The light in the center of the ceiling buzzed as it illuminated the bedroom. It was the only thing making any noise this late into the night. After all, all of the residents of the home should have been asleep. Should being the key term.

A small child, no older than 11 or 12, was laying in her thin futon staring up at the dim light that she still needed to shut off. Her mind was still so busy that she had gotten into bed without dealing with it.

Her slightly raspy voice let out a sigh as she ran her thin hand over her bruised face. She sat up and pushed the comforter off of her body before letting out a quiet grunt as she pushed up off of the floor. She needed to shut that buzzy light off. She would never get any sleep with it on, after all.

As she climbed back into bed once the room was bathed in darkness, she closed her eyes and tried to push her busy mind to rest. She couldn't get the thoughts to stop running through her mind.

So many bad things had happened to her over the years, and those bad things seemed to never have an end. The first incident was when she was too young to really understand the weight of, but her parents had gone through so much because of the dam project protests. Because of their support of the project, they had been shunned and abused up until their deaths.

After her parents had passed away, she and her brother had been sent to live with their aunt and uncle. Things only become worse at that point. The two siblings had found themselves in the care of cruel individuals who had no actual care for the two of them. In fact, they were treated very poorly, abuse becoming a day to day occurrence.

The abuse that they faced had come from all angles, really. Because of who they were, Satoko Houjou and Satoshi Houjou were outsiders in Hinamizawa. Their parents had supported the dam project, making them traitors to the village. That damned their whole family, the siblings included. In public, shop owners and townspeople alike would actively bully and completely neglect the two of them, despite the two youngest Houjous having not been responsible for their parents' actions. At home, the two were beaten, starved, and yelled at regularly for becoming a bother to their aunt and uncle. It was as if the whole world was against them.

That was until Satoko's aunt died. Then Satoshi disappeared.

Satoshi had run away because of her. Satoko had become sure of that. Out of all of her family, she was the cursed one. It hadn't been she and Satoshi like she had suspected originally. No, it was just Satoko. She was the damned Houjou, the one left to bear all of the pain of the legacy left behind by her late parents.

These were the thoughts that plagued her late in the night when she was in pain from her uncle's abuse and couldn't sleep. She couldn't help but obsess over everything that she had done to push Satoshi away. She couldn't help but think of how dependent on him she had been. The strain that must have put on the highschooler… Satoko couldn't even imagine.

Everything that happened… It was Satoko's fault.

That fault bore on her shoulders like the weight of the world. It hurt worse than the metal ashtray that had been thrown at her earlier in the day. It hurt worse than when her uncle would push her down and spit on her. It all hurt so much.

Because of this, Satoko felt like she needed to repent for the deaths and disappearances that were her responsibility. She needed to prove to her Nii-Nii that she was independent and could handle her own now. Then he would come back.

Those thoughts plagued her until the sun peaked through the curtains to the left of her futon. Despite the pain in her head and stomach from the abuse the night before, she sat up and trudged to get her outfit changed for school. Despite her body's angry protests in the form of pain wracking through her joints, she ran the brush through her hair and went to brush her teeth.

Satoko had to make her way to school, even if she found herself unable to stay the whole day. She need to make some kind of appearance or her teacher, Chie-sensei, and her friends, Mion, Rika, and Rena, would become more concerned. Satoko needed to show that she could handle it all. If she didn't… Did she even deserve her Nii-Nii's return?

The gradeschooler finished getting herself ready and started out to make her way to school. She spotted her uncle who was passed on the couch, having been too drunk the night before to even make it to his own futon to sleep. How unpleasant.

Satoko opened the door slowly as to not disturb the alcoholic as she slipped out to go to school. He probably would have kept her home if he had awoken, since she did still bear a bruise on the bridge of her nose from the metal ashtray he had thrown at her the day before. However, it had been over a few days since she had last gone.

The petite girl got on her bicycle and started on her way to school. As she pedaled in the direction of her school building, she acknowledged the way that her stomach growled from the lack of dinner she had had the night before.

Since her brother had disappeared months before on the night after Watanagashi, Satoko had lost her appetite, finding it difficult to eat most days. When she found herself hungry, she often ignored the feeling. After all, she had the feeling as if she didn't really deserve those meals when she couldn't even properly prove herself as a good sister.

This starving problem was something that she had developed as both a punishment for the horrible things she had allowed to happen around her and also a way to cope with the absolute lack of control she had over anything. She couldn't control the abuse, the neglect, the harassment she faced.

She approached the school and felt her heart racing. Her friends always showed her so much concern when she returned to school from her breaks of being sick or 'accidentally falling down the stairs' or whatever other excuse that she came up with to cover the bruises and injuries she seemed to endlessly have.

"Hey, Satoko!" Class president and the oldest student in the school, Mion Sonozaki, greeted. "Where have you been? Are you okay?" Mion asked as she approached her underclassmen. She, in a familiar kind of way, put a hand on Satoko's shoulder to show her support to the other.

The small girl tensed up and looked up at Mion with empty eyes, "I'm fine… I fell down the stairs a few days ago and was having some trouble walking much. But a few days rest helped and now I feel better." She announced, hoping that she relayed that lie in a way that made it believable. The touch of Mion's hand on her shoulder had caused her to flinch, which she knew only weakened her case.

"You look you haven't sleep lately… Maybe you should go to the infirmary and take a nap, maybe." Another upperclassmen spoke, Rena Ryuuguu. She had wide but firm eyes that were studying the small girl's battered face.

"No, I'm fine." Satoko spoke softly, her voice shaking a little from the sudden pressure she had on her over this whole situation of everyone paying so much attention to her.

The last of her friends moved to stand near Satoko, looking at her with a concerned expression. "Satoko, you look a little pale… Mii… Maybe skipping on the infirmary isn't such a good idea. Or maybe take the day off?" Rika Furude spoke in her high pitch voice.

Satoko couldn't help as a feeling of angry rolled through her, causing her stomach to churn and her heart to pound so hard she could hear it. "I said I'm fine!" The blonde shouted suddenly, dodging her group of friends to get to her desk. She pulled her chair out from under the desk with such force, it could have fallen over.

The young shrine maiden flinched at Satoko's rather inappropriate reaction, replying quietly, "O-okay…" Rika said in a shaky voice before she turned her attention over to Mion, a concerned expression painted on her soft features.

Rika couldn't help her worry for Satoko when she was living with her uncle. Everyone knew the kinds of things that went on in the Houjou home, but without the confirmation from Satoko, there was only her bruises as proof. Knowing this, Rika worried. She turned her attention to Mion and pointed to the sliding door subtly.

The upperclassman nodded just a little and made her way out into the hall, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she did so.

Rike also made her way to the hall before closing the sliding door in hopes that others wouldn't hear their conversation. "I think Satoko is lying," She stated in a very serious voice, one that seemed ill-fitting when compared to the tone she often spoke in.

Mion, with no hesitation, replied. "You don't think….?" She started, a frown on her face. Everyone knew at least a little of what went on in the Houjou household. Without Satoshi, Satoko was handling all of the abuse on her own.

"Mii…" Rika replied quietly, her brows coming together in worry. "If that's the case, we need to get her out of that house."

"I know… but how? We've already tried calling Child Protective Services and they were no help. We can't just trick her uncle into letting her go…" Mion replied, nervously adjusting her vest with her hands.

Rika nodded, a frown on her face. "I know… And we can't just kidnap her. Ooishi would get involved, and we don't want that."

Mion let out a sound of agreement and lifted her head to look at Rika without her hair in her face. "I think we should mule over this during class and then we can talk with Rena about it after class with a fresh mind…"

The smaller girl nodded, replying with a quiet, "Mii…." before she lead the way back into the small classroom. The first thing that Rika noticed when she stepped inside was the way Satoko's lavender eyes glared at her.

"Don't talk about me behind my back." Satoko spoke clearly before turning to face the front of the room. Even though she made it sound like she was okay, her heart was pounding so hard and she couldn't focus her eyes on anything. Her breathing was shallow and she felt dizzy.

'Did they know… Not just about the abuse, but the things that I am doing to ensure my strength…?' She pondered in her thoughts. Mion had always been very perceptive and was well versed in the world of punishment games — wasn't Satoko's control of her food only just a punishment game for letting Satoshi leave? Not letting him leave, instead pushing him away. These thoughts instilled fear into the blonde and she couldn't handle it. She felt like she was going to pass out from the pressure of it all.

Satoko was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard when their teacher, Chie-sensei, had called on her. She didn't noticed the teacher until she was right in front of her, "Satoko-chan? Satoko-chan? I would like to speak with you."

Satoko finally heard the other, and she flinched unintentionally because of being called upon. "Y-yes, ma'am." She muttered out, her voice weak after the panic she was enduring.

Once Satoko managed to get up out of her chair with legs like noodles, she began in the direction of Chie-sensei's office, flinching and tensing up when she felt Chie-sensei's hand on her back.

"We'll speak in here, so the other students won't be able to hear." Chie-sensei explained as they crossed the barrier into the office. She closed to door and guided Satoko to the other side of the room, in an attempt to once again protect the blonde's privacy.

Satoko was staring at her feet, observing the way that her slippers seemed a bit bigger than they used to be; could people lose weight in their feet? Maybe she was hallucinating. Satoko couldn't rule that last thought out. She took in a small breath to ground herself and bring her attention back to reality. "What did you need me for…?" Satoko asked in a reserved tone, her arms now crossed across her chest.

"I'm worried about you." Chie-sensei started. Her eyes seemed to look at Satoko like a hurt puppy. "I've noticed that you've missed quite a bit of school recently, and you look so ill…." As she spoke this, she was studying Satoko's thin body with her eyes. She had noticed that she could see every bone, every tendon as Satoko nervously strummed her elbow. It was striking in a way that only made Chie-sensei's worry even worse. Alongside that, she could see the hollow look that Satako always wore. It was like her eyes had actually sunk a little.

"I'm fine. I've just had a bit of a cold." Satoko spoke, knowing that she needed to keep her cool while speaking with Chie-sensei. She couldn't act out like she had with her friends.

Chie-sensei let out a small sound of disapproval and then began talking again, "Is your uncle still in town?" She asked, aware the the answer told her the fate of Satoko's current future.

Satoko tighten her thin arms around herself as she responded. "Yes."

Chie-sensei nodded slowly, "And is he feeding you enough?" She had observed that Satoko was very thin. It was terrifying to actually take in how small she really was. Her legs looked like they couldn't even hold her up.

"Yes, I eat three meals a day." Satoko replied, her tone a little different than before. She couldn't help the fact that she wasn't the best at lying when it came to something like that. She hadn't had anything to eat in days.

The young teacher felt like she couldn't take that as fact. "I… I've noted how you have gotten quite thin… You mentioned that you've been feeling ill, right? Maybe you should have a visit with Irie-san."

"I would rather not." Satako said rather sharply. Her eyes wondered back to her feet as she thought of what a visit with Irie-san would entail.

"If you're sick enough to be losing this kind of weight, seeing a doctor would be best…" Chie-sensei said, worry painted on her otherwise smooth face.

"I'm fine." Satoko responded again, her voice holding some level of monotony.

Chie-sensei crossed her arms and shook her head. "You're very obviously not. I'm going to call Irie-san. You need to have a check-up, if only to make sure that you're sickness isn't something major." She said, still playing along as if it wasn't because of the abuse she endured.

"I don't want to." Satoko started, "But if you insist… I'll go, but I'm fine." She said in that same monotonous tone. She was using that tone to mask the fact that her heart was pounding and she had a knot in her throat. She couldn't let them find out about the fact that she had been skipping meals and controlling her diet as a way to have some hand in what is happening to her and to become stronger for her Nii-Nii.

Chie-san nodded, feeling some internal success with getting her to accept even just this visit with Irie-san. "I'll call him and have him just come here to the infirmary." She said before letting out a small sigh, "But please, tell him the truth. It's very important. If you're uncle is doing anything he shouldn't… You could die."

Those words hit Satoko in a way that nothing anyone else had said had. She could die? But if death was the last step in this horrible situation, it would have all been for naught. She couldn't let that happen; she was strong and was overcoming this for her Nii-nii. "Sensei….?" Her voice was a whisper, nearly audible.

"Satoko?" Chie-sensei replied, watching the other's face in a way to read the situation.

"How long does it take someone to die from starvation…?" Satoko asked, her voice trembling and low.

Chie-sensei looked at Satoko for a long moment before even beginning to think of actually answer. "Why would you like to know?" She replied, her voice still soft.

"I'm just curious." Satoko lied. Lying had become such a prevalent thing in her speech that it was ironic that she was bad at it when it specifically pertained to her abuse.

Chie-sensei knew that Satoko was lying. Her uncle had been starving her… And she was suffering because of it. "Well… After a short while of only small portions of food, you would become very sick. After a couple months of this… Death is likely."

Satoko sucked in a small breath at that information. She had been restricting her eating for a few months, sometimes having a week or os of eating just fine, other times, fasting for at least four days. "What if… What if that were me…?" She murmured, her voice so quiet that it was almost impossible to hear.

The teacher took a step nearer to Satoko, her expression pasted in worry. "Then I would do exactly this… Help you get back to health, make things better." She spoke as she carefully wrapped her arms around the almost skeleton of a girl.

Satoko didn't move as she was embraced by her teacher. She was terrified. She had revealed a truth about her private life to someone. That was more than she could take. She was nearly vibrating from her fear.

Chie-sensei pulled away, still close to her though. "Is all that you're telling me true?"

The blonde didn't speak as she wrung her hands and nodded gingerly. She was not prepared for this future. She wasn't ready. But she had to strong for Nii-Nii. That was all that she could do: continue to prove that she was strong and independent.

"How long has this been going on…?" Chie-sensei asked, concern lacing her voice.

"At least a month…." Satako practically whispered. That guess was poor at best. It had probably been nearer to a few months. She felt a sense of defeat from this.

"Is it that horrible uncle of yours?" Chie-sensei asked Satoko.

"No…" Satoko murmured, wringing her hands as she tried to think of how to word what she wanted to say. "I… I feel like if I don't eat… I will become stronger… for Nii-nii. It gives me control… and hope." As she explained, her eyes began to fill with tears.

Chie-sensei couldn't help but gasp at the newly revealed truth behind one of the many walls that Satoko built around herself to protect herself.

"So…. How much do you eat?" Chie-sensei asked. She hadn't meant to probe but she was so worried and concerned that she hadn't taken notice before.

"I… I eat my bento at school." Satoko replied. "But… But uncle… uncle didn't give me a lot of food before so I ate when I could then…. Now… I really only ever eat at school."

Chie-sensei didn't hesitate to react. "I'm taking you to Irie right now."

The blonde's eyes widened and she tensed up. "B-but…" She muttered out, her heart rate speeding up enough that she could feel her hands start to tremble even more severely than they already had been. She had just ratted herself out. Now everyone was going to find out.

"No. Satoko, you need nutrients. You need food and water. You need the help… You're Nii-nii would do the same thing…" Chie-sensei hesitated before reaching down and gently taking one of Satoko's hands. She couldn't help but notice the way that the thin girl was shaking. Despite understanding the fear the blonde was experiencing, she still guided the both of them to the door.

As she opened the door, she felt Satoko's hand tighten in her own. She glanced down at her before speaking out to the class, "Mion-chan, watch over the class, please. I have something I need to do."

The eldest girl in the class stood up from her desk and nodded, "Yes, ma'am." She said before giving her teacher a small bow.

Satoko felt her face as it burned from embarrassment. She knew that everyone would be talking about her once the two were out of earshot. This truth plagued her thoughts.

Once out of the school building, Satoko couldn't help as she let out a nervous breath she had been holding. Once led to one of the two cars sitting behind the school, Satoko slipped into Chie-sensei's vehicle, her anxiety keeping her from being particularly observant. She knew it would only be about five minutes in the car, as the clinic was near enough. However, near or far, Satoko felt like she was going to explode from anxiety before they could make it to Irie-sensei's office.

Once on their way, Chie-sensei drove a bit faster than what was appropriate for the rocky roads of Hinamizawa, wanting to arrive at the clinic as soon as possible.

Satoko was holding her head, staring at her lap as she panted. Tears had began running down her hot face, only assisting in making her face's raise in temperature. The thoughts of what Irie might say, might do left her terrified. If he made her eat, it would ruin her. Her Nii-Nii would never return if she couldn't prove herself as strong and independent. And what about what Irie-sensei would think…? Would he keep it a secret? Or would he tell others? The last thing she needed was to be shunned even further by the fellow villagers of Hinamizawa.

Once they pulled up at the clinic, Satoko was crying quite hard. She couldn't breathe and it was all too much. "I-I can't…! I-I-I can't go in…!" Satoko managed to fight the words out despite her near hyperventilating.

"Satoko… You have to." Chie-sensei said, her voice rather soft, as if she was working to act as a form of comfort to the other one.

Satoko tugged at her own hair as she sniffed before letting out a cough because of the crying she had been dong. "I-I'm not going in… H-he'll scold me. I-I'll… I'll get in trouble…! Nii-nii will never be able to see h-how hard I've worked…!" She spoke quickly but in a breathy tone because of her tears. She had her arms tightly secured around her body and she couldn't help but self-soothe with a gentle rocking motion as she sobbed.

"If you don't come in, I'll bring him out here." Chie-sensei said, a certain level of frank nature in her tone. Without giving Satoko a moment to process she slipped out of her seat, depressed the lock button in her car, and closed her door quickly. With the level of panic Satoko was suffering, Chie-Sensei assumed it would take her a moment to figure out how to get it unlocked, enough time for her to go get the doctor.

The teacher sporting a bobcut proceeded into the clinic with no hesitation. The front desk nurse tried to get her attention, but Chie-Sensei had a destination. Her while shoes clicked on the floor until she made it to the knobbed door of Irie's office. "Irie-Sensei, I need you to look at a student with me. It's an emergency!"

The thin doctor with red hair and rectangular glasses got up from his desks before he even thought to ask, "Who is it?"

As Chie-Sensei followed just a step behind Irie-Sensei she explained, "Houjou Satoko. She has revealed to me that she has been having issues with starvation. I insisted to her that I bring her to you. Now she's like this..." She finished the explanation as she and Irie-sensei rushed outside, nurses following behind them.

Satoko was in the passenger seat of the car, holding her head with one hand, clawing at her throat with the other. She was crying, hard enough that she could be heard despite being inside of the car. When her mauve eyes swept across the sudden small crowd outside, Satoko let out a scream and hit the window with her palm, "Go away!" She yelled out.

Irie looked at Chie and they both had managed to figure some semblance of a plan despite no actual verbal planning. Chie began working to unlock the door that Satoko was hitting while the thin doctor spoke up, "Satoko, we're just here to help!" He called to her.

Once Chie managed the door open, Satoko tumbled out of the car. She had been leaning against it so she had had no way to properly balance herself as the food was opened. This came with an advantage to the Clinic employees, as Satoko wasn't immediately able to run.

Tumbling out of the car hadn't stopped Satoko from flailing her arms and legs, kicking and punching anything she could get a hit in. "I-I told you all I'm fine! I can do this on my own—!" Satoko screamed out as the nurses finally began holding her down. She opened her mouth to continue when the edge of her vision blurred. Had she been given something? She couldn't remember as she dozed to sleep.