"Oh Hikaru . . . I missed you," the young girl excitedly hugged the other girl.

An old man stood nearby and happily watched as the two girls greeted and continuously hugged each other.

"So how long will you be staying?" Hikaru asked as she helped the other girl with her bags.

"I am allowed to stay here for two months . . ." Mukades answered.

"Two months? That's such a long vacation . . . I am so happy . . . We can really make up for the long time that we have been away from each other," Hikaru excitedly said.

Mukades smiled and then nodded. "Yes, two months is a very long time . . . enough to enjoy and have a taste of the outside world for the last time."

Hikaru looked at Mukades with sadness in her eyes. "I won't say anything . . . Because I know if I start nagging you about your decision . . . we might end up fighting and arguing again."

Mukades nodded her head again. "Let's just enjoy the time we have left. Promise me, you won't try to persuade me again . . . like what you did last time okay?"

Hikaru lowered her head and just turned away. She was trying to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. "Come on, let's go to your room now. I already arranged everything for you."

As the two girls entered the big mansion, the old man just sighed. How he wished that her daughter will change her mind . . . He was willing to do anything just to stop her from her plans. He knew she was just making a mistake . . . A very big mistake that she will definitely regret for the rest of her life.

In Mukades' room . . . .

"Oh my . . . what have you done to my room?" Mukades asked in amazement, while gazing around the whole room.

"Do you like it? I spent the whole day yesterday arranging it . . . I knew you would love all the changes I made in your room," Hikaru said with a smile.

"Thank you . . . I really miss this place. It's like I feel so free again. . . " Mukades said with a sigh.

"You're the one who's making it so hard on yourself. You can easily stay here and just live like a princess . . . but you're choosing a much harder life," Hikaru commented.

"You're starting to nag again," Mukades reminded her friend.

"Sorry . . . I was just telling you what's on my mind," Hikaru said as she slowly took out the clothes from the bag she was holding.

"It's over, Hikaru. I have already decided a long time ago. This is my dream. Can't you understand me? After two months . . . I am going back. And I will finally fulfill my dream . . ." Mukades said with a glitter of happiness in her eyes.

"But that isn't your dream Muko . . . that is your grandmother's dream that she persistently entered into your mind," Hikaru protested.

"Hikaru . . . are we going to argue again? No one forced me to do this. I wanted to do this all on my own," Mukades tried to explain.

"I just don't want you to make a mistake. And I don't want you to be so far away from me . . . Do you know I am always worried about you?" Hikaru said with concern.

Mukades smiled, then she slowly sat down beside Hikaru. "I know you're just worried about me. But I'm almost 18 now. I'm no longer the little girl that you keep on protecting," she gently said as she laid down her head on Hikaru's lap. She started to feel the very familiar feeling of being safe and loved.

Hikaru felt like her heart was slowly breaking. Somehow everything that happened in the past just suddenly returned into her mind . . . .

A young girl, about 11 years old, was sadly staring outside of the window. The other children in the orphanage were happily playing outside. Somehow they didn't care about what was happening around them. They didn't care about where their lives were going. They just played and played . . . on and on . . . as if the endless playing was going to drown out all their fears and worries.

The young girl sighed. She didn't want to stay in the orphanage forever. She wanted a normal life. A life where she can experience being loved like other children.

"Hikaru . . ." the head of the orphanage called out.

The young girl stared back . . . quite startled.

"Yes, sister . . . what is it?" Hikaru asked.

The old woman smiled. "Someone is coming to the orphanage today. They are looking for someone to adopt. I suggest you try to fix yourself . . . We might never know they might actually pick you."

Hikaru tried to smile. "As if that is possible, all the people who come here always pick younger girls. They don't want an 11-year-old . . ."

The old woman smiled again. "Only God knows what he has planned for you. So always have an open heart. Don't give up and keep on hoping for a brighter future. Come on . . . We don't want to keep our guests waiting."

Hikaru nodded her head, and just silently followed the old woman out of the room.

An hour passed . . .

Hikaru was silently sitting in the garden. She had already lost hope. She knew there was no way that she was going to be picked. She was thinking she was already too old to be adopted. Then something suddenly caught her attention.

A little girl, about 6 years old, was crying behind a tall plant.

Hikaru felt pity for the little girl. She hurriedly went to her side and tried to make her stop crying. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked with concern.

The little girl looked at Hikaru. "I . . . I am lost. I wanted to see the beautiful flowers . . . but I . . . I got lost. Father . . . Father . . . I want my father," the little girl started to wail.

"Ssshhh . . . I'll help you. Don't cry . . ." Hikaru drew the little girl into her arms. Then she lovingly caressed her long beautiful hair.

Hikaru was thinking that the little girl was also an orphan like her. "Maybe she just entered the orphanage today," she thought. "Poor girl, she's so beautiful. She doesn't deserve to be here. How could a father have the heart to leave her daughter in a place like this."

The little girl felt a comforting feeling as the older girl lovingly embraced her. She suddenly stopped crying. "Can you help me? Can you help me find my father?"

Hikaru stared at the little girl. She had such a beautiful face and delicate complexion and the clothes she was wearing were obviously very expensive. She was unlike the other children that enter the orphanage.

"Are you really lost?" Hikaru asked the little girl again.

The little girl nodded her head.

"What's your name?" Hikaru asked.

"My name? My name is Murelle Kaziah Desirae," the little girl replied.

"What? What kind of a name is that?" Hikaru asked in disbelief.

"Well . . . they say my mother gave it to me. And I just love it . . ." the little girl said with a pout.

Hikaru lightly laughed. Somehow she found the little girl beside her to be so adorable.

"All right . . . What do your parents call you? I mean . . . sort of a nickname," Hikaru asked again.

The little girl smiled. "Muko."

"Muko? What kind of a nickname is that?" Hikaru asked again, as she shook her head in disbelief. "You're so beautiful . . . But your name is really weird. How about I give you another nickname? Uhmmm. . . let's see. . . what about Mukades? I think it is quite cute. It is short for your real name."

"Mukades? I don't know. But whatever you want to call me . . . is fine with me," the little girl said.

"Good . . . because your real name is too long and certainly too weird," Hikaru said with a laugh.

The little girl continued to stare at Hikaru as if confused.

Then . . . .

"Muko! Muko! Muko!" several people were calling out.

Hikaru looked at the little girl. "It seems you really are lost. . . And I actually thought you were an orphan too . . . just like me," she said softly as she arranged a lock of hair that was covering the little girl's face.

"Come on . . . I think I hear my father is calling me. I want you to meet him," Muko excitedly said.

Sadness filled Hikaru's heart. Somehow she was sad that the little girl was leaving. She had instantly felt a strong connection with Muko. And she felt like she wanted to take care of her longer.

Hikaru carefully carried Muko out of the place where they were hiding. And as soon as Muko was out in the open, a man immediately took her and happily embraced her.

"Oh Muko . . . I told you not to wander around . . ." the man said with a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Father . . . I just wanted to see the beautiful flowers and then I saw a beautiful butterfly . . . I was so happy to see it . . . that I just followed it . . . until I . . . got lost. Sorry . . ." the little girl started to say as she slowly started to cry again.

"It's okay. You're fine . . . Everything is okay . . . Don't cry . . ." the man said as he lovingly caressed his daughter's back.

Hikaru felt like something was stuck in . Somehow the scene was bringing her pain. She had never felt the love of a father before. Ever since she was small she had never experienced being embraced by her parents. She was abandoned in front of the orphanage door when she was only a baby. So she never really knew who her parents were.

With a heavy heart, Hikaru slowly turned around and was about to walk away when . . . .

"Wait . . . What's your name?" the man asked Hikaru.

Hikaru turned around again, then smiled. "Hikaru."

"Hikaru . . . such a beautiful name. Thank you . . . for taking care of my daughter," the man said with a smile.

Hikaru just nodded her head and silently walked away.

Another hour passed . . .

"Hikaru . . ." the head of the orphanage called out.

Hikaru who was staring out of the window again, looked at the old woman approaching her.

"I'm so happy for you. . . Come on . . . We better start packing your things," the old woman said excitedly.

"Pack my things? Why?" Hikaru asked with confusion.

"Someone is going to adopt you . . . You're going with them today . . ." the old woman explained.

"Adopt me? Who?" Hikaru asked.

"I am . . ." a man's voice said.

Hikaru stared at the man standing in front of her. It was Muko's father.

"You're adopting me?" Hikaru asked with disbelief.

The man nodded and smiled. "From now on, call me . . . Father."

Happiness slowly filled Hikaru's heart. Somehow tears started to cloud her eyes.

"Yes . . . you're going to be my big sister from now on. . ." Muko shouted happily. She then lovingly took Hikaru's hand and held it tightly.

"From now on . . . you will no longer be alone . . . Hikaru," the man said with the warmest and comforting smile.

Hikaru looked at the little girl holding her hand.

"From now on . . . we're going to be sisters . . . I want you to be always by my side," Muko said sweetly.

Hikaru's tears finally fell. She then lovingly embraced Muko. "From now on . . . I am going to take care of you . . ." she tried to utter.

"Can you be my sister . . . forever?" Muko asked.

"Yes," Hikaru replied happily.

"Can you take care of me . . . forever?" Muko asked innocently.

"Yes, I will take care of you . . .forever . . ." Hikaru uttered.

Hikaru suddenly snapped out of what she was thinking and slowly stared at Muko as she slept on her lap. She then lovingly caressed her hair.

"I am your sister forever . . . I promised that I will take care of you . . . and that is what I am going to do. I know you're making a mistake . . . And I will do everything just to stop you from fulfilling your so-called dream. . . I will do everything . . . even if you hate me . . . ."