Clouds Clearing the Sky

It was no secret that Sunny and Mari were exceptionally close. Ever since they were tiny, Sunny always seemed more attached to Mari than his mom and dad. It got to the point where you could count the days Sunny wasn't clinging to Mari on one hand. They'd often go out together, just the two of them. They'd go on picnics, sit at the park and hold hands, Sunny would always hold her hand, or cling to her side. It started to worry their parents. Sunny was 9 years old and he still engaged in this kind of behavior. The two did have other friends, and even some really close friends in Hero, Kel, Aubrey and Basil, but it felt like you'd never see Sunny as close with them as he was with Mari. And Mari never discouraged him.
"Sweetie, don't you think you and Sunny are a little old to behave like this?"
"What's wrong? Sunny's my little brother, and I'm his big sister. We can't outgrow that."
It was innocent enough. They were still kids. And they're always on their best behavior. Mari's practicing the piano and doing her work, Sunny helping out and doing his fair share. And they do have other friends. They saw no reason, and didn't have the heart, to split them up.

That's not to say it was all sunshine and roses. They did get in trouble on occasion, but Mari tended to take the blame for the harsher stuff. She'd never admit this to Sunny...but Mari knew she was the favorite. If Sunny broke something, they might say mean words to him, or punish him. If she broke something...she'd just get a stern talking to. Even when "Mari" broke on of their favorite vases, she got off easy. They did have fights, but Sunny couldn't stay mad when it was Mari, and she would always forgive him. As they grew older there was extended periods of time apart. Sunny never took these well, especially when they spent days apart. He'd always silently demand lots of hugs and cuddles whenever she got back.

And there was the piano. Mari was always practicing in there, for reasons Sunny couldn't fully understand. And as time went by, Sunny's worries only grew. She's playing the piano? She's doing extra work for college? She's going to be taking extra classes and won't be able to spend as much time with me anymore? Mari's going to be...moving away? For him, it felt like an earth shattering nightmare. What could he do?
Maybe...if he could also play an instrument, she'd want him around again? Maybe if he played with her... Sunny would practice with his mini violin, even if it was too small now. He still tried. Maybe...maybe Mari would want him with her again? He got his answer on Christmas. His friends and Mari had all pitched in to get him a new violin. One that he could play a the recital...with Mari. Sunny was determined. He would do this. He needed to. He'd show Mari how good he is, and then she'd want him around. They'd be happy together, the way they always were.

Sadly, hope can only do so much. Practice was really hard to keep up with. Sunny always made mistakes, his hands not moving the way they should. And his fingers...they got so bruised. They hurt so much sometimes. There was one day Sunny even hid in the bathroom so Mari wouldn't see him cry.
But that wasn't the worst part. He could deal with all of that. What he couldn't deal with...was Mari. There was always something. He always screwed up something. He always messed up somewhere. He was never good enough. He never got it right. Not even once. And as the months dwindled, Mari only got more harsh. It felt like she didn't love him anymore. It hurt...so much. He just wanted to be with her. Didn't she want to be with him anymore?
...
He knew it wasn't a big deal, but he couldn't control himself anymore. He heard Mari scoff when she thought he couldn't hear her. The recital was going to be a disaster because of him. And he knew it was all. His. Fault. Why did he bother joining if he wasn't going to do his best, even for Mari?
...
At the bottom of the stairs lay his precious violin. His fingers shaking with rage and pain...this was all a bad idea. And with the violin gone, it was over. He wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. Mari wouldn't have to stand on that stage, and hear him disappoint her in front of EVERYONE.
"Sunny! What was that noise? What happe-" Mari let out a sharp gasp when she saw what was at the bottom of the stairs.
"Sunny...did you...you..." She saw the look on his face. Anger. He did. "How-HOW COULD YOU"! She shrieked.
She kept yelling at him. He didn't get why. Why was she yelling at him? He was doing it for her...how could she-
"YOU ALWAYS DO THIS! You-you just keep-you just keep clinging to me, distracting me from what matters! You little brat!"
Sunny cringed. What was she-did she mean that? "Mari-"
"Asking to join the recital and RUINING this for me! As you always do. You're nothing but a parasite on my life!"
Sunny's eyes went wide. He saw Mari was crying profusely while she screamed at him. Did she...really mean that...?
"You-you're just so-you just-You...You would be better to me DEAD!"
And just like that, it was said. Sunny could only look a her in horror. She wasn't backing down. She kept glaring at him, breathing heavily with fared nostrils. She hated him. Mari hated him. He ruined her life. He's...he would be better to her...
Sunny began to sob. He cried. Mari didn't seem like she was slowed down. "Oh, so now you're going to act like this?! You-" Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Sunny letting out a scream, as he fell to the ground and started wailing, sobbing.
Mari hated him. He would be better to her dead. He deserved to die. He's just...
...
Mari wishes she could describe how she felt in that moment. Fury, wrath, hatred. As much as she loved Sunny, she hated him even more in that moment. Or at least, that's what she thought. She didn't mean a single word of what she said to him. She was so furious, so angry, she wanted to say whatever she knew would hurt him. So much so...she didn't realize what she had said. It was only seeing Sunny sobbing on the ground, sputtering out I'm sorry's and other babbled words that she realized she called him a parasite. Better to her dead. She told the little brother she loved that.
"S-Sunny...!" Mari gasped out as she got on her knees and started patting his back. "I-I'm sorry-I didn't mean-I don't think that of you-I-I love you!"
Sunny probably couldn't hear her. He was wailing so hard it sounded like screaming. Mari started sobbing herself.
"S-S-Sunny...puh-please...l-look at m-me..." Mari lifted Sunny's head to look at her. His face was a mess, eyes red from crying, snot mixed with tears and sobbing. "I-I love you...Sunny, I love you!" She pulled him into a hug. She can't tell if he heard her. "You're m-my sunsh-shi-inene...you mean every-everything to me...I-I would-neevee-heeveeheeveeer..." But she did. She meant to hurt him.
She meant to hurt her little brother.
...
...
...
Sunny wound up sleeping in the closet after that. He never told their parents what she said. Mari was too much of a coward to, either. All she could tell them was that she didn't mean anything she said. She was so mad, she wanted to hurt him. But she didn't mean it. Their parents didn't really know what she meant since they couldn't get anything out of them, but they decided to give Sunny space. But when school starts again, he would be going.
Things got strained with their friends, too. A lot was happening with them she didn't understand. Mari tried to make time for them, but she wanted to make sure Sunny was okay. He clearly took what she said to heart, and she's scared as to what might happen if he's left all alone.
Left alone with the thought of being a parasite. Being better to her dead. Mari dug her nails further into her knees.

"Sunny, I brought you food."
She'd leave it in front of the closet door. He'd open when she wasn't nearby. Soon she started knocking on the living room wall near the doorway to let him know she was gone, and he'd open up right away. She made sure not to abuse this, so he'd trust her again.
"Sunny, Aubrey's visiting again. Don't you want to see her again?"
Aubrey started visiting them regularly. Since their friends fell apart she found new ones, but she still sought out Mari for guidance...and comfort. Sometimes Mari would hear Aubrey talking to Sunny through the closet door, but she tried not to overhear too much. He never answered. Mari was a bit surprised Aubrey seemed fine with it. When she asked, Aubrey said Sunny was still listening to her as he always does. He cares like that.
"Kel decided he wants to visit today. Don't you want to see him?"
Kel visited on the regular, although once a day turned into two times a week. He'd try all sorts of methods to get Sunny out. Promises of going places, bringing the latest Spaceboy comic to lure Sunny out, and other items. Sunny never answered, but Kel was never deterred, bless his heart.
"Basil's visiting today. He brought the photo album with him."
Sunny never answered. But Basil never gave up. The most reaction they got was when Basil left the photo album outside the closet door and Mari did her knocking trick. Sunny opened it up and took the album with him. Basil wanted to let him keep it, but Sunny pushed it out later that afternoon.
"Hero's visiting again. Don't you miss him?"
Hero didn't visit often. It seems he was getting swamped with work since he decided to be a doctor, but he still made time for Sunny, even if it was only once a month sometimes. He'd talk with Mari about getting professional help. It hurt accepting how little she could do, but she considered it.

...
"Sunny, I remember when you were just a baby." Mari decided to tell him another one of her stories of what he meant to her.
"Gosh, it must have been the very first time I saw you. I think mom was explaining to me that you were family, like mommy and daddy were."
"I reached my hand to you, and you held it. I looked in your eyes as it clicked. A little brother...and a big sister...me?"
"I smiled at you, and promised. I promised you that I was gonna be the best big sister ever."
"Hehe...it was really childish. All it felt like that meant was holding your hand everywhere, and giving you hugs."
"Over time, I got caught up in other stuff. Practicing the piano, schoolwork, our friends...life got more complicated."
"I thought that...I had to do more. I wanted to make you happy, in different, more permanent and impressive ways."
"The recital...we would have looked back on that forever. The greatest moment of our lives...if you ignored the bleeding fingers and tears.
"I lost sight of you. It wasn't our recital...it was mine. I wanted it to be perfect, and told myself it was for us."
"...I'm sorry. Sunny, I know it's hard to believe after everything I've done...but I love you. You're my..."
...
"You are my sunshine...my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey.
"You'll never know, dear...how much I love you..." Mari started to tear up.
"Please don't take...my sunshine away..."
Mari curled up on herself, arms wrapped around her knees.
"I was wrong...all I ever needed to do...was hold your hand...give you hugs...tell you that I love you..."
"Sunny...I love you...so, so much-I-"
Mari started to sob again. She cried more, wishing nothing more than to take back everything she had done and said. To hold Sunny in her arms again. To lead him through the hallways to their next class. To see the cute doodles he'd draw on the blank space of her homework. To feel him sitting on her lap while she practiced piano. To feel him hide behind her back when they met a stranger. To sleep in the same bed again, feeling him snuggle against her. To wake up and see his face, tender eyes giving her their own smile. Brushing her teeth with him in the bathroom. Eating breakfast. Walking to school. Going on picnics with him. Holding his hand. Giving him hugs. Telling him she loves him.
...
....
"M...Mar...ri..." She felt something brushing against her hair. Mari looked up, to see the face of her little brother, eyes red from crying. He was shaking so badly, his fingers still had faint signs of bruising. He was petting her head. "Please...don't c-cry..." His voice shaky, having not spoken in months.
Mari's eyes widened. She probably didn't look any better than he did. "S...Sunny?" She whispered. Sunny nodded his head.
...
She reached a hand up to to cup his cheek, before slowly moving it to his head to pet. "You're...here..." She breathed out.
Sunny nodded at her again. "I...wanted to s-see...you..." He mumbled under his breath.
Mari took a few deep breaths to calm down. She slowly got up on her good knee. Sunny backed up a little, but Mari pulled him into a gentle hug.
"Sunny, you...you are my everything. You're my dear little brother. I'm not exaggerating when I say you mean everything to me."
"You were always so kind...and sensitive. I could never really tell how much what I said really affected you."
"I always imagined you would always be with me. That no matter what happened, or where I went, you'd be there.
"You would always follow me, an irreplaceable part of my life.
"You're that special. You're that important to me."
"Sunny...I love you so much. More than anything."
...
"Despite...everything I...do you still...love me?"
...
She felt Sunny's arms wrap around her.
"I...love you...so much...Mari...!"
She held him in a gentle hug.
"Dear...little brother...I promise..."
She shouldn't make promises she can't keep.
After only a moments hesitation, Mari says it.
"I love you more than anything...or anyone."
She heard Sunny choke out a word through sobs.
"For...ev...er...?"
Mari squeezed him as tightly as she could.
"Together forever, my only sunshine."