An American Rabbit in Japan

“Haruhi, I’m going to the store for a bit. Do you want anything?”

Haruhi looked up from a photo album.

“No, I’m good,” she said, smiling at Bunny’s dad, Joe.

“Okay, I’ll be back soon, kiddo.”

Haruhi picked up a different book to look through when he left. The title of the book read “Spring Break – 2010.” Haruhi smiled, seeing how happy Bunny was in one picture. Joe held his children in his arms, Bunny and Peter standing side-by-side. Peter was small, even for a ten year-old. His head only barely came up to Bunny’s shoulder. He had sandy blonde hair and large blue eyes. He was grinning happily up at his sister. Bunny was just simply happy.

Haruhi looked closer at Peter’s picture, her eyes widening in surprise.

Wow, Haruhi thought. Honey-senpai looks just like Peter. The only differences in their appearances were their eye colors: Peter’s eyes were a deep blue, whereas Honey’s were like chocolate. Haruhi briefly wondered how Bunny and Honey were getting along before turning the page. There were more pictures of Peter and Bunny: in the car (Haruhi assumed it was from travelling to their destination), at an amusement park, the aquarium…. Each picture made Haruhi smile in a different way. She laughed when she saw the siblings imitating a puffer fish and felt a kind of warmth when she saw a picture of a sleeping Peter being given a piggyback ride by his father. Bunny must have been taking the picture because she wasn’t in it.

The rest of the album was filled with pictures of their beach house and the surrounding area. Haruhi flipped to the last page.

It was blank, but there were a few bits of glue left behind, as if someone had taken out the picture.

I wonder what it was…

The front door opened and Bunny’s father was back, grocery bags in hand.

“Hey, whatcha looking at?” he asked, curious. Haruhi held up the photo album. Joe set down the bags and sat down next to her on the couch. Haruhi gave him the large book. He flipped through it, smiling.

“These are some good memories,” he murmured, smiling softly. His smile faded when he turned to the last page, his eyes taking in the missing picture. He touched the pieces of glue lightly.

“It was Bunny’s favorite,” he said softly. “She must have taken it with her.”

“Joe,” Haruhi said hesitantly. “Has it been harder on Bunny than… than on you?”

Joe shut the book and leaned his head back on the couch, closing his eyes. He sighed before answering her.

“Yeah, Haruhi, I think it is. Despite their age difference, they were extremely close. Bunny helped me look after Peter after their mother left. Sometimes it felt as though Bunny thought of Peter as her child in addition to as her brother.” He cleared his throat, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

“When Peter died, a part of Bunny was lost too.”