Autumn Leaves Fall and Wither

Chapter XIII : To be Free

Kazuha stared at his notebook, humming. The lyrics were all jotted down along with the notes. They had practiced it a lot, too, today. Music was blasting all day and nobody cared. If his father wasn't home, Kazuha was sure he could practice all the time. How he wished his father would never come home.

And his and Tomo's song turned out to be better than Kazuha had ever imagined. Really, he and Tomo would make a great team together.

"This is going to be perfect," he said, putting the open book on the desk and returning to face
Tomo. "When will we perform?"
"Hmm, if I'm not mistaken, four months from now, because this song is going to be my final project for a specific subject that I better not explain because it will surely make your head hurt. And, yeah, we are going to perform it." The man strummed a guitar on his lap. His small kitten was playing under Kazuha's bed, clawing at the dangling sheet.
"That's still so long," Kazuha said, walking to the side of his bed and pulling the cat out from under the bed. It meowed softly at him. "We have time to make it even better."
Tomo hummed. "We always have time."
"I wish I went to the same campus as you. We could work together and study together, and so on." He sat by the bed, holding Tama on his lap. "It's not like my current campus is no fun. It's just, I want to be with you."
His face grew hot after the statement. Heart was racing, and he was trembling now.
"You're funny, Kazuha." Tomo chuckled. "We can always work together even after the project ends, you know."
"Oh, yeah. Sure." Kazuha let out a bitter laugh.
"Wanna grab a bite after this?" Tomo offered, putting the guitar down.

Kazuha looked at the clock. It was seven PM now. Working with Tomo had occupied almost one hundred percent of his mind that he forgot about his rumbling stomach.
"We can order-"

His words were cut short by a shout from the outside of his room.
"KAZUHA!" It was Beidou.
"Why is your cousin shouting?" Tomo asked curiously. "I know she has a loud voice, but she clearly sounds panicked."
"I don't know." Kazuha stood from the bed and walked to the door. "Maybe she wants to invite us for dinner."
"Everything's under control! Just... just..." Beidou's voice sounded even more panicking. There were also loud footsteps outside, indicating that she was not alone. "Please, Uncle, just leave him alone!"

Kazuha could feel his heart stop beating. Cold sweat ran down his neck, making chills crawl up his spines. His hand stopped at the doorknob, trembling.
"Beidou, darling, stay out of this. Okay?"
It was his father's voice. Cold and confident.
Wait. Why is he here? Didn't Beidou say that he left for a day? He shouldn't be home by now!
"I can't just let you destroy his dreams!" Beidou was angry now. "You are his father! You should know him better than anyone!"
"I know what's best for my son." His father's voice was right behind the door. A knock later, he called, "Kazuha, open the door! We need to talk." "Hey, it's your dad?" Tomo asked.

Kazuha didn't reply. He was busy racking his brain for anything to say or answer or whatever.
"Kazuha?" His father called again, a bit louder this time. "I know you are in there. I heard loud music. I just want to make sure everything's under control."
Kazuha gulped. He did set the speakers to high volume when he was practicing with Tomo. He did recite random poems and sing. He did all that his father hates so much.
"Uncle, he's just having fun!" Beidou reasoned. "Let him be!"
"Oh, yes, I know. But I have forbidden music and poems in this house. He lives here, he goes by my rules."
"Gosh! Why did my aunt marry you, anyway? You are horrible!"
"Beidou. You aren't the same sweet little girl you were, hm?"
"No, dammit! I'm a grown ass woman now! And I disagree with all of your rules!"

Kazuha opened the door quickly before something happened to Beidou. He knew his father could do the unthinkable to anyone who talks back to him. It was his problem. He shouldn't involve Beidou.

His father was wearing a suit and his white hair was a little bit messy. Beidou was behind him. Her face was stuck in terrorized expression. It's as if she was disappointed that Kazuha had opened the door.