What Happened To Us?

[Ai Nightray]

Fourth year student, Ai Edogawa couldn't help but go to the Dungeons one afternoon. There was nothing wrong the whole day for her, except when she suddenly felt claustrophobic inside of her own dorm room. All the recent bad happenings attacking her all at once. She needed to get out of that room right away. And she knew, the only place she could hide in was the dungeons. The last time she went there was during her first year, and she didn't expect to be going there was once again for almost the same reason. Ai had different troubles in her system, all in which were painful to her chest. Ever since class became near, she refrained herself from crying so no one would worry about her. But the more she does it, the more painful it became for her to bear. And eventually, she needed to cry her heart out.

The Hufflepuff entered one of the cells and went straight for the corner and sat there, hugging her knees closely. She kept her head bowed resting on her knees, and the tears came. One by one, then they seemed to multiply, until she was silently crying. Crying about everything that was happening to her. How Conan pushed her and picked Taylor. How she would be out of the Agasa house and away from her aunt and uncle when the Christmas Holidays come. How Conan disowned her in front of Jeremiah. And how she would be living with another person when the Holidays come and also after that. Everything came rushing at her as she cried her heart out in the cold and dark cell in the dungeons.

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

Ryuuji didn't like dark places. He didn't like being confined in a place where light could barely creep it. It suffocated him. Thus, why he was there, in the very place that shared the same description as the place that he didn't like, he wasn't sure. He was just walking around the castle earlier. His mind preoccupied with the things that he needed to do. He's already a seventh year and that meant that he barely had enough time to finish everything that he wanted to accomplish. He had less than a year. After that, wanted it or not, he had to leave. He had to face the reality that he can't stay as a kid forever. He had responsibilities too. At that, the boy glanced at the badge pinned on his chest. The badge glittered as the light from the torches situated on the walls of the dungeon touched it. He was a prefect now. How it happened. He didn't know.

The Ravenclaw frowned. It wasn't that he hated it. In fact, he knew he should be happy to be given such honor. However, being a prefect meant a huge responsibility on his shoulders. Ryuuji may be a responsible person but he dislike being pressured. Not many people knew it, but Ryuuji didn't like having to much expectation from him. It drowns him. His father had already set his plans. He'd graduate and he'd have to take over the family business. He couldn't refuse. It's all that he could to give back to them after they had taken care of him even though they knew that he weren't theirs to begin with. He began to take a step, his footsteps echoing inside the dungeon. Perhaps being down there wasn't that bad? At least, here, he could think without anyone interrupting him.

The labyrinth was confusing. Though he had been going down here for the past six years, he still wasn't familiar with it. It was amazing how the Slytherins could maneuver their way in the dungeons. He placed his hand on the cold stone corridors, making it his guide. He continued to walk. He could see no other students there. He was already nearing the end of the trek through another labyrinth of corridors when he caught sight of a silhouette of someone. Said person had her head on her knees. He was worried. He knew he shouldn't interfere, however, he also knew that he couldn't just turn his back and leave when he already saw her there. Slowly, he approached the figure. The darkness around him made it impossible for him to decipher who the figure was. He was already near her when he heard her cry. That's when it came down to him. He'd know that voice anywhere. He quickened his pace and when he was already standing beside her, rested his hand on her upper back,as if trying to calm her down. ​

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai didn't want to stop crying, even when she felt a hand on her back. If she weren't crying, the first thing she would have done was to hit the one who dare come near her, but she couldn't. She needed someone to be there with her. The young girl decided to take a peek as she tried to see in the darkness of the dungeon. It was dark, but she recognized the Asian features the boy possessed. It was Ryuuji. The one she considers her older brother. The young girl couldn't stop herself as she leaned closer to the boy as she covered her face with her hands. She knew she should stop crying because it would worry the Ravenclaw. But she couldn't. She had spent all those days crying alone. If not, she had spent days holding back her tears. Tears came and came and they never stopped for the young girl.

Minutes and seconds passed, the Hufflepuff didn't know how long she was not speaking and only crying her eyes and heart out. "G-gomenasai ne, Ryuuji-niisan," the Hufflepuff said in between her tears, her voice remaining soft and broken. "Ai-chan wa, sugoku nakimushi de moshiwakearimasendesu," Ai said in their native tongue. She couldn't help but speak in such a manner. It seemed more normal for her that way than saying it all in English. All in all, she couldn't stop crying. Not yet.

Spoiler: Translation

Japanese​ <i></i>	English​ <i></i>[/td]
Gomenasai ne, Ryuuji-niisan.​ <i></i>	I'm sorry, Ryuuji-niisan.​ <i></i>
Ai-chan wa, sugoku nakimushi de moshiwakearimasendesu.​ <i></i>	Ai-chan is sorry for being such a crybaby.​ <i></i>

[th colspan="2"]Translation[/th] [th]

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

Like always,it pained Ryuuji greatly to see his younger sister figure cry. The last time they met, and that was before the school year had ended, they at least managed to talk about lighter topics. Topics like her infatuation towards a boy on her year, and about the stuffs that they did before. Now that he was seeing her cry again, it seemed that those happy memories belonged to the distant past. The Ravenclaw bit his lower lip. It was like a thousand daggers had been thrown at him. He did not like what he was feeling. The wight on his shoulder was just too much and he felt that his chest was about to burst in sadness soon. that could not happen. He was supposed to calm down and approach the situation at hand in a care free manner. That was how the old Ryuuji would act. He should not let his own emotions get the best of him. He should be the younger's pillar of support, not the other way around.

The Ravenclaw wrapped his arms around the younger girl, giving her a hug, trying to comfort her. He had never been good at handling situations like this. He had never liked seeing someone cry either, specially if that someone hold a special place in his life. He pat the younger's back. He did not have the courage to tell her to stop crying. No. It was more like he knew that she needed to cry. It was better not to bottle all of her worries in that small of hers. She could cry, and he would just stay there as long as she needed her there. That's how an older brother was supposed to be, right? "It's ok to cry Ai-chan. You need not say sorry. Nii-san understands." He told her softly as he pulled back and rested one hand on the younger's shoulder. "You're not a crybaby. Not at all. Crying is fine Ai-chan. You don't have to pretend that nothing is wrong. Nii-san is here, ne? It's fine. You can cry all you want."​

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai knew how hard it is for Ryuuji to see her cry. She knew how the Ravenclaw couldn't take to see someone crying, especially his family and herself included. But she couldn't stop all her tears, she couldn't stop any from coming out. She knew that she had to mature at some point and all of her experiences should have made her matured earlier than others her age. But, she was just a thirteen-year-old girl at the moment and she had tried so hard to bottle up all her feelings. She wanted to be matured for everyone who worries and cares for her, but it was becoming harder and harder for her with every encounter she has with her twin. And she just had to wonder every single moment, if she and Conan were ever to make up again.

Ai was glad that it was Ryuuji who found her. If it was Heath, she'd probably stop crying and bottle up more of her feelings. She knew that Ravenclaw understood her better than anyone, probably even better than Conan. She felt herself cry even harder as her older brother hugged her, comforting her. And when he told her that she could cry and he was there for her, she could only bury her face in his chest and sob, not caring if she messed up his uniform. The young girl reached inside her pocket and found something that she had been carrying every time. The charm that Ryuuji had given her during her first year. She held onto it, bringing it close to her chest as she cried her heart out. The young girl believed in the charm and she always did. Every time she cried it was with her as she always tells herself that everything will be alright, and she just has to be strong and hold on.

 

[Ryuuji Tsukino]

The younger girl's cries echoed in the seemingly endless labyrinth. It was painful. Time seemed to slow down for the Ravenclaw as he let the younger cry. He could feel his shirt soaking from her tears, but that was far from worrying him. He could care less about his clothes. He could always change them. What worried him was the fact that he knew he could only do little to help the younger. He wanted to tell her that everything would be perfect in the end, but he could not. He could not bring himself to lie to her for he knew that things were far from being perfect. He knew that Ai was suffering and it pained him greatly. Ai to him was a fragile and delicate young girl hiding under the tough exterior that she often represents. He knew she was strong, how could she not be when he was aware of her life before she entered hogwarts? Yes, she was strong, but Ryuuji also knew that even the strongest people also need support.

Ryuuji's eyes showed genuine concern as he looked at the younger girl. He had gotten much taller compared to how he was before. He then saw her bring out the japanese charm that he had given her when they first met. It actually surprised him a bit that she was still keeping it. He had told her that it would bring her happiness the same way that it did to him. Was it not working at all? Because honestly, Ai was far from being happy right now.

"I'm here Ai-chan. I'll always be here. Remember when I told you that you can tell me all of your worries? I still want you to do that. You can cry all you want, you can even hit me should you want to release your anger." He started, his voice soft as he continued to look at her, unblinking, as if afraid that should he close his eyes even for a moment, he would lose her. He did not want his younger sister to break down. He could not let that happen. He would do everything to make sure that she would at least be able to move on and be happy. He would have done the same for Conan. The two were like his real family. He hated how in just those months that he had not talked to them, they ended up like this. It was his fault. At least part of it was his fault.

If he could, Ryuuji would have dragged Conan to where Ai was. He knew that he could not force them to reconcile. He knew that it takes time for everything to at least be fine if not completely healed. But time was something that he did not have. He only have a year left. He would be graduating soon, and that meant that he would no longer be able to spend time with them. He would not be in the castle anymore. ​

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai didn't know how long she was crying. How long she was in the Ravenclaw's arms. But she didn't care. She had estimated to be there for about an hour or so based on her now cramped legs and her hand numb from clutching the Japanese charm to her chest. She never let go of it. During the time she was crying and sobbing, she held onto it like a lifeline. Like, if she were to let go of it for a second, she'd lose everything that was keeping her from breaking down and never getting back to her feet. Like she'd lose everything she loved and everything left for her. Like she'd lose herself. And the Hufflepuff was not going to let that happen to herself. She'll cry her heart out when she needs too, but to break down completely was certainly not in her to-do list today. Not tomorrow either. And definitely not ever. She would keep her feet planted on the ground, even if she would need support to straighten up after breaking a bit.

It wasn't long before Ai spoke, her own voice broken and raspy from her cries and sobs. "He... disowned me," the Hufflepuff spoke the words barely coming out of her mouth as the few remaining tears skidded down her tear-stained face. "He... denies our relationship now," Ai whispered, her trembling hands unconsciously clutching on the uniform of the older boy. "He doesn't want me as his sister anymore," the young girl said her voice shaky as she couldn't bear to speak what happened anymore than she already had at the moment. It was hard for her. Losing her parents. Disowned and pressured by her relatives. And now, disowned by the only family she had left. Her twin brother, Conan. She had to wonder if she could change the past, would she do it? Probably. But now, she wasn't thinking about changing the past. She was thinking of now. How she was now all alone. How everyone had left her behind. How what she feared most came knocking at her door. Separation and rejection. Would Heath leave me too? Would Jeremiah? Would Ryuuji-niisan?