Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 2: Hiding the Truth

Katsumi Kimura adjusts her uniform cardigan, making sure everything that was supposed to be hidden is hidden. She sighs looking herself in the dirty mirror, how fragile looking she became. She has been eating well throughout the summer break, and the results of that are clearly showing. The thick fabric of her cardigan looks bulky and heavy looking on her, and she had to readjust her skirt tighter to her waist area. Her body type was straight like a stick with no curves at all. She ran her hand through her strands of hair to make it look decent, but her hair did not obey her and look completely frizzy and all over the place.

She slides the door open from her room and walks into the kitchen. Her younger sister, Nanami, aged seven and her younger brother, Itsuki, aged ten were at the table already eating their breakfasts. Katsumi kisses both of their heads greeting them. Her mother, Sakura was wearily cooking more food. Katsumi knew the reason why she was cooking more food despite enough food was at the table. Her father was home. 

"Good morning, mother." Katsumi greets her mother, placing a kiss on her cheek. Her mother stops momentarily from cooking and gently places her hand on her daughter's cheek, smiling at the sight of her. Her wrinkles rising up before falling back into place. 

"Good morning, Katsumi." Her mother said. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Katsumi shook her head, "No, I haven't." 

Her mother took her hand away from her daughter's face and said, "You have to eat. You need to be healthy for your first day of school." 

Katsumi sighs and nods respecting the wishes of her mother. She went and sat middle of her siblings. She serves herself a light breakfast, she wasn't much hungry but she could not go against her mother's wishes. She stuffs her mouth with a spoonful of rice and chews lightly savoring the flavor. She looks at her mother, and for a second a saddening feeling washes over her. 

The sight of her has been getting worse by the passing year, her beauty that she once had was hidden under all her tiring features. Her hair was not her beautiful midnight color instead her hair was replaced with gray strands. Her cheeks were sagging more as she smiles rarely now, and the crinkles around eyes deepen hiding her beautiful brown eyes. Her tan golden skin was also disappearing, she doesn't go out much. She rolls the sleeves of her old cardigan back as she tries to cook the food at a faster pace. 

Her siblings were their food in silence just staring down at their food. The sight of them saddens more Katsumi. The atmosphere in her house was not as it used to be. The decor of the house went from colorful greens and blues to grays and white. The furniture of the house is worn down and falling apart, but they did not have the money to replace the worn down furniture. The sun was rarely seen through the windows, thick curtains cover the windows with no one allowed to touch them. The atmosphere was just plain depressing, and it affected everyone with the same feeling.

"Are you guys excited for school?" Katsumi asks her siblings, trying to make light conversation with them. They look up from their breakfast and just nod yes to the question. Katsumi sighs stuffing her mouth with more food. "Finish your breakfast, okay?"

They nod in agreement and continued eating. Katsumi felt that she had enough food in her stomach and pushes her plate away. She felt that her mother would be proud of the progress she did today, she usually skips breakfast. Although her mother would not acknowledge her progress, she knew she was proud of her deep down.

"Nanami and Itsuki, after finishing your breakfast, grab your backpacks and wait outside," Katsumi orders them. "I am walking both of you to school."

Both of her siblings push their plates away and walk to their rooms. Katsumi rises from her seat and walks back into the bathroom. She brushes her teeth for a good while, she walks into her room and grabs her backpack from the floor. She heads back into the kitchen when she saw that her father was in the kitchen.

She froze in place, unable to move a single part of her body. He was behind her mother, his arms wrapped around her waist. Her mother calmly tries to pull away from his grip, her father frustrated from her rejecting him, he grabs the back of her head forcefully throws her down to the floor. Katsumi gasps at the sudden scene and rushes to her mother's side. 

"Mother!" She cries out. "Are you okay?" 

"You, stupid bitch," She could her father mutters from under his breath. "Who are you to reject me? The man who brings the food to the table. You are worthless without me."

"I am okay." Her mother said softly. She helps her mother up as her father sits down by the kitchen table still muttering cuss words under his breath. Her mother brought her hand up to her daughter's cheek and said, "You are going to be late to school. Hurry along and take her siblings to school. Don't worry about me." 

Katsumi was going to protest, but she knew better than to do that in front of her mother. She nods and walks out of the kitchen trying to avoid contact with her father, but it was too late. 

"Katsumi," He calls out to her. Katsumi stop in her track, she did not want to talk to him but it would be stupid of her to ignore him. Either way, he would find a way to capture her attention. He hated to be ignored.

"Yes, father?" She said, with an uncertain tone in her voice. She glances at her father before looking down to the floor. Even if she took a quick glance, she could see that her father's hair was greasy looking and into a mess. His clothes were stain with sweat and food marks, and his beard was already forming on his angry looking face. 

"You better be back home after school," He began. "You need to clean around this goddamn house since your mother is not fucking good at it anymore since your mother is fucking worthless now. You understand me, Katsumi?"

Katsumi bows down to her father as an agreement to his threat. He waved her off, and she walks as quickly as possible from the kitchen feeling guilty leaving her mother alone with that monster. Her siblings were waiting outside on the steps of their house. She hurries them along taking them far from the house. It was better for them not to see their father than to relive one of his threats.

"Come on along," Katsumi said, hugging them close to her waist. "You can't be late for your first day of school. Aren't you excited?"