Note: For clarification, this is an AU where Haizaki is the father of (F/n) and also Kise. Kise's full name is Haizaki Ryouta and he doesn't bear the Kise family name.
!Warning!
This one-shot contains and/or has mentions of the following content:
• Abuse and violence
• Mentions of injuries/cuts
•Mentions of alcohol and drugs
• Tragedy
• Angst ending
Please do not read this one-shot if any of the above make you uncomfortable. I have plenty of other one-shots that you can enjoy. Thank you!
"Hey (F/n)-cchi, are you almost ready?" My older brother Ryouta's voice came from outside my bedroom door. "We have to get going soon."
I glanced at myself in the mirror one last time and pressed down my skirt before carefully buttoning up the collar of my black shirt to conceal the bruised skin underneath. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my school bag and opened the door to greet Ryouta.
"I'm ready," I said, putting on what I hoped was a convincing smile. My muscles screamed in protest as my backpack straps dug into the cuts on my shoulders, but I knew Ryouta was suffering similarly so I held my tongue and kept quiet.
Still, he seemed to notice and smiled kindly at me. "You can leave your history textbook. Kobayashi-sensei won't notice if you don't have it for a day or two."
"O-okay." I shrugged off my bag and took out the massive textbook, throwing it on my bed with a grunt before zipping my backpack up again and putting it back on. Though the weight of the rest of my books was still uncomfortable, I could move my arms a lot easier now.
Realising we'd be late if we lingered any longer, we hurried over to the shoe rack near the front door to put on our shoes. Once Ryouta tied the laces of his sneakers, he straightened up and looked back at the empty apartment that stood behind us.
"Dad! We're leaving for school!"
Without even waiting for a response—because we almost never got one—Ryouta opened the front door and we were on our way to school.
The two of us were carbon copies of the infamous Haizaki Shogo. We both inherited his grey hair, though these days Dad kept his dyed black. Ryouta was most like him; he liked basketball just like Dad and even played the same position as him.
And for whatever godforsaken reason, Dad decided we hadn't suffered enough simply being the spawn of the devil. No, he also enrolled us into his old high school, Fukuda Sōgō. It had to do with something about being the closest high school in the area (which affected nothing because Dad never dropped us off anyway) and if he suffered during his high school years, then we had to suffer too.
He had a death grip around both my and Ryouta's life, especially after Mom went out of the picture. She left us when I was six years old, and it was actually on Ryouta's seventh birthday that we found out she wasn't going to come back. Whether she was in rehab for her alcohol and drug addiction or in prison, I couldn't be sure anymore. Dad never bothered to tell us.
As soon as we stepped through the doors of Fukuda Sōgō, everyone turned to glare at us with their eyes narrowed in silent assault. While I normally kept my eyes pointed at the floor to avoid them, Ryouta would meet their gaze challengingly.
Every day, he would take me to my classroom before going to his own homeroom on the second floor of the school building. When Ryouta started his first year of high school while I was finishing middle school, the older students were quick to recognise him as the son of Fukuda Sōgō's legendary delinquent. This subjected Ryouta to bullying from those kids as the teachers turned a blind eye. I would've received the same treatment upon entering the school too, but my brother was determined to protect me. He couldn't stop the insults or rough housing inside my homeroom by my classmates, but he made sure I wouldn't be beaten up by those same older students that had looked down on him in his first year.
We only had each other to rely on in this cruel world.
Lately though, Ryouta had been coming home later than usual for the past few weeks. He was on the school's basketball team so he would stay for practice every day while I went home directly after classes finished since I didn't have a club.
Today was no different, except for the fact that Ryouta came home at ten p.m. when he should've been back by six-thirty. As soon as the front door creaked open to announce Ryouta's return, I got up from my desk to go and see him but stopped when I heard the sound of Dad's voice.
"Oi brat, where've you been? Curfew was three hours ago."
Unsure if I should interrupt or stay in my room, I leaned against the closed door to hear the conversation so at the very least, I could make sure Ryouta was okay.
"Basketball practice," my brother replied coolly.
Dad scoffed at Ryouta's response. "You really suck that much that you had to be kept behind for three hours?" He said with a cruel laugh. "You're a disgrace to my family name."
My blood began to boil hearing him mock Ryouta like that, and before I knew what I was doing, I slammed the door open.
"Don't talk to Ryouta like that! He's a way better basketball player than you ever were!" I shouted at Dad, his back faced towards me as he towered over Ryouta.
Dad whirled around to look at me, a savage grin on his face.
"Shut up, shrimp," he sneered, his eyes glinting dangerously. "This is between me and him. Be a good girl and go back to your room unless you want to get beat."
I gulped, my eyes widening in fear and I hesitated. I darted a glance at Ryouta who stood trapped between Dad and the wall.
"Go on, (F/n)." Ryouta sent me a reassuring smile. "Listen to Dad. I'll be fine."
But I knew he wouldn't be fine. Ryouta's open coldness and defiance to our father was why Dad had it out to get him. There was something sadistic and inhumane about how Dad treated the both of us, but especially Ryouta.
"You heard him," Dad said, his unsettling smile growing wider. "If you won't obey me, then the least you can do is listen to your good for nothing brother."
I stared long and hard at the man I had the misfortune of calling my dad. Enough was enough. Ryouta spent his entire life trying to protect me from everyone that wanted to hurt us. It was about time I protected him for once.
"No," I said quietly. "I'm not going to leave. I'm not going to let you hurt Ryouta anymore!"
Dad snorted at my words. "Stupid kid."
He stalked towards me, clearing the length of the living room in a few short strides and reached out to grab me. I tried to dodge his hands but his bruising grip constricted around my throat, making me splutter for air. I thrashed around and put my hands up to his, trying to pry his fingers off of me but he was too strong.
"Dad, no!" Ryouta shrieked from behind him, running up to us.
Dad pushed Ryouta away before he could reach us and my brother tripped over the table and fell with a dull crash. Dragging me by the neck, Dad opened the door to my bedroom and with a hard shove, I tumbled down to the floor. My knees and palms skidded against the limp carpet painfully, and I let out a haggard cough.
"I told you," Dad finally spoke, looking down at me in disdain. The crowing smile on his face had been replaced by a steely expression. "This is between me and that brat Ryouta. I'll deal with you tomorrow."
He kicked me hard in the stomach and I gasped out in pain, crumpling back down on the floor as I watched him shut the door without another glance back.
I lay curled up on the floor for a few agonising minutes, trying to catch my breath. Behind the closed door, I could hear the muffled sounds of a fight: punches being thrown and grunts coming from both Dad and Ryouta.
I managed to get up once the pain in my abdomen subsided and hobbled to my bed, wondering if Ryouta would really be okay.
He let out a painful cry at one point, and it took every ounce of self control in my body to not slam the door open and check on him, knowing what would be waiting for me if I dared to leave my room again. All I could do now was wait and pray.
After what felt like an eternity, someone finally opened the door. Unease rippled in my stomach as I turned to see who it was, half expecting Dad to be there so he could give me my punishment. But relief washed over me when I saw Ryouta standing in the doorway instead.
"Ryouta, are you okay?" I asked, rushing up to him.
He opened his mouth to speak but before he could, I noticed the blood dripping down from his left earlobe. "Your ear is bleeding!"
The signature cuff earring that used to decorate his ear was nowhere in sight, but instead there was a bloody gash of torn skin from his piercing to the bottom of his earlobe. Dad must have yanked the earring out in their scuffle.
"It's fine, that earring didn't suit me anyway," Ryouta said dismissively. "I think I'll look better in silver hoops, don't you think?"
Despite his attempts to lighten the mood, I only frowned.
"Let me help you clean that up," I said, looking anxiously at the wound. There was so much blood. . .
"No, it's fine (F/n)-cchi. I can—" Ryouta said, but I interrupted him.
"Nii-san, please."
I failed to protect Ryouta, but the least I could do to make up for it was to treat his wound.
Ryouta seemed to sense the change in my voice and sighed softly. His shoulders slumped, like the burden of keeping up a facade that he was fine was becoming too much for him to handle.
"Okay," he agreed. "Thanks, (F/n)."
I took out my first-aid kit from under my bed, which had everything we needed for situations like these so Ryouta and I could tend our wounds away from Dad's prying eyes. Ryouta sat as still as a lamb as I treated his ear with antiseptic liquid and gauze.
"Ryouta," I summoned the courage to say while I cleaned the gash. "I'm sorry about what I did. I just wanted to protect you but I made everything worse. And now your ear is ruined because of me."
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes seeing Ryouta's damaged ear. Even if it healed, it would leave a nasty scar and it was doubtful if he could wear an earring in that ear again.
"(F/n)-cchi, it's okay," my brother said, and this time I knew he meant it. "I appreciate you trying to defend me, but it's not your fault Dad wants to make us miserable."
Now it was my turn to sigh. "I wish we could just leave and never have to see him again."
Ryouta was quiet for a while before he finally responded. "Maybe that day will come sooner than you think," he murmured.
There was a faraway look in his eyes, and I brushed it off as him daydreaming about running away from Dad like we used to when we were younger. But the reality of our situation sunk in years ago, and I had left that wishful thinking behind me.
I went back to treating Ryouta's ear and once I finished, he helped me put the first-aid kit back in its hiding place before turning back to me.
"You should go to sleep now," he said. "It's getting late but we can talk tomorrow, okay?"
I hesitated, not wanting to leave Ryouta's side so soon. But the firmness in his voice made me reluctantly agree. We had gotten into enough trouble tonight and while Dad was probably asleep by now, I didn't want to risk another beating anymore than Ryouta did.
"Okay." I finally nodded. "Goodnight, Ryouta."
Just like always, Ryouta smiled at me no matter how much pain he was in. "Goodnight, (F/n)-cchi."
* * *
The next morning, we were on our way to school again. Ryouta was back to his normal cheery self, with no sign that just last night he was breaking under the pressure to keep up his pretense. I tried to bring up what happened yesterday but he brushed it off, acting like nothing happened until we reached the gates of Fukuda Sōgō.
Instead of walking through the school entrance to go to our classrooms, Ryouta pulled me into the empty courtyard.
"Ryouta?" I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. "Why aren't we going to class?"
He didn't answer right away, first looking around as if making sure no one was eavesdropping before he turned back to me. "There's something I need to tell you that I couldn't say at home in case Dad heard us."
"What is it?" I asked, immediately worried about what he had to tell me if it was dangerous for Dad to know. "Is something wrong?"
"You know how I've been coming home late for the past few weeks?"
Confused about the sudden question and how it related to Dad, I nodded slowly. "Yeah, and?"
"It wasn't because of basketball."
I furrowed my eyebrows, still not understanding where he was going with this. "So why then?"
Ryouta took a deep breath, as if he was preparing to say something important.
"I found a family that wants to adopt us so we can leave Dad," he explained. "I've been getting to know them for the past few weeks and they really want to help us. They're called the Kise family. We'll have two parents again, and they have older daughters so we can have sisters too."
Dumbfounded by what I just heard, I could only stare at him in disbelief. Were my ears deceiving me? Was Ryouta playing a prank on me? There was no way he could've found someone willing to adopt us. I thought back to what he said the night before about the day we could leave Dad might come sooner than I thought, and I knew he must be telling the truth.
I finally found my voice again, but when I spoke, my words came out strangled. "We can. . . have a new family? We can get away from Dad?"
Ryouta nodded, smiling. "I want you to meet them before they start the legal stuff to get us away from our old man," he explained. "Mrs. Kise said she'd meet us after school today and take us out to eat. And once we get adopted, we can leave Fukuda Sōgō and go to Fuyumi and Shiori's old high school."
He began rambling excitedly about Kaijo High but I only listened with half an ear, my thoughts racing too fast to keep up with his chatter too. Being young kids and Ryouta not yet eighteen, there was never anything we could do about our situation growing up. But now after all of these years, our dream of leaving Dad was finally becoming a reality.
"(F/n)-cchi, are you okay?" Ryouta's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and only then did I realise the wetness of tears running down my cheeks.
"I-I want to meet her," I said, trying not to choke on the sob in my throat. "I want to meet all of them. I just can't believe we can get away from Dad. I thought we'd be stuck with him forever."
The alarm on Ryouta's face was replaced with a tender smile as he pulled me into his embrace. "Oh (F/n). . ." he murmured gently. "We don't have to be Haizaki's anymore."
After I dried my tears and blew my nose, Ryouta walked me to my homeroom before heading off to his classroom, and for the first time since being at Fukuda Sōgō, I entered the classroom with a smile on my face.
Both my classmates and teacher shot sour glances at me when they saw me, but nothing they did could diminish my cheerful attitude. All I had to do was survive today, and then I could see my new future family. Those thoughts propelled me throughout my classes and kept me going even when my classmates tried their best to keep me miserable.
Soon enough, the end of the day arrived and I ran out to the entrance of the school after finishing my cleanup duties. I looked around the quad, craning my neck until I caught sight of my brother's grey hair.
"Ryouta!" I called out, waving my hand as I rushed up to him.
"(F/n)-cchi!" His eyes brightened once he saw me and he smiled.
"Is Mrs. Kise here? Did she come?" I asked, unable to help the anxiety in my voice. What if she changed her mind? What if she didn't want to adopt another set of kids anymore when she had two perfectly good biological daughters? What if. . .
But Ryouta's next words erased all of my fears. "Yeah, she texted me when class ended." He looked around the busy sidewalk as students streamed out of the school to go home, his eyes narrowed and searching. "Look, there she is!" He pointed across the street and I saw a woman who seemed to be an angel sent from heaven.
She stood out from the other people around her, with gorgeous locks of golden hair and wide attentive eyes. Her gaze landed on us and she waved to us enthusiastically, a glowing smile on her face.
She couldn't have been more perfect.
I want to meet her, the words I said earlier echoed in my head. I wanted to meet all of them and see the perfect family Ryouta found for us.
A spark of adrenaline coursed through my body and my feet began to move on almost on their own as I darted across the street, my eyes still trained on Mrs. Kise. All that mattered was making it to our new family.
I was so close to reaching her when a scream from behind me pierced the air.
"(F/N)!"
It was Ryouta's voice, I realised, but before I could turn my head to see what was wrong, something rammed painfully into my side, knocking the breath out of my lungs as I was sent flying into the air.
I crashed into the asphalt of the road beneath me, finally skidding to a stop as I laid there unable to breathe, my mind scrambling to make sense of what just happened whilst I could only stare up at the blue sky overhead.
For a brief moment, all I heard was silence.
A shadow loomed over me and I looked up in a daze to see Ryouta's tearful face. Something wet pooled underneath my head and the mixed stench of blood and smoke wafted to my nose.
Am I dying?
"(F/n)-cchi, can you hear me?" Ryouta asked frantically, his voice distorted through the buzzing in my ears. "You're going to be fine! An ambulance is coming, so just hold on a little longer, okay?"
Deep in my gut, despite the static in my head jumbling my thoughts, I knew holding on for even a minute longer was too much for me.
My vision began to blur but I could only smile as I reached a hand up to cup Ryouta's cheek tenderly. A flash of yellow caught my eye behind him. It was the beautiful blonde woman Ryouta pointed out to me. I focused back on his face, imagining what he'd look like too with such radiant hair. For someone with such a bright personality, who always tried to cheer me up no matter what, who protected me from our father's legacy that haunted the both of us. . . Ryouta deserved so much more than the life that had been given to him.
Kise, I thought. Ryouta Kise.
It sounded so right. Much better than Ryouta Haizaki.
A wry thought crossed my mind as I heard the sound of sirens and Ryouta's sobs, and I closed my eyes for the final time.
We're both free now.