Akatsuki Reminisces
This is a story from 30 billion years ago. The story of me, Akatsuki.
I am Akatsuki. A normal boy. Not too normal as I was born incomplete. My hands and feet never developed.
I was born incomplete and I was lacking a few other things as well.
Supposedly, when I was in my mothers womb, I nearly died. But somehow I survived but became less than half a human.
In my previous world, my birthday was on June 18. That doesn't matter.
Now let's start with my family. A father. Name Daisuke. A normal salaryman.
And then my mother. The woman who gave birth to me. Her name was Hariti.
Though she gave birth to me, I don't think she ever saw me as her child.
The earliest of my memories consists of me being pushed from the stairs.
The one who pushed me down was my mother.
She tried to to push my wheelchair down the stairs to kill me.
But call it devils luck or something, I survived.
I was only 3 and a half years old. But she already tried to kill me from then.
I always knew that she hated my guts. The mere sight of me was intolerable to her.
And now enter the sister. My sister, Mizuki, who was born about 2 years after me.
So the gap between us was of only 2 years.
Now let's move up to childhood. From childhood, I have been strapped to my wheelchair.
After that incident, it became even tighter.
My room at first was on second floor of the house. But then it was shifted to first floor.
If I have to say who cared for me in that house was probably my father.
He always looked after me when he had the time. He even took me outside for a stroll.
My mother was clearly against that. She even suggested that they should abandon me.
My father clearly denied that. He admitted it that I was also their child. But my mother could see me as nothing more than a stigma.
My sister took after my mother. Looks and personality. My mother was generally a calm and tolerant woman. A little cool and beautiful.
So Mizuki just grew up to be her image. However my mother only changed when I was in front of her.
When I understood that, I tried not to appear before her.
It would cause me less troubles. And so my sister only knew that she had a brother but never actually talked to me before.
My schooling was a bit weird. My father had gone and gotten a special permission.
That I would attend a normal school with a proxy.
Someone who would write in the exams as I tell him.
That way I passed high school. I don't know if it has to do anything with a god but I had good head on my shoulder.
I was always first. No matter how hard the question was, I always knew the answer.
I passed high school and got a special scholarship. I even went to an university.
But I thought, why waste time. I asked for a special exam to graduate in my first year.
They were a bit reluctant but I convinced them.
And my university life ended just in 6 months.
I graduated from the university.
My father supported me all the way through. But my mother still showed hostility towards me. And my sister was indifferent.
It's not her fault. I never existed for her. So she would not pay any attention to me.
For my 18th birthday, my father got me prosthetic leg and hands. I could walk if I use a crutch.
I guess I graduated from the wheelchair.
And on my 20th birthday, I thought, maybe I should leave.
Mizuki is a third year in high school. And I have already graduated from university.
I also have a job. It's a little secret between me and dad.
My dad is salaryman. So he works in an international corporation.
I was introduced to its branch manager by dad.
Seeing my performance, he offered me the job of an financial advisor.
I just prepared some drafts and that's all.
But dad said that it's fine. I have done all the work.
I was getting paid too. All my money has been piled up.
So I asked dad while having dinner.
"Hey dad, I wanna live alone. So I will be moving out." I said.
"You are? Well you are an adult now. So I guess it's about time." He answered.
My moms eyes lit up instantly. No matter how much she hated me, we all had dinner together.
So I expected that. I looked at my sister. Still as unresponsive as ever.
Anyway, I focus on the matter at hand.
"I think I will live closer to the office." I said.
"Are you gonna join?" Dad asked.
"Yeah. I have been an employee for more than two years. But I have yet to show my face. So I thought, why not join?" I said.
"That's true as well. Well then, we will be working together. So prepare a nice draft for this month as well." Dad grinned.
I nodded. Mom was kinda lost. She probably had no idea what was happening.
And with that I moved out.
It's nice being free. If I didn't have the prosthetics, then it would've take longer.
But it was done soon. I am well off. A 20 year old university graduate with a steady job.
Too good to be true and the ideal marriage partner.
But my only problem is that I am a handicapped person.
But the biggest flaw would be no sexual drive.
I was born with those as well. No reproductive organs whatsoever.
So I had no desire. And marriage seems pretty troublesome.
Now let's talk about friends. I have no friends. No, I think I have one.
It's the moron who always wrote on my behalf. He truly is a moron and he says that he wants to inherit his family business.
The Kurosawa conglomerates only heir, Rihito Kurosawa.
I call him moron but he isn't a moron. He is quick witted and can handle a trouble. Just because his academic results are bad doesn't mean that he is an idiot.
I still call him a moron though. But other than that, I don't have a friend.
By the way, he is the current CEO of the Kurosawa conglomerate.
That's also because of me. Due to my fast pace, he had to study like his life depended on it. I tutored him from elementary school.
It would trouble me if he made a mistake so I made sure he knows everything.
And because of that, he also graduated from university but a few months later than me.
I am still in touch with him.
And others would be my three cheeky juniors.
In high school third year, I met those three. They were in Mizukis grade. Those three stooges.
They were always a pack. Like if you buy one you get two free. Totally a bundle of trouble.
Mari, Natsumi and Akano the troublesome three girls.
But I did not hate it.
Being like this only a few people would talk to you. But those three did talk to me.
After moving out, I bought a place in Shinjuku. A condominium. Though the price was high, I bought it. The view is nice.
I still use the prosthetic legs and arms.
I thought why not wander around. Since I am at the heart of Tokyo.
The first night was exhilarating. So many new places and stuff. It was kinda awesome.
But accidentally I went into a wrong place.
It was a sex shop. Not the toy kind but that kind. Money was not a problem. I get my job salary which is bit higher than normal.
I earn about 200000 yen a month just from that.
And I have money piled up in my bank account. I tutored the moron so they paid the money as well. But it was unknown to me.
When I graduated, I saw that my bank balance was ridiculously high.
About 10 million yen. How? I asked dad.
He told me that they have been paying me for tutoring the moron.
And I even bought bought some shares. So I have about 100 million dollars this time, in my bank.
A 20 year old guy wouldn't need that much money.
Now then, since I have entered, why not try it a bit.
I paid for a full course. A little if I say, only 50000 yen. The receptionist was a but shocked.
She never expected a handicapped guy to come.
"Who would you like?" She asked me and showed me pictures of women.
"Her." I pointed at a black haired beauty. She was totally breathtaking. A total personification of Yamato Nadeshiko.
"Ahhh. You have good eyes. But I advise you exercise caution. To be honest, she totally doesn't belong here. So her behavior is a little bad." The woman advised me.
"I'll keep that in mind."
I went in to the room where she was.
I opened the door and found her crying.
I thought it'd be something like that.
Even looking at her picture gave me a feeling that something is wrong here.
"Ummmmm...…hello." I say.
"Get out." She screamed at me whilst crying.
I get it now.
"Don't worry. Look at me. What can I do?" I tell her and close the door.
She looked at me and stopped crying.
I sit down on the bed and take off my prosthetics.
I put them aside and ask her,
"See. I can't do anything."
I showed her my weakness.
She was a bit surprised. She probably didn't expect it either.
"My name is Akatsuki. What's yours?" I ask.
"Nadeshiko." She said.
"Damn. Is your family name Yamato?" I ask.
"Yes." She meekly said.
She has been on guard. I guess that's normal.
"So you just don't look like one, you are a bona fide Yamato Nadeshiko." I say.
"Why are you here?" She asked me with vigilance.
"I came here by a mistake. Then I thought, how about taking a look. I just want to talk to someone I guess." I said.
"Just talk?" (N)
"Yes. Though I paid full money but I am here just to talk." I clearly state my reason.
"Ok. I can talk. I can also provide service. If you like I can strip." She said.
"No need. You would just embarrass yourself." I stop her.
I can totally see that she isn't okay doing that.
"Just talk like a friend. I am here to complain. You can complain too."
She is troubled. I guess this is a first for her.
"Tell me, why are you here?"
"That's….." she is hesitating.
"Okay. You don't have to answer, so be easy. Also, you'll be seeing a lot of me, so take your time."
"You will come back?" She asked.
"Yeah. I think it'll be nice to have a friend."
"But isn't it expensive?"
"I guess for general people. But it isn't for me." I say.
"Are you really a rich person?"
"No. My father is a salaryman and mother well she's a homemaker. My sister is in high school." I said.
"You don't look that old to me either." She said.
"I am 20. But you look younger than me." I ask.
"I am 18." She said.
"What? That's the same age as my sister." I said.
"How do you have so much money?" She asked.
"I was born like this. So I guess god gave me brains. I have already graduated from university and have a steady job."
"Wooow. You must be smart."
"I guess. But you were crying earlier."
"I was sad. How did I end up here?"
"It happens. Even I have thought. I nearly died once. And from that day I stopped fearing death. Wanna see?"
I try to move my bangs. But I don't have hands.
"Ehehehe… I don't have hands. Can you just move my bangs above my head." I ask her.
She moved my bangs above my head. On my forehead, the cut remains.
A mark at the left corner spanning to the right corner.
A little freaky so I hide it with my bang.
"It happened when I was three. My mother pushed my wheelchair off the stairs and I rolled down to the first floor. It cut back then." I tell her.
She just covered her mouth.
"Your mother?" She asked.
"Yes. She tried to kill me. Anyway, it's fun talking like this right." I say.
I didn't notice but she loosened up a bit. The vigilance is gone and she is even smiling.
We talked a little more and my time was up.
"I will come back tomorrow." I say and attach my prosthetics.
"You will?"
"Yes. How about we have dinner tomorrow? You can go outside, right?" I ask.
"Yes. I can. It's not like I am imprisoned here."
"So what would you like? A fancy dinner or something more casual."
"Casual please. I don't enjoy fancy dinners."
"Ok. I'll be back at the same time. Maybe I will reserve you for the day." I say.
"I am costly you know?"
"Don't worry." I say this and left.
"How was it?" The receptionist lady asked.
"Nice. She is a nice girl. I wanna reserve her for tomorrow. Is that possible?"
"It is but the cost…." She was hesitating.
I take out my black credit card.
"Swipe it." I say.
"Yes." When she saw the card she happily smiled and and a bill.
"She is all yours for tomorrow." She said.