Bonds Deep As Blood
Nanako was horrified when she heard the news. After ten years living with Big Bro, Dad had finally won back custody of her by some awful miracle. Truthfully she didn't remember much about the man but, what she did remember, she didn't like.
It wasn't like she had a choice though. So, when her second year of high school came to a close, Nanako was forced to say goodbye to her friends, the city she considered home, and - most importantly - Big Bro.
She mailed most of her stuff a few weeks early before she clung to her cousin at the train station. She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay. This was home. He was her family. She wasn't alone here. She was happy here. She...
She had no choice but to leave.
So with tear-filled eyes, she climbed aboard the train and watched Big Bro from her window as long as she could before he vanished with all hope of coming back.
At least for a year. That was all the time she had to make it through. A year. And then she'd be eighteen and free to leave Inaba.
What was there in Inaba worth getting excited about? According to Big Bro, there was nothing to do there. Sure, you could make friends, work, go to clubs, and spend your days at Junes, but she was free to do that here.
The only things that would be different were the bad things. She'd be in a small, boring town with nothing to do. Big Bro wouldn't be there. That awful drunk of a father would.
She didn't want this.
But she had no choice.
She leaned her head against the window and shut her eyes, drifting to sleep. Might as well rest and dream of good things instead of sitting through a boring ride, watching as the bustling city turned to dreary, sleepy country.
It was better that she slept. And she slept for a long time.Β But, finally, an announcement woke the girl.
"Now arriving at Yasoinaba Station. I repeat, now arriving at Yasoinaba Station."
Nanako sleepily rubbed still closed eyes before she stood up and stretched. Here at last. She grabbed the one bag that she brought with her and made her way off the train. She was the only person who did. Everyone had more exciting places to go.
Once outside, she took a moment to glance around as the train sped away. He should be here, right? Would probably help if she remembered his face.
"Hopefully he'll find me first..."
Hopefully.
