Heart of Stone (The Suzuhara Family 3) ✅

Chapter Seven

"You wrecked my FUCKING CAR!"

"Noda," Rensei snarled. Itsuki's cell phone was sitting on the coffee table. His screen protector was shattered, but it was also clear there were cracks in the screen underneath the protector. "I know that voice from anywhere. That's Koryu Noda."

Itsuki had his eyes closed because it hurt too much to have them open. He held an ice pack to the side of his head while his housekeeper, Iwa, administered first aid to him. He wanted to go to bed, and hide away forever.

"I-I can't see anything on the video," Gaya said. There were tears in her voice. "Saitō-kun, how many boys jumped Itsuki?"

"Four, Kiminiro-san," Kiminobu responded. His tone was calm. "GET OFF HIM!" His own voice screamed on the phone. "They scattered right after that."

"Itsuki-bocchan, can you open your eyes for me?" Iwa asked him soothingly.

"It hurts to open my eyes," Itsuki mumbled.

"We need to call the police," Rensei said harshly. "I'll get these punks—"

"I don't—want the police involved," Itsuki mumbled.

"Itsuki, they attacked you!" Gaya exclaimed.

"I know Mom, I was there."

"I'm taking you to the hospital Itsuki," Gaya said suddenly. She was at his side and grabbing his arm. "You probably have a concussion!"

He probably did, with the number of times Koryu and his asshole friends punched and kicked him. But he didn't want to go to the hospital. "I—"

"Bring my car around," Rensei said sharply. Itsuki heard his father snatched his phone from the coffee table. "Itsuki, can you pull this video from Sea? Even if we don't call the police, I'm going to forward the video to Betchaku-san. Maybe we can rework the settlement when Noda hears his son physically assaulting my son and gets a copy of the hospital bill."

So they were going to the hospital to stick it to the Noda family, not because they were concerned about his wellbeing. Anger snapped through Itsuki. "I'm not going," he said sharply.

"You probably should, Itsuki-kun," Kiminobu said quietly. "Four people did attack you, after all."

"Saitō-kun is right," Gaya said. "We're going to the hospital, Itsuki."

Itsuki was still irritated but he didn't see the need to argue. They weren't going to listen to him anyway. "Fine."

"Saitō-kun, thank you once again for looking out for my son," Rensei said to Kiminobu. "We'll be taking one car to the hospital, but I have a second driver who can take you home."

"Thank you Kiminiro-san, but that's not necessary," Kiminobu said. "I have my bicycle—"

"Pardon me Saitō-kun, but it's November and the temperature is in the teens and it's a Friday night," Rensei said. "I would feel more comfortable giving you a ride home. I can have your bicycle be brought to your home tomorrow morning."

"I...thank you, Kiminiro-san," Kiminobu conceded.

"No thanks is needed, Saitō-kun," Gaya insisted. "You saved Itsuki and brought him home. The least we can do is bring you home safely as well."

"Thank you, Kiminiro-san."

"Let's get going," Rensei said, and Itsuki was forced to lean on Gaya for support. Walking hurt, but so did everything else.

He really did it. Koryu beat me, and his friends helped him. Was this person really my boyfriend? I just can't believe...that he could go from kissing me and telling me that he loved me, to ditching me and then beating me.