Kokushibo: The reluctant demon

Chapter 7: Confrontations

Michikatsu stormed over to his father's quarters. He was mad. Seething mad. At his brother and his father. Luckily, he did not have to walk that far. His father was up, disheveled and depressed as he was from mother's death.

Father noticed Michikatsu. "Michi..."

Michikatsu glared at him. "Father". He walked up to his father, who was sitting down on the floor of the house's front porch. He was leaning on a nearby pillar and staring at the cloudy night sky before he spotted Michikatsu. Michikatsu walked over and crouched down besides his father, careful enough to not look too comfortable next to him.

"I apologize, father. For mother's death."

"No, no, it is fine. I never knew myself that she was suffering so much from this illness." Father slowly shook his head. So he never knew...

"Yoriichi's gone."

"What?" It took father some time to process this piece of information. "As in, he left?"

Michikatsu nodded.

Father's expression slowly turned from shock to anguish. "Ohh dear! First a wife, then a son! Why are the gods treating this family with so many hurdles."

"You never liked Yoriichi that much, father. Why are you so upset?" Michikatsu retorted. He couldn't believe that the very father who scorned his younger son for eight entire years was crying for his disappearance.

"Michi," Father said as he stroked Michikatsu's hair gently, "your father has made a lot of mistakes."

Was one of these mistakes choosing me over Yoriichi?

"But I regret them now. Immensely."

Wow.

Father was gently stroking Michikatsu's hair, until he saw something curious on his right wrist. He picked it up and saw a bright ruby, tied onto Michikatsu's wrist with the help of a thin looping chain made with silver.

"I thought I gave this to Yoriichi..." he whispered under his breath, and then to Michikatsu, asked, "how did you get this?"

Michikatsu turned around, looked at his wrist, and said, "Ohh, Yoriichi gave it to me when he left."

Father's eyes widened, as though realizing something. "Don't lie to me."

Michikatsu was baffled. "Excuse me-"

"You stole it from him, didn't you?"

"What? Father, have I ever lied to you?"

"Speak up."

"Father, no-"

"SPEAK UP!!!"

Michikatsu shook his head vehemently. He could not believe it. Father had never so much as frowned at Michikatsu. And now he was not only accusing him of telling lies, but stealing as well. Michikatsu sniggered slowly.

"I understand now, father. I understand clearly. Your politics and your strategy."

Father had a stoic expression on his face, but even that could not mask his irritation. "What could you possibly mean?"

Michikatsu's posture relaxed, as though he was around a close friend. "When we were born, you thought Yoriichi would barely last a lifetime. He looked weak, innocent, could barely lift a sword or say a word. Meanwhile, I was healthy, happy, boisterous, active. You bet your future and your ancestry on me and barely gave Yoriichi a glance. Suddenly, Yoriichi shows up with his brilliant sword skills without a lesson. Now Yoriichi's the star child, not me. You made the mistake of ignoring the sickly child for me. Yoriichi would be the one inheriting the family wealth and not me. The mistake you were talking about earlier..." Michikatsu chuckled mirthlessly, "... was antagonizing my brother!"

"Lies, Michikatsu, all lies!"

"Then tell me, Father. Why did you give him my ruby? Did you loose all hope in me? Was I not profitable enough?"

"For heaven's sake, Michikatsu, I'm your father?"

"Well, the way you've acted the last ten years spoke otherwise. Would you have also hated me if I was born just like Yoriichi? Would you have smashed our skulls and killed us instantly, not even considering the fact that we were your blood, had mother not stopped you?" Michikatsu was in an unstoppable rage now. His blood was boiling with so much anger he never knew he could unleash on his beloved father. 

"We're just a business to you. Pawns in your brilliant, flamboyant, life." Michikatsu completed, his voice trembling in grief. 

His father finally stood up, slowly and steadily. His face was down, more likely seething in rage than brimming with grief. "Was this who I raised you to become? Are you really my son?" He whispered throatily. 

Michikatsu unnervingly looked back at his father. 

His father spoke gain, louder this time. "Maybe you were right. Maybe I did make a mistake believing in you and not in your brother."

"And I am glad you did, father." Michikatsu barely flinched when his father raised his voice. He was done wagging his tail to this man. He wanted to break free. All through his eight years of life, he thought this man loved him. Now, his eyes were opened. To the truth. To the pure, sweet, blissful truth. 

"I'm leaving," Michikatsu turned his back towards his father, " for good. So you may never get reminded of your disappointment every time you see my face."