Chapter 3: Realization.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the quiet suburban street, Akari fumbled with her keys, the jangle echoing in the stillness of the evening. I stood with a slight smile tugging at my lips, my eyes betraying an emotion far deeper than the lightness we both tried to project. It had been a long day—one filled with whispered condolences and the weight of grief—but we had made it through, together, just like we had countless times before.

"Remember that time we snuck on stage at the school talent show?" I chuckled, flipping the keychain over in my palm as she tossed it to me. I wanted to try to lighten the mood. "You thought you could do a magic trick, and I ended up dropping my sandwich on the principal's lap trying to do the card tricks?"

Akari laughed, the sound a little strained but sincere. "Oh please, you and your 'amazing' card tricks. I still can't believe you thought showing the principal a 'disappearing sandwich' would go over well. Didn't you and Hana get caught making out by him a couple days before that too?" 

I began to blush. "I…well…yeah." 

She began to chuckle.

We exchanged glances, the shared memory forming a fragile bridge over the chasm of sorrow that had filled the day. It was a familiar rhythm: laughter to mask the heaviness, jokes to deflect the pain. We both understood the unspoken truth—grief was a language We were still learning to speak, and humor was the only dialect we felt comfortable navigating.

As we stepped inside the house, the air seemed to shift. The walls, adorned with laughter and love, now felt like silent witnesses to the sadness they had just left behind. I watched as Akaris gaze dropped. "Hey," I said, breaking the silence, "how about we order some pizza? Nothing like greasy cheese to cheer us up, right?"

"Only if we can get extra pepperoni," Akari replied, her smile widening. "I need something to distract me from the fact that I'm now officially the oldest sibling."

I shook my head. "Don't worry, I'll always be older than you. Just don't start charging me for advice."

And with that, we stepped into the warmth of the living room, the laughter ringing out like a beacon against the shadows of the day, both of us knowing that while we couldn't escape the sadness, we could at least face it together.

As we settled onto the worn couch, I grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels, while Akari pulled out her phone to order the pizza. The familiar sound of static and chatter filled the room, a comforting backdrop that momentarily distracted us from the heaviness that lingered just beneath the surface.

"Hey, did you ever think we'd be sitting here like this, reminiscing about the good old days while trying to avoid talking about... you know?" I asked, my voice dropping slightly as I gestured vaguely toward the door, where the world outside felt far away.

Akari sighed, her fingers pausing mid-tap on her phone. "Honestly? Not really. Even after you left, I always thought we'd be the ones making fun of our terrible adult choices, not standing around discussing funerals and family drama." She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "But here we are. The 'grown-ups' we always joked about becoming."

"Grown-ups with pizza cravings," I added, my tone playful yet tinged with sincerity. "I think we're doing pretty well, all things considered. Besides, who else can say they survived a funeral and lived to tell the tale?"

"Right?" Akari snorted, her laughter bubbling up again. "We should get T-shirts made. 'Survivors of the Great Family Gathering.'" She rolled her eyes, the absurdity of it all helping to lift some of the weight from her chest.

"Absolutely!"

As Sarah placed the order and tossed her phone onto the coffee table, the atmosphere in the room shifted once more, settling into a comfortable silence punctuated only by the distant sounds of the city winding down for the night. They exchanged glances, a mutual understanding passing between them—there was still a lot to unpack, but the laughter was a balm, a reminder that amidst the sorrow, there was still joy to be found.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to go back to the way things were? All of us." Akari asked, her voice softer now, revealing a hint of vulnerability. "I mean, after everything that's happened? I don't know…it's a silly question. After Sebastian hit you, I thought about how different everything is now."

I considered her question, the laughter fading for a moment as I searched for the right words. "I don't know," I finally said, leaning back against the couch. "But I do know that we're still us. We've been through so much together, and we've always found a way to keep going. It might not look the same, but I think we can create something new. While I'm investigating Hana's death, I'll be sure to make amends with him as well. "

A chill swept through the room, and Akaris playful demeanor faltered. Her eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, the playful banter dissipated like mist in the morning sun. "What do you mean investigate?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but a hint of something sharper lingered beneath her words, as if she were testing the waters.

"I mean, I want to investigate. I need to understand what really happened," I replied, my tone firm but gentle, as if I were trying to coax the truth from her. I watched as she shifted in her seat, her fingers drumming nervously on the table, but her smile returned, albeit a touch too wide, too forced.

"Investigate? You're not planning on going all Sherlock Holmes on me, are you? I get that it's your job but you should be relaxing, the police are on it." she joked, though the laughter didn't quite reach her eyes. "I mean, it's not like we're in a crime novel, right?" The casual dismissal hung in the air like a challenge, her gaze flickering to the window as if expecting someone—or something—to be watching.

"Maybe I should," I pressed, my brow furrowing. "There were a lot of people at that funeral… and not all of them looked upset. Some looked... relieved."

"Relieved?" Akari echoed, her voice a pitch higher, a hint of something unsettling lurking behind her words. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think? Everyone copes differently. Besides, she was always the favorite. Maybe they were just happy to finally have some peace." The words rolled off her tongue too easily, a casual dismissal that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Maybe," I replied, my mind racing. "But I just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. There are too many unanswered questions, Akari."

"Or maybe it's just easier to leave some questions unanswered," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly, a flicker of something dark flashing across her face before she masked it with another smile. "Please? I just don't want you being in danger. I can't even imagine losing someone else. I…I…" She began to quiver. My eyes went wide. I didn't expect to trigger her. The shaking got worse, and then her eyes became glossy. I scooched closer to her, slinging my arm over her shoulder and pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry Akari, I shouldn't have said anything." 

"Please, I just need you to be safe. You're all I have left." She began to squeeze my waist. Her hug was tightening more and more. I felt as if I was being strangled. Eventually I could feel her nails dig into me, I winced at the pain, but once the tears began rolling I decided against saying anything. I just hugged her back.

"She's gone forever…isn't she…I'm never getting my sister back, am I?" 

 I bit down on my lip, trying not to let my own emotions take over. "I'm sorry Akari." 

The strangled embrace continued a while longer till her sniffling had muffled down. She lifted her head up, her face stricken with tears. "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess. Wait, I'll go get some tissues." She stood up to leave, I could see her shoulders still shaking. 

I ran my hand through my hair, sighing as I tried to think of other ways to smooth out the situation.