Diamonds Burn Gold

Chapter 36: Atom Heart Father, part 1

In an average house in Morioh, in an average neighbourhood, lives an apathetic woman who sat in her bedroom, lovingly stroking her cat's back as she gazed out the window. Staring at the setting sun with disconcerting hazel-coloured eyes. Going on to wonder about her dull, unfilled life as she normally does, every day without fail. She was a woman of seemingly average height and slim build, with reddish-pink hair that is parted to the right and tied back in a low ponytail.

Her name was Shinobu Kawajiri. She was in community college when she first crossed paths with this buzz-kill of a man she calls her husband. It turned out he went to one of the ritzier colleges in the area. Her friends at the time thought he was dreamy and fawned over him. The fact that she was the girl on his arm made her feel a bit superior. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the front door open and close. Her cat jumped out of her lap as she got up and stepped out into the hall. Just in time to see her young son walk up the stairs.

He was a young 11-year old child with a rather scrawny build outside his legs and straight dark ginger hair that reaches just past his chin and hazel eyes. He wore a long sleeve shirt under a vest and a pair of shorts. "I get it. Because it's three times faster, the picture quality is..." The young boy mumbled to himself as he passed his mother, not even acknowledging his mother as he kept on mumbling to herself. Shinobu gaze at her child and simply said, "Oh, come on, Hayato. At least say, "hi".

"Hi, mom." Hayato said, almost robotically as he silently enters his bedroom. Not even glancing up to look at his mother in the eye. Shinobu left out a sigh as Hayato shuts his bedroom door without another word. She just walked down the stairs and sat on a chair, near the door. Knowing that her husband would be returning home soon. She let out a sigh as she could already predict the events that'll come. Just as they've happened every day. Every single day.

It's not that Shinobu's husband's a bad person. He's not even a heavy drinker. And he might not bring home a big paycheck, but he's a damn hard worker. Even so, I fell into a marriage without ever knowing love.

She was just finishing reminiscing about her life when she heard the lock of the front door turn. Right. Shinobu let out another sigh and laid back in her chair. There he was. He was finally home. All she ever hear is, "Where's dinner?" "Make me a bath," "I'm going to bed."

'Jeez. What a bore.' Shinobu thought to herself as she heard the door open and close. Then a man appeared into the living room. "I'm home." He said. A man of average height and slim to athletic build. He had fair skin, spiky black hair, thin, black eyes, and high cheekbones. He took notice of the empty table and kitchen, and turned to his wife and softly asked, "Where's dinner?"

Shinobu pretended to just realise that her husband was home and feigned ignorance. "Oh, hey, you're finally home. I didn't even hear you open the door. Sorry. I have too busy to cook. That'll have to do. But your favourite's on the table" She says as she points over to the table in the kitchen. A white sheet over a well-sized bowl. Her husband walked over to it and lifted it to reveal a bowl of instant noodles. As her husband stared at the noodles, Shinobu turned away to hide the smile growing on her face.

'I bet he's pissed. Let's see if he's man enough to do something about it. Who am I kidding? You're gonna sit there stuffing your face in silence like you always do.' She thought to herself. She memorised the dull events by heart and she waited for this piece to happen. However, that didn't happen. Instead, he took off his white jacket, placing it over a chair, put on a waist apron, and went over to nearby radio and turned it on. Allowing music and the town's anchorman to play throughout the home. What surprised Shinobu the most was the sounds of chopping onions, crackling eggs, sizzling, and the fresh, delicious smell.