Tsukiko’s entire body felt sore when she finally woke up. Her eyes felt almost glued shut, and she couldn’t muster the strength to open them. There was something holding her tight, but it didn't feel like Fumiko.

Tsuki tried to move her arms, but she could not. She then tried to move her feet, but she could only move them a very short distance. She shook and tried to escape but nothing gave. Her eyes shot open in panic.

Tsukiko looked around and saw her older sister across the table, tied down, just as she was. Haruka had a look of silent anger on her face. Haru hardly even moved, only her chest rose with every breath.

Tsuki turned to her right and found Fumiko tied down next to her.

"Do I have to be a part of this too?" Fumi whined.

Sylvie startled Tsukiko by approaching from behind.

"You're important." Sylvie spoke.

"She wouldn't hurt anyone, you know that." Tsukiko countered, not even turning to look at who she was talking to.

"This is for everyone’s protection, okay?" Sylvie walked away.

Tsuki sat and watched as Sylvie approached the turntable on the other side of the room. She kneeled down to look at the nearly organized records underneath.

They had dragged Tsukiko and her sister all the way back to her home. Somehow, her surroundings had felt alien and unfamiliar up until that moment.

"Careful, don't ruin my records." Tsukiko struggled to look.

Sylvie only motioned to Kazuo to play a certain disc. He pulled out the vinyl, placed it on the platter, let it spin, and finally lowered the needle. A slow, somewhat sombre piano tune played through.

"Ahh, perfect song." Fumi laughed.

"I'm making a mood, Fumiko. Shut up." A serious look accompanied Sylvie's odd statement.

"So, what are we supposed to be doing here, Sylvie? I got things to do, y'know." Haruka groaned.

"Not enough to avoid getting destroyed by your sister." Sylvie's voice trailed off.

Haru started rocking in her chair. "What did you say, you son of a--"

Sylvie ended Haruka’s shouts by walking over and hitting her in the face. "Behave!"

"I-Is that necessary?" Kazuo was startled.

Sylvie grabbed her head and slammed it into the table. Haruka did not speak.

"Hey, what’re you doing?" Fumiko looked up at Sylvie.

Haruka did not respond. Another bash, followed by another, and then another.

"Stop!" Fumiko blurted out.

Sylvie's eyes seemed almost glazed over. It took her a second or two to finally stop and realize what she was doing. Tears and red marks stained Haruka's face, yet she had stayed silent.

"The hell is your problem, Sylvie?" Fumiko tried her best to stand up.

"Sh-She wasn't following orders, that's all…" Sylvie’s voice trailed off.

There was a silence in the air. It was horribly awkward. Not even the music could cut through the heavy air.

"Apparently we all hate each other in this group." Fumiko looked down at the wood of the table in shame.

"…I don't hate you." Haruka mumbled.

"Why the fuck should I believe that?" Tsuki stared.

Haruka's tears ran more. "No, I really don't."

"I don't wanna hear anymore lies, Haruka!" Tsukiko shouted.

"If you don't hate us, then why fight?" Fumi pleaded.

Haruka looked right at her sister. "Because that jacket is mine."

Tsukiko looked back at her sister. "I don't give a damn about the jacket, Haru."

"It’s not like that." Haruka slouched in her chair.

"Then what is it?" Fumiko asked.

"That jacket's all I've got left." Haruka spoke quietly.

"Of what?" The two younger girls replied in unison.

"That jacket's the only thing I have left." Haruka looked forward, but avoided eye contact.

"You care more about that damn jacket than me? If you wanna--"

"Sorry, Tsuki… It's hard to explain."

"You haven't lost us yet, Haru." Fumi assured her.

"Just… don't make me lose anything else."

Tsukiko sighed. "Haru, I don’t even know why that jacket’s so special."

Haruka paused before speaking. "It’s the jacket of a Knight Himura."

"What even is a Knight Himura?"

"It’s a family title." Haruka sighed.

"A title?" Tsukiko cocked her head slightly.

"I know it sounds dumb, but it’s important to me, okay? It’s not just a family thing, it’s a part of who I am." Haruka seemed embarrassed, yet persistent.

"Well, then it's your title. Why does it matter if I wear it? It'll always be yours." Tsuki shook her head.

"...it doesn't feel like it sometimes."

"Where does the name come from?" Fumi interrupted.

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Before she could get her answer from Haruka, Sylvie cut in. "It's from their aunt, Fumi."

"Our aunt?" Tsuki felt even more confused.

"Yeah, Mom's sister. She used to do the same things you and I do. Get into fights, stop street gangs, that sort of thing." Haruka suddenly sat up straight.

"You know it's not that simple, Haru." Sylvie scolded Haruka. "The First Knight Himura was a legendary brawler. She was a hero to the people, man. Tough as nails."

"Sounds pretty simple to me." Fumi laughed.

"OK? What's this have to do with me?" Tsukiko held the same serious face.

"Nothing, really, it's just--." Haruka didn't get to finish.

"She needs to know, Haruka." Sylvie leaned against the table.

Haru took a deep breath. "Sylvie says this gang is really interested in the Knights Himura for some reason."

"I-is that why they stabbed Fumi?" Tsukiko asked.

"No, I don't think so. I think it was just a coincidence." Sylvie shook her head.

"We're worried that they might go after the First Knight." Haruka finished.

"Who is this First Knight? If she's so important, why haven't I heard of her?" Fumi yawned.

Sylvie stood next to the table and stretched her arms behind her back.

"She was pretty well known for a while, but she suddenly retired a few years ago." The blonde girl groaned.

"Yeah…" Haruka frowned.

Sylvie paused to pull up a chair beside the others. "The First Knight was bound to be a legend. She could topple a whole gang by herself! Fifty dudes with nothing but her bare hands."

Haruka laughed. "I once watched her stop a car by kicking through the windshield!"

"Wait, you watched her?" Fumiko frowned.

"Well, yeah, she taught me everything I know!" Haruka pulled out her familiar toothy grin.

"So you can kick through a windshield too?" Fumi mocked her.

"I-It... She made it up on the spot, so she never taught me that." Haru stuttered.

"Just a second ago you were crying, and now you're smiling and laughing." Sylvie teased.

"I wasn't crying, you bashed my head into the ta--"

"Wait, wait, wait, you learned how to fight from our aunt?" Tsuki leaned forward.

"What? You thought I was magically talented? Nah, I’m not that special." Haruka’s mood was suddenly very positive

"Why didn't you ever train Tsuki? Only reason we're still alive is cuz she's picked up a few moves over the years." Fumi's curiosity grew.

Haruka lowered her head to the table. "The First Knight told me to teach you self defense and some other weird shit. I decided against it."

"Why?" Fumi asked.

Haruka leaned back, smiling. "You're small. Weak. You're lucky you've got that rack, or no one would ever take you seriously."

Fumiko laughed.

"I'm taller than you!" Tsuki turned red in embarrassment.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this to the professionals!"

"Like hell I am." Tsuki countered.

Haruka raised her voice. "Oh, should I let you do it all on your own then? You think you know how this all works?"

"I've gotten far enough alone already. All you've done so far is complain and drink!" Tsuki shouted.

"I'm keeping your dumb ass in line!" Haruka's smile grew sharper.

"Yeah, I'll learn so much from the drunk party girl. When was the last time you got in a fight anyways?" Tsuki rolled her eyes.

"You've beat, what, five guys so far?" Haruka laughed.

"More than you!"

"I've got years under my belt, dumbass!"

"Hey, what would she think?" Sylvie suddenly cut into their conversation.

"What would who think?" Fumi turned to Sylvie.

"What would she think?" Sylvie repeated herself, looking down at Haruka.

Haruka sighed, still smiling her strange, shark toothed smile. "I don't know what she would think."

"Yeah you do. You've known her just as long as I have." Sylvie scolded her again.

"It doesn't matter what she thinks, Sylvie."

"You know it does. That's the only thing that matters to you nowadays, isn't it?" Sylvie's eye twitched.

Haruka's smile wavered for a second, before growing even bigger.

"You should've seen me in my prime." Haruka was knee deep in nostalgia. "I gave the First Knight a hell of a good fight once."

"Pretty sure you lost that fight." Sylvie smirked.

"...point is, that jacket is made for me. I'm not gonna hand it over as long as I've still got my breath. You don't know what I had to go through to get it." Haruka’s teeth looked like razor blades.

"Quit living in the past, Haru." Fumiko mocked her again.

"Back off." Haru glared.

"What is it, Haruka? Half the time, I'm not worthy. The other half, you're talking about me replacing you. Pick one." Tsuki raised her voice.

"Back off!" Haruka shouted.

"You can't dance around the subject, Haru." Sylvie scolded her.

"What the hell am I supposed to say?" Haruka whined.

"Tell me what you want from me!" Tsuki shouted.

"I want you to respect me again!" Haruka teared up again.

"Respect you?"

"I wanna be the big sister again!" Haruka cried out. "You slammed the door in my face when I came back. Sylvie wants to give away my own damn jacket. Just cuz I've been gone a year?"

The air around them grew thick and impenetrable. None of them dared speak or move. Haruka was left alone to choke on her own tears.

A pit formed in Tsuki's stomach. She felt responsible for her sister's tears, but she also felt powerless. She wanted to reach out, but she couldn't.

"Of course I respect you, Haru." Tsuki admitted. "I just… I can't just forget all of this. I can't forget it all overnight."

"It's you, and Sylvie, and… it feels like everyone's got something against me."

Sylvie tried to speak. "Haruka--"

"Don't feed me that bullshit, Sylvie. I know what you were doing with my jacket. I thought we were friends. Am I not useful?"

"Useful?" Fumi asked.

"Everybody's fighting for something but me!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sylvie prodded.

"You're fighting for Fumi, Sylvie's fighting for her gang. What the hell do I have? I can't even protect my little sister…" Haruka grit her teeth. "What the fuck am I fighting for?"

"You don't have to protect us, idiot." Fumi snapped. "We just want Haruka. We don't want a Knight."

Haruka planted her face onto the table.

Tsukiko sighed and began speaking. "Haruka, as angry as I am, I think I get you right now. You don't have to protect me. I want you back. I don't care about that jacket. I left the top bunk empty for you all this time. Not for some damn coat."

Haruka looked at her sister.

"I'm not here to tell you what you've done wrong. I'm not here to scold you. I'm not here to replace you. I'm sorry for what I did. I was angry. I just don't want whatever this is dragging us both down, okay?" Tsuki's voice shook. "I'm still hurt by everything that happened, but… I can move on. I can forget it eventually. I'm mad cuz I lost my sister, not cuz I hate you."

Haruka bit her lip. "And what about the others? I-I don't want you guys to hate me."

"You know better, Haru. Fumi and I aren't mad at you. Dad's hit the bottle hard since you left. You really think you could just cut yourself off and we'd forget about you? I still remember all the good times we had. I still remember you as my sister, not as some stranger."

Fumiko picked up where Tsukiko left off. "That goes for me too. We practically grew up together, Haru! I've known you my whole life. I might get mad at you, but I'll never hate you."

"...you mean that?" Haru asked.

"Haru, I've never lied to you before, have I? My opinion of you hasn't changed. I'm sorry for being mad at you this whole time."

"She's right, you know." Sylvie continued. "I'm not mad at you either, Haruka. There's no way I'm trying to replace you or whatever the hell you've got brewing in your head."

"Then what are you doing?" Haruka turned to her.

Sylvie turned red. "I… thought it would be cool to have two Knights out there."

Haruka's frown faded, then it slowly turned into a smile. "Hah, that's kinda lame, Sylvie."

"Hey, it's true!" Sylvie insisted. "I like Tsuki. She's cool. I like you too. Why do we have to choose all of a sudden? You're our friend, Haru. You've always been our friend, even when you were gone."

"Thanks, Sylvie." Haruka blinked.

"Feeling better?" Fumiko asked.

"Yeah, a lot better." Haruka leaned back in her chair.

"Can you guys untie me? My leg's falling asleep." Fumi complained.

Sylvie paused. "Oh, uhh… alright."