"A-Aki-nii," Harumi called out, with her hands against Aki's chest as she looked away. "W-Why are you doing this? I thought you hate me." She took a glimpse on him, and saw the look in his eyes had changed. From there, her fear had gone as she pushed him away. "Oh, are you trying to play with my feelings, and then just throw me away like a rag, right?"

Both of them sat up now, and Harumi crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Aki, who had the furious look in his eyes. "You made me ask this again; why do you really hate me and my mother?" she boldly asked again, but then she grunted when Aki didn't even say a word to her. "Oh of course. You won't answer. Oh, I really can't wait to leave soon..."

"You're... not going anywhere after this," Aki finally said, almost immediately.

"Why? Just let me go! I'm no longer in your family since my mom died-"

"I'm the head of this family now. And I said, you stay, even after this."

"I have my own dream, and I want to reach it-"

"Don't you already have it? It's your dream to be a designer."

"I just got the other dream. That is... to be free. I felt being chained by the will since the day we married," Harumi said, and she felt a lump in her throat, a sign that her tears were coming. She tried to hold it in, but when suddenly Aki grabbed both of her wrists and pinned her down on the bed, she felt everything was being shaken inside her.

"They are," Aki hissed through his gritted teeth as he continued, "chains to keep you here. These whole marriage thing... is dad's only way to keep you here." Harumi stared into his eyes with her teary ones, and she tried to push him away with all her might, but she just couldn't. "And I'm the victim here. Being used to chain you here."

Feeling rage, Harumi tried and managed to push Aki away from her. But she wasn't fast enough. "Don't... go!" Aki fumed, grabbing her right arm before she could even get off the bed.

"Let me-" Aki immediately hugged her before she could go on. He placed his right hand behind her head, instantly locking her in his arms. Harumi, who was now crying against his chest, grabbed his shirt as she kept on sobbing. "I... hate... you..."

"You should..."

"Yet you didn't want to let me go."

"It's dad that wanted you to stay. There are only us. The only Yasuhiro siblings."

"No, I'm not included-"

"Would you please just listen first?!" Aki whispered, releasing her and cupped her wet cheeks with his warm hands. He wiped the tears running down her face with his thumbs as he continued. "The reason why... dad gave money to your mother..."

"What do you mean... 'gave'?" Harumi whispered, almost inaudible.

"He gave your mother his money because he knew that your mother would try to pay him back, no matter what happened. And he also knew... that this was the only way to keep both of you here. He wanted to make you stay. He really loved you and your mother like he loved us."

Aki slowly ran his hands down her arms on both sides, before looking down at her hands and grabbed it with his. "After my mom died, my dad's smile had been taken away. Everyday after work, he would lock himself in the library. And me, even I was still a boy but I already knew how he felt. I tried to get those smile back, so I've pushed myself and tried to excel in everything. Education, sports... He did smile, but not the one that I've been longing for. But I never give up. Until that day..."

Aki-kun. Today after school, get Haruo-kun and wait for me at school. I want you to meet someone. And soon you'll have a little sister.

"That day..." Harumi softly whispered out, watching her hands being held by Aki's hands.

"The day where he smiled again, the smile that I've been longing for. I had to admit... That time a part of me hates you... Because I wasn't the reason that had made him smile again," Aki paused, patting the back of her head with his hand as he continued, "but on the other part, I was thankful. That you and your mother's presence had made him smile again."

"As the eldest from the siblings, I'm holding the responsibilities of protecting my siblings... And that includes you," he said, patting the top of her head softly. Harumi wiped her tears away as she looked down, before Aki suddenly hugged her again. "That's why ... I couldn't let you go easily. Can you understand me now?"

She looked up at the ceiling in the room, and let out a relief sigh as she hugged him back and whispered, "then... treat me... like a sister. Not a stranger."

"I wish I could..." Aki lowly mumbled, thinking that she didn't hear it when actually she did. Harumi was confused with his words, and had decided to ask.

"I... I want to sleep," was all what left Harumi's lips, before she let him go and covered herself with the duvet.

~~~Few weeks later~~~

"Miyuki, could you meet me now?" Harumi called out her secretary as she entered her office with a file in her arms.

"Yes, Harumi-san?" Miyuki asked, as she closed the door behind her and began to walk towards Harumi, who was now standing against her desk while checking the file in her hand.

"Remember Mr. Romancini?"

"Yes, of course."

"Arrange my meet with him in New York," Harumi stated, closing the file after signing it and gave it to Miyuki.

"When?"

"Um... This Tuesday."

"Tuesday?" Miyuki asked, opening her organizer and counted the days. Then she gasped, and looked up at her boss. "That's... in four days! When are you planning to leave?"

"On the day after tomorrow, Sunday. But you know what? This trip might take longer than what we all expected. So..." Harumi paused a moment, and looked at Miyuki, with a weak smile before she continued. "You can take over, right?"

Miyuki's eyes widened as she heard the request. Her body froze and her jaw dropped. Harumi saw the worry in her secretary's face, so she immediately reached her hands out and placed it on Miyuki's shoulders.

"Don't worry. While I'm away, you can use this company to make your dream come true."

Miyuki became more shocked. "Eh?! Is it true? You'll let me?!"

"Haha, come here," Harumi beckoned, and her secretary immediately hugged her in happiness. "I believe in you, that's why I'm handing this company to you."

"Thank you Harumi-san, thank you so much!" Miyuki thanked, and then she paused as she pulled herself away. "But... will the others accept me?"

"Don't worry about that. Let's have a meeting about this with everyone, I will explain," Harumi said, patting Miyuki's arm with a reassuring smile. But at the same time in her, she felt something. Something different and she was so curious about it.

~~~

"Eh?" Harumi whispered, when she saw Haruo standing beside a car as she made it to the parking lot. "Haruo-nii?! You've discharged out of the hospital? But it feels like you just got hospitalized three days ago."

"Snap out of your dreams! I've been out of that hospital three days ago!"

"Eh? How long have you been hospitalized?!"

"For almost three weeks, you idiot! This is what happened when you concentrate on your works too much! You didn't even notice me walking around the mansion!" Haruo grumbled, as he gestured her to get into the car as he walked towards the driver's side. He was turning off the car's alarm when he realized that Harumi looked surprised. "Get in! What are you waiting for?"

Harumi looked up at Haruo, stared at him for a while, before her lips began to move. "Where's Aki-nii?"