Can I Call You Kari

[8 years ago]

"Yuzu, Ichigo, meet your new sibling, Kari."

Ichigo, Yuzu's little sister, made a noise and burrowed her face deeper into their mother's dress. Yuzu stared across the room, analyzing the man who would become their new dad.

"Kari's a bit shy," the man said, laughing. He glanced down and behind him, tugging a kid out into the open. "Why don't you greet them, Kari?"

Before Yuzu could get a good look at Kari's face, Kari bowed. "Nice to meet you," Kari said. Kari straightened, but did not look up.

"Nice to meet you," Yuzu repeated, confused at Kari's strange behavior.

"Go on, say hi back," their mother whispered down to Ichigo. Ichigo squirmed and shook her head. Nervously laughing, their mother looked at the man. "Why don't we give the children a few minutes to themselves, honey?"

"Ah, sure thing!" He responded back cheerily. He turned back to Kari, opened his mouth, closed it, and then patted Kari on the head.

After Ichigo had stopped crying and had latched onto Yuzu's pants, the parents left the room. Yuzu and Ichigo both stared at Kari. Finally, to break the silence, Yuzu asked, "How old are you?"

Kari must really be shy, he thought when there was no answer to his question. "I'm eight years old," he ventured. "And Ichigo is three years—"

Ichigo tugged hard on his shirt, interrupting his sentence. He looked down, wondering if she was still scared. She wasn't looking up at him, however. "Yuzu, look!" she cried, pointing across the room towards Kari.

He lifted his head and his eyes widened.

Kari was looking at them dead on, tears streaking down both cheeks. Shocked, Yuzu didn't notice until too late as Ichigo slipped out of his arms and walked towards Kari.

"Don't cry," Ichigo soothed as she reached out with both arms. A shiver ran down Yuzu's spine when Kari's eyes rested down on Ichigo.

"Don't touch me, or I'll hurt you," Kari hissed.

Seeing his younger sister's shoulders jerk in fear, rage took over his immobilization, and Yuzu stormed across the room and punched Kari.

"Don't you ever threaten her again!" he snarled.

Kari wiped away blood and tears with a hand and stared at it. Then Kari straightened, and only then Yuzu realized Kari stood a few inches taller than him. "We will never be family," Kari said, licking the bloody hand. "If you don't want me to threaten her again, both of you stay out of my way."

Kari walked out of the room, and Ichigo ran to Yuzu.

He had never felt so much hate boiling his blood before.