The End?

Natsu read the text message again.

You have to tell Aki that she is to come home now.

The young girl shook her head. Ichiro, why would you ask this of her? Natsu got on the phone and dialed up her brother. She tapped her foot as the other ling rang. Come on! Come on! Pick on!

“Hello?” a man’s voice asked. Natsu raised an eyebrow as she narrowed her eyes.

“Nii-san?” she asked.

“No, this is Shou,” the man said.

“Who?”

“I’m Ichiro’s date.”

“Oh! Is my brother there?”

“He stepped out for a minute. I could go get him it you want.”

“Yes, please do.”

“Okay.”

Natsu bit on her lower lip as her eyes trailed upwards towards the ceiling. He can’t seriously mean this? What the hell is he thinking?

“Hello?” another man’s voice asked. Natsu jumped into place.

“Nii-san?” she asked.

“Natsu-chan,” he said. “What’s the matter? I’m on a date right now.”

“What the hell, nii-san?” she asked. “Why would you do this?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why are you asking for Aki to go back to Osaka?”

“It wasn’t my idea.”

“You mean… Fuyu?”

“That’s right.”

“But why?”

“She wouldn’t explain why, but she said that she would give me more details when she found out more about grandma’s condition.”

Natsu raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with grandma?”

“Damn it! I wasn’t supposed to say anything yet!”

“What’s going on?”

“Listen, I have to go. I can’t talk right now.” Ichiro hung up on the other line.

“Nii-san!” Natsu shouted. She gritted her teeth as she lowered her phone. How does he expect me to tell Nee-san?

--------

Natsu walked back into the living room. Aki and Mark looked up as she took a breath.

“Is something wrong?” Mark asked. The teenaged girl lifted her head.

“Aki, I need to speak with you in private,” she said. Her sister turned around from her laptop.

“Me? What for?” she asked.

“Never mind that,” she said. “Just come on.” Natsu walked out into the hallway. Aki looked at Mark shrugging before getting up and following her sister into the hall.

--------

Aki’s face went pale when she saw the text message. “But why?”

“Ichiro won’t say anything,” Natsu answered. “Apparently, Fuyu wants you to come home because there is something wrong with Grandma.”

“What’s wrong with Nana?”

The younger sister shook her head. “Ichiro won’t say. He just hung up on me when I asked.” She noticed Aki biting on her finger. “Oh, no, no. I bet it’s nothing too serious.”

Aki lowered her finger as she nodded and trembled. “I guess you’re right.” She tried to smile, but then another thought crossed her mind. “What do I tell Mark?”

“I don’t know, the truth,” she said. Aki clenched her fists at her sides as she pressed her lips together.

“Could you come with me as I tell him?” she asked. Natsu gave her a calm smile.

“Sure,” she said.

“Thank you,” Aki said. The sisters walked back into the dorm. Mark sat up on the floor as the girls approached him. The conversation lasted for five minutes. Mark looked at her with a puzzled look on his face.

“When are you leaving?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Aki said.

“When are you coming back?”

“I don’t know.” She shoved her hands into her shorts pockets. By morning, Aki and Natsu were gone. Mark lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes. Now what?