A/N: If you are still reading this from 2013, there was an error with Chapter 7 The Road's upload back then and I somehow never posted it. I've reordered the chapters and slipped it in where it was supposed to be. Also, we'll see a familiar character next chapter!

That was the first time I'd really done anything independently. I'd loved it. The beautiful thrill of exploration has never left me.

Well, it might be gone now. I seem to still be stuck in this fucking box.

No-one has checked in on me in a while. Maybe they want me to stew on things for a bit. Still, you'd think that they'd want to verify that I wasn't just writing down bullshit. I look down to my paper and read my most recent lines.

After rumours of fugitive Japanese children reached the school, Touya and I ran away. He stole the headmaster's car and drove us away as a police chase started. We lost the police by leaving the car and hitchhiking with an unaware pickup truck driver.

We lived in a small town's park and slept in a janitor's closet at night. I would steal food from the school during the day while Touya would go earn money.

Yup. That pretty much fit everything.

I did admit to theft. If they are going to charge me with robbery, it is the least I can worry about. I don't feel guilty at all. Stealing food so you don't die just doesn't seem that offensive to me. Mind you, I don't feel guilty about most of the murders either.

XxXxXxXx

Each morning after Touya left to look for work in the city, I'd head to the closet. I really was enjoying the daily snacks. Touya tried very hard to get me food, but sometimes we couldn't have very much. Also, I was getting sick of ramen.

I often found myself falling asleep while listening to the teacher speaking in the classroom. Sometimes I found I couldn't sleep at night because I'd slept too much during the day. So during the night, I'd sneak out of the closet and explore the school. I entertained myself by trying to read the notice boards around the school.

A few days into my explorations, I'd discovered a room filled with paintings. There were so many colours and shapes that I couldn't tear my eyes away. My favourite painting was small, but it featured a castle and a beautiful sunset. I thought I might be able to see a princess in one of the towers, but the tower was so tiny that I couldn't quite tell what was in the tower.

I liked to imagine that the school was the castle and I was the princess trapped in the tower. Maybe a handsome prince would come rescue me. Touya wasn't the prince. He was definitely the dragon guarding me.

XxXxXxXx

A couple weeks into my closet adventures, I woke up in the afternoon like normal. I peeked through the grate and saw that the classroom was empty. I opened the closed door with confidence. I was getting used to this procedure.

Suddenly, the classroom door clicked open. I jumped.

The exotic teacher had walked in and was as surprised as I was.

"Who are you, little one? Are you from one of the other classes?" she asked in Chinese.

I didn't know how to respond. I hadn't prepared a lie. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I was terrified that Touya would be angry at me for getting in trouble.

"Don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you. What's your name?"

"I'm Xiang," I cried. It was the first Chinese name that came to mind. I didn't think I could use Ling Fa anymore.

"Hi Xiang. What are you doing in my classroom?"

"I was eating cookies," I mumbled. I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Why were you eating my class's cookies?" Her eyes looked at me sternly.

"I was hungry."

"You should be bringing food from home, dear. We'll send a call home and ask them to pack you a bigger snack," she said kindly. She met my eyes directly. My resolve to hide the truth weakened.

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything to cover up the fact I didn't have parents to send food to school with me. I wasn't even registered at the school.

"I don't… I don't have a home."

"Where do you live?"

"At the King of Penguins," I answered. That was an easy question.

"You live at the park?" she asked gently. I could feel her eyes staring at me. I felt like I could trust her.

"I like the Penguin King because he stops the wind so it's not so cold."

"Oh, little one. Who takes care of you? You should have a house," she questioned. I couldn't give away my brother.

"I'm alone. My parents are dead."

I could feel her eyes look over me. I was suddenly of what I looked like. There were stains on my clothes from spilt ramen. My pants were ripped from the escape from the boarding school. My clothes hadn't been washed in weeks. I was sure my hair was a mess because I didn't own a brush or a hairband.

"You're telling the truth," she exclaimed, surprised.

I knelt to the ground and covered my head. I was so embarrassed. I wasn't like the other kids my age who came to school tidy with lunch boxes packed by loving parents. My shoulders shook with tears. I wanted so much to be like those other kids. The fact such a lovely lady had to see me like this was more than I could take. I wanted to run, but she was still in the doorway.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I won't come back. Just let me go," I whimpered. I stood up and tried to push passed her into the hallway, but a strong arm blocked me.

"Oh honey, hush. It's alright. I'll help you. Stay," she consoled me. I looked up into her eyes and saw nothing but kindness. I stopped trying to push passed and hugged her instead. I cried into her skirt for a long while.

XxXxXxXx

That was the start of a new adventure. She told me her name was Miss. Claire. She came from the United States.

I was allowed to stay in her class on one condition; I had to attend the class like a normal student. She said she got the paperwork figured out. She promised to pack me a lunch every day and she brought me a school uniform. I couldn't believe my good fortune.

I finally got to learn again.

I didn't tell her too much about myself. She knew I was from Japan because of my accent. She knew I had no parents. She also thought my name was Xiang Wang.

I didn't tell Touya that I had joined the class. I didn't want him taking me away. I really liked Miss. Claire. I didn't think he'd like the fact that someone knew we were here. The presence of two mysterious Japanese children might get noticed.

Over the next few months, I attended classes. I paid close attention to every lesson. I didn't know how long this good fortune would last.

My Chinese became much more fluent. I could read most things. When Touya and I went shopping for sales, I could help read the signs. I also noticed that my accent was becoming more Chinese. People didn't always notice that I was Japanese.

XxXxXxXx

Four months after I started attending the classes, Touya started becoming suspicious. He sat me down in the janitor's closet one evening.

"Sakura, explain to me what is going on," he ordered sternly.

"Nothing, Touya. Everything is fine," I lied.

"Sakura, we absolutely cannot lie to each other! You're all I have in this world," he yelled. I felt really guilty. He was right. Touya had always been there for me and he had never let me down. I could tell he was worn out from working every day. There were bags under his eyes and his posture oozed exhaustion. He did this for me.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to worry you," I admitted. Touya's expression softened.

"Just tell me the truth. You've been cleaner lately. You haven't eaten as much at night. You're never around during the day."

"I've been attending class," I said. I was a bit scared to meet his eyes.

"You've been what?!"

"One of the teachers caught me one day and now I go to class. She is really nice and feeds me and washes my clothes and I really don't want to leave because-," I rambled.

"Who exactly is this person? How could you trust her?" he demanded.

"She's Miss. Claire. She doesn't even know about you and she doesn't know my real name and I'm really sorry!"

"Sakura, we can't trust her. We've got to go somewhere else as soon as we can. I'll find somewhere to go tomorrow."

"No Touya! No! I won't go! I love it here!" I cried. He couldn't take me away. "I won't go! Just meet her. You'll love her too!"

"Sakura, please," he begged.

"No no no!"

Touya sighed heavily.

"If you're sure, I'll meet her. I'll give her one chance. If I decide she can't be trusted after that, you're coming with me whether you like it or not."

"Oh Touya, you're the best! I promise she won't let you down."

I hugged him tightly and planted a wet kiss on his cheek.

XxXxXxXx

I was very excited. I tied my hair up with the cute baubles Miss. Claire had given me for my sixth birthday. She was definitely going to like Touya. I was sure of it.

We waited until the end of the next school day to introduce him. After the last of the other children left, Touya hung back just at the school entrance. His hair was a mess, but I'd tidied him up the best that I could.

Miss. Claire closed the classroom door behind her as she exited to the hallway. When she noticed me waiting, she smiled back.

"Hello Xiang darling. How was your day at school?" she asked. I could barely contain my excitement.

"I brought someone for you to meet!" I announced. I gestured toward my brother, who was standing back.

"You've never brought a friend before. Who is this?" she asked. She held her hand out for him to shake.

Touya stubbornly crossed his arms, leaving Miss. Claire hanging.

"I'm Xiang's brother. I take care of her," he said. He scowled at her.

"I didn't know Xiang had any family."

"We did fine before you came along. I take care of her and we don't need you," Touya exclaimed. I was shocked.

"Brother, don't be mean! She's really nice!" I argued. I couldn't believe that he would pick a fight with my teacher.

"Young man, I know you take care of her, but she needs school too," Miss. Claire said sternly. "I only want what's best for Xiang."

"I'm what's best for her. We're all we have!" Touya argued.

"You listen to me. You both are still children. You should not be alone in this world. You need an adult to take care of you."

"We're fine," Touya seethed.

"Tou-… Brother, I'm so happy now. It's warm here every day," I whimpered. "I have food. I love it here at the school. I'm learning so much!"

I started crying. Touya was going to take me away. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to go back to spending my days sitting in the penguin with my stomach growling. I wanted to stay with the other kids, where I could pretend I had a normal life. I looked up to Touya.

He looked betrayed. He searched my face for something but he didn't seem to find it. His head fell in defeat.

"Ok, you can stay."

I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him. I cried into his shirt in relief.

XxXxXxXx

Even though Miss. Claire offered to get Touya enrolled in the school, he refused. He insisted that he needed to keep earning money and working every day. Touya tried to give Miss. Claire money to pay for taking care of me, but she refused. I said goodbye to him in the janitor's closet every morning before I went off to class. I started wearing the hair baubles every day for good luck.

We still slept in the janitor's closet every night. I kept my notebooks and homework in a toolbox I hid in the corner of the room during the day. We knew that the janitor came in every day because things would move around. We were careful to put things back every day so no-one would know we were there.

Touya and I would eat at Sir Ramen Man's store on the weekend. Touya still worked there every day. That way, we had money to go to the public bath twice a week. The ladies who bathed there no longer stared at me because the bruise had long since faded. Instead, they helped me wash my hair. They were the ones who taught me how to tie my hair in my new hair baubles. I waved to them when I saw them on the street.

On the weekends, I spent a lot of time sitting at the top of the King of Penguins. Sometimes I would talk to the penguin about school. I hadn't really made any friends at school, but everyone was nice to me. I started school in the middle of a term, so I didn't really fit in. I was a little scared to get close to the other kids in case they found out my secret. I couldn't exactly ask them to hang out at my house.