hi TW for child abuse

more info at the bottom !

Shinsuke never fully explained what his 'work' was. He could tell that Sakiko had figured it out and informed Nanami. He could see it in their eyes, he could feel it in the distance they'd put between themselves and their father.

"I think we should go live with Aunt Miko," Nanami whispers through the dark.

Tears prick at the corners of Sakiko's eyes that she quickly blinks away, "Mom wanted us to stay together."

"Mom couldn't have imagined that he would.." Nanami struggles, "That he would do this. Become this."

Sakiko goes quiet, rolling to put her back facing Nanami. After a few minutes of silence, Nanami speaks up again.

"Who's Daryl?"

The name sends a chill down Sakiko's spine. Had Daryl approached Nanami? What had they said? Why did he do it? How did Nanami know of him?

Sakiko opts for silence and Nanami sighs before rolling over to the same position as her.

--

Spring break was tense with unspoken words as the reality of Shinsuke's job was left in the open. But, with no need for secrets, it was a slow progression of Shinsuke to stop hiding things as much.

First he'd left out the wad of money from his drop off, then he'd left out the beer bottles, then he'd left out the bong. By the end of the month, Shinsuke had left out the drugs themselves making the twins side eye the substance like it could blow up or attack them at any second.

Nanami found that staying at school longer was the better option. If he was honest, the safer option.

Sakiko, on the other hand, found herself falling back into old habits.

It started with school supplies from the school and by the end of the month, she was pocketing candy bars and useless trinkets from the small shop.

Years ago, it gave her a rush. Now, it gave her a distraction.

Neither Shinsuke nor Nanami had caught onto her actions. Or, maybe they did and just didn't care to point it out. Maybe Nanami was just wanting his sister to have a distraction as well. Maybe Shinsuke was ready to scold her until he looked in the mirror and realized he'd done far worse.

Daryl had noticed. And he tried day in and day out to talk to her about it on her walks home only for her to ignore him or pick up speed and run from him.

Merle was eventually released from jail and was on what Daryl liked to call 'temporary salvation'.

It happened time and time again when Merle was locked up for something and returned. Merle would swear that this time, he was different and changed. This time, he was going to start going to church and get 'his fix' through Him.

The brothers were pulling up outside the Otani household a month later.

Things were different in a dozen different ways this time and Daryl realized just how much time had passed since the Christmas scare.

Daryl went into the house with Merle this time, though Merle didn't care why enough to ask.

Shinsuke was high when they entered, something Daryl had been anticipating.

But, as the bedroom door opened and Sakiko walked out with a dirty plate, Daryl knew things had changed too much for his liking.

Sakiko was startled at first to see him before glancing to her father and sighing, continuing her way to the kitchen.

Merle and Shinsuke finish up their deal quickly, Sakiko ducking back into her room unnoticed by everyone except Daryl.

--

Sakiko was twirling the useless keychain from her latest pickup around her finger when Daryl stepped in front of her on her way home. When she attempts to side step him, he blocks her again.

"You buying from him now?" she asks, looking to his boots instead his eyes.

"No. I's just tryna see how you were. And I thought I told your ass to stay out when he was doing that shit."

"What's the point?" Sakiko snaps, looking up to him with a glare, "I've already been held at knife point and threatened. How much worse can it get?"

Daryl was shocked only for a split second. He'd had his first moment like that, too. He knew it was only a matter of time until it happened to her or Nanami.

"A lot. It can get a lot worse. And it will," Daryl answers.

Sakiko doesn't have a response, settling for pursing her lips.

"Take it from someone who knows. It'll get worse, kid," he continues.

"Is your dad the same?" she wonders.

"Nah," Daryl shakes his head, "He was worse."

"So, what? You think mine will end up like yours?" she asks.

Daryl doesn't have the heart to give his truthful answer of 'yes' out loud.

--

Worse came gradually, slowly. So slowly to the point Nanami and Sakiko didn't even notice it until it was too late.

They could only recall small moments that took them off guard.

There was the time Shinsuke had yelled at Sakiko more than usual for her failing grades that steadily dropped.

The time he'd slammed his palm against the table when Nanami interrupted him during dinner and broke a plate.

The time Sakiko had trailed mud the house as caused by the rain and he threw a umbrella at her harshly.

The time he'd shoved Nanami out of his way roughly when Nanami was walking too slowly to the car.

It was a slow progress over the weeks leading up to summer break. Once the twins were out for school, it only seemed to pick up speed.

That's when Shinsuke slapped the back of Nanami's hand for 'being disrespectful'.

That's when he'd broken Sakiko's CD player when she complained about doing the dishes.

That's when he threw his phone at Nanami for standing between him and the TV.

That's when he raised his hand to hit Sakiko after she talked back to him only to realize what he was doing and walk away.

When the twins' aunt had learned of Sakiko's ways, she began to draw away. She didn't want to deal with the 'problem child' and the 'trouble' that she brought with her. Trouble. Sakiko would have laughed if she wasn't so agonized over their escape being taken away from them.

It was nighttime and still hot whenever Sakiko had walked into the house with her newly stolen prize- this one sending Shinsuke over the edge it seemed.

He'd thrown the remote first while yelling, "Fucks sake! Can you not cause trouble for once!"

The word had been used against Sakiko so many times, she'd also snapped.

"Can you not be a fuck up for once!" she yells back.

Shinsuke's backhand to Sakiko's cheek was immediate.

Sakiko stumbled back from the force, steadying herself on her feet and bringing her hand up to her cheek. Shinsuke himself takes a step back, staring at his own hand like it had betrayed him.

"Sakiko.." he whispers, looking to her.

A cry retches from her throat and she throws the stupid kid's toy at his chest. It anger Shinsuke more and his eyes flash back to that enraged look before Sakiko dashes outside into the dark. Nanami was having a sleepover with a friend or something, she couldn't quite remember right now. She just needed to get away from her father.

She found herself outside the tobacco store, though it looked different with all the lights off as it was closed.

Daryl was always here. Daryl was supposed to be here now.

Sakiko whimpers to herself as she sits beside the door and pulls her knees to her chest. Her cheek burned more than the tears in her eyes. Her heart ached as she longed to take back her father's actions as well as wishing for Daryl to show up.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

as i said in the beginning the book gets heavier on abuse from here

if you want to skip those parts, the storyline will be done at the next divider you see like before

e.g. what it will look like:

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

as someone who went through a similar battle as the twins ik how frustrating it can be if not depicted correctly and the pain when it is too personal

the abuse stops after the divider in the future if you wish to read beyond there

i love you all stay safe ♡