Chapter Seven: Returning to the Womb:

Daisuke in time took comfort in his younger sisters. Because of them, life in the hellish Kimoto house became much more bearable on him. They even gave him the courage to survive their mother’s abuse. He and the girls got along really well. He acted like a father to both Yumiko and Kirika. They in turn followed behind like little pets. The boy enjoyed walking them to school and back. He would comfort them when Haruka took out her rage on them. He snuck them small presents and gave them plenty of attention. Daisuke, Yumiko, and Kirika were pretty much together during the summertime. When their older brothers wouldn’t go anywhere near them, Daisuke was bold enough to show them in some way that they were loved. One thing their brother liked about them was the different personalities between the two girls.

Yumiko was more of a tomboy. She played sports throughout her school life. The girl found herself pretty popular at school and had many friends. She practically did anything to defy her mother such as wearing make-up and flirting around with boys. She really stuck it to her when she asked questions or even mentioned their father. Haruka didn’t like the fact that her older daughter stood up to her with her abuse. The fact that she resembled her late twin sister in appearance and personality made her burn with anger just to see her face every single day. The older daughter didn’t seem to care what kind of abuse or threat that Haruka threw at her day-in and day-out. Yumiko even wasn’t afraid to express how she felt about her mother.

“She’s just an evil bitch,” she complained to Daisuke when she was twelve years old. They sat on the porch enjoying a long boring summer day. Yumiko flopped back onto the porch and spread out her arms.

“I mean; why does she hate us so much?” she asked. “Is she afraid that we’re going to replace her or something? It’s just so stupid! You know what I mean?” Her brother tried to shush her as he nervously looked around. He had to count in his head to calm himself back down before lying back down on the porch again. The tomboy raised an eyebrow at him as she twirled her hair between her fingers.

“Why are you so afraid of Momma?” she asked. “She’s just a desperate old hag that hates us ever since Papa left us.” Daisuke looked at her with big eyes. Their mother had ears in the walls and her kitsune spying on them constantly. If one wrong thing said got back to her, more hell awaited them later on. However, he had never heard such a thing being said around here before.

“Who told you this?” he asked. Yumiko rose to her feet from the porch and walked out onto the grassy yard.

“Jin,” she replied. Daisuke raised an eyebrow at her.

“My kitsune told you?” he asked. The older brother narrowed his eyes at her. “But how?” he asked. Usually those in the clan who haven’t manifested their power yet aren’t able to see or how the kitsune of others and those around them. Yumiko giggled at him.

“That’s my secret!” she chirped. Daisuke still looked confused as his sister’s laughed reached the high summer sky. At last, the boy couldn’t help but smile. Moments like that reminded him of how much he liked his sister’s mischievous side. That girl loved to mess with him from time to time. Sometimes, it annoyed him, but in the end he went with it and loved her just the same. He sighed and dropped his shoulders.

“Alright,” he said. “You win.” The long navy-haired girl laughed even louder into the summer day.

Kirika was much softer than her sister. She was a shy and gentle little girl. She played with her dolls and read books. The baby of the family always hung around with her brother. Kirika wasn’t really good at dealing with people, especially strangers. She didn’t really have as many friends as her sister did, but she talked to people once she warmed up to them. Daisuke loved to shower her with little gifts and attention while Yumiko protected her from their mother. Many times, the little girl told them they were her most favorite people in the world. Kirika envied her sister for being so much braver than she was.

“I wish I could be like Nee-san,” she told her brother as he was washing her hair outside of the tub in October. Daisuke glanced down at her as he picked up the bucket of warm water to rinse her off.

“Why do you say that?” he asked. The little girl shrugged her shoulders.

“She’s so brave,” Kirika said, “When Momma hits her, she doesn’t even cry.” Daisuke thought about that and nodded.

“I guess that would be good,” he confessed. Kirika smiled and nodded at him.

“Yes,” she said. Daisuke happily sighed as he saw stars in his eyes. Oh, she is so cute!

However, one person didn’t take too kindly to the closeness between the siblings. Haruka already resented her daughters. What made it even worse was that they turned to their brother when she did something to harm them. Because of this, Daisuke felt confidence in himself. The cold-hearted mother couldn’t have this.

He needs to know his place, she thought with spite. The woman then sorted out to harm her youngest son in the cruelest way possible.

One day in August before the paradise became truly lost them, Daisuke took his sisters on walk during their summer break. Kirika hung onto his arm the whole time. Yumiko puffed up her cheeks at her sister.

“Get off of him, Kirika!” she barked. The younger girl gave her a goofy smile.

“No!” she said. Yumiko gritted her teeth.

“It’s just childish!” she argued. “Get off of him now!”

“No way!” the little girl said aloud and stuck out her tongue at her sister. Yumiko growled at her.

“Dai-kun!” she wailed. “Make her stop! She just looks ridiculous hanging on your arm like that!” The older brother laughed at her protests.

“Oh, come on, Yumiko-chan,” he said, “She means well. Kirika-chan’s just fine.” The baby sister grinned at the older one. Yumiko puffed up her cheeks and pouted.

“Fine,” she grumbled. Daisuke chuckled as they rounded the corner. Moments later, a thought crossed his head.

“Say, would you both like to get ice cream?” he asked. Both girls instantly perked up.

“Yeah!” they both cheered. Their brother smiled as he tried to calm them down.

“Okay, ice cream it is,” he said.

“Yay!” the girls cheered. Daisuke took them to their secret favorite ice cream place and bought them ice cream cones. The trio discovered this place by an accident while they were trying to avoid their mother when she was in a foul mood. The kids were a bit hungry at the time, but Daisuke didn’t have any money. The man there let them have one scoop for free out of sympathy. Even since then, this ice cream place became their refugee on hot summer days such as this one. Today, he even slipped them some extra toppings on the down low today. They sat outside and enjoyed them in the summer heat. The whole time, Kirika kept giggling to herself beside of him. Daisuke glanced down at her.

“Something funny?” he asked. His baby sister smiled as she shook her head. Her brother suspected otherwise, but said nothing. Yumiko pretended not to see or hear a thing as she ate her strawberry-mint ice cream. Kirika ate while she waited for the right moment. When she was certain that he wasn’t looking, Kirika reached into her shorts pocket and stuck a little gift in her brother’s pocket. Feeling the fingers go inside, Daisuke quickly turned his head downwards. His baby sister gave him a sweet little look on his face.

“Hi,” she said with a little smile. Her brother raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay,” he spoke up. “What did you put in my pocket?” The boy reached inside without giving her a chance to talk. To his bewilderment, he pulled out two flat little silver keys on a thin red string. He looked at his sister rather puzzled.

“Kirika-chan,” he said. “These are the keys to your diary.” The eleven-year-old girl nodded at him.

“Yep,” she said. Daisuke tilted his head at her.

“But… why are you giving me these?” he asked.

“They’re a present,” she chirped.

“A present?” the brother repeated.

“Yep!” the baby bragged. Daisuke slowly shook his head as he tried to hand back the keys.

“Oh, no, I can’t take these,” he said. Kirika pushed his hand back towards him.

“Please?” she asked ever so sweetly.

“But that would mean I would be able to open your diary whenever I wanted and read what’s inside,” he pointed out. Kirika gave him an innocent shrug.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I trust you.” Daisuke gave him a small frown.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked.

“Yep!” Kirika said with a nod. The older brother looked over at Yumiko. She put up her hands as if to say, “I have nothing to do with this.” He turned back to his other sister who was giving him a sweet little look. Daisuke’s face just dropped. I can’t win against them, can I? The boy finally dropped his shoulders and sighed.

“Fine, I’ll take them,” he said. Kirika grinned and hugged her brother wildly.

“Thank you!” she cheered, “That makes me so happy!”

“Hey, hey!” he said. “Finish your ice cream before it melts.” His sister quickly let go of him.

“Oh, right,” she said. The young girl went back to eating her sweet, cold treat. Daisuke sat there and smiled. The three of them didn’t know that would be the last “gift” that she would ever give him.