The Dream Shifter

Chapter 156

Her confusion managed to fill up the travel time nicely so that she felt that a dead end was reached when she saw their house. When they arrived home their mother was already in the house. The hope to avoid suspicions welled up fear in Yumi. She became afraid of how much trouble it would be to convince their mother of what they were going to do. '…Brother…'

Yori saw the expression on Yumi and took the lead. He understood that he had a little more footing to speaking with their mother than Yumi. It was the continued case of him being the model child that was doted on. "Did you find the dinner, mother?" he began as he entered the kitchen.

"Yori! I was wondering where you were. I didn't hear anything from you or your sister." A moment later Yumi meandered into the doorway keeping to the back. "There you are dear! Were you outside?"

"Yes, the school is nearing completion and so I've had to meet with faculty."

The middle aged single mother checked through the kitchen still trying to act her part even though she knew that her kids had picked up so many of her household responsibilities. She kept listening to Yori while examining the cupboards. "Oh? You must be so busy with all of that responsibility that they're giving you."

Yori smoothly transitioned to her side helping with the dishes that were from Yumi and his meal earlier. "Not at all." They had dried already and needed to be put away. It made the conversation flow naturally that he did not have to worry about it seeming out of place. "I did volunteer for this. So I'm only doing what it expected."

"I'm glad to hear that. You've always been such a hard worker, dear."

"The next week or more I'm going to be very busy though." He handed off a dish to her to set up in the cupboard. "There's still a lot of people I have to meet with to finish it. Considering how it's a bunch of high school students doing this work they have their doubts and concerns. So I'm not going to be able to get back home as much."

"Are you sure? What about your sister? She'll be lonely in the house without her brother."

"Hmm…" He made a pensive pause as though he was thinking about her. A minute later he came back with an answer for her. "You're probably right. I can take her with me. It'll be a good chance for her to get to know some of the faculty members and learn about something new."

"You'll keep her safe and watch out for her?"

"Of course! I won't let anything happen to her, mother!"

"Alright. Please at least call me each night so I know you're safe."

"I will." Yori stepped out of the kitchen with the choirs completed. Yumi awaited his return in the hall. "It's done."

"I'm sorry you had to lie to mom, Yori," she said filled with guilt.

He placed his hand on her shoulder giving her a comfort smile. "It's fine. I know this is important for you."

The hour had become very late and morning threatened to arrive soon. Inside the Furukawa apartment everyone slept peaceful except for one. She tried to be as quiet as possible to not wake anyone up. Despite having decided that she would leave with Yuki, it remained a secret from her family. She felt a little sense of irony knowing that she attempted to do what Yuki had to her. However, she knew that there was no convincing her mother of anything. 'I'm glad that I packed everything before I slept.'

Saki opened her door listening to the painful whining of the hinges and praying that it was not too loud. She returned back to her packed bag lifting it to her shoulder. A slow rolling yawn spilled from her mouth despite her trying to force it back. 'I'm so tired… I hope wherever it is we're going I'll have a chance to sleep…' She had only been able to get a few hours of sleep after making sure that everything she needed was packed. Saki tipped toed out of her room into the hallway eying the living room in sight.

"…sister?" called a young sleepy voice that was not sure what she was seeing.

A bolt of fear ran through Saki freezing her in her step. She appeared like a thief in the night that had just been caught in the middle of the act. Saki tilted her head over her shoulder trying to stay mostly in the shadows. "Noriko? What are you doing up so late?"

"I had a dream that you were taken away from us. That bad men had come for you." Noriko rolled her hand against her eyelid trying to get sleep free so she could see clearly. "You're not going anywhere right, sister?"

Saki hesitated giving her an answer. She hated the thought of having to lie to her sister. The time she had ticked quickly away from her. The longer that she held her reply the heavier her heart felt. 'I can't tell her the truth, but what can I say?'

"There aren't any bad men are there, sister?" Noriko started to close the distance between them. She tried to reach out for Saki not wanting to be apart from her letting her dream drive her.

Saki bit her lip staring down at her younger sister from the shadow. The cold hearted approached was not going to work she had decided. She knelt down to meet Noriko. "It's going to be alright, Noriko. I won't let them take me away from you. But I have to deal with them, you see?"

"The bad men?"

"That's right. But I'll beat them up and come back. So don't you worry."

"Promise?"

"Of course! I'm stronger and tougher than any bad guy, right?"

Noriko nodded to Saki having some of the worry start to melt away from her face. The reassurance from her sister had warmed up her expression. "Right!" She gave Saki a little jump of support for her to show that she was with her.

"What's going on out here?" echoed a new older voice that made Saki's mind run cold for a second.

'Mom…'

Not even thinking about it, Noriko ran back to their mother jumping with excitement. "Big sister's going to beat up the bad guys!"

"What?!" she exclaimed incredulously. The older slightly graying woman looked down the hall at her eldest daughter with a questioning look. An exchange occurred between them without words and she knew immediately. "Noriko, you should be getting back to sleep."

"…but…" Noriko tried to protest more, but could see the stare in her mother's eyes telling her to stop. She silently agreed to return to her room.

Saki's mother stiffly walked a meter down the hall waiting until Noriko was back in her room before starting. "This is about that troublemaker isn't it?" The silence in Saki's voice was all that she needed to know that she was right. "How many times do I have to tell you not go near him?! Don't you remember what he did to you? Have you forgotten?!"

Saki could not take it anymore feeling something in her mind snap. "How can I forget when you always have to remind me?! You never let me! Yuki's felt guilty about it for nearly two years even though he hasn't said a thing to me!"

"Feeling guilty isn't enough!"

"Then what do you want from him? He's lost his parents, his friends and his place! What more do you want from him?!" She tried to keep her breathing under control, but her emotions were getting the better of her. Her mother seemed a little silent after the last barrage of words. Saki decided not to let the ground go and finish it. "I don't care what you think. I trust Yuki and he needs my help. I'm going now. I'll see you when I'm done!" Saki turned away feeling her legs shaking a little as she strode out of the apartment and into the night. She paused for a moment at the end the street to look back at the apartment building before continuing on.

One stop before meeting with Yuki was on her schedule and it stood before her. The hospital looked even more eerie than normal in the dark light of the night sky. "Takako…" She did not know how long she was going to be away and felt it was important to see her one last time before leaving. The feeling of responsibility for her had never left her for a moment.

At the nurse's desk Saki inquired for a brief visit, but was shocked by what the nurse told her. "Miss Yamazaki was transferred out of the hospital a few days ago. I'm sorry!"