Ayame

*Ayame*

I don�t know what�s going on. I have the number seven burned into my back. I�m going to die next year. No one else notices it. Well, there is one boy.

Tsukiyono Omi. He�s such a nice guy. He is like a brother to me. He is my brother. Okay, I already have an older brother. *Shutter*

I don�t really want to talk about him. But, I have to. So, here I go. My real brother�s name is Ozawa Taro. We own a pawn shop. Actually, it was out parents�, but they died when I was smaller. Now, it�s just him and me. Not so good�

Taro� well� he�s a guy. He is hot-blooded. Violent. Oversexed. Alcoholic. Not a good guy in short. I hate being around him. But, I�ve got no choice because of my situation. Awful, I know. But, I manage.

I find escape through school and Taro�s horror film collection. Both keep me from losing it. Yet, I�m so lonely. What I really wanted was a friend. Every day, I kept wishing for one. I finally got my wish, sort of.

I am happy to have met Phoenix and Omi. Phoenix goes to my school. We never crossed paths until mow. Why would I up until this point? I�m a year and grade older than her. We live in different parts of town. She�s American. She had her sister. See? Nothing in common. But now, we are under the same curse and we don�t know why.

Now, on to Omi. He comes from the high school. He works at a flower shop called Koneko no Sumu Ie. I�ve walked by it once or twice. Funny name. But, Omi�s really nice to me. Everything my brother isn�t: nice, sober, understanding, patient, and gentle. I don�t get it. Why couldn�t Omi have been my older brother instead of Taro? Why? I just can�t grasp that.

Oh well. I�ll have to manage what I have. I didn�t choose Taro. It�s all funny, really. He was never like this in the beginning. My brother used to be like Omi. After our parents died, well� I hate what he�s become. I want to try and get him back home to me. Now, I just don�t know what I want anymore. Plus, I�m going to die on the Fire Festival too. It just keeps weighing down on me.