Beauty With a Brat (The Suzuhara Family 1) ✅

Chapter Two

Wataru sat alone in the center of his large bed, staring aimlessly into the darkness. He felt raw on the inside, and he couldn't stop frowning.

One hour. Mamoru sat him down in his office and spent an entire hour reading page after after of demerits and complaints that had been made against Wataru regarding Natsumi. Some seemed mild, such as various instances of hair-pulling. Others were far more serious, such as trying to push her off a hiking path on the Tōkai Nature Trail during fourth-year elementary school.

"I get it, I get it!" Wataru snapped. "I was a bastard to her when I was a kid!"

"We're not done," Mamoru said coldly. "That was just elementary school. Now let's move on to middle school."

Wataru growled and scrubbed both hands through his hair in frustration. This can't be true! I didn't do all of THAT, did I?! But both of my brothers said I did! But how did I do all of that and not remember it?! The last note was the ink dump—and that was three years ago!

His cell phone began to ring. He recognized the ringtone and immediately snatched up his phone. "Onee-san!" He greeted her excitedly. "Big Sister, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, Wataru," came the warm reply. Hinako Suzuhara was the second oldest and the only sister of their four siblings and she was eleven years older than him, but she was the most patient and forgiving of his siblings and he loved her dearly. "I got the most peculiar text from Shinji, though—"

"Shinji-aniki told you about the bullying?!" Wataru exclaimed. "Why would he do that?!"

"Wataru, Shinji didn't need to tell me," Hinako responded seriously. "I sat in on meetings we had regarding your behavior towards Natsumi Kumori! While I'm relieved you see her differently, is it really true you don't remember everything you did to her?"

Wataru rubbed his free hand over his face. "I-I just—can't believe that I treated someone that way..."

"Well, the friends you had in elementary and middle school didn't help. They enabled your bad behavior. Remember how Shinji and I taught you how to spot your real friends from fake ones who would only use you?"

"Yeah," Wataru said grimly. "That's why Homare's my only friend now."

"And he's been a good influence on you," Hinako agreed. "You developed better habits because of him. Maybe that's why you forgot? Once you started surrounding yourself with more positive influences it was easier to not remember?"

"I don't know how that makes any sense. I mean—Mamoru-aniki gave me a laundry list of things I allegedly did to Kumori! B-But I honestly can't believe I treated a beautiful girl like that so horribly! Why didn't I get in trouble over it?!"

"Why do you think, Little Brother?" Hinako asked him. Her tone was serious but not malicious. "Father would never allow anyone with the Suzuhara name have a bad mark on their record. So we had meetings, talking-to's, and we kept track of everything you did to Kumori-kun. It just wasn't on your permanent record."

"Great," Wataru grumbled. "No wonder she ran in terror of me! I apparently terrorized her and got away with it for years!"

"Well, not entirely. Kumori-kun's brother got into a few physical fights with you over your treatment of her. Our uncles who are Principals at the Elementary and Middle Schools DID choose to punish Yuto Kumori for his conduct, though..."

"And that explains why HE hates me! He got in trouble for defending his sister, whereas I didn't get in trouble for bullying her!"

"Oh, you got in trouble Wataru," Hinako said cheerfully. "Just at home and not at school."