Lesson Learned

You just need a little push

Four years prior the present day...

Mitsuko grinned, hiding behind a tree as the Spring sun brightened the whole park.

"GAAHH!!" Rio jumped down from the tree and tackled her to the grass.

"HEY!!" Mitsuko tried to push her off.

Rio's smile widened as her hair brushed Mitsuko's cheeks. "I win...again." She laughed and leaned over her, placing both hands by her side until they were face to face. "Seriously, you're really bad at this."

Mitsuko blushed, staring up at her. "S-shut up! Hide and seek is for babies anyway."

Rio smirked and leaned her face too close. "You still lost."

Mitsuko turned her face away, feeling her cheeks burn. "You cheated."

"I did not!" Rio sounded aghast, and then laughed. "Take it back!" She started to tickle her.

"H-hey, cut it out!" Mitsuko laughed, clutching her sides. "Get off—"

Her phone started to ring.

Mitsuko tensed, looking down at her short's pocket where the phone was vibrating.

Rio loosened her hold and sat up. "Oh, sorry."

Mitsuko flinched when she saw the time on her phone. "Hi, Gakushuu..." she answered the call.

"Your Cram school should have finished by now, where are you?"

She brought her knees to her chin. "Buying a snack..."

She heard her brother sigh from the other end of the line. "I'm halfway home already. Hurry up."

"Sorry!" Mitsuko apologised before he hung up. "I need to go!" She hastily scrambled to her feet and looked around for her bag.

"Hey, wait, what's wrong?" Rio asked warily, standing up. "What did he say?" Her gaze narrowed dangerously.

"Nothing, I just need to get home," she replied quickly, grabbing her bag off the ground. "I'm meant to be in Cram school remember? And it finished half an hour ago."

"So?" Rio looked upset. "We're on vacation! We shouldn't even be in school."

Mitsuko ignored her and flung her bag over her shoulder. "Bye!!" she yelled as she ran down the hill.

When she got to the train station her legs wouldn't stop shaking.

It'll be fine.

Mitsuko chewed on her nails as she tapped her foot restlessly as the train pulled up.

Dad won't be back until late anyway.

Mom should be drunk by now or she might have gone out.

She felt sick the whole journey home, right up to when she turned her key in the door and stepped inside.

No one was around.

Mitsuko closed the door behind her carefully and then rushed to her room.

The wave of relief came when she closed the bedroom door behind her.

Everything was fine.

Mom was too pre-occupied with herself to even notice she was late back. No one would care.

She sighed deeply and pressed her back against the door, feeling exhausted.

Her gaze shifted to her fish tank where her two Tiger fish normally were, which is when he relief turned to dread.