Alinea

"I understand,"Homura Ryuu answered softly.

In reality, he had already forgotten about the Makura, although he knew her personally. She was after all raised together with him. But for the Homura heir, her existence was just like the existence of everyone else in the clan: the servants, the soldiers, the workers.

Aside from his parents, Yayoi, and Kazehaya Gin, Koutaishidenka didn't really have any special connection with anyone else. Human emotions were beyond his understanding sometimes. They were too complicated. After all, aside from being the Homura heir, Homura Ryuu had another special existence in the clan.

It was said that every once in thousands of years, celestial beings got bored and descended to the mortal realms to create mischief. Although they were born into their own bloodline via their descendants, they retained their original powers. Beings like them were called "returners to ancestry," a very rare, yet very special type of existence.

Divine Inheritance? Homura Ryuu couldn't call his power that.

Why? Because his powers were not inherited. They were originally his.

Yes, Homura Ryuu was a returner to ancestry. In the celestial plane, he was originally called Kresnik, heaven's Flame Emperor.

This was the reason for Homura Ryuu's parents' early retirement. His title as the "heir" or "prince" was used just because his parents were still alive. In reality, he had already taken control over the Homura House a long time ago.

However, even with his powers, he could not defy the laws that heaven had bestowed. If his bloodline's survival relied in the union with his fated one, then there was nothing he could do about it except abide.

Among all the deities in any realm, only Perun had the power to defy heaven's will, for he was the King of heaven himself. Subjects like Kresnik could only comply.

"It would be nice if you can really care for Ara-chan,"Kazehaya said wistfully.

Homura Ryuu was confused again. "I do care about her," he answered, but Gin shook his head as he wagged his finger from side to side at him.

TUT-TUT

"Your definition of 'care' is not the same as the one I'm talking about,"Kazehaya told him matter-of-factly.

For now, Koutaishidenka was catering to Ara because of her vital role in his clan's survival. It was not the type of caring the wind caster wanted Ryuu to feel about her. She was merely an important "tool" to the Homura House at present.

"Then how would I know if the care I have for her right now becomes the same as the one in your definition?"Ryuu challenged mockingly.

But Kazehaya Gin who was so much more human than Ryuu was not fazed. Instead, he gave him a huge grin.

"You'll know when you start doing things for her because you really want to do it to make her happy, and not because you care about the fate of your descendants."

HA?

Koutaishidenka was floored. "There's such a thing as that?" he wanted to ask but didn't.

======

A lone shadow walked along the darkened alley. It was one of those obscure streets within the district of Kabukicho, the biggest red light district in the world. The area was a base to a plethora of restaurants, karaoke, clubs and bars. However, this was also haven to a wide variety of underworld establishments that attracted weirdos and hooligans by the horde.

It's the type of neighborhood where it's not surprising to see riot police walking casually down the street. It was that dangerous.

However, for one heartbroken soul, it was a place of salvation, a place where she could run to whenever she was in trouble, or whenever she was at her wits end and wanted to change her circ.u.mstance.

Today was one of those days.

The shadow stopped in front of one shabby bar where low conversations drifted from the crack on the door, as the smell of alcohol mixed with tobacco assailed her nose. The strength of the stench made her want to gag, and so, she held her breath as she pushed open the door.

In an instant, the conversations stopped as all eyes of the patrons zeroed in on her. They were probably wondering who she was, and why a young girl like her would come to this place, upon seeing her school uniform.

However, the mama-san of the establishment – the head hostess, a thin woman in her early forties, immediately scrambled towards the door and grabbed her hand to drag her towards the backroom.

"What are you doing here?" the mama-san snarled.

She was totally unhappy to see her here. With her fierce look made worse under a thick layer of make-up, and sharp tone of voice, most people would have been scared. However, the young girl who got dragged didn't even cower. She didn't fear this woman.

Why?

Because the mama-san was her real mama – her biological one.

Instead of answering the mama-san, the girl burst into tears, and the older lady's stance softened a bit. Even if she had given away this child due to some awful personal reason, this was still the daughter she had carried in her w.o.m.b for nine months, and delivered into the world with utmost difficulty.

"What happened? Koharu-chan, why are you crying?"

"Mama, I'm so heartbroken! The boy I like was so cruel to me. He tore my letter in front of me," Okada Koharu wailed, totally forgetting the truth about that torn love letter.

Didn't she pretend to give that letter on Ara's behalf? But that wasn't important anymore. She was too upset and unreasonable, nothing in this world made sense except her pain.

However, her words made the woman frown.

"Are you still after that boy?"

Her voice was laced with disparagement. She had never liked this one-track mind of her daughter's. She was like a wild dog l.u.s.ting after another dog who's involved with another bitch. Seeing her like this made her remember some ugly memories she wished she'd forgotten.

"He's mine!"Koharu yelled, and the mama-san clamped her hand over her child's mouth.

"He's not yours! If he is, then you wouldn't be here crying like a delusional bitch! There are so many other boys out there. Go find someone else!"

Okada Koharu felt incensed upon hearing these words. "He's mine! He's mine! Why are you telling me this? Aren't you my mother?"

The woman however had experienced a lot of emotional blackmails from her. She refused to take another one from her own child. "I'm your mother that's why I'm telling you this! What you're feeling is not love at all!"

There's no good running after someone who's never meant for you. She had learned that the hard way, and she hated it that history was repeating itself in the form of Koharu.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. She had given her child away so she'd have a life that's not influenced by her. But why was she still like this – and worse?

"No! You're not my mother! You can't be my mother!"

The mama-san's refusal to side with her made something in her mind snap, rejecting this person from her life. Her vision of reality had become a lot blurrier.

"Koharu, if you still won't stop, I will tell Okada-san about you," the mama-san warned.

But instead of being scared, Okada Koharu stopped crying. Wiping her tears, she stood up and glared at the person who she still called mother a while ago. "Do what you want. Do you think my parents would believe anything a two-bit whore like you would say?"

The Okadas had no idea that Koharu knew who her real mother was. She had always been a filial, obedient child. They would side with her.

A sound of a huge slap resonated in the room as the mama-san's hand connected with Koharu's cheek.

The both of them were horrified at the sudden violence – the older lady feeling worse as she watched the mark she made on her daughter's cheek become swollen.

"I won't come back,"Koharu snarled as she fled the place, not bothering to look back at the woman who had lost her energy and slid on the floor.