At least we are together

Yukiko is sitting at her desk in the classroom She takes a sigh and leans back while hearing giggling from the back of the class.

She turns around and looks at Manami and her friends who are looking right at her. She scratches her head and turns forward. When her classmates look at Yukiko, they just see a girl with long black straight hair and blue eyes. Shes also wearing the schools uniform like everybody else does.

"Oh hey Yukiko, what is it? Arent you happy to see me?" -Manami says mockingly while she walks up to her with a grin, putting her hands on Yukikos desk. Her friends are right behind her.

She has shoulder length blonde wavy hair, brown eyes, she also has a little earring. Shes always wearing baggy clothes on top of her uniform, now a gray hoodie. Covering her upper body.

"Listen. Im not in for you three today... so could you just leave me alone?" -Yukiko shakes her head, looking up at Manami and her friends.

"Leave you alone? But then you would be sooo alone. Right? You dont really have friends." - Manami grins and looks down at her

Yukiko looks down for a second, and her feelings break out from her, she looks up at Manami and says frustrated.

"Shut up Manami... just shut up... why do you have to ruin my life? You shouldnt take your problems out on me..." -When Yukiko says this, Manami slaps her across the face, leaving a red mark on her face. Yukiko puts her hand on her reddening cheek with tears in her eyes and looks up at Manami. Manami looks shaken for a little, like shes almost tearing up, and she steps back.

"You fucking..." -Manami says and she storms out from the classroom. Her friends just standing there, not understanding what happened. The rest of the class is shocked too. But why would they care? They never cared about Yukiko, shes just... someone... who doesnt have any friends. So after some silence, the class starts to talk again. Leaving Yukiko in her toughts. Just like before.

___

Manami rushes in the bathroom after she left the classroom behind, she stumbles to a sink and hold onto it at both sides, her grip tightening as she looks into the mirror with anger and hurt.

'Fuck... i hate her...i hate her so much...' -Manami thinks to herself. She quickly opens the tap for some cold water and washes her face with it.

Then she looks up in the mirror and... she cant recognize herself anymore.

___

Some hours pass, the school ends. Yukiko is walking towards the exit gate from the schools yard. Her toughts are eating her mind up.

"What could Manamis problem be? Maybe... I could try to help her. Then she would stop bullying me right? Yeah… Yeah i guess" -Yukiko stops and looks down

"Would that make me selfish? Or am i overthinking?" -Yukiko takes a big sigh, looks up and starts to walk towards her home.

Later she finally arrives.

___

"Mom im home!" -Yukiko yells while she closes the door and takes off her shoes.

"Oh sweetie welcome home. Did you have a good day at school?" -Honoka smiles while walking out from the living room to greet her.

"Y-yeah totally!" -Yukiko fakes a smile, but her mind is still going.

Honoka is the same height as her daugther, she has long brown wavy hair in a ponytail, brown eyes, and shes wearing a shirt and long blue skirt.

"Oh thats great to hear sweetie. I made some lunch for you. Its your favourite" -Honoka smiles and pats her daughters head, not noticing how her daughter is feeling.

"H-huh? Teriyaki chicken?" -Yukiko asks with a small smile

"Yes dear. Come, lets eat it before it gets cold." -Honoka smiles and they head to the kitchen and sit down.

"Its great mom" -Yukiko smiles as she eats. At least this little good time makes her forget school.

"Thank you sweetie… Also i have a surprise for you… You know i havent told you before. And this will come out of the blue... But i actually have a boyfriend for a year now and he wants to marry me." -Honoka says excitedly

"W-what really? Hes gonna marry you?" -Yukikos eyes widen, she didnt expect anything like this. Shes taken a back by this, she cant believe that her mother havent told her this. But she knows how much her mother worked for her and her happines. She wants her mother to be happy too.

"U-uh? Sweetie you dont seem so happy... i-im sorry if you dont like this… i didnt wanted…" -Honoka looks down and she feels like she did the wrong move with this surprise, but her daugther cuts in her sentence.

"Absolutely no mom! Im happy for you! T-this is a great surprise… im happy" -Yukiko smiles, thinking that maybe this wont be bad. She also wants to see her mother happy.

"Oh im so happy Yukiko…" -Honoka tears up a little in her happiness that her daughter accepted this. Honoka wipes her tear from her eye and looks hopeful at her daughter.

"And also, he has a daughter too. Shes the same age as you. So that means... youre becoming a sister!" - Honoka giggles

"HUH?! Im gonna be a sister? This… this is..." -Yukiko always wanted a sister, and if the man has a daughter already then he cant be a bad man, can he?

"Great isnt it?" -Honoka says

"They will move in a week. So we have to prepare the guest room for your new sister. I already have some things up there thats hers. So i tought we could set up her room." -Honoka continues to eat with her daughter

"Yes mom… thats a great idea"

___

Next day arrives, its Saturday. Honoka and Yukiko are preparing the guest room. They just finished setting up the bed.

"Ugh im popped…" -Yukiko sits down at the beds side, while Honoka drinks some water standing beside her

"Yes dear. This was a little hard. But we managed it didnt we?" -Honoka gives some water to her daughter

"Thanks mom… and yeah it was a little hard. But im so happy. I really wanted to have a sister for a long time…" -Yukiko says as she looks up at her mother

"Having a sister will definitely be really good. You two will have a lot of fun. Just hanging out. Gossipping about boys" -Honoka giggles

"M-mom…" -Yukiko blushes and looks away

"Its okay sweetie. A little gossipping is okay right?" - Honoka shakes her head and sits down beside Yukiko

"Yeah i guess. But by the way... How did you meet your boyfriend?" -Yukiko looks at her mother and asks curiously.

"Oh sweetie, its not a big of a deal. I was just shopping and the bags were heavy. And then he came to me to help, and we started to talk. Its really nothing. But see? This is how easily relationships can form. Finding love will happen without you knowing it. You dont have to chase it." -she says while patting her daughters back

"Yeah, i guess youre right mom." -Yukiko smiles

"Now then lets get go down young lady. Now its your time to cook the dinner" -Honoka stands up

"Ugh… fine mom"

___

A week passes, today is the day, Yukiko will meet her mothers boyfriend and his daughter. Also they will move right in. They sitting on the couch and watching a movie, Yukiko is excited, she can hardly control herself.

"You seem really excited honey" -Honoka says this while looking at her daugter and then she stands up as her phone rings

"Yes… i am excited. Is your boyfriend calling? Are they here?" -as she stands up.

"Yes honey they are here, ill let them in. Oh i forgot to set the table. Could you do that while i let them in?" -she says while heading to the front door

"Yes mom!" -Yukiko says and heads to the kitchen.

'Ugh stupid table… im on the edge here and she sends me to set the table…' -as Yukiko finishes, she heads to the front door.

Before she walks in the hall, she hears her mother talking with a man, and a familiar girls voice.

'Wait a second... isnt this?'- she thinks to herself, and she steps in to the hall to look at them. Her heart drops.

"Oh, hey Yukiko" -she giggles with a smug grin on her face

"Ah there you are sweetie, this is my boyfriend Sukeshi. And wait? You two know eachother?" -Honoka tilts her head a little while she asks

"Yeah i guess we know eachother. We are classmates arent we?" -Manami says

"M-Manami..." -Yukiko says while shes frozen. But she shakes her head, she knows this is important for her mother and puts on an expression like shes happy for Manami.

"Y-yeah, im Manamis classmate… We are… friends…" -Yukiko says stammering

"Oh friends?" -Manami asks while crossing her arms, still grinning

"Yes… friends…" -Yukiko looks down on the floor

Suddenly Manamis father Sukeshi steps forward and offers his hand to Yukiko with a smile.

"Glad to meet you Yukiko! Your mother told me so much about you. Shes one proud mother for sure. I hope we will get along" -Sukeshi says and they shake hands

"Y-yes… we will" - Yukiko forces a smile

____

Later that night they all sit down to eat dinner. Yukiko is feeling uneasy all the time. She knows that Manami just got in her life, and she cant get rid of her.

'Why… why did mom pick this guy… this… this is a disaster… but i need to do this for her…' -Yukiko thinks while looking at her mother and Sukeshi talking.

Suddenly she feels that someone kicks her leg. She looks forward, it was Manami, who else? She sees Manami just looking at her. One tought runs trough her mind. When will this night end?

___

Finally its night time, everybody is in her own bedroom. Yukiko is in her bed, pressing her face into her pillow. She wants to scream, but that pillow wouldnt be enough to silence her scream. Suddenly she hears her bedroom door opening.

"Oh are you in here sis?" -Manami says while giggling,she steps in and sits on the bed beside Yukiko who sits up instantly, not wanting to be vulnureable to Manami.

"W-what do you want?" -she gulps and keeps looking at Manami

"Oh cant i just check on my sister huh?" -Manami says and grabs Yukikos hair and pulls her towards herself

"Listen here bitch. The reason im here beacuse i want you to shut up about us being sisters. Got it? If i hear from someone in school that were sisters then ill beat you up for sure" -Manami says while looking at Yukiko mad, still holding Yukiko by her hair

"Y-yes… yes i got it…" -Yukiko is fighting back her tears, thinking about the situation. How crazy is this?

"Good" -Manami lets her go and walks out from her room.

Yukiko pulls the blanket on herself as she lays back on the bed, and stares at the ceiling.

'Why does she hate me? What did i ever do to her? This makes no sense… This is absurd... Altough i guess i feel like i pity her a little… somethings definitely going on in her life.' -Yukiko thinks to herself while drifting to sleep.

___

Next day Yukiko wakes up. She gets out of bed and heads downstairs and sees her new step father and her mother eating breakfast.

“Morning…” -Yukiko yawns as she sits beside her mother

“Oh good morning honey. Did you sleep well?” -as she places food on her daughters plate.

“Yeah i think. I did” -Yukiko looks around and asks

“Um… where is Manami?” -scratching her head with a fake smile

“Oh she-" -Honoka tries to speak

"She went out with her friends" -Sukeshi says, looking at Yukiko

“Ah… got it” -Yukiko looks forward and starts to eat, her eyes slowly drifting to Sukeshi

‘Damn...hes acting a little strange. Also i cant believe im eating breakfast with him. This feels surreal’ -thinks to herself as she clenches her fist under the table

“Tell me Yukiko… does my daughter cause any problem to you?” -Sukeshi looks at Yukiko as he leans back in the chair

“Manami? Problems? Um no… Why do you ask?” -Yukiko asks with an awkward giggle

“Oh, well you just didnt seem that happy yesterday when you saw Manami. But i guess there are no problems then” -Grins and continues to eat

“Y-yeah” -Yukiko gulps

‘I dont know… i have a bad feelings about this whole thing.’ -as she takes a sip from her drink

___

Monday arrives, Manami and Yukiko leave the house and they head towards school.

“What is it Yukiko? You seem kinda tense. Or should i call you” -Manami leans closer and whispers “sis?”

“E-eh?! Didnt you said to me that i shouldnt call you sis outside?” -Yukiko stops and looks at her

“Shut up loser. I was only whispering. Nobody could hear that” - Manami steps closer and grabs Yukikos arm “Also i do what i want got it? You cant say it outside, but i can” -her grip tightens

“Y-yeah… got it” -Yukiko takes a small step back, looking scared

“Thats what i tought” -Manami releases Yukikos arm, turns around and continues to walk

‘So i guess she can do whatever she wants.’ -She feels like shes on the bottom of the ocean, choking. She clenches her fists and grits her teeth, and continues to walk behind Manami.

‘What is… that youre really after Manami? Whats your problem? Why do i have to deal with this?’ -Yukiko sighs

___

Days pass, Yukiko is in class, sitting at her desk. Shes looking out the window as shes thinking.

‘This makes no sense, im coming to school every single day to get bullied by them. And when i get home then Manami is waiting for me. Where could i run? ’

“So everybody, today your math teacher got sick. So i have to ask everybody to go home now. The schools over for the day. Oh and also dont forget to do the homework!” -the teacher puts her book in her bag and looks at the students

‘Ah great. I hate math anyway…’ -Yukiko gets up and heads home

___

“Ah this sounds too good to be true” -Manami stretches her arms and stands up

“Oh dont even start Manami” -as her friend puts away her book

“Girls, you wanna hang out today then? We have a lot of time dont we?” -her other friend smiles

“Mmm i dont know, im kinda tired and all…” -Manami scratches her head

“Oh dont be like that” -her friend giggles

“Ah fuck, okay but just for a little.” -Manami looks annoyed

___

Yukiko arrives home, she sees that her mother isnt home. But… somethings off.

Yukiko suddenly hears some movement on the first floor.

‘What the fuck… am i halucinating? Nobody should be home now’ -she takes off her shoes slowly and heads to the kitchen to grab a knife. Then she proceeds to slowly go upstairs, the tension in the air is palpable. Her legs are trembling.

As she slowly approaches her mothers and step fathers bedroom, she hears movement inside. So she slowly opens the door and she sees her step father looking right at her.

“O-oh hey Yukiko! Youre home early. Also… what is that knife in your hand?” -Sukeshi raises his eyebrow and stands infront of her awkwardly

“I-i tought somebody broke in our house… beacuse nobody should be home now… thats why i took a knife with me from the kitchen.” -she lowers the knife

“Oh good thinking there Yukiko, if somebody broken in th-“ -suddenly as he moves a gun falls out from his suits pocket.

“H-huh?! Is that…” -Yukiko turns her head slowly towards her step father

“Ugh fuck. Well i guess i fucked up” -Sukeshi shakes his head

“Ugh… what are you-“ -Sukeshi slaps Yukiko and then grabs her hair and starts pulls her in the room

“L-let me go! What are you doing?!” -she tries to break free, but she gets slammed against the wall and she collapses. Her back is against the wall, as shes looking up at Sukeshi.

“Listen here brat, youve just put me in a really bad situation you know?" -Sukeshi crosses his arms

“I-i dont understand…” -Yukiko says as she feels the pain in her body.

“And thats exactly how it should be. You wont understand or know more than this” -Sukeshi says

“Now i just have to find out what im going to do with you. Beacuse i cant let you go.” -Sukeshi scratches his head

“W-what?! Youre gonna kill me?” -Yukiko looks shocked and is on the edge of crying

“Well yes you idiot. I cant risk you telling anybody what you saw. The only question now is how. Beacuse i cant just kill you. Youre a part of something.” -Sukeshi grits his teeth, hes clearly annoyed

“Im a part of something?! W-what do you mean by-“ -she stops talking as she sees Manami standing at the door, looking at them shocked.

“M-manami?” -Yukiko stammers, but shes not sure what Manami will do. Maybe shes in this… who knows...

“Oh Manami… you came home early too huh?” -as Sukeshi turns around

“What… what is… WHAT ARE YOU DOING FATHER?!” -she clenches her fists and grits her teeth. Her eyes are wide, the anger on her face is mixed with hurt.

“She saw something that she shouldnt have. So shut your fucking mouth or ill beat you up again. Go to your room NOW!” -Sukeshi tilts his head, his stare is menacing.

“Where? My room?”- Manami just stands there for a second, looking down on the ground, she sees the gun. And then she looks up.

Suddenly one memory comes right back up from her childhood.

/Manamis gets kicked in the stomach and she collapes

“Owww… Father…” -she almost starts to cry

“GET THE FUCK UP AND DONT YOU DARE TO CRY” -he slaps her

“Y-yes father!” -Manami gets up, with tears in her eyes. Her bruised body is showing that she gets beaten regulalry.

“Listen here you shithead. Im so done with you being lazy about your training! Do the fighting stance that youve been taught!” -he snarls at her

Manami quickly does a what her father told her. She puts her fist infront of her face.

"Wrong! Youre putting your fist too high!" -he punches her in the face and she falls to the gound, going limp and unconcious/

“YOU CANT DO THIS, DO YOU HEAR ME?” -she says with an outburst.

“I wont let you hurt her. You cant take away her from me!” -Manami rushes towards her father and and evades his fathers punch as she leans to her right side, and with that she brings in a hit with her right fist.

“Owww, you fucking idiot!” -Sukeshi tries to grab Manami after he stumbles, but Manami grabs both of his arms, and pushes them back, then bringing in a left and a right punch to his stomach, then stepping back to get some distance.

“You made this! You are making me do this!” - Manami takes his fists up to her face, to prepare for his punches. While her eyes are wide and shes gritting her teeth.

Yukiko just sits there, watching this unfold, while tears stream down her face. She cant really think of anything in this situation. She just simply doesnt understands whats happening.

“Manami stop! Do you want me to punish you again? Also why the fuck are you protecting Yukiko?! Youre suffering beacuse of her!” -as stumbles forward and grabs the knife from the floor that Yukiko dropped

“Shut the fuck up!” -Manami pushes him against the wall with a fierce look in her eyes and Sukeshi puts the knife infront of himself, as protection.

As Yukiko is sitting there and sees this whole thing unfold, she sees a hopeless girl, breaking her chains. And not just breaking them, using them as a weapon. Yukiko suddenly thinks of one specific question.

‘Who is Manami?’

And with this question Manami grabs her fathers hand, and takes the knife away, evading his other hand and slamming his head back into the wall. But before she could stab him, Sukeshi grabs her hand with the knife.

“You think you can run away? You will always be a monster. I made you this way.“ -Sukeshi says “You cant run away from yourself Manami” -says with fear

“So you say im a monster? Maybe i am. BUT I CAN DECIDE WHAT KIND OF MONSTER I AM” -she breaks free from his grip and slits her fathers throat, then stepping back and pushing him down. Shes just standing beside him, watching him as the light goes out from his eyes. Shes... free? What does free mean? Her eyes are wide and the anger from her face slowly disappers as she stops gritting her teeth and she collapses on her knees.

Yukiko is looking at Manami in disbelief 'what... did just happen?' -as she thinks that this is a nightmare and she wants to wake up. But what does she gets instead of waking up? She starts to puke on the carpet.

"Ugh..." -as she keeps looking down at her puke, her eyes wide open, her hands trembling in fear.

Suddenly Manami starts laughing on her knees, but not just laughing. Shes also crying.

Yukiko looks at Manami, she never saw something like this. Never could imagine something like this. And as Manami stops, she looks at Yukiko, who looks at her anxious.

"Enough of this..." -as Manami gets up, grabs his fathers pistol and puts it in her pocket. Then she heads towards Yukiko whos trembling in fear.

"Listen here idiot" -she shakes Yukiko a little "Youre shocked and all, i know. So im not gonna argue with you now. Youre coming with me." -she says as she help Yukiko up

"Coming... where?" -as she keeps looking down at the ground, her mind disconnected from reality.

"I said im not gonna argue with you" -Manami grabs hold of Yukikos hand and pulls her around the house with herself. Yukiko sees Manami pack up food and clothes for them.

'What... why did she kill her father? Why did her father try to kill me? Where is she taking me? Is this real? Where is mom?' -she thinks while Manami takes her outside.

Manami shakes Yukiko a little again. But she sees that Yukiko is still shocked. So she just leaves it at that. She holds her hand. And starts to walk away with her.

With this, they start their roadtrip to… somewhere safe for now. Yukiko still doesnt knows what is this all about, not understanding Manamis actions. But she just cant seem to respond much to the outside world. Manami looks back at Yukiko, behind her crazy and tough exterior... we can see that shes concerned...

'Do i have the rights to take her with me? What the fuck am i even doing? I hate her... Im pathetic.' Manami thinks as she grits her teeth and exhales, trying to calm down. Its hard to understand yourself.

One things for sure. They have to rely on eachother.

___

Later that day, a detective is sitting on his chair in his office. His legs are up on the desk and hes smoking a cigar. Trying to blow circles. The door opens and a police officer walks in.

"Good evening detective Yuuji, youve got a new case! Also why are you sitting in the room with sunglasses on again?" -he raises his eyebrow as he puts down the file on the desk

"Oh Kaito..."-he takes a big puff from his cigar and puts down his legs "Am i not cool?" -Yuuji laughs and takes off his sunglasses and puts it down on the table. "So whats the case for now?"-Yuuji grabs the file and takes a look.

"Well you see, there was a murder. And it wasnt just anybody. It was the Narita Family's leader who got murdered. Sukeshi Narita. Also weve got a picture from his family of him and his daughter. Its crazy that their identity was hidden this much." -he points at the picture of Sukeshi and his daughter

"And this isnt even the most brutal part. The family is accusing his daughter, while the daughter went missing with Sukeshis future step daughter. Coincidence huh? And they pulled us out, to find her." -Kaito says as he crosses his arms

"Hold up a second there Kaito. So youre telling me that we are gonna help this shithole family? Also, he had a daughter?" -he looks up at Kaito

"Well given by the informations he had. And you know how it is Yuuji.. we have to do this. But i have to go now. You have to help us find the girls. Especially the daughter, Manami Narita." -with that, Kaito leaves and closes the door

Yuuji leans back in his seat and takes a big puff from his cigar.

"Money rules the world doesnt it? And the Narita Family got it all"-he takes a big sigh