her.

Soaku slammed her fists upon the table angrily. "Get up from that chair, Himawari!"

"Why?" Himari questioned. "I am enjoying a proper family breakfast with you all."

"Get up and leave this table at once!"

"I do not want to, Soaku."

The noblewoman reeled back in horror at the blatant, blasphemous disrespect that flowed effortlessly from her stepdaughter's mouth like water. "Soaku… Soaku? It is Lady Mistress Soaku-sama to you, Himawari. How dare you… How dare you speak to me like I am nothing more than a commoner?"

"Then you know how it feels to be called by something other than your name. My name is Himari, not Himawari! Addressing you as a lady is a disservice to all the true ladies of the world, Soaku. I do not see a lady speaking to me, I see more of a pig!"

"Himawari, if you do not get up from this table this instant, you will be disciplined severely!"

"No."

"No?" Soaku gasped, appalled by her stepdaughter's defiance. "What do you mean, no?"

"No, I will not leave this table and I will not be disciplined!" Himari screamed. "I refuse to be beaten any longer! Not anymore, not ever again! I see how things truly are now. You three… You three are sick! I know what all the things each of you have done to me for so long is called. It is called abuse, which makes each of you abusers!"

That was when the noblewoman got up and went to where Himari was sitting. In one fell swoop, she pushed all the plates in front of Himari on the floor, not caring about the delicacies nor the fine china that shattered.

Slowly, Himari rose from her chair and glared up at her stepmother. The young woman's gaze was frightening, as there was a smoldering vengeance in her bronze-colored eyes that were steadily turning them as black as ink. "You will regret that, Soaku," she vowed bitterly.

No one dared to say a word.

Soaku raised her hand to strike Himari for her insolence. To her surprise, Himari grabbed her wrist and stopped the oncoming blow. "How dare you hold my wrist, girl? Release my hand at once!"

Himari released Soaku's wrist from her grasp, her face twisted in repulsion as if touching her stepmother was the most putrid, revolting thing ever conceived. Before she left the table, she said, "From now on, no one will ever lay a harmful finger on me. No one. "

As soon as Himari departed, the oppressively dark atmosphere that enveloped the manor dissipated.

"The nerve of that girl!" Soaku hollered once she was certain Himari was not within earshot. She threw a glass to the floor in a seething rage.

"Oh, Mother, Himari was so mean!" Yui whined. "She was so mean to you, and especially me!"

"Stop whining, Yui!" Saori spat. "If it was not for Mother, you would have fulfilled Himari's request like the scaredy cat you are!"

"What? I was not going to pass her the plate of tamagoyaki, honest! Himari called us sick abusers, which is just not true! If that was true, then why is she still here? Why did she not just leave a long time ago if she was being treated so badly?"

"Those are my sentiments exactly," Saori agreed. "Mother, what do you think is wrong with the girl? She ruined our peaceful, happy morning meal."

Soaku stared blankly at the place where her stepdaughter once stood, her left eye twitching in either irritation, fright, or both combined. "That, I do not know but it must be nipped in the bud immediately!"

HIMARI

Himari returned from the marketplace with more flora to add to her ever-growing collection and laboratory glassware such as flasks, pipettes, and beakers. She entered the basement through the garden and spent time setting up a proper laboratory on her workstation.

After that, Himari went to harvest herbs in the Katōwamuro garden. She carried a basket as she walked through the garden with Fuwapo following her, plucking and harvesting herbs. The young woman's knowledge of botany and herbalism was impressive because she knew the genus, species, and purpose of each botanical specimen she laid eyes on.

Chrysanthemum parthenium, Feverfew. It is used for migraines, fevers, and chronic diseases like arthritis.

Primula vulgaris, Primrose. It is effective in treating headaches, gout, and rheumatism.

Achillea millefolium, Yarrow. It is used as a topical ointment for wounds and bruises.

Fuwapo circled around Himari's legs as she worked in her laboratory. "Yip, yip, yip!"

Himari used pestle and mortar to grind the aloe latex, cascara sagrada, frangula, rhubarb, and senna herbs. The dry herbal blend and a mixture of water was heated over a burner, and a liquid concoction with powerful cathartic properties was produced.

With a mischievous grin, Himari deftly poured the serum into a tiny perfume container, perfectly sized to be concealed within a sleeve.

It is your turn to suffer, Soaku.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The next morning, Himari served a bountiful Japanese breakfast to the Katōwamuros. The three of them ate breakfast as they clamored and gossiped over the news.

"So, I received a call from Yonaka Ootani earlier this morning and she wants to have lunch with me today!"

"Oh, Mother, that is wonderful!" Yui squealed in delight. "May I come along?"

"No, Yui, you may not come along this time. Yonaka empathized that me and her have a lot of important things to discuss."

Yui crossed her arms and stomped her feet, pouting dramatically. "But Mother, I did not come with you last time! You brought Saori, but you did not even offer to bring me! I am bored out of my mind in this place!"

"Stop it, Yui! Saori is not coming this time either, so you have her to keep you company."

In the kitchen, Himari began preparing cups of green tea. She was driven by an unknown force as she reached into her pocket for the vial and poured drops of the elixir into the noblewoman's tea discreetly.

Okay. Here goes nothing…

Stirring the tea, Himari approached Soaku and placed the tea in front of her. She returned to the kitchen and watched her stepmother from afar, a thrilled expectancy in her eyes. The noblewoman was invested in conversation and did not so much as glance at her teacup for a long time.

Ohhh, I cannot wait any longer! The suspense is killing me!

The noblewoman paused from conversing and noticed the cup of steaming green tea before her. She lifted the teacup by its handle and took a long, thoughtful sip of her tea, smiling at its rich, sweet taste.

Yatta!

┍━ 【❀】 ━┑

CHAPTER NINE

SOAKU

Soaku sat at a table for two at an upscale bistro, waiting for Yonaka Ootani to arrive. She suppressed her pained groans and felt uncomfortably malaise, but she could not bring herself to cancel their luncheon.

I do not feel quite like myself. Hopefully this lunch with Yonaka does not take too long...

"Soaku!" a voice called out. The voice belonged to the lovely Yonaka Ootani, who was dressed beautifully in fashionable celadon from head to toe.

"Ah, Yonaka!"

The two noblewomen embraced and kissed each other's cheeks.

"It is so good to see you, Soaku! There needs to be more time spent between us co-mother-in-laws."

"Yes, I agree!"

Soaku and Yonaka sat down in their seats, and a waiter arrived to take their orders promptly.

"I will have water with lime and the garden salad, no dressing, please," Yonaka said, her eyes skimming over the menu.

"And you, madam?"

Soaku skimmed through the menu, muttering internally. Truthfully, she was craving a large glass of red wine and a juicy pan-seared steak drenched in garlic butter, but she did not want to appear as a glutton in front of Yonaka. "I will have the… roasted squash and chicken salad! With a glass of water with lemon as well, aha!"

I regret not ordering that steak! Oh well, I can have that girl make it for me tonight.

Once the waiter let them be, Yonaka leaned in close with her elbows on the table. Her small, dark eyes shimmered with delight as she spoke. "So, what was your husband's reaction when he heard the news? I do wish he could have joined us for dinner last time."

In truth, Kihaku does not care for any of this.

"Oh, Kihaku is just thrilled!" Soaku fibbed. "He cannot wait for the wedding! He wishes that he was there to meet you and Norio too, but you know how prosperous men are with their prosperous careers."

Yonaka's face grew despondent; her smile fell, and the crinkled lines of laughter around her eyes began to sag and became heavy around her eyes which reflected great sorrow. "I am well acquainted with that feeling," she admitted. "Before Norio retired, we would go for weeks, and sometimes even months, without seeing each other. I do not miss that sense of disconnection. Marriage should be intimate and warm, not distant and frigid. Our relationship has truly suffered... To this day, I do not believe he loves me the same way anymore."

Surprised by Yonaka's unexpected admission, Soaku coughed nervously and wore a wry smile. "Yonaka, um... I am at a loss for words."

What a weak, pitiful woman. Maybe we are not so alike after all.

Yonaka's countenance transformed back to its customary state of jubilance, as if her previous melancholy never existed. "So, I am excited about having a winter wedding! I have found the perfect venue in Shibuya for it to be held. Gorgeous, stunning, dazzling! I was thinking of the wedding to be more western rather than Japanese, but I do not know! Saori looked gorgeous in that crested kimono! Ugh, choices, choices, choices!"

This woman is… odd. She talks a mile a minute and her mood changes like the weather!

While Yonaka continued to talk endlessly about the wedding, Soaku listened. However, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a loud rumbling sound. Feeling a sudden discomfort in her stomach, the noblewoman instinctively placed her hand on her abdomen, startled by the intense churning sensations she experienced.

Was that… me?

Yonaka stopped speaking and glanced at Soaku questionably. "Soaku, did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Yonaka?"

"I heard a strange, unearthly sound, kind of like a dog whining… Oh, I cannot explain it. Never mind me!"

"… Pardon me, Yonaka, but I am just famished!" Soaku laughed sheepishly. "I am dying to taste the salad I ordered!"

"I am excited about my order as well!" Yonaka peered over Soaku's shoulder and spotted the fine waiter from before approaching, carrying trays. "Oh, Soaku, I think our orders are just about to arrive!"

The waiter arrived and sat down the noblewomen's respective meals in front of them. "My noble ladies, it is my pleasure to serve you," he said, bowing. "Please, enjoy your meal."

Soaku stared in awe at the platter of savory roasted squash and chicken salad. Although it wasn't the dish she truly craved, it appeared enticing. However, for the very first time, she found herself unable to fathom the idea of consuming a meal.

I feel queasy just looking at this, and my stomach is cramping! What is wrong with me?

Yonaka ate her salad daintily, favoring pieces of lettuce and cucumbers over the tomatoes and carrots, and moving the croutons off to the side for further picking. "Mmm, this garden salad is utterly sublime! This is exactly why I suggested we go here, Soaku; the food here is impeccable! Ambrosian, delectable, divine!"

Soaku groaned in response, clutching her cramping stomach over the table. It felt like her intestines were being tangled together in knots and they were fighting all at once to exit through her rectum. "Ohhh…"

"Soaku, are you all right?" Yonaka commented, visibly concerned. "You look a little pale!"

"Pale, me? Oh, nonsense, Yonaka. I am as healthy as an ox!" As soon as Soaku finished her lies, her stomach made yet another painful, audible noise that could be heard on the other side of the restaurant.

Soaku's stomach rumbled loudly once again, causing a few curious and alarmed diners to look in their direction.

How nosy and intrusive! Do not look over here and mind your business!

"Oh, there is that sound again!" Yonaka cried out. "It really does sound like a pitiful whining dog! I wonder if that is truly what it is. Poor doggie, right, Soaku?"

"Excuse me, Yonaka, but I must go to the power room, aha!" Soaku rose from her chair and squeezed her legs together tightly as she walked away, clenching her buttocks. When she was out of Yonaka's line of sight, she covered her buttocks and sprinted towards the ladies' room.

Heaving, Soaku plowed through multiple guests and waiters along the way without a care. "Do not just stand there, get out of my way! Move, move, move!"

Once inside the bathroom, Soaku was met with a woman applying her makeup in the mirror. The woman glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and said, "May I help you?"

Soaku leaned in close to the woman's ear and yelled, "GET OUT OF HERE, TRAMP!"

Terrified, the woman grabbed her purse and ran out of the bathroom with a face smeared with a wayward streak of red lipstick.

With a shrill battle cry, Soaku barged into a bathroom stall and plopped down on the toilet. The bathroom was instantly filled with a profoundly wretched stench that made the bouquet of flowers sitting upon the console table wilt.

YUI

Yui was in the middle of watching a popular soap opera on the television with Fuwapo in her lap. The revelation that one of the husbands had been having an affair with his wife's sister was seconds away from being revealed when Soaku burst through the front door.

"The luncheon with Yonaka was a disaster, an utter disaster!" Soaku cried, her arms flailing in the air. "It was a catastrophe!"

Yui sighed as she turned off the television, disappointed that the show was interrupted. Fuwapo, irritated that the television was turned off, yapped and growled angrily at Soaku before scampering away.

"Oh, what happened, Mother? Are you all right?"

"I have been better!" Soaku groaned, placing her purse in the counter. "It took a lot for me just to go up the front steps!"

Himari entered the main living room and began sweeping and dusting the area.

Suddenly, Soaku held a hand to her head as if she felt faint. "Oh dear, what is this feeling that is coming over me? Yui…" The noblewoman fell to her knees, grasping her abdomen and groaning loudly in pain.

"Mother!" Yui cried out as she rushed to her mother's aid. "Saori! Saori, we need you! Something is wrong with Mother!"

Saori came rushing down the stairs to the main living room and upon seeing her afflicted mother, she covered her mouth to muffle a pained sob. "Mother!"

"Girls!" Soaku gasped, her terrified eyes wide beyond belief. "Girls, I need you to call for an ambulance!"

Saori and Yui, both too distraught to even function, stood still until a voice said, "I will call for the ambulance."

Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw Himari. She was standing near the hallway, closest to the telephone. With a bow, she turned away and went to use the telephone.

All eyes shifted towards the direction of the voice, where they saw Himari standing by the hallway. She gracefully nodded and swiftly made her way towards the telephone.

Though no one else caught it because of how brief and spontaneous it was, Yui could have sworn that she saw Himari smirk.

... Huh?

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Yui solemnly watched as the paramedics, all six of them, lifted Soaku and laid her on a gurney. The noblewoman looked pitiful as they wheeled her away, refusing to wear an oxygen mask and being as hostile as possible through her pain.

"Whatever you do, Yui, do not come visit me!" Soaku cried out, groaning in pain. "I do not want anyone to see me in my dire moment of weakness! Know that I will return within a day!"

"Okay, Mother!"

"And if Yonaka calls, tells her that I am on vacation!"

"Okay, Mother!"

"In the Hamptons! Tell Yonaka that I am on vacation in the Hamptons! I have been planning to visit the states!"

"Okay, I will, Mother! I love you!"

"I love you, too, my sweet Saori! Oh, and Yui!"

Oh…

The paramedics loaded Soaku inside the ambulance, then left the grounds of the Katōwamuro estate.

Moments later, Saori came out of the manor and stood beside Yui. She appeared to have composed herself, like she never was distraught or on the verge of tears to begin with. "I have been trying to contact Father, but he will not answer," she scoffed. "The world could end, and he would still manage to be the last to hear about it."

"Yeah, that sounds like Father," Yui sighed sadly. "I cannot believe that Mother has become so ill!"

"Yui, you should not let this get to you. Mother will be fine; a strong woman like her. Perhaps it was something she ate during her lunch with Lady Ootani."

Food poisoning was a viable option, but all Yui could think about was that glimpse of Himari's snide, untimely smirk. "Yeah, perhaps…"

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

TIMESKIP: THREE DAYS

YUI

Laughter and excited barks resounded as Yui chased Fuwapo around the manor. The shih tzu's paws and the young girl's frilly blue and white dress were covered in soil from running through the garden. They ran through the halls and endless bedrooms, tracking dirt all over the hardwood floors without a care.

Yui paused to catch her breath, and Fuwapo sat at her feet and slobbered on her black Mary Janes. "Ewww, Fuwapo! Stick your tongue back in your mouth!"

"Yip!"

That was when a grassy, earthy smell began wafting through the air. The scent was neither a pleasant nor unpleasant odor, but it was strong and smelled like something you would smell at a farm.

Panting, Fuwapo turned away and sniffed the air. Its tail wagged frantically as it barked, "Yip, yip!"

"Do you smell that, Fuwapo?" Yui asked in her childish, high-pitched voice. "It smells like a strong, stinky-winky fertilizer which is your favorite, right?"

"Yip, yip, yip!" Fuwapo barked with even more drool dripping from its tongue. It leapt and frolicked around Yui's feet before scurrying away, looking back to make sure she was following it.

The two arrived at the stairs leading to the basement, where the earthy scent was at its strongest. "So, the smell is coming from down here," Yui said, curious. "I wonder what it is… Come on, Fuwapo!"

"Yip!"

The young girl took the adorable shih tzu into her arms and walked downstairs to the basement. Upon entering, she saw Himari working in a laboratory. Jars of various plants and florals lined the shelves, and beakers, tubes containing colored liquids were broiling above burners. From Yui's perspective, Himari might as well have been wearing a pointy black hat and brewing a bubbling potion in a cauldron.

Himari looked at Yui through the wisps of fumes and smoke emitted from the boiling liquids and smiled warmly. "Oh, it is you, Yui-chan! Kon'nichiwa!"

✧TRANSLATION: Himari looked at Yui through the wisps of fumes and smoke emitted from the boiling liquids and smiled warmly. "Oh, it is you, Yui-chan! Hello!"

Yui covered her mouth in horror and fright. "Oh my God… I thought Mother was being dramatic as usual, but she was right. You… You are a witch! "

"A witch, little old me?" Himari laughed. "You and your mother have such an overactive imagination, Yui-chan."

"Are you the reason why Mother has been so sick?"

Himari gave a cruel, knowing smirk and ran her fingers through her silken tresses. "What do you think?" she asked in a voice of pungent derision.

"I think your outburst at breakfast inclines me to believe that you did something to her food, and I am telling Mother when she gets home from the hospital!"

"I would not do that if I were you, Yui-chan..."

"Well, I am going to tell her!" Yui retorted. "I am going to tell everyone, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

That was when Himari gave Yui a dark glare that was exactly like how she looked at Soaku, petrifying the young girl and sending shivers down her spine. "Yui-chan, if I am a witch like you think I am, then perhaps you should tread lightly."

Horrified, Yui turned and ran out of the basement in a blur of frothy silk chiffon. Her heart pounded in her ears as she rushed upstairs, holding Fuwapo close to her chest.

Mother was right about Himari all along! Himari is a witch! I know what I saw; she was cooking poisons and conjuring spells! I must tell Saori!

Yui flew inside of Saori's bedroom and closed the door behind her, pressing her back against the door. "Saori, you are not going to believe this!" she shouted.

Saori was sitting at her vanity dresser, applying makeup and styling her long, fuchsia hair. The young woman's head was tilted to the side as she brushed through her fuchsia tresses ever so tenderly. "Yui, before you speak another word, get that mutt out of my bedroom."

Yui set Fuwapo on the floor gently and opened the door for it. The shih tzu growled as it waddled out of the bedroom slowly. "Yip, yip!"

Looking at her younger sister through the mirror, Saori stopped brushing her hair and asked, "Now what is it that you must tell me, Yui?"

"You are not going to believe what I saw in the basement!"

"I cannot be the judge of anything if you do not tell me what this is about."

"Oh! Yeah, I was getting to that! Have you noticed that Himari has been behaving strangely?"

"Strangely? I would not know; I do not concern myself with the help."

"Well, I saw her cooking a lot of plants in pots and pans in the basement! There were weird mixtures, potions, and a bunch of other stuff!"

With a humorless scowl, Saori turned around in her stool to look at Yui directly. "She is a gardener and a perfumer, you know."

"Yeah, I know that, but I have a feeling that she is complicit in Mother's illness! Mother has never become so sick out of nowhere, not like this! She always had stellar health until Himari started behaving strangely!"

"You are mistaken, Yui. Himari has neither the courage nor the intelligence to do such a thing. You are giving her too much credit."

"Excuse me, Saori, but you were not there to see that look in her eyes. Himari's eyes are black now like she has been possessed! Possessed, I tell you, like she has been taken over by a demon!"

Saori groaned and shook her head in disapproval. "Oh, calm down, Yui. You are being dramatic."

"I also noticed that she would always leave the manor when it gets very dark outside," Yui continued anxiously. "One time, I went to her room in the basement and looked through her things. I went through her dresser and saw a bunch of fancy clothes! I think she gets them from whoever she meets with every night, which means that she is in a relationship!"

Unamused, Saori crossed her arms and said, "It is doubtful that Himari has courted anyone; no man of high standing would want her. She must have bought the things you saw from the money she makes selling her products. None of that concerns me, anyway."

"But Saori, the clothes she has are very beautiful and expensive! They put even our wardrobe to shame!"

"Are you serious right now, Yui?" Saori said menacingly, frightening her younger sister. "I do not care if you compare yourself to the likes of garbage peasantry, but do not put my name in it! Now get out of my bedroom!"

"Oh, you are just so mean, Saori!" Yui whined as she left. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

"I hate you too, you little brat!"

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Sometime past midnight, Yui was tossing and turning in her bed, restless. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw images of herself being tortured by her stepsister, like being boiled alive in a cauldron or turned into a frog.

Oh, I hate all things scary and supernatural! I especially hate witches; they freak me out!

"How pretty," a voice said.

Startled, Yui sat up and watched a figure emerge from the darkest corner in her room. It was her stepsister, Himari, holding a snow globe that came from Yui's dresser. The young woman wore a white nightgown that was so sheer, her nipples were almost visible. Her face depicted a blank, indescribable expression, and her eyes appeared to reflect a black emptiness.

"Oh, my gosh!" Yui shrieked. "Himari, you scared me! I thought you were a ghost! Do not sneak up on me like that!"

"I just adore your room, Yui-chan," Himari complimented monotonously. "May I join you on your bed?"

"Oki-dokie..."

The two of them lay beside each other on the bed, facing opposite directions.

"Yui-chan, I am sorry about how I reacted earlier," Himari began. "I should not have spoken to you like that. We are sisters, after all."

"No problem, I have already forgotten… We are stepsisters, though," Yui clarified timidly.

"Extra words are just that: extra, unnecessary. We are sisters, Yui-chan. I regret never connecting with you like I should have. I am just so lonely, you know. It has always hurt me to see the four of you together, enjoying life. I wish I could be a part of that..."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence until Yui spoke. "Himari, may I ask where you go when you leave at night?"

"I go out to see the world," Himari answered. "The world is so beautiful at night, you know. Neon lights are my favorite thing to see."

"They are my favorite thing to see, too. When I, Saori, and Mother go out at night, I am amazed at all the pretty lights every time."

"Yui-chan, do you know the truth of Saori-chan's condition?" Himari asked abruptly.

"Huh?"

"Your sister's predicament, do you know the truth of it?"

"I do not."

"Well, she is pregnant," Himari said straightforwardly.

Yui did not move a muscle, for she knew the truth about Saori all along. "… I suspected as such."

"A child born out of wedlock is an unforgivable sin, Yui-chan. I do not know how Soaku will cover this up. What a catastrophe. But this is what Soaku gets for neglecting you after all."

"Neglecting me? What do you mean, Himari?"

"Do you feel that your mother favors your sister over you?"

"... Yeah, that is exactly how I feel!" Yui exclaimed, sitting upright. "It is like you read my mind. How did you figure that out?"

"I watch and observe things all the time, so I see things others do not. I clearly see that you are a wonderful daughter, Yui-chan."

Himari's words were so unexpected and profound, Yui had to blink back tears. The only thing that would have made that moment better was if her mother had been the one saying those words to her. "T-thank you for the compliment, Himari! No one has ever told me that… Hey, since we are on good terms now, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, Yui-chan?"

"Are you... Are you in a relationship with a man?"

"Yes, Yui-chan," Himari replied sincerely. "I am in a relationship with a man. I love him and he loves me the same way. He takes me places and buys me things, like this necklace." Himari reached into the bosom of her nightgown and revealed a heart-shaped ruby necklace that glimmered even in the darkness of night.

Yui gasped and covered her mouth in pure awe. "Oh my God! That necklace is… It is just beautiful, Himari! I have never seen anything so gorgeous. It puts all my rings and even the pearls around my mother's neck to shame!"

"It is very beautiful, is it not? The man I am with is just perfect! We will become a married couple soon; I am certain of it. No man gives a woman a gift like this unless he is planning to marry her. I envision us becoming a married couple sometime in the winter, when the snow that covers the ground complements the whiteness of his skin… The wedding would be just beautiful with fragrant white flowers everywhere. I will be dressed in white and so will he. We will exchange vows, give each other the kiss of love everlasting, and spend the rest of our lives as husband and wife... Then I will be happy. For once, I will be happy, complete, and free. I will be free to love, free to hate, and free to just exist."

The bedroom grew eerily quiet for a long while, the only sounds heard were of Himari sobbing softly along with every breath. She was staring at the coffered ceiling, smiling with tears falling down the sides of her face as if she was bearing witness to the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Intrigued, Yui drew closer to her stepsister because she was always curious of what it was like to be with a man. She once asked her sister what being with Ikuo felt like, but her questions were ignored, and asking her mother about love and things of that nature was out of the question. "The man you love, what does he look like?"

"Oh, my, he is beautiful, Yui-chan, a heartthrob! He has the kindest, most gentle eyes and he is pale with skin the color of moonlight."

"He sounds very handsome! May I ask how did you two came across each other? How did you two come to be? How and when did you know that he was the right man for you? Oh, come on, tell me everything, tell me everything!"

Instead of answering Yui's barrage of questions, Himari turned to her side and faced her. "Yui-chan, I must tell you something," she whispered in a hushed, urgent voice.

"What is it?"

"I can feel myself dying inside, rotting."

"Huh?" Yui gasped, visibly alarmed. "What do you mean by that?"

"I cannot eat or drink. My nights are sleepless but when I do sleep, my dreams are dark and horrifying. There is a constant heaviness in my chest, a premonition of some sort. The one time I felt something similar was when my mother died…" Himari shed silent tears and her voice cracked as she said, "I am scared, Yui-chan. I am so, so, so very frightened. Could you hold me?"

Hesitant, Yui gave in to Himari's demands and embraced her.

"I remember my Okasan holding me like this before she passed away," Himari whispered. "Faintly, I can recall her embrace."

At that moment, Yui saw Himari in a different light. The young girl saw her stepsister as a person instead of the unwanted, burdensome enigma she had been thought of as for years.

When was the last time Mother hugged me? She has been so invested with Saori. It is like I am invisible to her.

"I am quite bored, Yui-chan," Himari groaned. "Oh, I know what we could do! We should take a walk in the garden!"

"The garden? But it is cold outside, Himari."

"Please, Yui-chan. For me."

"Oki-dokie. Let's go."

The two of them tiptoed downstairs to not disturb anyone and left through the patio door to go to the garden.

An argent moon shined down upon the flowery garden. Himari and Yui held hands as they ran through the garden's maze, the crisp night air blowing through their tresses. The rambling roses, marigolds, petunias, snapdragons, and sunflowers were the most striking autumn blooms.

Himari gasped and pointed at the fountain. "Aha! Look, Yui-chan! I see a coin in the fountain, a shimmering gold one!"

"A coin?" Yui asked, giggling. "Where?"

"Over there in the fountain!"

Yui leaned further into the fountain, squinting her eyes. "I do not see anything, Himari!"

"Oh, but a coin is in there, Yui-chan. You are just not looking hard enough…"

"Aw, but Himari, I do not see—" Suddenly, Yui's face was submerged in the ice-cold water of the fountain. The young girl struggled and fought against the powerful force that continued pushing her head deeper underwater. She screamed and kicked her legs wildly, her vision clouded by air bubbles.

I cannot breathe. Someone, anyone, help me!

This went on for seconds that felt like an eternity.

Yui's eyes rolled up in her head in anguish and just when she was on the verge of losing consciousness, she was yanked out of the fountain by one of her pigtails. Gasping for air, she looked over her shoulder to see Himari staring at her coldly. "What the fuck was that for?"

"That was for you threatening to tell Soaku about what you saw," Himari responded in a chilling voice.

"H-huh? Is that w-what this is about?"

"Do you promise not to tell Soaku about what you saw?"

"Are you fucking crazy?" Yui screamed.

Without any warning, Himari pushed Yui's head back into the water for yet another minute, then pulled her out. "Do you promise?" she reiterated.

"Yes, I promise!" Yui cried, hyperventilating as she heaved and coughed up water.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, Himari, I promise!"

"I said, do you promise?"

The young girl began bawling like a child with mucus streaming from her nose. "YES, I PROMISE!" she wailed through her heavy snivels. "I PROMISE! HIMARI, I AM SO SORRY! PLEASE, DO NOT KILL ME! PLEASE LET ME GO!"

Himari held a finger to her lips and said, "Hush, Yui-chan. Keep your voice down, please. We would not want to disrupt anyone's slumber, now, would we?"

Whimpering, Yui nodded vehemently. "No, we would not want that! About what I saw, I— I was not going to tell her, honest!"

Himari's stony, frigid face shifted into her usual warm, pleasant expression. She looked soft and inviting once again with a face as pretty as a flower. "Oh, it is okay, Yui-chan," she cooed sweetly. "I know you would not have."

Yui was stunned when Himari embraced her and smothered her in kisses. "H-Himari…"

"I would not have drowned you. I could not live with myself if I had done such a thing; I would have just died! I could never take your life, Yui-chan. We are sisters, after all. Am I right, Yui-chan?"

Hesitant, a lump formed in Yui's throat as she returned the gesture hesitantly. "Y-yes, Himari… We are sisters."

TIMESKIP: ONE DAY

SOAKU

Soaku returned from the hospital, feeling more weakened than ever. The only benefit of the entire ordeal was that she had lost over twenty pounds. The hospital wanted to keep her longer, but she signed out against medical advice because in her words, the food was not fit for a dog.

Soaku and plopped down in the nearest chair, collapsing. She closed her eyes and dozed off until she heard the throaty, enthusiastic growls of Fuwapo at play. The shih tzu was completely invested as it pawed at an object, bringing it closer to the noblewoman's feet.

The noblewoman looked down at the dog to see it pawing at a white object, completely invested. "Fuwapo, what are you messing with? What is that on the floor?"

The shih tzu nudged the object closer to Soaku with its nose. It looked at her and panted, its long, white hair styled in a tousled topknot with a sheet of hair falling over its eyes. "Yip, yip, yip!"

The noblewoman let her curiosity get the best of her and picked up the object. When she flipped the object on its other side, she realized that it was a shard belonging to chinoiserie plates. "Dear God… No, this cannot be!"

Soaku ran the fastest she ever ran into the dish room, and the sight she was met with was devastating; Fragments of china were strewn all over the floor, unfixable. There was not a single piece of pottery that was not destroyed.

Ceramic shards cracked and crinkled loudly beneath Soaku's feet as she entered, mortified. The noblewoman fell to her knees, dismissing the splinters that rasped at her knees, and opened her mouth wide to release a pained, echoing cry. "MY PORCELAIN AND FINE CHINA!"

Soaku was on the verge of insanity and was reduced to a total wreck. "Ruined!" she bellowed, slamming her fist on the floor. "Ruined, ruined, ruined! Oh, everything is ruined, look at this mess!"

The noblewoman continued weeping until an unspeakable rage took hold of her. The rage was on account of her desire for justice, and she had her suspicions of who would do such a thing. As she marched to the dwellings of the suspected perpetrator, Fuwapo appeared on her warpath. "Move, you mutt!" she growled, shoving the shih tzu out of the way with her foot.

Where is she? Where is that cursed girl?

Soaku stomped her way to the basement and was met with a cold, empty space. There was no futon in sight and the dressers were ransacked and barren.

It appears that the girl does not live down here anymore! I do hope that does not mean that she has moved herself upstairs around my daughters!

Soaku rushed to the stairway that led to where Saori and Yui's bedrooms were located. She would not dare climb the steps, so remained at the foot of the stairs and yelled, " Himawari! Himawari, come down here! I know you are up there!"

Moments later, Himari appeared. She was wearing a floral kimono robe and dark eye makeup that made her look more mature. "Soaku, I see you have returned from the hospital," she remarked with a sly smirk. "You look well. What is it that you want from me?"

"Did I not tell you to respect me and only address me as Lady Mistress Soaku-sama, girl?"

"You did, but I am not going to do that anymore."

"I wonder, who told you that you could move your scrawny ass back upstairs?"

"I did! I grew tired of the basement, so I returned to my old bedroom. The nights in the basement are cold, Soaku. Unfortunately, not everyone has mounds of blubber to keep themselves warm."

The noblewoman typically had the last word in all the arguments she engaged in but for the first time in a long while, she could not find the words to respond and felt powerless against Himari's wit. "Whatever, never mind that! Someone destroyed my fine china and porcelain collection!"

"Oh, my, that sounds terrible!" Himari gasped dramatically, a hand over her heart. "I wonder who would do such a thing!"

"Yes, it is terrible, indeed. So terrible, it would not be wrong to consider it a vengeful act of war."

"What a shame."

"Himawari, are you the one who committed such an atrocious act?"

"Oh, I would never! Perhaps it was Fuwapo. That little pup is always running around and getting into trouble…"

"Do not make a fool of me, girl. I know it was you. Only a devil-child could muster the gall to do something so nefarious!"

"How do you know it was me, Soaku? Have you come with any proof?"

"I do not need any proof, you smart-alecky whore. This has your grubby hands and fingerprints all over it! Learn to address me as Lady Mistress Soaku-sama or I will rip out your tongue!"

"Be grateful that I address you at all, Soaku," Himari scoffed, twirling a lock of her hair apathetically. "Oh, and you are right. I did break everything in the dish room but even if I did not, you would not believe me. I knew how much it meant to you, so I destroyed it. The only thing I regret is not doing this a long time ago!"

Unable to take being disrespected any longer, Soaku's face turned red with a raw, intense anger and she balled her bejeweled fists. The caked makeup on her face became cracked, especially around her mouth from baring her teeth. "Come down here, Himawari," she commanded in a low, dark voice.

"Hm?"

"I said, come down here. Come down here and let me inflict all the punishment you deserve."

"For what?"

"For all the egregious sins you have committed!" Soaku hissed through gritted teeth. "If you stop what you are doing and repent, I will make certain that your discipline will not be as severe."

"Repent?" Himari asked in a shocked, incredulous voice. "I will not beg forgiveness from the likes of you, never again! If you want to punish me, then you will have to come upstairs and get me."

"Oh, I do not have time for this!"

"Now that I realize it, you have not come up these stairs for years. Why? Does your back hurt just looking at it? I hope it does."

"Close your unholy mouth, Himawari!"

"I really wish you died that day, Soaku."

"I have had it! You ungrateful scoundrel! After all I have done for you, this is how you treat me? Cretin! Heathen! Harlot!"

Himari rolled her eyes and gave a displeased sigh. "Soaku, calm yourself. I am not the one you should be angry with. I know of your plan to marry Saori-chan off. I hear that the man in question comes from a well-respected family. Saori-chan is perfect for it; she was born and reared by you, after all. But what if all that glitters is not gold?"

"Oh, what do you know? What the hell do you think you are saying?"

"I am saying that the Ootanis want a virgin bride, and your daughter is not a virgin."

The noblewoman was unable to process the full extent of the words she had just heard, but immediately became defensive at the mention of her daughter. "Hold your tongue, you lying whore! How dare you disparage my daughter? How dare you? When you speak ill of my daughters, you are speaking ill of me!"

Unabashed, Himari threw her head back and laughed uncontrollably and without cease. Her laughter was frightening because Soaku had never heard the young woman cackle so fiendishly. "Lying? Ha! It does not matter whether you believe me or not, Soaku. We will see the truth in a few months' time. I wonder, who will be the father to the bastard child? You?"

"Oh, you are just repulsive, a classless whore! I knew we should have dropped you off on the doorstep of an orphanage when we had the chance!"

Himari laughed at Soaku's feeble insults as she returned to her bedroom.

Now alone, Soaku covered her mouth in horror and was reduced to a blithering, anxious mess. She leaned against the railing and hyperventilated. The frightening statement had shaken her to her very core, even though she had the same suspicions. With every fiber of her being, Soaku did not want to even consider the possibly that her oldest daughter had given herself to a man that was not of her choosing, let alone with child.

Oh, I do not want to believe this utter hogwash, not even for a second! My sweet Saori would never be so stupid and careless! … Except for that boy, that Watomi boy I forbade her from seeing ever again! Did they— No, that cannot be true! It cannot be true, Saori!

HIMARI

After the altercation with her stepmother, Himari felt a thrilling, intense rush. Like what happens after a flame is held to the fuse of a firecracker, the young woman was set off and she needed to ignite.

Himari watched herself in the mirror as she quickly undressed and began touching herself. With one hand, she pinched a taut, rosy-brown nipple and rubbed her privates with the other. Moaning, she bucked her hips and relished the feel of her fingers sloshing between the moist lips of her vulva.

Oh, what has come over me? I am so hot!

As Himari touched herself, she thought of Tsukihiko. She imagined him taking her forcefully, grabbing her by the waist and licking, sucking, and biting her all over.

I want him, I want him so bad… Oh my, I need him!

The young woman's movements accelerated until she orgasmed. A clear liquid, her sweet nectar, dripped from between her fingers like the sand of an hourglass. She licked her hand and sucked her fingers dry, shivering in pleasure as she did so.

That was so, so, so good! I would do it again, but I must not waste any more time. I must meet Tsukihiko-san!

Himari dressed herself in one of her provocative outfits hurriedly, then went to apply makeup. She sat at her vanity dresser and gazed at her reflection in the mirror as she used eyeliner to give herself a smudged, smokey look that complemented her upturned, almond-shaped eyes. A soft pink blush was dabbed onto her checks, and concealer was patted on her slit-mouth scar to make it less noticeable.

I look very pretty, but I do not look perfect. There is something missing…

Himari crept down the hall to Saori's bedroom and pressed her ear against the door to listen for sounds. Hearing nothing, she went inside but froze when she heard soft breathing. She did not anticipate seeing Saori in her bed, fast asleep.

I must be quiet to not disturb her.

Himari tiptoed to the vanity dresser and rummaged through the drawers until she found what she was looking for; the perfect shade of red lipstick that was rightfully named 'Truest Red.'

Gazing at her reflection in the vanity mirror, Himari glided the crimson lipstick over the shape of her full, heart-shaped lips. She pouted and puckered her lips playfully, then leaned in slightly as if she was going to kiss her reflection.

Now, I look perfect.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Before the flames of the inferno in the fireplace, Himari undressed herself in a seductive and provocative manner. She slowly removed her short dress to reveal what was underneath: a gartered lingerie and knee-high stockings. She danced wildly, twisting her hips forward and backward, shaking her bottom, and touching herself enticingly.

Tsukihiko sat in a chair that was fit for a king as he watched the young woman's indecent, erotic dancing. "Come to me," he beckoned.

Himari crawled to Tsukihiko on all fours and shimmied down into his lap, facing him. Moving her body against his groin, Himari grabbed his tie and gave it a fierce yank. "Is there anything else you would like me to do, Mister Kobayashi-sama?" she asked innocently, batting her long eyelashes.

Tsukihiko chuckled darkly as he groped her bottom. "Tell me of what happened between you and your stepmother."

"Oh, my stepmother, the poor, wicked hag!" Himari giggled. "Well, one morning I made everyone a wonderful breakfast. While they were eating and enjoying it, I sat down to join them. Soaku did not want me to sit with them at the dining table, so I poisoned her."

"Poison? Mmm, how so?"

"I used some herbs from the garden to make an elixir, a purgative elixir. The poor fool had to be admitted to the hospital because she was expelling her intestines! While she was away, I destroyed all the fine china she so dearly coveted. They were family heirlooms, after all. When she returned and confronted me about it, I told her that her daughter was pregnant! You should have seen her face, the fat hog!"

"Good girl. It is wonderful to see you standing up for yourself, Himari."

"It is all thanks to you, Tsukihiko-san. I never knew that all I had to do to receive respect was to demand it. Lately, I have felt completely different, like I have a voice and power! Oh, Tsukihiko-san, I do not want the love we have to end! There is no doubt that I am your woman, so why should we not take our relationship to the next level?"

"What do you suggest we do, Himari?"

"I suggest that we should get married!"

"Marriage? That sounds… riveting." Tsukihiko dove into the crook of the young woman's neck and kissed, chewed, and bit her flesh.

Giggling, Himari threw her head back to give Tsukihiko more access to the tenderest areas of her neck. She stroked through his curly, wavy locks and mewled, encouraging him to go as far as he wished. "I am yours, Tsukihiko-san, all yours. Love me, touch me, kiss me, taste me, caress me…"

Tsukihiko's long, slender hands slithered toward the young woman's breasts to fondle them until he paused abruptly. His hands withdrew as he said, "Himari, unfortunately we will not see each other for a short while; I have urgent matters to attend to."

"A short while? How long is that?"

"For no more than a month."

Upon hearing that, Himari covered her mouth to muffle a distraught sob. "A month? Oh, my! I lose my mind when I am away from you for even a day, so what will become of me if we do not see each other for a whole month, Tsukihiko-san?"

"There is nothing that you cannot endure, Himari. It is only for a month's time."

"Please do not leave me, not like this," she pleaded, her bronze-colored eyes welling with tears. "I am only happy when I am with you, Tsukihiko-san!"

Tsukihiko tucked a lock of Himari's hair behind her ear affectionately. "Do not fret, little one, I will return for you soon. In the meantime, continue giving your family hell. It is what they deserve. I am certain you will come up with more of your clever schemes, yes?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Tsukihiko-san!"

"Himari, I must say that you have blossomed profusely during our time together. You appear much livelier and more appealing to the eyes, beautiful even. You are utterly radiant, like your name suggests. Mark my words, Himari, you will become a strong, confident young woman who lets nothing stand in her way."

Overwrought with emotion, Himari nodded fervently as the torrents of joyful tears pouring from her eyes bathed her cheeks. "Hai, hai, hai!"

✧TRANSLATION: Overwrought with emotion, Himari nodded fervently as the torrents of joyful tears pouring from her eyes bathed her cheeks. "Yes, yes, yes!"

SOAKU

Soaku burst into her oldest daughter's bedroom, interrupting her slumber. "You are pregnant," she accused bitterly.

Saori, caught off guard by her mother's untimely accusation, scrambled out of her bed and nearly tripped over the many blankets, pillows, and sheets. "What? Mother, what are you—"

"Do not lie to me, Saori!" Soaku interjected. "I know that you are pregnant! The moodiness, the nausea, the vomiting… It all makes perfect sense! How long have you suspected you were with child?"

Reluctant to answer her mother's question, Saori covered her face and wept.

"I said, how long, girl? Lie to me and you will regret it, young lady!

"… For nearly a m-month now," Saori whispered, her voice quiet and faltering.

"A month?" Soaku screeched, the resonance of her voice sending tremors throughout the entire manor. "Oh, my God! Damn it all! It is too late to take care of the bastard! You have left me with no choice but to inform the Ootanis that the wedding is over!"

"Forgive me, Mother! I beg of you to forgive—"

"Shut your mouth and tell me who the father is!" Soaku roared. "Is it that Ikuo boy?"

"Yes, of course… Ikuo is the only man I have been intimate with!"

Soaku muttered violently under her breath as she paced around until her legs grew tired. "Hmph! Now I wonder if even that is true considering all the lies you have told me! Oh, you are disgraceful, Saori! I cannot believe that my favorite child would go so astray!"

Remorseful tears began to drip onto the hardwood floor as Saori kneeled before her mother's feet. "Forgive me, Mother," she sobbed, trembling ever so slightly. "I did not wish to disappoint you…"

"Well, you did disappoint me! To make matters even worse, I had to hear the truth from that blasted Himawari!"

Upon hearing that, Saori lifted her head in shock. " Himari? Himari is the one that told you?"

"Yes, Saori! So, do you understand how humiliating that was? I can only hope that unruly harlot did not blabber your predicament into anyone else's ear. God forbid, a scandal like this will tarnish the Katōwamuro family clan's name for sure! Oh, what am I supposed to do with you now, Saori? You are unfit to be wedded; no man wants a woman who is soiled goods! You allowed yourself to be stripped of your honor! All your dignity and self-worth have been poured down the drain! Where did I go wrong in rearing you?"

Where did I fail as a mother? Where did I fail so miserably that my daughter felt that it was appropriate to give her body to a man she was not destined to marry? God, why?

The sight of Saori's red, scrunched up face could make one shudder, as her puffy, swollen eyes were all weepy and bloodshot. "I am sorry, Mother!" she bawled, almost incoherently so. "I was not thinking about the consequences of my actions. I gave in to my desires and thought of only myself, but I will never do such a thing again! Please forgive me, Mother!"

The noblewoman looked down upon her oldest daughter with great disgust, her nose scrunched in repulsion. "Oh, shut it! Save your tears, Saori, the damage is done. I forbid you from leaving this bedroom! I do not want to see or hear you until I say otherwise!" With that, she stormed out of the bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

I cannot believe things took a turn for the worse! With Saori defiled and Yui too young to be wedded, I have no one to marry the Ootanis' heir after I vowed to give them one of my daughters' hand in marriage. If I tell the Ootanis about the current situation, my status and credibility will be ruined, not to mention disappointing my father! He will forbid me from visiting the Katōwamuro family cemetery, and I will feel tempestuous guilt and shame!

My God, if only there was a way out of this!

A wicked smile spread across Soaku's red, perspiring face as she came to a sudden realization.

Yui may be too young and Saori may be soiled but that Himawari may be of use…

TIMESKIP: TWO DAYS

KIHAKU

Upon receiving an urgent call from Soaku, Kihaku took leave from work to deal with family issues and flew back to New Japan. Over the phone, Soaku had told him that his daughter had been behaving inappropriately: being disrespectful, causing mischief, destroying property, and disobeying curfew. It was unlike the Himari he knew, who once prayed to a maneki-neko at a shrine because she thought it was a living god.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Finally, Kihaku arrived at the wrought iron gates of the Katōwamuro estate. He dashed into the manor and found Soaku sitting in the main living room, smoking her pipe. Smoking was yet another one of the noblewoman's vices, but she rarely smoked and only did so when she was under immense stress.

"Darling, I came home as fast as I could!" Kihaku said, panting as he threw his luggage to the floor. "Where is Himari? I need to see her!"

Grey-colored wisps left through the sides of Soaku's mouth like a dragon. "The girl is not here," she replied bitterly. "She has not been here in the past two days. She returns on her own volition and every time she does, she comes in looking like a streetwalker. Ohhh, when I get my hands on her…"

Disregarding Soaku's threat, Kihaku cleared his throat and adjusted the collar of his shirt. "Everything has happened so suddenly… Soaku, what do you think has caused all of this? What has made Himari act the way she does?"

Soaku tapped her smoking pipe against the ashtray to dump out its tobacco contents. "The devil," she replied bluntly.

"What?"

"I believe the devil has gotten into your daughter, Kihaku. I was always right about that girl; I knew there was something off about her, ominously so. She is a devil-child if I ever saw one."

"A devil-child? Soaku, please do not speak ill of her! She is not even here to defend herself!"

The noblewoman crossed her thick legs and gave her husband a blank, wide-eyed stare. "Kihaku, do you remember her first attempt to take my life?"

Kihaku shut his eyes tightly to block out the memory, but the memory was so vivid, he could almost hear the screams. "Soaku, you know that harming you was not her intention. It was an accident. She was but a young, inexperienced girl who made a mistake, and she never made such a mistake again. You must forgive her and move on!"

"Hmph! You always had a soft spot for the girl. You could never see the evil I and everyone else saw in her. If she continues with her delinquent sinfulness, she will certainly roast deep in the fiery pits of Hell!"

Kihaku opened his mouth to reprove Soaku for her choice of words, but he refrained from doing so. He hated how sorely Soaku spoke of his daughter, but he could not find the courage to oppose her. "… I wonder what it will take to steer Himari in the right direction," he spoke meekly.

"I know how we can handle her."

"What do you have in mind, honey?"

"We could marry her off and have another family take her under their wing," Soaku proposed. "In fact, she could marry the youngest son of the Ootanis, as they are in need of a young bride that carries the Katōwamuro surname."

"The Ootanis are in need of another Katōwamuro girl?" Kihaku asked. "I thought Saori was the one to be wedded to their youngest son!"

"Yes, Saori was the one selected but due to unforeseen circumstances, she cannot go through with it…" Soaku's voice trailed off, and she appeared to be nervous and uncomfortable.

"Should I ask why not?"

"No, Kihaku, you should not ask! Let me handle it."

"Have you at least contacted the Ootanis and told them about the change of plans?"

"No, I have not yet… I cannot face neither them nor my father, so do not judge me, Kihaku!

"I am not judging you, honey," Kihaku sighed, frustrated. "It is just that— Never mind, darling, it is late. We can talk about this tomorrow. You should head to bed."

"Husband, are you not exhausted from your journey? If that girl is what you are worried about, then you should know that it is not likely for her to return tonight. She vanishes for days on end. It would not be wise to wait for her."

"I see… You are right, I am tired. A little shuteye after such a long flight would not hurt." Before Kihaku could blink, he was dressed in nightwear and was lying beside Soaku. A thousand miles were in between them, and it was a wonder why they shared a bedroom at all, let alone married.

This room, this house, our relationship… Everything is so cold. I wish I could go back in time and make better decisions. How I wish things never changed…

There was no denying that Kihaku was suffering from jet lag, so he closed his eyes to rest.

DREAM:

Kihaku's dream began in a place that looked vaguely like a street in Yaegashi. He was walking through a crowd of faceless people with his daughter, Himari. As she walked alongside him, her face was obscured by her long, raven hair and only her lips were visible.

The faceless citizens turned and gawked at them as they walked past, making Kihaku grow nervous. Paranoid, he brought Himari closer to him and looked over his shoulder constantly.

These people are strange. I feel them staring at us even though they lack eyes!

They continued moving forward until they were standing before an otherworldly door. The door slowly opened with a soft creak, a thick mist emitting from whatever was on the other side.

"Father-sama, I must leave!" Himari said with great excitement. "Goodbye."

Just as she moved to go through the door, Kihaku grabbed her arm to stop her. "Himari, where are you going?"

"In there," she answered. "My friends are waiting for me."

Kihaku stared at the door, unnerved. "I have a bad feeling about what is on the other side of that door…"

"So? How you feel is none of my concern. Let go of my arm!"

Kihaku tightened his grip around his daughter's arm. "No, Himari! You are staying right here with me and that is final!"

"Go away, Father-sama!" Himari shouted, pulling away from him with all her might. "I do not want you here embarrassing me!"

"Embarrassing you? Young lady, who are you speaking to like that?"

Himari broke away from Kihaku's grasp and ran into the darkness. Kihaku ran after her until the area shifted into a strange, dark location suddenly.

Where… What is this place?

There, he saw Himari. The young woman was crawling around on all fours, wearing no more than a woman of ill repute. Confined in sexual bondage, a collar was around her neck and chains were wrapped around her body.

"Himari, what are you doing?" Kihaku cried out, appalled. "What are you wearing? Stop crawling around like that!"

A group of faceless male figures appeared and surrounded Himari. Eager, she brushed her salivating tongue against the shoes and pant legs of the faceless men.

"What? What is this? Stop behaving so shamelessly!"

The faceless men lifted Himari up and began to handle her roughly: they groped, squeezed, and slapped her buttocks. All their bodies entwined like a tangled mess, and their voices were sour and sharp as they jeered and spat at her.

"Bitch!"

"Whore!"

"Slut!"

Himari, reveling in the brutal treatment she was receiving, mewled and rubbed her body against the men. The young woman clearly took pleasure in disgracing herself, and in being objectified, used, and abused. "Yes, yes, yes! Please..."

Repulsed by the explicit spectacle, Kihaku averted his eyes immediately because it was unlike anything he had ever seen. Seeing his daughter reduced to a common harlot enraged him in ways no one could understand. He wanted to kill the men who were fondling and taking advantage of her, then choke her for disrespecting herself at the same time.

Himari, stop this right now! Get your hands off her! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!

That was when Kihaku found that he could neither move nor speak. He opened his mouth to scream but his efforts were futile; no matter how loud he screamed, no sound would come out. He covered in mouth in shameful defeat.

I have no voice! I know that this is a dream, but this is no different than my reality. I have no voice when I am awake.

Kihaku pulled his hair out and expelled soundless, agonizing screams as he was forced to watch the sordid ravaging of his daughter.

Stop this! Stop this, I said! Let go of her! Himari, please… Do not do this to yourself!

Vivid memories of Himari as a young girl came to Kihaku's mind, particularly the memory of him lifting her upon his shoulders as they trekked through the sunflower field, along with his late wife. All three of them were as happy as they could be, all joyous and rapt.

I now know why I saw Himari like that; her giving away her honor and allowing herself to be treated badly by men is my greatest fear.

Himari is the sweetest, most innocent thing to ever exist. I am so proud to call her my daughter, to even have part in creating her! She is the light that shined just for me and gave me hope. Nothing can dim her light and pervert her purity... except me. I caused this. I am the cause of her defilement. I neglected and ignored her, which is why she is going out of her way to get my attention, even if she disgraces herself in the process…

I want to be with you, Himari. I want to be close to you and love you like I did before, but your stepmother is a domineering figure, frighteningly so! I do not want to disrupt the order of things in her home and jeopardize our future.

God, I am so weak! Forgive me, Himari! Forgive and do not hate your weak bastard of a father!

"Did you forget about me, Father-sama?" a small voice asked. The voice was delicate, soft, and as sweet as honeysuckle.

What?

Kihaku turned to see a young, seven-year-old Himari standing behind him. "Why do you not love me anymore, Father-sama?" she questioned tearfully. "Is it something I did? I miss Okasan…"

Kihaku knelt to the young girl's level, the feeling of his heart being wrenched in his chest almost destroying him.

Oh, Himari, I will never forget about you! I love you more than anything, you know that! I miss your mother, too, all right! It is best if we allow her to rest and neither of us mention her again! I am sorry. I am so sorry!

Another version of Himari appeared behind him; a more resentful one. This version appeared to be eleven or twelve years old as she was wearing the burgundy and grey uniform of Hanakotoba Academy. "That sounds like you just wanted to ignore and get rid of me," she hissed spitefully, her face scrunched in repulsion. "You never loved nor protected me, Father-sama. You forgot about me and left me behind like yesterday's trash!"

Himari, you do not mean that! Look, I— Everything I have done is to protect you! Like you, I have a debt to bear as well! Soaku never wanted us to have a relationship. If I loved you overtly, Soaku would have torn us apart! Loving you from a distance is what has allowed you to stay with me. You must understand my reasoning, Himari!

"Father-sama, there are no words that can convey how much I hate you!"

No, Himari, you do not mean that. Do not speak to me that way! I am your father!

"Father? This is how a father acts? If you are what a father is, then we do not need you." With that, the two versions of Himari began walking away into the darkness, hand in hand.

Kihaku extended his arm and shouted for them to return, but no sound could be heard from him. At that very moment, he felt an intense wave of longing, loneliness, and heartbreak that still paled to the pain his daughter had felt for so long.

Himari, please come back here! I do not want to lose you, not again! Himari, are you listening to me? Himari? HIMARI!

AWAKE:

"HIMARI!" Kihaku shouted as he awoken in a brisk sweat, hyperventilating.

That nightmare was the most intense, terrifying experience I ever had!

Kihaku immediately covered his mouth when he realized that he may have disrupted his wife's slumber. Thankfully, Soaku was still asleep and was snoring loudly like a wild boar.

If her own snores do not cause her to awaken, then no amount of screaming I do will…

Kihaku was drawn towards the staircase by the sound of the front door opening and closing. There, he caught sight of his daughter, Himari.

Himar's face was hidden behind her long, dark hair, which was casually brushed to one side. She wore a loose-fitting trench coat that dwarfed her petite frame, layered over a form-fitting, provocative dress. A slight smile graced her lips, painted in a vibrant shade of red.

At that moment, something inside Kihaku broke: it was his fatherly instincts that were awakened by his daughter's inappropriate attire. The nightmare he had just experienced was pushed aside as he approached her with anger, his bronze-colored eyes turning a darker shade. "Himari, we need to talk! Where have you been all this time, and what in the hell are you wearing? Where did you find such a revealing dress? And why are you wearing red lipstick?"

Unfazed by her father's relentless questioning, Himari paid no attention and carried on with her tasks. She casually removed her flat shoes, picked them up, and leisurely made her way upstairs, her hips gently swaying from left to right.

"Himari, come back here!" Kihaku roared. "We are not finished! Come back down here and answer me! Himari! "

Himari paused from ascending the steps and turned her head slowly, looking down upon him as if he was no more than a mere insect. "What?"

"Where were you?"

"I was out."

"Out doing what?"

"Having fun."

"Which is what exactly?"

Himari casually responded, stroking her lengthy, dark hair, "I went to a ladies' bar. I enjoyed a few drinks while dancing with some lovely ladies until the sun came up. It was a memorable night that I will never forget."

"How did you find out about such an indecent place?" Kihaku asked, unable to conceal his disgust.

"What does it matter to you?" Himari contested with vitriol.

"It matters to me because you are my daughter, that is why! I do not care if you are eighteen years old, you are still a child!"

"Nineteen," Himari corrected spitefully.

"What?"

"Nineteen. My birthday was last week, remember?"

Dear God, her birthday was last week! I am ashamed to admit that it slipped my mind!

Kihaku stammered to come up with a proper response. "… I do not care if you are eighteen, nineteen, or thirty-nine, you are still my child!"

"Am I? Am I truly your daughter because you seem to forget about me every chance you get!"

"Do not try to deflect and pin this all on me, Himari! You have been behaving strangely: wreaking havoc, coming home at hours deep in the night, wearing makeup, and dressing in provocative clothing… It is like you are doing this on purpose."

"Doing what on purpose? Living my life and being happy for once?"

"No, you are not doing this for happiness; you are doing this to embarrass us!"

"So?" Himari asked in uncaring defiance, a hand upon her hip and her eyes narrowed in spite.

Kihaku shook his head and made an expression of disgust, revolted by what had become of his daughter. "Soaku was right; being married off will be the best thing for you… We will have you marry the young Kame Ootani in your older sister's place."

"What? No, that is not happening! I am not marrying anyone of your choosing, Father-sama!"

"Himari, you leave me no choice! What can I say when someone points out that my daughter has been running around in the streets, dressed like a lady of the night? What do I say to that, Himari?"

Kihaku awaited an answer from Himari angrily, his clenched fists and jaw trembling with rage. For a moment, Himari looked like a timid, frightened little girl he once knew. That alone dissipated his anger and caused him to lower his guard, for he was never truly frustrated with her but with the situation itself.

"What is this truly about, Himari?" Kihaku asked softly. "There is more to this than what meets the eye."

Himari walked down the steps and approached her father slowly, her bronze-colored eyes to the floor. "I am not sure, Father-sama…"

"There must be a reason as to why you are going to such lengths for attention, Himari. I know there is. You can talk to me about anything."

"I can talk to you… about anything?"

"Yes, anything. You can tell me anything and I will listen."

I need to know what is troubling her so.

The young woman appeared to be having internal conflict regarding how to respond. "Father-sama… I do not know of a better way to say this, but it is about you not being able to handle the truth."

"And what is the truth, Himari?"

"That you have not been a father to me ever since Okasan died!"

Upon hearing that, Kihaku's concerned expression was overtaken by an expression of shock, denial, and defensive anger. "What? I did not— What makes you say that, Himari?"

"Years ago, Saori told me that she overheard a conversation between you and Soaku," Himari continued. "She told me that Soaku was pressuring you into giving me up for adoption because she did not want to raise another woman's child; she thought it was unbecoming of her. Except that was not the worst of it. Saori also told me that you said you cannot stand looking at me because… I look too much like my mother."

Kihaku stood still, unable to formulate the words regarding how to respond to Himari's accusation, for there was truth present in her words.

"Well? Is that true, Father-sama? Is it true that you cannot stomach the sight of me, all because I resemble your dead wife?"

"Do not say that!" Kihaku snapped abrasively. "Do not speak of your mother in such a crude manner!"

What has gotten into her? This is not like her at all!

A pained, sharp breath became caught in Himari's throat as she leaned against the manor's walls. "It was so terrible; The doctors could not save her, and Okasan could not save herself. Not even God could save her, or perhaps God did not want to…"

"Himari, shut your mouth!"

Himari stomped her foot to emphasize her anger and frustration, her face turning red with rage. "Before I listen to a word you say, I would like for you to look me in the eyes, Father-sama… I want you to look at me. Look at me!" Himari pushed Kihaku into a corner and began digging her nails into his arms, almost frothing at the mouth. "LOOK AT ME!"

Without a second thought, Kihaku struck Himari across her face. When he saw the stunned, pained look his daughter gave him, his face became filled with immense regret. "God, I— I did not mean to do that, Himari!"

Himari held her reddening cheek, a pained expression of disbelief and heartbreak written all over her face. "Oh, m-my… I cannot believe you…"

"Himari, I did not mean to strike you. I am sorry! Look, let me see it. Why are you backing away from me? I told you that I am sorry!"

Before Himari ran upstairs to her bedroom, she tearfully said, "Within the walls of this manor, I have known physical pain for as long as I can remember but the last person that I thought would harm me physically was you, Father-sama… I wish you were the one who died instead of Okasan! "

Now alone, Kihaku kicked the nearby balustrade in pure frustration. The searing pain of his foot colliding with the upright piece of wood was suppressed by the multitude of emotions he was experiencing.

She said that she wishes that I was the one who died instead of her mother just like she did in the nightmare I just had! I did not have the slightest inkling that she despised me that much! What possessed her to say that to me? I should go up there and tell her hurtful and cruel that was but what would that do? That will not make anything better.

Damn it. Damn it all! I should not have struck her. Himari needed to be embraced, not punished. Now she hates me even more! How can I fix this? How can I make this up to her?

Fuwapo scampered towards Kihaku, pushing its food bowl towards him. It panted loudly as its long tongue lazily slobbered on the floor. "Yip, yip, yip!"

"Fuwapo, not right now."

"Yip, yip, yip!"

"Look, you were fed not too long ago!"

"Yip, yip, yip! Yip!"

"All right, fine. One more bowl of kibble and nothing else until dinner."

TIMESKIP: TWO DAYS

SOAKU

With cautious steps, Soaku ascended the staircase towards her stepdaughter's bedroom. She opened the door gently and cast a curious gaze upon Himari, who was in the midst of changing.

Unaware of being observed, Himari lowered her lacy stockings and garter belts while standing before the mirror. As she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her face without any obstruction, Soaku began to perceive her in a different way.

It was no secret that Himari was beautiful.

Her beauty rivaled Saori; that is why Soaku abhorred her so. The enchanting coppery gold of her eyes, the alluring shape of her lips, and the melodic quality of her voice had the power to weaken even the strongest individuals. It infuriated Soaku to have such beauty residing in her home and encroaching upon her eldest daughter's territory.

If only her eyes were green, and her hair was fuchsia. Then, she would be perfect... She would look even better if she gained some weight, the twig.

Soaku burst through the door entered the room, her voice filled with melody as she exclaimed, "Ah, there you are, my favorite little whore!"

Startled, Himari covered her small breasts and privates. "Eek! Learn how to knock, rude pervert! What do you want?"

"Himawari, it would be beneficial for you to consume a substantial portion of food to gain some meat on those bones; you look malnourished."

With a sneering smile, Himari remarked, "Why not show some generosity and share a portion of yours? After all, you have more than ample to spare."

Soaku's snide facial expression fell, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Enough chitchat. I have a proposition for you, girl."

"What?"

"I need you to be wedded to a young man from a very wealthy family."

"An arranged marriage?" Himari gasped, horrified. "No, no, no! I am not doing it."

"Hold on, Himawari, I am not finished! If you marry the young man, I will clear your debt. I will even reimburse you for all the hardships you have faced within this manor. You will be wealthy and a married woman. That sounds like a wonderful deal, no?"

Himari narrowed her eyes in immense suspicion. "Is the man in question the same man you wanted Saori-chan to marry?"

"Well, there is no point in lying to you. Yes, he is the young Kame Ootani." Soaku went to stand behind Himari and tucked a lock of hair behind the young woman's ear as she spoke. "As you know, my oldest daughter's legs are open wider than the seven seas but not you, Himawari. No, you are a virgin, as pure and saintly as a nun! You were reared to know just how crucial a woman's honor is to her very being. I hate to admit it, but that is something your father appeared to have instilled better than I did…"

"I will not lose my virginity to any man of your choosing," Himari said adamantly, glaring at her stepmother through the mirror. "I am not your tool! I am a woman who is free to love, free to hate, and free to just exist!"

The noblewoman looked as if she was about to unleash a barrage of insults but pulled back with an expression of genuine shock. "… Now I see what this is all about; You are in love! That is why you have been getting all dolled up and running around in the streets!"

"That is none of your business, Soaku!"

Soaku scoffed and gave a long, mocking snort. "Oh, Himawari, as if I care about your pathetic love life! None of that has any importance since you did not allow him to partake in your virgin purity. I am not leaving it up to you to choose between a summer fling or the future Prime Minister of New Japan. Ba-haha! I will make the choice for you: You will marry the Ootani boy."

"No, no, no! I will not, Soaku!"

"Yes, indeed, you will comply, young lady! You shall abide by my instructions as long as you reside in my abode and bear the honor of my family's name!" Soaku forcefully seized Himari and pierced her delicate skin with her well-groomed, pointed nails, only to pause abruptly upon noticing an unsightly, crimson rash. "Hmm? What is this? Hives? It appears quite repugnant!"

The young lady let out piercing cries and snarled like a wild creature, retreating from her stepmother while tightly embracing her arms to conceal her rash. "No, no, no! Leave me alone! Get away from me! "

"You devilish whore! Once that ring is on your finger, you will not be our burden anymore! Good riddance, I say!" Soaku left Himari's bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

That cursed girl! So uncivilized, so unruly, so brash! May God have mercy on her soul because I will not!

TIMESKIP: ONE DAY

SAORI

Saori stared at the wooden coffered ceiling and gave a depressed sigh. On a normal day, she would have been out spending the day with her friends and enjoying all life had to offer but now, she could not leave her bedroom, much less the manor. Alone with her thoughts, all Saori could think about was all the choices she made that ultimately lead to her plight.

I am twenty years old, unmarried, and pregnant. How did this happen? I am not referring to how Mother found out the truth but how I allowed everything to happen.

My mother is a strong woman who ingrained her principles in me the day I was born, so how did I fail and disgrace her so? I was more than happy to lay down with Ikuo. Where was my dignity, self-respect, and all the values I learned when I revealed my body to him?

As much as I want to say that Ikuo took it upon himself to satisfy his lust during my moment of emotional weakness, I cannot bring myself lie. I was the one who initiated our first kiss and the union of our bare-naked bodies! It felt refreshing and I do not regret it!

I guess my mind and vision were clouded by... love.

Mother had always told me that there is no place for romantic love in the world and that women who fall for it are weak. She told me that if I was weak enough to love at all, then I was at least forbidden to love a man that was not of her choosing. I do whatever my mother asks of me with no delay, but I find it hard to obey her now.

Ikuo is not a man of my mother's choosing; in fact, she despises him. It was not a lie when I said that I wanted to be with Ikuo. I want to live alongside him as his woman because no matter what I do, my heart swings and reaches out to him. I cannot help it.

Oh, Ikuo... We will never be, will we?

Saori sat at her vanity dresser and opened the drawers to see her elaborate collection of maquillages. There was an abundance of eyeshadows, eyeliners, blushes, and lipsticks, many of which she had not touched. The young woman was a natural beauty who did not need makeup but liked to apply it in the morning, when the sunlight filled her bedroom just right.

Saori smiled as she looked through her cosmetics, reminiscing of the countless times she went out and stunned everyone with her beauty. As she looked at her lipstick collection, she noticed that her favorite lipstick was missing.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Saori stormed into her stepsister's bedroom with the fury of a bull.

Himari lay in bed, completely oblivious, wrapped in slumber. She was adorned in a snug black minidress, with remnants of makeup lingering on her face. The disarray of her hair and discarded pair of pumps hinted at a wild night of dancing and revelry.

Skimpy whore!

Saori went through Himari's dresser and threw the clothes to the floor until she found what she was looking for. She held up a familiar lipstick and said, "Truest Red, huh? I knew that you were the one who stole it, you thief! Wake up!"

Himari awakened groggily with a groan and a yawn. She stared at Saori blankly until she asked boldly, "What is your business here?"

Saori shoved the lipstick in front of Himari's face. "You stole this from my bedroom!"

Himari rolled her eyes and gave a nonchalant sigh. "So, what if I took your lipstick? It is not like you were going to make use of it. Pregnant women are off the market, right?"

"Oh, shut up, you foul bitch! I will—" That was when Saori's emerald-green eyes fell to the heart-shaped ruby necklace around Himari's neck. Awestruck and bewitched by how the jewel shimmered and glistened in the candlelight, her eyes became even greener with envy. "That necklace... Where did you get such a thing?"

"That is none of your concern," Himari retorted, covering the jewel with her hand.

"A necklace as immaculate as that would suit me better than the likes of you." Saori held out her open palm and said, "Give it to me."

"Give it to you? As if!"

"Himari, I will beat you black and blue if you do not hand it to me right now," Saori threatened maliciously. "You know that I will take great pleasure in disciplining you like I always have. Do I need to find another hard object to strike you against the head with?"

"I would like to see you try, you pregnant slut!"

"How dare you dishonor me by calling me out of my name? I should kill you!"

Himari got up from her bed and took on a defensive stance, her disheveled hair covering most of her face. "You can try to harm me, even take my life, but do not think for a second that I will show you any mercy when it comes to defending myself and what is mine!"

Amused, Saori threw her head back and gave an arrogant laugh. "Mercy? Ha! I do not need any of your mercy. Pregnant or not, I can discipline you enough to make you wish you were never born like I have been doing for all these years. Now give me that necklace!"

"I would never give you this necklace, Saori, let alone allow you to touch it. Someone I love dearly with all my heart and soul gave this to me."

"So, it is true," Saori remarked.

"What is true?"

"It is true that you are in a relationship with a man. Let me guess, is he your danna, your sugar daddy? I bet he constantly whispers sweet nothings to you like, 'You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,' right? What a liar."

"Be quiet, Saori! You are just jealous! The man I am with is nothing like the men you came across; he is superior to all of them combined. You could not even begin to fathom just how wonderful the man I am with is!"

"Ha! He is playing you and only wants a piece! He thinks you are easy, but you are too dumb, desperate, and blind to see it."

Himari began to tremble where she stood, and her heart fluttered in consternation. "That is not true, Saori."

Ah, there it is. Her doubt, lack of confidence, and low self-esteem will always be her downfall. In the end, she is nothing more than a poor, scraggly maid who let temporary power get to her head.

Saori smirked maliciously as she sauntered closer to her. "Oh, but it is true, Himari. That is why you are shaking right as we speak, because you never believed that a man like that could love you as well. Long ago, did I not tell you that? No man in his right mind would ever glance at a floor scrubbing, mackerel-smelling housemaid like you."

"… Enough of this useless banter." Poised, Himari removed her necklace and let it swing in the air to tease her older stepsister. "Saori, I will give you this necklace on one condition: you have to catch me! "

"What?"

Himari burst into a fit of giggles before she shoved Saori to the floor and bolted downstairs. "Come and get me, Saori!"

"You bitch!" Enraged, Saori got up and ran after her. They ran outside into the Katōwamuro garden, and Saori followed Himari's mirthful laughter deep into the maze. The thorns of the rose bushes swatted and cut Saori's face and limbs as she ran down the cobblestone path. "Himari, come back here! I will murder you, and I mean it this time!"

Soon, Saori reached the center of the garden where Himari's laughter was no longer heard. It was eerily quiet, excluding the sound of the water flowing and gurgling softly in fountain.

I do not hear her anymore. Where is she? She could not have gone too far…

Suddenly, Himari out from behind the fountain. "Boo!"

Saori, startled by Himari's sudden appearance, lost her footing and fell to the ground. "Oh my God! You will regret this, Himari! I will make you bleed!"

Himari's body shook as she pointed at Saori and laughed hysterically. "Oh, it was just a joke, Saori! You should have seen the look on your face!"

"It is not funny, you bitch!" Saori screamed, her body aching.

Himari's boisterous laughter persisted, gradually fading into strained and stifled sounds. It seemed as though she was struggling to catch her breath, as if oxygen was escaping her grasp. Suddenly, without warning, she toppled over and crumbled to the floor.

Silence.

Saori gazed at her stepsister lying on the ground, showing no concern for the young woman's lack of response and the evident signs of distress. She experienced no guilt or worry; in fact, she harbored a strong desire for her stepsister's demise. "Serves you right."

That was when Kihaku emerged from the garden, making his way down the cobblestone path with a visible expression of irritation. "Ladies, I was in the middle of an important phone call when so much yelling and footsteps in the manor! What is going on?"

Silence.

Kihaku's anger simmered as he awaited a response, only to be quickly replaced by distress as he discovered his daughter lying motionless on the floor. "Himari!" He cradled her in his arms, desperately trying to rouse her by shaking her gently. "Himari, wake up! Please! Please, you must wake up! Saori, why the hell are you just standing there? Call for an ambulance!"

"But, Father, she—"

"Do whatever the hell I say, Saori!"

Saori hurriedly made her way into the manor, her racing heart matching the rhythm of her heavy breaths. Despite rarely shedding tears, she could feel the warmth of them welling up in her eyes as Kihaku's uncharacteristically harsh words pierced her. In that moment, it felt as though she had been transported to a parallel universe where she, not Himari, was the despised and mistreated outcast.

Father...

┍━ 【❀】 ━┑

CHAPTER TEN

TIMESKIP: SEVENTEEN DAYS

KIHAKU

It had been over two weeks since Himari was admitted into the hospital, receiving top of the line care. She was in a deep state of unconsciousness and had yet to awaken.

For the first time in his career, Kihaku took an indefinite leave of absence from work so that he would never leave his daughter's bedside. The man spent his time either flipping through television channels anxiously, obsessing over every aspect of his daughter and their surroundings as she laid unresponsive, or berating the hospital staff. The hospital staff were too afraid to enter the hospital wing, let alone the room.

Each morning, Kihaku would lovingly brush his daughter's hair, gently tuck a strand behind her ear, and plant a tender kiss on her forehead, hoping that this sequence of affectionate gestures would rouse her from slumber.

Himari…

A woman in a white coat knocked on the door politely and motioned Kihaku to step outside with her.

Eager, Kihaku jumped up and approached the woman. "Doctor Hasume, I have been expecting your arrival! I wanted to ask you, why is Himari is not getting better?"

"Well, she remains severely anemic even after the several blood transfusions we conducted."

"Then allow me to donate more of my blood!"

"Mister Maeda-Katōwamuro, like we have told you many, many times before, it is not advised for us to take any more of your blood unless you want to lie in a hospital bed beside your daughter! The blood transfusions have not been successful. Since we do not know the nature nor the etiology of her illness, she is receiving palliative treatment."

"Are you saying that you do not know what is wrong with her?" Kihaku asked straightforwardly.

"There is an abnormal biological molecule in her blood… We have never seen anything like it. It may be a rare, unknown blood disorder, so we would like to run more tests with your permission, of course."

"Will that cure her?"

"Unfortunately, we cannot say… Himari's illness is a rapidly progressive one, Mister Maeda-Katōwamuro. It is causing sepsis, and her organs are shutting down as we speak. As much as it pains me to say it, there is nothing more that we can do for her." Sympathetic, the doctor rested a hand upon Kihaku's shoulder and said, "But if you grant us permission to run more tests, we can further research her illness and prevent this from happening ever again."

After the doctor confessed that there was nothing more they could do, Kihaku drowned her out. The only thing he could do was look through the glass and concentrate on the frail, withering young woman in the hospital bed, hooked to wires and tubes.

It is this place. It is this place that is making her sick! Who could recover in a strange, colorless dome filled with soulless people like this?

"… She will come home," Kihaku said abruptly in a strong, adamant voice.

The doctor gave Kihaku a wary, perplexed stare. "I am sorry, Mister Maeda-Katōwamuro?"

"I said, she will come home."

"Mister Maeda-Katōwamuro, your daughter leaving the hospital is not recommended," the doctor advised. "Her condition will certainly worsen."

Kihaku shot the woman a fearsomely dark glare and glowered at her. "If you just told me there is nothing more you can do for her, then why must she stay here?"

The doctor had no rebuttal.

"Prepare the documents I need to sign because my daughter and I are leaving this hospital today. Send us a nurse as well."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Himari was transported upstairs into her bedroom, and all the medical equipment she needed was set up. She was still in a deep slumber, still connected to machines and breathing irregularly.

Himari's bedroom looked the same as she left it years ago when she was a child and her stepmother moved her into the basement. The bedroom was frozen in time and child-like with pale pinks, frilly white duvet comforters, and toys and dolls. A collection of waving maneki-nekos on a shelf greeted anyone who entered.

The bedroom smelled floral, like her.

This is nostalgic.

Kihaku relished his surroundings, enthralled yet overwhelmed by the undeniable physical manifestation of his daughter as a person. The dust and cobwebs from years of neglect stung his eyes as he ran his hands along the shelves of literature she loved.

I will clean this bedroom myself.

A framed photograph of a lovely woman who resembled Himari greatly was on a nightstand. The woman was wearing a sunhat and a floral sundress, smiling over a garden bed of herbs as she posed for the picture.

Kihaku touched the woman's face in deep, heart wrenching yearning. It pained Kihaku to recall memories of his late wife, so he and Himari would mention her sparingly. Over the years, she became less of a person and more of an idea, myth, and legend. The permanent crease on his left ring finger reminded him of their union, and that she was real once.

I miss you. It hurts too much to even look at your face, but our daughter looks exactly like you. That is why I cannot look at her directly. I am a weak lesser man.

The next thing Kihaku did was look through Himari's wardrobe. Some clothes she had were from when she was a young girl but a lot of them were clothes he had never seen before. The new clothes were fashionable and expensive as they had the tags of luxury designer clothing brands.

These clothes…

Kihaku looked through her dresser and underneath the mounds of lavish clothes, there was a jewelry box. Curious, he opened the jewelry box and saw a heart-shaped ruby necklace.

What a beautiful jewel! I know it is real just by looking at how it sparkles! Where did she get this from?

Kihaku leaned over Himari to place the necklace around her neck. The necklace looked beautiful around her neck as if it was crafted specifically for her. He admired the soft, demure beauty of his daughter until he noticed a patch of red skin surrounding an adhesive bandage on her shoulder. Curious, he removed the bandage and covered his mouth in horror, gagging.

There was a repulsive rash on Himari's shoulder that appeared to be infected and spreading; it was terribly inflamed, oozing with pus, and had rotting, blackened skin that reeked.

Horrified, Kihaku reapplied the bandage quickly.

Dear God, what kind of infection is that? Do not worry, Himari. I will have the home nurse care for this rash-like wound.

The sight of Himari lying in bed in such a terrible condition was more than Kihaku could take. He knelt and bowed his head to pray, not knowing where to begin because he had not prayed in years. "Dear God, please allow my child to recover from this rare disease! I know I have not treated her well like a father should but please do not take her away from me, too!"

TIMESKIP: SIX DAYS

YUI

Yui anxiously stood in front of her stepsister's bedroom as she debated if she should even enter. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers from the garden as a get-well-soon gift. Yui felt compelled to visit Himari and worried about her health, which was baffling considering their last violent interaction. For the first time in her life, Yui felt remorseful about her actions and wanted to make amends.

No one besides Kihaku had seen Himari since she was admitted to the hospital; Saori did not care for Himari and would wish for her to die aloud, and Soaku was convinced that Himari's illness was brought upon by her worshipping the devil and practicing in witchcraft, so she did not dare to enter the bedroom.

I should not be scared. It just Himari, my stepsister who is not a witch, definitely not… And if she was a witch, then she is sick, and witches cannot cast spells when they are sick! Hi-hi-hi, I am so smart! I feel much better now.

Taking a deep breath, Yui finally gathered the courage to open the door and stepped into a bedroom of soft classical music.

The bedroom reeked of death, if the cessation of life even carried a scent at all.

There, Himari was lying in bed underneath layers of heavy blankets. Her appearance was ghastly and almost painful to bear witness to; her emaciated body looked almost skeletal, her tan, sun-kissed skin was replaced with a pale, faded grey, and her eyes and cheeks were hollowed and sunken in.

Frightened, Yui tightened her grip around the bouquet's stems. "Eek! I mean, hello, Himari! You look… never mind."

"Yui-chan," Himari croaked weakly, struggling to sit upright. "It is nice to see you… Thank you… for coming to see me."

Yui smiled broadly as she held out a bouquet of various flowers wrapped in newspaper. "I bought you flowers, ta-da!"

"How… pretty…"

"Yes, they are so pretty, right? I got them from the garden! Oops, I was not supposed to tell you that…"

Himari gave a weak smile as she rasped, "I am happy to know… that the… flowers… are doing well…"

"Himari, I want to talk to you about something," Yui began, twiddling her thumbs. "I am sorry about everything! I am sorry about all the things I have done to you over the years. I never understood why Mother and Saori despised you, but I went along with it. It was very wrong of me, and I am sorry… Please do not die, Himari, because I do not want you haunting us! Another reason why I do not want you to die is because for once, we were growing close. Even after what happened in the garden, I felt more love and attention from you than what my actual sister ever gave me… including my mother."

Himari looked as if she was about to respond but she erupted into a violent coughing fit. She wheezed and struggled to catch her breath, bloody sputum dribbling down her chin.

Ew…

The home nurse entered, wheeling a food tray with a bowl of broth. As she wiped Himari's face clean with a napkin, she said, "Lady Yui, my apologies but Lady Himari needs time to finish her meal with no distractions."

"Oki-dokie… Goodbye, Himari."

TIMESKIP: TWENTY DAYS

KIHAKU

Nearly three weeks had passed, and Himari's condition was worsening day by day. Unable to eat or drink and vomiting constantly, she was in a deteriorative state and weighed less than forty kilograms. She was barely lucid and would cry out for her mother and shed tears in her slumber. The young woman was dying and there was nothing anyone could do about it. The only things the Maeda-Katōwamuros could do was hold their breaths and wait.

Refusing to leave his daughter's bedside, Kihaku had not eaten properly since she was afflicted with her rare, unknown illness. He spent his days either pacing the room, staring out the window blankly, or kneeling and sitting beside Himari's bed.

Kihaku had not taken a liking to the assistance the hospital sent. He wished to have her replaced but he did not want his actions to prevent Himari's health from improving.

The home nurse caring for Himari was an elderly woman who looked as if she was close to being bedridden herself with her spindly, wrinkled hands and dark liver spots. She was acclaimed as one of the best nurses for the job because of her background in hospice care.

Hiring a former hospice nurse implies that Himari is dying. Himari is not dying; she is just sick, and sickness is temporary. Instead of sending an undertaker, why did they not send us a competent doctor?

The nurse smiled warmly and rubbed Kihaku's back as she said, "Sir, I need you to leave your post and take some time to refresh yourself."

"Excuse me?"

"Sir, how can you care for another when you do not care for yourself?"

"That is the point of sacrifices!" Kihaku spat bitterly. "Have you ever heard of it?"

Knowing that the man was under an immense amount of stress, the home nurse remained kind and understanding of his predicament. "Do not worry, Sir. I will keep an eye on your child. You must eat something. Would you like me to prepare something for you?"

"No, I am fine. I can cook for myself."

Once in the kitchen, Kihaku opened the fridge to see nothing inside of it. Like for every chore of the Katōwamuro manor, Himari was the one who would go grocery shopping and prepare meals. The young woman would always make bento boxes of everyone's favorite meals and fill them with cat-shaped onigiri, her trademark.

Ever since she was young, she would dip the cats in soy sauce to make them look like the fur patterns of calicos. It seems like it was just yesterday she was just running around the manor… Soaku and the girls have barely been home, vacationing and dining at restaurants all while Himari fights for her life.

Kihaku toasted a slice of bread and lathered it in butter and sweet bean paste. He went to freshen up in the shower before returning to Himari's bedside.

Upon entering the bedroom, Kihaku saw the nurse brushing the dying young woman's hair tenderly, humming a sweet melody. "What a beautiful girl you are," she sang softly. "There, there. Rest now."

"What are you doing?" Kihaku asked, growing hostile.

"I have just finished giving 'Mari a bath," the nurse answered sweetly. "I changed her dressings and used an aloe vera ointment on that stubborn, nasty rash of hers."

'Mari... I used to call her that.

"Oh… That is good to hear." Kihaku returned to his chair and stared at his daughter, anxiety and grief settling in.

Suddenly, Himari began turning her head side to side with her eyes tightly shut as if she was having a nightmare. "Tsu… ki…" she muttered. "Tsu… ko…"

Perplexed, Kihaku leaned in close to hear her incoherent muttering. "What was that? Himari, what are you saying?"

The young woman's unseeing eyes fluttered open and rolled up in her head. Her mouth moved slowly yet there was no sound. "Tsu… ki… hi… ko…"

"Tsukihiko? Who is that?"

"Poor thing," the nurse cooed. "She is undergoing a state of delirium. I am afraid it will not be too long now, Sir. Please, stay by her side."

"I am not going anywhere!" Kihaku choked out. "I have neglected her for so long but never again. Never again am I leaving her!"

Himari…

A short while later, Himari regained consciousness. She opened her eyes completely and looked around at her bright surroundings. The sunlight stung her eyes, so she tightly closed them once more. "… Father-sama?"

"Himari? Yes, Himari, I am here!"

Wheezing and rasping in between breaths, Himari convened the remainder of her strength to speak. "Once I am well, could we go… visit… that sunflower field? I would like… for us to… sit atop the hill… like we did… once before… with… Okasan."

"Yes, Himari!" Kihaku replied in between hardened, distraught sobs. "Once you recover and regain your strength, we will go to that very same sunflower field and sit atop the hill. We will even have a picnic! I promise you that, Himari, I promise!"

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The wake was held on the following Sunday at the darkest part of twilight.

The chapel was filled to the brim with the fuchsia haired, green-eyed Katōwamuros that were holding rosaries. A few colleagues and fellow business associates wandered aimlessly, looking out of place as they mingled. There were no blood relatives of the Maedas because Kihaku had cut ties with his family long ago.

The guests walked within the frame lit candles with a fog of incense hovering above the chapel's floor like a falling mist. The monks chanting sutras at the shrine was drowned out by conversation, particularly the spoken words and phrases aimed to succor the distraught, grieving father who had just lost his child.

"Okuyami moushiagemasu."

✧TRANSLATION: "My sincerest condolences."

"We are sorry for your loss."

"My condolences."

"Aitō no makoto o sasagemasu."

✧TRANSLATION: "I wish to express my heartfelt condolences."

"I am certain these times must be difficult for you."

"You and your family are in my prayers!"

Peering at the crowd, Kihaku spotted a woman leaning over Himari's casket, sobbing. The woman wore a large, ornate dress that looked more like a ball gown complete with a mourning veil. The veil obscured her face and her identity, but Kihaku knew who the woman was when he noticed her red, overdrawn lips.

The woman was Soaku's sister, Suyume.

Suyume was a tall, skinny woman with pale olive skin and light fuchsia hair. She was an attractive woman, but her unique taste for thick make-up and slathered-on lipstick called her beauty into question. A well-known lover of art, opera, and theatre, she carried and flaunted a dramatic, theatrical air everywhere she went.

Suyume turned to Kihaku whilst shaking her rosaries and blowing her nose loudly, sounding like a trumpet. "Oh, Kihaku, my condolences for the loss of your dear girl! She was so very young and pulchritudinous; a flower that was just beginning to bloom!" Suyume raised her hands high in the air as she recited her monologue at an even higher volume, gathering the attention of everyone within the vicinity. "What a tragedy, oh, what a tragedy! This is an injustice, a crime the Heavens have committed, if I do say so myself! If God would lend me His ear, I would ask Him why this poor girl was taken from the Earth so soon! I would beg Him to take me in Hirari's— I mean, Himari's place! Yes, I volunteer, oh Lord, I volunteer as your strongest warrior—"

"Suyume," Kihaku interrupted coldly, unmoved by her melodramatic monologue. "Enough."

Suyume lowered her hands and returned to an earthlier, functioning consciousness, black waterfalls of grief and mucus flowing down her face. "Egads, I have outdone myself yet again… Some things are better left unsaid, right, Kihaku?"

"Yes, that is true."

"It has been a long time, Kihaku," Suyume continued, fanning herself. "It is nice to see that you are still very handsome. I must telephone or send a letter to my sister Soaku to thank her for keeping you dashing and trim for me."

Wincing, Kihaku muttered, "No, that will not be necessary, Suyume…"

I am not fond of Suyume but she is the only one I feel comfortable speaking to right now. She is someone who does not know much of the truth yet is close enough for me to trust, strangely.

"How are you holding up, Kihaku?"

"I do not have the answer to that, Suyume. I do not know… how I feel now. Even if I did, I would fail to articulate it."

Suyume used a mourning handkerchief to dab her face clean of mucus and runny mascara, sniffling. "I could not imagine losing a child. Kihaku, you are brave for even being here today, standing on your legs."

Brave? No, I am a coward. I am the coward who offered his daughter to the wolves, and she paid the ultimate price for it.

"Great God, I never knew Soaku had a stepdaughter!" Suyume wept nasally. "If I had known, I would have sent her dresses and chocolates like I did for her Saori and Yui! Soaku mentioned another young woman living under her roof but told me that she was a live-in housemaid. Oh, Kihaku, why did Soaku lie to me? Why did she not just tell me the truth?"

A live-in housemaid? Soaku never thought of Himari as her stepdaughter after all.

"I do not know why your sister lied to you, Suyume. I wish I knew why she lied to me as well." Kihaku became frozen when he caught sight of his deceased daughter.

Himari rested inside the casket placed upon the shrine, clad in a white funeral kimono adorned with blooming flowers. The rosiness of her cheeks and the radiance of her tanned complexion was long gone. Her countenance appeared serene, resembling someone peacefully lost in a profound slumber, perhaps even dreaming of delightful moments.

I cannot force myself to look at her. Not like this, not in this state.

"Excuse me, Suyume," Kihaku said briskly as he left Suyume alone at the shrine.

"What? Kihaku? Kihaku!"

Kihaku left the chapel and went outside to smoke, a vice he kicked when he first met the love of his life. Stressed, his hands trembled as he lit a cigarette.

What was I thinking? I looked like such a fool in front of Suyume. What the hell was I thinking? Damn it, I cannot go back in there. I do not want the sight of Himari's corpse etched into my mind! Why? Why did things have to end this way? I was… I was trying to be a good father to her for once in my life, and she was taken away from me…

"Kihaku," a man dressed in black said. The man was Jiro Adachi, the wealthy investor who was invited to the Katōwamuro manor for diner.

"I extend my deepest condolences to you and your family during this difficult time," Jiro expressed wholeheartedly as he sat beside Kihaku. "I did not know that the young girl who waited on us at dinner was your daughter. If I had known, I would have introduced myself to her personally."

"Yes… Thank you, Jiro."

"How are Soaku and her daughters taking it?"

"Soaku and the girls are beside themselves; they could not make it."

I would not be surprised if those three were celebrating, dancing and popping corks.

Jiro sat down beside Kihaku on the bench, thinking of what to say to a parent who had just lost their child. "I was thinking we should make a nonprofit foundation in the name of your daughter. I would happily partner and invest in it. What should it be named? I see the girl had a love for sunflowers, so why not call it the Sunflower Foundation? Kihaku, what do you think?"

Kihaku sat in silence until the crippling guilt became too apparent and unbearable to conceal, and he dissolved in tears. "... I killed her, you know."

"What was that, Kihaku?"

"I said, I killed my daughter. I killed Himari."

"What? Poor little Himari died of an illness which was out of anyone's control. Do not blame yourself, Kihaku."

Kihaku took a long, pensive drag of his cigar and he exhaled billows of smoke before he continued his lamentations. "You do not understand, Jiro. I killed my daughter. I murdered her in cold blood, not with my hands but through my words and actions. Soaku and her two daughters abused Himari. They treated her like a housemaid, a slave. To make matters even worse, I knew about it. I knew that they were cruel towards her and beat her senselessly daily, but I did nothing. I pretended not to know of it. That scar on the side of her mouth that the mortuary cosmetologist hid skillfully was caused by her stepsister when they were younger. Himari thought of herself as ugly and repulsive, and she was being bullied viciously in school. She would come home with more bruises than the day before… Before Himari fell ill and died, she asked me if the reason I could not look her in the eye is because she looked just like her late mother. Instead of answering her question, I slapped her. My first instinct was to use physical violence against my child because I could not handle the truth. Pain. All she knew was pain. I failed her. Himari was robbed of love, happiness, and a proper life. After the wake, her body will be cremated, and she will be reduced to dust and ash. Her ashes will be placed in an urn that will be locked away behind a wall of glass like standard decor. It will be like she never was anything real at all."

*ೃ༄OUTRO .ೃ࿐

𓆩 𓆪 HYDRA - MYTH & ROID 𓆩 𓆪

破滅さえ 厭わないで
ねえ まだこの手に残る欠片だって
貴方のもの
何もかも 失くしても
捧げるものが 在るの
未来だって 命でさえ
焼け尽きた感情も 不毛な祈りも
縋る無様も 貢ぐ愚かも
病んだ声も 穢れた両手も
傷で裂かれた心も

𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳

何もこの手に失くても
時間がまだ 在るのなら
何度も繰り返そう
無意味だって 無駄だっていい
積み上げた日々が 無残に散っても
想いが呪いに 変わったとしても
報いも無く 徒労に終わってもいい
もう貴方しか見えない
暗く陰った この道の先では
どんな光も やがて潰えるでしょう
運命がそうなら
希望待つように 生きるより
尽くしきるの 今を
焼け尽きた感情も 不毛な祈りも
縋る無様も 貢ぐ愚かも
何もかもが どうなってもいい
全て貴方に 捧げよう

𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳