Author: Shirohime

Chapter 1: SOLEMN MIND, SUNNY DAY

“Hence, that’s why I don’t think we can be together.”

The girl thought with a heavy head as she cupped her cheek into her right hand, looking at the words she wrote down into her notepad that sat under her left. She crumpled the page under her hand until her nails dug through the paper, sighing. Slowly unflexing her fingertips, she let the paper crumple to the ground while she let her eyes scan the ceiling. Her mind was racing, her heart was somewhat clenching.

I like you.

It doesn’t mean I love you.

She wanted to speak those words out loud, but her thoughts were sent into a halt when her bedroom door opened with a small “click”. Watching with a now unamused look as her older brother made his way to her bed, sitting on the side of it and picking up the television remote she left on the undone bedside. While her television had been left to fill in as background noise, it was then paused. Her brother gave her a sly look, pointing the remote at her.

“Pause, unpause.”

“What the hell do you want?”

“Miran, you’ve been in such a bad mood all day that you didn’t even greet me today.”

“Do I need to greet you every day?”

“That’s what my little sister used to do.”

“Don’t start your soap opera.”

Miran closed her notepad and shoved it to the side of her desk, fixing her hair to the side as she ran her fingers through the tousled and messy locks. She eventually re-tied her hair with a scrunchie. Her brother chuckled while he tossed the remote back onto the mattress, his eyes scanning her hissy demeanor. Immediately recognizing that she wasn’t in the mood to joke around, it was almost tempting to prod more at the stirring lion.

“So what do you want, Minato?”

“I wanted to bring you out, you’ve been so sulky recently.”

“It’s none of your concern.”

“It is my concern, mom and dad won’t do anything about it because they’re too busy making the dough.”

She saw his point, she knew her older brother wasn’t the sort to judge her while she’s upset. The truth was, internally, she was suffering. Her emotions were practically boiling over her poor high school teen heart and she was planning to speak to Rina anyways. Yet she succumbed to his look, that practically told her “I’ll bother you until you tell me” look.

“You can’t judge me.”

“I won’t.”

“You can’t laugh at me.”

“I won’t~”

Sighing in defeat in trying to scare him away in a way, she unconsciously fell back into her usual habit of crossing her arms. Minato sat up, with the expectation that she couldn’t ignore, knowing he’ll see it as a certain level of entertainment. Miran kept silent in hesitation for a while before she did a small groan of defeat, slowly covering her face.

“It’s a guy.”

“..Really?”

Miran heard a small “pfft” from his lips as he covered his mouth, her eyes peeked through her fingertips before she lowered her hands to show him her unamused expression. Her brows wrinkled downwards, she let out a small “tch” along with it.

“Forget it, you’re going to make fun of me.”

“I won’t! I won’t~ c’mon, tell your big brother who’s the guy!”

“No way! You’ll be a creep and follow them!”

“Is that how you see me?”

“You did it before.”

“Oh.”

He had a slightly different look by then when he realized it, before he did a small laugh. Miran slowly began to scowl, her eyes practically scorning him with her gaze. This is why you don’t have a girlfriend. She thought to herself, seeing him get up off of her bed.

“I won’t do it again, Miran~”

“You don’t sound honest.”

He made his way over to the door, his hand hovered over her door handle before he quickly turned and gave her a quick poke to the side.

“I apologize to my sweet little baby sister Miran!”

“I wonder how we’re related.”

“You love me.”

Minato quickly got up after being forgiven, patting Miran right on the shoulder before his phone rang. He paused, giving her a look as if saying "Hold on a moment." and walked out of her room, picking up the call. She heard his distant "mhms" and "yups" as he talked over the phone, knowing he was probably getting called into work again. Going over to her closet and picking out certain clothes, she fixed on her casual clothing and her sandals, walking right out of her bedroom. She tapped his shoulder and mouthed the words: "I'll be going out." while she waited for his approval. Minato glanced outside the window, scanned the outdoors, and nodded. He went through his pocket and took out his wallet, placing his phone onto his shoulder as he talked, tilting his head to it. Flipping through his cards until he held out his card to her, letting her take it from his hand. He quickly lowered the phone, smiling at Miran.

"Just be careful, alright? Be back in an hour at least, please.""No worries, I just wanted to buy more groceries. You were busy this week."

Miran answered with a slight smile as she waved at him and walked out of the house. She knew that any second while she walked along her way down their little stone path, to the sidewalk, her brother would catch up to her.

"Call me whenever you're in trouble, cry whenever you need me, and know that your big brother will always catch you no matter how far your fall is."

Those words echoed her mind, like a comforting hand resting on her shoulder. She heard his footsteps approaching her from behind, she looked back at Minato as he went up to her.

"Want me to give you a ride?""The store's just a few turns over there, I'll be fine. You have duties to attend to, right?""Yeah, but it's nothing if I'm just a little late.""Hah, last time that happened, wasn't it your fellow policemen who scolded you for hours?""Haha.."Scratching the back of his neck, he tipped his cap to her and gave her his dimpled smile.

"..Then be safe.""You too, take care, Minato."With a small pat on her shoulder, he walked away waving back to her as he got into his car that was parked slightly slanted on the driveway. She waved at his receding car as he drove away, she walked across the street, her eyes drifting down to the ground. The ground seemed to slightly tremble, pebbles and small stones rattled on the road as she stopped motionless in the middle of the road to watch the phenomenon, mentally debating if it was her losing her mind or not. Snapping out of the trance she was in, she rushed right to the sidewalk on the other side of the street and shook her head with a long sigh dragging along behind her.

"I must be hallucinating."

Entering the store whose lights illuminated the freshly paved sidewalk, Miran walked inside as she took quick glimpses between the isles. Being hit with the cold air conditioning to the face, she sighed as the doors automatically closed behind her. Taking a shopping basket from a stacked pile of them that was to the side of the door, she walked along the rows while heading to the produce section of the store. Slowly she walked, her eyes scanning through the selections she passed by bags of snacks and different canned foods. Finding nothing of interest, she hurried along to the produce section and looked around before a small click was heard.

Tsssssssssssssssssssss

RRRRR

The lights flickered and the ground had shaken for a moment, the tremor felt like a minute before it stopped completely. As if a jolt had gone through her, she was stunned in place while a rush of immediate thoughts plagued her. The hell was that? She went ahead and grabbed whatever she memorized and rushed to the counter, slapping down the money she took out from her own wallet and running out of the store. She took out her phone, she noticed her hand beginning their tremors. She scrambled to the call-icon with her brother’s profile photo on it, her fingertips trembling over the screen.

"..It was a while ago. It's fine. It's fine."

She thought while her eyes grew bleary, her breaths becoming shaky while she could feel the heavy swallowing of spit that clogged her throat. She slowly turned off her phone, looking at the basket that had been hanging on her arm.

"I'll return the basket tomorrow." Yet her stomach felt sick, her gut felt as if it was clenching in on itself. The words of "Something is wrong." circulated her mind as she looked down at the sidewalk while trudging, raising her head up. She felt her heart racing, the pulse of it rattling her head despite her trying to ignore it. Keeping her head up was already a pain in a matter of moments, she grasped onto the basket in a daze as she sluggishly walked. Her heart didn't give her a break either, she quickly looked behind herself. Hallucinations, but nothing.

"Shit.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.”

“..I want the past to burn.

To make sure nothing is left

of that weak me.”

Miran thought to herself while laying on her back in bed, gazing out into her neighborhood while her head was tilted to the side. The night sky being covered by smog from the city lights, leaving only the moon to be ghastly but seen. She slowly rolled to cover herself into the comfort of her blanket, closing her eyes. The hidden comfort of hearing the television play in the living room relaxed her body, knowing her brother was right there in case of anything. Yet again, that feeling quaked in her soul.

“I felt shaking. I felt that tremor. I felt the floor shake, I’m not hallucinating. Minato said the same thing, he felt it on his way to the station.”

She slowly set her hand onto her neck, feeling her steadying pulse. The slow breaths she took, the repeated rhythms of the same heart she’s had. She’s always had it. It’s not her own. She felt her pulse begin to skip and race as jagged memories cut between the stems of her mind, her breaths growing heavy and tears beginning to sting at her eyes. The burning feeling of watching helplessly as the world shook and tore apart below her feet without a second to spare, as the debris flew all around her until she was nothing but a matted pile of ash. Endlessly crying and struggling, choking within every breath made. Struggling, suffering, being reduced to the mud people would walk upon like any other, becoming the sediment that’ll later be forgotten. Reaching forward with nothing to grab upon. Echoing cries of the same fears, the fear of wanting to live too.

To see the next day.

“Her ribcage is piercing into her heart, she won’t live any longer..”

“A girl who’s the same age as Miss Miran that was unfortunately killed by the recent earthquakes is set up as a donor..”

“Wasn’t that girl..”

“The surgery is set for tomorrow.”

“The surgery was a success.”

“She’ll live with a scar right over...”

“Miran!”

Minato yelled, his face was a panicked look as his hands were gripping her shoulders. He had been shaking her the moment he heard croaking coming from her room, she slowly felt her face once he let go of her. She had been crying, probably even choking on her own spit by the clear minor drool pile right where she laid moments before.

“Minato..”

“Are you sure you really don’t want to do therapy?”

“We talked about this, Minato-”

“Miran, please.”

He carefully took her hands into his, rubbing the top of her hands. Kneeling down in front of her, he gazed down at her hands. He couldn’t look her in the eyes.

“I never know what you’re thinking, I never know what happens whenever.. this happens! I just.. want to understand what’s going through my little baby sister’s head..”

“Minato.. it’s.. not something that can be put into words. I’ve told you that it’s.. like a very dark cloud.”

“..That covers your head and chokes you up.”

“Yeah. You know.”

She squeezed his hands, looking down at him. Admittedly, she was worried for Minato. She had repeated that statement over and over again, it was the raw truth. It was only a matter of time before he believed it was a lie of sorts. Miran felt the silence of her brother begin to weigh in the air, her thumb subconsciously rubbing his rough hands.

She blamed the tremors she felt that day.

Miran was eventually tucked into bed, it was a tradition of sorts with her, something her brother never gave up. He left Miran’s bedroom with a sag tugging down at his shoulders, closing the door behind him. Walking a few feet away from her door, Minato’s gaze was focused forward before he covered his face with his hands before eventually dragging them up, coursing through his hair for a moment. He lowered his hands and looked at the lines that traced his palms. The same hands he used while trying to pull his little sister out of the rubble and debris of an earthquake so long ago. The wounds of it were still a fresh raw pink in the depths of his heart.

“I can’t dwell on it either.”

He thought to himself while setting his hands down to his sides, going ahead with a slouch, shaking his hanging head. Minato went back into the living room, laying down onto the couch. Taking the remote from the coffee table, he turned down the volume on the television before shutting it off. His hand swung over the couch’s side as he closed his eyes. Keeping himself vigilant and ready, he felt his weary body toll onto him. Soon enough, the two ended up in a dreamless state.

Beep

Be ep

Beep

Bee p

CLICK

Slapping her phone onto the ground and hearing it hit the floor with a thud, Miran groaned and raised her covers over her head. Hearing the rings of her notifications blowing up had her slip out of bed, grabbing her phone off of the ground as she left her room. Entering the bathroom and sitting on the toilet, doing her usual business while checking her phone. Noticing a notification from her best friend, Rina– she could feel her abundance of social energy.

“Huh.. ‘Morning Mimi~ I have a surprise to tell you at school! I’ll tell you during lunch~ (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) ’.. it probably has something to do with that boyfriend of hers.”

Miran thought, she was already the third wheel in every “outing” Rina and her boyfriend invited her out to. Knowing their long-standing relationship of six years: lovey-dovey, clingy, and very cuddly to summarize it. Perfectly healthy and balanced with one key: communication. Both of their parents reluctantly approve of their relationship after their dramatic and relentless efforts, the entire school knows about the drama and somewhat envies the unlimited boundaries most people wouldn’t go for. Miran replied back with a simple smiley face and “Okay~ :) ” although internally she hoped it was an actual surprise. Not one she was expecting like a loud new boy band crush announcement.

Getting up, doing the wipe and beginning to wash up, Miran played her parents’ usual voice messages that they sent to her far earlier in the morning while the sink ran. Brushing her teeth, occasionally looking in the mirror while doing so. Soon drying her face off and beginning to pump lotion onto her fingertips, rubbing it into her cheeks. She eventually put a curler in her bangs to keep them in place, while she finished her routine, she lightly slapped her cheeks as she smiled to herself.

Her reflection reflected her mood.

“Mom and dad are working hard. Minato too. I’ll do my best today, everyone.”

“I’m better than I was yesterday.”

Walking down the sidewalk while on call with Minato, she nodded while her head was tilted to the side, keeping her phone on her shoulder. She was rummaging through her bag, checking if she had all of her supplies and notebooks for the day. Keeping her brother on call, she sighed exasperatingly with his quick nagging, ever since the situation from yesterday.

“I know, bro. I’ll be fine, Rina and her boyfriend are both there today. If anything happens, they’ll be there. They’ll call you for me.. yeah.”

She hung up her phone with a quick “bye-bye”, rushing past the open school gates while the school’s bell tolled loudly. Loud gong-gong-gongs signaled the first bell, also known as the morning bell. Miran noticed the many students rushing to class, she swiftly made her way past them with the same hurry in her steps. Making it to homeroom, Miran settled down into her seat with a quick puff. Once she settled in, she looked over at the door. Her eyes slowly widened a little, only a tad as she saw who came through the door.

The guy she could only “like” for a split moment.

A boy named Yuno, he doesn’t say much. A cut not close to a bowl, but not hentai protagonist eye-covering either. The usual dark sleek hair, ruffled enough to look cute. He’s an average guy, not too busted on muscles and not too chubby. He was perfectly in the middle, a fine chin and slightly chubby upper-cheeks. Only one piercing is what he has, the earring was barely noticeable since it’s a small-circular one. He isn’t popular.

He just exists.

He simply exists.

Miran wished she could exist with him together– to be simplistic. A relationship that was in between, the closest contact being hand-holding and hugging. The only kiss being after five years of being together. Being balanced and being there. Nothing intense, nothing out of this world or absolutely embarrassing.

Like a small and simple boat ride that rocks occasionally with the sway of the sea, heading into the horizon.

Miran snapped out of her ogling daze, choking on the saliva she swallowed mid-yawn. Coughing as she snapped back to reality, shaking her head and looking out the window on the complete opposite side of the classroom. The late bell rang, the groans of students were heard down the hallway as the scoldings of hall monitors followed with their ailed sounds. Watching as Rina and her boyfriend approached the classroom door in a hurry, the two gave each other a quick kiss as a “see you soon” gesture first thing.

Slowly, the door opened as Rina was greeted by the teacher blasting her figure with a stink-eye. Bowing her head while a barrage of scoldings were launched towards her, Rina’s mind was only set on the kiss while she hid her smile under her (modified to be bigger) uniform bow.

Miran’s pretty typical, normal morning.

Hiding her own smile into the fist that rested her chin, she couldn’t help but find it funny on how one-track minded her friend was. Love was all Rina was, nobody could really get mad or offended by her. Her romance life was the talk of the grade, after all. Every element of drama was cherished and held, especially if it was from her love life.

Excess information in Miran’s perspective, all that runs in her brain in the morning.

As soon as the bell rang signaling it was time for moving period, class was officially swept by without a problem. While packing her bag, Miran was given a quick surprise hug from behind by Rina. Her small giggles and energy was contagious, even Miran could envision the big smile on her friend’s face. She was being playful.

“What’s gotten you in a good mood?”

“The surprise I wanted to tell you!”

“Didn’t you say you were going to tell me during lunch?”

“I’m too excited~”

“Someone’s impatient.”

“It’s really good news!”

Feeling Rina’s arms let go of her, Miran set her bag over and around her shoulder, turning to her friend to read her expression. Her childish look and giddy grin had her thoughts completely painted on her face. Rina had taken her hand into hers, slowly setting them onto her stomach as she looked Miran in the eyes.

“..You’re hungry?”

“No~! I’m-”

Being cut off by the sudden pull of the fire alarm, the sounds of rumbling could be heard. Students looked around as they began to move within the panic, before the floor shook. Miran squeezed Rina’s hand as she moved along the crowded hallways, filled with panicking students who attempted to the lower floors to leave. The sounds of people falling through the staircase and screams filled the air while the windows seemed to darken. The quaking had made many fall over, many screamed while being picked up or stomped on by others. Miran felt Rina tug at her, inaudible words escaping her lips.

“..What.. is happening..”

Darkness eventually consumed the school, crashing inwards into itself while being crushed at all surroundings. With glass shattering around, it began to fly all around along with the debris that began to pour into the school. The floor on the second floor began to crack open, yet all she could look at was the panic on Rina’s face. She was crying, afraid of what was coming within every tug at Miran’s hand. What was eating around them was like a voracious bottomless pit of a gluttonous beast. The echoes that would torment her mind nonstop behind her shut eyelids came a pit stop, a loud click was all she heard while the flooring under her feet eventually tore open too. Miran’s eyes snapped wide at the moment, her legs becoming sticks with dumbbells tied to the ends of them.

A thread had snapped, a bridge had collapsed, a wing had been shot, a bone had broken, a heart had stopped. All while the world seemed to be closing in.

Consuming those it seemed to want to erase.

Whole.

PROLOGUE- SOLEMN MIND, SUNNY DAY

END