41 Silent Days, Lonely Nights

Ara inwardly flinched. This conversation was getting heavy for her taste. She didn't mean for it to be so dramatic, but some things were better said out in the open.

It was difficult, most especially since she's not used to expressing herself to the people she cared about even back in Ritz. But after the greatest misunderstanding that caused her to lose her life, she couldn't help but think that maybe, if she had the courage to talk to Alistair, things might have ended differently.

It was a small, nagging feeling – her bitter regret before dying in the cold, hard floor of the cavern.

With Aki, she was given a chance to have a proper talk with her only sibling. She couldn't help but be overwhelmed with nostalgia. But she had to keep it at bay at the moment.

For now, she would try her best to make sure Suzuki Ara's life was not sacrificed for naught. She was almost there – almost winning the battle. But because of Aki's intervention, her plans were almost ruined.

"It was me. I nearly killed myself…"

Her soft voice rang in the room which was enveloped with silence as shock crossed Aki's face.

"It was that time when our parents died. Then you focused on work."

She closed her eyes for a moment, as she pulled strings of memories that the original Ara gave her: their parents' sudden death, the custody battle between her brother and the Suzukis, then not seeing her brother anymore, coming home in an empty house save for the servants, eating alone – the silent days, the lonely nights were endless.

"I understood why you had to take over and be busy. It was because you didn't want to hand me over to our relatives. You wanted to show them you can take care of me."

Ara couldn't understand why, but it seemed that her original's memory had burrowed so deep into her that her heart resonated with them, making her feel waves of melancholy, and her eyes grew hot with tears.

"I understood. But I was lonely. And when I see you so tired, I blamed myself. I was thinking if I weren't there you wouldn't have to try so hard. If I were only more useful, I could've done something to help and then spend more time with you."

Aki seemed to have snapped out of his shock. His handsome face that was almost always smiling now contorted in grief. He seemed to have already realized this himself, and now his guilt and self-derision all came out on the surface making his body tremble.

"I'm sorry, brother. I know that was immature and weak of me. But at that time, I was just too sad it was hard to even breathe," Ara continued, remembering the days and nights of emptiness.

Her parents had enrolled her into a semi-private school where she didn't know anyone. Because she came from a really exclusive school, everyone seemed to be from a different planet than her. She couldn't get along with her new classmates. She didn't have friends. She didn't have anyone. When she came home it was always just her and the servants.

Her life was a monotonous, painful existence. It came to a point where she was just too tired and in pain. She was standing by the rooftop railing, contemplating how it would feel to jump off and fly.

"But someone stopped me," Ara said as she focused her gaze on her brother's already tear-stained face.

With great speed, Aki stood from his seat, went around his table and pulled his sister in a tight embrace.

"You – don't ever do that again! Don't ever do that again," he sobbed.

Ara knew that her brother felt fear so great in his heart. He nearly lost his sister not once but twice. So, she let him hold onto her until he calmed down.

"You – don't ever do that again! Don't ever do that again. I'll change. I'll always find time. You are more important than anything," Aki told her again as he let her go, a look of utter defeat on his tear-stained face.

Ara nodded. "I will not be that silly anymore," she assured him as she too wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Was it her? The person who saved you that time?" Aki asked, and Ara nodded.

"That person, regardless of her real motive saved me that time brother. If it weren't for her, I'd have been dead a long time ago…"

Suzuki Aki's breath hitched. "But it doesn't excuse her crime Ara. She tried to kill you and that other girl."

"I know."

"Then why are you upset with what's happening to them?" Aki really looked confused, and it was understandable.

"A life for a life. She saved me, but I paid that debt in full and more when she tried to kill me. This time, I don't have to be considerate of her. But I want to have my vengeance in my own terms."

Aki could only see the surface, the act of taking revenge itself and the immediate results. But, he couldn't see the underlying repercussions.

For instance…

"Because even if you harmed them financially, Koharu and her family would still be pitiful victims in people's eyes, and us the antagonists of her fairytale," she said.

"It's not the payback I want brother. I deserve to have a real one – one where everyone will see what's underneath that heroine's façade. Besides, I don't really want her family to get involved except for that policeman uncle. He deserved to be sacked…"

"Brother, sorry to tell you this, but I don't approve of you getting Koharu's parents fired. Those two had no idea how insane their daughter is. She's the perfect eldest daughter at home."

Okada Koharu was adopted, and so, she was always on her best behavior in front of her parents, something that Aki knew as well. It was why he was fooled by her.

"If they have no work, they can't support their other child and pay his medical bills."

Another reason why Ara was upset they lost their jobs was because the Okadas had a younger son who had a heart condition. Without money to maintain his health regimen, the child would die.

Aki then seemed to realize that fact just now. "Then… should I make it stop?"

Ara shook her head. "It's too late – and it would look suspicious."

Silence hung between them for a while. Then an idea came up.

"How about I go and arrange a job or a small business for the Okada couple? Then I'll put the young boy under our charities and pay for his medical bills," Aki suggested after a while, and Ara's face brightened.

"That way the rumors will die," Ara clapped her hands. "Big bro, you're so cool," she said and the two of them laughed.

Aki stared at her tear-stained face. "Wipe your mug. It's so ugly with tears," he teased.

"Your mug is uglier. You even have snot on your cheeks – yuck!" Ara countered, and they both had silly smiles on their faces.

"I will inform the Koutaishidenka about this. Do you mind?" Aki suddenly asked, and when she looked puzzled, he explained.

"What? The one who did all those is Kou?" Ara was surprised… But if her fiancé knew about the incident then it was expected he struck. Still…

Ara sighed and gave her brother an unhappy look. "Why did you accept all my scolding if it wasn't you big bro?"

"You didn't ask. You just scolded me immediately," Aki reminded her so she had nothing to rebut that with.

"Then please tell Kou about that."