Sho was happy to have left when he did.

Dad finished up his work and then it was time to move. That was normal. What wasn't normal was the fact that Sho wasn't moving with everyone else. He and Fukuda had an away mission while everyone else was going on to the new place. Sho knew that wherever dad was going it wasn't going to be that dangerous. Sho was with Fukuda, so if dad thought that he didn't need Fukuda then he wasn't going to be doing anything dangerous. So Sho wasn't missing anything….so he was glad to have left when he did.

He really was.

"This is great, isn't it? Just you and me with a whole plane to ourselves." Said Fukuda as he stretched out in his seat. This was the way to fly. No Suzuki, no Shigeko's entourage, no Shigeko flexing power that she should not have been given in the first place. Just him and Sho flying through the air together on their way to deal with some bullshit in Korea. Bullshit that he may have exaggerated to Suzuki in order to get some time to take Sho on his own little world tour.

He had places to be.

Stop number one would be Korea, stop number two would be Japan under the guise of inspecting the Seventh Division, and then stop number three would be back to England so Sho could spend some time with his little girlfriend….God, where had the time gone. It felt like just yesterday he was carrying Sho on his back and now he had a girlfriend and he was going on away missions and he was sullenly staring out the window…

Well that last one wasn't really a good thing.

"Yeah….I guess so." Said Sho. He was happy to be gone, he really was. He had been avoiding Shimazaki since what had happened and…and he missed him a lot. He missed him but he didn't….know what to do. About the way he felt and stuff. If he did like Shimazaki, and that was a big if, then….then that meant that…they he was fucked. Shimazaki was his friend and didn't like him back and if he liked him like that then it would be really hard for them to be friends…and stuff…and he didn't know what it would be like to not be friends with Shimazaki…

It would suck.

And he didn't want things to suck. He wanted things to be awesome and not suck but they would never be awesome and not suck if…if he didn't just…stop feeling the way that he did. Shimazaki was the best friend that he had ever had in his life. He was a better friend than big sis because they had more in common. He loved his big sis, would always love her, but she was a different person from him. She hated climbing trees and whenever they played together she let him win and she never had great ideas like playing in the sewers or throwing rocks at cars and then running away or spitting over an overpass or switching people's mail around or going to the shoe store and putting the wrong size shoes in the boxes. He knew that she would be mad at him if she even knew that he liked doing stuff like that….but Shimazaki was fun like that.

He was the most fun guy ever and Sho never wanted to stop being friends with him.

"Come on, what's wrong. We have this whole plane to ourselves. We can play videogames with the sound turned up or we can watch one of your shows or a movie or something. Come on, there's nobody here to complain or distract us. Come on, let's play that fighting game you like. The one with all the blood and…dismemberment." Said Fukuda. Truth be told he missed the days when Sho's favorite games had been the ones with Mario and his friends in them but he would play anything with Sho. It wasn't like it would kill him to get dismembered over and over again in some blood soaked post-apocalyptic hell scape for a few hours while they flew to Seoul.

Anything to make Sho happy.

He was too young to be al sullen like this. He needed to save this for his teen years. Really he had a lot to be sullen about, of course, but he had always had more energy than this. Angry Sho had at least been little ball of energy Sho. This Sho was just…he didn't know. Maybe his life was catching up to him. Maybe he was old enough now to see that things would never get better, in fact they would probably get worse, and this was his life until the day he died.

Or something.

"You're not any good at that game. I'll play that with Emmy once I see her." said Sho. There was nothing fun about playing against someone who couldn't even remember how to fight back. He was happy that they were going back to London. Then he would be able to see Emmy again and have a real match. That was the part about having a blind best friend that sucked, he couldn't play videogames, but it was ok because he had a girlfriend to play videogames with….a girl who liked him and who he liked….who he had to like because he had already started this thing wither and he had to be with a girl anyway so it had might as well be that.

She wasn't so bad.

She was a nice person, she was good at games, and she had red hair like him. That was reason enough to like her and stuff. So he was ok and he was normal and he didn't like Shimazaki and…and stuff. He didn't like Shimazaki like that and…and it was still normal to miss his best friend and stuff…but he needed to get excited. This was exciting. He was going to be on a mission countries and continents and oceans away from dad, he was going to get to see baby sis again…and he was going to have an actual opponent to play games against and…and it was all going to be good and exciting and he was excited and…and yeah. He was excited and stuff.

So why wasn't he feeling like that for real?

"Looking forward to seeing your girlfriend again?" asked Fukuda. He tried to sound a lot less interested than he was. This was a development in Sho's life that he had never expected…but this was a good thing. He was happy. He had found someone who could make him happy.

"Um…yeah. I guess so. She got the helmet and the candy and stuff and she's really happy about that. Um…she's looking forward to seeing me I guess. I still have to get her presents from Korea and Japan, too, though." said Sho. He would get her more candy, probably, and more army hats. She liked those. Some stickers, too, girls like those too. Scary ones because she liked scary stuff. Like war photos. She loved war photos.

"You don't have to get her presents from every single country we go to. You don't have to try to buy her love." Said Fukuda. He did not need Sho to pick up that habit, and other less than savory ones, from his father. He had no clue how much of it was genetics and how much was life…but he didn't need Sho to be showing up at some girl's house with a television box full of hair clips, instant ramen cups, and hundreds of perfume samples torn from magazines.

"I'm not buying her love, she liked me before I started getting her stuff, I'm just being a good boyfriend. That's what good boyfriends do when they're away, they get presents for their girlfriends and stuff. So that's what I'm going to do. She's going to be so happy and I'm going to be happy to have made her happy. That's how it works, right?" asked Sho

"Well yes, making someone happy can make you happy too, but you have to be able to connect with someone on an emotional level. You can't just shower someone with gifts and expect that to be enough." Said Fukuda

"I know, you're supposed to kiss girls and stuff. I can do that too. I know about girls." Said Sho with a shrug. He knew what he was doing. It wasn't like it was hard or anything like that.

"Really? You know?" asked Fukuda with a shake of his head. He didn't mean to be dismissive. Sho was just so adorable there. He wished that he could have taken a picture or recorded that. Masami would have loved that. Her son with his first girlfriend. God, it was precious. Better than Shigeko and…whatever the hell she got up to.

"Yeah, I know about them. I live with one. Big sis likes guys all the time. You just have to be nice to them and stuff and they'll like you. Girls have liked me my whole life and I haven't even been trying to get them to like me. I know how to get Emmy to keep on liking me and stuff." Said Sho. He felt vaguely insulted that Fukuda would think that he had no idea what he was doing. If dad could someone get mom to like him the he could get Emmy to keep on liking him. Dad had let mom run away. Well he was going to give Emmy zero reason at all to run away. He liked her…enough…and she liked him and he was not going to make her run away like dad had made mom run away. He knew how to be a boyfriend. He knew what he was doing.

"Well if you ever have any questions I'm here to answer them." Said Fukuda with his hands raised up in surrender. He'd hit a sore spot…though to be fair that would be a sore spot for anyone….well anyone at that age….which Sho was at right now. God. Was there a pause button for life yet?

"But…you don't have a girlfriend. You've never had a girlfriend." Said Sho. Fukuda didn't know anything about girls. If he did then Sho would have seen him with one. He didn't need anyone to tell him anything about girls. He was normal. He knew what he was doing and he was doing a good and normal job in the best and most normal way imaginable.

"What makes you think that? I've had girlfriends, I just don't have one now." Said Fukuda feeling vaguely insulted….but Sho was little and he had no idea what he was saying. It wasn't that outlandish of an assumption that he'd made. He'd never seen Fukuda with a girlfriend and therefore he'd never had one. Well he had…forever ago…it was hard to keep a relationship together when he had to deal with Suzuki's insanity on a daily basis. It had been that way since they had been kids in school together. Suzuki had taken up so much of his time….and he still did….

"Why not? You're supposed to have a girlfriend. That's the normal thing to do." Said Sho. Fukuda was the most normal guy he knew. Did this mean that Sho was even more normal than Fukuda? He had Emmy and she liked him and…and that was good and normal and stuff. He felt sort of bad for Fukuda. He'd end up all alone when he got old and stuff. Well Sho would still be friends with him but he would never have a girl there to take care of him like big sis or mom. Girls were good at taking care of people, dad had said so.

"Sho…not everyone pairs up. That little friend group of yours is nothing but singles….lifelong singles…so you don't need to have a girlfri-a partner to be normal. Some people pair up, some don't, that's just how life goes." Said Fukuda. Well that was….not what he wanted to hear. He, in a perfect world, would have wanted to hear that Sho had chosen this girl because he had met her and formed a genuine emotional connection with her…but this was not a perfect world. He knew that Sho was something…and he knew that this was something that Fukuda had to tread lightly through…and he knew that above all else he wanted Sho to be happy.

"Oh. Well I'm one of the people who has to pair up because I'm the only Suzuki boy and I have to keep the bloodline going. Dad said so." Said Sho. He wasn't like everyone else. He had to rule the world when he grew up. He didn't just get to throw that away and stuff. Dad had said so. That was the only reason that Sho was even around for. If big sis had been big bro then Sho would never have even been born.

"I doubt that you'll be the last Suzuki." Said Fukuda dismissively. Suzuki had been obsessed with his bloodline since before he'd even so much as kissed a girl. Sho didn't need that hanging over his head. The world was better off, actually, without that Suzuki dynasty that had been planned for the past thirty years.

"No, I will. I don't have a little brother, just a big sis, and she can't make more Suzuki's because she's going to end up making Hatori's. Girls make babies for their husband's families. That's how it works." Said Sho. He didn't know what he said but Fukuda closed his eyes and sat back.

"She got back together with him?" asked Fukuda. He…did not feel good about that. He wanted to take Shigeko and drag her away by her pigtails. She was too young. She was just a little girl and she needed to…to do little girl things. She needed to play with dolls and wear costumes and just…not date grown men.

"No, not yet, but I think she will soon. Did you see how his face is less spotty? And how he's less shiny? And he smells better? I think that he's trying to make himself into a better person so that big sis will take him back…but if he tries to kiss her or touch her boobs I'll beat him up…but not in a serious way unless she doesn't want him to." Said Sho. He liked Hatori. He was great and he would be good for big sis and that way she would never like Shimazaki again. Ever. Big sis didn't like cool guys. She liked guys who were fragile and cried when they got papercuts and went to hide in the bathroom when things got hard…but that was ok. She liked what she liked and she liked Hatori and Sho liked Hatori. He was…less shiny and spotty and….and if he and big sis had a bunch of spotty, greasy, kids with weird square glasses who cried whenever anything went wrong then….then Sho would be a good uncle and play with those kids and teach them stuff and….and love them.

"Sho…leave your sister to that part of your life. She's chosen to live the way she does and it is not your responsibility to keep her safe. You're the younger brother, not the older brother, alright?" asked Fukuda. Sho did not need to know about that part of his sister's life. She was…she did what she did. She did what she did and the only person on Earth who could stop her didn't give a damn. Well Sho did not need to get mixed up in that…and he did not need that normalized for him. Sho had feelings for a man three times his age…and he did not need that normalized. He didn't need to think that there was any hope at all. He needed to focus on that girl…or a boy his own age…or anyone other than Shimazaki Ryou…and he certainly didn't need to know about what his sister got up with the man he had feelings for.

"I know what age I am, I can remember my own birthday, and I'm going to keep my sister safe. Guys suck. They tell girls that they love them so they can kiss them and touch their boobs and also see them naked and stuff too and I don't want some guy to do that to my big sis. I mean unless she wants him to and stuff but even then as her little brother it's my job to beat them up for doing that stuff with my sister. Just not bad enough that they spit up blood or their bones break or anything like that." Said Sho

"Who told you that? Your dad?" asked Fukuda trying his best not to roll his eyes. That sounded like Suzuki. He'd die before he let anyone take his Daughter away from him….and yet he had no idea what happened under his nose. Not that Fukuda was going to open his mouth about any of that. That was Shigeko's business and if she wanted to carry on that way then she could deal with her father herself.

"No, I just know that I'm supposed to keep her safe." Said Sho. He didn't need to be told how to be a good little brother, he just knew.

"Her life is her own. Sho, you can't save someone from their own mistakes, trust me I know, you just worry about yourself…and that girlfriend of yours. I can tell that you care about her a lot so maybe just take the energy that you would spend keeping your sister safe and use it on her. Ok?" asked Fukuda

"Yeah…I guess….but she's all the way in London…and also she wouldn't have guys bothering her because she already has a boyfriend, me. I'm her boyfriend. Big sis doesn't have anyone so I have to keep her safe….but it's ok. It's not that hard to keep her safe because she's going to be with Hatori and he's fragile and stuff. He would never try to kiss her or touch her boobs. He'd be too scared. He's scared of everything." Said Sho. That was good. She could be safe with him. He was scared of girls and stuff. He had probably never even kissed a girl. Big sis was ok with him and he would make her happy and keep her safe…and stuff….so it was ok that she was going to take Hatori back and marry him.

"Are you scared?" asked Fukuda. Sho….wasn't there yet? Right? Sho was ten and he didn't think about that...right?

"Of what?" asked Sho. He was afraid of very few things. He was afraid of people finding out what happened in his head, he was afraid of making dad mad, he was afraid of dad killing him like in his nightmares, he was afraid of anything happening to big sis, and he was afraid of accidentally eating citrus and dying….but people didn't need to know about any of that.

"Doing…things like that." Said Fukuda. This was….the beginning of a very awkward talk. Well it was supposed to be a series of talks now, he had read, not the one embarrassing talk the school had given him. Well that was fine, better he be the one to have these talks with Sho than Suzuki. God only knew what insanity he would try and fill Sho's head up with.

"I'm not going to kiss my sister or try to touch her boobs! What the fuck is the matter with you?! You mother fucking cock sucking bitch fucking bastard fucking fucker fucking-" said Sho. What was WRONG with Fukuda?! Did he wake up and slam his head so hard his brain got all scrambled up?! Nope. No way. how could he ever even THINK of thinking of something like that?! There were not enough curse words in the Japanese language for him to even begin to say what he felt! He'd have to learn more later. Many more because not he was just saying fuck over and over again and Shimazaki said that just saying fuck over and over again wasn't creative.

"Sho! For the love of God! Language!" said Fukuda. What….what was he even….what happened to the little boy who jumped on his back and demanded an airplane ride? What happened to the little boy who watched Zootopia over and over again on a loop? What happened to little Sho? Well, obviously, he knew what happened. Shimazaki Ryou happened.

"Me? You're the one talking about me kissing my sister and touching her boobs and stuff….and you had better not say anything about her boobs either! Or I'll have to beat you up and I don't want to have to do that because I care about you and stuff!" said Sho. Fukuda had better never talk about big sis like that or Sho would have to beat him up….and he didn't want to. He didn't want to but he had to. It was wrong to talk about girl's boobs, Shimazaki had said so, and even if Shimazaki hadn't told him so he still would not have let Fukuda talk about big sis like that.

"Sho! She's ten! I wouldn't dream of it! And yes, please, beat me up if I ever do!" said Fukuda. Is that what….why would he think….what?! Shigeko was ten!

"Well now I kind of have to-to beat you up for saying-" said Sho

"Sho, I meant with your girlfriend. Obviously I meant with your girlfriend! Brothers and sisters….they don't DO that. You're right to be disgusted with me, too, I should have made myself more clearer." Said Fukuda

"Oh. Ok. Yeah, you need to be clear about that stuff because I was about to beat you up…well not in any serious way…but still!" said Sho

"And I would have deserved it, too. I was just wondering how you felt about…all of that…with your girlfriend. That's all." said Fukuda

"I don't really feel any way about that. I mean I kiss Emmy, don't tell anyone about that by the way, and she likes it…and I don't hate it…so it's ok." Said Sho. What was with all the personal questions? There were too many. He had a girlfriend, he kissed her, and that was all that there was to it. He liked her and she liked him and that was normal. The whole thing was normal and Fukuda should not have been asking any of these questions because things were so normal that he shouldn't have asked!

"Well as long as you aren't doing anything that you don't want to do…and she doesn't make you open your mouth, does she? Because you are too young for that." Said Fukuda. Was Sho that old? Was it time for that conversation? The internet had said that it was a series of conversations but he would have liked a schedule or something for those conversations.

"What? No. People kiss with their mouths opened? Why? That's how you get someone else's spit in your mouth. Why would I want that?" asked Sho. He stuck his tongue out. That was even worse than when Shimazaki had to flush out the stuff from his eye sockets. Yuck. Girls. He would never understand them for as long as he lived.

"Good, you're still ten." Said Fukuda with a sigh. Good. He was still just a kid.

"That doesn't answer my question." Said Sho with his arms crossed.

"Right. Well….it's part of…the sorts of things that boys and girls…or boys and boys…or girls and girls…do together. When they're older than you are not. It's just….a thing. That's done." Said Fukuda

"But why? I don't get it. That's how you get someone else's spit in your mouth and that's gross…and not in the good way." said Sho

"Well…it feels good. It's an expression of…of love…" said Fukuda rubbing the back of his head. Why did he have to have these talks with Sho? Why did he…well who else would? His father? His sister? Masami was the person who should have been the one to do this…but she was gone and he was the best that Sho had.

"Oh. It's a part of making babies….why would I want to do that? I'm ten." Said Sho. He was grossed out now beyond belief. Even worse than the time…he couldn't remember, even, a time when he had been more grossed out than he was now.

"Well…it's not always about that. Sometimes people kiss like that…and do other things…because it feels good." Said Fukuda

"Oh. So it's normal to do stuff like that?" asked Sho

"Yes, it's perfectly normal to want to do that with a girl…or anyone, really. There's nothing wrong with wanting to do that." Said Fukuda

"Oh. So that's why that pink haired girl climbed on top of me and kept on licking me while she kissed me." Said Sho. So he had been the weird one in that situation….he knew it. Well at least now he knew that if Emmy ever tried to do that to him he'd have to let her…to be normal…and maybe it wasn't going to be so bad…if everyone else was doing it…

"….come again?" asked Fukuda. What in the hell had he just heard? What in the hell had he just….what? He was…he was a kid and he should not have been….and Fukuda needed to calm down. This was a normal part of being a kid, things like this, and Fukuda needed to stop freaking out.

"This girl kissed me like that back at the party. I just…well I got freaked out but that was just because I didn't know that she was being normal." Said Sho

"How…old was she?" asked Fukuda

"My age." Said Sho

"Yeah, no. That's not normal from someone your age and you were right to feel upset." Said Fukuda

"But…you just said that it was normal." Said Sho

"Well, yes, it's normal to…to think about maybe doing…when you get older. Not ten. Ten year olds aren't meant to do that. That girl was just fast, that's all, and you just stay away from fast girls." Said Fukuda

"Oh…ok…I guess. So then…it's wrong for Emmy to want to kiss me?" asked Sho

"Um…well that's not…well…you wanted to kiss her so that makes it….this is very complicated." Said Fukuda

"So if I want to it's ok but if she wants to then it's not? But then why is it ok for boys but not for girls? That doesn't seem fair." Said Sho

"Well…the thing about that is…you see things are very…there are things that….you're ten. You're ten and she's ten and ten year olds do not kiss like that and…that's all. Whew. So glad we could have this talk. So, do you want to play that game where condemned criminals rip out each other's organs with rusty hooks now?" asked Fukuda

"No, you're bad at that game. I'm going to play with Emmy later…and…and now I'm just confused. I thought that I was supposed to want to kiss girls and stuff. So it's not normal?" asked Sho

"No, it's normal. You can think about kissing….whoever you want to kiss…just…don't get ahead of yourself. You just…stick to whatever you've been doing now…and don't kiss her…like that….or do anything else. Ok? Because you're only ten." Said Fukuda

"So when I'm eleven it'll be ok?" asked Sho

"No. That's still too young." Said Fukuda

"What about twelve?" asked Sho

"No, that's too…well…in my opinion…" said Fukuda

"How old were you, then?" asked Sho

"How old was I when?" asked Fukuda

"When you kissed a girl." Said Sho

"Well…God that's going back a while. Twelve or thirteen I'd have to say. The last day of elementary school." Said Fukuda

"Did you…did you love her?" asked Sho

"Her? No. I mean I liked her and I thought that she was attractive but I wasn't in love with her or anything. I was too young to know what love even was. I just liked her a lot and I kissed her…but then a week later she had a boyfriend….but it was what it was." Said Fukuda

"Oh yeah…girls leave you. I guess my dad was smart like that, only kissing mom and stuff." Said Sho

"He told you that?" laughed Fukuda

"Well…no….but he was married to mom and he loved her….I mean as much as dad knows how to love a person…so I thought that she was the only girl that he ever kissed." Said Sho

"Your dad….God your dad…he kissed anyone who would have him. Anyone. He just…well he just went around asking until he found girls who took enough pity on him to date him and then he'd kiss them….and regale me with the details…no matter how many times I begged him to keep it to himself." Said Fukuda

"Wait….girls…liked my dad?" asked Sho

"Some of them did. Some of them just felt sorry for him. Like there was this one girl, she was the middle school kendo captain actually, you dad was in absolute love with her. He'd follow her around, leave her notes and presents, give her the weirdest compliments-" said Fukuda

"Like what?" asked Sho. Dad? Saying nice things? Had Fukuda fallen and hit his head at some point? Was he getting dad confused with another Suzuki Touichirou? It made no sense. Dad complimenting someone. Sure. Right after big sis got into a cursing match with dad and the sun went cold.

"Like….he told her that her face was just symmetrical enough to be attractive but not so symmetrical that he found it disturbing to look at. He just walked up to her and said this during….God what were we even…oh yeah. This stupid kendo exhibition thing that I got dragged to. Well I was there for moral support and also your grandparents…they liked having me around….anyway your dad tells her this and I could tell that she was weirded out and she was all 'Oh Touichi, you're so sweet', he let her call him 'Touichi' he liked her that much…anyway he asked her out and then she said yes and then he took her to the Cultural Tower, he wanted to take her to the Space Center but I set him straight, and then she brought a friend for me and…yeah. It was a nice time. I mean she broke up with him because he was really….intense…but it was a nice time." Said Fukuda

"Wow…a girl liked my dad….who wasn't my mom….and a girl liked you, too." Said Sho. That was…did cats like to swim, too? And did dogs meow? And had Minegishi been faking being mean all this time and really they were a good and nice person underneath it all?

"You say that like you're amazed." Said Fukuda

"Well, yeah, of course I am. Dad never says nice things and I don't even know why mom liked him for as long as she did or as much as she did…also you've never had a girlfriend or even talked about a girl in the whole ten years that I've known you. I didn't even know that girls liked you. Shimazaki said that they probably didn't because nobody likes you…..but that's not true. I like you and dad likes you and big sis likes you….well she likes everyone…but I like you." Said Sho

"Sho…that's…well that shouldn't…don't let my life affect yours. I'm not married because I'm not married. I…I've loved someone for a while now…but it would never work out with her." said Fukuda

"Why? Does she hate you?" asked Sho

"No…at least I hope she doesn't." said Fukuda

"Does she think that you're boring?" asked Sho

"No, she's never called me that before." Said Fukuda

"Did you try to kiss her and she ran away? Because if she ran away then you really shouldn't try to kiss her again. Then she'll think that you're desperate and pushy and Shimazaki says that once someone thinks that you're desperate and pushy then that just won't ever wash off." Said Sho

"No, she never said that either." Said Fukuda. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed to stay calm. He needed to stay calm and just...just not talk about this anymore.

"Then why won't it work out?" asked Sho. He needed to know why stuff didn't work out. Mom had left and big sis had left Hatori and…and Emmy could have left him. Emmy…he wasn't in love with Emmy. He didn't want to marry her or anything like that but he also didn't want her to break up with him. He was going to be a better person than dad. He was going to do better than dad when it came to everything. He was going to be nicer and have a girlfriend who would never leave him and when he had kids he would never hit them or yell at them or make them have nightmares about him hurting them.

"Because….because she…she was with someone else for a long time. She cared about this other person…until she didn't….and then she just…had to leave. She had to make some very difficult choices along the way, had to say goodbye to a lot of people she cared about….and I was one of them." Said Fukuda

"That sucks…but maybe you'll find someone else. There's a lot of girls out there and getting them to like you is really easy. You don't even have to do anything most of the time. You just have to be nice to them and tell them that they're pretty, girls love that, and then they like you. So just find a lady and tell her that and then she'll like you and stuff….but don't make fun of her boobs. Girls REALLY don't like that." Said Sho

"Duly noted." Said Fukuda

"Don't worry, I can be your wingman. Then you can meet a new girl and forget all about the old one that you're in love with. Then you can get married and have kids and do all of that other normal stuff that guys are supposed to do." Said Sho

"You know you don't have to do that. You can live your life however you want to. There's no right or wrong way to do it. As long as you're true to yourself and that you're happy then you can…you can be whoever you want to be." Said Fukuda

"I want to be normal, that's how I want to live my life. I want to be normal because I am normal and I want…I have to do what dad says…because he's dad. Ok?" said Sho. He didn't know how to tell Fukuda just how he felt, how powerless he felt, how….just how he felt.

"Alright." Said Fukuda. He wasn't going to have that conversation with Sho yet. He just did not have the mental energy for this.

"Good…and let's play the game where you rip people's organs out with rusty hooks. You could use the practice." Said Sho. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. What was Fukuda on? Sho had to live his life in a very specific way because…because his life had a very specific outcome. He had to do what dad said because when he grew up he would be in charge of Claw and the world and…and stuff….and that was just the way that it was supposed to be…and stuff…and he didn't want to think about the future. He didn't want to think about how the person that he had to be had already been decided and…and how it was going to be so hard to be that person…especially when the person who he was…was just so…wrong. Especially since he had been born wrong, big sis had been born right, and there was nothing at all that he could do about it…

Besides play videogames.

He was glad to have left when he did…but now he sort of wanted to leave again.