Saviour

　

Atobe Keigo was no fool. He knew what happened within the Sasaki household. Even at the tender age of five he looked down on in contempt, though his wife and daughter were regarded more kindly. Him and went to the same tutor, learned the same things and shared the same interests. Thus, he felt that she was a good friend. He also liked the mother, for her kindness. But the father he hated intensely. was no more than a rich bully and Atobe thought him a coward.

　

Today was like any other, he was practicing the piano with . But he noticed that ’s fingers shook while she played, causing him to frown slightly.

“What’s wrong, ?” he asked after lesson
“Otou-san hit her again.” The girl murmured quietly.
“Did he hit you too?”
“Iie, okaa-san always shields me.”

　

Thus the abuse of her mother continued for the next five years, until took her daughter with her and hid, leaving behind no trace of their existence.

***

When Mother told me after school one day that I was to pack my belongings and some money with me, I knew something was going to happen. Exactly what it was, I did not know. When I had packed and sat at the edge of my bed like I was told, she came to fetch me. Under the cover of the darkness, we stole away from father. How many miles we traveled I do not know, only that we were far from Tokyo.

We stopped to buy some food, which I ate ravenously; it had been a long night. Eventually, we reached a small town. There, we entered a house and crept down to the underground parking lot where all the vehicles were kept. There were two rooms, one for washing and one for storage. She took out a key and opened the storage room. It was large and quite empty for its size. We walked all the way to the end; mother stopped to look for something. She groped the wall until she came upon a small crack, she pushed it and the wall appeared to crumble, but in reality, it revealed a small hole for us to crawl through.

It was a secret room. The most basic necessities were there but nothing else. Mother then put the slab of wall back in.

“Aoi, this is how we are going to live for the next few years.”

“This hovel is going to be our new home? Okaa-san, how are we going to provide for ourselves?”

I was appalled. I who was used to living in the lap of luxury had just been dumped into a bare shack.

“That will be decided when the time comes,” she said and gave me a reassuring smile,

“ , relax, you have nothing to fear, I will find ways so we can survive.”

I quickly set up a routine. For the morning hours, I would be taught by my mother. She educated me in basic arithmetic, and Japanese. In the afternoon I would help improve the living conditions of the room and at night, I would amuse myself by drawing or writing.

But we lived in fear of my father. Whenever we heard footsteps from inside the storage room, we would stop whatever we were doing and wait quietly until the footsteps were gone. We dreaded every moment when voices or footsteps came close to the wall. We were afraid of being discovered, very afraid.

But we lived. A year passed by, and though we felt an ominous presence at times, we were happy to have escaped from my fathers oppression. But that was to change. Our world was to shatter in a few days.

Finally, there came a day when the footsteps came closer than ever before. We could hear the occasional cursing. Sometimes we even heard pounding on the wall. When the footsteps left, I breathed a sigh of relief. But the next day, it would be the same again. For thirteen days it continued, until finally, the slab broke and my father’s face showed through.

***

“Fools,” He snarled, “Did you think you could run from me?”

He inched into the room slowly, only his muscular build prevented him from entering all at once. clutched onto her mother. The fear that ran in her veins was all too real.

“I wondered where you could go.” He said maliciously, “I knew you couldn’t go to your parents house, it’d be too easy for me to find you.”

Though said nothing, could sense the terror emitting from her. stood up, he had gotten past the hole. Walking around the room, he continued in his malicious tone,

“All this time, you’ve been hiding in the place we first met. How stupid I was not to have known. Though this place has changed since we last came here, it’s more cozy, more welcoming. What a pity it will be when strewn with blood.”

As he finished the last sentence he lashed out at . She could not resist and crumpled to the ground, blood dripping from one cheek. then saw her father’s fists, he was wearing metal knuckle braces. took no notice of his daughter but stared at his wife coldly, and then knelt down beside her. Wrapping his fingers around strands of her hair, he yanked her up and threw her across the room. The fragile woman’s body crashed against the wall with a terrifying crunch. shivered in horror. She knew her father was abusive but she never knew the extent of his power.

He turned around and smiled at his daughter, a sickening, perverse smile. Jet black eyes rolling about madly with blood splattered on one cheek.

“Well, daughter, do you want to receive punishment too?” he asked in a child –like voice that chilled even the air.

“I-iie…” the girl whispered, trembling.

“Good, because it’d be a pity to have you go the same way as your mother. I have plans for you.”

That night, he took and back to the household and the punishment he gave could be heard all night long.

***

I was sent to Hyoutei Academy afterwards, because that way, father could keep an eye on mother without interference. I suppose it is so she won’t dare do anything while I’m away. She’d rather die than leave me alone with my father. So I was sent away.

“Please welcome our new student, .”

I bowed shyly, scanning the rows of students for a familiar face. I was disappointed as I could find no one recognizable. I was led to my locker by a cheerful girl by the name of Hatori Jun.

“I really like your hair, -san, where did you get it done?”

“I did it myself.”

“That’s amazing! Can you teach me how to do that?”

“Sure.”

And thus my first day began. I was too shy to answer questions in detail so I stuck to short simple sentences. When the day ended, I left for my boarding room and slept. When I woke up, I found a pair of icy blue eyes glaring at me.

“What are you doing in ore-sama’s room?” a haughty voice declared.

“Go-gomen nasai! I thought this was my room…”

“Because of you, ore-sama had to sleep in Oshitari’s room!”

“I’m really truly sorry!”

“What’s your room number.”

“Number 186”

“Foolish girl, this is room 187. Room 186 is down the hall.”

“I-I’m really sorry!”

The boy’s angry expression softened a little.

“Are you new?” he asked in an imperious tone.

“Hai, I am .”

“Aoi? That’s not possible, you vanished!”

I was bewildered, who was this boy that claimed to know me? I was curious as well. Though, he did seem a bit familiar.

“I am .” I announced firmly. “And it’s rude to not introduce yourself first.”

“Hmph. Ore-sama? Atobe Keigo da.”

“Kei-chan?”

I couldn’t help but blurt that name out. I knew an Atobe Keigo when I was young. But we went to different schools when I turned 7. This couldn’t be the same person could it?

“I only know one person who called me Kei-chan and she disappeared.”

“I am that person.” I said confidently.

“Ore-sama does not believe that.”

“How can I convince you?”

“When is your birthday?”

“May 26^th.”

“What is your favourite colour?”

“Light blue.”

“What was my cat called?”

“Kiseki.”

Atobe smiled but still retained his arrogant tone,

“Hmph, so you didn’t leave after all.”

To be continued...
Written by: Koneko
Edited by: Chii-chan