Hayate let out a frustrated breath as he stared out the window from his bedroom like a prisoner. Why am I being punished when Kasumi was the one disobeying them…whining to himself in silent. Both siblings were grounded and denied access to any activity for that day. Then his eyes shifted at the slippers being thrown out from Kasumi's bedroom window a little further from his…he peeked a little more and saw Kasumi jumping out right after, put the slippers on and ran away in a hurry.

Kasumi panted when she arrived at the waterfall area since she was running so fast to avoid anyone seeing her. Though, she wondered if Ayane would come play there that day too. She wanted to see her again as she had a lot of fun hanging out with her the day before.

A bright smile lit up her entire face when she spotted Ayane nearby who was running up a tree in a speed, drew out her kunai, retreated and then threw it back repetitively. Kasumi kept her distance so she wouldn't disturb and observed in awe.

When Ayane paused to catch her breath, Kasumi applauded loudly making Ayane turned to look, and with a smile, she ran to Kasumi in excitement and hugged her middle in a tight hug.

Kasumi's heart rushed with warmth and lips stretched in delightfully pleased little smile at the way Ayane was looking up at her with adoration in her eyes. Maybe that was how Hayate felt when she used to run to him the same way when she was younger, she thought.

"Good to see you too, Ayane."

Ayane released her tiny arms and nodded likewise back.

"Were you training? And you're already so good with kunai throw at such young age."

She looked at her kunai briefly, then handed it Kasumi and pointed towards the tree.

"You want me to throw it?"

Ayane nodded.

"I can't…I mean, I've never even held a kunai before." She shrugged rather awkward and gave the kunai back. "But let's do something else… should we try and catch fish with our bare hands again?"

But Ayane had suddenly stood frozen staring behind Kasumi with fear in her eyes, as if she had seen a ghost. Her feet then slowly took a few steps back while shaking slightly sending Kasumi to get very confused as what had scared her all sudden? That's when she turned to look and immediately, she felt this temptation to roll her eyes while crossing her arms firmly on her chest.

"You can go tell on me because I don't care." She snarled at him.

Dismissing his sister's angry stare, Hayate's eyes drew curiously to the purpled haired girl as he studied her with a strange frown. He marched closer but his movement sent Ayane to panic even more as she ran to Kasumi and hid behind her, causing Hayate to pause in his steps.

"Can't you see? You're scaring my imaginary friend. Go away brother." She told, voice dripping with sarcasm.

But he kept his eyes on Ayane, still looking at her strange.

"Hello, I'm talking to you."

"That's not the way to talk to me, Kasumi." Annoyed a little at her rudeness.

"I will talk to you the way you talked to me." She mused back.

A hopeless sigh escaped him then.

Kasumi turned and saw Ayane looking even more scared at the way Hayate was looking at her. "You don't have to be afraid, Hayate is my brother. He is annoying but he is not dangerous."

She peeked at him again, less fear in her eyes this time but still cautious.

Hayate took a step forward and sent her a warm smile. "Hi…Ayane."

"Just so you know, Ayane cannot speak." Kasumi explained.

To that, he lowered to Ayane's level and raised both his hands and began doing sign language saying, "Nice to meet you."

Kasumi looked at her brother ridiculously. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to communicate with Ayane, what else?"

Laughter burst from her lips and shook her head a little. "I said she cannot speak, not deaf…"

"Oh, right…sorry."

Ayane couldn't help but to giggle along as well. She bravely took a few steps towards him, no longer afraid of his presence as her hand then lifted, handing Hayate her kunai knife and pointed towards a tree.

He shifted at the tree a little confused, eyes looked back at Ayane questionably. "I don't understand I'm sorry…"

"She wants you to do a kunai throw towards that specific mark on that tree over there."

"Oh, alright." He took the kunai, narrowed his eyes to focus, then threw and hit the mark perfectly.

Ayane started jumping up and down in excitement as she applauded. Kasumi however rolled her eyes, "Show off."

A soft smile reached Hayate's lips when he caught Kasumi pouted in jealousy. "Are you still angry with me?"

She took her time before responding. "You called me a liar…and that hurts."

"I am sorry for calling you that... you didn't lie about Ayane, but you did lie about being out." He sighed then as he marched closer to his sister. "I should have talked to you in a nicer way. I get too protective sometimes."

"Sometimes? Try all the time…" Frustrated all sudden, Kasumi turned and walked away from him.

Ayane stood and tilted at both. She clutched at Hayate's clothes to get his attention.

"What is it?" He asked so softly.

She pointed towards Kasumi.

"I guess I should talk to her huh?"

She nodded with a smile. Hayate followed Kasumi and Ayane in the meantime kept herself entertained by playing on her own.

With a heavy sigh, Kasumi sat down on the grass staring towards the waterfall. Soon, Hayate placed himself next to her.

"What's the matter?" He asked curious.

"I just don't get why everybody is so overly protective of me…mother and father still treat me like I'm a child. I mean, look at Ayane…she is much younger than I am, but she could go play on her own without her parents or other people following her everywhere."

At that same moment, Ayane ran pass them towards the water.

They kept their watchful eyes on her briefly, observing her carefree nature.

"Kasumi, you must realize that we are different from Ayane." Hayate proceeded, "Father kept reminding me during training that there are bad people out there who will try to hurt our family and clan."

Her gaze then fell at her brother's words, as sometimes she had forgotten that they were not regular kids. They were born with a job. She hadn't fully grasp of what it all meant yet, what her role in all of this unlike her brother…

There was silent, for a moment.

Both eyes then stared Ayane's way, watching her being so carefree as she played in the water, trying to catch fish with her bare hands.

A soft giggle escaped Kasumi then, "Look at her…she's the happiest little person I've ever met. I think I know how you feel about being a big brother now."

Hayate turned sideways followed with a frown, "What do you mean?"

"Well, this might sound strange, but despite how I just met Ayane…I already feel like an overprotective big sister towards her."

His gaze then shifted towards Ayane. Staring at her so seriously all sudden.

"Hayate?" Kasumi called when noticing his intense glare, but he didn't seem to hear her…"Hayate?" She called again.

He looked back at Kasumi and gave a lazy, inquisitive hum in response.

"Why were you staring at Ayane like that?"

He rose to his feet then. "I have to go… you should too before they find out you're out here." But before he left, he turned to his sister once more.

"Kasumi?"

"Yes?"

"Try not to get too close to Ayane."

Before she could ask why, he just walked away without looking back, sending Kasumi to frown strangely at her brother's sudden tensed demeanor.

Two weeks had passed, and Kasumi couldn't ignore it longer... something was off about Hayate. He had been quieter than usual. After training he would just go to his room and ignored her all day unless they were required to be in the same room. It was unlike her brother to act so distant.

One evening, while sitting in the backyard porch, Kasumi heard her mother's panicking voice. Out of concerned she rose and hurried to the front door of the house.

"What happened?" Ayame asked, as her husband led Hayate inside in a hurry.

"It was an accident during the training, I will take care of it." Shiden responded.

Kasumi stood frozen with terror in her eyes when blood wouldn't stop leaking from Hayate's hand.

After his wound was treated, he marched to his bedroom to rest. As he walked through the little hallway, he passed by Kasumi who was leaning against the wall.

"Brother, are you oka-"

Before she could finish her sentence, his bedroom door slammed shut. She felt a sudden sadness at the way her brother just ignored her.

Late that same night, Hayate awoke and gasping for air. Heart pounding and skin layered with a sheet of sweat so heavy it had damped the bed.

"Brother…are you alright?"

Caught by surprised, he almost jumped out when he saw Kasumi sitting next to his futon staring at him with her honey brown eyes wide with concerned.

"What the hell Kasumi?" There was a hint of annoyance to his tone. "What are you doing in my room?"

"You were making strange noises, I got concerned."

"Well, it was just a bad dream. Go to bed." He told while rubbing his eyes like a tired toddler.

A hopeless sigh escaped her then as she rose to her feet obediently and left the room.

The next night, Kasumi awoke in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. On the way back to her room, she noticed the backyard door was slightly slid open. She thought her parents had forgotten to close it and so she hurried to close it.

Soft mumbling noises caught her attention and she peeked out to see. A little surprised then at the sight of her brother sitting alone reading a book.

She heard him let out an impatient sigh once he noticed her footsteps approaching him. It hurt her that her presence annoyed him. What was going with him? She asked herself.

"What are you doing up this hour? Go to bed, Kasumi." He told, but eyes were still focused on the book.

"I could tell you to do the same since you're up too."

"Unlike you, I have things to do."

"Yeah, like what?"

The strong urge to want to roll his eyes were visible. "Fine, do whatever you want, just don't bother me. I need silent right now."

He expected her to go back inside, but instead Kasumi lowered herself right beside him and stared up the sky at the beautiful moon without saying a word.

After a moment, he looked at her sideways and slowly, guilt crawled inside his heart that soon reached his eyes as he studied her profile. He understood Kasumi more than anyone…and he knew that she was missing him.

He closed the book for a second. "Look, I'm sorry I haven't been around much…I've been dealing with many things and I needed time for myself."

"I know." Kasumi faintly smiled as she met his eyes, then shifted her gaze back up to the darken sky. "And I think I know what you've been dealing with too."

"You do?" He frowned.

She nodded light. "He's haunting you again, right?"

He held his silent, but discomfort was visible in his eyes, confirming her suspicion.

"I wasn't strong enough to protect you then, Kasumi…" He responded in a low whisper. "That's why I need to focus and train even harder so I can get stronger than him."

"But he's gone now…you shouldn't worry about him."

Hayate then set his eyes back on the page he was reading to avoid continuing the sensitive subject.

After another brief silence.

"So, what are you reading?" Kasumi asked curious.

"Since my hand is injured, I couldn't train for a while. Father had me read these history and rules of our clan as he will test me…but all these big words…" He exhaled in frustration.

Kasumi couldn't help but pity her brother. Reading was never his strong side, but she admired his determination.

"You will be a great leader one day, Hayate." She smiled so proudly.

Hayate looked at his sister then with tenderness in his eyes, that comment made him feel ten feet tall.

"You're not jealous of me about that do you?"

A little caught off guard, Kasumi looked at him strange, "Why would I be jealous?"

"Well, because you always complained about father giving me too much of his time and attention…"

"Oh…yeah that, sometimes I guess but I also understand." She smiled again.

"What have you been up to lately then?" He asked her.

"Not much. But I've been thinking on what to give Ayane for her birthday. Do you think a hair ribbon is a good idea?" Not realizing her brother was suddenly glaring at her with a frown as she kept going. "Her long bangs always covered her cute eyes…so maybe a ribbon can help pull them back."

"You're still hang out with that girl?"

"Of course, Ayane is my friend." Kasumi responded so casually.

"Didn't I tell you not to get too attached to her?"

"Of course, but when did you ever like anyone I hang out with…"

Her childish response triggered him.

"Smartass, now are we?" He blurted in annoyance.

That made her to look at him confused…

"Do you think I'm joking, Kasumi?"

"Why are you yelling at me all sudden? What do you have against Ayane? And It's not like I'm going outside of the village to see her…" Confused of why Hayate suddenly seemed so upset.

His hand rubbed at his temple in frustration. "Do you not ask yourself why Ayane is the only kid living on the other side of the village? Don't you wonder where her parents are? And why we never knew of her existence? We know everyone in this village…"

Silence settled over them a little. Then concerned spread across Kasumi's face. He thought maybe she finally understood what he was trying to say.

"Wait…are you saying that she's a ghost?"

Hayate closed his eyes for a moment when pure irritation sliced through him.

"That night…" He decided to share something, but he paused and didn't continue his thoughts.

Kasumi waited to hear more, "What night?"

"Sometimes, I couldn't tell whether it was a memory or a dream…" Hayate continued.

She looked at him serious as she listened.

"It was many years ago…I woke up one night to our parents fighting, and this wasn't a normal fight Kasumi."

"What were they fighting about?"

"I'm not sure. Mother was crying and she was begging father about something… but father refused."

A deep frown wrinkled on Kasumi's forehead. "Our parents never fight, not that bad at least. So, it must have been a dream…" Still a little confused. "But what does all of this have to do with Ayane?"

The sound of the door slid opened startled them both. Their father came out then. "I was wondering what all the noises were. It is late, both of you should be in bed."

Kasumi and Hayate looked at each other and then they replied in unison. "Yes, father."

As Hayate hurried inside, his father's eyes was set on him with a touch of suspicion.