You didn’t have an easy start in life. While your two older brothers were born perfectly healthy and strong, you were the opposite.

It began a few weeks after your birth. Sae had been only four back then, but he remembered his parents talking in hushed, worried voices, peering at you over your cradle. They had noticed that something was wrong about you, and one visit to the doctor gave them the news that turned their world upside down; you had a degenerative disease that was eating you up. You had been about a month old.

He remembered his mother holding you while crying, his father comforting her and Sae had stayed with Rin, both of them confused as to what had upset them so much. His parents hadn’t told him the whole story, but he’d learnt that you were very sick. It was only when you began growing up that he realized just how bad it was. You could barely walk straight, always losing control over your limbs and falling or dropping items. Though he knew your parents loved you, you got scolded a lot accidentally making a mess by dropping food or drinks. He tried to defend you as much as he could.

When he got back from practice, he found his mother in the kitchen wiping the table to get rid of your favorite juice which you must have spilled. She was grumbling to herself and you were nowhere to be seen. Sae immediately climbed up to your room and pushed the door open. You were crying on your bed. It kept getting harder and harder to look at you. Your fragile appearance reminded him of your condition constantly. He wondered how much longer you had. He wondered if he’d be able to handle losing you.

“Hey. Did mom scold you again?” He crouched down in front of you and ruffled your hair. “She’s just worried. Don’t listen to her. Do you wanna go get ice cream?”