Our Current Life is So Strange!

Sweet Hawaiian macadamia nut cookies exploded their unique flavor on Shiro's tongue as she continues controlling her two characters- Sachiko and Ryuuko-with her striped socked feet despite Sora's earlier speech. Although the fact remained that both siblings were NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training) the apartment was always clean for one of the house cleaners would come in to dust-sweep-etc. twice a week. The two of them hadn't left the quiet town of Hokkaido in eight years and scarcely ventured out at all past the main hall of the Fujikawa apartments except to shop for groceries or new games every now and then. They kept a radio-two tablets-a massive TV and gaming system-and the latest Apple laptop model in order to keep informed about new gamer's tournaments and the world they abandoned.

From their technically illegal sources they learned that Manami had committed suicide from hanging herself in a tree after school due to her grief and only left one note directed to Sora-Forgive me, dearest. Midori did not escape repercussions as her corporate lawyer parents who stripped her of all privileges due to her repeated use of slander and libel and forced her to marry one of their business partners divorced once and lived in Thailand. She was deported immediately and her so-called group-Noriko and Akane-finally abandoned her when they realized the same consequences may be applied to them. Though discreetly-Sora had attended his former girlfriend's funeral and even made an effort to visit her final resting site with either fresh flowers or a badly burned bento lunch he made himself with the beautiful hummingbird motif black lacquerwood octagon shaped box -that was a wedding present to the Deguchi grandparents -hiding the horrors of an almost unrecognizable tempura, a crisply charred stack of pancakes, and some lopsided octopus sausages. Shiro always refused to accompany him to that tranquil Aoi Cemetery-yet at the same time she never tried to resist his trips.

(About 7 ½ Years later)

The freshly heated bowl of instant ramen that sat in front of Sora as he ate while listening to the daily news suddenly felt scorching hot as the words of the reporter penetrated his brain. The image of that unforgettable maiden with reddish orange hair that shone and shimmered as it fell in smooth layers past her waist and hauntingly jade green eyes as if a snake's never left his dreams at night in which his heart burned for what was lost.

"Manami Rinanso-san-aged 16 is unfortunately the identity of the body recovered from the suicide site in the Bailing Park. She suffered from depression-incurable sorrow-and an overflowing guilt that appeared to eat away at her soul each passing day-according to the reports from a good friend." Sora's hand shakes as Shiro stares at the TV with her usual unreadable poker face.

"As many students at Kinomoto Academy remember-Rinanso-san was dating the proniment heir to the Deguchi family before a rival in the school's popularity hierarchy decided to print lies and was backed by the silent support of the majority of the school." Sora chokes on his hard boiled egg half-unpleasantly pleasant memories suddenly splitting his head in half. The thick fog he willingly allowed to clog his memory all this time was lifting. The fact that he clenched Manami's plaid hair ribbon and locket in his pocket was not helping.

"There are still no news on Deguchi Sora or his younger sister- Shiro-'s whereabouts. Some circulate that they have passed on or left the country-however as Aimi Kirimi-I strongly believe that they have used their titles to the advantage and found a way to camouflage into the working class of Japan. There is no-"

~Fujikawa-san sits in her rocking chair on the lobby floor of the apartment complex, back and forth. A bright pink ball of fuzzy yarn tangles itself with the chair legs as she knits together a small dressy jacket-presumably for her granddaughter~~

Sora watches the casket being lowered into the moist summer ground of last evening's rain and the mourners leave. After a great while he goes to sit in front of her resting place where two incense burning still smoke and her framed picture smiles back at him as beautiful as their first meeting. Tears that never dripped at his parent's funeral finally break the dam as he flings himself down-regretting in his decision to break all ties with her. In another time-another place-maybe they could have a second chance. Maybe. He would probably have to work off all his sins in the next reicarnations though.

He leaves a bouquet of her favorite pink and red carnations before departing. If Sora had paid close attention-he would notice that Manami was buried right next to his parents Michiru-san and Jun. She would not be alone in the afterlife.

(end flashback)

Shiro still wore her school uniform and the heirlooms she treasured the most were always next to her in the medium sized locked container with the elaborate engraved initial key around her neck on a silk cord. She fingers the locket clasped around her neck as well-tears blurring her vision. Today was Michiru-san's death anniversary and it sat marked on the calendar that hung from the tack in the wall. An elaborate porcelain vase sat filled with delicately dried house flowers.

To hide her uncontrollable crystal tears- Shiro fakes a yawn and curls up on the futon next to a towering pile of Chinese takeout-Werther's Original caramel hard candies (A/N: I really REALLY need some of these right now. Arghh, these candies are SOLD OUT! How frustrating! Anyways-back to the story~!). She presses the two other remote controls onto Sora's feet before attempting to doze off- still clutching a stuffed bunny Michiru and Jun's names embroidered into it. There were very few happy memories she experienced with either parent but even now..she still yearned for them both.

An incoming email snaps her out of her depressing thoughts and back to the living room she and Sora occupied most of their time in. Shiro rises slightly. "Nii~~the mail."

Sora lays back in his comfortable leather seat-panting heavily. "Your onii-san has been playing four characters all at once on the same screens. Besides whose friend is it?"

Shiro continues snuggling the stuffed rabbit. "Yours?"

Sora pretends not to hear. He opens up the email and pulls Shiro into his lap to win the chess game. A perfectly dry rose begins to loosen its petals from the excess moisture in the room. As if a fluke-the old wilted flower began to bloom a bit-as if Michiru-san were happy that her only two offspring were about to be reborn into a world that would love and accept them in the way no one in this world had-not even themselves.

(Owari)

(A/N: Finally done! This storyline has been plaguing my mind-playing tricks on this adolescent as she juggles CP Chemistry-college applications-free writing. I have begun writing a new book since the PARCC exams have finished and wish to write another fanfic ASAP when my muse returns from her vacation. This chap. goes out to all my readers! Ja Ne! Until next time!