5 Years later
Aoba P.o.v
The smell of luscious food encourages me to wake up and I turn on Ren as he sleeps next to me. The blue fur ball opens his eyes and recognises me within seconds.
"Aoba." Ren greets in a robotic voice.
"Good Morning, Ren." I say to him.
A loud, clattering knock goes onto the door and catches both mine and Rens attention.
"Otou-san! Otou-san Made breakfast for us and told me to call you down!" A cheery and bright voice called aloud.
"Coming!" I replied back, following by the sound of footsteps rampaging down the stairs.
"It is rather unusual for Cloud-chan to call you and Clear 'Otou-san' and never get confused about who's who." Ren comments.
"I know, and it's strange I kind of somehow know whenever she's specifically calling for me and not Clear although she uses the same name for both of us."
"Indeed."
I sigh. "Well. No need to worry about that now if there aren't any issues."
I quickly pull on my jacket and head downstairs, seeing Cloud eating enthusiastically as Clear chuckles watching her. Looks like Ba-chan is out again.
"Careful Cloud, Or You'll choke." Clear says, bending over and gently wiping the slight bread crumbs off her cheek.
"I know but… Cloud-chan has school today!" Cloud tells Clear.
Ah yes…Today is the Day Cloud starts kindergarten. Time flies by faster than I have anticipated, it was almost like yesterday when she was just a little baby, holding her in my hands. I smile gently and walk over to pat her head.
"Be a good Kid Okay, Cloud?" I lecture her slightly with a grin.
"Mhm!" Cloud says and nods with a smile.
I swear whenever I look at this kid, it's like seeing the mini version of Clear, and I can't help but Love her. I mean obviously she's my kid, but just something about her seems adorable…I pout. Don't tell me this is what they call a doting parent?
I look over to Clear, who's been humming as he washes the dishes. I know just by the smile on his face that he's the type to completely spoil Cloud, although I tell him not to too much or she'll grow selfish. Honestly, I have no idea what he teaches her when I'm at work, and that kind of scares me. I look at the time and it was nearly time for Cloud to go to school, Clear notices it too.
"Cloud, it's time for you to go to school!" Clear says to her and she gets up from her seat.
I smile and grab her hand. "Ready to go?"
"Y-Yeah…" She tells us softly.
At the Kindergarten front Gate:
Cloud waves goodbye to us and walks in with her huge backpack behind her. It was a bad idea for Clear to pack her things for her after all… She stops midway to the school door and starts talking to a boy her age. Her back was faced to us so I could tell what they were talking about, but I've seen him point at us and Cloud shaking her head a few times. A slight tinge grows in my heat with concern. Clear pats me on the shoulder to catch my attention.
"Aoba-san… We should go."
I nod. "Y-Yeah…"
"Cloud will be alright. Tae-san tells me to give her independence every once in a while so that she can develop on her own." He assures me.
I force a smile. "You're right. Let's go."
Cloud P.o.v
"Who's that?" The boy asks me.
"My Otou-san!"
The boy laughs. What's he laughing at? "AHAHAHHAHAHAH Then your Oka-san dresses like a man?!"
At first I didn't understand what he meant, but then shake my head in realisation.
"No you're wrong. I don't have an Oka-san."
He finishes laughing but then looks at me again. "Okay then, which is your Otou-san?"
"Both of them of course!" I said.
His eyes widen. "Then…Then… Your parents are Gay?!"
I flinch. "G-G-Gay? What's that? I just have two Otou-sans…That's all…"
"GAAAAAYYYYY!" He says pointing to me. It made me angry although I don't even know what it means.
He starts to run towards the direction of the school and I knew that something was wrong. He was going to tell everyone. Which none of them I haven't met yet. I don't know what Gay is, but is it bad? In panic, I ran after him and push him over. He cried.
The teacher yelled at me for pushing him in class and he put all the blame on me. I pouted. Was what I did that bad?
"Hello everyone. My name is Cloud-chan. Nice to meet you all." I bowed down and took a seat.
"HEY everyone! Cloud-chan's parents are GAY!" The boy yelled across the classroom.
The sudden sound of muttering voices rose, to the point where the teacher had to quiet us all. As soon as the teacher turned around to write something, everyone stared at me.
"Did you hear what Kai-kun said?" A girl whispered.
"Don't go near Cloud-chan! Otherwise we'll become gay too!"
"Don't touch her! She's got cooties!"
All I learnt from the words that they all muttered was that the Boy's name was Kai…And that being 'gay' wasn't a good thing to them… Why? Don't we all have Otou-sans? Is having more than one really that bad?
The bell rung and everyone ran outside and I followed them. No one wanted to play with me… I felt lonely watching as they were having fun, except for me. I held a ball in my hands, and bounced it by myself. I stared at Kai-kun. The more I stared, the more I wanted to throw the ball at him. So I did.
I didn't want to get in trouble again. I didn't everyone to stare at me. I didn't want to be alone. So I ran out the gates of the school with my bag as the cries of Kai faded away slowly. There's a place that I want to go to, but that place isn't home. Out on the streets I was, filled with people, by myself. I've never walked outside alone before, so I was scared.
But… I know that if I kept walking, I'd be safe soon.
Then I saw the place right in front of me. The familiar small of shampoo, and the snipping sound that rings in my ears. I ran towards the front door right away, not looking either way.
A bright light flashed on the side of my face, so I turned around.
A… Truck?
Koujaku P.o.v
"Koujaku…Your hands feel so nice…" The client said as I quieted snipped away some of her bright blonde hair as it gently drifts to the ground.
"You're too flattering, miss." I complimented her.
After trimming off some of her hair, I looked towards the door to check if there were any coming customers waiting just in case, and saw a small, child-like figure across the road.
Cloud?
No, it couldn't be, what would she be doing here alone?
The lights of a truck made me see her face more clearly, making me confirming that it was her running across the road. Realising what was going on, I widen my eyes and drop the scissors with a clink, dashing across as fast I could, finally catching her in my hands and only slightly getting away alive. I hit my shoulder onto the ground with a thump and grazed my arm skidding across the concrete as soon as the truck passed by.
"Koujaku-kun!" a high pitched voice chirped.
Annoyed, I get up and pinch her cheeks. "What were you thinking?! You could have died, Cloud!"
Tears swell up in her eyes. "Sniff* I know… Sniff* I'm sorry…"
I sigh, realising that I might have been yelling a bit too much, and pat her on the head.
"It's okay, but be careful next time."
"Hai…"
I take her hand and walk her across the road to my salon. The client turns over to see me, and a shocked expression fills her face.
"Koujaku! What happened?!" He says, pointing to my arm, dripping in blood.
I smile. "Sorry, I'll wash up right away to finish it off."
She sighs. "Koujaku… It's fine. I like my hair as it is right now so you don't have to force yourself anymore." She places money on the counter and leaves. "Thanks."
At first I was dazed at her kindness, but then looks down to see a look of guilt and fear on Clouds face.
"I'm…Sorry…"
"It's Okay Cloud."
"Sorry…Sorry…Sorry…"
I pat her on her head. "Stop freaking out. Wait here, I'm going to patch myself up right now."
I walk to the back storage room of my store but then something suddenly vibrates in my pocket. I pull out my coil. It's Aoba.
"Aoba? What's the matter?" I asked him through my coil.
"K-Koujaku! Is Cloud there?"
"Yeah she is. Oi What are you two doing?! Letting your 5 year old kid run out on the streets by herself isn't a good idea considering she nearly got ran over my a truck today!"
"CLOUD GOT RAN OVER BY A TRUCK?! A-Aoba-san! Hand me the phone! Koujaku-san! Is Cloud alright?! WHERE'S CLOUD?! CLEAR GIVE ME THE PHONE. KOUJAKU! WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT HOSPITAL-" Two voice muddled into the phone, I could tell that Aoba and Clear were freaking out right now.
"You two! She's fine now! Don't worry I saved her a minute ago. She's not hurt either if you're wondering." The sound of two relieved sighs came through the phone. "Well? Why did you let her wander off in the first place?"
"She didn't…Wander off from us…" Aoba starts.
"Hmm?"
"We just got a call from the school a minute ago, and apparently she ran from her class and now she's missing. The teacher asked us if she went home, but she didn't… Anyway! Just keep her there for a while, I'll scold her good when I get there!"
The call ended.
I walk outside and see cloud sitting patiently on one of the chairs, fiddling with her fingers a little until she looks up to see me, still shocked. Crap. I forgot to bandage my arm in the commotion. But it's not like I have any bandages anyway… I get into gang fights every once in a while and just usually wait for the wound to heal. I sit down next to her, on the side where she won't notice my arm as much.
"What's wrong?" I ask her.
"Koujaku-kun… What does 'gay' mean?"
I flinch at the question and look away, embarrassed. I coughed. "It's when two guys like each other. Why?"
She stays quiet for a while and tilts her head to her feet, letting her fringe hide her face slightly.
"I was just curious…That's all."
And I decided not to ask her anymore after that, since Aoba was bound to give her a hard time later for running from school. She's a hard to read child, but I know something's wrong with her when I see it. Now if only I could get her to tell me, that would be great.
A/N: Was going to "complete" this story until I decided to continue it afterall! XD Anyways, I have alotta stuff to do so this might be pushed back a little from my plans Gomenazai…;w; P.s I don't know why you favourited this story, or what reason you have for doing so, but because of you I decided to continue for a bit (Thank-you! :3). You know who you are. Theres only one person. XD