Magical Boy ~ English version

Chapter 114

Shosari Kōhī was born on November 6, 2097 in Kasumigaura. His mutations, although not inherited from his parents, did not frighten them. Although he was not always on good terms with his mother, his first five years were happy. A simple life, his father made a very good living and even if his wife stayed at home, he could easily support them and live comfortably. Shosari Ichiri, his father, never missed an opportunity to spoil his wife and son. Kōhī lacked nothing. Whether he asked for a toy or a pet, he had it.

He was not a spoiled rotten child. Because his mother, Shosari Tokura, was not as sweet. Most of the time, she ignored him. Kōhī had already overheard her talking with a friend, telling her that she had never wanted a boy, let alone one with mutations. He knew she didn't love him but still tried some cautious approaches. He was helpful in proving he was a good son. Since she wasn't violent, and just ignored him, he thought that deep down she still liked him a little.

He was five years and three months old when his world fell apart. His father was hit by a car on the way out of work and the culprit fled, never to be found afterwards. A misfortune as it happens so often. Blame it on bad luck...

Kōhī had never cried so much as when he heard the news. On the day of the funeral, he could not keep calm. He gasped in grief throughout the ceremony despite his mother's discreet reprimands.

He was so young, yet he knew something was wrong when he saw a man waiting for them outside the house as they returned from the ceremony. He did not know this man at all, but his mother immediately came forward to hug him... and kiss him. She seemed cheekily happy. The child watched this scene not knowing what to say or what to do. Although he sensed that something was wrong, his childlike spirit made him believe that it was surely a distant relative who had come to support her in these difficult times.

However, she turned to him with a look of disdain.

"Hey Kōhī!" She called dryly, "he's your new father, we're getting married next year. You obey him from now on!"

"But, Dad..." whispered Kōhī, in shock.

"Do not talk back to me! You're too young to understand anyway!"

"Go to your room immediately and stay there," the man added with a cruel smile, "I don't want to hear you, weasel!" 

His mother opened the front door and waved him through. But when he passed the man, the latter kicked him in the back, knocking him forward.

"How slow are you!" The adult scoffed, "get moving, your face is making me sick!"

Kōhī cried, his chin had banged violently against the tiles of the entrance, but that earned him to be even more reprimanded by his mother and he took a violent slap on the back of the head as a bonus. He then ran straight to his room.

He could hear his mother and his "new father" laughing out loud in the next room and banging on the wall if he had the misfortune to cry a little too loud.

It was the beginning of a descent into hell for him. His mother and this new man, Tohoshi Shutan, whose name Kōhī was to take when he officially adopted him, made him a little servant. He did the housework and even had to learn very early to cook. If he did not meet their expectations, then he received beatings. His room had been emptied, his toys thrown away and a makeshift bed set up for him in the garage. He was constantly in the draft, it was cold there even in summer and he had only an old blanket to cover himself with. He fell ill many times over the next few years, but his parents made him work anyway.

Seven months after Shutan moved in with them, Kōhī's mother gave birth to a baby girl. A completely normal child without any mutation. The new parents hoped she had no powers either. They were both part of those people who hated those with mutations and powers. A type of discrimination appeared at the same time as the first powers and which still persisted in some despite the increase in these particularities.

The little one was named Aya. She had her father's blue eyes and blond hair. Kōhī understood at this time that his mother was already having an affair before his father's death. Maybe it wasn't an accident that killed him. She had received a huge sum from the life insurance. She spent most of it on herself and her new spouse, a little on Aya and nothing on Kōhī.

The child could have hated his sister. But he knew very well that she was not responsible. Moreover, even if they treated her well and above all, did not beat her, he was still the one who took care of her the most. Feeding her, changing her, he was reduced to being a slave to his half-sister. But he didn't hold it against her. Aya was an angel and his only ray of sunshine in this house. She was well-behaved and always offered beaming smiles to her brother.

She continued to grow. She was a smart kid and Kōhī didn't need to tell her what was going on. She could see that her brother was mistreated by their parents. She always did her best to help him with household chores and tried to look after him when he was sick. When he made a mistake and found himself deprived of food, she managed to steal some to bring it to him.

Kōhī still went to school, but he dared not tell the teachers what was going on at home, for fear of being separated from Aya or falling into an even worse family. The scenario that terrified him the most was the tiny chance that he was the only one to be removed from his family and that their violence turned towards his sister.

So he continued to suffer in silence, praying that Aya would never have to suffer the same thing. He had no idea that she wouldn't have the opportunity to be confronted with it anyway.

She was six years old and Kōhī was eleven. He was preparing dinner, as usual. Aya was coming back from her room after trying on a new dress.

"Nii-san!" She called, "look!"

Kōhī glanced at her. It was clearly second hand, the colors were worn at the seams, but it looked nice. Aya looked like a princess and he did not fail to point it out to her. He doesn't say a word about the wear on the dress. Aya was still too young, she believed that her mother gave her new and expensive clothes, as she claimed.

Kōhī returned to his dish so as not to risk grilling the meat while Aya looked for something to drink. Concentrated in his task, Kōhī jumped when he heard a glass break and his sister start coughing. He turned to find her convulsing on the floor, spitting up a mixture of drool and blood. He called his parents for help and for once they came right away. But it was too late.

No one understood what had happened. Doctors couldn't find out how she died. It looked like poisoning, but there was no trace of any substance in her body. Kōhī was devastated. Tokura and Shutan were shocked but didn't cry. Kōhī had even heard them say that they just had to "make another one". He would have liked to denounce them, but he was far too saddened by the death of his little sister.

He was content to obey, again and again... was it thanks to the teenage crisis or just a disgust with his situation, Kōhī had started hanging out with delinquents his own age and spent as little time as possible at home. Of course, he took even more hits when he finally came back.

Thirteen years old then, he thought he should just run away. Maybe pretend to be dead. He looked at the contents of the pan he was cooking, then in a gesture that seemed futile to him at that time, he did something quite childish. He glanced at the door to make sure his mother and stepfather couldn't see him, then spat in his preparation. They wouldn't notice a thing, it was totally unnecessary, but it was satisfying.

He was still unaware of the existence of his power. And he ignored it until the two adults collapsed convulsing like Aya had. Kōhī watched the scene in horror. He didn't care about those two, but he had just realized the terrible truth. Aya drank from the glass he himself had used before. Therefore, he himself had killed his little sister.