ANOMALY: E.K | BOOK 1 OF THE ANOMALY SAGA

CHAPTER 16: Make way.

"Pops-"
"Absolutely not."

I sigh in annoyance to Kazumi's response. I seriously do not want to show him.

"And why the hell not?" I spat, glaring at him out of habit, catching him off guard.

"B-because you're not even 18 yet! You're only 15! You're about to go to a training school, and you already want to rebel?! Absolutely not, Ryū-"

"Dad already said yes." I interrupted.

Kazumi looked at me flabbergasted, before he yelled for his husband, activating his ability,

"KĒI-YA!! WHAT DOES SHE MEAN YOU SAID YES, YOU CANT BE SERIOUS!"

I covered my ears in pain, and along followed a thud and a groan from dad by said voice.

"Pops, your voice-"

"Ah! I'm sorry darling!" He apologized, before returning to look up the stairs for dad.

Eventually, the man of the hour who was wrapped in a blanket arrives downstairs glaring at Pops, and his gaze softened upon me, to which I was on the floor, leaning against the radiator.

"I don't understand, why would you say yes to that kind of thing?! She's underage, Kēi! Our little girl!"

He just looked at me asking if I told him, to which I shook my head.

"Hello?!? I'm right here you two?! Stop speaking with your eyes!"

"Do you really want to know that badly?" I said lowly, starting to get anxious, starting to scratch my arm with my nails, only stopping because Kēi glared at me.

"YES! Gods sake, my baby girl wants to get a tattoo and my husband says yes? What in the world is going on!"

I take off my black hoodie partially that dad gave me, and show Kazumi my left arm, which is littered in scars and the brandings on my left shoulder, neck and back, though avoiding showing a bullet scar on the shoulder and the external spine in place, which I had forgotten to take off.

"It's better having a tattoo and lying that it's tradition rather than being bullied for Experiment markings, Kazumi." Dad whispered, while I let Pops look at my arm.

"I can just say that it was my families tradition, I rarely wear short sleeves anyways, and I have some myself." Kēi continues, his eyes warmly comforting me.

"Are you sure about this? It's permanent ink, Ryū..."

"And the brandings aren't? They're engraved into my skin, at least the tattoo will cover it, Pops."

"..."

"Fine."

I saw Dad smile at me from my peripheral, until Kazumi continued.

"-but you will be on my night radio show, no buts."

I groan, and bang my head against the radiator and groan again in pain, hearing Kēi laugh.

"Fine. But you let me pick the music. Deal?"

"...Deal."