Chapter 32: A Bowl of Ramen

"Yaki…"

Aku sat outside of his sister's room hearing her tearful groaning.

"I got something for you. It took a couple of strings to pull but if you could come out here I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

Yaki felt her stomach grumble as she smelled something.

'How could I be hungry at a time like this.'

Yaki stood up from her bed, her hair a mess. She slowly approached her door.

*Creak*

Opening her door she saw Aku holding something.

"What?"

Aku smiled softly as he set a bag of Toki Doki Ramen on the counter. She walked up to him, hugging him once again.

***

Aku sat down at the counter beside his sister as she ate her ramen.

'Her eyepatch is one thing but her smile no longer being there is something I wasn't prepared for.'

The room was silent as she slurped her noodles and the clanking of her metal chopsticks hit the bowl.

"Ms. Panya may be right after all."

Yaki broke the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"With all this eating and from what the doctors told me, you should probably eat more, or else I'll be the stronger sibling."

She smiled slightly as she finished her bowl, a sight that made Aku's heart a bit warmer.

"Yaki…"

"Hm?"

"I know I already said it but…I'm sorry."

Disappointment with himself was apparent through his facial expression.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save Natsuki. I know she meant a lot to you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you either-"

*Slap*

Aku was shocked as his sister just slapped him across the face. Her face was mostly covered by her eye patch and her messy hair.

"I'm sorry I said those things…"

"Yaki-"

"No…I didn't mean I was just…"

She started to cry again.

"I'm scared of what I am now…I don't know who I am and I first blamed you."

Aku was stunned as he looked at his sister.

"I blamed you for her death, I blamed you for that man being there, and I blamed you for everything that happened…It wasn't your fault Aku."

Aku got teary-eyed.

"I didn't mean to put that on you, so please forget I said those things, and let's just focus on staying safe and…and"

She started to cry more than talk as Aku pulled her into his chest holding his younger sister close to him.

"I just want to be safe…"

Yaki sniffled in Aku's chest. Aku thought of Tarin as a sense of relief came to him suddenly.

"Thank you…Yaki…"

He pulled her away gently and looked her in the eyes.

"There is nowhere safer."