Tsunami of Dead Tears: Part 2

Chapter 5

Emperor Taisho's mind was getting worse, and Hiro knew it.

He was spying on his father signing papers. He knew that his father was very busy, and everyone around him kept him away from him, but if a child has anything that's worth, it's determination.

Hiro spent the recent years of his life in a stressful bind of handling political papers and making decisions well above his own authority. Although he hated it, he knew that if he endured it, it would make his father's life much easier, and maybe even make him proud.

But now, he didn't know if he was even looking at his father anymore.

Taisho slowly lowered his writing hand on to the paper. He then tried to move it around to write something, but his fingers couldn't grip it well, and eventually the pen slipped out of his hands and clattered on the floor.

"Damn it." Taisho muttered, trying to bend down to pick the pen back up. As he tried to lean down, his weight shifted to one side, and he inevitably fell over, landing on his shoulder.

"Father!" Hirohito cried out, running towards Taisho, who was rolling around on the floor like a drunkard. He pulled him up to a sitting position and looked at his face, concerned.

"Hirohito..." Taisho mumbled, looking at his son.

"You can just say Hiro, father." Hiro replied, smiling. "I'm your son, after all."

After looking dazed for a bit, Taisho's eyes suddenly widened.

"What are you doing here, child?" Taisho asked, not a hint of love in his eyes. Hiro recoiled, shock and dread squeezing his heart.

He called me 'child'... Hiro thought. Does father not know who I am?

"It's me, father." Hiro said. "Hiro. Your son!"

"Why, you're a filthy liar, you!" Taisho yelled, getting on his feet in a very clumsy manner. "How dare you walk into the courts of the emperor with no sense of respect or courtesy!"

"Father..." Hiro muttered, stepping back. "What do you mean?"

"UNFORGIVABLE!" Taisho yelled, slowly stepping closer to Hiro. "Nobody has the right to address me, ruler of Japan, in such a vulgar manner! I will personally hang you by the neck from the roof of the pal-"

Taisho was cut off as he tripped on the fallen chair, his head hitting the ground in a loud thud.

Hiro's eyes widened as he kneeled down next to Taisho, tears falling from his eyes. His father was shaking violently, bubbles slowly erupting from the sides of his mouth.

"HELP!" Hiro yelled out at the empty wall of the throne room. "SOMEBOY HELP! CAN ANYBODY HELP HIM?!"

"I can..." a voice echoed.

Hiro gasped and looked around. Down the throne room's entrance stood a tall man, lavishly dressed with a white hat and curly hair.

"How-How did you get in h-here?!" Hiro asked the man, holding his father's shivering body protectively.

"They let me in, of course." the man replied. "My Yakuza clan is a favorite of your father's."

"I've never seen you before in my life." Hiro said.

"Oh, but this isn't about you, or me." the man said. "It's about him."

The man pointed at Taisho, still convulsing.

"I can make him better, you know." the man said, walking towards them. "All his pain, all his anger, I can stop it."

Hiro held his father's head close to his chest. "You don't look like a doctor."