𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄- 𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

I HAVE A DREAM

"Know your place and step out of things that you're unqualified to intervene."

This is the sentence I've heard the most in my life.

I came from a traditional and so-called upper-class family in Japan. In my family, there is an unwritten rule: Women cannot intervene in the family business.

I used to live with my father, who is the current head of the family and the CEO of the company, and Kenji, my brother, stepbrother, to be precise-
——

"Wait, so you have a brother, too?" Leona all of a sudden interrupted you with a question.

You nodded.

You could see the shock on his face. "Why haven't you told me about that?!" Perhaps it's because he had a brother either, he seemed to care about that a lot.

"Well, there're a lot of things that I haven't told you or anyone here yet." You shrugged. "Now, you still wanna hear about that?"

Hearing that Leona zipped his lips and stopped talking. "Please go on."

"As for my mother, I've never even seen her. My father had an affair with her, and they had me, the one they said should not be born. She left me in the family after receiving the hush money." You continued your journey by recalling the deepest memories in your head.

——
"Are you gonna let that filthy woman's daughter live here, in this house, forever?!" When I was 6, I heard my father's wife yell at him in his study. I knew she was referring to me, though she didn't actually mention my name.

"What's a big deal? She's just a bargaining chip, a good! We feed her and let her study. When she grows up, we can marry her off and gain benefits from the marriage. Can't you see that's a bargain?!" My father scolded back.

"One more thing, you have no place to bargain with me. Know your place!" He added.

Before that day, I sometimes would wonder why I seemed to not be welcomed by the family. That's the first time in my life, that I have acknowledged my value in the family and my parents' hearts.

——
"Father, look at my report card! I've got a straight A!" I enthusiastically raised the report card in front of him. He'll definitely be proud of me, I thought. A "good job" or "well done" would perfectly make my day.

He turned to me with a pair of cold eyes and returned to the computer screen. "Chiko, take her out! Don't let her come into my study." He ordered. Soon enough, a maid came in and took me out of the room.

"My report card!" I accidentally dropped it on the ground, but it was too late for me to get it back, as the door was already sealed shut.

The next day, I saw it in the garbage, crumpled.

——
When I was in elementary school, my friend once invite me to go to her home for a party.

"Father, I want to join my friends to-"

"No." He rejected it before I could finish my word.

"But-"

"Why would you spend time messing around instead of studying?! Have you practiced the piano today?"

"Yes, for 2 and a half hours."

"How about the cello? And the Mathematics? Italian?"

"..."

"If not why on earth are you brave enough to come to me and ask for anything?"

I didn't try to argue back, as it wouldn't work anyways. "I am sorry father." That was all I mumbled before I closed the door and returned to my room.