Author's Note: I... have no clue what I'm doing except I really, really do adore the comic series, and I find the Usaida-Sawatori Girls plotline to be hella interesting. It's nothing against the husband, of course, (in fact I, too, quite adore the relationship Yukari has towards Yutaka and vice versa) but my imagination is wild. And since I adore Usaida's fatherly care towards Midori, as well as Usaida's previous role as Yukari's husband, why don't we have him revisit it once more?

Forewarning however, I do have the full intention of not jumping this story straightly into romance. As I've stated, I do believe the Sawatori couple has an amazing bond between them as husband and wife, and — just because I'm killing the husband in the fic — does not mean I'm going to immediately erase Yukari's affection towards her husband just so I could pair him up with Usaida. I also believe Usaida doesn't really have any strong feelings towards Yukari aside from the fact he's taking care of her daughter and he just so happened to be very fond of Midori while he's at it. So, in conclusion: it'll be a slow-burn kind of story, more likely. Still, I do hope people are able to enjoy it as much as I have as I'm playing the possible scenes in my head!

PROLOGUE

When Midori almost reached four years old, her father — the great archeologist and an intelligent professor, Sawatori Yukata — passes away in a tragic incident that had him buried eight feet underneath pile of sand after his team were digging over an artefact in Egypt. Midori and her mother, Yukari, received this news on a peaceful Sunday evening, which didn't end up peaceful at all, as Yukari crumbled by the phone and Midori had to yell at her mother several times in an attempt of snapping her out of the trance.

It was, in short, a horrible turn of event.

Midori ended up running herself out of the house — small as she was — to knock frantically upon her neighbour's door. Thankfully, the Maki's were in, and upon hearing Midori's blunt words, filled with panic, exclaiming, "Mama won't mw'ove! Papa's gw'one and Mama won't move! Pleash' help me, Mw'iss — Mw'iss-es. Maki!" they have instantly understood.

It all went downhill from there.

Midori hadn't understood much during the days that's passed since the news have gotten in — all she knew was that her grandmother came to the house, Mama yelled in phones and cry lots, and Midori weren't really allowed to be with Mama the whole time unless it was Mama who reached out and wanted to hold Midori.

On the day of the funeral, after Daddy's body finally came home, there're lots of whispers circling around the room. Midori is standing quietly by Grandmother's side, her head down, and a stuffed bunny that Daddy bought long time ago from China (Daddy used to say it's a big country with big walls!) clutched close to her chest. She doesn't know what to do, how to respond. Mama, whenever Midori looks up to catch her eyes, for the first time seems clueless on how to proceed.

Midori doesn't know how to express the feeling that's welling in her chest — the almost claustrophobic clutter creeping around the walls of her body at the amount of people, at Daddy who's not moving (who's just sleeping and not waking up and gone) and about Mama who seems awkward and suffering with her eyes red and her face puffy.

She feels strange, standing there by Grandmother's side, when all she could remember in her tiny head is that it's always been Mama and her. So why are everybody else here?

Midori looks down.

Lots of people come. People Midori doesn't recognise, some Midori thinks she does. Kirin-chan, who's already in pre-school and doesn't come by the nursery so much where Midori usually is, cries and hugs Midori tight when she comes. Midori feels perplexed, but lets herself feel hugged when she gently pats Kirin-chan's back.

She wants to say that, it's okay, pw'ease don't cw'y, because Kirin-chan's really wailing, and she's loud, and it's — Midori doesn't know how to word it, but she feels flustered.

The twins seem awkward and cry, too, a little — mostly because Kirin was, Midori thinks — and it takes Midori to smile at them for them to hug Midori tightly, saying how they're always going to be there. She can call them anytime! And they can play more and do whatever Midori wants. Lots of people hug Midori, now that she thinks about it, and she lets them - one by one by one. Only Taka stays and takes her hand to squeeze them. He doesn't cry, not really, despite the tear building in his strong gaze, but there's more than sympathy in them - there's a sense of acceptance, of understanding, of readiness.

It's a gesture that says 'I understand' and maybe he does, because Midori remembers how Taka never really has a daddy, and maybe his daddy didn't go away like Midori's, but there's still nobody, and Taka gets it.

Midori gets tired.

She's usually a cheerful child, who likes people and seems more lively with them around, but she turns dull and sorrowful quickly. Maybe it's the atmosphere, or maybe it's the stares and the gestures and the pitying gazes, but Midori — she just wants to go home.

And Mama seems so far away too, so out of her reach, looking at Daddy who's never waking up with eyes that are redder than before, and Midori feels it again: the dangerous heavy feeling crowding her ribs, weighing her small shoulders down. Midori wants to go home.

"I heard the child didn't cry yet."

"Poor girl, losing her father at such a young age."

"—I bet it's because she doesn't remember him, what with him leaving his wife and daughter all the time."

"The child's emotionless. She didn't say anything at all when I greeted her."

"Bigger kids than her cried harder when their parents died. Maybe she really didn't remember her father—"

"Poor Yukari. To be a single mother so young—"

"I bet the little girl is going to grow up rebellious,"

Midori feels empty, clutching the dolly Daddy (who's gone) bought with a tighter grip, but otherwise remains dormant.

Until an echo of shoes and a casual quip of, "Apologies for barging in and — er , for being late." comes through, and Midori feels something else swells up. She whips her head so quickly, it's surprising how it doesn't fall right off. Her grandmother, seated besides her, looks astounded by the turn of the event, and doesn't seem to have comprehended the situation quickly when Midori, still small and fragile looking, and up until then so very quiet, wiggles herself down the chair she's been sitting to run her small feet to the sound.

"Usa!"

Usaida — cherry-pink hair now in a bun instead of a ponytail — is greeting Mama when he turns at the call of his name. As usual, his face remains as expressionless as it's been, but there's definitely a glint of surprise that's colouring his tiny irises when he finally spots the speed Midori's adopting as she's rushing towards him. Usaida opens his arms without a second thought — and, with a strong leap, the three-year-old-turning-four clutches onto Usaida like she's never let them go in the first place.

Midori wails.

"Usaaaa! Da-daddy — he's — Daddy's gw'ooooone!"

The whole world might as well quieten down at the change of scene, but Midori doesn't care. Through her curly hair, she can feel Usaida's hands grips there, before it moves down to have them patted against her tiny back soothingly, like he always does — Midori remembers this — from when she was much smaller, and before Usaida moves away. Usaida sighs, but not uncaringly. "I'm sorry, Midori."

The little girl weeps, hiccups.

Usaida rocks her now, just a little, swaying her a bit in an effort to calm her down before she hears them: "But it'll be okay. I'm here now. I'm not leaving you, okay?"

Midori has her grip on Usaida tightens.

Mama comes in her peripheral view — finally — and there are tears in her eyes that are tons more than before, and Midori feels a bit guilty because she knows partially that Mama's crying because of her. Still, Mama touches her hair and kisses her face, their tears mixing up easily, and Midori weeps just a bit more, but lets Mama do what she wants. "I'm so, so sorry, Midori. I love you so much, do you know? My little girl. My strong angel. Mama wouldn't know what to do if my Midori wasn't so strong and smart. Just like her Daddy." and Mama's trying to smile a little, a teary one, and Midori cries some more, shameless.

"I— I - I wuv ... I wuv you too —"

Usaida puts a hand on Mama's head, then brings her closer to Midori, sighing. Both the Sawatori girls stay where they are, against Usaida's skinny chest, and cry together for the first time since the news of Sawatori Yukata's passing comes to them. Somehow the world grows quiet, but it seems exactly like what they needed.

End Note: Since it's copy pasted straightly from my posted work on AO3, some words might not be italicised when it should've been. This is also unbeta-d. Hence, apologies for any major grammatical error!