Chapter Three: The Curse's Fury Begins

Rio, age 7

Today is my birthday.How wonderful to be basking in my grandparents sympathy.To ''celebrate'', they going to come over today.The only problem?

We're Hikari's.

The way an Hikari views a birthday is dramatically different from how anyone in the world views it.To an Hikari..

A birthday is a year closer to death.

Ken taps Sayuri's shoulder.

"What is it?" she asks.

"You haven't really forgotten, have you?"

"Forgotten what?"

"Why your parents are coming today."

Sayuri scoffed,"Now don't try to pass Hideki as one of my parents.My father is dead.Hideki is not related to me, so--"

Ken sighed."I can't believe you've really forgotten.You've gone so far as to forget your own child's birthday."

Sayuri stays silent for a moment.

"Which one?"

His eye's widen."I can't believe you! It's Rio's birthday!"

She was unaffected by the news.It struck me hard to know she could truely care less.Souta rubbed my shoulder.

"Don't worry.I remembered it.Happy birthday, I love you." he said with a weak smile.

I returned the weak smile and nodded as I struggled to fight back tears.I couldn't understand myself.Sayuri beat me practically all the time, called me every name in the book at least once, and never had anything nice to say to me.But the fact that she went so far as to forget my birthday just...

I hate her.I hate her!

No.I don't want to think about this.Next subject.

I haven't heard from my grandparents since my 4th birthday.And now they're coming over.Besides our room, Souta and I will have extra, more reliable protection from Sayuri and Ken.At least I hope.

Ding Dong

The door bell sounds through the entire mansion.Ken walks down the hallway to get the door.Souta bites his fingernails and gulps.He's wearing a 200 suit bought especially for this day.I smile triumphantly as I adjust the puffy sleeves of my white dress.

Ding Dong

"Son of a bitch," Sayuri groans as she stomps her heel on the floor.

That's right.She can't touch us so long as they're here.She said it herself. "Best not to fight while they're around."

I can hear another sound of the door bell.She can hear it too.

The bells of judgement.

Ken flashes a worried look at Sayuri, and she stomps her foot on the ground in impatience again.

"Open the damn door!" she whispers.

Ken closes his eyes as if he's about to let a pair of beasts into our home, and hesitantly obeys.

What is revealed to us is a wrinkly old woman who, judging by the look on her face, doesn't look like she's having a good day.She's sitting in a wheel chair, and the old man behind her is holding the handles of her chair with a wide smile on his face.

Ritsuko and Hideki.The latest prodigies of the clan.They are the oldest living members ever in the history of the Hikari dynasty.In our family, with our poor fortune, an Hikari was rumored to have been touched by God if they lived to be atleast 30.

So she is the one whom Sayuri was talking so bitterly about yesterday.She has her stringy greyish-white hair wrapped up in a bun like her daughter.There's too much poison on her face.Her eye brows are thick and course.Her skin is blotched different hues of peach and white, and the disgusting skin of her neck hangs lazily off the bottom of her chin.

The odd one holding the handles of the wheel chair with the peculiar smile on his face is Hideki.His hair is white and bowl shaped.His appearance was so much gentler than his wife that he actually looks approachable.

He married into the family after Sayuri's birth, a poor unfortunate soul longing for a wife and a family.Opportunity presented itself in the form of a grouchy woman who's faith in men had disenegrated and her disturbed, ambivilent child.

I found it unfathomable that so many years had passed and he stayed loyal to her.Ken once suggested that he did so because he knew the family history, and he didn't want to leave her all alone.

"Hello, Ritsuko, Hideki," Ken says with foreign enthusiasm,"How are you today?"

Hideki strolls his wife inside and happily exclaims,"Great.Being old isn't as horrible as I thought it was when I was young."

Ken humors Hideki with a hearty laugh.Sayuri approaches them with the same annoyed look on her face as Ritsuko.

"You were young a long time ago," Sayuri glowered, not caring to shield her hostility.

Hideki didn't acknowlege her insolent comment and continued his conversation with Ken.

"So, I hear--"

"You!" Ritsuko bellowed, pointing at me."Have you no manners? Come here, girl! You too, boy!" she growled.

Souta flinched.I gulped and grabbed his hand, dragging him down the hall toward this fearsome old hag who was our grandmother.When she felt we were at a good distance, she yelled,"Stop!"

We obeyed and abruptly halted.Hideki smiled and sauntered her to us.This woman was too close to me than I wanted her to be.She studied me with a piercing glare for a while, and reaches for my left pigtail.She slides her hand down the shaft of hair and slowly pulls out one blue strand.

She stares at it for a moment and shouts:

"Sayuri!"

Sayuri scoffs and drags her feet to Ritsuko's wheel chair.

"What?" she says sharply.

Ritsuko slowly turns her head to Sayuri, who is standing beside her with her arms crossed, issuing her own glare at the old woman.

"What is this?" she croaked, displaying my blue strand for Sayuri's study.

Sayuri's fingers tighten around her self, and she scowls under her breath.

"Dont ask me--"

"I didn't ask you to bitch about it! I asked you what this is!" Ritsuko said angrily, waving the blue strand infront of her face.

"It's a hair!"

"Yes.It's a hair," Ritsuko confirmed, clenching her fist around it.

"Now, is it wrong of me to assume that you have been treating your children abusively?"

Sayuri went rigid.I underestimated how much power Ritsuko could wield over Sayuri, and her amazing observational skills.Just that one blue strand told her that 3 days ago, her daughter almost ripped all the hair off my scalp?

"Yes." Sayuri gritted her teeth.

That simple word was pretty bold of her.Then again, anything she does is bold.Besides Mrs.Mizaki, Ritsuko is very well aware that she beats us.I only wish she would just admit it.

Ken massaged his temples and sighed."For the love of.." he trailed off.

Hideki's eyes widened in worry.Attempting to change the subject, he intervened.

"Well, I must say, we should get to know your children better!" his attention shifted to me."Rio! Oh, little Rio! I haven't talked to you since you were 3!"

"Four," I corrected.

"Right." he nodded and gave me the same warm smile he wore when he entered.

Sayuri started for the kitchen."I'm going to get some wine."

"Oh, I don't drink," said Hideki.

"Well, you're going to pretty soon." she said in a commanding tone.

Behind everyone's back, Ken shook his head and said something under his breath.Ritsuko slumped back in her wheel chair and discarded the hair with the flick of her hand.

Hideki was obviously grateful that an ensuing fight had been stopped, and said merrily,"Hey, last time I saw Sayuri, she was pregnant.Where's the other one?"

To which Ken replied,"Kayako is taking care of her.I'll go get Setsuko." With that, he walked down the the corridor to our right, alligned with thick black pillars.

"Last time I saw Sayuri she was fat." Ritsuko laughed hoarsely at her own not-so-funny joke.

"So that's where Setsuko was last night," Souta whispered to me.

"Yeah, maybe--"

"What's your name?" Ritsuko asked Souta.

He jumped from her cranky voice and stammered,"I-I'm Souta."

"Souta, eh?"

She crossed her arms and licked her disgustingly dry lips."Your stupid mother should've taken more time naming you."

I couldn't help but be amused at her disposition.She was definitely Sayuri's mother.It was easy to see where Sayuri got her cruel behavior from.

He tilted his head in shame and looked away.She lifted up his chin with one long, slender finger.

"You look just like Ken.How predictable."

"Yes, he does," Hideki agreed."You'll grow up to be a very handsome young man."

Souta timidly smiled and looked down at the floor again.

Sayuri reemerged with 3 wine cups and a bottle of red wine tucked under her arm.

"Well, the family's all here.I'd prefer not to stay sober." Sayuri said.

Hideki chuckled and took a wine glass from her hand."I'll try some."

"You'll be drunk in no time," Sayuri forced her self to smile and seem somewhat friendly, which I could tell was difficult on her part.

He chuckled again and nodded.

"Augh, I'm not going to spend one more day getting intoxicated.I did when I was your age, and look what happened to me!" She banged her fist on the wheel chair and glared at Sayuri.

Was my grandmother actually implying she got herself pregnant while in a drunken stupor? I bit my lip and struggled not to laugh.

Ken returned with little Setsuko holding his hand and smiling.

"Hello!" Setsuko squealed with delight at the newcomers."Mama told me you were coming!"

Ritsuko looked amused."What's your name? Hope it's better than your sibling's names.God, Sayuri doesn't know how to name her children!"

Souta and I exchanged suprised glances.I stared at my grandmother in awe as I realized that this woman knew no fear, even around my mother.She knew no respect either.And just when I thought there was no one more vicious than Sayuri.I wouldn't be suprised if Krad was afraid of this woman.Even if she didn't know someone, she was quick to degrade them.Setsuko obviously didn't understand the concept of insults.

"I'm Setsuko!"

As for Sayuri, I could tell it took her every bit of restraint in her body not smash the bottle of red wine over her mother's head.In a matter of minutes, Ritsuko proved to me that there were crueler people than her daughter.

Ritsuko smirked."I want to spend some time with my grandchildren, Hideki."

He nodded in approval."Of course."

Ken spoke up. "Why don't I take Ritsuko and the children to the study room? They can socialize there, and--"

"We can get drunk here." Sayuri rudely interrupted."Come, Hideki, let me show you the dining room."

Sayuri looked behind her and at Setsuko, then to me and Souta.She didn't want us together, but there was nothing she could do while our grandparents were present.She couldn't explain to her confused parents as to why she keeps Setsuko away from us, unless she wanted to degrade herself and provoke Ritsuko again.

Hideki let go of the wheel chair and followed Sayuri while Ken took over and strolled our grandmother to the study room.The room was well lit by a six-light brass chandelier from the Victorian age.At the edges of the room there were built in bookshelves, filled to the brim with old and tattered books.Ken told me once that some volumes dated back to the 17th century.

Round tables were sitting at random places, with 2 or 3 piles of books on each one.In the middle, a 18th century french gothic fireplace added the gloomy ambience to the Hikari study room.Judging by the cobwebs in the corners of the cieling, this place hasn't been used in quite a while.

"How come I've never seen this room before?" I asked Ken.

Before he could answer, Ritsuko interrupted someone for the 3rd time this afternoon."Probably because you were too busy hiding upstairs in your room from Sayuri."

She laughed hoarsely once again.

Ken rolled his eyes and answered,"There's so many rooms in this mansion that I never got around to showing you."

He walked out and left us with Ritsuko staring at us with her translucent eyes.

"So...Setsuko, Souta...and...?" she looked at me for confirmation.

"Rio." I said plainly.

"Rio?" she repeated in disbelief."Are you serious?"

"Yeah." I clenched my fists.

"Now don't you get pissy with me! I was just asking your name!" she looked at Souta."And you! Why so quiet? Are you mute?"

Souta shook his head."I was taught not to speak unless spoken to."

"Hm." she sat back in her chair and adressed me again.

"Listen, I know Sayuri did something to you.You have a pink spot on your head.This boy's lip is swollen.Don't tell me she beats you and let's you go to school with your bruises!"

Since she already knew what our parents do, I decided to confess."Yes, she does."

"Tsk, tsk.If it were up to me, I would be taking care of you.You would be homeschooled, and you'd have your own personal servants." she smiled, thinking it would appeal to us.We weren't homeschooled, but we'd rather be going to school than staying at the Hikari mansion all day.As for the servants, they are entitled to do as we say just as much as they're obligated to follow Sayuri and Ken's orders.

We had a personal servant that had the keys to the forbidden rooms of the mansion.Souta and I could manipulate him just as much as Sayuri or Ken could.Among him, there were others who slaved to our will.There was one house guard who we often told to get icecream for us.We didn't know his real name, so we just called him the ''icecream man''.Point being, we had servants, we were already being educated, home or not, and we already had a ferocious woman ''taking care'' of us.

Neither of us replied.

"I can only imagine what your life is like.When your mother was a child I beat her too, but not as viciously as she beats you.You two must be defiant."

Setsuko rebuffed her remark in Sayuri's defense."Mommy doesn't do that to us."

No, Setsuko.Mommy doesn't do that to you.

Ritsuko motioned with her finger for Setsuko to come closer.Setsuko obeyed.When she was within reachable distance, she analyzed her.Grabbing her by her face, she tilted Setsuko's head this way and that, imbibing every aspect of her appearance.When she was done, she released her grip.

Setsuko rubbed her face and frowned.

"Hmm..." Ritsuko smirked,"Well, I can see who's Sayuri's favorite out of this bunch.Girl hasn't a mark on her."

Souta glimpsed at me for an instant, and I knew he was thinking the same thing.Not only did Ritsuko know that we were abused, she also knew why Setsuko remained untouched and why she was oblivious to her sibling's harsh treatment.There's only one way Ritsuko could know all of this.Her behavior manifested in Sayuri.

I felt disheartened.My hopes had been crushed.How could Souta and I expect protection from a woman who was worse than my mother? The very woman who made Sayuri into what she is today?

How could we expect escape from a man who clearly submits to his wife out of fear, just like Ken? Suprisingly, the Hikari clan is a dominated by women.

It was then I made a decision that I vowed to stick to for the rest of my life.I will defend myself.I will be my own santuary.I will protect Souta.I won't depend on anyone else besides myself.

"Run along and play." she said as she shooed us."Best enjoy your childhood while you can."

I wanted to stay there and study the expression on her face, but Souta grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the study room while Setsuko skipped merrily after us.

We entered a lengthy corridor filled with house guards.Some of them were laying on the floor, sleeping, and others were playing cards and conversating to one another.When they caught sight of us, they paniced and resumed their positions against the wall.I guess they were afraid we were going to report their behavior to Sayuri.She was the one they really feared.If they got fired, they would lose the best job in all of Tokyo at the time.People were paid massive amounts of money to work for the Hikari family.The house guards alone were paid 150-245 an hour, based on how many years they had dedicated themselves to guard duty.

One word out of my mouth to Sayuri, and they're lives would be destroyed.She would fire them without hesitation.Thousands would line up to fill in the empty space in our hallways.

I reveled at how much power I wielded over them.Souta giggled at how scared they were when they saw us.Setsuko tried to console one of the frightened guards by saying sympathetically:

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"No, no, I'm not s-sick," he stammered."Hey.." he cupped Setsuko's ear with his hand and whispered,"Your not going to tell your mom are you?"

"No!" Setsuko squealed, giggling."Your voice tickles!"

She rubbed her ear and smiled at him.The guard took a deep breath and leaned against the wall.

"Thank goodness."

"Yeah," said another guard with a deeper voice,"This is all I got."

The first guard nodded in agreement.

Souta nudged my shoulder."Icecream?"

"Oh, sure."

Souta ran up to a maid who happened to walk past us and tugged on the frilly hem of her dress.

"Yes, Master Hikari?" she said softly.

"Can you get us icecream? Chocolate for me and two vanillas.Sprinkles." he commanded.

The house maid nodded,"Yes, sir."

She trotted off while I couldn't take my eyes off Setsuko.This is the closest I've ever been to her.While Sayuri was present I wasn't even allowed to make eye contact with her.But now the friendship of another sibling besides Souta was in my grasp.I ran up to her.

"Hey, do you want to play a game?"

"Sure!" she said in childish delight.

"Okay, let's go--"

I was going to tell Souta of our plan when suddenly, someone's light fingers tapped my shoulder.I turned around to face the old man Hideki, with that same annoying smile.If Sayuri had no dignity (not that she had much to begin with), she would gladly slap that expression off his face.

"Hello, birthday girl.Seven years old, right?"

I nodded.

"Your face is wierd!" She pointed."It's all wrinkly!"

Not only did Setsuko not understand the concept of insults, she didn't comprehend the shame of saying things that were uncalled for.I guess in Setsuko's sheltered life, she had never been exposed to a senior before.

Hideki laughed it off."Well, when your old, your going to look like this too!"

Setsuko clapped her cheeks."Oh no! I'm going to have a wrinkly face?"

"How old are you?" Hideki asked her.

"I'm 6!" She presented six of her little fingers to him, showing him that she knew how to count too.

"Oh, that's wonderful." He said.

I thought it was wierd.Six years old? She was only one year younger than me? I acted so mature and defiant.She was bubbly and oblivious.She seemed more like a toddler and I a teenager.We're so different..

I knew so little of Setsuko's life because she lived separated from us.I never understood why Sayuri would favor a girl, of all her children.She said it herself.

"The Hikari's don't favor women.They prolong the curse."

Hideki interrupted my musing by calling Souta's name.

"Souta! My little boy! And how old are you?"

"I'm eight."

"Eight? What did you do for your birthday?"

"Nothing."

"Why?"

"I didn't know I was eight."

"...What?"

Souta sighed and scratched his head."I didn't know...that my birthday passed.Ken told me that I was eight after my birthday..like he just remembered."

"Why..? You don't mean to tell me he actually forgot.." Hideki stood there, puzzled.

"Rio, dear, don't you have any presents? A cake?"

"Why would I have that? It's just my birthday." I said.

His eyes widened like I just stuck up my middle finger at him.He couldn't believe that our parents would forget our birthdays.But to Souta and I, this was expected, normal, even.Souta and I were oblivious to birthday rituals.Cakes, presents...any form of celebration in general was foreign to us.Maybe he should stop asking questions.If he doesnt, he'll faint when he asks Souta about Christmas...

"I cannot believe..." he trailed off and reached into his pocket."But I have a present for you!" he shook his closed fist in triumph.He grabbed my hand and placed the present inside.

I opened my hand and stared a golden angel wing necklace.The wing was embedded in diamonds.The necklace glimmered in all it's beauty.

"It's an Hikari artifact." He whispered."Up until this very moment, no one but me knew it existed."

"Why?" I inquired.

"Because...I'm the one who created it." He smiled.

Souta gasped."Really?"

"Yes," said Hideki, not leaving eye contact with me,"It's for keeping out...you know who."

I didn't ask him to elaborate, in fact, I didn't have time to before he unhooked the necklace and swung it around my neck.He secured it, and grabbed Setsuko's little hand and walked away.

"Come on," he said, "Let's go into the study room and talk.Wouldn't want you to get lost in this endless mansion of yours!"

What an odd man...


"Who's 'you know who'?" Souta whispered from underneath the blankets.

It was bedtime.We were snuggled up in our covers, talking to eachother.Although I was in a warm bed, comfortable and talking to Souta, I couldn't ignore the pain in my chest.

Before Ritsuko left with Hideki, she looked back at me one last time, then frowned and shook her head.She looked so heartbroken.I stood there, waving goodbye to her, wondering if I did something to upset her.Maybe Hideki told her that our parents ignore our birthdays and that the only reason my 7th birthday was recognized was because they were the only ones who didn't forget.Or maybe she was taking one last look at the ''pink spot'' on my head and she felt a hint of sympathy.

That wasn't the only reason I was in pain.Setsuko walked off the moment they left with Sayuri.She then told Setsuko to go with Kayako.I didn't see her again after that.

"I don't know."

Souta narrowed his eyes and clutched the blanket tighter."Is it a monster or something...? 'You know who'.."

"I don't know." I reiterated.

Our door was closed, but we could hear small whisperings on the ground floor.Souta sat up and looked at the large double doors of our room.

"They're talking." He said.

I sat up too and tried to hear, but I couldn't.I'm not sure why I felt the way I did, but I had the distinct feeling that something was wrong.

I trotted to the door and tried to hear through there.

"Maam, there's been a..."

"...serious..?"

"...not him...?"

"..he was a guard.."

"...the safe? Ridiculous..."

"Alright."

"...thank you, goodnight.."

"Augh! I can't hear!" Souta wined, his ear to the door."Open it."

I opened the door a tiny crack.A ray of light seeped through our dark room and settled on my music box.Souta sat next to me, and we were still for the longest time.

The door slammed.

Silence.

Someone laughs.Sayuri.She's laughing.

"Aha ha ha ha...Isn't this funny, Ken?" she said coyly,"Ha ha ha...oh...what a dream come true, hah ha."

"Sayuri!" Ken said in disbelief."What is wrong with you?"

"You won't believe what just happened...ha ha ha..." Sayuri covers her mouth to silence her giggles.

"I heard something happened with them."

"Yeah.Something happened." Sayuri titled her head and smiled.

"What is it?"

What she said next made Souta gasp and cover his mouth, and my stomach dropped.

"Finally that bitch is dead.Too bad her husband went with her."

"What?! Sayuri! You were laughing at that?! Your parents are fucking dead!"

"My parents? Was Ritsuko, that demon of a woman, ever my mother? I couldn't tell!" Sayuri exclaimed sarcastically."Hideki was never my father."

"Oh, for the love of..." Ken shook his head and massaged his temples."Please, please...stop talking..."

"Policeman was just here.Turns out one of their guards didn't have the best intentions in mind, and convinced some of the others to kill the guards who were protecting the safe."

"Oh my God..." Ken sighed and squeezed his eyes shut.He didn't want to hear anymore, but he wanted to know.

"All of them refused to give up the comnbination.As a result of their loyalness, every last one of them took a bullet to the face." Sayuri continued.

"So...one guard rounded up an army and killed all the house guards?"

"No, only the ones who were protecting the money." Sayuri shook her head.

"Did your parents die in the gunfire?"

"No.Those bastards broke into their bedroom and demanded that they give them the combination or die.Hideki was going to give them what they wanted to protect his worthless wife, but of course Ritsuko, blinded by ingnorance and pride, told him to keep quiet.That she'd 'rather die than succumb to a bunch of criminals', one of the neighbors said they overheard her say."

Ken gasped.

"And now, because of their stupidity...well, they're both dead."

They're both dead...They're both dead...were the only words echoing in my mind.My grandparents are dead.The first and last time I ever saw them was my 7th birthday.

They're both dead...

And they died on my birthday.

"Rio? Rio? Are you okay?" Souta shakes my shoulders."Rio?


Please review.If I have any problems with grammar or spelling, tell me so.Any one offer to beta?