Fate. A predetermined supernatural power. The will of the universe. Fate is order. It writes, and rewrites, gives and takes. It spins vibrant red strings that flow into the world and connect people who are destined to meet, to love, to share a story...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I walk out of my room at exactly seven in the morning, fully dressed for school, my bag slung over one shoulder, my fingers working the knot of my tie. I stop by the living room to let Nee-san know I'm leaving, only to find her hunched on the mats, speaking quietly into the house phone, her eyes grim.
My fingers clench around the strap of my bag as a grating suspicion sinks in. I know what this is about.
I walk across the mats and kneel before her, motioning towards the phone with a question on my face. She moves the phone away from her ears, placing one hand over the receiver to block our voices, and smiles weakly. "It's nothing you need to worry about. Are you leaving?" She ruffles my hair. "Have a nice day."
I fix her with a flat look. "Just tell me."
"I'll fill you in later. Trust me, I can take care of this on my own. You should get going—"
"Nee-san."
She sighs in resignation. "Papa's in a tight spot. He's not going to be able to send in any money this month," she confesses reluctantly. I almost bark out a laugh. It will always be beyond my realm of understanding, how this man manages to lift his head, lift the phone, dial this number, and then deliver news like this to the very children whose lives he's responsible for.
What does he expect us to do after? We can't pay rent anymore. He might as well be telling us to camp out on the streets. He's just so, so pathetic.
"But I'll figure something out. You don't have to concern yourself with any of this, Akito; just focus on studying."
"What are you going to do?" I whisper.
"I think I'm going to apply for a month's leave from college and work full time. It'll be just for a while, until we're in a better place. Financially." I don't understand how she can sound this calm. How she can be this accepting. That man doesn't deserve it. He's let us down over and over, so many times now that we might as well not have a father at all. We're on our own.
Nee-san shouldn't have to deal with this. She shouldn't have to give anything up. She should get to go to college.
"If I wrap things up in time, I can still come visit you guys at school—"
"Is he still on the line?" I ask sharply.
Nee-san goes still for a moment, then nods.
"Give me the phone."
"But Akito—"
"Give me the phone."
She wordlessly hands it over. I take a deep breath, press the phone to my ear, and speak. "You didn't land that promotion then." All I get in response is a long, unbearable silence. A shock of anger reverberates through me, and for a moment, I need to reign in an overwhelming impulse to hurl the phone against the wall or snap it in half. The anger burns. It hurts.
