Inhumanity

It was in the next morning that Chiwaii had found out what Inuyasha had done. This had all happened when he was sitting down in class and listening to another lecture.

"AKAAIIII!"

The sound of his name being called outside bolted him out of his academic stupor.

Cautiously, he looked up from his notebook hoping that it was only a figment of his imagination. To his dismay, he saw the teacher quizzically staring at him as if asking for an explanation while his other classmates gathered at the windows.

" Akkaii!"

Quickly he approached the nearest window and hissed as his head accidentally bumped on the glass pane.

Chiwaii broke into a cold sweat when he saw the three boys standing boldly on the barren school grounds.

It can't be, he fumbled for a logical explanation when he recognized them. They belonged to the group who challenged him yesterday.But didn't he deal with them?

They were bandaged and beaten up and somehow they were holding him responsible.

"Aha! So there you are you cheat!" One of them exclaimed, pointing at Chiwaii's direction.

"You can't fool us with that holier-than-thou-expression and get away with that stunt you pulled on us!"

By now people from other classes had started to crowd and witness the rantings of the outsiders while Chiwaii could only stand with his expression akin to a red faced guppy as he became the center of unwanted attention.

"Yeah! You think we fell down from the Dumb Tree or something! Just because you wore a wig and a red kimono, we can't recognize you while you beat us up?"

"Oh but those cat-ears were real cute…" one of the boys scoffed.

Chiwaii had a glazed look in his eyes as he slowly backed away. People were mumbling and distinctly, he could hear each word that was said about him and it took all his will to calmly turn around the crowd and ask for an apology.

Excusing himself out of the class, he walked out and through the corridors, extending gestures of apology to every teacher he encountered as he went down the building.

Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha….

Inside his head, the hanyou's name burned like a mantra and his heart beat rapidly in seething rage, bringing a furious blush of mortification on his otherwise bland expression.

"Mr. Akai."

The sight of the school principal together with some prolific members of the school administration standing near the exit caused his heart to plummet down his stomach.

"I suppose you could provide us some explanation regarding this matter."

Chiwaii spoke pensively as he respectfully bowed to the school board,"I am deeply sorry for the commotion, sir. It would be immediately dealt with."

"Let's just care to hope that this won't affect your record, Mr. Akai." The school principal added a warning before he walked away with his colleagues.

Chiwaii looked up in shock taking in the implication that this incident would affect his scholarship to his sought after medical school. With that, Chiwaii nearly tore apart the hall doors when he came down the school grounds.

The three boys did not see the danger when Chiwaii walked towards them. His pace was controlled and his expression lax, but rage quietly burned in his brown eyes nearly turning them into molten gold.

"Let's talk outside."

They realized a new kind of fear when they looked into his cold eyes and they could only shudder in dread as his arms led them away to the gates.

Lunchtime.

Chiwaii sat under the tree and stared listlessly up in the sky. The whole thing was over. He had gotten them to go the principal to clear the misunderstanding. He stood behind calm, as if he had no idea and was not aware of their fear and the tremors of their voices as they spoke. He even smiled as he was told to go back to class.

It was unnerving for Chiwaii to recall how composed he was and he never hated himself more than this moment. He couldn't look back at the three boys without recalling what he had done to them in the dark alley.

'I'll do something to you and your family if you tell them what I am'

"Gods, did I really say that?" Chiwaii whispered in quiet shock as it all came back to him. He threatened them and used every method he could think to keep his nature a secret. He only meant to scare them when he threw a trash bin at them. But half-a-ton metallic object thrown at one's general direction was no laughing matter. But at that time, he was so angry and blinded by their cowering as they witnessed what he can do. And he knew he could be capable of so much more.

It was then he realized when they were huddling in the corner far away from the damage that he had caused that Chiwaii realized how far he crossed the line. Inuyasha may have looked comical for them but as for him, they stared at him as if he were a monster.

His thoughts brought him back to his otou-san and Chiwaii felt the bitterness rise in his throat. After that incident, Chiwaii could only mourn for something that he could not recover.

"Ey Akai."

Chiwaii reflexively cringed and took a moment to reply." Go 'way."

But Jubei only stood a respectful distance from his friend. It was late afternoon and after the incident, Chiwaii did not show up from class despite the fact that he had come clean.

"Sensei gave me your bag because they have to close the classroom. Are you alright?" Jubei cautiously added.

"I feel like shit."

Jubei flinched in his friend's words. For all the time he had spent with his friend, Chiwaii had been unfailingly polite and mild mannered. However, in these past few days, he began to see a new facet in Chiwaii's personality.

"It's his entire fault!" If only Inuyasha had not meddled with his affairs and just stayed out of his life, things would not go out of his control.

"Who?"

"Father!" Chiwaii suddenly snapped without thought.

"Mr. Akai?" The image of Mr. Hojo Akai flitted into his friend's vision. From the first time that Jubei met him, he knew where Chiwaii's gentle demeanor came from. Why that man could not even manage to cuss when he accidentally hit his thumb with a hammer. Jubei had been there to witness the accident in the shrine when all that Chiwaii's father did was to exclaim "ouch!" and suck his thumb in reflex. Compared to Jubei's father, his old man would perhaps mutter a litany of invectives on such occasion.

Perhaps Chiwaii was very repressed in their home, Jubei concluded. It somehow comforted to know that his friend was not entirely perfect and consequently human.

"No not father," Chiwaii amended he was still caught up with what he said earlier," I mean…Nevermind. Thanks for the bag Nihro-kun.Do you mind if I go ahead."

"No. I'm beginning to doubt your sanity anyway."

Chiwaii just laughed but inside he was also wondering the same thing.

So he walked back home alone deep in his thoughts that it took him quite some time to realize someone was following him. Feelings of anger came back and Chiwaii turned around and demanded that Inuyasha face him.

"Bakayarou! You can't even use your nose properly. I'm just up here." The hanyou shouted down at boy from atop of a tree branch.

This didn't do well for Chiwaii's mood.

"Come down here and face me like a man!"

At once Inuyasha jumped from the tree and stood in front of his son. Imposing dominance, he had placed his feet slightly apart and his elbows folded in defiance.

"I didn't ask you to meddle in my affairs." Chiwaii started.

"Hah! You were pathetic!" Inuyasha countered with a sneer, "What kind of stunt was that? You let yourself be beaten up."

"You of all people should understand why I had done that." Then his son's voice faltered as he continued to speak." I-I'm different! I'm stronger than them. I can bear things better."

The hanyou bristled on Chiwaii's reply." But that didn't mean that you let them walk all over you. Did Hojo teach you to wimp out on a fight?"

At the mention of his father's name, Chiwaii lost his composure.

"Don't bring chichiue into this mess! We were alright before you came! I had everything planned out for my future and you just barged into our lives and drag us to undo your mistake."

Inuyasha clenched his fist in restrained anger, "You stupid brat! I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this all for Kagome and ----"
"Mother's dead!" And before Chiwaii could blink, Inuyasha hit in the face so hard that the boy reeled and fell back to the ground.

The hanyou panted in fury and looked down at his son with raw disdain. As for Chiwaii, not only did his cheek stung so badly but also he had never felt this furious in his whole life. He stood up and looked at Inuyasha squarely in the eye.

"I hate you."

"I don't give a damn of what you feel." In his anger, Inuyasha countered with his own venom." I just want Kagome alive again."

The hanyou just observed his son's silence and when the boy spoke he had done so in a voice that was distant and controlled.

"I will come with you to the past only if you promise me never to bother us again once we bring back mother."

Inuyasha stared back at the face that looked like his own. A deep bruise appeared on its left cheek and the eyes that looked at him were full of hurt and anger, desperate to fight down the tears that threatened to spill.

He could not bear to look anymore. So Inuyasha turned away, "I will give you my word."

Then Inuyasha told his son that he would come back for him on the second week before he walked away. It took a while for Chiwaii before he too went on his way.

Suddenly the sharp screech of tires made Inuyasha to swiftly turn around. On a street not so distant from him, he saw the boy flustered as he continued to cross the street; apparently he was nearly run over.

Inuyasha never left his eyes on Chiwaii not until the boy had turned to a corner and disappeared from his line of sight.

Author's Notes:

Everyone has got a bad side. Chiwaii's no exception. Like him hate him…at least it added some dimension on his character.

This must be the longest time it took me to update a fic and I'm really embarrassed by it. It's been years since I've started this story and right now I'm planning to edit it.If you know any experienced beta-ed or would like to volunteer. Feel free to leave a note:

Anzu2- your comment really egged me to go through with this story. I appreciate your thoughtfulness but rest assured this fic would be completed.

DemonicMistress Kree-kun- I promise to continue this. I'm already in the middle of the next chapter.