Hidden Secrets

Chapter 1

"Never forget that even in the darkest times of life, there is always beauty and joy. As long as the three of you stay together, nothing will happen to you," echoed her mother's voice, and Usagi jolted awake from her nightmare. Two years had passed since Ikuko succumbed to her illness. Two years ago, the nightmare that had since become her life began.

She pulled the tattered rag she used as a blanket closer around herself, wrapping her arms around her little sister in the process. When the child welfare agency appeared at the hospital back then, attempting to take her and her siblings, they had made grand promises. However, in the end, they were supposed to be placed in different foster families. This prompted Usagi to impulsively grab her siblings and flee. Since then, they had been living on the streets.

It was a tough life, but at least they were together. Usagi occasionally worked as a day laborer for wealthy families, but it never amounted to more than the essentials they desperately needed. Her brother Shingo was a simple pickpocket, and although it wasn't honorable, the money often helped them just scrape by. The youngest sister, Chibiusa, was still so small, only five years old, and shouldn't have to lead such a life. But they had no other choice; what family would take in three children at once? Besides, other street kids told them about the often terrible conditions in many foster families, ranging from food deprivation to physical abuse. Some were treated worse than slaves. No, they didn't want to live that kind of life.

Usagi was relieved that a few weeks ago, they had found this makeshift shack made of boards on the outskirts of Tokyo. Here, at least, they were protected from the biting wind, and even the roof mostly held up. She remembered how they had lived in much worse conditions in previous years, and a sense of gratitude washed over her as she held Chibiusa closer and heard Shingo's regular snoring in the nightly silence.

Usagi knew nothing about her father. Her mother had never spoken about him. All she had said back then was that her father was a dangerous man.

On the other hand, Shingo and Chibiusa's father had taken on the role of a father in their lives and raised them until shortly before Ikuko's illness when he suddenly disappeared with a younger woman. When the question arose after Ikuko's death of whether he would take in his children, he declined. His new partner had no interest in children and did not want them around.

The day broke, and for Usagi, her dreary routine on the streets began. She woke up when the first rays of sun illuminated the weathered boards of their shelter. Then she quietly slipped out and went in search of something to eat. She left Chibiusa lying in the makeshift bed of old blankets and crumpled newspaper. She slept so peacefully, unaware of the harsh realities surrounding her siblings. Usagi tried her best to protect her and provide her with as much of a childhood as possible, given the circumstances.

Her steps first led her to the nearby dumpsters, where she often searched for leftover food. It was humiliating but often the only way to get a meal for her siblings.

Usagi pressed a gentle kiss on Chibiusa's forehead and then set out to earn money. Most of the time, she begged on the outskirts of Tokyo, occasionally earning a few yen. If she was lucky, she would be hired as a day laborer, but even these jobs were often poorly paid.

Shingo managed to get by with his dubious skills as a pickpocket, and Chibiusa hid in their improvised shelter to avoid being seen. The siblings lived in a constant balancing act between invisibility and the daily struggle for survival.

Usagi arrived at her usual begging spot, placed her paper cup in front of her, and crouched down behind it. She kept her back straight, but her gaze remained fixed on the ground. Her clothes were dirty and full of holes, and she didn't even have a needle and thread to patch them up. But what worried her the most was the fact that Chibiusa had grown again. Winter was approaching, and her little sister's sweater from last year would no longer fit.