Chapter 2: In the dark wagon 1

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Translator: Soafp

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The inside of the van is dim and cramped.

Where am I? The van seems to be parked somewhere in the mountains.

The smell of cigarettes is so strong that I can’t breathe properly. Neither my mom nor my dad is here to rely on. And the little me inside is naked.

I press my small hands against the window, shouting outside. The cold, temperature-less sensation of the glass transmits to my hands.

Beyond the window, there is a middle school girl in her third year. I’m calling out to her. Help me. Help me…

Of course, I know who that girl is.

With long black hair in a wolf cut and a cute pink bear dress, my one and only precious little brother is standing with his back to me.

His nape is very beautiful, and I loved it. But now, I can’t even tell what kind of expression he’s wearing, whether he’s angry or sad.

“Kai-chan, Kai-chan!”

Still, I call out to my little brother, who is just beyond the window. I want him to help me. My dear, most precious little brother in the world.

The little brother I’ve loved so dearly. My whole life has been about protecting Kai-chan. I’ve protected him for fourteen years.

So, Kai-chan, you understand, right? I’m scared. I really hate this place. Help me. Please. I want my little brother to help me so desperately that I keep banging on the window.

But my little brother doesn’t move an inch. Just like the solid window glass doesn’t budge.

Clunk.

Suddenly, with a tremendous noise, the ground beneath Kai-chan’s feet gave way.

He fell, as if being sucked in. His long wolf cut hair was pulled along, dancing in the air.

Gooooh.

Below me, inside the van, I can see the courtyard of the middle school my little brother used to attend. It’s lunchtime.

I can clearly see the female students chatting and the male students fiddling with their phones. Kai-chan fell during lunch break.

“Kai-chaan!”

In an instant, my little brother in the pink dress shrinks and falls headfirst onto the concrete beside the bushes.

Thunk.

There was a loud, dull sound that reached even inside the van.

“You’re the big sister, right? You can protect your little brother, can’t you?”

The man’s voice, which I’ve heard over and over, whispers in my ear.

Then I’m pulled away from the window and my face is pressed against the van seat again.