Kitchens

[The cello ninja]

Maruka admired Arion and Ilya's relationship for a moment, just sitting there and gazing at their intertwined fingers out of her peripheral vision, but then, she couldn't manage to see them as tears welled in her eyes.

"So..." Maruka said, rubbing her eyes coyly to pretend she wasn't about to cry.  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya looked at Maruka and figured she was about to cry. "Is.. something the matter, Maru-chan?"
[[☆]]

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[The cello ninja]

Maruka forced a smile, appreciating Ilya's concern. "Not really, I suppose. I'm just glad you two have each other. It makes me genuinely happy... and of course, it makes Arion joyous as well." Maruka glanced down so neither of them could see the first few tears roll down her cheeks.  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya forced a nod and then, turned to Arion. "Do you know something about this, Arion-kun~?" she whispered worriedly.
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[The cello ninja]

Arion nodded slightly. "Mind if we slip away for just a second, Maru?"

"Of course not."

Arion took Ilya by the wrist and lightly pulled her to the other end of the kitchens. "Maruka fell in love with a boy with leukemia several years ago. He loved her back, but she tried to stay away as to not danger him. Because of this, she rarely saw him before he died." Arion said in a whisper.  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya blinked. "I-I see... So, until now, she has not been able to move on?" she asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
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[The cello ninja]

Arion didn't exactly know how to explain his sister's situation. "I suppose our relationship reminded her. So many things are bombarding her at once, she might just be breaking down. All this trouble with me being targeted by the association, the fact that she hasn't been able to eat or sleep in days, and five days ago was the boy's death day."  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya frowned. "Five days ago, huh? That's a bit... sad." it was the only thing she could say since she had never experienced that kind of loss.
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[The cello ninja]

"Yeah. That's why she was gone. She was visiting his grave that day. She's gone every year since his funeral, which was three years ago."  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya's shoulders sagged. "S-So dane..." she muttered.

She bit her lip, not knowing how should she act around Maruka since she didn't want to make her feel any worse.
[[☆]]

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[The cello ninja]

Arion rested a gentle hand on Ilya's shoulder. "Don't worry too much. She may be on edge, but she doesn't break that easily." He gazed over at his sister, who was still sitting at the other end of the kitchen, pretending to eat her pad thai in silence. "I sort of feel guilty. She's been running off to help at the hospital whenever possible. It seems like I never comfort her anymore, and maybe that's because of her always being somewhere else, or because I just sit by and watch her suffer."  

[Ilyasviel16]

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Ilya smiled sincerely. "Don't say that, Arion-kun." she lowered her gaze. "Once, me and my sister were arguing since both of us thought we weren't an use to each of us. But then, my mother said that we're already helping everyone by simply being there...."
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[The cello ninja]

"It's not the same though," Arion said, feeling his throat begin to constrict. "Maruka and I depend so much on each other because our parents are dead. We were there for each other during the transformation, and she essentially threw off the association for months so I wouldn't get detained. I rely on her so much, yet she is so independent that I feel that I'm just a burden to her. I didn't offer to go with her to the grave because I know she likes to be alone, but I also know that she is driving herself to a state of transparency. Helping everyone, but no one can see her because they don't realize someone else has problems."  

[Ilyasviel16]

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"I see... I never thought your situation was this..... complicated." she said, lowering her head a bit so Arion couldn't see her this confused.
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[The cello ninja]

(( Sorry for such a delay!! sweatdrop ))

"I guess it's not exactly complicated. Much more unpleasant than anything else, but let's ignore that for a moment." Arion said, trying to lighten the mood with a bright smile. He looked at the opposite side of the kitchen, noticing that his sister had vanished. "Uh... perhaps we should go back and finish the meal, despite Maru's sudden disappearance."