There's a strange soothing voice... A really nostalgic one. Haruka ran towards the door, opened it, and ran towards the main room. There, Haruka saw his older sister, Sakura. He was so happy that he ran to Sakura.
Haruka said with a joyful tone, even though his eyes were reddened with tears, "BIG SIIIISSSS!!!!!!!!!! I MISSED YOU!"
Sakura, on the other hand, was tired from her long journey. Kenjiro Yamado and Marie were chilling on the sofa while Marie was on Kenjiro's lap. Sakura was tired, but despite being tired after seeing Haruka, she looked happy.
Sakura said with a tired but happy tone, " OH! Haruka!... I missed you a lot, too... Why is Mom Dad not themselves?"
Haruka said while removing his tears: "Well, they had an argument, you know" (he tried to make his face normal, even though saying that they argued made his heart ache with pain)
Sakura, with a tired tone: "Ugh... Classical them... So why are your eyes red, huh?"
Haruka, with a nervous tone, "Well... you know...It's just..."
While Kenjiro was busy with Marie, Sakura got up from the couch and walked towards Haruka's room. Mrs. and Mr. Miyamaru were sitting in the living room, both of them were silent, but they talked normally with Kenjiro, and were playing with Marie.
Sakura entered Haruka's room and sat at the edge of the bed. It wasn't only Haruka's room; both of the siblings grew up together in here. The memories were nostalgic, so was the room.
Sakura with a curious expression: So... what happened? I told them I was coming today, but they still fought. And that fight had to be today? Don't they care about how other people feel or think about these arguments? The neighbors probably will gossip about this stuff..."
Haruka began to explain everything, even though he tried his best to keep his expressions normal, he failed. Tears started to appear in his eyes. For a 12-year-old kid, he was mature enough to make things seem normal. He couldn't keep up withhis nervous smile, etc. At one point, he gave up and started to cry as he said to Sakura about what their mother said to him.
Sakura, being a caring sister, heard all of it, he let Haruka cry instead of saying "Don't Cry". She was caressing his head and letting Haruka rest against her chest. It was a display of pure affection between siblings who grew up in hell in the disguise of a household.
Sakura said with a calming and reassuring tone, "Well... You are strong... Don't be sad, she was hurt too... You have to understand what others think... She might not have said those words from the bottom of her heart..."
Haruka was less sad now; his crying stopped as he leaned against her chest. He said, "I must be lucky...to have a sis like you... Glad you came today... I was tired of being alone and hearing all those arguments, when you were here...*sob*...It was easier to deal with all of that nonsense..."
Sakura chuckles and says to Haruka that she will come back again after a few months, and she will stay here for a week.
She stayed for a week, their parents' argument slowly faded away, the environment got normal, and everything was normal too. Each day passed quickly for Haruka, but each day was also blessed with happy moments for him, such as pillow fights with Kenjiro and Sakura, playing online games with them, and so on. Kenjiro also liked Haruka a lot; they had a nice relationship between them, and they both were like real brothers.
It was all fun till the day it came that they would take their leave and go back. Mr and Mrs Miyamaru were sad, and they were waving their hands and saying Sakura, come back again, Haruka's eyes got teary, but he grinned widely, knowing she would come back soon. He waved his hand and greeted her with goodbye. He did one last handshake with Kenjiro before they got in the car and told Marie, his niece, who is about 8 months old, to come back again. Sakura, Kenjiro, and Marie took their leave, and Haruka, with his parents, went back into the house. After a few minutes, Sakura called, Haruka received the phone, and Sakura was speaking.
Haruka: "Hello, Sis?"
Sakura: "Oh, Haruka, just a few last words, stay strong, don't worry much, we will come back soon, and always text me if you ever feel saddened about anything. Sis is here and always will be till she breathes her last breath. We got on the airplane, A-0174. We will call you guys once again when we reach California, okay?"
Haruka said with a sad but understanding tone(which also had a bit of happiness as Sakura still was reassuring him), "Alright...Got is sis...Have a safe journey!"
Sakura (chuckles): "Alright, take care!" (Cuts the call)
It's been 8 hours since the last call, Haruka was watching a move in TV, then his dad said to switch to the news channel. Haruka, without a second thought, gave the remote to his dad and was walking away, wondering if Sakura said it takes almost 13 hours or even 12 to have a journey from California to Japan. So they must be near...A few more hours and they will call again.
But suddenly his ear catches the news...the reporter says, "We lost contact with Airplane A-0174..."
No more details, but hearing this many lines was enough to frighten Haruka... He says with a horrified tone...loud enough for Mr and Mrs Miyamaru to hear it, "T-that's the airplane, sister and others are in!"
Mr and Mrs Miyamaru were shocked by this news, refusing to believe reality. Haruka was shocked the most...
Just about then, there was a call on Mrs. Miyamaru's phone again...