The family mud.

KENSHIN

I do not even try to get up or move.
Do not even try at all to escape.

It always makes him even madder and if I want to continue on this path I need him to eventually come around.

"Did you really think it wise to go to our most frequented place to have our public meals with them?They are nothing and you should realize what that association with do to me and eventually you if I can not fix this son."
"Fix what Father?They are both decent hard working people who are kind and well mannered."

The way Father looks at me is as though somehow an idiot has been born from his loins and is baffled as to what sin he could have committed to have been a father to me.
My mother sits on a settee to my direct opposite out of sight of my Father,she never looks up but will make a certain finger gesture.

Our secret code that gives me a little help with this matter,somehow a code that even Goji-San even knew.
I wonder about that story too.

"You even tried to read about what that maniac girl you are so enamored with did?She got two students killed son.KILLED!What kind of face for our family dojo,the heir to your grandfathers conglomerate,would that be?What kind of future will that be for me,for your mother and for you."
"Do you know why she did it then?If it's even true that she did."
"Why would it matter if she did or didn't,whatever reasons she has?It is a fools move to be even in sight of someone like that.Even if she were as clean as mountain snow then have you considered that she is a poor writer who comes from a family that easily traded spouses and lives living her In Japan while they left on with their lives?What does that say?Well son...SPEAK?"

I am not able to respond and he will not hear it anyway,I put my eyes away a moment to see a small blinking light by the window,Father catches on to my line of sight and quiets.
Security is reprimanded harshly by my Father who only looks at me once before going downstairs to purchase rum.

"Your only real use is training in swordsmanship and spotting a bug.You should only have been born to a security guard.Not to a prestigious family.I am shamed by just the sight of you,I feel like I have shamed my ancestors by naming you by the best of our line in naming you the heart of the sword."

My father leaves our suite,I try to speak to the security man and attempt to ease him from his shakiness that my father is famous for over the last five years,I do not even hear Mother approach behind me.
Even in four inch heels she is so stealthy.
She takes my arm and pulls me away and towards the balcony where I see the moon fully out,the colors of the city like stars,the sounds like rivers of lives around me.

"Wait here Kenken."

I do as bid,trying vainly to put the last hour of unabashed fury behind me and instead try to laugh it off by thinking about how silly Yukihana is,how cute.
She is more afraid of stomping me feet than even being in my presence which has finally given me the sign I needed to know she is becoming a little less afraid,a little more likely to try and be closer.
I never would have assumed that she would give me more of a chance after the nurse flirtation but it worked thank GOD and maybe I breath of fresh air with the face of an angel with choose me.

Even if everyone else thinks she is so wrong and cruel.
I still do not know what happened except pieces.
No one but GOD or Yukihana will tell me for me to believe a word.
No one.

"Take this.Stare out for a while,it is the only reason I haven't left your father."

I look down to see what Mother has placed in my hand.

It is a small cup with hand drawn cherry blossoms,roses,hydrangeas and the kanji of 'I like you' with the spelling of her name drawn artfully along the flower stems.The cup is filled with a white hot cocoa that she sprinkled loads of cinnamon and a few marshmallows onto.

"You did not know this,he would never tell you because he is certain if you knew that you would want to forsake your heritage like he almost did.I do not think you would though.This cup here?It is a sign of his early love for me,his love for artwork and handicrafts.That made him so happy in his university years.He had a massive blowout with his Father too,He never forgave himself for not fighting for his own dreams while still trying to honor the family.I was only accepted in because I was from a wealthy family,otherwise they would not have allowed it and your Father would have been alone."

Stunned.
That is an understatement.

Mother looks to me and takes my arms in her hands and smiles softly while her eyes blink as mischievously as ever.

"Do not worry about your father about the cause.He will come around but you must show yourself true to your heritage for it to work and about your love?He will not regard your words about her in that he needs proof she is a warrior.I had to do so,so did your grandmother as well.She will have to win your Father and I have read her words,I watched her eyes.She is more than a match for your Father.So rest easy with your sugar rush and go to sleep."

Mother has that way about her.
She could talk a panda out of eating bamboo or a lion from eating a gazelle.

She walks away after kissing my forehead,I have to bend nearly half my height to do so but I do not care and I return to watching the sights of outdoor life drinking liquid sugar while my mind is hoping soon enough maybe another sugar will reach my lips anytime soon.

My phone beeps just as the pleasant thought of strawberry lips and hair long enough to twirl my fingers around begins,I check it and am more than smiling when I read the message.

"I have written five more articles to promote the cause and they are receiving majorly positive replies and votes!As well as there are a number of people hoping you will explain in further detail about what the next steps are to assist the parents to make this even more wide spread.
By the way,I am an idiot for this but...."

Minutes go buy as I watch the little bubbles rotate waiting on her to finish writing out her reply when it finally comes.

"I like you too."

I think I shout to happily and too loudly because security rushes in but I am so happy I can't think about anything except rushing past them and out the door of our suite.