"I WANT TO GO HOME!!!" Mei's voice tore through the air, louder, rawer than before. She clutched her brother's legs with such force that Kai had to shift his stance just to stay upright, his casted arm straining against her desperate grip.
"THERE I COULD DO EVERYTHING… I'D WAKE UP, WATCH ANIME, BE WITH YOU, GO TO SLEEP… AND HERE, HERE IT'S TOO HARD!!!" she wailed, the words tumbling out in a frantic, almost incoherent torrent.
Kai just stood there, silent, his heart heavy, watching his sister unravel before him. He wanted to say something, anything, but the truth was a bitter weight he couldn't bring himself to speak.
"TAKE ME HOME!!!" Mei screamed again, louder still, her voice cracking under the strain. She knew the demand was selfish, maybe even cruel to ask of him, but the intensity of her longing left her no choice.
Kai's jaw tightened. He looked down at her, heart aching with helplessness, torn between the impossible and the promise of being the anchor she needed.
