Hayate Igarashi is a Tokyo rich kid who finds life extraordinarily boring, that is until his attention is gripped by the angel-faced Touma Kirigaya who ebbs him every time he looks at him. Why can's he forget about Touma?
Not only that, but one nig...
Hideyoshi of Akano's eyes narrowed on Yuuki. The small hand trembled but did not move out from under the thin wooden staff. The nine-year-old boy's hand was bleeding from the repetitive strikes he had already received.
Yuuki gritted his teeth to keep himself quiet. His eyes glistened with tears. The temperature had dropped, causing white puffs of air to come out of Hideyoshi's mouth and nose. The wooden stick came down again. Hideyoshi's gaze was colder than the freezing temperature in the room.
"If you want your palms to stop hurting you will learn to stop making mistakes."
Yuuki's shoulders trembled as he glared at his grandfather.
"Grandfather." Hideyoshi turned his gaze to the doorway. An older boy of ten stood in the rock garden beyond it. His downturned eyes looked at the scene with boredom and disinterest.
"What is it?" Hideyoshi snapped. The boy's nose crinkled in annoyance. His lip twitched. "Speak up, boy!"
"Master Kuroda has arrived. He wishes to speak with you."
Hideyoshi let out a sigh as he got rose. "Again? What does he want now?" he muttered to himself.
Daisaku quietly watched as Hideyoshi walked away. Then he suddenly turned to Yuuki. "Come," he said stretching out his hand.
Yuuki, though confused, crawled forward before pulling on his shoes and taking Daisaku's hand. Daisaku pulled Yuuki up and dragged him as he hurried away from the room that was not unlike Yuuki's own personal hell.
"Will Grandfather not be busy with Master Kuroda for now?" he inquired.
Daisaku shook his head. "Master Kuroda was here three days ago. Do you really think he will come again so soon?"
Yuuki's eyes widened. "You lied?"
Daisaku nodded without turning his eyes away from the path. "He was hitting you a lot, today. I figured if it came to Master Kuroda he would go immediately, and we could hide from him."
"He will get angry."
Daisaku let out a soft laugh. "Of course, but it is his own fault. If Master Kuroda were really here a servant would have gone to inform him."
A small smile crept on Yuuki's lips. "Brother, you are quite smart."
Daisaku glanced back, dark eyes filled with a question. "I do not know why you keep telling me that," he said as he slowed down. He dropped Yuuki's hand and continued down the path at a slower pace.
Yuuki shrugged, folding his hands behind his back. "Grandfather and Lady Momoka keep calling you stupid. I must remind you that they are wrong."
Daisaku smiled. "You know I cannot read, do you not?"
"That is because the characters jump out at you. You said so yourself. And even if you cannot read, that does not mean you are an idiot." Yuuki said. "Only two years ago, I could not read at all." Seeing Daisaku's nonchalant expression, Yuuki moved closer to him, grabbing his arm. "From now on, if you cannot read then I will read for you."
Daisaku gave him a look without saying a word.
The two ambled in silence for a time, until they came to a big tree in the cedar forest. The branches seemed to touch the clouds. Daisaku sat down on one of the mossy tree roots that broke through the soil. Yuuki plopped down beside him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
