Trial Marriage [IwaOi]

Tragedy

I was born rich. That was what my mom said. Until I was three when my dad left us with another woman he met on a club.

"Mom, Is Daddy coming home?"

"No honey not today"

I thought it was weird that my Dad wasn't coming home anymore. I kept asking my Mom about it but she keeps on ignoring my question. I thought that she's just being considerate knowing that I still don't know anything about those kind of situations.

I was still hoping until I was five that my dad will go home and everything will be okay.

"Hajime, have you done your homework for today?"

"I... uhm...."

She grab my bag and saw all my notes ripped and my books wet.

"Are they bullying you again?"

"I'm sorry Mom"

I looked away trying to hold back my tears but my mom hugged me so tight and my tears kept falling.

"They're telling me that Dad is a dumbass for leaving us. I defended Dad and told them he's not but they got annoyed and did that to my things." I said while sobbing

My mom patted my head slowly and kneeled down to face me.

"Hajime, Mom will work hard for you to enter a private university, okay? I don't want you to experience those kind of things."

"No Mom! You can't make it! You already have two part time jobs and you're doing household choirs too! I don't want you to get tired. I'll just bear with their bullying, Mom."

"I'm happy that I have a good child like you."

She hugged me tight and I can feel that there are tears falling down on my shoulders.

I was a grade school student that time. I'm studying on a public school few blocks from our apartment.

"Okay class, we will have a activity for today. Draw a family portrait and I want you to describe yourselves and your family too, okay?"

"Iwaizumi-kun, you're next"

I stood up and showed the family portrait I drew.

"Iwaizumi-kun? W-what is that? W-why is your Dad scribbled like that?"

I drew my Mom, me and my Dad. I drew my Dad and more like drew a lot of lines erasing him in the family portrait.

"It's my Mom, me and my Dad. Me and my Mom are living happily together without my Dad. He left my Mom with his mistress when I was three and threw us out." I said in a cold voice

"O-okay. L-let's clap our hands class"

Everyone hesitated to clapped. Their eyes looks like they're pitying about my situation.

I was eleven when I started middle school and didn't even gain any friends studying on different schools I went to. I don't know why but I can't trust anyone other than my Mom. I suddenly felt traumatized knowing that they'll also leave me in the future. I didn't care about socializing so most of my classmates are scared of me.

"Get out of the apartment now!!! You haven't paid for five months already!!"

"We promise we'll pay. I haven't receive my salary on my part time job so we're in a bad situation right now."

"You've been telling me to extend the deadline over and over again but I haven't receive any payment! Get out and remove all of your things!"

The landlady threw our clothes and the crafts that my mom is working. I hurriedly helped my mom to pick our stuffs and beg the landlady to give us extension.

"Maam, we'll promise this time. I already have part time job right now so we can pay you. Please give us one last time" I kneeled down and bowed my head

"Fine. I'm just being considerate because no one wants this apartment anymore. I can't find a tenant who can live long here in this dirty place. Just this time Iwaizumi-kun!"

The landlady left and I helped my mom picking up our clothes.

"Did I heard it, right? You have a job right now?"

"Y-yes"

"Dammit Hajime! You're just fourteen! Do you want to get expeled from your school?!"

"Mom, I don't want you to take all the responsibility. I can work now. Don't worry no one will know!" I said reaching for her hands.

"I know we're not living a comfortable life but I don't want you to work. You're still a child. You can play around, do things that youth does. I want you to enjoy life without worrying anything."

"I'm fine mom. We can make it through. I'll just save up my salary from my part time job for my college expenses so no need to worry." I smiled assuring her that everything is okay

"Fine. As long as it won't affect your studies, okay?"

"I love you mom"

I started entering high school when I was fourteen and still studying on a public school. I'm the number one student in my year so I don't need to pay for any fees. Still no friends.

"Mom, I'm home! I bought ramen on the convenience store!"

I entered the kitchen to cook ramen because I am really hungry. I called out mom again but she's still not responding. That's weird. She's on a day off today so I'm sure she's home.

I went into our room but all I saw was her crafts she is making for her job. I tried in the bathroom and even on the storage room but she's nowhere to be found. I saw a laundry basket on our back door and thought that my mom was doing laundry.

When I opened the door, I saw my mom lying on the ground. I stood there frozen seeing my mom lying on the ground.... not breathing. I sat beside her and kept shaking her shoulders but she's not responding. I bent down my head on top of her chest but I can't hear any pulse from her.

"M-mom?? M-mom w-wake up.... I got a p-perfect s-scores on my exams. I k-know you'll love to s-see this."

I held her hand but it was freezing cold.

"M-mom, p-please don't leave me. I b-beg you. Mom... please... I can't live without you."

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"She died because of overworking?"

"It's not her fault. Her husband left her with their child without any support so she needs to work hard for his future"

"Poor kid. He doesn't have any family anymore nor relatives"

Black. All I can see is black. I know they are people but I can only see dark shadows on a human form. I tried rubbing my eyes but I can still see dark shadows in them.

"Sorry for your loss Iwaizumi-kun. What will happen now? Do you have any plans already? You can work part time so that you can still pay the rent on my apartment"

I looked up and saw a dark shadow with a familiar voice.

"L-landlady?"

"Yes it's me. Just don't forget about the rent cause I won't think twice on kicking you out."

The black shadow left and I can see other shadows gossiping about my mom and me. I tried rubbing my eyes again but I can only see black shadows infront of me.

"Iwaizumi-kun? I'm from the government agency where children with no relatives are taken care by us. A good citizen reported your situation so a family wants to adopt you"

Two black shadows sat beside me and patted my head.

"Luckily, our family name is also Iwaizumi so no need to worry about your surname."

"Welcome to our family Iwaizumi-kun"

I was three when my Dad left.

I was five when I started getting bullied by my classmates because of my family situation.

I was eleven when me and my Mom was almost kicked out of the apartment.

I was fourteen when my Mom died and a new family adopted me.

And I was fifteen when.....