Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge is the work of Tomoko Hayakawa, and does not belong to me.
I woke up from a deep slumber, perhaps one of the deepest I had had since that incident in middle school. I had no nightmares plaguing me, telling me that I am ugly and worthless.
No, instead, I had sweet dreams of Kyohei telling me that I am beautiful and worth every bit of affection that he had showered me with the previous night.
Confused?
Perhaps a flashback is in order...
He gently opened the bedroom door and snuck inside, moving his head from side to side and searching for me. I was sitting in the corner, cradling Josephine to my chest and muttering dark curses.
Kyohei sighed and shook his head as he watched her. He slowly walked over to me and sat down, cross-legged on the floor, close to me. He lowered his head, and before I could protest or erupt into a nosebleed, kissed me.
It took time, but eventually, I stopped resisting. He continued with his ministrations, slowly taking it further and further.
My gasps broke the still silence of the room as I gave in completely to my instincts.
Kyohei grinned to himself. Tonight, he was a man on a mission...
A smile broke out on my face as I got up and stretched. I put on some clothes and decided that it was time to cook breakfast.
I walked down the stairs, revelling in how my body felt.
It was the same old body, but somehow, I felt more beautiful.
Suddenly, I stopped short. I had heard whispers from somewhere in the mansion.
I began to walk down the corridor, peering into rooms as I went.
In a room at the end if the corridor, I saw a huddled group of people. Auntie, who had arrived yesterday evening, was one of them.
"So you did it, Kyohei?" she asked.
" Yeah, I slept with her".
I stiffened.
Yuki's voice piped " I don't think you should have done it. I don't like this. It will hurt her".
" Hush! It'll be good for her in the long run, and we'll finally get free rent!" Ranmaru said.
" Yes, finally. It's a good thing you ordered Kyohei to sleep with her, Auntie" said Takenaga.
I lowered my head, my bangs falling forwards and covering my face.
" Ah, yes! Now Sunako will finally become a lady. Kyohei, did you have fun?" she asked teasingly.
"Tch. Stop it, annoying woman".
Suddenly, someone uttered a small gasp "Sunako...".
So, they had seen me.
There was a tense silence.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked rapidly to keep the hot tears from falling as I looked up.
I looked up at Auntie, knowing that I would break down if I looked at him now.
I made sure that my voice did not waver as I said "Thank you, Auntie. Last night certainly taught me a lot".
" It-it did?!" she asked incredulously, sounding overjoyed.
"Yes. It taught me that I cannot trust anyone. Be it people I have lived with for nearly four years and thought of as my friends, or my own blood relatives".
Her smile fell.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the rest getting uncomfortable.
" It taught me that what had happened in middle school had next to no impact when compared with last night."
Yuki's eyes started to tear up, and I had to keep myself in check as I said the next statement.
"It taught me that I am ugly, and that no one is willing to accept me as I am. That rent money will always be more important than me."
Takenaga spoke up, looking apologetic " Sunako, we-"
" Congratulations, Kyohei" I broke off Takenaga's apology as I looked at his neighbour straight in the eyes "For having slept with me and securing free rent at last. Your acting last night was laudable. I was easily fooled. I even believed it when you told me that I was beautiful."
Naie opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off.
" I should have known, though. Why the hell would someone tell me that I am beautiful, if not for some ulterior motive" I gave a short, bitter laugh "I am such a fool".
Auntie stepped forward, just as I turned around and left, walking in a stately manner away from the people who I had thought cared about me.
When I reached the end of the corridor, I felt my defences breaking down.
Hot, burning tears fell down my face as I ran.
That very night, I climbed out of my bed, and out of the window. I caught a taxi to the airport.
I was going to the only person who could help me-mom.
twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwt
A year later, a woman with long black hair and beautiful violet eyes walked up the steps to the Nakahara mansion.
Though gorgeous, she had neglected herself the care her body required.
Her clothes were drab and pitch black, her hair tangled and her eyes were red and puffy.
She didn't ring the doorbell, walking into the mansion's living room as though she didn't care an iota for manners.
Her eyes fell on three boys- a blonde, a brunette and a red-head. One of them was missing, the smaller blonde one. He had left about a year ago.
The three boys looked up at her, and their eyes widened as they jumped up.
" Mrs. Nakahara" said Takenaga. His tone was hushed.
She had neither the time, the patience or the mood for greetings.
"When Sunako went through rejection in middle school, she broke, but it is possible to mend broken things. When my sister-in-law suggested that Sunako transfer to Tokyo, I was hesitant to send her here but relented at the thought that she might be better away from the place where it all happened.
I was both, surprised and happy to see that she was mending. Her progress was slow, but it was better than what I had expected. I thought it was all going fine, until a year ago, when she caught a flight impromptu and came to Africa.
I couldn't understand what was wrong, because she refused to tell me at first. She just sat close to me and cried. She cried for hours on end, until she was dehydrated. For days, she cried herself to sleep and refused to leave her room for even meals.
It was when I finally thought of calling my sister-in-law and asking her for information, that Sunako broke down and told me everything.
I don't know when it started happening, but she took to self-hurt. One day, her sleeve caught in a hook and tore, and I saw gashes on her arms. We took her to see a psychologist, and for some time, it seemed to work.
Then, about two months ago,she attempted to commit suicide. She was rushed to the hospital and her stomach was pumped. When she woke up, she was back to being depressed. No amount of counseling helped. We removed all material considered dangerous from the house, and yet she found ways to attempt suicide.
Yesterday was her final attempt. She was successful".
A dry sob left the throat of Sunako's mother.
" She suffocated herself with a plastic bag. No amount of medical attention could save her. Sunako is dead"
Sunako is dead. The words rang in Kyohei's mind.
He felt numb.
" What happened in middle school broke her, but broken things can be mended. What you did to her, it crushed her to smithereens".
And Sunako's mother broke down into heart-wrenching sobs.