╭──── paalam 【 baji keisuke 】 DISCONTINUED

╭──── FOUR ; family.

╭──── FOUR ; family.

"SO, TELL ME WHY I was left alone all these years," Mizuki said, right when deafening silence started to engulf the conversation between her and her father.

Right after he said he was going to explain everything, Akihiro turned silent as if he was being hesitant about what was he was going to tell her. After years of being robbed off of family, love, and information, he was still going to stay silent?

If it wasn't for Rosella who still managed to make a way for them to meet, to stay in contact with each other, then Mizuki knew that she probably wouldn't even be able to understand what love was. Rosella was there, although barely, but at least she could feel that the woman still cared for her. She wouldn't tell her what the reason for their hiding was, however.

Rosella would spend time with her for a couple of hours after her doctor's appointment weekly when she was a bit younger, and she would always pamper the girl. She would remind Mizuki that she loved her, and that she was sorry she wasn't around all the time. The woman even managed to teach her a language, while her father was non-existent throughout the years!

"First, let me explain about us Fujisaki. The Fujisaki clan is a family that owns a lot of business, ranging from malls to clothing brands to cars. That's why you actually are living in a mansion, despite being all alone. I was the heir to the family, until one day, I fell in love," Akihiro explained, taking a deep breath.

"As I was on my way to the mall that my father tasked me to look after, I bumped into this beautiful woman. She looked really wonderful, and she was very kind, too. Her name is Rosella Mendez, a Filipino woman who is actually a model staying in Japan for a year to take a break. We fell in love right after a few more times of meeting each other, and then one night, we had you." He continued, taking Mizuki's hands in his.

Her fingers were trembling, trying to process what Akihiro was saying. Based from all the stories that Rosella told her, Akihiro seemed to be telling the truth so far. Rosella, in her stories, never mentioned the name of her father. All she ever told the little girl back then was that she fell in love with a rich man when she shouldn't. Before she knew it, she gave birth to a beautiful baby named Mizuki.

"You see, it was a secret relationship. Your mother and I were both tied down to something— she, her work and her family not knowing she gave birth to a baby, and me... because my father only wanted me to marry a pure Japanese to be considered his son, still. Your grandfather... He said he will never acknowledge you if I married Rosella, and since we both knew we had to part ways at some point anyway, we chose to break up instead. And since you are her child and that my father knew I still loved Rosella, he refused to let me live with you and consider you his granddaughter until you are 16. I know you aren't 16 yet, but this is a special case," Akihiro continued, making Mizuki furrow her brows.

What did he mean by a special case?

"You said mum is only in Japan for a vacation, but she was more present in my life than you are. She still found some way to meet up with me and care for me. Why is she still in Japan, then? She even taught me Filipino just so we could speak to each other without anyone listening in or reading what was only meant for me! She loved me, she loves me... She met up with me, even if it's in secret," Mizuki said, tears now streaming down her cheeks as she felt herself getting emotional.

She felt like she was an unwanted child, with how Akihiro explained the real situation to her. Then, just so his father did not approve of their relationship, it gave him the right to abandon a child who did not do anything wrong at all?

Mizuki wanted to curse at her father, to tell him she didn't want any of his riches or his last name, and that she wanted to live with her mother instead. Even if it was risky, Rosella was still there for her. Then why can't Akihiro do the same? She fell silent, trying to understand both sides of the situation.