Hello, hello! Happy New Years! :) Let me just get strait to the chapter. ENJOY!
It had been about two weeks since Misaki had encountered Usagi. Akihiko continued to bring up his father here and there, and Misaki tried to deal with it. Sometime it was bearable, and sometimes it was not. Little Akihiko picked up on his mother's behavior, and soon dropped it. He could tell it was causing a lot of stress on his mother.
Though, that was not the only thing making Misaki stress out. An even that happened a couple days ago left Misaki devastated, though it really had nothing to do with Usagi, but little Akihiko. And it goes like this:
It was the Thursday after Misaki had his little confrontation with Lord Usami. It was about six o'clock in the evening and little Akihiko and Misaki were at the store, buying things for supper. Once everything was gathered the two walked to the checkout counter that was lined with little bags filled with magical wonders of colorful candy. This caught Akihiko's eye, and he soon began to stare at the bags.
"Mommy," Akihiko asked sweetly as he pulled on his mother's sleeve. "Can I have some candy?"
"Not right now Akihiko," Misaki responded as he began to put his groceries on the conveyer.
"How about some M&M's?" He asked again, his eyes wide. He really wanted some.
"Not now!"
"But mommy!" Akihiko wined in a loud voice. "I really want them! Please, please, please, please, please!" Akihiko cried.
"Akihiko." Misaki breathed as he put his index finger, and thumb, to his forehead. With that he turned around and placed a hand on the little boy's shoulder. "Mommy can't afford them right now." He said as he turned back around to pay for the food.
"But mommy!" Akihiko said in one last final attempt.
"For god sake!" an older woman's voice spoke up from behind the two. It was an elderly woman waiting in line. She seemed very annoyed. "Just buy the boy some M&M's! They aren't that much!" She growled. "And you say you can't afford them!" She scoffed under her breath.
"Hey I'm only-" Misaki said, trying to defend himself from the woman's vicious attack.
"Only what? The woman asked. "You can't afford something worth 75 cents! Are you really that poor? I hardly doubt that!" She said as she moved away from her shopping cart and advanced on Misaki. "And if you really are that poor. Well, then you're an unfit mother! And let me guess," The woman said as she prepared for her final, and most hurtful, blow. "You're a single parent! No father I'm guessing!"
Every word the woman spoke was like a dagger being plunged into Misaki's heart, and he winced as the old woman practically spit on him. As she turned towards the boy, he could feel himself getting smaller and smaller, bending under her hateful words. 'Unfit?' Misaki thought as his eyes grew wide. Misaki didn't know what to do, he was frozen with humiliation. 'Am I unfit for Akihiko!" Misaki thought and soon little balls of water began to form under his eyes.
The woman saw her victory and smirked. "As I thought!" She said with a disgusted tone. With that she turned to the little boy. "Do you want some candy? I'll buy some for you!" She said with a smile.
"No!" Akihiko suddenly said as he took hold of Misaki's legs. "I don't need no candy, or a daddy! Mommy is the best mommy in the whole entire world! Candy or a daddy won't replace him!"
This comment made by the little boy took Misaki, and the woman, off guard. Their faces were almost the same, filled with shock.
"I don't want your candy!" Akihiko said and then turned around, beginning to tow Misaki away from the woman.
Wiping away the tears that had not yet fallen from his face, Misaki quickly paid for the food, took it and rushed out of the store. When the two were in the apartment Misaki dropped the sacks and pulled Akihiko into a big hug.
"Thank you, Akihiko." Misaki muttered as he smelt the little boy's silver hair.
"What mommy? I was telling the truth!" the little boy said, not sure to what his mother was thanking him for.
"I know, thank you!" Misaki said as he kissed Akihiko's forehead, and then went to make supper.
The next couple of days that fallowed Misaki were filled with stress, and it was caused by that one comment made by the woman: "You're unfit."
'Am I really a bad mother for Akihiko?' Misaki thought as he continued through the next couple of days. Every time he thought of this, he just wanted to cry. But he couldn't for very long, there was work to be done.
It was almost Christmas time, and the editing company that Misaki worked for was putting on a party. That, and it would be a party for Misaki's writer, Hanako. She had just released a book that was highly successful and had won two awards. This would also be a celebration. But where would it be held, you might ask? The hotel that Misaki lived above. And who might be catering? Oh could it be Misaki? Yes, yes it was.
When Misaki had heard that the party would be at the hotel he worked at, he practically attacked the opportunity to cook. It would be another opportunity to get money, and Misaki had convinced himself that he needed more. If not, he would be unfit for Akihiko.
It was the night before the party and Misaki was cooking all of the food. He made sure everything was in line, and looked great. When he first started this task, earlier in the day, he thought he would be done within a couple of hours. Though it was greatly different.
Misaki spent the entire night slaving over the food, and he felt horrible for dragging poor little Akihiko along. But what could he do? Leaving the little boy alone in the apartment would be just wrong! A good parent would not do that. So, Misaki towed a little pool chair into the outside of the kitchen, put a pillow and blanket on it, and tucked little Akihiko in. Luckily he never woke while Misaki worked.
As soon as Misaki was finished with the food for the party, though, he had to dive directly into breakfast for the guests. And after that? Get Akihiko ready for school, and then take him there. Getting the food up to the ballroom of the hotel then fallowed. By this time Misaki began to get a massive migraine, and he felt like crap. But he couldn't miss this part. He needed to be there for Hanako.
"Are you ready to go?" Hanako asked from the bathroom of Misaki's apartment.
"Uh, yeah!" Misaki answered as he waited by the door. Hanako had came to help Misaki earlier in the day, and then changed at his apartment. It was convenient for her, and Misaki didn't mind at all.
"Ok then!" Hanako said as she walked out of the room and stared at Misaki. "Oh Misaki!" She muttered as she grabbed Misaki's arm and pulled him into the bathroom. "Your tie isn't on straight!" She said as she made an effort to fix it. Once she was finished she stepped back to get a better look at Misaki. "You don't look so good." She muttered as she pointed out the dark circles under Misaki's eyes.
"Yeah I know, sorry I can't do anything about it." Misaki sighed.
"Oh yes you can!" She said as she reached into her purse and pulled out some foundation. "It's not your exact skin tone, but it will help!" She said as she began to apply the makeup.
"Uh, thanks!" Misaki muttered as she waited for the writer to finish. Soon Hanako was finished and the two went down to the party.
Everything was going smoothly! The food was well placed out was being served, Hanako's speech was nice, and Misaki was actually having a good time.
"Misaki!" Hanako called from a crowd of people.
Hearing his name being called, Misaki looked around, spotting the writer waving at him from a distance away. He could only see her face and hand motioning him to come close. So, Misaki fallowed and got a rather surprising surprise.
"Misaki I want you to meet someone!" Hanako said with a smile as the younger boy appeared in front of her. "Misaki, meet Usami Akihiko. Akihiko, meet Takashi Misaki." With that said the two that were being introduced were face to face, both had a rather shocked look.
"M-Misaki?" Akihiko asked. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
"Wait? You know each other?" Hanako asked before Misaki could answer.
"I-I'm her editor." Misaki said, almost out of breath. He was not expecting to meet this man here.
"But, I thought you worked at the restaurant!" Akihiko asked, a little confused.
"I work both places." Misaki said.
"Ok, ok we get that but how do you know each other?" Hanako asked, a little frustrated.
"I-I…"Misaki said as he began to breath heavy. "I-I can't…." Misaki said as he ran away from the two.
"Misaki wait!" Akihiko called, but didn't go after Misaki.
Running out of the room, Misaki found his way to the elevator which took him to his apartment. Misaki didn't know if he could ever face Usagi. Opening the door Misaki flung himself on to his bed to where he curled up into a small boy. Seeing Usagi had made his stomach flip, and his migraine flare. This was all too much!
Pondering on the meeting that Misaki had just had with Akihiko made his stomach hurt and suddenly Misaki had the great urge to puke. Quickly getting up, Misaki made it to the bathroom where he relieved himself. When finished he washed his faced and crawled into his bead. He was freezing! Not to mention he was extremely tired.
Looking at the clock next to his bed Misaki discovered he had a couple more hours before he had to go pick up little Akihiko. With that discovery, Misaki curled up and fell asleep.
It was five past four o'clock when little Akihiko walked into the lobby. Misaki had never showed up to pick up Akihiko. Thus, Akihiko was dropped off by a teacher. After escorting the little boy to the elevator, the teacher left, leaving Akihiko to go up to the floor he lived on.
As the doors closed, little Akihiko waited, and soon the elevator was moving up. But something strange happened. The elevator stopped way before it was time to get off.
"Is someone getting on?" Akihiko muttered out loud as the doors opened to reveal a depressed looking man with silver hair. It was strange though, Akihiko knew this man. "Daddy?"
=o oooooh so exciting! Lol Hope you liked this! Happy 2011! Have a good week!