The m light filtered through the grimy window, filling the room with a dull yellow glow. Birds sang their songs outside, chirping away in the rising dawn. Beams of sunlight painted a soft image across Eren's bed, brushing against his white hair.

  As if waking from a dream, Eren's eyes fluttered open, for a moment it felt as though everything that had happened was nothing more than a nightmare, it was 10 years ago and he was te for uy. But all dreams end.

  Eren stood up slowly, muscles ag with eaent, the mattress cked the fort of Lucifer's loft but was at least his own.

  The st of ba wafted in through the cracks in the door. His stomach growled like an angry wolf; his feet drawn to the kit before his brain had a ce to catch up.

  "Good m." Eren spoke in a tired voice. His father flipped a few rashers over, deep bck, almost charred to a crisp.

  "M son."

  "Do you want any help?" Eren asked, leering at the bed pieeat.

  "No, no. Have a seat." The older man quickly turned, pushing him out of the kit. Eren had ied his mother’s love and skill i, often being tasked with cooking during his childhood.

  "Are you sure? I could-"

  "Don't worry son, I've been holding down the fort sinother passed. This is nothing." His voice carried more fidehan his cooking, even the blind could see that the cooking was barely edible.

  "Either way, this is lunch for work today."

  "Work? Isn't it a Saturday?" Ereioned.

  "Times have ged Eren. People o work harder, put in more hours just to keep us all afloat." His voice went solemn.

  "It's a cruel world now, even more so than before. The pet poorer, and the rich get richer. Super powers and all."

  "Yeah... it seems things haven't gotteer." Eren agreed. The two tihe versation until a shuffling in the hall interrupted, the creak of the floorbave it away.

  Emi appeared in the archway between the hallway and living room. Dark circles beh her eyes, her face gaunt and exhausted. Sleep obviously evading her.

  "..."

  Once more shocked by her brother's presence, Emi remained silent; hiding behind the couce more.

  Eren waved sweetly at her, invitio join them. She eyed him warily, shuffling her body along the furniture, refusing to break her gaze.

  "It's time for me to go. You two should reect, try to remember what being siblings used to be." The old man spoke while putting on his coat. "I'll see you both tonight."

  Emi shot an uneasy look at him, unsure of what to do now. The door shut with a click, leaving her aloh her brother. She did not speak for what seemed like ay.

  To breach the divide Eren took the first step. Taking a seat by her side, turning ov. Like they used to do when she was young.

  "What do we want to watch?" His voice is calm and smooth, like trying to attract a stray kitten.

  "..." Emi snatched the remote from his hand, flig through until she reached what she wanted.

  "Battle idol Season VI? Sounds… iing."

  The s erupted into a. Two girls, wielding glowing batons, one blue, and one pink. Dang around a rge arena. Suddenly g together, sparks flying from their ons. Bright fshes illumiheir faces, revealing their features, both heavily panting, sweat glistened in the light of the stage. Audien an uproar with each exge of blows.

  'The arena.' Eren thought, fshes off his own battles in the realm of death pying in his mind. Watg with i curiosity. her party speaking to each other, occasionally sharing a gnce or rea to the show, a small piece of on ground to e.

  However, the on ground became short-lived. With the end of battle came talking, and talking. The idols tiheir battle verbally, nonsensical arguing filled with childish insults. Forced ughter and egregious melodrama The stuff Eren only witnessed oern TV shows.

  In the er of his eye, Eren spotted his younger sister smiling, even giggling at times. Her face softening at each remark, being engrossed with the show.

  At st, a cra the ice, an opening to pierce her froze.

  'That was awful.' Thought Eren.

  "Is this really asses for eaihese days?"

  "..." Emi crossed her arms, refusing to give an answer.

  "Now what? The whole day ahead of us, whatever shall we do?" He spoke in a dramatic fir. Emi tinued her inteare.

  Her brown eyes pierg him, scrutinising every fibre of his body. She wasn't like a cat; she was a cat. If Eren made any surprising movements she would jump, hissing in anger and swiping at him before disappearing bato the shadows, o e back out.

  "How about we go outside? I want to explore-"

  The hiss came, leaping bato the shadows behind the couch, only her gre remained visible.

  'This is a headache.' Eren sighed. Although a ing pn came to mind.

  "Although, I do recall a sister that loved a certai shop not far from here. Maybe some delicious strawberry dy."

  Her face flinched; mouth slow. Eyes betraying the true desire. 'Got you.'

  "Well, I guess I'll just go to that sweet shop myself." Turning on his heel Eren slowly strode towards the exit. As the door opened, he gnced back over his shoulder.

  "Wait!" Her voice squeaked out. A slight smile peeking from Eren's lips.

  "I-I'll e... if... I get... one?" Hesitant, shy, but finally able t a senteogether.

  "Of course. Let's go."

  Eren stepped into his first dawn in ten years. The sun, fotten ih's realm, pierced his eyes and ed him in a warmth long fotten. It had been years since he had a ce to enjoy something so simple, time in the nd of the dead always felt endless, endless days of endless nights.

  Despite all the warmth, the block was barren, abandoned by the living long ago. The sidewalks cracked and littered with debris. Weeds breaking through, thriving on the broken crete. People once bustled through the street; chatting amongst themselves in the warm m glow.

  But the city ged; the people ged; the buildings had ged. They all ged, life had ged. He was still stu the nd of the dead.

  'At least it's warmer here,' Eren ughed internally, feeling a longing for a pce he no longer knew.

  Emi trudged close, stig to his side, nervous to ehe streets. ed up in a thick winter jacket that dwarfed her size and scarf ed around her face; even her dark raven hair was obscured, all to cover the world outside her sanctuary.

  "Cold?" Eren asked.

  "N- no." A mumbled response came from underh the scarf.

  'She's definitely cold.' Eren thought, noting how she shivered in the gentle breeze. Eren smiled at Emi’s quiet acceptance, his heart feeling just a little lighter.

  Eren himself strangely wasn’t affected by the cold. Only wearing a long shirt and shorts. Never oo feel the cold; he still did feel a prick from the chilly wind.

  However, the cold didn’t even tickle his skin.

  There was something pulling at him, a name eg in his mind—Haruto. He hadn’t thought of him in years, not sihe day everything fell apart. What had bee of his best friend? Did Haruto even remember him? Eren wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he knew he had to find out.

  The pair walked for a long time in silehe occasional car drove past but other than that; it was quiet. Darkened windows peered out at them like soulless eyes following their every move. Every shadow seemed to lurk with hidden faults; the buildings cast eerie shadows across the pavement, shrouding the pair in darkness.

  "This is the pce." Eren spoke out, stopping in front of a rge building. Much like home this apartment plex carried the same dimensions, but was almost immuo the march of time, retaining its white pallor; windows bright and inviting. Unlike home, this pce was clearly well taken care of.

  Climbing the stairs until they reached the 5th floor, apartment 517. Eren knocked firmly on the door, only waiting a few moments before shuffli approached the door, a grunt sounded from behind the wood.

  A girl, no older than whe saw Emi, short bck hair, light brown eyes, fair skin, white T-shirt, and bck shorts. "Good m, is Haruto home?" He asked.

  The girl looked him up and down with narrowed eyes, "Dad! Someone is here to see you." She called bato the house.

  The sound of heavy footsteps grew closer. For a moment Haruto went un reized, his face matured, an angur jaw line now in pce of a boyish smile. His brown hair lost its youthful softness, muscles ooned as thin as paper; the only unged feature, his eyes. Green emeralds still shining, still full of life and warmth.

  "Eren... How?" His mouth agape, pletely frozen.

  "Hey Haruto, long time no see." A smile spread across his face.

  "I saw you die... I-I don't uand." Haruto stumbled on his words, trying to his mind around what was happening.

  "You think a little thing like death stop me?" Eren nictated pyfully.

  "It really is you." Haruto smiled wide, tag him into a hug.

  "It's so good to see you man!" Haruto excimed.

  "It's good to see you too, my friend." Eren replied warmly.

  "You've got a lot of expining to do." Haruto gestured inside, inviting Eren and Emi inside.

  "Who is this little one? Do you have a kid now?"

  "Yes, where are my manners, Eren this is my daughter Maya. Maya, this is an old friend of mine from high school."

  The girl bowed her head, greeting them both.

  "Hello Maya, it's o meet you." Eren bowed back.

  "Hello." Her eyes widened slightly, reising the name from many stories she had been told in the past.

  Emi shuffled into the apartment, pulling down her scarf. Her cheeks rosy from the cold. The pair spent a time catg up, Eren reying tales of his time in the nd of the dead; Haruto sharing stories of his own.

  Maya listened ily, fasated by the world beyond. Emi sat too, a mixture of i listening and want of strawberry sweets. As much as she would never admit it, deep down she loved hearing about the wonders of the afterlife.

  After what seemed like hours, Eren stood up.

  "Thanks for having us, but we really must get going. Before I do you wouldn't happen to know what happeo Rika?"

  Haruto pulled out a small piece of paper, quickly scribbling dowails. "She moved and got married.”

  “Married? To who?” Shocked to hear his former lover had moved on. Anyone would feel a slight hurt at that news.

  “Yeah, some ranker. I did lose tact with her a while ago. I've also given you Akira's location too."

  'Akira too?' the traitorous dog and st gasp ally of Eren's final days.

  "Trust me, he'd want to see you too. He never fave himself for not being able to stop what happened." Haruto put his hand on Eren's shoulder.

  "Thank you. I really appreciate it." Eren replied in kind, shaking hands before taking his leave.

  "I won't lose tact this time." They both shared a smile.

  "Let's go Emi, I promised this one some strawberry dy." A subtle look of excitement graced her face, quickly fading away into a bnk stare.

  "Oh, the pce by that park, I'm sorry Emi, that's closed." He looked down at her sadly. Emi's eyes widen in shod disappoi.

  "We'll find somewhere." Eren reassured her.

  The walk home brought back the silence from the start of the day, even more awkward than before. Emi shuffled her feet; king against the pavement, staring at the ground in front of her. Occasionally looking up at Eren, quickly averting her eyes wheurned her gaze.

  Lost in thought, trying to decipher what to say or do. Many ideas pying in his head but all seeming like a bad move.

  "How about... I y famous fried chi tonight?" A subtle look of excitement graced her face, almost pleading him to tinue.

  "I seem to recall a young dy who would ge herself on my cooking." He winked, smiling wide.

  "..." A brief pause; her mouth slowly moved, trying to form the words.

  "I... like... chi." Her voice a low whisper.

  "I'm sure dads got some things in the pantry, so I'll be making my infamous fried chi!"

  Siblings’ steps now in unison, walking with a lighter step. A tiny smile crept across her face, still hiddeh the scarf.

  However, their peace was short lived. The base of their home, ied with a gang of youths, blog the stairwell up. matg red leathers, insignias scrawled across their jackets.

  A stench filled the air; body odour and cheap liquor reeked out; fouls smell of tobacco rooted to the side of the building

  "Hey." One whispered, causing the others to turn. Attention squarely on Eren and Emi.

  "Well, aren't you a sweet sight." One called out, a few boys whistling behind him. "You want to join us? We have a good time."

  Eren replied with a cold stare, Emi hiding behind in his shadow. Squeezing through the wall of thugs.

  “Hey, we’re talking to you,” the thug growled, stepping in front of Emi.

  "I don't know man. The look on his face gives me the chills." One mumbled to another.

  "Rex, that shit head ain't got no balls. His eyes tightening on Emi.

  Emi’s eyes widened in fear, her breaths shallow. She struggled, her hands trembling as she tried to free herself.

  “Let her go,” Eren said, his voice cold, trolled—but the look in his eyes was anything but. The thug chuckled, gng back at his friends for support.

  “Or what? You gonna do something about it?”

  Eren grabbed the young man's wrist, grasping it tight enough to turn his skin white.

  "Let go." Eren spoke calmly.

  "Hey man, we were just messing around." The thug whined in pain. Eren didn't relent, squeezing harder and harder.

  "S-Sorry! Please!"

  Finally, he let go. Throwing the boys hand away from Emi.

  "Keep your hands off my sister." His voice cold, carrying a hint of hostility. "Fuck man! You nearly broke my fug arm." He nursed his hand in pain. The thugs bristled with anger, ready to pounce.

  "Fug prick, yoing tret that!" One shouted out. As the siblings asded the stairs, ign the passing hostility. Bae Emi walked straight to her room, disappearing into the darkness.

  "Emi I..." the door smmed shut before Eren could finish his sentence.

  'Back to zero.' He sighed. All the work spent breaking down the door of her heart had now been uhe boulder had rolled back down the hill, crushing everything in its path.

  With a heavy heart Ereo prepare dinner, pig out various ingredients from the pantry; spices, rice, chi thighs and dashi. Faint hope that dinner would bring them together again, but his hopes were not high.