Warning: Dramatic, too dramatic… Tsss…. I hate myself for making this chapter…

Chapter 4b: House of Memories

"This was our house." Hanamichi stated sadly, leaning at the balcony door, eyes downcast.

I slowly sat at the bed, stunned at the information I just had received.

He turned his head to the left and gazed outside through the glass door, looking wistful, then smiled softly when he saw the tree house, situated at the tree beside the balcony, swaying at the strong wind brought by the heavy rain but still standing strong and proud.

"Dad and I built that tree house when I was 10 so that I could have someplace to play." His smile faltered. "But the truth was I never played on that house." His honey-brown eyes turned glassy. He blinked back the tears that are threatening to fall furiously, trying hard to appear calm although I can see that he is close to breaking down. He turned around to face the sputtering rain on the roof of tree house, hiding the slowly falling tears from me.

I stood up from the bed and was about to comfort him (though I don't know how to) when he spoke again with a quivering voice making me stop on my tracks.

"I always go to the tree house whenever she scold me or hit me for reasons she only knew." He chuckled without humor, brushing the tears from his eyes.

With two quick strides I enveloped him on a tight hug from behind and slowly murmured to his ear, "I'm sorry."

He inclined his head to look at me with questioning eyes but before he could voice out his question I quickly silenced him with a quick but deep kiss. Panting slightly, I pulled back and uttered softly, "I'm sorry, because if I did not force you to enter this house you wouldn't have to relive your bad memories."

He shook his head slightly, "Baka Kitsune, it's not your fault," Hana gently rebuked me, eyes back on the pouring rain. But somehow his gaze is becoming distant again, trying to remember his long hidden past.

"I never understand why she would yell at me whenever she would see me or hit me every time she liked, then glaring at me with that cold blue eyes of her." He shivered at the memory, and instinctively I tightened my embrace, offering the comfort and warmth he so badly needed.

He leaned back on me, resting his head on my shoulder, eyes closed. I savor the moment knowing that I'm witnessing the self-proclaimed Tensai on his most vulnerable moment.

I ushered him carefully on the side of the bed and sat him down, with me sitting on his side. He burrowed his head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around him again, and then with a muffled voice proceeded to tell me what happened.

"One night I heard my father's car had arrived, I rushed down from here to the living room but I stopped and hid on the wall when I saw Mom, holding a suitcase, greeted him on the door. She said in a cold voice that she's leaving us and she can't stay any longer because we already ruined her life as it is. Dad just stood at the doorway, shocked, but he quickly recovered himself saying that she can't leave us cause she have a son and what would happen to me when she's gone? And did you know what she did?" he looked up at me and I can see bitterness and hurt on those expressive eyes, and teeth clenching he gritted out, "she just snorted and said she didn't care."

My eyes widened in disbelief and shock. Surely no mother would say that about her son right? But when I looked at his eyes again I knew he was not lying, and it's my turn to grit my teeth in anger to his mother. What kind of a mother is she??

"I felt numbed at that time. My vision blurred but when I saw her leaving the house, I immediately ran after her. I pleaded to her Kitsune; I promised that I will be good boy that I will do anything that she liked me to do. But she just turned her back on me and walked away without a word. She left us Kitsune; even though I pleaded, she left us!!" Clutching my shirt in a deathlike grip, he finally broke down, sobbing, he leaned forward to me and all I can do is pulled him closer, murmuring soothing words to his ear, gently rubbing his back in a comforting gesture.

After a few minutes of sobbing, he finally calmed down. He straightened and looked at my wet shirt, he murmured "sorry." I looked at his tear-streaked face and cupped his hand gently, "it's ok."

He just smiled at me sadly and edged away from me, looking again around my room, "my father sold this house when I was 12. The company was bankrupted because Dad became a wreck after the divorce. That's when I finally knew that he loved Mom so much though they constantly fight." He chuckled wryly looking at the now stopping rain, and then his eyes blazed with anger, "a month after we moved to our new house, Dad had an attack, he became paralyzed and he was confined to the hospital. All the money we have when we had sold the house was slowly spend on his medications and hospital bills. Then the doctor said that he needs a private nurse to help him on his therapy, but by that time we are already broke. I tried asking help from dad's friends but they said no. I guess they don't want to help Dad because he's already poor, and a loser." He looks down on the floor frowning, "I decided to ask Mom for help but she was nowhere to be found. So I just decided to checked Dad out from the Hospital and take care of him myself, but one day--"

I saw Hanamichi was about to break down again so I rushed to his side and put my hand on his trembling shoulder, "Hanamichi…"

"He had an attack, but I was not there," he continued, his eyes is starting to water again, "When I arrived he was lying on the floor and when I run outside to call the doctor, I was ambushed by the gang I beaten on that afternoon. It's my fault, Kitsune…" he choked out, "Dad died because of me… And Mom never showed up on the funeral," he cried, broking down again.

I hugged him again, trying to ease the pain he's feeling. And as I hear him crying his heart out, I felt my heart slowly breaking too…

----------------------------------------T.B.C. -------------------------------------------

A child's heart is a fragile thing,

So watch what you're doing or saying,

Because you might hurt it bit by bit,

Or worse, permanently scarred it.

So what can you say minna?