Hidden Masks

Kitsune: Why?

I did not belong where I was, why was I supposed to follow the rules of not talking to the people I want to know better? My life has been nothing but restricted by rules that I am supposed to follow for the rest of my life. I am that child that doesn't smile, hang out with other kids, and is always emotionless to show that I am nothing but an outcast to them. I was not the only one that had to follow rules like that as it was applied to everyone in the Katsuki family. I didn't know why I was supposed to follow them but I wanted my parents satisfied for doing it so. But of course some rules had to be broken which just made me the bad child of the family, I paid the consequences sometimes but I did not lose the only friend who's her name is Eiko. The only first friend I made in my life because she believed that it isn't wrong to break some rules once in a while. I enjoyed it and kept a secret to myself to know what it feels to be with someone on your side.

 I knew a lot of things were kept away from me like what we really are and what my parents did when they were gone. The only ones that knew where my two older siblings that always accompany my parents with their "jobs" as the rest of us stayed home and wait until they came back. 

  The household held seven of us in total with me being in the middle of the line of siblings. Akira, Izumi, Yui, Hikaru, and Ayumi Kastuki were the names of all of us siblings in the family. The names of our parents were not heard that much to me and my younger siblings so I never really knew. But I was always trying to be better from the youngest and eldest siblings. I saw them nothing but "bad" brothers and sisters in my own eyes, I wanted to exceed them and pass our parents' exceptions. I wasn't the most pleasant one from the branch as my two younger brothers were feared by me and my older siblings saw it as a challenge because they know I'm getting closer. My anger was one of the things that my parents worried and they did their best to control that by taking me to the nearest skating rinks around town. That's what I called true satisfaction but to my parents, it was just taking care another tantrum to them because I despise my siblings. 

  I was seen scary to a lot of people but to my parents, it was something different, the new heir of the syndicate that they ran which I didn't know at the time. Was it all a test to us to see which one would take the role of being a great leader of a syndicate that involved nothing but violence and brutality in its walls? I was once taken into that place but was taken a skating rink right after that as my parents went ahead of me. I was always curious what led ahead of this mysterious place I was introduced into at my younger ages. Everything to me was nothing but a game and the treasure was lying right up ahead after completion.

  But the real question was why did a place like that exist and why was our family involved as well. I was still a six year old with a wild imagination and the first thing that popped up in my mind was murder. I would ask that kind of questions to my mother or father but I get a smile with a small pat on the head and the same answer from the both of them.

"You really do have a wild imagination, Yui. But trust me, it is nothing for someone your age to start thinking of things like that." 

  After two years passed by, I let it go and the hollow me returned to impress my parents. Even though I despised them, I had to take care of them with the best of my abilities which went to the younger ones. Being bullied was not surprising at all because of we stood out the most due to being away from everyone. That is when Eiko and another girl with her brother who stood up for us after I was beaten up, they saved us from them. They helped us up and the girl muttered under her breath as she saw them run away from her. 

"Yo! What happened to that mighty attitude?!" She yelled in broken Japanese and turned to us, holding out her hand as we looked at her in shock. "Hey, you okay?"

  I nodded and took her hand as she helped me as my brothers up were helped by her brother. She smiled at us once we were off the ground and both of my brothers apologized for them having to deal with our problem. The mysterious girl shook her head and gave us a grin telling something I couldn't forget.

"I couldn't just stand and watch as your sister protect you from bullies. She really cares for you to take a lot of hits for you two, so don't apologize, please. As a thank you, the names Rosemary and this is Sebastian."  

  I was shocked but it didn't last as they ran back to where their names were heard, heading off to mother's and father's workplace as they waved to us. I wondered if we were going to see each other again but those green eyes and blue eyes from them were a feature I would not forget at all. I pretended it was all nothing as my brother smiled on the way home, they knew I cared for them and that was enough for them to not be scared of me. They were heading to our parent's workplace and I was curious from what family they were. 

  Why were many things not explained to me, what are we, why are things being kept away from us, why is the first word I start a conversation with my parents. Soon those questions were answered with something silly and told me to trust them with it. They smiled at us and took their time to be with us which was suspicious. Until it hit me, something was going to happen and soon. For one last time, I smiled along with them until the very end of their lives because I knew but not my brothers and sisters. 

  Once that day happened, I stood next to their graves as my siblings mourned over their deaths. They were being targeted due to them being involved into the yakuza, for them gaining the popularity for doing things they were best at. That was their mistake they did make themselves vulnerable at the most needed times because of their pride. The greed for power and wanting more of it lead to their deaths but only to protect their family from danger. 

"Why did you tell us anything, mother, and father?" I asked with my younger brothers next to me. "We couldn't have suffered your deaths if you just told us sooner! I miss you..."