Chapter 30

Yaketsuku's Story

"What do you mean Takako escaped?" Jomei asks the doctor.

"I- I- I don't know!" the doctor says nervously. "She asked for something and when I came back she was gone!"

"Take me to her room now," Jomei says.

The doctor nods and takes Jomei and Jakako out of the room. Takara watches the door shut.

"How the hell did my mother escape?" Takara says quietly. "She's evil, who knows what she's up to right now..."

"I'm so confused," Sakura says. "How is your mom evil?"

Takara sighs. "She planned the whole kidnapping thing. She paid them to steal me in the middle of the night... My mom is the one who... Who ruined my life and-" Takara starts to tear up.

"I think I understand Takara," Sakura says.

Takara wipes away her tears. "Sorry."

Yaketsuku sits down next to Takara. "I'm sorry to hear about this."

Takara sighs. "Can I ask how you ended up with Hiroshi and the rest?"

Yaketsuku looks down. "It was the day after my 16th birthday and..."

Flashback:

5:30 p.m

Yaketsuku walks inside the front door.

"Yaketsuku Emica! Why are you home so late?!" Yaketsuku's mother, Akari, asks angrily.

Yaketsuku scoffs. "Why does it matter?"

"I'm your mother and I demand to know where my son was!" Akari says.

"I got detention and then I went to the back alley with my friends," Yaketsuku says. "Now back off would you?"

Akari looks at Yaketsuku with pure hatred. "Yaketsuku Emica! You do not use that tone with me! Now go to your room, you are grounded for the weekend!"

"The weekend?" Yaketsuku asks. "Ugh! Mom! I hate you!" Yaketsuku then runs to his room and slams the door. "Grounded for the weekend? What the hell..."

Later that night, Yaketsuku gets a glass of water and starts to walk to his room until he hears something odd at the front door. Yaketsuku goes to the front door and sees a man trying to break inside the home.

"Oh!" Yaketsuku says out loud.

The man on the other side of the door looks up and sees Yaketsuku staring at him. "Hey kid, don't-"

Yaketsuku goes to the front door and opens the door. "Do whatever you want, I really don't care."

Yaketsuku grabs his water and walks to his room. The intruder looks at Yaketsuku with a confused look. He shrugs his shoulders and walks farther inside the home. He goes to the first room which is Akari's room. He walks inside the room and tries to shut the door but it stays open just a little bit. Akari screams.

"Shh," the intruder says.

"Oh? Hiroshi? Is that you?" Akari asks.

"Yeah."

"Oh. Please… don't scare me like that," Akari says.

Hiroshi scratches the back of his head and nervously smiles. "Sorry about that mother."

"Anyway, are you here to take Yaketsuku out of my hair?" Akari asks.

"Yeah," Hiroshi says. "Yaketsuku didn't even recognize me as his own brother."

"Okay perfect," Akari says. "Perfect. Pretend to hurt me, and steal that troublemaking brat."

Hiroshi smirks. "Can do."

Hiroshi then walks behind his mother. He then takes a kunai knife and stabs Akari in the back 4 times. Blood splatters up onto Hiroshi.

"Hir- Hiroshi... Why?" Akari asks.

"I know you were going to blab about all this for attention. That Tak girl's mother blabbed about this and me and the rest almost got caught. I'm not getting caught because of you," Hiroshi explains with no emotion.

"B- But... I'm your mother," Akari says weakly.

"You were," Hiroshi says and then stabs his mother several more times until she is officially dead.

Yaketsuku is outside the door and witnessed everything. He is standing there with his eyes widened and is shaking. "That man is my brother? He's going to steal me? Who is that Tak person he mentioned? Brother killed mother!"

Hiroshi looks up at the door and sees Yaketsuku there. Hiroshi starts to walk over to Yaketsuku. Yaketsuku then starts to run away from Hiroshi. Yaketsuku unfortunately was too slow and Hiroshi caught up to him. Hiroshi picks up his little brother and holds him in the air.

"B- Brother... What are you doing?" Yaketsuku asks.

"What all did you see?" Hiroshi asks.

"N- N- Nothing!" Yaketsuku lies.

"You're coming with me," Hiroshi says.

"Where are we going?" Yaketsuku asks.

"Just follow me and you'll stay alive," Hiroshi says and drops Yaketsuku on the ground.

Yaketsuku grunts and looks up. He stands up and follows Hiroshi. Hiroshi takes Yaketsuku to the hidden house which isn't far from where their home is.

Yaketsuku walks inside the home and goes down to the basement as Hiroshi orders. He looks around and sees Takara trapped in a cage crying.

"Yaketsuku, you have to watch what's about to happen," Hiroshi says while pointing towards Takara. Hiroshi brings Yaketsuku closer to the cage.

"That girl looks like the missing 5 year old Takara Uta," Yaketsuku says.

"That girl IS the missing 5 year old," Hiroshi says.

Eito slaps Takara across the face. "Quit your crying Tak!" Yaketsuku cringes at that site.

Leiji and Leitangi come by with an operating table. Eito goes to the cage's door and opens it for the brothers. Leiji and Leitangi roll the operating table inside the cage and Eito closes and locks the cage. Eito then grabs Takara's arm and throws her onto the table. Letangi ties Takara's arms down while Leiji ties down her legs so she can't move.

"What are you doing to me?" Takara asks in pure fear.

"Don't ask the surgeon questions," Eito says.

"Surgeon?" Takara asks without thinking.

"What did I just say, are you dumb?" Eito asks.

Eito then takes a rusty scalpel and carves into Takara's stomach. Takara screams in pain. Her stomach then starts to gush out blood. Eito then cuts another line on Takara's stomach and she starts to cry. Takara looks down and looks at the fresh X that was just carved into her belly. Yaketsuku feels sick at this sight.

Eito laughs at Takara's pain. "Oh that will definitely leave a nasty scar."

Eito then puts on rubber gloves. He then grabs a sharp knife and he takes the knife and puts it in Takara's fresh stomach wound causing her to cough up blood. Eito then starts to take out Takara's fallopian tubes with that knife.

Takara screams. "This hurts! What are you doing, Eito?!"

"You don't need these. We don't want to accidentally knock you up" Eito says.

"W- What?" Takara asks.

Eito finally cuts one of her fallopian tubes out and tosses it aside. Eito goes to the other fallopian tube and starts to cut it out. Takara keeps coughing up blood and screaming.

"P- Please... Stop," Takara begs.

Yaketsuku's eyes start to tear up. "Why do I have to watch this?!"

Takara looks over at Yaketsuku, barely keeping her eyes open. Eito grabs her face to make Takara look at him.

"I- I'm going to f- faint...," Takara slowly says.

Eito then tosses Takara's extra fallopian tube aside.

"Whatever. Surgery is done," Eito says and walks away from Takara.

Takara's face quickly turns paler as she quickly loses blood.

Yaketsuku stands there in fear. If his brother and his buddies were able to forcefully give a poor 14 year old girl surgery, what was he in for?

"I have to save this girl. I don't care if I die, this girl does not deserve this. She deserves to go back home..." Yaketsuku thinks to himself.

"Alright Hiroshi, bring in Yaketsuku," Eito says from the other room.

Hiroshi gives Yaketsuku a push and they walk to where Eito is. As they walk, Yaketsuku looks over at Takara losing consciousness.

"Is she going to die?" Yaketsuku asks Hiroshi.

"Who knows?" Hiroshi says. "Does it matter?"

Takara looks up at Hiroshi when he responds to Yaketsuku's question. Hiroshi and Yaketsuku go to where Eito is.

"W- What are you going to do to me?" Yaketsuku asks.

"Consider yourself lucky Yaketsuku," Eito starts to say. "Me and the rest of the boys here are about to go to sleep. You will sleep in this room, and DO NOT go to Tak! Got it?"

"Y- Yes," Yaketsuku says.

"Good," Eito says. "Sweet dreams..."

Hiroshi and Eito walk outside the room and lock it from the outside. This room has no windows and the flooring is cold concrete. It's just an empty, cold, sad room.

The next day at night:

Yaketsuku is in the other room hearing Hiroshi kick Takara's stomach with steel-toed boots. The more Yaketsuku hears the kicks and Takara's cries, the more determined he gets to save this girl. Yaketsuku quietly walks out of the room he is in.

"Hey Hiroshi!" calls Eito.

"What?" asks Hiroshi.

"I got something for you, come here," Eito says.

Hiroshi groans and walks over to Eito.

Yaketsuku watches Hiroshi and Eito.

"Use this on Tak," Eito says.

"Is this boiling hot water?" asks Hiroshi.

"Yes," Eito says. "I also have a bucket of ice cold water with sharp ice shards in there for you to use. Use them in whichever order you'd like!"

"Oh this is perfect, thanks!" Hiroshi says. "Tak! Get in here!"

Takara whimpers to herself and slowly walks to Hiroshi and Eito while holding her songbook. "Yes sir?"

Yaketsuku's eyes get big. He knows what's about to happen to Takara, but Takara has no idea, yet. Leiji then walks inside the room.

"Hey, I have something for Yaketsuku," Leiji says.

"I didn't even know this brat was in here," Eito says. "Get him out of here."

Leiji grabs Yaketsuku's arm and takes him outside. Moments later, Yaketsuku hears Takara scream loudly from the boiling hot water. Leitangi is outside waiting for Yaketsuku.

"I got to go back inside and deal with her, here's Yaketsuku," Leiji says to Leitangi and goes back inside.

Yaketsuku looks up at Leitangi. Yaketsuku notices that Leitangi is holding a plastic gas canister.

"I want to play a little game," Leitangi says.

"A game?" Yaketsuku asks. "I like games."

"Okay, good," Leitangi says.

Leitangi then puts the gas canister down on the ground. He then pulls out a blindfold from his pocket and ties it around Yaketsuku's head.

"Is this part of the game?" Yaketsuku asks.

"It is," Leitangi says. Leitangi walks in front of Yaketsuku. "Okay, we're going to play the scent game. Do you know what that is?"

"Um, do you give me random scents and I have to guess what they are?" Yaketsuku asks.

"Correct," Leitangi says. Leitangi then goes to the grass and pulls some out from the ground. He then goes to Yaketsuku and puts the grass under Yaketsuku's nose. "Guess the smell."

"Hmm," Yaketsuku says and sniffs the grass. "Is this... grass?"

"Correct," Leitangi says and drops the grass. Leitangi looks around for something else to put under Yaketsuku's nose. Leitangi notices a tree log and picks it up. He puts it under Yaketsuku's nose. "Guess this one."

Yaketsuku sniffs the log. "Hmm, it smells wooden. Is it a tree branch?"

"Close enough," Leitangi says and tosses the log aside. Leitangi then grabs the gas canister and opens the lid. He smirks. Then he goes to Yaketsuku and puts the open gas canister under his nose. "Final round, guess this."

Yaketsuku sniffs the gas and starts to cough. "Oh, that's strong! Is that gasoline?"

Leitangi smirks. "It sure is. Why don't you take off your blindfold?"

"Okay," Yaketsuku says and takes off the blindfold. "Now what?"

"Did you like the scent?" Leitangi asks.

"Which one?" Yaketsuku asks.

Leitangi laughs. "Let's have you smell the last one again."

"Why?" Yaketsuku asks.

Leitangi ignores Yaketsuku's question. Instead, he turns the gas canister upside down and starts to pour the gasoline on Yaketsuku. Yaketsuku screams from the strong smell and how cold the gas is.

"It's a very strong smell," Yaketsuku says.

"That's not the only smell you'll be smelling," Leitangi says with an evil grin.

Leitangi grabs a lighter from his back pocket and flickers it. Yaketsuku's eyes get big at the sight of the fire. He knew he was about to be set on fire. Yaketsuku then hears a door open behind him. He sees Leiji walking Takara outside. When Yaketsuku turns around, he is met with fire. Yaketsuku quickly goes up in flames. He immediately starts to scream.

"Ew, what's that smell?" Takara asks while holding her nose with her other free hand.

"It's none of your concern," Leiji says.

Takara looks over and sees Yaketsuku on fire. Takara gasps at the sight of the fire dancing in her eyes. Takara stops walking due to shock.

"I didn't tell you to stop walking, did I?" Leiji asks Takara.

"No sir, I'm sorry," Takara says.

Leiji gives Takara to Leitangi.

"Do what you want with her," Leiji says to Leitangi.

"With pleasure," Leitangi says.

Leiji lets go of Takara and gives her to Leitangi. Leiji then walks back inside. Leitangi holds Takara's arm tight. Takara's big blue eyes look up at Leitangi with fear.

"Tonight, you are assigned to sleep out here," Leitangi says.

"Oh?" Takara asks.

Leitangi pulls out chains from a wooden box outside. "You're gonna be sleeping out here while being tied up. I'm gonna watch over you so you don't do anything you're not supposed to."

Takara looks down. "Yes sir."

Leitangi lifts Takara's head up. "What was that?"

Takara looks up at Leitangi. "Yes sir."

"Good," Leitangi says.

Takara stays right where she was standing. She watches Leitangi as he is getting the chains ready. Suddenly, Takara felt a raindrop. Takara looks up and sees more raindrops fall on her face. Then, the rain got heavier and faster. Yaketsuku stops screaming because the downpour of the rain is stopping the fire. Takara did not know that it was Yaketsuku that's on fire. She couldn't tell either due to how badly he was engulfed in flames.

The rain took out the fire rather quickly. Takara looks over and sees that the person on fire is Yaketsuku. She has seen his face but she didn't know his name. Yaketsuku runs to Takara. "This is my chance…"

"Takara, run, now! I'll hold off Leitangi. I'll die before they touch you again," Yaketsuku says to Takara quietly so that Leitangi doesn't hear.

"What?! Are you sure?" Takara asks back quietly.

"Yes!" Yaketsuku says. He pushed Takara forward. "Go!"

Takara looks back at him and nods. After her nod she starts to run as fast as her little legs could go. Leitangi quickly looks back and sees that Takara is gone.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" yells Leitangi. "Yaketsuku! Where did that brat go?!" Leitangi yells.

"You'll never see her again!" Yaketsuku yelled back at Leitangi.

Then, Leitangi shoves Yaketsuku on the ground and starts to punch him repeatedly. Yaketsuku screams in pure agony.

"Takara! Keep going!" Yaketsuku yells with the little strength he had left.

"I will kill you for letting her go!" Leitangi yells.

Leitangi keeps punching Yaketsuku. The more he punches Yaketsuku, Yaketsuku's blood splatters up onto Leitangi's face. Yaketsuku lets it happen. Yaketsuku smiles knowing he was able to save Takara.

"My purpose in life… was to save Takara Uta…" Yaketsuku thought to himself as he slowly started to pass out.

Present time:

"Goodness Yaketsuku," Takara says. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. I didn't know Hiroshi was your brother."

"I was never close to him, and then he killed my mom and took me out of my home," Yaketsuku says. "Everyone thought someone broke in, killed my mother, and that I was a witness and I was killed somewhere else and just got dumped into the river or something."

"They were almost right," Takara says.

"Yeah," Yaketsuku says. "That night when Leitangi was beating me to a pulp, that's when I faked my death. I thankfully wasn't there long, but I was so upset knowing you were there for so long."

"It can't happen again though," Takara says.

Jomei runs inside the hospital room. "Takara!"

"Yes dad?" Takara says with confusion and concern.

"I think I know where your mother went!" Jomei says.

"What? How?" Takara asks. "Where is she?"

Jomei sighs. "After your recovery, someone told the police where you were hidden. Police went by the house and saw a sickly woman there and her description matches Takako."

"Why the hell would she be where I was held at?" Takara asks. "I need to find out!"

"I'm about to go over there and find out," Jomei says.

"I'm coming with you," Takara says.

"But, baby, you just had surgery. You need to stay in the hospital," Jomei says.

"I don't care," Takara says. "I need to have a chat with mother."

"But you need to stay," Jomei says.

"Actually...," Yaketsuku starts to say. "You can leave whenever, but you are required to be in a wheelchair for 3 days."

Takara looks over at Jomei. Jomei sighs.

"Okay, let's get you a wheelchair," Jomei says. "We should move quickly though."

"What about Jacky?" Takara asks.

"She can come with," Jomei says.

"I can entertain her," Sakura says. "I like kids. In fact, I've been thinking about opening a place for abandoned kids!"

"That's wonderful, Sakura," Jomei says with a smile.

Yaketsuku leaves the room to go get a wheelchair. Takara looks over at Neji. Neji holds Takara's hand.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Neji asks Takara.

"Yes... Please," Takara says.

Yaketsuku comes in with a wheelchair.

"Okay Takara, I'm going to help you get into this wheelchair," Yaketsuku says.

"Okay," Takara says.

Takara slowly sits up from her hospital bed. Neji stands up and gently helps Takara sit up. Neji then slowly moves Takara's legs to the side. Takara puts her arm on Neji and he puts himself under her. He stands Takara up and Yaketsuku brings the wheelchair to her. Neji slowly sits Takara down in the wheelchair. Jomei wheels Takara out of the room. Neji and Sakura follow.

"Good to see you again Yaketsuku," Takara says as she gets wheeled out.

Yaketsuku nods. "I'm glad to have seen you."

Takara smiles and then she is out of the hospital room.

Sakura holds Jakako's hand.

"Are you nervous to go back there?" Sakura asks Takara.

"Of course," Takara says. "But it's okay.. I need to get more information out of my mom."

As Jomei wheels Takara out, the reality of seeing her mother after knowing the truth hits. Takara's eyes get big and her heart starts to pound fast.

"She can't hurt me... She can't hurt me...," Takara says to herself.

Sakura and Neji open the hospital doors so Jomei can wheel Takara out. Sakura, Neji, and Jakako follow behind.

"Don't worry Takara," Neji says. "We will protect you."

Takara nods. She is too afraid to say words.

"Am I ready to know what went through Takako's mind?" Takara asks in her head.