Kaho woke with a faint groan as sunlight cut through the window, acting like an unwanted alarm.
She turned her head, trying to escape it, but the curtains had already been pulled open. Of course, they had; her sister never allowed the room to stay dark.
Kaho really hated mornings, but there was nothing she could do. Dragging herself out of bed, Kaho shuffled to the bathroom, already dreading the ss.
The counter was buried beneath layers of makeup and beauty products, most of them not hers. She had to nudge aside bottles and brushes just to find her toothbrush, her movents slow and tired.
Even here, there was no space for her. No corner of her room, or the house, felt like it belonged to her.
"I don’t want to be here..." she murmured to herself, then shook her head. "I should think on good things."
Later, she would go to Eva’s house. They would play a tabletop RPG with Eva’s friend. Kaho felt afraid of interacting with new people, but at the sa ti, she was excited. She would finally make friends.
Trying to be positive, she went back to her bedroom. Opening her wardrobe, she found several of her sister’s clothes.
"Why can’t she use her own wardrobe?" Kaho complained to herself. She was having a hard ti finding her own things amidst the ss.
"Kaho!" her mother’s voice cut sharply from downstairs. "Co to the table, now!"
The girl flinched.
With no ti to spare, she looked at the ss of clothes in front of her. She couldn’t find anything that was hers, so she took a long shirt from her sister and a pair of leggings.
The shirt clung too tightly, especially around her chest, making her boobs stand out. And she hated how much the leggings hugged her curves.
She wanted to find another thing to wear, but another scream ca from downstairs.
The girl’s entire body shook with fear. She felt uncomfortable in these clothes, but she still went downstairs.
As she reached the stairs, she heard a familiar voice.
Her stomach dropped.
In the dining room, sitting casually among her family, was her uncle.
A shiver ran through her, sharp and imdiate, as she hesitated at the doorway, suddenly wishing she could turn around and disappear.
Her mother hadn’t told her he would visit. Of course she didn’t... She never bothered to tell her anything.
"Kaho, it’s nice to see you." Her uncle smiled at her.
However, his eyes were not focused on hers; instead, they drifted lower. The girl imdiately tried to cover her chest, stepping back. She couldn’t hold her discomfort in his presence.
Her breath grew heavier, and before she could react, the man pulled her to a tight hug... too tight.
"I didn’t know you had grown into such a beautiful lady. You should stop wearing these baggy clothes; they don’t complent your look at all, sweetheart." Her uncle stepped back and told her with a huge smile.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Kaho said quickly, wanting to find an excuse to escape.
Kaho didn’t wait for anyone to stop her.
The mont she slipped free, she turned and rushed down the hallway, her steps uneven, her breath already breaking apart.
She reached the bathroom and slamd the door shut behind her, fumbling with the lock before pressing her back against it as if soone might try to force their way in.
Her hands trembled.
"I... I can’t..." she whispered, her voice cracking as she slid down to the floor. Her chest felt tight, her breathing shallow and fast. She pulled at the fabric of the shirt, trying to loosen it, as if that alone could make the feeling go away.
A loud knock exploded against the door.
"Kaho!" her mother’s voice ca, sharp and impatient. "What are you doing in there?"
Kaho froze, her body going rigid.
"I... I just..." she tried, but her voice failed her.
The door rattled, then burst open. Her mother stood there, eyes already filled with irritation.
"What is wrong with you?" she snapped, stepping inside without hesitation. "Your uncle is here, and you just run off like that? Do you never get tired of embarrassing your family?"
Kaho’s heart sank, her entire body shaking. She couldn’t stare into her mother’s eyes; instead, she focused on the floor, trying to keep her anxiety under control.
"Sorry... sorry..." She repeated, trying to hold her tears. "But I can’t... I can’t stay near him, I don’t like the way he...."
"Enough." The word ca like a slap.
Her mother’s expression hardened imdiately.
"You will stop this nonsense right now," she said coldly. "Don’t you dare talk back to like that again."
Kaho flinched, her lips pressing together, but her body still trembled.
"He’s a great man," her mother continued, her tone firm and dismissive. "He’s always looked out for this family. And this is how you act?"
"Sorry, I..."
"You’re the one ruining the mood," her mother went on. "Always making everything about you."
Kaho couldn’t even say anything back, so he just trembled in fear. But slowly, even the fear despaired from her eyes, as her mind drifted away.
"Stop running everything with your problems!" Her mother scread. "You need to stop bothering people all the ti with your problems. You know how hard it is on us taking care of you all the ti?"
Her mother hit the wall with too much strength. Then she began her long speech about how Kaho should be more grateful and learn how to be more like her sister.
"Yes, you are right, mother, I’m sorry," she said with a voice that sounded almost robotic. Her eyes were unfocused, almost like she was in another palace.
"And now you are going to shut yourself in your little world," her mother clicked your tongue. "When are you learning how to communicate like an adult?"
"I’m communicating properly, aren’t I? I’m sorry for leaving like that; I should have talked to you before. My stomach isn’t feeling well at all, so, mom, could you please get so dication for nausea?"
Her mother rolled her eyes in annoyance. "So this is how you’re going to play it?"
"I don’t get what you’re saying. What’s the problem?" Kaho asked, blinking innocently.
"Whatever, I give up," her mother snapped. "And one more thing..."
Her eyes flicked over Kaho’s clothes, her expression twisting with disapproval.
"If you get the wrong kind of attention, that’s your fault. Why are you dressing like a whore? Stop acting like a victim all the ti."
Kaho’s fingers tightened against the fabric of her shirt. She wanted to say the clothes were her sister’s, but that would only bring more trouble. It was easier to stay silent.
"About the dication... could you get it soon? I’m not feeling well," she said, before turning and vomiting into the vase.
"Disgusting..." her mother muttered, walking away.
Not long after, Kaho’s sister returned with the dication and handed it to her along with a cup of water.
Eventually, Kaho had to go back to the table to eat with the family. Silently, they all prayed before starting.
But even if her body was there, it was as if her mind was sowhere else.
Kaho had mastered the art of making herself unnoticeable, so her uncle would stop looking at her. Aside from that, she remained completely silent, not even listening to the family’s conversation.
Her mind drifted far away, weaving a quiet fantasy where none of this existed.
After eating, she inford her mother she would be going to a friend’s house to work on a school project, and finally left that place.
Her empty expression and uncomfortable feeling disappeared as soon as she left her house.
When she was outside, she pretended that all her family problems didn’t exist. She didn’t even think about them.
And thanks to that, she was able to have fun playing tabletop RPGs with Ana and the others. She couldn’t lie, it was a bit scary. And the way Ana forced everyone to act and give their all was both funny and exhausting.
However, sohow, it was much easier for Kaho to interact like that. As soon as she got into character, it was like she beca soone else.
She didn’t need to worry about saying the wrong thing, because everything was fictional anyway. And by the end of it, she was exhausted, but smiling from ear to ear.
But then the gloomy feeling ca back.
Ana wrapped things up, saying she needed to et Tomoko because they were planning a surprise for Shin. Yumi and Aiko stayed a bit longer, and Kaho played so gas with them. But soon, Aiko had to leave, since she couldn’t get ho too late.
Kaho had also received ssages from her mother asking when she would co back, but she tried to ignore them.
Then Yumi left as well, along with her aunt and mother. They were going sowhere, though Kaho wasn’t sure where.
With that, it ant she also had to go back ho. She couldn’t just stay at Eva’s house.
"Hey, do you want to sleep here tonight?"
Almost like a savior, Eva hugged her from behind as she asked.
"Shin will be here tomorrow, and he’ll want to talk to you. Besides, I want to spend more ti with you too, so why not kill two birds with one stone?"
"But wouldn’t I be a nuisance?" Kaho asked, worried.
"Of course not. I’d love to have you here. So, what do you say?"
Kaho nodded lightly and sent a quick ssage to her mother, informing her she would spend the night at her friend’s house. She didn’t bother checking her mother’s reply; she wouldn’t think about that for now.
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