Three

There really was nothing more that he could do. When he left her standing there- lost, scared and unbelieving- and when he saw the look on her face, he did not feel like leaving her side. However, he was nothing more than a stranger to her. He could not have done anything to comfort her despite knowing her better than anyone else. He knew exactly what might have helped her deal with this in a much less painful way but he also knew that, as they were just then, he was powerless. What was the point of everything that he could do if he couldn't even comfort her when she needed someone's warmth and kindness?

"Kou-chan, is it okay to go out now?" The four-year-old asked, looking up at him from the toys that she was playing with on the bedroom floor.

Terasaki Kousuke sighed and nodded. He himself was growing worried. There was no movement outside.

Chiyo climbed to her feet and left the room. Kousuke put down the book left by his ancestors that he was reading and massaged his temple. The truth was always ugly.

"Kou-chan. Kou-chan." Chiyo came running back into the room. "Akane-chan's sleeping." She pointed back towards the hall. Kousuke considered what to do and then stood up. Chiyo followed him when he went to the living hall. Just as he was told, she was fast asleep, curled up, hugging herself under the window which was open. How many times had he watched her cry herself to sleep already? She was always full of dreams and hopes and always looking forward to the coming day. Whenever something did happen, however, she would hold it all in till she was alone and then let go. She was very sensitive and yet she pretended to be strong. He was very well aware of how she had often witnessed the horrors of the day repeating itself in her mind. He had long since devoted his life to keeping her safe. However, even he couldn't protect her from the cruel fate she had. He had not wanted to take her life away from her but there was no way he could've continued to protect her from a distance.

Crouching beside her, he slowly ran a thumb over her tear-stained cheek. He had never seen her look so miserable before.

"Will Akane-chan be okay, Kou-chan?" Chiyo asked, looking at her over his shoulder.

"I hope so." He said meekly and picked her up in his arms rather effortlessly. He thought back to the time when he had carried the broken body of the five-year-old all those years ago.

She had grown into quite the young woman.

He carried her into the bedroom and lay her down on the bed before sitting beside her. He placed a palm on her head and said softly. "I'm sorry."

This was probably her worst birthday.

"Kou-chan?" Chiyo watched him in surprise. He was always kind even though he never really showed his emotions much. Ever since Pia was brought in though, anger, annoyance, grief and affection had fleetingly graced his sharp features. Only Chiyo had ever seen his kind smile before. That was because she was his responsibility and they had only each other. Chiyo was his family- the person he relaxed around.

Kousuke was suddenly different.

"Chiyo." He looked at her with a wry smile. "Would you mind sleeping on the sofa with me?"

There was a dull throb at my neck when I opened my eyes. The curtains were drawn and hardly any light seeped into the room. I was sleeping on the bed. I had no idea how I had gotten there though. I was at the window and then... Terasaki-san might have brought me here.

The clock on the wall revealed that it was early in the morning. Too early. However, I couldn't just go back to sleep either so I sat up and lightly massaged my neck. That's when my eyes fell on the sofa. There was enough space for only one person there and yet, Terasaki-san was sleeping with Chiyo on top of him. He had an arm around her to keep her from falling off. Initially, I had thought that it might have been incredibly uncomfortable for the both of them but on closer inspection after getting off the bed, I saw just how peaceful they looked. They were definitely very important to each other. I couldn't really tell what their relationship was but given how they lived together and how close they were, I gathered that they had only each other. They had similar eyes too. In many ways, especially with such peaceful expressions on their faces, they did resemble each other a bit. Could it be that... they were father and daughter? But Chiyo called him 'Kou-chan'. Then... who were they to each other?

I sighed and stepped away. Terasaki-san really did take care of people- be that Chiyo or me. Given my current situation, I guess I really had no choice but to trust him. If that was the case, then I needed to do my part as well.

I brought over a blanket and laid it over the two of them. It was true that Terasaki-san had abducted me and taken my life away from me but a man who looked after a four-year-old the way that Terasaki-san did could not possibly be too bad a person, right? He had been extremely considerate in treating me as well. I was probably being naïve but I really had nothing else to go on. How he had managed to remain young was beyond me but I had no doubt in my mind that he was the same man who had saved me that time.

After what happened the previous day, I didn't really have it in me to suspect him anymore. It was difficult for me to forgive him but I realised that that was because I simply couldn't accept what was going on. He had always been watching me, hadn't he? Maybe he really did not have a choice but to do what he did. While I was heartbroken at having lost my family and Shibata-kun to this madness, I could not bring myself to blame it on him anymore. I wasn't entirely sure about what to do here on out but for now, I decided to stay with them and think this through properly.

I made my way to the kitchen. I had not eaten anything in over a day and I was feeling hungry. Since Terasaki-san was living with a kid, I had hoped that there would be something in the kitchen that I could make use of. I found coffee powder on one of the shelves. It looked unused. On checking, I found that it had not expired yet. There was very little sugar left too. The fridge was largely empty. There was half a bottle of juice and two cans of beer. No milk. I couldn't help but wonder how exactly they were living. At that point, anything could be true really. Did they not need to eat to survive? I wasn't like that though. I needed food. But which place would be open at four in the morning? Then again, I did not have any money either. Coffee was the best option I had just then.

Thankfully, the gas was working. I began making myself a cup of black coffee, excusing myself for using the kitchen without permission. While watching the water boil, I took deep breaths and let my mind go blank. I needed to concentrate on the coffee. No other thoughts. Just the coffee.

"What are you doing?" A voice said from behind me, snapping me out of my self-induced coffee-trance. I turned to see Terasaki-san entering the kitchen carrying Chiyo who was still asleep.

"Oh. I-I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" I was a little flustered.

"I'm not a heavy sleeper." He replied. "But what are you doing? It's four in the morning."

"I'm borrowing your kitchen. Sorry. I'm making a cup of coffee for myself." I said, checking on the water in between. "Um, would you like a cup too?"

He stared at me as if in contemplation, then sighed. "No one has used the kitchen in quite a while. The coffee powder is also pretty old."

"It hasn't expired yet. I checked." I reported.

He nodded. "I don't mind a cup." He turned and went back into the bedroom. After laying Chiyo down on the bed, he came back out to the kitchen and stood to the side. Since the water hadn't boiled yet anyway, I had added one more cup of water. He didn't say anything- just watched. I couldn't take the silence any longer though, so I spoke.

"Uh, Terasaki-san?"

"Yes?" He asked.

"I was wondering what you usually do for food."

"Are you hungry?"

"Well, I haven't eaten in over a day so..." I said softly. "Aren't... you hungry?"

"I guess I am." He said. "Chiyo too. She told me last night. I bought some snacks for her while you were asleep but it was hardly a meal."

"I... saw that you don't stock up so... how do you eat?"

"We order out."

"Every day?"

"An acquaintance comes by with food once in a while."

"You... don't cook." An acquaintance?

"No." He replied. "We'll get breakfast as soon as some shop opens. I'm sorry that we weren't prepared in advance."

"I..." I didn't really know if it was my place to offer but I did anyway. "I could cook if I could get the ingredients." I waited but he didn't respond. I turned and met his eyes. The way he looked at me made me recoil. "I-If that's okay..."

"I know that you cook well. Right now, though, you have other things to deal with."

I was taken aback by that. "Y-You know I cook well?"

"I've been watching out for you all along. I've seen how your parents enjoy your occasional cooking."

"Th-That's... uh..." I blinked. I couldn't tell if I should be thankful or creeped out by that.

"I apologise if that is strange for you but I am merely doing my duty."

"O...kay." I nodded. Be thankful, Akane. He saved your life. "But I really don't mind cooking. It's... like a stress-buster." I smiled as I poured out our coffee. "I like to cook so I would be happy to cook for you and Chiyo. She's still a child and I think it's- I mean, eating out so regularly can't possibly be healthy." I was trying to act like I was okay but I really couldn't stop myself from fumbling for words. No matter what our situations, he was still a stranger to me. Everything about where I stood was strange and unfamiliar to me.

"Chiyo doesn't like onions." He said. "She'll eat it if you disguise it well enough though."

"Huh?" I looked back at him to see him smiling ever-so-lightly.

"I'm not picky with food."

"So... I can cook..." I... Really? I couldn't really tell why I was so surprised though.

"If that's what you want to do." He nodded. "I'll buy you whatever you need. We'll go out as soon as some shop opens up."

Terasaki-san... "T-Thank you." I picked up the two cups of coffee and held one out to him. "F-For everything."

"I owe you an apology." He said, bowing instead of taking the cup of coffee from me. "I took away your life from you. And... I didn't keep food prepared for you when you woke up."

I stared at him even as he straightened up and took the cup of black coffee from me. This really wasn't the kind of conversation I could figure out what to say or do in.

Terasaki-san went to sit down at the low table in the space provided for the dining area. He set his cup down and looked at me. "Sit down."

"A-Ah." I went over and sat on the opposite side of the table from him. Slowly and silently, we drank our coffee. I had many things that I could not understand and many more things that I wanted to ask but I couldn't tell if it was the right time to ask. However, the complete lack of interaction otherwise was making me feel a little awkward. It was okay to ask about Chiyo, right? "Um, how old is Chiyo?"

"She'll be five in a couple of months. I call her Chiyo but her real name is Terasaki Chizuru." He replied.

"Terasaki Chizuru." I repeated. Terasaki? "And she's your...?"

"Chiyo's my niece." He said, looking up at me from his coffee. "My brother passed away a little after her birth and the wife took off soon after."

"So, you've been looking after her since?" I felt a pang in my chest. I could not tell that that sweet child had been abandoned and had already been through so much. Terasaki-san too... His brother died and now he's bringing up his niece all on his own. They've had it tough too, huh?

"She had no one else." He said. "I didn't either."

"I'm sorry... for bringing that up." I said softly. I just couldn't have thought of any other topic to bring up, huh? I couldn't even let the man drink his coffee in peace this early in the morning.

"It's not a problem. It's been four years now." He said. "I don't mind you asking me anything. I owe you answers."

If you look at it that way then... "H-How long have you been living here, Terasaki-san?"

"The past twenty years."

My age... He really did dedicate his life to protecting me, didn't he? "This is all still very overwhelming for me but... I guess I owe you a lot." I looked down at my lap.

"You owe me nothing." He shook his head. "You're already going to cook for us. That is already a lot more than we could've asked for."

"Terasaki-san." I spoke clearly. He needed to understand this. "I have lost everything I ever knew and everyone I ever loved. You and Chiyo are all I have to believe in and, while all this is still new to me and scary, I do live here now. I want to try and face this whole-heartedly. Given that, I want to face you two as well. I'm doing this because, right now, you're all I really have." I said it. I didn't fully know if I could trust them yet but my instincts were telling me to. I was always bad at doubting people from the very start too. I couldn't and I really didn't want to doubt them.

"The coffee was really good." He said and smiled, again, ever-so-lightly. "It feels good to have coffee as soon as I wake up and without having to make it myself or stepping out to buy it."

Was that... him saying thank you?

I smiled. "You're welcome."