The Sum of Our Parts

Chapter 9

A/N: Age of adulthood in Japan is 20, btw.

"I'm going to be turning twenty in December."

The words hung in the air between the group. Tension was so high, one could feel it crawling along the skin and constricting the throat. A clock ticked from where it hung on the wall, the soft noise booming in the silence. Kageyama could hear when his fingers dug into the fabric of his pants.

Hinata sat beside Kageyama, the both of them sitting in seiza. Across the low table sat Kageyama's parents. His mother was looking away from them, disappointed and indignant. His father was sending the full force of his outrage at the couple. Hinata quivered under the onslaught of angry alpha pheromones.

"It's bad enough that you bonded with an omega in high school, the pinnacle of all the poor decisions you made throughout school. Now, you are sacrificing your beloved sports career, your chance at college, and your life for him. And for what? Fleeting feelings?"

This was supposed to be a long overdue greeting with his family. An official introduction prior to their impending marriage. Kageyama knew there would be pushback, but to hear his father so blatantly disparage them was infuriating.

His relationship with his parents had been shaky at best during high school. When he had mate bonded, it lead to something even worse. They were all busy people and rarely saw each other. That had helped keep arguments to a minimum and allowed Kageyama to believe that things would eventually recover.

Obviously, he was wrong.

"As you know from the contract," Kageyama gritted out. "We are due to be married once we reach adulthood."

His father scoffed. "That could have been tossed aside at any time! Yet you persist in this nonsense."

"We plan to have a small ceremony in January." Kageyama refused to back down or get dragged into an argument. There was no point in debating anything with his father. His response when cornered was that Kageyama should respect his parents and any alphas that are above him.

"And a male, no less!" His father turned a disgusted look on Hinata. "Are you purposefully spitting in the face of the Kageyama lineage by choosing a mate that cannot produce an heir?"

Hinata flinched. They hadn't really talked about things like that. It seemed too early and presumptuous. Kageyama had always questioned his ability to raise children in the first place. Besides, it wasn't like adopting was off the table. Adopting alpha children was common in alpha families like Kageyama's. Anything to keep the lineage pure.

"We will discuss such topics later, after my job is more secure—"

"A job I had to pull strings to help you get!"

That wasn't true. The Kageyama family name opened doors on its own. His father hadn't lifted a finger, and had made it a point to mention that blatant inactivity in the past. Kageyama was being "taught a lesson" by having to do everything on his own, without the aid of family, to prove that he was making poor decisions.

"We raised you to be a proper member of society." His mother's voice was cold, her eyes just as icy.

His father continued. "Males partnering with males is something that betas with worthless family names and poor genetics do. Alphas who take omegas are admitting their own weakness to their body's biology. You are a disgrace to this name!"

The table rattled under the force of Kageyama's fists coming down on it. "Then I don't need your name!"

His mother looked scandalized. "You are not insinuating that you will take his name!"