[color=#0099ff]The high-pitched whine of an alarm clock woke Noriko from her slumber. She rolled over, her hand groping around her bedside table for her cell phone. She tapped the screen, snoozing the alarm, before rolling back up in her blankets.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]She had been dreaming, which wasn't unusual. But most of her dreams were just of events and people preventing her from going to the bathroom (so that she herself wouldn't wet the bed). This one was...distinctly different. Nightmarish, almost. Actually, definitely. It was definitely a nightmare. Dark, nauseating, and with monsters. Overall, not very pleasant.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]But even awake, the queasiness wasn't over. Noriko stared at her ceiling as angry voices erupted from the downstairs. It was her mom and brother - again - arguing about whatever was picking their bone that particular morning. Hibiki had a job now, that was an improvement, and he was contributing to his share of the living expenses. But compounding failure (flunking out of school and a crumbling marriage) wasn't helping any.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]Noriko threw off the blankets the second time her alarm wailed. Her morning routine was pretty regulated at this point: bathroom, face scrub, shaking her hair out, and dressing in alternating versions of the same school uniform. After that was a careful excursion to the kitchen in hopes that the wars had settled.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]They hadn't.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"Don't you end up like your brother!" her mom spat as she flipping an egg in the frying pan. Hibiki glared at her, his stubbled face creasing in annoyance.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"Okay," was Noriko's simple answer. She gave a look to her brother, one that said 'look, please don't drag me into this, I didn't say it, she did'.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"Are you going to eat anything?" her mom continued, her tone slightly shifted towards her daughter. Noriko shrugged.[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"Not hungry. Just gonna have some milk."[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"I wish you would eat breakfast. It's good for you, and - you're not afraid of being fat, are you?"[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"...No..."[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"Because you're in sports, you don't have to worry about that, you're fine, it's muscle mass you know -"[/color]
[color=#0099ff]"I - I know..."[/color]
[color=#0099ff]Hibiki chuckled, sipping from his cup of coffee. Noriko didn't even bother asking what he thought was so funny, chugging down her milk and heading for the front door. The day was set to start, and there was still school to conquer.[/color]