Pretended or Real

Chapter 1 - part 3

Akali's POV

"So, Akali, how is life going for you?" my mother asked me when we were setting the table for dinner. "As usual," I replied shortly, placing the cutlery on the table. A doorbell ring echoed through the apartment reminding us my perfect sister arrived and soon the hallway was filled with the lively chirping of my two nephews. Fuuto ran like a cheetah through the hall and jumped into my arms. "Auntie Kali!!!" he yelled and hugged me with a crushing force. 

"Hey little one, how are you?" I petted his hair, once he softened his grip and oxygen returned to my lungs. "Great, have you brought presents?" he asked in childish impatience. "Fuuto, Aunt Akali isn't your present bank, be more like your brother," Sakura said, holding Wataru in her arms. 

I gave my sister my typical 'I hate you' look and turned on small Fuuto "Sure I did, I wouldn't disappoint you." I ruffled his hair and handed him a box covered in wrapping paper. While he was fighting the wrapping paper and tape my sister rolled her eyes and sighed. "You're spoiling him. I and Masaomi are trying to keep them humble." she shook her head. 

"You should know that kids love presents, right Wataru?" I handed the younger boy elephant a plushie. "Elephants aren't pink Akali! How should I teach them something if you keep doing this?!" she clapped her hands in disbelief. "It's a goddamn plushie! Grow up Sakura!" I growled. 

"Waw! A train set! Thank you auntie!!!" a small Fuuto ran up to me and hugged me around my waist as he wasn't tall enough to reach higher. "You're welcome, sweetie." I kissed him on top of his head. "Where is your perfect Masaomi anyway?" I looked around, not seeing my perfect sister's perfect husband. "Masaomi dear had to stay in the office longer. We will start when he arrives." my mother sang, finishing the table set up. Typical, he can do anything and no one would even raise an eye.

The dinner was as boring as ever. Once a month we all meet for a meal and chit chat, some games, but it always ends in a fiasco as either my mother or my sister brings up my single life, which isn't following the Japanese traditions, my looks that aren't following the traditions, so what I have double pierced ears? Is that a problem? Yes, in the eyes of my perfect traditional family it is a huge problem as well as my hair, dyed honey blond, or my style. It is a problem that I, as a fashion designer of Sherill hill, am wearing their pieces that are, in my family eye's, too revealing. Overall are a problem for them. 

Afterward, when Sakura left the boys in the guest room sleeping, we, adults, had a conversation over a glass of wine. "So, who has anything new?" My father started the conversation. "I almost finished the new line of clo-" I started by was rudely stopped by my sister "Masaomi successfully signed that contract I mentioned over the phone, isn't he amazing?" she kissed his cheek. He just nodded in agreement, he rarely joins the conversation, as now and always, he is on his phone doing some business.

Though I always end up annoyed over this development. My sister is the one who talks and is listened to too, not that my parents don't love me, they do, but she is the one because she has a husband and kids, I'm the lonely wolf. "Would you shut the fuck up for once?!" I barked at her. 

Now you could have imagined the looks on my family's eyes, as I rarely cuss, only when really angry and that was one of the moments. I am super emotional, like show me a kitten and I cry, but that goes both ways, I easily get pissed. "Well if you have anything to add to the conversation, that someone would be interested in, I would let you talk," she said, offended. 

"Excuse me?! I was just talking about my clothing line that bears MY NAME on it, that is selling worldwide wide and you say it isn't interesting enough?!" I raised my voice at her. "Well maybe, if you'd have a family of your own or at least a partner, someone would listen to it." she crossed her arms on her chest. "Oh really? Guess what! I do have a boyfriend!" I barked in a heated argument with my sister. 

"Or really? And what poor excuse of a man decided to pity your sorry emotionally ass my dear older sister?" She stood up and tried to look intimidating. I did the same, god bless the few centimeters I had on her as I looked down at her. 

"Sakkumi Kageyama, he treasures me and my happiness, not like your poor excuse of a husband, that only cares about his work!" My sister, still not believing me, chuckled. "Oh really? And does he live with you? Will he come to the next family dinner?" she kept pushing. "Yes, moving in tonight, and he will be there!" I barked back.