Enemies With Benefits.

Just Kidding

(TW* for this chapter contains physical and verbal abuse)

I stand in the living room of my parents house, arms crossed over my chest as I lightly tap my shoe against the floor.

I was called her for some reason around an hour ago and I've just arrived. You would think if you're called to someone's house that they'd be there waiting for you and not the other way around but no.

The door opens and I turn around to see my sister. My eyebrows furrow when I take in her sight and she frantically rushes over to me, grabbing both of my hands.

"Y-You need to leave." She chokes out, looking around as if checking for ghosts. "Immediately. Hurry." She starts pulling me back to the door.

"Michiko, what? What are you doing?" I ask and she swings the door open only to freeze.

Both my parents stand there, my father in front of my mother. Michiko quickly steps in front of me, barricading me from the extremely angry looking man.

"Darling, why don't you rethink this ple-" My mother starts but cuts herself short when my father glares at her.

"Get out of the way." He turns back to my sister but she gulps and shakes her head.

"Father it's not her fault. You heard Shino-San. He just said-"

My eyes widen once he pushes her from in front of me, making her stumble a few feet away.

Well. I'm not gonna survive this one.

My father wastes no time and doesn't even say hello before his hand darts out and wraps around my neck, squeezing as hard as his anger allows him to.

"You are pathetic." He spits, eyes full of fire and hate. "You should have been killed the moment you were born. You have been nothing but a burden in everyone's lives."

"Yoshiro stop!" My mother yells.

My hands lay limp at my sides, not bothering to try to stop him or fight back. What's the point? It's not like if I struggle he'll let me go.

"You had one task! One! Don't you know how embarrassing it is to get a phone call saying that Shino isn't ready for marriage?" His hand tightens around my neck and I can already feel myself getting light headed. "WHAT DID YOU DO? HUH? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST FUCKING DO ANYTHING RIGHT?"

At this point my mother is pulling on this man's arms, yelling at him with tears in her eyes to let me go but I can't even hear anything.

Slowly, everything is fading away. Their voices, my breath, my vision. Everything is being taken away from me...

Until I have nothing left.

THE END

(Just kidding lol)

~

The sound of consistent beeping fills the room and ultimately lulls me out of my sleep. Almost immediately after opening my eyes I'm being smothered by more assholes.

"Oh my gosh." My mother rushes to my side, reaching a hand out to cup my face. "My poor baby."

I smack her hand away, trying to sit up.

"Let me help." Michiko says quietly, reaching her hands out as well but I decline her help too.

What the fuck is up with these people? All of a fucking sudden they want to act like a damn family?

I want to go home.

"Isako I'm so sorry." My mother starts, her voice breaking and beginning to cry. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

No thanks.

"I'll be sure to reimburse you for your college expenses and you can have all the financial support you need. I'm so sorry, this was never supposed to happen." As she begins to sob, I only get more upset.

Who the hell is she to start crying? She's right: this is partially her fucking fault.

"Do you need any water or anything?" Michiko quietly asks.

I just sit on the bed, my face blank and unresponsive as the two women try to talk to me.

The two strangers.

Soon enough, the doctor my family has used for as long as I can remember, walks into the infirmary and does whatever he needs to do in order for me to go home.

Once I'm cleared, I thank and say goodbye to the butlers and maids because God knows nobody else did shit. Arai escorts me out but it's not until we actually get outside that we talk.

"I sound like I have a fucking load of horse shit lodged in my throat." I say, referring to how raspy my voice is right now.

"I was thinking more frog-in-the-throat you know?" He glances down at me, smiling a little. "Like little rascals."

"Oh I love that movie." I sigh.

"I know." He chuckles softly and we stop in front of my car. His face turns solemn and he lets out a long sigh, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to do anything. I should have known something was up when your father said he wanted me to work for him today. I didn't know he just wanted to make some sort of sick statement." He runs a hand down his face.

"I'm glad you weren't there to see it. I don't want you losing your job." I say and he frowns. "And don't call that man my father. None of these people are my family except the butlers and maids who raised me. I am never stepping a foot here again. I felt like I owed them something and like I had to come and do whatever they wanted me to do."

Arai's face softens and he sighs.

"Come on, don't say that. At the end of the day they're you're fam-"

"Not once have I ever been treated like I was part of this family." I cut him off, opening the door to my car. "I can't believe you'd say that."

"You're right." He frowns. "I'm sorry. I just...once you leave, I lose you too."

My shoulders slump and I quickly wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"You're still my family." I say quietly. "You'll never lose me."