Astrophile

018

A week or so had passed since you had gotten sick and you could say things were going rather smoothly. Your mother didn't hurt you as of currently, and you got to talk to Wakasa, Takeomi and Keizo a lot more.

Ever since that day, they began hanging out at the dojo. They would mostly talk to you, but would chime in ever other minute to tease Manjirō about how tiny he was. Of course, Manjirō would try to fight them only for you to hold him back.

Everyone was surprised with how obedient Manjirō was to you, it was almost eerie.

You smiled at the memory of Manjirō blushing as you held him back from attacking Takeomi as you wrote down your homework. The scribbling sound of the pencil brought ease to you in the silent room as you sat seated in front of the black screen of the TV.

Your mother was inside the kitchen, washing the dishes. Moments like these made you feel like you were living a normal life, not one filled with pain and torture.

Unbeknownst to you, your mother walked out of the kitchen and smiled as she saw you studying diligently. Her beloved son, [Brother Name] was also very studious, so watching you study like this made her imagine him sitting there instead of you.

Suddenly, a loud telephone ring echoed throughout the quiet house. Your mother rushed over to pick it up, almost as if she were expecting it with a menacing smile, "Hello?"

A small voice blabbered behind the phone since you couldn't hear anything, "Yes!! I'll get dressed right away!! Are all the preparations ready, dear?!" The older [Last Name] asked happily.

Upon hearing a response from the other side, she beamed to herself, "Yes, of course!! I've been wanting to talk to him for quite some time!!" You felt uncomfortable as an uneasy feeling pooled in your stomach.

Soon, the phone call ended and she slowly turned to you, a happy smile on her lips but you felt your breathing hitch as you looked at her, "I'm gonna be gone for a few hours, you can make yourself dinner..."

She grinned eerily as she watched you nod, "Good!! Now, study!!" She ordered as she rushed to go to her room.

The unsettling feeling in your stomach only grew as you prayed that nothing would happen tonight...

Osamu had hardly gotten any sleep in the past week. He was working tirelessly in order to help you, his beloved niece. He had already contacted a lawyer and the police department and submitted the voice recording of your confession.

The confession in which you admitted about the abuse that was occurring in your house.

He had already made plans about how and when he would rip you away from that monster. An angry look replaced his previous tired expression as he gazed upon some of the pictures he had acquired from some old family pictures.

That woman ruined his brother. She ruined you; his niece and abused you continuously. He wouldn't just let that slide. He'd be damned if he watched his brother cry as he reminisced you.

Your own brother wasn't doing any better. He missed you endlessly and in fact had fallen into deep depression as he realised that you were probably suffering as he enjoyed himself.

Ever since your parents' separation, [Brother Name] had changed for the worst. He stopped meeting up with his friends. He stopped going anywhere except for school or when he would wordlessly wander around Tokyo, in hopes of finding you.

Osamu already promised your brother that he would find you for him, and he was not a man who went back on his words.

A soft sigh left his lips as he stared at his ceiling in contemplation. The police had told him that they would call him as soon as they filed the report. And soon they would have to review the previous statements made at the court during the divorce of your parents. It would take some time, but he believed that it would not matter as long as you were safe.

His train of thoughts was interrupted by the ring of his doorbell. He jumped over the discarded cups of coffee over the week and walked over to his door.

His breathing hitched as he caught sight of the person, "It's been quite some time since we last met, right? Osamu-san..."