One eye was bulging out while the other eye had a lazy look and was slightly open. The lazy eye was misaligned in that its pupil was wandering to the side while the widely opened eye was jiggling.
His mouth was open but his lips folded over his teeth and looked like he was trying to impersonate a toothless grandpa. Deep inside, he heard her Hanae's name and responded to protect her from threats.
Junpei's face looked ridiculous. Ai slapped his face.
"Are you kidding me!"
Junpei refused to centre his face so she used her left hand to slap it the other way.
"How dare you give me that!"
Ai put her full weight into her slaps. She was pummeling him, left and right with both her hands. His face was already bright red and even purple bruises began to spot around. Yet he continued the same expression, defying her.
Hanae went upstairs hearing a commotion and saw the scene.
"Mumma stop!"
"Not until he gives me the respect I deserve!"
Hanae was confused as he didn't seem to be doing or saying anything and was just taking hits. She then saw he had a demented look on his face.
"Brother!"
She just realised that he looked like he was paralysed.
"He has a stroke! Stop it mumma!"
"Don't give me that! He's just playing stupid!"
Seeing that her mother had no intention of stopping, she ran and tried to pull her off of him.
"Stop it! He has a stroke!"
"Get off me!"
Ai back-hand slapped at Hanae to which she fell backwards. Her attention then diverted to the Hanae on the floor. She started kicking her.
"Ahh! Mum st-" a foot smacked into her face mid-sentence.
"Shut up! How dare you defy me! You haven't been taught a lesson in a long time. Its time I discipline you!"
Ai felt a serene enjoyment as she hasn't hit them this much in a while. Each hit sent chills to her body. A kick to Hanae's rib sent euphoric vibrations through her feet that almost put Ai into an ecstasy filled coma.
Junpei twitched silently as he watched, although his eyes stared ahead as if his mind was somewhere else. His body vibrated like a Parkison's tremor on steroids.
"Ahahahaha!" Ai laughed gleefully as if she was experiencing medical morphine from an operation.
Junpei stood up and paused for a moment. Then he walked over to Ai and threw her backwards. She lifted her torso with her hands and looked at Junpei from the floor.
"You bastard! How dare you hurt me!"
She stopped shouting as she saw Junpei's previously vacant eyes were now filled with profound emotion. He looked insatiably hungry. She was now terrified as Junpei looked at her with carnivorous eyes and was approaching.
"What- What are you doing! Go away! Don't come near me! STOP!"
Junpei lunged at her and she held him off with her feet and arms. A glob of saliva followed by an unrelenting viscous flow poured onto her eyes and face. His incredible strength broke through and he tore off her lips with his teeth.
"aghhh!"
Her front and bottom teeth were borne red without any lips to cover them. The beauty she was proud was no more. She could not return to work with a face like that. Junpei ate her alive, ignoring her screams. She eventually stopped screaming.
"Brother stop! Please stop!" Hanae desperately begged.
However, he did not respond so she went to pull him away. When she jerked his shoulder, he turned around with a piece of flesh in his mouth. Blood caked his chin and painted his clothes. She retreated backwards and stared at him.
Her eyebrows were pulled up and together. Her upper and bottom eyelids were tense and drawn up. Her hands covered her stretched and drawn back mouth which exposed her teeth. A vertical wrinkle was pinched between her eyebrows. Junpei would never forget her expression of fear.
"Don't come near me!" He shouted. He sounded like he was angry but he was afraid.
"Please. Hanae--go-- go Lock yourself in the bathroom. I can't-- I can't control myself."
He returned to eating. Hanae didn't move from her position.
"Stop..." She said feeling weak.
She dropped slowly onto the floor and fainted.
***
The way she was standing back from him and her expression made him feel upset because she was reminding him that he hated himself. He hated what he had become.
"Brother, I-"
"Who cares about the stupid pin! It's not important. You need to grow up and stop crying about every single thing! You should be grateful that you're still alive!"
"I-I was JUST going to say that I cooked dinner for you!!" She yelled angrily and ran away with tears coming down her face.
"Hanae!"
*Bang*
Her bedroom door was slammed shut. Junpei walked to the kitchen doorway and saw that there was a pot on the stove and a plate of curry on the dinner table. The curry had a mixture of veggies, condiments and extra beef that she probably got from the food supply he brought home yesterday.
There was also a glass of home-made bubble tea with a big straw. She must have cooked tapioca pearls and mixed it with Thai milk tea and whipped it with condensed milk.
Junpei hit the wall with the bottom of his closed hand and looked down to the floor. Despite what she witnessed him doing, she still loved and treated him just like before. He really hated himself now.
Tears budded from his eyes and fell to the floor.
'I can't do this anymore... god, please. Pleasee...'
He slumped down holding onto the wall as he wept.
***
Chiho reached school at 8:20 am. She was one of the on-time students. Not too late and not too early. Students looked at her but didn't linger their gaze too long as they didn't want to be involved. Other students gossiped as they watched her. Chiho was aware of this but ignored them.
Since many people liked Hikaru and Fumiye (who was second place in academic scores), Chiho's accusation of Hikaru didn't do well for her reputation. Her friends didn't kick her out but they implicitly tried to avoid her as politely as possible. Chiho picked this up and didn't want to bother them and herself so she avoided them too.
At the end of the day, Aimi was her best friend that she spent her break times with at school.
She went to her seat before class started at 8:30.