Wednesday April 13, After School - At Home (6:28pm)
Ritsuko slammed down the receiver of the phone. She had just gotten done talking to her brother, Reiji. It had been originally planned for him to go visit her during the Golden Week, but Reiji had called to cancel. Instead he was going to move back in with their aunt in Kyoto, for he wasn't getting along well with their father, again.
She stalked over to her bed and sat down. She grabbed one of her panda bear stuff animals and hugged it to her chest. It had been nearly half a year since she had seen her brother. Growing up, they had been best friends, being only a year apart. But when they got older, the family started to fall apart. It started two years ago in October, with their mom always accusing their dad of cheating. Finally, their dad got sick of it. It got the point when the two were screaming at each other almost every night. In February their dad started staying away from home as much as possible. He'd go to a bar after work and stay there for half the night.
Then it took another turn for the worst. It had been about five months since their dad had started his daily trips to the bar. Both Ritsuko and Reiji were home to witness a lady, about half their moms age, come to the house to tell their mom that she was pregnant by her husband. Their mom went hysterical, claiming she had been right all that time. She then told the lady, calling her a bitch, to get out of her house.
Their dad never came home that day, nor the next. In fact it had been nearly a month before he returned. He returned when their mom wasn't home, but the kids were. He packed slowly, the pain unhidden in his eyes. When he was done, he walked into the room were Ritsuko and Reiji were in. He leaned against a chair, his age starting to show. Then he told him that he was leaving and wouldn't be coming back. Immediately, Ritsuko jumped up crying and hugged him, not wanting him to go. Reiji however just watched. They stayed like a few moments longer, before Reiji announced that he was going to go with their dad. Ritsuko had been shocked, scared of losing someone else. Their dad tried to persuade him into staying, but all Reiji would say was that "it was that bitch's fault for starting all this".
Finally, their dad agreed to talk with their mother about letting Reiji go live with him. Meanwhile, their dad moved out, moving into the heart of Osaka with his new girlfriend, the lady that had come to tell their mom she was pregnant, and her other child, nine year old girl. Other the next few weeks, the fights continued only with Reiji and their mom. This ended with Reiji packing his bags to move in with their dad. This time, their mom had no objection.
In the months to come, Ritsuko would often go visit her dad and Reiji. Reiji would often tell her that things weren't much better than when he was living with their mom, but he refused to go back to his mom. Finally, it was decided that he would go live with his aunt in Kyoto whenever he was having problems. He left for Kyoto on Christmas Eve. Only a week before, Ritsuko's long time boyfriend went missing. She was told by close friends of his that he died from a drug overdoes and that the funeral was kept very private among the immediate family, not wanting their reputation soiled. Ritsuko felt abandoned.
Then in February, Reiji moved back in with his dad, just as their half-sister was being born. That lasted till the end of the month before once again he went back to Kyoto. Then, in early March, Ritsuko was given yet another surprise. Her mother had decided to move to Tokyo. Sadly, Ritsuko watched as they left what she thought as her childhood in Osaka. In April, she began school at Gakuin High, barely making it to the late sessions of the test in order to go to the high school.
Ritsuko squeezed the bear tighter, closing her eyes. Recalling all that had left her in a more somber mood. It was then that she remembered what Miyavi had said about calling him if she ever needed to talk. She raced over to her back pack, searching for his number. When she had found it, she went back to her phone and dialed the number.
She stalked over to her bed and sat down. She grabbed one of her panda bear stuff animals and hugged it to her chest. It had been nearly half a year since she had seen her brother. Growing up, they had been best friends, being only a year apart. But when they got older, the family started to fall apart. It started two years ago in October, with their mom always accusing their dad of cheating. Finally, their dad got sick of it. It got the point when the two were screaming at each other almost every night. In February their dad started staying away from home as much as possible. He'd go to a bar after work and stay there for half the night.
Then it took another turn for the worst. It had been about five months since their dad had started his daily trips to the bar. Both Ritsuko and Reiji were home to witness a lady, about half their moms age, come to the house to tell their mom that she was pregnant by her husband. Their mom went hysterical, claiming she had been right all that time. She then told the lady, calling her a bitch, to get out of her house.
Their dad never came home that day, nor the next. In fact it had been nearly a month before he returned. He returned when their mom wasn't home, but the kids were. He packed slowly, the pain unhidden in his eyes. When he was done, he walked into the room were Ritsuko and Reiji were in. He leaned against a chair, his age starting to show. Then he told him that he was leaving and wouldn't be coming back. Immediately, Ritsuko jumped up crying and hugged him, not wanting him to go. Reiji however just watched. They stayed like a few moments longer, before Reiji announced that he was going to go with their dad. Ritsuko had been shocked, scared of losing someone else. Their dad tried to persuade him into staying, but all Reiji would say was that "it was that bitch's fault for starting all this".
Finally, their dad agreed to talk with their mother about letting Reiji go live with him. Meanwhile, their dad moved out, moving into the heart of Osaka with his new girlfriend, the lady that had come to tell their mom she was pregnant, and her other child, nine year old girl. Other the next few weeks, the fights continued only with Reiji and their mom. This ended with Reiji packing his bags to move in with their dad. This time, their mom had no objection.
In the months to come, Ritsuko would often go visit her dad and Reiji. Reiji would often tell her that things weren't much better than when he was living with their mom, but he refused to go back to his mom. Finally, it was decided that he would go live with his aunt in Kyoto whenever he was having problems. He left for Kyoto on Christmas Eve. Only a week before, Ritsuko's long time boyfriend went missing. She was told by close friends of his that he died from a drug overdoes and that the funeral was kept very private among the immediate family, not wanting their reputation soiled. Ritsuko felt abandoned.
Then in February, Reiji moved back in with his dad, just as their half-sister was being born. That lasted till the end of the month before once again he went back to Kyoto. Then, in early March, Ritsuko was given yet another surprise. Her mother had decided to move to Tokyo. Sadly, Ritsuko watched as they left what she thought as her childhood in Osaka. In April, she began school at Gakuin High, barely making it to the late sessions of the test in order to go to the high school.
Ritsuko squeezed the bear tighter, closing her eyes. Recalling all that had left her in a more somber mood. It was then that she remembered what Miyavi had said about calling him if she ever needed to talk. She raced over to her back pack, searching for his number. When she had found it, she went back to her phone and dialed the number.