Broken (Part 18)
CookiesSummary:How should Sho tell his brother about his mother and Jun? And now that their father is back home, how will things turn out?
The following day, Sho had completely forgotten the urgent matter that he had to tell Masaki… and the next day… and the next… and the next… Every time he remembered it, however, he was immediately distracted by Masaki and the thought flew out as if it was nothing important. By the end of the day, he cursed himself for being so easily distracted, but he knew when it came to Masaki that he couldn’t help it at all.
“Sho-nii, I looked up… you know… on the internet and--”
“What?!” Sho exclaimed as water came spurting out of his mouth. It was a good thing they decided to have lunch in the backyard.
“Is it considered as i-?” Masaki stuttered as he played with the grape tomato on his plate.
“N-no, of course not. We’re not blood related.” Sho did his research too, not that he was already aware but he had to anyway just in case. “U-unless we’re secretly blood related. Why did you bring it up now?”
“I feel uneasy… Not that there’s anything wrong with you,” Masaki giggled. “Sho-nii’s slips are soft…”
Sho felt his blood boil as it traveled up to his cheeks and the tip of his ears. “Y-you too!” He squeaked.
“But this isn’t normal,” Masaki mumbled as he shoved a small spinach in his mouth. “Should we tell anyone?”
“No!” Sho immediately replied. “Never.”
Masaki frowned. “But it doesn’t feel right keeping it a secret and all.”
“Yeah, but we should keep it on a low for now.”
“Not even Nino?”
“Not even Nino.”
“ ‘Kay.”
Lunch was easy-going. No one, not even their butler, was there to bother them because they had the house all to themselves. With their father overseas at America on some business, their chef off for the time being, their maids taking a longer break than required, and their mother… The image of Jun and their mother kissing in the middle of the street flashed back in his mind. He shook it away, but no matter what it stayed there, especially now that Masaki wasn’t distracting him with his lips. How should he bring up the subject? Or even talk to him about it at all… For years now, since Masaki joined the family, Sho’s parents treated him like their real son. Masaki grew up with their parents’ love and care and in turn Masaki gave them his love and care. If and when Sho tells him what he saw, it would surely break Masaki. Heck, it already broke him when he saw it. And what about their father? How will he tell him?... Firstly, how did it happen in the first place?!
“Sho…”
He snapped back to reality when he felt Masaki’s soft touch on his arm.
“What’s wrong?”
Sho could tell him now, or he could choose not to. “I-it’s nothing,” he found himself lying and he immediately regretted it right away when Masaki flashed a huge grin. His brother seriously had no idea…
“Your father’s home,” came a voice behind Sho’s door followed by a few knocks. It was a good thing they locked the door.
Sho pulled away from his brother and dragged him downstairs. They both missed their father after being away for a year and he finally came home unannounced! This was both exciting and stressful for Sho at the same time.
“Papa!” They screamed in excitement, just like they used to when they were kids after their father came home from a long business trip. Their father had certainly aged the past year they hadn’t seen him, but he was still as strong when they pounced on their father and gave him a bear hug.
“My boys,” their father bellowed. “I have a present for each of you.”
“Really?!” Masaki’s eyes twinkled and hugged their father tighter.
“I’ll give it if you let go.”
“Ah, right…” Sho laughed as he pulled away with Masaki.
Their father knelt down and slung his shoulder bag around. He searched for their presents in the bag and finally, out came two small boxes wrapped in Christmas paper.
“I was meant to be home by Christmas, but because that didn’t happen I still have it. I would have sent it over air mail, but I’d rather give it in person.” He handed Sho the red box while he handed Masaki the green one.“What are you staring at me for? Your presents are in front of you.”
Sho and Masaki opened it at the same time. It was a long box, about the size of a pen. When they opened it, it really turned out to be a pen but it wasn’t just any other pen. Their father possessed the very same pen and it was very rare to find. Only a few businessmen like him had it and it was the finest pen to use in business.
“Because you two are almost eighteen, it’s time I teach you two how my business works.”
Sho and Masaki glanced at each other before turning to face their father. “What do you mean?” Sho asked first.
“I’m retiring,” their father confessed and grimaced as he slowly reached for his chest. “Because--”
Their father was interrupted when the front door swung open by force. Their butler came rushing from the kitchen to the entrance and ran back to his boss within a minute.
“The Lady of the House is here,” he announced. “With Matsumoto-sama.”
“This is great!” Their father exclaimed and stood up right away, but he staggered on his feet. Sho and Masaki immediately ran beside their father for fear that he might fall on the floor. The year his father had gone had not been kind to him…
“Elli,” their father sighed, his eyes giving her a sincere look. “I’ve missed you.”
“Me too,” their mother answere but she didn’t reciprocate the feeling. Seeing this, it hurt Sho a lot because he knew the reason why.
“Welcome back, Sakurai-san!” Jun followed after and glanced at the older man in the room but his eyes immediately went to Sho. “It’s good to see you back.”
Sho snarled. Liar.
“I have a present for you, too, Elli,” their father said and reached for said item in his bag. Like Sho and Masaki’s presents, it was wrapped in Christmas paper except it was more outstanding and more lavish than theirs. Their mother had taken the present gently, tore it open and gasped after opening the lid. “For our twentieth anniversary,” their father grinned. “It took me the whole time I was in America to find this piece of gem.”
“Arai…” she sobbed as she closed the lid and shoved it in their father’s hand. “I can’t accept this.”
“What? Why not?”
Sho gulped. Was his mother going to confess? He had to stop this right away. He noticed earlier that his father wasn’t feeling well when he was going to tell him and Masaki something about his retirement. But he was stuck. If he were to stop it now, he would reveal to everyone that he knew his mother’s and Jun’s affair and it would just break his father’s and Masaki’s hearts.
Their mother sobbed as she walked back and stumbled onto Jun. “I can’t…”
“Why?” Their father insisted.
“Because…” Their mother paused and reached out for something behind her back. It was a small box, just like the one their father had given her except it wasn’t their father’s present. Sho knew right away what it was and threw a death glare towards Jun who didn’t even flinch. “... I don’t love you. I never did.”
In the back of Sho’s head, he heard a mirror shattering into a million pieces. He dared pull his eyes away from Jun and saw the shock and hurt look on his father’s and Masaki’s face. He really should have told Masaki and his father before… before… Sho couldn’t continue his thought. It was already too late and there was nothing he could do about it now. All that’s left for him was so stand there with guilt as he watched the scene unfold before him.
“Elli…” their father groaned and for a while he stood frozen. Then his eyes widened as he clutched onto his chest and he fell onto the floor with a loud thud. Their butler, Masaki and Sho ran to the older man right away but the lady of the house and Jun stood back in the background, fear and guilt obvious in their eyes. Sho just wanted to grab Jun and punch his flawless face and curse at his mother for picking this time to do such things, but he couldn’t. He had to stay with his father and with Masaki who was sobbing uncontrollably besides their unconscious father.
TBC
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