((TRIGGER WARNING: The following chapter contains things that maybe triggering for some people, read at your own risk...))
((The chapter is set in the past to the time when Aoi was around seven to eight years old)
"The master and mistress left for abroad again"
"They don't even care about their daughter, they barely come home"
The two maids whispered looking at the little girl with two ponytails standing by the door yet once again..like she always did when they left. There were no tears, why would she cry anyway? it's not like they had ever stayed long enough to give her that kind of emotions. Yet for some reason she always felt a tightness in her chest every time they left but even this feeling was becoming dull eventually.
"Oye little girl you should come inside now, the master and mistress must be at the airport by now, they won't be coming back for quite a while" One of the maids said "Damn they should take her too, such a burden leaving such a small kid to us.
The little girl didn't move.
"Oye..are you listening? jeez these rich brats, so spoiled enough to ignore the adults, hey you brat" The maid proceeded and grabbed the seven year old by the pony tail and pulled her in. The girl showed restraint and got slapped hard in the face.
"Hey you, have you forgotten that your parents are gone now? The one week they stayed, we had to forcefully act nice to you, brat you need some discipline!" The maid said angrily and grabbed the girl by the collar of her red frock and slapped her cheeks leaving handprints on the child's soft pink cheeks till her pretty blue eyes got fogged up with water, she didn't make a sound. "If you make a sound I'll slap you more" she had been 'properly disciplined'.
"Go to your room now, no dinner for brats like you" The other maid said. The little girl complied and without making a sound ran to her room.
"I hate these rich spoiled brats, a good whooping is all they need" The other maid spat in anger.
"Thankgoodness her parents are gone, we can be ourselves again"
"Yeah but what if she tells her parents someday?"
"Huh? You think she will? She doesn't even speak, I'm telling ya that kid is definitely a mute"
"Well true, I've never heard her speak a word either for the whole four years I worked here"
"There's nothing to fear, even if she does say anything we can say she's making up stories besides we're doing this for her own good, we're teaching her basic manners, damn ill mannered alphas"
"Well yeah there's that"
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"It hurts..mama....it hurts...." The little girl trembled holding her mouth while sitting in the closet infront of a toy doll with same black hair and blue bead eyes as hers, though it was badly ripped and one of its eyes was hanging out.
She then picked up the doll "It's okay Aoi, mama is here" She pretended as if the doll spoke to her and then hugged it. "Yes mama" She then spoke as herself.
She jumped out of the closet cheerfully with her red throbbing cheeks holding her doll and rushed to her school bag opening it, it was full of trash. She didn't bother with the trash, instead looked through it and finally pulled out a notebook with the name tag 'Aoey' in a childish handwriting. She rested the book on the floor and opened up the picture book showing it to her doll.
She smiled and then heard the maid's footsteps and pushed her book back in the bag, rushed to her bed and pretended to sleep. The maid peeked through the door half opening it and went away.
She came down again and rushed to her bag to get her doll when suddenly her hair got grabbed from the back and the tug made her fell back.
"You think you can fool me brat?" The maid said with wide eyes and dragged her to bed, the girl covered her mouth tightly because screaming would mean more punishment...
She had learnt that over the years....
"Huh? you picked that thing again from the trash?" The maid eyed the doll and held it up pulling it apart. The little girl's eyes widened yet she could not dare move. The maid took the remnants with her.
'No..mama.. I have to get mama back... I have to..'
Yet the little girl could not even move a single finger in the dark lone room.
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"Do you want it back Aoi?" A little girl walked next to Aoi wearing shabby red frock and an old bag pack in comparison to Aoi's expensive clothing and bag as she walked through the halls of the school the next morning.
Aoi didn't give an answer, she only nodded.
"Well there is one way.." The little girl leaned and whispered next to Aoi's ear with a cheerful smile.
"What" Aoi whispered back, the other children walking next to Aoi moved away from her, infact no body wanted to be close to this kid in school. Until one kid randomly threw duster at her as she was sitting on her seat. The other kid pulled her chair away before she could sit, so she fell back and become the laughing stock of all other children.
"How could you guys do this?!" The other girl yelled and Aoi stood up dusting her clothes "It's okay... I'm okay" Aoi whispered stopping the girl, freaking the kids out even more. They moved away from her as if creeped out.
"EEK She's talking to herself again!"
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"What are you doing Aoi?" The shabby looking child like figure said standing next to Aoi.
"I'm trying to make a plan" Aoi answered. The kids moved to the otherside of the playground.
"Aoi!" The teacher called her over "Come and play with the other kids, stop talking to yourself! do you want to scare the other kids?!" The teacher yelled, it was like this everyday, even she seemed done with telling Aoi everyday to stop with that habit of hers.
"Teacher we don't want to play with her!" The kids protested, same as usual, everyday the teacher would make them forcefully play with Aoi. Though eventually it would turn out to be a game where they all would throw things at her. Today Aoi wasn't having any of that anyway.
She kept on drawing and drawing and drawing in the sand, crosses and crosses everywhere until a kid suddenly grabbed stone and threw at her. For a moment her head went blank, it stung and then suddenly she felt numb and better even though her forehead felt wet.
"YOU DEMON! GO AWAY!"
The other kids were shocked for a moment but then Aoi turned her head towards him with the blood flowing down from her head over to her left eye. The blue blazing eyes with a sense of madness to them as if she would attack him but...her vision began to fade, her face and eyes relaxed, she felt light and fell back looking at the sky..somehow feeling...feeling an undefinable sense of lightness and freedom...
The other kids imitated "Go away demon!" They started yelling too
"Stop! Stop kids! Stop!"
"GO AWAY'
"GO AWAY"
'demon...'
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"This is the third time I have to call you for something like this Ms Rena, honestly I would like to meet the kid's parents instead but they just gave me your contact number! She's just creepy, you don't understand how she scares others..I recommend you to move her from this school, other parents are just complaining now" The teacher rubbed at her temples after putting forth a list of complaints in front of Rena.
The little girl barely made a sound even when they were doing her stitches. She just sat idly.
Rena didn't really argue with the teacher, only apologized for the inconvenience and took the kid away.
"Aoi..sweetheart? Can you tell me what happened?" Rena tried questioning the kid but she remained quiet as usual. Rena sighed "Aoi how can I help you if you don't tell me what's happening love?" Rena tried but there was no response.
The rest of the drive went quiet, atleast from Aoi's side. Rena gave multiple failed attempts at making the kid talk. The car eventually stopped infront of a huge mansion. Aoi seemed puzzled since it wasn't her home.
"It's okay..it's not some strange place... remember I told you about my son last time? He's a little older than you, I'm here to see him..." Rena mumbled. She got out.
A little black haired kid came running barefeet out of the mansion.
"Mama! you came!" The kid hugged her tightly, she hugged him as well.
"Ofcourse my baby, my baby scored first again! I'm so proud!" Rena smiled kissing the little boy's face all over as little Aoi stood watching enviously.
"Aunty! Aunt Rena!" Mari yelled from a far too "Aunty I came first too!"
"Waaa, I'm so proud of you too sweetheart" Little Mari came running too, behind her the ever so gloomy looking tall girl came.
"What about Yuki?" Rena asked.
"Aunty Yuki failed again" Mari said abruptly, making the other girl flinch in embarrassment.
"oh..that's no good, you should help little Yuki chan" Rena said.
"Mama! Mama! I will help Yuki chan!" Keitarou said enthusiastically.
"No I will!" Mari said and the two kids began to argue while Yuki stood in a corner all embarrassed.
"Okay okay kids stop..don't fight" Rena laughed a little.
"Huh? You're here again? When are you going to leave this mansion? I know you keep coming back you b***h so you can seduce my husband" A woman came out of the mansion.
"Kids..why don't you take my little friend Aoi here to play?" Rena said. The kids could read the tension.
"Let's go Aoi chan!" Little Mari took Aoi's hand and the kids ran away with her.
"Could you avoid using cursive language infront of the kids?" Rena glared at the woman.
"Huh, don't act all high and mighty, I can see you're trying to brainwash my Mari too with that fake ass kindness of yours too, trying to make her hate her own mother" The other woman glared back.
"I'm just here to see my son, I don't have any interest in that cheater husband of yours, I was the one that got divorce from him years ago..why would I want him now? As soon as I get custody of my son I'll leave this place and never come back" Rena said controlling her anger.
"You give that damn excuse everytime! why haven't you gotten custody yet!!" The woman yelled at Rena.
"I can hear you, don't scream and for your information I have been trying but you know your certain alpha husband keeps using his influence to keep the case from going in my direction. Why would they let a beta woman win custody from an alpha man?" Rena almost bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed.
"Whatever, just fukin take your kid, I'm sick of that brat too" She said.
"If you bad mouth my kid I'll fukin open your head without caring that you're little Mari's mother! that's the only reason I'm keeping myself from smashing a damn trash can to that fake ass face of yours!" Rena lost her cool too.
"Why you fukin!" The other woman almost came at Rena who was also ready to punch her but suddenly she stopped midway and walked away.
Rena looked back seeing Uzawa standing there.
"Ah gross" She said and walked past him
He gave a light smirk. She sat in her car and drove away in anger to cool off...
She did feel like she was forgetting something but her anger completely clouded that thought.
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"Hey can you hear me?!" Keitarou yelled closed to Aoi's ear.
"Maybe she can't hear brother" Mari said with a sad tone.
"Maybe she's shy like Yuki" Little Keitarou said.
"OHHHH" Mari said and held Aoi's hand "Here I held your hand so you won't be shy!" Mari said.
"No Mari I don't think it works that way" Keitarou argued.
Aoi's eyes widened, she blinked rapidly looking at this strange group of kids, she couldn't understand them at all...they were irritating her too but it was not the same thing as the kids at the school. Something was different, moreover one of them would just stand in the corner and shyly look at her
"What is it kids?" Mr Uzawa came into the garden.
"Daddy!" Mari rushed to Mr Uzawa with teary eyes "Aoi chan is so shy she can't speak!"
"Aoi chan?" Mr Uzawa was a little dumbfounded until Mari pointed towards her.
"Mari chan..that's cause she's hurt, look at her head, she got hurt so maybe she is in pain" Mr Uzawa tried to reason with the little girl.
"OHHH!" Keitarou walked towards Aoi and placed his hand on her face "Pain pain fly away!"
Not that it really worked but he seemed convinced that she was all better now.
Mr Uzawa was a little amused but could tell that the child was getting really irritated now.
"Kids maybe I should take little Aoi chan inside to take rest, she looks very tired" Mr Uzawa saved the little one from the other kids and somehow managed to take her to a room and helped her on the bed.
"Lemme take off the shoes for you" Mr Uzawa said but Aoi retreated "Okay.. I won't, just lay down and take rest till Rena comes back to pick you up she's so clumsy, I can't help but enjoy all her actions.. " Mr Uzawa said and got up leaving the room.
Once he was gone Aoi suddenly got off bed.
"Where are you going?" The little misshaped figure who was always next to her asked. Aoi didn't answer, she got out on her own getting into the garden looking everywhere in confusion whilst the figure kept inquiring her.
Her eyes went at a little squirrel who seemed injured for some reason.
"Aoi..it looks hurt, what do we do?" The figure asked her
"What do we do.."
'What do we do..?"
Aoi squatted down next to the injured thing "What to do.." Her eyes rapidly shifted.
She gulped "I'll free you.." She mumbled and her eyes caught a glimpse of a huge stone nearby. She got up and lifted it up despite the thing being heavy "It's okay..you'll feel better..." She remembered the face of her maids whilst carrying the stone...
She dropped it.......
Chills went up her spine, her lips automatically turned into a curved smirk...it felt good...it felt good....
"..you killed... again.." The figure whispered.
"No, it's just resting..." Aoi whispered breathing heavily, she couldn't stop smirking for some reason. Her face couldn't hide the pleasure.
"But.." The figure argued.
"SHUTUP!" Aoi yelled.
"Hey you..." A third voice called her out and she suddenly turned in fear of being caught "Are you okay?" A young boy with pretty grey eyes and dark brown hair stood behind her. Even for a boy he was really beautiful, Aoi almost became entranced by the beauty of this boy and a certain attractiveness....she stared at him without even realizing.
"Your hands..how did you graze them?" The boy asked, perhaps he hadn't seen what she had just done..or perhaps he did but choose to ignore?
She immediately hid her hands but he offered his hands. For some reason Aoi slowly gave her hands to him, he almost smelt too comforting for her to retaliate.
"No good..let's wash them" He said and lifted up the little girl having a little stronger built being probably twelve or thirteen himself.
He carried her to a hose and washed her hands
"There you are!" Rena came running into the garden, she was out of breath looking for Aoi everywhere after she finally remembered she had forgotten her.
"Is she the one Rena san you were looking for?" The boy asked.
"Yeah yeah" Rena tried to catch her breath "Come here Aoi, let's get you back home..."
Aoi looked up at the boy, as if not wanting to leave.
"Rena san, why don't you leave her in my care for a few hours?" He asked after pretty much reading little Aoi's expression.
Rena realized her expression as well "Alright, I have some work to do, I'll pick her in evening" Rena said and came to Aoi "Be a good girl kay?" She kissed Aoi's cheek and walked away.
"You have such a pretty name, it goes with the color of your eyes" The boy smiled
"You..." Aoi whispered.
"Oh! you finally spoke" He said acting a little surprised.
Aoi pulled up the courage to try and talk to this weirdly attractive young boy
"You..you smell like flowers.." Aoi whispered.
The young boy blinked being dumbfounded then suddenly gave out a laugh
"Do you like how I smell..?" He laughed a bit till his eyes got teary.
"It is a comforting smell.." Aoi said being totally bewitched by this boy, talking to him even though she normally would not do that with anyone let alone a stranger.
"I see...is Aoi chan perhaps an alpha?" He asked.
"What?" She tilted her head curiously.
"Nothing Nothing, Thankyou Aoi chan" He smiled and picked a fallen flower from the grass and offered it to Aoi who hesitantly took it and put it close to her bosom.
"Hey....what....your name..?"
"Haruka...I'm Haruka...."