Chapter#04

After a while Rukawa's phone rang. He know it was his brother since he is the only one who know his mobile phone number. Rukawa's was almost sleeping, but he answered his brother.

Aoshi: "Moshi moshi; how are Kaede?".

Kaede answered him in sleepy voice "I'm fine, what about you brother?".

Aoshi: "I'm also fine. You look sleepy." He thought 'sleeping at this time? It means that there is something'

Kaede: "I was going to sleep now."

Aoshi: "are you ok?"

Kaede: "yes".

Aoshi: "is everything is ok?".

Kaede gulped 'no', but he said "yes, everything is ok".

Aoshi: 'I know you will say so. Actually it's very obvious from your voice'. He said : "I can see that. How is dad?".

Kaede: "fine".

Aoshi: "did you see him?".

Kaede: "no. since months I didn't see him".

Aoshi sigh deeply 'I know that'. "how is our aunt?".

Kaede: "she is great."

Aoshi: 'that's mean that he is happy with her'. "Great! How is Yoko? Do you see her?".

Kaede: 'well your sister isn't fine at all. She want to run away'. But he said "she is fine. I was with her today." 'and I slapped her on her face in the middle of the street.'

Aoshi: "you were with her? How come?". 'so that's why your voice sound trouble'.

Kaede: "I accidently knew that she want to go to the Tuition institute, which is in the same direction as mine".

Aoshi: "I see. So how is your trip with her?"

Kaede started to get angry as he changed his laying position by sitting on the bed "Onitchan, what's up with you? I told you everything is ok, so what are you still asking about?!".

Aoshi raised one of his brow "don't shout at me kid. From your voice I know there is some trouble. So it's better for you to shorten the time and tell me exactly what happened? Since I won't hang up until you tell me something that convince me. ok!"

Kaede started grumbling, getting angrier and raising his voice: "offffff. Your sister is the rudest and meanest girl in the world ok! I slapped her rude face in the middle of the street! Is that convincing now! uffff". As he put his hand on his forehead and started rubbing it.

Aoshi: "tell me everything. Why did you slap her?".

Kaede angrily told him everything.

Aoshi response was much rational. "I understand that she deserve it. If I were where you I will do the same". Both of them got quiet for a moment. Then Aoshi said "I know that she is very spoiled girl. But whatever she is, she is our responsibility".

Kaede: rotating his eyes "I know that".

Aoshi: "by the way you have to expect a problem from your father and Noriko for what happened today".

Kaede: "I don't care about them. I already used to that".

Aoshi: "don't be rude with your father".

Kaede: "I will try. Anyway, when is your vacation?"

Aoshi: "it supposed to be after two week. Umm but you know, I will try to come this weekend". 'After what I heard, I must come to figure out what happening?'. "By the way how is your studying?"

Kaede lay down again on the bed. In a very boring voice said "It's great".

Aoshi: "Yeah I can see that. Listen kid! Change your clothes first, then do your homeworks. I know you very well when you got upset dear. And for your information, when I come, I will go to your school and ask about your doing there. It's not better for you if I hear something that I don't like".

Kaede: 'Oh my God'. Gulped, wide his eyes and said in low tone: "okay".

Aoshi: "good. Have a good night".

Kaede: "you too".

As they hang up. Kaede put his hand on his forehead covering his eyes and told himself "I will be in big problem if he ask about me in school, oh my God. Uffff. Why he is so demanding?". He finally left the bed, changed his clothes and forcedly start doing his homework.

In other side Aoshi was standing in balcony huffing and thinking deeply about his previous conversation with his brother. 'There are so many question marks. First, how come that Kaede offer to accompany Yoko, even if they have the same direction? I know very well that they could not stand each other for five minutes! Second, how in the world, Noriko told her very spoiled daughter to respect Kaede? That's by itself absolutely weird.' After thinking deeply 'There is something wrong with Yoko. Both Noriko and Kaede knew it or at least felt it. I can't make Kaede handle Yoko problems by himself. I know very well my father mentality that he won't let him to have any hand in Yoko's problems. I have to go and figure out what's happening by myself.

Next day and after a long school day, Kaede back to his aunt home. As he got inside, his aunt told him that his father want to meet him immediately. She asked him about what did he do. He answered her "nothing worth it aunt. When I back I will tell you everything". Kaede knew very will why his father wanted him. He was expecting that.

He went to his father home carelessly. As he got in the home his nanny approached him and told him that his father is waiting him in his office and he is very angry. Kaede told her "I know he only asked to see me, if he wants to scold me. Don't worry I got used to that" he smiled to his kind nanny and went to meet his father.

In his father office there was a man in his forties. He's look like his brother Aoshi, but his hair is shorter than his brother hair and his face has some wrinkles. His father was sitting behind his office. Also there were his sister and Noriko, who were sitting on the sofa. His step mother was wearing a traditional Japanese kimono, and her hair was tightening in a traditional Japanese hairstyle as usual. She is a topical Japanese lady; white skin, black hair and black narrow and sharp eyes. His sister is look like her mother. She was wearing a mere blue dress. He came in the office, where he knew very well why was this court held?

His father said: "you finally show up" without looking at him as usual.

Kaede: "ok. Then what is it about?". As he stand in front of his father office, putting his hands in his pockets.

His father started yelling "After all of what did you do to your SISTER yesterday! You ask rudely what is it?".

Kaede: "Why didn't you ask your precious daughter about what happened?!".

His father: "She told me everything! Is that how you care about your younger sister?!".

Kaede turned his faced to other side, folded his arms and said in low tone, but enough to be heard : "umm. Look at who is talking about caring."

By that reaction his father angry temper increased. He stood up, approaching his rude son "What did you just said?".

Kaede: "You heard Dad. And you know what did I mean!".

His father hold his collar tightly and said strictly: "You must tell me clearly what you mean? rude! Because I know why you treat her cruelly and harshly".

Kaede smiled mockingly, "yeah I know these sick reasons very well. Isn't it because I'm very jealous of her?" he asked his father mockingly.

His father left him, sighed deeply and turned his face to other side, as if he couldn't stand looking directly in to his son eyes anymore. "it's good that you know yourself rude!"

Kaede turned his face to his father direction. He understand very well his father reaction. he looked at him in challenging way. "Do you really believe that?! Well, that's not the problem now. Any way answering your first question. Let me tell you that you should be the last one talking about caring! Rather than spoil your daughter by only giving her MONEY! It's better for you to spend time with her and figure out what she need Dad!".

His father turned to him angrily and held his collar tightly and roughly, which caused minor injuries on his neck. However Kaede continued his talk "Do you know what she need?! Do you know in which school she is?! Do you know in what class she is?!". When his father heard that, he slapped him roughly on his face, which caused his son to fell down roughly on the ground. However his father held him back and slapped him again and again. As each time his father slaps got stronger than the previous ones. His father kept on hitting him harshly until his step mother held his father back.

When his father left him, Kaede loosed his balance and fell down in the ground. His father lost his mind completely and start yelling at him "You are such a rotten boy, bad-mannered, and ruthless! Wherever you go you bring corruption and problems with you! Get out of here immediately and don't let me see your vile and rude face again!".

Kaede hold himself tightly before getting much mad at his father, and stand up with difficulty. He looked at his father and calmly said: "you know I'm right. That's why you lost your mind". He left the room immediately after that, as he still hearing his father cursing him and yelling at him from behind.

Kaede went back to his aunt house. His aunt stunned at his hardly beaten and swollen face. She said in an astonishing voice: "who did that to you! Of course it's your dad! But why?". He sit down and looked back at her trying hardly to hide his true feelings, which was madness, sadness and very upset. He said nothing for a while. Then he stand up again and approached the freezer. His aunt followed him quickly and closed the freezer door, before he could pick any ice from there. She look at him and said strictly "you won't have any treatment, unless you told me exactly what had happened."

He looked back at her, huffing "why you are so demanding?".

"Know you are under my responsibility now! Not your careless father!"

Huffing again "yes we fought with each other as usual. And why we fought it's because I slapped my sister yesterday in the middle of crowded street. Happy now!"

"uh. Before I know why I know that your spoiled sister deserved it. She is such a corrupted girl."

Kaede interrupted her, yelling "Do you know that corrupted girl is only 9 years old?! Aunt I know that you don't like her because she look like your ADVERSARY 'NORIKO'! Exactly such as what you used to deal with me before, since that I look like my MOM! Please aunt try be impartial".

As he said that, his aunt couldn't held back her anger and slapped him. He look at her and sighed " all of you couldn't bear hearing the truth". Then he immediately left the home, leaving his aunt looking at his back astonishingly.