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“We learned that Hinomori Shizuku quit all activities and her agency today.”
Shiho heard it from the distorted sound of the television. As any other news was announced with no order of importance, from someone who had no idea of how a single sentence made her freeze in the middle of her empty house.
Not from Shizuku.
Shiho wished she could say it wasn’t a surprise, for her sister to not say anything at all. Shizuku wore more pain on her face after a day at work than words left her mouth to talk about anything related to it. Of course that she wouldn’t tell her, not that many words escaped Shiho as well.
But the sinking in her chest dragged the weak grab of rationality her mind could get a hold of to pull it next to the pain growing in her chest.
Shizuku.
She wanted to see her sister.
She wanted her sister home.
Their home.
Shiho rushed out of it.
She tried to call Shizuku several times, while going through the streets around her house, half running. All of them went to the voicemail that Shiho didn't have the patience to listen to, not bothering to leave a voice message. She wasn't even certain if Shizuku would be able to check them if she left any.
Shizuku should be on her way home right ? If she didn’t have her job anymore.
Shiho didn’t know where to head, where to lead. Shizuku didn’t tell her.
She stopped, out of breath, holding herself up from her throbbing knees, her frantic searching made her grit her teeth when her ragged breath escaped her.
In the fuzzy brain of running for so long it made her wonder. Wasn't she doing too much? Her sister is old enough to go somewhere on her own, no matter how bad her sense of directions was.
She didn’t tell Shiho about quitting. She didn’t say anything at all. Would her sister even want her to be going through the streets this way, just because of a tantrum at her big age ?
The park. She needed to check at the park. Check or calm herself there, she wasn’t sure anymore.
When the sight of long blue hair sitting on one of the swings crossed her view, a sudden weight got out from her shoulders, each step lighter to go reach Shizuku.
"Onee-chan…"
Shizuku didn't turn around, not fully, but enough for Shiho to see. Tears in her eyes. Shiho stopped in her tracks and Shizuku went back to staring straight ahead.
"Ah, Shii-chan…"
It was rare for Shiho to pay such close attention to her sister to properly hear her. Her voice usually carried that typical gentle power that was so Shizuku-like. Shiho froze, every movement feeling unfamiliar, even taking a simple step forward.
"Do you remember this park, Shii-chan ?" Yet somehow, her sister found a way to lead the conversation, each word a bit clearer than the one before.
"Of course."
She has been thinking about this park too much for her own liking recently but the surprising coming back of Saki would do that. For the first time in so, so, long she talked to all three of them, no matter how uncomfortable it was. She wanted to step on the tinge of hope and happiness that grew in her chest at the thought, she couldn’t let herself imagine going back to what it was.
Shizuku finally turned around, and of course, Shiho noticed the red puffy eyes of her sister.
"Ah, sorry Shii-chan…" Shizuku somehow managed a worried look despite being the one of the two needing the most comfort. Yet Shiho found herself stuck. Each step, each word sitting so heavily in her mind because…
She won't tell her.
"I didn't want to stir memories." Shizuku continued slowly swinging herself, the clinking of the chains running through the park.
"You didn't." Shiho replied, which was true. Shizuku had nothing to do with her own situation at hand with her past friends. If anything Shizuku seemed to navigate the situation of her sister way better than she could.
“Sit with me ?” Shizuku asked, looking at the swing next to her. And finally Shiho was able to move properly to answer her sister’s wish.
The quiet creaks of the slow movement of the swings matched Shiho’s breaths, still heavy from so much running. She tried to match Shizuku’s rhythm, like she would match music with her own bass, but her sister’s mind was clearly wandering in a place Shiho couldn’t reach. How did Shizuku cross that gap so easily just a few minutes ago, when Shiho’s words failed her just as much as Shizuku’s restrained hers.
“There aren't many stars tonight…” Shizuku said, her head looking up straight, despite it all.
“There aren’t many those days.” Shiho affirmed, looking up as well.
The sky stood as empty as the words she wished to hear.