T.A series Volume 2: The Illegitimate Extra

Chapter 17 - Family Betrayal

Namba Katsumi had always thought he had seen and been through it all.

Growing up as an illegitimate child was not a smooth sailing life. Despite him having grown up with a stepfather, kids used to tease him 24/7 for being a child of a bastard when they all realize even though he was handsome, that nose was a clear indication that he wasn't his step-dad's son. Adults were harsh on him as well, as they often whisper behind his back. Adding to his burdens further was a lunatic woman constantly arriving at their doorstep and harassing the family, claiming he was her son.

However, unlike most illegitimate kids, he had a family he could rely on. A gentle but tough step-elder sister who always protected him from them to his loving doting adopted father and biological mother, he felt like he could conquer the world.

So when he announced he wanted to become an actor by starting from the ground bottom as a stuntman as a child, he had his family's backing including his biological father. His family is everything to him back then, without them, he was nothing.

Back then, he wasn't Namba Katsumi the runaway fugitive, he was Seto Benjiro, a son who loves his family more than anything in the world.

But life was about to give him a harsh blow when out of the blue: at the age of 12, his adopted father died in a hit and run accident.

It was shocking, as the wealthy employer his dad used to work for was surprised something like this would happen outside the employer's house. It was a gated community where things like that barely happened. His employer tried to get a good look at the car as his staff rushed to call an ambulance, but it was proven futile. His father was dead and that was it.

That leaves his mother having to feed two of their children, who were grieving over who could've done this to their beloved father. Even with the influence of Benjiro's biological father offering reward for those who had witnessed the accident, as well as the late adopted father's influence, no witnesses ever came forward.

Things grew from bad to worst, then only around 2 days after his death, loansharks arrived to pester the once harmonious family, claiming his adopted father had signed a loan and used their house as the mortgage.

Now Benjiro knew that had to be a lie. He knew what his church-going step-dad is like, he barely touch sake even during work, as well detested gambling. He always preached to his two children that all of this isn't worth any of this. So a police report was filed, but nothing was done as the harassment persisted on and on.

Long story short, the family had to downgrade their house, let alone, their lifestyle.

It was a difficult transition, as they were used to living in a large bungalow. But the patriarch is gone, and his mother wasn't working at that time for she was a homemaker. With all of the chaos combined, they made a difficult decision to leave their happy home filled with happy memories and move into a broken down townhouse. Meanwhile, his mother had to juggle 3-4 jobs after the death of her husband. But she never once complained. Even his elder sister had to jump in, given that Benjiro was at that time too young to help.

Of course, his biological father did offer them money to settle it once and for all as he is a wealthy man, but with his father's wife still spying on them, and his mother's pride, it wasn't a solution. Benjiro knew his biological father meant well, but his wife is another. He knew what is that woman capable of.

Fast forward many years later, and before he knew it, he turn 18 years old.

However, moving out did little to change a thing. His adopted father remains dead, bills still pile up, the damn loansharks still kept on coming after them, as well as the lunatic woman. Things grew from bad to worst in a matter of months, overworking multiple jobs had taken a toll on his mother's health.