Returning Home

A single drop dripped from the tap, making a small drip sound.

Kyouko averted her eyes. She grabbed her palm, examining it.

"Press a wet towel on the wound." She spoke firmly. "... Look, you're at fault here. If you hadn't persisted with that, this wouldn't have happened!" She tried raising her voice but it provided fruitless towards making him hear.

"Fine." Her dry oil-stained hair wriggled, "I'll pay, but I need your help. Get me a job." She clutched her knees, eyes boring atvteh floor. Blinking softly.

"Hm."

The blinking stopped. Kyouko looked up. "Is that a yes?" She eyed Keta, his left cheek looked puffed out.

".. It is." Keta said, his voice still flat and neutral. Kyouko rose up completely, "After that, everything okay?" A grin spread across her face.

"Hm. Everything okay." Keta turned towards the door, starting with slow steps.

"There you go. You should be like this only. Just help me get a job—" Kyouko's pitiful eyes momentarily faltered

"— and I'll pay you back, I swear." She nodded to him, gripping his fist.

"That's what I expect of you." Keta softly pulled away, walking past her, through the door.

"Thanks. Let's forget what happened here— we're normal, completely. I'll treat you tomorrow. "

Keta stopped, without turning he nodded, which to Kyouko looked like an understanding was made.

"Gosh.. " Then she sighed. After Keta went out, she rushed to the sink.

She smiled, while rinsing her hands.

"Keta's childish, no matter what. That's why he's so easy." She murmured to herself.

2:34 PM—

"Goodnight. " Kyouko patted him on the back, wrapping her hands around him.

"Sleep well, tomorrow we've a lot to do."

She playfully pushed him onto the stairs.

"Hm, bye." Keta matched her tone. He let her fingers crawl up to his cheek.

"Oh, Keta!"

Suddenly Keta got pulled back.

"Hand me your mobile for a second!" She still gripped his wrist, being unusually nice.

"I deleted it." Keta turned fully.

A gasp escaped Kyouko. Her grip loosened.

".. oh my! Thank you!" She pulled him into her arms, patting his back a dozen of times.

The pillow slipped from her hands, but Keta caught it and hid it behind him before she realised.

A moment of silence passed by.

Then Kyouko pushed away, her lips parted, "Keta, you need to understand me more. If you keep letting money poke in between then, we'd—"

Keta put a finger on her lips, softly silencing her. "I understand." He nodded and that was enough for her.

"You're the best step-cousin I could ever have. " Kyouko whispered in his ear, in declaration. Both returned to their rooms after that, the night passed on slowly.

...

An hour before the sun rose, Kyouko woke up. Her eyes were groggy. Last night's incidents came flashing back in her mind.

In the sprawl of darkness, she stepped into the room.

"... Water." She murmured, her voice dry of her usual tone.

"Keta..?" She slid the door open, to find light coming from the kitchen.

"Keta..?" She stepped, feeling the cold floor.

"Hey, are you... Keta?" Her eyes blinked open. There was a figure in front. It looked like a small child— a boy.

"What is...that?" Her pupils dilated, ignoring the boy in black. She lazily pulled her finger towards the glowing object, perching on the table.

"Is that a lamp—"

As she tried to go closer, her feet slipped.

"Ah—" Her stomach churned, and her eyes blinked open.

"... What're you blabbering about?"

A cold,stern voice called out. Kyouko's eyes flickered, "h-huh?"

The voice sounded out of the world, like it shouldn't have been there.

"It's none other than Keta." The man in the front turned, the two pupils narrowed down at the sloth like figure.

Kyouko's head jerked back. "D-Dad—"

She paused. "How? I was—"

"We brought you out. Along with the mattress."

The man roared, his crooked fingers gripping the steering wheel.

"But I was supposed to find an job wit—"

"That's a excuse, isn't it? An excuse to use him?" The woman beside her pulled her chin, glaring with sharp eyes.

What's going on? Why are mom and dad—

Then realisation dawned on her.

"Dad, you've got it wrong! Keta was feeling—"

Kyouko's face slammed the mattress beneath her head and her mom, groped her hairstrings. Rolling it around.

"Why did you dye it?" She snarled and then without a single thought, tore a string from her scalp.

"OW!" She yelped.

"Mom!"

"Shut up! Don't you da—" her mom paused, lips stuttering.

That's gucci right...

Someone you gifted you that, right? Sell that! It's bound to be atleast a thousand yen...

CLICK.

"Dad..?" Kyouko's lips loosened, eyes widened.

The man immediately turned to throw his phone at her face, Kyouko covered it, jerking back.

"Why don't you show her the slips too?" The woman never budged, even at her own child being about to hit.

"Ofcourse!" The man yelled as if he'd forgotten that. Within a second a pile of papers were thrown at Kyouko.

"What's this?!" Kyouko shrieked, seeing the papers falling on her face. Some covering her eyes.

"These?" The man snarled near her ear. She shuddered.

"D-Dad... I didn't mean to! I asked—"

"Oh? Didn't mean to? Was it your hand then? Pressing the 'order' button of its own will? Putting his card details too? Answer me!"

The mother nudged Kyouko dangerously.

"Well??" Her face twisted in rage. Small, fat tear drops began to roll down Kyouko's cheek.

"so many? "

"Its just one box, there's twelve—"

"Can't we return them?"

...

The man gritted his teeth back, clutching his fists back to his abdomen— Back then the silence meant it was past the return date.

"I'm not letting you go." He pulled his daughter, "Until now I'd a hunch for it, but now I'm sure."

"Dad, you've got it wrong!" She wailed. "Keta told me to buy it!" She pointed somewhere in the car. But instead of getting sympathy got a slap instead. From their expressions it was clear that this wasn't the first time they'd beaten her like this.

"I wish I'd killed you before you turned like this.." Her dad spoke in frenzy. Her mom, was far from stopping him. They both had enough of her.

"... dad!" She wailed harder but her mother then smacked her.

"We've evidence against you. All these slips, the voice recordings he sent us, they all speak against you." Her mother firmly held her.

Kyouko's dad had long since stopped the car by a empty deserted lane.

"Yasako." His voice was hoarse, "I've decided."

His wife, hearing this, hardened even more. "I won't stop you anymore." She moved away from Kyouko.

".. decided? What did you—" The grim realisation dawned on her immediately.

Her dad immediately turned his palm towards the air, aiming at her cheek. "If you cry even a second more, then I—"

He stopped, his wife was looking at him.

"I'm so done with it...!" He punched the car seat.

The woman sighed too, her eyes watery. She looked worn out. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the 25 year old, disgusted.

"Put her in the labor department." She surpressed a stutter. Kyouko's eyes widened but her dad was the first to respond.

"You are being soft on her again!"

"But.."

"Yasako— Kyouko's going to work with me. I'm not letting her have her way anymore."

At this Kyouko rose up, "What? No! That place's hard to work in!"

Immediately another slap was planted on the same cheek. Kyouko gritted her teeth.

"I hate you!" She screamed.

A single clap echoed. "Fabulous! You hate us? Good! Get out!"

He slammed the car door open.

"Don't even think of coming back!" She pushed her out.

Kyouko felt her panties wet, as soon as she fell down.

"...mom!" She wailed and did what she'd been not asked for.

"Either you promise to do as I tell you or you live here alone." Her dad spoke, emotionless. His hands were ready on the steering.

Kyouko's hoarse muffle hitched. "Last chance dad... I promise—"

"Kyouko!"

She was silent. Her muffles turned to noise.

"... Yes." Her shoulders slumped.

I hate you. She thought, her inner voice becoming devoid of emotion.

The door closed, the car engine ignited with life. Within a second, it drove away from the spot.