It was nine at night. Thunderstorm broke out as it was raining heavily. Akiara's schoolbag dropped on the ground at the doorway.

"Ms. Nakamura your sister just had cardiac arrest and the swelled part of her brain is bleeding. We immediately need to take drastic measures."

"Drastic measures?..... How much do you need to operate her?"

"Four hundred thousand yen."

"Four?! Please start operating her I will make arrangements for the money so please don't worry."

"Okay. Please make haste. You only have two hours since the patient is at critical situation."

"I see." she ended the call and stared at the screen.

Four hundred thousand yen was a huge amount for a high schooler. She didn't even have that much amount in bank account to pay for it as well. She remembered her conversation with her Aunt Mizuho.

"Should I call her? No no no..... our relationship from mother's side has never been good except with Aunt Mizuho." she searched her contact info and was staring at it. "Maybe.... asking her once would be better. I will repay her back later."

She called her but her call got transferred to voice message. She again tried but to no avail. "I guess I have ask Uncle to lend me some money."

She kept her phone in the pocket and walked inside. She noticed her uncle was watching TV in the living room and her aunt just went out for drinking with her friends. Her heart was pounding against her chest thinking how he will react.

She gathered all her courage and approached to him,"Uncle if you don't mind can you lend me four hundred thousand yen?"

He shifted his gaze and glared at her,"Why? That's a huge amount. What are you gonna do that much money?"

"Mitsuko's going on an emergency operation so I need-"

He threw his whiskey glass on her,"Always Mitsuko Mitsuko. You b*tch do you think that money grows on trees huh?!"

Blood came out from left corner of her forehead. The glass hit the ground breaking it into big and small pieces. He stood up and walked towards her.

He punched on her face hardly which threw her on the wall. It became a bruise from her cheek. She slowly stood up. He punched her on the stomach which made her hack up blood from the mouth.

"You b*tch have no shame!!" He lifted his leg and started stamping on her. He stamped hardly on upper part of her chest as if squashing a bug.

She gripped his leg with both her hands to stop him,"I-I'LL PAY YOU WITH MY BODY IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT! But please.... please..... I need money to save my sister."

An evil grin played on his lips. He moves his leg and grabbed her chin brought her face towards him,"Really you will?"

"Y-yes I will."

He let her go,"Wait here." He walked to his bedroom.

He came back with a paper on his hand. He threw it on her face. It was a cheque of two hundred thousand yen.

"I think your body is worth this much hahaha. You better not forget your word." He sat back on the sofa.

She stood up and bowed two-three times, "Thank you Uncle. Thank you." She picked up the cheque and ran off the apartment with her schoolbag.

"I need more two hundred thousand yen." she took out her phone staring at Mizuho's number, "Should I call her one more time?" she shook her head, "Maybe she is busy with something."

She ran to her manager's apartment. She was drenched in rain and panting as she rang the doorbell. Her manager opened the door and saw her drenched.

Her eyes grew wide when she saw her injuries, "Akiara are you alright? Why is your face messed up?"

"Manager now is not the time to worry about me."

"Then do you need help with something?"

She looked down, "If you don't mind can you lend me two hundred thousand yen? My sister-"

"You don't need to say anymore. Wait here I'll be back in a moment." She walked back to her bedroom.

She came with an envelope and a cheque. She handed it to her.

"There's one hundred thousand which I kept for emergencies. You can use it."

"But I-"

"This is emergency and you are using it to save your sister so don't worry about it. This cheque is your advance salary."

Tears trickled down her eyes as she wipe her tears,"Thank you manager. I will make sure to pay you back."

She pay her head, "Yes yes. Now go. Your sister is waiting for you."

She ran as fast as she could. Even her injuries and rain were not getting on her way to save her sister. She rushed towards the emergency ward. She placed the cheques and the envelope on the reception desk.

"Mitsuko Nakamura." She panted.

"Please wait a moment." Receptionist was typing on the keyboard.

"Mitsuko Nakamura. Room no. 245. Undergoing emergency surgery due to hemorrhage in the brain."

"Yes."

"Please wait for a moment." She took the cheques and the envelope.

Just then a doctor in scrubs came running, "Don't accept the payment!"

She turned her face towards him,"Why Doctor? You have to save my sister right?"

Doctor hesitated for a moment then spoke,"I'm sorry ma'am.... we couldn't save your sister. She lost so much blood that we couldn't even begun operating her because of her weak heart."

Her eyes grew wide. "Was I too late to bring the money?"

"If you want to see her.... I can show you the way." He gestured with his hand.

"I don't deserve to see her face again. I not worthy to be called big sister."

She looked down and turned around. She walked away dropping her bag on the ground. Her aunt Mizuho called her back after seeing her missed calls. She answered her call. T

"My sweet niece you called me?"

"Aunt....."

"Akiara? Is everything alright?"

"Mitsuko...... is dead."

"What? Mitsuko is dead?"

"Akiara where are you now? Akiara?! Akiara?!"

She ended her phone call as she started walking aimlessly. Rain drenched her but she didn't care anymore.

"Maybe what I did wasn't enough to save her."

"I beared all the pain for her sake so that she doesn't have to suffer in any way."

A car ran over splashing water on her. She didn't care. Her eyes lost all the hope and remaining spark also vanished. She sat at the bus stop's bench staring at the ground.

____________

It was already rainy afternoon, her sister's funeral was held. Her picture was placed on the table, flowers were decorated on the table and her coffin on the ground. All the relatives were waiting for Akiara to arrive so that she can see her sister's face for one last time. People started whispering about her late arrival. They even started badmouthing her.

Mizuho Yamazaki, Akiara's mother's youngest sister sprang up from her seat. She walked out of the cathedral to find her.

"Where are you going?" Her mother spoke glaring at her.

"Going to find her."

"Hah... first you force me to come someone's funeral and now you are going to find her." Her mother scoffed.

"Don't forget mother... she is your granddaughter as well."

"That daughter of mine has bought disgrace to our family."

"By doing what? Marrying a regular office worker instead of marrying old man at his forties?"

"You! How dare you speak like that to your mother?!"

"It was your fault to begin with. Don't blame me for consequences you are facing because of your stubbornness." she clenched her fists, "If you had allowed me to take custody of Akiara then none of this would have happened." with those words she left the room.

____________

Akiara was walking at the tall building. Her eyes looked cold and void and her face was covered in sadness and guilt.

She climbed the parapet and looked down the street. Small girls and boys were walking back home with their parents holding their hands after school hours. They were smiling and talking. Looking at the scene she also remembered that she also used to do the same when she was young.

"I don't deserve to live as I have failed my duties."

She turned around and the raindrops fell in her face. She fell off the building. Soon the downpour began. As she fell, tears streamed down waiting when she will hit the ground. She closed her eyes as she embraced her death.