The loss of the light
All they had wanted was to be happy together.
Nothing more, nothing less.
They didn't ask for much.
But even that they could not attain.
They knew their little sister, Himari, was sick. Even though they had been warned about the fact that her life would likely end soon, they still didn't want to give up hope.
They wanted her to live on.
Her smile was the sole light in their lives.
How could they imagine a day without her?
So, they tried to push it back, they tried to focus on making her happy. And so, they agreed to go to the aquarium.
She was so happy, so full of life as she walked around, mesmerized by the penguins and how they glided across the water.
Even when Kanba had to step aside and take a call, much to Shouma's dismay, she didn't seem affected.
Her eyes had glanced so longingly at the penguins, how free they were.
Shouma took notice of this fact and he offered to buy her anything she wanted from the gift store, and with gleaming eyes, she agreed.
They walked around for a while, looking at all the knickknacks in the store. From sea horse keychains to aquarium designed toothbrushes, and everything in between, the curiosity in her eyes felt ever so present.
Even as she reached for an otter plushie that Shoma knew he wouldn't be able to afford responsibly, she seemed so energetic, and happily for him, she put it down.
"I'll just have Kanba impersonate one." She giggled. Her brother was hesitant that her other brother would do it, but she said that it was her special day, and she was the queen.
She picked up a penguin hat and wore it proudly as her crown, and even though he didn't quite get it, Shoma could feel his heart light up with happiness and love for his sister.
But then…they so happened to separate while Shoma paid for the penguin hat.
Around that time, Kanba finally came back, and asked where he was.
What first started off as mild confusion soon spread to fear. The voice of a man nearby saying a girl collapsed out front only proved to heighten that feeling as they ran.
No…No…
They grabbed the bag with her present in a rush and rushed down the stairs.
It couldn't be…
Not Himari…Anyone but Himari.
With every step they took, it felt that their agitation only seemed to increase.
The automatic doors gave way to them as they rushed and from the entrance, they could see the large group of people.
People stared but didn't do anything. Only one guy seemed to kneel over to check her pulse.
They seemed worried.
In the middle of the group, much to their horror, lying unconscious on the floor…
Was their little sister.
"Quickly! Call an ambulance!" One man screamed as the siblings rushed over.
"Himari!" They called and the group seemed to part on their arrival.
The horror evident on their faces as they kneeled over her.
They called her name again, but she was still irresponsive.
No…It couldn't be.
The ambulance arrived before they knew it and they gathered in and were rushed to the hospital.
All the while they were silent. They knew there was little they could do but to hope.
So, they did.
Once at the hospital, she was immediately rushed to an emergency room. The stretcher had already been prepared for her arrival. The nurses checked some of her symptoms in the meantime.
The two brothers could only watch in such anguish as they could see the pained look on their sister's face.
Even when they got to the emergency room, the doctor told them they needed to wait outside. There was a large glass window that peered into the room and through it they could see the procedure.
The oxygen mask was placed on her after her clothes were changed for the hospital gown. She was hooked to a bunch of machines to monitor her heart rate and progress on her condition.
Her eyes were closed through it all. The nurses called her name, the doctors tried to combat what was hurting her…
But the hopelessness felt like it spread through the room quick.
Her pulse was getting ever lower…
Kanba and Shoma's fists met the window.
They wanted to do anything.
Her eyes slowly opened.
"Kan….Sho…." They could see her mouth as her eyes began to close.
No…No…NO!
"Goodbye…"
And then…the flat line appeared.
And Himari…was dead.
It took a few hours for the doctors to leave them alone. They had been given condolences and left with her body.
Their hearts were in pieces.
The light had died out.
How could it be?
Tears flowed down Shoma's cheeks as he sat next to his sister, holding her now cold hand. So many memories rushed through his head, while Kanba regretted disbelieving the doctor who had told them that she would die soon.
His voice was so emotionless, it drove Shoma crazy.
Without hesitation, he pinned his brother down to the floor, yelling at him.
"HOW CAN YOU SOUND SO CALM!?" He screamed. His tears wet his brother's shirt. "THIS WAS YOUR SISTER! THIS WAS OUR SISTER!" He continued.
"I'M ACCEPTING THE FACTS FOR WHAT THEY ARE!" Kanba yelled back as he pulled away, and even when he tried not to show it at that moment Shoma saw it…
Kanba was hurting the same way he was.
He was just trying to hide it.
"This was the punishment we were assigned for this life of ours…" The red haired boy turned his back, leaving the room. He didn't want his brother to see him cry…He didn't want anybody to see his pain. He would harden his heart until it was stone cold.
Meanwhile, Shoma cried. He cried until his eyes burned him, gripping at his sister's hand, wishing he could rewind the clock to see his sister smile again…
Nothing would ever be the same in the Takakura household…
Never again…
Not for Kanba…
Not for Shoma…
For in their worlds, they had lost the most important thing in their lives.
Their dear sister, Himari…
The light of their lives.
-The End-