Chapter seven: A family's tragedy


Hello. Anyone there? Ah, so I'll eat alone, as usual. How boring, and then they ask why I'm always out instead of being home.

I bet my father is out doing some monk work, preaching about what's good and right in this world... Not that he follows what he says, but that's beyond the point. And I bet my sister is somewhere else making out with her fiancé... ugh.

And let's see... Eiri must be out in a bookstore, or looking for a girl to sleep with. I envy him, he's already looking for an apartment, ready to get out. Well, he can afford it, his first book has made him pretty famous. He's only twenty and he's already a famous writer... this must be only possible on the Uesugi family.

sigh- I wonder what can I do to compete with that. I know people think I'm my dad's favorite, but... just because I'm gonna train as a monk that doesn't mean I'll be a good one. And Mika is the ambitious one of the family, I really don't care about school or being a monk. Can you imagine that?

Also... no one will ever say it, but I'm the second choice for the job. Yeah... it's the worst kept secret in the whole country, I'm sure of that, if my father had had to choose his successor between all his children, that I hope it's only the three of us, he would've chosen Eiri.

But Eiri hates this temple since... well since before I can remember. I still don't know what took him so long to take the initiative to get out. He and father are always fighting, and never agree on anything. I'm quieter in that aspect, so no one ever complains about me. Actually no one ever notices me either.

Yeah, they are all to busy in their own lives to notices little Tatsuha. Not that I'm complaining, of course. For example no one noticed that last week I had a fight at school. Sure the principal sent dad a note, but he signed it without looking at it, so...

Should I order pizza? I like cooking, but preparing food and eating alone it's kinda depressing, so maybe I should order something... not that that isn't depressing itself, but what else can I do? Ah, I should have accepted when Renjiro invited me to eat at his house. At least I wouldn't be alone today.

It's amazing how he's the only friend I've got outside school even though he's four years older than I am. Also he doesn't mind me smoking at his house. Here Eiri would freak out if he noticed I steal some of his cigars. Mika is slightly careless in that aspect, she never notices. At least in that aspect I have nothing to envy to my brothers, I can smoke as the best of them.

It's already twenty past eight. Where the hell is everyone? Don't they remember I'm here alone? Damn it. At least Mika should... Nah, she doesn't care as much as she used to, before New York she was always helping me with homework and stuff, but then again that was a long time ago. Now she's all over Eiri, like he can't take care of himself. Father better not have gone to drink with Yukata sensei again, 'cause I'm not dragging him to his bed again.

Eleven thirty. No one is home yet. I didn't finish my homework either. It's a genealogical tree anyway, and that would mean asking one of the members of this family about mom, and her family. I wonder if she was still alive, would this family be as messed up as it is? Could she have helped Eiri with whatever happened four years ago? Would Mika be so desperate for love that she allows her fiancé to love someone else? Would dad avoid me as he does because I have her character?

Would she greet me with a smile when I get home and talk to me before I go to sleep? Would she have forgotten my birthday as well?


Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation or any of it's characters.

A/N: Tatsuha has just turned fourteen on this one. Thanks to Guren and to Kanilla-Master of Fluff.

Sorry if there are mistakes. Next: My song wasn't mean to be