KHR: The Inheritance Project - Prelude

The Beginning of Hell Project

"Maybe we should just sit with the other kids…"

"Ehhh… I don't want that. They'll be pushy and noisy, and if I sit up there the teacher is sure to call me up to answer questions and stuff…"

"Then where else can we sit?"

"Even if you ask me I don't-" An idea hits me as I'm looking around at the desks arrangement. "Captain! I have devised a plan!"

"Good work Lieutenant! Then let's hear it."

I tell him my ingenious plan and we get straight to work. After five minutes of shuffling things around I put my things on my new desk and pull up a chair. Sitting down I observe the room from my new desk.

"… Molto bene! This will do quite nicely."

I had noticed that there was a huge area around Hibari's desk that was completely empty. Like a kind of no man's land or whatever you call it. So I pulled one of the unused desks just inside that area; far enough away not to get bitten to death but close enough to be considered to be at the same table. After all I'd be a weirdo if I just sat all alone.

Since there's still time till lunch ends, I take out a Japanese children's picture book and an Italian-Japanese dictionary. Reading like this was really helping me learn the language, that and being surrounded by people speaking Japanese.

When the bell rang and everyone returned to class no one seemed to really notice I'd changed the seating arrangement. Some of them did glance at me and whisper amongst themselves and the teacher paled slightly but said nothing.

The real test was when Hibari Kai came back. Everything went quiet and many were preparing to run; they seemed to believe I'd just get beaten up again. Hibari strode to his seat before pausing in front of my desk. I stared at him and he narrowed his eyes but otherwise said nothing and just sat down at his seat.

"Operation Appeasement is a success! Nice work Lieutenant!"

It kind of pisses me off that I have to abide by his rules but this very tiny victory was worth it. I spent the rest of the day reading my book and staring up into space. Yes all is good.

It was a short lived victory as I found out after school…

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I was walking to the front gate assuming that I would be walking home alone today since Masamune had run ahead of me. Probably didn't want to be dragged all over town again. Although my morning had sucked the afternoon hadn't been so horrible so I was in a fairly good mood. Humming idly to myself as I walked past the teacherless gate when I was abruptly stopped by a group of kids, some of whom I vaguely recognised were from my class.

"You think you're so great not speaking to anyone and taking on Hibari like that." A mostly bald kid sneered at me and shoved me. But the only words I understood were "you", "speaking" and "Hibari". Which made no sense to me as I had avoided speaking to him today; I just ignored and pushed past him. Why the diamine is there salt all over his clothes?

Baldy then angrily seized my hair and pulled harshly. "Listen when people are talking to you, ahou!" I hissed in pain when he tugged again, and twisted around to glare at him.

"He's just too stupid to talk," it was that eyebrow girl from yesterday. "Or is it that you don't think we're worth your time, demon!" She smirked rather evilly at me, but once again I only got like three words from all of that. Not that I could reply even if I wanted to, cause guess what? No Japanese.

"Brats need to be taught a lesson I'd say…"

"…" I was getting angry now; they were all just standing in a circle around me, insulting me in a language I don't understand and laughing. I felt like letting Aigís break all their limbs but then I remembered my promise with Padre and gritted my teeth in frustration. I will not break my promise.

"Poor Masamune-kun, being stuck with a cursed brother like you. He must be so ashamed to be related to you." Another girl jeered. Now that bit I somewhat understood; Masamune was... ashamed of me? No way… I'd believe it if you said he was scared of me. If you said he was a jealous of me, maybe… but ashamed? He wouldn't, couldn't be… I refuse to believe it!

Aigís blasts a nearby garbage bin into the wall, startling everyone. I elbowed baldy in the gut, hard and took off when he let go crying. They shouted after me and started throwing rocks, with deadly accuracy for a bunch of seven year olds. Tears stung my eyes as pebbles hit my back and legs; Aigís protected me from the bigger ones.

I just kept on running until I was completely out of breath. Gasping in air I glanced behind me to make sure I wasn't being followed. Once I was sure I was safe I looked around to see where I was. Well what do you know; I'm only two blocks away from my house and I haven't tripped over anything. So miracles do happen after all.

Wiping away my tears I limped home. First I was beat up by a kid with some kind of chain whip, then I get beat up by the god damned street and everything on it, then I get another dose of chain whip and finally I'm pelted with rocks by a bunch Japanese speaking brats. Padre, so far our promise is working against me…

Sighing as I reach the front door, Auntie isn't home yet and since the door was locked, neither is Masamune. Where is he? I wonder if I should say something to him… Was, was he really ashamed of me? I suddenly feel sick. He may be annoying and a coward and spoilt, but he's still my twin brother… I don't want to think about it!

Despite being starving and thirsty I just head upstairs and hide in the attic for the rest of the day. It was peaceful there and the many boxes filled with all manner of things were a good distraction from my everyday hell— I mean life…

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When I look back on this time I can't help but regret. Regret all the things I didn't say, all the things I didn't do, all the things I could have said and done, but didn't.

Masamune began to avoid me, and I began to avoid him. I had wanted to protect him. I didn't want him to get involved with my problems. Then I found out he was the one helping the bullies find all my hiding spots, distracting the teachers so they wouldn't see anything and making so they would catch me alone.

I should have been angry. I should have felt his betrayal stab at my heart like a thorn. I should have confronted him, asked him why. I should have acted like a real older brother and disciplined him. Yet I did nothing. I simply stopped talking to him altogether and avoided him more than ever.

At the time it had made sense to me. Of course he would side with the bullies. It was only natural for him to fear and hate me, I was a freak of nature after all. He was pushing me away, and I let him. Now I've lost him forever. And with it I've lost the right to be called an "onii-chan".