Can I Love You ? (Kazuscara)

Chapter XIV

- " 'Father' ?"

Kazuha was confused. Was this scary man Scaramouche's father ? No way... But what if- ?

Now that Kazuha looked closer, there was something similar between the two men. The glow in their eyes expressing a negative emotion he couldn't describe, the shape of their face... They seemed indeed related...

The young man didn't understand everything, but what he knew was that Scaramouche, someone he had learned to understand and like, maybe more than he thought, needed his help.

"- Um, Mister ! Maybe you are indeed Scara's father, but he doesn't seem to want you here. Could you leave this house please ?'

The old man, who was looking at his son with a disgustingly satisfied smile, turned to Kazuha, keeping the same smile.

"- Young man, your turn has not come yet. I need to talk to my son first."

And he got to Scaramouche, still frozen in place. Then, without warning, he grabbed his hair to make his son look at him. His face was now expressing anger, while Scaramouche's only showed complete fear.

His father was the only being he had never dared opposing to. The only being he was scared of. The only being that could make him shiver so violently.

"- So, Kunikuzushi. You dared disobey my orders ? Moreover, you dared flee with your target ? And you really thought you could escape me ?"

Scaramouche wanted to argue. But he couldn't. Even if he knew what to say, he would never dare talk back to his father. After all, he had always been convinced his father was always right. He had told him he was killing people for the greater good. He was getting rid of this trash. Well, that was what he thought.

But now, now that he had met Kazuha, a wave of guilt was overwhelming him. His father asked him to kill Kazuha, but the young man wasn't bad. He wasn't a trash. Scaramouche couldn't see the good that Kazuha's death was supposed to provide. So, if it was unfair to kill Kazuha, what about all these people he killed without even asking their name or the reason he needed to kill them ? His father... He had lied to him, his own son, for god knows how long.

The anger that Scaramouche felt was unbearable. It was about to burst. But he couldn't. He couldn't let out his anger to the only person he had trusted for so many years. So he just stared at him with imploring eyes.

"Do not hurt Kazuha. Do not hurt me anymore either. Please." That's what he wanted to say, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

His father only let out a mocking laugh.

"- You think I will let you go now that you betrayed me ? How funny, I didn't raise you to be such a coward, son !

- Let go of him !"

Kazuha couldn't stand seeing a loved one suffering like this. Scaramouche needed his help, so he would do his best to save him like he had already been saved.

But the old man only laughed again.

"- I see... Kunikuzushi, you haven't old your little boyfriend the truth, it seems...

- What truth ?" asked Kazuha, looking at Scaramouche with a questioning look.

But Scaramouche was as confused as him. What was his father talking about ? He indeed didn't tell Kazuha about him being an assassin and not being an idol for fun, but he had probably already figured it out by now. So what truth was he talking about ? Something involving both of them ? He had no idea. Maybe his father was just trying to confuse both of them.

"- Oh... He really didn't tell you then..."

Scaramouche suddenly felt something cold on his temple. Kazuha's eyes widened. Considering the situation, the older young man didn't need to look at the object to know what it was. He had been in contact with it too many times.