Chapter 5

Coffee is something Yukinoshita Yukino despise. For her, the beverage is a drink that, what she thinks, is the worst discovery humankind have ever discovered; it is bitter and lacking, you need to add your own mix to make sure it suits your 'taste', unlike tea that must only be dipped to water, coffee is addictive, like a drug that once tried, must be taken regular, hence you'll crave. For her coffee is a dangerous substance, a thing she will avoid.

Now coffee for her, is sentimental, for the past five days this is the only thing she could consume after the incident, she didn't care of how disgusting, distasteful, and detestable the drink is, for her it is the most delightful, delectable, an aphrodisiac of all drinks she could taste, bitter or otherwise.

'Or at least that would Hachiman would say' she thought.

"Here you go, Yukino nee-chan" said quietly by a very depressed Komachi, who is currently handing her a Maxx coffee across the table.

She nodded in acknowledgement, then looked out of the window beside her.

'The night really suits the city, huh?' She thought aimlessly.

She opened the can, and drank it's contents, savoring it till the last drop.

A minute full of sympathy and silence passed, was interrupted by her sister.

"You made us worried, Yukino" said a conflicted Haruno across the table, not knowing if she would be glad to find her sister, alive and well or sad, for her sister's missing limb.

"I'm sorry, nee-san" muttered Yukino in monotone, who is currently looking at Chiba.

"I'm sorry for what happened." Said Haruno, who is currently twiddling her fingers, frowning in frustration.

"It's fine" muttered Yukino, now looking down gripping her can.

Trying to lighten her mood and continue the now failed conversation, she joked.

''Not much of a talker now, huh Yukino?"

Yukino frowned at that.

Haruno shuts up.

Komachi, who is currently at her brother's side, felt the air of tension, but chose to ignore it and held her brother's hand rubbing it softly.

"Then what should we talk about then, nee-san, the weather? It's nice not too cold, not too hot either, couldn't feel it in the room though..." Yukino said venomously, which stung the regretful Haruno, who is clenching her hands.

"Would you like to talk about my amputation? It was very thorough, almost like it was chopped from a guillotine!" Her voice getting louder by the minute, Komachi hearing the whole thing, stood up from her position and strides to Yukino's location.

"How about Hachiman? He's in a coma, the doctor said it'll be a few years for him to wake up on his own, proBabLy VegeTabLE WHEN HE WAKES BY THEN!" her voice now lost it's meekness, making Haruno more uncomfortable, tears now forming.

"HOW ABOUT THE ACCIDENT NEE-SAN!? IT WAS REALLY BITTERSWEET REALLY! I'VE GOT MYSELF TO OPEN UP AND FINALLY, FINALLY! HAVE HIM, AFTER ALL THIS TIME! BUT THAT DAMN TRAINWRECK SHOULD, by the universes decree, DESTROY THE VERY THING I STRIVED TO HAVE! WHAT ELSE NEE-SAN!" she shouted.

She would've continue, if it wasn't for the slap that was given to her.

By Komachi no less.

Her lover's sister.

Her lover.

In coma, broken.

She was in disbelief.

She held her stinging cheek.

She wants to cry, and she tried.

But the tears won't come.

"Yukino nee-san, your sister is just worried about you!" Said an enraged Komachi, yet her statement fell to deaf ears.

Everything went silent by then.

The beeping of Hachiman's heart monitor, Haruno's sobbing, and the ticks of the clock that says 9:88 p.m. are the only things that could be heard in the room.

And lastly Komachi.

Who is currently trying to be strong for both her brother's and Yukino's sake, but barely holding herself.

She is currently standing in front of the table, looming over Yukino.

"Onii-chan wouldn't like it if you continue this, Yukino nee-san" said Komachi with a broken look.

Yukino scoffed and said "You don't know your brother Komachi" who took a sip from her can

Taking offense, Komachi frowned and said "Uh huh, and you do? Okay, tell me one thing you know about him, apart from the fact that he's a cynical, dead fish-eyed loner who likes reading trashy light novels and drinking Maxx coffee to the point of diabetes?" In a challenging tone

"I..." she started, but was stunned by the fact that she couldn't say anything that Komachi already, apart from what Komachi already said.

Komachi, accepted her silence as forfeit.

She would've smirked, if it wasn't for the situation.

Komachi then sighed and said "Look, I know that you are hurting..." she kneeled and held Yukino's hands "...and I'm sorry for what happened, a new found love unrequited is truly heartbreaking, or at least what the mangas have portrayed those, I also know what it felt like to be in denial about things..."

She squeezed Yukino's hand affectionately.

"I know you know my brother, but remember I am her sister, automatically I know more than anyone Yukino-SAN" she said with a toothy grin, using the suffix to indicate the seriousness of her words.

Yukino, now looking at her with regretful eyes, began to mouth her apologies, but was rebutted by Komachi "Look, I know what you're going to do, but I am not the one you should be giving that to..." By this time Haruno had her attention grabbed by Komachi as well, astonished by the young girl's speech; which was pure and untwisted.

Komachi then, breathed, and look at her with a determined look. Which confused Yukino.

"Look... in my whole life, Onii-chan never shouted at me like that, more like he tries to see my perspective of my plight, then he'll genuinely scold me or apologize depending on whose fault"

"What's your point?" asked Yukino who now listened with intent.

Komachi smiled "I'm saying that you need to see Haruno nee-san's perspective, just what my brother will do to me when we fight; she didn't see you for five days, without a word from you, she didn't even know if you alive after the incident, but she searched for you for five straight days only pausing for calls and whereabouts of you, and once she heard you are alive and well, she was ecstatic"

She paused for a giggle "she didn't even notice me and barely dodged me at the last minute while speeding."

Yukino was shocked, is a statement understated, she was floored to say the least.

Looking at her sister now, she noticed how deshelved she is, nothing like the dignified Haruno she always chased when she reached adolescence, but the Haruno who will always look out for her when she cried alone when they were young, never again she saw that side of Haruno till now, her sister who she desperately wants to be with right now.

And like ages passed she cried for the umpteenth time, with her sister.

She looked down in an effort to hide the inevitable tears "Nee-san..." Said Yukino, with her hands gripping her shirt like a kid. "I'm scared nee-san...I'm scared about this..." indicating her lost leg " I'm scared about Hachiman, I'm scared Nee-san

"Yukino..." Said a teary eyed Haruno, who is now walking towards her, then hugging her , and was followed suit by Komachi.

"Nee-san...gomenasai" said Yukino with a shaky voice "Gomen- Gomena...sai" beads of tears flowed down her cheeks, because for the first time in a while she was held by someone she trusted.

"Gomenasai"

T/L note: Gomenasai is "I'm sorry" in Japanese*

Chapter 5 ends