Chapter 1: The Promise

It is a bright morning filled with the coos of birds and the fragrance of fresh flowers blooming in the garden of a small house. The weather is warm and the breeze is cool. Sunlight slipped through the curtains of the open windows. It was a small house with two persons living alone and nothing more. But to Lilly it was her world.. She is a little girl with the most purest soul, something that is too much for this cruel world. In her small world the only peace and joy is her big brother Yuki.

"Hey!" Lilly's voice chirped through Yuki's head as he was busy cooking breakfast for bath. He hummed in response. His golden eyes focused on the pan he was stirring. His brown wavy hair glistened in the sunlight.

Lilly climbed the table to reach his height and told with a high pitched voice, "You told you will come home early today! Remember!" Her brown eyes shining as the sun hits. Her soft chocolate hair swishes with the soft breeze coming through the window.

Yuki stilled and totally forgot. With an awkward chuckle he stammered, "Ah… right I… I will try to come home early today."

Lilly pouted, her hand gripping both sides of her hips. She tilted her small head slightly and told with the voice of betrayal, "Huh! You promised me you will come home early today and play with me! You are lying to me again! It's unfair!"

Yuki couldn't handle her wide pleading eyes and gave a tired sigh. Then told, "Fine! If I come late I'll buy your favourite sticky buns and we will go to restaurent for dinner."

Lilly's eyes widened with joy and excitement. "Really!"

Yuki replied with a smile, "promise," and flicked her forehead.

"Ouch! It hurts!"

Yuki then dropped Lilly in the kindergarden and headed to his highschool after admiring her bright smile, which is a soft thing in his tough life.

He is just a 15 years old young man who lost his parents at a very young age and was pushed into the responsibility of raising himself and his little sister alone. He earned little money by working part time job after his school. After everything he is a kind man with pure soul.

As the clock strucked 4:00pm Lilly returned home. "I'm home!" she chirped and placed her tiny shoes on the rack just like Yuki taught her to.

She moved with excitement, grabbed chocolate cookies, jumped on the soft couch and turned on the TV and started watching her favourite cartoon show. As she was watching while munching cookies, she suddenly remembered, "Oh no! Mr. Bunny!"

She then climbed upstairs to grab her favourite plush gifted by Yuki. She didn't notice the slight dimness in the light. Her footsteps echoing lightly as she climbed.

As she took her bunny plush, she heard a voice coming from downstairs. "…Lilly…" a familiar voice… its her brother's voice. She got happy and her face instantly lit up. "Big brother! You are home early!"

She ran downstairs with joyfulness while clutching Mr. Bunny tightly. To her surprise no one is in the living hall, only the TV flickered. Again she hears the voice, this time it is coming from the kitchen, "…Lilly lets play hide and seek.."

Her face lit with pure excitement. "Iam Comming!" She ran to the kitchen expecting to see her big brother. When she entered the kitchen, her smile dropped. She froze. Her eyes widened in terror. Her bunny plush dropped on the ground.

"Glass of wine here!" the sound of another waiter snapped back to Yuki's reality. "Oh right! I'll be there in a minute!" he quickly moved to serve another customer. He feels too tired because he has been working for 2 hours straight. By the time the clock strucked to 5:30pm he remembered his promise he made and watched the sky dimmed.

He then asked permission to the manager and left the restaurent. His steps were faster because the house is too far. He felt something is wrong. "Gosh its late" he muttered to himself. The clouds darkened and the sky dimmed. He hears the rumbling sound of thunder as it starts to drizzle. She is scared of thunder, he thought, and his steps became even faster.

On the way warm steam filled the damp air. He saw freshly baked sticky buns were selling in the stall. He remembered his promise to buy her sticky buns. Then he brought a bag of sticky buns and started walking as the rain started to pour more.

He reached home soaked. It was a heavy downpour. He opened the door gently and placed his shoes on the rack. "Lilly! I am home!" He expected the excited voice of hers but he only hears the suffocating silence. Man.. is she mad he thought to himself. "Lilly! I brought your favourite sticky bun-" he stilled.

He smelled the scent of metalic. The undeniable scent of blood comming from the kitchen. "Lilly?.." his voice slowed.

He ran to the kitchen and when he looked up he froze. His eyes widened. The bag dropped to the ground. His jaw dropped. He saw Lilly… but in a different state.

The bunny plush is stained with blood. Lilly was on the floor bloodied. Her eyes open and rolled up but not alive. Her left leg is torn. Her hand is crushed… She is brutally murdered… like she was torn by a monster.

He covered his mouth. His knees weakened at the sight and gave up. He crawled to her. Tears slipping from his eyes.

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