I Am Hated, Or So I Thought Volume 1

Chapter 12 - Family

Waking up and seeing Miss Akari's face the first thing in the morning was definitely something very shocking to me, only if I did not remember what happened last night. Fortunately, I remembered. Therefore, this was not such a surprising incident for me. Last night, she told me that I was loved by her and Miss Harumi. She told me that I was their family. She said that I was not hated like I thought I was.

Despite how convincing and pleading she was, I still could not believe it. It was just too unbelievable to me. All these years of enduring those treatments, I could not bring myself to have faith in those words. However, seeing how Miss Akari looked very desperate and sad, something in my mind clicked. As if the me inside was awakening, a fleeting, tiny hope appeared.

Unexpectedly, I had decided to let myself give her one more chance even though the risk of betrayal was as high as two time fifty percent. I could not deny, even I felt like shouting at myself for being stupid by letting myself receive the fake hope of returning to be a family once more. Nevertheless, there was something, someone inside who forced me to do so.

There was nothing else to lose, so I just let it be. The worst could happen was just betrayal after all.

Even though it was still early, it was time for me to leave the room if I did not want things to be loud. I slowly and silently left the bed and the room.  Then, I went to my room and prepare for a short shower. After cleaning myself and putting on a long sleeved shirt and long trousers, I went to the kitchen to prepare some breakfasts....only to see that Miss Harumi was already there, slicing some ingredients.

Miss Harumi sure wakes up early.... earlier than me...though she rarely wakes up this early when she's working...

While I was in amazement of how she could wake up this early, I watched each of her detailed and focused movements as she worked herself out in the kitchen. She seemed to be cooking something, which I expected to be breakfast. I caught a glimpse of her expression as she was cooking and noticed that she was doing her best since she did not even notice me watching her.

Usually, it was my job to make breakfast for the family, but it seemed that Miss Harumi had decided to cook this time. I wanted to leave like how I always used to do, but the memory of promising Miss Akari last night came back to bite me, forbidding me from walking away. Therefore, I let out a quiet sigh and my legs brought me to Miss Harumi.

Since she seemed like she had finished cooking, I figured that she wanted to find a bowl or something to put the soup or something that smells like that. Since she did not sense my presence, I took a bowl and showed it to her.

"...here."

"—Y-Yozora? Since when did you come here?"

Surprised she was, a son who she did not particularly favour suddenly providing her help.

Miss Akari said, she and Miss Harumi loved me, I was their family. The fact that I was hated by them was just a mistake on their parts and they regretted that. Supposed that those words were true, I hoped that Miss Harumi would at least not treat me like I was an eyesore, the least I wanted was just a tiny piece of faith for me from her.

"...since Miss Harumi was slicing the onions."

"I see...why didn't you say anything?"

"...don't want to disturb."

I might sound rude as I spoke to her, so I averted my face away from her to avoid making eye contact. She looked like she was having difficulties talking to me. She received the bowl form my hand and put some of the soup in the pot into the bowl. Then, as if realizing something, she made a blank face and put the soup-filled bowl at the side in a way which I would suggest not to do so.