Yuya

Chapter 4: The Reveal ✉️

It was like any other school day. Shiba and I would enter the school grounds surrounded by a harmonious and warm atmosphere where we were treated equally regardless of our abilities. However, the atmosphere we were greeted with was cold and bleak. The minute we walked on school grounds, there was fearful looks all around us as whispers echoed all around us.

“Why are they here?,”

“Should they even be allowed at school?,”

“Do they even know what happened?,”

Shiba and I were used confused about what they meant.

This went on during school hours begun. The teachers immediately started shooting daggers at us as we headed to class. At recess, it was only Shiba and I who played together while others distanced themselves from us. It got even worse on our way home from school.

As we walked through the market where my mother and Mrs. Tenryo worked, resentful stares met our glance as we walked by.

“Isn’t that Tetsuo and Mayumi’s boy?,”

“The nerve to come here after what happened,”.

“Why did his father even come to this town knowing his connections?,”

Shiba and I reached my mother's textile shop to greet my mother, only to be greeted with shattered windows replaced with wooden planks and a note at the front door. “Due to recent events, business is closed until further notice,” read the note. We went to Mrs. Tenryo’s music shop to be met with the same thing. “ By no means will this store be opened until further notice,”. Shiba and I went around the market, asking what happened. “Excuse me, are the son of the textile shop owner,?” a woman asked. “Yes!,” I shuddered. “and both her textile shop and our family friend’s music shop were ransacked. Can you please direct me to the ---,” Suddenly, I felt a hand strike my right cheek as I collapsed to the ground.

“Yuya!,” cried Shiba running towards me. “Shame on you!,” the woman snapped. “You dare show your putrid face on this street after what your Uncle did?!,”

I froze as Shiba picked me up. “My uncle?,” I thought. “Don’t act dumb, boy ,” she roared . “Everytime you pass this market, you sang his praises every chance you got, oblivious of what's been happening behind closed doors. If you sympathize with that monster, then you can go live with him and that hypocrite,”.

Confused, both of us walked away from the market as people jeered at us. It didn't take long for our families to fill us in on what happened.

We would reach the dojo all covered with derogatory remarks and paint splattered everywhere. Our parents, Grandmother, and Yubi were near the porch all dejected. Noticing my injury, Yubi walked up to gently rub her cheek on mine. “Mother, Father, what's going on?,”  I asked frantically.  “After multiple warnings,” sighed Grandma.  “Mom, Dad, what is she talking about,?” asked Shiba quietly. “Boys, I think it's best you come with us,”sighed my father, holding a letter from the Unit.

Shiba and I walked behind our parents into the living room. We knelt down and listened carefully. “As so you know, you’ve been receiving severe fear and resentment across town,” said my father. “the reason for this was that I’ve received this letter from the Ichinose Shrine informing us that the Saimori Estate was burned down yesterday,”. Shiba and I were taken aback. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. “However, that's not the only the reason,” added my mother.

We both listened attentively, unprepared for what we were about to hear.