Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 74: THE DOCTOR

Akira Soma was born with all Daisaku Akano's memories. The recollection of a childhood filled with severe abuse and the latter of his life spent taking part in deeds of cruelty and violence and mutilation and his brutal end traumatised him before he had even been born.

As a child he had been antisocial and unconventional, which drove his father up the walls.

He was once again born with dyslexia. His mother spent hours helping him manage it. Thanks to her efforts, he was able to make out written script instead of not being able to read at all.

His mother in this lifetime had been a caring woman, however, all the trauma Momoka had inflicted on Daisaku had left him still clutching to deeply ingrained hatred for a motherly figure. Even if they weren't the same person, he still hated her.

His father spent the years of his childhood attempting to form a bond with him, but by the time he turned ten Dr Soma senior had given up.

Daisaku had spent his life trying to earn Katsu's approval. Daisaku yearned for the love he showed Yuuki. Akira decided he would not repeat that mistake.

With reincarnation he realised Katsu would never have loved him the way he adored Yuuki. He was—after all—the son of the predator named Momoka, whereas Yuuki was the child of the woman Katsu loved. He could never compare. And there was nothing he could do about it.

What lead to the murder of his parents was an altercation with his father. He had caught Akira cutting up a cat and lost his temper.

The same night he murdered them both. That was the end of his simple life. ERIS saved him from justice, and he ended up working for them.

He was in the lift. It was already past midnight now. He was on the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mr Sagawa? There is someone I would like you to keep an eye on."

"I just found someone for you, didn't I?"

"Indeed, you did. That means we are now in business with each other."

Hachiro sighed. "All right. Fine, then. Do you have a name for me?"

"Touma Kirigaya," Akira said. He then added, "Do not approach him. I just want to know what he is doing at all times. Do you understand?"

"Are you a stalker or something?"

Akira giggled. "It is nothing like that, I assure you, Mr Sagawa. I love him like a brother."

"That's a new level of fucked up." The disgust in Hachiro's voice leaked over the line for Akira to hear. He could not help but smile. "But fine," he said finally.

"Daily tabs would be preferable," Akira added.

The line went dead without an answer from Hachiro. At the same time the lift dinged. The doors slid open. Even though the sun had not yet risen, the hallway was lit up like a hospital. The way it always was.

Akira's workspace was on the fourth floor. In fact, he had insisted on this number because of the ominous superstition behind it. Originally, the building did not have a fourth floor, but when Akira was employed they renovated the then fifth floor and changed the numbers.

Akira started down the hallway. There was a feeling of satisfaction in his chest, the type he had not felt in a long time. Katsu had a plan. It was a good one.

Daisaku Akano had always known his intelligence was something he inherited from his father. Katsu, in turn inherited it from his father, Hideyoshi. Something Akira had only discovered tonight.

Daisaku had always despised the idea of inheriting anything from Hideyoshi Akano, but Akira found he could accept it. He was an awful human being. Malcontent until his fiery end. But he was brilliant.

Instead of announcing his son's power to all his allies and all his enemies like that imbecile Noboru Naguchi, he hid the fact. Even from his closest allies. Even from his own family.

Hideyoshi had likely hoped to use it against the Naguchi clan should they attack, but he never got the chance. Daisaku had gotten to him first.

Footfalls brought Akira from his thoughts.

"Doc!" Nakamura turned the corner. "Finally!"

"What is it?"

"It's that bitch we electrocuted." Her breath came in ragged pants. "An hour after you went to see the President she stood up and walked out."

Dashi was breathless. She had been running for hours now. And for all those hours she had felt her entire body tingling, but that was no longer of consequence.

Her mind was clearer than it had been in over a thousand years. Memories that had once been muddled were now as clear as the sunrise. She knew who she was now.

She was Pandora's Box. She was the thing that contained the chaos of the world.

She had to find the Kings before it was too late.

"Hey, Dashi!" She whipped her head around. "It's Dashi, right?"

Harin was in her gym clothes. She was sweaty. Without her heels she stood at the same height as Dashi.

Dashi let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, that's my name."

"Are you okay? You look distraught."

Dashi shook her head. "I must find the Kings."

Harin glanced behind her, then back at Dashi. "Do you mean Hayate?"

Dashi nodded vigorously.

Harin sighed. "It's late. I doubt they're awake. My flat is close by. Stay over and we'll call them in the morning."

"No!" Dashi exclaimed. She grabbed Harin's hand. "I must find them immediately!"

"All right. All right. Let's just get to my flat, first."

Touma was asleep in Hayate's arms when his phone rang. He startled awake. It took him a couple of moments to realise what had awoken him.

"Hello?" his voice was groggy.

"Did I wake you?"

"Harin?" Touma glanced at the clock on the bedside. "Its two o'clock in the morning. Why are you calling me?"

"Dashi insisted. She says she has to speak to the Kings."

Hayate groaned beside him, still asleep. His arms wrapped around Touma's waist.

"Hayate is still asleep."

"I figured as much."

"What's going on?" Hayate said. He peered at Touma from where he lay.

"It's Harin. Dashi is with her. She wants to speak to us."

Hayate inhaled. He buried his head in the pillow. "Tell her tomorrow."

Touma repeated Hayate's words to Harin. "I tried that. She keeps saying she wants to see you right now. I think it's urgent."

"Did you hear that?" Touma asked Hayate.

Hayate blinked open his eyes. "Okay, fine. Tell her we'll be there in an hour."