Upside Down – Alternate Destiny

[Chinatsu’s POV]

After Mom helps me change Sora into her nightgown, I walk to my room, change into my gown, and then head back. I crawl into bed and cuddle as I listen to her quiet breathing.

It pains me to no end to see her hurting, unable to do anything about it. Hopefully, this doesn’t set her back as Mom thinks it will. I’m clueless about why she’s so terrified of him, but she must have a good reason. I’ve never seen her that afraid in all of the time I’ve known her. She’s frightened by many things, but she’s not a coward. When she has to, she stands up to people, regardless of whether she’ll get a beating.

Dwelling on this isn’t magically bringing me any answers, and I need to sleep because I don’t believe we’ve even begun to see the fallout from this incident.

Sighing, I close my eyes and try to sleep.

[Sora’s POV]

[Sunday, May 12th]

I wake up disoriented, scared, and with my heart pounding, feeling like it’s trying to jump out of my chest. Chinatsu’s beside me, cuddled up and asleep. I glance at the clock and see that it’s a little after midnight. I take a deep breath and slowly let it out, hoping it will help calm me.

Of course, it doesn’t help, because I feel like someone’s watching me. Intellectually, I realize that there’s no one else in the room but the two of us, but that doesn’t change how I feel. My heart ratchets up another notch, and my breathing becomes ragged as the tears come unbidden again, streaming like waterfalls from my eyes. Trying not to wake Chinatsu, I bite my lip so hard that I taste blood in my attempt to not make a sound.

I’m so afraid, and logically, I know there’s no reason to be. But logic has no connection to emotions. The more I try to suppress my fears, the worse they seem to get. I grab my pillow to cover my face so that my crying hopefully won’t wake her.

[Chinatsu’s POV]

Sora’s movement wakes me up. I open my eyes to find her holding a pillow over her face, wracked with sobs.

Taking the pillow away from her, I pull her to me, hugging her tightly. She wraps her arms around me and buries her face against my shoulder while holding me so tight that I almost can’t breathe. Try as I might, I can’t think of anything other than to do this for her.

As a boy, he was always sweet, kind, and sensitive. Now that she’s a girl, those same traits are even more pronounced. My heart aches to see her like this. I want Sora to be happy, and I’m willing to do anything for that. That’s the question: what should or can I do? A better question is: how did one idiot instantly change Sora, simply by showing up at the house? There has to be more to this than meets the eye.

More than anything, I wish I could turn back the clock to before this incident. She was so happy yesterday evening when she was making dinner with Mom. I’d never seen her so engaged with anyone other than me. I was sure she was finally dropping her shields so that we could finally see the real her.

She’s always been so guarded. She’s never allowed anyone to see all of who she was, not even me. I get it, she’s been hurt so much over the years, so I can’t blame her. I know she loves me. I don’t doubt that. I also know that she’d do anything for me. We need each other. It’s always been that way, and it always will. This… well, I just don’t understand at all.

Again, tears of frustration and pain fall from my eyes as I hold the person I love most.

[Haruka’s POV]

I wake up when I hear Sora crying. It’s after midnight, and I was afraid this would happen. I quietly make my way up the stairs to Sora’s room. Standing outside the door, I can hear both of them crying. More than anything, I want to go in there and comfort them. However, I know that I’m not who they need. I don’t know when it started, but they depend on each other. It seems as if it’s been that way ever since they first met. They love their Dad and me, but honestly, the fact remains that as long as they have each other, they need little else.

As tears overflow from my eyes, I angrily think, ‘I want my bright, lively little girl back, and that man took her away from me.’

[Eiji’s POV]

Haruka wakes me up when she gets out of bed. I can hear the girls crying, so I know where she’s going. I want to go myself, but what help could I offer? I still have no idea why Sora is so terrified of Akiyama. I’d like to know, but truthfully, it’ll be enough for me if he stays away from my family.

I realize how desperate he is to know what Daiki and Ai did. It might be best to detail some people to follow him. Also, tapping his phones, home, and office might be a good idea. I don’t want to take any chances with their safety.

I came very close to killing him when he said he owned Sora. Hell, I might have killed him if my wife and children hadn’t been in the same room. I don’t ever remember being so angry. I don’t understand how someone can see a little girl as nothing but an object to be experimented upon. Frankly, I’m glad I don’t understand that view.

　◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

[Sora’s POV]

I snap awake when I feel a touch on my cheek. Before I can even open my eyes, my heart begins to beat wildly as adrenaline dumps into my bloodstream. Terrified, every muscle in my body locks up, my breath comes in ragged spasms as I gasp for air, and I force my eyes open, fearing the worst.

“Shh~… sweetheart. It’s okay, we didn’t mean to frighten you. You’re safe. Your father and I came to check on you.”

I can’t speak. I can’t move. I can’t even think properly. My mind is as sluggish as molasses in winter. It takes a little bit, but I finally recognize that it’s Mom sitting beside me, touching my cheek, and my dad is standing behind her.

After my mind finally catches up with that fact, tears of relief begin streaming from my eyes.

I sit up, which makes Chinatsu roll off of me, and bury my face between Mom’s breasts, unable to stop sobbing, even though I’m safe.

Arms slip around my waist, and someone hugs me from behind. Soon after, I feel a touch on my head, and then they stroke my hair.

I realize there’s no reason for me to be so distraught, but my emotions have a mind of their own and leave me helplessly crying.

[Haruka’s POV]

I was so afraid that this would happen when she fainted last night. My bright, lively, and happy little girl from dinnertime is gone. I thought that last night, but I hoped she might’ve somehow bounced back this morning.

One man took all of that away in an instant. I’ve never seen her like this. Even when she was a boy, at the worst of times, he always had a smile for us. I’m at a loss for how to deal with this situation, other than to hold her and make sure she knows that I’m here for her.

[Eiji’s POV]

It’s as I thought it would be. As soon as Haruka touches her, she freezes up, terrified. She started crying again, even after she realized it was us. It’s enough to make me wish that I’d killed that asshole, even if it was in front of my family.

No, killing him at that point would have solved nothing. I should have never gotten permission to seek help from his company in the first place. It’s my fault, and I should have known better. Daiki and Ai made that company. I knew that, but I hoped that TGR had another person who could understand what they were working on and might be able to help Sora.

I take a step toward them and gently stroke Sora’s hair. I know it doesn’t mean much, but it lets her know that I’m here for her. At least, I hope it does.

We’ve loved this little girl/boy like they were our own for a long time. Not just because Chinatsu loves her, but also because she would do anything for her.

When they were eleven, as timid as he was, he stood up to three boys. They were teasing Chinatsu when her breasts began developing. He took one hell of a beating for that, but he always stood back up and wouldn’t back down from them. He might be timid, but he’s by no means a coward. He’ll stand his ground when needed, no matter the cost. That’s why I’m hoping that this won’t break her spirit.

[Sora’s POV]

It took some time, but I’m finally calm, at least to the point where I’m not crying anymore. Though, I’m still scared and holding Mom tightly. I hate myself for being so weak. I’m sick of being afraid of everything. I don’t want to be like this anymore.

I wish I knew why I’m so terrified of that man. It can’t just be that he knows who I am since I was extremely wary of him the moment I saw him. Regardless, I want nothing to do with him and whatever he might want from me. Emotionally exhausted again, I fall back asleep.

　◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

I wake up sometime later, breathing raggedly and my heart racing while tears stream from my eyes. At least I know why I’m terrified. I dreamed of that man dragging me out of the house, saying that I’d never see my family again.

Chinatsu is beside me, resting on her elbow and watching me apprehensively. She leans across me to wrap me tightly in her arms while my wracking sobs shake both of us.

It takes a while, but when I’m finally able to stop, I feel completely numb. Disconnected might be a better word to use. Although both fit, I suppose. I have a headache, and my stomach hurts on top of everything else.

Chinatsu sits there, looking at me anxiously. I want to reassure her that I’m alright, but that would be lying, and I’ve never lied to her in all of the time that we’ve known each other. I’m darn sure not about to start now, and even if I did, she would know it was a lie.

“W-wh… ~ahem~ What time is it?” I croak out. I can barely talk, my throat’s so sore.

Chinatsu glances at the clock and then back to me. “A bit after two in the afternoon.”

Two o’clock! I’ve been in and out of it for almost eighteen hours. Much of that time I spent crying until I was exhausted.

“I-I’m thirsty.”

“Do you want me to go get you something to drink?”

“No! Don’t leave me alone!” I yell, which makes my throat throb in protest.

Her brow furrows for a moment, but she immediately attempts to soothe me by saying, “Alright, I promise I won’t leave you. Why don’t we go down together, then?”

I nod and wipe away the tears that were beginning to form. She stands and then helps me up. Standing there, I feel shaky and as weak as a newborn kitten.

She giggles and then smiles at me. “It looks like your hair exploded.”

I look at myself in the mirror on the back of the door. My hair is flying off in about ten different directions, tear stains cover my face, and my eyes are dull and lifeless. It’s not a pretty sight, but I get why it would make her smile.

“How about we bathe after getting you something to drink?”

I nod. Truthfully, I don’t want to leave my room, but I don’t want to be alone either. Any pretense of composure I ever had is gone. I get that I have nothing I can point to to explain why that man makes me feel this way, but that doesn’t mean anything because, emotionally, I’m devastated. I hate to even think about this, but I need to know why that man terrifies me so much, or I’ll never get over it. Although, that brings up a question: how am I supposed to accomplish that? I haven’t the faintest clue.