"You're coming back?"

The female voice spoke aloud, the mirror hanging in front of the white marble bathroom wall reflected the figure of a girl. Claire couldn't close her mouth for a certain amount of time. Only when the person on line spoke did she returned.

"You're coming this afternoon....? Ah, then, I'll be preparing."

Claire replied as she tucked her hair behind her ears. Her brown eyes moved distorted around the enclosed space as she finally looked at herself within the mirror with smiling eyes...

Claire learned to be independent at a young age. This was due to their parents dying. Holding the hand of her dear younger sister that was only four at that time, Claire could only hold her head down low as she promised to do everything she could to sustain their needs. Her proposal was also a rejection towards the attempting relatives who wished to adopt them or with another particular reason. Both selflessly and selfishly.

Clara, Claire's younger sister, held her big sister's hand tightly. The young four year old glanced at the black and white pictures of a blurry figure of two. The little girl's huge hazel eyes blinked softly as tears tainted the corner. Claire became troubled seeing her sister starting to tear up. The six year old girl bend her knees halfway down and wiped the little girl's tears away.

"Don't be sad, Meimei."

Murmured Claire thoughtfully. Her hand caressed the other's soft milky cheeks. Her brown eyes squinted as she patted the little girl's back.

"Mom and dad are currently at wonderland. Don't believe the adult's fake words and lies. They'll pick us up when their done with their long time honeymoon. So don't leave sister, okay?"

Clara looked up, the soft and delicate cutie smiled. But away from the other's view, Clara rolled her hands into fists. She might be a young four year old, but she wasn't a three year old kid. Her knowledge of the world was slightly plenty, and she knew what death means.

And ever since, Clara became badly behaved. The girl bellowed those who won't do as she wishes. The spoiled child threw things into the ground and the maids fearfully looked at the young beautiful child. The shattering noises grew louder and Claire looked at this by the corner of the door. Her eyes glinted with peculiar emotion.

"Meimei.. "

Claire's voice turned lower as she glanced at the haughty girl in black princess dress. The girl's eyes focused on the two caskets that was being lowered onto the deep hole a step away.

...

After the funeral, years have passed by in a blink of an eye. The young six year old became twenty three and began to live thrifty to sustain her little sister's expensive wants.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

At the span of seventeen years, the immature kid became an adult. Claire held her black hair into a ponytail, the tips of curl, curved upwards as her brown monolid eyes looked towards the boiling pot of soup.

Claire was fair looking, her features have been shaped after all these years. But her beauty didn't hold any greatness, it wasn't at all her problem, Claire nevertheless didn't care if she looked beautiful or not. Her hand held the wooded ladle carefully, as she twirled the soup of misty sweetness.

The mist and hot smoke flew towards her face, a tear drop of sweat poured listlessly as she turned the flame off. Unhidden excitement glinted at her brown eyes, she was preparing lunch for her dearest person.

The child she watched and looked over after seventeen years finally decided to return. Happiness flooded and love was poured and sprinkled on the dishes she made. After she had dropped out of college when schoolwork began piling up, Claire found enough time to work and also improve her skills in cooking.

She suddenly remembered when Clara was only fourteen. The teenager looked at the dishes she cooked with disdain. She never really cooked at first, their parents have left money for them after they died but instead of being until eighteen, the inheritance have been used up in the years. They lost money to pay the maids and had to live thriftily, Clara showed disagreement when she spoke her thought of freezing the girl's card at that moment...

knock.

Knock.

Her thoughts stopped when she heard the pounding and knocking of the door. Claire blinked before realizing there was someone outside the door. Her body turned towards the living room and passed by the shoe corner. Her hand held the doorknob and turned it in a a lightly trembling motion.

"Sister?"

Claire looked up and her eyes widened in yearn and surprise. Clara was born beautiful, her beauty meter was to the max. The girl's fair jade white skin glowed under the sun's bright light. Claire almost was in dispute whether the girl standing before her was even her sister - The girl's unfamiliar soft and gentle look was in contrast to the past bratty and fierce way her eyebrows have been.

"Sister, I miss you!"

Claire broke free from her trance as the stunning girl rushed towards her and issued a hug.

"I miss you too!"

Spoke Claire in delight. A smile blossomed on her agape mouth as she embraced the girl back. Claire then pulled the door close as she made way for her sister's baggage and pointed at where the living room was.

Clara followed the pointer and rushed to the sofa. The girl quickly sat down as she slanted and leaned against the soft cushion.

"Arghh...I'm finally home..."

Clara muttered with a deadpanned look.

Claire looked at this and heard each words the other spoke. Her face blushed as she happily held a hand near her chest. Home. The girl that always rebelled finally thought of this house as her home. Only God knows how much happiness and joy flourished on Claire's heart.

Knowing that she remained quiet, Claire opened her mouth and slowly chose her words carefully. She tested her voice by speaking a whisper, her voice was doubted to crack after having a temptation to cry, seeing that it was fine, Claire looked at the black haired girl with a smile,

"W...Welcome Home, Clara...Meimei"

Clara turned to face Claire and grinned with crescent eyes.

"Yes, thank you!"

The girl she thought would never say those words spoke out gleefully. Claire suppressed the emotion to cry, as her smile turned bitter. A thought then passed within her mind making her joy froze. Claire gripped the ladle she was holding strongly as her eyes reflected the smiling face of the girl in yellow sweater.

'Clara, you've changed.

It's quite frightening.

You're no longer the same.

Though looking as usual,

You're now different.

Its ... '

Clair shook her head and then turned around and said, "I'm going to prepare the table. I'll call you when I'm done."

Clara hummed in agreement.

Clair didn't stood there any longer and walked towards the kitchen. Her steps paused a while before resuming back.